Chapter 22 - Important Announcement, Part One

── Official statements from Denjilas and Libra regarding the current situation have been announced on their official website, Twitter, and other platforms.

“…Therefore, we kindly request refraining from making hasty posts and spreading information on the internet.”

While the public statements were written in rather formal language, in summary, they conveyed a clear message: “Cease the defamation. If deemed necessary, Denjilas and Libra will cooperate to take legal action.”

Official statements. Especially regarding the stance against defamation, it was expected that many unruly fans would not be swayed to sanity.

“As expected, the effectiveness seems to be minimal.”

As anticipated, a sense of disdain naturally arises from this turn of events. Even with official statements released, the hotheaded fools with boiling blood show no signs of stopping.

Of course, it’s not to say that the effect is entirely futile. It’s likely that a considerable number of individuals have regained their senses. However, it’s not a matter of quantity. After all, those who engage in defamation are a minority to begin with.

Normal people don’t write derogatory comments about others on the internet. They either mutter their discontent privately or vent to acquaintances in real life.

Those who tend to be a bit more emotionally driven might offer vague comments to vent their frustrations. They don’t assert malice explicitly, and they stay within the realm of expressing their opinions. That’s the extent of their risk management.

This is the majority. They possess common sense and awareness. However, they don’t raise their voices precisely because they’re reasonable. As a result, they don’t stand out.

The loudest voices always come from the minority of unreasonable individuals. Especially in cases like this, it’s safe to say that they’re the majority.

Because that’s the truth. Those who shout complaints loudly like they’re directly involved, despite being outsiders, are nothing more than selfish scoundrels who trample on others’ rights for their own emotional satisfaction.

Half-hearted measures won’t do any good. They won’t stop because they lack common sense, and their loud voices make it seem like their numbers haven’t decreased.

“…Now, with all the settings in place.”

So, if we’re going to crush them, we have to do it thoroughly. We have to shower them with icy cold water and confront them with how dangerous the situation truly is.

“It’s about time.”

[Message deleted]

“Are you okay?”

“The important announcement seems ominous again.”

[Message deleted]

“Moderators are working hard today.”

“There are a lot of deleted comments. The stream hasn’t even started yet…”

Even before the stream begins, the comments section is bustling. With the recent official statements and the high level of attention, it’s not surprising. Also, the title of the stream being “Important Announcement” adds to the intrigue.

In terms of comment breakdown, it’s roughly fifty-fifty. About half are expressing concern or showing discretion. There’s a bit more than a third expressing sentiments leaning towards criticism, but not crossing the line. Around twenty percent of comments are being deleted by moderators for crossing the line.

To the sensible listeners, I want to assure them that despite the cryptic title, there’s no bad news. We’re just discussing our future plans.

“Alright. Let’s start the stream.”

── And, you foolish troublemakers, be prepared. I’ll teach you the consequences of misjudging when to quit. Keep fearing the possibility of ruining your lives.

“Hello, everyone. It’s Yamano Botan, the ever-talkative super hunter of Denjilas. Today, I’ve taken this slot to make an important announcement.”

“It’s happening!”

“We’ve been waiting for you, Yamano.”

[Message deleted]

“Please save Uta!”

“Will Uta be saved?”

[Message deleted]

Greetings and at the same time, the comments section accelerates rapidly. … To put it mildly, this is hell. While there were already instances of defamation and such before the intervention, the atmosphere wasn’t this intense.

Personally, while comments that get deleted are somewhat tolerable, what’s most unsettling are those along the lines of “Uta~” or related sentiments. They may not intend malice towards the individual, but there’s a strong sense of unconscious self-righteousness that’s extremely discomforting.

Moreover, the official statement explicitly called for refraining from such comments, not to mention basic etiquette. It’s taboo to mention other streamers’ names when they’re not involved in the discussion…

You can sense a palpable self-centeredness emanating from them, and it’s clear that communication is impossible with this kind of people.

No wonder many VTubers end up struggling. It’s understandable to worry about the voices of a few antis. They’re so visibly out of place, and the inability to communicate with them intuitively leads to discomfort. Being surveilled by several incomprehensible alien entities, especially with mutual understanding being impossible, is scary and unsettling.

Even for someone like me who’s used to rough situations, it gave me goosebumps, so it’s understandable how regular streamers would feel.

“… Now, regarding the important announcement, as you might have guessed, it’s about the commotion sparked by my tweets.”

Well, I have to keep pushing forward regardless. I started doing VTuber work because I wanted to treat my favorites to something nice. Once I pledged responsibility for Koneko-kun’s life, I knew I couldn’t turn a blind eye to the sparks flying around.

“First and foremost, there have been numerous comments online that cannot be overlooked in relation to this incident. Not only defamation against me but also numerous harmful tweets directed at Koneko-kun, who has become my pet. Particularly those directed at Koneko-kun are atrocious. Expressing personal displeasure is one thing, but implying or outright declaring harm is unforgivable.”

“That’s right.”

“That’s beyond ridiculous.”

[Message deleted]

“Instead of that, I’d like an explanation about Uta!”

“Come on, antis…”

[Message deleted]

“To be able to post comments that get deleted even after all this…”

The flow and content ratio in the comments section remain unchanged. As expected, those who continue to cause a ruckus even after official legal threats have a different level of determination. Simply put, they’re hopeless idiots.

“… Alright. Understood. Ah, I apologize to those who haven’t done anything wrong, but please bear with me for a bit. I understand that the ones causing chaos are only a small minority among all the fans, not even a handful. Still, this is something that needs to be done.”

First, an apology. To the regular listeners who will suffer consequences, I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart.

But this is a form of public order maintenance. Considering future events, a demonstration is absolutely necessary. Regardless of the debate, or rather, it seems like it might ignite again for different reasons, but it’s quicker to confront it head-on.

“With that said, we’ve issued disclosure requests to multiple accounts. Additionally, regarding content hinting at harm, we’ve submitted complaints to the police, and they’ve been accepted. … To those who have a guilty conscience, tremble in your sleep, you fools.”

Now, there’s no need to hold back. Switch your consciousness. Infuse anger into your presence. Infuse hostility into your voice. Shall we serve a fist of law to those idiots who mistakenly believe they’re in a safe zone and causing a ruckus?