The Fate-Seeing Genius Streamer - Chapter 29
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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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28. [Night Soul] Is It Really That Difficult? (4)
Halkenburg.
The ancient knight who had lived nearly three centuries was, quite literally, a born prodigy. Yet this was not solely because he had obtained the Blessing of Runes entirely by himself, without anyone’s aid.
It was a rare case where exceptional combat intelligence—capable of systematically constructing and simultaneously developing techniques to establish a high-level martial philosophy—converged with an almost grotesque aptitude for Runes.
Innate talent. An unprecedented foundational affinity for Runes layered upon it. The operational mastery of soul force built upon this premise. His combat prowess was constructed entirely around these facts.
And so it was.
A soft breath escaped.
‘…Hmm. A fighting style predicated on unarmed combat. It’s not a particularly widespread approach, I must say.’
In that first moment of confrontation, mere seconds elapsed before Halkenburg discerned the fundamental stance Joo Seo-jin had assumed and immediately traced the hallmarks of systematic technique.
‘…This isn’t a contingency for when distance inevitably closes during weapon combat. This stance only emerges when one intends from the outset to fight bare-handed.’
In a world filled with techniques intertwined with soul force, designed for knights and mages—it seemed incongruous. Yet despite this, the completeness of execution appeared far from lacking.
‘The prophecy mentioned that one who reclaims light, even with lost memories, may retain certain knowledge and experiences intact. Considering that, it’s not incomprehensible. …How intriguing.’
A subtle smile curved his lips.
‘Not bad. Not bad at all, truly. Such talent… how long has it been? Certainly higher than that patient fool Trinex—and perhaps even comparable to Fraudt…’
In ages past, when the world churned with chaos for other reasons—there existed the possibility that this being rivaled the great talents who had studied under Halkenburg, once called a transcendent in conquest warfare.
‘That’s something I’ll come to understand gradually. Young one, don’t disappoint me. I have certain expectations of you, after all.’
Halkenburg curved his lips into an enigmatic smile, beckoning Joo Seo-jin forward once more with a subtle gesture, his eyes narrowing with anticipation. It was time for a taste of what was to come.
‘Let’s see how the boy responds, shall we? I’ll start light—verifying his basic reactive abilities first—’
A sharp sound.
In the instant Joo Seo-jin took a single step forward without apparent concern, Halkenburg’s eyes widened slowly within the decelerated flow of time.
————.
‘…What?’
In that moment—Joo Seo-jin’s body tilted sideways, appearing to lose its center of gravity, when suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, he exploded from the ground in a fluid slide.
‘A sharp crack—the sound of air being torn. Tilting sideways, sliding, cutting into the peripheral vision—a nimble movement so swift its form blurred.’
The meaning was unmistakable.
A phantom technique.
In Night Soul, it was commonly called soul force.
It was mobility that could never be achieved without it.
It belonged to no mere boy whose skill hadn’t yet reached his own feet.
A sense of discord.
A sensation he hadn’t felt in decades. An opponent worthy of consideration—one to be regarded as a true ‘threat.’ Before such a presence, Halkenburg’s body entered combat stance without conscious thought, and with tremendous shockwaves, dust erupted like ripples across the ground.
——————!
A collision.
* * *
Gaming Martial Arts.
The pinnacle of modern martial technique—refined from existing combat sports and martial disciplines to achieve superior movement in virtual reality gaming.
When Gaming Martial Arts first emerged, led by Korea and followed by China and Japan, the initial reception was largely one of mockery.
No one truly accepted it as practical combat or martial art in the way they do now.
Rather———
It was the complete opposite.
Ridiculous.
At best, Gaming Martial Arts was hardly worth the hype. There were no shortage of voices dismissing it as a joke.
It began in obscurity, unrecognized by anyone. Neither the transmission nor the reception of the art garnered attention.
Yet time flowed on, and Gaming Martial Arts slowly spread its roots through the underground.
Fundamentally, a technique was a method or ability to achieve a given objective with maximum efficiency and effectiveness.
Therefore.
Ancient martial arts were self-defense techniques born from their era, and simultaneously, methods of killing.
Drawing them into the realm of public sport—something audiences could witness and enjoy—marked the genesis of modern martial arts.
Self-defense techniques that spared no life to protect one’s own body, lethal arts designed to harm others—such skills gradually faded from view and eventually fell into disuse.
Yet Gaming Martial Arts consisted purely of systematic techniques designed solely to swiftly incapacitate an opponent.
Within virtual reality games, there existed no restriction on inflicting physical injury or claiming an opponent’s life.
Because, naturally, such things did not occur in the actual world.
There was no need whatsoever to consider the possibility of crippling an opponent or ending their life.
And thus───
The resurrection of lethal techniques—those never tolerated in modern society—owed everything to the emergence of ‘virtual reality gaming.’
The killing techniques that had vanished into obsolescence in the modern era seized this opportunity, revived, refined, and evolved until they were reborn entirely anew.
They transcended the realm of ancient fighters and weapons masters, creating a new pinnacle that surpassed them entirely.
And───
* * *
The ‘Lacrantz Style’ was a high-level combat art recognized for both its traditional heritage and practical application among Gaming Martial Arts—its virtual technique operation methods were advanced knowledge strictly forbidden from external disclosure.
* * *
Thud, thud—
The conclusion arrived in an instant.
Upon the Training Ground, amid dust spreading like ripples across water. Victory and defeat became unmistakably clear.
Halkenburg stood. Joo Seo-jin lay sprawled upon the earth.
“….”
“Haa, haa—”
An exchange lasting mere seconds. The result it produced was Joo Seo-jin’s complete defeat. No matter how one examined it, there remained not a shred of doubt.
-?
-????????
-What..? How did that happen??
-What is this..?
-Damn.. this is insane???????? It has to be;;
-Wait; did I really just see that??; Is this real??????
-Could it be.. he landed effective hits on Halkenburg..? Not just one, but two hits?????;;
I cannot translate this as it does not contain actual Korean words or meaningful text. It appears to be random Korean consonants and punctuation marks.
Yet not a single soul mocked Joo Seo-jin lying upon the Training Ground.
Rather, they were astounded by the results of what Joo Seo-jin had just demonstrated.
Whoosh—
The same.
Halkenburg’s eyes held no trace of mirth. Even that characteristically frivolous expression had hardened into stone.
Strangely enough.
Gripping his side with his left hand, Halkenburg wiped away a thin line of blood trickling down his cheek with his right—his voice emerging cold and measured.
“…What… is that?”
The tone of someone who had witnessed the impossible—trembling with barely contained emotion.
Halkenburg continued, his voice laden with genuine bewilderment.
“…At first, I assumed this was bare-knuckle boxing—both fighters unarmed. In close combat, there seemed to be no emphasis on lethal technique. Nothing particularly impressive about it.”
The Lacrantz Style was fundamentally predicated on unarmed combat, blending boxing and wrestling into a versatile, adaptable martial art. Within the Infinite War, that was all it could ever be.
Yet that was merely the realm of conventional martial arts—untouched by spiritual essence. But lethal techniques refined under the premise of imaginary spiritual essence existing as a tangible force? That was an entirely different matter.
It was no coincidence that the Lacrantz Style held such prestige as a Gaming Martial Art within Eternal Saga.
However———
“…Until that moment, there was absolutely no application of spiritual essence whatsoever. It was merely an unusual martial art—no faint premonition, no subtle habit or quirk, nothing that suggested any deeper layer.”
That principle applied only to those who had learned the Lacrantz Style through official channels.
Joo Seo-jin was neither a formal disciple of the Lacrantz Style, nor had he ever even studied Gaming Martial Arts.
“Whelp. Let me ask once more. How did this happen? That technique—did you learn it from the beginning? Or———”
As Halkenburg posed his question anew, Joo Seo-jin coughed violently on the Training Ground floor—”Cough, cough———”—his body trembling as he barely managed to stand, and answered.
“Not particularly. I never learned how to use spiritual essence. I didn’t even know such a thing existed.”
“What?”
“I merely made an educated guess. The martial art—this technique called the Lacrantz Style—felt as though something was ‘missing’ from it. From the moment I first witnessed it and attempted to replicate it, I’ve carried a persistent sense of incongruity…”
“….”
“So I simply attempted to compensate for it in my own way. It seemed like the correct approach.”
And———
“So then. What of our wager?”
“…What do you mean?”
“The bet. A strike to your side. And a wound to your right cheek—even if it’s merely a graze, I did draw blood.”
“….”
Joo Seo-jin spoke flatly, almost muttering.
“You said that if I succeeded in landing even a single attack, you would grant me whatever I desired, swearing by your name—surely you haven’t forgotten already.”
“….”
“That. It seems sufficient to qualify as a successful attack, does it not?”
“Ha…haha…”
And in that instant, Halkenburg shattered his coldly rigid expression and began to smile—his mouth stretching wide into a grotesque grin. Growing louder. Laughter tinged with madness spreading forth.
“…Sufficient? You’re not wrong, boy. It’s more than that. Such a feat cannot be dismissed merely as a successful attack.”
Simultaneously, Halkenburg’s eyes gleamed with intense fervor as his voice grew increasingly louder.
“I said I would grant you whatever you desired. Allow me to correct myself. I, Halkenburg, shall transmit everything I possess to you. In exchange———”
Kick———
“I too shall make one additional demand of you. Originally, this was a vow I should have broken only by staking my life—but now, there is no reason for such restraint.”
The next moment.
“Whenever you’re ready. If possible, within the shortest time—gather as many Night Soul members as you can… and receive everything I have to teach, then kill that one bastard for me.”
“…?”
“The Primordial Paradise. Slay the great dragon dwelling beyond it… and bring me one shameful secret of this old man, one that originated from the former king.”
“A shameful secret…?”
“Indeed.”
Halkenburg continued speaking, his face twisted into a grotesque smile.
“I speak of the oath certificate that proves Halkenburg’s ‘Non-Aggression Pact.’ If you merely bring that to me, I can resolve this entire situation. …I promise you.”
*Chuckle*
“Should you do so— soon enough, you shall witness something truly entertaining. …My disciple.”
* * *
At that same moment.
-???????????????????
-Wait, seriously.. the Lacrantz Style virtual machine operation method got leaked??? This is insane lmaooo
-?? What?? The Non-Aggression Pact oath certificate wasn’t a MacGuffin?? That thing actually exists as an item???
-The Non-Aggression Pact oath certificate actually exists as an item?? I thought it was just some DLC bait or something?? What is this???
-Wait, does this mean they just exposed the Lacrantz Style <<< virtual machine operation method too..? Or am I hearing things wrong..??;
-Nah lol you heard right lol they exposed everything including the virtual machine operation method and pieced it all together lol ✓ lol
-Those bastards who were insisting the virtual machine operation method is a core technique and couldn't have been exposed.. they're gonna get roasted right?? ✓?? lolololololol
-Legendaryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
…In the streaming chat, the viewers who had witnessed everything began unleashing their reactions, the channel erupting into chaos for countless reasons.
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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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