Chapter 41
Chapter 41: Speedrun
Trudge. Trudge.
Having shaken off the awkwardness, Mu-yeong and Yu Ye-rin walked through the heart of the village.
After looking around for a bit, Mu-yeong was the first to speak.
"Where do we start? Do we need to clear this Main Quest?"
"Yes, it gives the most experience, so it's essential. Following the story line is the fastest way to level up."
"What's the highest level?"
"100. It's a game with a lot of freedom, but the higher your level, the better equipment and items you can equip, so it's always worth doing."
At Yu Ye-rin's explanation, Mu-yeong tilted his head.
And with good reason—he was currently a martial artist at the full Transcendence Realm.
This overflowing Internal Energy combined with the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
He was confident he could obliterate whatever came at him instantly.
So was there really any need to bother with leveling up and gearing?
At this state, even barehanded seemed like it would be more than enough.
As if she had read his thoughts, Yu Ye-rin added a further explanation.
"Oh, I forgot to mention something. Monster World has something called Level Correction."
"……Correction?"
"Yes. That's where all the praise about good balance comes from. No matter how strong you are, against someone more than 10 levels above you, damage is barely dealt. I think it was a 90% reduction?"
"Only a tenth of my original strength applies…… How absurd."
"And if your opponent has good equipment on top of that? The effect is reduced even further, which is why everyone desperately grinds levels and farms gear. That's what the game is designed for, after all."
So being able to use his Internal Energy freely didn't automatically make him unstoppable.
It was an inconvenient system, yet he could understand it.
If someone like himself went on a rampage from Level 1, it would take no time at all for the balance to collapse.
['LemonScent' has donated 1,000 Won.]
—They don't seem to have felt it yet, so why not fight each other? 15 levels apart, seems just about right.
—Oh, that's good?
—They'd get it immediately if they did.
—Alright, let's go settle the pecking order lol
—Gotta establish some discipline before they start playing lol
['JellySquish' has donated 1,000 Won.]
—Am I the only one who thinks Yu Ye-rin's going to win??? Even without her gear, I think she'd crush him on base stats alone.
—Yeah, she'd just win on stat difference?
—That's just your opinion lol
—What's Mu-yeong supposed to do if he just dodges everything?
—??? : Dodge everything, hit everything, win.
—Honestly it is kinda hard to call lol, 15 levels apart isn't nothing
['ChocolateLover' has donated 1,000 Won.]
—You guys didn't watch Castle Defense? He's a monster who cleared Stage 10 solo with no Internal Energy, how would Yu Ye-rin even win lol
The wave of debate washed over the chat.
It seemed the same was happening on Yu Ye-rin's stream too, as she started quietly glancing around.
Seeing her fidgeting, it was clear she inwardly wanted to fight.
No harm in it. I need to experience it firsthand to make the most of it going forward.
Mu-yeong asked.
"Shall we have a sparring match?"
"Are you really okay with that?"
"Better than dying to a monster later."
"Then just a moment."
Yu Ye-rin dashed off somewhere and came back holding two wooden swords.
Beginner's wooden swords.
Gripping one, it felt crude and didn't look particularly durable.
He found himself wondering if it would even hold up with Internal Energy channeled into it.
"Let me know when you're ready."
"Let's start now."
['Greatest Beauty of Daehwasan' has sent a duel request. Will you accept? Y/N]
The moment he pressed Y, Yu Ye-rin's username turned a vivid, deep red.
No explanation was needed to understand.
A mark telling him to flee immediately—an opponent he couldn't possibly face.
In contrast, on Yu Ye-rin's stream, Mu-yeong appeared in green.
Meaning an enemy so weak she could deal with him while picking her nose.
But she didn't let her guard down.
She widened her eyes and blazed with fighting spirit.
This is a rare opportunity to cross swords directly with Mu-yeong.
In some circles, debate had even sprung up over who was stronger—No Song-baek or Mu-yeong.
No Song-baek, the Daehwasan Sect genius born once in a hundred years, who achieved the Supreme Pinnacle realm at age 25.
Yu Ye-rin remembered.
Rank, customs, rules.
Her senior martial brother, who shattered all of those and boldly claimed his place as First Disciple.
But did that mean Mu-yeong fell short of No Song-baek? Not at all.
In fact, when it came to pure swordsmanship, the overwhelming opinion was that Mu-yeong had a decisive edge.
But what would happen if Internal Energy was involved?
Nobody quite knew the answer to that.
And with good reason—Mu-yeong had never once shown his full ability.
Of course, he had defeated No Song-baek one-on-one in the Battle Attack finals, but the special environment of guns had made it difficult to fairly evaluate his actual strength.
I don't know how much stronger he's gotten…… but I'll give it everything I've got.
Yu Ye-rin swallowed, tightening her grip.
"Here there's no penalty when you die—you revive immediately—so don't hold back."
"I won't."
"I'm going first!"
Taat!
Yu Ye-rin leapt forward.
A faint crimson light shimmered around her wooden sword.
She channeled her energy not only into her sword strike but into her Footwork as well.
"Twenty-Four-Form Plum Blossom Sword Art."
—Whoa?
—Is that sword energy already?
—This early?
—Yu Ye-rin's already in full serious mode?
—She's going straight for the kill on a Level 1 lol
—Discipline check right off the bat lolll
"Plum Blossom Falling Strike!"
Yu Ye-rin's sword came crashing down toward Mu-yeong's head.
True to the technique's name, sword energy filled his entire field of vision.
Filter out the feints and deflect only the real ones.
Having instantly discerned the true strike, Mu-yeong channeled a similar measure of Internal Energy in response.
He met her sword head-on.
Taat!
Mu-yeong's vision flashed white.
Even just blocking, I take this much damage?
HP dropped by about a third.
Yu Ye-rin's assault continued immediately.
This time, a lower strike rising from the bottom-right.
Fwoong!
"How's that!"
She poured in more and more Internal Energy, driving Mu-yeong into a corner.
True to the technique's name, it was fast and dizzying to follow.
Knowing that a single hit would be lethal, he dodged everything—but the situation was far from easy.
Kwaaang!
Her sword struck the ground.
The shockwave washed over Mu-yeong.
His HP dropped by about a tenth.
—Whew
—He's already down to about half?
—Levels really are king lol
—Everyone who said Mu-yeong would win, get out here lolll
—You really can't beat a 15-level gap
—For real, just splash damage alone drops him like that
So that's why leveling up was stressed so hard.
He understood it clearly now.
Why it had been emphasized so much.
After exchanging roughly twenty more blows, Yu Ye-rin let out a slightly ragged breath.
"As expected, Mu-yeong. Dodging every one of my attacks."
"It was close."
"Don't say things you don't mean……"
Yu Ye-rin smirked and leveled her sword tip precisely at him.
Her HP was still completely full.
Mu-yeong's was barely hovering around thirty percent.
—Looks like he's going to lose?
—Yu Ye-rin's at full HP, doesn't seem like he can win?
—What did I tell you lol, levels are everything
—But Mu-yeong hasn't actually attacked yet
—With 90% damage reduction, what's he supposed to do lol
"Now I go."
At that moment.
Saaaa……
A terrifying aura erupted from Mu-yeong's entire body.
The air around him rippled, and heat shimmer rose.
—?
—???
—Whoa what is that?
—Insane lolll
—Is this Mu-yeong going serious?
—He's awakened ddddd
—You really think he's going to win lol?
Yu Ye-rin gripped her sword tightly.
I've seen that before—when he fought the Sword Master in Castle Defense. As long as I keep my focus……
Watching her tense up, Mu-yeong thought.
How much energy should he actually pour in?
Thirty percent? That felt too little.
Seventy percent? That felt excessive.
Having only trained inside the Closed-Door Training Chamber, Mu-yeong had no way to gauge the exact destructive force.
He knew he was incredibly strong—that much he was certain of—but he had never once thrown an energy-charged attack in reality or in a game.
Then exactly half should be fine.
Vivid red sword energy began to gather into the wooden sword.
In appearance it resembled Yu Ye-rin's, but the aura it emanated was on an entirely different level.
With a surging sense of exhilaration, Mu-yeong settled into his stance.
First attempt, so I'll start with the weakest technique. I need to get a feel for things first.
Mu-yeong shot forward like an arrow.
Against Yu Ye-rin, who hastily moved to defend, he poured everything out.
Heavenly Demon Three Swords, First Form.
Annihilation.
Kwaaaaaang!!!
—?
—????
—Insane lolll
—My ears nearly burst lmao
—I literally screamed I was so startled lollll
—See, when Mu-yeong gets serious it's different lol
—But I wonder how much HP he cut?
—I'd say around 20% lol
—Against a 15-level opponent, even 20% is a lot lol
As everyone was making their predictions, the smoke slowly began to clear.
What appeared before the viewers was nothing other than a single gravestone.
Everyone assumed the same thing.
He hit too hard and the rebound killed Mu-yeong, who barely had any HP left!
With 90% damage reduction, there was no way Yu Ye-rin could have died in a single hit!
That was common sense.
But at the voice that followed, the viewers couldn't believe their ears.
"……Did I hit too hard?"
Mu-yeong's voice, tilting his head in puzzlement.
.
.
.
.
—lolllllll
—Insanelolll
—What did I just watch???
—15-level gap and one shot lolllll
—Is this a bug? lolllll
—I'm completely mind-blown lolllll
['TheGreatMuYeong' has donated 1,000 Won.]
—Yu Ye-rin was clearly at full HP right??? And she one-shots from that???
—I saw it with my own eyes and I still can't believe it loll
—Do these numbers even make sense??? lolllll
—So this is Mu-yeong at full power lol
—Yu Ye-rin got cocky and got immediately ended lolllllll
['DoneTheMath' has donated 1,000 Won.]
—So he hit with 10% of his original power and a person died in one shot? Not 90%, but 10%?
—If they were the same level, what would've happened lollll
—Without the damage reduction, even a poke with his finger and you'd die lol
—Heh, that was but 10% of my power?
—I mean no matter how many times I look at it I just can't lol
—So it wasn't just his physical ability—his Internal Energy is absolutely absurd too lol
—Where did all the people who said Yu Ye-rin would win go? All in hiding lol
—Team Yu Ye-rin went underground lolllll
Four thousand viewers were swept into a frenzy.
It was that incomprehensible of a situation.
But the one most stunned of all was Yu Ye-rin herself.
One shot? How does this make sense?
Truthfully, she had expected some degree of damage.
The aura she had sensed from Mu-yeong was no ordinary thing.
But a one-shot kill—she hadn't even imagined it.
Level gap aside, she had been at full HP.
And that moment before his attack.
She couldn't move her body at all under the weight of his aura.
How to describe it—it was overwhelming.
Far more so than even her senior martial brother.
Even with my senior martial brother, I can at least think of it as throwing a stone at a boulder—but this……
Throwing an egg at a cliff.
A wall that could never be overcome.
A realm she doubted she could even reach the tip of no matter how many years she trained.
Nothing but a hollow laugh came out.
Without even thinking to close her mouth, Yu Ye-rin clicked respawn.
Her gray vision returned to normal.
Mu-yeong approached first.
"Are you alright?"
"Ah, yes. I'm fine."
"I think I got too excited and put in too much energy. I'll be more careful going forward."
"No! It's entirely my fault for being too weak!"
As Yu Ye-rin waved her hands back and forth, Mu-yeong reached over and gave her shoulder a few light pats.
"Even I didn't know I was that strong."
"Then could I possibly…… ask the name of the technique you used?"
"Sorry, but that's a secret."
"Then at least tell me how many tenths of your Internal Energy you channeled."
At Yu Ye-rin's question, Mu-yeong paused.
If I say five tenths, my pride would take a hit……
After a brief moment of deliberation, Mu-yeong looked away and said:
"E, eight tenths?"
"……"
['lolllll' has donated 1,000 Won.]
—You can tell when this guy's lying lolllll
—For real lol
—Anyone can see it wasn't eight tenths lolll
—I'd say roughly six tenths lolllll
—Could literally be exactly half lol
Listening to the flood of chat and donations, Mu-yeong made a silent vow.
To never, ever say it was his weakest technique.