The Pinnacle of Martial Arts
The chat flooded in as Cyberpunk Murim One-Shot Instructor began its second day in the game. Myeong-yun leaned back slightly, his voice carrying that unmistakable imperial weight.
Myeong-yun brushed the barrage aside with effortless grace and continued.
“Martial arts is a discipline of learning. So I ask you—can something truly be called martial learning when one simply clicks and installs it without ever studying?”
▶Click-and-install (cramming education)
▶It's exactly like kids who only memorize but can't apply anything!
▶Is that how it works?
It was close enough.
Martial arts, true martial learning, was about walking your own path through study and insight. Hoping to discover something new while merely following a road someone else had already paved was the height of foolishness.
“The principle is not so different. That is why this seat intends to show the juniors a new path.”
A new path.
Myeong-yun was currently under the watchful eyes of the three great powers in Cyberpunk Murim. A clash with their leaders was inevitable. But simply fighting them would never satisfy what he truly desired.
“I will teach them what true martial arts really is. Standing at the pinnacle of Sleepless City, I shall enlighten them.”
▶Is that even possible?
▶What does “enlighten” mean?
▶Just search it, you ping-pong idiot
▶It means to teach them
“The Heavenly Demon, the Lord of the Demonic Cult, and the chairman of the Namgung Group. They stand tallest in Sleepless City, both in martial prowess and political power. I intend to hammer the true meaning of martial arts directly into their bodies.”
▶You're gonna solo the Heavenly Demon, the Cult Lord, and Namgung? Dial back the bullshit lol I came after seeing your shorts thinking you were good but you're just a liar. It's all editing. Bye
▶lmao lmao lmao
▶HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
▶lololololololololololol
The other viewers mercilessly roasted the newcomer who clearly hadn't watched any of Myeong-yun's previous streams. Anyone who'd seen even one broadcast knew his words were no exaggeration.
Myeong-yun's lips curled into a faint, predatory smile at the sharp comment.
“Whether it is falsehood or truth, stay and watch. The day this seat stands atop Sleepless City draws near.”
▶Not killing them immediately? As expected of the merciful Heavenly Demon...
▶I'm Christian but starting today I'm believing in the Heavenly Demon Cult lol
▶I'm Catholic but from now on I believe in Sky Devil lololol
▶Sky Devil is sending me
▶English speakers are actually calling him Sky Devil for real
Myeong-yun watched the chat explode for a moment before declaring once more.
“This seat shall reopen the era of Murim in Sleepless City. I will show everyone that click-and-install martial arts cannot be called true martial arts.”
▶“Click-and-install martial arts” is actually hilarious
▶Doesn't sound like something that should come out of the Heavenly Demon's mouth lol
Myeong-yun gave a small nod and snapped his fingers.
The white overlay vanished, and the cyberpunk world of Cyberpunk Murim swallowed him once again. The moment he returned, he thrust his hand forward.
“Guhk!”
“Such a grand welcome the instant I arrive.”
In his grip was a human throat.
The moment Myeong-yun reconnected, frozen time resumed. The assassination squads from every faction that had been lying in wait immediately sprang into action.
▶Whoa fuck that scared me
▶They just pop out without warning
▶This is what happens when your faction favorability hits rock bottom lol They literally spawn endlessly
With one hand, Myeong-yun snapped the neck of the Demonic Cult assassin he was holding and casually dropped the body. It collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
He clasped his hands behind his back and swept his arm out grandly.
“Come. This seat shall entertain all of you at once.”
At his words, martial artists poured out from every direction.
The assassination squads from opposing factions froze for a split second when they spotted one another. It was rare for squads from every power to gather in one place.
Myeong-yun had accomplished the impossible.
Watching them silently draw their weapons, he spoke.
“Quite the crowd. It reminds me of the time the righteous and demonic factions joined hands to set a trap just to catch me.”
▶Whoa spill the tea!!!!
▶Who showed up back then?
▶The righteous-demonic alliance came to catch me lolololol
“The Namgung were there as well. The Sword God of Namgung, along with their young stars, became the focal point for the other sects and came to kill me. I had only stepped out for a casual visit to the Central Plains.”
▶But why does the Heavenly Demon even go out for a stroll in the Central Plains… lololololololol
▶lmao if a nuke was walking toward our house we'd go watch too
▶The fact that the nuke (Heavenly Demon) is casually walking around is actually hilarious
“There was no special reason. I simply heard that a divine monk at Shaolin had reached the pinnacle of demon-suppressing arts and went to watch. It turned out to be a trap meant to lure me out.”
▶HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
▶Like when a newbie hears about a high-level channel and goes to watch but the pros were pretending to be newbies?
▶Now that you mention it, it's exactly like that lololololololololol
▶Wow those sneaky bastards. He went to cheer on the newbie and they embarrassed him instead
While Myeong-yun casually dropped lore, the assassination squads began their assault.
Martial artists wielding drawn weapons charged from every side.
“You killed an executive of the Demonic Cult! The Cult shall punish you! Magicians and Namgung, stay out of this!”
“You are the ones who should stay out! How dare you impersonate the Heavenly Demon! You deserve to die ten thousand times!”
“You filthy creatures dare interfere with Namgung business! All of you withdraw! That man will be executed by Namgung!”
They clearly hadn't reached any agreement beforehand. The way they screamed at each other with murderous intent made their “friendship” look positively wonderful.
Still, their goal was the same, so no internal fighting broke out.
More than forty martial artists had their blades pointed directly at Myeong-yun. Those who closed in raised swords and sabers. Others spun chains from a distance.
The one silver lining was that the game's setting had no long-range firearms.
Myeong-yun closed his eyes and mapped the positions of every approaching martial artist inside his mind. He calculated priorities, the most efficient routes, the most effective—
The next instant, every martial artist who had charged at him was rolling across the ground.
It had happened in the blink of an eye.
The victims looked utterly bewildered. Even the AIs couldn't process what had just occurred.
“Wh-what!”
“What kind of martial art was that?!”
“Impossible! He repelled all of us? What sorcery is this?!”
And it wasn't just the assassination squads who were stunned.
The viewers couldn't comprehend what Myeong-yun had just shown them either.
▶Huh???????
▶What the hell did he just do?????
▶Okay that's crossing the line, he's actually cracked
▶Even when I watch it I still don't get what he's doing half the time
▶It's VR but fr lololololol
As the charging martial artists tumbled, Myeong-yun stood alone with his hands behind his back, looking down at them calmly.
“It is the technique of Transferring Flower, Grafting Wood.”
▶Ewha Women's University technique??
▶It's Transferring Flower, Grafting Wood you idiot
▶I'm not a martial arts nerd so I don't know
▶Do kids these days not learn wuxia as general knowledge anymore??
“Martial arts possess many natures—hard, fast, soft… The technique of Transferring Flower, Grafting Wood maximizes the soft nature. It receives the enemy's attack and returns it doubled in force.”
“Wh-what nonsense are you spouting…!”
“Damn it, he's lost his mind! There's no way such a martial art exists!”
“Wait, this guy doesn't even have an internal energy storage! Is he… a natural body? A natural?”
▶Ugh it feels gross knowing we're on the same level as these guys??
▶Then just turn on Cyberpunk Murim and get wrecked. We feel like complete walls against them too lololololol
The fallen assassins rose once more. Refusing to stay down, they overloaded the internal energy storage near their hearts and unleashed their power.
Intense killing intent swirled violently around Myeong-yun.
Even in a game, the pressure of so many hostile gazes was real. An ordinary person standing at the center would have been trembling in fear.
Yet Myeong-yun looked as comfortable as if he had returned home. If anything, he seemed to be enjoying himself.
He slowly closed and opened his eyes, murmuring.
“This seat shall show you what true martial arts truly is.”
* * *
At present, Myeong-yun's Cyberpunk Murim streams were practically being broadcast live across the internet. There were always people eager to clip and spread content.
With over thirty thousand viewers, it was inevitable that some of them were dedicated clippers.
Therefore, the moment Myeong-yun logged in, footage of his battle against the assassination squads spread everywhere.
A single man facing dozens of elite assassins.
And he did it with a relaxed expression that showed not a hint of urgency.
The destructive power hidden behind those light movements made every strike feel like a guaranteed kill.
Just like on the sixth floor of Narak.
“Wait, what's the current game situation? All three major factions at worst favorability? How did that even happen?”
▶Our dear Cheong-ie touched the Magicians and Demonic Cult while claiming to be righteous and almost got the game patched because of it~
▶fr lol
▶fr lol
“Then you expect me to just sit back and watch the Magicians and Demonic Cult run wild?! As the beloved daughter of the Sichuan Tang Family, I couldn't possibly overlook it!!”
Dang So-cheong, the pride and joy of the Sichuan Tang Family and popular virtual tuber known as Sacheon-dang-ga Geumji-ok-yeop.
Even during her Narak streaming days, clips had occasionally found their way to her. She was constantly impressed by Myeong-yun's completely different approach in Cyberpunk Murim.
“But seriously, how is this possible? He didn't equip an internal energy hard drive or download any martial arts. How is he doing this?”
▶Cheong just can't do it
▶fr lol
▶fr lololol
“Aaaargh seriously!”
Besides her, countless other virtual tubers were watching Myeong-yun's Cyberpunk Murim stream. Some were even doing full reaction broadcasts with their own audiences.
“Whoa, insane.”
▶What was that just now? Explain please
▶How did he do that? Commentary please
▶How did he do that you tRemf
“I have no idea either? I've played five hundred hours of Cyberpunk Murim and I still don't understand how he's doing that without an internal energy hard drive or martial arts.”
▶Then what are we supposed to do if even you don't know? lol
▶HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
“If I slow it down I feel like I might see something, but he disabled speed adjustment.”
Hexa Pasocon, the self-proclaimed genius hacker virtual tuber, had windows filled with countless numbers floating around him. Specializing in game analysis and tech equipment reviews, his analytical skills were considered on par with professional commentators.
“This is fun.”
Hexa grinned.
The Heavenly Demon's movements were breathtakingly beautiful. Every gesture flowed like a dance.
“So this is what martial arts really looks like? Maybe I should read some wuxia novels.”
▶Dropping wuxia recommendations
▶What's wuxia?
▶Ugh do kids these days really not learn wuxia as general knowledge anymore
