After Elysia returned the camera to Carolina, whose cheeks were slightly flushed, she turned to Burke, the bald man beside her, and asked with a smile, "What do you think? Not bad, right?"
Burke snapped out of his daze, shaking his head vehemently. No, no, no! he thought. This is nothing like what I imagined! In his mind, the White Eagle Eight's introductions should have been delivered with an air of superiority and utmost solemnity, not like a casual chat between friends and family.
Take Mad Lion, for example. That guy was the ultimate hands-off leader, shirking all responsibilities. He wasn't even present in White Eagle right now, yet he still held his position among the Eight.
This wasn't due to any compassion or approachability towards his subordinates, but purely because of his overwhelming strength. Even among the White Eagle Eight, he was one of the most formidable. His mere presence inspired awe and aspiration among the people of White Eagle.
It was like a god—they needed to maintain a distance from mortals, preserve an aura of mystery, for mortals to worship them.
Clearly, you couldn't possibly worship a god who greets you every day with "Good morning," "Good afternoon," and "Good evening," could you?
That's not a god; that's a friend.
In other words, according to Burke's expectations, Elysia's self-introduction had just failed spectacularly.
But the problem was... she was just too adorable!
Undoubtedly, even Burke himself felt a surge of affection for Elysia after hearing her speech.
Well, to be fair, his affection for her was already nearly maxed out. After all, she was the earthly angel who had descended to save him from certain death by overwork.
The previous White Eagle Eight had always maintained a solemn demeanor. But now, deviating from tradition with a cute style... perhaps it was worth a try?
It was like two candidates vying for votes. One was a grizzled old man with white hair, promising vague benefits that might never materialize. The other was an irresistibly cute pink-haired young girl, batting her eyelashes and wishing you a day filled with happiness and joy.
"So, who gets your vote?"
After a moment's hesitation, the bald man, Burke, nodded. "Alright... let's go with this version."
Little did he know that this decision, this very video, would create an unprecedented national sensation—a universally beloved and adored super-idol—and even spark the Ely Cult.
"Alright, you two, feel free to explore the White Tower and do whatever you like. I'll get this video uploaded. We'll resume work this afternoon." Burke waved dismissively, snatched the camera from Carolina's hand, and hurried out.
His efficiency was astonishing. In less than half an hour, the video was prominently featured on YouTube's homepage, instantly capturing widespread attention.
The thumbnail was a charming screenshot of Elysia holding the camera above her, filming herself from above while flashing a playful peace sign. Even without context, the thumbnail alone was irresistibly captivating.
The overwhelming first reaction to the thumbnail was:
"Who's this? A new virtual idol? She's so cute!"
"Holy crap, is she a real person?"
"Wow, her voice is absolutely stunning!"
But when they saw the title, [Florida's Next White Eagle Eight], their second reaction was:
"What the hell? This pink-haired girl is the next White Eagle Eight? Is this for real?"
"Huh? Lady Kaya just passed away a few days ago. How can there be a replacement already?"
"Ah, I miss Martyr so much. If only he were still here..."
"If you ask me, they probably just grabbed some random person to fill the spot. I bet she'll kick the bucket before she even officially becomes one of the White Eagle Eight."
These comments started flooding the video's comment section. Some people were like that—they skipped the video entirely and went straight to the comments.
While the praise lingered, any comment with even the slightest hint of negativity vanished at an alarming rate.
Bald-headed Burke glared at the computer screen, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the comments. His hand trembled maniacally as he wielded the mouse, deleting every negative comment with ruthless efficiency.
He wouldn't allow anyone to speak ill of the person who had saved his life!
"Damn it! What the hell? Why are my comments being deleted? Can't people even voice their opinions anymore?!" (Comment deleted)
"Fuck this! This is White Eagle! You have no right to censor me! I'll say whatever I want!" (Comment deleted)
"Bullshit! I'll fucking kill you!" (Comment deleted)
"Waaah! She's so adorable! Mom, I'm in love!"
"Elysia! Thank you! You've made my whole day so much brighter!"
"Support! Absolutely support!"
As time passed, more and more people finished watching the video and posted their comments. Without exception, they all succumbed to Elysia's charm, falling head over heels almost instantly.
However, seeing the growing flood of positive comments only fueled the fury of the man who had been cursing up a storm earlier.
"Troll Army! This has to be a Troll Army! Damn it! So this whole thing is just a cheap publicity stunt, a video designed to grab attention, right?" (Comment deleted)
The man grew angrier with each passing thought. About ten minutes later, a violent "bang! bang! bang!" echoed through his apartment as someone pounded on the door with excessive force.
"Who the hell is that?! Are you out of your mind?!" he snapped, already simmering with rage.
But the next moment, a voice boomed from outside: "FBI! OPEN UP!"
For small-time civilians like this, the White Tower didn't even need to dispatch Evolvers. A quick call to the local SWAT team would suffice.
White Eagle was a land of freedom—you were free to speak, and they were equally free to respond with law enforcement.
Soon, as the video's popularity soared and views climbed steadily, the bald man known as "Burke" finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Unbeknownst to Burke, a seemingly refined man had also stumbled upon the video. Biting his thumb nervously, he murmured to himself, "So... it was you all along?!"
This was the same man who had been lurking near the battlefield when Elysia first appeared and swiftly eliminated the bizarre Black Sheep.
The man was a member of the Eldritch Concord and the summoner of the Black Sheep.
Yes, the monster hadn't actually emerged from a Dimensional Rift; it had been artificially summoned. As for the Dimensional Rift that appeared above Elysia's head when she arrived?
That was a genuine Outsider Dimensional Rift.