22

The spectators' seats buzzed as if they'd fallen into a vat of liquor, and the chat window exploded like white phosphorus rounds.

[Newhoooh! It's a one-sided victory for Friede ww]

[Cut! Cut!]

[A multi-round match? More like win, win, win, off work early!]

[What's up with M1's parries? Pulling them off like eating breakfast.]

[From now on, don't call them combat skills, call them blunder skills—so easy to dodge!]

[In front of our beach warrior unnie, every move set looks like a clown's dance.]

[Hold on, I need to change my underwear.]

Friede's calm demeanor after securing victory shone nobly, illuminated by the colorless moonlight hovering in the sky.

"This is a hack, it has to be a hack. This is definitely a hack…."

"Hah…"

'This guy still hasn't come to his senses.'

The parrot crying hack was unstoppable, as if he'd keep ranting even if he were thrown into water.

'There's always that type—refusing to face reality no matter how many facts you hit them with.'

"How about figuring things out now?"

"Sh*t, I don't care how great that program is. Using hacks in front of a GM? You're done for, idiot."

"This is just…."

'Was it desperation or lingering hope?'

From Friede's perspective, already knowing what the GM would say next, SUHO's attitude looked pitifully laughable.

"Are you stupid? Or are you pretending to be stupid? Or maybe you're too stupid to even realize you're pretending?"

"This is the point where you should admit it. You're being pathetic."

"You think acting like this will earn you any recognition?"

"Stop whining after getting completely thrashed. If you're that upset, why don't you go cry to the GM? You're a streamer, right? I'm sure your viewers are enjoying this little show. Oh, right!"

Friede mockingly covered her mouth with her visor, slyly poking at his nerves.

"Does it not matter anymore since it's a channel deletion match?"

"You b*tch!"

SUHO clenched his teeth, his desire to throw a punch overwhelming him.

But in the end, it was virtual reality.

With all eyes on him, he could only swallow his rage.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of that soon enough. So, stop whining already."

Friede caught SUHO's venomous glare but simply shook her head.

'This guy—no matter how many times you say it, no matter how many times you win, it's useless.'

'Can he even accept the results?'

Watching the hack-obsessed idiot message the GM like a child tattling to their mom, Friede let out a faint, derisive chuckle.

She'd been patient enough.

The stifling weight of the "sweet potato" moments was over.

Now, it was finally time for a refreshing drink of "cider."

***

Summoned to the scene, GM Pope descended gracefully into the center of the arena, his steps exuding the precision of a martial arts master walking on air.

[Thump thump thump]

[Big moment incoming! Big moment incoming! Big moment incoming!]

[Stop spamming, you morons.]

[It's hacks, no doubt. Perma-ban incoming.]

[Lol, Friede's innocence is as clear as her moves during the fight.]

[You idiots think the GM Pope's been silent this whole time for nothing? Classic power move.]

[Do you think the Pope is just here for decoration? Lol.]

The audience's excitement matched Friede's satisfaction.

The GM completed a ritualistic turn before speaking in a heavy, deliberate tone.

"We have been monitoring reports accusing Hero of Light Friede of using illegal programs during this match and prior battles."

A hushed silence fell.

The once-chaotic crowd was now as subdued as cattle awaiting their turn in a slaughterhouse.

"The results are in, and I will now inform everyone present."

"The investigation revealed no evidence…."

The GM paused, an unusual move for someone known for being straightforward.

Still, not a single voice of complaint arose.

Everyone's attention was laser-focused on the GM, waiting with bated breath.

"…of illegal program use."

Silence.

For a brief, dramatic three seconds, the arena was utterly still.

But this wasn't the silence of defeat or disappointment—it was the calm before the storm.

And then—

[What are you waiting for?! Chop off the sniper's hands!]

[Thanks for the points, believers! Ez money~]

[God Friede! Queen Friede! King Friede!]

[Haha! Knew it all along!]

[That dude switched sides fast, didn't he? Called her a hacker a second ago, now acting all supportive.]

[What do you mean, it's not a hack? This balance is completely broken!]

[Lol, Friede just obliterated the challenger like a pro. RIP!]

[STK, get ready to kneel!]

[Imagine Friede turning pro—absolute chaos incoming.]

The GM's verdict hit SUHO like a sledgehammer, smashing any remaining delusions.

—Thud.

His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor.

Even after tasting consecutive defeats, the flame of hope had somehow kept him upright.

But now, that last flicker had been snuffed out.

The despair of his final stronghold falling was palpable.

The crowd, far from sympathetic, erupted into even greater frenzy.

[This is just karma smacking SUHO in the face, right? Tell me I'm not the only one seeing it this way.]

[No, you're just bitter. SUHO's just paying for his sins, dumbass.]

[Lol, did SUHO steal your girl or something? Why the hate?]

[Channel deletion match! Let's gooo!]

[Deleting the channel after losing… This is rare and precious.]

[SUHO's downfall is Obama-level meme material.]

[You enjoying this, boomer?]

"Good job."

Friede's words seemed to echo like a ghostly wail in SUHO's ears.

His face, drained of blood, looked like that of a pale zombie.

"For the first match, I wanted to test walking a tightrope. That's why I focused solely on defense. But I didn't think you'd fail to land a single effective hit."

"What?"

SUHO's pupils quivered violently, forced to confront the truth he had been denying.

It felt as if his brain was being bleached and erased at the same time.

'What do I do now?'

He'd wagered everything on this match, only to lose miserably.

The GM had validated Friede's innocence, shattering his accusations.

'So, all of this… was just my delusion?'

His eyes darted around the arena, searching for any trace of support.

Instead, all he found was scorn and mockery directed solely at him—a completely isolated battlefield.

"Ugh!"

SUHO's brain, long accustomed to reading the room, began working at lightning speed.

With public opinion completely turned against him, he quickly arrived at the best conclusion for his current situation.

The next action he took was shocking enough to stun Friede, the GM, and the entire audience.

He dropped into a full bow on the ground.

"I'm sorry, Friede-nim. Please, I beg you, let this go."

***

[Yo, what's he doing?]

[Wow, what the hell hahahahaha]

[Thump thump tarry, thump thump tarry, I'm singing a happy song!]

[Is this a kneeling bow or a full-on prostration?]

[Hey SU, hurry up, delete your channel and log off.]

Amidst the flood of jeers, SUHO kept his head pressed to the ground, driven by the single-minded determination to save his channel.

"This is my livelihood. I didn't study or do much else, and if I lose this, it'll be hard for me to make a living. Please, just this once, spare me. I'm begging you."

"Hah, goodness."

Even the GM let out a bewildered sigh.

Of course, I was just as baffled.

Since it was a conflict between players, there wasn't much the GM could do except watch in silence.

Honestly, given how well SUHO's stream had been doing, his desperate behavior wasn't entirely incomprehensible.

Friede, shrugging her shoulders, finally spoke up.

"If you think someone's hacking, don't go around trying to ruin them with drama like this. Quietly report it to customer service. The GMs in this game are pretty good at catching cheaters."

"Th-that's because… I got caught up in the drama, and before I realized it…."

'I figured. He probably didn't have some grand motive behind this.'

Streamers sniping each other for attention? That's just par for the course.

"Right. I know I was the one who suggested the channel deletion match…."

'A hero shouldn't keep pushing when someone's on their knees begging for mercy.'

'After all, we're not politicians staking their careers on big campaign promises; this isn't worth dragging out any further.'

'It's all just ridiculous anyway—throwing around accusations about hacks and acting like it's life or death.'

Friede nodded to herself, deciding that ending things here would be the cleanest solution.

"Let's wrap this up. But you need to apologize to Forming too—right here, right now."

"What? But Forming-nim isn't here right now."

"They're watching, though. Just face the camera and apologize properly."

After delivering a deep bow and a heartfelt apology to Forming, SUHO…

Ding! –

[SUHO has left the arena.]

…promptly fled.

"He's gone…."

"Yep," muttered the GM with a tone of resignation.

I nodded in agreement.

SUHO…

For someone who sparked a hacking controversy, he didn't exactly leave in a graceful manner.

***

The emergence of a new star is always dazzling.

A female gamer using an extreme custom character build and the worst weapon in the game had shot up to Grandmaster rank in record time.

Caught in a hacking controversy, she had cleared her name with a one-on-one duel and received vindication from the GM's final ruling.

Some criticized the overly dramatic reaction to what was ultimately a match between ranked players.

But for the many watching the story unfold, this was one of the most dramatic developments they'd ever witnessed.

***

"Hello, Friede-nim. Thanks for agreeing to this interview."

"It's nothing."

Her response was brief, but the faint smile on her lips suggested she was in good spirits.

[What is this, Ji-yang?]

[Holy crap, a one-on-one interview with Friede-nim? Let me join in!]

[Here for the scoop!]

[Is this the stream where Friede mommy gets interviewed?]

[Eh, fine, I'll let it slide since the host is cute too.]

[Ew, these Friede fanboys are disgusting.]

***

Seizing the opportunity to interview the star of this incredible story, streamer Ji-yang couldn't help but feel elated.

Friede had been on her way out of the arena after SUHO's disgraceful exit when Ji-yang managed to secure this rare chance for a one-on-one interview.

It was a golden opportunity no other streamer had been able to take.

Watching her viewer count explode, Ji-yang trembled with excitement.

Viewer count: 118,547

Though this sudden surge was likely temporary, it was an enormous boost nonetheless.

Many streamers couldn't handle such a rapid influx, often crashing under the strain.

But Ji-yang paid no mind to such concerns.

After all, this wasn't a gift from a corporate sponsor—it was her own achievement.

If viewers flocked to her interview of their own volition, all the better.

"First off, Friede-nim, congratulations on your victory! How do you feel about it?"

"Well… to be honest, it's kind of surreal to be interviewed for something like this. The world's changed a lot, hasn't it? That's the feeling I get."

***

[How old is she to say something like that?]

[Idiots, why do you think she's wearing a helmet? Use your brains.]

[Friede mommy's voice is ASMR-level bliss.]

Hearing her voice up close, Ji-yang could understand why fans raved about it.

After taking a moment to compose herself, she pressed on with her questions.

"SUHO has the nickname of 'Challenger Gatekeeper' and has a much higher rank score than you. Did you feel any pressure when accepting his duel?"

"Not at all."

'Why would I?'

"I'm confident in my skills, especially in one-on-one situations. I might not dominate group matches like I used to, but one-on-one? I don't lose."

"Do you have a rank goal?"

"Of course—Challenger. I'm aiming for the very top."

Catching on to the intriguing implications, Ji-yang's eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"When you said you weren't worried about anyone in a one-on-one match, does that include top-tier Challenger players, the so-called celestial players?"

"Yes, naturally."

[Wow, that's some next-level confidence.]

[If she goes high enough, won't she face Warden?]

[Warden vs. Friede—my chest is swelling with anticipation.]

[Is Friede actually going pro?]

[Friede, please join TK! I want to see TK win the championship!]

The prospect of a match between Warden and Friede was tantalizing for fans of Soul Warfare.

Though Ji-yang had more questions prepared, she couldn't ask them all.

Overwhelmed by the influx of viewers, her stream crashed after just two minutes of the interview.