While watching the livestream, my motivation is soaring like never before.
“(Well then, let’s get started.)” (Mariel)
With those words, Mariel-sama started the matchmaking queue.
We immediately found a match, and since there were only two of us, a third random person joined our team to fill up the last slot. After selecting our respective heroes, the match begins shortly. Alright, here we go!
“(Now, as for the map… Looks like it’s going to be Night Forest this time.)” (Mariel)
Night Forest, huh? As you can tell from the name, it’s a literal nighttime forest map.
The entire map is dark with thick vegetation, making player detection and positional awareness essential to winning. Generally, sniper rifles are effective on this map with sensor equipment, but close-quarters gears should be prioritized towards the end of the game when the map starts to shrink.
While thinking about such things, we descend from the dropship.
This time, Mariel-sama takes charge of the descent and marks an area on the map. Mariel-sama, who has also streamed LoF before, is quite skilled at the game. The descent went smoothly and we didn’t encounter any enemies in our area. We’re off to quite a decent start.
Each of us proceeds to collect nearby equipment at our respective landing spots. In LoF, everyone starts the game unarmed, and equipment can be gathered from chests located all over the map. The contents of all the chests are random, so luck plays a strong role during the game. Personally, I think that’s what makes each game interesting.
“(Yes! I got an RG105!)” (Mariel)
Even though we’re not using the in-game voice chat, I can hear Mariel-sama’s happy voice through the stream.
Looks like she managed to get her favorite weapon. How lucky.
After both the random player and I looted the nearby chests, we promptly moved away from our landing area. Since we’re quite close to the border, it’s best to move away before time runs out unless there’s a specific reason to stay.
“(Oh, I heard something just now! It’s coming from two o’clock desu wa!)” (Mariel)
As Mariel-sama speaks, I can indeed hear gunshots going off in the direction we are currently heading.
It seems like enemy squads are engaging each other, but…
“(This is our chance desu wa! Let’s clean up the fight!)”
Saying so, Mariel-sama starts moving towards them, but just before that, I use a ping to stop her. Even without voice chat, pings can be used as a form of communication.
“(What’s wrong, Kei-sama?)” (Mariel)
I stop Mariel-sama and use a ping to indicate that there’s another squad in the area.
Actually, a moment ago, I briefly saw a figure on top of the hill to the right. There’s probably another squad, like us, trying to take advantage of the ongoing battle.
We decide to stop and lay low for now. Gunshots subside for a moment, and after a while, different gunshots are heard. It seems that the aforementioned squad waiting to clean up the fight has made their move.
…This is our chance.
“(I see, this is what it means to ambush the ambusher.)” (Mariel)
We quickly join in on the chaos and approach the two squads that are currently engaged. Having been distracted by their initial fight, we were able to easily clean them up.
“(We did it! Look at the armor this guy had, he was rich desu wa!)” (Mariel)
While looting items from the defeated enemies, I remain vigilant to the surroundings.
…There’s no one else around. We had a planned escape route in case enemies arrived, but looks like it wasn’t necessary.
I eased up a little and quickly picked up the dropped loot. Among them, I picked up my favorite weapon, the 777 Magnum. This weapon is powerful but has a long firing interval and a low ammo count, making it a somewhat quirky weapon. Although it is often categorized as a weak weapon in general, I like the feel of it and would always use it if I could.
After grabbing all the loot and checking the remaining number of squads, there were only about ten squads left. The game started with thirty squads, so the game was progressing quite rapidly this time. It seems everyone is engaging in intense battles, and those who remain are likely formidable opponents.
Since we’re already away from the border, there’s no need to move from our current location, so we just maintain vigilance of our surroundings.
While we were in the midst of this, the number of remaining squads continued to decrease, and when there were only four squads left, we finally entered the end game. With the field continuously shrinking, we were being forced towards our enemies.
“(…Let’s go. The border is closing in.)” (Mariel)
Following Mariel-sama’s words, we leap out from the building where we were hiding.
But at that moment, footsteps can be heard from our left, and gunfire erupts through the trees.
“(Enemies desu wa! Everyone, fight back!)” (Mariel)
While being chased by the closing border, gunshots continue to echo through the forest. At the same time, I could hear gunfire from another location, indicating that the other two squads were also engaged in a fight.
I managed to take down one enemy while running. Swiftly turning around, I shot down the enemy who was confronting Mariel-sama from behind.
“(Thank you, Kei-sama! …Ah, the random player!)” (Mariel)
At that moment, a report comes in that the random player’s teammate has been downed, a bit delayed.
Looking back, the random player probably got stuck at the border. I spot an enemy running towards us from the border, so Mariel-sama and I simultaneously open fire and eliminate him.
“…Damn, there’s no time to save him. We’re gonna have to do this without him.” (Keitaro)
“(I’m sorry for the random player-san! We will definitely win!)” (Mariel)
Normally, when someone is down, they can be revived by a nearby teammate, but if that person is outside the border, it’s already too late.
It’s a painful decision, but Mariel-sama and I have no choice but to leave him behind. The notification of our teammate’s death appears, and our squad is reduced to just the two of us.
Checking the remaining squads, there were only two left, including us. In other words, the next battle would be the last one. It would be great if the enemy squad had also lost some members…
“(Kyah!)” (Mariel)
However, in the next moment, a scream is heard, and Mariel-sama’s somehow went down.
…This is bad! Did we just run into an ambush!?
Quickly hiding in the shadows, I look towards Mariel-sama.
At that moment, I could see that the enemy squad was rapidly approaching us.
…They’re fast! And all three of them seem to be fully alive!
“(I, I apologize, Kei-sama! The enemies are heading your way!)”
While Mariel-sama wasn’t eliminated, she couldn’t move in her downed state.
A hopeless 1v3 situation. Normally, at this point, winning would be nearly impossible, but I couldn’t afford to give up.
“We’re in a collaboration with Mariel-sama! We can’t afford to lose!” (Keitaro)
However, the situation remains overwhelmingly unfavorable. To turn the tide from here… I had to take a bit of risk!
I discard my main weapon, the SMG, and equip the 777 Magnum that I had been carrying as a secondary.
It might seem like a ridiculous move as if giving up, but in this situation, there were no other options left.
The footsteps draw closer. Based on the direction of the sound, I could estimate their position.
I swiftly jump out from the cover of the trees. Taking aim at the head of the first enemy I see and shoot him.
*Bakiiin!*
The sound of armor shattering echoes, and the enemy goes down.
This weapon’s headshot damage is ridiculous and can even piece through any armor with a single shot.
However, this gun is still a weak weapon. Its limitations are apparent. The interval between shots takes too long, leaving the wielder vulnerable during that duration. Indeed, the remaining two enemies took advantage of this and aimed their guns at me and the situation seemed hopeless… or so it should have been.
In the next moment, I rapidly tap the keyboard.
Frame-perfect inputs. I’ve practiced it many times, but the success rate in actual combat is around fifty percent.
But right now, I absolutely have to make it. After all, Mariel-sama is watching!
“(Eh!?)” (Mariel)
Simultaneously with Mariel-sama’s surprised voice, the sound of armor shattering in quick succession was heard.
There were only two gunshots. With those two shots, the remaining two enemies were down, and at the same time, the announcement declared the winners of the game.
Of course, the winners were us.
“(Ehhhhh?! W-What just happened!? He single-handedly wiped out the enemies! And it happened so fast too!)” (Mariel)
From my smartphone, I hear the rare excitement in Mariel-sama’s voice.
Meanwhile, I, leaning back in my chair, let out a big exhale, feeling drained.
“…Haaa. That was close… I managed to pull it off somehow.” (Keitaro)
Whether it was the intense concentration or the aftermath, my entire body felt heavy. The relief of not losing in front of Mariel-sama was more significant than the joy of winning.
…It was a close call, but I’m glad I didn’t embarrass myself in front of her.
I let out another sigh and immersed myself in the satisfaction of having overcome the challenge
Meanwhile, Mariel-sama has been talking continuously on the stream.
“(Did everyone see that just now!? What a play from him! Landing three perfect headshots with the Magnum in a 1v3 situation for the win—there are no words to describe it other than amazing! How skilled can you be!?)” (Mariel)
“No, no, it’s not that impressive… well, maybe a bit! Ah, being praised like this by Mariel-sama, I’m so glad I did my best…! It’s too much, I’m so happy…!” (Keitaro)
I relish the joy of being praised by oshi in my favorite game.
I wasn’t rolling around in excitement or anything because I was tired, but still, it felt great.
Because it’s Mariel-sama, you know? Being recognized by her, is there anything else you can ask for? I’m definitely going to save the archive of this stream forever.
Even as I was enjoying this pleasant feeling, Mariel-sama’s excitement showed no sign of waning. She continued to shower me with praise for my gameplay.
…However, this is the first time I’ve seen Mariel-sama with such high energy. Normally, she gives off a mature older sister vibe, but this cute side of her is also endearing. Yeah, I want to support her even more now.
Checking the comments section1, it was also buzzing with excitement. I felt a renewed sense of relief that Mariel-sama didn’t end up embarrassing herself.
“(Haaa, Kei-sama is so cool…! As expected of the game commentator I looked up to desu wa! Well, I always believed that you could do it, Kei-sama! Today’s archive will definitely be preserved forever desu wa!)” (Mariel)
…But still, isn’t Mariel-sama getting a bit too excited? She’s saying things that are surprisingly close to my own thoughts.
Seeing her transformed into what seemed like an extreme otaku, even the fellow angels2 in chat seemed to find her behavior strange and commented on it.
However, Mariel-sama calmly dropped a bomb in the midst of it all.
“Huh!? *cough cough*” (Keitaro)
Upon this sudden bombshell statement, I involuntarily sat up and choked.
…W-What did she just say!? She’s my whaaat…!?
“(Actually, the purpose of this collaboration was to introduce my oshi, Kei-sama, to everyone! And when he shows off such divine gameplay, what else is there to say other than that Kei-sama is truly a god desu wa!)” (Mariel)
“W… Wh…!” (Keitaro)
I couldn’t find any words. It’s true that when people are extremely surprised, they lose the ability to speak.
…Wait, is this the time to stay calm!? W-What is happening here!?
My oshi VTuber just came out and admitted to being a fan of mine who has been supporting me all this time—
No, this can’t be true! This is just like the Yukina incident from yesterday! What’s going on!?
I found the situation unbelievably surreal. However, Mariel-sama’s statements seemed to be no mistake, and the comments section was in chaos.
Comments like “I’ve never seen Mariel-sama like this before”, “Mariel-sama’s oshi is him?”, “Fanboying Mariel-sama is cute”, and “I envy him” flooded the chat.
“(Yes, it’s true desu wa. Everyone, please be sure to show some support to my number 1 oshi, Kei-sama’s gaming commentary channel. You can see other various god-tier plays in his archives, and don’t forget to subscribe to his channel!)” (Mariel)
“M-Mariel-sama is seriously promoting my channel…!?” (Keitaro)
Is this a dream? Could it be that I’ve focused too much on the game and damaged my brain’s blood vessels or something?
The Yuki incident was already unbelievable, but now Mariel-sama too? Is it really possible for such things to happen day after day? No, maybe all of this, including Yuki’s incident, is just a dream…
“O-Onii-chan…! What on earth is happening again…!” (Sana)
While lost in such thoughts of escaping the harsh reality, Sana burst into the room, slamming the door open. This scene felt like a déjà vu.
“Onii-chan, you’re going viral on social media again…! This time, there’s even a trending keyword ‘Daitenin Mariel’…!” (Sana)
Glancing at Sana’s smartphone screen, I could indeed see that both Mariel-sama and I were trending, and someone had already uploaded a highlight video of the recent game.
…Wait, isn’t Sana remarkably quick in her reactions too, or is it just my imagination…?
Sana pressed me for an explanation, but I was in no state to articulate anything comprehensible. I don’t know what’s happening anymore! Cut me some slack!
Eventually, Sana, grew impatient and left the room. Left alone, I reluctantly returned to Mariel-sama’s livestream. And then…
“(Haaa… I’m satisfied after watching Kei-sama’s gameplay today, so I apologize, but I’ll end the stream now… Eh? Yes, that’s right. I’m just too exhausted from going overboard just now desu wa. Well then, goodbye everyone.)” (Mariel)
With that, Mariel-sama abruptly ended the stream.
“But you’ve only played one game, and it’s only been like an hour…” (Keitaro)
I was left dumbfounded.
The stream was supposed to last around two hours, and yet, it ended just like that.
Maybe this is a dream after all? Despite such thoughts, I checked my channel, the view count was still increasing. The comment section was overflowing, not only with comments related to yesterday’s incident with Yuki but now also with remarks from viewers who have come from Mariel-sama. At this point, I had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Continuing from Yuki’s incident, now I was getting buzzed by Mariel-sama.
Moreover, just like with Yuki, she had been a fan of mine.
Being promoted by my oshi for two days in a row. What on earth is happening in this world?
…Well, yes, I am happy, there’s no doubt about that. After all, it’s natural considering that the other party is someone like Mariel-sama, but… Ah, come on! There’s just too much going on within such a short period of time!
Lost in such thoughts, I suddenly noticed my PC screen.
The LoF was still running, and a message appeared in the chat box on the lobby screen.
Chat (Mariel): [Thank you very much for accepting my sudden invitation today and for showing such an amazing play.]
Of course, it was from Mariel-sama. I snapped back to reality and hastily replied, even though I didn’t know how to respond after what had just happened. Still, I had to express my gratitude, so I typed a reply with trembling hands.
Unlike the energetic tone in the stream, Mariel-sama’s message was calm and composed. I thought the conversation would end right there but then—
Chat (Mariel): [By the way, I apologize for my lack of manners, but I have a request for Kei-sama desu. Would you mind listening?]
Receiving such a sudden request, I tilted my head in confusion.
…Maybe it’s another invitation to collab?
Chat (Mariel): [Today’s collaboration made me even more of a fan of Kei-sama. If you don’t mind, I would like to meet you in real life. What do you think?]
“…………Eh?” (Keitaro)
To be honest, I initially thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I read that.
After all, the idea of meeting in real life is an incredibly high hurdle, especially for relationships that exist solely online. Moreover, the other party is a highly popular VTuber. It seemed like an utterly implausible story.
…However, the fact that I was actually being asked to meet in person was undeniable.
I felt quite perplexed. I was still trying to keep up with the fact that my oshi VTuber had endorsed me, and now, something even crazier was happening. I couldn’t fathom it at all.
“No, no, that’s not good…!” (Keitaro)
I vigorously shook my head.
Of course, I couldn’t deny that I was curious about what kind of woman she might be in real life, considering she was the famous Daitenin Mariel.
Yet, even if there was an invitation from her, meeting the person in real life is different. I believed there were boundaries to be respected, especially when it came to the person behind the VTuber persona.
Chat (Kei): [I appreciate the offer, but meeting in real life might pose various issues…]
So, I decided to decline Mariel-sama’s invitation. After all, she is someone from a completely different dimension, and this sentiment is even more pronounced when it comes to VTubers.
However—
Chat (Mariel): [I assure you it will be fine. If Kei-sama is the other party, there shouldn’t be any strange issues, and I have absolutely no concerns on my side.]
Surprisingly, Mariel-sama insisted on meeting even after my refusal.
Why would she go to such lengths? Isn’t it a bit too much just because she’s my fan? Besides, having such complete trust in me is somewhat unsettling.
I attempted to decline again, but Mariel-sama remained persistent.
The bizarre situation continued: Mariel-sama pushing to meet, and me adamantly refusing.
Why is she so persistent about this meeting? This strange dynamic, where Mariel-sama was insistent on meeting, and I continued to decline, continued for some time.
Chat (Mariel): [Mouu! Just do as I say, Ketaro!]
Eventually, a message arrived, seemingly fed up with the ongoing back-and-forth. Although it didn’t quite match Mariel-sama’s character, that was not the point.
In the last message, the way she called me triggered a sudden image that appeared in my head.
—Mouu! Just do as I say, Ketaro!
Despite the strength of her words, I envisioned a girl glaring at me with teary eyes, clinging to me.
At that moment, I couldn’t help but suddenly understand. Why did a popular figure like Mariel-sama suddenly contact me? And why did she propose such an impromptu collaboration? Everything just clicked.
Chat (Mariel): [I apologize for my words. I may have gotten a bit carried away. Leaving that aside, I genuinely want to meet and talk with Kei-sama desu. I won’t cause you any trouble, so could you please consider meeting me?]
While contemplating these thoughts, another message arrived from Mariel-sama.
Although her tone returned to normal, the desperation to meet me hadn’t changed.
I replied with an OK this time. If it were a while ago, I might have hesitated with questions like “Why are you going to such lengths?” or concerns about the distance between a fan and their oshi. However, those thoughts were gone now. Instead, there was a strong desire to meet.
Chat (Mariel): [Really? Thank you! Let’s meet tomorrow at—]
In response to my message, Mariel-sama, looking delighted, promptly provided details for our meeting, as if she had planned it that way from the beginning.
As I gazed blankly at the text, I realized I was immersed in a nostalgic feeling.
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
LMAO That was way too fast. There’s no way someone can trend so quickly. It was like within a span of a minute.
So these two haven’t seen each other in a while huh? Their relationship doesn’t even seem all that bad. Maybe they just couldn’t find an opportunity to meet each other until now.
Footnote:
- I don’t think I’ve mentioned this yet, but in JP, chat is referred to as comment section for some reason. So everytime they said comment during a live stream, it means live chat.
- It wasn’t mentioned before, so I’m taking a guess that she refers to her fanbase as angels. It’s common for VTubers to name their fanbase something.
Were they playing Fortnite/Pubg/Apex?
Yeh it’s a battle royale game