It was a turbulent day.
Starting from the qualifiers of the brawl tournament, I ended up going through the Round of 16 today.
For someone like me, who has never had much connection with gaming tournaments, this fast-paced development felt quite refreshing.
To be honest, I was pretty excited.
Even for someone without much strength, receiving attention for something big inevitably brings out a sense of vitality.
And in my case, my excitement was at an all-time high.
That’s why I ended up cracking open a can of beer late at night and shouting cheers.
Of course, not everything about this tournament was to my liking.
From the perspective of a participant, if I were to voice a complaint… while the tournament was fun, the two-weapon limit was quite challenging.
“Ah….”
I miss my broken greatsword.
It’s floating up there in the sky—so large and beautiful…
That shattered blade, though worn, exuded a dignity greater than any other weapon.
Is this what it feels like to lose a cherished friend?
***
-Thud!
-Gulp, gulp.
The beer flowing down my throat from the second can tasted surprisingly sweet.
Though the moon hadn’t risen tonight, sometimes such murky darkness has its own charm.
For some reason, the longing for someone feels even stronger tonight.
Anyway, it seems like I need to vent a bit today.
The frustration of not being able to use my broken greatsword feels like the ferocity of a beast caged in a pen.
‘How do others relieve such pent-up frustration?’
Perhaps they vent to friends or acquaintances.
As I was about to take out my smartphone, thinking I might contact someone, another thought crossed my mind.
Tonight… I want to find comfort in a different way.
I crawled back into my virtual reality capsule and entered the MS room.
I typed up a new room title:
-Friede’s Afterparty Stream-
This should do.
“Hold on.”
Just as I was about to start the stream without much thought, memories of several posts I had seen earlier surfaced in my mind.
Before starting the broadcast, I decided to first check the current state of things.
[Friede, you damn piece of trash!!!!]
[If even you’ve managed to smash your way through this, aren’t you basically the top contender to win?!]
[Just share your thoughts on making it to the finals and the skill level of the competitors—you’d rake in the cash!!!]
[What are you doing right now instead of streaming!!!]
[Ugh, that damn attention-seeker is acting up again.]
[She’s just sitting there, smirking because she knows we’re getting antsy.]
[What a menace.]
[If she thinks she can fool us, she’s sorely mistaken.]
[Please… ㅠㅠ]
[Viewer’s brain explodes!]
[Any stream will do, please, just let us see your face, Sensei.]
[I’ve prepared a generous donation. Take it all!]
[Looks like she’s been through a lot.]
The board showed signs of having been somewhat tidied up.
It was clear how much effort Ajin, who also served as the chat moderator, had put in to clean up the chaos.
Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any posts that made me instinctively want to hit the back button like last time.
Most of the posts expressed a genuine wish for me to stream.
‘As a streamer, shouldn’t I respond to such earnest wishes with some thoughtful reciprocation?’
It might also help lift my own mood.
After tweaking a few settings…
“Stream ON.”
Muttering as if announcing a spell, I started the stream.
I think this stream might be quite… fun.
***
The ever-busy Friede’s stream panel board.
Since Friede’s broadcast home was on the Switch channel, it had the highest concentration of Friede’s die-hard fans.
Currently, they were on the verge of an explosion, the reason being Friede’s advancement to the Round of 16.
The panel board was in a frenzy with speculation and match-ups involving the remaining players who had advanced to or were predicted to reach the quarterfinals.
Friede, the rising star streamer who debuted less than a month ago.
Her victory in a clutch sniper duel and her participation in the STK brawl tournament had cemented her reputation as a skilled player.
Even those who had only heard her name before found themselves paying attention because of this tournament.
As a result, all kinds of troublemakers had descended upon the board, and some, armed with venom, were busy disparaging Friede’s skills under the guise of comparison games.
Enraged by the antics of these trolls, Friede’s fans united in opposition.
Ajin, the moderator, had spent the entire day restoring order to the chaos.
Now, though the situation had calmed down somewhat, the fans’ frustration was evident.
Their sulking was fueled by their love for Friede, despite her declaring a break from streaming.
The tension reached a tipping point when…
[Hey, you crazy slackers! The streamer is live!]
Author: Bribed Black Steel Dwarf
Everyone gather~!
The notification that Friede’s stream had gone live rang out.
Without needing to rely on the post, most of Friede’s viewers flocked to the stream in an instant.
[Friiieeeeeee!!!!!!]
[Sis, you didn’t abandon us!]
[No, she’s been captured too!]
[Congratulations on making it to the quarterfinals!!!]
[Holy crap, you even beat Gunder! Let’s go for the championship!]
[Lilypad, prepare yourself! Warden, brace yourself!]
[How strong is Friede if even Warden is uneasy and Lilypad is trembling?]
It hadn’t been long since the stream started, and as always, the chat exploded with activity.
The follower-only chat, one-minute cooldowns, and all other measures to slow down the chat had long since become a necessary standard.
[What’s with the screen?]
[Haven’t turned the cam on yet?]
[Are you streaming from the MS Room today? Or is it a real-life cam stream?]
[Say something, anything, Sis!]
Watching the endless waves of chat, I considered staying silent until it calmed down.
But at this rate, I’d be up all night, so I rested my hands on the keyboard.
Even though the camera wasn’t on, it was easy enough to communicate through the moderator chat.
[Friede777: I’m planning to do an afterparty stream today. Let’s have a little just-chatting time before I turn the camera on. ^^]
[An afterparty is a must, Sis!]
[Come on, just turn the cam on already… it’s not like you’re hiding from the law.]
[Hey, Friede, be a proper lady and show yourself!]
[You said it was your day off, and now you’re streaming again? Did the sun rise in the west?]
Day off.
‘Honestly, I had planned to take the day off, but emotions are fickle, and plans always change.’
This stream was my way of relieving some frustration, just as much as it was for the viewers.
[Friede777: Actually… I want some comfort today.]
So I said it honestly, typing those words.
***
[Comfort? Who upset our Sis?]
[Oh no… she feels lonely…]
[This is an opportunity! @@]
[Sis, I’m excellent at comforting others. I’m 190 cm tall, sweet, and handsome. Seoul-based.]
[Next, it’ll be a greasy soup-eating pig… sigh.]
The reactions were, as always, intense.
At first, I used to be surprised, but after so much of this, I’d grown indifferent.
However, the lack of substantial messages amidst the chaos was a bit disappointing.
‘Had I overestimated the quality of my viewers?’
After observing the reactions for about a minute, one message finally caught my attention.
[But what happened? You made it to the quarterfinals, so why do you seem down?]
‘Yes, this. This is what I wanted to hear.’
[Friede777: Not being able to use my broken greatsword in the tournament… it really sapped my strength.]
[LOL, she’s still hung up on that broken sword!]
[A girl obsessed with a broken greatsword… suspicious.]
[Didn’t you use plenty of sturdy weapons today? Why obsess over the broken one?]
[Is broken gear your fetish?]
“…Could it be? Is defective gear my fetish?”
I muttered to myself, the question hanging in the air since my mic was off and no one could hear it.
There’s a term in gaming: “gear dependency.”
Most players know it, a term used to describe how reliant one is on the quality of their equipment.
But for me, gear dependency wasn’t about quality—it was something else entirely, as I realized during this tournament.
[Friede777: Why do other weapons feel so off in my hands… It’s so difficult.]
***
[Donation from ZiegGuarterBelt: ₩50,000!
-Sis, if you could use the broken greatsword, could you sweep the competition?]
[Friede777: Thank you, Zieg! Hmm, I think I’d have a much easier time winning than in today’s matches—except against Haldir.]
That guy was practically my theoretical counter, so even with my favorite weapon, it wouldn’t be an easy match.
Without the advantage of compatibility, it wouldn’t even last a second.
“It just doesn’t fit.”
The spear of the Thorn King, the greatsword of the Lion Knight, the rapid-fire crossbow… they all felt worse.
It wasn’t like dealing with recoil in FPS games.
It was more like… even if the weapon was outstanding, it didn’t feel right for me.
A lack of harmony with the weapon.
Not just unrefined; it was as if these weapons actively lowered my energy.
Of course, as a warrior, not being able to handle a weapon would be absurd.
I could use them all proficiently without practice.
But they failed to awaken my full potential.
That’s why I nearly struggled against Gunder unintentionally.
“Does virtual reality have nuances like this?”
I tilted my head in thought.
Usually, concepts like “feeling” a weapon’s fit are exclusive to athletes using real equipment.
“No, it’s just me.”
In the end, it was likely my own stubbornness.
That irrational belief that it had to be this weapon, even though I could manage with others.
***
[Friede declares: With the broken greatsword, I’ll win them all!]
[But you already won with other weapons, stop being dramatic LOL.]
[So the broken sword turns into a butcher’s blade when wielded? Shudder.]
[If you want it so much, just use it. Why not?]
[LOL, savoring the best for later.]
[True, saving the good stuff is valid.]
[Friede777: From now on…]
“From now on…”
I think it’s time to up my game.
Having seen Gunder’s level, I had a sense of the upper echelons of top-tier players.
[Friede777: I’ll pull myself together and do my best, so please cheer me on! ^^]
[Of course, we trust you, Sis!]
[Win and give us an epic showdown with Lilypad!]
[Gunder might be out, so no face reveal this time, but someday, we believe!]
[Friede fans’ heads smashed, bodies shattered!]
There’s always someone who dampens the mood at the end, but overall, the encouragement wasn’t bad.
It’s strange how even simple text in a chat can feel comforting.
***
[yaSergei donated ₩30,000!
-Sensei, ㅠㅠ we need your encouragement too. Please do a face reveal!]
[Friede777: Thank you, yaSergei! A face reveal? Hmm… @@]
[Who’s the punk that suggested it?!]
[Oh no, another “mysterious warrior” act… will you take responsibility?!]
[Drag that guy out!]
Watching the explosion of protests aimed at the donor, I adjusted some settings and unmuted the mic.
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
The chat froze for a moment.
‘Was it due to the flood of messages?’
No, it was actual silence.
No one typed a single character.
I changed the MS Room settings, took off my helmet, and turned on the camera.
And then…
[What the hell?!]
[Oh my god, LOL, I forgot this was an MS Room stream.]
[A face reveal? Never happening! No way! Nooo!]
[LOL, knew it! Damn it! DAMN IT!!!]
A complex and grotesque mosaic covered my entire face.