Former Hero Streamer – Chapter 173

In the Darkness

In the depth of darkness.

A space so empty it lacks even light.

No matter how hard I strained my eyes, there was nothing to see.

I could only catch how my arms and body were moving through pure sensation.

Often, when we talk about darkness, it’s likened to smoke, swallowing everything and expressing a nothingness where nothing exists. But the surroundings she perceived were quite different.

Rather than absorbing, it felt more like erasing.

It was as if a smooth layer of black paint, unable to reflect anything, had been applied to a white canvas, leaving an overwhelming sense of confusion.

Then it happened.

“■■■■?!”

I instinctively sensed something approaching and opened my mouth, but my voice had long since been wiped out by the darkness as if it had never existed.

Only her intuition continued to warn her, sensing the presence of someone drawing nearer.

I doubted that any of the nightmares or sleep paralysis I had experienced until now would ever feel as urgent and terrifying as this moment.

The instinct to scream and flee from the overwhelming fear was suppressed, and I merely awaited ‘it’ to arrive in a daze.

“……!”

In a space where nothing existed, the master of the darkness revealed itself. In the midst of darkness where I couldn’t even see my own body, I could distinctly recognize that presence.

A monster, grotesquely combined of hollowed bones and decayed flesh, twisted and distorted, stood there with an eerie grace.

The darkness that enveloped this space felt like a grand cloak flaunting its majesty.

I instinctively realized it was right in front of me.

When its form, which I dared not measure how colossal it was, filled my vision…

From deep within its chest, a face emerged, swelling as if from pain.

That face, twisted with agony, regret, and despair… was none other than my own.

*

*

*

“…Ha.”

“…….”

“…Eunha!”

“Ugh!”

Startled from my stupor, Eunha quickly surveyed her surroundings.

A familiar space. It was the STK strategy meeting room. Before her were the coach, the staff, and the team members all looking at her…

“Hey, what’s with you since earlier?”

“Uh? Ah….”

In response to Chanhyuk’s question, Eunha scrambled to prepare an excuse, but her frozen mind was floundering to find the right words.

Oh no. What was I doing again?

Trying hard to recall her memories, she realized nothing was coming to mind.

It felt like a mind blank, as if a camera film had been cut midway, leaving gaps between memories in her head.

If becoming an idiot felt like this, it was scarily clear, and a sense of anxiety washed over her, thinking she might really need to see a doctor.

“Sorry, where did I leave off?”

“About how to position ourselves on the temple map….”

“Oh, right. I remember now. Sorry; I’ve not been in great shape lately.”

Eunha finally recalled what had been discussed and hurried to apologize, but inwardly, she was drenched in cold sweat.

It had been a dream that constantly weighed on her heart, something truly important she had seen.

‘I always forget everything as soon as I wake up.’

To clear her dazed mind, Eunha shook her head as if in a fit.

The season was about to start again.

It was time to push forward with all her might for STK’s victory.

‘It’ll probably be tough to see my sister for a while.’

A pang of sadness hit her heart, but still, for the sake of showing her sister a proud and cool side of herself, she could endure it.

This season, she promised to win and make sure to show her sister her splendid self holding the championship trophy…

With a firm resolve, Eunha clenched her fist.

*

*

*

A desolate plain.

Amid the weathered ruins, the coarse wind mixed with sand whipped against her skin.

The sandy sting on her cheek, blowing in from the direction of the wind, made the bleak atmosphere of this space all the more palpable.

Still, the fact that there was no worry about getting sand in her eyes might be an advantage of virtual reality.

In the midst of the rough nature, she stood, a woman adjusting her outfit.

She was Ji-Ye, who had recently been officially selected to conduct league interviews starting this next season.

The gear she wore was an overexposed Dark Sorcerer’s Set.

While her movements seemed agile, the wide-open top and the gaps in the fabric showed glimpses of her white skin… a costume that could definitely be deemed provocative.

It could be said that she was dressed somewhat inadequately for a gamer participating in the Friede Raid.

In reality, though she wielded no weapon, she observed her surroundings leisurely, her eyes sparkling with interest and curiosity.

“Ready, okay.”

Including the virtual reality cameras she had prepared, everything was perfectly set up.

Amidst her thorough preparations, a sigh of regret escaped her lips as she gazed at the grand army.

“Ah, why did I have a schedule right then….”

She had recently seen the highlights of Friede, who had slaughtered hardcore users.

How sorrowful it had been to watch those humiliating compilation videos on the internet, twisted and brutal reactions…

If only she had caught Friede’s schedule earlier, she could have shown her face for the interview.

Ji-Ye recalled the memory of seeing Friede’s face in reality.

Even to her, Friede’s body and face were so beautiful, they were hard to believe to belong to a mere human.

They had been friendly enough to add each other, but as of now, she had never received a single message from her since then.

Was it just a casual connection, or did she entirely draw the line with everyone but a few acquaintances?

Given Friede’s actions since that event, it appeared more likely to be the latter, but Ji-Ye couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed that there hadn’t even been a business message from her.

‘Still…’

She’s quite an amazing person.

Thus, it was easy to understand the feelings of the hundreds gathered before her.

With just the slightest movement of a popular person, those around couldn’t help but go wild.

Not to mention, the ‘Friede Raid’, masquerading as a fan meeting, was the main event, wasn’t it?

Even a simple event, with a popular streamer adding a bit of flair, could generate this kind of fervor.

How long had it been since this seemingly defunct content, the Soul Warfare war map, had seen such vitality?

For a simple declaration of a fan meeting by a mere streamer, it had an overwhelmingly powerful ripple effect.

“The official war map has been neglected for half a year, but with one announcement from a streamer, everything changes.”

The war mode had initially gained acclaim, but soon withered for various reasons.

For example, it was hard to muster the minimum required players, and even though it was a war mode, there was a complete lack of strategic elements tied to objects or maps.

It was nothing but a large-scale slaughter on an expansive battlefield.

At first, it seemed as exciting and convoluted as a maze-like team map, but that popularity vanished like a mirage soon after.

Of course, the player base wasn’t entirely wiped out. There seemed to be a special charm in large-scale warfare in virtual reality, known only to those who played.

Some clans even made the war a main content.

But that was just a league for a small number of enthusiasts.

Yet, right at this moment, this vast, desolate plain was brimming with the lifeblood of many fallen souls.

At this level, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it gathered the greatest of the Soul Warfare players in Korea.

Most of them being rankers or players of similar skill. The proof of their prowess sparkled above every participant’s head.

Initially, it had merely been an impulsive boast from a fan wanting to show off their tier among fans.

So they displayed their tier marks, which sparked other players’ competitive spirits, leading to a tier mark certification show-off that left a majority of the mediocre players behind.

In effect, only the crème de la crème gathered here.

“Ugh, it’s sparkling. This isn’t some hair loss light, what the heck.”

Complaining, but at the same time, her anticipation for the approaching raid made her lips curl upward.

She hadn’t thoughtlessly organized this fan meeting masquerading as a raid; surely there were hidden strategies… that indicated some secret weapon.

Before the official schedule began, during this closing preseason.

To decorate the end with splendor, she would give it her all.

As the time came, Ji-Ye, who had started her broadcast, called out.

“Yes, hello! The Soul Warfare real broadcast interviewer, Ji-Ye here!”