Chapter 10

Chapter 10: [Knight Soul] Is This... a Human Being? (2)

《 Kh. Do you not know that hesitation is death? One who reclaims the light... die while cursing your own weakness, as befits your station. 》

A vast forest.

A tree giant that looked as though it had been formed from dozens of gathered giant trees sneered and slammed its palm down.

At the same time, thunderous roars echoed from every direction. 

The terrain shattered, the earth’s surface flipped over, and dirt and sand rose like a tidal wave. 

Her vision was cut off.

BEEP-

[You have died.]

A death message.

It was a system message informing her that she had lost to Caselliom, the “Pretender Who Plays Sloth,” in [Knight Soul]’s “Nightmare” Mode.

She returned to the game start screen, and as her virtual body manifested in the empty air, a woman with white hair appeared.

And───.

-Sword Empress..

-You said you were going to one-try kill Caselliom, but you have already died ten times. Shouldn’t you start abandoning the mindset that you can see the happy ending in Nightmare Mode?

-Sword Empress — Is it real that she keeps dying??? She kept acting so proud because she used to be a pro gamer in [Limitless War], but there is nothing she can do in Knight Soul’s Nightmare Mode after all hahahahahaha

“…….”

Sword Empress.

A former pro gamer who had won the world championship of the globally popular one-on-one PVP game, [Limitless War], four times in a row, and also a major broadcaster who was a partner streamer on Space Stream.

[Knight Soul]. 

Standing before the game start screen, Sword Empress’s eyes trembled, then she clenched her teeth and spoke in a bitter voice, as if refusing to acknowledge it.

“K-Khmm- I-It is sorcery. Without a doubt. All of this must be sorcery. Otherwise, there is no way this lady would die more than ten times in a place like this...!”

Ever since her days as a pro gamer in [Limitless War], Sword Empress had maintained the concept of a peerless master, using a way of speaking that sounded as though it had come straight out of a martial arts novel.

Thanks to that, her popularity as a streamer was also high, so no matter the situation, she never abandoned her old-person-like peerless master concept.

-???: It is sorcery! That bastard is using sorcery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-That damn sorcery bit is fucking; Sword Empress, do you still think you are playing [Limitless War]?????? No, frankly speaking, there was no sorcery in [Limitless War] either, fuck

-Sword Empress, was it not three days ago that you said [Knight Soul] would be possible to one-try kill even in Nightmare Mode if it was you, a former pro gamer from [Limitless War]? Ha

DING-

[ has donated ‘10,000 won.’]

━{ Video : Sword Empress confidently making a declaration in front of [Knight Soul]’s game start screen }

《 Hmph. [Knight Soul]? Even so, it is not enough to stand against this lady, the Absolute Martial God of [Limitless War]. I shall show you. This lady is- the greatest under heaven! 》

-Fuck hahahahahahahahahahaha

-What?? “It is not enough to stand against this lady” hahahahahaha?? In the end, it is the ordinary nobody ending, huh hahahahahaha

-Sword Empress.. your peerless master concept has been the same for seven years, but I think it is about time to change it. You are not a peerless master anymore. Get a grip haha

“U... Uuuu! Silence-! D-Do not slander me! Th-This lady has not yet gone all out! Next time will be different, certainly!”

-???: Sword Empress has not gone all out!

-Defeat flag hahahahaha

-Uhuhuhuhuhuhuhahahaha

“J-Just watch. Th-This lady will never give up like this...! If I continue to devote myself further, then Caselliom, and of course Trinex as well...! Kh!”

-Trinex and shit hahaha She must think it is that Trinex from the tutorial. Ha. He should be a demigod by now. Ha

-Pardon? Hahahahaha Trinex — It is not called the Wall of Despair for nothing, you know? Hm ha

-Ahhh~~~~ You still cannot forget getting beaten like a dog by Trinex, granny haha

“H-Huhuhu? This lady has eyes that pierce through the world. Granny? I shall ban you, so go repent.”

-Gasp

-Wow... the chat is insanely fast, but she still saw that?? Hahahahahahahahahaha

-Fuck, Sword Empress, I am sorry, I was wrong, I will never do it again, please forgive me, please

“Begone.”

As one viewer who had made an impure statement(?) was banned along with Sword Empress’s cold voice, donations appeared wildly.

Most of them were busy teasing her by bringing up the humiliating defeat of Sword Empress, who was also a former pro gamer of [Limitless War]... and video donations came up quite often as well.

Most of the donations reexamined Sword Empress’s past remarks and mocked her as if putting her on trial, but one was different.

A single video donation appeared, and the atmosphere changed completely.

[ has donated ‘10,000 won.’]

*{ Video }

━Sword Empress hahahaha Did you not see this hahahahahaha Even a newbie playing Knight Soul for the first time today is opening a Hidden Route, so why are you still playing over there?? haha

Video donations about other streamers were forbidden by the broadcast rules in Sword Empress’s streaming, but that taboo had been broken.

-? What is this, a video donation of another streamer; do you want to get banned?

-Read the broadcast rules before sending video donations--

-We should,, maintain,, a little courtesy while donating.. yes..

-Hey, you bastard, do you not know video donations of other streamers are banned?????????????????

Most of the viewers watching Sword Empress’s streaming had a slightly higher average age, so they were stricter about the broadcast rules... but that, too, lasted only a moment.

《 That thing called Trinex... If I defeat it without getting hit even once, how much more can you give me? Mission Funds, I mean. 》

As the video donation, which had clipped and partially edited the scene on the spot, proceeded quickly, everyone’s reactions changed.

《 Uwaaah... Oppa, are you serious? You... do not really believe you can clear this Mission, right? Right? 》

《 Well... I do not know what you mean. Is a Mission not given so that it can be cleared? Since this much Mission Funds is on the line, I should clear it. 》

《 You will regret it. 》

《 I will not. 》

《 ……. 》

Trinex. 

Killing the first boss monster that appeared in the tutorial of [Knight Soul] on the first encounter. 

The moment Ju Seo-jin, who had received that as a Mission, left the chapel- an incident occurred.

CLAAANG─! CLANG-CLANG-! CRAAASH─! SPLURT...!

Crimson tentacles. 

Whip-like chunks of flesh... fell onto the dirt with a patter, and a monstrous roar rang out.

《 ───Krkkuuuoooooooooooooooooooo!! Kihaak!! 》

-Huh?

-Fuck?

-What.. Did I see that properly just now????? Was that not the instant-death pattern that one-shot Sword Empress??????

-?????????????????? You could fucking parry Trinex’s instant-death pattern? Does this make sense??????

From that moment on, even the viewers who had been furious about someone donating a video of another streamer to Sword Empress’s stream changed their reactions.

-Wow..

-This is fucking art

-Is this possible..?

Watching the battle scene in the edited video donation, they stared blankly and marveled at Ju Seo-jin’s insane Physical Skill play.

-Wow hahahahahaha Trinex, who cut Sword Empress down in one hit hahahahahaha

-Fuck, he is playing Knight Soul in Nightmare Mode.. and is winning against Trinex on first encounter without getting hit even once??

-Is this real? Is this really possible???????????????? This is not fabricated, right?? Fuck hahahahaha

And───

《 Mm... Since I won without getting hit even once, that means I cleared the Mission, right? Then I will be taking this. As promised. 》

At last.

As Ju Seo-jin succeeded in defeating Trinex in one go without getting hit even once, Sword Empress’s viewers showed reactions filled with excitement.

《 has donated ‘10,000 won.’ 》

━No.. That is not what matters, you insane money-obsessed bastard!!!!!!! You made it, you bastard!!!!!!!!!! This is a world-first clear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At the end of the video donation. 

As if it were the finishing touch, the voice donation announcing that it was a “world-first clear” was transmitted, raising the reaction even further.

-What kind of monster is that, fuck;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

-“You made it, you bastard” — that is exactly right hahahahahaha

-That was insane hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

-Wow.. this really is high-level.. this.. it was truly a work of art..

-Video donations of other streamers are, in principle, a ban, but I think this one can be allowed hahahahahaha

-Fuck.. Our Sword Empress has pretty good Physical Skill too, but that guy is a real monster??; What does he do in reality?????

Sword Empress, who had been trying not to react at all, also opened her eyes wide in admiration and even muttered in a puzzled voice.

“What is this... Did you say world-fi...rst clear? I do not believe I have heard of such a thing. What in the world is going on here?”

An answer to that soon came back through a voice donation.

[ has donated ‘1,000 won.’]

━He is the real older brother of a streamer called Myangbangwool, and today was his first time playing a virtual reality game, but he set a world-first record haha Sword Empress, the world is this vast.. Do not be arrogant ha

-?

-Bullshit haha

-If it is his first time playing a virtual reality game, he would even suffer Full Dive Confusion, so how the fuck is he playing like that? This is complete nonsense, seriously haha

-? What is this, I looked it up and it seems to be true??????? Everyone everywhere is saying the same thing hahahaha Huh.. if it is true, this is insane??

Suspicions appeared quite often, but they did not last long, because Ju Seo-jin’s exploits were practically plastered all over the communities.

By doing just a little searching within the communities, one could see videos circulating that had recorded Ju Seo-jin displaying monstrous skill from beginning to end.

Sword Empress also quickly grasped the situation while watching the viewers chatter in the chat window.

“Then... are you saying all of this is true? An ordinary person who connected to a virtual reality game for the first time... can fight to that extent...?”

Even Sword Empress, who had a strong tendency not to get too involved with other streamers, could not suppress her curiosity.

When she exited [Knight Soul]’s game start screen and connected to Space Stream, she was able to find “Myangbangwool”’s streaming without difficulty.

‘...Hmm. It has already climbed this high in the rapid popularity rankings?’

Of course, Myangbangwool’s streaming had risen in popularity and was being broadcast to great acclaim with the “SUPER HOT” tag attached.

Compared to Sword Empress, the number of viewers was less than half. 

Even so, it was an unusually high number of viewers.

Was that why?

Tap-

Without going through a thought process, Sword Empress unconsciously touched the Space Stream hologram window... and then she was able to watch Myangbangwool’s streaming.

CRUNCH-! BANG―! SPLURT───!

“Huh... uuh......?”

To be precise- she saw Ju Seo-jin, who was sweeping away the seven Skeletons that had appeared on the field, fighting one against seven with nothing but his Physical Skill.

“Is this... a human being?”

It was a truly shocking sight.

***

“He is not human. He is a ghost... itself. He is a monster of the sword wearing human skin.”

The Temple of Twilight.

In order to go there, they had descended from the huge clearing down a crumbling staircase and entered a large cave located below the cliff.

On the way to the destination shown on the minimap while escorting the Saintess of the Moon, Grandis... that was what he heard when he killed seven Skeletons that appeared in the cave field.

Ju Seo-yoon, who was beside Grandis, unconsciously nodded in agreement, and Ju Seo-jin turned his head expressionlessly and replied.

“Hmm... Is it to that extent? I do not know. I wonder if it is enough to hear that I am that impressive.”

“Yes. It is to that extent. I have never seen a monster of talent like you before. ...One who reclaims the light, I think I understand why the prophecy chose you.”

“…….”

“I am sincere.”

At Grandis’s exclamation, the viewers also excitedly wrote messages in the chat window as if chiming in.

-Hm ha Grandis < She has a decent eye for things.. Seo-jin bro really does play insanely well ha

-?? It is not common for an A.I. combat evaluation to praise someone this much, is it?

-Even veterans have to memorize all the combat patterns and get all the luck to explode before they hear “not human,” damn haha

-Hahahaha Meanwhile, him saying “Hmm, is it to that extent?” himself is fucking hilarious haha

-Ah haha Did you not see the Trinex fight? He is a reverse-heaven monster who one-try killed it without getting hit once hahahaha

Ju Seo-yoon was the same. 

She, too, sent a voice through Player Chat with a hollow laugh mixed in.

= Hoo- Oppa... someone playing a virtual reality game for the first time normally cannot move like that, you know? Stop humble-bragging, seriously!

He did not answer. 

No, to be precise... he could not.

A strange power flowed through his entire body, and his sixth sense opened.

WIIIIING.

The Power of Foresight. 

Before he knew it, the Eyes That Saw Fate had left their overheated state, and along with his sixth sense, the future began to appear.

And───

At the same time, there was one fact he could immediately notice.

Ju Seo-jin narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low voice.

“Wait. Both of you, step back. Do not come close. ...It is coming.”

“Hm? Coming? What is? Why? What could come here───”

RUMBLEEEEEEEEE-!

A huge cave.

In front of the cave region, where it was difficult even to guess the height of the ceiling, a loud sound rang out.

A scraping sound. 

A noise like something enormous being dragged. 

And... before long, an enemy appeared from within the darkness beyond the cave.

CLANK-!

A giant body. 

A large monster that easily exceeded two meters, its rotting flesh inspiring disgust. 

It resembled a living corpse.

It wore chain mail and held a massive bastard sword. 

If one ignored that, its appearance resembled Trinex, the “Sin of Wrath.”

〈 GREAT ENEMY 〉

【 Wraith Who Longs for Knighthood : Strachia Magnex 】

A Great Enemy. 

In other words─── an enemy classified one step below a boss monster, something like a mid-boss.

The “Wraith Who Longs for Knighthood,” Strachia Magnex.

Even if it was called a Great Enemy, it was obvious that this was an opponent on a completely different level from ordinary monsters like the Skeletons they had encountered on the way here.

A faint light lingered in Ju Seo-jin’s lifeless eyes, and a fierce smile slowly began to form at the corners of his mouth.

Rumble.

At the same time, Strachia Magnex also trembled its massive body and let out an ominous voice.

[ I can fee-el- itttt-! The Knight’s... Sou- ouuul-! It, it, it─── suits, meee- eeeeeeee────! ]

Then, when it saw Grandis standing behind Ju Seo-jin, its empty eyes took on an unpleasant smile, and it revealed a sticky desire.

[ H-Hahaa! Saiiiintessssssss! Become, miiiiine!! I, and I alone- am the one who, possesses- the Knight’s, Sou- ouuulllllllll───! ]

THOOM, CRASH-! THOOM, CRASH-! THOOM, CRASH-!

Slowly. 

Yet despite that, with an extremely threatening momentum. 

Strachia Magnex began running toward Grandis, who stood behind Ju Seo-jin.

RUMBLEEEEEEEEEEE───!

The bastard sword. 

That massive blade scraped across the cave floor, sending sparks flying- then suddenly surged upward and delivered a sword strike.

Contrary to its sluggish mobility, the way it swung its sword was incredibly fast. 

Three sword strikes burst out in an instant... and then slashes were released.

Sharp energy containing a translucent quality burst out along the sword’s trajectory.

WHOOSH-! SLAAASH! SLICE───!

A surprise attack. 

The sudden slashes might not have been an instant-death gimmick like Trinex’s ultra-fast barrage, but they were not something one could see and dodge on a first encounter.

Even if it was not one’s first time facing it, the same held true.

Strachia Magnex’s slashes were not something one should focus on completely blocking or dodging- but on “preserving as much blood as possible” while avoiding a direct hit.

However.

That was only the standard method of facing it.

Overwhelming talent that went beyond common sense was, by its very existence, a system, a technique, and a real miracle.

Therefore───

BANG─! CLANG─! CRAAASH─!

The Power of Foresight. 

Heaven-given talent- Ju Seo-jin went beyond “preserving as much blood as possible” and reached the miraculous result of “parrying every single slash.”

THOOM-!

Due to the aftermath of parrying the slashes, a shallow wind spread around them belatedly. 

Before that chilling sight, the viewers burned the chat window hot.

-??

-Is this real..

-Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

-How the fuck did he parry those slashes when they are all pale and barely visible?????

-? What is this? Fake knight consecutive slashes — could you parry 100% of this??? Fuck?????

Within that, Ju Seo-jin tightly gripped the vibrating Longsword and began to move his lips.

With weak anticipation in his lifeless eyes.

With a fierce smile.

= I. I think I can defeat this one too without getting hit even once... Is there anyone who will give me a Mission? I am confident.

And...

= Depending on the Mission Funds- I may be able to show you something beyond what you saw before. I can guarantee it.

The next instant.

= I mean, it will truly be entertaining.

The streaming window went beyond exploding and began cutting out with crackling static as all sorts of messages rose in the chat window... and then the desired result was produced.

DING-! DING-! DING-!

[ has set ‘500,000 won’ as Mission Funds.]

━Show me show me show me show me show me show me show me show me show me show me show me show me !!

<Mission: Defeat “Strachia Magnex,” the Great Enemy of [Knight Soul], without getting hit even once>

*Time Limit: 1 hour

[ has set ‘300,000 won’ as Mission Funds.]

━I saw you achieve a world record with Trinex’s first-encounter kill ha I think you really will show something entertaining hahaha I am putting money on it hahahaha

<Mission: Defeat “Strachia Magnex,” the Great Enemy of [Knight Soul], without getting hit even once>

*Time Limit: 1 hour

[ has set ‘300$’ as Mission Funds.]

━huh.. Bruh, your confidence is off the charts. Like, straight-up next-level. I gotta see how far you can push it—let’s see where the line is.

<Mission: Defeat “Strachia Magnex,” the Great Enemy of [Knight Soul], without getting hit even once>

*Time Limit: 1 hour

………

……

…

At last.......

DING-!

[Streamer has set ‘3,000,000 won’ as Mission Funds.]

━You are a hidden eccentric master... I do not think it would be a waste to give you three gold pieces. Show me a technique worthy of entering the ranks of a peerless master.

<Mission: Defeat “Strachia Magnex,” the Great Enemy of [Knight Soul], without getting hit even once>

*Time Limit: 1 hour

-? Uhuh?

-Fuck..???????????????????

-Insane; it even has the streamer official verification mark.. Is that really Sword Empress??????????????

-Sword Empress?? It is the real Sword Empress?? Wow hahahahahaha Sword Empress was watching Seo-jin’s Knight Soul stream too?? Hahaha

-Kya.. Sword Empress is generous;; She burned 3 million won?? Dddddddddddddamn, that is insane for real;;

Sword Empress. 

Even a major streamer appeared and put down a large amount of Mission Funds at once, forming a Mission on a much larger scale than expected.

[Mission]

━Objective: Defeat “Strachia Magnex,” the Great Enemy of [Knight Soul], without getting hit even once

*Mission Funds: ‘5,712,312 won’

A truly tremendous amount.