Cloud Fall wasn’t really a specialty for either streamers or pro teams, so there was none of that intense, calculated fighting like in Soul Warfare.
It felt like everyone, myself included, had collectively decided to become free-spirited trolls in this moment, as if we were blowing off steam from previous games.
Winning or losing didn’t really matter, but in the end, STK took the victory when Warden finished me off almost by accident.
“Wow, when Lotus showed up at the start, I really thought we were gonna lose, but the moment Friede marked Warden for elimination, I couldn’t help but cheer!”
“You led the team so well. Thanks to you, I just had the best game of my life. Thank you, Friede!”
“Do you have any plans for a collab stream?”
“Can I send you a friend request?”
‘Can I call you teacher?’
The flood of questions crashed over me, starting with a review of the event and then shifting to whether I’d be up for collab streams or ranked duos.
Handling the endless stream of gratitude from my streamer teammates was exhausting, to say the least.
At least they weren’t prying into my private life—small mercies.
It was almost hard to believe these were the same people who had been so awkward in the waiting room earlier.
Just one game was enough to shatter any lingering awkwardness.
Honestly, I could go for a drink after that.
After chatting for a while, I finally managed to slip away and retreat to my personal waiting room, where I could finally breathe.
The peace that settled in after all the celebrations was almost too sweet.
Though, to be honest, it wasn’t as fulfilling as the chaos of the tournament.
Maybe because this was just a one-off event? If anything, I felt more exhausted than satisfied—it didn’t feel worth the effort.
I’ll keep that in mind for next time.
***
“Oogogok!”
Stretching my arms, I sank into the couch, finally done with Cloud Fall.
I should’ve just stayed here from the start.
The belated regret stung for no reason.
“You were amazing, as expected of the fearless warrior!”
“Hey, don’t overdo it. She’s exhausted. Here, good job—”
“Thanks.”
“You look tired. Your face is pale.”
“Ah, yeah… a little.”
I took a long gulp of my drink, not to savor the taste but to wash away the lingering fatigue and irritation as quickly as possible.
As the cool liquid soothed my throat, I turned to Dayoung, who was watching me cautiously, and gave her a small smile.
“That Warden guy was good enough to remind me of the old days.”
“Heh… He’s definitely a great player, but enough to make you step up like that?”
‘Regardless of how the game played out, it was true that I went all in.’
‘If I’d held back, Warden could have dragged out our duel and wiped my team, or worse, I could’ve been the one taken down.’
“His counterplay at the start was powerful, no doubt about that.”
“If it had been anyone else, they wouldn’t have survived that attack.”
“Maybe that’s why.”
“It’s kind of ridiculous to get emotionally invested in a VR game, but I was really in the zone.”
“People might scoff at taking a game so seriously, but in that moment, when I dodged his attack, my adrenaline was through the roof.”
I nodded at Dayoung’s comment, understanding her reaction.
“Yeah, but only within the game.”
Warden had managed to recreate the same kind of tension I’d felt countless times in battle back when I was the Hero.
I wasn’t just a gamer trying to win—I was a warrior determined to take down a demon.
No matter how skilled a pro gamer was, they couldn’t break free from the limits of an ordinary human.
Let’s be honest—I was so caught up in the moment, I deserved to be called out for over-immersion.
***
“I saw some of the reactions—people seemed pretty surprised. They thought Warden went down too easily. Though, since all of STK got wiped by you, no one’s outright accusing you of anything.”
Makes sense.
There were bound to be a few people complaining about some “bullshit rocket boost” or whatever, but maybe because this was an unofficial event, it wasn’t a big deal.
Besides, STK’s dominance in Soul Warfare was on par with legendary titles like Stella Craft and Eternal Clash.
After all, they were the only team to ever sweep the Soul Cup, the most prestigious international league.
It’d be ridiculous to say their skills had dropped just because the season ended—Warden was still ranked #1 in solo queue, and most of his teammates were in the top 30.
They were still in their prime.
Just the other day, people were calling them a highlight-reel factory.
If anyone was going to talk trash about STK, then every other pro team that had lost to them would look even worse.
Sure, trolls would try to stir the pot, but there was no way public opinion would actually turn against them.
Which meant… my name would only rise higher.
Not as some amateur taking down a pro team, but as a hidden master overpowering the undisputed champions.
This whole mysterious recluse persona? I liked it.
It suited me.
***
“I recorded everything on my camcorder. This’ll keep your stream covered for at least three days.”
“Oh, right. We were filming a vlog, too.”
Looking again, I realized the camera in Ajin’s hands was still on.
In other words, it was still recording.
Even though I was exhausted from the match, I wondered if it was really necessary to keep filming like this.
But Ajin shook her head and insisted that it was.
Since a vlog was meant to capture everyday life, nothing should be left out, she said.
In the end, I stayed slumped on the couch while checking the schedule for what was next.
The event wasn’t over yet.
***
“Uh… what was it again? We already did the interview, so the only thing left is….”
“The fan meeting.”
“Oh, right. That was still left.”
As the grand finale of this whole event, I had to admit I was looking forward to it.
A fan meeting meant that people had come all this way just to see me, after all.
Of course, since there were also pro teams in the mix, I had to consider how many of them were actually my fans…
‘Oh, whatever.’
I convinced myself that this level of self-confidence was totally reasonable.
The fan meeting was being held separately for pro gamers and streamers.
STK would meet their fans as a team in the lobby, while streamers would each have their own private rooms.
This setup was the organizers’ way of preventing chaos from breaking out if fans for different groups got mixed together.
Aside from me, the other streamers welcomed this arrangement.
They probably weren’t eager to be overshadowed by either STK or me.
Even if they had fewer fans, so what?
Having their own space where they could interact with their supporters made things more comfortable for them.
At least, that’s what they thought.
***
“……”
Gunder, Bisu, and Haldir were in different rooms, but they all felt the same thing.
Ten minutes ago, they had left their waiting area and walked to the block where the fan meetings were being held.
The hum of voices buzzing like a swarm of bees made it clear that both STK’s and my fan meetings were packed.
Well, one was the greatest pro team, and the other was the top female streamer—no surprises there.
It wasn’t something to take personally or feel bad about.
It was just natural.
So, there was no reason to feel any pressure or let it weigh on them.
That’s what they told themselves.
But when they entered their private rooms, something felt wrong.
Sure, they expected the STK room to be crowded, but their own rooms were completely empty except for their editors.
At first, they clung to the hope that fans were just being let in gradually.
But as five, then ten minutes passed, an unsettling realization sank in.
There was no denying it anymore.
A truly miserable and awkward reality.
“Hah… what the hell is this?”
Gunder finally broke the heavy silence with a sigh.
Aside from me, the other streamers had—shockingly—no fans show up.
‘Should he just run over to my fan meeting at this point?’
Gunder seriously considered it.
***
As the fan meeting time approached, I headed to my assigned room with Dayoung and Ajin.
The vlog was still rolling.
Since this was my first-ever fan meeting, my heart was pounding with anticipation.
Of course, I kept reminding myself not to get my hopes up too much.
It was only logical.
‘No matter how popular I was as a streamer, there was no way I’d have more fans than STK, right?’
As we got closer to the venue, I could hear a deep, vibrating hum in the air.
Following the staff’s lead, I stopped in front of a door—too large to really call it a “private room.”
Beyond the walls, I could sense countless presences.
What… is this?
“Why are there so many people?”
Ignoring my question, the staff opened the door.
The moment the door cracked open, my eyes met those of the crowd waiting inside.
And then—
“WAAAAAHHH!!!”
“FRIEDE! FRIEDE!”
“Wow! She looks so pretty in real life!”
“Noona, please sign this!”
“Can I shake your hand?!”
“Hug too!”
“What are you guys even saying, you lunatics?!”
“Ahh, shit! I’m so moved—I think I’m gonna cry.”
“My balls are shaking.”
“Move! I was here first!”
“Unnie! I love you!”
‘I had expected a decent turnout, but this…?’
The deafening roar of the crowd crashed over me like a tidal wave, completely shattering my expectations.