Master Swordsman’s Stream - Chapter 177

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 177

Witnessing the unsealed Seo Jun, Lee Dong-su felt genuine admiration from the start.
From deliberately mispronouncing his opponent’s name, he provokes them as if they might back out.
After that, he doesn’t even listen to what they say—just drags them into the fight he wants.
It’s plainly vicious behavior.
Watching it, he understood.
Ah.
‘So he was holding back before.’
That’s right.
I’m grateful for it, actually.
‘Because he was still thinking about me, at least.’
Really.
Tears blur his vision.
Lee Dong-su, unaware of Seo Jun’s plan to use this again later, felt about 2% gratitude.
And then.
Just as everyone was watching with interest to see who would fail first—in the moment something unexpected happened.
The moment Seo Jun caught the Clone in under thirty seconds.
Lee Dong-su understood something else.
‘He wasn’t lying after all.’
Thirty seconds.
Insane.
No, I mean—
‘His skill level is…….’
Words fail him.
Even if he’d caught it in under a minute using the opponent’s own sword, that would be insane.
Even as a pro known for talent and skill, he couldn’t help but marvel.
But to catch it in thirty seconds?
Without taking a single hit?

-Wow
-Damn
-The Master doesn’t bluff
-30 seconds is hard, right? So Taker didn’t do it in 30 too, right?
-How could he??? 1 minute already looked tight enough
-So he was hiding 50% of his power all along?

The viewers’ reactions exploded a beat later.
They hadn’t processed the thirty seconds until Seo Jun mentioned it himself.

-If the Master did it in 30 seconds, couldn’t I last about 300 seconds?
-Go beat someone 9 levels higher first
-lmao people with no qualifications arguing about endurance. If we stood in front, we’d just die instantly

Interest came from elsewhere too.
Not from the community.
From pro players. Ones Tae-woo’s team had recruited.

[Kim Ha-rang: Wow, I’ve been holding back, but I’m just going to ask. Who is that guy? Dong-su. Who really?]
[Kim Ha-rang: You’re not answering?]
[Kim Ha-rang: Give me an explanation already]
[Kim Ha-rang: Even our coach started asking all of a sudden]
[Kim Ha-rang: Never mind. I’ll just look it up myself]

Geez.
‘Usually after games he only looks for Ha-yeon and doesn’t even acknowledge me. He only sends one-word replies, and now…….’
They were close enough to game together.
So close they’d become like family—so much so that Lee Dong-su figured Kim Ha-rang didn’t know how to form complete sentences.
Lee Dong-su scrolled up through the message history.

[Kim Ha-rang: You free today?]
[Kim Ha-rang: You free?]
[Kim Ha-rang: Today?]
[Kim Ha-rang: One match?]
[Kim Ha-rang: Let’s eat]
[Kim Ha-rang: Free?]

Of course, Lee Dong-su hadn’t replied to those either.
He just sent game invites whenever messages came in.
While scrolling up through those, another notification chimed.
‘Huh? Why is this one reaching out?’
Kim Ha-rang wasn’t the only one reacting.

[Lee Chae-rin: Where did you meet that person?]

His relationship with her was a bit awkward.
Did her coach get involved too?
Too annoying. He’d just ignore it and reply later.
Lee Dong-su shook his head and said a silent prayer for Taker.
Now he was fighting against the tenth-stage AI—the one with Taker’s own sword.
But wait.
‘Didn’t the match already decide itself the moment he caught it in under thirty seconds?’
Somehow it had become a matter of pride, but the start was Taker’s provocation—doubting Seo Jun could do it.
Well, now it was proven.
‘Can that guy also do thirty seconds?’
Seo Jun had said one minute again knowing it couldn’t be done in thirty.
‘To drag out the match.’
He looked at Seo Jun, standing slightly apart, and felt a pang of sympathy for Taker.
There was still a little time left.
Glancing around, he spotted the teammates, who’d quietly grabbed carrots while Seo Jun was absorbed in the duel.
And he thought:
‘We’re the more pitiful ones here.’
His empathy hit its peak.
“Oh? He’s caught. That was pretty fast. As long as he catches it within a minute, it should be fine.”

-Hey Master, you caught it in 30 seconds tho lol
-He’s trying to provoke him on purpose

Through the chat, Lee Dong-su confirmed how long Taker had taken to catch the AI.
Forty-eight seconds.
A big drop. He must have really gritted his teeth for this one.
But wouldn’t this look bad?
His limit has been proven to be forty-eight seconds.
Might as well end it here.
“Actually, everyone. It’s not over yet. This is just the beginning, wouldn’t you say?”
The AI is summoned again.
“It seems he did better with his own sword added in. This time, we’re doing the Countermeasure Technique.”
What is this guy saying?
Is he seriously going to do a live update?
Lee Dong-su changed his mind in that instant.
‘Taker is more pitiful, at least.’
For now, anyway.

* * *

In the next fight, Seo Jun took the full minute to catch the Clone.
He was teaching it a new movement.
After that, watching through the broadcast, Seo Jun gave commentary to the viewers.
“See? At that moment, if you just move slightly like this, then strike down from above.”
Clang!
Taker’s attack was blocked by the movement Seo Jun had implanted.
His shock was plainly visible on his face.
Since Taker had seen Seo Jun planting the movement, the impact would hit even harder.

-wow lmao it really counters
-well technically it blocks it
-we can actually see how the fight changes, what is this?
-so that was Taker’s weakness lmao
-but he saw it, so why did he get hit

“It’s not quite a weakness. And even knowing it, it’s hard to deal with. You’d need the talent of a pro to……. Oh right. I made a mistake.”
You are a pro, aren’t you?
Seo Jun grins wickedly.
Not the expression of someone who had actually made a mistake.

-But he IS a pro lmaooooo
-There’s the jab again lol
-crazy guy crazy guy crazy guy
-but seriously, does the Master have something special in his sword? He just crushes pros with it
-Is he really that strong?
-He’s truly a Geomsin……

He’d vented enough stress.
Now Seo Jun decided to just teach the successor a bit more carefully.
Someone watching might ask why he’s acting like such a jerk about it.
Not because it’s his true nature—it’s simply that juniors listen better to their seniors after taking a few hits.
So Seo Jun beats Taker.
With words, with the Clone.
There’s absolutely no lingering bitterness behind it.
“Oh. This time also, the match didn’t end. So now let’s update the Clone with Baek Do-ryul’s Swordsmanship.”
He touches the empty air with his finger and summons it again.

-Update lol
-is this guy not a maniac lmaooooooooooo
-he’s like a lunatic lol
-so when you’re strong you can do this even against a pro
-but Taker why aren’t you saying anything how shocked must he be lmao

Truth be told, Seo Jun was half enjoying it too.
“Honestly, this is fun. Updating the Clone when a movement doesn’t suit its style—it’s like swapping out parts.”
He’s never played that kind of game, but he understands why people do now.

-don’t do that with the Clone lol
-Baek Do-ryul’s face says ‘what is this nonsense’ lmao
-Amazing guy
-So what’s Baek Do-ryul’s Swordsmanship

[Viewers – 130,000]

The viewer count was skyrocketing, so he got excited.
How high is this going to go?
He might overtake Ha Yun-ho.
And in front of all these people.
“Baek Do-ryul’s sword pins the opponent down methodically. Next, let’s move on to Shin Ha-yeon.”

-Full parts? lmao
-Champion, former champion, and Geomsin. Clone, how strong do you want to get lmao
-So this will work?
-Didn’t you see him implant the movement and block it? Seems possible

Now then.
Learn.
Honestly, whether it works or not doesn’t matter much.
It’s more of a test.
How much can a person grow when given rapid updates and immediate feedback?
The Clone is doing it instead of directly, but Taker has enough talent to more than make up for that—better than his other teammates.
Seo Jun, relaxed as always, swung his sword.
A methodical, driving offense.
Baek Do-ryul’s signature sword style.

* * *

#1 <Taker>

Things had gotten truly precarious now. Even with genuine effort.
‘Sigh.’
The more he fights the Clone, the more bewilderment grows.
‘Can this really happen?’
A moment ago it was Baek Do-ryul, now it’s Shin Ha-yeon.
The base was still that streamer he’d been fighting until now.
But the irregular movements that occasionally appeared resembled those two’s clones so closely that he’d momentarily mistake it for them.
Not just simple swings or downward strikes.
How to handle this moment’s timing.
That kind of nuance was woven in.
And.
‘Is this an illusion? It seems more powerful than when fighting those two’s clones.’
There are moments that make him grit his teeth harder than when fighting their clones.
It’s not that the Clone’s level or technique got better—it’s that the same technique feels harder to counter despite being identical.
Techniques added to Seo Jun’s basic movements.
Why exactly?
‘Is it really just my imagination?’
But—
‘No.’
He knew.
Having fought all three here, he knew best.
Perhaps from the very first match.
Whether his pride blinded him.
Or if he’d underestimated because of his streamer status.
Now he chose to acknowledge it.
‘At least in the Training Grounds…….’

#1 <Seo Jun>

The throne reclaimed in an instant.
He summons a stronger AI while thinking of the owner of the Clone before him.
‘Right. He’s the strongest!’
He had a hunch.
That this time he couldn’t do it in a minute. Or he’d have to give up one hit.
If so.
‘I’ll catch it once in thirty seconds even if I have to sacrifice stamina.’
The match itself is meaningless.
It’s just a challenge.
Even if he loses the match, he wants to lose stylishly, professionally, with impact.
Taker closed the distance in a flash and attacked.
Perfect defense combined with offense is impossible. There isn’t enough time for it.
Or rather, he isn’t skilled enough.

[HP 9]
[HP 9]

Sword met sword against their bodies.
At the same time, both their health depleted.

-The match is over
-lol
-What’s he trying to do?
-Master, did you really beat a pro?

The health bars drop together, in sync.
8.
7.
6.
5.
At a terrifying pace.
The resolve to finish in thirty seconds.

-Ah! He’s hurrying
-30 seconds really is impossible then?
-Seo Jun <–what the hell is this guy
-Isn’t Taker like tier 2?
-A bit unclear but he’s at least top five, probably tier 1
-OK
-Insane yada yada

Taker unleashed attacks that gave the AI no choice but to counter while attacking simultaneously.
4.
3.
2.
1.
Counting internally, two seconds remained.
One health point left.
Just need to time the last strike a bit faster.
With his best unconventional sword. His best technique.
‘End it!’
In that moment, in the fraction of a second, with perfect timing—
The AI burrowed in on him.
Taker’s eyes flew wide open.
Clang!
The space around him became dominated. His sword wouldn’t advance; it was blocked.
‘Ah. I was so focused I forgot…….’
He was done for.
It was that Countermeasure Technique Seo Jun had planted before.
The AI raised its sword and brought it down.
Vertical Slash.
Easy to block normally.
But because his own attack had been so desperate, he couldn’t block—he took the counter.
‘Losing the match and losing here are……!’
He accepted it.
Whoooosh!

[HP 0]

-????
-??
-Wait a minute
-What did we just see?

The universe went dark for a moment.
At least Taker’s world did.
No matter how much he disregarded public opinion. My way or the highway.

-lol is this real? impossible lol
-walol
-Not a system error? This is real right?
-A pro…… lost? To a Clone too?
-Is this seriously a Shadow Sorcerer??? lol
-Ah lol this is a scam
-This is how you play with a Clone btw lol

A Travel—no, a virtual reality history-making moment.
A pro lost in front of everyone.
To an AI.
To the Clone.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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