Chapter 01
Heavenly Demon Myeong-yun.
The 8th Heavenly Demon. He who achieved the unification of the world, the long-cherished dream of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and thus the greatest under heaven.
A martial artist whose skill touched the heavens, the greatest of all ages, a master no one could stand against.
Both the orthodox and unorthodox factions knelt before him, and he was given the epithet “Cheonoe-akryong” (Heavenly Outside Evil Dragon), meaning a dragon beyond the heavens. With the entire world beneath his feet and no worthy opponent left, he soon reached the state of “Tal-gak” (Shedding the Shell) and transcended, leaving the mortal world behind.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult long revered him, believing he had become the true Heavenly Demon God…
—
And then, thousands of years later.
An era where martial arts have been forgotten, and tales of the *jianghu* can only be found in martial arts novels.
Perhaps, another world entirely.
20XX, a cold winter’s day with falling snow.
Heavenly Demon Myeong-yun opened his eyes in the Republic of Korea.
“Hey, you *really* not going to do it? College early admission results are out, and the CSATs are over. Let’s just go to the PC bang for a bit. Won’t you grant your friend’s wish?”
“I said no. Too much trouble.”
Myeong-yun, once called the Heavenly Demon.
After being reborn in Korea, confused and disoriented, he set aside the name “Heavenly Demon.”
There was the incredible coincidence that the worlds of martial arts and Korea shared the same name for certain things, but his name was no longer that of the Cult’s Young Master, the Cult Leader, or the Heavenly Outside Evil Dragon.
In this world, there was no need to fight, and having shed the demonic nature of his martial arts through Tal-gak, he was no longer bound to a fate soaked in blood.
The unconditional love of his parents in this life had also shaped him.
It was the moment the Heavenly Demon, once without blood or tears, regained his humanity and became human again.
And so, he became an ordinary human being of the Republic of Korea.
Now, nineteen years and several months old.
Having just finished the CSATs, with about a month left until adulthood.
It was after school, waiting at the bus stop to go home.
Lee Sang-hyun, a friend he had grown up with since childhood because their parents were close, was pestering Myeong-yun to play games together.
“You’ve never played *any* games since we were kids, have you? But you occasionally enjoy extreme sports.”
“Physically feeling things with my body is different from clicking a keyboard and mouse.”
“No, I’m serious, this one actually involves moving your body! It’s virtual reality, though.”
Sang-hyun showed Myeong-yun his smartphone screen.
On the screen was an advertisement for a new virtual reality model.
– Clarity indistinguishable from reality!
– In a place where everything is realized!
– THE NEW WORLD!
It was an ad for the VR device “New World.” After the VR boom a decade ago, this company had become a leader among the surge of hardware developers. As a result, most games released these days are VR games. The era of mouse-and-keyboard gaming was slowly fading away.
“I tried it before, it wasn’t that great. Couldn’t even move my body properly.”
“That was like ten years ago, wasn’t it? It’s different now! The hardware has gone through several generations.”
“Still not interested.”
Myeong-yun had set aside his memories of the Heavenly Demon and grown up as an ordinary student.
Yet, he always felt a sense of boredom somewhere.
He couldn’t forget the dopamine rush from his past life, when he traveled the world seeking unification and competed with masters. Those moments where life and death hung on a razor’s thin edge. With memories like that, this peaceful era couldn’t help but feel unbearably dull.
“Aaah~ Just come once! I’ll pay for everything! You’re good at games! You could even go pro!”
“Well… that’s true.”
Even after reincarnation, he hadn’t completely abandoned martial arts. Moreover, his new body had excellent bones and sinews, so it seemed a waste to let it go. He only trained the basic martial arts to avoid being tainted by demonic nature, but in this age of forgotten martial arts, his dantian was filled with pure internal energy, granting him a physique on a different level from ordinary people.
“Still too much trouble.”
“Ugh, fine, you bastard.”
Sang-hyun eventually gave up on dragging the stubborn Myeong-yun to the PC bang. Saying playing alone was no fun, Sang-hyun headed home with Myeong-yun. Since they lived in the same apartment building, the same wing, they sat side-by-side on the bus that soon arrived.
Myeong-yun quietly closed his eyes, while Sang-hyun put on his earphones and watched videos on his smartphone. As the quiet time continued, a specific word leaking from outside the earphones tickled Myeong-yun’s ears.
-…Dare!
-…How dare you challenge this Lord!
-…If you insist, you shall taste my Imperial Seal Fist and Celestial Void Sword…
Myeong-yun’s eyes snapped open.
Lord (of the Martial Arts Alliance).
Imperial Seal Fist.
Celestial Void Sword.
Words that revived memories of the past martial arts world.
The Martial Arts Alliance Lord, Namgung Yeong-seong.
The hero of the orthodox sects who had stopped the Heavenly Demon Cult’s advance until the very end. Called the Sword God, he was Myeong-yun’s worthy rival.
‘Is that bastard still alive? Has he been reborn in Korea like me?’
His heart pounded. With a thumping heart, Myeong-yun rolled his eyes to peek at Sang-hyun’s smartphone screen. However, what he saw there was not the Martial Arts Alliance Lord he knew.
Instead, a woman in blue martial arts robes was swinging a sword, cutting down enemies.
“What’s that?”
“Huh?”
Sang-hyun pulled out his earphones and looked at Myeong-yun. Myeong-yun pointed at the screen with his finger and asked again.
“I asked what that is. I heard something about a ‘Lord’.”
“Oh, this? You don’t know? A virtual streamer?”
“Virtual… streamer?”
“Yeah. You know, people who broadcast while acting as characters. Those kinds of people are called virtual streamers.”
“I see.”
Seeing Myeong-yun show interest, Sang-hyun eagerly continued his explanation.
“This person is called Namgung Yeong-yeong, and she’s the Martial Arts Alliance Lord. They say she’s from the Namgung Clan.”
“Namgung. A nostalgic name.”
“Are you showing off your old martial arts novel reading skills? Now that I think about it, you always had a strange fondness for martial arts since you were a kid.”
Myeong-yun focused his gaze on Yeong-yeong on the screen. It looked like a kind of FPS battle royale game, but while others shot guns, she alone was crossing the battlefield with a sword. Her skills seemed rather clumsy, but her concept was truly outstanding.
Perhaps, he too could once again…
Myeong-yun asked.
“How do you do that?”
“What? This game? It’s a VR game. I told you we should just go to the PC bang.”
“No, not that.”
“What?”
“Virtual… stripper?”
“Streamer! Virtual streamer! You want to do it?”
“Yeah. Whatever it is. You know this stuff well.”
“Why the sudden interest? You never showed any interest in this before.”
“Just because.”
Myeong-yun brushed it off vaguely. Even if Sang-hyun was a long-time friend, he couldn’t talk about his past life. At Myeong-yun’s words that he wanted to try being a virtual streamer, Sang-hyun grinned, put one earbud in Myeong-yun’s ear, and said.
“Then let’s do some prep first, and buy the equipment on the way home.”
Sang-hyun was, as always, a reliable friend.
“Alright, that should do for the setup. How come you have the money for the new New World model?”
“I’ve saved up most of what I’ve received since I was little.”
Perhaps because he had achieved everything in his past life, Myeong-yun was far removed from material desires. His family was also well-off, so he saved most of his allowance. Thanks to that, he was able to purchase the necessary broadcasting equipment.
“The new New World and the broadcast module. These two should be enough for now. When you log into the New World VR lobby, I’ll assist you from outside on the computer.”
“Got it.”
“Since it’s your first time in VR, you’ll have various settings to adjust. Just follow the instructions inside, and it’ll be done quickly.”
“Alright. See you inside.”
Myeong-yun put on the New World device, a cutting-edge technology-packed goggle-like apparatus, and lay down on his bed. Pressing the power button near his temple, he heard a whirring startup sound, his consciousness felt like it was sinking into a deep sleep, and then…
A new landscape unfolded.
A pure white, empty space.
Then, lush green fields, snow-covered mountains, blue oceans, and a sparkling universe. True to its name “New World,” it presented vivid scenery before Myeong-yun’s eyes. However, Myeong-yun skipped through it all without much impression and finished the initial device setup.
‘It’s certainly different from before.’
Myeong-yun moved his body around to adapt. Ten years ago, the graphics were poor, and the movements were as sluggish as if shackled all over. It felt like moving under immense water pressure.
But now, it was different.
A sensation as if all restrictions were lifted.
Here and now, it felt like he could show movements no different from his past life. It seemed he could freely unleash the power of the “Heavenly Demon,” the greatest of all ages. A power even stronger than in reality!
‘But if I did that, New World wouldn’t be able to handle it.’
Myeong-yun instinctively realized this. He could accelerate his consciousness tens of times over, but he was certain New World wouldn’t be able to keep up. With the current device, his limit seemed to be less than a tenth of his full power.
After finishing his adaptation, he waited in the white space for a moment, and Sang-hyun’s voice came through.
-Ah, can you hear me? Connection successful. We won’t use the broadcast module today.
“Why? Aren’t we broadcasting right away?”
-Well, if you were just a regular streamer, maybe, but virtual streamers have their own process, my friend.
“Really? Got it.”
Myeong-yun decided to follow Sang-hyun’s advice, as he was the expert.
-We’re going to create an avatar. If you strongly envision the image you want, it will be made just like that.
As technology advanced, New World had its own avatar creation system. It reads the user’s desired image and materializes it. Many virtual streamers use this system to establish their initial look.
‘Of course, the avatar creation system isn’t perfect, so you’d need to adjust it a bit, but it’ll give an idea of the direction you want.’
Thinking this, Sang-hyun operated the system for avatar creation.
-Starting now. Just think of the appearance you want.
“Alright.”
The avatar creation sequence began, and a dim light enveloped Myeong-yun.
The bluish light began to reshape Myeong-yun, who had been like a blank white canvas.
A physique even larger than his current one. A man’s face, seeming just over thirty, with strong features. Long black hair flowing freely, like silk. The black long robe wrapping his body fluttered, resembling a phoenix’s wings.
Watching this, Sang-hyun frowned. Because the image Myeong-yun was creating was so incredibly specific and beautiful. A face holding an indescribable, profound mystery. A level of completion that made one wonder, ‘Is this even possible with the system?’
‘Impossible.’
What can be created with this avatar system is a kind of ‘base.’ It realizes people’s images, but it’s closer to a clay doll. It’s literally materializing a rough image, so things like body proportions and hairstyles tend to be haphazard. The current trend is to use these user-generated ‘bases’ for designers and engineers to collaborate and complete a ‘virtual avatar.’
But Myeong-yun had single-handedly completed his own virtual avatar. The level of completion was unbelievable for something an individual had made. Sang-hyun had been mentally calculating how much it might cost to create an avatar. But it looked flawless from every angle, so there seemed no need for designers or engineers to touch it.
Just how intense must the imagery and desire be to achieve such realization with just the basic system? Sang-hyun had tried it once himself, and it only produced an unpleasant, uncanny valley result.
If everyone were like Myeong-yun, all the designers and engineers in the virtual industry would be out of a job. Myeong-yun himself, who had completed his form, seemed somewhat dissatisfied with something, but…
Sang-hyun muttered unintentionally.
-You crazy bastard.
“What?”
Here, Sang-hyun was surprised once more.
Myeong-yun’s voice had changed drastically from usual. A deep, resonant, and charming baritone that suited the avatar he currently wore. Truly a ‘beautiful voice.’ A voice that could charm people with just its sound.
Sang-hyun hid his bewilderment for now. He desperately wanted to ask how he’d done it, but there was something more important at the moment.
-Ah, nothing. Want to try a mannequin match to get used to your body?
Myeong-yun moved his body slightly at Sang-hyun’s words.
‘Heavy.’
He couldn’t perfectly replicate his past life’s movements after all. If he went beyond this, New World wouldn’t be able to withstand it.
“Alright. Start it.”
-Got it.
The mirror disappeared, and a mannequin appeared. It creaked and moved, then took a stance. Seeing it resemble a martial artist piqued Myeong-yun’s interest.
-Difficulty… since it’s your first time, how about Easy? Sound good?
“No, give me the hardest one.”
-Hey, even for you, that’s a bit much. I heard even world champions struggle and can’t beat it.
“Then it’ll be more fun.”
-Finally getting to see you get wrecked. Alright, starting.
Sang-hyun, amused, summoned the ‘Tusin’ (Fighting God) difficulty AI mannequin built into New World. Martial artists famed for their skill, physical YouTubers, even UFC champions and gold medalists in combat sports—only a handful had conquered the Tusin difficulty. It’s a kind of end-game content that those who think they’re good try once and end up getting crushed.
Knowing Myeong-yun’s stubbornness well, Sang-hyun started the match with the thought of letting him get humbled for once.
As the countdown 3, 2, 1 ended before Myeong-yun’s eyes, the mannequin began to move.
The wooden mannequin charged in at a fast speed.
Myeong-yun recalled the past.
The countless masters who had charged at him to bring him down. The mannequin reminded him of them. Myeong-yun, as he did when facing them, confronted the mannequin with one hand behind his back. His body in the virtual world felt slightly off, but dealing with one mannequin was no problem.
“Good movement.”
The approaching mannequin shot out a sharp fist. Myeong-yun dodged by tilting his head to the side and then tripped it with his leg. The mannequin, briefly airborne, pushed off the ground with its palm and extended its leg, but Myeong-yun, as if knowing it was coming, parried it with his own palm.
Keeping its palm on the ground, the mannequin moved its legs like a dance, unleashing a flurry of attacks. Capoeira. Various martial arts programmed into the mannequin poured toward Myeong-yun.
Taekwondo, Hapkido, Wrestling, Sambo, Muay Thai, Boxing, Taekkyeon, Krav Maga…
A culmination of modern martial arts. A combination seamlessly mixed.
But, as the saying goes, all streams return to the source. The same applied to modern martial arts. Having mastered all martial arts and seen their pinnacle, none of it worked against Myeong-yun. He dodged and deflected the mannequin’s relentless offense like flowing water. As if he had grasped all martial arts.
From the outside, watching the screen, Sang-hyun thought it looked like the two were performing a well-choreographed dance.
-This is insane….
However, it wasn’t long before the balance was broken.
Myeong-yun’s leg shot out long, striking the mannequin’s opening. The mannequin, hit in the abdomen, rose again and charged, but the same scene played out.
Myeong-yun dodged the mannequin’s fist and immediately countered to its face. He parried the extending leg with his palm and thrust his palm technique into its chest. A heavy fist drove into the staggering mannequin’s solar plexus, and it finally collapsed and disappeared.
The letters ‘WIN’ appeared before Myeong-yun’s eyes.
As Myeong-yun stared at the letters after defeating the mannequin, Sang-hyun urgently said.
-…Hey, strike a pose and say something, anything. I’ll use it for the PV.
Strike a pose, say something, anything.
Myeong-yun thought there was only one thing.
Solemnly clasping both hands behind his back, he raised his head.
An arrogant, haughty expression appeared on his face. But because he was one who truly deserved to hold such an expression, no one could criticize it. Not even Sang-hyun, who was watching.
Myeong-yun opened his mouth.
“Your Sovereign is the supreme ruler of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the Heavenly Demon.”
It was the first moment the Heavenly Demon descended into the internet world.
