“Yes, what a series of surprises! Friede takes the second set as well! Gunder relentlessly pursued Friede, who was equipped with a ranged weapon, but ironically, that very persistence led to his defeat.”
“Friede’s lightning-fast parrying timing turned the tables. Truly, it was a play like a hidden dagger tucked in her sleeve! What do the two commentators think?”
“Gunder must have been deeply affected by the crushing defeat in the first set. He seemed to overextend himself a bit. While the crossbow has its limitations as a ranged weapon, considering the plays Friede has been known for, he should have closed the distance but attacked more cautiously.”
“It’s unfortunate. On the other hand, Friede’s psychological tactics were impressive. No one would have expected her to attempt parries with a simple dagger meant as a secondary weapon for ranged combat.”
“That dagger is a secondary weapon with lower performance compared to primary daggers, especially in terms of parry correction. But Friede, as expected, has showcased countless parry highlight reels with a broken greatsword.”
“It feels like she delivered another iconic performance this time. To be fair, Gunder didn’t do poorly in the second set. For the equipment he used, his approach against a ranged opponent was the best he could do. He even managed to close the gap without losing too much health despite the barrage of bolts. Still, it makes one wonder if it would’ve been better to fight with a buckler or a small shield instead.”
The commentators’ analysis only added fuel to the fiery atmosphere of the match.
Unlike the absurdity of the first set, the second set was filled with novel, intense exchanges.
It was more than enough to satisfy the heightened expectations of the audience, who had grown increasingly discerning.
The final clash and the unexpected parry reversal drew cheers from the crowd.
While everyone waited eagerly for the next match, Gunder quietly meditated in the players’ waiting room.
This might be his last match.
The early sense of fun had long since faded, replaced by a creeping anxiety and exhaustion.
Friede.
At a glance, she might seem like someone obsessed with gimmicks, but the truth was entirely different.
She was confident in everything, allowing her to pick any weapon purely based on preference.
Unlike the typical attention-seekers who sabotaged themselves with unworkable weapons, she stood apart.
After losing even with a gamble, Gunder’s mindset naturally became more cautious.
Hesitation.
A feeling that follows when one attempts something only to fail miserably.
‘What should I do?’
At first, he planned to put on a show, receive just enough attention, and fight stylishly.
But those thoughts had long disappeared into oblivion.
Still, what could he do? There was no way he could back down now.
‘Fine. I have to go.’
If defeat was inevitable, he might as well make his last stand spectacular.
***
As the third set approached, Gunder stepped onto the battlefield.
That’s when it happened.
“Oh, did you have a good rest?”
Friede greeted him cheerfully from across the arena, and Gunder felt an inexplicable sense of intimidation.
At first, he hadn’t noticed it, but after fighting her repeatedly, he realized something.
This woman exuded a certain pressure, something that made it impossible to underestimate her.
‘It’s not even the kind of “aura” you see in comics.’
‘Was it just nerves from losing consecutive matches?’ But this feeling was far too real.
He couldn’t bring himself to respond to Friede’s greeting.
“Hmm, it’s already the third set. It’s a shame I can’t use the crossbow anymore because of the two-weapon limit.”
Her casual mention of being unable to use other ranged weapons felt strangely refreshing.
‘So even she has weapons she struggles with.’
“What do you think?”
“W-what do you mean?”
“Since it’s the last set, why don’t we forget the gimmicks and fight for real? No need to overthink it.”
At first, he tilted his head in confusion.
‘So, she was suggesting…’
“We pick our gear beforehand?”
“Not exactly, just choose your best weapon and let’s have a real match. What do you think?”
Normally, he would have agreed immediately, but for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud.
If he accepted, it felt like admitting defeat.
“I’m going to pick heavy armor and the greatsword of the Lion Knight for this round. You’re free to counter it or match my gear; it’s your choice.”
With that, Friede casually headed towards the arena, leaving Gunder staring blankly at her back.
The first set had been as good as forfeited, but he had given his all in the second set.
Yet, despite his best efforts, it was he who had ended up sprawled cold on the ground.
Despair crept in.
It wasn’t just despair from losing.
‘Is my skill so pitiful that someone like her can play so casually and still win?’
Friede hadn’t even seemed to take him seriously.
It was laughable in hindsight.
The weapons she had used so far were all subpar in terms of performance.
Only one person, Haldir, had likely faced her when she used a proper weapon.
By now, Gunder had long abandoned concerns about her public reveal or his own pride as the 120th-ranked player.
“To say something like that and walk off without a care…”
She was truly malicious.
***
Gunder snapped out of his daze only when he found himself unconsciously selecting his trusted equipment and standing face-to-face with Friede.
He hadn’t even planned his approach for the third set, and yet the match had already started.
‘Ah, whatever.’
Her monstrous skill would render mind games and build-ups meaningless anyway.
Driven by instinct alone, Gunder charged straight ahead.
Their swords clashed in midair, the sound ringing out as his shield deflected her strike.
He darted to the side and swung his blade from a blind spot.
His frantic, unrelenting attacks seemed almost reckless as if he was forcing an opening through sheer determination.
Like a mosquito buzzing around tirelessly, Gunder’s sword kept moving.
Friede, ever composed, responded with a calm step, ready to counter.
‘Go ahead, try to parry.’
The elegant trajectory of the glowing curved sword painted a mesmerizing path.
Unlike Friede, whose health steadily dwindled, Gunder clearly held the upper hand in terms of health bar advantage.
This was the moment where pure skill shone, unshackled by unnecessary plans or gimmicks.
Friede, realizing she couldn’t hold out any longer, changed her greatsword’s movements.
Rather than trying to follow Gunder with light attacks, she unleashed a torrent of powerful strikes aimed at predicted paths.
Whoosh!
By sheer misfortune, one of those strikes landed in an eerily perfect spot.
‘Damn!’
Clicking his tongue in frustration, Gunder gripped his weapon and shield tightly, bracing himself head-on.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
A stifled groan escaped his lips.
The crushing weight of a massive weapon slamming downward was something he could never quite get used to, even in virtual reality.
Parrying the destructive force of the Lion Knight’s greatsword with his shield, Gunder swung his curved sword with all his might, aiming for Friede’s neck.
However, Friede’s movements were far more threatening.
Her lowered body subtly evaded Gunder’s horizontal slash, the blade merely grazing her back.
It wasn’t a critical hit, but having spent his turn, Gunder was now forced to face the inevitable counterattack.
Friede’s twisted body unwound as she swung her greatsword upward in a full-force strike.
Crash!
“Argh!”
Gunder’s body was launched upward and shoved back.
Though he landed on his feet, his stance was unsteady, and Friede immediately closed in.
At this rate, it was clear to anyone watching that Gunder would run out of stamina and succumb to her assault.
Gritting his teeth, Gunder steeled himself.
‘So it’s going to come down to a brawl, huh.’
Even with his stance partially broken, he forcibly regained his balance to face his opponent.
What followed was a bloody exchange of blocking, dodging, and attacking.
Gunder had no idea how much time had passed.
All he could remember in the end was…
Dash!
His final thrust, and Friede, leaping to evade it, brought her greatsword down directly from midair.
As Gunder fell, his last thoughts were of Friede.
Although he was undoubtedly a top-tier ranker in the celestial league, he realized there were people who transcended normal definitions of strength.
He had felt this before—with Warden, with Lotus—but now…
Looking at Friede, he thought:
‘She’s abnormal.’
Boom!
Friede’s decisive strike cut through Gunder’s body diagonally, ending the game.
***
[Highlight Review of the Third Set]
Written by: Pepe-Writer
Well, the first set was kind of a mess, but the second set ended too quickly.
The third set, though, was an absolute masterpiece.
Friede used the Lion Knight’s greatsword, a weapon known for its explosive power with jump attacks.
Gunder wielded a scimitar and round shield, specializing in hit-and-run and rapid close-quarters combat.
The most critical factor when using the Lion Knight’s greatsword is distance control.
To utilize its explosive power, you need some space.
If you get too close, you risk overshooting your target.
Gunder knew this and tried to turn the fight into a chaotic brawl.
Interestingly, when Gunder played to his usual style, he managed to make close combat somewhat manageable.
Of course, with the difference in weapon attack speed and his shield, the situation was unavoidable.
If he had been using dual swords, the greatsword’s single decisive strike could have turned the tide in Friede’s favor.
One of her predicted heavy attacks did land on Gunder.
His shield blocked it, but without it, he’d have been done for.
Let’s not forget that Friede has repeatedly overcome supposedly impossible situations in this game.
What stood out here was that against her, we saw a typical matchup you’d expect in Soul Warfare.
While Gunder is a high-ranking player, it’s unclear if Friede’s next opponent can deliver the same dramatic tension.
Perhaps Lotus might be the one to break Friede’s streak of invincibility.
***
[Comments]
[ZigGuardBelt: The first set was just Gunder letting his guard down, but Friede was at a disadvantage in the second set.]
[SomeoneEatsMidr: If Friede hadn’t landed that parry, she would’ve been knocked down there.]
[NSS: That’s true, but you have to account for the fact that Friede deliberately picked a suboptimal setup.]
[OO: I thought it was unexpected… I figured Friede would crush both Challenger and Lotus.]
[DaylightBlade: That’s normal. Friede has been overcoming unreasonable situations so far.]
[ToothpickGeneral: It’s true that the gap between lower and upper-tier challengers is drastic.]
[KimBreaker: Come to think of it, except for Gunder, all the challengers Friede has faced were in the lower ranks. Hades was mid-tier at best.]
[Loo: Hades put up a decent fight against Friede, though.]
***
After the first round of the top 16 concluded, the community was abuzz with discussions about the match between Friede and Gunder.
The second round of the top 16 would take place the following day, with the quarterfinals starting shortly thereafter.
Speculation about Friede’s next opponent was already rampant, with fans engaging in heated debates and rivalries, some even descending into insults and accusations.
“Cheers!”
Sehee toasted her victory with a can of beer, gazing out the window in celebration.