With my [Appraisal] Skill, I Became the Top of the Streaming World - Chapter 30
In the morning, I opened the message I received last night once more.
“That person streaming while doing appraisals... that’s you, Makabe, isn't it?”
I checked the sender's name. It was saved in my contacts, but it belonged to someone I hadn't interacted with once since I quit the company. A man named Miura—we weren't in the same department, but back when we were putting in long hours of overtime, we had walked to the station together a few times.
He wasn't a bad guy. He was just the type of person who, while trying to be helpful, takes that one unnecessary step too far.
It wasn't that someone from the thread had identified me and reached out. A rumor had likely started circulating, he had a hunch, and he decided to check in. That was probably the flow of it.
I could reply later. It wouldn't be too late even after today’s stream was over.
◇
In the morning, I sent a short message to Sakaki.
Last night, I received a message using my real name from an old former colleague. It didn't come via the thread. I don't think he has any malicious intent.
A reply came back.
It's best not to let the reaction spread. If you reply, keep it private and brief. If you do anything publicly, it’ll be treated as a self-confirmation. Just keep an eye on movements at the actual site.
Understood.
◇
At noon, I also sent a short update to Asada.
An acquaintance from my real life has made contact. A former colleague. No malice, but there’s a possibility people within my old company might start noticing.
Acknowledged. We will continue adjusting the route for official requests and monitoring the area around the entrance.
Thank you.
I spent the afternoon preparing for the stream.
◇
At night, I started my 24th stream.
"Today, I'll be focusing my rounds on B3F in Shinagawa."
The comments began to flow.
『The start is quiet today.』
『Feels a bit different than usual.』
『But it's the usual Scavenger, so I'm relieved.』
"Nothing in particular is up. Let's go."
I headed down to B3F and moved forward, checking along the walls. This floor is an area where the Management Bureau has installed many containers for the temporary storage of discarded items; in the wide-open sections, containers are packed tightly together. Compared to other floors, the passages are built much wider, and there are many spaces as large as a school gymnasium.
Seeing that potential, the area is now utilized as a primary waste collection point. Perhaps because of that, the passages are littered with waste that likely fell during transport, making it a floor people usually want to hurry through unless they have business there.
I had chosen this floor for tonight's stream, but I realized somewhat late that the sheer volume of waste made it a troublesome place for appraisals.
"This floor is used as a primary waste collection point, but there’s quite a lot of debris scattered about."
『This is a place people usually just walk past.』
『Looking at it again, it’s really dirty with all that trash.』
『Huge difference from the Shinjuku side.』
『Not many places look this different from other entrances.』
When there's this much clutter, that initial "hunch" becomes vital. I moved forward for several dozen minutes, focusing on those small gut feelings.
At a corner where the passage turned, a small metal case was lying on the ground. It was a dirty container about 15 centimeters long, with mud packed into the seams. Part of the lid was deformed, making it look like nothing more than scrap metal or a broken trinket box. There were several sets of footprints where people had clearly stepped right over it.
"There’s a case on the floor. Let me check it."
I picked it up and directed [Appraisal] at it.
Old-Model Sample Case (Contains Contents)
Rarity: B
Exterior Material: Old-Model Mana-Shielding Alloy (Discontinued—has material value)
Internal Residue: Refined Mana Crystal Fragment x1 (95% Purity—hermetically sealed)
Estimated Resale Value: Exterior 35,000–48,000 yen / Crystal Fragment 42,000–58,000 yen (Total 77,000–106,000 yen)
Notes: A sample storage container used in old research facilities. Because the seal remained intact, the internal crystal fragment has retained its purity.
"Combining the exterior material and the crystal fragment inside, it’s worth about 80,000 to 100,000 yen. However, if the seal is broken, the purity of the fragment will drop, so I’ll handle it carefully."
I took out my tools and slowly opened it after checking the seams. It took about two minutes.
Inside the seal, a single refined crystal fragment shone without a hint of cloudiness.
"I managed to extract it without any issues."
The comments surged.
『The way he opens things is so precise and careful.』
『It’s amazing every time how that thing is worth 100k.』
『I definitely would have stepped over it too.』
『So jealous of those with Appraisal.』
"I can understand why people stepped over it. You can't tell its value just by looking at the outside."
I put it in my bag. As I tied the bag shut, the sealed case made a small clinking sound inside.
◇
I ended the stream two hours later. Peak viewership was 6,400. Another quiet session.
After returning home, I sat thinking about today’s stream while also opening my phone to check the thread that had been lingering in the back of my mind.
"No real progress there, I guess."
There were no follow-up posts to the "Makabe" comment. No full name, no photos.
I closed the thread and wondered what to do next when I remembered I hadn't replied to Miura. I opened the messaging app; last night's single line was still sitting there. After thinking about the wording for a while, I sent a reply.
“Long time no see. For now, please don't spread that story around.”
A reply came back about ten minutes later.
“Got it. But some people at our old company might still notice. That’s why I wanted to tell you first, just in case.”
I didn't reply to that message. This was the result of him "trying to be helpful." There was no malice involved, which made it all the more difficult to handle.
Just as I was about to set my phone down, one more message arrived.
“Sorry. Looks like Ms. Furuta from General Affairs is watching the videos too. It’s circulating a bit at the office.”
I read the message again. Then, I sat staring at the screen for a long time.
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