Chapter 09
The so-called Cheonma Declaration was enough to make even the masters vying for the position of the world’s best feel flustered.
In the Central Plains martial arts world, the name ‘Cheonma’ carried that much weight.
‘Cheonma’ – in any era, the being closest to being the greatest under heaven.
The very act of impersonating such a title was nonsense.
If they were true masters, they would recognize the impersonation the moment it occurred.
Biryeong was briefly taken aback upon hearing the word Cheonma, but soon opened his mouth.
“Where do you dare to call yourself Cheonma? You are not the Cheonma I know.”
“Questions are useless. Whether this seat is the Cheonma or not can be verified through skill, can it not?”
The viewers felt a chill of tension at the ominous current flowing between the two.
The atmosphere between them filled the space so completely that the chat momentarily fell silent.
Biryeong was a boss that had never been revealed in Narak until now, so there was no way to know his strength, but…
They thought he would be stronger than any boss they had encountered so far.
From the viewers’ perspective, all the bosses they had faced so far were formidable, and this was someone who stood above them.
Moreover, the spear that had flown in when the door opened earlier – only a very few viewers with exceptional dynamic vision had been able to react to the speed of that spear.
▶ Wow, the tension is insane
▶ Hang in there!!!!!! Spear of the World!!!!!!!
▶ Cheonma is immortal!!!! All horses bow in submission!!!!!!!!
The viewers’ allegiances were also divided.
There were the ‘vicious faction’ who wanted Biryeong to win, and the ‘Cheonma Cult faction’ cheering for Myeongyun.
Furthermore, with the news of a new boss in Narak, additional viewers poured in, and the real-time viewer count surpassed 20,000.
In this live broadcast, now filled with utter chaos, it was Biryeong who made the first move.
“How dare you treat me like a novice!”
“All martial artists of the Central Plains are below this seat…”
Was it because Myeongyun had left an opening, as if inviting an attack at any time?
Biryeong let out a furious roar and moved with the speed of a beam of light, swinging his spear.
He was faster and more ferocious than any boss ever encountered in Narak.
Like the fangs of a wild beast, the spear’s trajectory curved, aiming for Myeongyun’s nape.
Myeongyun took a step inward, rotating his body to escape the spear’s trajectory, and aimed his palm at Biryeong’s chest.
However, Biryeong raised his arm to block, and the two were simultaneously pushed outward from the center.
An exchange of offense and defense that happened in an instant.
Attack and evasion, counterattack and defense occurring in a world below zero seconds.
With that single move, Biryeong proved that he was clearly different from any boss they had faced so far.
▶ Wow ——— that was sick
▶ Something swooshed and they bounced apart? What was that?
▶ Wow, this is legendary? What is that boss? Is Narak’s new boss for real?
▶ Did Narak get an update? I didn’t see any patch notes…
▶ No, it’s not an update, I think that’s a hidden boss ;;
Just that one exchange nearly caused the chat to explode.
Donations were also pouring in at an astonishing rate, seemingly to grab attention.
The incredible refresh rate made it difficult for ordinary people to keep up.
Myeongyun, confirming the viewers’ reactions, smiled faintly and looked at Biryeong.
‘Not a bad sense.’
No, it was actually good.
Biryeong, standing before him, was a master worthy of his nickname, ‘Spear of the World’.
Regardless of what AI he was equipped with, unlike other martial artists, he adopted an efficient fighting style.
Myeongyun, instantly recognizing that it was a martial art thoroughly focused on ‘efficiency’, heightened his concentration.
‘There are limits to the abilities that can be output in Neworld.’
Moreover, due to various constraints, his current specs were far below what would be needed to clear this.
Even if he had taken the normal route instead of a hidden one, his stats would be insufficient.
He had come this far relying solely on his physical prowess.
‘It’s been a while since I felt this way…’
If something is lacking, you just make up for it with something else.
Myeongyun kept one hand behind his back, using the other to motion for Biryeong to come.
“Young ones, watch carefully. See why this seat is the Cheonma…”
“That arrogance will be your downfall!”
Biryeong’s spear trembled violently, spewing forth a blue, sharp energy.
It soon took the form of a dragon, wrapping around the spear, and the spear, now a single dragon, lunged forward with Biryeong, its mouth gaping threateningly.
The blue dragon twisted its body erratically, approaching to swallow Myeongyun.
The spear tip, dancing as if with it, aimed for Myeongyun’s vital spots in an instant.
‘It’s not like the deceptions of Mount Hua’s sword.’
That dragon and the spear tips aiming for his life were all real.
If he were the senior disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, he wouldn’t have been able to withstand even a single strike from Biryeong and would have been riddled with holes.
Myeongyun lifted his feet from the ground.
Accelerating to maximum speed in an instant, he lowered his body, dodging the dragon by a hair’s breadth, and twisted his body with a slight leap from the floor.
He was practically lying flat on the floor, yet floating in the air.
And where his body was heading was the only opening in the path of the spear thrust by Biryeong.
Myeongyun, slipping through that slim gap to evade Biryeong’s attack, lightly placed one hand on the floor and raised his body again.
The viewers were astonished by his acrobatic movements.
▶ Wow, his core strength is insane
▶ Seriously, what does this person do??? That’s not normal human movement
▶ Go!!!!!!! Cheonma-nim is indeed Cheonma-nim!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At this point, the viewers were also getting curious.
Just what on earth is Cheonma’s ‘inner person’ (the player)!
Having evaded Biryeong’s attack, Myeongyun brought out the maximum concentration allowed by Neworld.
His head felt hot.
The Neworld hardware in reality was beginning to overheat.
‘I can’t last long.’
He had to finish as quickly as possible.
Biryeong, having turned around, flew towards Myeongyun once more.
Countless spear strikes, occupying the space again, rained down upon Myeongyun.
This time, as if not giving him even a chance to escape, Biryeong covered the entire area with his energy.
The roaring blue dragon and the flashing tens, hundreds of spear blades.
This was the martial prowess of one who vies for supremacy in the world within the Narak worldview.
And at that moment, Myeongyun moved.
With slow steps, he walked into the pouring rain of spear blades.
Countless trajectories moved towards him, but not a single one touched him.
It looked as if the spear blades were avoiding him.
But the reality was different.
With insight bordering on precognition, he was only stepping into the tiny, safe zones where the spear blades wouldn’t reach.
No matter how strong a person is, they only have two arms.
No matter how fast they swing, they cannot attack the same area ‘simultaneously’.
Myeongyun read the entire trajectory of Biryeong’s spear strikes and calculated the safe zones in a world below zero seconds, even further below 0.0 seconds.
“Kuaaaaaaah!!”
Biryeong let out a scream-like battle cry, forcibly twisting his body to turn the spear tip towards Myeongyun, who was approaching him.
Myeongyun smiled, his lips curling upwards, at the spear tip targeting his nape at super-speed.
In that instant, Biryeong instinctively knew.
This life-or-death clash would be his defeat!
*KWAAAANG–!!*
An explosion occurred, accompanied by a roar and a shockwave.
Myeongyun and Biryeong were instantly enveloped in a cloud of dust.
▶ What is this? What’s going on? I can’t keep up ;;
▶ What just happened? Even slowing it down, I don’t get it
▶ Shiiiiiiiiiiit ;; Is this what a Narak veteran is?
▶ Started the game and immediately destroyed it lol
And then, one figure burst out from the dust cloud, sliding backward.
“Keoheok!”
It was Biryeong, kneeling on one knee on the floor, spitting blood, suggesting he had suffered severe internal injuries.
Myeongyun walked out of the dust cloud, without a scratch, and spoke.
“Spear of the World! Divine Spear! A skill worthy of your nickname! But, it is insufficient! With that level, you are far from being able to claim the title of the world’s best!”
▶ Cheonma-nim’s voice sounded really excited
▶ lol, it’s an unbreakable toy
▶ But it looks like it’s going to break soon though…
As the viewers said, Myeongyun was somewhat excited.
It was the first time he had experienced a battle of this caliber since being reborn in Korea.
It was a situation filled with dopamine and adrenaline, feelings he was experiencing for the first time in a long while. How could he not be delighted?
“Hoo.”
But it was only for a moment.
Myeongyun quickly calmed his excitement with a short exhale and walked towards Biryeong.
“…Cheon-ma. You, what was that final technique?”
“It’s not worth naming. Would I give a name to merely extending my hand in a straight line?”
“Hah! The ten-thousand streams, returning to one source… Cheonma, if it’s you… you might have the qualifications to proceed beyond this point…”
“Beyond this point?”
“…Yes, beyond, the Abyss of Narak… Only the key you possess is the sole means to open the door…”
Biryeong couldn’t finish his sentence and collapsed to the floor.
As his life ended, Narak, as always, consumed his body as its own nourishment.
As Biryeong’s body disappeared into Narak, the time for settlement arrived.
On a normal route, the game would end here, and a score would be given based on the recorded play.
However, Myeongyun’s case began to proceed somewhat differently.
*RUMBLE–*
Narak began to vibrate.
Along with a loud roar, the cavern started to shake, and pieces of rock began to fall from the ceiling.
“Hmm.”
▶ Uh oh, what’s this
▶ Was there a production like this????
▶ This is a production I’ve never seen before
▶ No, seriously, this guy’s playing Narak for the first time and he’s seeing more new productions than the veterans??
Myeongyun naturally dodged the rocks falling from above.
After some time passed, the earthquake stopped, and a mysterious event occurred.
The three fragments inside Myeongyun’s bosom emerged on their own and merged into one in mid-air.
The combined fragment took the form of an inverted triangle, rotating as it emitted an ominous black light.
And the true name of the unidentified fragment was revealed.
<Key to the Narak – Abyss>
A key that opens the door to the Abyss, deeper than Narak itself.
Link: [Indomitable][1/1] [Permanent][1/1]
Indomitable: Resists the poisonous miasma of the Abyss.
Permanent: Effect is active even when not possessed.
It was something no one had ever seen before.
Beyond the 5th floor.
A key leading to the Abyss.
The key streaked across the air once more, flying towards the direction Biryeong had been guarding, and fit into a small slot.
A key that fit perfectly into the slot.
Then, the wall split in half, and a thick, stagnant poisonous miasma wafted out from inside.
It seemed to radiate a vicious malice, as if challenging only those confident enough to attempt it.
The world’s first discovered path to the 6th floor.
Myeongyun stood before it for a moment, then looked at the camera and opened his mouth.
A time of decision. What Myeongyun chose was…
“I will end today’s broadcast here. I will express my separate gratitude for the church donations.”
It was the end of the broadcast.
