Two weeks later, Leo stood behind the black curtain of the Stream Fest main stage, listening to the roar of thousands of fans on the other side. The air smelled faintly of sweat, popcorn, and the metallic hum of excitement.
He could hear the echoing voice of the host hyping up the crowd."Give it up for our next duo — Miami and Leo Hart!"
The audience erupted. Neon lights swept across the stage like lasers.Leo swallowed hard. "Oh boy… there's so many people."
Mira grinned beside him, her headset glowing under the stage lights. "Don't think about the crowd. Think about the moment."
"I am thinking about the moment," Leo muttered. "And the moment's terrifying."
She laughed, bumping his shoulder. "Come on, superstar. You've got this."
The System flickered softly in the corner of his vision.
[Quest Active: Stream Fest Showdown][Objective: Leave the audience speechless.][Performance Boost Enabled: Improvisation Lv. MAX | Stage Presence Lv. MAX]
Leo took a deep breath. "Okay, System. Don't fail me now."
The stage doors opened, and they stepped into a wall of light and sound.
Their setup was simple — a live "stream-style" performance. A gaming challenge, chat interaction, and a music segment. But the crowd wasn't used to this kind of energy; they expected fun, not art.
Leo and Mira started their bit — a co-op game on the big screen, full of banter and chaos. Mira died first, as usual, and the crowd laughed."Classic Mira," Leo teased. "Dies in the tutorial."
She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Excuse me, at least I'm entertaining."
[Audience Engagement: Rising.]
Then Mira shot him a mischievous grin. "Okay, Mr. Prodigy, let's see if you can do this live."
She handed him a mic. "Freestyle. About StreamFest. Now."
Leo blinked. "You're kidding."
"Go on," she said, stepping back. "Let's see what those skills are really worth."
The audience started chanting, "FREESTYLE! FREESTYLE! FREESTYLE!"
Leo sighed, smirking. "Alright, chat. Don't clip this."
The beat started — a simple, looping rhythm.He took a breath and let the System take over.
[Improvisation Lv. MAX Activated.]
Words flowed effortlessly.
"Yo, it's Leo in the house, MiraMii by my side,We're streaming on a stage where the worlds collide.From late-night chats to the festival lights,We're turning every fail into something that's right!"
The crowd exploded. Cheering. Laughing. Recording.Even Mira covered her mouth in shock.
He finished with a grin. "And if you liked that— hit that follow in real life!"
The music faded, and for a moment, the noise of the crowd became a living thing — pulsing, shouting, cheering.
[Quest Progress: 80% Complete.]
They closed with a duet song — something light and fun — and when the final note ended, the lights dimmed and confetti rained from above.
[Quest Complete.][Reward: Evolution Token x2 | Public Perception Boost +300%.]
Leo stood there, chest heaving, looking out at thousands of cheering faces. For the first time, he didn't feel like a small streamer playing pretend.He felt… seen.
Backstage, Mira was practically bouncing. "That was insane! Leo, you were— I mean— that freestyle?! Where did that come from?!"
He chuckled, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Guess I got caught up in the moment."
"You thrived in the moment," she corrected, smiling wide. "You've got that 'main character' energy now."
Leo shrugged modestly. "Maybe. But I couldn't have done it without you."
Mira's smile softened. "You better remember that when we're both famous."
Before Leo could answer, a man in a suit approached — tall, confident, with a badge labeled ARC LIGHT MEDIA.
"Leo Hart?" he said, extending a hand. "I'm Daniel Crest. I represent one of the largest digital entertainment agencies in the country. You've made quite the impression tonight."
Leo hesitated, shaking his hand. "Thanks. It means a lot."
Daniel smiled. "We'd like to discuss your future. Big opportunities. Real influence. Interested?"
Mira frowned slightly, glancing at Leo.He smiled politely. "Let's… talk."
That night, Leo lay awake in his hotel room, scrolling through the endless stream of clips, fan edits, and tweets about his performance. His follower count had tripled.
But his mind wasn't on the fame.
It was on Daniel's offer.The words "We'll take your career global" kept replaying in his head.
The System flickered quietly.
[New Quest Unlocked: The Offer.][Objective: Decide your future — Sign or Stay Independent.]
Leo exhaled slowly, staring at the glowing words.
"Guess it's never easy, huh?"