Legal Sniper Arena (2)
Myeong-yun began with a greeting.
“Have you been well, children? Have you spent another proud day without forgetting the pride of the Heavenly Demon Cult?”
The unusually gentle greeting melted the hearts of nearly thirty thousand viewers already waiting for the stream.
A few viewers called it cringy, but most found it made him feel closer.
Myeong-yun had simply felt like being a little kinder today.
It seemed to have struck a chord with the otaku crowd.
These days, VTubers were no different from idols. Being kind drew far less backlash than acting superior.
“We have little time today, so let us head straight into the game. As previously announced, I intend to play For Honor.”
For Honor was a one-on-one PVP virtual reality game developed by Lavisoft, renowned for its realistic combat. Though not a massive commercial success, it boasted a dedicated fanbase.
“Very well. Let us depart at once.”
When Myeong-yun snapped his fingers, the title For Honor rose into the air. The game launched, and the white background instantly shifted to another color.
A vast ocean stretched out beneath a night sky brimming with countless stars.
Yet the trajectories of the falling meteors were strange. The shooting stars that had followed Earth’s orbit suddenly plummeted toward the planet, striking various locations and triggering disasters.
The sudden global catastrophe caused a rapid rise in sea levels. Little habitable land remained. Survivors gathered what supplies they could and set sail in search of land. People of every race and culture converged upon a small volcanic island.
Thus was born the island of “Honor,” a melting pot of races and cultures. There, the only primal entertainment that emerged was “combat.” The people of Honor honed nothing but their fighting skills, taking pride in their strength.
Upon the stage of Honor, endless duels for glory unfolded. Players were to seize the title of “strongest.”
This was the opening of For Honor.
—For the last handful of honor that remains.
Accompanied by the narration, scenes of warriors wielding countless weapons flashed past Myeong-yun. Fighters from every culture—Eastern and Western—swordsmen, samurai, inquisitors, generals, Vikings, medieval knights… The endless roster of playable classes swept by.
“This looks entertaining.”
Myeong-yun grinned and examined the lobby screen. Unlike previous games, the lobby offered limited options—only a handful of choices floated before him.
“Customization, Ranked Combat, Unlimited Combat, and Normal Combat.”
Customization was unnecessary. The game had automatically locked his VTuber model. Ranked matches were also pointless; as a complete beginner, he would only be matched against other novices.
The reason Myeong-yun and Sang-hyun had chosen this game was the final option: Unlimited Combat.
While Normal Combat used a similar matchmaking system, Unlimited Combat was fundamentally different. It maximized synchronization with New World, pushing realism to its absolute limit. Most VR games dulled certain sensations to maintain distance from reality. If players felt every injury at full intensity, the trauma could be severe, so pain feedback was normally set to “none.”
Unlimited Combat, however, was designed for adrenaline and dopamine junkies. Pain was calibrated close to reality, and a warning appeared before entry. Only those prepared to endure suffering could step into this arena of superhumans.
After watching the chat for a moment, Myeong-yun spoke.
“This Lord shall enter Unlimited Combat today. Everyone is scrambling to meet me, so Ranked and Normal would be far too dull, would they not?”
When he selected Unlimited Tier, a large red warning appeared before his eyes.
Unlimited Combat is a mode for true warriors that provides sensations close to reality.
Unlimited Combat fixes New World’s pain feedback at “Medium,” which may cause significant discomfort.
Those with weak minds or bodies, as well as the elderly and infirm, are advised to avoid this mode.
Do you still wish to begin matchmaking?
The warning explained the risks of Unlimited Combat. However, Myeong-yun had already set all sensory feedback to maximum in his personal settings to increase synchronization. The warning meant nothing to him.
Without hesitation, he initiated matchmaking for Unlimited Combat. The moment he did, matches flooded in. Viewers who had been waiting for him to queue joined at the same time.
The countdown that would decide their fates ticked down one by one. Matching with Myeong-yun meant a successful snipe; failing to match meant defeat.
And then—
“Ah, it seems we have a match.”
The countdown stopped. The words “The battle is about to begin!” appeared before him, followed by a thirty-second preparation period. During this time, players could choose their weapons.
“Hmm. Swords, spears, various types of armor, and shields as well.”
There were many weapons he had never seen in the Central Plains murim. Seeing exotic arms like the samurai’s ōdachi, flails, morning stars, and whips, he could tell how much effort the developers had poured into the game.
Yet Myeong-yun stood with his hands behind his back, making no selections. Viewers, puzzled, flooded the chat with weapon recommendations.
Despite the flood of suggestions, Myeong-yun still did not choose a weapon. With his hands still clasped behind his back, he spoke.
“This Lord shall face you all barehanded today. My goal is one hundred victories. I shall suffer not a single defeat, so let all who wish to challenge me step forward.”
Nothing had. Myeong-yun had set records and achievements no one could hope to match.
Just as the match was about to begin, a mission appeared for the first time in a while.
Objective: 100 consecutive wins
Reward: 10,000,000 won
A staggering ten million won. Yet the quest was exactly the hundred-win streak Myeong-yun had just declared.
Viewers were stunned by the enormous sum, while others focused on the “100 consecutive wins.” It was an extremely difficult mission that no one had ever achieved.
But since Myeong-yun himself had declared his goal was one hundred wins—
Viewers watched with anticipation, wondering if Myeong-yun could truly achieve a hundred consecutive wins. Given his history of setting impossible records, they could not help but hope.
“I shall accept it gladly. Watch closely, children. Behold why I am called the Heavenly Demon.”
As the preparation time ended, the first victim appeared. The waiting room transformed into the interior of the arena—a small stage surrounded by spectator seats. Opposite Myeong-yun stood a heavily armored warrior wielding a greatsword.
Seeing Myeong-yun unarmed and unarmored, the warrior spoke.
“What, a newbie? Why’d you come in here without a care? I’ll let you go before you get hurt. Just surrender.”
He was an ordinary player who did not recognize Myeong-yun and pitied him, assuming the newcomer had accidentally entered Unlimited Combat. He gestured for Myeong-yun to surrender quickly.
Instead, Myeong-yun extended one hand toward him and beckoned with a flick of his fingers. The heavily armored warrior’s expression twisted in irritation.
“Wow, acting cocky? You’re dead, kid.”
The warrior gripped his greatsword with both hands and charged at Myeong-yun. But in the very next moment—
“Huh?”
He was lying on the floor. Myeong-yun looked down at him and spoke.
“How slow. I shall give you another chance. Try again.”