"E-Eik! Diee!"
A harpoon flew swiftly towards Namgung Pyung's neck.
Namgung Pyung instinctively realized he couldn't stop it and tightly shut his eyes. But at that moment—
Kakang!
A sword, appearing like a ray of light from nowhere, violently struck the harpoon aimed at Namgung Pyung's neck. The sword, maintaining its force, pierced the neck of the harpoon-wielding pirate.
Puaaah!
Namgung Pyung blankly stared at the blood gushing from the harpoon holder's neck.
"Back."
"…."
"Back."
'Uh? Ah… yes!"
Namgung Pyung answered in surprise. The female swordsman, who glanced at him, stood in front of Namgung Pyung without a sword.
That was the start.
"OHHHHH!"
It was like a landslide.
Like a fierce landslide, the black waves surged along the path between the pirates.
The white swords, contrasting with the black robes, cut through the air like the wind.
It was a spectacle akin to a disaster for the pirates who were chasing after the Namgung family.
Everything in the world was relative.
From the Namgung family's point of view, exhausted beyond belief, the pirates attacking them seemed no different from beasts. Yet, in front of Mount Hua, who were advancing with unstoppable momentum, they were nothing more than leaves being swept away.
Paaat!
The Mount Hua swordsmen who had come ahead swung their swords all at once. As if one person was wielding them, a dozen or so sword forms traced the same path, coldly piercing the hearts of the pirates who were unable to comprehend what was happening.
"Accck!"
"F-Fucking dog… ugh…."
The eyes of the pirates, who saw their comrades become souls in an instant, were filled with fear.
Those who pursue profit over purpose become more cruel and violent than anyone else when they have the upper hand, but they become more cowardly than anyone else when their lives are in danger.
It was only natural. Why should those who value their lives the most endure a battlefield where they will surely die?
Unfortunately for them, there was someone here who understood the nature of the Evil Sects better than anyone else.
Kwaang!
Someone stepped on the ground and shouted.
"Break it!"
As soon as the words were out, five black shadows rose into the air.
Baek Cheon, Yu Yiseol, Yoon Jong, Hae Yeon, and even Jo Gul, who had caught up with the pirates, rushed with all their might.
They carried out his will as if they were the swords wielded by Chung Myung.
"Strike!"
As soon as Baek Cheon's command was given, red plum blossoms bloomed from the four swords simultaneously.
These were not the swords they had seen so far but the most magnificent forms of them.
As if they were going to cover Plum Blossom Island by painting it with plum blossoms, countless plum blossoms bloomed from the four swords in an eerie manner.
And in the center.
"Ah-mi-ta-ba!"
A golden qi burst out explosively, along with the majestic shout of Buddha.
Buddha's Glory Illuminates the Universe!
The sight of the magnificent Buddhist light rising between the red plum blossoms surrounding the Namgung family was truly overwhelming.
Flutter!
The plum blossom leaves, which flew up like fluttering petals, rained down on the rebels. And the golden light crashed down on the pirates.
"AHHH!"
Those who were hit by the Buddhist Glory Illuminates the Universe fell down, splashing blood.
"Ackk! My arm!"
"Kuak…."
Those covered in the sharp plum blossom sword qi also let out desperate screams. The sword qi, fluttering lightly like petals, was too sharp for its appearance.
Even a simple brush from them would split the flesh, and a direct hit would break bones.
In such a space where so many people were crowded together, the vicious flower petals fully demonstrated their power.
No one else was watching.
"Protect the Namgung!"
At Baek Sang's shout, the Mount Hua swordsmen kicked the ground with all their might. They rushed in like lightning, stabbing the retreating pirates who were terrified.
"Eukkk!"
Paaat!
Baek Sang's sword swung out, digging into the center of a pirate's chest. He incapacitated his opponent in one breath, immediately pulling out his sword and running towards the next pirate.
The pirate, spewing blood and falling, stabbed at him with a harpoon in a last desperate effort, but Baek Sang didn't care.
Kakang!
Kwak Ho, following behind, knocked away the harpoon flying at Baek Sang.
He just had to do what he had to do. All that was left was to leave it to those who followed him. His sajaes and sajils who followed him were no less capable than him.
There wasn't even a speck of reason not to trust them!
"You have to keep your head cool."
At that moment, Baek Sang's body trembled at the voice that came to his ear.
"Yes, sasuk!"
Swish!
Un Geom, who had easily dealt with one of the pirates targeting Baek Sang, looked around with cold eyes.
The disciples of Mount Hua, who received his gaze, fixed their swords and gradually calmed their boiling blood. Calmness returned to their eyes.
Tap.
At that moment, the five swords that had risen up came down as if guarding the four sides of the Namgung family.
"D-damn it! Why are you scared of their little numbers! We can trample them right now… Kuak!"
The raging water pirate couldn't even finish his words before falling backward.
A deep blue dagger was stabbed into his forehead.
Of course, that wasn't the end.
"Eukkkkk!"
"Ack! My face! My faceeee!"
Another barrage of spears and daggers caused part of the pirate circle to crumble. They were so dense that their shoulders were touching, leaving no way to escape the assassin's weapons.
The pride of the pirates and their numbers had turned into a hindrance. To put it another way, from the Tang family's perspective, there couldn't have been an easier fight.
The pirates rushing ahead were all cut down by Mount Hua. They just needed to unleash their assassin's weapon whenever they wanted.
In a battlefield where defense was not needed, the Tang family was at its most efficient.
"Hmm."
Tang Gunak, who glared at the pirates with cold eyes like when he first met Chung Myung in the past, spat out.
"Show them what true suffering is like."
"Yes!"
As soon as the Lord of the family gave the order, the Tang family's warriors swung their hands even faster. Every time their hands emerged from their sleeves, desperate screams poured out from the pirates' mouths.
The Namgung family's swordsmen, who couldn't believe the situation and couldn't let their guard down, stared blankly at Mount Hua and the Tang family before finally collapsing.
"… they… are here…."
"Really… we had help coming…"
They couldn't bring themselves to say, 'We survived' because they knew deep down that occupying this island was not the end.
They had to get off this island to truly survive.
But that was just what they were telling themselves in their heads; their hearts were saying something entirely different.
They turned their gaze towards Namgung Myung. No, more precisely, towards the person who had lost consciousness in Namgung Myung's arms.
"…."
Looking at Namgung Do-Wei and remembering those who had fallen, no matter how much they tried to hold back the tears, their vision turned blurry.
"Young lord…"
So many sacrifices were made.
It was a small thing that he worked so hard his body turned into a rag. Namgung Do-Wei sacrificed even Namgung Hwang, the Lord of the family and his father, to save them all.
Thinking about the kind of thought he had in mind when he came running all the way there, he couldn't dare to look him in the face.
And the people that Namgung Do-Wei had brought were now guarding them.
"Push!"
Mount Hua and the Tang family.
Who would have imagined that they would come running for the Namgung family? Even the Nine Great Sects had abandoned them. The Five Great Families, whom they had believed to be their blood allies, didn't even show their faces on the island.
But Mount Hua, who had nothing to do with them, and the Tang family, who had broken away from the Five Great Families and turned to their enemies, entered Plum Blossom Island for them without any condition.
Even though they knew how dangerous the place was, they risked everything to save the Namgung family.
How on earth should they express this feeling?
"Stand up and hold your swords!"
At that moment, Namgung Myung grabbed Namgung Do-Wei and shouted.
"If you still have the strength to hold the sword, get up even if it means using your life! You are the warriors of the Namgung family. Are you going to sit back and wait because you received help? If sacrifices are needed, we should make the sacrifices, and if bleeding is needed, we should bleed! Don't take their spirit for granted!"
Everyone came to their senses as if they had been struck by lightning at those words. The venom began to fill back into their eyes.
The Namgung family's swordsmen, who had somehow managed to get up while trembling, moved ahead while staggering to join Mount Hua's swordsmen surrounding them.
Chung Myung snickered at the sight.
'Morons till the end.'
They were exhausted to death, and yet they didn't sit down and hope for the others to help them out.
'Well, this is Namgung.'
Since a long time back, the Namgung family has been the best in the world in terms of pride.
Chung Myung's gaze coldly observed the battlefield. The heart of the battlefield was devouring people. Both the dominant and the inferior sides eventually got swept up in such a flow.
However, Chung Myung's eyes were the only ones capable of capturing the entire battlefield with unparalleled sharpness.
This war was already over.
No, it had been over from the start.
Those who had been complacent, thinking there would be no salvation for Plum Blossom Island, could never defeat Mount Hua and the Tang family, who came rushing in.
Had they confronted each other in a place where they could exert their full strength, the pirates wouldn't have even been a match for the Namgung family.
The pirates managed to win because they pushed the Namgung family to a place advantageous to them. And now, Plum Blossom Island was a battlefield favorable to Mount Hua and the Tang family.
All that was left was to just get swept away.
'If not….'
Kwaaaak!
At that moment, an eerie cracking sound, like a giant rock rolling down a mountain, rang out.
Baek Cheon's head turned violently to the side.
'What is that?'
But all he could see were the thugs retreating in fear.
Yet Baek Cheon's instincts were faster than his mind.
Thud!
The moment he suddenly kicked the ground and jumped up, the bodies of the pirates in front of him split apart and bounced off while the rough blade qi fiercely flew toward Mount Hua's swordsmen.
"AHHHHHH!"
As if anticipating it, Baek Cheon blocked the path of the blade qi with his sword.
Kwaaaaaang!
Baek Cheon's body, which had twisted and lifted the blade qi, flew back like a shot. Mount Hua's disciples screamed as they saw him bounce into the air after hitting the ground once.
"Sasukkkk!"
"Sahyung! Damn it!"
Baek Cheon flipped in midair and landed on the ground.
Thud!
Baek Cheon landed on the floor as if sinking into it, stabbing his sword into the ground for support.
Red blood trickled down from his lips.
"This…"
Baek Cheon's eyes were bloodshot. His physical condition was fine, but he was on the verge of losing his mind from anger.
"This fucking son…"
How… how could someone unleash a blade qi at the backs of his own subordinates?
"This…!"
Baek Cheon's eyes clearly saw it.
The bodies of the pirates who had died in the attack a moment ago and the blood flowing from them formed a bright, bloody path.
At the end of the path between the pirates.
"… little bastards."
The Black Dragon King, standing at the end and looking enraged, was approaching with a stride that seemed to crush the ground.