238 - Self-Defense Techniques
"Uh... um... over there..."
Two cameras were facing each other, filming one another.
The camera director, looking embarrassed as NoName filmed him, finally spoke up.
"Hey, kid, what are you doing?"
"Filming."
It was already 11 a.m., with the sun high in the sky, but for some viewers, it was still bedtime. This time too, the stream had gone live without any announcement, so managers with notifications on rushed in, rubbing sleepy eyes.
And there was some bearded old guy holding a broadcast camera and filming?
NoName turned her personal stream camera toward herself to explain the situation to the demanding viewers.
"I'm thinking of doing a slightly special stream today."
"This is the camera director. They're filming Genius Scout Unit right now, but I think I need your help, so I came to ask for cooperation via stream."
Spotting the chaotic donor nickname, the camera director broke out in a sweat.
If terrestrial broadcast was like a well-organized Olympics, internet streams were like underground fight clubs where fighters staked their lives. Unfiltered expressions poured out from the audience without restraint.
Was it really okay to keep doing this for a kid's mental health? Just then, NoName switched back to her World of Arceria avatar.
The blonde woman drew a sword from its sheath. Her skillful spins in the air were mesmerizing, drawing involuntary gasps of admiration.
Standing in for the production crew still prepping VR access, the camera director asked her.
"Is this your avatar, NoName? What's the concept behind it?"
"Concept? Hmm..."
NoName rolled her eyes upward in thought. Soon, her cherry lips parted, producing a seductive voice.
"The strongest princess in the world?"
The camera director had just heard from Professor Cheon in an interview that he was worried NoName seemed too mature. But seeing this pure, childlike side pop out occasionally made it seem like needless worry.
Feels like watching my own daughter.
A smile lingered on his lips, seemingly permanent.
Until NoName logged into the new training mode in World of Arceria.
"Daesal, you online?"
"You got time? Can you log into WoA now?"
"I want you to be my guinea pig. Nothing more, nothing less—just one hour."
"Cha Eun-woo, I'm a bit disappointed. Cha Eun-woo, do you know how many people are dying to stream with me? Cha Eun-woo, you're my room manager and you're all 'not my problem'? It makes me a little sad. Cha Eun-woo—"
* * *
Where does combat prowess truly come from?
It was a question everyone watching NoName's streams had pondered at least once.
She effortlessly pulled off diverse moves not even provided by game assists.
In games, healers are always priority targets. That's why assassin classes, despite limited specs, remain popular for taking out healers and mages.
But NoName's style was dodging an assassin's strike from behind with fluid grace, then countering into their blind spot.
Today, NoName finally answered that question.
[NoName]
World of Arceria – Learning Self-Defense Techniques
Stream Time - 0:29:44
Viewers – 13,048
Daesal ended up pushing back his lunch with his advisor by an hour to preserve human dignity. He sacrificed a cousin in his excuse, but no choice.
Still, a 1v1 with NoName was happening. He couldn't help but anticipate it—clenching his fist at the chance to feel her skill head-on.
NoName winked at the sight.
"You planning to punch me with that?"
Daesal hurriedly unclenched and shook his head.
"No no no no! That's not it! Aren't we doing 1v1?"
The chat unanimously condemned him.
"You're right actually. I showed viewers before—that video from Germany, right?"
"Yeah that one! How the hell did you do it? Why are you playing GTA in real life..."
"Check the details in a future stream. Today, I'm recreating that scene in-game. Manager's helping."
With a gesture from NoName, the map switched to an arena. Dust kicking up, Daesal tapped the ground a few times, then looked awkward.
"I'm the one getting wrecked?"
"No, feel free to counter as realistically as you want."
"What if I accidentally hit you?"
"I won't get hit by you, Daesal, but even if, it'd be no big deal."
Korea University flashed through Daesal's mind. The preserved footage of freshman Shin Yeon-ho from Theoretical Magic Dept. Luckily handsome, so female viewers cut him slack. But Daesal? No way. Even in-game, landing a punch on NoName's face meant social death.
"I'll go easy."
"Okay, let's start. First, this straight punch. It's deceptively complex, so skipping to the leg reap part."
In the video, as a big guy flew into a wall, another charged NoName with arms wide. She sank low, and he toppled, rolling on the ground.
Rewound 10 seconds, played at 0.5x speed. Paused.
"Leg reap beats higher weight classes. Grab collar, left foot as pivot, right hooks behind leg, use torque to flip. Like this—one, two."
As NoName pressed close, Daesal caught a sweet peach scent. But briefly—blonde hair whipped, vision twisted.
"Wha? Ack!"
Thud—dust rose.
As Daesal scrambled up, NoName continued.
"Here I grabbed arm via avatar, but with height diff, grab anywhere on right side to pull."
"Whoa got wrecked instantly. Won't fall for it twice tho?"
"Right, hard in real fights cuz opponent resists."
NoName agreed immediately.
"Try resisting max this time?"
Same collar grab, leg reap attempt—Daesal lowered stance, pulled leg back.
"Real fight key: resistance twists axis, ruins form. Step back one, I step forward perpendicular to flip direction. One, two, three, four."
Right foot hooked, left pivot shoved deep into opponent's side.
"Whoa!"
Resistance futile—Daesal rolled again.
"But risky to execute—could get countered. Key isn't pushing right hand, hooking right foot, or pivoting left foot—it's pulling with left hand."
"Left hand?"
"Not everyone handles aura freely. But strengthening specific body parts for short bursts is easy—few hours practice daily, learn in a week. Today, teaching that kind of self-defense."
NoName planned an educational stream. Korea had top safety globally, but crime lurked everywhere. Hoped at least one or two viewers used it in crisis.
"Now attack me? Grab, punch, kick—whatever."
"You're really trying to bury me!"
But stream was stream. Daesal half-assed swings as assistant, but viewers grew dissatisfied with the tame reactions.
Daesal finally used emergency escape.
"NoName! Prof really calling now, gotta go...!"
"Really, Cha Eun-woo Manager?"
"Th-that guilt trip won't work! I really gotta go!"
Dreading his advisor's rapidly piling chats in messenger, Daesal bolted.
"Fine, let you off this once. Who for the rest? Ah!"
Sending Daesal off, NoName chatted someone. Question marks flooded chat.
A cat-eared beastkin descended from a sky portal.
"Adella appears! Why'd you call, sis?"
NoName offered her hand.
"Huh? Handshake?"
"..."
"Okay, handshake."
Adella grabbed unknowing. NoName gripped tight, yanked arm back.
Adella dragged helplessly. Leg hooked, slammed to ground.
Splat—
Adella spat dirt, jumped up.
"Ptooey. What the hell!"
"Fight me."
"What? Fight?"
Adella eyed NoName oddly.
Did running wild outside give her heatstroke?!
Seeing the look, NoName clasped hands behind back casually.
"Yeah."
"This brat's lost it!"
"Beat me here, I'll swap sis-lil sis roles."
"...For real?"
Adella's brow twitched. How long call this 8yo "sis"? Time for payback.
"Get ready to die, sis."
"Now for real combat demo."