The preliminary rounds, conducted in a 3-round, best-of-2 format, naturally don’t broadcast every single match.
It’s difficult to broadcast dozens of matches simultaneously, and even if it were possible, viewers would likely find the overwhelming number of games exhausting.
Thus, the organizers selectively compile and broadcast only the highlights, which they judge to be the most memorable moments.
However, there are certain exceptions to this rule—one being the match between Friede and Haldir.
***
The chatroom erupted like a furnace after Haldir’s crushing defeat in the first round, losing to a clean piercing strike by Friede.
[Friede! Friede! Friede! Friede! Friede!]
[Wow, Friede has an impressive knack for seizing the moment!]
[That setup depends entirely on landing the first hit. Miss, and the game is practically over.]
[I suspected it the moment she wielded the broken greatsword.]
[That’s not strategic play; that’s a death wish.]
[Haldir underestimated her. If he had anticipated the hit and taken even half a step back, Friede would’ve been crushed.]
[Do you even know Friede’s reaction speed? How would Haldir dodge it?]
[It’s not that his response was terrible, but it’s tricky. With Haldir’s setup, a single hit means instant death.]
“Haha! This feels different from the regular season,” said the caster, laughing. “The chatroom is heating up now that Friede’s on screen.”
“That’s right,” the co-caster replied. “Seeing these live reactions excites us just as much!”
“Friede’s track record is spectacular. She’s the second female challenger after Lotus to make it this far. Though she was once at the center of a controversy over hacking, it only made her more memorable to many users. She’s always been known for favoring a broken greatsword, but with the tournament imposing weapon restrictions, I’m curious about her weapon choice this time.”
“Her selection of the Thorn King’s Spear is particularly intriguing. It’s better suited for team battles than duels, which shows her confidence in her control. And, as we’ve seen, she delivered results.”
“She recently started streaming, showcasing various highlight reels, and has become the dark horse of this tournament.”
“Let’s see if Haldir sticks to the same setup for the second round… I’m curious.”
***
The earlier highlight-reel matches were impressive enough to satisfy viewers, thanks to the presence of numerous top-ranking players.
The line between the preliminaries and finals had practically disappeared because of the high skill levels on display.
Yet, none of the previous matches captivated viewers as much as this one.
When the second round began, the chatroom fell silent, everyone’s focus riveted on the duel between Friede and Haldir.
The eerie stillness of the chat was a testament to the intensity of the moment.
***
However, the second round ended anticlimactically.
Haldir, determined to prove his strategy correct, used the same setup as before and was once again swiftly eliminated without achieving anything.
The total combined match time for both rounds was two minutes, yet Friede’s highlight moment lasted only two seconds.
***
[General]
[Friede is God, Friede is invincible!]
Posted by: Sunlight Sword
‘It doesn’t matter what weapon she uses—Friede is just a god, plain and simple. Who are these amateur challengers to dare challenge our captain?’
[ZekeGarterBelt]: “Create a Friede tier above Challenger already!”
[NNN]: “Hey, you insane freak, go play in your captain’s gallery!”
[NNRRR]: “Friede fans are swarming the chat… Time for me to leave. Ugh.”
***
[General]
[I now commence the worship of our captain!]
Posted by: SlimRuler
‘Rise, all, and offer a grand salute to Friede’s magnificence!’
[ZekeGarterBelt]: “Indeed! Friede is… God!”
[KimBrokenSword]: “Indeed! Truly, a transcendent force!”
SmoothGentleman: “Indeed! Keep showing us your matches, Friede… I’m losing my mind!”
NN: “This is getting ridiculous. Just go back to her broadcast, you degenerates.”
[Damgal]: “These chatters were regulars on her streams, huh? Disgusting.”
[Loo]: “God, these fanboys are revolting.”
***
[General]
[After watching Friede, I wept to the four winds.]
Posted by: TinyShards
‘To think she dominated with the notoriously difficult Thorn King’s Spear… Unreal. I need to start training with it myself.’
[NN: You insane idiot, stop mindlessly copying her!]
[LLAmpadu: No ranked games for me today, nope.]
[TinyShards: You’re not Friede. Try copying her, and you’ll die.]
***
[General][Friede is amazing, but…]
[General][Written by: 00]
“Don’t build up too much karma, or your elimination season will come to collect it.”
[NN]: “That’s just how it goes.”
[Dominator]: “Shut up, you trash!”
[ZekeGarterBelt]: “Take it down, kid.”
[SunlightSword]: “Nope, not happening. Friede will smash Lotus and everyone else’s heads into pieces.”
[NN]: “Wow, the atmosphere here is disgusting.”
[KimBrokenSword]: “This place is ours now. Friede fans have taken over! Hahaha.”
[WashBasin]: “If you don’t like it, go back to OutBan and act like a prude. Shoo, shoo.”
***
[General][Analysis of today’s match with Friede]
Written by: SmoothGentleman
“Honestly, there’s not much to analyze. Haha.”
“The only thing worth noting was the boosted damage from the dash attack right before the thrust.”
“The rest? Just sheer physical dominance—no mind games involved.”
[NN]: “Why did Haldir get KO’d in one hit? Is the Thorn King’s Spear really that powerful?”
[LGRIIdaw]: “Like I said, the boosted damage from the dash attack struck Haldir’s neck perfectly.
“This triggered a weak-point multiplier. On top of that, the spear’s piercing thrust inherently maximizes critical damage.”
“Add to it the stacking effect when it pierces through armor, and yeah—it’s the highest damage the Thorn King’s Spear can theoretically achieve.”
[Damgal]: “If you want an even flashier one-hit kill, just line up enemies in a team match and impale them all at once. The ones in the back will be sent straight to heaven with one hit. It’s more of a myth than a strategy, though.”
[Loo]: “I saw a video showing the hitbox for the Thorn King’s Spear—it’s like a toothpick. How did she even land that hit?”
[NNRR]: “Friede must have amazing physical control. Anyone who reached Challenger rank using a broken greatsword isn’t just a gimmick player.”
[SlimRuler]: “Amazing control, my foot. She’s just lucky.”
***
[General][Is Friede’s performance today even real?]
Written by: Dominator
Match Score: 2–0
Total Match Time: 2 minutes
Highlight Duration: 2 seconds
“My chest feels full of awe.”
[MidirTheDevourer]: “She’s truly our goddess. Even the blessing of the Emperor shines upon her.”
[ToothpickGeneral]: “Go, Friede! Crush STK, the Emperor’s nemesis!”
[Loo]: “Who even is that, you nerd?”
[SunlightSword]: “Wow, this kid doesn’t know about the Emperor? Haha.”
[Dominator]: “Long ago, there was a legend called the Three Streak Blunder… The Emperor was its hero.”
[Loo]: “How long ago was this supposed to be, for it to be a legend?”
[ZekeGarterBelt]: “About 30 years ago?”
[LyaSergei]: “Haha! Sounds like a story my grandpa would tell me.”
***
Even though it was just the preliminaries, there was a certain tension in the air.
Some might mockingly ask, “How can a champion like you feel nervous about something like this?”
But what could I do? I’d never participated in an actual tournament before.
Humans are creatures of relativity.
Even a warrior can feel a bit nervous about a small competition.
‘If I had to sum up my first impressions of my opponent… Not much different from a ranked game.’
Haldir, a player who hovered at the bottom of Challenger rank.
“Was it just my imagination, or did his position remind me of that SUHO guy?’
Both seemed to linger between Grandmaster and Challenger, which might explain it.
‘It’s a decent warm-up, though.’
I felt nicely energized, my focus sharpening.
In hindsight, the situation was almost amusing.
Not intentional, but Haldir’s turtle-like defensive playstyle was perfectly countered by the Thorn King’s Spear, a weapon I picked just to poke at distant foes.
To think it turned out to be the theoretical counter to his setup—pure luck, really.
And I didn’t expect him to use the exact same setup in the second round.
The tournament was blind-pick, so neither of us knew what weapon the other would bring.
It was a gamble on both sides.
That unpredictability is what makes the matches thrilling.
The moment the setups are revealed before the match starts—it’s electrifying.
But since the conditions and strategies remained the same, the second match unfolded just like the first, making it less entertaining.
***
I glanced at the clock, realizing I still had 15 minutes of rest.
The match had ended unusually quickly, giving me ample downtime.
This tournament, with its grueling same-day progression from the Round of 64 to the Round of 32, demanded both physical and mental endurance.
Winning quickly and decisively granted a significant advantage—a sort of earned privilege.
Maybe that’s why, as boredom slowly crept in, I wondered how my viewers were reacting.
I had boldly announced my participation in the tournament during a live broadcast.
Even if it was just a preliminary match, I’d won, so I assumed they’d be celebrating in some way.
Curious, I opened the fan panel.
Let’s see what kind of excitement they’ve been brewing.
<Friede, use that spear to pierce my soul!>
<I will gladly receive it!>
<For Friede!>
<Indeed!>
Quietly, I closed the panel.
‘I should just rest.’
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