With my [Appraisal] Skill, I Became the Top of the Streaming World - Chapter 8
There was no answer.
I threw my voice into the depths of the dark passage and waited for about ten seconds, but nothing came back. The comment section had stopped too. I could almost feel the viewers holding their breath on the other side of their screens; a strange tension hung in the air.
Then, another footstep. Closer this time.
"...Something is approaching," I said, lowering my voice.
『Which direction?』
『Is it a monster?』
『Scavenger, run!』
"The footsteps are unusually light. If it were a monster, the vibration of the ground would feel different."
Having made that judgment, I pointed my flashlight into the darkness. The ring of light illuminated the path ahead.
A figure was standing there, pressed against the wall. They had a decent amount of gear, but it looked more makeshift than a professional setup. Their face, hit by the light, froze as they looked my way.
"...Are you human?"
It was a woman’s voice. She sounded younger than I expected.
"I am. And you?"
"Oh, um... I’m lost."
I let out a sigh of relief. A stray.
◇
As I got closer, she looked to be in her late teens. A quick check with my flashlight showed no visible injuries, but she was pale. She might have been wandering around here for quite a while.
"I’m Kaede. I’m sorry... I took a wrong turn at the boundary."
"That was the Middle Layer just now. Where did you cross over from the Upper Layer?"
"At the fork on Route 3, I went left... and before I knew it, the signs were gone."
A classic case of wandering past the boundary markers. It’s not uncommon, but wandering into the Middle Layer alone is usually no laughing matter.
The comments were flowing quietly.
『Glad she's alive.』
『Hurry and get her to the exit.』
『Good thing Scavenger showed up.』
"I’m currently streaming, but can you head back with me? I know the route to the exit."
Kaede noticed the smartphone in my breast pocket and looked surprised for a moment.
"...You were streaming?"
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
"N-no... I’d just prefer if you didn't show my face."
"The lens is facing forward, so you’re fine. Let’s go."
◇
I checked Kaede’s condition as we retraced my steps. She still had some stamina left, and her footing was steady. At this rate, we should reach the Upper Layer in about fifteen minutes.
However, about five minutes in, the air changed.
A low vibration traveled from the depths of the passage. It was the heavy tread of something moving across the stone floor—incomparable to Kaede’s footsteps from earlier.
I directed [Appraisal] toward the back.
Ironclad Turtle (Adult)
Threat Level: Medium to High
Weakness: Abdomen / Joints in the dorsal shell
Behavior: Tracks intruders within its territory; persists for long periods.
Recommended: Leave territory or evacuate to high ground.
"...There’s a monster. We need to move before it starts chasing us."
『Eh?!』
『That’s bad.』
『Hurry!』
"Can you run?"
Kaede nodded. I took the lead and began to bolt.
The Ironclad Turtle is slow, but once it starts a pursuit, it doesn't give up. While high ground was recommended, there was no such thing in this passage. Our only option was to put distance between us and its territory.
We rounded one corner, then another. The low thud of footsteps followed behind us. It wasn't gaining, but it wasn't stopping either.
"We should see the boundary marker soon. Once we cross that, we’re out of its territory."
Kaede nodded, breathless. I wasn't exactly feeling refreshed either, but my legs were still moving.
Just then, something glinted on the floor of the passage.
As I shifted my stride to avoid stepping on it, my eyes caught it. A black stone. About the size of a fist, its surface was faintly glowing.
Instinctively, I scooped it up. I shoved it into my pocket without stopping.
◇
The moment we crossed the boundary marker, the footsteps behind us ceased.
Kaede and I leaned against the passage wall, taking a moment to catch our breath.
"...We’re clear."
The comments exploded.
『They survived!』
『Thank goodness.』
『Glad Kaede-san is safe.』
『I was so anxious the whole time.』
Kaede put her hands on her knees and exhaled deeply. "Thank you... you really saved me."
"I’ll walk you to the Upper Layer exit. It won't take more than five minutes."
As we started walking, I remembered the black stone in my pocket. Since I’d picked it up while running, I hadn't even checked what it was. I stopped and pulled it out.
The glowing had stopped, but it was heavy. It looked like just a plain black rock. Just in case, I used [Appraisal].
Magic Core Crystal (Complete)
Rarity: S C
urrent Value: Extremely High
Estimated Market Value: 300,000–500,000 yen
Notes: A magic crystal containing a perfect core. The production rate is extremely low; actual market transactions are rare.
Recommended: List in a specialized auction or sell directly to a clan.
I froze.
"...S-rank," the words slipped out.
"Is something wrong?" Kaede asked, looking back.
"No... it’s just this stone I picked up."
I checked the comments; they were scrolling at a terrifying speed.
"I’m going to read the appraisal results. Rarity: S. Current Value: Extremely High. Estimated market value is 300,000 to 500,000 yen."
『What?!』
『S-RANK!?!?』
『A stone he picked up while running?!』
『No way.』
『This isn't just luck anymore.』
Kaede stared at me, her eyes wide.
"...Seriously, I just picked it up so I wouldn't step on it. It was just lying at my feet."
"That’s an S-rank material?"
"According to the Appraisal, yes."
For a while, both of us just stared at the stone in silence. The comments kept flooding in.
◇
After seeing Kaede safely to the Upper Layer exit, I headed toward the entrance alone. I checked the viewer count before closing the stream.
1,047 viewers.
"..."
I did a double-take. This was the first time I’d broken three digits. It seemed the numbers spiked during the chase with the Ironclad Turtle; scrolling back through the comments, I saw several other streamer account names mixed in. I must have been shared somewhere.
"I’m ending it here for today. I'm just glad Kaede-san is safe. I'll consult a specialist about the S-rank stone tomorrow. I’ll report back then."
Comments poured in.
『Good work!』
『Today’s stream was incredible.』
『Something always happens.』
『I’m definitely coming back to watch.』
I closed the stream.
◇
I arrived home and placed the black stone on my desk.
300,000 to 500,000 yen. Whichever way it went, it was an amount of money I had never held at one time. Even though the weight hadn't changed, the stone somehow looked different now.
Three notifications arrived on my phone.
One was the revenue notice from DungeonTube. One was the alert for the increase in subscribers. And the last one was a message from an account name I didn't recognize.
There was a clan logo in the sender's profile.
『Mr. Scavenger, please excuse this sudden contact. We are the "Iron Grey Fang" clan. We happened to watch your stream today and were wondering if we could speak with you directly.』
I stared at the screen for a while, then set the phone down on the desk next to the stone.
...A clan?
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