Former Hero Streamer – Chapter 224

Is this a lucid dream?

I looked around, but nothing caught my attention, floating like a fish in the abyss.

Just as I began to feel the frustration of swimming alone in this formless space, a bright light shone from above, illuminating the world.

It was as if something began to exist in the world like the famous phrase, “Let there be light.”

The first scene before the galaxy’s eyes was the summoning of a Hero.

However, it was hard to call it a typical summoning ceremony.

The magician, engineer, and scholars, who had poured their heart into the Hero summoning, had fallen to the ground, lifeless cold corpses.

It wasn’t because they were incompetent, lazy, or had ulterior motives.

In their desperate resistance, they were simply inadequate to stop the deeply entrenched cultist terrorists.

All mortal races had rotted and become arrogant long before the Demon King descended.

They fought among themselves for profit, waging wars on a national and tribal scale.

The blessings and grace of the gods, and their faith, dimmed with each passing day.

The Demon King bided his time, not revealing himself prematurely. Instead, he waited until they corrupted and killed each other, weakening and collapsing under their own sickness.

And when the time came for the demons to reveal themselves, all mortal races were swept away without a chance.

The great empire of humankind, the ancient world tree of the elves, the largest forge of the dwarves, and the sacred lairs of dragons were all wiped out.

This civilization and this world had lost the power to overcome the Demon King on their own, so only then did all races, coming to their senses too late, delve into the long-avoided task of summoning a Hero.

But even this was perhaps a cruel trial of fate….

As seen now, the summoning of the Hero was not completed in time.

The cultist terrorists, followers of the Demon King, were deeply rooted in the corruption and decay, attacking the most sacred ritual of summoning a Hero.

Failure in coordination meant that the summoning would take a long time to complete. A very long, too long time….

And by the time the Hero was barely summoned, the tide of battle had already turned overwhelmingly against them.

The familiar story followed.

The summoned Hero, Eunha, led the last resistance against the Demon King, but ultimately could not prevent the world’s destruction.

Even as Eunha fought until the end, igniting the final sparks of resistance, she could not defeat the Demon King, and afterward, was forcibly returned, her soul ripped away.

In the despairing future of that monster descending upon Earth, she could not close her eyes, even in the pain of her soul being torn away.

As her arm lifted instinctively, she ultimately realized the futility, only to gaze at her despair with sad eyes.

* * *

Having awakened from the dream, I closed my eyes for a moment, retracing the memories of the dream.

Familiar faces, familiar streets, familiar world.

The faces of people who burned their last will and yet didn’t lose their kindness rose to my mind.

These were clear memories, not the stories of others read in fairy tales.

Is that why?

They say there’s a moment when you realize it’s the end.

Without the grand filtration of a galloping horse, a simple thought just pops up; “Ah, I’m going to die soon.”

It’s a similar feeling to knowing the plot of a movie and predicting the next scene.

“……”

One day felt just like any other, but as I opened my eyes clearly, that feeling suddenly arose.

Ah, today is the day I die.

My body, my health, was normal. I had the stamina of steel, with no aches whatsoever.

The issue with my soul that my sister mentioned… was nearing the time for a recharge but wasn’t urgent.

Yet, the thought that today could be the last suddenly came to mind.

‘How strange.’

After finishing a long yawn, I chuckled faintly. Despite sensing my end, I wasn’t scared.

Rather, I felt remarkably calm, to the point where I found it strange to be so detached.

Was I such a composed person?

‘No, that’s not it.’

I’m not some enlightened Buddha who has comprehended everything to this degree of indifference.

Eunha stretched her entire body with vigor as she got off the bed.

“Here we go!”

The youthful vitality coursed through her body like a wild frenzy.

The weather was sunny, and my condition was at its peak. There was no way I could feel bad about it, yet somehow, like a shadow trailing behind me, the uneasy feeling lingered stubbornly in the corners of my mind.

So this was… an ‘instinct.’

An instinct as a Hero. It was ringing the alarm bell.

‘Today, you will die. There’s no escaping it.’

It was a chillingly simple warning, and with its utterly bland content, a deep sigh escaped me.

Anyway, it’s the last day of my life….

‘Suddenly, my grandmother comes to mind.’

Once, my grandmother stayed at Eunha’s house for a while.

Grandpa had passed away long ago, and it was my father’s wish not to leave her alone in the countryside.

Before she passed, one dawn, I went to the bathroom, and feeling a prick in my neck, I turned to find her sitting idly in the living room.

I asked if she felt uncomfortable, but she just smiled and said she was fine.

Her manner was so calm and composed that it felt a bit strange, but at that moment, I thought nothing of it.

Then, the next morning, she quietly closed her eyes for the last time.

Thinking back, did my grandmother realize that day would be her last while telling me to live healthily and happily?

Was that her last blessing for her granddaughter, delivered with such serenity?

‘Maybe that’s the case.’

Perhaps it was a dream interpretation, but I chose to believe that for now.

I couldn’t help but smile ruefully at the thought that it could only be understood in hindsight.

* * *

“Something big is coming.”

Everyone looked at me in shock.

What’s wrong, why are they like this?

“Ah, um, Sehee, are you in a hurry right now?”

“Eunhee, if you need to go to the bathroom, just go without saying anything.”

“That’s right. Even if it’s the Elder Sister, saying something like that isn’t right.”

“To be honest, if it’s a, um, poopy problem, wouldn’t it be fragrant?”

“Ah, you crazy guy. You’ve finally gone mad. Truly eating feces now.”

What? Did they misunderstand that something big is coming as me needing to drop a deuce?

I was so dumbfounded that my brain momentarily halted. This kind of absurdity felt unprecedented, even in this world. It was indeed a commemorative day.

“That’s not it. I just have a bad feeling.”

“A bad feeling?”

“It’s not serious, but it’s somewhat concerning.”

The big thing I mentioned didn’t mean that; it referred to… something foretelling an event.

I was certain something would happen soon.

Since returning, it was the first time my Hero instincts manifested so openly like this.

‘Is something going to happen to Eunha?’

Calculating roughly, there was still time before Eunha needed to recharge.

Even at the very least, there should be a week remaining.

So, there couldn’t be a feeling like “Something big is coming, lol, look forward to it.”

I might have just been overthinking things.

Maybe I could just ignore it.

While I was about to swallow the bait that rang the alarm, my eyes fell on everyone comfortably chatting away.

Dahyung, who finally became the corporate streamer I dreamed of after the broadcast went well.

Ahjin, who quickly handled editing and would break her curse and transition into a confident mode within a year.

Yuri, who would likewise return to her family’s arms within a year as her curse was lifted.

Ji Hwa, who was alone but was comfortably rebuilding her future.

Honestly, saying this felt like self-praise and was a bit embarrassing, but… I would proudly say that the biggest share in this pleasing scene was mine.

So, since I brought this peace, I realized that the responsibility to see it through rested with me too.

I didn’t know what the forewarning meant, but if something were to happen, I needed to prepare enough to maintain our current way of life.

At that moment, my phone rang. Who was it?

Looking at the screen, it just read ‘Eunha’ flashing.

‘Ah, right.’

I remembered today was the day of the STK match. Was she calling about that?

“Hey, Eunha, it’s me. Today’s the match, right?”

[Ah, yeah. Right. I called before I leave.]

As expected, that was it.

Since there was no special issue, I felt my tense mind slightly relax.

“How’s your condition? Are you okay? I heard you’re facing a strong team?”

[Yeah, it couldn’t be better. I’m gunning for the solo MVP today, so watch me.]

There didn’t seem to be any problems in her voice. So it appeared there wasn’t anything to worry about.

[Ah, Sister. I have to hang up now. See you later.]

“Just a moment, Eunha.”

[Yes?]

Since there seemed to be no issues, I thought it would be fine to hang up when I casually called out Eunha.

It was a call that slipped out without filtering through my brain, and I was momentarily taken aback by what I had said.

“Is something wrong?”

[Huh? I’m fine, though. Thanks for worrying about me.]

Right, that’s it.

I might have been overly cautious, worrying too much.

“Okay. Let’s talk later.”

Once the call ended, Dahyung, who had been silently observing, pouted her lips and asked.

“Is it Eunha?”

“Yeah, she called about the match today.”

“She has her teammates to care for her. Why disturb you like this?”

I sensed an unusual tension from her whenever Eunha was mentioned since the performance in the Antarctic band, and it made me slightly worried.

It wasn’t serious, but if I had to pinpoint it, it felt a bit like jealousy. Anyway, I hoped it would smooth out over time.

But for now, let’s focus on the more critical matters.

‘I’ve got to wrap things up today.’

For the sake of preserving my current connections and peace….

With a small resolve in mind, I decided to take immediate action.

* * *