Proper Discipline - (1)

[Chapter 17]

"What is this?"

Kim Miso, who was enjoying a glass of wine at home in the evening, was startled while browsing through Youtube.

The video that appeared at the top of the real-time trending algorithm showed a duel between two players.

[Jamsil Station Player Town - Proper Discipline Begins! Let's Restore the Dignity of Players!]

The title itself was provocative. She wondered who it was but understood as soon as she saw the channel name broadcasting the stream.

[Utopia Choi Youngcheol TV]

"Choi Youngcheol from the Utopia Guild. I heard he always acts arrogantly because his uncle is the guild leader."

"What's going on?"

"Ah, unni. It looks like Choi Youngcheol is picking a fight with someone again. He's probably going to mess with some innocent player."

"Who is it?"

The voice of the woman drinking wine with Kim Miso dropped low.

Shin Taeri.

An assassin player from the Eden Guild, just as famous as Jo Jinho with her three options, and a high-level player.

The sleek black bob along her face and her two icy blue eyes were symbols representing her cold personality.

"Seems like the one picking a fight is Choi Youngcheol, and his opponent is... huh? What? It's Shin Sanghyun?"

"The one you praised?"

"Yeah, unni! No, why is Sanghyun showing up here? Did he move to Player Town?"

When the surprised Kim Miso zoomed in on the screen, Sanghyun's face appeared clearly. It wasn't just someone who looked like him—it was unmistakably Sanghyun.

"Nice camera."

"That guy Jo Seongho, who always sticks next to Choi Youngcheol, specializes in shooting this kind of stuff."

"Let's watch for a bit."

"Ah, this is really worrying..."

Kim Miso bit the tip of her thumb. She acknowledged Sanghyun's excellent skills. She knew that well.

But considering who the opponent was, she couldn't help but worry. Choi Youngcheol was a player skilled in using magic skills.

Unlike the monsters Sanghyun had previously dealt with so easily, this was a human who could make intelligent decisions.

"Five hundred million with both hands on the line, huh."

Shin Taeri read the duel's wager displayed on the right side of the broadcast screen.

There was no legal binding for that promise, but an unwritten rule existed.

If both players agreed to a promise, it had to be fulfilled.

If not, the player would lose all trust and completely ruin their reputation among others.

So far, unless someone had quit playing entirely and disappeared, no one had ever broken such a promise.

Even if fulfilling the promise meant losing a hand, it wouldn't cause any legal issues.

"Haah!"

The one who first launched the attack in the video was Sanghyun.

At the same time, a special barrier surrounded a 75-meter radius around them.

Player Town had a well-established system for training between players. The barrier was part of that.

Even if Choi Youngcheol's magic skill went in the wrong direction, it wouldn't affect passersby or spectators.

"You disgusting bastard!"

Choi Youngcheol didn't back down and faced him head-on.

Seeing Sanghyun closing the distance, he immediately retreated and conjured blazing fireballs in both hands.

He quickly threw them to block Sanghyun's path.

Swoosh!

Sanghyun narrowly split the fireball in half with his greatsword.

Had his timing been even a little late, he could have been hit by shards of fire.

Even though it was in training mode, the level difference was clear, and there was still a difference in reduced damage.

Sanghyun, aware of that, tightened his focus even more. No mistakes were allowed.

Meanwhile, Kim Miso voiced her thoughts while watching.

"It'd be better if he had a shield."

"No, then he wouldn't be able to fight for control. It's not that he doesn't use it because he doesn't know—it's because he knows better."

Shin Taeri also shared her opinion.

After watching how the battle unfolded, Shin Taeri realized her thoughts were correct.

Sanghyun advanced while countering and breaking Choi Youngcheol's magic.

His movements were sharp and refined, making it clear that he could ignore the level difference between him and Choi Youngcheol.

It was the most efficient defense method against a player specialized in long-range attacks. Of course, while it sounded simple, applying it in actual combat was incredibly difficult.

Who didn't know that the best defense was a strong offense?

The problem was that if you failed, the consequences would be devastating. In real combat, you'd die instantly.

"Do you see it differently, unni?"

"In just a short time, he's already countered seven skills. And not once did he get hit—not even grazed."

"But it's training mode, right?"

"Would you go easy in training mode when you've wagered both hands?"

"Fair point."

"He's making every skill just barely miss him. It's extremely precise power control. That's how I see it."

"If you think that way, then Sanghyun's skills are even higher than I expected."

"Then that must be true."

Shin Taeri crossed her arms and focused even more on the screen. It seemed she had found a player who would pique her interest for a while.

* * *

'Why? Why is he so fast?'

As the battle heated up and his body started loosening up, Choi Youngcheol's expression began to twist.

It was strange.

Even though he was using acceleration skills to move as swiftly as possible, Sanghyun kept catching up with his movements.

Moreover, his agility was far beyond what would be expected from a player wielding a greatsword.

[Isolation: Player Choi Youngcheol. No reinforcements exist within a 5-meter radius. True Duelist instinct activates.]

Unaware that Sanghyun was already in a True Duelist state visible only to him, Choi Youngcheol couldn't help but feel shaken.

Sanghyun was now demonstrating physical abilities more than 20% stronger than usual, allowing him to chase even faster.

But there was an even bigger problem.

『Forced Freeze』

Crackle crackle!

Slide.

"Got it... Ah!"

One of Choi Youngcheol's ultimate skills, Forced Freeze, had no effect on Sanghyun.

It was a skill with a long cooldown, but if it landed, it would trap the opponent in an absolute frozen state for at least one second!

It was Choi Youngcheol's lifeline and the perfect skill for crushing reckless fools like Sanghyun.

But before Sanghyun's whole body could freeze, he immediately responded with a prepared countermeasure.

『Recovery』

The advantage of Recovery was that it could be used preemptively before a status condition completely took hold.

So, the moment Sanghyun felt his body slowing down even slightly, he broke the freeze immediately with Recovery.

Thud!

"Keuak!"

Then, Sanghyun's greatsword, thrust forward with full force, stabbed into Choi Youngcheol's left shoulder.

If it had been a real battle, his left shoulder would have been obliterated, but since it was training mode, the damage was converted into a bruising pain.

Of course, even that pain was heavy enough that Choi Youngcheol couldn't hold back a groan.

Sanghyun's attacks didn't stop.

Thunk!

Exploiting Choi Youngcheol's opening, Sanghyun plunged his greatsword into the ground and used it as a lever to spin his body around immediately.

He had found a faster method of attack than reapplying force to his greatsword.

Thud!

"Keuhk!"

It was a back kick aimed directly under Choi Youngcheol's chin.

It was clearly not a sword technique, but it perfectly served the purpose of exploiting an opening.

The crunching sound made it clear that a few teeth had likely been knocked out.

"He's not just using his sword..."

"Wow, I didn't even think of that kind of attack."

"Choi Youngcheol got totally caught off guard. Can you see his eyes rolling back?"

The onlookers all wore shocked expressions. Of course, all the spectators were players living in Player Town.

These were people with enough discernment to judge the advantages and disadvantages of the battle. Even to them, Sanghyun didn't seem ordinary.

Given how well these players knew Choi Youngcheol's notorious reputation and skill, their surprise was understandable.

Clang!

Sanghyun yanked his greatsword from the ground and continued his assault without giving a moment's pause.

It was a powerful downward strike aimed at crushing Choi Youngcheol's upper body, which was sprawled out on the ground.

"Choi Youngcheol is in danger!"

"Come on, he's not stupid enough to just take that hit."

"Of course!"

Just as Sanghyun's greatsword began descending with the force of gravity, Choi Youngcheol activated his second plan.

Whoosh!

Using a skill that expelled wind from both hands, he propelled himself swiftly out of the predicted strike zone.

"Ah!"

But at that moment, gasps erupted from all around, and everyone's expressions twisted.

The only one smiling with satisfaction was Choi Youngcheol himself.

Confident in his perfect evasion, he had no idea what fate was about to hit him.

Thud!

"Keugh!"

As Choi Youngcheol swept across the ground using wind for propulsion, a blunt force struck his head, making him scream in agony.

The worst had happened.

It seemed Sanghyun had anticipated his move and hurled his greatsword straight into the predicted escape path.

Had it not been training mode, Choi Youngcheol's head would have been split cleanly in half from the crown down.

'He read that...?'

'You didn't panic when cornered—that must mean you have a skill you trust in, right?'

Choi Youngcheol's dazed, half-shocked expression showed disbelief that his plan had been completely seen through.

Meanwhile, Sanghyun's cold, mocking eyes were filled with a ruthless gleam, as if he had anticipated this all along.

The old saying, you only see as much as you know, couldn't have been truer.

If Sanghyun had been an inexperienced rookie player, Choi Youngcheol's evasion would have been an unexpected masterstroke.

But Sanghyun had seen plenty of magic-based players in his past life using this exact method to escape from dangerous situations.

So, when he pretended to attack, Choi Youngcheol reacted exactly as Sanghyun had anticipated.

In response, Sanghyun threw his greatsword directly into the expected escape route—and this was the result.

Thump!

"Ugh!"

Sanghyun immediately climbed onto Choi Youngcheol's body and pulled out the greatsword that had been stuck by his head.

From that moment on, Sanghyun launched a one-sided assault. With his movements restricted, Choi Youngcheol had no way to fight back.

Thunk! Thunk! Thud!

"Aaargh! Keuak!"

Each time the greatsword came crashing down, Choi Youngcheol screamed in unbearable agony.

Even in training mode, Sanghyun's relentless, vicious attacks were too much to endure.

Watching through the broadcast, Shin Taeri also realized that Sanghyun was displaying terrifying strength, far surpassing the level she had known.

"Shit!"

Choi Youngcheol didn't just sit there and take it. Amidst the pain, he managed to stretch out both hands, aiming for Sanghyun's stomach.

Even when pushed to the edge of a cliff, his tenacity to retaliate like a wild beast was undeniable.

"That looks like it's going to be a critical hit!"

"He's too close!"

As a flash of light burst from the skill forming in Choi Youngcheol's hands near Sanghyun's abdomen, the expressions of the spectators shifted.

It was admiration for Choi Youngcheol's mental fortitude and quick judgment, creating a counterattack even in the worst situation.

At such close range, even Choi Youngcheol, the caster, would suffer damage—but Sanghyun wouldn't escape unscathed either.

Sanghyun understood that fact better than anyone. He was a level 27 player, while Choi Youngcheol was at least over level 100.

Even with training mode active, there was still a gap in the inflicted damage and destructive power.

'In that case!'

Sanghyun immediately responded.

From the beginning, everything had been calculated by Sanghyun. There was no panic at all.

Boom!

Smoke erupted instantly.

To anyone watching, it looked like a desperate counterattack, and the spectators expected Sanghyun to fall from his dominant position.

"Unless he's got iron plates on his stomach..."

"Look at that smoke. Even in training mode, getting hit with that would be enough to make someone foam at the mouth."

The spectators' predictions were no different from those watching on Youtube, including Kim Miso.

But there was one exception.

Only Shin Taeri, who had been observing Sanghyun's every offensive and defensive move with interest, had a sharp glimmer in her eyes.

She sensed a new variable from the small, pale green glow emerging through the smoke.

'He's got a plan.'

Thud!

"Keuhk!"

As expected, just as Shin Taeri had anticipated, two hands burst through the smoke and seized Choi Youngcheol's neck.

They were Sanghyun's hands, fully healed and having blocked the skill attack with Sacrifice.

"So this was your plan?"

"Shit…!"

Sanghyun's voice, laced with murderous intent, cut through the air coldly. It sounded like a death sentence.