Friday, 23 July 2001.
Tokyo, Japan.
Nobuo was currently inside his room sitting in front of what might have been one of the most absurdly advanced personal livestream setups in Japan.
Several months ago, especially around February, Zaboru had personally visited him. At first, Nobuo thought Zaboru only came to meet him because of their strange history. After all, Nobuo was technically the first ever ZEPS player back in 1991, when he was still a kid. That alone made him a funny part of ZAGE history.
But Zaboru did not come only for nostalgia.
He came because he saw potential.
Zaboru believed Nobuo had the personality to become an online entertainer. He was loud, shameless, emotional, funny, easily tilted, and somehow impossible to stop watching even when he played terribly. So Zaboru invested in him properly. He gave him excellent livestreaming equipment, a strong internet connection, camera setup, microphone, lighting, capture tools, and even helped arrange technical support so Nobuo could broadcast smoothly on YouTube.
Since then, Nobuo had been livestreaming regularly.
And honestly?
His livestreams had become quite famous.
His channel was called NOBBU, and it usually featured Nobuo playing games while refusing to shut up for even five seconds. Sometimes he shouted at enemies. Sometimes he shouted at teammates. Sometimes he shouted at the game itself. Sometimes he shouted at chat. And sometimes he shouted at himself after realizing he was the problem.
That was exactly why people loved him.
Right now, Nobuo was especially famous for livestreaming DoTA, the popular ZAGE custom map inside Warcraft 3. He was not exactly one of the best DoTA players in Japan. In fact, many viewers openly agreed that he was not truly high-level. But he was one of the most satisfying streamers to watch because every match with him became a comedy show, a disaster movie, and a psychological experiment at the same time.
His fans did not come only to watch him win.
They came to watch him suffer beautifully.
Nobuo adjusted his headset, checked his camera, cleared his throat dramatically, then slammed both hands onto his desk.
The livestream began.
"YOW, everyone! Welcome back to NOBBU!!!"
Immediately, the live chat started moving.
"NOBBU bald head shiny as usual."
"He's getting fatter."
"I can already smell the rage and defeat."
"Quick, play DoTA and use Invoker!"
"Don't pick carry today. I beg you."
"NOBBU, please don't ruin ranked again."
"His forehead has better lighting than the room."
Nobuo stared at the chat.
For several seconds, his smile slowly disappeared.
Then he suddenly jumped back in exaggerated shock, nearly knocking his chair over.
"NANI!?" he shouted. "You say lose!? You dare say I will lose before I even start!?"
The chat instantly moved faster.
"Yes."
"Correct."
"That is literally what we said."
"NOBBU already fighting chat before fighting enemies."
Nobuo pointed directly at the camera with complete seriousness. "One thing is clear, guys! When I am on my TIME, I will never lose!"
Then he struck a dramatic pose, turning slightly to the side while placing one hand near his chin like a hero from a low-budget tokusatsu show.
The chat completely lost control.
"Damn, he actually said that."
"Oh no, the cringe."
"Why is he like this?"
"Someone save us."
"This man is thirty percent gamer, seventy percent embarrassment."
Nobuo grinned proudly as if he had just delivered a legendary speech. Without wasting more time, he opened Warcraft 3, entered the custom game section, and began queuing for a DoTA match.
While waiting, he read several comments aloud and argued with half of them.
"Don't tell me how to play! I know DoTA! I am a veteran!"
The chat immediately responded.
"Veteran feeder."
"Veteran of losing lane."
"Veteran of blaming support."
Nobuo slammed the desk. "I blame support because support deserves it!"
A moment later, he suddenly noticed the newest update announcement for the ZAGE DoTA map.
A new hero had been added.
Nobuo leaned closer to the screen.
His eyes widened.
The hero's name was Terrorblade.
The character looked demonic, sharp, and intimidating, with large wings, glowing blades, dark armor, and an appearance that reminded Nobuo strongly of Illidan from Warcraft 3. The moment Nobuo saw him, his brain stopped working properly.
"Oh my god…"
He slowly placed one hand over his mouth.
"Look at him."
The chat already knew what was about to happen.
"No."
"Don't."
"NOBBU, please read the skills first."
"He is already emotionally attached."
"This is how disaster starts."
Nobuo ignored all warnings and pointed at the hero portrait.
"This is definitely my new main! Look at that design! Look at the wings! Look at the blades! Look at the aura! He looks like he pays rent in hell!"
Then his grin became dangerous.
"And where is the best place to use a new hero, guys?"
The chat began panicking.
"Normal match."
"Practice mode."
"Against bots."
"Read guide first."
"Anywhere except ranked."
Nobuo raised one finger proudly.
"That's right, guys."
He paused dramatically.
"Ranked."
The chat exploded.
"NOOOOOO."
"FEEL BAD FOR NOBBU'S TEAMMATES."
"I really wish I never found this stream."
"BUT IT'S TRUE, BEST PLACE TO TRY NEW HERO IS RANK!"
"THIS IS WHY JAPAN CAN'T BEAT KOREA."
Nobuo laughed loudly and immediately queued for ranked.
By some miracle, the match was found quickly.
Even more dangerously, Nobuo got first pick.
His grin widened like a villain who had just discovered explosives.
"The world has already spoken, guys."
He moved his cursor over Terrorblade.
"And now…"
He clicked.
"It's time to Terrorblade!"
The chat began spamming crying messages.
Once the game entered the hero information screen, Nobuo finally decided to read Terrorblade's skills. The first ability was Reflection, which created dark illusions of enemy heroes in an area. These reflections attacked their originals while slowing them, making it useful for disrupting enemy movement and punishing heroes who relied on physical damage.
Nobuo nodded slowly. "Okay, okay. So I make fake enemies from enemies. Very evil. I like it."
The second ability was Conjure Image, which created an illusion of Terrorblade himself. The illusion dealt part of his damage and could be used to farm, push lanes, confuse opponents, or add extra pressure during fights.
Nobuo immediately grinned. "So I can make another me? Damn. One NOBBU is already dangerous. Two NOBBU is illegal."
The chat reacted instantly.
"One NOBBU is already too many."
"Please don't multiply."
"The server cannot handle two NOBBU."
The third ability was Metamorphosis, Terrorblade's signature transformation. It turned him into a powerful ranged demon form, greatly increasing his attack power and allowing him to fight from a safer distance. During Metamorphosis, Terrorblade became far more dangerous in battles and tower pushes.
Nobuo's eyes shone.
"Damn! He transforms!? He becomes ranged!? He has demon form!? Guys, this hero is literally me when I enter my serious mode."
The chat responded mercilessly.
"Your serious mode dies first."
"Your demon form is lag."
"Your ultimate form is blaming team."
Finally, Nobuo read Terrorblade's ultimate.
Sunder.
Sunder allowed Terrorblade to swap his current health with a target hero's current health. If used properly, it could turn certain death into survival by exchanging low HP with an enemy's higher HP. It was an extremely dangerous skill when timed well, but it required confidence, awareness, and quick reaction.
Nobuo froze.
Then he slowly smiled.
"Damn…"
He leaned closer to the camera.
"His ultimate swaps health with the enemy."
His smile widened.
"That means I'm basically unkillable now!"
The chat lost it.
"HE SAID THE WORDS."
"HE WILL DIE WITH ULT READY."
"CLIP THIS FOR LATER."
"NOBBU HAS DISCOVERED FALSE CONFIDENCE."
"TERRORBLADE IS NOT READY FOR THIS MAN."
The match began.
At first, Nobuo actually played surprisingly well for someone trying the hero for the first time in ranked. He went to the safe lane, focused on last-hitting, created illusions to pressure the lane, and used Reflection at decent moments to harass the enemy support. His chat was almost shocked.
"See?" Nobuo said proudly while farming. "You guys doubted me. But I am already understanding this hero. This is talent."
The chat reluctantly admitted it.
"Wait, he's actually farming."
"NOBBU playing properly? Impossible."
"Is this his TIME?"
"Don't praise him. He will become stupid."
Unfortunately, the last comment was correct.
The moment Nobuo began feeling confident, his decision-making immediately became worse.
He pushed the lane too far.
He chased the enemy support into the river.
He tried to micro his illusion and his real hero at the same time, only to send the real Terrorblade into danger while the illusion safely ran away like it had better survival instincts.
Still, somehow, he survived.
And because he survived, his confidence became even worse.
Around the mid-game, a large teamfight broke out near the river. Nobuo had Metamorphosis ready, Sunder ready, and a full audience watching him with a mixture of excitement and dread.
He activated Metamorphosis.
Terrorblade transformed into his demonic ranged form.
Nobuo's eyes widened.
"Look at this damage!"
He charged forward aggressively, attacking the enemy Juggernaut while his teammates tried to follow. His health quickly dropped below half, but Nobuo did not panic.
Instead, he smiled.
"Watch and learn, guys!"
The chat immediately started screaming.
"DON'T SAY THAT."
"ULT EARLY."
"NOBBU, PRESS R."
"YOU ARE NOT ZABORU!."
Nobuo continued attacking.
His HP dropped lower.
Lower.
Lower.
A tiny sliver remained.
He moved his cursor toward the enemy Lion.
"Now!"
But before he could use Sunder, the enemy Lion raised his hand.
Finger of Death.
A massive burst of magical damage struck Terrorblade.
Nobuo died instantly.
For a full second, the screen was silent.
Then Nobuo jumped out of his chair.
"WHAT!?"
He grabbed his head with both hands.
"What a shitty Lion! He is support! He kill-stole his carry!! AGGHHH! I CAN'T SWAP HEALTH IF YOU KILL ME FIRST!"
The chat erupted in laughter.
"HE DIED WITH ULT READY."
"WE CALLED IT."
"LION STOLE FROM HIS OWN JUGGERNAUT."
"EVEN THE ENEMY TEAM IS KILL-STEALING NOBBU."
"SUNDER MORE LIKE SURRENDER."
Nobuo pointed at the screen with pure betrayal. "That Lion has no honor! If he was a real warrior, he would let Juggernaut finish the duel!"
A viewer commented:
"Bro, this is DoTA, not samurai drama."
Nobuo slammed the desk. "Every game is samurai drama if you have enough spirit!"
As the game continued, Nobuo gradually became more familiar with Terrorblade. His farming improved, his use of illusions became cleaner, and his Metamorphosis timing became less terrible. He even managed to take two towers by sending illusions into side lanes while his real hero farmed safely.
For a moment, it looked as if he might actually carry the game.
Then he used Sunder at the worst possible time.
During another fight, Nobuo had almost full health. The enemy Crystal Maiden was running away with barely any HP left. Nobuo, overcome with excitement, tried to finish her stylishly but he accidentally press ultimate which is Sunder instead of simply attacking.
He swapped health.
His full HP became nearly empty.
Crystal Maiden suddenly became healthy.
For three seconds, Nobuo did not move.
The chat also needed time to process what had happened.
Then Crystal Maiden turned around and killed him.
Nobuo slowly leaned back in his chair.
His face was completely blank.
Then he whispered, "Damn! It's LAG, so damn lag!"
The chat exploded harder than before.
"HE HEALED THE ENEMY."
"NOBBU SUPPORTING BOTH TEAMS."
"LAG MY ASS!"
"CRYSTAL MAIDEN GOT FREE HOSPITAL SERVICE."
"THIS IS WHY SUNDER NEEDS LICENSE."
"TERRORBLADE PLAYER OR PUBLIC HEALTHCARE?"
Nobuo suddenly stood up again. "THAT WAS A LAG!!"
The chat immediately refused to believe him.
"No it wasn't."
"You aimed for style."
"NOBBU tried to anime finish and died."
Nobuo sat back down with dignity that did not exist. "Even legends make mistakes."
One viewer wrote:
"You need to become legend first."
The game became more chaotic after that. Nobuo had good moments and terrible moments. Sometimes he used illusions properly to split-push. Sometimes he forgot which Terrorblade was real and accidentally walked his main hero into danger. Sometimes he timed Sunder perfectly and survived with ten HP, causing the chat to cheer. Other times, he held Sunder for too long and died while shouting, "I had plan!"
At one point, his teammate typed in all chat:
"Terrorblade pls stop learning during ranked."
Nobuo read it and gasped dramatically.
"My teammate is doubting me!"
The chat responded:
"He is correct."
"Listen to him."
"Team has eyes."
Despite everything, the match lasted nearly an hour.
Nobuo's team almost won. Terrorblade became extremely strong in the late game, and whenever Nobuo actually played carefully, he dealt absurd damage. Unfortunately, careful gameplay and Nobuo had an unstable relationship.
In the final fight, Nobuo activated Metamorphosis, dealt massive damage, and nearly wiped the enemy team. But just when victory seemed possible, he chased too far into the enemy base, got disabled, failed to use Sunder in time, and died.
His team lost immediately afterward.
The defeat screen appeared.
Nobuo stared at it.
The chat waited.
For a moment, he looked genuinely devastated.
Then he nodded slowly and spoke with shameless calm.
"It's just not my time, guys."
The chat went wild.
"HE SAID IT."
"NO ACCOUNTABILITY."
"CLASSIC NOBBU."
"IT WAS NEVER YOUR TIME."
Nobuo raised one finger. "Besides, the best way to learn a new hero is to lose."
The chat responded instantly.
"SHAMELESS."
"BRO IS REWRITING FAILURE AS EDUCATION."
"NOBBU UNIVERSITY: TUITION PAID BY TEAMMATES."
Nobuo leaned back and smiled proudly, completely unaffected.
But despite the ridiculous match, everyone watching had fun.
That was the strange power of NOBBU.
He could lose, rage, misplay, blame enemy honor, heal opponents by accident, and still make the entire stream feel entertaining from beginning to end. People did not leave because he lost. If anything, more viewers joined whenever he started losing because that was when his personality became the most explosive.
For Nobuo, that meant everything.
This was his dream.
To play games.
To make people laugh.
To earn money while doing the thing he loved.
And deep down, even though he joked constantly, he knew this life existed because Zaboru had given him a chance. Zaboru had remembered him, believed in him, and invested in him when he was just a loud gamer with too much energy and not enough direction.
Nobuo would never forget that.
After the match, he looked at the camera and grinned.
"All right, guys. Next match, I will definitely win."
The chat immediately answered.
"Liar."
"See you next loss."
"Pick Terrorblade again."
"NOBBU TIME NEVER ENDS."
Nobuo laughed loudly and queued again he really having time of his lives.
To be continued.
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