Chapter 177
Witnessing Seo-jun’s unsealed state, Lee Dong-su was genuinely awestruck from the start.
Starting by deliberately mispronouncing the opponent's name to provoke them into thinking they might lose, then pulling them into the fight he wanted without even listening to their retort.
An act of pure malice.
And seeing that, he realized.
Ah.
‘He really was holding back earlier.’
Yeah.
I guess I’m thankful for that.
‘Since it means he did consider my feelings at least a little.’
Truly.
Tears cloud my vision.
Unaware of Seo-jun’s intention to exploit this further later on, Lee Dong-su felt about 2% grateful.
And then—
When everyone was watching with bated breath to see who would fail first, the moment the unexpected happened—
That is, the moment Seo-jun caught the clone within thirty seconds—
Lee Dong-su realized once again.
‘But at least he didn’t lie.’
Thirty seconds.
Crazy.
No.
‘How is this level of skill even...’
Words failed him.
Even catching it with the opponent’s own sword within a minute would have been insane.
He, a pro often called a talent-addict, couldn’t help but marvel.
But to catch it in thirty seconds?
Without getting hit even once?
-Wow
-ㄷㄴ
-The streamer just doesn’t lie
-Thirty seconds is hard, right? Taker’s not gonna do it in thirty too, is he?
-No way??? Even a minute looked tight just by watching
-Doesn’t this mean he’s been hiding 50% of his power all along?
The viewers’ reactions erupted a beat late.
Because until Seo-jun said it, they hadn’t realized it was thirty seconds either.
-If the streamer can beat it in thirty seconds, maybe I could last about three hundred?
-Go beat the 9th stage and come back.
-For real lol, those without the right to talk are discussing lasting or not. If we step up, we just die instantly.
And from elsewhere, someone else started biting.
Not from a community.
It was a pro player. One scouted by Tae-woo’s team.
[Kim Ha-rang: Wow, I held back as long as I could, but I’m just gonna ask. What is that guy? Dong-su, seriously, what is he?]
[Kim Ha-rang: You not answering?]
[Kim Ha-rang: Hurry up and explain]
[Kim Ha-rang: Our coach suddenly keeps asking too]
[Kim Ha-rang: Never mind. I’ll look him up myself.]
Tch.
‘Normally after a match, you only ever bother Ha-yeon noona and never even fake-recognize me, only sending one-word replies...’
They were close enough to game together.
So close they were like family, to the point he’d thought the guy was illiterate and couldn’t form a sentence.
Lee Dong-su scrolled up in the message window.
[Kim Ha-rang: Game today?]
[Kim Ha-rang: Game?]
[Kim Ha-rang: Today?]
[Kim Ha-rang: One round?]
[Kim Ha-rang: Eat]
[Kim Ha-rang: Go]
Of course, it wasn’t Lee Dong-su’s place to talk, since he hadn’t even replied to those.
He’d just sent a game invite whenever a message arrived.
While scrolling up like that, another notification rang.
‘Huh? What’s this noona up to?’
Kim Ha-rang wasn’t the only one.
[Lee Chae-rin: Where did you meet that person?]
Things were a bit awkward with her.
Did her coach step in, too?
This is annoying. I’ll just mark it as unread and reply later.
Shaking his head, Lee Dong-su offered a silent prayer for Taker.
He was now fighting the 10th-stage version using his own sword.
But wait.
‘Didn’t the whole match end the moment he succeeded in catching it within thirty seconds?’
Somewhere along the line it had become a battle of pride, but it started with Taker’s provocation, thinking Seo-jun couldn’t do it.
But since he’d proved it, well.
‘Will that hyung manage thirty seconds too?’
Seo-jun probably said one minute again knowing he couldn’t.
‘To keep the match going.’
Gazing at Seo-jun slightly off to the side, Lee Dong-su felt a pang of pity for Taker.
There was a bit of breathing room.
Glancing around, he spotted his teammates, who at some point during Seo-jun’s duel had subtly picked up carrots.
And then he thought.
‘We’re the more pitiful ones.’
His inner sense of kinship maxed out.
“Oh? You caught it. Pretty quick. You only needed to catch it within a minute.”
-Streamer, you caught it in thirty seconds lololol
-He’s set on rubbing it in.
Through Seo-jun’s voice, Lee Dong-su saw via the chat window the time Taker had taken to catch the AI.
48 seconds.
Drastically shorter. Seems he really gritted his teeth for it.
But this is kind of awkward to watch now, isn’t it?
His own limit of 48 seconds has basically been proven.
Just end it.
“No, everyone. It’s not over yet, is it? Isn’t it just beginning?”
The AI is summoned.
“Looks like having his own sword added let him deal with it a bit better. This time, it’s the countermeasure.”
What is that hyung talking about?
Is he seriously going to do real-time updates?
At that moment, Lee Dong-su changed his mind.
‘Taker hyung is the more pitiful one.’
At least for right now.
* * *
In the next fight, Seo-jun took exactly one minute to catch Chul-su.
It was to make him learn one specific motion.
After that, Seo-jun watched through his broadcast and gave commentary to the viewers.
“See? Right then, if you move just slightly like that and then strike down from above.”
Clang!
Taker fell for the motion Seo-jun had planted, and his attack was blocked.
His visible bewilderment was written all over his face.
The shock must be greater because he clearly saw Seo-jun planting that motion.
-Wow lolololol the counter actually works?
-Technically, it got blocked? lolol
-Now even we can follow how the fight’s going. What is this?
-Is that supposed to be Taker’s weakness? lolol
-No, he saw it and still fell for it?
“It’s not exactly a weakness. And originally, even if you know it, countering it is hard. You need talent at the pro level… Oh, right. My mistake.”
You’re a pro, right?
Seo-jun grinned.
It wasn’t the expression of someone who’d made a mistake.
-He IS a pro though? lololololololol
-He’s at it again lolololololol
-Insane bastard insane bastard insane bastard
-But seriously, doesn’t the streamer have something on his sword? Feels like he’s just wiping the floor with pros.
-He was at this level?
-Simply the Sword God...
The stress was sufficiently relieved.
Now Seo-jun decided to just guide the younger generation properly.
Viewers might then ask why he’s being so toxic.
And naturally, that’s not because it’s Seo-jun’s original personality; rather, juniors traditionally listen better to their seniors after getting beaten up.
So that’s why Seo-jun is beating Taker up.
With words, with clones.
Absolutely not because of any lingering resentment.
“Oh dear. No winner again this time. Then let’s go ahead and update it with Baek Do-yul’s swordsmanship.”
He touched his fingers in the air to summon again.
-Updates, my foot.
-Isn’t he a genuine maniac? lololololololololol
-Seems like a total nutjob, ah lololololol
-So if you’re good enough, you can even do this to pros.
-No, Taker can’t even say anything. How flustered must he be? lolololololololololololololololololololololololol
Honestly, Seo-jun was half enjoying it himself.
“To be honest, this is fun. Updating the clone’s motions you don’t like feels just like swapping out parts.”
He’d never played a game like that, but he felt like he finally understood why people do.
-No lololol don’t treat the clone like that
-Baek Do-yul’s face after hearing that is like ‘what nonsense is this’ lololololololololol
-Amazing bastard
-So what IS Baek Do-yul’s swordsmanship?
[Viewers – 130,000]
It was because the viewer count had shot up insanely, putting him in high spirits.
Just how high was it planning to go?
It looked like he’d surpass Ha Yoon-ho.
And in front of all those people.
“Baek Do-yul’s sword drives the opponent into a corner with textbook precision. Next, let’s go with Shin Ha-yeon.”
-A full parts run? lololol
-The champion, the former champion, and the Sword God. Clone, how strong are you planning to get? lolololololol
-So is this really working?
-Didn’t you see him block by planting that motion earlier? Seems possible.
Now.
Be enlightened.
Actually, whether it works or not doesn’t really matter.
This is just an experiment.
Given rapid updates and immediate feedback, just how much can a person grow?
Chul-su is doing it in his place, not personally, but since Taker’s talent far outstrips his other teammates, it should balance out enough.
As always, Seo-jun swung his sword with a relaxed expression.
A sword that cornered and overwhelmed with textbook precision.
It was Baek Do-yul’s Destruction Sword.
* * *
#1
It had come to a truly precarious point now. Even though he was giving it his all.
‘Hoo.’
The more he faced the clone, the more his bewilderment grew.
‘This actually works?’
Just before, it was Baek Do-yul, and now it was Shin Ha-yeon.
The base was still that streamer he had been fighting until now.
But the occasional irregular movements that appeared resembled them so much that for an instant, he’d mistake them for the clones of those two.
It wasn’t just a simple swing or downward strike.
It contained how to react at this exact timing.
And.
‘Is it just my imagination? This feels even more threatening than Shin Ha-yeon herself?’
There were moments that made him grit his teeth harder than when fighting the clones of those two.
It wasn’t that the clone’s level or technique had improved—rather, the same techniques felt even harder to deal with.
Techniques added on top of Seo-jun’s fundamental movements.
Why on earth?
‘Is it really just my imagination?’
But.
‘It can’t be.’
He knew.
He knew better than anyone, having faced all three of them here.
Perhaps ever since their first clash.
Whether his pride had blinded him.
Whether it was because the guy was a streamer that he’d dismissed him.
He decided to acknowledge it now.
‘At least within the Training Grounds…’
#1
The throne retaken in an instant.
He summons a stronger AI. Recalling the master of the clone before him.
‘Yes. He is the strongest!’
He was feeling it instinctively.
That this time, he couldn’t do it in a minute. If not, then he’d have to give up on taking at least one hit.
In that case.
‘Even if I sacrifice HP, I’ll catch him once within 30 seconds.’
Victory held no meaning.
It was purely a challenge.
Even when losing a match, you want to lose with style, like a pro, leaving an impact.
Taker closed the distance in a flash and attacked.
Integrating offense and defense is impossible. There’s not enough time to do that.
No. He doesn’t have the skill.
[HP 9]
[HP 9]
Two swords carved into each other’s body.
HP dropped simultaneously.
-So the match is over?
-lolololololol
-What’s he trying to do?
-Streamer, did you seriously beat a pro?
HP depletes together, side by side.
8.
7.
6.
5.
At a terrifying speed.
He intends to end it within 30 seconds.
-Ah! Trying to finish it quickly?
-So thirty seconds really was crazy hard.
-Jin Seo-jun <-- what the hell is this bastard
-Isn’t Taker at least tier 2?
-He’s a bit ambiguous, but within the top five, he’s tier 1.
-Agreed.
-Crazy ㄷㄷㄷㄷ
Taker unleashed a flurry of attacks that forced the AI to counterattack rather than block.
4.
3.
2.
1.
The time he counted in his head had 2 seconds left.
Remaining HP was 1.
Just one last sword strike, with slightly better timing.
Using his best unpredictable swordplay. His technique.
‘I’ll end it!’
That moment. Within an instant’s gap, at perfect timing.
The AI slipped into his range.
Taker’s eyes flew open.
Clang!
The space around him was dominated. His sword couldn’t advance and was blocked.
‘Ah. I was so distracted I completely forgot...’
I’m done for.
It was that counter Seo-jun had planted earlier.
The AI raised its sword up and brought it straight down.
Vertical slash.
Easy to block, but.
Because his attack had been so reckless, it not only got countered but—
‘Losing the match and losing to this are two different...!’
—allowed it.
Swaaaash!
[HP 0]
-????
-??
-Wait
-What did I just see?
The universe briefly blinked out.
At least, Taker’s world blinked out for a moment.
No matter how little he cared for public opinion. No matter how ‘my way’ he was.
-lolol is this real? Crazy lolololololol
-Wow lololololololololol
-That’s not a system error, right? This actually happened?
-A pro... lost? To a clone?
-But isn’t this basically a true Shadow Master??? lolololololol
-Ah lol so this is what a genius is.
-This is how you play a clone, you idiots lolololololololol
It was an event that would go down in the history of Travel, no, of virtual reality as a whole.
He lost in front of everyone’s eyes.
A pro.
To a clone.