Chapter 29: Who is Cheongcho?

[Blooming Core Minor Gallery]

Title: Blooming Core 3rd Generation 『Cosmo』 PV Released!!!

Content: (MyTube video link)

[Blooming Core 3rd Generation 『Cosmo』 PV]
【Blooming Core Official】

[865 views]

Names, avatars, and one-line introductions revealed.

Comments:

• “I never thought this day would come.”
• “Ah, I can’t wait a week. I’m going to go for 7 rounds and pass out! I’ll probably wake up just in time for their debut stream.”

ᄂ “This guy just wants to jerk off.”

ᄂ “Among the four, who’s the ‘side dish’? I’m calling dibs on the elf. Cross me, and you’re dead.”

ᄂ “Good thing I’m into the monk. Hehe.”

ᄂ “Wait, are you a pedo…?”

ᄂᄉᄇ “Look at the state of this conversation. The gallery’s reputation is in shambles.”

• “The video’s so well-made. I’m really hyped for this.”
• “The video’s great, but the illustrations…”

ᄂᄅᄋ “The illustrations are insane. The outfit details are unbelievable.”

ᄂ “No wonder the CEO was so confident.”

• “Why is it called Cosmo, though? Even after looking at the introductions, I’m not sure.”

ᄂ “It’s short for cosmos.”

ᄂ “What’s that got to do with flowers?”

ᄂ “Not flowers, the universe cosmos. They named it that because they gathered together on a universal scale.”

ᄂ “Where does it say that? Why didn’t I notice it?”

ᄂ “It’s on the official website, not in the video.”

Title: So, who do you think is the most ‘innocent’ in the 3rd generation?

Content: “Koharu’s a loli, so she’s out. It’s one of the other three… My vote goes to Ria.”

Comments:

• “Why can’t a loli character be innocent?”

“It’s structurally impossible.”

ᄂᄂᄂ “Just make her a ditzy innocent type. Super pure and adorable.”

• “This is definitely Karen. Her backstory screams innocence.”

ᄂ “You clearly don’t know anything. Model student council types are always destined to break character.”

ᄂ “She graduated early, though. Why would she be a student council president?”

ᄂ “Have you watched VTubers for more than a day? Her face practically screams it.”

• “Ria’s mid-sized chest is already screaming confidence.”

ᄂ “Which is why she might be the first to break. Her tolerance for dirty jokes seems strong, so she might end up throwing out more raunchy lines herself.”

• “It’s Sarah. Cold beauty types always have a soft heart deep inside.”

ᄂ “Exactly. Those kinds of concepts tend to keep their innocence longer.”

• “Guys, there’s no such thing as innocence in Blooming Core.”

ᄂᄅᄋ “The CEO probably isn’t expecting it either.”

ᄂ “Not expecting it? He’s probably just begging them not to cause any chaos.”

ᄂ “Considering how the previous generations went rogue, that checks out.”

About ‘Innocence’ in VTubers

In the VTuber world, innocence has become a term referring to the tone or genre of a channel.

Innocence, as portrayed by VTubers, involves a clear and pure demeanor. This includes:

• Calm and gentle behavior.
• Sensitivity to adult topics, either avoiding them entirely or shutting them down decisively.
• A soothing, soft-spoken manner, making it comfortable to watch and listen.
• A cheerful and innocent personality that radiates healing vibes.

These traits align closely with high “femininity,” which helps cultivate a passionate fanbase—so-called “simmers.”

However, maintaining this innocence is no easy feat.

Internet streaming is inherently stimulating. This holds true even for VTubers.

While not every stream has to lean into “spicy content,” creating consistently engaging healing streams is a significant challenge.

In other words, balancing between gaining loyal viewers and expanding the channel’s reach is a tightrope act, and that’s where the difficulty arises.

Relying solely on being “pure and innocent” rarely leads to significant growth in a channel. It’s not impossible, but it’s an exceptionally rare achievement.

On the other hand, if the channel grows in size, there are countless ways to foster loyalty among viewers.

The sense of mainstream popularity that comes with sheer scale. The inherent entertainment of the content. The

unique charm. The variety of appearances shown from time to time. The presence displayed during collaborations

(something that can be limiting if one is overly “pure”)—all these factors come into play.

Moreover, even without being strictly “pure,” it’s entirely possible to appeal to loyal fans.

All it takes is creating moments that say, “But I only care about you guys~.”

Surprisingly, even a hint of purity could be used occasionally!

If the channel wasn’t originally about being pure but suddenly displayed such a side, it would often leave a stronger impression and become a hot topic.

So, unless the personality is naturally modest and pure, pouring out that vibe effortlessly, maintaining a consistent image of purity is only achievable in specific cases.

There’s a reason why none of the streamers at the major company Blooming Core stuck to a “pure streaming” theme.

The viewers were aware of this as well, so very few genuinely expected complete purity.

Still, during the early stages—when the streamer is still getting used to broadcasting and building connections with their viewers—this is often when they show the most purity.

Before their façade breaks, viewers have the opportunity to fantasize freely, thinking, “This might just be the rare gem who chooses the difficult path of pure streaming!”

Because of this, discussions about “who among the debutants might be pure” tend to be especially active before or shortly after their debut.

Whether such a person existed among the third-generation talents, only time would tell.

Time flew by, and finally, the day arrived.

To be precise, for me, it was the day before.

The debut streams were split between Saturday and Sunday, with two talents debuting each day.

That didn’t mean I could miss my peers’ debut streams. Supporting them was important, and their streams served as potential content material. Moreover, the president specifically requested that we watch them together if possible.

《Tsubaki Koharu》

《A Sage Descends in Blooming Core!》

《7,143 viewers watching live》

The moment the stream started, the viewer count exceeded 7,000. That likely meant there were at least that many people waiting for it to begin. On the screen, Koharu’s chibi SD illustration appeared, depicting her in a 2D design.

• Let’s goooᅡᅡᅡᅡᅡ!
• Open the doorrrrᅥᅥᅥᅥᅥ!
• We’re entering!
• Nice to meet you, Koharu!
• ᄃᄀᄃᄀᄃᄀᄃᄀ

The stream opened with a pre-produced video by Blooming Core. It was narrated by Koharu herself, accompanied by illustrations that matched the story being told.

“Koharu the Sage lived in the celestial realm.

However, after hundreds of years of training and being surrounded only by dull immortals, she grew bored.

Longing to mingle with humans and have fun like in the old days, Koharu decided to sneak into the treasury of the immortals and take the Celestial Mirror!

The mirror could take her anywhere she wanted.

When she returned to the human world, it was full of exciting things to see and do.

But her time there didn’t last long.

The immortals caught up to her and took back the Celestial Mirror! Worse yet, they sealed her powers as punishment.

‘When you mature in the human world, we’ll lift the seal,’ they said.

But Koharu had other ideas.

‘I’ll break the seal with my own strength. Since it’s come to this, I’m going to have even more fun with people here!’

And so, she began to wonder—how could she interact with as many people as possible?”

They met Blooming Core.

[- Guntori lol]
[- The voice is so cute.]
[- Is this just some random dork?]
[- Hurry up and come out! Bang bang!]
[- Let’s gooo!]

It was time for the avatar to make its grand entrance, but the screen only showed Koharu’s room.

“Hello there! I’m Tsubaki Koharu, the first member of Blooming Core’s third generation!”

Koharu continued speaking enthusiastically.

“Ahem! I’ve prepared so much to meet you, my dear Bloomies!”

[- Uh, where’s the avatar?]
[- Show your face~~]
[- Your model isn’t showing.]
[- Lol, first stream and already a mistake.]
[- Check the chat quickly!!]

The chat buzzed with activity as only her voice could be heard. But I knew this wasn’t a mistake.

Bang!

Smoke rose from a small jar placed in the room, and suddenly, a young girl in a martial arts uniform appeared.

“Ta-da! This is my jar transformation technique! Even though my powers are sealed, I can still use magic tricks like this occasionally!”

[- Whoa, that scared me lololol.]
[- So Guntori wasn’t over yet? Lol.]
[- That seal is so loose. Did the celestial beings slack off? Lol.]

The reaction wasn’t bad. Riding the wave, Koharu cheerfully exclaimed:

“Did everyone see that? That’s me—Koharu, the Taoist! Want to know more about me?”

A natural introduction followed. As expected, mentioning her age of 500 years led to many reactions calling her a grandma.

“I’m not a grandma! In the celestial realm, I’m considered a total baby, okay?”

Despite being the first to debut among the group, Koharu showed no signs of nervousness. She smoothly carried on her stream, alternating between showcasing her prepared content and interacting with her audience in real-time.

When her stream ended, the viewer count had surpassed 20,000.

‘This is the scale of Blooming Core…’

Tomorrow, just as many people would likely tune in to my stream. Thinking about it, I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

Next, Sara’s stream began.

《Mizuki Sara》
《A Magical Girl Has Come to Blooming Core》
《16,398 viewers watching》

The prepared introduction video started again.

“My name is Mizuki Sara. I’m a magical girl.

I made a contract with a mascot and have been striving to save the world.

But as time went on, I started to feel that fighting was becoming harder.

The source of my magic lies in people’s dreams and hopes.

But these days, people seem to be losing their dreams and living without hope.

As I began to lose my powers as a magical girl, I realized something: the way to restore their hope is to inspire them directly, to make their hearts race again.

That’s when I found Blooming Core.

If watching me shine on stage can help people dream again… that strength will eventually make me stronger, creating a better world for everyone.”

Sparkle!

Appearing with her magical wand, Sara maintained a ‘cool’ expression befitting her appearance.

Compared to the classic magical girl introduction video, Sara’s chic demeanor seemed a little mismatched. But she skillfully turned this disparity into a strength, showcasing her unique charm.

“Do I look different from the video? Magical girls need to manage their image to survive, you know.”

“Whether you’re a magical girl, an office worker, or a freelance security guard, it’s all the same. Reality is tough and unforgiving.”

“But I want all of you to be my dreams and hopes. And I’ll strive to be the same for you.

Why am I speaking so quietly all of a sudden? Who knows. It’s enough that you’ve heard it once.”

Amidst enthusiastic reactions, Sara’s stream also concluded with over 20,000 viewers.

With both of them completing their debuts so successfully, it gave me even more determination.

I resolved to mark the start of my new journey without regret.