The poison-laden Snake Belly Sword flew in like a starving serpent.

With an ordinary sword, you could twist your body and avoid it. But that option effectively didn’t exist now. The Snake Belly Sword, more like a whip than a blade, could change its direction of attack at any time.

And even if you dodged, you couldn’t stop that blade from coiling around you. If the razor-like, chain-like Snake Belly Sword wrapped around a body, the outcome would be obvious.

Thud!

At that critical moment, Chung Myung stamped his true step hard. The internal qi sleeping deep in his dantian surged like a great river and swept through his body. The purest qi in the world gathered and momentarily produced explosive force.

Kagagagak!

The Snake Belly Swords gripping Chung Myung’s blade were pulled taut as if about to snap. In that instant, Chung Myung yanked the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword sharply toward his embrace.

Thud!

A heavy explosion rang out. At the same time, those who had been holding Chung Myung and pulling the Snake Belly Sword were flung forward like arrows.

The eyes of those who had been calm the whole time flashed with confusion for a moment.

Was it because the pulling force actually dragged them in despite more than five people giving their all?

No.

It was because they knew what was flying toward the place they were being dragged to.

The Blood Sword troops members being pulled along hurriedly dropped their swords and tried to pull away. But the strong suction riding the Snake Belly Sword would not let their hands go.

‘No, ah...’

Even as they were helplessly dragged in, they saw Chung Myung’s face curled in a cold sneer. He looked like a fiend.

Kwaduk! Kwaduk! Kwaduk!

The Snake Belly Sword that had flown like a venomous snake sank into the backs of the Blood Sword troops members.

“Kkrrk...”

They stared in daze at the Snake Belly Sword that had pierced through like a snake’s tongue. Those who looked as if they couldn’t believe their eyes trembled and forced themselves to lift their heads. Their gaze met the smiling Chung Myung.

“You were quite impressive, though...”

Paaaat!

With a single breath, the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword descended and vertically bisected the Blood Sword troops member in front.

“That won’t be enough.”

Chung Myung ran forward, his whole body splattered with blood. The Snake Belly Swords that had been flailing along his body struck out nimbly, but he wasn’t someone who would fall for the same trick twice.

Kang! Kaang! Kaang! Kang!!

The Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword struck the heads of the flying Snake Belly Swords one after another. The Snake Belly Swords, which had writhed like living things, were sent ricocheting back °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° limp like snakes pierced through the head.

When pulled, the Snake Belly Sword could deliver tremendous force, but when it pierced something, it could not harness even half the power of a normal sword.

Having lost the momentum it once had, the Snake Belly Sword was no longer a threat to Chung Myung.

Paat!!

Chung Myung pushed off the ground and accelerated.

What lay before him now were only five remaining Blood Sword Troops members, the vast sea spreading behind them, and in the far distance the ship of the Heavenly Friends Alliance disappearing into the sea.

Surging forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, Chung Myung rushed to within striking distance of the Blood Sword Squad members desperately swinging their Snake Belly Swords. In the moment that bewilderment flickered in their icy eyes.

Paat!

Chung Myung twisted his body sideways and slashed a fierce single cut. The qi on that sword seemed as if it would cleave through anything that stood against him.

A strike the Blood Sword troops members’ skills could not possibly block!

But at that moment, a most vicious light rose up in their eyes.

Chwarararak!

The Snake Belly Swords aiming at Chung Myung recoiled like rays of light and wrapped around the bodies of the Blood Sword troops members holding the blades.

Kwaduk! Kwaduk!

As the Snake Belly Sword composed of blade fragments wrapped around the Blood Sword troops members’ bodies, red blood gushed out. It was an act utterly incomprehensible. The Blood Sword troops members, committing what was almost self-harm without flinching, gritted their teeth and hurled themselves before Chung Myung’s sword did.

Chung Myung’s eyes widened slightly. In that moment.

Kwaaaang!

The bodies of the Blood Sword Troops members, wrapped in Snake Belly Swords, were split in two at once. No matter how much they wore the Snake Belly Swords like armor, or poured all their internal qi into those blades linked by wires, such a construct could never stop Chung Myung’s full-powered strike.

The split bodies couldn’t withstand the remaining force and were crushed outward. The Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword, having shattered three bodies in one blow, continued its momentum and drove into the fourth.

Kwagagagak!

Blade fragments and wires entangled with Chung Myung’s sword. Even human flesh and bone tightened around his blade like tough rubber.

Kwaaaang!

But Chung Myung’s sword ruthlessly split the fourth body as well. And as his blade, still with force to spare, flew toward the last Blood Sword Squad member’s body.

A chilling sensation crept up Chung Myung’s spine.

A sense of danger. Or perhaps a sixth sense.

Something indescribable sensed the danger flying from behind. It was a stealthy approach that, if his attention had been any more consumed by the heat of battle, he would never have noticed.

But as Chung Myung was about to turn his gaze, the last Blood Sword troops member standing ahead lunged and drove his body into the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword.

Kagagagak!

The Snake Belly Swords began to tighten and wrench the Dark Plum Sword embedded in his body. It was as if he was determined never to let go of that blade, even if his insides were torn apart.

Only Chung Myung’s gaze reflexively turned. He saw Captain Gwi Yang of the Blood Sword troops flying in at a speed that made “Lightning” seem an understatement.

Shwaaeaaak!

For a moment, the world seemed to blur and warp. In that crushed world, all that could be seen was the pitch-black tip of Gwi Yang’s stabbing blade.

Ppudeudeudeuk!

Perhaps seeing that, a Blood Sword Troops member grabbed and yanked Chung Myung’s sword with all his might. As if he’d pulled out even his innate energy, bright red blood poured from his mouth like a waterfall.

But at that moment, Chung Myung smirked slightly and let go of the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword he’d been holding.

Kwaduk!

At the instant the balance of force collapsed, the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword took the pull of the Blood Sword member and drove through his chest, handle and all.

Chung Myung didn’t miss that moment. He spun his body, using the recoil to strike the end of the sword’s handle with his elbow.

Bang!

With a short, powerful boom, the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword pierced through the Blood Sword member’s chest. Moving like a willow, soft yet faster than lightning, Chung Myung brushed past the man’s side, snatched the flying sword’s handle, and spun his body with effortless grace.

The chilling gaze of Gwi Yang, who had reached within striking distance, and the coldly settled gaze of Chung Myung briefly crossed in midair.

Chwaaah!

Like a brushstroke across canvas, a single, decisive sword stroke drawn in the air collided head-on with Gwi Yang’s incoming blade.

Kwaaaang!

A tremendous explosion followed.

Seawater shot into the air, unable to withstand the shock of force against force, internal qi against internal qi. It was as if the heavens and earth had been overturned.

The seawater that had leapt up completely blocked everyone’s view of the scene for an instant.

Tshaaah.

The spray of seawater soon poured down like rain.

When the shore finally reappeared, only Gwi Yang stood alone.

Thud.

Gwi Yang, swaying precariously, sank down onto one knee.

Blood flowed from a gaping wound that split from his left shoulder to his right lower abdomen into the blue sea.

“Captain!”

A Blood Sword troops member ran up in alarm, but Gwi Yang ignored him and stared sharply out to the distant sea.

By then, Chung Myung had already shot over that sea, so far that they dared not even attempt to catch him.

“....Mount Hua’s Sword Saint.”

Gwi Yang smirked. Between his twisted lips, teeth stained with blood glinted.

“Well-deserved renown, as expected.”

Even after throwing his subordinates as bait and striking with an all-out ambush in the gap, this was the result. Yet he felt neither disappointment nor despair.

Because this outcome was all too natural.

“This is only the beginning...”

Gwi Yang clutched his chest.

The wound was deep enough that a single wrong move could spill his entrails. But it wasn’t fatal. That’s enough for now. Not being dead meant there was still a chance.

“Prepare to pursue.”

“Yes!”

Gwi Yang looked over the battle-stained shoreline.

“...That’s turned out well.”

He had expected this, but seeing the result with his own eyes made him involuntarily let out a bitter chuckle.

True to the South Sea, the dazzlingly white beach had already been soaked dark red with blood. The corpses strewn across it were so gruesome they could chill even the hardiest of people.

It was hard to find an intact corpse. Even if one sect fought another with the intention of annihilation, the result wouldn’t be this dreadful.

“Kkukk.”

What made Gwi Yang even more incredulous was that most of these corpses belonged to the Ten Thousand People Clan. Here and there were a few Southern Island Sect’s disciples, but so few they’d be missed if you didn’t specifically look for them.

It was a massacre of such one-sided defeat that there was no other way to describe it.

“Seems like it makes you want to laugh.”

Gwi Yang turned at the cold voice beside him. Ho Ga-Myung, who hadn’t even wiped the blood from his face, approached him. He spoke coldly.

“If the Lord knew, he’d laugh at how absurd it is.”

“No, he’d praise you.”

“......”

“That’s what hunting is.”

Gwi Yang muttered and smiled grimly.

The hunting of beasts and the hunting of humans are different.

Beasts hunt animals weaker than themselves, but humans hunt beasts stronger than themselves. In other words, you don’t always need to be stronger than your quarry to hunt it.

Soon that Mount Hua’s Sword Saint will learn it too.

The fear of being hunted by someone weaker, and the humiliation of being trampled by someone weaker.

“Now we just need to track them properly. They’re rats trapped in poison anyway.”

“More like a tiger trapped in poison, I suppose.”

“Either way, they’re trapped in poison.”

“Hm.”

Ho Ga-Myung didn’t bother to argue and stared out at the sea.

The ship was heading for Gangnam. It was a wiser choice than going elsewhere, but in any case, it would be a deathtrap for them.

“We should tighten the pursuit.”

Gwi Yang was about to nod.

“C-commander!“

“...Hm?”

Those who had rowed out to pursue came running back pale-faced.

“Th-the ship—the hull is holed! All of them!”

“...What?”

“If this keeps up, even if we haul them off the sandbar, the ships will...”

Ho Ga-Myung stared hard at the man reporting, then shifted his gaze back to the sea. The ships were already very far away.

“We’ve been tricked.”

Ho Ga-Myung wouldn’t normally fall for such an obvious ploy.

‘No matter how calm I pretend to be, it seems the appearance of Mount Hua’s Sword Saint surprised even me.’

Annoyance rose in Ho Ga-Myung’s eyes for the first time.

“Search for ships! Right now!”

“Yes!”

After giving the order, he glared coldly at the receding ships.