My Game Studio is Full of Valkyries?!

Chapter 583 - 582. Who Was the ‘First’? Hokuto: No Need to Thank Me

MGSFV?! Chapter 582. Who Was the 'First'? Hokuto: No Need to Thank Me"'Otto'…"

Once Elysia realized the livestream feed had probably switched back to normal, she quickly adjusted her emotions.

Though… it wasn't easy.

Still, Elysia, charging in! She could do it.

Hokuto: "..."

He glanced sideways at Elysia beside him.

Suppressing his own emotions…

He quietly looked toward the pink fluffball who had just shivered like a startled kitten, nearly punching the air. Meanwhile, in the last few seconds before the feed cut back to the "real world," Hokuto casually swept the tissues off the coffee table into the trash.

In no time, the bin was half-full.

No wonder people joked miHoYo had singlehandedly kept the tissue industry alive.

[So only the Fairy Lady and… that guy left?]

[Did Kevin and Kiana get so traumatized by the short film they had to go rest? Truly sinful!]

"You don't need to keep calling me 'that guy'."

After all, being flamed by players wasn't new to him. Hokuto was calm as ever.

He even told them to be more direct.

Such weak jabs… ahem, though he wasn't about to start provoking them himself.

[Too many lice don't itch, too much debt isn't stressful—Otto's been roasted so much he's basically immune now.]

[Come to think of it, in other games the most complaints are about gacha or monetization. But Otto's biggest complaint is his taste for writing tragic 'reunions' into the story. Honkai Impact 3rd has never really had an operational scandal since launch.]

"Huh… that's true."

Seeing the discussion, Elysia—who often surfed incognito after streams—thought back, but she couldn't recall complaints of that kind either.

"So, if you stopped making games, 'Otto,' you'd probably do well running an ops company too."

"..."

"I just have the wisdom of those who came before me."

Hokuto was blunt.

He simply predicted how players would react before releasing content, and adjusted things in advance.

Problems were eliminated before they could bloom.

Take, for example, the Herrscher of Thunder.

In his previous world, people felt she seemed more like the Herrscher of Corruption. Complaints about her colors and outfit not fitting Mei were common.

But here? No such controversy ever happened.

Why? Because he knew what the disputes would be—and polished things beforehand.

Standing on the shoulders of giants felt pretty great.

"The wisdom of those before you? Like, books you read?"

"Well… you could put it that way."

"You could?"

Elysia blinked, but didn't press further. She smoothly asked another question instead.

"At this moment, Otto, do you have anything you want to say to everyone?"

"There's a lot I could say. But perhaps it's better to give everyone some time to reflect on their own. So although it feels sudden, maybe it's time this livestream ended." Hokuto thought aloud.

"…Eh??"

"I'm not joking…"

The graduation trip had shaken him deeply, though he didn't show it on the surface.

"But I think everyone still wants to hear Otto share some interesting parts of the story since launch." Elysia smiled.

[Yeah yeah, ending already? I haven't had enough!]

[I worked so hard to get leave from my supervisor for this…]

And the reason for the "hard work" probably had to do with the excuse they gave, huh?

"I just want to prove our company actually offers paid leave."

Even with the neatest excuse afterwards… if they still got approved leave after that, their supervisor had to be a saint.

[I want a 'refund.' (doge)]

...

"…Alright."

Seeing the viewers so "enthusiastic," Hokuto relented.

After tricking so many people, even if sometimes the backlash hit him, the emotions in his heart were eased when he saw how "excited" they were.

"There are plenty of interesting points in the story, but what I really want to talk about isn't exactly outside the story—it's part of it too."

"Part of the story? What is it?" Elysia tilted her head curiously.

"Well… let's say this."

Hokuto gave an example:

"I'm out of tissues!"

"?" Elysia blinked.

"Just a plain sentence, yet it conveys complex, unspeakable emotions. Fascinating, isn't it?" Hokuto looked at the one who had created that meme.

"..."

Elysia opened her mouth, then again, before finally speaking:

"That was just a casual line. I'm surprised it spread so widely among Captains."

Of course, she knew who loved quoting it most.

Not Captains herself, but she had learned a lot about them—thanks to a certain someone.

"…Perhaps it's because there are always new players opening this time capsule called Honkai Impact 3rd. They watch that once-naïve girl begin her story."

Hokuto's voice grew softer.

"And when they see a stranger experiencing the same emotions we once felt—being moved, understanding, resonating… everyone recalls their own past, their own feelings when they first went through the story."

He paused, then added with a brighter tone:

"And every time they remember, they can't help recalling what happened during the official livestream…"

Elysia froze again.

"…So it's no wonder that line spread so widely."

Elysia: "..."

"…From how popular it is, you're probably right." She admitted, half-embarrassed. "That's maybe the most romantic part. To be part of this story, to meet such unique characters, and for miHoYo to meet so many players willing to feel the story…"

"There couldn't be a better experience."

"That's why I've always thought—it's both the characters in the story, and us outside watching, that together are the story." Hokuto continued.

"The story that exists because of us."

[Beautifully said!]

[Suddenly feels like being a Captain is a 'noble calling.' (doge) Now I feel shy.]

[He just means the players chasing resonance.]

[But really, everyone's reactions did add something special to the story.]

["The Story That Exists Because of Us."]

"Is that why you added Ai-chan into the game?" Elysia asked.

"Ai-chan Himeko Lambda…"

Hokuto thought. "As a pseudo-time crystal, she's like the players… but like many have said while going through the story, she couldn't do much…"

"But in the end…"

Elysia didn't finish, but Hokuto understood.

"It's thanks to everyone. Like I told you yesterday—without people willing to push forward, the story wouldn't reach its end."

"…Yeah."

[?!]

[Wait, so the virtual blessings in Aerial Combat weren't pre-coded?]

[If we understood right, he's saying no—they were all from real players.]

"…Hmm."

Elysia saw the chat but didn't respond. After all, Hokuto had spoken first.

And he'd even once sent a Super Chat from an alt account in another streamer's channel…

(Big account was official, small account was "It's All Otto's Fault.")

Clearly he never meant to hide it.

So—

"If you're asking, no, we never added coded virtual blessings into Aerial Combat."

"Every blessing behind the lights belonged to a real player."

[Confirmed!]

[So the first clear was by a real player. Now I really wonder—what kind of mindset did they have, leaving their blessing for those who came after?]

With the design intent clear, discussion about the "First" resurfaced.

"…I'm curious too, who the 'First' was."

Elysia looked at Hokuto. "Otto…"

"…Of course, checking backend data isn't right. You'd never do that."

She realized it was a sensitive question.

"…Actually," Hokuto adjusted his monocle, "I know."

"??"

"I didn't check data. I know because…" He paused.

[Because what??]

[Maybe it was someone he knew? Or a miHoYo employee? Bold guess… Bronya!]

[Even if it were Bronya, first-clearing while secretly gaming during the official stream?]

[Playing Honkai 3rd at work—so jealous.]

[As a clumsy player myself, I'm thankful to the veterans who cleared the way so I could see it too.]

[Ever think maybe Hokuto knows because… it was him?]

Finally, someone said it.

[By rational inference… that hypothesis actually makes sense.]

[Wait…]

The more they thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

"Ahem."

At that moment, Hokuto coughed lightly.

Calmly, he said:

"Seems you've already guessed it. Yes, it's just as you think…"

Then, kindly added:

"No need to thank me."

[???]

[???]

[???] *N

The screen filled with question marks.

First, shock—Hokuto, the "big boss," was the one who cleared first?

How could he be better at Honkai 3rd than the players? Did that even make sense?

Second, his tone… it had that flavor.

Too much flavor.

Their feelings grew complicated.

After all, they'd once suffered painfully through retries—yet seeing those countless lights converge to open a path had moved them deeply. They respected the "First."

But now that person was Otto…

And saying it like that.

It made them want to grab a nonexistent bottle and smash it against his "soulsteel face."

[...] *N

"So it was you, Otto~~"

Elysia broke the silence first, unsurprised.

Hardly anything seemed to faze her.

Most would feel awkward in such situations.

Like being asked out by two girls at once.

Elysia's way of thinking? "Wow, I didn't expect to be so popular. To not disappoint anyone, let's all go together."

"I really should thank you, Otto, for shielding me from that fatal blow."

"And also for bringing this beautiful story to us."

"…You're so serious, now I feel embarrassed."

So Hokuto repeated firmly:

"No need to thank me."

"Just like in the Aerial Combat. Alone, I couldn't do anything."

"The fire spreads because there were already so many flames on this earth unwilling to go out."

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