With my [Appraisal] Skill, I Became the Top of the Streaming World - Chapter 20
The next morning, I brought the Ether Calculus to the refinery.
When I pulled all three pieces out of the bag at the counter, the clerk narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Are these from the same mineral vein?"
"My appraisal said they were."
"That’s rare. We almost never see them brought in as a set. It will take three to five days to finish."
"Please go ahead."
I accepted the receipt and the estimate for the refining fee and stepped outside. A stone that was worthless on its own transforms simply by being part of a set. The way the dungeon looks to you changes completely depending on whether or not you know these mechanics. I felt like I was witnessing the true essence of the Appraisal skill as I went about my errands.
◇
Around noon, I received a message from Sakaki.
『Hey Scavenger, did you know there's an article about you in the industry media?』
He included a URL.
When I opened it, it was a specialized dungeon news site. The headline read: "Independent Appraiser/Scavenger Stirs the Industry — Why an Anonymous Channel is Approaching 10,000 Subscribers."
As I read through, I saw it was all about my streams. It covered the discovery of the cursed charms, spotting the counterfeits, and the restoration proposal for the broken greatsword. Quoting from my stream archives, it described me as "an individual possessing appraisal precision impossible for an ordinary explorer."
My face and name weren't there. I was simply referred to as "the hooded Scavenger."
Sakaki sent a follow-up:
『It’s circulating like crazy on social media. Several people in the dungeon industry have shared it. Word is even the people inside the Management Bureau are watching it.』
『Is that so.』
『Aren't you happy?』
『It’s complicated.』
Increased attention is good for the stream. But it’s also true that the "Identity Thread" is active, and an article like this will only accelerate their progress. I thought about it for a while before replying, 『Thanks for looking out for me.』
『Looking forward to the next stream,』 Sakaki replied, and the conversation ended.
◇
At night, I started my 15th stream. My subscribers had reached 8,940. The exposure from the afternoon article was clearly having an effect.
"Today, I’m going to continue patrolling the south side of B4F. I'll be taking a different route than last week."
『He’s here!』
『Came from the article.』
『First-time viewer!』
"It looks like some of you came from the article. Thank you. That said, what I do won't change. I’m going to stick to my usual routine."
As I descended to B4F, I saw the middle-aged staff member standing by the side of the passage, seemingly on patrol.
"Article’s out," he said.
"You saw it?"
"It was the topic of conversation at the Bureau's morning meeting."
It was spreading faster than I thought.
"Is there a problem?"
"Not really. But when you stand out, the headaches increase."
"I know."
The staff member took a sip of his canned coffee and walked off in the other direction.
I continued the stream along the southern route. As I entered a passage different from last week's, the texture of the walls changed. It was an old masonry wall that looked like it had been left out of the more modern, maintained sectors.
"The atmosphere has changed. This route might not have been part of the recent renovations."
『Vibe is a bit different.』
『Isn't it creepy?』
『Keep going!』
At the end of the passage, I found a door. It was made of metal with old magical formulas engraved on the surface; it was locked but had a handle.
"...There's a door. It's not on the map."
I directed [Appraisal] at it.
Sealed Door (Lock Released)
Status: Seal is currently inactive.
Notes: Was once sealed for unknown reasons, but the sealing formula has expired due to age. Presence of items detected behind the door.
Danger Level: Low (No signs of monsters).
Recommended: Entry possible. However, a post-report to the Management Bureau is advised.
"The seal is broken, so I can open it. There seems to be something inside, and the appraisal says it's not dangerous."
The comments moved in a blur.
『Open it!』
『Isn't this dangerous?』
『Please go in if you can!』
The handle felt heavy. It was a weightier door than I imagined, but it slowly creaked open as I applied pressure.
The moment I opened it, I smelled dust. I peered inside cautiously; it was a single small room. It was about ten square meters with shelves lining the walls. Judging by the layer of dust, it looked like a significant amount of time had passed.
As I carefully checked the shelves, I found five old magic tools. They were covered in dust but their shapes were perfectly intact.
"These... look quite old. I'll appraise all of them."
I directed [Appraisal] at them one by one.
Old-Model Mana Amplifier (Damaged)
Rarity: B / Value: Low (Damaged) / Repairable: Yes
Est. Value After Repair: 150,000–220,000 yen
Notes: Precision of the base formula is higher than current models.
Mana-Storage Charm - Old Model (Inactive)
Rarity: C / Value: Low (Inactive) / Repairable: Yes
Est. Value After Repair: 40,000–60,000 yen
Notes: Old structure but high-quality materials.
Ancient Magic Steel Dagger (Chipped)
Rarity: B / Value: 70,000–100,000 yen (As material) / Repairable: No
Notes: Blade structure unsuitable for re-forging, but the steel itself is valuable.
Mana-Stone Vial (Contains Liquid)
Rarity: C / Value: 30,000–40,000 yen
Notes: Contains well-preserved mana fluid.
Old Formula Plate (Deteriorated)
Rarity: D / Value: Nearly none
Notes: Formula has completely expired; low material value.
"I’ve appraised all five. Two are repairable, two can be used for materials, and one is worthless."
The comments stopped for a second before exploding.
『The whole room is a gold mine!』
『Why was it sealed?』
『Are you reporting this to the Bureau?』
"I'll report it on my way out. Since this room isn't on the map, it's likely a discarded sector. Abandoned items are usually treated as salvaged goods, so I should be fine taking them."
The bag felt heavy as I packed the five items. "This is quite a load."
As I left the room, I glanced at the subscriber count in the corner. It was at 9,700.
I continued the stream, exploring the area for anything else as I headed toward the exit. This felt like a high-stakes, content-rich episode.
Just as I passed through the exit gate, my phone buzzed. It was an automated notification from DungeonTube.
『Congratulations! Your channel has exceeded 10,000 subscribers.』
I stopped in my tracks.
"...I just hit 10,000."
The comments flooded the screen.
『CONGRATS!!』
『Finally!』
『The big moment happened during the stream!』
『Glad I was here for this.』
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
My voice caught for a moment. This stream started with zero people; the first one had 38 viewers, and tonight it reached 10,000. Congratulations poured into the chat, new lines overlapping the old before I could even finish reading them. I turned the screen away for a second and then looked back. The number hadn't changed.
"I look forward to your continued support."
◇
After reporting the sealed room to the Management Bureau, I dropped off the two repairable items at the shop. I planned to take the other two to a different dealer the next day.
"10,000 people..."
On the way home, I thought about everything that had happened. It hadn't even been a month since I started streaming. Yet, I had already surpassed 10,000 subscribers.
"Life has been going way too smoothly since I got fired."
You never really know what’s going to be a turning point in life. A lukewarm night breeze brushed against my cheek, carrying the first hints of spring—it was just one small moment in the night of such a day.
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