I May Be a Virtual Youtuber, but I Still Go to Work - Chapter 151

In the final MVP prediction polls, it was indeed a good thing for Majia personally to take first place.

In an instant, her name was known here and there.

She had climbed the ranks a few times before, but having her name sit at the top of the Tree Wiki search rankings for an extended period felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get her name out there.

However, looking at the overall Parallel scene, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows.

At least for the team leader Majia, it felt a bit like poison.

The reason? A curious bunch of viewers who usually didn’t know much about the situation showed up just because they heard Majia was good at the game, all hungry for some skill-centric content.

Meanwhile, the chat was buzzing with names.

“Might be why they picked her as a Fire Emblem candidate, huh? LOL”

“Those heavyweights are such a burden!”

“Why did Parallel even set up a team like this? Was winning not on the agenda?”

These folks didn’t just criticize the opposing team’s players, but also the members of their own team in the official broadcast chat.

When those viewers got especially fired up, it gave off the vibe of “I won’t forgive even a teammate if they hinder the player I’m supporting.”

The attitude of those who seemed to have tuned in solely to watch Majia was strikingly similar.

“Oh, can’t the chat managers handle this while Majia is busy gaming?”

Today, with all six members of Parallel present, the usual chat managers who stepped in when things got dull were in full battle mode at their designated battle stations.

After all, Majia had decided to handle the official broadcast management herself, so other rooms had devised a plan to help her without piling on the pressure through collaboration with Gong Seungyeon beforehand.

Naturally, the Slug group was fuming.

They were somewhat aware of Parallel’s bad reputation, and while they knew it would put a lot of pressure on the chat managers today, it still irked them.

There were those who had loved Majia so much they became her fans, and those who had originally liked her first generation but then became part of Slug because they liked her too.

They all shared a fondness for her first generation.

Majia only showed interest in those who loved the first generation, leading a good number of people to unwittingly become fans of the entire group.

But when they saw dirty comments in the chat, fans also recognized that jumping in with fights would just make them third-rate.

You could easily end up as a poor soul getting banned while trying to defend your favorite VTuber.

The elite fans raised the chat firepower at such moments.

You could tell just by seeing how Slug faded into oblivion back when Bachu Bachu had dominant chat strength that, in the end, chat is all about firepower.

If you spam the chat like there’s no tomorrow, eventually the Slug who’s been lurking will be overwhelmed by firepower as opposed to the clueless newbies who hopped in.

“Don’t talk smack about our rock and hedgehog! Don’t talk smack about our rock and hedgehog! Don’t talk smack about our rock and hedgehog! Don’t talk smack about our rock and hedgehog!”

“Majia! Majia! Majia! Majia! Majia!”

“Oof, get these scrubs out of here!”

“Cover and blast their skulls with a shotgun! Cover and blast their skulls, cover and blast!”

“Bear the weight of the Fire Emblem candidate!”

“Jia! You are the daughter of the Battle Coliseum!!!! Jia! You are the daughter of the Battle Coliseum!!!! Jia!”

“Endure as much as you love!! Huuuu!”

“Yeah, anyhow, Majia’s gonna do it all~ Yeah, anyhow, Majia’s gonna do it all~”

“Human Signal Flare Kim Firework is real! Human Signal Flare Kim Firework is real!”

“Wake up, Jia!!! Wake up, Jia!!! Wake up, Jia!!!”

“The clown… no… the clown… no…”

“Ugh, are those even people?”

“Pew~ Bang~ Pew~ Bang~ Pew~ Bang~ Pew~ Bang~”

“Lock on and fire for victory… Lock on and fire for victory…”

“Come on, do it better! Do it better, bus, carry me! Do it better, Majia!”

“Agent, you got this! You got this! Agent, you can do it! You got this!”

“Agent, do whatever you want!! Agent, do whatever you want!! Agent, do whatever you want!”

With all that, the chat became quite entertaining.

Usually, when Majia would do something, the Slugs would only throw in contrary opinions like “No way,” “Don’t do that,” or “Then d*e,” but today, they were protecting her like her little guardians, performing their own form of chat cleanup.

But let’s be real, Majia wasn’t one to feel grateful about it.

Nor was she someone who would let herself be swayed by the nasty words from toxic viewers that had been floating in the chat before Slug wrapped around her.

The team was pretty much running smoothly despite the chaotic chatter.

“Alright, Round 1! We’re down to just five squads left. If we quickly look at who remains, we see Parallel’s B team, home to our MVP candidate Majia, sweeping up most of the votes from yesterday’s predictions—”

She managed to navigate through numerous predicaments using smoke bombs, even with the two team members who struggled hard to keep up with the game, Iron and Bronze.

But here’s how the matches generally went down.

As soon as it started with all three squads colliding, Maru and Dora would inevitably go down first.

Then, even though it was a 3:1 situation, the opposing team couldn’t push in easily once the smoke was deployed.

That’s because Majia had a reputation to uphold.

Despite charging in bravely and getting pushed back, getting humiliated was not on anyone’s list.

They weren’t sure if they could really take Majia down while stuck in the smoke themselves.

The prize pool had also surprisingly doubled.

Everyone seemed keen to play it safe.

Instead of provoking a Skyrim that could harm them, they’d prefer to strategically withdraw and prepare for a serious battle later.

That’s how they could surely earn more victory points.

Of course, some squads said, “Let’s charge in! When else would we have this chance?”

“Let’s go!”

Feeling utterly confused about facing a lone adversary, thinking it might not be one, but three still alive, they retreated.

“Fall back, fall back! At this rate, another team is going to sweep us!”

“I’m hearing gunfire from the back. Let’s get out!”

“d*mn. Why can’t we just get through a single smoke without dying?”

Just to clarify, in the Battle Coliseum, even if you weren’t knocked out but dead, you could resurrect by grabbing the core off a teammate’s body.

Majia resurrected Maru and Dora, who had both suffered fatal blows in Round 1, maximizing the opportunity to land in the final five squads.

Even when playing games with the president, Momo, the two often found themselves lying flat or in a state of corpse. Yet today? They were alive longer than ever!

Naturally, the viewers were a bit confused too.

:: Anonymous Benefactor donated 1,000 Clouds! ::

:: Doesn’t it feel like they’re just meat shields? ::

“Hahaha!”

“Hey, hey, hey!”

“Why are you even?”

“Stop making excuses.”

“Oh wow.”

Whether it was to turn them into meat shields or genuinely let them play longer, no one was really clear.

Even though they said that, the fans of Dora and Maru, the Hatchlings, and the Dongs were just grateful they were even alive.

Usually tossed aside as useless, they often had to watch from the sidelines.

But now, at least they could pile smoky supplies for Majia quickly or d*e holding smoke bombs, buying time for Majia to endure.

In a competition with such high stakes,

While Majia was pegged as a Supporter within the realm of VTubers, in-game, she was undoubtedly the hero while Dora and Maru embraced their supporting roles.

And neither of them seemed to mind.

They were always filled with the desire to help Majia, so there was no way they would try to steal the spotlight.

In fact, they seemed to be in a friendly competition to see who could hoard the most smoke bombs.

Even the viewers watching their channels were actively supporting their choice.

:: Mission ::

:: Gather 10 smoke bombs before dying – 558,000 Won ::

“Hey, I collected 10! Thanks, everyone! I’ll keep working even harder!!”

:: Mission ::

:: Achieve a Round Ranking within the Top 5 – 334,000 Won ::

“5th place~ I did it~.”

You’re doing so well.

That’s all you need to focus on to win!

It was like they were conveying a message through missions.

* * *

Majia’s hyper-carry.

Dora and Maru’s enthusiastic support.

Surprisingly well-synchronized team play.

Thanks to those three elements, Parallel’s B team sustained a solid survival rate through the early rounds.

As the broadcast was coming to an end, the surviving teams were periodically spotlighted, always including their names.

“Round 2 is just about to finish. Parallel’s B team is still hanging in there! Every time I look, it feels like Majia is fighting hard. But they are still standing strong?”

“Let’s check the squads remaining in Round 3. Oh, look! Parallel’s B team is still here! And sister team Parallel A is also still alive this time?!”

“Now we’re in Round 4, we have Chemistry A team, Bachu Bachu A team, and again, Parallel B team is STILL going strong!!!”

By now, after four of the eight rounds, it was time for a mid-game evaluation.

Parallel’s B team proudly ranked among the top tiers of the 30 squads, showcasing their presence.

“Alright, let’s take a look at the mid-game rankings.”

[Mid-Game Rankings for Rounds 1-4]

– 1. Chemistry A team [58]

– 2. Moving B team [55]

– 3. Moving A team [52]

– 4. Bachu Bachu A team [51]

– 5. Parallel B team [50]

Majia’s shoulders were heavy and they could never reach first place.

But they were on the cusp of pulling off an upset, always within reach of vaulting over the teams ahead with just one big mistake.

“Wow, is it because Majia is an MVP candidate? Playing with two Iron and Bronze teammates, they might be 5th, but the score gap from 1st to 4th isn’t that wide. What do you think, caster?”

“With a first place giving 20 points, an 8-point gap is literally a score that can flip with just a single round. Of course, we have to be mindful of Parallel B team potentially stumbling. But their cooperation is seriously on point.”

The casters were so impressed they ended up saying something like,

“I’ll take back what I said earlier about Majia not being suited for team play. It’s all about how the team meshes together.”

“Oh, I completely agree with that. We see that Dora from Iron Rank and Maru from Bronze are playing like Majia’s shield and supply depot, right?”

“I’ve listened to the voice comms a bit. They aren’t just waiting around for someone to give orders to cover. They proactively protect and keep supplying Majia with the smoke bombs she desperately needs, doing all they can.”

“Yeah!”

“Does that mean they aren’t firing at all? Not at all. Whenever Majia wraps it up with a ‘Finish!’ they are there to score those kills. In the meantime, Majia has the chance to strike other enemies.”

“Ah, that’s right! This is what makes team games shine in a competition. It’s expected for a top player to carry, but less skilled players still have ways to help push the team to victory.”

“Of course, it’s a shame they don’t get direct spotlight due to it, but that’s exactly what we’re here to do as commentators.”

“Indeed, the quality of BCK’s official commentary is top-notch. You don’t overlook a single player who might feel sidelined.”

“Dora and Maru, you are doing great. Keep going. Victory is within reach!”

The official commentators threw out their shout-outs.

And hearing it from the sidelines, Maru and Dora’s viewers cheerfully remarked the day had made them into kind cuckoo birds.

“You’re doing great!”

“Let’s stay chill, Maru.”

“You can surely make it! I can really see it!”

“Indeed, it’s definitely motherly love.”

“Today, you’re not just a dumb rock, but a kind dragon indeed!”

“Make it! Make it! Make it!”

Yet, some did start to hint at their true feelings.

:: Anonymous Benefactor donated 1,000 Clouds! ::

:: But isn’t this making the president the only one not getting anything? ::

“Whoa!”

“Whoa!”

“Hey, hey, hey!”

Regardless, everyone wished for a victory.

And because they could catch that on the broadcast, today, they didn’t get cut for stirring up trouble.

What’s intriguing is that this positive atmosphere even spread to Majia’s broadcast, which had nearly been tainted by malicious comments.

Those who had called for scrubs to be removed, fat girls, and said “What a waste for Majia,” began to change their tune with the commentators’ shout-outs, right?

Not exactly—those toxic folks got the axe long before.

While she focused on the game, she quickly dismissed the troublemakers at the end of each round.

For someone who had been a chat manager for two years and a manager head for three, handling such matters was nothing to her.

Even the brief moments between rounds were enough to manage that.

And Majia’s skillful handling attracted unexpected fans.

The front of a professional team that signs partner streamers, providing them with official titles and broadcasting rights.

:: :: Team Wild Front donated 100,000 Clouds! :: ::

:: :: Agent, I’m watching your activities closely, go Parallel B team! :: ::

“Whoa!”

“Whoa, Team Wild!”

“Why is this official?!”

The intense fans that earlier swarmed around Majia were indeed entering a battleground in the esports scene.

It was chaotic, with Cup tournaments erupting sporadically, fans brawling, and streamers getting crushed over the words they said about certain teams.

Yet here was Majia, coolly managing the chaos while steering her team to a strong 5th place.

If such a broadcaster became a partner streamer for a team, they could play an incredibly crucial role in fostering fan engagement.

And for Majia, there wasn’t a specific team she supported, making her a blank slate.

As a potential Final MVP, what team would she pick? Nobody knew.

So, if they could make a strong impression and steer her toward a specific team, they had the potential to expand their fanbase.

The front wouldn’t let such an opportunity slip away.

Of course, Team Wild wasn’t the only one thinking along these lines.

:: :: Hojeong Freekers donated 100,000 Clouds! :: ::

:: :: Majia, Dora, Maru, fighting!!! :: ::

:: :: ABC Games Front donated 100,000 Clouds! :: ::

:: :: Go Parallel B team! :: ::

“Wait, what?!”

“??”

“Why are so many of you showing up at this humble place?”

“My heart is racing!”

Finally, even KG arrived, the team founded by the former champion Movgun, which is also supported by Kkaemang’s baseball team.

:: :: KGD official donated 100,000 Clouds! :: ::

:: :: Thank you, Jia and Kkaemang for supporting our KGD baseball team! We also support you, Majia! :: ::

“Whoa!”

“Wow!”

“What’s up with all those people showing up? Hahaha!”

Since official usernames carry distinct markers, Majia paused mid-broadcast from giving bans to express her gratitude.

“Ah, thank you. Thank you. Just a moment. I’ve been so caught up working…”

After all, this was the time when big sponsors had rolled up their sleeves to help out in this tournament.

Staying silent would be rather impolite.

Majia instantly grabbed onto the broadcast panel.

Soon, pulling back to show her whole self, she spun around 180 degrees, flipping her head and feet positions.

“Thank you for your support! We’ll do our best at Parallel B team! And please cheer for the A team with our president, Rain, and Komari!”

This was an exceptionally rare move for Majia.

Still, for those who watched VTubers, this was familiar enough.

The Live2D model has limited tilt capabilities, making this the usual way to express intense gratitude as a standard approach.

But with this flip, you wouldn’t catch hair or clothing flowing like a real person.

Unlike 3D models, it’s merely switching coordinates.

But somehow, Majia—

“?”

“??”

“Excuse me?”

“What’s up with her hair?”

“Isn’t this one supposed to be a Live2D?”

“Why does it look like it’s acting like 3D?!”

“Whoa!”

“Whoa, what a graceful thank-you gesture!”

Her ID dangling from her hair tumbled down, and her skirt seemed to flutter just a little.

Here was a groundbreaking application of gravity rigging that you wouldn’t see with traditional Live2D models.

Fortunately, as she returned to her original position, her skirt settled back in place, while the questions raised by an oddball donation evolved into firm belief.

:: :: PIN0 donated 100,000 Clouds! :: ::

:: :: This is the power of Daddy, everyone, bow down! :: ::

“Crazy person, crazy person!”

“Shouldn’t we be placing a bounty instead of bowing?”

“Truly a mad pervert…”