Chapter 50..
As the phrase implied, Gotongkkae’s (Pain-Breaker’s) power was beyond imagination.
[…I seriously can’t even speak.]
[That’s inhuman, right?]
[Wow, how does he land those hits so precisely?]
A figure similar to Lee Ji-han, no, even sharper.
If Lee Ji-han had shown a superhuman side, transcending humanity itself,
then this man called Gotongkkae was utterly different—
a purely calculated, machine-like existence.
[…Is that even a person?]
[Honestly, looks more like he’s not human.]
[Is that some kind of AI?]
[But no, he still has expressions, right?]
[Look at him smiling while pounding away;]
[It’s the Blood Cult! The Blood Cult has appeared!]
[Wait, Blood Cult and Demon Cult are different, right?]
[How dare you compare Blood Cult with Heavenly Demon Divine Cult! Begone!]
The chat exploded into chaos.
It was overwhelming violence.
Pinning down and forcing the opponent to their knees was one thing—
but there wasn’t even the faintest trace of respect at the end.
Just one after another,
breaking, and then breaking again.
No respect. Just pure destruction.
A darkness so deep it left everyone speechless.
[Anyone clipping this?]
[Nope, feels like he’s hiding it on purpose.]
[Is he streaming this at all?]
[Yeah, but looks like it’s locked to a private room.]
[What the heck; this feels shadier and shadier.]
The doubts only grew stronger.
It was, as people said, like the Blood Cult.
As “Heavenly Demon Divine Cult Believer #1” put it,
he seemed like a merciless being without intent or humanity.
[So he’s really Blood Cult?]
[lol Demon Cult, Blood Cult…]
[What’s next, a Blood-Demon War after the Righteous-Demonic War?]
[Just call it Demon-Blood War.]
[lol anyway, we’re the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.]
Of course, some laughed and joined in the banter,
but others were taking the situation very seriously.
[Could this be an unauthorized program?]
[Might be.]
[Damn; shouldn’t we report this to Geum Dae-hyup?]
[But it doesn’t show the usual glitches those hacks have.]
[What about tournament rules?]
[It’s just a cup tournament, so the rules are pretty loose. He is technically streaming…]
[Then what about his teacher?]
[Doesn’t seem to care.]
[Shouldn’t we stir up a controversy?]
[On our side?]
Some were starting to look at the situation gravely.
Lee Ji-han simply watched calmly, then said,
“…For now, let’s continue.”
He answered plainly.
The chat froze for a moment.
[What?]
[????]
[Ji-han, have you finally lost it?]
[How do you plan to beat an unauthorized program?]
[That’s not like the Shura Mode, idiot.]
[At least Shura Mode was made by the developers using the engine. There are counterplays. Unauthorized programs are just that—unauthorized! They’re broken!]
[What if you start nosebleeding again, man?]
[It’s better to stop the tournament now.]
“…But, what if.”
Looking at the chat full of people worried for him,
Ji-han answered with the same calmness,
never wiping away his faint smile.
“If I win, won’t you all have a lot of fun?”
The shocking words silenced everyone.
[???]
[Did he forget his meds?]
[I mean, yeah, it’d be fun but…]
[lol what even is this logic]
[Does he even know how expensive those hacks are?]
[They auto-adjust movements and everything.]
[You’re basically fighting an evil AI. You sure you’re okay with that? lmao]
The chat turned hesitant.
But then—
[O Heavenly Demon!!! Destroy the evil villain of the Blood Cult!! The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult exists for the people!!]
[Yeah, that’s right! In all those stories, if the authorities don’t step up, it’s always the Heavenly Demon who slays them!]
[Why else would he be called Heavenly Demon? Even Heaven and Earth know! If he sees it, that guy dies!]
[lol kill him already!]
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan-ttan!
[‘Heavenly Demon Cult Believer #1’ has donated 100,000 won!]
-O Heavenly Demon! I don’t know where the mission button is! This is advance payment! Please slay the villain!
It was a ridiculous excuse.
But it set everything in motion.
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan-ttan!
[‘[Saints] Ji-han’s Radiant Beauty’ has donated 50,000 won.]
-I was quietly watching without turret-spamming, and you go and pull something cute like this? Ji-han~ here’s an advance payment too!
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan-ttan!
[‘Hwang Seol-hwa’ has donated 150,000 won.]
-I’ve been watching since the Righteous-Demonic War. Please set the martial world straight~^^ And let’s collab sometime~!
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan-ttan!
[‘Giritan’ has donated 100,000 won.]
-Yeah, looks like it’s unauthorized. They had similar stuff in Chambara too. But Kangho Sword Chronicle is so flashy you don’t notice right away. Anyway, here’s advance payment too^^
Ddan-dara-dan-ttan-ttan!
[‘Tteu-nam’ has donated 1,000,000 won.]
-Advance payment from me too. Ji-han, I worry about your nosebleeds with the capsule, but I’ll get you a better model next time^^
And so came wave after wave of “advance payments.”
They weren’t just viewers—they were gamers.
People who loved the game itself.
[If it really is unauthorized? Then he deserves to die.]
[Ji-han, go win this.]
[Ugh, my paycheck hasn’t come in yet.]
[I’ll donate next time; just win for now.]
[lol where’d the mission button go? Everyone’s just advance-paying lol]
[Honestly, this is nice to see.]
[Clip this, and if Ji-han wins, release it lol]
[When are you getting an editor? This deserves a mad movie.]
[A genius streamer beating unauthorized hacks?]
[lol insane]
“Thank you, everyone.”
Ji-han kept smiling as he read the chat and donations.
It wasn’t a capitalistic smile.
It was a smile for those who believed in him.
A smile of confidence.
“…Then, I’ll be off.”
After his rest, Ji-han logged back into Kangho Sword Chronicle for the finals.
The final map wasn’t the training arena.
It was what people called the “infinite map”—
a map where, if you ran to the edge, your avatar would just circle endlessly.
Dark atmosphere.
Like a forest of blades, with swords, spears, and weapons stuck into the ground.
In that desolate space, Ji-han and Gotongkkae faced each other.
‘Originally, we were going to use the arena…’
Geum Dae-hyup, the host, barely kept his sanity together.
‘…Is this really an unauthorized program?’
Just before the finals, countless reports had poured in.
As a seasoned streamer, Geum Dae-hyup checked the reactions but kept a straight face.
‘Should’ve nailed down the rules more clearly… damn, my head’s a mess.’
He couldn’t suddenly demand they unlock the private room.
As the organizer, he technically had the right,
but one sentence—“That’s not in the rules”—would topple that sandcastle of justification.
‘I can’t openly cheer for anyone. But if it really is unauthorized… I hope Ji-han exposes it.’
He glanced at Ji-han.
Then at Gotongkkae.
A battle between the Heavenly Demon and a mortal.
That’s exactly how it looked.
But both of them had long since surpassed human limits.
Especially Ji-han.
Thanks to him, Kangho Sword Chronicle had risen to become a hot game on Pretzel.
‘Once again, I’ll trust you. Ji-han, please win!’
Though only circumstantial evidence existed,
Geum Dae-hyup silently rooted for Ji-han and announced the start of the finals.
Pahht!
Pahng!
Ji-han moved first.
[Yeah, it’s definitely unauthorized. He’s been counter-attacking perfectly every time.]
[Reports are flooding in from other streamers who got wrecked by him… whole communities are talking.]
[Guess we don’t even need to post clips. Word’s already spreading.]
Pahng!
Ji-han’s kick flew.
But Gotongkkae twisted his body with a grin and dodged.
Ji-han didn’t falter.
He reached for his collar—
Taaak!
Gotongkkae swung both arms, breaking the attempt.
Then flowed straight into a palm strike.
Paaak!
Ji-han shuddered at the heavy impact.
It hurt more than expected.
Heavier than expected.
[???]
[Why’s Ji-han reacting like that?]
[What the hell, is it like he’s actually in pain?]
[???? what is this?]
The chat filled with confusion, but Ji-han couldn’t see it.
He had no time to.
He was on the verge of slipping into hyperfocus.
Swoooosh.
His vision narrowed.
He lunged toward Gotongkkae.
The tension stretched like a taut rubber band.
Pahht!
Ji-han’s hand shot forward.
Gotongkkae dodged without even looking.
Sshhhht!
His fingertips grazed Gotongkkae’s cheek.
Fortunately, the hitbox registered, shaving off a sliver of HP.
“…That hurts my pride.”
Gotongkkae muttered.
His eyes gleamed ominously.
Pababababak!
He moved.
Like a storm raging, a frenzy of blows.
A speed beyond human.
And Ji-han realized:
‘His gaze isn’t on me.’
In fact, his eyes were closed.
How could anyone land blows with eyes shut?
The answer came immediately.
‘Unauthorized program.’
Ji-han understood for certain.
And what was his role?
It hadn’t changed.
Pahk!
Simply to win.
Pahk, paaak!
Fist clashed against fist.
Inner force colliding.
Jjeooong!
The ground shook.
Ji-han never stopped.
Intercepting blow after blow raining toward him.
“…What…!?”
Gotongkkae’s eyes opened wide for the first time.
His program, “Killing Target,” disabled VR pain suppression.
And yet Ji-han endured,
like tempered steel, calmly striking back.
Pabababak!
Without hesitation.
Bearing the agony of shattered hands,
without even a change in expression.
Silently pounding away at Gotongkkae’s fists.
‘N-no way. He’s not human…!’
Armed with the unauthorized program, Gotongkkae feared no one.
Even famous streamers had fallen at his feet.
This beginner’s tournament was just his playground.
He thought it was his chance to “judge” the trash streamers
who made easy money by clowning around while gaming.
‘So why… why am I the one afraid…?!’
Gotongkkae’s face turned pale.
Not just from fear.
The nausea from the hack itself was hitting him.
Moments stretched into eternity, tearing at his mind.
Pabababak!
Jjeoong!
And even through it,
Ji-han’s fists kept flying.
He had to close his eyes again.
But Ji-han’s blows wouldn’t let him.
One punch, two, three.
Each strike was like a missile slamming into him, turning his stomach inside out.
Was Ji-han using a hack too? No.
His eyes were clearly locked on him.
The man mockingly called “Heavenly Demon” was—
Pabababak!
‘This is death. I’m really going to die…!’
He was filled with murderous intent.
Jjjeooook!
“Ghhkk!”
That day, Gotongkkae—
“S-s-spare me! Please, stop! Th-the nausea… urghk…!”
—felt fear for the very first time.
