A sharp trajectory traced the air like an artist weaving strokes through the void.
Warden’s body had already passed through where Friede had been, as if piercing straight through her.
A moment of gasps and screams followed, then an eerie silence settled over the scene.
A few seconds later, an unexpected change appeared on the game screen before the audience’s eyes.
Everyone thought it was over.
That this strike would bring Friede down.
After all, executing a battle skill with such perfect timing was practically Warden’s finishing move.
Yet, the one involved was overwhelmed with a completely different emotion.
The feeling reflected in Warden’s eyes as he turned to look at Friede—
“You dodged it?”
How many times had he spoken his emotions out loud while playing a game?
That’s how unbelievable this situation was.
A monstrous ability that allowed someone to evade this weapon’s battle skill purely with physical reflexes.
***
[Ah, what just happened? Warden’s finishing attack has been rendered useless!]
[Well… The battle skill seemed to land with perfect timing. Did I see that wrong? I think we need to check the replay.]
Even the commentators, witnessing the scene firsthand, were left in doubt, confusion, and disbelief rather than admiration.
It was beyond their comprehension.
After all, Warden’s mastery of his weapon’s battle skills had reached an unparalleled level.
Even those who didn’t actively play the game could recognize it.
From the perspective of those who had watched Warden’s gameplay in countless professional matches, that strike had been executed with absolute perfection.
So why was Friede completely unharmed?
The replay footage played on the screen.
Warden’s attack had indeed been delivered flawlessly, his sword leaving behind multiple streaks of slashes.
But—
[Ah, she dodged it.]
Even if the timing had been slightly off, the attack should have still connected within the hitbox.
Yet, her body moved with such swift, acrobatic precision that it felt surreal.
It was an absurd sight.
***
[WTF? What is this?]
[! Friede’s POV]
[! Warden’s POV]
[SUHO-sensei, are you watching? Friede is definitely hacking.]
[I didn’t realize it was spring until the flowers bloomed.]
[Friede’s POV is making me dizzy as hell, WTF.]
[Stop calling her a hacker, or I’ll shove a nuke down your throat.]
[Does this even make sense? How the hell did she dodge that move like that?]
[The simplest claymore battle skill is easy to dodge even when used blatantly.]
[They said it was impossible to parry, not impossible to evade.]
[Do you think Warden’s battle skill is a joke?]
[Against Friede, it kinda is.]
[LMAO]
The once-quiet chat window erupted into chaos the moment the replay ended.
Some viewers had been watching from Friede’s or Warden’s personal perspectives.
Even they only fully understood what had just transpired after seeing the replay.
Their shock was inevitable.
Like a breath forcing its way through a blocked throat, like tense muscles finally relaxing, The whirlwind of combat left behind an exhaustion tinged with exhilaration.
Friede’s gameplay was always like this.
Flawless, dazzling movements that never faltered.
Even when she was cornered, it was usually under circumstances so overwhelmingly unfair that no other gamer could have overcome them—making her prowess all the more remarkable.
***
“Hoo…”
A weighted sigh escaped Friede’s crimson lips like mist.
“That was close.”
She smiled.
For some reason, a chill ran down the back of Warden’s neck at that expression.
That smile wasn’t born from a sense of accomplishment or pride in her own skill.
Her eyes burned with an eerie, blue flame.
“……!”
Friede’s figure flickered, leaving behind faint afterimages.
It was different from her usual movements—like a gear shifting into overdrive, the sudden surge in speed was almost unnatural.
Warden raised his sword, not based on clear perception but on sheer instinct within the uncertainty.
Clang!
A sharp metallic clash rang out, piercing his ears.
It was just a downward slash, but the speed was comparable to a battle skill specializing in quick draws.
Their weapons weren’t significantly different in size, so blocking the sword’s trajectory should have been enough.
Deflecting the holy sword, Warden let it slide along his blade while closing the distance between them.
This was his range.
His domain.
With that certainty—
He swung his greatsword upward in a sweeping attack.
Normally, Friede would have dodged with a backstep or a roll.
But instead, a dull impact struck from below just as Warden charged in.
It was like being hammered.
His vision wavered.
Friede had driven her knee upward, using her armor as a weapon.
The sudden strike left a brief opening in Warden’s charge.
Normally, he would have taken advantage of the longer reach of his greatsword to create distance.
But Friede’s response was the exact opposite.
With their weapons locked together, she suddenly pushed forward, forcefully accelerating.
Unbalanced by the unexpected impact, Warden stumbled back several steps.
Eventually, he had no choice but to backstep to regain his stance.
And yet—an eerie sensation tingled down the back of his neck.
Snapping his head up, he found the gleaming tip of a sword aimed straight at him.
‘She threw her weapon?’
‘Why had she thrown it?’
‘What move was Friede planning next?’
There was no time to think.
With the blade rapidly approaching his face, logic was irrelevant—he could only twist his body desperately to evade.
Right into Friede’s—
Thud!
A direct body blow.
Even through his armor, the impact sounded solid and satisfying in a way that made his stomach turn.
‘Damn it!’
Though the damage wasn’t critical, his stamina and stun gauge were depleting at a ridiculous rate.
Even in a virtual reality setting, the creeping darkness in his vision was unbearable.
Grinding his teeth, Warden forced himself to endure.
Accumulated impact.
His status teetering on the brink of groggy mode.
Deliberately throwing a melee weapon was an act of desperation, something only a completely cornered player would do in a last-ditch effort.
But for Friede—
It was a calculated move.
Friede had no intention of engaging in a straightforward swordfight anymore.
Her merciless fists shot forward like lightning bolts.
Especially her attacks aimed at Warden’s neck—strikes designed to ensure a groggy state.
Even if he wanted to counter, she was too close.
There was no way to maneuver his sword effectively.
The sheer speed of her movements made it impossible to gain distance.
An utterly one-sided battle, as unfair as it was relentless.
From his perspective, it was a nightmarish situation.
At this point, the weapons—the Radiant Holy Sword, the Split Blade—had lost all significance.
Letting go of his sword, Warden threw a punch of his own.
Thud!
Friede’s cross-counter struck home.
As the decisive blow landed, Warden was stunned and thrown into a groggy state.
Friede picked up the Holy Sword she had dropped earlier and raised it high.
Shiiing—
Light gathered at the blade, its edges vibrating with power.
Brilliant radiance flooded the battlefield, shaking the very air.
A manifestation of divine authority—something rarely seen in Soul Warfare, a game known for its grounded, technique-driven combat.
Like the blooming of a lotus in the midst of a brawl, Warden was swept away by the Holy Sword’s light.
***
[STK got absolutely obliterated]
[Who are we? The viewers of Friede, the greatest Soul Warfare streamer! Who are we? The viewers of Friede, the greatest Soul Warfare streamer! Who are we? The viewers of Friede, the greatest Soul Warfare streamer!]
[Honestly, Warden got taken down even easier than Lotus.]
[Compared to the tournament, this feels a bit anticlimactic.]
[Warden got schooled with those punches. I kinda feel bad for him.]
[If Warden starts declining with age, STK is screwed lol]
[It’s not just Warden. Everyone got steamrolled by Friede alone.]
[If it weren’t for Friede, the streamer team would’ve been crushed.]
[Yeah, STK had the lead up until the middle. Their mechanics were superior too. Friede just solo-carried.]
[It’s just an event match. Why take it so seriously? Just have fun.]
[Pure entertainment value lmao]
[Friede should just go pro at this point.]
Friede didn’t even need to check the chat to know what was being said.
Eunha furrowed her brows slightly, feeling a headache coming on.
Even in an event match, it was frustrating for a professional team to lose to a hastily assembled amateur squad.
Glancing at her teammates, she let out a silent sigh.
They all had blank expressions, as if they couldn’t process what had just happened.
‘Did they get too comfortable because the game had been going smoothly in the early stages?’
No, more than that—
‘It’s because they lost to my sister.’
Even she, who had experience, was left speechless.
The others must be even more dumbfounded.
Friede had taken down Warden, then charged in and wiped out the entire team in a single push.
If this had been an official match, if they had lost like this in the league, Eunha wouldn’t have been able to sleep from frustration.
‘But still… she’s amazing.’
As much as she felt bad for her teammates, the truth was undeniable.
In a one-on-one match between Warden and Friede, the clear favorite was her sister.
If anything, Warden winning would have been the real upset.
When the message announcing Friede’s victory flashed on the scoreboard, Eunha had planned to do everything in her power to stop her sister from advancing.
Without Friede, the streamer team wasn’t a significant threat.
Even if it was tough, they just needed to hold out until Warden respawned.
But all of that planning was meaningless.
The moment Friede rejoined her team, the match became completely one-sided, ending in their defeat.
There was no stopping her.
Her overwhelming power made resistance futile.
‘Had she been holding back in the tournament and ranked games?’
‘She’s not some hidden powerhouse or anything.’
But she kept revealing new layers of her skill, like peeling an onion.
At this point, it was getting exhausting just trying to keep up.
***
“Alright! Now let’s hear from Friede, who just gave us an incredible match!”
The interviewer, Jiyoung, spoke with energetic enthusiasm, her voice ringing through the stadium.
“Friede, you took down Lotus, then STK, and finally Warden. Can you share your thoughts on the game?”
“Ah, it was definitely a tough match. The early-game strategy, the opponent’s skills—everyone played so well that… I think this might have been the hardest game I’ve played so far.”
“But to be honest, it kind of felt like you single-handedly dismantled STK, including Warden. What are your thoughts on that?”
“I think the game played out the way it did because STK’s players were having fun with the event match. Even Lotus was more relaxed compared to the tournament. Warden too. If this had been a league match, I don’t think I’d be the one giving the victory interview right now.”
‘Bullshit, sis. We started tryharding halfway through, and we still lost.’
But whatever.
‘If her sister won, that was good enough.’
Recognizing the clear sportsmanship in Friede’s interview, Eunha decided not to dwell on it.
As a pro, she had some frustrating thoughts, but she suppressed a smirk at her sister’s well-crafted response.