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Friede Gallerym

“What’s up with Friede not using the Broken Greatsword? Isn’t that a tactical move?”

Posted by: Skinnyman

Friede is advancing past the semifinals, with the finals just around the corner.

She hasn’t used the Broken Greatsword so far?

Usually, you’d think she’d pick something effective since her opponents are strong.

But is that really the only reason?

Could there be another intention behind it?

Maybe?

ZekeGaterbelt: What do you mean maybe?! What’s going on? Are you seriously not summarizing that in a single line?

NoName: Wait, are you saying she’s saving it intentionally… for some reason?

KimRealityCheck: No way! You really think she’d use the Broken Greatsword in the Lotus match?

NoName2: Looking at the finals bracket, it seems like a pretty loose match-up no matter who comes up.

NoName3: For real, if she was going to use it, she’d have done it by now. I doubt she’d want to pull it out for the Lotus.

SweetGuy: I’m not putting down Sensei, but the Lotus is a serious contender, you know?

“No matter how skilled Sensei is, bringing a Broken Greatsword to a Lotus match is just unfair.”

Posted by: yaSergei

Is the Lotus the same as an average ranker? She’s a top-tier player who placed in the top 20 of the Challenger rankings and plays in the pro scene.

Just think back to the stove league two years ago. Both Warden and Lotus ended their contracts around the same time and were flooded with offers, domestically and internationally.

In the end, they renewed with STK, but still…

The Lotus is essentially the highest tier in the industry, and she’s considering using a Broken Greatsword?

Yeah, that’s a bit…

hope5555: Whether she wins or loses, the controversy is inevitable, lol.

LAmpadu: The Broken Greatsword is a usable pick, so there’s nothing wrong with using it, but… it’s definitely easy to critique on manners.

TheDominator: Lotus is totally being cheated here.

NoName: Seriously. If she wins with the Broken Greatsword, it’s like “She won with the Broken Greatsword,” and if she loses, it’s like “She lost with the Broken Greatsword…” Man, that’s a real catch-22, lmao!

If Friede pulls out the Broken Greatsword against the Lotus, I’d be all for it. Me first!

Just saying.

SweetGuy: Let’s make it three lines.

KimRealityCheck: If Sister Friede teaches the Lotus with a Broken Club, it’s going to be absolute chaos!

ZekeGaterbelt: STK, Lotus… a monumental disaster!!!

SunlightSword: The Lotus has a serious sense of pride. If she loses to the Broken Greatsword, she’ll probably be fuming and unable to sleep at night, lol.

NoName: For real, lol.

* * *

“What’s going on here?”

The semifinal match ended surprisingly light and straightforward.

Was it because the opponent was a mid-tier Grand Master?

Thanks to some extreme luck, that player made it to the semifinals, which is impressive.

If previous challenger players like Vicious, HotShot, Haldir, or Hades had been part of that bracket, the semifinal dynamics would’ve changed dramatically.

The interview flowed smoothly without any issues, and I was browsing online as usual.

I peeked into various forums and comments sections, including my viewing jail known as the Friede Gallery and my YouTube channel panels. Yet, the discussions remained consistent.

“The Broken Greatsword isn’t courteous to opponents… and since the opponent is a pro, we need to take it seriously…”

Essentially, these kinds of sentiments were floating around.

The Broken Greatsword.

Honestly, I hadn’t thought deeply about that weapon.

Even if it’s a trivial weapon nobody uses, I still wanted to show that remarkable plays were possible, even if others deemed it impossible.

So, I casually ranked up to Challenger with it.

‘I switched weapons for the theme at times…’

But that was solely for creating unique content for streams.

“Hmm…”

This tournament wasn’t just about me; it was a significant event featuring professional players, so I couldn’t take it lightly.

Seeing the current reactions, I couldn’t help but exhale a sigh, whether I wanted to or not.

“When I think about it, there was quite a bit of chatter.”

Initially, most complaints came from my teammates.

But as the tier rose and as time passed since I started streaming, I noticed the opposing side started chiming in with their grievances too.

‘Why is that?’

Honestly, as a player, I didn’t see any issue in using the Broken Greatsword.

No matter how bad it is, every weapon can be compensated for with skill.

I mean, even in virtual reality, I was just operating with the pure physical ability generated by the scan, completely without using Hero’s Power.

Yet, the fact that something as severely underwhelming as this weapon generates such discussions was absurd.

It’s clear that there’s a huge difference between wielding an OP weapon and carrying the Broken Greatsword.

The problem revolves around the person, not the weapon itself.

Still…

“People’s hearts are just like that.”

Mumbling something that sounds insightful, even though no one is listening.

I’d originally planned to use the Broken Greatsword in the match against the Lotus after winning.

I thought that would draw even more thrilling attention and enhance my skills even more.

However, given the current opinion, I couldn’t help but take a slight step back.

Being a ‘Hero’, I still have to be mindful of other people’s perspectives.

This isn’t something I could solve solo, so…

“I’ll ask.”

I needed the advice of the ultimate consultant, Park Da-young, at this point.

* * *

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

The organizing committee was in a state of paralysis, nervously glancing at one another.

The meeting, which was progressing smoothly, hit a wall at the last item on the agenda, leaving everyone feeling suffocated.

With a stiff expression, the marketing team leader slowly opened his mouth.

“There’s a lot of complaints from the coaching staff. What if the Lotus’s condition falters because of this…?”

“Well, that’s….”

“That’s the same every time they hold an event. It’s practically their catchphrase now…”

Even pros don’t always win without fail.

Mistakes can happen, and losses occur.

Especially when the opponent is a ranker who’s made it to Challenger, regardless of who it is.

If their mentality is getting shaky at this point, they likely hadn’t even been able to play ranked matches.

Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t have been something to fuss about.

“But now that I think about it, getting all worked up seems kinda funny. It’s just an exhibition match anyway, so why the fuss?”

“Well, I can see why. With the winner already pretty much determined.”

“But still, isn’t this a bit much? If you’re a pro, shouldn’t you be able to understand the organization’s side at least? It was the same with Warden.”

“True, true. But….”

Fans on the internet don’t understand that.

Not wanting to stir up trouble, I bit my tongue.

One side of the semifinals had now been decided, with the protagonist being… Friede.

Because her semifinals opponent was a lucky Grand Master, the match details felt one-sided.

The concern was looking at the other side’s players climbing into the semifinals,

“Finals match… It’s pretty much a given that Friede will take the championship, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Should she use the Broken Greatsword…?”

“Who knows? But would using the Broken Greatsword guarantee a win?”

“Even if she loses, isn’t it an issue for the player to deal with?”

“As much as the players complain, outright blocking weapons that the game developers officially provide just seems a bit off.”

“Maybe you should say something to that effect to the team leader.”

With that convenient answer, the team leader released a small sigh.

They were discussing things so casually.

After all, it was my side that has to handle all the complaints from the coaches.

‘Damn these guys.’

I silently cursed them out over and over.

Well, regardless of these worries, the conclusion is always determined, which is a painful catch-22.

“Screw it, just push through as is.”

“What about the Lotus side….”

“What about it? The player needs to overcome it on their own. From now on, just ignore any complaints coming from their end.”

What’s with this sudden surge of courage?

When the team members all looked puzzled, the team leader waved his hands and hurriedly called for a dismissal.

Maybe something good happened.

Thus, as everyone filed out, the team leader was left alone in the room, where a vacant silence settled in.

―Swoosh.

He discreetly took out his smartphone and started playing a video.

As sweet voices spilled forth from the device.

―I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

The voice from the video was unmistakably Friede’s.

If there’s a shocking part, it’s that the dialogue just keeps repeating that they love some certain person.

“Aah, Friede, my dear.”

This was the Friede love club.

An absolute masterpiece called “My Love for Friede ver 2.3,” carefully crafted by the members of the club.

The club president, nicknamed Skinnyman, was providing exclusive services for the club’s senior members.

In essence, it was a recording file of assembling Friede’s voice to repeatedly say “I love you.”

That’s quite the remarkable reward, isn’t it?

He was the marketing team leader for STK, but in the shadows, he operated as the promotional manager for the club—SweetGuy, one of the few honored with such a reward.

“To separate each word and syllable that Friede said to create this level of quality…”

What a time to be alive.

Technological advancements really are astonishing, aren’t they?

The marketing team leader savored that lovely voice with a satisfied smile.

Though each syllable might have a slight break and the tone might be off, it was not jarring to listen to.

At that moment…

“Oh, there you are. I just wanted to report….”

―Squeak.

An uninvited guest burst into the meeting room.

The familiar face of a team member met the team leader’s gaze,

“…….”

“…….”

―I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

In the awkward silence, only Friede’s voice echoed in the meeting room.

“Team leader… what’s going on?”

“Uh….”

At the incredulous expression of the team member, the team leader adjusted his glasses and let out a lamenting sound.

Revealing personal tastes at work can be embarrassingly awkward, regardless of the subject.

To cope with the current situation, the team leader decided to roll with a bold move.

―Swoosh,

He stood up from his seat.

One step, then another. As he moved closer to the team member, he finally stood right in front of them.

“Huuh, huuh!”

With the breath of decay reminiscent of the abyss, the team leader exhaled.

―Snap!

“Yikes!”

The sound of fabric tearing jolted the team member reflexively.

But he felt nothing unusual on his own body.

When he opened his bleary eyes, saturated with bewilderment, he found…

“Guh!”

The shock was indescribable.

Torn open on the sides of the team leader’s ensemble was…

―Friede―

―Light Hero Friede-chan―

―Adult ver―

―Prisa Promotion Manager―

―SweetGuy―

With phrases displayed prominently, a t-shirt adorned with Friede was proudly revealed.

It was decorated not just with the ordinary memes of Friede, but also with artfully edited bikini model shots from dubious sites.

The shirt was adorned with every conceivable image of Friede, leaving no room for any semblance of innocence.

It was truly a mass of desires.

“……?”

What’s going on here?

Is Friede-chan wearing that shirt beneath her suit?

Why in the world is the STK marketing team leader wearing that shirt?

As the sudden change stunned the team member’s brain into chaos, a wave of dizziness washed over him, prompting him to clutch his head…

“You found out, damn it. But seriously, watch Friede’s stream. She’s legendary.”

There was no longer any veil to hide behind as the team leader fully came out.

“Yikes!”

In sheer shock, the team member merely covered his mouth with a metallic scream.

So began the thrilling life of the two men in the STK e-sports marketing team, now infused with a hint of horror.