With my [Appraisal] Skill, I Became the Top of the Streaming World - Chapter 6
In the morning, I checked my phone to find several notifications that hadn't been there the night before.
Even within the DungeonTube app alone, the volume of alerts had spiked. Just to be safe, I did a quick web search for "Scavenger," and found that several threads had already popped up on social media and message boards.
Among them, one title in particular was trouble.
【Identify】 Thread for Investigating the True Identity of the Late-Night Dungeon Streamer "Scavenger"
"...I really hate this," I muttered.
Steeling myself against a rising sense of unease, I opened the thread. Information like "Shinagawa Pier No. 7 scavenging staff," "man in his 20s or 30s based on voice," and "possesses Appraisal skill" was listed. None of it was off the mark, but they hadn't reached a specific person yet. That was only natural, considering I hide my face with a hood and haven't given a name.
Still, the fact that I was being investigated at all was unsettling. Being noticed and being identified are two very different things.
Then again, looking at it from the other side, it was proof of how much attention I was getting. If no one noticed me, this wouldn't work as a job in the first place. I wondered if a newcomer like me was really worth a dedicated thread, but I closed my phone for now and restructured today's plans in my head.
◇
Before tonight's stream, I stopped by the refiner with the magic beast claws.
I’d thought the fine calculations could wait, but I was a bit surprised when I heard the actual estimate. "For the set of eight, including refining fees, it will be 28,000 yen," I was told. It was almost a perfect match for the "around 30,000 yen" I’d predicted on last night’s live stream.
"I'll take it, then."
Refining apparently takes a few days, so I would pick them up later. Today’s harvest was just the confirmation. Still, it felt like my Appraisal's accuracy had been proven once again, and my steps felt light as I walked away.
◇
A little after midnight, I started my third stream.
When I opened the app, my subscriber count had grown from 107 to 121—the increase from just the past day. When I hit the broadcast button, there were 14 viewers waiting from the start.
"Hello, I'm Scavenger. This is the third time."
『He’s here!』
『Right on time.』
『How did the claws turn out?』
"I took them to a refiner. It looks like the set will be 28,000 yen. The finished product takes a few days, so I'll report back then."
『Exactly what he said.』
『"Around 30,000" and it’s almost a perfect match lol.』
『That Appraisal accuracy is broken.』
"I just got lucky."
To be honest, it wasn't luck. It was definitely thanks to my Appraisal skill. But I feel like answering this way is more considerate toward the public, so I always end up responding like this. Every time I do, the chat fires back with comments like, 『There’s no way that’s luck.』 It was slowly becoming our routine.
I passed through the entrance and entered tonight’s area.
◇
Tonight's passages were quieter than yesterday's, with no massive piles of abandoned items. Still, if I checked carefully, something was bound to turn up. For some reason, the viewers didn't seem to tire of watching the plain task of me inspecting items one by one with [Appraisal].
About 30 minutes in, I noticed something caught in a corner of the wall.
It was a folded piece of paper-like material. Usually, paper degrades quickly in a dungeon, but this seemed to have a special coating; only the edges were yellowed.
As I picked it up, I saw fine lines drawn on the inside. A map.
"Looks like a map or something was dropped here. Is it just junk?"
I focused my gaze and used [Appraisal].
Hand-Drawn Dungeon Record (Old)
Current Value: Unknown
Notes: Believed to be a record of the Shinagawa Pier No. 7 Dungeon, Floor 5 and deeper. Contents may include descriptions of unregistered sectors.
Recommended: Submit to the Dungeon Management Bureau or a specialized document collector.
"...Floor 5 and deeper?"
I stopped in my tracks involuntarily.
"This... it says there might be unregistered sectors written here. I can't make the call on this myself, so I'm taking it to the Bureau."
『Wait, hold on.』
『Isn't that worth a fortune?』
『Why don't you use it to explore?』
"It’s Floor 5 and below. Honestly, that’s way out of my league."
『So decisive.』
『But I think that’s the right call.』
『If you hand it to the Bureau, won't you get a reward or something?』
"I'll consider myself lucky if I get anything at all."
The comments flowed by with "lol"s. Without me noticing, the viewer count had reached 68.
◇
I carefully tucked the map into my pocket and continued down the passage.
There were no more major finds, but several smaller salvaged items piled up: reused disposable lights, tiny magic stone fragments, and tools left behind by explorers. Individually they weren't worth much, but together they’d add up to a few thousand yen.
About an hour into the stream, an unfamiliar icon appeared at the edge of the screen.
A Super Chat—a donation.
The amount was 500 yen. The comment said: 『Thanks for the appraisals. Please keep going.』
"...Oh."
I froze for about three seconds.
"...Thank you."
That was all I could manage to say.
『He’s so earnest.』
『Say something more, lol!』
『But this is what's good about him.』
『First Super Chat! Congrats!』
"It’s the first time I've ever received one. I, uh... sorry."
『Why are you apologizing, lol?!』
The viewer count had surpassed 80.
◇
After finishing the stream, I stepped out of the dungeon.
I checked the app while letting the night breeze hit me. Peak viewers: 93. My subscribers had increased by nearly 30 tonight alone, bringing the total close to 150.
And then, the revenue notification arrived.
Revenue from Stream: 32 yen.
Looking at the number alone, it was small. No, it was tiny. It was overwhelmingly lower than my hourly wage as a salaryman. But this was money I had earned just by talking while picking things up in a dungeon.
"...This really is becoming a job."
As I was about to put my phone away, another notification arrived.
It was from Sakaki.
『I'd like to make a formal proposal again. Could we do a collab, just once? A project on my channel showing off your appraisals. We’ll guarantee the viewer numbers. You just need to do the appraising.』
The phrase "We’ll guarantee the viewer numbers" caught my attention. I didn't think he meant it in a bad way; it was likely Sakaki's own sincere way of putting it.
But I still wanted to do this alone for a while longer.
I typed 『I’ll think about it』 and hit send.
On the way home, my mind was busy with my next stream, the plans to take the map to the Bureau, and the timing for the notification from the refiner about the claws.
My to-do list was growing. And for now, that felt pretty good.
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