Chapter 41 Part 4: Wildflowers

Even after recalling the promise that had seemingly vanished from memory, the game continued.

The party moved into the forest to establish a new camp and began their investigation.

「Wow, the river is red!」

「It must be due to an overabundance of plankton, or perhaps a specific substance released by plants.」

A river as crimson as blood came into the party’s view.

“Somehow, that color feels unnecessarily ominous.”

It might look pretty in real life, but the genre of this game is monster hunting.

Meaning a monster could pop out anytime, anywhere, looking like anything.

「Ah, look here! There’s something here!」

While walking along the red river, the blonde man accompanying them discovered something.

Blue fuzz found on the riverbank was held in his hand.

「This looks like… Rose Barathula fur?」

「Rose… what?」

At the Handler’s question, the blonde man, Edgar, continued his explanation.

「Ah, they’re large chelicerates. Creatures that possess this blue paralyzing fur…」

“Ah, chelicerates…”

I’m not a science type, so I don’t know much, but I could understand at least one thing.

Chelicerates, aren’t those related to arthropods?

Seeing the character leg in the word, it seemed to refer to creatures with many legs, like centipedes.

‘Wow, just imagining it is creepy.’

Thinking about a giant centipede the size of a tree attacking in a dark jungle, just the thought seemed to send shivers down my spine.

-Ah, is it a spider?

-Streamer, are you okay?

-Is she going to faint again?

-Guys, get ready to report it.

-What’s the number for 119 in Japan?

It seemed I wasn’t the only one worried, as the chat window also started revving up.

“…..It should be okay, I did undergo special training.”

Spiders might look creepy, but I had also installed a protective filter.

That’s why the small insects encountered earlier were rendered as slime forms.

As the exploration continued, a problem arose.

「Could there be a nest nearby…?!」

Did the rare discovery suddenly make him lose his senses?

Edgar started searching for tracks as if possessed by something.

-No, that f*cker.

-Another annoying character appears.

-From now on, you’re the second Handler.

-I had high hopes because the model looked good, but of course, he’s an annoying character.

“No, why are you going there, you son of a…”

At his reckless action, Cheongha desperately suppressed the curse words threatening to spill out and continued speaking.

Perhaps because I had just imagined fighting a centipede, I seemed overly sensitive.

-Oh lol

-Hyung, you were close just now.

-At this point, just swear.

“…..What are you talking about.”

Since I couldn’t even swear carelessly during my mainstream broadcast days, uttering curses soberly in front of people still felt unfamiliar.

‘Besides, nothing good comes from swearing a lot.’

Even if it’s not directed at them, hearing someone genuinely curse nearby wouldn’t make the listener feel good.

It was a small consideration for those who came to find me during their limited free time after finishing their day.

‘Though, seeing the viewers’ reactions lately, maybe it would be okay to just swear.’

Wouldn’t these people somehow manage to take it?

Still, I should try to avoid it as much as possible.

Those two thoughts coexisted.

The sight of blue spider webs spread everywhere, with sunlight filtering through the gaps, was truly magnificent.

Looking at it like this, it feels somewhat like a studio for filming a horror movie.

Or perhaps a dome concert hall lavishly decorated for the New Year.

「He’s over there.」

And in a corner of that dome, we found the blonde man, tangled tightly in spider webs.

Oh dear, he really caused trouble in the end.

「…..!!」

Sensing something, the expedition leader at the front gestured to stop.

Following the camera’s movement, something white came into view.

It was a giant spider, resting while hanging from the ceiling.

-Streamer, what do we do?

-Close your eyes~!

At the sight, the chat window started making a fuss.

If someone were to ask about the Vtuber ‘Kim Cheongha’, the first keyword that followed would be ‘fainting’.

Cheongha’s fainting incident was famous across both Vtuber fan cafes and streamer fan cafes alike.

In a way, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was the biggest factor in her channel’s rapid growth.

Everyone who entered this stream must have watched that clip at least once.

However, contrary to their expectations, Cheongha’s reaction was surprisingly calm.

“No….. This isn’t that creepy? It feels similar to a coconut crab.”

If it were ambiguously small, I don’t know, but since it’s definitively huge, it reminds me of a coconut crab, so it’s actually fine?

I don’t know about its behavior, but its appearance is at least somewhat bearable.

-??? Suddenly?

-Still, isn’t it cuter compared to that thing?

“…..Well?”

If you actually saw a coconut crab eating seagulls and mongooses, you would never say that.

Since there was no way to show the memories in my head to the disbelieving viewers, Cheongha focused on the hunt.

---

「Kieeeek!」

“But, come to think of it, isn’t this just his own fault?”

A thought suddenly occurred to me while continuously striking the spider monster.

Even I would probably attack out of fear if some blonde delinquent picked up my hair while I was sleeping soundly and started snooping around my house.

Honestly, at this point, didn’t he just dig his own grave?

-Still, what can you do, she’s angry.

-Looking closely, it’s kind of pretty?

-Ugh, creep..

-You, get out.

“Ah, even I find that a bit much.”

There’s someone with strange tastes here.

Is this why Vtubers are considered niche?

「Kiriririk!」

It feels weird saying this, but the spider’s movements were truly elegant.

It spun around using one leg like a ballet dancer.

It scattered poisonous hairs into the air.

And after unfolding its blue, rose-like abdomen, it repeatedly stabbed at me with its stinger.

“Ah, I’m paralyzed.”

The poisonous hairs scattered everywhere weren’t just for show, it seemed; the protagonist Hunter eventually got hit by a few stings and collapsed.

#[Anonymous Supporter donated 1,000 Won]

-Hyung, you can destroy those by slashing them with your sword.

Perhaps finding my repeated collapses hard to watch, a viewer risked giving advice.

“Ah, really?”

It looked like something you shouldn’t touch, so I avoided them, but I could just destroy them?

Since the Tachi has a wide attack range vertically and horizontally, it was a weapon type that could easily eliminate the flying hairs.

Yes, but still…

“But, why are you calling me ‘hyung’?”

I decided to ask the question I had been curious about for a while.

Well, I can understand being called ‘Captain’ since I play FPS games these days, but how did this nickname come about?

-Dunno?

-Isn’t it just because you like games guys play?

-Seems like it.

-Honestly, Battle Field and stuff are mostly played by guys.

-It just rolls off the tongue.

-Isn’t it better than ‘noona’?

‘Hyung…..’

I recalled female streamers from my past life who were called ‘hyung’.

Those people generally had a strong image; do I seem like that?

“Well, it doesn’t really matter. Call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

Honestly, the word ‘hyung’ rolls off the tongue better than ‘noona’.

If I had always been female, maybe, but thanks to being male in my past life, I didn’t particularly mind it.

「Kirieeeeek!」

Thwack-!

Simultaneously, the Barathula, having lost its balance from repeated leg strikes, screamed and collapsed.

“Ah, its legs gave out.”

Well, that’s good for me; it’s presenting its head willingly.

Ultimately, the poor Rose Barathula met its end after enduring consecutive slash combos and a Helm Breaker.

[Quest Complete]

-Let’s craft its armor now.

-Insect armor being pretty is the standard rule.

-Agreed, good to use in the early game.

“Ah? Really?”

Pretty clothes are always nice, whether in reality or in a game.

It feels like indulging myself a little?

Just as Cheongha began carving.

Vroooom-!

A loud noise came from outside the window.

 -What’s that sound?

 -Did a fighter jet take off next door?

 -Why is the sound so loud?

“No, it’s just the cleaning truck. My house lets in outside noise quite easily…..”

The source of the sound was the cleaning truck that passed by around this time every Monday.

It’s already that time today.

‘Wait, cleaning truck?’

….I feel like I forgot something. What was it.

‘Right, I didn’t take the trash out!’

“Ah, everyone. I’ll be right back after stepping out for a moment!!”

 -??? Streamer, where are you going?

 -What?

 -Abandoning the stream?

 -Going to take out the trash?

 -For real?

 -She finished carving before leaving though lol

I have to live too, you know.

Look how much trash has piled up in my house; if I let the truck pass now, I’ll have to endure it until next week.

It wasn’t that much even now, but isn’t it better to be neat?

“Wait, just a moment!”

I quickly tied the opening of the garbage bag and ran outside.

Fortunately, the truck hadn’t arrived yet, it seemed, as the bags were sitting neatly in place.

After barely managing to throw out the trash, Cheongha resumed the game.

Some time passed like that.

“Alright, shall we call it a day?”

 -Yep

 -Good work today, hyung.

 -Cheong-bye~

 -Cheong-bye

 -Bye bye

After playing the game for a few hours, Cheongha pressed the stream end button and picked up her phone.

-[Mayuri, want to grab a meal sometime?]

Not long after sending the Line message to Mayuri, a reply arrived quickly.

-Mayuri : [Yes! When would be possible?!]

-[Anytime is fine for me. Just pick a time that’s convenient for you.]

-Mayuri : [Ah, then perhaps…]

The time decided upon was Wednesday at 2 PM.

Let’s see, do I have any conflicting schedules that day?

‘Ah, the Golden Watch tournament is then.’

Well, I’ll just have to watch the recording later.

It’ll all be saved anyway, so watching the tournament late shouldn’t be a problem.