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Chapter 1: The Chaos of the Game

Virtual reality, the action RPG game Soul Warfare allows for motion implementation just like reality.

Maybe that’s why there are so many slapstick videos of Soul Warfare on YouTube…

At first, I was just wondering what this was, but who would have thought I’d end up ensnared in that cycle?

Whoosh—!

The formidable strike of velocity approaches.

I dodge the spear stabbing toward my head and spring jump upward.

[Light Hero Friede: Kiyoh!]

With an echoing voice, I let out a peculiar battle cry.

My body, floating in a reverse position with my head down and legs up, spins rapidly like a twisted spring.

—Puhak!

With the rotation of my body and arms, the blade of the Broken Greatsword cleanly slices through my opponent’s neck.

Light Hero Friede 🗡️ Yasergei

As the kill mark pops up, the voice of the chatting overlord rings in my ears.

[Wow! Mission ‘Jump and Kill While Yelling Kiyoh!’ Successful! 100,000 won awarded!]

[Super Mario-level skills, lol!]

[Jumping and killing is standard practice, dude.]

[Crazy idiots, don’t come up with weird missions!]

[So, what mission should we tackle next?]

[How about getting two consecutive falls with a windmill?]

[That’s the one, lololol!]

I grin at the hilarious chat of tricksters.

Alright, what kind of crazy mission awaits me this time?

[Hero Forming: How did you just do that? Is that possible in-game?]

[Light Hero Friede: If you jump often, you’ll get the hang of it quickly.]

[Hero Forming: If that were the case, everyone and their pet would be doing it. Even in the lobby, there are people jumping in place…]

I find Hero Forming’s pouty replies cute.

Having a younger sister like this must be so much fun!

[Light Hero Friede: Come on, isn’t there another mission? This one’s pretty fun.]

[Hero Forming: You’re insane. Anyone seeing this would think you’re addicted to missions.]

[Light Hero Friede: Hero Forming, you should plan for your future.]

[LOL, for real!]

[Hero Forming got smashed!]

[Heroes usually take quests, you know?]

[Quest Special: Go over there and clean some poop!]

[Hey, should I set the next mission for you, big sis?]

[Hero Forming, take care too!]

[Hero Bobimbap: Mission! As a duo, identify an enemy player and get them to fall twice using a windmill! 700,000 won!]

Is it just a quirk of this chat, or a common trait of female streamers?

Either way, a mission has been assigned to Hero Forming.

Here, there are not just weapons but also skills that can be applied.

At the lower tiers, people typically envision players with knuckle-type equipped weapons.

But you can also cause bleeding on specific body parts and deplete stamina, leading to players losing their footing or getting pushed around, depending on their movements.

Of course, that’s not the usual playstyle.

This game primarily involves fighting with melee weapons, and the existence of combat skills for each weapon doesn’t allow for any grappling moves.

However, as the tiers rise, there are occasional cases where players utilize various tactics, including falling tactics against enemies.

‘Unless there’s a big gap in skill, of course.’

Even knowing this, for them to request falling with a windmill is pretty bold.

‘Well, it’s not impossible…’

I think it shouldn’t be too hard to spin and trip an enemy with my leg.

Moistened lips lick as I turn my head sideways.

Through my eyes, I catch a glimpse of Hero Forming looking bewildered at the mission details.

Why’s he so flustered?

I gently push Hero Forming’s shoulder to nudge him.

[Light Hero Friede: Look, Hero Forming! A mission just for you!]

[Hero Forming: Wait, I’ve never done windmill plays before; you want me to do this?]

[Light Hero Friede: Isn’t tripping two enemies with a windmill just basic skills for a hero?]

[Hero Forming: What kind of basic skill is that? If I had known, I wouldn’t have taken the mission!]

[Light Hero Friede: The prize money is quite enticing, though… come on! Let’s make it happen!]

[Whoa! Shocking statement! Hero Forming! Are you giving up being a hero?]

[If a hero can’t overcome trials, what’s the point?]

[Heroes are still human… you’ve gotta care for them!]

[Ah, it’s only right for heroes to endure, right?]

[Viewer=Goddess]

[There are plenty of head-busting goddesses after throwing strong feelings, right?]

[Hero Forming is such a cutie!]

[Big Sis Beach, pat pat! Give it a thumbs up!]

The atmosphere is bright. The game is still in full swing.

While hunting useful objects in the circuit, I noticed enemies charging toward us.

Two of them, perfectly synchronized with us.

One is a middle-plate wearing a large scythe from the Friede’s large scythe, and the other clenches his fists with knuckles equipped— a bald, muscular guy.

I, as usual, hold the Broken Greatsword, and Hero Forming wields a rapier called a self sword.

After observing the two approaching enemies for a moment, I quickly decided my target.

The unlucky ones headed for a double fall are…

‘Friede’s large scythe.’

You’re it.

With Hero Forming’s unique agility with the self sword, we should be able to complete the mission successfully against the large scythe.

[Light Hero Friede: You’re not thinking of just giving up, are you, Hero Forming?]

[Hero Forming: Ugh! Still, this feels a bit much.]

[Light Hero Friede: Come on, push forward, Hero Forming. Overcome this trial as a hero.]

I gently nudge Hero Forming, who hesitates with the mission.

What good would it do to back out now? The mission has been laid out and the atmosphere is what it is.

In the end, Hero Forming set his sights solemnly and dashed ahead with a battle cry.

But, does Hero Forming even know how to pull off a windmill?

* * *

Dodging the incoming scythe, I dash forward.

I draw them in and swing the dual scythes equipped in my left hand toward their chest.

The gleaming edges of the huge scythe behind me targeting blood, while the small scythe in front blocks the direct path.

Not a single gap in the encirclement in any direction.

It’s an operation possible only due to the unique dual-wielding form.

Because of this characteristic, gamers often describe the large scythe of Friede as a trap among the scythe weaponry.

But does he know?

Even powerful predators shatter what they think are perfect traps.

Blood boiled in my veins.

My nerves sharpened to the point that my blood vessels nearly burst.

Still, I couldn’t read the trajectory.

The small scythe that should pierce my chest carelessly cuts through the air, and I feel a heavy impact on my legs.

And….

—Thud! Thud!

The swift thrust and retreat of the blade.

“Damn it!”

There was no other way to describe the movements of the opponent that vanished from my view.

I thought I had caught up just in time, but the dwindling health and the injury to my two legs set off a blood loss stack.

Turning my head down, there was a knight sliding on the ground, having already severed my legs with the bloodied Broken Greatsword.

—Shwing!

Reached my breaking point, stamina drained.

I’m left feeling like a powerless scarecrow, unable to do anything but stand.

I let my red tongue slick against my exposed lips beneath the visor of my helmet.

What a captivating and infuriating sneer it was, mixed with mockery.

“Damn you…”

I wanted to hurl a load of curses, but the opponent didn’t seem to have any reason to pay attention.

Lying there, the knight skillfully rotated his body and kicked my injured legs, sending me spiraling off into the abyss.

* * *

“What the hell was that?”

After finishing Soul Warfare and returning to the MS Room, the man spat curses.

He looked incredibly frustrated, his face flushed with rage as he chewed on his lips.

A moment’s touch could set him off into a fiery rant, so it wasn’t surprising.

His name was Park Suho.

Currently, he was a streamer focusing on Soul Warfare.

With some fluctuations on holidays, he maintained an average of 10,000 viewers.

He could be described as a gatekeeper of sorts among large corporation streamers.

The concept of this broadcast was to push his secondary account to reach the Grand Master tier just like his main.

But he ended up getting soundly beaten by a duo of strange guys who proclaimed themselves heroes.

Angry at himself, he shut off Soul Warfare and eyed the chat log.

As expected, the response wasn’t great.

[You gotta shout Muya-ho when you fall! What are you doing, channel host?]

[I present the legendary film of the fallen: fell twice in windmill style, lol.]

[Me]

[This dude falls in such a ridiculous way? LOL, what an idiot!]

[Lock]

[Looks like he got lucky!]

[Are those two a duo? With their IDs matching as heroes, there’s no way to dodge them, damn it.]

[That Grand Master got destroyed on his sub account? How fitting! Gross! LOL.]

[Me]

[Lock]

[The Light Hero’s skin looks great!]

[Hopefully, that idiot will get his just desserts. ]

“Damn it!”

Bang!

After ruthlessly dealing with a few troublesome trolls, Park Suho slammed his desk in irritation.

After all, there was no real sensation in virtual reality, so he could vent his anger however he wanted; it felt like a shotgun blast.

He’d never seen or experienced anyone getting two consecutive falls with a windmill while playing Soul Warfare.

[Host is getting angry! Domeham!]

[Looks like he’s taking it out on us for getting hit!]

[Shhh! Don’t make him mad!]

[The purge is razor-sharp!]

As the audience witnessed this rare sight, they jumped at the chance to provoke him.

Experiencing humiliation and venting his frustration in the MS Room was not just for fun.

Regardless of ID, skin, or playstyle, he had to admit the duo of heroes’ skills were undeniable.

Especially Light Hero Friede, who was undoubtedly a monster even in the Master Rank, could silence Park Suho.

Not only did he fall twice in windmill style, but he also went on to face relentless humiliation afterward.

He didn’t score a single kill.

This isn’t some fantasy game livestream.

‘No, was it really skill?’

He himself was a Grand Master player; in other words, he was called the Challenger’s gatekeeper.

Though that title felt derogatory, it was fair to say that no one else of his tier could surpass him.

Having faced this twice now—and being humiliated with the so-called Broken Greatsword in the end.

As he replayed the events in his mind, he began to question if those two fought him with genuine skill.

The chat began to swirl like the wind as his ears perked up.

[I checked the stats, and that Light Hero Friede seems a bit suspicious.]

[Right? He only played with a Broken Greatsword and has a win rate over 90%?]

[I could understand if he’s pro, but can a regular player play like that?]

[I kept quiet because it was fun to tease the host, but that player’s performance in the earlier game seemed odd. What kind of reflexes are those?]

[Is that another round of Chinese trolls? Didn’t they have hacks before?]

[For real, though;;;]

Looking at the public sentiment, it seems everyone felt the same.

“First, let’s review the gameplay. I can’t get a grip on what I’m thinking right now. I’ll figure it out after watching the replay.”

Feeling the eerie atmosphere of the chat that persisted like falling rain…

He thought perhaps a rather interesting situation could unfold, and Park Suho begrudgingly swallowed his dry saliva.

Light Hero Friede.

The player boasting a 90% win rate with the Broken Greatsword in Master Rank.

Was he a true competitor or just a trickster hiding behind hacks?

The result will tell.

 

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