“Blood Demon Sword?”
“What does that mean?”
“That sword is…..”
Everyone atop the ship’s deck broke into a buzz.
It was because of the name of the Blood Demon Sword that came out of Hong Gu-ga’s mouth.
How many people wouldn’t know of the sword’s notorious reputation?
‘Just what is all this about?’
Hong Gu-ga was shocked as the Blood Demon Sword blocked his way.
This was happening all too suddenly in the middle of the Yangtze River.
It wasn’t enough that he was surrounded by the pirates but the appearance of the Blood Demon Sword confused him even more.
‘It’s not the time to act surprised.’
He was surprised, but if he stayed here now, he would just end up being killed by the pirates. However, as he tried to move, the sword that was pierced through the deck rose up.
“What!!”
Hong Gu-ga was shocked as he saw the sword begin to float on its own. Then, as if someone was wielding it, it began to use a sword technique. The Blood Demon Sword performed a unique movement as it moved to avoid his batting stick.
‘This!’
Tatatat!
Hong Gu-ga swiftly avoided it by using footwork.
‘For a sword to use a sword technique on its own… t-this!’
“Air Sword!”
An unmistakable sword technique.
As if the Blood Demon Sword had no intention of letting him go, it flew toward the escaping Hong Gu-ga.
Since the flying sword was faster than a man moving on the ground, Hong Gu-ga was inevitably blocked.
“This is the Air Sword!
“Hyung. Is what I am seeing now even true?”
“Ha!”
The three brothers of the Yangtze River were also shocked.
It was also the first time in their lives that they had seen the Air Sword. It was said it could only be used by those with immense internal qi and a high skill level, but they also knew that it required the utmost concentration.
They couldn’t even dare to guess how much concentration and internal qi were being used for such a technique.
“G-grandfather!
Hong Geol-gae shouted as he was about to jump into the river.
Hearing his cry, Hong Gu-ga shouted as he blocked the sword.
“I said jump!”
His mind was filled with the thought of keeping his only grandchild alive.
Hong Geol-gae bit his lip as he tried jumping into the river.
However, there was no way the enemies would let him do what he wanted.
“How dare you run!”
When the pirates blocked his path, Hong Geol-gae shouted as he used the Eighteen Palm Subduing Dragon technique.
“Move out of the way!”
The Twin Dragons Palm roared as it moved forward. However, that technique was blocked by someone.
Chak!
“Huh!”
It was a muscular, middle-aged man wielding a hook-shaped blade. The hook he wielded forced Hong Geol-gae to hastily step back.
If he had been a little late, both arms would have been cut.
“Who said you could leave?”
‘Damn it!’
Hong Geol-gae was now in an awkward position.
It didn’t matter if he had learned the best technique of the Beggars Union if the opponent was a warrior above his level.
The essence of his technique was based on both external and internal qi. However, if his enemy’s internal qi was of better quality, there was no way he could overpower them no matter what he did.
Chachachang!
‘Kuak!’
He clashed with the enemy only three times, but Hong Geol-gae was pushed back with a groan.
The hook blade was a difficult weapon to deal with since it could be used to attack from any direction. It also wasn’t a weapon commonly used on land, so he had little experience dealing with it.
“You are such a child. Haha!”
The middle-aged man put the hooked blade around Hong Geol-gae’s neck to prevent him from moving.
“Ah!”
“Quiet now.”
The middle-aged man quickly subdued Hong Geol-gae, rendering him unable to act. Seeing this, Hong Gu-ga shouted.
“Let that child go!”
He would have run to the child if it wasn’t for the Blood Demon Sword before him.
Gal Yong, the leader of the pirates, then told him.
“Huh! First, explain to me why you tried to run!”
If he had time to think of an excuse, he would likely come up with something. However, he was still being pressured by the Blood Demon Sword.
Since the energy within the sword was weaker than him, Hong Gu-ga should have a good chance of winning. However, since the sword was moving freely without a wielder, the movement and traces of it were odd.
‘This won’t go well if it continues like this.’
Hong Gu-ga was seriously worried.
If he continued to struggle against the Blood Demon Sword, then he would either get hit by the sword or by the pirates.
It was also a situation where his only grandson had been captured, and desperation began to sink in.
‘Didn’t they say being alive is better, even if it means walking through dog shit?’
His grandson also vanished from his mind.
He was justifying it to himself by thinking even if he survived alone, he could get revenge later.
He finally decided to run. However, at that moment…
Swish!
“Ugh?”
The Blood Demon Sword flew high into the sky and vanished.
‘Then…’
Hong Gu-ga looked towards the mast. Since it was midnight, it was difficult to see anything until he suddenly felt something on his neck.
Before he realized it, Gal Yong’s sharp claws were tightening around his neck.
‘When?’
At first, he thought that Gal Yong had approached silently. However, a quick glance around him made him realize.
He had simply gotten too close to the man. Gal Yong then glared at him and said,
“Beggar, what is this thing about warriors in a box we all heard?”
Hong Gu-ga gulped, and a cold sweat began to drip along the sharp claws on his neck.
He made a quick and precise response.
“… pirate leader. Do you really believe that?”
“I think I trust the voice more than I trust you.”
Hong Gu-ga gulped. A single slip of his tongue could cost him his life.
“Now, now. A person who might be the Blood Demon has entered this ship and created a wedge between you and me. If those words are false, you could end up incurring the wrath of the Beggars Union and the Murim Alliance over a misunderstanding.”
“Do you think I am afraid of Murim Alliance!?”
“I am not claiming that you are afraid. No matter how long and strong your control over the Yangtze River is, the strength of the army is many times greater. If we are determined to focus our efforts on subduing the rivers, war would be waged every day.”
Gal Yong’s expression became complicated with those words.
It was not an unrealistic scenario.
Things could become troublesome if the Murim Alliance focused all of its power on the river.
Hong Gu-ga noticed this and continued.
“… let us go. If you do that, I will give up the things on the ship.”
His last resort.
The only way to appease the pirates was by offering them the goods. Hong Jin-gak, who was watching all this in fear, shouted in shock.
“Leader Hong! What are you even saying now! Two ships were destroyed, and this is the only one left. If you give this to them….”
“Look here, Jin-gak. Shouldn’t we all live?”
“Leader. This is what my father worked for all his life. If we end up losing all of this, how do you think our merchant union will recover this? Because of our friendship with the Murim leader, we decided to take the risk and volunteered for this. How could you…”
“Shut up!”
Hong Gu-ga shouted at him.
This was insane.
He tried to persuade the pirates to save their lives, yet this man was bringing up the name of the Murim Alliance leader.
His words could kill all of them, and this terrified him.
Hong Gu-ga laughed.
“Pirate leader. You see, that friend is still young and has a lot of attachments to material things, so he spoke….”
Puak!
“Kuak!”
Before he could finish, the sharp claws dug into his neck, turning the beggar’s face white.
Just a part of the nails dug in, but if he moved a little more, he would possibly die.
“Pi-pirate leader…..”
“Old man, stay still now. And you.”
Gal Yong turned to Ho Jin-gak and asked him,
“What did the Murm Alliance request of you? If you tell me that, I will send you away with all the things on this ship.”
Hearing this, Ho Jin-gak’s eyes trembled.
He was clearly conflicted.
Being loyal was everything for a merchant union. A voice then filled his ears.
[Why look at the person who is trying to abandon your precious goods just to save his life?]
The same voice resonated through the ship, and the conflict inside Ho Jin-gak increased.
As the voice said, the Beggars Union had betrayed him first. Come to think of it, they didn’t try to help but had decided to jump off the ship.
Clench!
Ho Jin-gak, unable to hold back his anger, revealed the truth.
“Please listen to me, pirate leader. At the request of the Murim alliance, we pretended to launch four ships carrying goods. I was asked to keep this a secret, but the truth is that there were warriors from the Murim Alliance hidden among the goods.”
“You!”
Hong Gu-ga’s eyes widened.
He didn’t think the truth would be revealed.
“After all this, you are still releasing killing intent?”
“P-pirate leader… this….”
“Shut up!”
Gal Yong shouted, furious, and clenched his hand.
Puak!
“Kuak!”
He pushed his claws fully into Hong Gu-ga’s throat. He was angry, and it showed no signs of fading as he tore the beggar’s head off, leaving the old man to die a pointless death.
“Hyung. What do we do with this one?”
His younger brother asked him about Hong Geol-gae, who was still being held down.
Gal Yong replied,
“Kill him.”
Hearing this, Hong Geol-gae began to panic.
“P-please spare me! Anything you want, as long as it spares my life….”
“This beggar continues to speak of such things.”
Chak!
“Kuak!”
Gal Ho, his other brother, pushed the hook blade around Hong Geol-gae’s neck. As the young beggar’s neck was ripped out, he groaned in pain and lowered his head as his life expired.
Both the leader and successor of the Beggars Union perished that day.
The sailors on the ship looked away, unable to continue watching. The merchant leader then mumbled.
“K… keep your promise.”
Gal Yong simply laughed in response.
“HAHAHAHA!”
Ho Jin-gak, along with his crew, could not hide their increasing anxiety due to his laughter. Gal Yong laughed for a while and then said.
“Keep my promise, huh? Still, when I think about it, didn’t you people choose to aid the Murim Alliance in attempting to defeat us?”
Hearing this, Ho Jin-gak and his men’s faces went stiff.
They were unable to refute his words since they were true. However, they could not lose their lives over this. One of the men stepped forward.
“B-but didn’t you make a promise? The head of the river families claimed it himself. Are you planning to go against those words?”
“We won’t make those words a lie. However, while I did say I will send the ship off safely, I never said anything about not killing anyone.”
‘…?!’
They were shocked. Of course, he did not say such a thing.
The pirate had never said anything other than allowing the ship to leave untouched.
‘Ahhh… I was stupid. To believe those words of these bandits.’
Only then did Ho Jin-gak blame his stupidity.
He even thought he should save his life by giving up his wealth. At that moment, however, a voice filled the air.
[Pirate leader.]
The Six Harmonies Tone.
The person that they had forgotten about due to extreme anger. The pirate leader then shouted as he looked up.
“Thanks to you, I was able to escape from being stabbed in the back by the Alliance. Please reveal yourself now.”
The Blood Demon Sword had flown up.
Gal Yong was sure that he would be on the mast. At that moment, the voice came again.
[Now. Release them.]
Hearing this, the sailors’ eyes widened. Obviously, if the owner of this sword was as rumored, then they knew who he was.
It was the newest member of the Five Great Evils.
Yet he was telling Gal Yong to let them go?
Gal Yong shouted.
“Look here. While it is true that we received your help, they are guilty of siding with the Murim Alliance. Don’t get too involved in our affairs.”
[Didn’t you promise them?]
“What promise? I never said anything about not killing…”
[You said you wouldn’t touch anything on the ship, so how can you kill them?]
Gal Yong fell silent at those words. He didn’t think his own words would be returned like this.
It was also difficult to say anything about this since he had said it with his own mouth.
At that moment, Gal Ho said.
“If you are the head of the Blood Sect, we can say that you walk the same path as us, then why do we have to release them?”
[Your level is falling.]
“What?”
[If you are so cheap that you cannot keep the words you said, you aren’t worth revealing myself to.]
At those words, the three brothers’ expressions changed.
They didn’t know how the Blood Sect leader got on this ship, but it was clear that they were his purpose.
Gal Yong then said.
“I guess you came to visit us.”
[That’s right.]
“I thought it was too much of a coincidence for us to meet like this, but even this meeting was a surprise. Then, may I ask, why did you seek us?”
Why was the man here?
Well, he could guess a reason.
‘It’s quite obvious. To join hands with us.’
The Blood Sect now wasn’t like the Blood Sect of the past. In order to deal with the current Murim Alliance, they needed their cooperation as one of the three strongest forces of the Evil Faction.
But the voice responded.
[The Eighteen River Families of the Yangtze River will become my subordinates.]
‘…!!!’
This shocked the brothers and their pirates. No one expected such arrogant words.
Gal Yong, whose expression became stern, raised his voice.
“Now what…”
At that moment…
Before Gal Yong could finish, a sword flew into the air and flew around, cutting the ropes that were caught on the ship.
As a result, the ship began to rock as the current caused it to move.
“This!”
Gal Yong shouted urgently and tried to connect the ropes once more. At that moment, someone dropped in front of him.
Bang!
The ship’s deck buckled all the way to the back, and his entire fleet shook, throwing everyone off balance. The only ones to remain standing on the ship were the three brothers.
‘So incredible.’
‘… he has crossed the wall.’
They had guessed this to an extent when they saw his sword, but this was enough to be sure of it. Gal Yong’s gaze then turned to the person who had appeared on the boat.
This person was wearing a demon mask.
The Blood Demon Sword flew around him like an escort.
A heavy voice came from behind his mask.
“Obey me.”
