Chapter 94. A Lucky Day (4)
Black-Clothed Swift Wind stared at the bundle in his hands.
Inside it was the Cold Iron Box containing the Qingming Pill.
From its icy touch, it seemed to be the real deal.
He wanted to grab it and bolt, but he couldn't.
He knew his swordsmanship and lightness skill were both inferior to Hanbin's.
Still, he didn't want to hand this bundle over to the water bandits.
Just as Black-Clothed Swift Wind's emotions surged once more, laughter echoed from behind him.
"Haha. Man, this is fun. Really fun."
Trapped in the net, Black-Clothed Swift Wind glanced toward the voice.
There stood Hanbin, grinning.
Only then did Black-Clothed Swift Wind tilt his head in confusion.
He couldn't believe that Hanbin, who had been chatting with the enemy right in front of him, had slipped out just as the net came down.
Of course, Hanbin smirked as he eyed Gujeol while running through his plan.
Lightning Flash.
At the same time, he recalled the Yongrin Sword Art technique Hundred Shots Hundred Hits.
It was a stance he'd perfected in Absol Valley—one he hadn't needed lately but had diligently ingrained into his body.
With his preparations complete, Hanbin shouted at Yang Ak-gun.
"Come at me all at once!"
Yang Ak-gun was dumbfounded by Hanbin's bold, commanding attitude.
His opponent was a nobody crippled by Mountain Public Poison, reduced to parlor tricks.
Having everyone pile on would look bad.
That's when Hanbin yelled,
"It's always the guys who suck at fighting that get all red in the face."
Hanbin pointed at Yang Ak-gun.
Yang Ak-gun's eyebrow twitched.
He felt like he needed to grind Hanbin under his heel before losing the Cold Iron Box to vent his frustration.
"Seize that bastard and drag him before me!"
At his command, dozens drew their swords in unison.
They charged at Hanbin together.
Hanbin didn't miss the moment, channeling the essence of Hundred Shots Hundred Hits.
Hundred Shots Hundred Hits worked on those of lower realm than himself.
The silver needles in Hanbin's hand flew toward them.
Truth be told, using it this way was a cheat.
Hundred Shots Hundred Hits required one year of inner power.
But he'd discovered recently—while testing on wooden blocks—that hurling multiple needles at once still only cost that single year's worth.
Of course, this was his first time aiming at moving targets.
Whoosh!
The silver needles hurtled toward the onrushing foes at terrifying speed.
Pfft! Pfft!
The charging enemies tumbled forward one after another.
Seeing as many fall as there were needles, Yang Ak-gun turned to Geom-o, who had barely dodged them.
It wasn't Geom-o's superior martial prowess that saved him.
There simply hadn't been enough needles to hit everyone.
Yang Ak-gun demanded of Geom-o,
"What the hell is going on? How's a guy poisoned by Mountain Public Poison and stumbling around like a fool fighting like that?"
"……."
Geom-o had no answer.
He'd only heard the report from his subordinate.
Then Yang Ak-gun shouted at Hanbin,
"Are you some elder from the Sacheon Dang Family?"
"What makes you think that?"
"I figure only the Sacheon Dang Family has tricks like this. Plus, that sleight-of-hand pulling needles from the Plum Blossom Divine Skill earlier. You are from Sacheon Dang, right?"
Hanbin grinned at the question.
"Sacheon Dang Family?"
Yang Ak-gun tilted his head at the echo.
Snorting, Hanbin continued,
"Heh. Thieves sure stand out, huh? First you steal goods, now you're stealing surnames too?"
"So you're not a Sacheon Dang expert?"
Yang Ak-gun's tone shifted, flustered.
"Hey, change whatever surnames you want—after you beat me."
Grinning, Hanbin raised Wol-a, still sheathed.
His eyes gleamed like a tiger spotting prey.
And it was true.
Glowing formula points flickered across Yang Ak-gun's body.
Not just one, either.
Under Hanbin's pressure, Yang Ak-gun stumbled back.
His brow furrowed amid mounting questions. Hanbin gripping Wol-a screamed swordsman, not Sacheon Dang.
'Just who the hell is he? Could he be...?'
Yang Ak-gun concluded Hanbin was a Sapa master, not Jeongpa.
Glancing around, he saw Akbigwang and Musoryul approaching.
Akbigwang and Musoryul?
What if they weren't poisoned?
No—if not poisoned, this was a trap.
If everyone jumped in?
Yang Ak-gun's brow creased deeper. The outcome was obvious.
Realizing his foe was no pushover, he shifted to his contingency plan.
He'd fight leveraging this boat's watery advantage to the fullest.
"Let's talk this out first."
"Talk? What talk?"
"The kind of talk where..."
Yang Ak-gun trailed off, glancing aside.
There stood his right-hand man, Geom-o.
"Now!"
At the order, Geom-o slammed the prow.
Bam!
Something snapped, and the boat lost balance, rocking wildly.
Wobble.
Hanbin scanned around.
No attacks from elsewhere—just the boat heaving.
Amplifying the river's waves manyfold.
This vessel had some special mechanism.
Akbigwang and Musoryul, closing on Yang Ak-gun, retreated and gripped the rails.
Seol-hwa pulled back, face pale with alarm.
The steady ones were Hanbin, Yang Ak-gun, and the bandit remnants used to this.
Hanbin turned back to Yang Ak-gun.
Their eyes met; Yang Ak-gun smirked slyly.
A fight on this pitching deck?
Water bandits trained in aquatic combat held the edge.
Aquatic skill wasn't just underwater—it covered atop water too.
On a rocking boat like this, no expert could unleash full power.
In a life-or-death duel, a single leaf's width could mean life or death.
As the boat lurched harder, Yang Ak-gun's smile deepened.
Shing!
He drew his sword—a blade a handspan shorter than standard, optimized for unstable decks.
Seeing it, Hanbin grinned.
He'd fought underwater in his past life.
This rocking was child's play to him. Though subduing Yang Ak-gun wouldn't be easy...
The key was his confidence—he had none.
Hanbin swiftly invoked a Yongrin Sword Art formula.
A Touch Ignites.
Dragon energy surged from beneath his feet.
His body shot toward the target like an arrow.
Whoosh!
Blue sword aura rippled from Wol-a's tip.
As Hanbin's blade sought to pierce Yang Ak-gun—
Yang Ak-gun's sword belched blue sword aura.
Thick enough for peak Super Peak or better.
Yang Ak-gun's sword moved.
Hanbin narrowed his eyes at the motion.
It wasn't aimed at him—but at the deck below.
Slash!
The deck split like tofu; Yang Ak-gun vanished beneath.
Whoosh!
Hanbin's sword pierced empty air above.
Losing his target, Hanbin's momentum flung him overboard.
Blue river waves churned below.
One misstep, and he'd plunge in.
Mid-fall, Hanbin twisted, stabbing Wol-a into the hull.
Thud!
He dangled briefly, then sprang upward like a rebound.
Thump!
He landed on deck.
Swoosh!
A sharp whoosh rang in his ears.
Hanbin arched back, dodging.
Shifting weight to his legs, he anchored with an Iron Plate Bridge technique.
Yang Ak-gun's blade whistled just over him.
Tsking at the move, Hanbin noted how water bandits cherished their ships.
Yet Yang Ak-gun scarred his own like it was the last day of banditry.
Hanbin chuckled wryly at the absurdity.
Then Yang Ak-gun's sword flew again.
Swoosh!
Dodging once more, Hanbin's eyes sharpened.
Yang Ak-gun matched Black-Clothed Swift Wind's realm—he should've ended it already.
But the rocking deck dragged it out.
Hanbin resolved to finish fast.
No longer hunter chasing prey—he'd become fisherman waiting for the bite.
And the fish he hooked wouldn't be Yang Ak-gun.
Just the formulas.
Hanbin anchored his lower body with Iron Plate Bridge again.
Then swung at Yang Ak-gun.
Clang!
Yang Ak-gun parried and retreated.
This deck was his home turf.
He knew every gouge and scar.
That let him move freely here.
Whether spinning or shaking.
His steps stayed flawless—like Hanbin's Gugeol Eighteen Steps on solid ground.
But Hanbin didn't need to match him.
Yang Ak-gun wheeled, stabbing at Hanbin's back.
Swoosh!
Hanbin blocked casually with Wol-a.
Clang!
Seeing the ease, Yang Ak-gun's eyebrow twitched.
To him, Hanbin screamed aquatic expert.
No one else could parry so leisurely.
Aquatic expert?
Stubborn pride flared in Yang Ak-gun.
No one stood more steady on this deck than him.
No one swung faster.
Yet losing to this brat?
Yang Ak-gun appeared before Hanbin again.
Swoosh!
Hanbin parried leisurely.
Clang! Clang!
Their facing blades rang out like wind music across the deck.
As if betting on speed alone, their swords accelerated.
Clang! Clang!
Gripping the rail, Akbigwang watched wide-eyed.
He'd tried intervening earlier, but his body wouldn't obey.
The boat wasn't just tilting—it spun like a top.
Pulled into a whirlpool.
The mechanism tilted not just the hull but the sails too.
Wind caught the sails, spinning the boat in place instead of propelling it.
Glancing aside, Seol-hwa and Musoryul fared the same.
Musoryul had passed out.
Normal enough.
How many warriors had ship combat experience?
Unless naval specialists, deck fights daunted everyone.
Especially now—staying upright was the norm struggle.
Yet Hanbin moved amazingly.
On this spinning top of a boat where Akbigwang could barely stand, swapping blows at such speed?
Hanbin and Yang Ak-gun's duel stunned him.