The live broadcast had just launched, and a line of text flashed across the screen: "Promoting live room through 10,000 computers!" It appeared quickly, then vanished as if to tease its viewer.
"Computers?" Ren's eyes lit up with excitement. "They're something unique to the world before the time travel, right?" For a moment, his mind wandered back to the simpler days when computers, streaming, and idle browsing were everyday activities.
Now, though, he was filled with newfound anticipation. With 10,000 ads scattered across the digital landscape, there should be at least 3,000 viewers joining in, right? "If I start with 3,000 viewers as a foundation… a million is just a step away, isn't it?" His thoughts raced as he envisioned the potential. But reality set in as the counter on his live stream inched forward: one… two… three…
Finally, at thirteen viewers, the first comment popped up on the screen, rolling from left to right like a traditional bullet chat.
"Is this another cheap, 50-cent effects outdoor broadcast? Looks like the host's doing some kind of time-travel trick. This scene's pretty elaborate, though. They really splurged on the extras, huh?"
Ren blinked, dumbfounded. "Extras? I'm the only real one here!" Yet, the comment served as a subtle reminder. If someone could snarkily critique his setup like that, maybe—just maybe—this was indeed the world from before time travel.
Another comment followed:
"It's a new live streaming platform, right? Only one room with this 'One Piece' tag? Let's see which poor guy's out here slandering my beloved anime."
Ren couldn't help but smirk as the viewer count edged up to thirty-seven. But just as quickly as it rose, it began to dip again. Comments flashed up rapidly:
"Picture quality's solid, but the host's outfit… meh. I thought I'd be seeing some cute girl cosplaying. Who's this guy? Ugh, mood ruined. See ya!"
The number dropped from thirty-seven down to twenty-two as viewers departed just as fast as they arrived. Ren sighed, fighting the urge to scream. "Are you serious? I'm out here broadcasting from another world, and you're all leaving just because I'm not a pretty face?"
Another comment flickered into view:
"One dollar equals 50 Berries, and the minimum tip is 100 Berries? This platform is just greedy. Can't afford that, I'm out."
With a deep sigh, Ren watched the viewer count dip to seventeen.
"They can't see I'm actually broadcasting from the One Piece world?" he mumbled, momentarily puzzled. Then a sudden realization struck him. His mind raced, piecing together the implications: "My broadcast is essentially 'magic,' transmitted through time and space. The viewers are just watching on their regular computers. If their devices aren't top-notch, the difference might not even be visible to them… To them, this probably looks like nothing more than an HD TV show."
While he was still pondering this, a bold message appeared in the center of the screen and gradually floated upward:
Mission 2: Earn a reward of 100,000 Berries to unlock one of the Six Styles, "Finger Gun."
Ren's eyes lit up. "Finger Gun!" His heart pounded at the words. In the One Piece universe, the Six Styles were legendary martial techniques, pushing the body beyond human limits. The Finger Gun, in particular, was a devastating skill, where a practitioner could use their finger as a high-speed piercing weapon. In close combat, it was as deadly as a gun. At advanced levels, it could be used with fists and feet, mimicking the devastating power of a machine gun.
Ren grinned. "With this, I'll finally have a reliable attack skill." The skill couldn't have come at a better time—his unique ability to regenerate was incredible, but so far, he had lacked any real combat prowess.
"Wait a sec… 100,000 Berries…" Ren did some quick mental math. "One dollar equals 50 Berries, so that's… 2,000 dollars in tips?" He cast a glance at the viewer count—thirteen. His excitement evaporated. "With this many viewers, who's going to tip enough to get me to 2,000 dollars?"
His frustration bubbled over. "What's the deal with those 10,000 ads, system? You call this effective promotion? Next time, ask me before wasting resources!" He wanted to scream, but held himself back, slumping as he realized his dreams of a successful debut were beginning to crash and burn.
A new set of comments popped up in rapid succession, making his dismay worse:
"Hey, host, why are you standing there looking dumb? I tuned in to judge your IQ, so get on with it."
"C'mon, dude, you're the host. Give us something! Tell us how you 'accidentally' stumbled into the One Piece world, or how you're BFFs with Luffy and scored a date with the Empress!"
"Seriously, this guy's dressed up like a wannabe marine. Lame. I'm out."
Each new message seemed like a slap to Ren's confidence. As the comments came and went, the viewer count dropped by another handful, leaving him with only twelve. Ren gulped, feeling the weight of his dwindling audience. "Alright, calm down… breathe. You can still salvage this. You just need a good hook."
But desperation clawed at him. "Everyone's leaving, and I barely have any backup. If these viewers leave too, this time-travel broadcast might flop before it even begins!"
Trying to recover his poise, he cleared his throat. "Alright, guys, since we're fated to be here together, how about staying a little longer? Give me a chance to show you what this is really about?"
This earned him a few more comments:
"Well, I gotta admit, the host's voice isn't half bad."
"You got a voiceover artist offstage or something? Not even moving your mouth. Can you actually talk without your lips moving, or is this just poor hosting?"
"Nah, I'm sticking around till you end the stream. It's been a while since I've seen someone blow this much money on a time-travel cosplay gimmick. Let's see how fast he crashes."
Ren's eyebrow twitched. "Man, they're really enjoying this, huh? How am I supposed to get them to believe me when I can't even convince myself?
The latest comment that popped up was the final straw:
"So tell me, host, say you've traveled through time, say you're streaming from the One Piece world. Let's see how many of these twelve people are dumb enough to believe you!"
Ren clenched his fists. The sheer audacity of this comment made his blood boil. "If I could grab you right now…" he muttered, feeling his anger surge. He knew full well the disaster that awaited if he lost his last few viewers. The odds of finding another crowd willing to watch him were slim.
"Twelve viewers might not seem like much, but what if I had none? No viewers, no tips, no future. After burning through those 10,000 advertisements, the system's unlikely to promote me again anytime soon. Without this initial audience to spread the word, this broadcast would be dead on arrival."
Desperate to keep them, he took a deep breath. "Listen up, everyone. This isn't just some cosplay show, and I'm not here to mess around. I'll show you something you've never seen before in any live stream."
A couple of viewers tossed him skeptical comments, but Ren ignored them, summoning every ounce of confidence he could muster. "I'm in the One Piece world, and I'm going to prove it. I might look like just another guy in a costume to you, but trust me, things are about to get interesting."
He raised his arm, prepared to give them a display that would make even the most doubtful viewer reconsider. If he couldn't get them to stay for his words, maybe he could hold their attention with action. After all, if he truly wanted them to believe, he'd need to make his story as real as the world he was now standing in.