Chapter 62: Hakkobagi (3)

Finally, it was the promised Friday evening at 8 PM.

I settled in front of the giant screen in the living room of my penthouse.

On the screen, the spectacular opening video for the [1st Starlight Dream Stage] was already playing.

The Starlight logo soaring through space, the silhouettes of the members, and the names of the 10 participants flashed by accompanied by sensational music.

It definitely looked like money well spent.

After the video ended, the avatars of three people appeared with the stage as their background.

“Hello! Star Clusters! Hello, hello! This is Rinne!”

Jungyeon skillfully announced the start.

Beside her, Ajung livened up the atmosphere with her characteristic cheerfulness, and Yoon Sol also greeted everyone with a warm smile.

-Wowowowowow, it’s finally starting

-Kyaaaaaaaah, the opening video is insane lololol

-What’s with the stage?? Is this for real??

-What are the girls wearing today? So fcking pretty, sht

-The hope of bottom-tier streamers! The Great Sta-Light! (TL Note: “대” (Dae) means “Great” or “Big”, often used by fans to hype     things up. “타라이트” is Starlight.)

The chat window was already heated from the very beginning.

It had only been 5 minutes, but the number of viewers had already surpassed 20,000.

It seemed the hype had been successfully generated.

“Yes, today we are not just simple MCs!”

“We are here as representatives of the ‘Star Cluster,’ to cheer on the precious performances of ten individuals who have chased their dreams from the closest distance, and to share that emotion with all of you!”

Jungyeon said with sincerity.

“That’s right!”

“The rankings will be decided by your votes, but I believe everyone standing on this stage today is already a winner!”

“We’re just going to enjoy ourselves to the fullest and cheer them on!”

Ajung added brightly.

“I think… I can somewhat understand how the participants feel.”

“I sincerely hope that everyone today can sing to their brightest, without any regrets.”

Sol’s calm words carried deep empathy.

“Kyah. Look at those lines.”

Now, it was truly beginning.

What kind of performances would emerge?

“Alright, no need for long speeches, right?”

“Let’s meet the very first dream stage right now!”

“Please give them a big round of applause and your support!”

With Jungyeon’s introduction, the screen transitioned.

The first participant was the punk-rock style VTuber named ‘Riley,’ whom I had noted for her uniqueness.

The screen instantly changed to a dark and rugged underground live club.

Red and blue lights intersected, and the stage was heavily filled with smoke.

In the center stood Riley, dressed in a leather jacket and ripped jeans, holding an electric guitar.

Zzzzhhht-

The noise from the guitar amp heightened the tension.

With a powerful drum beat, Riley lifted her head.

A rebellious glint in her eyes, illuminated by the lights.

She began to play a rough guitar riff.

A fast and aggressive sound.

But it was never messy.

The meticulously calculated rhythm and melody captivated the ears.

And then, her voice burst forth.

A powerful, husky voice.

But within it, a subtle sadness and longing were intertwined.

The lyrics, which she reportedly wrote herself, seemed like a cry to the world, or perhaps a pledge to herself.

The motion capture technology flawlessly captured her intense headbanging, dazzling guitar playing, and even the slight tremor in her fingers gripping the microphone.

It felt like watching a real live performance right in front of you.

The brilliant lighting and dynamic camera work further amplified her energy.

During the chorus, lyrics even exploded like fireworks on the screen behind the stage.

‘Oh… this is much better than I thought?’

It wasn’t just rough.

A distinct personal style and the skill to express it.

And even the composure to enjoy the stage.

-Wow, crazy, she tore it up from the first stage ㄷㄷㄷ

-Who the f*ck are you????

-Why is this a bottom-tier streamer, f*ck.

-Isn’t this just a current pro???

-They just brought an indie band vocalist and called her a VTuber, what a load of sh*t lololololol

-Riley noona, I’m dyyyyingggggggg

-The song is f*cking good, is it an original??

-Is she really playing the guitar herself???

-If it’s like this from the start, what are we gonna do? lololololol

The chat room’s reaction was also explosive.

She had properly hyped up the atmosphere from the very first performance.

After the song ended, the screen returned to the studio.

All three members had expressions of admiration.

“Wow… Riley-ssi!”

“That was truly so cool!”

“Absolutely amazing!”

Ajung was the first to exclaim, unable to hide her excitement.

“From the guitar solo to the final shout… I really couldn’t take my eyes off it for a single moment.”

“The lyrics you wrote yourself were especially impressive.”

“My heart was pounding before I even knew it.”

Jungyeon also expressed her sincere admiration.

“Your vocal tone is truly captivating.”

“It’s husky yet deeply expressive… I think you have an outstanding ability to convey emotions.”

“I really enjoyed listening.”

Yoon Sol accurately pointed out her strengths from an expert’s perspective.

“Ah, right.”

“We were supposed to just give our impressions, weren’t we?”

“Anyway, Riley-ssi!”

“Your performance today was truly the best!”

“I’m really looking forward to your future activities!”

Jungyeon hurriedly corrected herself and sent her support.

The next on stage was ‘Yue,’ with a moon rabbit concept.

It was a completely opposite atmosphere to Riley’s.

The screen changed to a dreamlike garden under a night sky full of pouring stars, seemingly floating on clouds.

Amidst the gentle moonlight and sparkling flowers, Yue’s avatar, wearing a white dress, carefully appeared.

She stood before the microphone stand, her hands neatly clasped.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, as if nervous.

As the accompaniment began, she closed her eyes and took a breath.

A calm and beautiful piano melody, resembling the stillness of the night.

A clear and pure voice.

It was transparent and clean, like dew.

Though lacking in technique, you could feel her singing each note with sincerity.

Her voice gently caressed the listeners’ hearts like the starlight in the night sky.

The stage production was also meticulously tailored to her concept and voice.

As the song progressed, effects were added, such as the background stars gathering around her or flower petals scattering.

The motion capture delicately captured her small hand gestures, her eyes that seemed to waver with anxiety, and the slight furrow of her brow as she immersed herself in the song.

‘Her technical skills are still lacking… but her voice itself is definitely charming.’

I could see why Yoon Sol had a good impression of this applicant.

She was a raw gem that could shine brightly if polished.

-Her voice is just pure healing lololol

-Yue-ttang, kawaiiiiiiiiiiii

-What’s with the stage production? She looks like a Disney princess lol

-She seems a bit unstable, but that makes me want to protect her more ㅠㅠ

-There’s a real joy in watching someone like that grow. For real.

-Why the f*ck are kids like these bottom-tier streamers, damn world?

The chat window was also filled with warm support.

It seemed a different kind of charm from Riley’s had captured the fans’ hearts.

After the performance ended, the members once again didn’t hold back their praise.

“Yue-ssi… your voice is truly like a treasure.”

“I felt at ease the entire time I was listening.”

Yoon Sol said with sincere admiration.

“That’s right!”

“The avatar, the voice, and the atmosphere were a perfect match!”

“It really felt like I had stepped into a fairy tale!”

Ajung said, her eyes sparkling.

“You seemed nervous at first, but it was really great to see you becoming more immersed as it went on.”

“If you have a little more confidence, I’m sure you can show us an even more wonderful performance.”

“You worked really hard today!”

Jungyeon offered warm encouragement along with practical advice.

After that, performances by other unique participants continued.

‘Seiren,’ with a dreamy mermaid concept.

‘Bbyo,’ the unimaginably quirky 4D magical girl.

The individuals I had picked, and those the members had discovered.

All ten of them filled the stage with their own unique colors.

Zelnaga Entertainment’s overwhelming technological prowess became the ultimate tool to maximize their charms.

It wasn’t just singing; it provided a variety of spectacles, like a musical or a concert.

‘Not bad. No, it’s actually really good, isn’t it?’

I had, at some point, logged into the chat as ‘Zelnaga’ and was watching the stage.

[Zelnaga]: Riley <<< Average bottom-tier VTuber lolololol

[Zelnaga]: Yue-ttang daisukiiiiiiiiii

[Zelnaga]: Seiren-nim, if you’re a mermaid, do you not have legs??

[Zelnaga]: Bbyo, what’s this, so f*cking cute lololololol

The participants put on performances that made me chat without even realizing it.

And my chats like that were very visible to other viewers.

-That b*stard is at it again lolololol

-You s*n of a b*tch, did you rent out the entire chat window?

-Still, his chats are somewhat normal lol

-Bbyo is really f*cking cute lol

-But that b*stard’s chats are especially noticeable lololol

The fans reacted with laughter, as if they were used to my chats.

In fact, the atmosphere seemed even more excited now that I had appeared.

Before long, all ten performances had ended, and an announcement for the start of voting appeared on the screen.

“Now, everyone!”

“It’s time for you to personally pick the star of the 1st Starlight Dream Stage with your own hands!”

“For exactly 30 minutes from now!”

“Please cast your precious vote for the one VTuber who showed you the most moving performance!”

Jungyeon encouraged participation in the voting.

“The voting results will be revealed shortly!”

“Right here!”

“Stay tuned!”

Ajung gave a cute wink.

The names of the 10 participants and a live voting board appeared on the screen.

The numbers began to change rapidly in real-time.

Fans shouted the names of the participants they supported, encouraging votes.

The chat window was truly a battlefield.

‘I wonder who it will be.’

I too watched the voting status with interest.

It didn’t matter how the results turned out.

This event was already a success.

What was important was the passion and potential shown in the process.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

Isn’t it a bit of a shame to choose only one winner?

Watching today’s performances, everyone had their own charm.

It felt like a waste for those talents to end here.

‘…Ah, whatever.’

I placed my hands on the keyboard once more.

It’s my money anyway, I can spend it however I want.

After the 30-minute voting period ended, a countdown for the final results announcement began on screen, accompanied by suspenseful sound effects.

Not only the members but everyone in the chat held their breath waiting for the results.

Finally, filling the screen, a single name appeared.

🏆 1st Starlight Dream Stage Winner: Riley 🏆

With the effect of exploding fireworks, Riley’s avatar was shown in a close-up in the center of the screen.

Her eyes, visible behind the mask, widened as she wore an expression of disbelief.

-Wow, Riley!!!

-Congrats congrats congrats congrats congrats

-C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C

-Rock is victorioussssssssssssss!

-Yue-ttang, too bad ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Bbyo-dan sobbing ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Amidst the mix of cheers and disappointment, Jungyeon in the studio passed the microphone to Riley.

“Riley-ssi!”

“Congratulations on your win!”

“Please share a few words!”

Riley hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth, her voice trembling.

“Uh… honestly, I really didn’t think I would win.”

“I just… came out with the mindset of enjoying it without regrets…”

“To receive such a big award… thank you so much.”

It was a trembling voice filled with sincerity, different from her usual rough demeanor.

“To the Starlight seniors who created such an amazing stage for a bottom-tier streamer like me, who has nothing… thank you so much.”

“And to everyone who voted today, to everyone who listened to my song… thank you… thank you so much.”

“I will repay you with better music in the future.”

“I will never… forget this.”

In the end, she choked up and couldn’t continue speaking.

An effect of tears seemingly flowing over her mask was added, enhancing the emotional impact.

Ajung and Yoon Sol also had reddened eyes as they applauded Riley.

Jungyeon, too, seemed choked up and couldn’t speak for a moment.

It was at that very moment.

Shattering the touching atmosphere, a donation message of an overwhelming amount covered the entire screen.

[Zelnaga has donated 100,000,000 Butter!]

[I know it’s touching, but I think everyone is crying too much ㅠㅠ Anyway, I enjoyed today’s performances. Congratulations to the winner, Riley-ssi. But as I watched, I thought it was a bit of a shame to support only one winner. So, I will provide all 10 participants who made it to today’s main stage with a 10 million won sponsorship + a one-time use voucher for Zelnaga Entertainment’s recording studio and motion capture studio. Whether you use it for content, your own songs, or whatever, it’s up to you, so contact us when you need it.]

Silence.

Not only the three members in the studio but all the viewers in the chat froze for a moment.

A 100 million Butter donation?

Support for all participants?

Sponsorship for all participants?

The reaction was like, ‘What is this situation?’

-?????

-Huh???

-Zel-hyung, are you crazy???

-100 million???

-All participants get Zelnaga Entertainment vouchers????

-LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

-A 100 million Butter donation, and 10 million won for each of the 10 members lolol, so a total of 100 million won in additional support lololol

-Crazy b*stard, look at this scale lololololololololol

-This is Zelnaga lololololololol

-Bottom-tier streamers sobbing ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-Fck, you extreme lover of bottom-tier streamers, you bstard, I love you ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-An ending where everyone is saved… I’m really crying ㅠㅠㅠ

-Zelnaga, you are a god!!!

-Just making it to the finals was basically a winning ticket lololololololololol

The chat window was sheer pandemonium.

The atmosphere of congratulating the winner was gone, replaced entirely by cheers chanting ‘Zelnaga.’

“…President?”

Jungyeon muttered, staring blankly at the screen.

Ajung and Yoon Sol also couldn’t close their mouths, astounded.

I watched them with a satisfied smile.

Yes, this is Zelnaga Entertainment.

This is my way.

A stage where not just one star, but everyone can shine together.

The broadcast thus ended amidst fervent excitement, with my unexpectedly generous finale.

‘What should I try next?’

I was already starting to plan the next move.

The success of the Starlight Dream Stage was just the beginning.

The stories yet to unfold in this vast Zelnaga World were still endless.