[Room host, open the door!]
[Accept new members!]
[Newbies are trash… Acting all high and mighty when they’re just a bunch of washed-up veterans]
[Wow, the arena is packed]
[Lol, someone might think the official league just started]
With a signal from the staff, the commentators appeared, marking the official start of the pre-event broadcast.
“Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Pro vs. Streamer Showdown, hosted by STK and sponsored by Apibellno! I’m your caster, Shin Seunghwan!”
Normally, the Warfare Mark Arena would remain silent until the next season’s league began.
But today, that expectation was completely shattered by the deafening cheers that filled the stadium.
The audience was divided into two factions—one side supporting Team STK, while the other cheered for the streamers.
They waved cheer signs and banners with slogans, creating a lively and chaotic atmosphere.
Meanwhile, STK’s official channel was flooded with an overwhelming wave of unseen messages in chat.
It was only natural.
The foundation of this event was none other than Team STK, the world’s top team.
With a reputation befitting its title, the team had an enormous fanbase, which meant they could easily draw a massive live audience.
As for the opposing streamers, most of them also had dedicated fan followings.
With the combined support from the esports team’s fans, the streamers’ fans, and casual spectators curious during the off-season, the event was off to a spectacular start.
The only downside, from the organizers’ perspective, was that they hadn’t been able to build up the event as ideally as they had hoped.
“If only the schedule had been more flexible, we could’ve given the streamer team more time to practice… Such a shame.”
A staff member let out a sigh as they reviewed the participant list.
The event had been organized in such a rush that, while it wasn’t an issue for the professional team, the streamer team had no time to practice together.
If there had been enough time, they would have included a training period for the streamer team before the event.
It would have been fascinating to watch them form bonds, develop rivalries, and cooperate—all aspects of human relationships put on full display.
That kind of buildup would have made for incredible content.
But now, it was too late to dwell on it.
“It can’t be helped. We’re already approaching the time when teams need to start preparing for the next season, so we couldn’t drag this out too long.”
“Still, it’s a pity. The lineup of streamers in this event is absolutely top-tier.”
“Alright, alright. That’s enough complaints. Let’s get back to the schedule! Full speed ahead, no breaks!”
“Got it!”
There would be more opportunities in the future.
For the next off-season, they could plan a more polished event with ample time for preparation.
For now, they just had to treat this as a kind of demonstration.
The broadcast was running smoothly.
The only issue was the chat.
Since the event brought together fans of both the pro team and the streamers, the chat was exploding with a level of activity on par with a major league match.
Even before the broadcast started, the waiting audience had already reached tens of thousands.
Now that the event was live, more and more viewers kept pouring in, making it nearly impossible to have a normal chat experience.
In the end, they had to set a three-minute cooldown for messages, but even that wasn’t enough to stop the flood of texts and emotes.
‘Had there ever been an unofficial gaming event that drew this much attention?’
Ah, actually, there was one.
The brawl tournament, when Friede and Lotus faced off.
That was just as wild. No, this might be even bigger.
Speaking of which, Friede was participating in this event too.
I wonder how she’ll do.
‘This is her first time in an offline event… Will she be okay?’
If STK’s star player was Lotus, then the streamers’ ace was Friede.
Lotus was a battle-hardened veteran, so there was no concern about her performance.
But Friede, who had only ever streamed from the comfort of her room, was stepping onto a massive stage for the first time.
From what I’ve seen of her broadcasts, she should be able to handle it without any issues, but…
‘Ah, it’s time already…’
Snapping out of my thoughts, I refocused.
This wasn’t the place for distractions.
Time to bring out the main players.
“Introducing Team STK!”
With the commentator’s announcement, dazzling lights flashed, effects burst, and smoke billowed as the STK players emerged from one of the tunnels.
[Warden, I’m counting on you! Protect my position!]
[Lotus, you better get revenge on Friede this time]
[Lol, how are a bunch of streamers supposed to win this?]
[With Friede here, it’s practically a done deal]
The cheers from the audience were deafening, and the chat was in a frenzy.
The focus of attention was particularly on Warden and Lotus.
“One by one, STK makes their entrance! Walking in with the confidence befitting the strongest team. Analyst Joo Seokhyun, what’s your take?”
“Well, STK is, without a doubt, the best team out there. They’ve dominated both domestic and international leagues—there’s practically no team that can stand against them. The lineup of Warden, Seokgulam, and Lotus is often called the ‘Miracle Generation,’ right? But despite their invincible reputation, they suffered a major humiliation, even if it was an unofficial tournament.”
“That was during the brawl tournament when Lotus lost to Friede. Now, the big question is whether Lotus can take revenge and how the team will support her in doing so.”
As the commentators spoke, the camera zoomed in on each STK player’s face.
Whenever a particular player appeared on screen, their fans erupted into loud cheers.
The team members took it all in stride, their expressions calm and composed, clearly accustomed to the spotlight.
***
“Now, let’s turn our attention to the other side—Team Streamer!”
“Team Streamer is, as the name suggests, a hastily assembled team of streamers. Naturally, their teamwork is bound to be lacking. However, every single one of them is a high-tier challenger-level player. In other words, they are amateur elites who could easily aim for a pro career.”
“The question is, can their bold plays and clever strategies from solo queue translate into an impressive performance against a professional team?”
“Especially in Friede ‘s case, she’s known for completely bridging the gap between amateur and pro-level play. She already crushed Lotus in their last encounter, proving herself to be one of the top-tier players in Soul Warfare. While this is a revenge match for Lotus, I’m personally curious to see how Warden will handle Friede.”
“Exactly. People are still talking about Friede, Lotus, and Seokgulam’s trio rampaging through ranked matches recently. And since Friede was at the center of that, I can’t wait to see if we’ll get an epic showdown between her and Warden.”
[Here comes the big one!]
[Friede onee-chan ã… ã… ]
[Let’s see how much of her looks are just makeup]
[Do you seriously think top-tier Friede is just average?]
[No, she’s god-tier]
[Man, the way you guys talk makes me want to punch you all lol]
As the lights dimmed and the commentators continued their analysis, one by one, Team Streamer made their entrance.
When the camera switched to capture them, a wave of cheers erupted from the opposite side of the audience.
It was likely the streamer fans showing their support.
Though it wasn’t quite at the same level as the pro team’s cheering section, the enthusiasm was still strong.
There had been concerns about whether they’d get any audience response at all, but this was more than decent.
The only odd thing… was their gait.
If it had been just one person, it might not have been noticeable, but the whole team was walking strangely—almost waddling like penguins.
It was bizarre, to say the least.
Just as I dismissed it as a minor issue—
“She’s coming!”
A voice tore through the crowd, loud and sharp enough to be heard by the staff, the audience, the commentators, and even the players on stage.
Even those watching the broadcast at home must have picked up on it.
‘What was coming?’
Ah.
The answer clicked in everyone’s minds almost simultaneously.
The last player for Team Streamer was about to make her entrance.
***
People often said my outfit was too revealing.
That I was too distracting.
Even the most thick-skinned person would start to get self-conscious after hearing it enough times.
Jiyoung optimistically reassured me, saying that even being a distraction could be done with class.
But as time passed, as the moment of the match drew closer, the atmosphere didn’t settle.
‘If this continued, wouldn’t it become a real issue?’
I was here as a player, not to ruin the tournament as some kind of troll.
‘It’s not like I chose to look like this.’
I kept my thoughts to myself, unable to voice my frustration with my teammates standing beside me.
Of course, I couldn’t say I wasn’t resentful.
It wasn’t like I had customized my face like a game character.
This appearance wasn’t something I had control over.
***
“Now, let’s turn our attention to the other side—Team Streamer!”
Beyond the stage, the commentators’ announcement rang out as the doors opened.
I watched as my teammates hurriedly stepped forward, almost as if they were escaping.
Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself.
Everyone’s eyes were on me now.
Even the camera beside me was capturing every move.
Ah.
‘They had already started filming, huh?’
‘If my presence was causing this much of a stir, then it was also my responsibility to calm things down.’
‘That was what a true champion should do.’
With that thought in mind, I stepped forward, turned to the camera, and flashed a playful smile.
“Tehe~!★”