Former Hero Streamer – Chapter 83

The Reason I Chose the Holy Light Sword

There wasn’t really a big reason for choosing the Holy Light Sword.

It was purely because of fan service, which was about as straightforward as it gets.

I took a peek in the waiting room earlier, and it seemed like the first set looked way cooler than I expected.

And… the clips and GIFs edited from the first set were enjoyable even from my perspective.

The weapon itself boasted flashy effects typical of Soul Warfare.

For the second set, I felt satisfied wielding the Broken Greatsword, so I thought that was alright.

But now looking at Lotus’s weapon, I could tell how twisted our thoughts and positions had become.

—Boom!

Lotus skillfully deflected the attack with her Holy Sword, narrowly blocking the edge of the Broken Greatsword.

Already a minute had passed, but my final three sets with Lotus had gone beyond the stage of thinking strategies and executing plans…

That feeling was palpable.

Since Lotus wasn’t really a user who utilized the Broken Greatsword, it had lost its sharpness from the first set comparison a long time ago.

No matter how sharp instincts and senses may be honed, there’s a definite limit.

It was like that sword I currently held, and that thought blossomed in my mind.

On the other hand, it felt somewhat unfamiliar.

I had never faced a Broken Greatsword as an enemy before, so there was something ironic about facing off against a professional gamer like Lotus with this weapon.

‘Ah, I see.’

Were all those I had faced before in such a spectacle?

While I knew that reflecting on such thoughts while facing an opponent wasn’t polite,

Still, I couldn’t help but get lost in such musings.

“Huh!”

Lotus must have sensed an opening, or thought she had to act now,

And she launched a pretty stiff powerful strike.

In the end, the only thing this weapon could do was time its attacks.

With no room for parrying left on the Broken Greatsword, only the most monotonous attacks remained.

As I blocked with the Holy Sword, the blades of our weapons intertwined, erupting with impact.

Gripping the handle of the Holy Sword tightly, I said,

“Don’t give up.”

“?!”

“I haven’t given up either.”

This was it.

Pushing the sword away, we distanced ourselves once more.

Whether she would rise again or crumble was entirely up to her.

As I focused on that thought, observing Lotus from afar, her expression was… quite calm.

She clearly had shown panic during the weapon cross at the start.

But the blunt play I witnessed now surely signaled that she was falling apart.

Yet in her eyes, regardless of how shaky and precarious they appeared,

There was a light that absolutely refused to give up on the fight.

‘That’s a good spirit.’

Smiling, I manipulated the console during our duel.

For the best praise to respond to this battle and Lotus’s spirit.

That was….

* * *

My mind was a mess.

Though the weapon had changed, I could say it was now an equal stance compared to the previous sets.

But Lotus thought that was merely a retrospective view.

Even if we weren’t fighting with the same weapons, she had wanted to fight with equally matched gear at the very least.

What truly mattered was the process and the fleeting moment of battle.

Just like the first set.

But….

“Huh!”

Due to mental disturbance, her powerful attack came out clumsily.

The Broken Greatsword struck against the Holy Sword with all its might.

It turned into a tug-of-war of force.

The clash between the two blades released a burst of energy, and I felt a strange clarity of mind.

It was at that moment.

“Don’t give up.”

“?!”

“I haven’t given up either.”

Don’t give up, on what exactly?

Even as I held the sword, that question surfaced above the surface of my mind.

‘Ah!’

I was finally seeing the Broken Greatsword in my hands for what it truly was.

Old, rusty, with a chipped blade and a diagonal break in the sword body.

Somehow, this sword reminded me of Lotus herself.

Just like the Broken Greatsword, had its owner also become dull, perhaps distorted?

‘How foolish.’

Just like the current Friede and Holy Sword, there was nothing radiantly breathtaking about either.

Even though they were technically the same weapon, the Broken Greatsword now seemed utterly insignificant compared to the last set.

‘Dismantle.’

I felt broken. And….

‘I can’t stop.’

It often happened in games, like now, when things just wouldn’t go as planned.

In such circumstances, a typical player would likely just give up on the game.

Just like them, I couldn’t let go.

My pride, which had always pushed me to face challenges head-on since my debut as a professional gamer, wouldn’t permit it.

No, if I had merely complained about the game, I wouldn’t have been able to become a professional gamer in the first place.

If one was a professional gamer, they wouldn’t give up on the negative aspects of the game…

‘They push through.’

As Friede pushed my sword away, we once again distanced ourselves, reverting to a standoff.

This was clearly a tangled ban-pick, a complicated situation.

Such a nasty, tangled day would likely be a rare occurrence in one’s life.

Even though the sensation of wielding the weapon wasn’t as sharp or precise as in the last set,

Lotus couldn’t afford to surrender the match.

She should have let go of her obsession from the beginning and fought as she was.

Realizing this now, the obvious truth felt like a revelation.

With a wry smile, my chaotic thoughts settled, calming like a still lake.

At that moment, an unusual occurrence happened before me regarding Friede.

‘What’s that?’

Even from a distance, that gesture was something Lotus was familiar with.

It was a common salutation before battle—an opening bow performed before the fight began.

She could have expressed it with her body, but she had instead done so through the console….

“Kugh!”

I couldn’t help but laugh, and Lotus too manipulated the console to express the same gesture.

Both swords pointing towards each other, she bent her right arm over her shoulder, holding her sword with her left arm.

In a world already crumbling, amidst the blood-stained battles where people lived and died,

It was the last courtesy we could extend to each other,

A ritual of immortals.

After we both bowed ceremoniously, we quickly readied ourselves.

And for the final exchange, the two warriors leaped toward each other.

‘Well… considering the ending of an obsessed woman’s tale…’

The Holy Sword and the Broken Greatsword extended from our hands,

‘Not bad at all.’

As the two players’ bodies crossed,

A small smile graced Lotus’s lips.

* * *

[Friede! Godlide! Hwanglide! Kinglide! What else is there?]

[Cut it out, you idiot.]

[Do you even know who I am? I’m the founding hero who was there since Friede’s first live stream, ahem.]

[Did you create the channel? Don’t brag about being a founding hero, lol.]

[Friede and Lotus… Shouldn’t they be friends instead of fighting?]

[This guy’s definitely getting sued.]

[As long as it’s not me~]

The heated atmosphere in the chat was on the verge of erupting, like it was one pinch away from a meltdown.

Just adding one more viewer would likely cause the chat to explode.

That intensity in the chat atmosphere created a rising current, stimulating the commentators with excitement and enthusiasm.

“Yes! That was an incredible match! But matches are always merciless, dividing winners and losers. This time, the ultimate victor of the STK brawl tournament is… Friede! Let’s connect to the field with Jiyé for an interview with the champion. Friede, congratulations on your victory.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The calm voice of Friede resonated through the mic, and the viewers exploded with excitement.

[Sister!!!!]

[Her voice is so euphoric! Yes!]

[So good!]

[Wait, is Friede’s voice like that in real life? The audience will definitely be blown away!]

[I’m just hearing it for the first time today… There’s definitely a reason Friede sings Friede.]

The commentators took turns firing off organized questions while recapping the game’s events.

Impressions of her victory over Lotus,

The reasons for choosing the Holy Light Sword and the Broken Greatsword,

Her feelings when they performed the ritual of the immortals at the end of the duel,

And finally….

“Yes, thank you so much for your sincere answers in the interview. Finally, the last question. There are many people looking forward to whether Friede will turn pro. Considering you’ve even defeated Lotus, many say you have enough competitive edge to be in the pro league. With that rising attention on you, could you say a few words about it?”

“Ah, um. Well…”

Pro debut,

Friede had never thought about becoming a professional gamer.

As a streamer, satisfying personal desires to gain attention was more than enough,

And to gather heroes, this option with greater freedom than being a professional gamer was more attractive.

So, as she unconsciously tried to speak out against her thoughts of having no desire,

“I’m currently doing an internet broadcast. For now, I’m satisfied with just the broadcast, so there are no plans for a pro debut.”

“Ah, that’s a pity. Thank you for showing such a wonderful appearance in the tournament. This has been your commentator.”

With that neutral tone, the commentators, the audience in the arena, and the chat all sighed in disappointment.

After enduring the bittersweet taste inside, the commentary interview ended, and Jiye took back the baton.

Well, since it was the final segment, the tension from previous interviews was gone.

On the flip side, Jiye too felt a larger sense of disappointment.

‘It would have been great if she turned pro.’

Couldn’t an amazing newcomer gamer have come into existence?

A professional gamer who could surpass the existing Warden and Lotus, opening up a new era.

But since she herself wasn’t interested, it was ultimately like a vein of gold that no one could mine.

After dropping the imaginative thoughts, it was time to return to reality.

“There are likely many who had high hopes imagining Friede as a professional player… Ah, that’s really disappointing. Let me ask for a closing message, Friede, if you would please leave us with a final word.”

“Ah, closing. Um.”

Friede slightly lifted the visor of her helmet towards the camera.

“Please love my stream a lot.”

As her lower eyelashes were barely hidden, creating a subtle egg-like ghost effect, Friede’s red lips broke into a soft smile.