Chapter 16 – Information Gathering via Twippy

Тwiрру.

It’s thе video streаming sеrvice thаt splits the strеаming wоrld with Аwаtubе.

Nechо-Nechо Vidеo usеd tо bе in this роsition, but it grаduallу lost ground tо Аwаtubе, and Twiрpу slipped intо thаt opening.

On Аwаtube, corporаtе streamers with many fаmоus streamеrs arе сurrеntlу dominant.

In contrаst, Twipру is аn environmеnt whеrе indepеndent streаmers are relаtivеly eаsiеr to gеt pickеd up.

So, I deсided tо mаke Twippy mу new stаgе.

“Нeу, everуоnе! Good еvening! It’s Sрiсе!”

※『Не’s herе!』『It’s Littlе Sрicе!』『I wаs wondering what would happen after your Awatube suspension』

“Yeah, yeah, sorry to worry you! It seems like theories are already circulating, but I got suspended for showing too much underwear on stream!”

※『lol』『lmao』『What kind of reason is that lol』

“Don’t laugh! I can hear you saying that. So, for a while, I have to be careful not to let my underwear show during streams. Due to certain circumstances, Spice’s avatar can’t wear shorts over his panties unless he finds a Fragment sleeping somewhere in a Dungeon.”

※『A new setting has appeared…』『He’s dropping even more lore elements on the second stream!』『It’s all about underwear, isn’t it? lol』『He could’ve just worn boxers, but Little Awatube is dumb enough to suspend him for those too, I bet.』

What I said is true.

The Metamorphose Fragment only creates this Black Pepper Spice form.

To customize it further, I was told I need more Metamorphose Fragments.

According to Flota, ‘Even though I said Fragments are in Dungeons, they don’t just stay there forever! They react to a Witch’s power and move to a nearby Dungeon! Think of them as sort of living creatures! So when they sense that the Master needs them, they’ll come to you themselves,’ or so she says.

“So, I’m looking for any Dungeon info that seems promising! Oh, right now, Spice can only transform, levitate things or himself, and increase his speed, so I need a place with a moderate difficulty—”

※『Got it!』『Leave it to us!』

The Listeners who followed me to Twippy number about 200.

Only about 10 of them are commenting, but…

It’s incredibly reassuring to be able to rely on others’ help.

This is a fresh start with these 200 subscribers.

A characteristic of the Twippy streaming service is that new independent streamers like me can get randomly picked for the front page.

Adventure Streamers, in particular, get priority.

In a way, it might be a place with even more potential than Awatube.

I also checked Dun-me.

Photos from Dungeon discoverers and live footage from people who just got pulled into a Dungeon are posted there.

Streamers check these to assess a Dungeon’s danger level and decide whether to go.

There seem to be some streamers who happen to encounter a Dungeon Emergence and clear it on the spot, or who clear it before it even gets registered on Dun-me, like a speedrun tactic…

But those are exceptions among exceptions.

By the way, in the streaming world, activity in VR Space is apparently hot right now.

It’s said to be less dangerous than Dungeon Clearing and still gathers attention…

So, real Dungeons are getting a bit neglected.

Thanks to that, I have plenty to choose from.

Well, for society at large, public safety is worsening, so it’s not good!

“Now, which one looks good…? I’m not really sure…”

『Even though they come to you, it’s better to be selective! If it’s a Dungeon that looks too strong, it might still be difficult for you, Master.』

“That’s true. If anything, you should praise me for clearing two Dungeons even though I can’t attack directly.”

『Master is amazing~!! Really! You’re the first to break through the Witch Apprentice level in such a short time. And you did it on your own!』

Flota mutters under her breath, The others who tried similar things died, you know.

What a thing to let slip!

Can I really trust this Grimoire…?

Just as I was thinking that, a tip came from a Listener, suggesting she’s probably more trustworthy than Flota.

In my Tsubuyakix DMs: 『Hot Dungeon info! Here, in the last photo taken by the victim, there’s something like a page stuck in the Demon’s butt.』

Don’t call them a victim.

They might still be alive, and if so, we could rescue them.

And in its butt, huh…

『Ewww.』

Flota let out a disgusted voice.

She’s so expressive for a Grimoire without a face.

『That’s definitely a Metamorphose Fragment! But… what a place to get stuck… Oh! It’s because it can become shorts to hide your panties, so it’s advertising itself! I see!』

“Even the Fragments have strong personalities…”

Anyway, my next destination was decided.

After that, Mashiro invited me to dinner, so the two of us went to a nearby family restaurant.

“Senpai, how’ve you been lately? Me, I’m already struggling with finding a new job…”

“It hasn’t even been a week since you lost your job. You have six months, don’t rush it.”

“I am rushing! I don’t wanna have a gap in my work history! Well, I could study for a qualification here, but I wanna look for a job at the same time. But my last company, for how insanely busy it was, didn’t really help me build any skills.”

“It was that kind of company, indifferent to employee skill development. Maybe it was doomed to fail from the start.”

I listened to her stream of complaints and anxieties for a while.

Interacting with people other than Flota is a bit of a relief.

It’s good that I have daily conversations thanks to the Grimoire, but her mentality is a bit removed from that of a human…

Right now, she’s probably at home surfing the net and having fun.

“So what about you, Senpai? Are you just gonna laze around?”

“Me? I was thinking… maybe I’ll start a small business and give it a shot…”

“Whoa!! That’s awesome! If it goes well, hire me!!”

“I wonder if I’ll make enough to hire anyone…”

“I’m begging you! Please!”

“Okay, okay. If things start looking up, then…”

“Yesss! My parents have been saying it too. If you have a close senpai, you should just get a job there. Did they know you were starting a business?”

Th-that’s a different kind of ‘getting a job’!

Her parents have the wrong idea about my relationship with Mashiro.

And so, I ended my day of information gathering.

I prepared for tomorrow’s Dungeon Clearing.