Chapter 9: Cut and Render
The next day began with rain.
Not a storm—just a slow drizzle, enough to make the window glass sweat and the street below look like it had been lightly rinsed. Ash sat on his bed in worn pajama pants, an empty tea cup beside him, staring at the files on his desktop.
CreepyCrap_ANIMEHAUL_RAW1.mov
CreepyCrap_ANIMEHAUL_BOX3_REACT.mov
audio_backup.m4a
thumbnail_ideas.png
It was time.
He cracked his knuckles.
"Let's get to work."
He opened the editing software. The system-assisted interface responded instantly, floating editing tools across his field of vision. Every file hovered like a memory waiting to be shaped.
[System Alert: Auto-cut Suggestion Engine Ready]
[Do you want to enable Smart Highlights?]
Ash blinked once.
[Enabled.]
The raw 23-minute footage auto-segmented into clips. The system highlighted the best bits—his deadpan comments, unexpected facial reactions (blurred, of course), and especially the segment where he stared silently at the "Japan Cool 2008" badge like it had insulted his family.
He chuckled.
That pause was gold.
Still, he didn't leave it all to the system. He dragged timelines manually. Cut a two-second silence here. Trimmed the audio peak when he bumped the mic by accident. Zoomed in slightly during the Levi figure reveal for dramatic tension.
Each tweak mattered. Each second was a decision.
[Suggested Background Track: Lo-fi Beat 042 – Chill Vibe, Minor Key]
[Suggested FX: Soft glitch transition – Segment 2]
He previewed the track.
The music was mellow. Slightly nostalgic. A gentle thump of bass behind cloudy synths.
"Perfect," he whispered.
He adjusted the volume to duck beneath his voice.
[Auto Voice Filter Enabled: Mood – Sarcastic Chill]
His voice in the clip now had that crisp, dry flavor that viewers liked. Not robotic, not fake—just slightly refined.
"Okay," he muttered, eyes scanning the timeline. "Intro, Box 1, Box 2, Final Reaction, Summary, Outro…"
He leaned forward, tweaking the outro.
"That's all for today's anime box chaos. Like and sub if you're into cursed keychains and emotionally confusing plushies. Until next time—keep your cringe sharp."
He paused.
Then grinned.
"That's so stupid. I love it."
He created the final render queue.
[Render Settings: 1080p, 60fps, System Encoder Boost Enabled]
[Estimated Render Time: 4 Minutes]
The progress bar filled with a soft humming sound. The system's optimized render was always lightning-fast.
As it processed, Ash opened a notepad for the title and description.
Title:
I Bought Anime Merch Online… and Some of It Might Be Cursed
Description:
Cheap to Expensive: Reviewing anime stuff I bought online.
Featuring the most suspicious headband and the softest Nezuko.
No facecam. Just vibes.
Timestamps below.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
0:39 – The "Budget Box"
2:22 – Mid-tier Mayhem
4:58 – Premium Chaos
9:45 – Summary
11:30 – Outro
#AnimeMerch #BangladeshOtaku #CreepyCrap
[Render Complete.]
[Ready to Upload?]
Ash hesitated. Just a second.
Then clicked Yes.
The system connected to the Creepy Crap channel backend. His identity was shielded. Upload metadata cloaked. The video appeared in the draft queue.
He chose to schedule it for tonight—8:00 PM. Prime time. Let it breathe for the day.
[Thumbnail Suggestions Generated – Pick One:]
Ash scanned the options:
A blurred close-up of Levi's face with "৳30,000 BOX?!?" in red text
A dramatic shot of the "Japan Cool" badge labeled "WHY"
A clean lineup of all items across three tiers with glowing outlines
He hovered on the clean lineup thumbnail.
"It's clean. Good for first-time viewers."
[Selected.]
He exhaled.
It was done.
A video born in one late-night idea, passed through funding algorithms, packaged by strangers, delivered in brown boxes, and molded by his quiet hands into something real.
Now it waited.
Like a paper boat sent down a long, slow stream.
Ash closed the laptop.
Outside, the rain still pattered softly against the roof.
He made tea. The second cup of the day. Slightly stronger this time. Sat near the window, one knee drawn to his chest.
For a long time, he didn't think about views, or growth, or anything measurable.
He just sat there.
It was enough to know he made something.
That he didn't stop.
That he kept going.
[System Note: Upload Live. Viewer Engagement Data Incoming.]
He ignored the ping for now.
The kettle clicked off again in the kitchen. The cup was still warm in his hands.
Outside, a motorbike hissed through the wet road, and somewhere in a neighbor's flat, someone laughed.
Ash smiled quietly.
Tomorrow, he would check the numbers.
Tonight, he had already won.
End of Chapter 9