Ever since I first heard that a YouTuber with 100,000 subscribers was my fan, I was shocked.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
There was another person in line.
Lonzé, a second-tier pro gamer from Knight of Legend.
[Actually, I was curious too, which is part of why I accepted the invitation today, Magia. I heard you were the one who created the Dark Cloud Removal meta?]
“Ah. Uh… what? Created it?”
[I happened to see that clip of you backdooring with Aeipolla on Komari’s stream. It made its way to my personal stream somehow. Thanks to that, I used it as a surprise strategy in a tournament. That one win saved me from getting knocked out of playoffs this year.]
“Uh.”
Wait, that wasn’t me creating a meta I just played Aeipolla.
That day, Komari kept nagging me to play properly.
How does that turn into something to be grateful for?
Feeling the sudden weight of expectations, I nervously bit my lip, wanting to escape.
And then, out of nowhere, someone else jumped in.
[Thanks to Lonzé, I get to talk to Magia. Lucky me.]
[For real. I never imagined I’d get to play with you like this.]
[Hey, you guys are mistaken. It’s not because of me; it’s thanks to Maru, who sent the invite.]
[Oh, that’s right. Thanks, Maru!]
[Ahem. You better be grateful. If I hadn’t asked, Jiya would’ve just gone home and sent some cursed donation messages instead.]
[No way.]
[Pfft. Right, wasn’t Magia a notorious stream sniper in Momo’s chat? Is that true?]
“Uh. Umm.”
[You can’t just ask like that. Of course she won’t answer properly.]
[Why not? It’s not like stream sniping is inherently bad. It’s not like she relentlessly bullied Momo until she cried, right?]
[I saw some clips of when you sniped her. You were kinda sweet, actually. You’d tease her, then swoop in to save her.]
[Wait, for real? So it wasn’t just sniping it was sweet sniping.]
[What the hell is sweet sniping…? Sniping is sniping.]
[Guys, why are you all judging Jiya? Just ask her directly.]
At a time like this, I expected Maru or Komari to step in and help me.
But maybe this was karma for all the times I had mercilessly hit them with facts.
Maru, as if waiting for this moment, loudly announced:
[Hey, everyone—!! Jiya has something to say—!!]
[Wait, really?]
[What is it, what is it?]
[Hurry up and say it, we’re all ears.]
[Alright. Let’s gooo.]
[Speak now.]
Wait, wait, wait.
Something is definitely wrong here.
Why does it feel like everyone knows me?
I’m not that famous.
I’m just a domestic-use substitute for Parallel Magia.
As I kept my mouth shut, completely lost, Komari finally spoke up.
[You’re probably wondering why everyone here knows about you, Jiya. Well, our concert a few days ago kinda blew up. So now, all the members in today’s collab know about you too.]
So?
[As we were talking among ourselves, Jiya unnie naturally came up in the conversation. I think that’s probably why Maru unnie sent the invite to play together.]
So basically, all 11 people here know who I am.
Everyone knows me, and even…
[Magia-nim is way shyer than I expected.]
[Isn’t it adorable how different she is from when she’s streaming? Hehe.]
[Gap moe, gap moe.]
[Say something! Say something! Say something!]
[Ahh, stop it, stop it! At this rate, Magia-nim is gonna run away!]
[Magia, Magia Tenshi~.]
[Wait, who just said that? That was hilarious.]
[Ahahaha!]
Most of them spoke as if they had high expectations for me.
I was able to pick up on their intentions thanks to the boss, but explaining that now would be a bit much.
Lonzé was the one who gathered the party, and Maru was the one who invited me.
And yet, somehow, I feel like I’ve ended up in the spotlight.
This isn’t the kind of atmosphere I wanted.
* * *
30 minutes ago.
[Ronze (Pro Gamer): I’m really sorry. I didn’t expect my brother to suddenly have a schedule.]
[Maru (Parallel): Ronze, is there an open spot? Then, would it be okay if I invited someone?]
[Ronze (Pro Gamer): Yes, please do.]
Ronze, a second-division pro gamer under the pro gaming team ATX.
As someone who had always had some interest in VTubers, the rapid expansion of domestic VTuber companies, including Parallel, was an opportunity for him.
In any business field, when companies emerge, the industry naturally goes through a process of popularization, attracting more consumers. To retain this audience, the culture itself evolves.
As a result, VTubers who were appealing yet did not disrupt the sensibilities of Korean viewers began to emerge, mainly through corporate groups, or underwent corporate backing.
Ronze had already enjoyed watching Japan’s VTuber scene, but the language barrier had always been a frustration for him. Once that obstacle was removed, he found himself getting immersed even faster.
Among those who debuted during that period was Komari, a first-generation member of Parallel.
The elf obsessed with Naore.
Whenever she encountered Naore, she would turn into a battle maniac, unleashing merciless taunts. Ronze was naturally drawn to her charm and became a fan.
When Komari was seeking advice from various sources on how to reach Diamond tier, Ronze stepped up to help—because of his admiration for her.
As he was indulging in his fandom, he happened to stumble upon something.
「But if you’re playing the Siege class, isn’t it obvious that you should be pushing towers, earning gold, and opening a highway straight to the enemy base? Even if I destroy it, my teammates still get the gold. I thought that was just common sense.」
「Is missing out on 300 gold really such a big deal that it could throw the game? You make up for it with a single kill anyway.」
「I mean, I did listen, but how am I supposed to trust what an Iron-tier player says?」
A statement as shocking as Komari’s own sharp words.
Yet, a statement that was acceptable because it came from a Diamond player in another game.
That remark, which pierced right through the core principles of the game, hit Ronze like a blast of soda.
On top of that, the hyper-aggressive Dark Cloud Aeipolla playstyle she demonstrated ignited his curiosity even further.
To what extent?
Enough that, on that very day, he tested hyper-aggressive Aeipolla in solo queue for over ten matches.
Then, when Ronze’s team struggled in the playoffs, falling behind 1-2 in the first round of a Bo5, facing elimination…
Ronze showed his determination.
A 5th-pick Aeipolla, chosen with the words, I’ll do it. Just trust me this once.
The sudden appearance of Aeipolla a champion that hadn’t been picked in years left not only the opposing team bewildered but also the commentators and the live audience. In the midst of this unprecedented situation, Ronze performed a miracle.
With insane split-pushing and backdoor plays, he secured victory in the fourth set, tying the score at 2:2. With the team now out of crisis, they went on to win the fifth set and advanced to the next round.
They didn’t make it to the championship, but Ronze made a mental note that he owed a thank-you to the person who had inspired the idea. And so, he simply waited for the right moment.
[Maru (Parallel): I invited our Magia manager.]
[Maru (Parallel): They’re not a streamer, though.]
[Maru (Parallel): Would everyone be okay with that?!]
So when the opportunity arrived, Ronze seized it immediately.
[Ronze (Pro Gamer): I’m good with it.]
The funny thing? He wasn’t the only one who thought so.
[Serena (Lapitz): Whoa, amazing.]
[Serena (Lapitz): I really wanted to see Magia LOL.]
[Loopko: Me too.]
[Kamik: Holy crap, invite them right now LOL.]
With the exception of Komari and Maru, all nine other members of the collab immediately gave their approval.
The real reason was probably the concert and pre-show event from a few days ago.
Either way, this wasn’t the best situation for Ronze, who had simply wanted to say thank you.
[Magia, you’re the Werewolf, right? You ARE, right?]
[No. No, I’m not.]
[Oh, come on. If you don’t answer properly, I’ll shoot you. I’m the Vigilante, you know?]
[I said I’m not.]
Magia was too popular.
This was just a VTuber group’s manager, someone who barely even appeared on streams yet they were practically the main character of today’s broadcast.
[Kamik! Grab Magia! I swear they’re the Werewolf!]
[Whoa, whoa. Magia, stop right there. If you keep running, I’m pressing this button. If we vote, you’re 100% dying this turn.]
[I’M TELLING YOU, IT’S NOT ME.]
– They’re already treating them like the Werewolf LOL.
– Damn, they’re really going after them hard.
– They’re just milking this for content LOL.
– It’s funny ‘cause they were talking so normally earlier LOL.
:: Anonymous supporter has donated 1,000 Clouds! ::
:: Note: Magia struggles with excessive compliments… ::
All of this happened because Parallel’s 1st Gen Anniversary Concert was a massive hit.
The pre-show alone, which didn’t even have a properly edited version, had 150,000 views on the four-hour VOD.
Right now, Parallel was the hot topic in the VTuber and streaming community.
And then, out of nowhere, Magia a “legendary Pokémon” who only ever appeared on Parallel’s streams got caught on Maru’s fishing line and yanked into the broadcast.
In Pokémon terms, it was like encountering a shiny variant of an already rare monster— something so absurdly unlikely that nobody in their right mind would pass up the content opportunity.
Of course, nobody knew exactly how many people were genuine Magia fans.
But thanks to all this, Ronze was the only one left in an awkward position.
He just wanted to say thank you.
*
Filled with the hypocrisy of these fakes, I fear Ronze’s sincerity might also be perceived as false.
Fortunately for Ronze, at least.
{{ The game has started!! }}
{{ Werewolf: Ronze (Predator), Magia (Silencer) }}
Somehow, an opportunity has come.
The role of the mafia in the mafia game.
The game begins where victory is achieved by killing human and neutral roles and securing a majority among the survivors.
Naturally, a sense of camaraderie develops as we navigate through the crisis together.
Then, I can express my genuine gratitude.
Right from the start, Ronze chased after Magia, who was running to a corner to avoid people.
Although several people chased Magia, her moving skills were extraordinary, perhaps because she had been running away all along.
Eventually, only Ronze remained, barely able to catch Magia.
“Magia, Magia, Magia. Wait, wait.”
[Uh, yes?]
“Come here for a moment.”
Hiding in the sewer means no one, except the plumber among the werewolves and humans, can hear your voice.
Normally, I would worry about the plumber, but in this vast map, only Magia and Ronze have come to this corner.
Clang!
Ronze went in first, followed by Magia.
“Phew. We’re werewolves, right? Let’s strategize beforehand. I’m the predator who leaves no corpses. I’ll kill everyone. If a trial opens, just side with me. With proper support fire, victory is absolutely possible.”
Magia had been running away, perhaps feeling burdened by the people.
So, she might not accept this proposal.
Really, just as a patch. She might want to quietly fill the numbers and then leave…
Unexpectedly, Magia’s response was overwhelmingly positive.
“Just leave it to me. If anyone picks a fight with Ronze, I’ll crush them all for you.”
Since Ronze’s specific role was Predator, which meant no corpses were left behind, the situation unfolded when Kamik reported seeing him devour someone.
{{ The trial has begun!! }}
[Ronze is the Predator. I saw him eating.]
[No, guys. It’s a misunderstanding! I was doing my task, and Kamik was the one who killed them.]
[Ronze, who would believe that? No one will.]
[Come on, ‘no one will’? It was just the two of us there. There’s no proof.]
But because they had been far from everyone else, Kamik was the only witness.
[Hmm. Did anyone else see Kamik or Ronze?]
[I was somewhere else.]
[Hmmm…]
With no solid evidence, the others were hesitant.
And this kind of chaotic situation was where I thrived in burying people.
Not literally, of course. Only online.
Back in the day, if I didn’t like someone on a forum, I knew how to snipe them down using VPNs, multiple guest accounts, and alt accounts.
I had driven out plenty of fake fans pretending to be supporters.
So helping Ronze?
Easy.
You might think What’s the point of that experience if you can’t use alt accounts in real life.
But I could.
With voice mimicry.
“Actually, I saw Kamik heading north before Ronze!”
[Huh? No, Maru, that’s not what you saw. Why are you lying?]
“I’m not lying!! I was standing right there. Gia saw it too. Right?”
“…Um. I think I saw them passing by while we were talking…”
In a situation where both Ronze and Kamik were under suspicion, throwing in testimony like this held enormous weight.
And the reaction was instant.
[Wow. Kamik really tried to hang Ronze right away.]
[I mean, Ronze has been playing too well this whole time. Right?]
[No, no, guys. Calm down. Something’s really weird here. Seriously, this is weird.]
You might wonder, Why isn’t Maru speaking up even after hearing my voice mimicry?
There’s a reason for that.
My werewolf role…the Silent One, could mute someone during a trial.
It could only be used twice per game, so some considered it weak.
But for me, it was a game-breaking ability.
Maru’s chat was going crazy.
There was no sound, but their message board was shaking violently.
They were probably screaming at the top of their lungs with their mouth sealed shut.
– Wasn’t this the same person getting chased down earlier? LOL
– INSANE LOLLLLLLL
– Bro just buried someone with voice mimicry LOL
– Holy crap, this is freaky as hell LOL
– Wait, that wasn’t Maru speaking??
– LMAOOO WTF LOLLL