"Kill them all!"
The Black Dragon King, filled with energy, spat out the command. His face contorted horribly as he watched the Namgung family swordsmen, who had regained their fighting spirit.
'Damn it.'
They had been terribly exhausted before. If anything, they were even worse off than before.
However, their eyes were completely different. Unlike before, when they were consumed by the fear of death, their eyes were now filled with rage.
Of course, it wouldn't be hard to kill them all, but the damage would inevitably increase. Those prepared to die are bound to turn more vicious.
"Moron…"
The Black Dragon King clenched his teeth.
Why did he waste time when it was going to end up like this? He came out and talked like it was a great plan, but didn't he end up losing men in the process?
The Black Dragon King glared at the Yangtze River with gleaming eyes.
He saw a small ship slowly moving through the waves. It looked so slow, as if it had nothing to do with the brutal massacre happening right before its eyes.
"… damn it!"
What made him angrier was not Jang Ilso, who had twisted things for him. It was he who dared not ask about the damage to the pirates, even though Jang Ilso had brought so much mess his way.
Clench.
Clearly, their relationship had not been like this when he arrived at the Yangtze River. Where on earth did things go so wrong?
The Black Dragon King's eyes were filled with ferocious anger.
The surging anger had to be released somehow.
"Tear them all apart and kill them! All of them! Don't kill them easily! Let them die feeling the bitter price for daring to fight against the pirates!"
His anger poured out wildly towards the poor Namgung family.
Crack!
The sharply sharpened harpoon, which had qi around it, pierced a body.
"Kuak…"
A lowly pleasure filled the pirate's eyes as he saw the victim's bloodied clothes turning even more bloody.
The pirate twisted the harpoon he had thrust in. No matter how great a man is, the moment the harpoon goes into the stomach and rips out the intestines, they will squirm in pain and collapse.
But.
"Uh…"
The swordsman of the Namgung family, who had been pierced by the harpoon, suddenly smiled. The moment those blood-soaked teeth were revealed, the iron sword in his hand cut through the air like a ray of light.
Paaat!
Slash!
The sound of the sword cutting through the bone resonated dully, and the head of the pirate who had been cut off soared into the air.
The swordsman, who had been staggering ahead as if he would fall, supported his body with the bloody sword placed on the ground and lifted his head.
"Cough!"
The one who had stabbed him with the harpoon was now a headless corpse, but the harpoon was still embedded in his stomach. The swordsman swung his sword without hesitation and cut off the shaft of the harpoon.
Kakang!
Cutting the shaft short was a double-edged sword.
It was better for moving his body right now, but the pointed edge in his body would keep digging itself deeper into his flesh with each movement.
But what did it matter?
Since death was all that awaited him, what difference did it make if there were a few harpoons stuck in his corpse?
Two harpoons were already stuck in his stomach. All of his left hand's fingers were cut off, and he no longer felt any pain from the deep cut on his shoulder. The deepest wound was on his thigh, with blood flowing down like a stream from a severed blood vessel.
But that didn't matter either.
'This isn't enough.'
His eyes were filled with venom.
'The lord died in a much more miserable way!'
He wouldn't fall until he had at least 10 harpoons stuck in his body. If his life held nothing but death, he must endure one more attack from the person next to him or behind him.
Swish!
Through his blurred vision, he caught a glimpse of harpoons flying towards him. Not one, but two… no, five?
It would be useless even if he knew. No matter how many harpoons there were, it was impossible to block them anyway.
This Namgung swordsman, whose name was Namgung Pyo, simply stepped on the ground and swung his sword. It was an attack that ignored defense. No matter how many harpoons pierced his body, he was determined to drag the pirates who were piercing him down to hell.
Crack! Crack! Slash!
The sound of the harpoons piercing his body and the sound of the sword cutting through flesh rang out simultaneously.
"…"
Namgung Pyo's body slowly collapsed as he felt cold metal digging into his throat.
The world darkened, and death approached.
For a moment, he thought it was fortunate that his neck was pierced because he could no longer scream out.
Thud.
The feeling of the ground touching his body was dull and faint. He stretched out as he felt the world gradually being covered in darkness.
It was comfortable.
It was so comfortable that he just wanted to rest like that, just as such…
But at that moment, Namgung Pyo opened his eyes wide. He grabbed the sword he had half let go of. The pirates, who had already thought him dead, trampled and advanced.
Namgung Pyo swung his sword while lying face down, revealing his blood-soaked teeth.
"ACKKKKKK!"
"This bastard!"
The unexpected attack from the ground made the pirates fall, clutching their legs. Namgung Pyo snickered at the sight. No, he tried to laugh.
Crack! Crack!
But he couldn't. He had turned into a hedgehog after being pierced by dozens of harpoons, so there was no room for him to laugh.
'Young lord… please continue…'
Thud.
Another life seeped into the river.
"EUKKKKK!"
The Namgung family's swordsmen were like ghosts.
War wasn't a state that could be changed by will alone. What advanced the war was not will, but effort.
But now, the Namgung family swordsmen were shaking up the common sense of the murim.
Even with a harpoon lodged in their bodies or a spear in their heads, they swung their swords. Even when pierced, they didn't back down.
The only thing that came out of their mouths was a vicious roar.
"DIE! Damn Evil Sect!"
"I will show you how the Namgung swordsmen die!"
The pirates prided themselves on being steadfast. They had clearly cornered the Namgung family like frightened dogs in the last battle.
But at this moment, they were overwhelmed by Namgung's swordsmen, who were so few in number.
Could there be another scene that fits the saying "Rushing in Without Regard For Death"?
Some swung their swords while holding their stomach contents with one hand, those who held broken swords with their bare hands and swung them madly, and those who cut their opponents' ankles even after falling.
It was clear that the word 'hell' was prepared for such a moment.
And in the middle of this hell, Namgung Myung was swinging his sword like a madman.
Crack.
A harpoon stuck in his shoulder with fierce momentum. But Namgung Myung didn't blink and cut the heart of the enemy standing in front of him with his sword.
"COME!"
Contrary to his spirited shout, his heart was filled with sorrow.
He didn't care about giving up his life. He was already supposed to die. When Namgung Hwang gave up his life in the river, he was the one who should have opened the way and died first.
The only reason he survived this miserable life was because of Namgung Hwang's orders.
But…
"Cough!"
Every time the suppressed groans pierced his ears, it felt like his heart was being torn out each time. The groans of those biting down on their tongues and dying to not show weakness to the pirates were more painful than screams and more sorrowful than crying.
"EUKKKK!"
A wicked scream burst from Namgung Myung's mouth. His sword, now deviating from the Namgung family sword technique, began to carve out new paths.
One day, a warrior would die by holding a sword. Was there anyone here who didn't have that resolve?
But…
'It is sad.'
Before he knew it, tears were welling up in Namgung Myung's eyes.
In this lonely place where no one had reached out to them, those who were dying without even screaming met such sad and sorrowful ends that, despite their efforts to hold back, tears fell.
Would the world understand such sadness?
Would the world remember their deaths?
"Kuaak…"
A sound, part groan, part cry, escaped from Namgung Myung's mouth.
"Kuak.. euk…"
A groan escaped from the mouth of a Namgung swordsman with a large sword stuck in his chest. Another, whose arm was pierced and could no longer hold a sword, discarded the weapon he had wielded his entire life and lunged to grab the pirate in front of him, clinging on.
To save even one person behind him, even for just one moment.
Namgung Myung laughed like a madman.
"Euh…"
Overwhelming.
They were already surrounded on all sides. No matter how fiercely they swung their swords, the number of pirates did not diminish. More attackers rushed in fiercely than they could kill.
No matter how much they cursed and braced themselves, they couldn't do this alone.
'Are you watching this?'
Namgung Myung turned his head blankly towards the riverside. Towards Shaolin and the Nine Great Sects, who must be watching their end from afar.
"Still… are you still going to watch? You bastards!"
Crack! Crack!
As his sword swung in a fit of rage, slicing through a pirate's body, several harpoons flew toward him.
"Leaderrr!"
The harpoons flew towards his head at incredible speed.
"Protect him!"
"Protect the leader!"
The Blue Sky Swordsmen rushed in, using their bodies to protect Namgung Myung. They swung their swords desperately to deflect the harpoons, extending their arms to take the wounds meant for Namgung Myung.
Namgung Myung screamed.
"What are you doing! Morons!"
They shouldn't die like that. They shouldn't die so fleetingly. They shouldn't die so miserably in a place like this.
Someone would become the hero of Namgung, and someone else would become the Greatest Swordsman in the world. At the very least, they could become someone's father and someone's best friend.
Then why did they have to die so vainly?
"Eu-ukkk…"
He tried to rush ahead, cursing, but his leg, pierced by the harpoon, wouldn't budge. Having poured all his qi into the injured people for the past few days, he was the most exhausted person there.
He collapsed on the spot, and his eyes could see it: the sight of dozens of harpoons piercing the backs of those blocking the path to him.
"Uh…"
The blood splashed as the ones pierced by harpoons got pushed back.
The moment the hot blood poured down on his face, he thought he was going to get burned from it. But maybe, it was really hot…
"Euk…"
Namgung Myung's head, which had been laughing, sobbing in despair, and then tearing at his own hair, suddenly slumped forward like a criminal ready to be beheaded.
He tried to be dignified. He wanted to stay as such until the very end.
But… it was now an impossible thing for Namgung Myung.
'Lord. I am…'
No more tears flowed down his face.
'… couldn't protect the Namgung family.'
People were all the same.
When there was something that could not be achieved by one's own strength, something so desperately desired, one simply wished for it.
And so, he closed his eyes, bowed his head, and held the hands instead of the sword, and just desperately…
'Please, someone…'
A deep sob escaped Namgung Myung's mouth.
"Some… Someone please help…"
In a voice that cracked like metal scraping.
"Please…."
He cried out more desperately than any other scream.
However, his feelings could be conveyed to the pirates. A pirate approached Namgung Myung, who had collapsed on the spot, begging for help, laughing.
"Fucking moron."
Clank!
The harpoon in the hand moved.
"Help? The name of Namgung must be wailing. Since Shaolin has abandoned you, do you think there will be anyone there who will help you?"
He must have had some sort of position among the pirates, so when he started to walk, the other pirates followed.
"No matter how much you speak of justice and harmony, this is your true nature."
The moment he heard those words, Namgung Myung's shoulders trembled.
"Do not worry. Everyone here will die, so your journey to the afterlife will not be so lonely."
With a deep mockery of their situation, the pirate pulled the harpoon in hand. As if he wanted to pierce the head of Namgung Myung in a single blow.
"Just die!"
It was the moment when the harpoon, which had been pulled back tight, shot towards Namgung Myung's head.
Paaaat!
A tremendous cracking sound that seemed to burst the eardrums erupted. The one who had thrown the harpoon turned his gaze to the size in shock.
'What was that?'
What he saw was a giant disc.
No!
It was flying towards him, spinning fiercely like a disc…
'Sword?'
Kwaaang!
His thoughts stopped there.
He clearly saw a sword stuck in the sandbank of Plum Blossom Island, creating a huge hole.
"…"
He was about to contort his face at the absurd sight. A single line appeared from the tip of his head to his groin.
Everyone stared blankly at the sight.
"Ugh…"
Sensing the change in the body, the pirate touched his face with trembling hands.
'Blood?'
He felt his palms wet with red blood. The pirate's eyes trembled at it. The blood soaking his hands increased in volume. And soon blood began to flow down his chin.
"No… no way…"
Shock and disbelief.
But that was all.
The two wide-open eyes began to look up and down, and soon the body of the pirate split open in two and collapsed to the ground.
Thud.
In an instant, a cold silence took over Plum Blossom Island.
The air, which had been so heated with madness, suddenly cooled down, and it was a shocking sight. Those who had been blankly watching turned their gazes toward one place as if they all knew.
Towards the place where the sword had cut through the wide river and saved Namgung Myung.
And there he stood.
A man on the riverbank, where the blue waves of the Yangtze River surged like waves.
An unbearable groan escaped Namgung Myung's mouth.
"Ahh… ah…"
How could he not know?
That black robe.
The red pattern on the left chest, like a single stream of blood flowing from the heart.
Even from a distance, with his blurred vision, the figure was strangely clear.
"Mount Hua…."
The name finally escaped Namgung Myung's mouth.
"Mount Hua's Sword Saint…."
Chung Myung glared at the ships floating on the Yangtze River and Plum Blossom Island with dark eyes.
Everyone remained silent in that situation.
A man watching from a large ship, a little far from Plum Blossom Island, curled his bloody red lips like a waning moon.
"As expected…"
Jang Ilso smiled happily.
"I told you not to disappoint me."