Chapter 44…
When Lee Ji-han entered the shop in Gangho Sword Chronicle, countless garments revealed themselves.
On top of that, he had plenty of silver ingots, the in-game currency used to purchase them.
This was wealth he had earned through Story Mode and PvP battles.
After spending days crushing players in both sect wars and standard matches, Ji-han had unknowingly become rich.
[You can also exchange plaques for silver ingots btw]
[But you don’t really need to lol]
[Damn, Suramode gives a ton of silver ingots]
[Alright, shopping time. Ji-han, you’re rich now. Buy every outfit you want.]
Hadn’t someone once begged for this during an outdoor stream?
A viewer had desperately wanted a “Lee Ji-han customization” segment.
Those longtime viewers who remembered were thrilled. They were finally about to see their wish come true.
[O Heavenly Demon! Let us decorate you befittingly!]
[Start with martial robes and long coats!]
[Hero robes look ugly af, let’s go classy instead]
[Lol wait, there’s face makeup too?]
[Who’s good at makeup?]
And it wasn’t just the longtime fans—
the Gangho Sword Chronicle newcomers were delighted as well.
[Any pretty long coats?]
[Check the female outfits too, flashy is good]
[Maybe add rings?]
[The Heavenly Demon must always look beautiful, right?]
[Lmao are we making a Heavenly Demon or some Murim beauty queen?]
[Lol doesn’t matter, he’s handsome enough to pull off anything!]
The cult followers, of course, were the most excited.
[Should we give him wings?]
[Nah wings are cringe]
[Then what, a halo?]
[Do we have to attach something? And strong halos are bad manners I heard]
[Yeah, blocks people’s vision]
[But Ji-han doesn’t need a halo anyway lol]
[Ah, reminds me of the Zombreath Halo Incident lol]
[Stop babbling and pick something already]
[The Heavenly Demon must outshine every other participant!]
The idea of customizing the face of their cult—
it was exhilarating.
They quickly scrolled through martial robes and long coats, suggesting the ones they thought suited him best.
[Heavenly Demon-nim, try Martial Robe #17 in black and red]
[For long coats, #4, also in a similar color scheme]
[Accessories: #18, #19, #20. Rings would look great]
[Necklaces too? Not sure…]
[Necklace #13 in particular would fit imo]
Ji-han’s head was spinning.
The chat was flying by, numbers flashing, and he kept clicking in a daze.
It felt even more exhausting than actually playing the game.
[Switch to face customization! Eyes #3, intensity 42%, red tint]
[Ooo sexy, this slaps]
[LMAO what even is this?!]
[Kill the lip color for that decadent vibe]
[Lips #4, drop intensity to 20%]
[Skin tone #5 looks best]
[Isn’t that too ashy? Looks pale]
[It has to be pale! That’s the whole decadent aesthetic!]
What other streamer had viewers this invested in their customization?
Ji-han’s fandom was special.
Female fans swooned over his handsome looks.
Male fans, though men themselves, also felt their hearts race.
Because Ji-han’s face was a blessing in itself.
For his viewers, this was the most entertaining content possible.
And thus, the final product:
[Whoa]
[;;;]
[Holy crap what is this]
[I’m actually scared]
[Have you considered debuting as an idol?]
[Wouldn’t that concept idol be too much? Nah, I’d love it]
[Damn;;; this is insane]
[I’m a guy but is it okay if my heart is pounding??]
Long black hair, pale skin.
Reddish eye makeup paired with dull, muted lips.
He looked sickly, yet radiated an indescribable oppressive aura.
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan ttan!
[‘Cultist #1’ has donated ₩100,000]
—O Heavenly Demon! You are especially radiant today!
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan ttan!
[‘Cultist #13’ has donated ₩100,000]
—Heavenly Demon… will you marry me? I’ll work hard and provide for us! (clumsy)
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan ttan!
[‘Cultist #23’ has donated ₩100,000]
—Heavenly Demon… you’re so f***ing handsome… I know you don’t have a girlfriend or boyfriend. Can I take whichever spot is free?
And so, the “insanely handsome Heavenly Demon” was born.
“…Huh? No, wait everyone! Please hold on! The donations are too fast! Thank you, but I’m not like that! Lovers are… meant to be between people who truly love each other!”
His pure-hearted words contrasted against his decadent looks.
And with that contrast—
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan ttan!
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan ttan!
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan ttan!
Massive donations flooded in.
It was, in every sense, a festival.
The Heavenly Demon’s birthday—today was that day.
Meanwhile, the male virtual streamer Soleil was one of the few who had survived in the industry.
Surviving as a male virtual streamer meant being tough, relentless.
Games, singing, banter—he excelled at all of it.
Though he had a handsome avatar, his quick wit and natural talent carried him into mid-tier success.
Especially his gaming skill.
His fanbase leaned male (a 60:40 ratio), his solid gameplay securing a strong foundation.
That’s why Soleil had set his sights on the Gangho Sword Chronicle beginner streamer tournament as his chance to break into the big leagues.
‘…A newbie tournament? Totally doable. I can win this.’
Financially, he was stable now.
He had once trained as an idol but failed, leaving his family deep in debt—debts he had since repaid.
Now, it was all about personal satisfaction.
He played every game he could to climb higher.
Especially with his mentor—one of the top ten masters of Gangho Sword Chronicle—teaching him.
Armed with solid fundamentals and raw talent, Soleil believed he was destined to be the star of this stage.
Cocky? Maybe.
But he had earned it.
He was a proven, confident man.
The protagonist of this tournament.
He tightened his Hero Robe and stepped into the arena.
[Soleil hyung! You look so f*ing handsome!]**
[Oppa, you’re amazing! You’re a true knight-errant!]
[So this is what a righteous swordsman looks like?]
“Haha, come on guys, don’t flatter me too much. Didn’t even take me long to customize this avatar! Maybe the base model is just good looking?”
His cheeky banter wasn’t annoying—
his audience knew he had actually spent hours perfecting the look.
[LMAO]
[You spent all night tweaking it]
[That “quick customization” took you four hours lol]
To them, it was endearing.
Soleil laughed and stretched casually.
He didn’t need to in VR, but it was fanservice—showing off the muscles of his avatar under the martial robes.
Each flex revealed silhouettes of toned muscle, and donations exploded.
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan ttan!
[‘SoleilPantyThief’ has donated ₩100,000]
—Holy crap, you’re so handsome! I think I’m falling for you!
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan ttan!
[‘[Solar Crew] Ray’s Sister’ has donated ₩100,000]
—Oppa, you’re too cool! I’m marrying you! (clumsy)
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan ttan!
[‘[Solar Crew] RayILoveYou’ has donated ₩100,000]
—Today, the spotlight belongs to Soleil! Shine like the sun and wipe out the darkness!
“Haha, thank you all for the support! Alright, I’ll show you what true yang energy looks like!”
At that moment—
his opponent appeared.
Step.
Step. Step.
Each footfall onto the stage carried suffocating weight.
An overwhelming aura radiated from him.
[Huh?]
[????]
[What’s that?]
[Why does it suddenly feel so cold?]
It was yin energy—sharp, chilling.
If Soleil embodied blazing yang, this was its decadent opposite.
Despite the masculine frame, the aura carried an androgynous beauty.
Chaotic yet refined—this was his version of “beauty.”
[Ji-han lol! Look at his face!]
[That intimidation was perfect!]
[Nice! Our Heavenly Demon, crush him flat!]
Of course, it wasn’t Ji-han’s ideal—
but rather, his fans’ vision of beauty.
[Remember the Heavenly Demon concept!]
[In these streamer tournaments, concept and gimmick always dominate!]
[You are the Heavenly Demon now! Spread the name of the Heavenly Demon across the world!]
[Heavenly Demon! Slaughter them all!]
[Heavenly Demon! Stain the land in blood!]
[We cultists shall follow you! Just give the command!]
“Quiet.”
Ji-han wasn’t sure if this was right.
But for fanservice, he lowered his voice, making it rough and cold.
[Gasp]
[Glorious!!!]
[So glorious!!!]
[Wait, is ‘glorious’ short for “obeys every order perfectly”?]
The oppressive aura silenced the crowd.
“…Wh-what is this…”
Soleil’s complexion turned pale.
All his careful customization suddenly felt meaningless before Ji-han’s overwhelming presence.
That sickly, decadent beauty—
how could it project such raw dominance?
Even his own chat had fallen silent.
“H-ha… I look forward to your guidance.”
Soleil bowed formally despite the heavy silence.
The match had to continue, after all.
But then his opponent—
the Heavenly Demon, Ji-han—spoke.
“Don’t hold back.”
The blunt words, dripping with innate superiority, crushed down on Soleil.
Unconsciously—
“Hic.”
He hiccuped.
Normally his chat would tease him, but today it was dead quiet.
Soleil realized something was very wrong.
‘Ah. I’m…’
He was about to be devoured.
By this streamer called Lee Ji-han.
The protagonist of this tournament—
the protagonist of this stage—
…was not him.
“Now then! Both players are in position. Let’s begin the 8th match of Day 1!”
The host, Geum Dae-hyup, finally shouted.
That signal marked the beginning.
The world seemed to freeze—
It wasn’t human speed.
Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon was already in front of him.
“Hero Robe looks better than I expected.”
A low, bored voice.
BANG!
Heaven and earth—
their positions flipped in an instant.
“Ghk!?”
Soleil’s body was hurled skyward.
