Chapter 76: This is bothersome

The first match of the semifinals, which began with a showdown between Freide and Bisu, ended with a 3-0 landslide victory for Freide.

“Hello, everyone! This is Jiyoung, your brawl interviewer! One side of the STK semifinals has finally been decided!”

[As usual, deep underground~]

[It’s definitely her. She’s the interviewer again this time.]

[The quarterfinal match was epic, truly eye candy lol.]

[Sis, reveal your face already. Reveal your face, reveal your face, reveal your face…]

[These Freide stans lose it whenever she shows up.]

[They’ll all bail if she actually reveals herself, lol.]

[Why would they leave? They’d just stick closer, idiot.]

[Yeah, she’ll just be a pimple-faced mess when she does, lol.]

[Someone needs to smack this jerk hard.]

Freide, who was chosen as the official interviewer for the STK Brawl Tournament, still felt overwhelmed as she spoke her first words.

The official interview for the semifinalist was scheduled to take place, and Freide was the first interviewee.

In the past, Freide had a dramatic elimination match against Suho in this very place.

Back then, she was a rising storm, but now she’s beyond that—she could be called the very eye of the storm.

Especially since the quarterfinal match against Gunder was nothing short of a masterpiece.

With such an incredible showdown, it was no wonder the excitement was reaching a boiling point.

Jiyoung, trying to calm her slightly nervous heart, quickly adjusted her attitude and began the interview with her usual lively tone.

***

“As the warmth of spring gently approaches, the intense heat of the quarterfinal matches has been enough to melt the lingering chill. In particular, the second set, which amazed everyone, may well be one of the best Soul Warfare matches in recent memory. Of course, we can’t forget to highlight the star of that game. Here with us is none other than Freide!”

As Jiyoung stepped aside, the camera skillfully panned, revealing Freide’s figure.

“Hello, Freide. Congratulations on making it to the semifinals.”

“Thank you.”

[Ahhhh!!!]

[Wait, is that Freide’s voice?]

[Now I see why people go crazy for her.]

[Why did you lower your voice, sis? Please make it more cheerful.]

[Her voice is pure bliss. Amazing.]

‘Wait a second…’

For some reason, Freide’s voice gave off a slightly cold vibe.

‘No, focus. Focus.’

Jiyoung tilted her head briefly but quickly snapped back to attention.

She couldn’t afford even the smallest mistake in such an important moment.

Just look at the chat—it was practically exploding after Freide’s voice aired, as if an earthquake had hit.

Oh, come to think of it, it was like this during Freide’s elimination match against Suho too.

Quickly, Jiyoung activated the slow mode for the chat to its maximum setting.

She couldn’t let the chaos derail this crucial opportunity.

***

“Freide, you’re known for being a user of the Broken Greatsword, but this tournament has shown you wielding various weapons. How did it feel using something so different from your usual gear?”

“Well, it was fine overall. Personally, the Lantern’s Shortsword felt like a good fit for me this time.”

Surprised by the response, Jiyoung asked in a slightly discreet tone, “How does it compare to the Broken Greatsword?”

“Oh, the Broken Greatsword is definitely better, but out of all the weapons I’ve handled so far, this one’s the best—not for performance, just personal preference.”

[Respect. Let’s honor personal taste. (Strict·Dignified·Serious)]

[Guess the shortsword fans will flood the ranked games now. Brace yourselves!]

[But honestly, with her customization, the shortsword does look cooler.]

[The Lantern’s Shortsword is surprisingly well-designed in that style.]

[Its nimble movements are so much more dynamic and fun to watch than the Broken Greatsword.]

***

“When compared to something like the Traitor’s Greatsword, which is considered top-tier, the Lantern’s Shortsword is seen as a weaker option. Why did you choose it against a formidable opponent like Bisu?”

“Typically categorized as a medium-sized one-handed weapon, the shortsword falls under the category of widely-used, balanced weapons with fewer weaknesses.”

“Choosing a somewhat niche weapon like the shortsword-rapier duo instead seemed peculiar.”

“Hmm, I liked how it looked. Even though the Traitor’s Greatsword is considered OP, the shortsword felt like it had enough potential to work. Being a medium weapon with near-lightweight speed is a highlight. If you use dash boosts and chain light attacks, you can create openings. While it’s hard to deliver a finishing blow, it’s good at disrupting the rhythm of tanky players who rely on hyper-armor and endurance.”

By interrupting their moves, she could land decisive strikes.

For instance, Freide had used a strong attack to deliver a critical thrust, pushing Bisu onto the defensive—a clear testament to her words.

Jiyoung felt surprised by the detailed response.

Freide’s public image had always been that of an instinct-driven prodigy, someone who acted on a genius intuition that others couldn’t comprehend.

‘So, she actually thinks through her weapon choices and strategies.’

But even within that detailed answer, Jiyoung didn’t miss a key point.

***

“Freide, so you were calculating your gameplay through your weapon choices. But the heavy strikes typical of large weapons can’t be easy to deal with. Allowing even a single hit could put you in a critical state and end the match quickly. Did you prepare any countermeasures for this?”

“Oh, that’s simple. Just dodge everything.”

“…What?”

For a moment, Jiyoung couldn’t help but reflexively question her.

She prided herself on her experience with Soul Warfare, and without it, she wouldn’t have realized how relentless and ferocious Bisu’s attacks had been.

Freide’s statement just didn’t fit with what she knew about the game.

“You just… dodged everything?”

Seeing Jiyoung’s stunned expression, Freide shrugged nonchalantly.

“It worked, didn’t it?”

Freide’s casual response left Jiyoung retracting her earlier assessment of the player’s image.

Freide wasn’t just a typical genius—she was the kind of genius who didn’t seem to care about others’ feelings.

Of course, that was just Jiyoung’s personal impression.

Responses like Freide’s tended to excite people.

[That’s it! That’s our girl!]

[To her, challenger combat skills are like a clumsy folk dance.]

[Freide is a god and truly invincible!]

[No matter how good your reflexes are, dodging everything is just absurd. It’s fascinating no matter how many times I watch it.]

[Wait…]

[What are you insinuating, you idiot? Are you about to drop some dumb “hack” accusation like that fool earlier?]

[It’s time to admit it… Freide is the Heavenly Demon!]

[Actually, isn’t she a hero?]

Look at that frenzy and chaos.

Even with the chat set to slow mode, it was starting to crack under the strain like a breaking dam.

‘How much slower can I set it? Should I just stop time altogether?’

Jiyoung sighed. ‘I have no choice.’

It seemed like she needed to cut the interview short.

Prolonging it would only increase the risk of the stream being overwhelmed by the unrelenting flood of comments.

She quickly moved through her prepared questions and wrapped up the interview.

***

“Thank you for agreeing to the interview, Freide. You must be thrilled with this victory. Best of luck in your next match—”

“Ah, wait a second.”

“Yes? Is there something else you’d like to say?”

Jiyoung, her eyes wide with curiosity, waited for Freide’s reply.

The player looked slightly awkward as she scratched her cheek.

“Um, honestly… I’m not that happy.”

“…What?”

Caught off guard, Jiyoung felt a flash of panic but quickly regained her composure thanks to her experience with interviews on major stages.

“It’s not about the victory, right? Could it be… dissatisfaction with your gameplay?”

“Yes, because…”

Freide raised her hand to her chest, resting it over the battered armor that bore the mark of Bisu’s Traitor’s Greatsword.

Her chest plate, crushed from the fierce duel, now bore evidence of the battle.

Puffing out her cheeks in a pout, Freide expressed her grievance.

“I dodged the attack with my body…”

“…but not with my chest.”

‘What?!’

“I missed out on a perfect victory because of that.”

“It’s very disappointing.”

“Ah!”

Bang!

“Ahhh…”

Jiyoung’s sigh echoed as the room seemingly exploded.

Freide’s shocking declaration, combined with the fervent energy of viewers and the overwhelming flood of comments, caused the virtual space to collapse.

It wasn’t an actual explosion, but the situation felt no different from a bomb going off.

Like always, Jiyoung’s interview broadcast ended with…

A dramatic, explosive finale.

***

[Today’s headline: Freide lost because of her chest size!]

Posted by: ZekeGarterBelt
(Image of Freide’s chest plate damaged by Bisu’s final attack)

“How big could her chest possibly be for her body to dodge but not her chest? Freide is truly a legend. Can you feel the power gap, humans?”

TikkleMoah: “Where’s Freide in the picture? All I see is blinding light.”

KimKkaetulakku: “The beams of light radiating in every direction are overpowering.”

[Loo: Crude wording, but I feel the same, humans.]

[TheDominator: Freide’s reflexes couldn’t even keep up with her chest…]

[As of today, I am severing my supporter relationship with Freide.]

Posted by: SweetNamja

[I hereby terminate my supporter relationship with Freide. From now on,]

[we are engaged.]

[Any attack on Freide will be considered an attack on me.]

[If there are 7 billion Freide fans in the world, I am one of them.]

[If there’s only one Freide fan left, it will be me.]

[If there are no Freide fans, it means I am no longer in this world.]

[Freide, my love.]

[My life, my death.]

[My memory and my oblivion.]

[My body and my soul.]

[Freide… and me.]

[IlluminationSword: You crazy idiot. Did you even ask Freide how she feels about this?]

[SweetNamja: Dunno lol.]

[Others: Bruh, you’re writing poetry about Freide without even checking with her first? Seriously?]

[Ajin: You moron! Where do you live? If I regain my strength, you’re first on my list!]

***

[Today’s highlight: Bisu vs. Freide]

Posted by: 00
(Image of Freide and Bisu locked in close combat)

“Look at this. Freide is a legend. Using Lantern’s Shortsword to pull off moves like this in such an intense fight? Incredible.”

“Conclusion: Bring out the Lotus! Bring out the Warden!”

[ZekeGarterBelt: Other team fans are just chilling and enjoying the drama.]

[MidirEatsSisters: As a Lantern fan, seeing other teams panic over their favorites possibly losing is delightful.]

[Others: Midir, if Freide’s team faces yours, who will you cheer for?]

[MidirEatsSisters: Of course, my girl Freide!]

***

[How big is Freide’s chest?]

Posted by: KimKkaetulakku
“How big could it possibly be for her chest to lag behind her body? You expert fanboys, measure it now!”

[RandomFan: With my well-trained eyes from countless visual novels, I’d estimate it to be… love’s sacred I-cup?]

[Others: …No words. I’m speechless. I’ve made a mistake.]

[IlluminationSword: Crazy replies aside, look at the sheer number of dislikes, lol.]