Chick SS4
by CristaeChickling Class Hunter’s Filial Duty! Side Story 4
Side Story 2-2: Streamer Raid Joint Broadcast
Streamer: A person who broadcasts on the internet
As the boss room door swung open, the streamer team tumbled out, nearly rolling over one another in a heap on the floor.
Crash, bang, thud.
The team leader was the first to scramble upright, gasping as he shouted,
“It’s coming after us!”
Behind them, something massive was rattling, scraping metal as it advanced.
A black shadow glinted in the flickering light and pursued them.
“Close the door! Close it!”
“Waaaaah!”
Shouting in panic, the streamers seized the boss room door from either side and swung it shut.
Bang—!
“Huff, huff…”
The streamers slumped, catching their breath in front of the door.
With the commotion subsided, the chat window on their stream erupted into wild chaos.
- lololololol you failed the raid
- didn’t even scratch the boss, legendary lololol
- That’s not how you do a raid, guys
- That’s the limit of streamers, don’t overdo it
This was a broadcast party formed by seven streamers, all of whom were Awakened.
Their skills were unpolished, but their flashy equipment and over-the-top reactions always drew high viewer counts. Emboldened, they had kept increasing the difficulty of their dungeon runs until they finally announced they would tackle an A-rank dungeon.
It ended in spectacular failure.
The once-confident streamers now lay sprawled on the floor, breathing heavily like defeated soldiers.
“Honestly, this was too much. It’s insanely tough.”
“Yeah, I had no idea our damage wouldn’t land at all…”
“Right… An A-rank boss really is something else.”
“Should we have bought one of those Mephisto Series drones?”
At that, the team leader waved his hands dismissively.
“Do you know how expensive that is?”
“We could have used it for a review stream, too. Two birds with one stone.”
“Maybe…”
As they joked about each pitching in to buy a drone, the tense mood began to lift.
“Wait. What’s that sound?”
The team leader hushed them, putting a finger to his lips, and everyone fell silent in an instant.
- Mecha Joori—!
Pop!
- Mecha Joori—!
Pupupupung!
The team tensed immediately.
Unlike the boss, it was a high, thin child’s voice.
“What in the world is that?”
“Juhyun, you guard the staff; the rest of us will check it out.”
- Mecha Joori—!
“What is this sound… so creepy.”
“Is it a mutated monster…?”
- Look at these guys freak out
- Yo, what’s a Mecha Joori, is it a new mob?
- omg this is scary
- Is this for real?
- What is even a Mecha Joori ㅠ
- Mecha Joori… Mecha Joorim… Mecha Joorim?
- lolololol Mecha Joorim what even lolol
- lolololol Mecha Joorim lolol
- lololololololol
“Guys, now isn’t the time to joke around… Someone seriously needs to report this to the Hunter Association.”
Just as the team leader looked flustered in front of the camera—
Pupupupupu-bang!
Screeech, screeech, screeech…
Amid the billowing smoke, something round and plump moved forward.
The small figure advanced slowly, rattling as if rolling on wheels.
Finally, emerging from the smoke—
A hot pink teddy bear mascot suit.
And the front of a bicycle.
In the basket were a little chick, a rabbit, and a hamster, and strapped in a cross shape to the front of the basket was a robot.
The streamers’ jaws dropped.
“Fakeclaw?”
Who would have expected to see such a celebrity here…
Fakeclaw stared at them in silence, then raised a hand and pointed behind them.
- In a dungeon, always watch your back.
“…?!”
The team leader gasped and spun around.
The boss, eyes glowing, was reaching its hand through the gap in the doorway.
Thick, razor-sharp claws scraped the door, showering metal shards to the floor.
A suffocating tension filled the air.
They couldn’t deal with it when they were at their best. Now, already exhausted and off-guard, there was no chance.
As the boss’s claws reached right up to them, the team leader’s pupils shrank.
It’s over!
At that moment, Fakeclaw’s chubby, plush paw pressed the robot toy’s head.
From the robot came a child’s voice.
- Mecha Joorim! Unite! Mode!
Whoosh—
A sonic boom sliced through the air.
A beam fired from the robot’s eyes and hit the boss squarely between the eyes.
Thud—
At the same time, the chat window exploded with messages.
“Yes, understood. It’s nothing serious. I’ll get in touch with the child myself.”
Joorim sighed after receiving a call from the security guard.
So Groo really had been coveting the safe; the report was that she’d run off with the toy robot in the end.
It was a bit concerning, but as long as she was just playing with it, what could possibly go wrong.
The problem would arise if its S+ rank became publicly known.
Just then, her phone rang. It was a group chat made by Gidan.
Not only that, but messages from other people were pouring in too.
With a growing sense of foreboding, Joorim checked the group chat first.
Gidan
Hyung, is this for real? lolololol
Gidan
Nayeon
What is this?
Sergey
Mecha Joorim lol
Gidan
Mechlolcaloljoorlolimlololololol
Nayeon
What? When did you become a Mecha, Guildmaster?
Gidan
lololol this is hilarious lolol
Sergey
lol
Nayeon
What did you become, exactly?
Upon checking the chat, Joorim’s heart went cold.
The only “Mecha Joorim” she knew of was the toy Groo had modified.
How did these people even know about a toy Groo must be playing with right now?
Moreover, the link Gidan sent was to a news article.
[Top News>
[Fakeclaw’s Mecha Joorim “A Gift for On Joorim?”]
[An A-rank Boss in One Hit? The Power of Mecha Joorim!]
[Orchestra Soars with Fakeclaw on Board……]
[(Exclusive Analysis!) Why ‘Mecha Joorim’?]
[Orchestra’s New Weapon ‘Mecha Joorim’ Revealed…… Who Voice-Acted Mecha Joorim?]
After scanning the headlines, Joorim stared up at the ceiling.
Her head spun.
Gidan
Looks like Groo raided a dungeon with some streamers
Sergey
The rumors spread fast lol
Gidan
It seems to be a live broadcast from there lololol
Gidan
On Joorim has left the chat.
Upon finding the location, Joorim dashed out immediately.
Groo sat slumped in the ‘Thinking Chair’, head bowed, facing the wall.
With her lips jutting out in protest, Groo thought of Kazuki.
‘If only my master were here, he’d understand Groo.’
Not only would he understand—if Kazuki were here, he would have gently persuaded Joorim too. But right now, Kazuki was traveling the country, meeting with the nation’s potters.
His long absence was a source of deep regret for Groo.
Peek.
How many minutes passed?
Peeking out with just her eyes, Groo looked at Joorim, who gave her a lift of the chin.
“Explain yourself.”
“Groo just… wanted to become stronger.”
“You’re already strong enough.”
Was she, really?
At the thought, Groo’s mood brightened and she almost smiled, but her eyes rolled away.
“Not strong enough, yet… I have to bring Mom home….”