Pursuit Battle (4)
Boom! Boom!
The explosive blasts echoed from the river, causing Ga Hoe to whirl around. Blazing flames reflected in his eyes, staining his pupils red.
"Military strategist! Our warships are under attack!"
Who the hell could it be...?
Ga Hoe thought of Bukgung Pae first. But he dismissed it. The man, desperate to escape, wouldn't be foolish enough to attack the warships now.
Has Geomga sent reinforcements?
It was the most realistic guess. No one else in the area would dare assault their warships. Ga Hoe barked orders at his aides without hesitation.
"To the warships!"
"Yes, sir!"
Whoosh!
As the Hwangha Suryeon experts leaped toward the river in unison, shadowy figures dropped like ghosts beside Ga Hoe. They were the Black Cloaks who had pursued Bukgung Pae.
Having failed to capture him, the Black Cloaks couldn't even meet Ga Hoe's gaze. His eyes burned with sharp contempt as he glared at them.
"You idiots."
"...We're sorry."
"What are you dawdling for? Get to the warships now!"
"Yes, sir."
Ga Hoe watched the Black Cloaks speed away like the wind, his expression sour, before kicking off the ground himself.
Boom!
* * *
Crack!
"Argh!"
"Gah!"
Yeon-hoo's savage dance sent Hwangha Suryeon experts flying, spurting blood. The cramped warship deck made the Blood Demon Chain impractical, but Moon Fang shone here. No one could stop him as he plunged into their midst, unleashing lethal strikes with its close-combat prowess.
Thud!
"Gurk!"
Moon Fang's fangs pierced a Black Cloak's heart. Amid the chaos, Yeon-hoo hurled flames across the deck.
Boom! Boom!
Whipped by the fierce west wind, the fire spread rapidly, illuminating the surroundings like midday.
This should do it here.
Yeon-hoo glanced at the other warships.
"The warships aren't moving!"
"Cut the anchor ropes! Hurry!"
Screeech...
The ship rocked side to side, unable to advance. Realizing too late that the anchors were still down, they hacked furiously at the ropes.
Yeon-hoo kicked off the deck and soared upward.
Boom!
Whoosh!
Hidden weapons flew at him. But not a single one breached his Body Protecting Aura; they all ricocheted away.
Clang! Clang!
Roar!
The flames left his hand and ignited the mast, sending a pillar of fire skyward. Instead of landing on deck, Yeon-hoo used the mast tip as a perch and launched toward the next warship.
The third ship had severed its anchor and was turning its prow toward the others.
"Fire!"
"We can't let the enemy board! Fire everything!"
Whoosh!
A storm of hidden weapons sliced through the air. Unlike before, Yeon-hoo dove straight into the river just short of the ship.
His Body Protecting Aura and flame attacks demanded heavy internal energy; he needed to conserve for emergencies.
Splash!
"The enemy's in the water!"
"Block him from surfacing! Watch every side!"
The Hwangha Suryeon experts moved with disciplined precision. Then—
From the rear cabin, figures in bizarre attire emerged and leaped into the river. As they jumped, the experts roared in triumph.
"Turn 'em into fish food!"
"Doesn't matter who they are—they're dead meat now! No one beats us in the water! Haha!"
"Leave the enemy to them. We head to the other ships! Move!"
Splash!
The ship, prow fully turned, began pushing upstream against the current.
* * *
Yeon-hoo let the current carry him, catching his breath. The flashy assault to draw attention had drained him heavily. To achieve his goal, he needed to recover internal energy fast.
Then—
Splash! Splash!
Sounds of more figures diving from the opposite side of the warship.
Finally moving, huh.
Yeon-hoo recalled the odd figures diving into the river at the chase's start and took a deep breath.
Click! Click!
Moon Fang bared its fangs again.
Splash! Splash!
Yeon-hoo stabbed Moon Fang into the hull, propelling himself up about ten feet. The gently curving hull side hid him from the deck above.
There, he waited warily for the freaks to leap up.
Meanwhile, the ship—prow fully turned—raced upstream, aided by the strong west wind.
Splash!
Yeon-hoo peered sharply beyond the ship's wake. Then—
Splash!
Two freaks burst from the surface. At the same instant, his fingertips glowed red, unleashing five streaks of blood light at them.
The blood lights pierced the freaks clean—or so it seemed to Yeon-hoo's eyes.
Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew with a metallic ring.
Yeon-hoo narrowed his eyes as the freaks, struck by the palm wind, fell back into the water only to surge up again.
Not ordinary garb after all.
Realizing palm wind was useless, Yeon-hoo braced his body with his left hand while channeling energy into his right.
Hummm.
As Moon Fang's fangs wrapped in blue light, more figures leaped from below. A sinister aura hurtled toward his lower body.
Whoosh!
Yeon-hoo dodged sideways, slamming his left hand into the hull while striking the leaping freaks with his right.
Thud!
One freak's head shattered under Moon Fang. Undeterred by their comrade's death, the others pressed the assault—including the first two.
Yeon-hoo saw through their reckless, all-or-nothing frenzy.
They're trying to drag me underwater.
In that split second, he evaded and parried. Using the recoil, he spun, hooking one freak's neck with his left arm.
Crack!
Bones crumbled; instant death. Clutching the corpse with his left, Yeon-hoo shot upward.
Now the deck crowd unleashed hell.
Whoosh! Swoosh! Boom!
Yeon-hoo raised his Body Protecting Aura, swatting away swords and blades, then rebounded backward.
More attacks came; a blade grazed his shoulder by a hair.
Boom!
Yeon-hoo kicked off the deck and leaped high.
Whoosh!
Hidden weapons chased him. Again, his aura deflected them all.
Clang! Clang!
He checked the freak's condition—or rather, its bizarre outfit. No damage from the weapons. Good.
"Hoo."
Dizziness from successive energy drain, but Yeon-hoo skimmed the river surface with Water-Skating technique.
Sinister movements stirred below, but none could match his speed.
Soon, he reached the bank and dashed into the forest.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Fireworks burst, lighting the area like day—but Yeon-hoo was already gone.
* * *
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Cheol-u and his group, speeding upstream on a speedboat, veered toward shore as fireworks lit the night.
Screech! Screech!
"The enemy stole speedboats and is fleeing!"
"Pursue them!"
Sharp horns blared; Hwangha Suryeon experts surged from both banks.
Dongbang Ri shouted.
"Steer to the river's center!"
"Got it!"
Seobaek, at the helm, swiftly turned the prow.
Splash!
The west wind gave their speedboat decent pace, but it paled against the riverbank experts' lightness skills.
Hwangha Suryeon forces swarmed both shores in moments. Five speedboats closed fast behind.
"Damn, they're quick."
Seobaek clicked his tongue. Despite identical conditions, the pursuers were faster. Novice Seobaek couldn't match the river-hardened Hwangha Suryeon sailors.
Jo Yeong rolled up his sleeves and moved to the stern, planning to boost speed with palm wind.
But Cheol-u stopped him.
"Conserve your energy."
"......"
Dongbang Ri added, "We might have to abandon ship. Save your strength."
"......Yes. My thinking was shortsighted."
"Watch out! Incoming!"
A Geomga expert yelled urgently.
Leading Hwangha Suryeon pursuers skimmed the water toward them.
Cheol-u turned to Bukgung Pae.
"Left flank's yours."
"Understood."
Shing.
Bukgung Pae drew his sword and took the left. Two Geomga experts flanked him.
Cheol-u handled the right. Jo Yeong and Dongbang Ri drew theirs too.
The other Geomga experts couldn't; the boat was too cramped.
Whoosh!
Bukgung Pae glared at the splashing foes, radiating killing intent.
"Come on if you dare, you bastards."
Chirrr.
His sword hummed with sword energy as the lead Hwangha Suryeon expert thrust both hands forward.
Whoosh!
Dozens of hidden weapons tore through the air. Thrown from close range, everyone raised their auras.
Clang! Clang!
They bounced harmlessly. Simultaneously, a sword beam shot from Bukgung Pae's blade.
Flash!
It pierced the thrower—or seemed to, in Bukgung Pae's eyes.
But...
Clang!
The expert blocked the beam and leaped back. Others advanced, hurling more weapons.
Whoosh!
Sword barriers and auras rose again; all deflected.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks lit Dongbang Ri's face pale. Her large eyes trembled faintly.
"They're wearing us down slowly, dragging us into an attrition war! Conserve energy, everyone!"
She glanced back. The five speedboats were now within fifty feet.
This is dangerous.