Chapter 76
By the time several craters had formed.
His vision momentarily turned red as a warning alert rang out.
“Huh? What’s this?”
Seojun briefly stepped back.
The truth was, they had been exchanging attacks in a brotherly, harmonious fashion—so Ireongeonmurimianiya did not pursue him.
“Perhaps you’ve run out of internal energy?”
“It seems so.”
He hadn’t known since it was his first time experiencing it.
But when he checked his internal energy gauge, it really was a warning that appeared when it was nearly depleted.
“Heh heh. If you tell me to wait, I’ll wait!”
-Now this is true chivalry!
-Wow!
-So epic
“Why?”
“In an era where murim has become a shallow joke, you have shown me what true martial arts and chivalry truly mean!”
When was that?
And what exactly is martial and chivalry?
Seojun still had questions but let it slide.
“Alright, got it. Let’s start again.”
“Haha! Accept my consideration. Your skill is clearly outstanding, but the Heavenly Demon Divine Art without internal energy is not just nothing—it is like a beginner wearing ankle weights. In other words, fighting in that state is arrogance. Since I am also partly to blame for fighting this way, it may not be purely consideration….”
“Enough, I don’t need it.”
“As you wish! Don’t regret losing!”
“Yeah.”
-Supreme bluff
-To the Heavenly Demon, internal energy is a luxury lol
-You didn’t think he’d joyfully drain his energy without a plan, did you? lol He’s got it all figured out
-Or maybe he just used the Absorption Great Art and then tried something new and couldn’t manage it?
For a moment he felt a pang of guilt, but Seojun did not show it.
‘I’ve nearly used up my internal energy. Natural recovery really is incredibly slow.’
This was a key reason why managing resources like internal energy during battle was a major part of skill.
Now his opponent no longer needed to avoid his sword, and Seojun still couldn’t afford to clash head-on.
“I’m coming for you!”
Yet Seojun did not feel at a disadvantage in the slightest.
The great sword arced toward his side, edge aimed to cleave.
To deflect that great sword, he’d have to spend twice as many resources.
So the fact that he had to dodge no matter what was unchanged.
But that didn’t mean there was no way.
‘They said the brigand’s specialty doesn’t apply when he’s counterattacking.’
The brigand’s trait was only active when he directly attacked.
Therefore.
Seojun easily reached a conclusion.
Just don’t let him attack.
Seojun evaded with precise backward movement to a razor’s edge distance where the tip of the great sword couldn’t reach.
Still, the disadvantageous situation did not change.
Even his attack speed was slow.
In the game, not on a battlefield, the classic counter to the brigand is the assassin.
That’s thanks to the high speed Seojun lacks—able to pressure the foe so they can’t attack and make evading easy.
“This time, it’s my turn.”
But it’s not necessarily the case that only rapid, relentless attacks can stop an enemy from attacking.
What if you can make the enemy move exactly as you wish?
Seojun stepped his left foot inside the opponent’s stance while drawing his right-hand sword in a diagonal line from outside to inside.
The sword moved at a speed that was not fast and seemed even lethargic at first glance.
-Feels really sluggish
-That’s because the opponent has a greatsword, and we’re just watching
-If you try it yourself, it’s even more frustrating lol
-How bad must it be that even the ‘Heavenly Demon’ is unpopular among Koreans?
-Any other build is a glass cannon that’s near-death after one hit.
It’s slow. The sword’s trajectory is obviously visible. The Heavenly Demon’s sword—what of it? It’s almost powerless.
Clang!
As if it were only natural, the opponent blocked Seojun’s sword.
While smoothly retrieving his heavy greatsword that he had attacked with.
At this rate, it seemed they really could dodge all day just as the enemy said.
But Seojun’s expression remained relaxed.
‘I’ve got him.’
This time, Seojun moved the opposite foot and prepared his next attack.
And then.
Seojun thought now was the perfect timing to teach about martial arts and chivalry.
“Listen well. Martial arts is the power for the Heavenly Demon, and chivalry is the reverence of the Heavenly Demon.”
Fortunately, the viewers’ reactions weren’t bad.
-Argh lol that’s a bit...
-Edgelord overload
-Please don’t do this. My hands and feet are curling lol
-If you win, I’ll acknowledge you
* * *
“Ah! Round 2 is also ending with Ireongeonmurimianiya’s defeat! In round 1, the clash of real men clearly ended due to Seojun’s internal energy consumption, and Seojun was thrust into a crisis where he had to settle it in that state….”
The host paused for a moment before speaking.
“But unexpectedly, he crushed his foe rather handily. Watching Ireongeonmurimianiya fall helplessly for some unknown reason, I almost wondered if Seojun had used some kind of magic.”
There was a separate reason for explaining the previous round in this way.
-lol for real
-Suddenly it all ended so easily
-Where did Ireongeonmurimianiya, who was desperately chasing romance, go?!!!!
-Look at his face, he was genuinely flustered...
-The problem is, it’s still happening now.
That reason is.
“Yes, the problem is it’s still happening now! Precisely! I expected that in round 2 he might counterattack instead of falling so anticlimactically, but the exact opposite happened. He still can’t cope! Why is that!”
There was nothing to call a battle dynamic.
Clang!
Clang!
The greatsword and the sword clashed.
When Seojun swung, the opponent blocked.
Again he swung, again blocked.
When he attacked with that sluggish speed once more, the opponent blocked—but as time passed, at some point the opponent allowed an attack.
Slice!
Right now, like Seojun’s sword cleaving Ireongeonmurimianiya’s chest.
“If it were going to be like this, Ireongeonmurimianiya should have at least changed his trait! He should have created variation and a variable to show a different side! Right? Isn’t that so, everyone?”
-Why are you taking it so seriously? It’s not like he’s getting paid for it? lol
-Still, it’s a shame to lose so easily
-Feels so helpless
-I think I could dodge that?
So the host cheered for Ireongeonmurimianiya.
“He shouldn’t end it like this. Stop getting pushed back and show us something!”
-But why? lol
-Weren’t you rooting for Seojun?
Yet that didn’t change the already virtually decided outcome.
The host shouted in a loud voice.
“Ah. GG! Seojun’s sword sliced through the neck, chipping away the last remaining health!”
It was ambiguous to call it a great match, but the early fight had something that made the heart race.
“With this, he’s already defeated two opponents!”
After politely bowing, Ireongeonmurimianiya left the game.
He seemed to accept the defeat cleanly.
In contrast, the spectators were not at all convinced.
-Martial arts truly is the power for the Heavenly Demon lol
-Somehow fighting a greatsword made the speed difference not feel that big
-The murim boomer’s sword is one of the biggest lol
-Still, the Heavenly Demon Divine Art debuff is even slower than that
-We’ll need to see the next game to be sure.
The host scanned the chat’s public opinion.
People were simply refusing to acknowledge Seojun’s skill.
Ireongeonmurimianiya, whom he’d just fought, had the excuse of his weapon.
And the defeat of the swift Sapha’s Dignity had the excuse that his opponent’s mental had broken.
‘Beating two top-tier rankers is impressive, though.’
Compared to that achievement, the assessment was harsh.
‘Whatever the reason, any excuse that works is enough, but perhaps the real reason they won’t easily acknowledge it….’
The battle they saw right before them looked too easy.
The most important thing: the battles of top-tier users looked far too easy in their eyes.
Because even the host, who had watched and commentated on countless fights, felt similarly.
Ireongeonmurimianiya, who had just fought, seemed to accept his own loss, but the host had quite a few doubts.
‘It looked like just deflecting the sword to the side would have worked.’
Or suddenly dashing back.
He himself glimpsed opportunities to escape and turn the tide.
No matter the spectator’s perspective, there is certainly a gap in skill between the host and real old-timers.
If that’s the case, it’s impossible the ranker didn’t see it either.
The host merely thought to himself that there must be something he wasn’t seeing.
“Now, the next match has been matched! It took a little time—will a top-tier ranker appear again this time, or a regular user!”
I’ll find out once I see the next fight.
* * *
The opponent for the 4th match was a user with a contribution ranking below 50th place, not top-tier but worthy of being called high-tier.
First round.
Seojun, having brought the Absorption Great Art, mocked his foe with his trademark overwhelming physical ability and relentless sword strikes (due to his trait).
And then the second round.
Seojun pulled out the Heavenly Demon Divine Art again and began to dismantle his enemy unhurriedly.
“A trait that forcibly makes you relaxed, and a trait that forces you to finish quickly. It feels like there’s no middle ground for either, and I wonder whether that’s Seojun’s problem or the Demon Cult’s….”
The host spun his chair on the spot as he spoke.
-lolololololol
-The Demon Cult is at fault for this, that’s clear lol
-No, he’s the only one using traits that most people don’t, so how is that the Demon Cult’s fault?
-You lot lack chivalry.
The reason he brought up such pointless talk.
“Haha, this game also ends with Seojun’s victory!”
Again and again.
The ranker fell helplessly to a swordstroke that looked like it was swung by a salaryman suffering from chronic fatigue.
Doing nothing but being desperate to counter.
The host pondered.
‘This time, they’ll probably say it’s because the rank’s low.’
As expected, the reactions came.
-Maybe because it’s in the 50th ranks, he really sucked lol
-He was toyed with in round 1, and what was he even doing in round 2? He could have at least counterattacked like in round 1.
-Hmm, the Absorption Great Art aside, the Heavenly Demon Divine Art seems manageable? Should I snipe him too?
Watching those who doubted the loser’s skill instead of crediting the winner, the host felt frustrated.
Times like this, correcting misunderstandings through commentary is the commentator’s job.
But since he himself only had questions, there was nothing he could do.
Still, surely the next match would reveal something.
Despite the host’s hopes, several more matches went on, but he could not figure it out.
[Heavenly Demon, I’ve learned one good lesson.]
Rank 77.
Defeated lightly.
[Thank you for your effort. Wow, you’re really amazing.]
Current contribution rank 11: Namgungsega Jeomsoyi.
Since he had the usual friendly neighborhood oppa image, the viewers laughed and said they’d expected as much.
But by now, even the most clueless should realize.
[Next match.]
The background of Seojun’s 6-win streak with those strange traits—specifically 5 wins against rankers—was not because the rankers were bad.
Though the host couldn’t properly figure it out, he felt the need to address this.
“You say it’s strange that rankers are falling helplessly to that slow sword right now?”
Eventually, he read one chat message.
“I feel the same way.”
-What are we supposed to do if you don’t know?
-As it turns out, the Heavenly Demon Divine Art is super broken lol
-Speed is just a number
“Speed is just a number? No, I can say for certain that’s not the case. Yes, I apologize for only being sure about that. Anyhow, though—isn’t there definitely something we don’t know?”
That was the best explanation he could give.
-Turns out the rankers were just a load of hot air lol
-Anyway, this oldbie game is done for.
-Skillless people just stagnating together, that’s why there was no progress! So when a slightly skilled master from outside comes along, they just get wrecked! lol
-The reason pros don’t come to For the Sake of Chivalry has been revealed lol—it’s because it wasn’t even worth fighting them.
Oh dear.
Because the host touched on the topic without any commentary, the viewers’ attention turned and public opinion began to flow in a weird direction.
Feeling a cold sweat on his back, the host started to salvage the situation.
“You know it’s absolutely not that the rankers are bad, haha, everyone. And… hmm. Oh, we have a donation.”
Fortunately, a clue to overcome this situation came from a ranker Seojun had just beaten.
[‘Ireongeonmurimianiya’ donated 200,000 won!]
[Watch the next match from the opponent’s perspective. Then you’ll understand.]