Haldir participated in this tournament solely to boost his personal streaming channel.
After all, he was too old for a professional debut, and winning the championship with his skills was an unattainable dream.
To put it kindly, he was someone who knew his place.
Reaching the finals or even just the quarterfinals would likely bring some traffic to his stream.
When he first saw the tournament bracket, he couldn’t help but click his tongue at his bad luck.
Friede.
A ranker and streamer who had recently emerged as a rising star.
Rumor had it she achieved Challenger rank in the shortest time ever—a fan of broken greatswords.
Haldir soon changed his mindset.
If he assumed he’d lose from the start, he wouldn’t stand a chance against anyone.
On the other hand, if he defeated her, the spotlight on his stream would be enormous.
‘After all, weren’t they both Challengers?’
No matter how flashy her highlight reels were, he believed he had a decent chance.
‘I’ll go all out from the beginning.’
Of course, having a chance didn’t mean he would be complacent.
He chose his favorite pick—the Demon Hunter’s Spear—a weapon that featured a cross-like, simple design.
Despite its modest appearance, it excelled in dueling, chasing, and thrusting.
‘And on top of that…’
He equipped a massive shield that could easily cover a person’s body on his left arm, along with spiked plate armor.
This phalanx-like appearance was Haldir’s ultimate signature pick—the one that had carried him to Challenger rank.
The massive shield provided formidable defense.
The spear’s long reach enabled one-sided offensives.
Combining the spear’s Flame Charge and the shield’s Shield Bash, he could dominate direct engagements and pursue opponents relentlessly.
It was the epitome of balanced offense and defense—a weapon combination designed for supreme dueling.
Of course, he was well aware of how many spear users Friede had decimated with her broken greatsword.
But those were mostly Masters or low-tier Grandmasters.
She wouldn’t have encountered spear techniques at a Challenger level.
Besides, this wasn’t an ordinary spear but a setup resembling a human tank.
Using a broken greatsword against such a combination was absurd.
Though his setup wasn’t perfect, it boasted an almost unbeatable matchup.
‘So, what are you going to bring against me?’
Haldir stood ready, his massive shield blocking all threats in the front and his spear gleaming ominously from behind.
As he watched with anticipation, Friede’s weapon choice left him dumbfounded.
A very long pole.
At its tip was a swirling, cursed design that twisted grotesquely.
“The Thorn Crown Lance?!”
It was essentially a grotesque skewer.
The twisted, decayed flesh that adorned the lance’s cursed blade clashed oddly with the shining silver armor of its wielder.
No. He couldn’t be swayed.
If he maintained a meticulous, impenetrable defense, he could win.
***
-BOOM!
A thunderous sound struck his ears.
The duel had begun.
***
“Greetings to all game fans nationwide! Today marks the dawn of the STK Rumble preliminaries! The excitement here is as intense as the rising sun. Looking at the participant list alone, it’s enough to make anyone’s heart race. This isn’t just any amateur tournament—it’s practically the All-Star game of Korea’s Soul Warfare amateur scene, with numerous well-known rankers joining in!”
“This year’s champion will face none other than STK’s Lotus. As a star player who has shown remarkable performances alongside Warden, every participant must be dreaming of sharing that prestigious stage. It seems like we’re set for explosive matches right from the preliminaries!”
“The newly implemented two-weapon limit will apply starting from the preliminaries. Every participant must carefully plan their builds, considering their opponent’s skills and matchups. This isn’t just about physical abilities—it’s about strategy and big-picture thinking.”
[As expected of STK. Seeing Yonggeu-Dong as commentators for the tournament is surreal.]
[STK, you bastards, stop wasting money on commentators and hire more checkers.]
[Because of that damned Maître Ten lineup, everything’s ruined. When will Warden stop suffering?!!!]
[Just lying down. Forever lying down.]
[Crazy STK fans—didn’t you guys worship Maître not long ago? Now look at you ranting.]
[Stop ruining the mood. Go kiss your broke-ass club’s ass, losers.]
[Yep, your Lotus is going to get absolutely wrecked. Your team’s going down in flames. Water rocket: Boom]
***
The STK Rumble was broadcast live through the official streaming channel of STK Esports.
Within ten minutes of the stream opening, nearly 100,000 viewers flooded in.
This surge of interest was thanks not only to promotional efforts and a well-timed Saturday afternoon schedule but also to the star-studded participant list.
Moreover, the longstanding history of STK’s streaming service meant they had plenty of storytelling material.
From match highlights to rivalries and friendships, the wealth of narrative content elevated the quality of their broadcasts—even for amateur tournaments.
For fans in the Soul Warfare community, who had been languishing during the off-season with nothing to watch, this was a refreshing rain after a drought.
No one would miss such an entertaining broadcast.
***
“With so many rankers participating, it’s unfortunate we can’t cover every match. The 128-player preliminaries will primarily focus on highlights.”
Broadcasting every single match would be too time-consuming, and viewers wouldn’t endure it.
Instead, the preliminaries featured live highlights of key players and standout moments.
The clash of weapons between famous streamers and renowned rankers always stirred a wave of fiery excitement in the chat.
A cascade of letters flooded the chatroom like a roaring tide.
Then, the caster, informed by the tournament organizers, delivered fresh news in an excited tone.
“Alright, the next match has been decided! For match 48 of the Round of 128, it’s none other than Friede versus Haldir!”
***
[Big sis!!!!!!!]
[Let’s gooooo wwwwwwwww]
[Friede? Who’s that no-name?]
[Trash.]
[Friede! Friede! Friede! Friede! Friede! Friede! Friede! Friede!]
[A Friede without her broken greatsword? This I gotta see!]
[Haldir’s bracket luck is insane lol.]
[Friede, the dark horse of this tournament… And her opponent is a Challenger.]
[Who even is Fridè, you weebs?]
[She’s low-tier Challenger, but yeah, she’s good.]
[How does she compare to that scumbag Sooja?]
[Obviously, Haldir’s better.]
[Stop arguing and just explain already!]
[What’s so special about Friede anyway?]
***
The chat was already ablaze after the earlier matches, and Friede’s appearance—considered one of the highlights of the tournament—was the perfect climax for the preliminaries.
The screen transitioned to show the desolate arena.
It resembled the Roman Colosseum but was surrounded by a bottomless cliff, exuding a grave and deadly atmosphere.
Once the duel began, the gates would seal shut with spiked iron bars, leaving no escape.
The only path was forward—to defeat the opponent standing in the way.
The duel had already begun.
Judging by their pristine condition, the fight had just started.
While some fans lamented missing Friede’s cinematic entrance, everyone was now glued to the match.
***
The first thing they felt was tension.
The two players were measuring each other, carefully maintaining their distance.
‘Who would be the first to snap the taut string between them?’ The anticipation was palpable.
The second thing they felt was astonishment.
While Haldir’s “human tank” build was already jaw-dropping, Friede’s weapon choice left everyone stunned.
The Thorn Crown Lance.
A weapon with the longest reach among spears.
In real proportions, it spanned nearly 6 meters—a colossal length.
Its main attack point, the spearhead, was smaller than other spears, making it notoriously difficult to master.
Its standout feature was the Piercing Thrust skill.
Even if blocked by a shield, a successful hit would impale the target.
Additionally, when penetrating a shield, it dealt bonus damage, making it appear as though Haldir was at a disadvantage.
However…
***
[Friede’s crazy for using an unpracticed weapon.]
[She probably picked it thinking it counters Haldir lol.]
[Honestly, that’s a pretty reasonable assumption.]
[What’s the Thorn Crown Lance, you weebs?]
[If you don’t know Soul Warfare, just shut up.]
[The Thorn Crown Lance can pierce through shields and armor, so it seems like Friede has the upper hand. But there’s a big weakness with Piercing Thrust, and that is…]
[…What?]
[No clue.]
[You piece of Shit! Explain!]
[Fine, I’ll continue. While Piercing Thrust makes it seem like Haldir’s been countered, the Thorn Crown Lance has two major issues. First, its length makes targeting incredibly difficult. Second, the hitbox for Piercing Thrust is ridiculously small. Timing, control, and distance all have to be perfect. Sure, its animation is fast, but…]
[If it weren’t for the piercing property and short animation, it’d be on par with the Broken Greatsword.]
[Meanwhile, Haldir’s build is obnoxious but undeniably strong. It doesn’t have major weaknesses.]
[So how does Haldir’s setup win?]
[It’s not impossible. To break through his build, you’d need a rapier’s charging thrust or a katana’s quick-draw slash to exploit his sides. Alternatively, you could brute force it with a colossal weapon’s super armor and guard crush.]
***
The chat devolved into intense debates, pushing back mindless spam.
Despite strategic analysis, most viewers agreed that Friede was at a disadvantage.
Her physical skill was undeniable, but…
[This weapon’s as limp as your—]
[And just like your performance, it’s all over the place.]
[That’s why it’s so hard to aim, genius.]
Everyone sighed as they observed the Thorn Crown Lance’s odd physical properties.
Its pole was slightly bent downward, making precision targeting a challenge.
Then it happened.
-BOOM!
A ferocious impact shook the arena, scattering dust everywhere.
[What?]
[What just happened?]
[Replay? Replay?]
The chat erupted in confusion, their attention abruptly pulled from their keyboards to the screen.
What they saw left them speechless.
Haldir’s impenetrable shield and armor lay ruined, reduced to useless scrap metal.
The iron fortress had been pierced in a single strike.
At maximum distance, Friede had unleashed a perfectly timed thrust with her lance, gripping its end with both hands.
Like a serpent striking its prey, the Thorn Crown Lance pierced through space and into Haldir’s chest.
Friede’s first highlight was completed in under a second—a swift and decisive blow.