Chapter 50
On Adventure, a major game webzine site in South Korea, numerous game communities existed.
Each community had its own tendencies and culture, and incidents happened frequently, but users generally agreed that there was no better place than Adventure for getting game information.
[Demon Cult Elder Baek Wigang assessed his own martial arts as super peak. What do you think?]
Among them, Hyeopben was the community of Hyeob-eul-reul-wi-hayeo (For the Sake of Chivalry), and the people who frequented Hyeopben usually referred to themselves by another name.
That is.
No-Hyeop.
The reason for this name was simple.
It combined the English word "no," signifying people without chivalry—the exact opposite of the game's name—with the idea of "old" from the Chinese character 老. This referred to the so-called *mu-tteoldak* (old-timers obsessed with traditional martial arts), allowing the name to carry the dual meaning of "no chivalry" and "old."
However, the actual average age of the site's users was quite young.
===
(Test video)
I have lived as a warrior of the Namgung family for 40 years. It seems I haven't lived in vain.
===
-Isn't the super peak level an extremely difficult realm to reach? That is truly an achievement that serves as a model for our cult. Why not join the Demon Cult at this opportunity?
└No, you demon...
-But the game hasn't even been out for 40 years? Brother Namgung, how did you manage that?
-So you're Demon Cult trash, so why take the test? So you're Demon Cult trash, so why take the test? So you're Demon Cult trash, so why take the test?
└You can take the test without joining, you bastard.
-Wowow, that's amazing.
└Woo! Super awesome!
└Why do guys who talk in that Japanese style keep showing up no matter how much I block them?
-There are no chivalrous warriors. This is No-Hyeop that you chose. Endure with evil and sheer grit.
And the roleplaying is pretty intense.
It felt like people were letting loose here with things they were too embarrassed to do in the game.
Of course, that didn't mean there were no roleplay maniacs in the game, nor that No-Hyeop only had comments like these.
Rather, ordinary posts made up about 70%.
Posts that seriously analyzed and shared information.
-Looking at the video, you mixed in various Namgung family martial arts well and demonstrated them. If you did it the same way, Baek Wigang would catch it, so you gave good variations to the techniques. High rank?
└A ranked player?
└At least a ranker. Among the Namgung family rankers, who could pull that off? Look, he even wore a mask to hide his identity lol.
└If you learn the identity of this old man, you will get hurt. (poster)
└I'm jealous of the super peak title! Just one, from the Demon Cult.
But by internet site standards, it's still considered ordinary.
-For someone who hasn't even chosen a faction yet, is super peak really that hard?
└Yeah.
└There are standard techniques for the Demon Cult test. If you practice those for about a month and perfectly match all the movements, you can get the peak title.
└But not super peak. To get super peak, I'm not sure exactly, but they say you have to perform it truly perfectly. The poster had a reason for bringing his own faction's martial arts. Since it's the technique he used the most, he must have gained some profound understanding. For reference, very few people have gotten super peak, less than 50.
└Heol... What do I do if it's that hard?
└Anyway, all it does is change the title floating next to your nickname. If you get a good one, you get better treatment in the Demon Cult, but that's about it lol. Are you going to the Demon Cult?
└No!
└Then it doesn't matter.
└Lololol.
A reply that firmly and naturally answers as if it's not even worth considering the question of whether to join the Demon Cult.
And the replies that were clearly mocking.
Scrolling up revealed countless people belittling the Demon Cult!
Samjangro, a ranker of the Demon Cult, really didn't like the current atmosphere of No-Hyeop.
"Damn it."
-What's funnier is that none of those Demon Cult bastards have ever gotten super peak lolololol.
└Really?
└Yeah.
└How, in the Demon Cult test lololol.
└Baek Wigang messed up kek.
"No, if you're going to talk about it, explain it properly! Just saying it like that makes it seem like Demon Cult users are worse than others."
The characteristic of Demon Cult martial arts was that there were no technique forms. Compared to the Mount Hua Sect, which had a whopping twenty-some techniques per martial trait, it was pitifully lacking. In fact, it wasn't even pitiful. It was nonexistent.
"That's why they should say there are no Demon Cult people who got super peak!"
Those who received the super peak title were all, without exception, users who modified their own martial techniques developed over thousands of hours of gameplay. If they could create a genuine martial technique from scratch, they'd probably quit the game and open a dojo.
"Or maybe not. A gamer might earn much more than a martial arts instructor..."
With such idle thoughts, Samjangro was about to write a comment to clarify about the Demon Cult.
But then.
└All this fuss over a mere super peak lol. The 14th Cheonma of the Great Demon Cult received the Grandmaster title, and this pathetic Namgung family getting all excited lolol.
A typical aggro comment appeared. The nickname was Fanatic.
Samjangro felt like smacking his forehead.
"Demon Cult, huh..."
The nickname, the behavior. Anyone could tell it was the Demon Cult.
He also sometimes used old-timer speech and enjoyed role-playing in the group chat, but he didn't blatantly aggro like that. It was a bit embarrassing.
└What Grandmaster lololol did you dream it?
└14th Cheonma? lol isn't there like a few hundred Cheonmas in your Demon Cult?
└You've got some imagination lol Grandmaster lmao.
It was really quite embarrassing.
People say the most effective response to aggro is to ignore it. But Samjangro, looking at these comments, realized there was an even more effective response. Laughter and mockery.
"Don't ruin the Demon Cult's image further... follower."
All desire to clarify vanished. He just wanted to get out of there. So he pressed back.
[Today's Battlefield Winner.]
[Proud to be a reliable orthodox martial artist, upvote lol.]
[Demon Cult Elder Baek Wigang assessed his own martial arts as super peak. What do you think?]
[What is true martial arts? 180 reasons why Hyeob-eul-reul-wi-hayeo is a true wuxia.]
"Seen them all."
He habitually pressed refresh. It was 10 o'clock when the battlefield closed. The time when No-Hyeop is most active. Pressing refresh, about one recommended post would pop up.
And at the newly posted article, Samjangro was dumbfounded but burst out laughing.
"Hahaha. No, is this guy crazy? Isn't this really intelligent anti-fan activity? Ugh, what do we do about the Demon Cult's image."
Though he said that, honestly it was funny. The poster was that aggro player Fanatic who had been mocked earlier.
And the title was.
["The Demon Cult is crazy." Why the orthodox faction shivers in fear and the unorthodox faction is in uproar. "What exactly is the identity of the 14th Cheonma?"]
"Oh man."
Now, they're about to get branded with national pride, no, Demon Cult pride. Letting out a sigh of regret while inwardly smiling, Samjangro moved his mouse. With a title like that, you just have to click.
But then. Samjangro's eyes widened as he entered, still smiling.
==
(Clip of receiving Grandmaster)
The true Cheonma has arrived. From now on, the era of the Great Demon Cult will begin. Cheonma's return! All demons submit!
==
-????
-lololololol.
-Is this real? And the title is hilarious.
└Seems edited.
└There's no way a suddenly higher-tier title like that would appear.
-If you look closely, it's similar to the standard techniques, but what's with not even getting super peak?
-Even the poster's nickname is Fanatic...
The post had a clip attached of a streamer genuinely receiving the Grandmaster title. People seemed to be in a state of uncertainty. A completely new, never-before-seen rank suddenly appears? Samjangro felt the same.
"What? Is it real or what."
Was there even a Grandmaster title in the first place? If so, why hasn't anyone else gotten it until now?
Samjangro felt the need to gather more information. And the best way to get that info is to try it yourself.
"I'll go into the capsule right away."
For now, the situation seemed real. Although most comments questioned its authenticity, the video was prominently on Travel.
Samjangro immediately went into the capsule. And turned on the stream.
[Starting stream.]
Not many viewers come in. At most a few dozen, at least just one. Because it's not a livelihood stream. He's a student. The kind of student who only gets permission to use the capsule if he does well on exams. He thought he couldn't stream properly and didn't have the talent.
-Why did you suddenly turn on the stream?
-Really.
-Baby, just sleep, you need to grow tall.
-Is it vacation?
-Talent show on.
I see Namgung family's Jeomsoi and Hanpunman who were in the group chat. And other rankers and active community people. They were all resting after the battlefield ended, but came in when his stream turned on.
"I don't know what vacation you're talking about."
Didn't they say the endgame of some RPG is just running around town? The old-timers all act similarly. Nothing to do in the game, but they don't leave it. So they chose streaming for fun. Samjangro as the streamer, others as viewers.
-What do you mean you don't know, you were the happiest when vacation started.
-This is why you shouldn't reveal your identity lol.
-Samjangro's avatar is a dignified old man, but in real life he has chubby cheeks...
-And since he's not an adult, he's the guy who got his blood color censored lol.
"Hmph! This elder merely changed the age mode because he didn't want to see the red color symbolizing the Cheonma Cult coming out of the bodies of lowly creatures. Do not spread the baseless rumor that this elder is a middle schooler."
-lololol.
-He's good at clowning around.
-Orthodox ranker hyungs, where are you attacking tomorrow on the battlefield?
-Don't try to extract info.
-Ahehe, it's beneficial for both to avoid each other.
-You're going to defend anyway, what lol.
It was more like an extension of the community rather than a typical stream.
Samjangro, while climbing the steps of the Demon Cult, kept watching the video of receiving the Grandmaster title in a separate window.
Gradually, the hyungs started paying attention to him.
-What are you watching?
-And why are you climbing the Demon Cult mountain?
-Huh? Why are people gathered over there?
The place Samjangro arrived at was the sparring stage where Baek Wigang was. Usually a spot where you couldn't even see an ant, now filled with several people. And they were all staring into empty space, just like Samjangro.
-Since you're not answering, seems like you're sulking.
-Hey, are you sulking?
-He's sulking lol.
-So cute.
-That looks like the Demon Cult test video, right?
"Hmm."
Samjangro let out a contemplative hum after watching the entire video. Then he turned his eyes to the chat.
"Ah. I'm not sulking. It says a Grandmaster, higher than super peak, appeared in the Demon Cult test, hyungs."
And with the standard technique, no less. That was even more surprising. A technique that had only ever earned peak level before got a title higher than super peak through slight variation.
-?? What's Grandmaster.
-Yeah, don't talk nonsense lolol.
-You guys go check No-Hyeop right now. I just saw it and it seems real?
-But isn't that Seojun-nim? The one I mentioned last time.
Ah. That streamer from back then.
"First, I think I've roughly figured out what they modified in the standard technique. I should give it a try. There's no limit on attempts."
He climbed onto the sparring stage. The others around still seemed to be checking the video.
"Hmph."
This is where the talent difference between a ranker and a regular user shows. Confidently, he drew his sword on the stage and demonstrated the technique.
He narrowed his stride, tweaked the angle of the sword to add sharpness. As the sword moved, he felt a unity as if all lines connected into one.
He was confident. At the very least, he would get peak. After all, he had already received it once. And the result was!
"Tsk tsk tsk. You have neither the basics nor the talent to weave a technique. You're third-rate! Get out of here!"
Samjangro, with the peak title floating next to his nickname above his head, began to tremble violently as his eyes met the scolding.
"Pfft."
The people watching from around covered their mouths, but laughter leaked out.
"Ah, shit."
Blood rushed to his cheeks; he wanted to immediately turn off the stream and run away.
-lolololol what did you do.
-No matter how bad you are, third-rate seems unlikely lololol.
-Return your peak title.
-Should I go try for Grandmaster too?
-Let's go to the Demon Cult to take the test right now.
-Not to take the test X, but to tease our cute middle schooler O.
And.
Famous rankers with super peak titles started to move to verify the authenticity.