The Darkness was Comfortable for me

Chapter 48: The Next Morning and The Beginning of the Race

The next day, I had come to the inn of Rifreya early in the morning.

What happened last night feels like a dream or something.

But it wasn’t a dream.

That’s because in the Status Board, there’s big dancing letters saying ‘Viewer Count Race in progress!’.

(Rifreya must remember what happened last night…) (Hikaru)

That’s one of my worries.

There’s no way to confirm if she was actually drunk or not there.

There’s the chance she has forgotten everything.

Last night, after I returned to my inn, I investigated the details of the Viewer Count Race.

Cause even if you say viewer count, there’s a lot of patterns to it. Is it by the highest realtime viewer count? Or are they going to be measuring it strictly by the total amount of views?

Or they could even be going by the average viewer count.

It seems God understands that there’s questions in those areas, the rules of the race were clearly defined.

-In the period of the Viewer Count Race, the total view time will be measured.

For example; if one person watched 8 hours, the 8 hours would be counted. The total of all viewers will be added, and the one with the highest number will be the winner. You could say it is a simple but sure method of measurement.

-Cooperating between Chosen and exchanging information with the messaging system is ok.

This one doesn’t have much to do with me, but it might be easier to gain viewer time by being in groups to bring the viewers of the Chosen together.

-Awesome prizes have been prepared all the way to 10th place! Do try and participate!

Looking at the reward list, it is true that they are all great.

But I have no eyes for anything aside from the 1st place’s Resurrection Gem.

-The ones who use the Point Loan system won’t have the right to participate in this event.

Now that I think about it, there was an announcement about there being a point loan system a while ago.

Well, it is true that you could get Points in advance to exchange for items or something like that in order to get an advantageous start, so that might be unfair. So God is strict with fairness, huh.

After I researched about it from beginning to end, I confirmed my own situation from on top of my bed.

“My real time viewer count: 192,330,000 people.”

“Total views: 7,630,000,000.”

“Likes: 1,510,000,000.”

“Total Crystals obtained: 78.”

“Total Points obtained: 6.”

“Number of Chosen: 709/1000.”

“Crystals in possession: 39.”

“Points in possession: 5.”

The real time viewers have increased all of a sudden. It must be because there was that night with Rifreya.

Even when I look back on it myself, it didn’t feel real as if it was a story from someone else. But her warmth still remains as if it were embers…

You could say nothing happened, but thinking about how my parents might have seen that, I find it a bit hard to stay sane.

(Whichever the case, I have Points.) (Hikaru)

The Points I obtained when I learned the Summon Undead and the shining flower.

I could use these Points I got when I came to this world.

There’s obviously items, but there’s also Physical Ability and Resistance. Just that, it seems like the Special Ability is a special category, I can’t take those.

I have 39 Crystals. I could exchange 30 for 1 Point, but Crystals have their respective uses. It would be better not to change them here.

(5 Points, huh…) (Hikaru)

It is a worrisome number. I can go for Physical Strength Up Level 1 and Vitality Up Level 1.

I can also take natural recovery types, but I can just rely on potions for that.

If my Tier increases by defeating monsters, the body capabilities will apparently increase on all fronts, but thinking about my current situation, it really gotta be Physical Strength or Vitality.

As for resistances, I already have resistance to poison, diseases, and aging, so there’s no need to put points on those.

I can only have 1 Spirit Ability, so it is impossible to take more.

But utilizing these 5 Points here is a gamble in itself.

I managed to survive in the forest because I had Points remaining. There’s no assurance I won’t be falling into a similar situation. I still have 1 Barrier Stone remaining, but once I use that, that will be the end. I will lose my safety net for the times when something happens.

(But adventuring while leaving a safety net wouldn’t be fun for the viewers…) (Hikaru)

I have decided to take 1st place.

Then, the only choice here is to use the Points.

(I want to increase my viewers as much as possible. I will be using them when the Viewer Count Race has started.) (Hikaru)

After I decided that, I went to sleep last night.

…Honestly speaking, I was reminded of the events with Rifreya and had a hard time sleeping.

And so, while I waited for Rifreya, I decided to use the Points.

After confirming my surroundings, I begin talking to empty space.

“Hello, I am Kurose Hikaru. From today on…” (Hikaru)

I stopped mid sentence.

I don’t know if it is okay for me to announce that I am aiming for 1st place in the Viewer Count Race.

I am being thought of as the guy that killed Nanami and went to the parallel world after all.

If I were to proclaim I am aiming for 1st place, they might do their utmost to not watch me so that I can’t get 1st place. Even if I were to tell them I want the Resurrection Gem to revive Nanami, who would believe me?

I could be using it for something else…or think that I want to sell the gem to earn big. That’s just how they will end up taking it.

No…it could be taken in an even worse way.

If I take 1st place, ‘no one else will be able to revive Nanami, so the truth will stay in the darkness’. In other words, I am taking 1st place to seal the lips of Nanami…

That’s how it could be taken by the bad natured ones.

More so when the gem can only revive a person that is important to you.

All the Chosen of Japan have met Nanami. There might be ones who have gotten along with her.

…Well, of course, if they want to revive Nanami, I won’t have any issues with that, but if they are just going to be a hindrance and it ends up with the result of none being able to take 1st place to revive Nanami, that would just be saddening.

That’s why I won’t say it.

If this were the usual, I would be grateful if they weren’t watching, but just this time around…just for this brief period, I want them to watch.

“…From today on, I will be partying with Rifreya and exploring the dungeon.” (Hikaru)

I just give them a simple explanation of my plans.

I did decide to take 1st place, but I don’t know the best method to get there. I am not an influencer, or an entertainer; I am just your average highschool student. There’s no way I would know how to get viewers.

What I know is that if I am together with Rifreya, my viewers will increase with her beauty.

And then, talk about me using her will be spread, and the viewers on Earth will be burning even more.

What’s important is action and result.

Telling the viewers I want to take 1st place here at this timing would be a demerit, and there wouldn’t be much merit.

…Just that, I feel bad for Rifreya who will be exposed to several millions of curious gazes without her knowing.

I am trying to use her good will and deceiving her after all.

But if I don’t do this, there’s no way I will be able to take 1st place.

“Before diving into the dungeon, I will use my remaining 5 points and take Physical Strength Up 1.” (Hikaru)

It is pretty embarrassing to talk to empty space, but there’s the need to acknowledge the viewers. It is not like there isn’t any mental damage and uncomfortness from this, but I have to push myself here and leave those aside.

I operate the Status Board and take the Physical Strength Up 1.

[[Will you use 5 Points and acquire [Physical Strength Up Level 1]? Yes - No]]

I push Yes.

At the same time as I did this, I felt my body growing hot.

I don’t think my body has changed.

If I had to put it in words, it is more like the Spirit Energy in my body has activated.

It might be similar to the times when I defeat monsters.

With this, my physical strength has doubled, which is surprising.

I currently don’t feel the difference, but I should be able to tell when I am in the dungeon.

I explain this feeling to empty space.

It is pretty idiotic, but viewers do exist.

Doing small things like this to acknowledge the viewers shouldn’t be a waste. There’s the possibility of losing by a single viewer after all.

“I am currently waiting for Rifreya. I met her last night for a bit, so…seeing her is honestly a bit embarrassing, and we drank before, so maybe she doesn’t remember—” (Hikaru)

“Hikaru? Is there anyone there?”

“Hiaah! That gave me a fright! So you were here, Rifreya.” (Hikaru)