Nano Machine Review (No Spoilers) and Reading Order
Martial arts meets science fiction inside the Demonic Cult. An opening that hooks you like few others, an overpowered protagonist and a universe shared with two other series.
Martial arts and science fiction. Put like that, it sounds like an impossible mix, and yet Nano Machine has spent over 330 chapters proving it works. A relatively original premise, exceptionally executed, with an opening that kept me hooked for a long, long time.
What it’s about
Cheon Yeo-woon is the son of the Demonic Cult’s leader, but his mother isn’t one of the official wives, so he starts the succession race at a clear disadvantage against his half-siblings. Mid-contest, a descendant of his from the future injects him with a nanomachine that changes his odds.
What makes it special
A premise you haven’t read before. In a genre where almost everything is regression, revenge or a fallen sect, putting future tech inside an heir of the Demonic Cult is a breath of fresh air, to say the least.
An opening that hooks you like few others. The first stretch is some of the best murim I’ve read. The level dips a bit later on (it’s not easy to keep the interest up in such a long series), but even then it stays top tier.
As for the art. It has nothing to envy the very best: the action is spectacular and the character design is right up there with it.
Powerslop, yes, but it earns it. Let’s be honest: the protagonist is so overpowered you could call it powerslop. Even so, it has earned its place in any ranking of the genre.
Do you need to read the other two first?
Nano Machine shares a universe with Absolute Sword Sense and Mist, Might, Mayhem. Chronologically, it comes last: Absolute Sword Sense is the prequel to the other two, and Mist, Might, Mayhem sits in the middle.
You don’t need to read them first. They’re fairly standalone stories, a lot of time passes between one and the next, and what they share boils down to a few nods between them (martial arts names, character names). If this universe hooks you, don’t stop at Nano Machine: longevity aside, for me the best of the three is Mist, Might, Mayhem.
| Series | Place in the timeline | My verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute Sword Sense | First | Worth reading |
| Mist, Might, Mayhem | Second | Must-read (the best of the three) |
| Nano Machine | Third | Must-read |
Where the series stands
The webtoon. It’s been running on Naver Webtoon since 2020. Season 1 ended at chapter 142 and season 2 is still going, now past chapter 330 in Korean. In English it comes out on WEBTOON every Wednesday.
The novel. Hanjung Wolya’s original dates from 2017 and is complete at 483 chapters. Webnovel’s official English translation was left unfinished.
Series info
Status: ongoing (over 330 chapters, as of October 2026).
Creators: original novel by Hanjung Wolya; script by Geobalhan; art by Geumgangbulgoe (AniList).
My scores: art 10 · story 7 · characters 7 · humour 6 · action 9. The full series page is here.
Where to read it: on WEBTOON.
If you like it, try…
Beyond its two sister series, there’s more murim in my best murim manhwa. And if the genre mash-up is what draws you in, Murim Login mixes martial arts with hunters and virtual reality.
My verdict
A different premise, a memorable opening and a protagonist who’s never heard the word “disadvantage”. A must-read. And once you finish it, you know where to go next: Myst, Might, Mayhem.
Have you read it? What did you think?
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