Subscriber of the Gods

Cheok Jun-gyeong, unconsciously making an incredulous expression, looked at Ethan with curious eyes.

Until now, many subscribers had used their collaboration rights to try and gain a little more from him.

Cheok Jun-gyeong had given them the same warning he gave to Ethan.

That they wouldn’t be able to learn properly.

But they all wanted to gain as much as possible, even if it meant pushing themselves too hard, and naturally, they all failed.

They were subscribers with excellent skills, but the given time was too short.

No matter how perfectly Cheok Jun-gyeong demonstrated, if they couldn’t understand, they couldn’t execute it.

Cheok Jun-gyeong thought this was an extremely natural principle.

But that natural principle was broken by the subscriber in front of him.

This was the first time such a thing had happened.

Seeing Cheok Jun-gyeong’s bewildered appearance, Ethan merely smiled.

Cheok Jun-gyeong cleared his throat for a moment to hide his embarrassment, and this time showed a different posture.

Because Ethan had grasped the essence of the Cheok Shin Sword Technique so quickly, there was quite a bit of time left.

At the same time, he became greatly interested in this subscriber named Ethan.

“Then how about this?”

As if testing Ethan, Cheok Jun-gyeong took on a different movement this time.

It was a sword technique similar to the previous Cheok Shin Sword Technique, but on a different trajectory. A strike that properly utilized the subtleties of the Cheok Shin Sword Technique unfolded before Ethan’s eyes.

“Hup!”

Sword techniques have characteristics.

But the sword technique of Cheok Jun-gyeong, revered as a martial god, had no characteristics.

To express it more accurately, it contained the advantages of all sword techniques, so everything was a characteristic and nothing was a characteristic.

That’s why Cheok Jun-gyeong called his sword technique an ironic sword technique.

Swoosh-!

Cheok Jun-gyeong, having demonstrated the sword technique, looked at Ethan.

“You definitely won’t be able to do this. Simply imitating won’t let you understand the subtlety contained within. You need to understand its essence and emotion to be able to use it.”

Ethan nodded.

Indeed, as Cheok Jun-gyeong said, this wasn’t something that could be easily imitated.

“It might be a bit lacking.”

Saying that, he immediately used the Cheok Shin Sword Technique.

Swoosh-!

While not quite at the level of Cheok Jun-gyeong’s movement, it was a sword technique that certainly surpassed his expected standard. Of course, the sword didn’t have as much power as Cheok Jun-gyeong’s, and it seemed to lack in details.

But Cheok Jun-gyeong recognized at a glance.

That this subscriber understood the essence of the Cheok Shin Sword Technique.

His understanding of the Cheok Shin Sword Technique was much higher now than when he had demonstrated the first and second forms earlier.

To be able to understand the Cheok Shin Sword Technique so deeply in such a short time.

Cheok Jun-gyeong unconsciously let out a short breath.

Ethan, having executed the sword technique and composed his posture, looked at Cheok Jun-gyeong again.

“Why does it work?”

“Isn’t it because the Cheok Shin Sword Technique itself is so excellent, and you explained it so well, Cheok Jun-gyeong sir? As the only high-ranking god among the Eastern gods, it’s only natural.”

At those words, Cheok Jun-gyeong’s expression softened slightly.

“If the Cheok Shin Sword Technique was a sword technique that could be imitated simply by watching my explanation and demonstration, I would have become the highest god long ago.”

“But didn’t you come very close to that? And if you hadn’t explained and demonstrated so well, how could I have imitated the Cheok Shin Sword Technique?”

When told that he had perfectly understood due to his excellent explanation and demonstration, Cheok Jun-gyeong’s expression visibly improved.

Perhaps because it was praise from Ethan, who had accomplished an impossible feat in an instant, Cheok Jun-gyeong was quite pleased.

“I showed this much, and there’s still a little time left. I didn’t expect I’d end up showing even this.”

Cheok Jun-gyeong relaxed his arms comfortably.

Then he lightly swung his sword.

It was a sword technique clearly different from the one he had shown just before.

Zzt-!

Though he was clearly moving slowly, Ethan’s eyes ached severely as he watched the sword path.

The pain was much worse than when watching the movements of the Twelve Apostles.

But he could clearly feel it. This is the most solid essence of Cheok Jun-gyeong’s Cheok Shin Sword Technique.

‘It’s harmonious.’

Cheok Jun-gyeong’s sword technique was harmonious.

While the Frost Sword technique and Thunder Sword technique were also extremely powerful sword techniques, they didn’t have as much uniqueness as the Cheok Shin Sword Technique.

Cheok Jun-gyeong, having finished demonstrating the sword technique, let his sword hang down like his initial posture.

“How about it? Can you do it?”

“It’s impossible.”

Ethan said firmly. This was intentionally demonstrated by Cheok Jun-gyeong to be impossible to imitate.

Cheok Jun-gyeong couldn’t help but smile at Ethan’s answer, which had seen through his intention.

“Still, let me try.”

Ethan’s attitude of saying he would still try moved Cheok Jun-gyeong’s heart.

“That’s good confidence.”

Indeed, if one is a subscriber of the New World.

If one is a subscriber subscribing to himself, shouldn’t they have such firm conviction?

Putting aside the possibility and trying first.

What divides success and failure is entirely oneself.

Ethan thought there was no failure.

There is only success, and the process of reaching success.

Humans have the power to turn everything they think of as failure into a process.

Ethan executed the sword technique Cheok Jun-gyeong had shown.

It couldn’t help but be less complete than the previous sword techniques.

Nevertheless, the look in Cheok Jun-gyeong’s eyes as he watched Ethan was unusual.

As expected, he had grasped the most important element this time too.

Of course, the sword technique itself was infinitely lacking.

But just being able to grasp and execute the essence was an amazing feat.

“Excellent, to see through the essence of the sword technique so accurately. That’s a great talent. My Cheok Shin Sword Technique is a sword technique of harmony. That harmony blends very well with other sword techniques too. Since you’ve realized that essence on your own and learned directly from me, if you practice repeatedly, you’ll be able to use it as skillfully as I do.”

Cheok Jun-gyeong, seemingly very pleased with Ethan, approached him closely and patted his back.

“Thanks to you, I’ve had a good show. All the thoughts I had have been pleasantly shattered. As expected of the New World. A place overflowing with amazing gods and amazing subscribers.”

Tick-.

At that moment, the sound of the clock’s second hand was heard.

“Time’s up.”

Although it was a very short collaboration, Ethan was able to learn a lot from Cheok Jun-gyeong. It was a harvest that even Ethan himself hadn’t expected at all.

“Now I understand. Why you were able to stand out among those numerous subscribers.”

“You flatter me.”

“That rare modesty too.”

He laughed heartily and then looked into Ethan’s eyes with a serious expression.

“You asked if I wanted to raise my ranking higher? I do want to. I’ve come this far in my own way, but the top is still high and lofty. But my heart hasn’t been broken.”

Cheok Jun-gyeong pointed upwards with his finger.

“Since you said such a thing to me, you must have some method? Let’s have a serious talk about it on my channel.”

With Cheok Jun-gyeong’s words, Ethan’s vision turned pitch black.

And then the screen of the New World came into view again.

-You have become Cheok Jun-gyeong’s new premium subscriber!

-You receive the benefits of a premium subscriber!

“Wow, I didn’t expect to be designated as a premium subscriber.”

Ethan grinned.

Cheok Jun-gyeong had shown a positive response. That meant from now on, it all depended entirely on his own abilities.

Ethan immediately checked the New World community board.

There was very little content about shorts on the board.

Moreover, what little content there was consisted only of negative opinions about shorts.

-Shorts are too short to use.

-It’s good that they give collaboration rights, but it’s too short. It seems like they’re trying to utilize the characteristics of shorts, but this is a bit…

‘As expected, there are no subscribers who seriously consider shorts. And even the gods don’t consider shorts very important.’

Just looking at the gods Ethan had subscribed to, it was clear. There was too little content that could be included in such a short time.

It’s not easy to properly convey their power even in existing long videos, let alone in short videos like shorts.

Naturally, they have no choice but to exclude shorts and upload existing long videos.

‘Most of the gods I’ve subscribed to don’t have shorts.’

There must be a reason why they don’t use shorts.

But Ethan focused on the power and potential of these short videos.

‘Subscribers don’t necessarily want long videos.’

But shorts have inherent limitations. Too short a time to convey abilities.

‘It’s content that everyone says has no hope. But that doesn’t mean it has no value at all.’

There’s no point in following what everyone else is doing.

You have to do what others don’t do. Of course, you need to understand why they don’t do it and know how to positively improve and use those problem points.

Ethan had a plan to utilize these shorts.

“Use them as bait products.”

The shorts video becomes a kind of trailer.

‘I can use shorts as a trailer to draw people into the edited video I’ll make. I can release the shorts for free, or if that’s not possible, set the likes low and so on.’

“The higher-ranking gods require more likes to watch videos.”

Basically, likes are hard to gather.

And those hard-earned dozens of likes are used on the video.

‘But they’re using them on a video without really knowing what it is for sure.’

They just watch it thinking it will help them, relying only on the name value of a major god.

‘Hesitation is bound to arise.’

It’s difficult to infer all the contents of the video just from the title.

That’s why you let them know with shorts.

Briefly, what content this video contains.

“Cheok Jun-gyeong has few videos for a top-ranking god. He probably focused on quality.”

Currently, Cheok Jun-gyeong had very few videos.

‘Right now, he has about the same number of videos as lower-ranking gods. Despite being a top-ranking god.’

‘It’s not just a quality issue. There’s also the possibility that when he makes a new video, subscribers won’t watch it as much as expected.’

So increasing that possibility was what Ethan was going to propose to Cheok Jun-gyeong.

Shorts and edited videos.

Using these two things to eliminate hesitation.

“If we can eliminate even a little hesitation, that’s success.”

If you show a taste with shorts, subscribers will surely be more likely to watch the video.

If that happens, Cheok Jun-gyeong will be able to gain far more subscribers and likes than now.

‘Advancing to the top ranks is not just a dream.’

Ethan immediately used his premium subscriber rights to leave a message for Cheok Jun-gyeong.

-Edited videos, and the use of shorts videos, is the direction I’m proposing this time.

***

After leaving the message, Ethan immediately turned off New World.

“I’ve acquired several things, so I should properly master them.”

Two new techniques followed by the Cheok Shin Sword Technique.

He was able to gain abundantly as much as he had spent all his accumulated likes.

‘It was worth using up all my likes.’

Especially with the Cheok Shin Sword Technique, which was originally supposed to be learned by watching videos, his understanding was outstanding thanks to learning directly from Cheok Jun-gyeong.

The Cheok Shin Sword Technique of Cheok Jun-gyeong, called the Sword master of Goryeo, blended exceptionally well with the Frost Thunder Swordsmanship that Ethan already possessed.

“He even directly called it a sword technique of harmony.”

A harmonious sword technique.

Ethan immediately drew his sword.

“I’ll combine the Cheok Shin Sword Technique and Frost Thunder Swordsmanship.”

Cheok Jun-gyeong said it was easy to combine sword techniques harmoniously.

‘That’s only relatively easy by his standards.’

If combining the Cheok Shin Sword Technique with other sword techniques was as easy as Cheok Jun-gyeong said, wouldn’t it be strange for it to have an extremely high difficulty?

‘Reversal of Disadvantage and Fight to the Death are easy to understand as abilities, but not easy to use.’

Reversal of Disadvantage had the activation condition of infinitely low health, and Fight to the Death could only be used in situations with many enemies right away.

‘I’ll need to raise my proficiency to use them properly.’

The Reversal of Disadvantage that Ethan used when fighting the Twelve Apostles was able to exert its power because he temporarily borrowed Cheok Jun-gyeong’s strength and his health had fallen to its limit.

‘You have to throw yourself into mortal danger to be safe.’

It was an ironic situation in many ways.

“Phew.”

Ethan took a deep breath and immediately extended his sword.

‘Frost Sword technique and Thunder Sword technique, they’re both certainly good sword techniques.’

However, it was too much for the current Ethan to use them freely. In the end, these two sword techniques also put a strain on the body during execution.

‘The Cheok Shin Sword Technique isn’t that kind of sword technique.’

Strangely, the Cheok Shin Sword Technique didn’t put a strain on the body.

‘It was an era with kings. The modifier “best” couldn’t be attached to just anyone.’

Nevertheless, Cheok Jun-gyeong was called the best warrior, so the greatness of his sword technique goes without saying.

Ethan executed the Frost Thunder Swordsmanship.

Lightning and frost, two powers imbued in the sword, affected the surroundings every time Ethan swung it.

‘To this.’

He mixes in the Cheok Shin Sword Technique.

Want to read ahead of the scheduled release? You can check the Novel page on the website (or press the next chapter button) and buy an advanced chapter with only 20 Honeys! (100 Honeys is only 5$! So you can basically read 5 advanced chapters ahead of schedule!)