With my [Appraisal] Skill, I Became the Top of the Streaming World - Chapter 17
The meeting room in the Shinagawa building was more crowded than last time.
In addition to Kanzaki and Takasaka, there was a man I didn't recognize. He looked to be in his 40s and was wearing a suit. Whether he was with the Management Bureau or another organization, he wasn't introduced.
Kanzaki began to speak.
"What I want to share with you today is the scope of the contamination."
A map was spread across the table. It was a map of Japan. Several cities were marked with stamps.
"It’s not just Shinagawa. Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai, Fukuoka—items possessing the same lineage of magical formulas have been confirmed in at least five different dungeons across the country."
I looked at the map and tried to organize the facts.
"Are we proceeding on the assumption that the same group is behind all of this?"
"The methods are too consistent. It's not a coincidence."
"...And the motive?"
"We still don't know. However, actual harm is being done. Several explorers have been injured due to equipment malfunctions. There hasn't been a critical case yet, but it’s likely only a matter of time."
The man in the suit spoke for the first time.
"Mr. Makabe, the appraisal results you first detected and reported in Shinagawa have become the first piece of physical evidence in this case. That report was the catalyst for the official investigation to begin."
"...Is that so."
If I hadn't found it, the contaminated charms might have continued to circulate indefinitely. Thinking about that made me feel a bit heavy-hearted, though I didn't say it out loud.
"The Management Bureau will lead the investigation moving forward. We'd like to ask for your continued cooperation in providing information, Mr. Makabe, but there is no need for you to stand on the front lines. We thank you for your help thus far."
"Understood."
I felt the tension leave my shoulders a little. It wasn't over, but it felt like a turning point.
◇
In the early afternoon, I brought the greatsword to a repair shop. The craftsman examined the break in the blade and raised an eyebrow slightly.
"The purity of the magic steel is high. It’s a clean break, so re-forging the joint shouldn't be an issue."
"What’s the cost and timeframe?"
"It’ll be 38,000 yen and take about five days."
"Please go ahead."
I took the receipt and left the shop. I was looking forward to seeing the finished product.
◇
At night, I started my 12th stream. My subscribers had reached 5,410.
Tonight, I was patrolling B3F through B4F. Since I had gone all the way to the Middle Layer boundary the other day, I decided to take a leisurely stroll through the shallower floors tonight.
As I was picking up a few items along the way, someone called out to me from behind.
"Um, excuse me... are you the Scavenger?"
I turned around to see a man in his mid-twenties. He was in explorer gear, but his appearance gave off the vibe that he wasn't a high-ranked explorer yet.
"...Yes, and you?"
"I saw you in Sakaki-san's video. I recognized you by the hood."
The comments flooded in instantly.
『Whoa!』
『An encounter!』
『Is it okay to talk to him lol』
"Is there something you need?"
The man hesitated for a moment before pulling a small cloth bag from his pack.
"I found this here last week. It looked valuable, so I brought it to a dealer to sell it, but they wouldn't give me a price. Do you know what it is?"
After confirming I was still streaming, I replied, "I'll appraise it."
Inside the bag was a charm. It was ornately decorated and looked like a luxury item. I directed [Appraisal] at it.
Warding Charm - Decorative Type (Counterfeit)
Rarity: N/A
Current Value: None
Condition: Imitation appearance only; no function.
Notes: A counterfeit made to look like an expensive charm. The formula engravings are made to look like the real thing, but no actual function has been incorporated. Purchase or use is meaningless. Recommended to contact the dealer who sold it.
"...It’s a counterfeit."
The comments stopped.
"It looks exactly like the real thing, but the formulas are just for show. It doesn't function at all."
The man’s face went pale.
"I’m sorry, the truth is I didn't find it here... I bought it for 3,000 yen at a roadside stall near the dungeon. I thought it would be embarrassing if the truth came out on stream, so I lied."
"You should go talk to that dealer. If they're still there, you can demand a return or a refund."
The comments started flowing again.
『A fake charm from a stall, huh?』
『You’d never notice without Appraisal.』
『Go give that dealer a piece of your mind!』
The man bowed, said "Thank you," and hurried away.
I thought about it as I continued the stream. The counterfeit charm was a separate issue from the curse incident. But in terms of seeing through something where the appearance and reality don't match, it was the same. My eyes were suited for that kind of thing.
◇
By the time I closed the stream, viewership had exceeded 5,400. The growth lately has been more than I anticipated, and honestly, I’m still a bit bewildered by it. I haven't quite processed the feeling that what I'm doing is supported by this many people. But it’s not a bad feeling. At the very least, my spirits feel like they're trending upward.
On the way home, I opened the "Identity Thread" on social media and found a new post.
『Based on the background noise and the sound of the terrain, there's no doubt he's in the Shinagawa Pier No. 7 dungeon. If someone asks the regulars there, they might find someone who knows him.』
It was getting specific. It wasn't my name yet, but the location was narrowing down. There really are people in the world who get incredibly passionate about meaningless things.
As I put my phone away, I looked back on today's meeting. My very first discovery had connected to five locations across the country. That was unexpected.
But what I did tonight felt more like "me." I saw through a fake brought by a stranger and pointed them in the right direction.
That kind of distance felt like a better fit for me.
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