Chapter 35: The Anatomy of a Master (2)

Lee Kyungbok felt momentarily dazed. Despite his extensive broadcasting experience, he couldn’t seem to process what had just happened.

What’s going on here? Is this a joke or is he serious?

There was no hint of humor on Lee Kyungbok’s face, but it was hard for Kyungbok to accept such a claim at face value.

If it were true, though, wouldn’t he have mentioned it during our pre-interview meeting?

But Kyungbok soon realized why that wasn’t necessarily the case. During their earlier meeting, they’d only gone over a rough outline of how the broadcast would flow and discussed topics related to privacy that should be avoided during the interview.

Meanwhile, viewers reacted similarly online.

-Number one in the world?!

-Nahhh…isn’t he exaggerating?

-I guess he’s nervous because this is his first time merging guilds?

-Firstly, there’s some kind of world ranking?

-I saw a website when I searched for it earlier.

-1st. Lee*** — 00:42:18

-Is Purple his last name?

Lee Kyungbok broke the silence.

-Ah, yes, that’s correct. My last name is indeed Lee.

This response jolted Kyungbok awake.

-Forty-two seconds?!

-Yes, looking at the chat reminded me. Oh, and I have a screenshot saved on my smart collar as well.

Lee Kyungbok calmly activated his smart collar. Despite being virtual reality, he had synced everything ahead of time, so finding the photo was easy enough. The image he’d prepared to show Choi Byunghoon appeared before both hosts.

-LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

-Lee Waejin? Lee Waejin? Lee Waejin?

-He nailed it from the start LOL LOL LOL LOL

-It took me five tries just to break one minute.LOLLLL

-Wow… Purple is on another level.

-No video footage?

-I wonder how he did it…

The viewers were impressed by this indisputable evidence, and Kyungbok was no exception. The only difference between him and them was that he was also hosting the stream.

“Did you see that, everyone?! Just like I said, he’s truly a master of masters! This right here is Ahjin Guhguh! Look who we have with us today!”

Kyungbok’s rapid-fire commentary reenergized the broadcast, filling the chat with laughter.

-What’s with all the self-promotion at the end there?

-But it’s true though LOL

-Ahjin Guhguhguhguhguhguh

-Woo, can’t wait for this match!

-Is this really going to be a live broadcast of the number one craftsman in the world?!

The viewers couldn’t contain their excitement. Kyungbok grinned and clapped lightly.

“All righty then. Let’s begin testing the physical abilities of the world number one craftsman! First, I’ll give you a demonstration. Ah, being the best in the world makes me nervous.” He took deep breaths to calm himself as he stood at the starting line.

The bright sky suddenly darkened, transforming the surroundings into that of a forest at night.

–It seems darker than before ᄒㄷㄷ

–Not joking when they say it’s hard

–Can anyone try this?

–If you go to his fan cafe, there’s a download for the program ᄏᄏᄏ

–Eugh ᄏᄏ “Yoo Yoo Challenge” grip

“Here we go!” With those words, Kyungbok sprinted forward, completely focused and no longer taking things lightly. Before long, a log emerged from the darkness. Kyungbok slid under it without losing speed.

-LOL! Look at his reflexes!

-Seriously, he’s still alive?!

-Hah! He’ll dislocate something at this rate!

-I’m serious, though.

Under normal circumstances, Kyungbok would’ve taken it easy and responded to some of their comments, but not today. Instead, he increased his speed while avoiding pitfalls hidden beneath fallen leaves. The forest seemed to be closing in on him as he advanced farther inside. This was by design—the path grew narrower with less room to dodge obstacles.

It’s about time.

Having narrowly escaped a leg trap that almost snared his ankle, Kyungbok raised his guard even higher. Soon, arrows whizzed past him, accompanied by the sound of air splitting. His eyes quickly scanned the area.

He managed to hide behind a tree just wide enough for him as arrows lodged themselves in its trunk with loud cracks.

-Kyungbok is growing, growing!

-Nice, almost got gnomed though ^^

-I failed here during the Invincible Quest ᄏᄏ

-This part is seriously frustrating ᅲ

-If even one body part sticks out, it’s game over ᄏᄏᄏ

-LOL, that was close.

The viewers were relieved he’d made it safely. Kyungbok swiftly reached the finish line.

[Goal!]

[Your record is…]

[01:27:33!]

[Would you like to register on the rankings?]

[YOUYOU CHALLENGE RANKS]

1. Genome — 01:34:56

2. Genome — 01:39:44

The system message popped up shortly thereafter.

“Yes!” Kyungbok raised both arms and cheered immediately.

-WOW! A new record!

-I beat my own record!

-Hey, Gnome! That’s your defeat!

-Kyungbok is unbeatable!

-Omg, you went all out there, bro!

-Purple actually gave it his best shot LOL

-Never seen him struggle that much before LMAO

Viewers playfully congratulated and praised Kyungbok. Lee Kyungbok also clapped enthusiastically.

“Wow, this was on another level compared to the tutorial dungeons.”

Kyungbok took a quick breather and snapped his fingers. He instantly teleported next to Lee Kyungbok, which was possible only because they were in virtual reality.

“Whew, I barely managed to save face there. So how was it? Was it worth trying?”

Lee Kyungbok readily nodded at Kyungbok’s question. “Yes, quite enjoyable, actually.”

“Enjoyable?”

“I don’t know how to describe it, but the tutorial traps felt somewhat cheap. There was a bit of a lack of tension?” Lee Kyungbok honestly shared his thoughts. Initially, they had agreed during their meeting that natural broadcasting would be better than trying too hard to put on a show.

-He’s so casual despite being number one in the world.

-LOL… What is this lifestyle of deceit?

-[Alert!] [Warning!] Deception levels have reached saturation point!

-Isn’t there more deception in every breath he takes than oxygen or carbon dioxide? LOL

Kyungbok chuckled at the audacity before addressing the audience as a proper host should.

“Actually, he isn’t wrong. The traps in the tutorial looked round and fluffy, making you let your guard down and slowing your reflexes slightly. That’s why Yuyu stages were designed with visuals where even just one hit could feel fatal.”

With that, Kyungbok stepped back from his position. As Lee Kyungbok naturally took his place, the forest shook as if resetting at random.

“And now, it’s time for the stage completely different from the tutorial—a true test of your abilities! Let’s measure the real physical prowess of Purple, Master among Masters!”

Will he be perfect here, too?

LOL, our hyung doesn’t stand a chance

LOL, but there’s still hope…

The experience gap can’t be ignored LOL

Still, with his physique, he should easily make top three, right?

Ah, LOL, I’m excited to see how this goes down

Kyungbok noted the viewers’ heightened anticipation and gave Lee Kyungbok a signal to begin. The veteran driver nodded lightly and focused on his breathing.

“Hwooo.” With a short exhale, he shot forward like a bullet. Kyungbok immediately started narrating.

“Oh! What incredible acceleration! He didn’t hesitate at all!”

LSpeed is everything!

LThe ultimate zero-to-sixty bus driver!

LLooks like Usain Bolt’s got some competition!

LUsain: Why you dissing me?!

LShould celebrate with drinks in Jongno later LMAO

LWhat kind of lame joke is that LOL

Lee Kyungbok couldn’t see these lively comments, but he was keenly aware of his surroundings thanks to his heightened senses and intuition. Not only could he detect the exact locations of hidden traps, but he also had clear mental images of what would happen if they were triggered.

“Huh? How is this possible?! Th-there hasn’t been a single trap activated yet!” Kyungbok sounded genuinely surprised as he monitored Lee Kyungbok’s location from the admin screen.

“It’s… It’s like he sensed their locations ahead of time!”

The admin immediately zoomed in on the screen so viewers could see for themselves.

-???

-What? What just happened?

-Even though it’s dark, he can spot traps?

-I’m… I’m guessing they’re real based on how his footwork changes?

Kyungbok’s viewers couldn’t believe what they were seeing, but Purple’s audience had a different reaction.

-Gadfly! His eyesight is insane!

-??? Perfect execution, right?

-Haha, that was definitely perfect.

-It always amazes me, but his physical abilities are truly crazy.

-He has cat-like night vision or something! Hahaha, look at him spotting everything despite the darkness! Hahaha!

Despite being an unbelievable feat, this was expected from none other than “Purple.”

Lee Kyungbok sped through the trap-filled area at an incredible pace. To those unfamiliar with the dungeon, it would look like he was merely changing directions during a sprint.

“He’s insane! This is absolutely insane! But this part of the dungeon is different! Arrows flying from various heights and distances!”

Despite his awe, Kyungbok continued commentating as Lee Kyungbok approached the section where Kyungbok had paused to hide behind cover earlier.

“It requires cognitive abilities to detect incoming arrows, spatial perception to locate shelter, and quick reflexes for perfect evasive maneuvers! And indeed, Purple—”

Kyungbok abruptly stopped talking, momentarily forgetting one of his duties as a streamer: providing audio commentary. The sight unfolding before him rendered him speechless.

Instead of slowing down, Lee Kyungbok increased his speed without missing a beat.

“What? What’s happening…?!”

The sight unfolding before him was shocking.

“S-sliding! But even down here…?! Oh, he bounced off his body! Are you kidding me?! How is that possible?!”

-LMAO

-Is he actually a ninja?!

-Ninja LOL

-Was he maybe an acrobat at one point?

-Does his body have rubber bones or something?

-Ohhh LOL Is he some kind of One Piece character?

Lee Kyungbok didn’t bother hiding behind any obstacles because he knew for certain that arrows would pass through them anyway.

“But still…! Wow! He turned to the side! Did he plan it so the arrow would go right past him?! How does he know all this?!”

-LOL

-Ha-ha He planned everything with those arrows!

-He’s obsessed with showboating LOL

-Explain how you bought off the arrows!

Unlike everyone else caught up in the frenzy, Lee Kyungbok calmly crossed the finish line.

[Goal!]

[Your record is…]

[…0:51:47!]

[Would you like to register it on the leaderboard?]

[YOUYOU CHALLENGE RANKS]

[1. “Genome” — 01:27:33]

[2. “Genome” — 01:34:56]

Lee Kyungbok easily registered his time, and the rankings were immediately updated.

[YOUYOU CHALLENGE RANKS]

[1. “Perfect Play” — 00:51:47]

[2. “Genome” — 01:27:33]

As this happened, there was a flash, and he found himself standing next to Kyungbok once more.

-“No way, Lord Purple! Isn’t that too much?!”

-“What do you mean?” As soon as Lee Kyungbok returned, Kyungbok pretended to whine.

-“Aren’t gods supposed to be merciful toward humans? Who would dare attempt this after seeing these records?”

-LMAOLOLOLOL

-He’s physically weak but tries to compensate with humor, huh?

-Our hyung has quite the wit, though!

-L-O-L, his genetic level is humor.

-What do you mean by “genetic level of humor”? LOLLLL

-Gadfly is the godfather of trolling.

-Purple! Purple! Purple! Purple!

Lee Kyungbok was taken aback for a moment before breaking out into a bright smile. “A god, am I? Thank you, although it wasn’t that hard.”

“Oh boy, I’m going to choke on my own deceit. But this serves as perfect proof, doesn’t it?! You all see now, right?” The scammer lightly snapped his fingers, and Lee Kyungbok’s photos reappeared on-screen.

“If Purple isn’t number one, then who is? In fact, if someone else claimed to be number one, they’d seem even more suspicious. This proves it perfectly!”

The chat exploded at Kyungbok’s conclusion.

-From now on, Purple is the best hunter ever!

-Yeah, and Kyungbok’s the biggest troll ever

-I knew Yami’s solo back-door raid was too obvious

-Omg how do we catch this guy?

-Hey, trolls, you watching? That’s what you have to pull off to get away with trolling!

-BREAKING: Blue House declares that there can only be one master of physical combat—Purple.

Lee Kyungbok couldn’t help but laugh at the silly chatter from his audience. And another thing made him happy:

We’ve already surpassed ten thousand viewers.

They had started out with around eight thousand during the opening segment, but the count had quickly risen above ten thousand.

Although most of them were likely fans of Kyungbok rather than himself, they still seemed to be enjoying themselves because of him.

I can do this…!

Lee Kyungbok renewed his determination to become a successful streamer. Kyungbok waited until the viewers calmed down before continuing.

“B-but that’s not all. Surprisingly, we’ve only assessed basic physical abilities so far! Let’s move on to the next stage!”

Kyungbok lightly clapped twice, and the scenery abruptly changed around them. On one side was a training ground, while the other held a shooting range.

“We need to test advanced skills now that the basics are out of the way, right? This next stage will evaluate your gaming abilities—measuring both close-quarters combat as well as ranged damage output!”

-Huh? Both came up this time?

-I thought only one usually appeared.

-Purple is good at both, so that’s why LOL

-Oh, I didn’t know that LOL

-LOL doing both?

As expected based on viewers’ reactions, only one of these stages had previously been presented each round. Craftsmen tended to excel in either close-quarters combat or ranged attacks but not both. Kyungbok had advised Lee Kyungbok during their meeting to choose just one, but he’d insisted on attempting both.

“Which test first, Purple?”

“Well, it doesn’t matter to me. Let’s start with whichever is closer.”

“Great! Then allow me to explain the close-quarters combat assessment first.”

Lee Kyungbok already knew what to expect from each evaluation, but Kyungbok went over them for the benefit of new viewers and Purple’s fans tuning in.

“A picture is worth a thousand words! The craftsman’s opponent will be this dummy!” With a flick of his finger, Kyungbok summoned a human-shaped target onto the training ground.

“It may look like any ordinary dummy, but to eliminate it, you must aim for its weak spot right here.” Kyungbok pointed at a small red dot on the dummy’s shoulder.

“The current weakness has a diameter of seven millimeters—about as wide as a pencil lead! This is one of the accuracy benchmarks used to measure physical strength, and the record holder for achieving first place is none other than yours truly!”

-What’s with talking about yourself in third person…??

-Huh? Embarrassed much?

-Oh man, he just dug himself deeper LMFAO

-But that’s still impressive LOLLL

Kyungbok ignored the chat and continued his explanation. “And another criterion is the number of dummies you can handle at once! The current record stands at twelve!”

As he spoke, twelve dummies materialized on the training field, each wielding different weapons.

“This particular record was set by Eclipse, a streamer specializing in the Elden series! Considering one failed attack means instant failure, you can understand how challenging this test is.”

The Elden games were notorious for their extreme difficulty; even regular enemies within them were comparable to bosses from other titles.

Having given a brief overview, Kyungbok turned toward Lee Kyungbok.

“Well then, Purple, it’s your turn now! Please select the size of the weakness and the number of dummies you wish to face!”

A settings menu popped up before Lee Kyungbok’s eyes. He scanned it briefly and started making adjustments.

-WTF?! Why won’t you show us?!

-I’m having trouble keeping up with this broadcast

-Dude? What’s with you today?

-Trot users suck can’t stand them for even a sec

-Give Trot users the right to know! The right to know!

As the chat window exploded, Kyungbok glanced at the settings screen over Kyungbok’s shoulder, his eyes widening.

“No way, are you really going to do that?”

“Well, is there anything wrong with doing so?”

“Oh no, not at all! Folks, we’re about to witness something truly extraordinary!”

Kyungbok’s comment was met with countless question marks flooding the chat.

“I mean, I rarely lose my words like this, but… You all should know what I’m talking about by now. But seriously… Wow…” Kyungbok shook his head and took a step back.

-Hyung? Seriously? You’re gonna do this?!

-I knew it! This dude’s really trying to pull out all the stops!

-Holding my breath until you spill the beans!

-Is he shitting his pants right now? Should I bring him some diapers?

-I was prepared for this and already have a litter box ready.

-LMAO, gotta sit on the toilet like me while watching this.

-LOL, chat’s getting spicy!

-YOLO, where did your manners go?!

The agitated viewers expressed their feelings through the chat. Kyungbok chuckled and snapped his fingers.

[DUMMY SETTINGS.]

[Weakness Diameter: 0.5 mm]

[Number of Dummies Generated: 15]

Lee Kyungbok’s chosen settings popped up accordingly.

-???

-It says 0.5, not 5!

-How tiny is that;;

-Size of a pencil lead LOLLLL

-WTF… How is this possible?

-15 dummies with such small weak spots?!

The viewers sensed that Lee Kyungbok’s reaction wasn’t exaggerated for the sake of the broadcast. It was already difficult enough to break one record, but attempting both simultaneously? This had never happened before in the history of anatomy stream content.

Satisfied with the audience’s response, Kyungbok turned his attention back to Lee Kyungbok.

“Before we begin, let’s hear from Purple about why he set these parameters.” Kyungbok addressed him casually.

“Oh, nothing special. I just wanted to challenge the records, and since the weak spot is too big, I figured five dummies sounded neat,” Lee Kyungbok answered nonchalantly.

Without seeing the results of the basic physical test beforehand, viewers might’ve thought this was either bravado or part of some act. But because they’d witnessed what he could do, it was clear to everyone watching that this wasn’t staged—it was genuine.

Hence, both Kyungbok and his audience could only laugh at this point.

“Am I the only one super excited about this?”

-LOL We’re all excited LOLLL

-Is this for real?!

-7 mm is huge LMAO

-This…is God’s perspective?

-Who dare look upon it with human eyes?!

-Haha, yeah, not being able to divide by five is inconvenient.

-Can’t argue with that logic LMFAO

Kyungbok belatedly realized something important he’d forgotten to ask. “Oh, right, what weapon will you be using?”

“This one.” Lee Kyungbok grabbed the predetermined weapon of choice, leaving Kyungbok feeling like someone had smacked him upside the head again.

“…Gauntlets?!”

Despite having countless weapons at his disposal, Kyungbok had essentially chosen to fight unarmed. The viewers were once again flabbergasted.

-LMAO;;

-Like eclipse but with bare fists?!

-Ha-ha, forget style points—this is desperation mode now.

-He just kept getting smacked around while rolling on the ground LOLL

-With gauntlets, it’s basically fighting with your bare hands XD

-I give up trying to understand him!

LOL how can mere mortals comprehend God’s will?

-Maybe he could pull this off if it was purple rank?

-Will there be another “perfect” run?

Lee Kyungbok smiled as he read the chat.

“Well then, let’s get started.”

It would be easier to show them rather than explain things in words.