With my [Appraisal] Skill, I Became the Top of the Streaming World - Chapter 29
In the morning, the first thing I did upon waking was check my phone.
There were no new posts in the identity thread. The "Makabe" post from last night remained as it was, with a dozen or so critical replies piled up beneath it. It seemed the original poster hadn't added anything further since then.
I took a breath and closed the thread.
The movement was small. Even so, the fact that my surname had surfaced would remain as a record. If something were to move next, would it be within the thread, at the scene in Shinagawa, or from an old acquaintance? I couldn't tell that far ahead.
◇
I received a call from Sakaki during the morning.
"Good morning, Makabe-san. I'm looking at the thread again."
"A few more posts were added since last night's flurry. I just finished checking it myself."
On the other end of the line, Sakaki let out a short breath.
"It's best to do nothing for now. If you reply, that in itself becomes a confirmation of your identity."
"That's what I thought; I haven't moved."
"However, you might want to be a bit careful about movements on the ground. When a thread grows, sometimes people actually show up at the Shinagawa site to verify things."
When he put it that way, he was right. Even if I remained a silent observer because it was just "internet talk," there would always be those who would take the trip in person.
"I’ll change my entry times and my route."
"I think that’s for the best. If I see any movement on my end, I'll let you know."
"Please do. I appreciate it."
I hung up.
◇
Just after noon, I sent a message to Asada.
My surname has appeared online. Do you think I should implement any changes regarding our contact methods or time slots for future official requests?
The reply came instantly.
The Management Bureau will handle any suspicious activity around the entrance. However, we have no means of stopping the online rumors themselves. As for official requests, we can shift the time to the evening or later, or change the procedure to use a different entrance. We will adjust for the next session, so I will contact you once the schedule is finalized.
That helps. Thank you.
After rereading the reply, I set my phone on the table.
◇
In the evening, I headed to the Shinagawa dungeon.
I entered through the West Entrance, which I don't usually use. My streaming equipment was the same, and I hadn't changed my gear. All I changed were the route and the timing, which took about an extra fifteen minutes.
It wasn't a big difference. As long as there were no familiar faces at the entrance, it was enough.
I checked the B1F corridor and proceeded inside.
◇
At night, I started my 23rd stream.
"I'm in Shinagawa today. Starting a bit earlier than usual."
The comments moved immediately.
『Early today!』
『Feels like a quieter start than usual.』
『What’s up?』
"Nothing in particular. Just decided to change the time slot a bit."
I offered no further explanation. Entering B2F, I moved forward while checking along the walls.
◇
As I was walking through a back passage on B3F, I saw something with a metallic luster.
Approaching it, I found a rusted cylinder lying on the ground near the wall. It was about 5 centimeters in diameter and roughly 30 centimeters long. The exterior was discolored all over, and it was crushed near the seam. It looked like junk, and there were no signs that anyone had even tried to pick it up.
"There's something lying on the ground by the wall. Let me check it."
I picked it up and directed [Appraisal] at it.
Old-Model Sealing Cylinder (Early Type)
Rarity: B+
Exterior Material: Mana-Stabilizing Alloy (Early Forged Product—no longer manufactured)
Internal Residue: Catalyst Fragments x2 (No degradation)
Estimated Resale Value: Exterior 42,000–56,000 yen / Catalyst Fragments 28,000–36,000 yen (Total 70,000–92,000 yen)
Notes: A storage container used in old dungeon management facilities. Likely discarded because the value of the exterior material was not recognized. The internal catalyst fragments remain without degradation.
"The exterior is quite damaged, but the material and the contents have value. Together, it should be worth about 70,000 to 90,000 yen."
The comments moved slowly.
『That thing costs that much?』
『You'd never know just by looking at it.』
『I would've walked right past if not for Appraisal.』
"I understand why people would walk past it. If you judge by appearances, there’s clearly no reason to take it home."
I put it in my bag and scouted the surroundings, but nothing else was lying around.
"Nothing else here. Let's move on."
◇
I finished the stream two hours later. Peak viewership was 7,100. It had been a quiet session.
Back in my room, I checked the thread. Reactions to the "Makabe" post from last night had increased slightly, but no definitive proof had surfaced. Neither my full name nor my workplace had been written.
Just as I was about to turn off the screen, an icon in the notification bar caught my eye. A notification had arrived from a different app—it was a message from an old contact. Someone I hadn't spoken to once since I quit the company.
There was only a single line.
That person streaming while doing appraisals... that’s you, Makabe, isn't it?
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