Of course, Ho Ga-Myung’s shock must have been tremendous.

But it could not compare to the shock received by the Southern Island sect disciples on the ship watching the shore.

“Um...”

Gwak Hwan-So, with a stunned face, couldn’t even finish his words.

On the white sand beach, which had already turned completely red, crimson blood was continuously spraying like foam.

“How...”

The Ten Thousand People Clan. The masters of Southern lands whom the Southern Island Sect feared so much.

One person was holding back the army of the Ten Thousand People Clan sent to Southern Island to annihilate them. Gwak Hwan-So’s feelings watching this with his own eyes were too complex to describe.

From the start, it was safe to say this was his first time in what could be called a real battle.

Of course, he’d faced sincere swordplay before, but this was the first time they fought to the death, and the first time they waged war on such a large scale rather than in small numbers.

So from the moment they left the shore he felt exhausted and wanted to collapse onto the deck.

Yet Mount Hua’s Sword Saint, having endured all they had experienced, was now single-handedly holding them off. No, he was pushing them back.

“He’s not even human...”

Lee Ja-Yang murmured beside him. When he glanced over, his face was drained of color and pale.

Seeing his chin trembling, Gwak Hwan-So slowly turned his gaze back to Chung Myung swinging his sword. The round thing that had suddenly shot up above was surely a Ten Thousand People Clan man’s head.

‘Is he really the same person...’

It was hard to believe.

That the demon cutting off the Ten Thousand People Clan man’s neck now was the same person who days ago poured his drink and chuckled at his table.

At that moment, Namgung Do-Wei’s voice was heard.

“...Isn’t he overdoing it?”

It was a voice thick with concern.

“Of course I understand the need to create distance, but it feels like he’s becoming too isolated.”

“He’s still fine.”

But Baek Cheon’s voice, answering that concern, was utterly calm.

“Acting Sect Leader, but...”

“He’s fine.”

Baek Cheon cut him off once more. Gwak Hwan-So watched him quietly. His face was slightly stern, but there was not a flicker of wavering in his eyes. The only thing one could feel was firm trust, and nothing else.

Even Namgung Do-Wei fell silent, switching his gaze between Baek Cheon and the shore without a word. Then he spoke.

“Of course it’s not that I don’t trust Mount Hua’s Sword Saint’s skill. If it’s the Heavenly Friends Alliance, no one would dare have such thoughts.”

“...”

“But isn’t this a battlefield? It’s a place where even a bit of excitement can twist the situation completely. A momentary lapse can cost you your life, can’t it?”

Those words made some of them show signs of unease.

It was unimaginable that Chung Myung could be beaten by them. At least for those gathered here.

But Chung Myung was still human; if he fought so fiercely he might miss the moment to withdraw. Then he’d inevitably be isolated among those many opponents.

“Sasuk...”

Jo Gul called Baek Cheon with a slightly worried voice, as if he thought Namgung Do-Wei’s words weren’t entirely wrong—like they should signal Chung Myung back even now.

But Baek Cheon only stared silently at Chung Myung without answering. Frustrated, Jo Gul called him again.

“Sasuk.” 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

“Excited?”

But Baek Cheon’s answer was directed not at Jo Gul but at Namgung Do-Wei.

“I wish he were the sort to do that.”

“...Huh?”

He spoke, staring darkly at the battlefield.

“He doesn’t get excited. He only pretends to be excited.”

“...”

“Of course he’s human, so there will be times he gets carried away and loses himself in the flow, but this is not one of those times.”

At those words, Yoon Jong and Yu Yiseol nodded.

“So you’re saying he’s not excited?”

Namgung Do-Wei cast his gaze at Chung Myung, who was rampaging like a mad demon. It was a sight that made even observers’ blood boil. How could the one creating such a sight remain calm?

“You’ll know.”

But Baek Cheon did not bother to add an explanation.

Namgung Do-Wei finally closed his mouth too. Baek Cheon’s words might have seemed curt, but Namgung Do-Wei understood his position.

This wasn’t that he refused to explain. It was that it couldn’t be explained.

Not logic or theory, but an answer given by something built up through shared experience. How could one put the source of that trust into words?

‘It’s almost sickening.’

In some ways, it was actually eerie.

A steadfast belief that the one fighting alone against the massive Ten Thousand People Clan would never get excited, never be defeated, never make a mistake. Wasn’t that almost blind worship?

The form might be different, but the faith they showed Chung Myung resembled the Ten Thousand People Clan’s belief in Jang Ilso or the Demonic Cult’s devotion to the Heavenly Demon.

Chung Myung earned such tremendous trust from them not by authority or favor, but by skill and deeds alone.

Namgung Do-Wei saw Chung Myung fighting like a madman.

‘Could I become like that someday?’

Staring at his back, he found himself clenching his lips.

Paaaaat!

Shattered bodies shot up and scattered. Blood spurted from the openings and splashed over Chung Myung’s face.

Even in the scorching heat that felt like burning, Chung Myung’s eyes cooled without mercy.

‘Distance?’

His eyes and senses instantly gauged the distance to where Ho Ga-Myung stood.

‘Far.’

There were annoyingly many men blocking the way. If there had been just a few fewer, he would have rushed through and cut that man’s throat even at a risk.

But now, while breaking through might be possible, getting out safely afterward was impossible.

He thrust the Dark Fragrant Plum Blossom Sword into the back of a fleeing man. Twisting the sword lodged in the trembling man’s back, he wrenched it upward.

So that as much blood as possible would spray; so everyone could see this scene more clearly.

‘What do I do?’

In his mind he wanted to force it and capture him.

Instinctively... no, he didn’t need to mention instinct to know it. That Ho Ga-Myung was more troublesome than expected.

From Chung Myung’s perspective, he might be harder to deal with than Jang Ilso, who occasionally produced absurd stratagems.

A stratagem usually risks danger to secure clear gains. But Ho Ga-Myung didn’t take such gambles; he performed his role diligently and quietly.

Chung Myung knew well what disaster could ensue if someone like that got behind him.

He wanted to eliminate Ho Ga-Myung both to escape Southern lands and for the upcoming fight with the Four Sects Alliance, but...

“Ugh, aaaaah!”

Deciding there was nowhere left to run, those who had been scrambling to flee turned back toward Chung Myung. Then, eyes rolling, they charged.

A mouse that meets a cat on the main road runs without looking back, but a cornered mouse attacks the cat. They must have surged forward without leaving him an opening because they thought briefly.

But.

Prrrrrrr!

Chung Myung’s sword trembled insanely fast for a moment, then from its tip it spewed out a stream of red plum blossom petals.

Paaaaaaaah!

The scattered plum petals, as if alive and driven, spread outward and tore into the charging Ten Thousand People Clan warriors.

“Aaaaargh!”

The desperate screams layered yet another veil of terror over the blood-stained shore.

Those pierced dozens of times collapsed as blood gushed from every hole, yet Chung Myung’s eyes, which had created that horrific scene, remained utterly cold.

‘Too many.’

Chung Myung slightly eased his ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) assault. If he wanted, he could topple these and immediately aim for Ho Ga-Myung, but the rear wasn’t secure.

Especially, those he was facing now were mere small fry within the Ten Thousand People Clan. The true forces were guarding Ho Ga-Myung’s vicinity like an iron wall behind him.

Soon enough, the ones he would have to fight would be precisely those.

‘This is why I hate the Evil Sect bastards.’

Chung Myung did not hesitate to plunge into enemy lines to save a single disciple. But the Evil Sect, while putting on a show of rampaging, had no qualms about throwing their comrades as bait to bleed the enemy.

A flash of disgust creased Chung Myung’s brow.

‘Position?’

He gauged the distance between himself and the ships that had moved out to sea.

It was becoming dangerously close.

‘This is it.’

Chung Myung twirled his sword and flipped his grip backward.

“This time I’ll just go, but...”

Chung Myung’s blood-soaked lips parted, exposing his white teeth eerily.

“Still, I should say goodbye.”

Kwahng!

Chung Myung forcefully pushed off the ground and leapt up. He arched his waist back in midair. Soon red sword aura burst from his blade with terrifying force.

Paaaaaaang!

With a thunder that seemed to burst the air, a red streak bloomed in the sky.

The red streak, cutting the blue sky of the South Sea in half, surged over the Ten Thousand People Clan ranks and flew straight toward Ho Ga-Myung.

“Stop him!”

Those guarding Ho Ga-Myung sprang up as if waiting, swinging giant blades at Chung Myung’s incoming sword aura.

Kakak! Kagagagak!

‘What?’

But even though the heavy blade, charged with internal qi, clashed with the slender sword, the sword did not bounce off or chip. Instead, it pushed into the heavy blade.

‘Ah, no...’

Kagagagagagak!

The blade, reinforced with internal qi and become harder than anything, shrieked as it was shaved down. But more terrifying was the tremendous power in the sword qi.

“Aaaaargh!”

Those who had blocked him could no longer hold and were flung aside. Chung Myung’s released sword qi lost none of its momentum and surged straight toward Ho Ga-Myung.

“Commander!”

“Dodge...”

Kwaaaang!

Sand exploded up behind Ho Ga-Myung, but he stood there motionless without a blink.

Sshk.

At that moment, a long red streak seemed to be drawn from beside his left eye down toward his ear across his cheek. His left face was instantly stained red with his blood.

It was a wound deep enough to expose bone. But Ho Ga-Myung seemed indifferent to the pain and merely watched Chung Myung with dark, unblinking eyes.

“Hmph.”

Landing, Chung Myung twisted the corner of his mouth in a sneer.

‘As expected, a boring fellow.’

But he had greeted him, so that was enough. After fiercely cutting off the attackers clinging to him, Chung Myung spun like a quick ferret.

It was at that very moment.

Paaaaaaat!

From the blood-soaked red sand beneath Chung Myung, a dozen or so lines of swords shot up.

But Chung Myung only scoffed and twisted his body. It was a sharp attack, but not enough to take him down.

But then.

Kwaaang!

The swords that had risen flashed light for an instant, then exploded into hundreds of fragments that scattered in all directions.

‘What?’

Chung Myung widened his eyes in an instant.