Return of the Mount Hua Sect

The light continues to flicker. The once tranquil Yangtze River was now filled with roars and screams.

Even the ships were moving rapidly, so it was impossible not to know what was going on there.

Squeeze.

The disciples of Shaolin, standing by the riverside, clenched their fists. Their bodies, leaning forward, seemed ready to spring forward and dash ahead at any moment.

But that was impossible.

For the figure of Bangjang in front of them firmly anchored their feet to the ground.

Eudeuk.

The Shaolin monks, grinding their teeth, watched the situation with eyes blazing with fury. No, it would be correct to say that he was glaring.

In the middle of that river, in a place that has become the land of Evil Sects where they cannot set foot, some bearing the name of Namgung are struggling like sheep being bitten by a flock of wolves.

“Bangjang!”

Someone shouted. But Bangjang, without turning around, just stared coldly at the scene.

“Bangjang! Shouldn’t we help!”

“Wait.”

“Bangjang!”

“Didn’t I tell you to wait!”

Bop Jeong shouted back.

“Even the Namgung haven’t committed their full force to this! So why should we spill our blood for them!”

“… … .”

“Can’t you see with your own eyes that Myriad Man Manor isn’t making a move? If Jang Ilso and the Black Dragon King had come forward in person, the matter would have been sorted out already! Why do you think they are just watching!”

“Ugh…”

Bop Jeong bit his lip.

“If we get lured, it’s all over. Not just for them, but for those left in Plum Blossom Island, and possibly even for us.”

Someone’s teeth grinding resonated eerily.

Surely, they could go. If they decided, they could rush to their aid at any moment.

That’s what made it even more painful. Having to simply turn away from those within their reach.

Someone lowered their head, seemingly unable to bear watching the scene any longer.

“Don’t lower your head!”

But at that moment, a harsh shout burst from Hye Bang’s mouth.

“Sa- Sasuk….”

“Look closely! With those eyes of yours! Thinking of turning away when you can’t even muster the courage? How much more cowardly can you be!”

“Hye Bang!”

A reprimanding voice from Bop Kye erupted, but Hye Bang did not flinch. He just staring intently at the river as if to engrave the scene in his mind.

Bop Kye’s eyes were tightly shut.

‘How did it end up like this?’

Until they arrived here, the resolve to save Namgung Family was overflowing, but now, a clear fracture was felt even among them. An unbridgeable gap had formed between those who commanded and those who had to obey.

Bop Kye, who had difficulty opening his eyes, turns his gaze to the river again. The white sword energy that Namgung Hwang was pouring out felt painfully cold.

Chwaaaaak!

The edge of the sword had become dull. To be precise, the arm wielding the sword had lost its sharpness. Namgung Hwang’s sword was no longer swift or powerful.

However….

Sogok!

“Keuk….”

It’s alright. His sword existed where and when it needed to be.

The blood spilled by the pirates turned even the Yangtze River, immersed in darkness, into a vivid red. Even the foam that occasionally splashed was not white, but the color of blood.

And Namgung Hwang continued to advance along the red-stained Yangtze River.

Paaaaaat!

About a dozen harpoons flew towards him again.

Blocking them all? Impossible.

Namgung Hwang swung his sword without any hesitation. The first thing his sword struck was not the harpoon aimed at the most dangerous vital point, but the one that could reach beyond him, to Namgung Dowi.

Kagagagang!

The harpoon was deflected by Namgung Hwang’s sword, but two that he couldn’t fend off pierced his body mercilessly.

The harpoon penetrated the skin, tore the muscle, and embedded itself firmly.

“Gaju-nim!”

At the same time as Namgung Dowi shouted, Namgung Hwang’s sword swung in a flash, severed the necks of the pirates who were stabbing with their harpoons.

“I could have blocked that too! I…”

“Dowi.”

“…..”

Nangung Dowi kept his mouth shut.

The voice lacked its usual strength. It is not the voice that has always been loud and therefore naturally leads the listeners.

But… the determination in that voice was incomparable to the past.

“…Watch until the end.”

That was all. Namgung Hwang, with his gaze fixed ahead, began to move forward again.

When the blood flowing from his head got into his eyes, the waves that came soon washed it away again.

It was unclear how much time had passed.

“Heuaaaaak!”

“Die! You monsteeeeer!”

It just endless stabs and cuts. He felt something lodged in his thigh, but such things no longer mattered. The sensation below his waist had long since dulled.

‘The elders?’

They are still there.

If not for them, he would not be alive by now. As he endures, they too are desperately holding on.

Burning up every bit of their lives.

Their blood will also be mixed with the blood that colors this river. Watching the red foam pouring over his face, Namgung Hwang couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘For what?’

For what are they throwing their lives away?

To atone for bringing Namgung Family into this crisis?

Or is it because they want to give at least a ray of hope to the remaining members of Namgung Family on that island?

Well. He couldn’t figure it out. And now, none of that mattered at all.

Puuk! Puuk!

The pirates, sensing that Namgung Hwang was noticeably losing strength, attacked even more ferociously. The sight of them baring their teeth and rushing in, mingling with the red waves, was no different from the demons of hell.

At this moment, there was only one thing he had to do.

‘Dowi!’

– Is that not enough?

How could it not be?

A faint white smile appeared on Namgung Hwang’s lips.

Gooooo!

As he squeezed out the energy from his lower abdomen, which was cramping as if it was going to tear at any moment, strength surged forth. As he squeezed his Dantian, which was already on the verge of falling out, the internal strength that had flowed down his arm somehow flowed into his sword.

At that moment, Namgung Hwang felt Namgung Dowi’s hand grabbing his shoulder. His once tiny hands have suddenly grown so big.

‘I’ll open a path for you!’

There was only one thing he had to do.

To ensure Namgung Dowi’s survival and escape from this place. There is no need to think about anything else.

“Uooooo!”

Namgung Hwang, who exploded a lion’s Roar with all his might, saw dozens of pirates rushing at him at once.

With his sword gripped tightly, he released all the tensed muscles and energy at once.

Kwaaaaaaa!

A white sword energy surged like a giant dragon ascending the Yangtze.

It was a sword strike that cannot be described other than terrifying. The pirates who rushed at the weakened Namgung Hwang could not even scream and were instantly crushed and scattered over the Yangtze River.

But of course, Namgung Hwang was not unscathed either.

Udeuk.

He snapped the harpoon embedded in his chest. The tip, having pierced through the flesh, could not be pulled out without tearing the flesh apart.

Udeuk. Udeuk. Udeuk.

He snapped the harpoons embedded in his chest, abdomen, and shoulder one by one, then looked forward with half-closed eyes.

His vision became blurred. His consciousness kept slipping away.

Kwadeuk!

What brought Namgung Hwang back to his senses was the intense pain in his waist. He reflexively swung his sword, slicing the pirate attacking from the water. Then, he briefly submerged his head in the water.

“…..”

In the deep water, the images of the elders slowly sinking were vaguely visible. He couldn’t see what kind of expression they were making.

Just…

Namgung Hwang, biting his lip, raised his head and glared ahead again.

“Gaju-nim!”

“Let’s go…. Dowi.”

There’s no need to feel sorrow. He too would soon be in the same state as them.

He kicked the water and moved forward.

He cut off the head of the approaching pirate and quickly grabbed the stabbing harpoon with his hand.

Cut, cut, cut, and cut again.

His hair, which had already become a mess, was soaked with water and clung together miserably.

Kwadeuk! Kwadeuk!

Even as the harpoons tore through his sides and thighs, Namgung Hwang, as if unable to feel pain, simply cleaved those who attacked him in two, pushing forward relentlessly.

So much blood poured out that it seemed another river had formed on top of the Yangtze.

Namgung Hwang ran wild like Asura of hell. Even the battle-hardened pirates faltered.

“Huh….”

“Cough. Cough!”

Namgung Hwang, who coughed up in pain, revealed his blood-soaked teeth. Rough breaths poured continuously from his mouth and nose.

It was at that moment.

Paaaaaaaat!

A deafening sonic that seemed to pierce the eardrums penetrated Namgung Hwang’s ears. Before his mind could make a decision, his instincts raised his sword.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

He collided with a powerful attack that flew from above the ship and was immediately thrown away, vomiting blood.

“These foolish bastards!”

Black Dragon King stood on the bow of the Black Dragon Ship and roared like a tiger.

“With a dying man in front of you, what are you afraid of! Rush them all and crush them to pulp!”

“Yes!”

The pirates, oppressed by Black Dragon King’s spirit, gritted their teeth and rushed toward Namgung Hwang again.

“Gaju-nim! Father! Damn it! Father-niiim!”

Namgung Dowi desperately kicked through the water and blocked the front of Namgung Hwang, who was floating on the water.

His bloodshot eyes showed his desperate will to never give up Namgung Hwang to them.

However….

Tok.

Emperor Namgung’s trembling hand rested on Namgung Dowi’s shoulder.

“Fa- Father….”

“… Step… back.”

“Father!”

“…Hurry.”

Both eyes were so swollen that they were almost completely shut.

However, the miserable light in those eyes was not something that Namgung Dowi could dare to disobey.

“My… back. Behind my… back….”

Tears of blood streamed from Namgung Dowi’s eyes.

He knows. He knows all too well.

It was Namgung Dowi who asked him to be sent off this island at the cost of his life. So, there should be no mistake about priorities.

But… but!

“You’re… the next Gaju of… Namgung.”

“…..”

“Behind me….”

Namgung Dowi bowed his head. Silently cutting through the water, he moved behind Namgung Hwang and clutched his back, like a young child clinging to his father’s back.

“Hu….”

A faint smile appeared on Namgung Hwang’s twisted face.

Puuk!

Once again, he felt like his leg was being stabbed by something. The same for his abdomen. He could no longer block the attacks coming from below the water.

But it’s okay.

As long as he is carrying Namgung Dowi, these attacks will not reach his son.

“Dowi.”

Suddenly, a clear voice rang out.

Namgung Dowi grabbed his shoulder tightly.

“Fa- Father…”

It was that moment.

Kwaaaaaaaaang!

Namgung Hwang’s body kicked off the surface of the water, soaring like a flash of lightning. He had drawn out every last bit of his innate energy, regaining his strength momentarily.

“Stop theeem!”

“Euaaaaa!”

The pirates screamed as if to tear apart their throats and leaped from the water to block the way.

Kwaaaaang!

Namgung Hwang, who cut the pirates to pieces with a single swing of his sword, stormed the surface of the water.

“Ooooooooo!”

White sword energy surged in all directions and spread like fireworks. The pirates, terrified, dived back into the water. It was absurd to think of countering that sword energy.

Kwang!

Namgung Hwang, kicking off the water, pierced through the encircling ships, advancing forward.

One step! Just one more step…

It was that moment.

Paaaaaaaaaat!

A dark blue Reinforced Sword Energy from the Black Dragon Ship rushed directly in front of Namgung Hwang. The white sword energy he had summoned with all his might was effortlessly cut through by the Reinforced Sword Energy, which then embedded itself deep into Namgung Hwang’s body.

Kwadeueduk!

“This….”

It was at that time that Black Dragon King, looking at the staggered Namgung Hwang, was about to shout something again.

Kwang!

Namgung Hwang didn’t fall but kicked off the water surface again.

The eyes of Namgung Hwang glowed fearsomely through the hair stuck to the blood-soaked face.

Droplets of blood from his body scattered in all directions. At that moment, Namgung Hwang strongly grabbed the arm of Namgung Dowi, who was on his back.

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!”

And with all his remaining strength, he threw Namgung Dowi towards the riverside.

“Fatheeeeeer!”

A desperate scream poured out from Namgung Dowi’s mouth.

In his eyes as he flew, he saw the image of Namgung Hwang falling onto the river, fluttering as if he had lost all strength.

In the world turned upside down, the face of Namgung Hwang was seen briefly.

He was… clearly smiling.

Splash.

Namgung Hwang, who was stuck in the river, slowly sank downward.

He thought as he was immersed in a dark world.

‘Is this enough…?’

He doesn’t know.

But he did his best.

He couldn’t say everything he did was right, but at least he did his best until the end.

Now, all he could do was trust and leave his son, who would carry on the name of Namgung.

‘…Dowi…’

A smile appeared on his lips as he sank into the dark bottom of the Yangtze River.

‘…Be a good father.’

With that faint smile at the end, Namgung Hwang’s eyes finally closed.