The Live Stream

There was a flash of light — and then a bang.

Nokia watched a rush of neon brilliance dance across the stars, almost as if he were traveling through a parallel universe. Space and time itself seemed to warp around him as the column of cosmic light twisted and deformed during the journey. Dodo, beside him and holding his hand, was equally enamored; she closed her eyes and trembled as she clung to him. She held Nokia close as the two drifted through the portal.

“What is this?” Nokia said, grabbing his chest. His heart palpitated in rapid, staccato beats. It felt as if the gravity of moving through such a tight space was affecting the blood circulation in his body.

“It’s the vacuum,” Dodo said. “We’re in a vacuum of space inside a portal.”

“So… we’re in open space right now?” Nokia asked, still gripping his chest.

“Don’t worry. Everybody experiences this the first time. Your body can survive in a vacuum for a brief moment — just hold your breath and don’t try to breathe in.”

As soon as Nokia held his breath, a white flash overloaded his vision — and then he felt his feet on the ground.

“Welcome, new influencers,” a voice boomed.

When he opened his eyes, Nokia was surrounded by thousands of people: a sea of stars and crystalline structures all swirling as the effects of the portal slowly wore off.

“What… is this place?” Nokia asked.

It was as if he had entered another world.

Sand stretched as far as the eye could see. He stood on the outskirts of a desert lagoon. Across from where he’d heard the voice, a gemstone-filled wasteland spread out, with a cavern centered in the distance.

BZZZRR.

A drone buzzed by his head.

They were everywhere — circling him on all sides, buzzing around as influencers streamed left and right. One influencer juggled fireballs in his hands while another executed perfect backflips behind him in flawless synchronization. Flash mobs, dressed in desert attire, performed synchronized dances while a man in the center rapped in rhyme. Even above them the sky was alive: influencers on giant drones glided and chased one another above the cavern as the event was about to kick off.

It was a spectacle unlike anything he had ever seen.

“Look there,” Dodo said, pointing up.

[Streamathon 225]
[00:04:25]

A holographic banner flew across the night sky with a countdown clock beneath it.

“That’s the event and the countdown. Once it hits zero, the event will begin.”

Nokia and Dodo were not the only ones watching the display. The entire space was packed to the brim with influencers.

Tents lined either side of the cavern, each marked with different influencer camps, banners, and insignias. Creators flowed in and out of them: influencers wielding magic, influencers brandishing swords, influencers wearing elaborate dresses — every kind of performer had gathered here. At the very center floated a podium where a man in a top hat guided and commentated as contestants made their way forward.

“Whoa,” Nokia murmured. “So this...this is the live stream.”

“That’s right,” Dodo said. “There’s gotta be at least two thousand influencers here, all for the same reason.”

“And what reason is that?” Nokia asked.

“We’ll find out soon,” Dodo answered. “The rules of the venture will be announced and then we’ll begin.”

Just then a man in a cowboy hat appeared in front of Nokia as he walked toward him. Nokia, still watching the countdown and the spectacle unfolding, didn’t notice. The cowboy grit his teeth, dug his foot into the sand, and shoved Nokia with a hard shoulder bump.

“What the hell?” Nokia snapped, spinning around, vexed with anger.

“Watch where you’re going, man,” the cowboy said, grinning with an ugly smile.

Nokia — completely pissed off — didn’t answer. He only gave the man a cold, stern look.

“You got a problem? Level—level three?” the cowboy sneered.

“Oh,” the cowboy added, smirking. “Let me guess… you think just because your number’s a little lower than mine that you’re some kind of big shot?”

Nokia didn’t hesitate. He drew a pistol and pointed it at the cowboy.

The man chuckled. “Yeah? I happen to be a really big shot. Wanna see it?”

Nokia looked back without blinking. “I’d love to see you shoot your shot,” he said. “You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take. Just be ready when I shoot back.”

All the while Dodo watched the two men, trembling with fear. “Don’t you see his influencer card?” she whispered.

“Yeah, I can see it,” Nokia said, not phased.

[📜System Message]
[Name: West the Walker]
[Aura Level: 12]
[Aura Bank: 20,200]
[★★-2 Star Influencer – 1500 Followers]  

[📜 System Message]
[👁️ Stare down with an influencer 5+ levels higher: +200 Aura]
[🗣️ Trash Talk Lv.1: +100 Aura]
[Aura Bank: 4,500]

“There are… levels?” Nokia asked the system.

[📜 System Message]
[For repeatable items such as Trash Talk or Straightforward Rizz, yes. Each level also has unique attributes that unlock at higher tiers.]

As Nokia glanced at the glowing display, the gun barrel in front of his face stayed locked on target. His body began to glow faintly from the Aura gain, energy pulsing through his veins.

“What the hell?” Walker muttered. “Did his Aura just go up? But how?”

“Well?” Nokia smirked. “Are you going to pull the trigger? Or are you scared of a Level 3?”

“Hmph.” Walker lowered the pistol to his waist. “I don’t want to get kicked off the stream… and besides—” he sneered. “You’re not worth the bullets.”

“That’s what I thought,” Nokia retorted. He tilted his head with a grin. “But no reason you can’t get a little blood on the muzzle, right?”

With a spin, Walker swung the hilt of his shotgun at Nokia.

Whoosh!

Nokia ducked under the swing.

“Too slow,” Nokia chuckled.

BOOM!

With a sweeping motion, Nokia’s kick slammed into Walker’s stomach, sending him staggering back across the floor.

Gasps erupted from the bystanders.

“Hey! Two influencers are fighting!”
“Is that… a Level 3 against a Level 12? Is that guy insane?!”
“That’s Walker! He’s dangerous!”
“Who’s that nobody Level 3?!”

[Chat]
AuraWatcher22: NO WAY Nokia just kicked Walker!!
StreamerStan: Bro, a Level 3 touching a Level 12 is wild.
EmoteLord23: W NOKIA!! W NOKIA!!
DoomscrollDan: He’s cooked now… Walker’s not letting that slide.
AuraFanGirl: OMG he’s glowing—his Aura’s rising!
[...]

[📜 System Message]
[👥 Drawing a Crowd Lv.1 (20+ spectators gathered): +100 Aura]
[Aura Bank: 4,600]

Walker growled, clutching his stomach as he rose to his feet. His hand reached behind his coat—this time pulling free a gleaming magnum revolver.

"You asked for this kid" He said aiming it at Nokia

"Good, and don't bother trying to walk away from this one Walker" Nokia gloated

"You little bastard" Walker said resting his finger on the trigger.

"Nokia!" Dodo cried

"System" Nokia commanded

"Get ready to active my new skill"