Clang clang clang!!
The crisp sound of blacksmithing rang out, and shattered sparks flew.
"That guy they mentioned, the Wolf... he doesn't seem like an incompetent waste..."
The Katana Man taunted while parrying, and after the probing, he drew his blade and launched a fierce assault on Jun Hei. "Fine then, let me see if you truly are immortal."
[Danger]
Whoosh!
The moment the danger signal lit up, Jun Hei decisively used Ghost Shadow Step to create distance.
"This ninja talks a bit too much, not quite like the ninjas I imagined."
In Jun Hei's memory, ninjas were supposed to be incredibly mysterious.
Few words, sharp in their actions.
The Katana Ninja before him was incessantly chattering, spewing all sorts of unconstructive taunts.
Five years ago, in his hot-headed youth, he might have been provoked. But now, he would just smile and launch an even more ferocious attack.
Screech!
A shuriken pierced the void, followed closely by a flying kick.
Jun Hei flicked his sword back, deflecting the shuriken, but was struck squarely by the flying kick.
Bang!!
Jun Hei retreated repeatedly. After stopping himself, he brushed the dust off his chest. "That kick has quite some power."
One kick taking away a third of his HP was indeed outrageous, but after taking a few kicks consecutively, Jun Hei became familiar with the Katana Man's attack patterns—
All his feints were creating opportunities for his flying kick. As long as he was mindful of the flying kick, if the opponent had no other trump cards, it would be his moment to counter.
"As expected, you're weak."
The flying kick landed successfully again, and the Katana Man gloated with a smug taunt.
Jun Hei said nothing. He waved his hand, and three paper figures appeared out of thin air, igniting without fire.
Immediately, a powerful aura surged from his surroundings, pouring into Jun Hei's body. His demeanor instantly became sharp and piercing.
"He's got something."
Sensing the danger, the Katana Man's smile faded as he slowly drew the katana he had kept sheathed behind his back.
Zheng!!
"Let me test the limits of your strength!"
The Katana Man leaped into the air, countless whirlwinds condensing around his blade. His Katana Style reached its peak, possessing a grand and sweeping momentum.
However,
Jun Hei didn't even lift an eyelid. He simply swung out two sharp purple sword energies.
Screech!!
A gust of gray-white wind, as if solidified, shot out, heading straight for the Katana Man.
Fwip!
The next moment, Jun Hei moved. He was like a lightning bolt, and as the Katana Man blocked the two gusts of wind, he plunged the Zi Ying Sword into the Katana Man's body.
Gasp!!
'Holy crap, that was kinda cool!'
'Is this Flying Over the Ferry? Those two purple energies are so cool!'
'Did the Katana Man just die like that?'
'At this moment, a handsome guy watched the stream and opened "Sekiro"!'
'Two minutes later: Streamer, you lied! My Flying Over the Ferry isn't displayed like that!'
...
Jun Hei's flashy maneuvers made the viewers restless. This was also his first time using his ultimate move, Flying Over the Ferry. He had originally planned to use it when he met Kuzunoha Ichirō, but unexpectedly, the Katana Man had tricked him into using it.
Flying Over the Ferry emphasized the mastery of skill chaining. Jun Hei's proficiency in basic skills was already flawless. The move of casually slashing out two sword energies to mask his real attack was something he had learned from the Katana Man on the spot.
Using his own methods against him!
His true intention was to use the enhanced Eagle Drop to rapidly close the distance with the Katana Man, aiming for a complete surprise.
[Obtained: Scattered Prayer Beads]
[Obtained: Magnet Scrap * 2]
[Obtained: Gold Coins * 421]
Human joys and sorrows are not shared. While Jun Hei reaped abundant rewards, other streamers were in dire straits.
Across major platforms, the streamers who were highly anticipated did not display much overwhelming power in the game.
PDD, having been kicked to death too many times by the Katana Man, was forced to rest for two hours and had yet to recover his spirit.
Dai Xiao Mei had already been thoroughly defeated by the Red Guard and reluctantly withdrew from the competition. Soul-like games had no destiny with her.
Zhou Jie was not faring any better. Her stream had descended into chaotic madness, making her one of the few genuinely frustrated streamers who was still watchable, as the performance aspect was almost nonexistent, replaced by genuine emotion.
Sincerity is an eternal ultimate skill.
Even though viewers were tired of the exaggerated frustration seen online, they could still find some amusement with Zhou Jie.
As for Mo Zhi, who was known for his technical skill, he was still fiercely sparring with the Katana Man. With this initial progression, it was not without reason that Jun Hei stood out among the countless technical streamers with his more refined skills.
Many so-called technical streamers had to rely on his guides to conquer bosses with more complex mechanics, and some were even copying his gameplay strategies.
Before the release of "Sekiro," most of the experts and popular streamers who were highly regarded by players were being thoroughly thrashed and were on the verge of tears.
The grand boasts they had made earlier, such as "speedrunning in one day" and "no-hit boss fights," had all vanished.
Online, players who were unable to lift their heads after being overwhelmed by the elite monsters in Ashina City exploded in outrage after exiting the game.
'This damn Red Guard, weren't they supposed to be weak to fire? Why does he get more excited the more flamboyant I am?'
'No, brother, are you really that flamboyant?'
'Who recommended this as a Dynasty Warriors-style mob-clearing game? You come here, and I'll cut off your...!'
'The designer went to great lengths to trick me into buying this game, making the graphics, character models, and even the combat style so unique, all so that after I buy it, I would be addicted to being abused, wanting to refuse yet unable to stop... This is too much!'
'Why are you all so skilled, and I'm the one being chased and gnawed by the Wolf, pecked by Kun, and even the fish in the water are chasing and sucking me?'
'Look on the bright side, "Sekiro" is teaching players all over the world to learn Chinese characters!'
...
Meanwhile,
"Sekiro," launched simultaneously overseas, was wreaking havoc in the gaming community. Even Tommy, a streamer widely recognized for his skill, encountered a Waterloo.
On PC, the barrier to entry for soul-like games isn't that high. You start as a Knight, and once your skills are honed, you can try different professions and difficulties of bosses.
However, on VR, the entry barrier for "Sekiro" is even lower than "Dark Souls." As long as you can swing your sword to attack and raise your sword to parry, that's enough.
The low entry barrier makes it easy for players to get started, but it also creates a situation where it's difficult to master. After all, basic actions like swinging and raising your sword are simple enough for anyone with hands.
It's just that to make a name for oneself in "Sekiro," more than just these are needed.
As the number of overseas players being abused gradually increased, the voices of complaint online also grew louder.
But as noble players, they were unwilling to admit they were trash.
Therefore, a peculiar phenomenon emerged: the internet was filled with scolding, yet the number of players actively dueling in real-time only increased, and they would even feel smug after defeating a certain elite monster, boasting about it online.
The comments below were even more interesting, with people spewing sour remarks while secretly learning techniques and practicing.
As for the characters like 'Kill,' 'Danger,' and 'Noob' appearing most frequently in the game, they also became widely circulated among players.
Overseas players spontaneously initiated a wave of Chinese character learning, which even caused quite a stir.
Just as overseas players were creating a learning storm in the gaming community,
In a certain corner,
A player named Jun Hei encountered an old friend—
Ashina Genichiro!
...