chapter03 · 071-ep71
Episode 68: A Brief Respite and a Mighty Cannon Blast
Note: Episode 67 previously said 'second in Japan with 8,000 concurrents,' but that clearly made no sense given Mitsuki's commentary stream, so I've corrected it...!
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Chat had been struck silent for a while by Karin's nasty fireworks. Once viewers finally accepted that she'd killed a monster that completely absorbed and reflected physical attacks WITH HER FISTS, the comments exploded.
【What the HELL is wrong with this ojou-samaaaaa!?】
【Is she All Mi○ht...?】
【In the sense that she's doing comic-book stuff in reality, they're the same...】
【An explorer I know who's been to the deep layers just told me he must be under a magic monster's illusion spell and asked me to punch him as hard as I can to break it lol】
【Seeing THAT would have the same effect on anyone!】
【Why does this ojou-sama keep destroying monsters immune to physical attacks with her FISTS!?】
【It takes insane guts to charge a monster about to fire a shockwave that can demolish dungeon walls...】
【She wasn't even sure a punch could stop it, but she charged in without hesitating. What is her mental fortitude???】
【She DID punch straight into a deep-layer boss's wind breath before...】
【Beyond her strength, this ojou-sama's mind is seriously unhinged...】
【No one in their right mind would stream dungeons in a dress while drinking tea, no matter how strong they were!】
【Black Tiger, you'd better apologize while you still can. Even a top national clan can't afford to pick a fight with her】
【Though it's already too late!】
【Also, 'nasty fireworks' followed by 'pretty fireworks' lmao】
【Correcting herself somehow made her sound MORE like a barbarian. Classic Karin ojou-sama!?】
【Looking at that horrible explosion and calling it 'pretty fireworks'—is she a thug or an ojou-sama!?】
【Karin Yamada has the properties of both Thug Yamada and Karin Ojou-sama ♣】
The comments kept coming. After plenty of discussion of the insect warrior, they shifted to what was happening outside Karin's own stream, on Mitsuki's channel.
【I'm watching Mitsuki-sama's 'commentary stream' at the same time, and for ages all she's said is 'wait,' 'I can't' and 'this is too much' lmao】
【She's so overwhelmed by Karin ojou-sama that she's come full circle and can't even react anymore lol】
【Checked her stream and she's sitting with her face in her hands, staring at the ceiling. I'm done】
【That's me when a precious romcom scene gets so intense I have to close the book for a minute!】
【That's a weird reaction to watching a monster explode into nasty fireworks!?】
【She's going to die from too much content of her fave before this stream is over lol】
【Mitsuki-sama is trending ALONGSIDE Karin ojou-sama now lmao】
【The one woman whose reactions can break through the flood of trending terms from Karin ojou-sama's ridiculous stream】
【She truly is the future ace of White Knight, one of the strongest clans in Japan】
"Oh! I'm glad Mitsuki-sama is enjoying the stream too!"
Apparently many viewers had both streams open. Chat was full of reports on Mitsuki, who had openly declared herself Karin's huge fan. Karin's concurrents were still rising past four million partly thanks to fan clips and promotion, but also in no small part because Mitsuki was making things lively on her own channel, bringing in overseas viewers.
Sensing no monsters nearby, Karin smiled broadly and spoke.
"Mitsuki-sama agreeing to stream alongside me has played a tremendous part in bringing so many people here! It seems she is also giving detailed explanations of the monsters and dungeon on my behalf... After everything that's happened, getting to know someone like Mitsuki-sama has truly made me happy! Once this dungeon stream ends, I would love to invite her to a tea party to thank her. I want us to become even better friends!"
Mitsuki: I—
【Mitsuki-sama just DIED (from her fave suddenly talking to her)!】
【She started replying and expired halfway through lmao】
【She really collapsed onto her desk and stopped moving LOL】
【Scrape! THUNK! (sound of her trying to stand up and falling onto the desk)】
【That's what happens when your fave fires a lethal amount of content at you. I know because I've died in a bombardment too】
【↑ Please pass on already】
【Karin ojou-sama doesn't know the destructive power of her words outside dungeon fights either lmao】
【Oho~】
【Oh, I LIKE this~】
【Reminder: this video and its comments are (probably) being monitored by the best friend】
【I was on team Karin × Mitsuki, but if Karin ojou-sama makes the first move, Mitsuki-sama will turn to ash and vanish. This ship can never sail】
【Stop! If Mitsuki-sama takes Karin ojou-sama's innocent affection head-on, her mind will burn out!】
【Please don't die, Mitsuki-sama!】
【If you collapse now, what happens to your promise to have tea with Karin ojou-sama?】
【You still have life points left. Survive this and you get your tea party!】
【Next time: 'Mitsuki-sama Dies.' Stay tuned for the duel!】
【↑ Those back-to-back posts lol】
【We didn't even have to wait for next time. Mitsuki-sama's already dead lmao】
"My, my. Mitsuki-sama has streamed for many years. She's quite skilled at keeping an audience entertained~"
Karin was newly impressed with her. She moved farther into the deep layers, staying alert. But Mitsuki wasn't the only one helping with today's stream.
¥20,000
Karin ojou-sama! Look! Mochimochi Tamago-sensei drew an illustration to cheer you on during the deep-layer conquest! → URL
"Eh...!? HOGYAAAH!?"
Opening the superchat link, Karin cried out much like Mitsuki had. Just as the viewer said, Mochimochi Tamago-sensei had posted a special drawing. And it wasn't just any illustration. It showed Karin defeating the mist with her burning fists, while Setsuna Kiryuuin, the popular Dungeon Alive character, quietly watched her from afar.
【!?】
【That was SO FAST!?】
【Wait, didn't the mist fight end only a little while ago!?】
【Tamago-sensei definitely cleared their schedule for this lol】
【Still, that's unbelievably fast. Incredible!?】
【Even if Setsuna-sama was drawn in advance, the battle happened JUST NOW, and it's already colored!?】
【I thought they must be using AI or something, but there's a live stream of the drawing being made at top speed LOL】
【Tamago-sensei really knows how to use that account they made to superchat Karin ojou-sama】
【Maybe Karin's helping attract people, but 400,000 concurrents for a near-silent drawing stream is insane!】
【They've already started the line art for the bug fight. Scary...】
【Watching this and other manga artists work, seeing an illustration take shape that fast is a kind of magic...】
【Even for a former weekly manga artist, isn't that too fast!? Is it sped up!?】
【They're furious about the accusations against Karin ojou-sama, and it's making their pen move faster...】
【Powering up from anger! A shonen manga artist through and through...!】
【Just like their social media posts these past few days. They speak through pictures, not words...!】
【The cheering illustration's already up on social media, and in minutes it's got 10,000 reposts and a million impressions lol】
【They even included a link to Karin's deep-layer stream. More people incoming!】
"Hawah... Hohwahwahwah..."
Karin trembled at such vigorous support from the creator of Dungeon Alive. Tamago-sensei had kept posting drawings even as the allegations spread, but to cheer her on in real time and promote her stream to new viewers as well left her at a loss for words.
(And Tamago-sensei has already done something incredible to help with this conquest, through Mafuyu and the publisher... They even surprised me with this...!)
"I-I will absolutely make this stream a success, for everyone supporting me...!"
Overwhelmed by unexpected support, Karin looked close to keeling over, just as Mitsuki had. That was when—
"—!"
Sensing something, she instantly changed expression and leaped far away. The next moment—
DOGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!
An immense explosion of flame engulfed the spot she'd occupied, literally shaking the entire dungeon.
【Whoa, what was that!?】
【MY EAAAAAAAAARS!?】
【My eardrums just died (for real)】
【What!? What happened!?】
【A monster!?】
【Wasn't that louder than the cave-in!?】
As viewers panicked, Karin's floating camera, which had dodged the 'cannon fire' with her, showed them the scene. A shot of staggering power had punched through wall after wall from far away, carving a straight, scorched tunnel perhaps five meters across.
【!?!?!?!?!?】
【WHAT!?】
【What is this, seriously...?】
【Did something far away fire a breath attack that goes THROUGH dungeon walls!?】
【What kind of attack penetrates multiple dungeon walls!?】
【That bug's attack was nothing compared to this. What kind of power IS that!?】
【So a monster fired at her from somewhere far away!?】
【What kind of cannon shot goes through that many walls!?】
【I can't see the thing that fired it AT ALL!?】
【How far away was that sniper!?】
【Cannon fire aimed with the accuracy of a sniper rifle!?】
【This is so absurd I'm laughing out of my ass!?】
【It has to be an irregularity! Maybe a boss firing remotely from its boss room!?】
【She dodged like it was nothing, but if anyone else had been there, they'd have been vaporized without even knowing why!?】
【The deep layers are terrifying... (shaking)】
"It seems the next monster arrived while we were taking a little break," Karin said, just as composed as ever while chat tensed up. "Setsuna-sama is watching over me too. Let's deal with this one swiftly and Elegantly!"
She dashed through the hole in the dungeon wall, racing straight toward the mysterious gunner without a moment's hesitation.
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I've posted a summary in my author's notes of the store-exclusive bonuses for Ojou-sama Buzz (the shortened title), releasing at last on October 18. Do take a look! There's an illustration of Karin ojou-sama looking stunning, and two different bonus short stories!
(If you've already preordered at a store that doesn't offer bonuses, I'm sorry the announcement came so late...!)