[From today, the hostile relationship with Gunder is over.]
From today, I will step out of this position of dependence.
Gunder and I will unite as one.
Any attack on Gunder will be regarded as an attack on me.
User 1: “Ahaha, I can’t stand the face reveal!”
User 2: “Stay strong, Gunder!”
Zieg Garterbelt: “You’re a hero!”
Midyr Who Eats Sisters: “I believe in you!”
User 3: “Please win!”
[Because I love Friede, I support Gunder.]
This has been a thought I’ve held for a long time.
User 4: “Your mom.”
Sweet Guy: “Yeah, ‘for a long time,’ my foot. It’s all because of Friede’s face reveal pledge.”
User 5: “Hand on your heart—did you really like Gunder before this?”
Lampadu: “Who do you think you are to claim to love Friede? So arrogant.”
The chat was heating up, dominated by biased reactions.
The match had clearly begun with overwhelming support for Gunder.
But then…
***
Doom!
“Whaaaagh!”
Seeing his health bar plummet, Gunder screamed.
The instincts he had sharpened in countless ranked games couldn’t save him from this absurd moment.
“Wait, hold on! Time out!”
He shouted desperately, but his voice echoed in vain.
[What are you yelling about? There’s no time-out in a game, you idiot!]
[Come on, did you lose your mind? This is Friede’s signature play—a calculated underdog comeback.]
[Just take the loss, Gunder, and focus on the next game.]
[Ugh, I can’t believe I thought this clown was some knight in shining armor.]
[So when are we getting that Friede face reveal, huh?]
The highly anticipated first match between Friede and Gunder ended abruptly.
Friede’s surprise attack and Gunder’s stunned reaction created a perfect storm, resulting in a match that lasted just 10 seconds—breaking the record for the shortest match in the history of the STK Rumble Finals.
***
“Aaaagh!”
Back in the waiting room before the second match, Gunder clutched his head, frantically tousling his hair.
Sure, it was virtual reality, so there was no risk of hair loss, but the way he twisted his body and clawed at his scalp showed he was on the verge of losing his sanity.
He had made an utter fool of himself—getting hit square in the face by a point-blank crossbow shot and yelling for a time-out in front of a massive audience.
‘Was this all the dignity he had, after reaching the proud rank of 120th in the Korean leaderboard?’
‘I completely threw the first round.’
It was a loss he never should’ve had to endure.
‘Who would’ve thought his opponent would bring a ranged weapon to a one-on-one duel?’
‘I really got caught off guard.’
In one-on-one duels, especially in arenas, ranged weapons were rarely used.
The reasons were numerous, but one stood out: it was hard to maintain distance from the start.
Ranged weapons usually came with only close-range daggers as backup, so finishing a fight from afar was the optimal strategy.
However, his opponent had done the exact opposite.
‘Charging in from the start? What kind of lunacy is that?’
‘Why would someone abandon the advantages of a ranged weapon to engage in close combat?’
Even though dual crossbows allowed for rapid fire, Friede’s approach was baffling.
Originally, that weapon was meant to control an opponent’s approach with a barrage of bolts.
‘But what was the point of pondering this now?’
The regret over the first round—and the thought of how his viewers and fellow high-ranked players would mock him—clouded his vision.
At first, Gunder had thought of this tournament as casual entertainment.
The chatter about Friede’s face reveal had made it seem lighthearted.
But the situation had taken a sharp turn.
This time, he couldn’t afford to treat it like a joke or rely on showmanship to salvage his image.
Time passed, and it was finally time to pick his gear for the second match.
Gunder approached the selection process with extreme caution.
Previously, he’d assumed Friede preferred technical melee weapons.
That assumption had been a colossal mistake.
‘What should I choose?’
He closed his eyes briefly and reviewed the first match in his mind.
‘Why had he lost so easily?’
‘Was it because his equipment was countered?’
‘No, the gear wasn’t the issue.’
It was simply that he’d been so stunned by the face-shot that he couldn’t respond.
There was no telling what other bizarre tactics Friede might pull, but at least Gunder resolved not to let his mental focus waver.
He decided to stick with the same loadout as before.
However, to better defend against the relentless barrage of bolts, he switched his armor to the Sentinel Squad set, which provided slightly more protection.
‘I’m going to win this.’
Using the same loadout despite an initial loss—a strategy known as “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”—Gunder was fully focused on the match ahead.
Friede’s weapon choice was the same as before: dual rapid-fire crossbows.
‘So that’s your play, huh?’
As the match progressed, Friede’s pattern became clear: they used one weapon effectively twice before transitioning to another.
Clutching the dual daggers tightly, Gunder stepped into the arena.
[The game begins.]
With the official’s announcement, Gunder urgently sidestepped to evade.
A bolt lodged into the spot where he had just stood, making him swallow hard.
In his attempt to dodge, he unintentionally gave Friede more space—a dangerous move.
‘No, stay calm.’
Letting his mind wander would only play into Friede’s hands.
Tightening his grip on the Double Breakers, Gunder charged toward the advancing Friede.
‘If the opponent is coming in close…’
Daggers are superior to crossbows in melee range.
So, I’ll close the gap even more.
Friede, meanwhile, seemed to relish the element of surprise.
It reminded them of a legendary duel once played with a dual-pistol-wielding character.
Starting the match aggressively had disoriented Gunder far more than expected.
But celebrating now would be premature; Gunder was clearly more skilled in the second round.
***
-Tatat!-
Though Friede allowed a brief ambush, Gunder quickly sidestepped and closed in.
His movements were clean and precise, exuding confidence.
Even though both fighters were engaging in close combat, Gunder’s intention to stick to Friede like glue was obvious.
Meanwhile, Friede relied on kiting tactics.
-Tunk! Tutunk!-
Heavy, dull sounds echoed as bolts scattered in every direction.
Having initially charged like a bull with its tail on fire, Gunder shifted his focus.
He backstepped, creating as much distance as possible, and unleashed crossbow shots.
Friede noticed Gunder’s light armor and nimble movements, realizing how adept he was at rolling, stepping, and deflecting with his weapon to steadily close the gap.
‘Tch, annoying.’
The dual rapid-fire crossbows weren’t the easiest weapons to handle.
Single or burst shots depended on the pressure applied to the trigger, requiring Friede’s full focus.
At critical moments, the burden of dual triggers in both hands added mental strain.
But wasting bolts carelessly wasn’t an option either.
-Ting!-
A single, well-aimed shot ricocheted off Gunder’s dagger, followed by a precise lunge.
-Whoosh!-
Instinctively leaning back, Friede barely avoided the piercing, awl-like tip of Gunder’s Armor Breaker.
As Friede’s precarious position left a brief opening, a bolt from their crossbow grazed Gunder’s neck.
Friede attempted to follow up with another shot, but Gunder intercepted with his weapon, leading to a back-and-forth exchange.
Though it appeared to be a close contest, Friede felt the flow of the match shifting against them.
‘This is it.’
The limitations of Friede’s weapon became apparent.
Even as single-handed crossbows, they were bulky, making it difficult to counter Gunder’s rapid close-range attacks.
Clearly, Gunder had earned his reputation as a top-tier challenger.
As Gunder closed in for another attack, Friede backstepped and tumbled away to create space.
But the gap was only five paces.
To Gunder and the watching crowd, this retreat seemed like a futile move—a desperate last resort.
-Pah!-
Gunder rushed forward again, his determination to prevent Friede from gaining any distance palpable.
As the distance closed, Friede’s mind became calmer, their perception of time slowing.
Though they fired suppressive shots, only a few connected.
“Take this!”
-Krak!-
With an exaggerated shout, Gunder batted away Friede’s crossbow bolts using his Sword Breaker.
It was a desperate situation for Friede.
Realistically, giving this much distance to a ranged fighter should have sealed the match.
But just as Gunder raised his Armor Breaker to pierce Friede, thunder echoed.
-Kwoom!-
A small dagger, so tiny it was almost pitiful compared to the massive Armor Breaker, deflected the blade at the last second.
Gunder staggered back like a marionette with its strings cut.
Friede raised the tiny dagger high.
-Squelch!-
The small dagger—a backup weapon meant for ranged fighters—pierced Gunder’s throat.
His health bar depleted entirely, and his body collapsed onto the ground.
The last expression on Gunder’s face resembled someone exclaiming, ‘Oh no!’
For some reason, it felt incredibly satisfying to see.
“Sorry, I still had one shot left.”
***
[Amazing! Awesome! Awesome!]
[Did they just parry with that tiny dagger?!]
[This maniac… Obsessed with parries, but somehow still lovable.]
[Gunder, if you lose, you’ll be a traitor!]
[This is insane—Friede!!!]
[From choosing dual rapid-fire crossbows to landing that final parry, it’s insane.]
[First, Gunder set a record for the shortest match, and now he’s losing at close range to a crossbow user?]
[This is the prestige of the 120th-ranked player?]
[If you think Gunder is making every pro below him look like a joke, upvote this! LOL]
[Upvotes? Bruh, this is a chatroom, not your forum. Get out.]
The smartphone screen displayed the STK official broadcast.
“…This is it,” muttered Lotus, watching Friede’s parry with shining eyes.
Goosebumps covered their body, exhilarated by the artistic parry Friede had performed moments ago.
Lotus anxiously chewed their nails.
Defeating a melee opponent with a ranged weapon’s backup dagger wasn’t common, but achieving it was undeniably remarkable.
‘How many other top-tier challengers could pull off something like this?’
Initially, Lotus thought players like Nana Warden or their STK teammates might match Friede, but now they weren’t so sure.
‘Ah, if only…’
Lotus wished they could be Friede’s next opponent instead of Gunder.
Writhing with anticipation and envy, Lotus watched as the game signaled the start of what might be Gunder’s final match.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.