Chapter 773

“Dieeee!”

“Euuaaaa! This pirate bastard!”

“Just die!”

Hawsan’s disciples charged with their eyes wide open.

“Wha- What’s happening?”

“What’s wrong with these bastards?”

It’s only natural to raise one’s spirits against an enemy.

However, there is a big difference between raising the momentum and being filled with deep-seated hatred. Mount Hua’s disciples rushed at the pirates as if they had met their parents’ enemies.

“Aaaaakh! You bastards!”

“Why, why are you doing this?!”

The pirates might be flustered, but it was only natural from the perspective of Mount Hua’s disciples.

How hard had they trained over this period?

After the sparring with Wudang, they felt their own inadequacies, so they devoted themselves to training, forgetting about rest. And hadn’t they even learned Violet Mist Divine Art?

Although its full power was not yet displayed due to insufficient mastery (??(火候)), Violet Mist Divine Art was still Violet Mist Divine Art.

They believed without a doubt that they would perform brilliantly in this battle, given how much they had learned and worked.

But….

“We got dragged around by the ship!”

“Caught in a net and left flapping around!”

“Got poisoned!”

“Is this what a human would do! You dog-like bastards!”

Of course, it wasn’t their fault. But to Mount Hua’s disciples who hadn’t lived such a deep life, this pirate or that pirate were all just the same pirates.

Mount Hua disciples, who overturned their eyes like Chung Myung, swung their swords. Looking at the sword’s bizarre trajectory and fierce momentum made it seem as if it was not the Righteous Sect, but the Evil Sect storming in for a power struggle.

“Euhaaat!”

Jo-Gol’s sword spun as if it would grind people to bits.

“Cra- Crazy bastard!”

“We can’t hold them off! Jump off!”

“Where are you going, you bastards!”

Mount Hua’s disciples charged fiercely, showing almost only the whites of their eyes, while the pirates desperately ran and barely plunged into the river.

“Running away?”

“Hey! Go over, go over! Next is that ship!”

“Let’s go!”

Seeing their crazed eyes, the bandit of Nokrim quietly shut their mouths.

‘Let’s not bother them.’

‘Is it because they also live in the mountains… compared to them we’re really nothing much.’

‘I’ll let everyone know never to pick a fight with Mount Hua.’

Let alone that mob boss(?) who’s running wild alone over there, even his minions(?) are also quite fierce.

If only the guys here put on a piece of hide, they could swallow a huge mountain. Then the landscape of Nokrim itself would change…

“Across! Across!”

“There are a lot of pirate bastards there!”

“Hit and kill them all!”

“Do- Dojang-nim…. Maybe you should calm down a bit….”

“What?”

“N- No….”

Who is the bandit and who is the Taoist.

Fortunately and unfortunately, there was no one who has gut big enough to question and examine that fact.

“Eurachaaaa!”

Kureureung!

In the meantime, Chung Myung was sinking another ship ahead.

In the front, he flew like a bird and smashed the ship, while at the back, the group including the monk and Baek Cheon were leading the bandits, jumping from ship to ship, sweeping away the pirates.

“Arghhhhh!”

“Darn it!”

A look of confusion was evident on the faces of the pirates who abandoned their ships and fled.

In the first place, the pirates cannot compete with the disciples of Mount Hua if they do not push them with numbers. Five Swords is now stronger than most of the leading martial masters of the prestigious sect.

Once they get on the ship, there is nothing they can do from the point of view of the pirates. It is difficult to utilize the advantages of numbers on ships, which have limited spaces, and it’s not easy to use various weapons either.

So we have to fight purely on skills, but no matter how shaken their footing is, it is Mount Hua’s disciples who wouldn’t have a hard time with this number of pirates.

Moreover,

“Euuuaaaa! Follow the leaders!”

“Mount Hua! Mount Hua! Mount Hua Stronghold!”

“It’s not Mount Hua Stronghold, it’s Mount Hua Sect, you punk!”

“What’s the difference!”

Bandits, who typically flock to strong individuals, were swept up by the momentum of Mount Hua’s disciples, shouting and driving away the pirates.

Im Sobyong, who was watching the process while standing on the ship’s bow without crossing over, scratching the back of his head with his fan.

“This is….”

His head tilted slightly to the side.

“Does this make any sense?”

Of course, it’s not that there was dissatisfaction. Rather, it was clear that the situation was very satisfying. But he couldn’t help but feel ridiculous.

‘This isn’t a situation where the battle would flow like this.’

The other side took advantage of the terrain and waged battle in the wisest way. Even if Im Sobyong directly leads and fights with similar force, he has no choice but to endure more than a certain amount of damage.

‘I should be prepared to have the ship be at least half wrecked.’

It’s inevitable to be attacked by cannons while approaching a hand-to-hand battle. Even if Gongmyeong is resurrected, the damage might be reduced but it will be difficult to change the situation even if.

Yet, that ridiculous human being jumped in alone and turned the tide of the battlefield.

“Hahahat. It’s driving me crazy.”

It was a moment when everything he had learned was denied, but Im Sobyong was rather amused than angry.

“Yes, this is Mount Hua Divine Dragon!”

That human is better off being moderately insane.

“Prepare for a ram! We’re attacking the next ship!”

“Yes!”

Chwaak!

Im Sobyong swung his fan wide open.

“Don’t lose our momentum! Push in and support at once! Archers! What are you doing! Shoot and kill all the drowning men!”

“Yes!”

As a whistle-like sound pierces the ears, the archers on each ship begin shooting arrows.

“Kuuaagh!”

“A- Arrow! Dive!”

“N- No!”

The current here is incredibly strong.

“Aaaaakh!”

Those pierced by the arrows let out horrific screams. Those whose throats were pierced died instantly and sank, but those whose limbs were pierced could not be relieved either.

This is because the steep current swept them which couldn’t move properly and dragged them into a deep vortex.

“Sa- Save me!”

“Save meee! Pleaseee!”

Jo Seung clicked his tongue when he saw the horrors happening on the river.

“That’s what happens when you underestimate the river.”

Therefore, swimming skills are essential for proper water warfare.

“That… Nokrim King-nim.”

“What?”

Jo Seung said as if he was sorry.

“In my humble opinion, I think it would be a good idea to have people with spears on the edge of the ship.”

“A spearman”?

“Yes… Once people fall into the water, they can’t see anything, so they don’t care if it’s an enemy ship or whatever, they just try to climb up. They seek survival first and foremost.”

“Hoo.”

Im Sobyong looked at Jo Seung with an amused look.

“That’s a good suggestion. Let’s do that.”

“Thank you!”

Jo Seung quickly bowed.

Jo Seung, who had never bowed so low to the Chaeju of the Great Whale Water Fortress, Barbarous Black Fish, knew that Im Sobyong was a much more significant figure who can’t even compare to the leader of Water Fortress Barbarous Black Fish. Isn’t he equivalent to Black Dragon King, the Emperor of the Yangtze River?

Just because Nokrim King accepted his opinion, he was so happy that his body is burning.

“You’re quite smart.”

“Tha- Thank you.”

“Your Chaeju doesn’t look so smart. I’m sure you’ve been through a lot of hardship.”

“… A little…”

“Do you have any intention of working under me?”

“Yes? Can I?”

“Oh, just so you know, you probably don’t have a choice. Perhaps if you don’t come under me, you’ll be dragged by that yangban and live in hell for the rest of your life.”

At Im Sobyong’s words, Cho Seung-yi turned blankly. Chung Myung rose above the ship and roared with anger.

“Euhahahat! Die! Die, you bastards!”

“….”

Jo Seung, turning his head expressionlessly again, slumped on the spot.

“If you just accept it, I will be at a loss.”

“I’m glad you’re quick to judge. Then change your clothes first. That guy can’t remember faces well, so he might beat you up as soon as he sees you.”

“….”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. He’s so brutal.”

The bandit leader blamed the Taoist for being brutal, but no one on the ship thought it was strange.

It was truly a sad sight.

“Re- Retreat!”

“Go back to the base! We can never win here!”

Those who survived began to turn the bow of the ship with all their might.

The scene of the pirate fleeing to the ground to avoid the bandits and the mountain-dwelling Taoists actually takes place.

“These, these bastards!”

“Take us with you!”

“My god….”

Those who fell into the water and received a shower of arrows watched the retreating ship with desperate eyes. Retreat is something that can happen at any time if the charter is unfavorable, but what person abandons their comrade and run away when close to half of their number are drowning?

“We… We’re all dead now….”

There is no other way.

Those who climbed the enemy ship to survive were immediately hit by a spear and fell down. Now they had to choose between drowning or being hit by arrows. There might be someone who can swim to the riverbank, but they will be in the minority.

The very moment when despair fell in the eyes of the pirates.

“Those bastards running away?”

An angry voice exploded over the river.

“Chase! Go after them!”

“First, make sure of the remnants……”

“Make sure or whatever, chase them! Why don’t you move fast?”

“W- We’re going. Leave all these bastards behind and chase the ships! Stop shooting at them! Chase them!”

The folded oars came down again, and the ships began to advance.

“If we fall behind, you all will die! Catch up!”

“Yes!”

The ship the Nokrim bandits on escapes between the sinking ships and begins to advance at full speed. In the meantime, the bandits that had climbed onto the enemy ship also quickly got back on board.

“Did you eat boiled snails? Why are you so slow?”

“W- We’re doing our best right now.”

“Your best? No, you guys only have to row and can’t do even that properly? And you still want to eat and live? What, should I make you stop eating?”

“W- We’ll speed up right now!”

“Hurry up!”

The pirates rushed into the cabin without hesitation. The pirate, who grabbed the row in the cabin and went down to the floor at once, shouted loudly.

“R- Row quickly! Quick, guys! If ‘that person’ comes down into the oar cabin, we’ll all be beaten to death!”

Who wouldn’t know who ‘that person’ was?

“Hiiik!”

“Drummer (??(鼓手)), hurry up and beat the drum! Hurry up!”

Dung! Dung, dung, dung, dung! Dung, dung, dung, dung, dung, dung!

The drummer seated at the very front of the oar cabin began to beat the drum faster. Then, the rowers started to row faster in time with the drumbeats.

Rowing was an extremely strenuous labor, more so than one might imagine, but these martial artists who had a certain amount of internal strength managed to row at an astonishing speed.

“Faster! Even faster!”

“Euuaaaaa!”

“Keeuaaaaaaa!”

Even with fear added, the pirates holding the oars rowed almost as if they were vomiting blood. There was a cracking sound from the oars as if it was about to break, and the ship began to move at breakneck speed.

“Good!”

Chung Myung nodded pleasedly. The distance between them and the fleeing ships was gradually closing.

“Let’s gooooooo!”

Chung Myung, who had climbed aboard the ship at the forefront, drew his sword and pointed forward.

Soon the fleeing ships were seen anchoring almost as if they were hitting an island full of reeds.

“Huh?”

Kuuung!

Kuuuuung!

The ships, which ran aground on the sandbank, tilted back and forth, making a sound like thunder.

“Wa- Wait! Hey, slow down! Slow down a bit! Stop it, you punks!”

Of course, a ship that has already gained speed cannot be stopped at once.

“We’re, we’re going to crash!”

“Hold tight! Hold- No, just jump off!”

“Euuaaa! What the hell is this, you crazy!”

The oars were lowered desperately, but there was no way they could stop the ship.

Chung Myung pleasedly smiled as he saw the enemy ship approaching at a rapid pace.

“Was this a little too much?”

Kwaaaaaaang!

The ship carrying Chung Myung literally rammed into the back of the enemy ship, shattering on impact.

“Eeuuaaaaa! You son of a beaaaaaaaast!”

The desperate voice of Jo Seung, who was shot up into the sky unable to withstand the impact of the collision, resonated faintly over the flowing river.