Season 4: Chapter 161. The Birth of the Great Lord (1)
“Hey, Ju-Hyeok, Come Visit Cheese Village episode two just dropped.”
“Oh yeah?” From the couch, Ju-Hyeok instantly shot upright. “Whoa... That title is something else.”
He grinned, clearly satisfied. It looked like a full-on Almond special.
While washing the dishes, Sang-Hyeon glanced over his shoulder. “So... it’s about me?”
“Pretty sure.”
“Can I watch it too?”
“You know you can’t. Contract clause.”
Clink, clatter.
Sang-Hyeon sighed in disappointment and went back to scrubbing. Of course, asking the guy who planned the show would be a dead end.
“Actually,” Ju-Hyeok added casually, “Technically, you could watch it.”
“Really?” Sang-Hyeon looked up with a bright face.
Ju-Hyeok smirked. “But if you do, you can’t let anyone know. It’ll ruin the immersion if you act weird on stream afterward. One awkward line and the whole thing flops.”
Not watching seemed the safest choice. Everyone knew Almond wasn’t supposed to watch it. If they caught on, the illusion would shatter, and the audience would turn on him.
Clatter, clatter.
Sang-Hyeon resumed washing in silence.
“Oh, it’s starting.” Ju-Hyeok leaned back and teasingly laughed out loud at several parts, clearly enjoying himself.
“You know... You could watch if you’re confident that you can fake it perfectly.”
“Hey.” Sang-Hyeon glared, not falling for it again.
“Alright, alright! I’m done. I’m done!” Still laughing, Ju-Hyeok retreated to his room.
***
The screen faded in on a dark, battle-scarred landscape. A bloodstained blade sliced through the air.
Shrrk!
“Kill him!!” Black Pepper’s sword pointed toward a single figure standing alone.
Dozens charged at once. Thick dust rose and blotted out the view.
[SpiritBomb has donated 10,000 won.]
[My friends! Lend me your strength!]
[RubySword has donated 10,000 won.]
[Raise your arms! \o/ \o/]
— If Ruby says raise ‘em, we raise ‘em
— \o/
— Let’s goooo
— LOL
— \o/\o/\o/\o/
Donations flooded the screen and converted into in-game buffs.
[Attack Power +50%]
[Defense +30%]
[Critical Damage +30%]
[Weapon Enchant: Lightning]
Blue-white electricity surged around Almond.
Bzzzzzzzt!
“Diiieeee!!”
Countless blades fell on him.
Flash!
The camera zoomed in on Almond’s eyes, and the screen burst crimson. In the next second, the attackers flew back like leaves in a storm.
“Graaagh!!”
“D-Damn it!”
“He’s... he’s an anomaly...!”
Thud.
The screen went black, and a title appeared.
[Come Visit Cheese Village]
[Episode: The Birth of Lord Almond]
— Kyaaa!
— That scene is finally here!!
— Lord Almond!!!
— He’s a menace but also a king!
— He really earned that title!
— Wait, this was real??
— So this was how it all began...
Fans who had watched it live cheered at seeing the legendary moment officially released. Newcomers, who’d only heard rumors, stared in disbelief.
— I thought ForeverAlone was just making stuff up with his hymns lmao
— Why’s this actually real??
— He already wiped out Paprika single-handedly, wtf
Most had assumed that ForeverAlone’s endless praise for Almond was pure exaggeration, but it was undeniable now.
Crackle.
After the explosive intro, the camera shifted to a tranquil Cheese Village.
“Wow, this is Cheese Village?”
“Gorgeous~”
New residents moved in, full of awe.
“Where will the opening ceremony be held?”
“Over there, I think?”
They gathered at the central plaza as lights flickered on and the ceremony began. The footage skimmed quickly through the peaceful scenes. Nothing seemed strange, except for one detail.
“Wait... where’s Almond?” Miho looked around in confusion, searching for him as the camera zoomed in.
Swoosh.
==== ====
Model & Streamer
2031 VOLV Cover Model
2032 Super Model Contest – 6th Place
2034 Treevy Female Streamer Popularity #1
2035 LIL Streamer Cup Champion
Known as “Almond Fangirl”
Better at Battle Large than Bubblegum
==== ====
— Ooooh...
— “Better at Battle Large than Bubblegum” LMAO who writes these
— Almond fangirl confirmed
— The asterisks are doing the heavy lifting here
— Supermodel turned chibi LOL
— Miho’s 2-head-tall model is so nerfed
In the world of Survival Craft, Miho’s charm had taken a massive hit. The camera quickly shifted focus to the next introduction.
“Man, Almond is late again.” A laid-back voice could be heard.
Whoosh.
The screen briefly froze during the profile reveal.
==== ====
Major Streamer with an Average of 100,000 Viewers
2029 Treevy Game Awards – #1 Popular Streamer
2031 Worst Play of the Year – #1
“Bad Movie” – 20 Million Views
2032 The 3-Magazine No-Hit ‘Incident’ Ringleader
2035 Streamer Cup Champion
“He’ll do something incredible when the time comes...”
==== ====
— LOL “Worst Play of the Year #1”
— He’s the best at being the worst!
— How did this man win the Streamer Cup??
— Not an event—they called it an incident LMAOOO
— 20M views for being bad, that’s actually legendary
— “He’ll do something incredible...” bro what??
Despite his cursed resume, Bubblegum had one saving grace.
— Why does he look... completely normal though?
— Is he actually a chibi, or is that just how he looks?
— Uncanny, man.
Even as a 2-heads-tall avatar, well, technically three, his real-life proportions weren’t much different. Meaning, his appeal remained fully intact in-game.
The footage resumed.
“Almond can be scatterbrained sometimes. He probably just overslept.”
Having collaborated with him multiple times, Bubblegum figured it was nothing serious, at least until the end of the opening ceremony.
“Alright, everyone! Let’s launch the fireworks to celebrate the opening of Cheese Village!”
Fwoosh!
Hundreds of lights shot up into the sky.
“Cheese...”
Right as the MC began the grand...
Bang!
A burst of fireworks illuminated the stage, and someone appeared in midair. Time slowed. Every streamer’s face was caught in close-ups: confusion, awe, disbelief.
‘What the...’
‘Who is that?’
‘Wait...’
Then...
“Almond!?” The MC’s voice cracked.
The camera zoomed in.
Boom!
Fireworks exploded behind Almond, revealing his face with a radiant, slow-motion effect.
— LMAO what a showoff
— The birth of a Lord...
— As Almond descended, Donuts wept thunderously
Still suspended in midair, Almond’s achievements flashed across the screen.
==== ====
Former Archery Athlete Turned Streamer
2025 National Archery Championship – Youngest Winner
2035 Named “Raina’s Boyfriend”
2035 Streamer Cup MVP (feat. Bubblegum)
2035 G-Star Grand Champion
2035 Treevy – Best Play of the Year
2035 Treevy – Rookie of the Year
2036 Civil Empire World Cup – MVP
Debuted as a Streamer Only 6 Months Ago – 100K Monthly Average Viewers
Insane Reflexes, Crazier Looks, and the Craziest Interviews
==== ====
— Now I see why ForeverAlone worships him
— That’s a Lord right there
— His resume is nuts
— Still jealous about “Raina’s Boyfriend” ngl
— “Craziest interviews” yeah we remember
— They’re missing the most important one: 5 Years at Ah-Sung!
— (feat. Bubblegum) kills me every time
— Civil Empire finals still make me tear up...
— He really came this far...
Almond’s career history rolled past like the highlight reel of a legend. Even with his short tenure, few in the history of streaming had accomplished as much as him. The editors probably struggled more with what to cut than what to include. His fans felt overwhelming pride.
— Almond! Almond! Almond!
— That’s our boy!!
— He’s actually amazing when you look at it like this
— So proud omg
— I’m crying and laughing at the same time
***
Then, a narration layered over the soft score. “This was the birth of Almond. The spark that ignited everything, but perhaps... the real beginning lies even further back. Shall we rewind?”
Crackle...
[10 Minutes Earlier]
Almond’s livestream appeared on screen. It showed him accidentally typing the wrong code and entering the wrong broadcast.
“Huh? They say this isn’t the right place.”
— Wait what?
— LMAO is this how it happened??
— No way LOL
— Born to blunder his way into glory
— It’s destiny, man
Thus, the behind-the-scenes of Almond’s dramatic sky entry was revealed.
— I’m getting secondhand embarrassment
— Why am I the one feeling ashamed?
— He’s impossible to bring in public lol
Moments ago, his fans had swelled with pride. Now, they collectively cringed.
Crackle.
The video cut back to the present. Almond wandered around Cheese Village carefreely.
Pop... pop...
— They edited out the two times he died right after LOL
— He literally died twice off spawn, where’d that go?
— Chibi Almond is too cute though
After a peaceful stroll, he suddenly turned toward the camera. It zoomed in on his face, and the background music shifted ominously.
“I’m gonna go fishing.”
— Gasp
— The beginning of the end.
— This is it.
— Why’s the music so dramatic...?
— The fall of Paprika begins here
— “I’ll make a fishing rod—materials: Black Pepper and Salt.”
— A legend is born.
The narration continued. “No one could have known then... that this single statement would change everything.”
Static flickered across the screen as if the world itself were splitting.
Through the noise, Almond’s faint voice echoed. “When you die... you drop... everything...”
— What...!
— Is this a horror movie?!
— I’m scared but laughing
Bzzt... Crackle...
The distortion dragged on before suddenly cutting to Almond, pointing his sword at someone. “Alright, if you die first, I’ll just take half of what you drop.”
Salt, from Paprika Village, stood before him.
— ??
— Fishing?? What happened to fishing?!
The narrator’s calm voice returned. “From the very beginning, Almond’s playstyle was... extraordinary.”
— They’re saying it so seriously I can’t
— Almond, a menace, but a genius.
— I’m crying LOL
— This is so unintentional but epic
— He met Paprika this early?? No wonder...
— The Lord was destined for greatness from the start.