Chapter 424
Chapter 424
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 424
Chapter Title: Facing Straight On (5)
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Woo So-reung let out a deep breath.
"Hoo. H-Here I go!"
And at my command, he began rowing with tremendous speed.
Whoosh—
Just as the boat carrying us carved a white trail of foam across the lake.
A horn blared from Sa Do-ryeon's fleet.
Bwoooo!
The vanguard ships raised their anchors and began turning their hulls.
At the sight, Dang Ok-gi spoke up.
"They took the bait right away!"
"How could they not, with weather this clear?"
"I meant we could've infiltrated instead."
"You think we know which ship among that fleet is Baek Gwang-ho's? How long would it take to find it?"
"...Fair point."
"Like I said, stir things up first."
Woo So-reung, who had been rowing hard, called out.
"Eon hyung! There's a gap up ahead big enough for our boat! Do we go in? Or board one of Sa Do-ryeon's ships?"
I shot back immediately.
"This is a kind of battle formation. What did the academy teach about getting trapped in one?"
"Don't get swept up in the array—become the center yourself... Heading in!"
Just like that, our boat slipped into the gap that had opened in the enemy fleet.
"......"
The massive ships blocked our view, casting a sudden shadow over us.
"......"
The eerie silence that followed lasted only a moment.
But it was the calm before the storm—as harpoons hurled by Baek Gwang-ho's underlings came raining down.
Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!
Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!
I swiftly moved to the boat's side and called out.
"I'll handle the front!"
Woo So-reung understood instantly like a ghost and rowed on one side, turning the boat.
As the former side became the front.
My Eon siblings took their positions in perfect unison.
"So-jin sis, I'll take right."
"Then left is mine."
"That leaves me guarding the rear, Cheon Jang-ho!"
I gripped Regret tighter, staring at the endless barrage of harpoons.
'If I unleash a pure Heaven-Splitting Sword here... the harpoons repelled by its aura would ricochet like reflections, causing chaos.'
Instead, I drew on subtleties I'd seen in other swords—not pure Heaven-Splitting.
'Wudang sword.'
The bright-dark sword from the Blood Cult battle.
Recalling it, I swung Regret.
Swaek! Swaek!
Swaek! Swaaek!
Of course, as no Wudang disciple, I couldn't perfectly replicate it.
But I had Reverse Heaven Black Hole, inspired by the Soul Absorption Great Law.
Shuwaaek!
Left hand twisted the harpoons' trajectories with distorting energy.
Right hand mimicked Taiji principles with the sword—for a moment.
Chachachachak!
A heap of enemy harpoons was now in my left hand.
I slammed Regret into the bow like lightning.
"Start with that ship."
I infused the bundle with Heaven-Splitting energy.
Then hurled it at the base of the warship ahead.
Whiiiirrr!!!
Kwaaaang!!!!
The bundle tore through the air with a deafening roar, punching a massive hole in the enemy ship's bottom.
The listing vessel couldn't handle the flooding lake water and began sinking.
Seeing it, I added.
"Avoid killing if possible, but don't hesitate to wreck their gear."
Of course, the harpoon rain continued unabated.
My Eon siblings were too busy to respond.
Clang! Clang!
Clatterclang!!
Then.
Master's voice came.
- Is Won-cheol sightseeing?
Glancing back.
Sure enough, Won-cheol stood there slack-jawed.
"Even without Lord Demon Dragon's specific orders, such perfect coordination... like one body. Is this the real Demon Dragon and Eon siblings in action?"
I sent another wave of incoming harpoons back at the enemy and called out.
"Won-cheol monk!"
"Y-Yes? Oh!"
"What are you spacing out for?"
"S-Sorry. You all moved so fluidly, I thought you had a plan and didn't want to mess up the flow. Lost myself waiting."
"Not planned, just years of synergy. Anyway, I'll give orders from now on."
"Yes! What should I do?!"
"Take my spot! Switch places!"
Won-cheol had zoned out briefly.
But seasoned from bald eagle drills, he charged over with crisp acknowledgment.
"Switch!"
Handing my position to Won-cheol, I dashed toward Cheon Jang-ho.
"Cheon Jang-ho!"
"Uh. Ah. Yes!"
He crouched low, cupping hands into a step.
Pop—
I leaped off it into the air.
Surveying Sa Do-ryeon's formation layout.
"...River Flow Without Cease. Woo So-reung! Southwest! Southwest is the Life Gate!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ We weaved through and dismantled Baek Gwang-ho's formation for a while.
Sinking three warships and ten mid-sized vessels in total.
"They're not trying to kill us outright! Form the faction array! Rammers forward!"
But the enemy noticed our reluctance to kill and shifted tactics.
The harpoon and arrow barrages halted at once.
Whoosh!
Whooshhh!
Rammers.
Fast ships with collision prows chased our boat.
"Damn. Surrounded by those, we'd be smashed in seconds. No more harpoons, so should I row too?!"
"Good idea."
As Woo So-reung and Cheon Jang-ho rowed together.
"Slippery bastards! Captain Byeon!"
"Yes!"
"Flank and block their path!"
"Yes!"
I inwardly admired the movements of Baek Gwang-ho's pursuing men.
'...This is how black path forces move.'
Formations hard enough on land—impossible on water without real skill.
'Not just scraping by with one or two... adapting to our counters.'
And their discipline was ironclad, beyond typical black path rabble.
'Near imperial army level... no, better than most.'
Elite guards at the capital or key frontiers, maybe.
Not the slovenly rear garrisons.
'...No wonder the court can't subdue them.'
'Worthy of the Dongting Lake Overlord title.'
And trouble if they became enemies later.
Then Woo So-reung shouted urgently.
"E-Eon hyung! Rammers ahead too!"
"Not yet."
I watched silently.
"...Uh. We're gonna crash!"
At the razor-edge moment, I signaled.
"Now!"
"Turning!"
At my cue, Woo So-reung and Cheon Jang-ho swerved.
Our boat slipped perfectly through their midst.
The blockers and chasers smashed into each other.
Kwajik! Kwajijik!!
Kwajijijik!!
Baek Gwang-ho's men seemed made of tougher stuff than average black path thugs.
Using the tangled ships as bridges, a group leaped onto ours.
"They won't harm us! Board them!"
But I crushed their hopes with Heaven-Splitting Fist.
Thud! Thud!
Thump thumpthud! Thuuud!!!!
"Avoiding kills where possible doesn't mean never."
Turning bloody pulp into the lake, I eyed the warships anchoring the formation.
"Baek Gwang-ho should show soon... or shift the array again..."
We'd made enough noise; he'd know we were here.
More sinkings would gut his wallet.
So he'd intervene or reveal true power.
Kigeogeogeogwak—
Sa Do-ryeon's ships parted like a corridor, widening left and right.
At the path's end: a warship anchored sideways.
Chichichik—
A cannon on its side, fuse burning down.
Confirming it, I wrapped wind laced with Heaven-Splitting energy around my legs and called to Cheon Jang-ho.
"Cheon Jang-ho! How many tangerines left in that basket?!"
"Uh. About twenty-something? Why tangerines now?"
"Shut up and toss 'em on the water! Stepping stones!"
As he hurled them.
The cannon fired.
Booom!!!!
I dove toward the floating tangerines.
Bouncing off them, I charged the incoming shell.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
Shell toward me, me toward shell—the gap closed in seconds.
Swaaaaek—
In hyper-focus, time stretching, I gripped Regret.
Lightning-fast Heaven-Splitting sword strike severed fuse and shell.
Shak! Shak!
Shashashashak!!!!
The fragments splashed into the water.
With oddly timed applause, Baek Gwang-ho appeared.
Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Long time no see. You've become a shocking master in the interim."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Climb aboard?"
With Baek Gwang-ho's arrival, the skirmish ended.
"Yeah. That's why we're here."
But the fierce fight left Eon siblings and his men panting opposite each other.
As killing intent sparked.
Baek Gwang-ho smirked.
"First met hiding behind 'playboy.' Now behind 'Demon Dragon' and 'world's top later-generation talent.' Securing a spot among the Ten Great Swords of the World wouldn't be exaggeration."
I smiled back.
"Nice weather."
"No false modesty before me."
"Not modesty."
"No? Not saying fog would've been tough?"
"Yes. Not modest about fog being hard. Warning: clear all day, so watch out."
I could fight all day.
Are you sure you can?