Chapter 61: The Livestream Spectacle

The photoshoot is not just for print. A multi-camera crew is livestreaming the entire session to a massive screen in the main exhibition hall and to the entire world online. The fan reaction is instantaneous and explosive.

The chat on the official Nexus Games stream is a waterfall of pure hype.

[OMG THEY ARE REALLY FIGHTING]
[THE TENSION IS SO REAL I CAN TASTE IT]
[THIS IS BETTER THAN THE GAME TRAILER]
[That handler dude in the hoodie is so lucky lol]
[#TeamEctiqa #LightWillPrevail]
[#TeamHimeHime #DarknessIsHotter]

The photographer, seeing the live feedback on a monitor, is ecstatic. "More! The fans love it! Give me more!" he screams, his creative soul patch practically vibrating. "Let's use the environment! Ectiqa-sama, on the dais! Hime-Hime-sama, down below, challenging her! Like a final boss battle!"

Rina and Haruka, fueled by the crowd's energy and their own mutual loathing, take it to the next level. They are not just posing anymore; they are improvising a silent, epic battle. Rina stands on a raised platform, her expression serene and powerful, her staff glowing with a holy light. Haruka circles below, a predator stalking her prey, her movements sharp and aggressive.

They start using props to "attack" each other, and I am constantly caught in the crossfire.

"Rui-kun!" the photographer yells. "The wind machine! We need more dramatic cape action!"

I aim the industrial-sized fan at Haruka. Her cape billows out majestically, but it also blows a cloud of fake dust and loose glitter directly into my face. I spend the next minute coughing and spitting out sequins.

"The fog machine!" he screams again. "Ectiqa-sama needs to look like she is descending from the heavens!"

I activate the fog machine. A thick, white cloud envelops Rina, creating a beautiful, ethereal effect. It also completely blinds me, and I trip over a cable, landing in a heap at the foot of the dais, right at Rina's feet. Rina, without breaking character, simply looks down at my pathetic, sprawling form with an expression of divine pity, which the camera captures perfectly.

The livestream chat goes wild. The clip of me tripping goes viral on social media within minutes, captioned: 'Even Ectiqa's handler falls at her feet.'

The hype reaches a fever pitch. The news of the "live cosplay battle" spreads. People who were just watching the stream from home are now grabbing their wallets and heading to the exhibition hall. The crowd in front of the main screen swells, their cheers and gasps audible even on our closed set.

Rina and Haruka feed off it. They escalate their mock battle. Haruka throws a "dark magic" spell, a harmless puff of black smoke from a prop in her hand. Rina "counters" with a flash of light from her staff. For the finale, they charge at each other, their staffs meeting in the middle with a dramatic

CLANG.

They are frozen there, face to face, locked in a perfect stalemate of light and dark. The crowd roars. The photographer is weeping with joy.

I am just trying to get the glitter out of my eyes.