The Veteran Swordmaster’s Stream (Novel) - Chapter 45

Chapter 45

To enter a faction, one had to pass a simple test.

“It’s different for each sect.”

Seo-jun checked the contents of the tests through the explanations of the viewers.

First of all, for the Mount Hua Sect, the test was to cut falling plum blossom leaves.

Although there was no such test or training in his past life, Seo-jun, who had already been exposed to the media of the present life, thought that the Mount Hua Sect’s test seemed cliché yet fun.

“Is the Namgung Clan’s test some kind of grinding work?”

Swinging the sword in the same posture a thousand times.

It was a case of a game making gamers do actual physical training.

Seo-jun let out a dumbfounded hollow laugh.

– Real, it was so excessive that I chose the Mount Hua Sect.

– Even when they give you training, these guys complain.

– If your posture is off too much, you have to do it again.

– This is the Orthodox Faction walking the righteous path!

– Cheap tricks won’t work.

If your posture is off too much, the count doesn’t work?

Then it might actually be fine since it could serve as real training.

Damn it, he was convinced.

“And the Beggars’ Sect is doing all sorts of things.”

Begging from village NPCs to gather money.

Typical of the Beggars’ Sect, a sect where beggars gathered, they made users do actual field work.

“Even after you beg and bring it back, they take it away? Wow. This kind of thing is the Orthodox Faction?”

Seo-jun shook his head as if dumbfounded while climbing the stairs.

– Real, LOL.

– Don’t ignore our Beggars’ Sect.

– Has the gakseori beggar arrived?

“So the Tang Clan’s test is throwing daggers?”

The Tang Clan was a family of poison and hidden weapons.

Although they were mainly depicted as orthodox, because of the cruelty of their methods, they were also classified as unorthodox, like in the game.

In the memories of his past life, the Tang Clan definitely belonged to the Orthodox Faction.

‘Even if they only joined for the sake of benefit, though.’

Considering that they could defect to the Unorthodox Faction at any time, it suited them in its own way.

“It’s a relief that it’s throwing daggers. I thought they would make us ingest poison.”

– Who on earth would make a user ingest poison? LOL.

– They can’t feed you poison already when you say you are entering, though.

– Does that mean they feed it to you later?

– Those who entered the Tang Clan probably search for and ingest it on their own, LOL.

I see.

But in the first place, he didn’t know why the world of his past life was out in this world under the name of wuxia novels.

‘Perhaps there was another person like me.’

There was no rule that only he had to remember his past life, after all.

Seo-jun looked up.

As he chatted with the viewers about the tests of various sects, the peak began to show.

Confirming that he would arrive soon, Seo-jun turned his head back to the side and read the chat.

“The Green Forest’s test is holding up a rock for a long time? That is also quite…”

The Green Forest, which used the characters for green (綠) and forest (林), was a bandit coalition.

As soon as Seo-jun read the chat about the Green Forest’s test, he thought it was very typical of the Green Forest.

And finally, for the Assassination Guild, the test was to find a member of the guild disguised inside the village.

Looking at the overall results, it seemed like a good choice to select the Demonic Sect.

His vision, which had captured nothing but stairs no matter how much he climbed, began to change.

Finally, the sect came into view.

After arriving at the peak, Seo-jun turned his body to check the path he had climbed so far.

“It took as much as 5 minutes.”

In a game, 5 minutes was a lot.

And although it might not seem high when hearing the time, the altitude of the peak was high, perhaps due to some processing inside the game.

The village on the ground came perfectly into a single glance.

“Why is it so high? Wait, but light body techniques work? Then why did you only now… No. What would I expect from you guys.”

Seo-jun laughed hollowly.

How could there not be a single person who told him while he was climbing up?

What amazing unity!

– Ah, LOL. Do it on your own.

– Wasted 5 minutes, right? Incredibly pissed off, right? LOL.

– Even when we don’t backseat game, he complains, LOL.

– A stream where the viewers and the streamer try to screw each other over!

Right, that could happen.

It was his fault for not asking in advance.

Resigning himself, he turned his body again.

The grand gate of the Demonic Sect came into view.

“There are no gatekeepers at the entrance. Do I just enter?”

Arrogant.

This was his first impression upon seeing the gate wide open, as if inviting anyone to enter.

But the viewers seemed to interpret it differently.

– The Demonic Sect, LOL. Because people don’t come at all, they just leave it open, LOL.

– Ah, just come, LOL. Please just come, LOL. Please come…

– What’s the use of having a large gate when there are no people?

“Everyone, aren’t you being too harsh on the Demonic Sect?”

It was filled with all kinds of trenchant remarks.

For the Demonic Sect to receive this kind of treatment from people.

It was a sight unimaginable in his past life.

Only he could treat them like this.

The Heavenly Demon had to see this state of affairs, indeed.

– This bastard…

An auditory hallucination was heard, but Seo-jun ignored it.

He was currently streaming, so how dare it try to make small talk?

Seo-jun smirked and entered the grand gate.

The inside was extremely wide. A village itself unfolded.

‘In the first place, the Demonic Sect was closer to a massive power than a mere sect, so it’s not strange even if it forms a village.’

NPCs and users with nicknames floating above their heads were traveling the streets.

“Heavenly Demon-nim! No, Seo-jun-nim!”

In front, someone was waving their hand happily.

The ID floating above his head.

Number1SwordInTheWorld.

– It’s ‘This Seat’-jwa, LOL.

– Sword… are you going to do the Demonic Sect too…

– Pinned a guide, so good.

“Hello, Sword-nim.”

Seo-jun approached that side and exchanged greetings.

“Heavenly Demon, no, Seo-jun-nim, hello too.”

“Call me whatever is comfortable. By the way, are you going to select the Demonic Sect too, Sword-nim?”

Since the other had also escaped the beginner zone yesterday, it was a rational deduction.

“Yes. Actually, I already entered.”

“Why?”

I heard it was bad.

“Of course it’s because you are going, Heavenly Demon-nim! If I meet you as an enemy, it would be extremely p-painful… no, difficult.”

The sword master spoke while slurring his words.

– The streamer is indeed painful to deal with, LOL.

– Intelligence, top tier.

– That guy is wise?

– He knows after meeting him for just a day what the viewers realized after watching the stream for over a week, shivering.

“Thinking you would select the Demonic Sect, I entered early and was waiting. While watching the stream too.”

“…I see.”

“You are going to take the test now, right?”

“Yes.”

“Come this way. I’ll guide you.”

Seo-jun followed behind the sword master who walked ahead.

The place where they took the test was close, and they arrived quickly.

Seo-jun could discover a user swinging a sword on the sparring stage and an NPC watching him in front.

The Demonic Sect’s test, which was the entry test, was said to be demonstrating martial arts in front of the Demonic Sect’s NPC, First Elder Baek Wi-gang.

Here, martial arts did not refer to something like a system in the game, but to actually swinging the sword, and they said the grade was divided according to the NPC’s own judgment.

“I also tried it once, and he told me I was third-class. Even if you are third-class, they just accept you, but I’m trying to take a retest. This time I should do it according to the guide I prepared.”

– Number1SwordInTheWorld (3rd-class), LOL.

– Why isn’t that guy roleplaying now?

– Roleplaying is also done when you have skill.

“A guide?”

“Because they uploaded forms that allow people to get up to first-rate if they follow them.”

“Aha.”

If he saw that, he felt like he could understand the AI’s judging criteria.

“They say that even if you deploy the same forms, the grade varies depending on the person deploying them, and anyway, it’s complicated.”

While Seo-jun nodded and listened to the sword master’s words, a loud sound arose from on top of the sparring stage.

“You are first-class! Now get lost.”

It felt like a cranky old man.

“Heavenly Demon-nim, can I go first?”

“Sure.”

Seo-jun folded his arms and watched the sword master climb the sparring stage.

The sword master clasped his fists in salute, and Baek Wi-gang stroked his beard and spoke.

“Why did you come back? I believe I clearly stated your level. Do you wish to take the test again?”

“Yes.”

“Then give it a try.”

The sword master seemed to struggle to recreate the forms he saw in the guide.

To him, who finished the demonstration of the forms in an awkward posture somehow, Baek Wi-gang spoke while placing his hands behind his back.

“Oho. Although your basic skills are a waste for first-class, it seems you have a talent for designing forms.”

– Oh?

– He praises that?

– That form is indeed verified.

– In the first place, it’s a form designed by numerous users.

– Is it first-rate?

– So what is the result?

“You are second-class!”

– LOL.

– LOL, went up one tier.

– Congratulations!

– Is the Demonic Sect originally like this? LOL.

– That bastard Baek Wi-gang gives me PTSD…

– Me too… I was third-class.

“Pfft.”

Locking eyes with the sword master who came down, Seo-jun tried hard to hold back the laughter bursting out.

Because his expression was too sad.

“It’s fine, Sword-nim. It’s fine. Didn’t you say there is no hindrance even if the grade is low?”

If the grade was high, one started by receiving a bonus at the beginning, but these were all things that a low-grade user could fill up while playing the game.

The only problem was the title [Second-Class Demon] next to the nickname above his head?

It was like a public execution.

“…”

“And if you really don’t like it, you can just do it again.”

“Agreed. Yes. Agreed. Haha. Seo-jun-nim, if you follow this form, first-rate will come out, right? Since your basic skills will be good?”

“Probably? Shall I try it once?”

“Yes. Please demonstrate it once.”

“Sure.”

Seo-jun headed toward the sparring stage.

“Wait. Don’t I need to teach you what forms there are?”

“No, I already memorized all of them.”

Step, step.

When he climbed up the sparring stage, Baek Wi-gang was waiting.

“I haven’t seen you before. Did you come to enter the Demonic Sect?”

“I did.”

“You mean you wish to take the test?”

“Correct.”

“Fine. But why are you speaking informally to me, an elder of this cult?”

“Because this seat is the Heavenly Demon.”

“Silence!”

– Immediately calls himself the Heavenly Demon, crazy guy, LOL.

– Ah, his nickname is indeed the Heavenly Demon, LOL.

– Complete lunatic, LOL.

“I am the real Heavenly Demon.”

Seo-jun didn’t even blink an eye and began his roleplaying.

Imitating the Heavenly Demon is indeed…

Fun.

“Damn it, it seems a strange fellow has come to this cult. Quickly deploy your martial arts.”

“Fine. I shall dare to give you an opportunity to broaden your horizons through my martial arts.”

“Sigh…”

Seeing Baek Wi-gang who no longer reacted, Seo-jun felt that he had to start now.

Seo-jun first pulled out the basic sword at his waist.

After that, drawing the forms the sword master showed in his mind, he began to move slowly.

What is a form?

What one can do holding a sword is simple.

Stab and swing.

And in a form, the adverb ‘how’ enters this simple movement.

Vertically.

Horizontally.

Rapidly.

Heavily.

‘The more deepened it is, the more complicated the form becomes.’

Deceiving the enemy’s eyes and slashing while suppressing the enemy’s attacks.

Stabbing the point the enemy has no choice but to avoid.

Blocking with a posture that can bring the offensive.

However, even these forms are not omnipotent.

‘As the understanding of the sword deepens, the way to crack those forms will be visible.’

A perfect form does not exist. There only exists a better form.

The same went for the sword master’s forms that Seo-jun saw.

Therefore.

Seo-jun began to move.

‘I must give it variation.’

Just slightly.

Even if just a little, narrowing the angle of swinging that sword, taking one more step forward, lowering the posture.

It was a trivial part.

However, this variation imbuing the martial insights of his past life transformed the sword into something more complete.

A sword without an enemy is not complete.

Nevertheless, the sword Seo-jun deployed in the empty air was perfect.

‘Even that Heavenly Demon had a lower understanding of the sword than I did.’

Could the AI understand this?

Had it reached a level higher than that?

He was purely curious.

Soon, Seo-jun’s sword deployed all 10 forms the sword master had shown.

Seo-jun returned the sword to its sheath and stared at Baek Wi-gang.

“Ah…”

Baek Wi-gang was staring at Seo-jun blankly, completely lost.

Perhaps he was extremely shocked, as he could not open his mouth easily.

Seo-jun asked toward Baek Wi-gang.

“So, how was this seat’s forms?”

Soon, the system notification rang.

“You…”