Chapter 36
Chapter 36: Hongdae Punch King (2)
Shhhhhhhh.......
The punch machine let out a strange sound and began spewing smoke.
The flashy LED lights that had been drawing everyone's attention flickered for a moment, then went dark entirely.
Yu-na's jaw dropped at the sight of the machine reduced to a wreck in an instant.
"Wh— wha!?"
Her expression was one of pure disbelief at what she had just witnessed.
Her pretty face was a mess, but not a single person around her cared.
—??
—????
—Are you kidding me lololol
—How is that even possible???
—Like, what lolol
—Didn't just score it, literally obliterated it lolol
—Combat level: Unmeasurable lololololol
The chat flew upward at a maddening pace.
There were well over 2,000 viewers, but the refresh rate was even faster than that.
Every single reaction was the same.
—Is this real?? lololol
—Did he actually break it?? lolol
—Pretty sure he secretly used energy lolol
—Staged, right?? That doesn't make sense lol
Even having watched it live, not a single person understood what had just happened.
['Monster' has donated 1,000 Won.]
—Like, how does this guy cause chaos everywhere he goes? Lolololol
['Stuff-All-Over' has donated 1,000 Won.]
—Mu-yeong's achievements so far) World's first Castle Defense clear, Battle Attack tournament win, smashing a punch machine lolololol
—Is all of that actually real?
—Surprisingly, every single one is true.
—Seeing that just now, somehow it doesn't even surprise me lol
—Listed out like that though, it does feel absurd lololol
The viewers who had been watching Mu-yeong for a while could process it one way or another.
The sheer scale of everything he'd pulled off until now had trained their brains to accept it.
But Yu-na, who had witnessed it in person—and from right beside him—was still reeling.
"Wait— no. Did he actually break that?"
When Gwak-ju, a man with the build of a house, had hit it, he'd scored 940 points.
With muscles that made you dizzy just to look at, the man had swung with full power and that was the result.
Yu-na, who remembered the ground briefly trembling, had privately been estimating Mu-yeong's score at around 950 points.
She'd slightly lowballed it due to the sheer difference in size between him and Gwak-ju.
But what on earth is this? This isn't just 999 points—it's beyond that entirely.
Of course, Mu-yeong also had quite the muscular physique.
Firm and well-balanced—the kind of body anyone would admire at a glance.
But to not just score, but surpass the very limit the machine could withstand.
In the game I figured there was some kind of correction factor, so I let it go, but this is just......
She clearly remembered every achievement Mu-yeong had made in Battle Attack.
But even for the same event, the difference between experiencing it in a game versus in real life was undeniable.
No matter how well-realized a virtual reality game might be.
The spectators around them began murmuring among themselves over this incomprehensible incident.
"He didn't secretly use his martial arts, did he?"
"Right? I was thinking the exact same thing. How does a person break that with bare hands."
"On top of that, it's a new-model machine built specifically for martial artists. It shouldn't get so much as a scratch unless an actual ten-ton truck slams into it."
"Looks like he's some streamer broadcasting. Seems like he bit off more than he could chew trying to pull in attention and it blew up in his face."
Someone clicking their tongue. Someone else shaking their head side to side.
Negative opinions poured out—but the very person who had caused the incident, Mu-yeong, stood there in a daze.
Wait, it wasn't supposed to break.
He had, of course, used the Heavenly Demon Sky-Shattering Fist, an unrivaled martial art.
But he had only mimicked the form—he swore to the heavens he had loaded not even a trace of energy into it.
So what in the world had just happened?
He had been told with certainty that it was impossible for a human being to register 999 points.
Trusting that alone, he had struck with everything he had—and this was the result.
It was absolutely not intentional, but given how things had turned out, he was plainly now liable for damages.
"Oh goodness! What on earth is this!"
Just then, a middle-aged man came bursting out from inside the shop.
He looked back and forth between the punch machine and Mu-yeong, then began to wail.
"You did this? Didn't you read the notice? It clearly says no use of internal energy!"
"......On my honor, I used none."
"We'll find out once we investigate! Stay right here! I'm calling the police!"
The shop owner called someone.
About three minutes later, people bearing eagle badges arrived.
It was a four-person joint investigation team made up of martial artists and police officers.
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"Having examined the situation, we found no trace whatsoever of internal energy usage."
"What does that......"
"Exactly what it sounds like. This person is innocent."
"But then, how on earth did this happen?"
"In my assessment, there was likely a durability issue with the machine itself. For details, I'd suggest contacting the manufacturer."
"That can't be......!"
As the man who appeared to be the team leader gave his definitive verdict, the shop owner's face fell into despair.
—Wait, he genuinely didn't use energy?? Lolol
—How the heck did he do it then lolol
—Why tho lololol
['LikesOranges' has donated 1,000 Won.]
—Hongdae Punch Machine Slaughterer Mu-yeong omg
—New fit goes crazy lol
—So this was why he got all cleaned up today lololol
—Breaking news) Mu-yeong banned from all punch machine establishments nationwide lol
—Shop owners on full alert lolol
The truth had been revealed.
Mu-yeong squared his shoulders and stood tall, and the onlookers stared at him like he was some kind of monster.
As he approached the owner, the man flinched and trembled.
"S— sorry. I got too worked up."
"It's fine. Even so, I bear some responsibility, so I'll compensate for the damages."
"No, no. You must have been just as shocked, please don't worry about it."
"Here's my number. Contact me later and I'll cover half the cost of the machine."
"......Thank you."
As desperately as Mu-yeong needed every last won, he had no desire to cause harm to ordinary people like this.
Whether that sincerity had come through, the eyes of the crowd around him had softened considerably.
—Wow
—Is this person an angel?
—He could've just walked away, but he still offers this.
—Good character lol. Just a little too strong, that's all.
—Kindness on top of everything else, incredible
—What exactly does this person not have?
With the incident settled, he walked over to Yu-na.
She welcomed him with a bashful smile.
"Well, I guess I have to pay for the meal now. Is there anything you'd like to eat?"
"No, let me get it. You waited a long time."
"Really? Then I won't hold back~"
"It's getting late, so let's head straight there."
He gave a nod and Yu-na waved her hand back and forth.
"Woooah, everyone! Mu-yeong says he's buying me a meal! Even though I technically lost the bet!"
—She's wild lol
—It's always Mu-yeong with the character, I swear lol
—An actual saint right there lol
—Wait, is this like a charity kitchen? Lolol
['PianoHat' has donated 1,000 Won.]
—Read the room if you want to live. Not too late yet lol
—Exactly lol
—If you don't cancel it fast, you'll end up like that punch machine lol
—Free meal and a hole in your head vs. quietly paying for your meal.
—Today must be the last day we ever see Yu-na......
"Oh, is that how it is? Accepting the meal means I die?"
—Yep, that's your Last Supper right there lol
—Cause of death) Skull collapse
—Not collapse, more like crumbled to dust lol
—And that, they say, was Yu-na's final words.
—Her current expression would make the perfect memorial photo lol
—Turned grayscale, it fits perfectly lol
"Ahh, I see....... Well, I suppose—how badly did he not want to buy me a meal, to go ahead and break the punch machine?"
Yu-na said it loudly in a teasing tone.
Clearly meant for someone to hear it—Mu-yeong let out a quiet chuckle and raised his hand.
He took the stance for a flick to the forehead, and she skittered backward in a flash.
Then covered her head with both palms.
"Hey— hey! You're not actually going to flick me, right?"
—Silent intimidation omg
—Read the room I said lol
—He doesn't say it with words.
—Goes straight to action lol
Grrrrowl.
Just then, Yu-na's stomach clock let out a loud rumble.
Startled by the sudden sound, she rubbed her stomach with an embarrassed look.
She licked her lips and pointed straight ahead.
"There's a restaurant I've had my eye on—shall we go there? The food's decent and the reviews are great."
"Let's go. I was getting hungry myself, as it happens."
"Oh, okay. Then I'll lead the way!"
Yu-na stepped out two paces ahead.
Not long after, they arrived at the restaurant and she stopped in front of the entrance.
She glanced back to gauge Mu-yeong's expression, then opened her mouth carefully.
"......Should I pay?"
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The streaming platform Jijijik has a feature called clip extraction.
Whenever a fun moment occurs during a stream, it allows a short video of around 20–30 seconds to be created.
These highlights are ranked for the day based on views, comments, and likes.
Into what is known as the Hot Clip Hall of Fame.
Thursday, March 27th.
On that day, there was one clip boasting an overwhelming view count that no one else could come close to.
[Hongdae Legendary Punch King]
A short clip of about 30 seconds.
But it was more than enough to make an impression on everyone who saw it.
—Lolololol
—Is this real lolol
—How does a person break that with bare hands???
—Looking at his expression, even he didn't seem to expect it?
—Staged?
—Nah nah, an official joint investigation team came afterward and confirmed no energy was used.
—Also not in the clip, but he also offered to compensate for the machine.
—Incredible, wow
—That's the stuff lol
Even people who had never tried a punch machine could tell how remarkable this was.
At first, plenty of skeptical comments poured in—but as time passed, they were gradually silenced.
—Getting this worked up over a punch machine lol. See this guy's gaming clips and you'll genuinely faint.
—Exactly lol. If anything, something like this is still within the range of what you'd expect.
—Absolute natural talent, tournament win just 2 weeks into Battle Attack.
—Can't leave out Castle Defense either.
—Oh, I think I saw that. Eyes closed, dodging every attack lol
The more famous the clip became, the more widely Mu-yeong's name spread.
And when that happens, certain types inevitably appear.
Those who re-upload the video to boost their own Newtube views—so-called 'content thieves'—and
those who directly edit the interesting parts and repackage them as their own.
In a way, one might think of it as free publicity—but it becomes a different matter if they're monetizing it.
Because they're using the source material without permission from the original creator.
Among them, however, there occasionally emerge those who edit out of pure admiration.
"Whoa, wait. This person is insane?"
In front of a desk crammed with three monitors side by side.
Han Su-a, who ran a highlights Newtube channel as a hobby, let out an exclamation of awe.
"The streamer's name is...... Mu-yeong? Never heard of him—how did I not know about this until now?"
A new streamer she had stumbled upon by chance in the Hot Clip rankings.
Curiosity piqued, she went straight to Mu-yeong's channel.
There was one video.
A twelve-hour-long meditation vlog.
"......Huh?"
Han Su-a tilted her head.
The length and content were both beyond common sense.
In that moment, she knew.
This person had absolutely no idea how to edit!
Exasperation and motivation welled up in her at the same time.
"I've been short on usable footage lately, so this is perfect timing. Alright, today I'm going with this."
Running it as a hobby, yet she had a subscriber count of a whopping 50,000.
The subject matter, content, and upload schedule were all completely random—but the reason this was possible came down to one thing.
Her editing skills were simply exceptional.
Background music dropped in at just the right moments, along with various effects that delighted the eyes and ears.
And the quality was so outstanding it had captivated countless viewers.
The fact that the content itself was entertaining also played a part, of course.
"Hmm...... hmmmm......"
Han Su-a hummed to herself as she downloaded the 'Hongdae Legendary Punch King' video.
Going straight into her editing program, she began moving her hands at tremendous speed.
A short while later.
A video was uploaded to a channel called [Random Toys].
Mu-yeong's now further-evolved appearance, adorned with dazzling effects.