Kwaang!
The light kept flashing. The calm Yangtze River was now filled with loud noises and screams.
Even the ships were moving rapidly, so it was impossible not to know what was happening there.
Kuak.
The Shaolin disciples standing on the riverbank clenched their fists. Their bodies, leaning forward, seemed as if they would kick the ground and run ahead at any moment.
But that was impossible.
The back of the abbot at the front was tightly holding them down.
Euk.
The Shaolin monks, gritting their teeth, watched the situation with bloodshot eyes. No, it would be more accurate to say they were glaring.
In the middle of the river, where they couldn't set foot, a few people by the name of Namgung were struggling like sheep being torn apart by a pack of wolves.
"Abbot!"
Someone shouted. But the abbot didn't even look back and stared ahead with cold eyes.
"Abbot, shouldn't we help them?"
"Wait."
"Abbot!"
"Didn't I tell you to wait?"
The abbot answered with a shout.
"Even Namgung hasn't shown his full potential! So why should we shed blood in Namgung's place?"
"…"
"Can you see that Ten Thousand People aren't moving? If Jang Ilso and the Black Dragon King stepped in, this would have been handled already! Why do you think they are just watching?"
"Ugh…."
The abbot bit his lip.
"If we are lured in, it is all over. Not just them, but also those who remain on Plum Blossom Island and even us may suffer."
The sound of someone gritting their teeth echoed.
They could go. If they wanted, they could move to help them whenever they wished.
That was why it was more painful. They had to just watch and ignore even though the others were within arm's reach.
Someone lowered their head as if they couldn't bear to see the sight ahead.
"Do not lower your head!"
At that moment, a harsh shout rang out from Hae Bang's mouth.
"S-sasuk…."
"Look carefully, look with your own eyes! You don't even dare to look now! How cowardly can you be!"
"Hae Bang!"
The abbot's words of anger burst out, but Hae Bang didn't move an inch. He just stared at the river, his eyes wide as if he wanted to engrave the scene in his memory.
Beop Gye closed his eyes.
'How did things come to this?'
They had clearly been filled with the will to save the Namgung family until they stepped here, but now he could feel a crack within them. An unbridgeable gap had formed between those who commanded and those who obeyed.
The gaze of Beop Gye, which opened with difficulty, turned to the river. The white qi in the dark, which Namgung Hwang was pouring out, felt so cold.
Chaak!
The tip of the sword turned dull. To be exact, the arm swinging the sword turned dull. Namgung Hwang's sword was no longer sharp or powerful.
But…
Slash!
"Gruk…."
It was alright. His sword existed when it should, where it should.
The blood spilled by the pirates turned even the dark river red. Even the occasional splash of foam was not white but red.
Namgung Hwang continued to advance in the red-stained river.
Paat!
A dozen or so harpoons flew at him.
Blocking them? Impossible.
Namgung Hwang swung the sword without hesitation. The first thing his sword struck was not the harpoon aimed at the most dangerous vital point but the harpoon that could pass over him and reach Do-Wei.
Kakakakng!
The harpoon bounced off Namgung Hwang's sword, but the two that he couldn't hit dug into his body without fault.
The harpoons pierced the skin, tore the muscles, and embedded themselves there.
"Lord!"
As Namgung Do-Wei shouted, Namgung Hwang's sword swung and cut off the necks of the pirates who were stabbing him with the harpoons.
"I can block that much! I…."
"Do-Wei."
"…"
Namgung Do-Wei went silent.
There was no strength in his voice. It wasn't the voice that was always loud and naturally made people listen to him.
But… the tenacity in his voice was incomparable to the past.
"… see it through till the end."
That was all. Namgung Hwang, who had spoken with his gaze fixed ahead, began to move forward.
The blood flowing from his head seeped into his eyes, and soon the waves that had surged washed it away.
He couldn't even tell how much time had passed.
"Woahhhhh!"
"DIE! You monster!"
He kept stabbing and cutting endlessly. He felt something stuck in his thigh, but it was alright now. He had long since lost all feeling below his waist.
'Elders?'
They were there.
If it wasn't for them, he wouldn't have even been alive until now. They were desperately trying to endure as much as they could.
Burning their lives.
The blood that colored this river must also be tainted with their blood. Namgung Hwang burst into laughter as he looked at the red foam in the water.
'For what is all this?'
For what were they risking their lives?
To atone for bringing Namgung into this crisis?
Or because they wanted to give a ray of hope to the remaining Namgung members on the island?
Well, it could not be known. And none of it mattered now.
Puak! Puak!
The pirates, sensing that Namgung Hwang was losing it, rushed in even more fiercely. The sight of them baring their teeth and rushing in, mixed with the red waves, was like the devils of hell.
At this moment, there was just one thing he had to do.
'Do-Wei!'
-Wouldn't that be enough?
How could it not be enough?
A pure white smile formed on Namgung Hwang's mouth.
WOOONG!
He pulled out all the qi from his trembling lower stomach as if it would tear off, and his internal qi gushed out. He used his dantian, which had been drained, and somehow the internal qi that had flowed down his arm was pushed into the sword.
At that moment, Namgung Hwang felt Namgung Do-Wei's hand gripping his shoulder. That small hand had grown so much before he realized it.
'I will open it!'
There was only one thing he had to do.
Get Namgung Do-Wei out of there alive. There was no need to think of anything else.
"Woaahh!"
Namgung Hwang, who had unleashed his lion's roar with all his might, saw dozens of pirates rushing toward him.
Grabbing his sword, he released his taut muscles and qi in an instant.
KWAAAAAAA!
The white sword qi surged like a giant dragon rising up the Yangtze River.
It was a sword slash that could only be described as terrifying. The pirates who charged at Namgung Hwang were crushed in an instant and scattered across the Yangtze River without even a scream.
But of course, Namgung Hwang wasn't unharmed either.
Clench.
He broke the harpoon embedded in his chest. There was no way to pull it out without tearing through the flesh.
Crack! Crack! Crack.
He broke the harpoons lodged in his body, chest, stomach, and shoulder, one after another, and looked ahead.
His vision was blurred. His consciousness was gradually fading.
Crack!
What brought him back to his senses was the intense pain he felt in his waist. He swung his sword and cut down the pirate who attacked him from within the water. Then he submerged his head for a moment.
"…"
He could vaguely see the elders sinking deep into the water. He couldn't discern their expressions.
Just…
Namgung Hwang bit his lip and glared ahead.
"Lord!"
"Go… Do-Wei."
He didn't have time to feel sad. He would end up in the same situation as them.
He kicked the water and moved forward.
Cutting off the heads of the rushing pirates and grabbing their harpoons that pierced him.
Cut, cut, cut, and cut.
His hair, disheveled and soaked in water, stuck together badly.
Crack! Crack!
Even though harpoons were lodged into his side and thigh, Namgung Hwang, as if feeling no pain, cut through the pirates and moved ahead.
So much blood poured out that it seemed as if another river had formed atop the existing one.
Namgung Hwang rampaged like an asura from hell. Even the pirates, seasoned by countless battles, were weary of this.
"Uhh…"
"Cough. Cough!"
Namgung Hwang coughed in pain, revealing his blood-soaked teeth. His rough breathing escaped from both his mouth and nose.
It was at the last moment.
Paaat!
A powerful piercing sound, as if tearing through Namgung Hwang's ears, came. Before his mind could decide, his sword moved instinctively.
Kwaaang!
He collided with a strong attack that flew from above the ship, which immediately threw him back, causing him to spit out blood.
"You damned fools!"
The Black Dragon King roared like a tiger as he stood on the bow of the Black Dragon Ship.
"What are you so afraid of when you have someone dying right in front of you! Charge at them with all your might and make a mess of them!"
"Yes!"
The pirates, crushed by the Black Dragon King's force, clenched their teeth and moved toward Namgung Hwang again.
"Lord! Father! Damn it! Father!"
Namgung Do-Wei kicked the water and blocked Namgung Hwang, who was floating on it.
His red eyes were filled with determination to never hand Namgung Hwang over to them.
But.
Tak.
Namgung Hwang's trembling hand rested on Namgung Do-Wei's shoulder.
"F-father…."
"… Go… away…"
"Father!"
"… hurry."
His eyes were swollen and nearly closed.
But the desperate light in them was something Namgung Do-Wei couldn't defy.
"Back… my back…"
Bloody tears flowed from Namgung Do-Wei's eyes.
He knew. Right.
It was Namgung Do-Wei who had asked them to send him off the island at the cost of their lives. So he could not be mistaken about what was happening.
But… but!
"You… Namgung's next… Lord."
"…."
"With me."
Namgung Do-Wei lowered his head. Then, silently, he parted the water and went behind Namgung Hwang, grabbing his back. Like a child being carried on his father's back.
"Uh…"
A faint smile formed on Namgung Hwang's contorted face.
Puak!
He felt something stab his leg. His lower stomach was being pierced. He couldn't block any more attacks from underwater.
But it was fine.
As long as he carried Namgung Do-Wei, the attacks wouldn't touch his son.
"Do-Wei."
Suddenly, a clear voice came.
Namgung Do-Wei grabbed his shoulder tightly.
"F-Father…"
That was the moment.
Kwaang!
Namgung Hwang's body rose up by kicking the water. He pulled out his innate qi and regained his strength in an instant.
"BLOCK!"
"EHHHH!"
The pirates rose from the water, shouting as if they wanted to tear him apart, and blocked him.
Kwaaang!
Namgung Hwang swung his sword in one swipe, shattering the pirates into pieces and moving ahead, kicking the water.
"OHHH!"
White sword qi shot up all around, spreading like fireworks. The pirates were terrified and dove into the water. It was a ridiculous fight to have against sword qi.
Kwaang!
Namgung Hwang kicked the water, advancing through the ships surrounding him.
One step! Just one more…
It was then.
Kaaak!
A dark-colored blade qi from the Black Dragon Ship rushed straight at Namgung Hwang. The enhanced blade, which had pulled off the white sword qi with all its might, cut through easily and pierced Namgung Hwang's body.
Crack!
"This…"
The Black Dragon King was about to say something as he watched Namgung Hwang stagger.
Clench!
Namgung Hwang didn't fall but kicked the water again.
His eyes shone menacingly through the hair clinging to his blood-soaked face.
Drops of blood spattered from his body and scattered in all directions. At that moment, Namgung Hwang grabbed Do-Wei's arms.
"OHHHHHH!"
Then, with the last of his qi, he threw Namgung Hwang to the riverside.
"Fatherrrrr!"
A desperate scream poured out from Namgung Do-Wei's mouth.
In his frantic gaze, he saw Namgung Hwang fluttering as if he had lost all his strength and fallen into the river.
In the upside-down world, Namgung Hwang's face was briefly visible.
He was… surely smiling.
Splash.
Namgung Hwang, thrown into the river, sank down.
As he descended into the dark world, he thought.
'Is this enough…'
He didn't know.
But he did his best.
It wasn't like everything he did was right, but at least he did his best until the very end.
Now, all he had to do was trust and entrust his son, who would carry on the Namgung name.
'…Do-Wei…'
A smile formed on his lips as he sank into the pitch-black river.
'… be a good father…'
With that faint smile, Namgung Hwang's eyes finally closed.