Season 5: Chapter 1. Not an End, But a Beginning (1)
When drawing a bow, that fleeting moment sometimes felt endlessly long. Perfect focus and immersion resulted in the density of consciousness rising without limit. The moment became eternity. In the end, it transcended time.
Swoosh.
Almond released his arrow and exhaled the breath he had been holding. “Haaa.”
Just like that, he returned to the present reality.
[Server Shutdown]
[Thank you for loving Cheese Village until now.]
The world turned pure white. Everything became dazzlingly white. Letters drifted alone across.
[Survival Craft]
Sang-Hyeon stared quietly at the text. They had built this world together over two weeks. Now it had all been reduced to this blinding white light with nothing left.
‘So that’s how it is.’
Cheese Village had ended. Gaining Fertile Soil, becoming companions with Radish Servant and Potato Servant, earning the title of Lord, forming a Knight Order, and ruling over Cheese Village...
In the end, everyone had joined forces to drive away the Dragon of Streaming Destruction and cheered together. Songs echoed around the campfire at the very end. All of it was also gone now. They couldn’t go back anymore.
[Single Player]
[Multiplayer]
Options appeared before Almond after he completely exited the server.
“It’s over...”
It felt like he had woken up from a very long dream.
— Noooo!
— I miss it already...
— It’s the end
— No!
— Goodbye...
— This feels kind of empty
Sang-Hyeon slowly closed his eyes for a moment. Then, he raised his hand.
[Multiplayer]
His hand hovered over the multiplayer option. It responded immediately.
Ding.
[Please enter the code]
[Code: ______]
When he first started Survival Craft, he had to enter a code. Back then, he had mistyped it and ended up somewhere completely different.
‘Now, though...’
He entered the code once more. Was the server really gone? He still couldn’t quite believe it.
[Code: czkt11012]
This time, he entered the correct code.
[Server not found.]
The server no longer existed.
“It really is over.”
— Nooo!
— You even typed the code right this time!!
— Damn it...
— Sigh...
— I’d rather you messed up the code
— Hahaha, jeez
Sang-Hyeon bowed his head slightly. “That’s it for today’s stream.”
— Bye bye bye
— Goodbye
— Good work
— Thanks for the stream~
— It was so much fun!
Ping.
After the power shut down, Sang-Hyeon stepped out of the capsule. Surprisingly, it was morning. The after-party and awards ceremony had definitely started in the evening.
He had stayed in the server until the time limit. Before he knew it, morning had come. Staying up all night just chatting with others and singing around a campfire was a first for him. It was the first time he had talked with so many people for so long.
Swish.
Sang-Hyeon pulled back the curtains in the room. Sunlight poured in.
“Uuuugh...!” He stretched his stiff body and shouted with a grin, “Lord Almond... is finished!”
***
The city slowly sank into the evening. Neon signs flickered on here and there, and bars bustled as they prepared for the night.
Well-dressed people stood in a long line at a particular place. It looked like a club entrance. Dressed as flamboyantly as possible, they stole glances at one another even as they waited. Then, all those wandering gazes suddenly converged on a single point.
“Look over there.”
“Wow.”
“Holy... He’s crazy good looking.”
Click. Click.
A man approached in a long, thin black coat. Every eye locked onto him. Even from afar, his face stood out as if he alone were in high definition. He had pale skin, a long neck, and refined, elegant features. Naturally, the women’s gazes fixed onto him. However, strangely enough, even more men were staring.
“H-Hey, that guy...”
Tap tap.
Whispers grew louder among a group of men who looked to be college students in their twenties.
“Huh? Is there a pretty girl?”
“No, there’s a pretty guy...”
“Why are you looking at him, you idiot... Huh?”
Seeing a handsome guy already made his blood boil. The man had snapped, only to end up covering his mouth like a startled girl.
“Huh?! It’s Almond!!”
They loved to watch his stream. The real Almond had appeared.
“Almond?”
“For real?”
“Holy crap. You can tell it’s Almond even from a hundred meters away.”
After the Cheese Village content, he had taken a long break. No wonder they felt shocked to see him suddenly show up here.
“Waaah! Almond! I’m a fan!”
“King~ You guys can’t beat me!”
The men leaned out of line as far as they could, waving or striking a pose. Sang-Hyeon stared at them blankly, then casually waved back.
“Waaaaaah!”
“Kyaaaaaah!”
Cheers erupted from men and women alike.
“He’s so handsome!”
“The streamer who has it all, Almond!”
“Damn it! Almond! I love you!”
Basking in the praise, Sang-Hyeon passed through the club street and disappeared into another alley. Watching where he vanished, people murmured among themselves.
“Why did he come here? It’s not like he’s going to a club.”
“Why not? He could.”
“No... he doesn’t seem like the type to go to places like that.”
“Places like that? What do you mean?”
They glanced at the sign above where they were lined up. Their current location was such a place.
“Ahem...”
“Be glad he didn’t come here. We’d all look like slugs beside him.”
“You’re already one.”
“You, me, everyone... If Almond showed up, this place would turn into Slug Game.”
They joked and snickered among themselves. Then, someone clapped.
“Oh. That must be why he’s here, Treevy’s funeral.”
They had figured out the answer.
“Only streamers were invited, and the location was private. Guess they rented out something like a club.”
“Wow... Really? It was nearby?”
“Seems like it. He was dressed all in black too. It’s a funeral!”
“Oh...! Right.”
One by one, the people waiting in line pulled out their phones.
Tap tap tap tap tap.
Posts began popping up across several communities.
[Almond Sighting.jpg]
[Almond spotted in front of X University today]
[Why is Almond so handsome?!]
[Treevy’s funeral location is around here!]
[Is this really Almond??]
[First time seeing Almond not as a three-head-tall chibi in a while!]
...
***
Black marble floors, violet lighting, and music loud enough to feel but not overwhelm.
Thump, thump, thump...
This party was packed with people laughing and chatting. The crowd itself was anything but ordinary. Their hair came in every color imaginable. They clearly weren’t part of normal society. Just the fact that they all had broadcasting equipment attached to them made that obvious.
“Wahahahaha! Seriously?”
They gathered together, casually talking about everyday things.
“Listen to Bubblegum talking like he’s good at games. Who’s gonna believe that?”
“Hey.”
Attached to their bodies weren’t just body cams, but flexible screens as well. On those screens, their personal stream chats scrolled by.
— Hahahahaha Gum is good at games lol
— That’s a scary thing to say, isn’t it?
— Hahaha Gum got triggered
— If Bubblegum ever wins a game, please shut that game down immediately. A game where Bubblegum wins must not exist.
— LOL what kind of nonsense is that~
In other words, Bubblegum had a full day’s worth of viewers mocking him plastered right onto his arm.
“Oppa, this is just way too funny!”
Everyone who passed by burst out laughing.
“Wahaha. It’s a public execution.”
“Ahahahahaha!”
Anyway, the atmosphere was lively and exciting. Everyone felt happy to see each other after a long time.
“Haah.”
However, someone sat off to the side alone, fiddling with his phone.
— Gi-Chan, go out there and talk to people
— What are you doing here again? lol
— At this point, just watch reels
— Did Jung Gi-Chan come to a funeral by himself for real
Jung Gi-Chan, the eternal single, had grandly sworn to interact more with other streamers when Cheese Village ended.
‘Actual practice is hard...’
Reality wasn’t so kind. He didn’t even know what to say if he went over. No one had approached him first until now.
“Oooh~ Gi-Chan! The black suit today looks good on you.”
Unbelievably, Miho had approached him. She wore a black minidress with a netted hat. The concept came from a Western-style funeral outfit.
— Gasp!
— Holy shit
— It’s Miho!!
— Kyaa!!
— Breaking news! Heart rate skyrocketing!
The chat flew across Gi-Chan’s arm.
“Ah... Miss Miho...”
“Hey, what do you mean, miss? You make me sound old.”
“N-no, I mean... sis...”
Slide.
Miho sat down beside Gi-Chan.
— So cute
— Someone sample Gi-Chan’s face with an RGB code, it’s bright red!
— Ack
— Jung Gi-Chan! Jung Gi-Chan! Jung Gi-Chan! Jung Gi-Chan!
— Gi-Chan, where are you looking?
A chat also scrolled along her slender arm. Seeing it only made Jung Gi-Chan more embarrassed.
“Gi-Chan.”
Tap.
Miho nudged him. Only then did Gi-Chan tear his eyes away from her arm and come to his senses.
“H-huh!? Y-yes!? I-I was just looking at the chat...”
“No, I’m asking if you drink.”
“Oh... y-yes, yes... I d-drink.”
“Here. Have a glass.”
As Miho lifted the bottle, Gi-Chan raised his glass.
“Th-then... is this an aim test?”
Miho was about to pour, but Gi-Chan’s glass shook violently.
— LOL
— Oh no
— Aim test?!
— What a guy
— Almond should come pour it
“A-ah, no, sis, I...”
“I just came to get closer to you. To get friendly. I’m not here to mess with you, okay?”
Miho was sincere.
‘This can’t be real. Is this a dream?’
Gi-Chan’s heart was pounding as if it would explode. Miho was sitting right next to him, dressed so beautifully. How much time would he get to spend with her tonight?
“D-do you really need to talk to m-me?”
“Yeah. People say you’re scared of me. Ahahaha!” Miho laughed brightly, as if that were ridiculous. “Let’s talk a bit today, okay? Here, take it. If you don’t, I’m just leaving.”
“Ah, ah! I—understood!” Gi-Chan grabbed the glass with both hands, putting all his strength into it.
This time, it didn’t shake.
‘You promised yourself in Survival Craft! That you’d meet more people!’
With that resolve, Gi-Chan held the glass tightly in both hands.
“Ugh... I-I’m r-ready...”
“My Loooooord~!”
Suddenly, a commotion broke out.
Thud!
Miho shot to her feet as well. “Lord?”
In that instant, the chat exploded.
— LOL
— Ah...
— Here we go again
— Holy shit
— The greatest enemy of Miho’s stream... has appeared
— Alert! That bastard has arrived
— Is the Almond Defense starting again?
— Ha... Miho, calm down
— Miho, did you trick Gi-Chan? Why are you standing up immediately? LOL
Gi-Chan could clearly see every message too. It was a cruel setup.
— Holy shit
— LOL
— “Almond Defense” lmao
— The jealousy is insane
— instantly calling him that bastard is hilarious
— Damn
— Miho is a lost cause, Gi-Chan...
Gi-Chan’s viewers lamented.
‘Huh?’
However, Gi-Chan stood up as well.
“My lord?”
He had processed the word belatedly, being too nervous to think. He had been waiting for Lord Almond more than anyone else.
— Lord over Miho~
— LOL
— He’s fallen too in the end...
— HAHA