Chapter 98: Aogiri Tree's Gecko Has Arrived!
Airi blinked, wondering if she was seeing things. Over 100,000 concurrent viewers. The number was so unreal, she had never even dared to dream of it. But… it was real.
A wave of indescribable excitement washed over her. She covered her lips with a trembling hand, her eyes shining with disbelief. What did over 100,000 viewers even mean? And the number was still climbing. Japan's total population was only 125 million. Factoring out all the people who weren't interested in live streams, this number was absolutely astonishing. Airi was streaming on 17Live, the platform with the highest market share in Japan. Any streamer who could hit these numbers was a top-tier celebrity.
Of course, she knew this was just a "top-tier streamer experience card." But even so, the sudden, massive influx of happiness was making her head spin.
In her live chat:
'Is this the right place? The stream where we can watch the Cooking Immortal cook?'
'The Cooking Immortal is so young!'
'There it is! The Omurice is glowing!'
'Sugoi!'
'The way he flips the omelette is so cool! Every movement is so precise! It's art!'
'I want to see the Miracle Comet Fried Rice fall from the sky!'
'+1!'
'As a chef who's been making omurice for over thirty years, before it started glowing, I could only marvel at his exquisite technique. But the moment it started to glow, my brain completely short-circuited. Wait, what just happened? How did it glow? I don't understand at all!'
'Mind=blown!'
'So that's how Glowing Cuisine is born!'
'Without a doubt, this is magic! A miracle!'
'I give up, I'll never learn how to do that!'
'I'm so jealous of the people who get to eat in that restaurant!'
'All the flights to Tokyo are sold out…'
The chat was scrolling at an insane speed, the sheer volume of messages and viewers causing the stream to lag. Behind the scenes, the platform's technicians were scrambling to optimize the servers.
Outside the restaurant, Yusa took a tray with ten portions of the Miracle Comet Fried Rice. "Miracle Comet Fried Rice, who wants some?" she called out to the queue with a gentle smile.
"Yes! I'll take one!"
"Please sell me a portion!"
The people in line were overjoyed. They had thought they would have to wait until they got inside to eat. This was a wonderful surprise.
"Okay, please don't rush. We'll go in order," Yusa said, holding the tray out to the first person in line. "One per person. The discounted price is 2,400 yen. Please give the money to my sister."
The customer quickly paid the small, mole-faced Koji and eagerly took a box of the fried rice.
On a street near the restaurant.
"The line is just too long! It's already stretching to the next street!"
"This is the longest line I've ever waited in!"
"The Cooking Immortal closes at nine, right? Will we even get in?"
"It's looking doubtful…"
"Then what are we even waiting for?!"
"Maybe we should just come back tomorrow. Earlier…"
Some people, discouraged, began to leave the line.
"Are we almost there?" Jason (Yakumo Oomori) asked, looking past the endless queue.
"Jason…" Nico, walking beside him, suddenly sniffed the air, a surprised look on his face. "I think I smell something I've never smelled before. It's… very tempting." He involuntarily quickened his pace.
"Hm?" Jason watched him go, then took a deep breath himself. He didn't smell anything, but he knew Nico's senses were far sharper than his own. He also started walking faster. Could it really be true? It went against all common sense for a Ghoul.
"Even though it's unbelievable, it seems to be real…" Nico's voice was filled with a barely concealed anticipation.
"Ah…" As they rounded the corner, Jason's eyes widened. He took a deep, shuddering breath, and a morbid, ecstatic expression appeared on his brutish face. "I smell it too! This complex, indescribable, alluring aroma… I can't stand it!" An uncontrollable excitement radiated from him, like a beast that had just caught the scent of its prey. The humans waiting in line nearby instinctively held their breath, trying to make themselves invisible.
"Why do I always run into the troublesome ones when I'm on duty?" Mizutani Hayato sighed, seeing Jason's crazed expression. Last time it was the Gourmet, this time it was Jason, who had an even worse reputation.
"Hm? A fish that slipped through the net?" Jason noticed Mizutani, instantly recognizing him as a fellow Ghoul. "I don't have time to deal with you right now. If you know what's good for you, report to the new base in Kamata. Next time we meet, I won't be so polite." He brushed past him.
"I suggest you listen to him, little brother," Nico added. "I'm only giving you this advice because you're cute."
The two of them then disappeared around the corner.
"...Slipped through the net?" Mizutani watched them go, then took out his phone and sent a message to his boss.
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