Chapter 34: Sword and Mind as One (1)

Cheon Hwi looked at Seo Ye-rin, whose eyes were sparkling with anticipation, and sank into thought.

But he wasn’t wondering why she was here.

Instead, he was focused on what kind of help she was offering.

For some reason, Seo Ye-rin seemed to hold quite a bit of goodwill toward him.

Quietly acknowledging that impression to himself, Cheon Hwi decided he might as well put this unexpected free labor to use.

After all, there were times when a lack of hands was a problem.

But having too many capable ones?

Rarely an issue.

Especially when that “extra hand” was an A-rank Hunter from the Association—a level of talent you couldn’t easily find.

“If you’re offering help, I’ll gladly accept it.”

“Understood!”

Unlike the timid Choa, Seo Ye-rin had a confident, assertive tone.

Having exchanged just a few words, Cheon Hwi had already gotten a decent read on her personality.

He slipped a hand into the inner fold of his martial robe.

Due to its structure, the robe had no pockets.

So with clever tailoring, he had secured his smartphone to the inside, and now pulled it out.

It hadn’t been long since he ended his last stream, but…

That hardly mattered.

Thinking nothing of it, Cheon Hwi turned on his phone and tapped the screen with practiced ease.

[Now Streaming / Song Cheon Hwi: Evening Sparring Session]

The stream had suddenly gone live.

When Cheon Hwi used object-attraction technique to float the phone midair, Seo Ye-rin glanced at the chat window and flinched in surprise.

She offered to help.

But why a livestream all of a sudden?

That question rose naturally in her mind.

But it quickly faded.

Since she’d already volunteered to help, appearing on the stream wasn’t a big deal.

?

Surprise stream?

Didn’t he just end his last one a few minutes ago?

Even though it was sudden, Cheon Hwi was now a full-fledged corporate-tier streamer.

In no time, the chat window filled with viewers like it had never been empty in the first place.

“Did I startle you by launching the stream out of nowhere?”

Of course you did

Why’d you go live again?

You ended stream and came back less than 10 minutes later lol

It was like someone walking out of the office building saying “I’m off for the day,”
only to return a few minutes later like nothing happened.

Viewers let out confused chuckles and flooded the chat—but no one actually minded the surprise stream.

Surprise stream?

Even better.

The moment Cheon Hwi’s stream went live, viewers flooded in, proving just how many people on Trizik were eagerly waiting for his next broadcast.

“Let’s skip the small talk. I’ll explain the reason I turned the stream back on.”

The floating smartphone, held aloft by object attraction technique, shifted its position in the air.

As the camera angle changed, the focus moved away from Cheon Hwi and toward the two people standing behind him.

The screen now centered on Choa and Seo Ye-rin, standing side by side at a reasonable distance.

???

Wait, Hunter Seo Ye-rin??

What’s she doing here? lol

When did he even bring her in? lmaooo

The sudden appearance of an A-rank Hunter.

With one surprising thing after another, the chat was on fire.

“As many of you may know, this stream’s special guest is Seo Ye-rin Sojeo.”

Why does he sound so casual?

He’s introducing an A-rank like she’s his neighbor lol

Honestly, considering how he bossed around the Association President, I buy it…

Compared to what he did during the Monster Wave, this is pretty tame, lol

Cheon Hwi introduced Seo Ye-rin without even a hint of formality, and the viewers erupted in chatter.

It might have sounded like nothing, but in the professional streaming world, securing an A-rank Hunter as a guest was something only the top-tier talents could even hope to achieve.

Especially someone like Seo Ye-rin, who wasn’t just skilled but also had widespread popularity and name recognition.

Normally, just a single appearance from her would cost a fortune in fees, and even then, she’d be treated like royalty on stream.

If she didn’t like the vibe, she could just get up and leave, and no one could stop her.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Seo Ye-rin, an A-rank Hunter from the Association’s Audit Division.”

And yet, here she was.

Appearing on a small-scale internet stream?

There was no way this could be considered normal.

This feels surreal

Like, something about this is just… wild

Seriously, how did he get her??

I stopped questioning things when he made the Association President fetch him tea

High IQ viewer detected lol

But strangely enough, the surprise didn’t last long.

Sure, the fact that Seo Ye-rin was on stream was a shock.

But compared to everything else Cheon Hwi had done on previous broadcasts?

This barely scratched the surface.

After all, this was the same Cheon Hwi who just recently bossed around the Association President, an S-rank Hunter, during the Monster Wave incident.

If he could do that with just a few words, then bringing in an A-rank Hunter from the Association like Seo Ye-rin wasn’t out of the question.

That was how the viewers were justifying the situation to themselves.

Of course, not everyone saw it that way.

Seriously, how is this even possible?

For the rare few who still asked that kind of question, the answer was simple.

“It’s Song Cheon Hwi.”

Trying to understand it would only give you a headache.

Instead of frying your brain over it, just accept things for what they are.

Just think of it as Grandmaster doing Grandmaster things.

We’ve given up trying to make sense of it lol

Stop trying to understand… just vibe

“Grandmaster Behavior. He Cheon Hwi’d again.”

Phrases like that had become proper nouns at this point—perfectly reflecting how the viewers perceived him.

“Anyway, you’ve all seen the title of today’s stream, right?”

Of course we did

Saw ‘sparring’ in the title so I ordered chicken

So who’s fighting who?

Isn’t it gonna be Grandmaster vs. Hunter Seo Ye-rin?

Evening Sparring.

That was the title Cheon Hwi gave to this stream.

Regardless of the era or world, humans have always loved to watch a good fight—it’s entertainment at its purest.

So the moment viewers saw the word “sparring”, many of them had joined the stream grinning from ear to ear.

The question now was.

Who was going to be fighting whom?

Cheon Hwi, speculated to be S-rank.

Seo Ye-rin, firmly among the upper A-ranks.

Choa, currently sitting at high C-rank, but rising fast.

All three were newly famous stars shaking up the nation.

But the gap in skill between them was massive.

And so, without dragging things out, Cheon Hwi answered the viewers’ burning question.

“Why ask such an obvious question? Of course, the sparring match is between Sojeo Choa and Sojeo Seo Ye-rin. Who else would it be?”

Wait, what? lol

Between WHO and WHO??

This isn’t favoritism, this is full-on bias lmao

Is he trying to kill his disciple or what?

PROTECT OUR CHOA!!! 🛡️

A sparring match between Seo Ye-rin, one of the strongest A-rank Hunters in one-on-one combat, and Choa, who was only at the upper levels of C-rank.

Yes, Choa’s growth had been remarkable, and her skills were impressive for someone at her level.

But compared to an A-rank Hunter?

No way.

Not even close.

It was a matchup where the result seemed predetermined.

And the chat exploded in fiery chaos.

“Calm down. Even I wouldn’t push for a reckless match. Did you really think I wouldn’t consider the level gap?”

Please look at your own behavior, sir.

You were lying down streaming in front of a Red Gate and planning a monster herd during a Wave.

We have reason to doubt you, lol.

As Cheon Hwi gave the screen a tired look, the camera panned over to capture his exact expression.

With a sigh, Cheon Hwi shook his head and turned to Seo Ye-rin.

“Sojeo.”

“Yes, sir!”

She answered like a soldier reporting to a commanding officer, posture sharp and voice firm.

Cheon Hwi tilted his head slightly, concerned she might be too tense, but continued.

“You’ll be entering this spar with one restriction.”

“What kind of restriction?”

Seo Ye-rin tilted her head this time.

She had expected some sort of limitation to be placed on her, but she hadn’t known what kind.

“You’re not allowed to use your Trait during the match.”

“My Trait? Understood.”

A Hunter’s combat power relies heavily on their Trait.

While magical energy is important, Traits play an even more decisive role.

That said, magical energy still remains a crucial factor for awakened individuals.

Wait, she’s only restricted from using her Trait?

Doesn’t Seo Ye-rin have a ton of magic energy too?

She’s a magic-type Hunter, so she’s probably stacked with mana

Viewers tilted their heads.

They didn’t think banning only the Trait was enough to make the match between Seo Ye-rin and Choa fair.

But Cheon Hwi added no further restrictions.

Seo Ye-rin: no Trait use.

Choa: full power, no restrictions.

That was the full extent of Cheon Hwi’s rules.

And once he finished explaining, the two women began to prepare for the match.

But like… what happens if Choa wins?

Yeah, no way that happens

She’s still an A-rank, guys

Even if Choa just holds out for a few minutes, it’s already amazing

In just the brief moment it took for Choa and Seo Ye-rin to take their positions, the chat was on fire.

From predictions to matchups to strategies, theories flew like lightning.

And then—Cheon Hwi raised his hand.

“Then let us begin.”

It’s starting!!

Let’s go Choa!!

You got this!!

Why is no one cheering for Seo Ye-rin?

She doesn’t need it, lol

True, she’s already strong AF…

Choa, wearing her usual white martial robe from Cheon Hwi’s streams.

Seo Ye-rin, in her Audit Division uniform, now minus the jacket, revealing a crisp white shirt.

The two awakened stood face-to-face, each calming their breathing.

For Choa, this was a challenge against someone far stronger than herself.

For Seo Ye-rin, this wasn’t anything she hadn’t experienced while training with her team, but still, she wasn’t planning on going easy.

She had already decided on today’s training goal back in the elevator.

Now, the opportunity to directly test herself against the “model” she had only studied through memory was right in front of her.

Seo Ye-rin lowered her gaze calmly and waited for Cheon Hwi’s signal.

“Seo Ye-rin, A-rank Hunter of the Association’s Audit Division. Choa, Trizik streamer.”

LOL the difference in titles

Announcing affiliations before a duel is tradition, but still 😂

Why does our Choa suddenly feel so small…

Cheon Hwi, recalling the old customs of Yongbongjihoe-style martial conferences, began the ritual announcements before the duel.

The stark difference in affiliations drew some lighthearted reactions from the viewers.

But Cheon Hwi, unfazed, pressed on with the official declaration.

“As expected, no lethal force. If either side is in danger of serious injury, I’ll intervene personally.”

As Cheon Hwi issued the warning with a solemn, commanding tone, both Choa and Seo Ye-rin swallowed hard under the pressure.

Even the viewers could feel the weight of his words through the screen, their fingers tapping the keys in awe.

And then.

“From this moment forward, the duel begins!”

The moment the match started.

The camera lost sight of both Choa and Seo Ye-rin.