Ch.10 First Stream and First Live Performance ②
"Sh- sho amashing..."
That was the first thing Sakura said after she took off her VR machine.
This was the result of fully enjoying the Futaba Ouka avatar that Aria had created.
The fluttering cherry-colored hair, Japanese clothing, and tail movement are like something out of an anime.
Sakura is THE otaku, so it was inevitable that she would get so excited.
The response is also good.
Normal avatars gave the impression of wearing several thick layers over their costume, and even the movements felt somewhat unnatural.
Those problems are almost non-existent here.
The only problem she has is that she can't use it to stream right now.
'No, I think i can somehow negotiate this' Sakura thought, and headed to the living room.
Everyone except Aria was gathered in the living room.
They gathered to see Aria's first live broadcast.
"Hey, Mom."
"No."
"I haven't said anything yet!"
"You want to update your avatar to the one Aria gave you, right?"
"Fugu"
She had completely seen through her. That's the power of mother.
"As I said before, if we give preferential treatment to you, you will receive hate from your peers. Human relationships can easily fall apart over petty jealousy."
In anime or manga, these clashes would develop into stories that further deepen the bonds between the characters, but of course, in reality such miracles rarely occur.
This is especially true when the conflict stems from interpersonal relationships.
"Damn humans..."
“You’re starting to sound like a persecuted race… But, I guess we can do that. If we use the avatar as a prize in a tournament, maybe you can get it implemented sooner.”
"!"
"Well, of course, you have to win. If someone other than Sakura wins, it will just increase the burden on Nii-san."
Sakura made a face thinking "That's it!", but then she was instantly shot down.
"Come on, it's about to start."
All eyes were on the TV.
The cover image changes and the countdown begins along with unnecessarily loud BGM.
―3, 2, 1, 0.
The screen goes dark and the comments section becomes lively.
The standby screen disappears and goes dark.
That was the signal for the broadcast to begin, and the comments section became lively.
The screen remains dark, and a gentle melody never heard before begins to play.
This continues for about ten seconds, and gradually the pitch black screen slowly brightens, ever so slightly.
What emerged was a venue with not a single audience in it.
Alpheria stood alone on the main stage of the dimly lit venue.
She had her eyes closed deeply and seemed to be listening intently to the melody that was playing.
A Vtuber's first broadcast always starts with an introduction.
The greeting at that time becomes the Vtuber's personality and backbone, but Alpheria dramatically put an end to that unwritten rule.
What reached the ears of the confused listeners was a crystal clear singing voice.
“――――――♪”
Her beautiful voice, which seems fragile yet has a strong core, weaves a ballad.
It was as if she spoke deep, deep into their heart.
It's a song that tells the story of a girl who is reborn into a cruel world.
The girl was given a gun and a sword.
With no choice in the matter, the girl was practically thrown into the battlefield.
It's heartbreaking.
Every time she crossed a battlefield, she despaired as dozens of shining lights lose their color in a world that is now completely different.
But there she met her destiny.
As peace slowly returned, the girl had many encounters.
Inspired by that encounter, she rose to her feet once again, determined to get back on her feet.
There were many things she was not used to and that confused her.
But more than that, she found it fun.
She couldn't help but sincerely hope that days like this would continue forever.
But still, the world won't allow such happiness.
Once again the world bares its fangs.
The miniature garden filled with smiles disappeared fleetingly into the flames.
It's heartbreaking
The destiny that had reached out to the girl fell into darkness despite its kindness.
It's heartbreaking
Why we still resist?
Why don't we just accept annihilation?
So one asked.
Is there really that much value in this world?
The girl cried out ー "Yes, that's right."
The world has never been a kind place
It's always unreasonable and absurd.
Every happiness is only the beginning of despair.
She hates this world. A world that only brings suffering to everyone.
As you just said, it's better to just quickly perish.
ーEven so.
There are people who are fighting back, telling us that we must not give up, that the world is not just cruel.
The girl wanted to believe in the hope those girls held, rather than the despair she had.
She lost her believe in the world, but she still wants to believe that the feelings those girls left behind are correct.
This sword is not strong enough to carry someone else's hopes, but it can at least cut away the despair that lies just a little ways away. Soー
Because those people put their faith on me and told me to "live."
I'll spread my wings once more and fly into the sky.
If the sun is so bright that it's hard for you to walk forward, then let me become the moonlight and hold your hand.
Even in such a cruel world, there are things we can relate to.
So let's walk together.
We must return together, to the promised land.
Our dream of one day looking up at the blue sky together.
“――――――,”
Everyone was left speechless by her overwhelming singing ability and expressiveness.
This is probably what a song that touches the heart means.
The feelings of the girl spreading her wings and saying "Even so" in a cruel world were vividly conveyed.
It was as if she was singing the experience of her own life.
In fact, that's the truth.
That's why it has such a strong impact.
After finishing her song, Alpheria smiled affectionately.
It was a color so beautiful, fleeting, and mysterious that it made one think that it must never be tainted.
: Woow
: that gives me goosebumps
: Her singing is too good
: Her song is so strong. And The expressiveness is incredible.
: I forgot to comment
: I forgot to breathe
: I forgot to move my heart
: Heart stopped, rest in peace, amen.
: I forgot how to attain nirvana
: That guy's a goner. Just give up.
Sakura nodded in agreement with the comments that just flowed by.
In fact, until the song finished, there's hardly any comment.
This is despite having hundreds of thousands of listeners.
It was proof that Aria's, or rather, Alpheria's singing ability was in professional territory.
Add to that the lyrics that describe her own life, the results speak for themselves.
Just when they had fully enjoyed the music lingering in their mind, the next piece of music began to play.
It's a pop song, the complete opposite of the ballad from earlier.
Following that, Alpheria began dancing with incredible sharpness.
Her steps as light as a feather. Her core doesn't waver even when making sharp turns.
As if to say that god resides in her, her limbs are refined even down to the toes.
The dance performed by her vibrant, full-body movements was difficult to put into words, and listeners were once again stunned by her expressiveness, which was on a different level from her singing ability.
: What kind of movement is that!
: she moves incredibly smoothly.
: Is she really a Vtuber? Isn't she just controlled by a program?
: If that's the case, it wouldn't have that kind of dynamism.
: Even in the program, her facial expressions wouldn't change like that!
: It's almost like an anime
: I thought she was a good singer, but she's also a good dancers.
: Where did Prisma Ark bring such talent from?!
A. From another world.
Q. What do you mean!?
A. I'm not too sure either.
Sakura had this conversation in her head.
And then the song begins.
The beautiful voice that had captivated them earlier now sang an upbeat song that dreamed of a bright future.
With nothing to hold back, her beautiful, emotional voice reverberated loudly throughout the venue.
It looks so fun.
Her facial expressions, singing voice, and dancing all speak volumes.
So everyone reached out with big smiles on their faces so that they could join in the fun.
It sends a chill down their spine, making them want to dance too, captivating all who see it.
As the song reached the middle, Alpheria showed off her outstanding singing and dancing skills and even began to appeal to the audience on the other side of the screen.
The camera moves closer and as the picture gets a close-up of her face, she waves her hands.
The finger gun was fired with a wink, and the hearts of many listeners were sacrificed.
'As I thought, she's a wicked woman!'
A former man? This guy?
ーNo.
It's actually because she's a former man.
As a former man, Aria is completely familiar with men's sexual tendencies.
Starting with her gaze, the gesture of brushing back the hair, the way she moves her arms, the way she shows off her legs, etc.
There's art in there, where everything was thoroughly designed.
But, putting that aside, Sakura, who had previously heard that she was a former man, felt her brain going crazy at the sight of her beautiful and graceful performance.
And the listeners are outraged.
Why are they not at that venue?
If they had been there, they would have waved their glow stick with all their might to respond to her feelings.
That impulse is directed towards the comments section, where comments start flowing in at an explosive speed.
Most of those who have watched this stream have already become enthusiastic fans of Alpheria.
Everyone was convinced that they were witnessing the beginning of a legend, and they all watched intently, burning her brilliance into their minds so they would never forget it.
However, it was still too soon to think that this was Alpheria's peak.
As the performance approached its climax, Alpheria's performance became even more passionate.
And then, as if showing her hidden card, she unleashes her musical arts.
Alpheria's body floated gently into the air.
: Sh- she's floating!?
: Ha? Haah!?
: And she started dancing again!
: Dancing while flying in the air!?
: Is there even a dance technique to use in the sky?!
: I seriously fell off my chair.
: It's celestial maiden... The celestial maiden has descended!!!
And so began a fantastic scene.
Alpheria flew freely in all directions across the venue, firing off colorful balls of light.
Some are just balls of light, others are musical symbols.
Seven-colored symbols sparkle on the stage and flutter like butterflies, leaving a trail of light behind.
Each and every element of the performance was meticulously planned, further highlighting Alpheria, who stood at the center of it all, dancing and singing in three dimensions.
And the show isn't over yet.
Three or four songs were played in succession, each one different from the next by Alpheria - and the performance was flawless.
There's no words to describe it.
Everyone was captivated by the fantastical live performance, something that could never be experienced in real life.
They're savoring every minute and second, feeling like they're in a dream and hoping that it will last forever.
So much so that they even forgot to type a comment.
"Amazing..."
Sakura suddenly muttered to herself.
Until now, Sakura has never had much interest in singing or acting.
Of course, there are a lot of good things from doing it.
But that's all there is to it.
Her heart was never shaken by them.
What does "resonating with your heart" Mean?
She was skeptical, thinking it was probably just an assumption or an exaggeration.
That perception has now been overturned.
"Amazing..."
Sakura has no ambition.
She has never been obsessed with anything.
She has never admired anyone.
Having lived her life only skimming the surface of things, she had always intended to continue just live by.
No, she's still trying her best.
However, this was an attitude based on what had been built up until then, and there was no courage to take on new challenges.
Because it requires effort and it's hard work, and you don't know if it will pay off.
She doesn't think she has the ability to do that.
But her pride made it difficult for her to admit that she's incompetent.
She lived her life making excuses, telling herself that she have no intention of wasting time on such an unclear matter.
"Amazing..."
That stunning performance hit Sakura head-on.
She can't take her eyes off it. Her heart is pounding.
She embedded every move that Alpheria makes into her mind.
ーI want to be like that too.
Her sudden thought.
"Amazing..."
That day, Sakura felt admiration for the first time.
And when the concert came to an end, it was only natural that everyone burst into cheers of applause.
Thus, Alpheria's first broadcast became a legend.