Chapter 77
Is this map a forest?
Seojun was summoned inside a wooden cabin.
He looked around, waiting for the game to start.
Through the window, he could see a forest dense with vegetation and a clearing.
‘They said it’d be hard to get matches after four wins. Looks like it’s finally starting.’
In the first four matches, even users with far lower fame could be matched with him unavoidably, but after the fourth match, only people at a somewhat similar level would be matched.
This is because, in these extra matches played by people who want to gain more fame regardless of contribution, if they meet users much weaker than themselves after the fifth match, they can literally duplicate their contribution gains.
Thus, from the fifth match onward, if no user of a similar level is queuing, one could end up waiting indefinitely.
And this fact could be used to keep other rankers from piling up more contribution through win streaks.
By simply not queueing.
But there is a countermeasure for that.
If no one is queueing where you are, you just go find them yourself.
Though meeting users of similar level doesn’t mean you always win, either.
Currently, Seojun was on a 6-win streak.
And it had taken more than 10 minutes for this match to start.
That was proof the rankers were either keeping him in check or avoiding him.
Which one was the truth, he didn’t know.
Maybe he could find out if he peeked into the group chats of the Righteous and Unorthodox Factions?
Anyway, the opponent he met after 10 minutes.
[Cheonsalseong]
It was Cheonsalseong, the very cause and benefactor(?) of this whole event.
“Finally, we meet.”
So he really came.
I didn’t expect him to ignore my advice.
How lamentable.
- Finally!!!!
- A one-on-one duel between 2nd and 1st place
- All of this started because of that bastard’s duel log
- Will Cheonsalseong show something different!
- Let’s go!
- We betray-the-nation bettors are only counting on Cheonsalseong T_T
- Just lose once, man, a 6-win streak is already eating well, isn’t it?
Right, there were Points too?
Seojun raised his hand to tweak the broadcast settings and read the betting lists.
“Really half and half. No standard or reverse bet? At this rate.”
Meanwhile, what stood out was the nickname of the user who had bet the most Points on the side betting that he would succeed.
The Assassin of Joseon.
Known as the richest Point billionaire in Travel history, he had wagered the maximum bet of 250,000 Points on this prediction.
Actually, this wasn’t just today’s occurrence.
Maybe because he has Points rotting away in excess, he’s said to be generously throwing around 250,000 Points every time a betting event comes up.
In other rooms too.
- The bastards who bet against the nation are really screwed lol
- Betray the nation? What nonsense lol
- Haven’t you seen enough to know? Cheonsalseong or whatever is gonna get wrecked
- Honestly, if the host is now more famous than the former No. 1 Under Heaven, upvote lol
- If he even wins this, he’s become the top star for ‘For the Association’
- He’s basically confirmed No. 1 Under Heaven even without taking 1st place
- But Host, why aren’t you using Heavenly Demon’s Dominion Step?
As he chatted, the game started.
“Heavenly Demon’s Dominion Step? Should I try using it?”
Heavenly Demon’s Dominion Step is a skill that appears when a user who’s invested in the Heavenly Demon Divine Art condenses more internal energy into their feet than when using qinggong.
Seojun immediately focused his mind and gathered internal energy into his right foot.
Didn’t they say you had to stomp down with a true step?
As he lifted his knee, dark-blue internal energy began gathering at his foot.
The longer he waited, the greater the amount of internal energy consumed, and the larger the aura grew.
Gradually, his foot felt heavier.
And at the moment the weight no longer increased, Seojun stomped down.
KWA-BA-BANG!
The wooden floor of the cabin caved in with a thunderous roar.
A crowd-control skill that would have dealt damage and inflicted stun if a user had been nearby.
As the users call it, Heavenly Demon’s Dominion Step.
The minimum internal energy required for activation gathers a bit slowly in the feet, so it isn’t hard to dodge, but since the range is quite wide, if used well, it’s an incredibly useful technique.
- No lol don’t use it now lol
- He used up all his internal energy
- What did that innocent cabin ever do lol
One of its traits is that its range and power increase proportionally as you consume more internal energy.
“Hmm, I accidentally used almost all of it.”
Seojun was shameless.
“But I’ve won without internal energy before, so it’ll be fine.”
- Lololololol
- We believe you
- Is this good news for the betray-the-nation bet?
- Honestly, if the 2nd place can’t beat a guy who used up all his internal energy...
- Always handicapping himself lol, that consistent bastard
- At this point, does this guy’s nature enjoy suffering...?
And now the slander begins again.
But he let correcting the misunderstanding slide for now. They wouldn’t believe him anyway once corrected.
The moment Seojun stepped out of the door of the half-ruined cabin, he changed his tone.
“Waiting long?”
Cheonsalseong was waiting in the clearing.
“No. But what happened to that cabin?”
At that, Seojun turned to look back.
The outside was half-ruined too.
A feeling of déjà vu, as if it resembled the aftermath of an assassination.
“I was testing my power a bit.”
- “Testing my power” he says lololololol
- Well, it’s true
- Why is this a skills broadcast and not a comedy broadcast lololol
The reactions are good.
Feeling proud as a streamer, Seojun turned his gaze forward.
“Surely you didn’t use up all your internal energy or something?”
“Don’t worry. I can beat you even without that much.”
“Ha. Do you think I’ll be taken down like that Murim-is-Ain’t hyung-nim?”
Instead of answering, Seojun gave a gentle smile.
“I’ll make you regret it.”
“Good. Usually I play around a bit at first, but for you, I’ll go all out right from the start.”
Seojun raised the tip of his sword and aimed it at Cheonsalseong.
* * *
Gulp.
Cheonsalseong swallowed at an inexplicable pressure.
The opponent had merely aimed at him, yet his body tensed automatically, strength pouring into him from the tips of his toes.
‘I’m nervous? Why?’
Why was he, who rarely lost in one-on-one duels, feeling nervous?
‘Sure, beating those others means he’s good, but if I fight, I usually win.’
His win rate was 90%.
That had been his duel win rate in the last battlefield.
‘So this is plenty doable.’
After finishing four matches as quickly as possible, he had watched the broadcast of the enemy now before his eyes.
And his impression after watching the battles was, ‘He’s good, but what if it were me?’
If it were me, I wouldn’t hold the sword like that.
If it were me, I’d dodge right at that moment.
If it were me, I’d create enough distance.
If it were me, I could counter.
Such impressions weren’t particularly peculiar or unusual.
‘Because it’s always been like that.’
Whenever he watched others fight, these thoughts always came to mind automatically.
It wasn’t something conscious or learned.
Nor was it a result of having fought since childhood.
‘Just naturally.’
To instinctively feel it the moment he saw it.
That’s why it’s called talent, why one is called a genius.
Of course, even a genius isn’t born perfect and overwhelmingly dominant from the start.
As experience accumulated, the openings he could see increased.
And last season, while overcoming countless snipers to take 1st place, he had achieved tremendous growth.
Thus, Cheonsalseong naturally accepted that he could see openings, even as other rankers were losing helplessly.
He even thought something like, ‘Has the skill gap actually widened?’
Thanks to that, Cheonsalseong stood before Seojun with confidence.
“Going all out right away? Then I’m all for it.”
He knew how to use tension appropriately.
If the tension is too much, loosen it. By conversing lightly, as he was doing now.
In such a case, the moderately remaining tension actually helps bring out one’s true skills even better.
This, too, was instinctive behavior.
“Understood. Then I’ll cede the first attack to you.”
“Sure.”
The act of ceding the first attack implies regarding the opponent as a lesser fighter.
But he didn’t refuse.
Better to claim victory and secure a greater pride than to cling to a petty one.
“Then, I’ll go all out as well.”
Cheonsalseong twirled his sword with a flourish, then finished speaking, re-gripped his sword, and charged.
The sect he had chosen was the Mount Hua Sect.
Its specialty was the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
The characteristic of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique is that each individual move becomes a skill, and by linking those moves, one can use a higher-powered move.
Additionally, you could either receive motion assistance through settings or directly move your body to execute moves.
This applies to all moves, but because the Plum Blossom Sword Technique has exactly twenty-four moves, it’s especially significant.
With assistance, skills become easier to use.
But.
Even the same move has applications that make it more suitable to execute depending on the situation.
If you receive motion assistance, not only is the power naturally halved, but your weaknesses are easily seen through.
Thus, those who want to become stronger discard the assistance.
And study the moves.
As a side note, the most helpful thing at this time is ostensibly the Demon Cult’s Hundred Dignities, which is why the Mount Hua Sect has an unusually high number of supreme-level users compared to other sects.
Cheonsalseong began unfolding moves right from the start.
In a duel, there is no level concept like in an occupation war. It’s a true contest of skill where you can do everything at max level.
This means, as long as it can be unfolded, you can link all the way to the final move of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique, where victory and defeat are decided.
His sword began moving in the form most familiar to his body.
First move.
Red energy shot out, covering the front.
The blade flashed, scattering internal energy to viciously bite into the enemy’s body.
This wasn’t a very good choice.
Because against the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, contesting with internal energy yields a predetermined outcome.
[A divine art that stands above all heart techniques.]
Though not used much due to its penalties, that one line of description explaining the Heavenly Demon Divine Art could not be easily ignored.
Nevertheless, the reason he unfolded the move was his confidence that he would win, so long as the move wasn’t directly interfered with by touching the sword, allowing him to chain into higher moves.
Furthermore, the opponent had almost exhausted his internal energy.
Even if he took damage from clashing now, it was fine.
In the end, as long as he linked into higher moves, he would win.
As expected, a dark-blue line was slowly drawn, erasing the red energies and cutting across his body.
He hadn’t dodged or blocked.
His health dropped a little.
‘Just as I thought, it’s even slower seeing it in person. And has he used up all his remaining internal energy?’
He was thinking this duel would end much more easily, but as he unfolded the next move—
Clink.
Before it even began, something caught his sword.
‘When did he get here?’
Because Seojun, who had closed the distance to right in front of him at some point, had blocked his sword.