[STK Brawl Tournament: The Grand Finale Event! Lotus vs. Friede! An In-Depth Exploration!]
Author: SweetGuy
[The long-awaited finale of the Brawl Tournament has finally arrived, and anticipation has reached a fever pitch.]
[Even the previous tournament finals pale in comparison to this climactic showdown.]
[This match isn’t just a battle—it’s a clash between two titans, two stars whose rivalry has captured the attention of every Soul Warfare player.]
[What makes this duel even more fascinating is the overlap in weapon categories used by the two competitors. Both Friede and Lotus favor agile, high-speed offensive styles, wielding weapons such as the straight sword-rapier, broad sword-longsword, and curved sword-scimitar with deadly precision.]
[This isn’t merely a tournament finale. It’s the ultimate showdown—a battle to crown the strongest female gamer in Soul Warfare, not just in Korea but on the global stage.]
[On one side stands Friede, a noble Valkyrie clad in radiant silver armor, perfectly embodying her former ID as the “Hero of Light.”]
[On the other side is Lotus, a ferocious Amazon, decked out in STK’s iconic black-and-red fusion armor.]
[Who will prevail in this epic clash? Which of these extraordinary warriors will be blessed by the sweet hand of fate?]
[The entire Soul Warfare community is holding its breath, with every eye glued to this momentous battle.]
[Stay tuned—history is about to be made.]
***
[yaSergei: This guy’s one of the rising names among Friede fans, right?]
[Loo: ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[JeekGarterbelt: Considering the recent ‘engagement’ stuff, it’s honestly a little creepy.]
[SisEaterMidir: Started as just a generic Mob A, but how did he fall so far?]
[Washbasin: Boom!]
[KimBrokenKnuckle: This idiot is losing it, seriously.]
[Well, Watch Closely, Newbies]
Author: KimBrokenKnuckle
It’s a broken sword angle.
With the broken sword, I’ll give Lotus a thorough lesson on humility.
[Anonymous: If the broken greatsword comes out, it’ll be Lotus fans vs. Friede fans in a decisive showdown.]
[hope5555: Our Friede is a one-person army, not someone a tagalong like Lotus can handle! Bring it on!]
[ToothpickGeneral: Do you trust in Friede’s Chaos?]
[hope5555: Ugh! No Chaos for me, thanks!]
[SunlightStraightSword: All hail Friede!]
***
[Lotus Must Be Stressed]
Author: SkinnyChair
If our queen uses the broken greatsword, the opposition will face a tough time.
She’s probably hoping someone picks an OP weapon for her.
[ToothpickGeneral: I’d like to see her wield the Traitor’s Greatsword.]
[LyaSergei: By the way, Sensei hasn’t touched a katana.]
[Loo: Katanas are for noobs. Sensei doesn’t mess with low-class weapons.]
[LLAmpadu: Isn’t the Warden low-class too?]
[JeekGarterbelt: Isn’t he a college student by now?]
As every community related to Soul Warfare burns with heated discussions, the STK gaming team’s Soul Warfare practice room remained eerily calm.
The only sounds were the gentle hums of the high-end VR capsules, running solely for the players.
Though not as luxurious as Friede’s Moses Limited Edition device, each capsule cost around 20 million won and was equipped to reduce the strain on players during extended practice sessions.
The team’s commitment to these devices reflects their firm determination to aim for the league championship.
***
Hiss.
The glass lid of a capsule opened, and Lotus—Cha Eunha—emerged, clutching her slightly trembling legs.
She headed toward the lounge.
‘How many days has it been?’
She paused mid-step to recollect.
It had been about two weeks since she started watching and emulating Friede’s gameplay to sharpen her skills.
‘It’s been a while since I pushed myself this hard in the off-season.’
Before her pro debut, she used to dive headfirst into virtual reality, driven by pure passion without expecting anything in return.
Though her body felt fatigued, the excitement in her heart refused to subside, bringing her back to those fiery days.
That’s when it happened.
“Not heading home?”
A male voice from behind caught her ears.
‘Oh, he’s here.’
“Chan-hyuk? You’re back early. I thought you’d take full advantage of your vacation.”
“Didn’t have much to do at home. Figured I might as well get a head start on preparing for the next season.”
To do that, returning to the team’s dorm was inevitable.
Eunha smiled faintly at Warden-Kim Chan-hyuk’s nonchalant attitude.
‘What a workaholic.’
She prided herself on being a hard worker, but compared to Chan-hyuk’s relentless passion, she felt like a firefly next to the sun.
“Want some?”
“Thanks.”
With coffee from a nearby convenience store in hand, they stepped onto the dorm balcony, where a cool breeze greeted them.
“I heard the news. You’re going up against Friede.”
“Yeah.”
“Think you’ll be okay?”
“What, you think I’ll lose?”
“Probably.”
Eunha’s eyes flashed with intensity, but Chan-hyuk met her gaze without a hint of reaction.
His seemingly dismissive comment could be taken as insulting, but Eunha found herself unable to retort.
In the end, she turned her gaze away.
‘What a boring guy.’
He had always been like this—flowing like water, letting everything pass by.
As Eunha grumbled under her breath, Chan-hyuk broke the silence with an indifferent tone.
“Eunha, honestly, I think it’s amazing for a woman to be a pro gamer, especially on a team like this that’s full of guys.”
“You could’ve just been a poster girl, but you proved yourself with skill. Honestly, I don’t think anyone fits the role of a pro gamer better than you.”
“Suddenly, you’re gilding the lily… So, what exactly are you trying to say?”
Chan-hyuk, downing the remainder of his coffee in one gulp, met Eunha’s gaze.
Her eyes, sharp and unyielding, exuded a level of stubbornness that could almost be called obstinacy.
Without flinching from her piercing stare, Chan-hyuk continued his calm explanation.
“A pro cares only about results. Fair wins are essential, of course, but that’s talk for official matches.”
“Don’t tell me you’re suggesting I take it easy against Friede?”
Eunha’s frown deepened at the suggestion, prompting a faint chuckle from Chan-hyuk.
“No, I mean, don’t let yourself get too caught up in whatever weapon Friede uses, win or lose.”
“…What?”
“If Friede brings out a broken greatsword, I can already picture how things will go, no matter the outcome.”
His words, like a dagger striking her core, made Eunha widen her eyes and retort sharply.
“Do you really think I’d lose my nerve over some online gossip?”
“Not the gossip—more like, you’d crumble mentally after fighting Friede. If that happens, it won’t be the fans’ fault. It’ll be because you couldn’t accept it yourself.”
His casual posture—leaning his chin on his hand and turning his head slightly—felt mocking, stirring an inexplicable irritation within her.
But what irritated her even more was how his words left her fumbling for a proper response.
While Eunha bit her lip in frustration, Chan-hyuk’s calm gaze returned to face her as he shared his thoughts.
“Eunha, if Friede shows up with a broken greatsword, there’s no way you’d just sit back and let it go, right?”
“If you win, you’ll beat yourself up over why she didn’t go all out. If you lose, you’ll feel a crushing sense of inadequacy. It’s so obvious.”
***
Whoosh.
The wind was cold.
Chan-hyuk stood, brushing himself off.
“Don’t tie yourself up in weird standards and brood over them alone. Mental care is part of being a pro, too. No matter how much external support you get, in the end, you have to protect and overcome it yourself.”
With that, he finished his advice as a teammate.
“I’m starving. Wonder if there’s anything left in the fridge?”
Just as he was about to leave, a voice called out.
“Hey, Kim Chan-hyuk.”
“…What?”
He turned his head, meeting Eunha’s cool, composed gaze.
“Why are you acting so pretentious?”
“Ah…”
At her question, Chan-hyuk let out a faint laugh.
This man, who always seemed robotic and methodical yet burned with a hidden passion for victory—the world’s best gamer—replied with an uncharacteristically weary smile.
“Because I’m the captain.”
***
The day of the grand finale.
The STK Brawl Tournament’s most anticipated match to date.
To witness this match, more thrilling than the previous showdown between past champions and the Warden, countless viewers logged in.
Since it was a Sunday, the chat window and the arena’s virtual stands were packed with users.
As always, the stream began with an announcement from streamer and host Jiyoung.
“Hello, everyone! The day has finally come!”
[Hello, Ji!]
[Hey, isn’t this the official STK channel? Why’s it lagging so much?]
[Wow, it feels even more crowded than back in the ‘noob overlord’ days.]
[Look at the viewer count. Feels like the Soul Cup finals or something.]
[lololol]
“Today, the ultimate event match between Friede and Lotus—Lotus and Friede—will finally begin! Who will claim the glory as the top female gamer? I can’t wait to see the outcome. Which side will claim victory?”
[Why are you asking us? Just start it already!]
[Hey Ji! Hurry up and push the hosts to get it going.]
[Until it starts, let’s all lie down.]
[Lie down… endlessly lie down…]
“Ahem, and now, let’s welcome the players!”
With Ji’s declaration, the arena and chat erupted like an earthquake.
Friede descended from the sky in a shower of starlight.
Lotus emerged as if rising from a fiery pond.
Even Ji, the event host, and the commentators couldn’t contain their excitement as they relayed the scene to viewers.
The players’ weapons were decided.
Lotus’s weapon choice was familiar to those who had watched Friede’s matches—a masterpiece of elegance and brilliance forged in pure gold: Lantern’s Straight Sword.
On the other hand, Friede held a weapon that, at first glance, seemed unimpressive.
Though it wasn’t the broken greatsword she had previously used, the long sword wrapped in white cloth looked undeniably lackluster.
And yet, no one dared to disparage Friede’s chosen weapon.
Because…
As Friede raised the weapon and exhaled a soft sigh, her breath brushed the blade’s surface.
Flash!
In an instant, a radiant light erupted from the sword.
Its golden glow, reminiscent of a solar flare, ignited the blade.
In the dark, despair-filled world of Soul Warfare, the game’s only weapon bearing the title of Holy Sword illuminated the battlefield.
Its name was…
“The Radiant Holy Sword.”
From Lotus’s lips came the weapon’s true name.
Friede, the Hero of Light, had obtained the virtual counterpart to the mythical Holy Sword in her hands.