Chapter 202 : Competitive Spirit
Chapter 202: Competitive Spirit
-"[Steel Curtain]!"
Jjeoeong-!
A breathless cry and an almost simultaneous rough metallic sound!
It was the sound of Baek Woohyun's military dagger slicing lengthwise through the [Steel Curtain] that his opponent had rapidly deployed.
As if to show that blocking the first attack wasn't mere coincidence, his opponent somehow managed to block the second attack as well.
Though they resorted to a defensive skill instead of blocking with their equipped gauntlet, showing more urgency than before, they still managed to block it.
-"······."
-"······."
For a brief moment, the opponent's eyes, meeting Baek Woohyun's, curved into crescents. With a feeling of 'How about that, I blocked it?'
However, to be clear, the opponent's triumphant feeling was somewhat premature. Because Baek Woohyun's attack wasn't over yet.
After all, attacks are meant to continue until the opponent falls, no matter how many times they're blocked.
Baek Woohyun, visible through the torn-in-half [Steel Curtain], suddenly vanished, and his opponent hurriedly turned their body while raising their arm.
It was an extremely wise judgment and response. If they hadn't, they would have offered their neck to Baek Woohyun, who had appeared behind them, just like the other opponents.
Though they suffered the damage of having their gauntlet and arm half-severed, the very fact that they survived was what mattered.
-"[Steel Claw]!"
Saaaak!
Indeed, if they had fallen right then, they wouldn't have even been able to attempt the counterattack that was now possible.
-"···Hmm."
Of course, attempting a counterattack didn't mean it landed. There was no way Baek Woohyun, using his main build, would easily allow an attack through.
He deflected the [Steel Claw] that had emerged right in front of him and was rushing toward him by twisting his body. Easily enough to make the opponent feel futile.
Yet one thing was certain: this was the first time an opponent had attempted what could truly be called an attack against him.
They were clearly different from the Master-Grand Master tier users who had died repeating meaningless challenges while showing an overwhelming gap in skill.
"This is the first proper exchange since the PVP started. The opponent has barely succeeded in shaking off Hackphysical, who was trying to overwhelm them in one go, and even counterattacked!"
"As expected of a pro player. To think they'd block three times and even manage a counterattack."
-The wall of pros is high
-The difference from amateurs is huge lol;
-Pro players train all the time except when they're eating
-But this really is the first proper exchange lololol crazy lololol
The same sentiment was felt in the studio. No, if anything, it was even more pronounced here.
Well, it was only natural, having watched opponents who couldn't even block a single slash and died one after another, when finally a proper exchange took place.
While one-sided civilian massacres were certainly stimulating, it was natural to get tired of them continuing endlessly, and a different flavor had been injected at just the right timing.
Those who believed without doubt in Baek Woohyun's victory were pleased by the novelty, and those who wished for Baek Woohyun's defeat were pleased by the possibility that had finally appeared.
Though it wasn't particularly what they wanted, both fans and antis, supporters and critics alike were intrigued, so it could truly be said that Baek Woohyun possessed the makings of a superstar.
The man himself was, as always, only thinking about crushing his opponent.
Jjeoeong!
-"Kugh!"
The unnamed pro player—at least that's how Baek Woohyun saw them—held up quite well against Baek Woohyun's fierce onslaught that followed.
Though they gained one more wound with each attack, practically grinding down their body, they didn't die, so it could sufficiently be described as 'holding up.'
Even if they looked more like a punching bag on the outside, it was also true that they were somehow managing to respond.
-"[Steel Claw]!"
Seogek!
Surprisingly, the opponent even attempted sharp counterattacks by catching the timing here and there in the midst of it all.
Knowing that they could never win with only defense, they repeatedly challenged with the mindset of giving flesh to take bone.
Though the all-or-nothing, do-or-die attacks were practically meaninglessly avoided or rather made them more vulnerable, the challenge itself was what mattered.
-Still gotta land at least one hit!
-Just now it looks pretty doable??
-Why are they cheering for the opponent instead of Hackphysical here? Seriously don't get it
-The pro player is getting the underdog effect lololol
"The opponent's sharp counterattack! The intent to rather dedicate the severed arm, which was too wounded to matter, to gaining an opportunity was commendable!"
"Oh, I know this one! This is when you say 'even better,' right?"
"That's right, Chloe."
-Even better lololol
-It was an arm they couldn't use anyway, so it's profit to use it to get an attack opportunity lolol
-???: I left it in the new era
-This is totally the protagonist struggling and grinding their body against the final boss lololol
Cha Seongcheol and the other panelists, as well as the viewers, were at some point cheering for the opponent. Saying they should at least land one hit.
It was a phenomenon called the 'underdog effect.' This time, the absurd part was that the weaker side was a pro player, usually classified as the stronger side.
It proved the fact that in front of the monster called Baek Woohyun, whether the opponent was a pro or whatever, they were equally treated as an underdog.
'Well, it makes sense. Because it's Woohyun.'
Jeong Nayeon shrugged her shoulders while looking at the chat window filled with content cheering for the pro player opponent.
She didn't particularly think she needed to change the atmosphere, because she knew well that this too shall pass.
Originally, not only in the 'Hack Tour' content but also in personal broadcasts, the chat atmosphere naturally fluctuates, and trying to forcibly stop it rather invites trouble.
She understood that as long as they didn't cross the line, it was better to let things flow as naturally as possible. There had been a similar example just recently too.
'Final boss, huh.'
Instead, what Jeong Nayeon focused on was the 'final boss' image that was gradually being attached to Baek Woohyun. Though it felt a bit late for such an image to be attached now.
Think about it. Never mind solo content, but in every collaborative broadcast content with multiple people, he had shown one-versus-many battles, hadn't he?
Each time, he had alone faced multiple people and easily claimed victory, so it was only natural that the image of a final boss would be attached to Baek Woohyun.
Rather, as she thought, it was questionable that it was only being attached now.
'The Demon King image from the SSR Cup seems to be influencing things quite significantly.'
Jeong Nayeon thought that the final boss treatment he'd been gradually receiving became solid probably decisively because of the SSR Cup event match.
Neither those who participated in the 'Arena of Chaos' nor those who watched would deny that Baek Woohyun was truly the Demon King itself at that time.
Additionally, the fact that Team All-In was called the Demon King's Army and described like forces under his command also contributed to it.
'Can't we use this somehow?'
While Jeong Nayeon was thinking about how to use the final boss image attached to Baek Woohyun, the first round gradually headed toward its end.
Well, no matter how wounded the arm was, the very fact that they had to use it for counterattacks meant they were cornered.
Rather, they deserved applause for the fact that they endured Baek Woohyun's attacks two more times after that. Especially when their balance had collapsed from losing one arm.
Before long, with an eerie seogek sound, the opponent's neck was cut and they collapsed on the spot. They seemed unable to control their body from rapid blood loss.
Even in that state, the hand they raised trying to somehow counterattack was cut off by the military dagger Baek Woohyun swung with an expressionless face.
Only after both arms were gone and there was absolutely nothing they could do, did the opponent burst into hollow laughter.
-"You're really strong. So much so that I can see why Nikki hyung lost like that."
-"······."
-"But, you're not using your full power right now, right? It felt like you were just poking around."
-Po?ki?ng?a?rou?nd
-You're saying you got beaten this badly and it wasn't even full power? Such mean words are nononono
-Honestly it did feel like just speed tbh ㅇㅇ
-Armchair experts popping out immediately lolol
Baek Woohyun didn't particularly deny it. Because he actually wasn't using his full power yet.
Since the opponent was the first person to withstand his attacks, he had conducted the battle with a probing feel to prepare for any possible situation.
The opponent's assessment that it felt like poking around was truly correct. Setting aside the fact that they were pushed this miserably in just a probing battle.
-"Can I ask one favor?"
-"···?"
-"Can you use your full power in the next round? I want to fight properly."
"Wow, I didn't expect a request to use full power to come out here. Amazing fighting spirit."
"They're a pro. They know very well how precious the experience of facing a strong opponent is. If it's Hackphysical, well, needless to say."
-This is what a pro is
-Different from amateurs who just surrender
-The difference between someone here for fun and a professional ㅇㅇ
-We'll see this guy in the first division soon
In the opponent's two eyes looking at Baek Woohyun, an unhideable, not-even-trying-to-hide competitive spirit was blazing.
Though they must have realized the overwhelming skill difference through this round, the opponent wasn't broken but rather revealed their fighting spirit even more intensely.
Even if they were defeated more miserably here, the will to gain something was clearly felt.
-"Alright."
Perhaps the opponent's will to improve stimulated his instinct as an instructor? Baek Woohyun readily nodded, saying he would grant the request.
The assessment was finished anyway, and having already declared that he would seriously aim for the top, there was no reason not to grant the request to face them with full power.
Seogek!
[First Round Concluded]
[Winner: Baek Woohyun]
[Loser: (Anonymous)]
[Current Record -- Baek Woohyun 1:0 (Anonymous)]
[Proceeding to Next Round Immediately]
The swung military dagger ended the first round, and soon the second round was about to begin.
Baek Woohyun took a peculiar action when the system message [Time Until Second Round Begins - 10 Seconds] appeared.
While he had been lightly loosening up his body, he suddenly began endlessly drawing in breath. With his arms slightly spread, continuously and long, very long.
Seuuuuueup.
-?
-What's this guy doing
-Deep breathing ㅇㅇ
-Ah... this is what they call 'breathing'
"Hackphysical has suddenly started taking a long breath in—what is he trying to do?"
"Uh, I wonder?"
-"Hmm?"
-You don't know this? It's Thunder Breathing
-To use full power you gotta master breathing
-Fr fr
-Just how long is he gonna keep inhaling??
As the inhalation continued, not only the studio but even the opponent wore puzzled expressions.
They had no choice. Having sucked in an enormous amount of air, Baek Woohyun looked as if his very size had grown even larger.
Right now, an ordinary person couldn't inhale so deeply for even five seconds. They wouldn't have the lung capacity. It meant this was a performance only possible because it was him with a superhuman body.
The problem was what came next. The question of what exactly could be done with the air endlessly inhaled like that was all too natural.
Right now, this place wouldn't turn into water, so it was strange to feel threatened just because someone suddenly took a long breath.
······Those who had thought so realized the meaning contained in Baek Woohyun's action the very moment the second round started.
[3 Seconds]
[2 Seconds]
[1 Second]
[Second Round, Start!]
────!