[White hair + sunglasses + blue eyes + handsome face. This is my ideal protagonist!]
In just a short span of time, all of the audience's attention had shifted entirely onto Satoru Gojo.
Compared to Subaru Natsuki, who still wore that clueless expression, looked nothing special, and dressed plainly, Gojo's entrance was on a completely different level.
The unique outfit, striking looks, and interesting personality were all far more eye-catching.
[Your popularity value +1.]
[Your popularity value +1.]
[Your popularity value +1.]
...
The scene continued to move forward.
Gojo remembered what came next very clearly.
After chatting briefly with Subaru in the bakery, it was time for the so-called magic activation incident Subaru had talked about.
It was also the first time Gojo officially displayed his abilities in the anime.
On screen, the two of them were walking down the street when, not far ahead, a child stumbled and fell onto the busy road. A dragon carriage was racing toward them at frightening speed.
"Alright!"
"Leave it to me. I'll save them!"
At the time, it had not felt like much.
Now that Gojo was watching as an observer, seeing Subaru drop to one knee and dramatically reach out toward the child, the corner of his mouth twitched.
Why did it somehow look even dumber now?
[This is peak cringe. What are you doing out here?]
[Doing something this embarrassing in the middle of the street? My toes are curling.]
Two judgmental comments flashed by.
Then the scene shifted, and Gojo's own figure appeared on screen.
[The white-haired guy got dragged into it too.]
[Looks like he's enjoying himself, honestly.]
[These two really are partners. Shockingly similar in this regard. Zero embarrassment.]
Comment after comment scrolled past, and Gojo watched with clear interest.
As for the so-called embarrassment the comments mentioned, he had never really understood that concept.
If he wanted to do something, he did it. There was no need to care about other people's opinions, and no reason to let irrelevant things shake his resolve.
Just as the comments were still poking fun at how over-the-top the two of them were, the fallen child was suddenly sent flying toward them.
Watching the close-up of Subaru's face, excitement stretching his nostrils wide, Gojo could not help but feel doubtful.
Are they sure this isn't intentionally making the protagonist look bad?
From everything shown so far, putting himself in the audience's shoes, Gojo was confident that Subaru's performance came off terribly.
That was even more obvious when looking at the popularity values.
In just this short amount of time, Gojo's popularity had already surged into the dozens and was about to break into triple digits.
Subaru's, meanwhile, was still stuck in the teens.
The difference spoke for itself.
On screen, Subaru was now experiencing what could only be described as emotional whiplash.
One moment, he thought he had successfully activated magic and was thrilled beyond belief.
The next, he realized it had nothing to do with him at all.
The one who saved the child was actually Gojo, standing right beside him.
The stark contrast made Subaru's expression wonderfully dramatic.
The comment section immediately filled with [hhhhh].
[He's got some real comedic talent.]
[Protagonist and supporting character really are built differently.]
[Same cringey move. One's pretending, the other genuinely believes it.]
[Why does this feel both goofy and cool?]
Gojo grabbed another biscuit and popped it into his mouth.
He glanced briefly at Reinhard van Astrea and the others, who were still asking questions about what had happened earlier that night.
Watching the comments was far more entertaining than answering inquiries.
After the child rescue incident and a brief explanation of his abilities to Subaru, the story moved into the alley, where Gojo was about to demonstrate things properly.
Then the three thugs made their appearance.
And after that, it was once again Satoru Gojo's time to shine.
If saving the child had only been a fleeting moment, then the scene where the thugs' knives could not even touch him truly captured the audience's interest.
[So cool. So stylish.]
[These guys are completely stunned.]
[That's insane.]
[They can't hit him even when he's standing still.]
Gojo did not even need to check the popularity rankings. From the comments alone, it was obvious his popularity was still climbing.
In the alley, aside from the three thugs, Felt and the Spirit Arts User girl also made their appearances.
The moment the two of them showed up, the number of comments increased noticeably.
[Such a cute little girl.]
[Wow, that white-haired lady is gorgeous.]
[Serious question. Both have white hair. Is this an official pairing?]
[They actually look really good together, looks and strength both.]
[Calm down, this isn't a dating show.]
[Am I the only one who thinks that cat named Puck is adorable?]
[They seem really familiar with Felt. Isn't Gojo supposed to be an isekai'd guy?]
[Don't bully the little girl. Apologize!]
Gojo skimmed through the comments, then turned the transparency up.
Strange takes like these existed everywhere. Ignoring them was the easiest option.
Still, from an observer's perspective, from the start of the episode until now, the overall feeling was quite good.
Whether it was his banter with Subaru or his interactions with Felt, everything carried a light, humorous tone.
His few moments of action also built up his presence naturally.
Even though he had not done it intentionally, based on what he had seen so far, Gojo was fairly satisfied with the result.
After he agreed to owe Felt twenty Holy Gold Coins, the first episode came to an end.
From his observations, there were two key factors in ensuring popularity growth.
Fun, and strength.
And for him, were either of those a problem?
Not at all.
He just needed to act the same way he always did.
That alone was more than enough.
The first episode ended.
Gojo checked the popularity rankings.
His name sat firmly at the top.
Eight hundred and eleven popularity points.
Second place was Felt, with the Spirit Arts User girl in third.
As for Subaru Natsuki…
He was practically nowhere to be found on the popularity list.
Left far behind, only ranking slightly higher than the three thugs.
Just as Gojo was about to see what these popularity points could be exchanged for, the second episode began immediately after the first finished.
It looked like a double-episode premiere.
That realization sparked his interest.
If nothing unexpected happened, the second episode would be the battle with the Bowel Hunter, Elsa.
Compared to everything before, this would be a real fight in the truest sense.