บท 81: Chapter 969: The Fight You Started (Part 4)

"Block them! Block them!"

The swordsmen in black robes lowered their stances and charged forward in unison. Amidst them bloomed the deep red plum blossoms, an overwhelming and awe-inspiring sight, even for those who did not know the name of the Mount Hua Sect. Their fierce and intimidating presence struck fear into the pirates' hearts.

"Ugh, agh!"

The pirates at the front thrust and swung their harpoons like they were possessed. Even in their confusion, the harpoons they let loose were remarkably fast and sharp, proving that the reputation of the Su lo Chae was no mere bluff.

But even before their attack could reach its full extension, a sword that flew like an arrow from the rear swept through their harpoons.

Shweeang!

With an ear-piercing metallic sound, the harpoons were sent flying into the sky. The pirates' eyes widened in realization. It was too late when they finally noticed.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

In an instant, three sword blades struck the pirate's body.

"Kuh..."

The pirate's body trembled. At that moment, the dominant question in his mind was not about pain but rather, "How?"

Of course, working in harmony with one's comrades was natural. They always tried to coordinate their attacks as efficiently as possible by watching the movements of their surroundings.

But this was on a different level. The moment the swordsman at the front lifted his sword, a sword was already flying in from behind. If the preceding person's actions had slightly deviated from their comrades' intentions, the sword that struck them might have been a comrade's instead.

How could they execute such attacks? What did they believe in?

"Crazy... these..."

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted.

Pwaaaah!

The sword severed deep into the pirate's chest, ending his life. Without giving him a second glance, the Mount Hua Sect's swordsmen continued to charge forward.

Kaaaaang!

Swords swung one after another, cleaving through the air. There were no flashy movements, no dazzling sword energy. The Mount Hua's swordsmen moved with utmost efficiency, solely focused on cutting down their enemies without any wasteful actions.

With stern and emotionless faces, they exerted tremendous pressure on the pirates, leaving them astonished.

"Block them! Block them! The enemy is in the minority! Prevent the remaining ones from landing here!"

The pirates who had occupied Plum Blossom Island hesitated and started to retreat, prompting an elder from the Su Lo Chae to yell.

"Pressure them towards the river! Don't let them give up an inch of land!"

Strategically, it may have been a good decision. However, what was the point of having a strategy if it wasn't executed?

"Samae!"

"Yes."

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!

Before Baek Cheon's words could even finish, Yoo Iseol began to move. The sound of her feet pounding the ground accelerated as she swiftly advanced toward the front lines of the Mount Hua disciples.

"Iik!"

"Die!"

The pirates, who were about to release their harpoons in panic at the sight of her ghostly approach, or rather, her dramatic appearance, were stunned.

In an instant.

Swoosh!

Yoo Iseol accelerated even faster than her initial charge. She arrived right in front of the pirates who had pulled back their harpoons.

No, from the pirates' perspective, she didn't just arrive. The more fitting description would be that she had 'appeared' in a spectacularly dramatic move.

And her sword was faster than their harpoons.

Pwaaah!

The moment of shock and fear for the pirates was cut short as Yoo Iseol's sword swept through the space before them.

Pwuh-woooosh!

From the long gash, blood sprayed out like a fountain. The front lines collapsed in an instant.

"Cover them!"

However, the pirates, as if to prove their countless battlefield experiences, stepped over their fallen comrades and attacked Yoo Iseol directly.

"No way."

But at that moment, a man suddenly sprang up behind Yoo Iseol and created dozens of sword images in mid-air before sweeping them through the pirates.

"Aaaaaah!"

"Aaargh!"

Caught off guard by the sudden sword energy from the sky, the pirates screamed and were sent flying.

Yoon Jong, who had shattered the pirates aiming for Yoo Iseol with a single stroke of his sword, landed and stamped the ground, preparing to assist her.

Yoo Iseol stood upright and advanced into the midst of the pirates. With graceful movements that resembled a dance, she began to swing her sword.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Sword strikes flowed smoothly through the air, piercing the bodies of the pirates.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

The ones whose thighs were cut screamed and staggered, while those with their necks slashed clutched their throats and writhed in agony. But their conditions were much better compared to the person whose heart was pierced by a single sword.

"Die, you wench!"

A powerful harpoon, imbued with internal energy, was aimed at Yoo Iseol's neck with explosive power. However, instead of retreating, she took another step toward the harpoon.

Then, an amazing sword strike followed.

Swish!

Her sword slit the wrists of the pirate holding the harpoon.

Swish!

Swiftly twisting around, her sword immediately severed the pirate's elbow.

And then.

Kwaaaah!

When her sword finally struck the harpoon, it lost its direction and flew toward another pirate who had been targeting Yoo Iseol.

Thunk! Thunk!

Piercing through human bodies as if they were nothing, the harpoon didn't lose its momentum and continued to impale the person behind. Like a skewer, it passed through the pirates in a row, leaving them in shock and disbelief, their eyes filled with amazement.

In the blink of an eye, three consecutive sword strikes had completely demolished their opponents.

Her movements showed no signs of slowing down.

Crunch.

From the throat of the pirate who had shot the harpoon, red blood gushed out. Yoo Iseol had cleanly severed his throat and then lowered her stance. She crouched almost to the ground, then spun like a top to cut the knees of the approaching pirates one after another.

"Aaah! Aaaah!"

"My leg! My leg!"

With a sweeping motion, Yoo Iseol spun around and swung her sword three times in front of her. Pushing back the staggering pirates, she glanced at the area ahead and, like a swallow skimming the surface of the water, leaped sideways.

At the same time, a dark energy flowed to the place where her body had been.

Phaaaat!

A powerful sword strike pierced through the throat of the pirate in front.

Thunk!

The sharp metal blade cut through the weak flesh and bones of the human with a chilling sensation, and the sound of it. Before the sound even had a chance to echo, the withdrawn sword chased after those who had just retreated.

Cold, sunken glares. Lips pressed tightly together.

Now, other than the title "swordsman," there were no words to describe Tang Soso's expression. Dozens of sword images emanated from her sword in an instant, sweeping forward.

At that moment, the pirates had to face the undeniable truth. They needed to reconsider what they were seeing. The dozens of sword images emanating from her sword were like the scene of multiple pirates launching harpoons at once.

"Aaaah!"

The ones who failed to dodge were mercilessly swept away by the sword energy. Pirates with holes the size of a baby's fist in their bodies poured blood as they crumbled on the spot.

Yoo Iseol, Yoon Jong, Tang Soso.

The three of them created a distinct rift in the Su lo Chae's formation, which had been as dense as a forest.

"Push forward!"

With an air of confidence, the Mount Hua swordsmen charged through the gap they had created.

The pirates, still caught in the torrent of sword energy, were mercilessly struck by the incoming Mount Hua swordsmen. The air above Plum Blossom Island was filled with their terrified and agonized screams.

The swordsmen charged forward without changing their expressions, running as if to claim the lives of the enemies. Faced with their determination, the pirates who had grown tired were instinctively pushed back, taking a step away.

"Stop them! You dogs! I told you not to retreat but to stop them!"

The commander's face, as he gave orders, turned pale.

They had already demonstrated their skills against the Namgung Family. In a confined space, wasn't one of the Su Lo Chae's tactics to group up and overpower their opponents? But such tactics were entirely ineffective against them.

Was it because they were too strong? It couldn't be. They had already faced the Namgung Sword Emperor who made the commander shiver in fear. Could these youngsters be that strong?

However, the spectacle unfolding before him was unlike anything they had faced against the Namgung Family. He couldn't believe it, but he understood the cause of all these events all too clearly.

'Where on earth did these people come from, anyway?'

It was as if they weren't facing righteous sect members. It may have been ridiculous, but these individuals were extremely experienced in combat. They knew exactly how to fight in a group, especially when they clashed against others.

Perhaps more so than the Su Lo Chae, who had waged countless wars. It was as if these young ones were veterans who had fought in hundreds of battles.

What was even more terrifying was the complete absence of hesitation in their swords. These youngsters, whose faces barely showed signs of facial hair, didn't hesitate to cut a person's life short.

How could you describe these crazy people as anything other than bloodthirsty?

"You sons of bitches! Try to hold the line without trying to kill them! Just once! We only need to break their momentum once!"

In single combat, it might come down to skill, but in group combat, it was all about morale and momentum. If they could stop their advance even just once, it wouldn't be impossible to turn the tide.

"Form your ranks! Even if you have to use the bodies in front as shields, hold your ground! They will be the ones to tire out first!"

If their high-spirited momentum was broken just once, the weakness of Su Lo Chae's numerical disadvantage would be exposed. So just once, only once, they needed to hinder their advance.

Upon the elder's command, the pirates gnashed their teeth and braced their shoulders against their comrades, forming a solid defense. They aimed to protect the area they were currently standing on.

Unfortunately, Mount Hua Sect were not the only ones who set foot on Plum Blossom Island.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

"What?"

"That..."

One by one, emerald pouches descended from the sky, landing on top of the pirates who had solidified their front line.

And moments later...

Poooof! Poooof!

The bursting pouches released concentrated black venom that covered the heads of the densely packed pirates.

"Poison!"

"Aaargh! You dogs!"

"Cough! Cough! Can't breathe...!"

Finally, Tang Gunak, who had set foot on Plum Blossom Island, released a lion's roar.

"It's time for the Namgung Family's revenge! Don't let a single one of them leave this island alive!"

"Insects!"

The warriors of the Sichuan Tang Family followed behind the Mount Hua dicsiples. Pouches from their sleeves exploded consecutively above the heads of the defending pirates, releasing poisonous sand and venom.

With no room to retreat or advance, they were densely packed and could not avoid the poison; they gasped for air and clutched their throats.

"Gurrrrr!"

Foam gushed from their mouths. Someone's eyes rolled back as they fell, while someone else crazily scratched at their neck until blood flowed.

It was utter chaos.

As the Tang Family shook the enemy, a man from the Mount Hua Sect surged forward.

Kwaaaaaang!

With a single blow from his powerful sword, he cut down five pirates and sent them flying. Baek Cheon accurately protected the survivors of the Namgung Family who were beyond the pirates.

"I'll make a path! Stick with me, even if it means facing death!"

"Yes!"

Baek Cheon dashed forward, followed by the Mount Hua Sect's swordsmen and the Sichuan Tang Family warriors, raising their spirits.

Mount Hua and the Tang Family, the two major factions responsible for governing the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, were unveiling their power to the world for the first time on the Yangtze River.

For anyone who lived in the world of martial artists or had ever embraced the meaning of cooperation, it was undoubtedly a sight that filled the chest with excitement and admiration.

However, on the other side of the river, there was one man who couldn't help but tremble. His body shivered.

"How..."

Beopjeong, the leader of the Shaolin sect, looked with astonishment and disbelief.