Former Hero Streamer – Chapter 11

Events tend to come unexpectedly and at the most outrageous times.

I started to recognize something was off around the time I was left alone in the MS Room after an unexpected fusion with Hero Forming.

[Warning! User condition entering critical status.]

At first, I thought it was just a glitch with the device or some issue with the virtual reality sensitivity, nothing to stress about.

After all, there was no problem with the sensations in my body.

I figured it was probably fine since I didn’t feel anything wrong… but then—

[Forcibly logging out.]

“…?”

That easygoing mindset hit me hard from behind.

“What the hell?”

It felt like I was surfacing from a deep sleep, the connection was cut off, and the sensations of reality began to wrap around me.

As my eyelids opened, I finally understood what the warning signal from the electronic device meant.

With a heavy body and a throbbing headache, an overwhelming sense of lethargy washed over me.

The only reaction I could muster in response to this sudden change was one thing.

“Ah, what now.”

Frustration bubbled within me.

If this had happened during the fusion with her, I would have definitely offended her.

My body was stiff, and the headache was constricting like a vice. I had never experienced such a state as a Hero.

I needed to get out and check on something…

Squeak—

As the capsule opened, I slowly forced my stiff body to rise and step outside.

It was then that I realized what had happened to me.

It wasn’t just the overwhelming fatigue.

My lower half felt damp, and my pants seemed unusually heavy, as if they were being pulled down today.

Looking down, a swear slipped from my lips.

“What the hell…”

It wasn’t just my condition that felt heavy.

My pants were also soaking up moisture and adding to the weight.

I was on my period.

This was a first for me!

During all my time as a Hero in this other world, I had never experienced anything like this.

“Shit.”

Of all times, it had to happen now.

It wasn’t painful enough to cause a fuss, but the weird headache that wouldn’t quite go away prompted more swearing.

But I had to deal with this mess, so what could I do?

There’s no one in this big house I could ask for help.

Thanks to that, today I’ll be taking three showers.

“…….”

Sprawled out on my bed, I stared blankly at the ceiling.

When I briefly looked earlier, it was around 3 A.M., but my eyes just wouldn’t close.

I still couldn’t figure out why this happened now.

I had never had this kind of “thing” happen while being a Hero in the other world.

Was it the backlash from returning to my original world?

Even after already showering, the feeling of my heart beating within me brought discomfort.

‘I’ve wasted the whole day.’

Not wanting to waste more time, I plopped down in my gaming chair and hit the power on my computer.

No, that wasn’t right. Saying it was a waste of time was just an excuse.

I was definitely trying to turn my back on reality.

The human mind is a strange thing; even knowing there’s a new reality just out of sight, I sometimes choose to ignore it.

Now that my body had changed to female, I still felt more like a Hero than a girl.

But this incident was quietly, persistently eating away at my sanity.

—Hmm.

“…….”

As the calm, measured noise of the computer filled my ears, the unpleasant feeling in my heart seemed to diminish a little.

Feeling a bit calmer, I launched the internet and accessed YouTube.

I searched for the channel of Hero Forming.

If I was going to reach out, I should know at least a little bit about who they were.

After accessing the channel and browsing through a few things, I stumbled upon an unexpected sight.

What? This person…

“They’ve been at this for quite a while.”

Looking back at videos from a year ago, it appeared that they started streaming back in their school days.

I clicked through several videos.

In comparison to the pitiful subscriber count now, the views on their old YouTube videos were quite decent.

An average of about 50,000 views per video. They weren’t exactly a corporate streamer, but with these numbers, it suggested they had established a solid footing.

Then the video uploads ceased abruptly, vanishing without a word.

They returned after a two-year break, just six months ago…

How could so many subscribers have slipped away during this time, especially after the return of a streamer?

‘That’s way too abnormal…’

Did this person keep streaming regardless? At this point, they had a titanium-level mentality, to say the least.

Feeling curious, I next visited a wiki to look up Hero Forming.

I had my suspicions based on the subscriber count, but just as I thought, a personal document was neatly organized there.

Streaming history, content, memes, anecdotes, etc.

‘Their initial nickname was just [Forming].’

Without the phrase “Hero” in it.

Back then, Forming was a high school streamer known as a fantasy type who could do both gaming and chatting.

They were quite popular for their interesting and lively streams.

The two-year hiatus.

Disappearing like a ninja without a word, only to re-emerge six months ago.

And since then, they’ve rebranded as ‘Hero Forming’ and returned as a streamer.

“Claiming to be a Hero after two years off? Hmmm.”

Furthermore, when considering the curse associated with Hero Forming, it definitely stirred up different thoughts.

Hero Forming is…

“Like a real Hero.”

A Hero who traveled to another world just like me.

* * *

“Phew! That cut for today!”

I tossed my mouse aside and enjoyed the freedom of escaping work.

Even if the broadcast ended, the life of a streamer doesn’t wrap up there.

I had to upload today’s stream to my YouTube channel.

Of course, I wouldn’t dumbly upload the entire video.

I needed to extract the highlights from the stream as much as possible, putting effort into production and editing.

“Good job, Da-young.”

Ignoring the encouragement from Pepe, who swooped in, I stretched my stiff body and smiled.

The edited video I put together after staying up all night was of respectable quality.

Today’s stream had a rich amount of content and was well-structured. Surely, the feedback on the YouTube channel would be positive.

“In the past, I would have hired an editor… It’s really tough to handle it all myself, right?”

“Hehe, isn’t that the fate of a low-tier streamer?”

Even if I’m a little worn, I’m still a Hero, right?

Initially difficult and challenging, yet like a Hero overcoming trials, I now had become quite skilled at video editing and directing.

I could certainly call it a remarkable growth.

“But today’s stream went well, so let’s ride this momentum and return to being a corporate streamer.”

If only that wording wasn’t so annoying.

Glancing at the frog doll, which flew around with a sulky expression, the contract that made me a Hero, I said,

“Please, let’s return to our roots. We are supposed to be a Hero duo, so why do you talk like that?”

“We? Who are we?”

Looking at the frog, who shrugged, Da-young changed the subject.

“Forget that. Look at this.”

Pointing to the monitor, the viewer statistics for today were displayed.

In clear contrast to yesterday’s stream, the number of viewers had taken a noticeable upward turn.

Plus, with an increase in subscribers and notifications, it was clear that something good was happening today.

“Today we surpassed 1,000 viewers! Compared to yesterday, it essentially doubled in no time!”

“Did our Da-young use up all her luck?”

“Luck or not! This is just the beginning.”

I rebutted with enthusiasm, but today’s stream did feel significantly different from usual.

‘Something has definitely changed.’

Even though it was an ordinary gaming stream, I wondered if there was a reason for it.

If I could pinpoint that cause, then the path to escaping the low-tier streamer life would be clear.

As I pondered, I turned to the frolicking Pepe beside me and asked,

“Pepe, how was my stream this time?”

“What kind of question is that, our Da-young.”

“It’s not just a random question; today’s stream was noticeably distinct. I’m curious if you noticed anything different compared to my previous streams.”

Ah, so that’s what she meant by asking.

Pepe smirked and spoke slyly.

“Hehe, do you think your stream’s rising like that because of you? What a delusion.”

“What? What are you saying, you crazy frog…”

“Hey, have you not noticed? It’s clearly thanks to that Light Hero Friede that you’re riding high. Are your eyes just for decoration?”

“…….”

That seems right?

I’ve been tired of Pepe’s vulgar expressions, but he was hitting the mark, so I kept quiet.

Honestly, the content of the stream wasn’t that much different than usual.

If there’s a reason, then it’s surely because of that ‘Light Hero Friede’ user.

‘Her voice was definitely something special.’

Even Da-young, who had seen countless streams of other girl streamers, couldn’t help but be surprised by her voice.

How could anyone even develop such a voice?

Plus, with that luxurious skin and exceptional skills.

‘Right now she’s a Master, but soon she’ll be a Challenger.’

Though her face couldn’t be seen due to her helmet, my instincts honed from years of streaming screamed inside me.

This girl could definitely succeed as a streamer.

Fortunately, as I dug through communities, I found no streams connected to Light Hero Friede.

It was indeed an unclaimed gold mine. And if I was the first to discover it, all I had to do was one thing.

“I see it now.”

Before someone else takes it away from me…

“I have to lure her in.”

Surely, I needed to get the proper permission to dig up this gold.

“You plan to corrupt a decent girl into a streamer?”

“Yes, I definitely sensed her potential. Once she debuts, she could become a game-changing top-tier streamer.”

There’s no need to show her face, after all.

If risks are a concern, she could keep wearing that helmet and maintain an air of mystery.

In a heavily male-dominated game like Soul Warfare, with that much potential, she could disrupt the industry.

With my thoughts settled, I felt a rush of urgency.

“First things first, I need to invite her to the next stream.”

Since I had already added her, I sent her a polite message through the linked app on my smartphone.

[Hero Forming: Hello, Friede. This is Forming from yesterday’s stream. Sorry for contacting you this early.

I wanted to discuss the upcoming stream with you.


I’d like to meet at the MS Room in the afternoon if that’s okay?]

Looking at the invitation behind me, Pepe wore a cynical smile.

“Hehe, our Da-young has become a parasite. You’re sucking it dry to the bone.”

“You crazy frog, should I throw you in the water and slowly boil you?”

“Oops, someone might think you’re the Demon King instead of a Hero.”

Ignoring the flippant taunting of the frog, I considered what kind of stream we’d do if I managed to invite Light Hero Friede.

‘Since we’ll be doing a SCK League broadcast before, should we start with a review stream like last time?’

Should I send an email to see if I can still apply for broadcast rights?

Yeah, that’s definitely what I should do.

As I sifted through content materials stored on my smartphone, I tried piecing together a streaming schedule and format.

Challenging to the Grand Master tier in a duo ranked game of Soul Warfare seemed good, and maybe later I could cycle through retro games…

Would she enjoy fighting games like FOK 98? Horror games?

Watching me foolishly daydreaming without consideration, Pepe shook his head in disbelief.

Just then…

Ding-ting!

An email notification blinked to catch her attention.

“What’s this?”

“Hehe, could it be a reply already?”

No way, that wouldn’t happen.

Dismissing it inwardly, Da-young checked the email with a tinge of curiosity as her eyes widened.

[Light Hero Friede: Sounds good.]

Only three characters, but reviewing the content carefully, Da-young balled her fist.

Yes!

“Nice!”

Good news often comes in droves, and it seems like today was no exception.

Despite the lack of any effective promotion, here she was offering an opportunity.

Although whether she would agree to collaborate was still uncertain.

Just being able to communicate like this after being left on read for so long was a major win for Da-young.

Excitedly celebrating her good fortune, Pepe could not shake off an ominous premonition…

‘It should be okay.’

Seeing Da-young so joyful, he hesitated to ruin the atmosphere with some random offhand comment.

After all, as a Hero who defeated the Demon King, she deserved a reward.

“Hehe, I’ll be a top-tier streamer soon.”

“Ugh, Pepe, shut your trap. Stop with the brainless chatter.”

Having endured so many trials, it was about time.

Much like the tales of a Hero living happily ever after, shining like a light into the future…

While I quibbled with the ominous tone of Pepe, a bright smile lingered on Da-young’s face.

And amidst their playful banter, something they both failed to notice was lurking in the background.

Something dark and deeply resentful that quickly vanished from sight.

* * *