Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: The Estuary Bandits' Secret Art (2)
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Kwa-gagaga!
A massive ship splits in half alongside a water pillar rising dozens of feet high.
Tong!
The Brutal Death General, landing on the sinking vessel, kicked off the deck and leaped once more, his red sword aura flashing as he sought new prey.
Ku-aaah!
It was truly an overwhelming display of might.
"Splitting a ship with a single sword stroke."
"The power of a peerless master... It's utterly dominating."
As Nung Pung-un and Geum Jeong had said, cheers erupted from all around the moment the Brutal Death General appeared.
'Indeed, terrain is no issue against a true powerhouse.'
How could one possibly counter a monster who casually deflected arrows and soared into the sky to cleave ships apart?
His overwhelming presence crushed their morale, and cracks began to form in the once-solid ranks of the waterway bandits.
Some tried to frantically turn their ships to evade, but the enemy was not just one.
"Aaaah! It's the Iron Blood Beasts!"
"Rock the ship side to side! We have to shake them off!"
"Anyone who knows aquatic techniques, dive into the water!"
Plung!
The waterway bandits, deeming shipboard combat too difficult, bit down on their weapons and leaped into the water.
Soon after, shouts rang out from the advancing lead ships.
"Damn it! They've punched holes in the hull!"
"We're sinking! Get to another ship, quick!"
As pandemonium unfolded, the Thousand Silent Killing Sword, who had been observing the battle, bellowed in rage.
"You worthless fools! Send out those who've mastered the Flood Dragon Swimming Art!"
At his command, those versed in the Flood Dragon Swimming Art dove into the water.
A fierce battle then erupted beneath the surface.
Though the Flood Dragon Swimming Art was specialized for aquatic combat, achieving mastery in a short time was no easy feat.
The Thousand Silent Killing Sword compensated with numbers.
"If one isn't enough, send two. If two fail, send three to kill one!"
Empowered by their overwhelming numbers, those who had been dying in droves began to hold their ground evenly.
Whenever something pale flickered below the surface, nine out of ten times it was a righteous faction warrior surfacing—but now it was five out of ten.
"Haha! Did you think we wouldn't account for your numbers?"
As the bloody melee of death continued, Chu Un-hwi muttered briefly upon witnessing it.
"The fish must be thrilled."
'It's about time he shows up.'
Glancing at the Yangtze Waterway Bandits' formation, where a third had been whittled away in just a meal's time, it was clear the moment had arrived.
Sure enough, far off, the water surface began to bulge upward.
'Finally, you've arrived.'
***
"Hahaha! I'll dye this river with your blood!"
As the Brutal Death General, laughing maniacally while boarding his fourth ship, gathered his qi once more.
"Death General! Death General!"
Shocked cries erupted from all directions.
"What's with all the fuss!"
The Brutal Death General's eyes gleamed, intoxicated by the rare slaughter.
"L-Look over there, sir!"
"Over there? Hm?"
The surface, which should have been flat, was bulging upward.
As if a colossal giant were rising from within.
"What in the world is that?"
A sky-blue figure shimmered atop the water pillar, which had swiftly grown so massive that one had to crane their neck to see its peak.
"An apostle?"
But there was no time to register the enemy.
The colossal water pillar was collapsing from the top down.
Shwaaaa!
Was it an illusion that the estuary's water level seemed to drop momentarily due to its sheer size?
"W-Waves! Waves are coming this way!"
"!"
The tip of a wave towering to the heavens crashed down, pouring over the lead ships.
Kwa-gagagagak!
A natural disaster beyond human endurance swept through the Iron Chain Alliance's ships in an instant.
***
Kukakakakak!
The massive ship rocked like a leaf in the churning currents.
"Hold on! Hold on no matter what!"
"We're doing our best!"
Fortunately, those dispatched from the Jegal family were seasoned veterans.
Evident from how they refused to release the oars amid the violent swells.
Of course, their survival was also due to being at the rear, spared the full brunt of the water pillar's aftermath.
"They took a solid hit."
Surveying the Iron Chain Alliance's dire state from the pitching rail, it was a gruesome sight.
Over half of their once-mighty fleet had been swallowed by the waves and sunk beneath the surface.
"My god. A martial art that commands water itself."
"We nearly got wiped out."
As they clicked their tongues at the devastation wrought in a single moment, Chu Un-hwi murmured.
"This is just the beginning."
Amid the wave-tossed ships, a fierce waterspout was forming at the center.
What started as a mere ripple grew rapidly, soon engulfing three massive warships.
Kwa-gagak!
The ships swallowed by the vortex spewed debris across the surface as they were torn apart.
The power to command water.
The Seventh Apostle Heo Ryang's counterattack had begun.
***
"This is absurd!"
The Brutal Death General couldn't close his mouth as he watched ships methodically shredded before his eyes.
"Hurry! Dock the ships at the riverbank!"
The battle was already lost.
No, there was no battle to speak of. The moment the apostle appeared, they suffered near-total annihilation.
"You damn bastard. I won't let you get away with this!"
His eyes, brimming with blue killing intent, locked onto the figure standing on one foot atop the distant water, conjuring the massive waterspout.
"I'll kill you!"
Kwa-ang!
The deck beneath him shattered like dry reeds, and his form shot forward like an arrow.
"Hm?"
Sensing the immense killing intent from behind, the Seventh Apostle Heo Ryang's eyes twitched.
"The Brutal Death General?"
"I'll cut you down in one stroke!"
A fittingly ferocious aura from one of the Iron Chain Alliance's old monsters.
He swiftly kicked off the water to rise, but as the Brutal Death General swooped in like a falcon with his sword crossed in an X, a chill ran through him.
"A pinnacle secret art?"
Unlike his own heterodox technique, this was the supreme realm where one's martial art reached its zenith, projecting will into perceived space.
The divine stature of a transcendent master beyond heavenly principles.
"Certainly, if we'd met back then, it would have been quite troublesome."
Swish.
As the Seventh Apostle Heo Ryang raised both hands, a fierce water pillar surged like a coiling dragon, forming a wall.
"---!"
Watching the Brutal Death General get swept away and flung back by the water pillar, Heo Ryang murmured.
"Here, I am a god."
No worthy opponent in sight.
***
"You bastard!"
The Thousand Silent Killing Sword joined late upon seeing the Brutal Death General caught in the surge, but the situation didn't improve.
"You still haven't grasped the state of affairs."
Heo Ryang relaxed his power upon seeing him approach, treading water and unfolding his lightness skill.
Plung.
As the enemy vanished into the depths in an instant, the bewildered Thousand Silent Killing Sword lightly landed on a ship fragment.
Shwaak!
A water pillar erupted behind him.
"You bastard!"
Shwaak!
His sword aura flashed, carving a sharp, ten-odd-foot sword mark across the surface.
Splash.
But how could water be truly severed by a sword?
The ripples reformed atop the surface as he glared with wide eyes.
Shwaak! Shwaak!
Water pillars rising from all directions were sliced apart one after another.
"Damn it. The ability to control water?"
In his exasperation at this unimaginable combat style, he sensed killing intent from below and kicked off the plank with his toes to leap upward.
Shwaak!
"Sharp instincts."
The apostle smirked and vanished into the water once more.
"Goddamn it. Can't stay like this."
Pacing anxiously as he pondered countermeasures, he felt utterly isolated on the vast ocean. Having reached the transcendent realm and faced countless foes, this style of fighting was entirely new.
'A blunder. Underestimating this heterodox power was the mistake.'
Of all things, why did it have to be water control?
Whoooosh.
His face paled as a massive whirlpool began to swirl slowly beneath his feet.
***
"It looks like capturing the apostle will be difficult."
"......"
No one could respond.
Contrary to expectations of total victory, the exact opposite had unfolded.
"If we'd been caught in those currents with them."
"Just thinking about it is horrifying."
The Beggar Elder asked with a peculiar gaze.
"Did you anticipate this?"
"Just a hunch."
"Only that?"
"The apostle I met before pulled off some infuriating tricks too. I figured this one might be similar."
Chu Un-hwi replied curtly and raised an index finger.
"Are we just going to sit here? The river fish are stuffed to bursting."
"You want to save the unorthodox warriors?"
"Since defeating the apostle failed, we take the next best option. Isn't this a chance to earn some favor?"
"True. Confirming the apostle's martial arts remain impenetrable completes the mission. But how do we handle a monster like that?"
The Beggar Elder and the crew looked daunted.
Suddenly, Nung Pung-un's eyes lit up.
"Aren't you afraid of the apostle?"
"Far from it. No matter how impressive, I doubt they can keep performing miracles forever."
"Indeed. Even apostles have qi limits as humans."
Who could say where those limits lay?
Just then.
"The Yangtze Waterway Bandits are moving."
As the currents calmed, the apostle vanished, and the bandits, who had pulled back, reformed ranks and charged en masse.
"Finally running out of steam. Sending in the small fry proves it."
At the Beggar Elder's command in response to the murmur.
"Follow Instructor Chu's lead."
At last, their stationary ship began to advance.
***
As a single ship charged toward them, the bandits seemed incredulous.
"Fearless fools. Have they gone mad from the chief's might?"
Meanwhile, some barely clinging to flotsam shouted in awe toward them.
"It's Ajang! Ajang's here!"
"Charging alone right now?"
"In this situation?"
They all thought it like an egg striking a rock.
'But what if the egg is forged from millennium steel?'
Grinning, Chu Un-hwi issued quick orders.
"Hold the ship at all costs."
"Planning to take on the bandits solo?"
"As far as I can. You've gotten used to water fights by now, right?"
"Somewhat. Thanks to you."
"Music to my ears."
Shrugging, the Beggar Elder added.
"Don't overdo it. Our goal is to rescue who we can quickly and withdraw."
"No worries."
"Instructor Chu. Good luck."
Hearing their farewell, Chu Un-hwi drew his sword.
Kung!
Stomping down, he leaped toward the approaching ship, closing the distance in a bound.
***
Taat!
He stabbed his scabbard into the deck, landing on one knee.
'Let's see.'
Raising his gaze, he met the bandits' dumbfounded stares fixed on him.
"What? Alone?"
"Hasn't sunk in yet, huh."
"Kill him! Victory is ours soon!"
Metallic clashes echoed as waterway bandits drew their sabers from all sides, pointing blades at him.
"Oh. Quite the welcome."
"You bastard!"
Flash!
The instant the cross-sword qi flared, the charging bandit scattered in four pieces.
The bandits' eyes bulged in shock at their comrade's death, turning to a spray of blood in midair.
"What? Having second thoughts?"
Shwaaaak!
His form blurred past, sending five or six bandits tumbling.
"Drool on, you scum! I'll teach you the legend of the mad gorilla!"
"Heok!"
As the bandits recoiled from his ferocious rampage.
Squawk!
The mast struck by the cross-sword qi began to tilt slowly.