Basement-Dwelling Loser VTuber

[【Starflow Phantasm Chronicle Tournament】Nanaize Team! Our goal is victory! Wooooah!!! #KainohIzumi#NatsuneNanase#Star’sFlow]

Natsuri.

A character with great mobility, simple skill combos, long stuns, and good hitboxes.

However, all skills target only one opponent, and you have to mix basic attacks into combos, making the in-game difficulty extremely high.

Yet, that character was secretly practiced by Natsune Nanase, who pulled it out as a Joker card in the final round of the finals.

I wasn’t particularly angry or anything.

In fact, my first emotion was joy.

It meant that she wasn’t just satisfied with me teaching her; she worked hard on her own to win.

But the problem was that Natsune had no strategy for using Natsuri.

I had assumed that she would only use Estelle and Satori in the tournament.

And now there were only 10 seconds left until the game started.

I had to organize my thoughts and come up with a strategy within that time.

The opponent team still had Alice and Setanda.

Our team had two melee characters. The opponent team had one melee character and one ranged character.

In such situations, the usual strategy is to stabilize the front line before the opponent can support from range.

Considering that Natsuri’s combos are much stronger compared to Satori’s, there wouldn’t be a lack of damage, and the cooldown of Natsune’s ultimate had reset due to character swapping.

However, the problem was that Aki’s Setanda still had her ultimate available.

Even if we poured all our skills into taking down Setanda, that meant she could absolutely survive once with purification and her ultimate.

If that happened, it was obvious that we, having used far more skills, would be at a disadvantage.

If Aki’s ultimate hadn’t been available, we would have had a clear advantage, but…

What to do?

My thoughts were all over the place.

I couldn’t see a path forward.

I couldn’t let Natsune’s hard-earned Joker card be wasted.

Just as that burden began to consume me.

[Izumi.]

She called my name.

[Do you trust me, Izumi?]

“…I do.”

It was something that didn’t even need a reply—it was obvious.

[I believe in you, Izumi. So… let’s go with what we talked about earlier.]

And just like that, Natsune taught me the answer.

★

[【Starflow Phantasm Chronicle Tournament】The 1st Annual Star’s Flow Phantasm Chronicle Tournament!! Everyone ready?! We’re starting!!! #Star’sFlow]

[If Natsune had pulled out Satori at the end, we would have been a bit short on damage. But with Natsuri, we can make up for that damage. …But the problem is that Nekoto’s Setanda also has her ultimate left.]

[That means she can definitely endure at least once, right, Tsubaki?]

[Yeah. That’s the biggest issue. Of course, Natsune and Izumi will be attacking Nekoto simultaneously, so Nekoto’s purification and ultimate will definitely go off….]

In Phantasm Chronicle, the ultimates that can be used after purchasing dedicated items are generally divided into three categories.

The first is single-target skills.

The second is area skills.

The third is supportive skills.

However, despite this tri-divided classification, there is one commonality: the caster becomes completely invulnerable until the skill’s animation concludes.

You cannot target anyone with the skill, nor can any damage get through.

Furthermore, for the single-target skills, unusually, even the designated target becomes invulnerable and cannot use purification.

And right now, on the field, the ultimates for Kainoh, Natsuri, and Setanda were all single-target skills.

[Thinking about the character traits, Natsune’s Natsuri will probably initiate the fight. Then Nekoto will take some hits before using her ultimate on Izumi’s Kagami.]

[Why is she using her ultimate on Izumi, Tsubaki? If Natsune started the fight, wouldn’t she have used more skills?]

[Natsune has already used a lot of skills, so if she uses her ultimate on Izumi, what’s left on the field will be Natsune’s Natsuri without any skills and Hikari’s Alice, who can attack from range, right? Then Hikari could unilaterally attack Natsune.]

[Ah, I see!]

– If Tsubaki is right, then Team 2 is quite advantageous, huh?

– Team 2 seems to be doing too well, I think.

[And if Alice uses her ultimate at the exact timing when Setanda’s ultimate ends…]

[Then we can view it as Team 2’s victory. But if that’s the case, wouldn’t it have been better to keep Estelle, who can support from range, even without an ultimate?]

[I think so too. But she probably chose Natsuri for a different strategy she had prepared!]

Of course, there wasn’t a separate strategy prepared.

In the first place, choosing Natsuri itself had been a unilateral decision by Natsune.

But Tsubaki and Shoko had no way of knowing that fact.

[Alright, then, game restart! The score is 6 to 6, match point! Who will be the winner of the 1st Star’s Flow Phantasm Chronicle Tournament!]

Thus, the game began.

[Oh? Team 6 used a smoke item!]

[Are they looking to take control of the battle start?]

And right from the beginning, Izumi used a smoke item that made all ally characters invisible.

The smoke item deactivates once within a distance of 500 from the opponent, but 500 is a sufficient distance to start the fight in Phantasm Chronicle.

It was a crucial item for Team 6, which had two melee characters.

Of course, as spectators, Tsubaki and Shoko could see all the movements of Izumi and Natsune.

[Huh? What is this?!]

[Ah… so this was the strategy they were going for. Team 2 probably didn’t see this coming.]

Thus, the battle commenced.

The start of battle was heralded by Izumi’s Kagami.

[Fall back, cherry blossoms!]

The skill used was the ultimate Cherry Blossom Rain.

At that cue, Izumi and Nekoto’s characters became invulnerable, and Kagami’s ultimate animation started.

However, Natsune’s Natsuri still remained invisible on the field.

And the place where she appeared was…

[Haah!]

Right in front of Hikari’s Alice.

What a silly strategy.

Had Hikari even a bit more experience in Phantasm Chronicle.

Or if Nekoto had simply explained that there was such a strategy to Hikari, it would have never worked… it truly was a silly strategy.

But Nekoto, who thought her skill was more important, had only taught Hikari the basics of Phantasm Chronicle and that Alice was her Joker card before focusing on honing her own skills.

Of course, Nekoto hadn’t neglected practice with Hikari either.

Whenever unexpected variables arose during practice, she explained thoroughly until Hikari understood.

It’s just that no one had used such a silly strategy before, so there was no need to explain.

Regardless, that judgment had been right from the start.

They had crushed the 3rd team, referred to as favorites, by a score of 7 to 0, and here in the finals, judging only by the situation, as Tsubaki had said, Team 2 was in a perfect position of advantage.

Yet, the variable was Natsune.

The trust that Izumi placed in the unproven pick of Natsuri shattered that perfect advantage with her silly strategy.

[No matter how much of a gap in basic skills there is, in this situation, Nekoto can’t win.]

That mere silly strategy broke the perfect advantage.

[It’s finally over! After a fierce battle, the winner is…!]

Victory determination.

Score of 6 to 7.

[Team 6 of Izumi and Natsune!!!]

Team 6 wins.

★

The 1st Star’s Flow Phantasm Chronicle Tournament was won.

The prize for victory was… a trophy made of gold.

[Congratulations to the victorious Natsune and Izumi for this trophy!]

[Wow~!]

Of course, it was a virtual trophy.

I.e., an illustration.

An illustration with a function that could be displayed as decoration in broadcasting backgrounds?!

[Then, I’d like to have a little chat… About that last round with Natsuri and the strategy! Was it something prepared in advance?]

“Ah, no, that was actually a card that Natsune secretly prepared without me knowing.”

[Wow! So you really won out of the blue with Natsuri?]

[Yeah! I really worked hard!]

What a relief…

Natsune had liked Natsuri from the start, and I felt really sorry for making her practice only with Estelle and Satori until the very end.

But Natsune using Natsuri… and winning with it in the last round of the finals.

What a dramatic story!

[Congratulations to both!]

[Yup! Tsubaki and Shoko worked hard too!]

“Th-thank you…!”

Having finished the winner interview, we came out of Miscode’s chatroom.

[I’m just glad we won~. I was so nervous.]

“Yeah, hehehe…”

– Congratulations on your win!

– I cried from the emotion.

– The combination of Mei and Natsune is invincible!

Looking at the community and the commentators, there were hardly any predictions that we would win this tournament.

To be honest, I also thought it would get tough by the end.

[Hehe… Now, no one can call me the weakest in Star’s Flow anymore! From now on, Hikari is the weakest!]

“B-but Kurokami-senpai was second….”

Regardless, we were able to win clearly thanks to Natsune, who never gave up and kept building her efforts until the very end.

[Now, we’ll move on to an interview with Team 2, who came in second!]

And now, on Mizuki’s broadcast, they were having a conversation with Team 2.

[What hurt us in the end was Nekoto’s mistake… I should have told Hikari to use her ultimate right away, but I panicked and couldn’t say anything. We could have won… I’m sorry, Hikari.]

[Oh ho ho ho! It’s okay, Nekoto! The important thing is that we have worked hard together until today, right? I’m content just being able to participate in this tournament with you, Nekoto.]

[Yeah… I’m really glad to be on a team with Hikari.]

-Hikane and Nekoto teehee…

As the warm atmosphere filled Mizuki’s broadcast, I found myself laughing…

[Honestly, I was satisfied enough to take down Izumi by myself in the end….]

…Huh?

[Starting from the get-go, I used my ultimate against Nekoto, and yet I lost in a 1v1. Izumi, you’re too weak.]

[Oh, right! You said that starting right away with the ultimate means you definitely want to take that person down, right?]

[Yeah. And yet, Izumi lost. So in that sense, it’s my victory in the leader clash. You could say we’ve effectively won! Originally, wars are won by taking down the opposing leader.]

[For sure, it can be seen that way.]

– Hahaha

– That’s definitely a compelling argument…?

Huh?

– Hahaha

– Did Mei-chan lose…

“Ah, no… No way! That’s just strange, right?!”

[Hmm? What’s wrong, Izumi?]

It seems quite a few people were still watching Mizuki’s broadcast, as the chat in my room started to bloom.

W-wait, sure I might have used my ultimate from the start and got killed by Aki?!

But after that, Natsune, who still had her ultimate, took down Aki after I defeated Kurokami…?!

I’m the one who took Aki’s purification and ultimate out of the equation, so….

– Clearly, I can’t excuse losing a 1v1 after using an ultimate first.

– In the leader’s match-up, Team 6 is the loser…

“Wait?! You all shouldn’t say that like it’s true!”

[Hmm? What’s going on, Izumi?!]

It’s unfair.

Clearly, using the ultimate first means I intended to take the opponent down!

Natsune believed I would beat Aki and she used that strategy!

It’s true that Natsune was surprised when she saw I lost, but!

“You all saw it and shouldn’t be saying that!!!”

That’s not my fault!

“My lag messed up my combo, and I ended up using purification and skills weirdly!”

[Oh, so that was why Izumi panicked in between, due to lag?]

– Mei-chan…

– Are you making excuses?

It’s unfair!

I would’ve definitely won normally!

What’s more, you all even chatted about a sudden lag in the game earlier!

No, more than that, in the end, Natsune won, and I’m on the same team as Natsune!

[Yeah. So that makes Nekoto’s team winners too… Give me the trophy.]

Ding!

“No! That’s absolutely not fair, right, Aki?!”

– Couldn’t hold it in, huh?

– The defeated Mei-chan arrives lol.

Fortunately, after that, we managed to get our win recognized by the event organizer, Mizuki.

“…We don’t even need your acceptance, we, we won!”

– Hahaha

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