Chapter 226: Complete Joy   "The tickets to participate in the live don't require a separate purchase.

You can substitute them with the heroine nurturing points earned through your gameplay." Kang Junhyuk, the director behind Virtual Idol, delivered a simple yet impactful explanation.

This revelation, alongside the game's release, created quite a stir...

Perhaps it was because of witnessing Sheryl and Azusa's outstanding live performance just moments ago, but discontent brewed among the users in the audience over what they deemed as overly stringent policies.

But here's the thing.

Reflecting back, every game created by Director Kang Junhyuk was nothing short of challenging, from the very first to the tenth.

He threw down the gauntlet to users with 'Dragon Emblem,' an ultra-difficult game since his family days.

Even in its second iteration, the game retained a similar system where player data vanished upon character death.

Users back then also complained about Dragon Emblem's excessively tough gameplay.

Frequent party wipes occurred due to players ignoring tactical actions during party play.

At one point, Director Kang Junhyuk rebutted these criticisms in a gaming magazine with a single statement.

"The Dragon Emblem series is meant to be enjoyed this way."

While some in the industry found his response disrespectful towards users, I wholeheartedly agreed with his words.

Users who shared my sentiments formed a trustworthy alliance, taking on dungeon raids together.

It was as if the camaraderie found in RPG games had transcended into reality due to Dragon Emblem's insane difficulty.

Some gaming publications even joked that above the difficulty levels of EASY, NORMAL, and HARD, there existed a 'Kang Junhyuk' level.

Perhaps it was the peculiar thrill conveyed by the name Kang Junhyuk that led to these expectations? All the games he created until now had consistently been massive hits.

Had he deviated slightly to accommodate user feedback, critics would have accused him of losing his originality...

The gaze of people is always like that.

When something even slightly clashes with their standards, they persistently delve into that aspect, striving to tailor it to their preferences.

In reality, games that had released lite versions to accommodate user complaints about excessive difficulty during the Super Family era ended up with poor sales, leading to the dumping of the original games as well...

In that sense, Director Kang Junhyuk exhibited an unwavering determination never swayed by user evaluations.

But would someone like him really implant such a cruel system into an idol nurturing game? "Still, his signature style of pushing users to their limits isn't restricted to a specific genre..." On one hand, it's truly commendable for his consistency.

When a user sitting in the front row questioned him: "How exactly do we use these nurturing points you just mentioned? Do we need to bring a Complete Raon to the live headquarters?" Come to think of it, how do we actually use these points? As everyone's attention turned to Kang Junhyuk, he, rather bewildered, asked us: "Isn't everyone here carrying at least one Raon in their bags?" In that moment, I recalled the instructions for Complete Raon that I had seen at the restaurant earlier.

Could it be...? "When you select the synchronization menu on the main screen of Virtual Idol, you can link your gameplay data to the portable Raon.

Note that this synchronization feature will be incorporated into all games released by Pentagon in the future." "For games like Virtual Idol, the linked Raon allows you to enjoy mini-games externally.

Additionally, through the Pentagon Shop's terminal, you can check the heroine's point statistics in real-time and download new stage costumes updated weekly." "Wow...

That's...

amazing." I found myself sighing in awe upon hearing Director Kang Junhyuk's explanation.

The Complete Raon he created completely shattered the existing framework of console games.

Could a portable gaming device expand the game's variations to this extent using the previously released portable gaming console? The port used for linking the portable Raon seemed like a device merely intended to cater to existing users...

However, in that moment, I realized my previous thoughts were entirely contrary to his intentions, as elucidated by Director Kang Junhyuk.

"He's using the link port to further boost sales of the previously released portable Raon...!!" "Oh, right.

I almost..." As Erica calmly plucked the guitar strings on screen, the restless atmosphere in the hall gradually settled down.

And moments later, when Kanna, portraying Erica, stepped into the spotlight and began singing, her serene beauty captivated me, causing an involuntary swallow.

I've felt something similar when meeting Mayumi before, but right now, she was shining brilliantly on stage, almost doubtlessly beautiful to this extent.

Her songs, with a unique bright voice, had gained explosive popularity among people in their twenties to thirties, offering support to those tired of everyday life.

Though perhaps not as impactful as Cheryl's Beating Heart, her songs held an enduring simplicity, like Tsubaki's "Please Hug Me." However, today seemed a bit different...

At that moment, perhaps sensing similar emotions, Mayumi watching Kanna spoke up.

"What's up with Kanna? Why does she seem so sad today?" "Yeah...

She's singing well, but it's like her usual cheerful tone isn't coming through." Moments later, as Kanna finished singing with closed eyes, she descended from her chair, preparing for the guitar performance.

She then took hold of the microphone.

"Hello, everyone.

I'm Kishimori Kanna, playing the role of Katagiri Erica in Virtuoid for the first time.

It's nerve-wracking to greet you all for the first time, but unfortunately, I have to deliver slightly disappointing news." "Hmm...

What's going on?" Kanna, noticing the puzzled reactions, briefly displayed a worried expression, looking around the stage.

After receiving a message from someone there, she pursed her lips and began speaking.

"The voice actress for Tsubaki, who was supposed to perform next, is unwell today and can't sing." "Oh no! Not good!" "This is disappointing..." "I was really looking forward to hearing it again after listening to the speaker in the morning..." "Oh no...

to not even reveal her appearance..." Amidst users expressing dissatisfaction from all corners, Kanna on stage wore a visibly sad expression.

"Does this mean the live ends here?" "It feels anticlimactic not to see the final performance..." "Yeah, right..."

Considering it was deemed the climax of today's live, it was disheartening for it to turn out this way.

Even Mayumi seemed quite disappointed not to witness Tsubaki's stage.

Observing the murmurs around, Kanna, looking out at the audience, slowly brought the mic to her lips.

"...

If it's alright with everyone, can I sing 'Please Hug Me' by Tsubaki in her place?" > Unlock exclusive early access to The Complete Novel (All the chapters) before anyone else by becoming a valued member of my Patreon community.

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