Chapter 78
Chapter 78
************************-
Translator: uly
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Frozen River Carnage
************************-
Fast.
An Sa-su-gwi noticed the blood rotting in his cough. A perfect ambush that even he hadn't detected.
His opponent was skilled at controlling his qi. It wasn't to the point of no reaction at all, but he hadn't sensed it until it was right in front of him.
There had clearly been only one person on the ferry boat... Did he swim here?
No. His clothes weren't wet at all, so why...
-Crunch.
A strange noise rang out. An Sa-su-gwi realized it wasn't a sound he could make alone.
The sound of bones and flesh twisting on the verge of tearing apart.
Il-gwon's fist pierced the nearest subordinate. Amid the eerie echoing sound, the subordinate was grabbed by the hair before he could even resist.
And then, with a flick.
He was hurled straight at the barely standing woman.
There wasn't a single superfluous motion in the sequence. It was so fluid it was hard to believe he was carrying a person.
It was far from flashy. Every action seemed honed to perfection, stripped of all waste.
Like... like...
Staring at a meticulously polished sword.
"Y-You bastard...!"
A rare martial artist. His fundamentals were rock-solid, completely unlike An Sa-su-gwi.
But the situation favored him. There were two experts, but one couldn't move. The other was burdened carrying someone, limiting his actions.
They seemed deeply connected to that lump of flesh doll. That changed everything.
An Sa-su-gwi laughed. He cackled as he raised his hand.
In battle, what decides life and death isn't just power.
It's viciously exploiting the enemy's weaknesses.
That's how he'd buried experts stronger than him. And above all, this was on water.
"Think you can protect her?! Against us?!"
"Shut your mouth."
The intruder stepped forward.
-Boom.
The boat rocked.
"A foul stench."
"Kill him!!!"
The subordinates charged in unison. Lantern light flickered on their drawn swords.
Swords flashing from all directions on the rocking boat-utterly different from those on solid ground.
They advanced smoothly despite the sway, even using the motion to their advantage.
Swords only those who lived on boats could wield. But An Sa-su-gwi never expected them to stop that expert.
His only trust was in himself.
"Haaah!!"
He swung his hand. Drawing out his full inner energy, he shaped unstable sword energy.
The river water surged up. Like serpents, it formed jaws in an instant.
Ansa Man-mu.
Baek Ak-gi.
The water shaped like fish mouths gaped wide. Each one pierced the air like swift water bullets.
He fired three first. The probing jaws grazed the enemy's nape.
"Die!"
The intruder flipped in midair. The strikes tore only three innocent subordinates.
But he didn't stop. He sent more crouched jaws in rapid succession, seeking openings.
Any wound could be exploited. An Sa-su-gwi knew that well.
If asked what to target now...
It was that.
"Kuhuhu!"
He scattered strikes. One jaw split into ten smaller ones, blanketing the air.
Each lacked power. An expert like that wouldn't be hurt by such moves.
But. What you have to protect isn't just your own body, is it?
"Die!"
He mixed large among the small. All scattered strikes dove toward the enemy's center.
The flesh he carried. So-hye.
The startled foe hurriedly scattered his hands. The small jaws he couldn't dodge were swept away at once. But amid them, the hidden large jaw gaped wide.
The fangs of water charging at his core. Too late to evade, the strike engulfed him completely.
He'd barely twisted in time, so it hit anyway.
-Crunch!!!
Left shoulder and face.
Torn flesh sprayed blood into the air.
"Kuhahaha! I don't need some dick-swinging bastard! I'll personally drag you to hell!"
"......"
Drip, drip. Blood fell as the intruder fell silent. He glanced at his wound, then ground his teeth.
"Targeting the child in this situation?"
"Of course! And I will again! You idiot fuck! When the enemy's weakness is right there, not exploiting it is just begging to be called a moron!"
He moved his hand. More river water was sucked in to replenish the depleted supply.
"This elder will polish your skull himself. Perfect timing-I was short on toys. A head like yours should last nicely. I'll play with you long. Kuhuhu."
"...Water arts."
An Sa-su-gwi witnessed something bizarre.
Fresh flesh was welling up in the torn wound. Even the crusted blood around it seeped inward in an instant.
Was it a trick of the eye? He closed them. But in one blink, the wound was gone.
"...What? Wait..."
"To drag you before the young lady, I need to deal with that first."
The warrior holding So-hye turned. Beneath the torn face, new skin peeked through.
In that instant, the drawn white sword wailed an unearthly shriek.
An Sa-su-gwi clutched his ears.
"Kugh?!"
The warrior turned. He kicked the airborne blade's hilt hard.
-Slash!
"What?!"
Not wielding it-launching it?!
An Sa-su-gwi hastily raised his hand. But the glancing sword flew past the boat into the river.
What now? A surprise gift? An Sa-su-gwi blinked, then burst into laughter.
"Have you lost your mind?! Discarding your weapon?!"
"I didn't discard it. I asked it to help. White Night seems displeased with tonight's tale too."
"...What?"
-Crunch.
A strange sound. An Sa-su-gwi whipped his head around.
The river beneath the boat. Something impaled it.
The sword that should have sunk was freezing the water instead.
An Sa-su-gwi's eyebrow twitched. The bizarre chill from the blade tip wasn't content freezing nearby-it blanketed the entire area.
"He walked on ice coming too. White Night's power is endless. Assuming cooperation, mere water freezes easily."
"W-What is this..."
"How many fish left?"
An Sa-su-gwi trembled as he looked back.
The warrior approached. He flicked his hand, but the frozen surface offered no more water.
"Use it sparingly. It's your last water art."
...
The one in his arms had lived a life worse than an animal.
Light. And fragile. He didn't voice it, but he instinctively knew the woman in his embrace was nearing her end.
She'd endured and endured until meeting someone loosened her resolve. With her spirit crumbling, her body followed belatedly.
Perhaps this girl...
Had clung to life just to meet Joo Ryeong-ryeong.
...Foul mood.
Very much so.
He grabbed a bandit's hair.
Dragged him and tossed him before Joo Ryeong-ryeong.
Some screamed. He saw them try to jump, so he moved.
Jaws flew at him. He ignored them. Took the hits on his back and grabbed two more by the hair at once.
Stinging pain followed, but he silently dragged them before her.
"Y-You mad...?!"
He caught all who fled. Crushed ankles of those thrashing.
He tried to deliver them as intact as possible to Joo Ryeong-ryeong.
Ignoring any interference.
Saving the last one to eat for the end.
An Sa-su-gwi. Staggering, he bellowed as his water arts failed, charging with a fist thrust.
But it wasn't time yet, so he dodged with a tilt. Slammed his foot into the chest.
Stamped a true step.
An Sa-su-gwi vomited blood.
"Guh... ugh..."
"Your turn's later. The young lady's working, so wait."
He cleared the small fry first, delivering them all before her. Joo Ryeong-ryeong, eyes bloodshot, sliced them cruelly one by one.
Pulled fingers first, not nails. Then toenails. Later, all limbs, leaving torsos and staunching blood.
Screams and groans filled the boat. Severed limbs rolled about.
...Hellscape.
But knowing it was the hell they'd wrought themselves, he said nothing.
The moonlit night dyed red with blood. He grabbed the last man's hair and brought him before her. No words between them. Just doing what was natural.
An Sa-su-gwi suddenly rose. He seized the leg trying to leap overboard.
Swung the body into the railing. Splintered wood embedded in his flesh.
"Gaaahhh!!!"
Can't kill him.
Killing's not my role.
An Sa-su-gwi reached out. Gathering his last inner energy, he shattered the frozen surface with qi. Tried to tear me apart with replenished water.
But I smashed it all. Imperfect sword energy like Jin Wi-ryang's. Weaker than expected, swept away with sweeping kicks.
Nine Heavens Blood Demon Art
First Form
Ghost Hand One Demon - Demon Horn
Bursting water grazed past my nose. An Sa-su-gwi screamed as his water arts vanished completely.
"Gaaah! W-What are you! Why do this to me! Y-You her brother too?!"
"......"
"Fuck! Just touched one bitch wrong! M-Money! I'll pay! My water fortress has a golden tower! You'll love it!"
"......"
"T-Talk! Let's talk! You mad fuck! What the hell is that sword...?!"
He dragged the gripped leg to Joo Ryeong-ryeong, drenched in bloodsea.
Joo Ryeong-ryeong raised her hand. Grabbed the leg I offered.
An Sa-su-gwi paled.
"W-Wai..."
"We have things to discuss, An Sa-su-gwi."
Joo Ryeong-ryeong cracked her knuckles.
"I'll listen. To everything. So keep talking... while I dismantle you."
I heard it.
Screams and gasps mixed with beastly howls.
At first, desperate pleas.
Then mad rage...
Eventually, just gurgling.
Yet it lived.
...If you could call it living.
I leaped to the water and picked up White Night. Sheathed it swiftly and whispered.
"Thanks. For the help."
White Night hummed low. I couldn't grasp the meaning, but it didn't feel bad.
A ferry approached from afar. Drawn by the screams, it turned away upon spotting me.
But I had no intention of letting it go. I moved at once.
Ghost Spirit Step - Wall
The footwork that saved my life falling from Bongma Cave carried me onto the boat.
"Hiiik!"
"Where's the water fortress."
I gripped a bandit's throat and whispered.
"Speak at once. Unless you want your limbs torn off."