Episode 5
[7 viewers]
Seo-jun checked the bottom of his stream screen. Three more viewers had joined without him noticing.
Maybe it really was because of the stream title.
He's gonna die right here lol
Anyone wanna bet how many deaths before streamer quits?
As these thoughts crossed his mind, belittling chat messages appeared.
But it didn't matter.
This casual underestimation, the teasing - all of it was part of viewers' entertainment.
As long as it didn't cross into outright toxicity, it was acceptable.
Skill would speak for itself.
"Who goes there!"
As Seo-jun approached the mansion, two sentries at the main gate drew their swords and advanced.
"Don't worry. I've got the rhythm now."
-Got the rhythm (first time today)
-Don't worry! (nobody's worried)
-Was faceplanting earlier part of 'getting the rhythm'? LOLOL
Seo-jun first compared the sentries' speed to his own.
The moment he decided, he closed the gap instantly and swung his staff.
"Remove your hood this insta--"
CLINK!
A probing strike.
The sentry blocked effortlessly.
These guys aren't pushovers.
Then came the coordinated attack from Sentry 2 behind him.
"Intruder!"
Seo-jun's toes flexed.
He dropped low, twisted his torso to track movements, predicting actions within a split second.
His hooded reflection flashed in Sentry 2's eyes.
Seo-jun prepared to deflect the blade and counterattack immediately.
But--
SCRAAANG!
Screen ripples erupted as Sentry 2 staggered backward and collapsed into a groggy state.
-LMAO rekt
-That counted as parry?
-LOL pure luck
"Huh?"
Confused but opportunistic, Seo-jun lunged at Sentry 2 and drove his staff into its neck.
The HP bar evaporated instantly - an apparent instant kill.
What the?
When he deflected Sentry 1's follow-up strike, the same phenomenon occurred.
SCRAAANG!
-???
-Should've bought lotto tickets LOL
-Back-to-back parries insane
-Insane? More like glitch
Testing further, Seo-jun lightly struck the staggered sentry.
Another massive chunk of health disappeared.
The sentry died before he could land a second hit - joining its comrade.
Seo-jun asked chat: "Hey chat, what's parrying?"
-You parried without knowing? Tryhard
-It's called LUCK not skill
-Parrying works randomly now?
-So noobs can parry?
-FR LOL
"Serious question. Can someone explain parrying?"
After brief silence, the viewer who'd explained Assassin's Dawn earlier answered:
-Parrying means deflecting attacks. In this game, normal blocks do nothing. Perfectly timed perpendicular counters stagger enemies for crit damage. That's parrying.
-Parrying's only way to solo content. Ex-pros with ego tried parrying builds then crawled back to stealth missions LOLOL
-Wait those were washed-up has-beens right?
-You saying even pros struggled?
Seo-jun recalled the 9th-tier AI "Pro Gatekeeper".
If retired pros were at that level...
Makes sense.
A perfect parry required predicting attacks perfectly while moving freely.
Difficult indeed...
For others.
"Got it. But seems easy though?"
Seo-jun grinned and strode through the mansion gates.
-This confidence triggers me LOL
-That was pure luck noob!!
-Nah that movement wasn't luck. Sus.
-Bro who even ARE you LMAO
-Treating parries like morning cereal
-Sus my ass LOL WHO R U
Chat messages mocking those who noticed Seojun's skills started pouring in.
Seeing this, Seojun was reminded of his past life.
In his past life, despite easily defeating disciples of the Dae Moon faction, his victories were always downplayed due to his humble origins and lack of affiliation.
Excuses ranged from opponents being drunk, going easy on him, or being careless.
They offered reasons more shameful than admitting lack of skill as martial artists, but Seojun had no background to challenge these claims.
The Dae Moon faction’s goal was simply to brush things under the rug.
Yet his past self remained unfazed.
He proved himself relentlessly, prompting the factions to excessively praise his achievements—just to justify their defeats.
Of course, the chat wasn’t identical to these memories.
But the essence was the same.
One thing remained clear.
As Seojun entered the main gate, five soldiers blocked his path—alerted by the sentry’s shout.
They stood ready with shields and armor.
Seojun thrust his staff like lightning at the nearest soldier’s throat—the leftmost one who was slightly off-guard.
Tang!
A neighboring soldier reacted, deflecting the staff’s tip.
Seojun’s right arm was pushed outward as his original target swung downward with his sword.
‘I was waiting for this.’
Seojun instantly reversed his grip and raised the staff vertically to meet the blade.
Kaaaang!
The scenery rippled again as chat messages appeared:
-????
-Wtf?
Seojun backrolled, stabbed his staff into the groggy soldier’s throat (confirming HP depletion), then charged again.
Kaaaang!
Their coordinated attacks were polished—as if designed by developers—but their openings glared at Seojun.
Kaaaang!
Flawless movements.
Attacks came from all angles, yet his staff intercepted every one.
“To catch me, you’d need Shaolin’s 108 Arhat Formation!”
Kaaaang!
-?? Streamer cheating?
-Forget that—he just parried FOUR TIMES LMAO
-Insane. Wtf....
-Still wonder who I am? Still wonder who I am? Still wonder who I am?
“D-dammit!”
“Retreat!” shouted the last standing soldier as four lay defeated. “Request reinforcemen—gurk!”
A staff pierced his throat—Seojun’s cleanest method after testing damage on groggy targets.
“Six down now.”
-Wait what does this streamer DO?
-Beginner my ass???
-I told you! I told you! I told you! I told you! I told you!
“I am a beginner. You saw earlier, right?”
-No lol the guy who couldn’t even climb rooftops properly is suddenly a god?
-Fr, when he fell off the rope earlier, I thought I’d found a cute noob stream to simp over. Turns out it’s some OP veteran’s channel.
-Y’all talking nonsense?
-Just check the VOD.
-Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I? Who am I?
“Ahem. ‘I Am Joseon’s Assassin,’ if you keep spamming, you’ll get banned.”
-Roger
-Discipline level: insane lol
-LMAO get rekt
The viewer named I Am Joseon’s Assassin had mocked Seojun’s skills earlier.
Scrolling up revealed others still ridiculing him—until Seojun landed his third parry.
“I get it, but if viewers fight each other, I’ll have to ban you.”
-OK
-k
-What’s so scary about getting banned from a crappy stream?
A provocative message popped up.
Hakko-bang—a slang term comparing popular streams to corporations, while small ones were mocked as “shanty-house broadcasts.”
-Ban me then lol
[lkiop1644 has been banned]
“Done.”
[6 viewers]
Seojun swiftly purged the troublemaker.
Tolerating such viewers risked fostering a toxic atmosphere.
He couldn’t sacrifice the stream’s future just to cling to one viewer.
I'm not sure if that future will come to pass.
-lololol insane reaction speed. Your physical stats are OP
-Kyaaa so jealous of Season 1's first ban!
Fortunately, the reactions weren't bad. The Assassin of Joseon typed:
-FR with this much talent you'll blow up fast, but if you get banned you'll regret it lolol
-FR lol
Hmm.
If I'm getting this kind of evaluation, am I doing well?
In this life I've never properly socialized, so I wouldn't know. In my past life, my background kept me from taking center stage, so I lived passively. Hard to say.
In the martial world, one's background isn't just important. It's everything.
Where you belong determines it all – the martial arts you can learn, your status, even your reputation.
What they ate, the techniques they learned, their masters, experiences, the people they met.
Everything diverged inevitably.
In that world, I was an orphan captured from foreign lands.
Fortunately, an elder from the Hwasan Sect of the Martial Alliance took me in.
Recognizing my talent, he brought me to where the orthodox faction gathered its prodigies.
At first, I was ignored.
But later, my talent to rival the world's best pierced through like a needle in cloth. My master tried to induct me into Hwasan Sect, but opposition from other major sects – unwilling to see Hwasan grow stronger – left me factionless.
A martial artist without representation or advocates.
Yet my talent alone could eclipse the heavens.
The Noble Sword Saint.
'Though "nobility" was less a choice than a necessity. Hmm. No one lived as cautiously as I...'
Then:
'Martial brother, quit spouting nonsense. Have you forgotten how much we suffered from your "accidents"?'
Auditory hallucinations. They happen sometimes.
Anyway.
Seo-jun found his current situation satisfying.
Streaming was more fun than expected.
The game too.
'It feels like starting a rivers-and-lakes journey I never experienced before...'
But:
'Martial brother, wasn't infiltrating Namgung Manor to wreak havoc also a "rivers-and-lakes journey"? Hmm?'
Ugh. Always interrupting my musings.
Whatever. It's fine.
-How are you so good at parrying?
-FR do newbies have secret strats?
"Ah. But how hard is parrying really?"
-The rotten vets from previous games bragged about dominating here too, then vanished screaming 'Dosu = assassination god-tier'
-Even pros complained about frame-perfect timing – fail 1 in 3 without perfect deflects
-Lol stop recycling washed-up noobs
"I see."
-Tell us now
-spamspamspam
Seo-jun answered plainly:
"Just remember your past life."
-??
-Streamer's mental state: 💀💀💀
"Or watch and slash vertically when needed."
-???
-Smh expected nothing lol
-Expected nothing (still spamming)
Seo-jun finally burst out laughing.
-Trolling us then laughing smh
-Think it's funny? Put that down!
-Drop it = streamer parries you
-lolololol
Seo-jun chuckled to himself:
'Maybe I'm actually meant for streaming?'
Interacting was more fun than he'd anticipated.
-When you moving?
-Staying put = they'll swarm
"Ah, about that–"
Rat-tat-tat
"Here!"
"Intruder spotted!"
Thirteen enemies swarmed in.
Everyone in the mansion except Etorr.
Initial two guards + one deserter + four killed earlier + twelve new arrivals + Etorr himself.
Exactly the twenty he'd initially counted.
-13? GG
-x
-Newbie mistake – camping attracts all mobs
Seo-jun spread his arms calmly, waiting until eight enemies encircled him.
-He's done
-Just die already, skip tutorial, main game
-Can't beat Etorr anyway
Fully surrounded, he announced:
"Watch me land thirteen consecutive parries."
Only one chat message followed:
-bullshit
