Chapter 53: Half and Half

– The Return of the King: Kayak’s Solo Queue Montage

– Late Night Drunken Talks

– Tournament Highlights (Semifinals, Finals)

– Hand Cam Reaction Compilation

“They made quite a lot…”

The number of videos submitted by applicants vying to become my editor was staggering.

Even at a glance, there were far more than five.

This was partly because I hadn’t set any specific size or format requirements.

Typically, applications would include something like: “Please create a short 10-minute video on this topic.”

There would usually be time limits and even designated subjects.

Clearly, I hadn’t thought things through.

Not that it really mattered.

Since I wasn’t streaming during this break, it felt more like downtime.

I could just take my time and review each video leisurely.

“Let’s see…”

To cut to the chase, the editing style in these videos wasn’t exactly the same as before.

It retained hints of the old vibe, but there was a subtle difference — something hard to put into words.

But that was only natural.

After all, a lot of time had passed since this person created those highlight reels for me out of sheer fandom.

Plenty of time for someone’s editing style to evolve.

Just as I had changed, so had they.

But getting back to the point, if I had to assess whether their editing was good or bad…

“It’s good.”

No second thoughts.

It was unquestionably good.

There was an unmistakable sense of evolution in their style compared to before.

I had gone out of my way to watch countless Vtube videos, especially those from streamers who used Abyss as their main content.

I didn’t miss a single one — all in the name of “research.”

In my judgment, these videos could hold their own against the so-called giants of the Vtube scene — the walking dinosaurs of the platform.

However, there was one thing that piqued my curiosity.

“What’s this…?”

The title of the video: Hand Cam Reaction Compilation.

Why on earth would someone go to such lengths, overlaying grandiose background music and elaborate edits, for a simple hand cam reaction video?

They had added flashy transitions and effects, making it feel like watching an epic highlight reel.

If someone didn’t know better, they’d think I pulled off a 1v6 Pentakill as Camilla.

I couldn’t make sense of it, but talented people often have an eccentric streak, so I let it slide.

Maybe they wanted to ignite their creative spirit in their own way.

“So far, this is the best one.”

To be fair, I did feel a sense of nostalgia because of our past connection, but I made sure to remain as objective as possible.

Vtubing — and by extension, creating a cash cow — wasn’t something I could take lightly.

“Alright, let’s see… the username is…”

SiaSia.

I wrote the name down on the candidate list and marked it with three stars.

It meant they were a strong contender.

Unless someone better showed up among the remaining candidates, this person would be my editor.

About three candidates left.

I wasn’t expecting much, given that I had just encountered such an impressive talent.

Meeting another editor on this level felt as unlikely as encountering a knight on a white horse.

“Wait… what?”

And yet, against all odds…

There was another editing prodigy.

“So that’s why I turned it on. Simple, right?”

[You want us to pick?]

[After such a long break, that’s what you say…]

[I thought you were just baiting, but you’re really hiring an editor?]

[Why didn’t you stream all this time, why didn’t you stream, why didn’t you stream?]

[Show us the Mamma Tong and we’ll help you choose.]

[The incredibly enormous thing…]

[The mighty Kayak makes hearts swell.]

[A genius that even enrages the master appears.]

[LMAO.]

[Just everyone leave already.]

[Why didn’t you stream? Probably because of this.]

[Ugh, sexual harassment again.]

[Sis, hand me a knife, and I’ll cut them all down.]

[First, let’s draw the True Silver Sword. Managing the chat seems more urgent right now.]

[I’ll admit it if I start hating men after this.]

“This is endless. I’ve told you to stop the sexual harassment.”

I muted another wave of harassing messages, although they had decreased somewhat since the beginning of the stream.

It seemed that persistent moderation was paying off, but the fact that those messages kept popping up meant there was still a long way to go.

But that wasn’t the main issue right now.

“You really need to choose carefully. You’re the ones who keep pestering me to make a VTube channel. If you keep talking about breasts instead of focusing, I won’t create a channel at all!”

[Don’t bother making it LOL. You’re the one losing out, not us.]

[We’d lose out too, you idiot.]

[Can’t rewatch streams on Twitch because of bugs; it’s so annoying.]

[Hire plenty of editors and upload both highlights and full versions.]

[‘Please do it.’]

[It’s crazy to think the day has come when Kayak, who used to stutter through their first stream, is now hiring an editor. It’s surreal.]

[Kayak was never a small-time streamer though, LOL.]

[Aren’t they talking about the very first stream? Back then, it was basically a 30-person raid party.]

[Boomers, get out.]

[What’s with the indecision? Just pick one already.]

[Pretty face, big chest, beautiful hands, good at Abyss. We’ll allow it.]

[How do you even know what their face looks like, LOL?]

[You can just tell at a glance, duh. Kayak is the ultimate beauty in the domain.]

[You’re all gross.]

The chat had become busier than usual, thanks to the recent tournament and a minor incident during the event.

Watching the chat scroll by at twice the usual speed made me a bit dizzy.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t read it; the problem was that I could see it too clearly.

I now understood why experienced pro streamers barely paid attention to their chat.

It was definitely a skill I needed to learn.

I couldn’t keep letting nonsense about breasts and what not distract me.

<Kayak’s True Fan No. 1 donated 10,000 won!>

“Wouldn’t it be better if you just picked the editor yourself instead of asking for viewer opinions? It’s not like they have any taste.”

“I’m not planning to reflect their opinions 100% anyway. I’m just using it as a reference. The final decision will be mine, after all.”

I must lead my stream.

Just as I decided not to let viewer chats influence me, I can’t rely on them for such significant decisions either.

This is merely a part of engaging with the audience, while also using it as content for the stream.

“Thankfully, many people applied for the position of editor for KayakTube. After careful consideration, I’ve narrowed it down to two candidates. Please watch their videos and choose one of them.”

[Duel incoming LOL.]

[Let them fight to the death.]

[1,000-to-1 competition rate…]

[KayakTube, though… the naming sense is something else.]

[Show us already!]

“Alright, first up, Candidate 1. You’ve already seen some of their work. They created the highlights for the recent tournament and decided to apply for this position as well.”

I began playing SiaSia’s videos.

Just three of them: a short highlight reel, a hand-cam video, and a rambling video made after drinking.

[The moderator is at it again LOL.]

[The moderator is biased…]

[A true fan giving it their all again.]

[But hey, they’re actually good at editing?]

[Looks like they were honing their skills while Kayak was gone…]

[That style feels familiar.]

[It’s the current trend, apparently.]

The feedback was relatively positive.

Satisfied with the reactions, I moved on to the next candidate’s video.

“This person is also quite well-known. Their application mentioned they run a fan channel dedicated to me…”

[Fan channel incoming LOL.]

[This one’s also pretty skilled.]

[Wait, there’s a fan channel?]

[For a fan channel, they’re incredibly dedicated. They sometimes upload twice a day.]

[What’s with the subscriber count?]

The fan channel was named Noon’s Kayak, resembling a radio show title.

While it didn’t feature my earliest streams, it thoroughly covered my streams after I transformed into a girl, editing and uploading everything without fail.

Typically, their videos were short clips ranging from one to three minutes, but this time, they sent a ten-minute Abyss highlight reel to showcase their skills.

[Whoa…]

[I think this one’s better.]

[Feels a bit outdated, though?]

[It’s an older editing style, but I like it more.]

[A clash of titans LOL.]

[Both are good, though?]

[Why would such talented people want to edit for a small-time stream and not a big company?]

[Well, Kayak’s a cute gamer girl on top of being fun…]

[When else would you get to work for a boss like this LOL.]

[Kayak’s just starting out, so they probably can’t offer much pay LOL.]

The feedback for this candidate was also quite positive, comparable to SiaSia’s.

With both videos reviewed, there was only one thing left to do.

“Alright, let’s hold a vote. Don’t stress too much; just vote for the video you liked better.”

[!vote 1]

[!vote 2]

[!vote 1]

[Can I vote for both?]

A ten-minute voting period followed, with around 3,000 viewers participating.

The result?

“No way, this is the outcome?”

50/50.

A perfect tie.