novelraw Chapter 97 : Raid on the River (2)
Chapter 97 : Raid on the River (2)
7 vs 1. Theoretically, this side had the advantage.
However, Namgung Bihwa’s side’s escorts had two seriously injured, and they were just standing there, covered in blood.
Escort Lee was also dragging his leg with one arm hanging down, so he was close to being out of the fight.
‘With this, there are only four people who can fight.’
4 vs 1. It was a number where it was difficult to guarantee victory against a super-master.
“First, the injured should fall back!”
In any case, it was difficult for an injured person to last even one exchange against such a super-master. The four who were relatively fine had to somehow block that monster.
And so, I, Namgung Bihwa, Yang Ha-eun, and Escort 1 from the Namgung family side formed an arrowhead formation. I was at the very back.
Since everyone had seen me use magic during the battle, there was nothing to be shy about. And to utilize my full power, this position was also the best.
“Why? If you hand over Zhuge Cheonwu now, I’ll let you go.”
“There’s no persuasiveness in saying that with eyes flashing with killing intent.”
I dismissed the possibility of betrayal and then assessed the opponent’s strength.
‘One deep sword wound on the abdomen, and several cuts on the arms and thighs. She’s quite injured, but.’
It was clear that Choi Mi-kyung had also fought desperately, given the situation. It was just that she wasn’t at a level to take down Sayurang with her.
‘To be able to defeat Choi Mi-kyung with just those injuries, she must be on the strong side among the super-peak-level masters… this is dangerous.’
I inwardly clicked my tongue and aimed the Daoist Scholar’s Fan at her. So that I could attack at any time if she rushed in.
“Hoo, come to think of it, you use something like a law art, don’t you?”
Sayurang asked, glaring at me. At that, I answered to buy time to prepare my magic.
“It’s a secret art of my family.”
“There’s no such thing. In the Zhuge family, there’s no kind of sorcery that you’ve shown. What kind of Daoist art did you copy?”
Her tone, as if she were sure after having done a thorough background check. I looked at Sayurang and pointed out the part that had been subtly bothering me.
“Sorcery or law art, or Daoist art, could you just stick to one?”
“…You’re quite bold even in a situation like this. It makes me want to take you even more.”
Sayurang’s eyes narrowed. Just as she was moving her feet with her sword in hand.
Boom!
The ground at her feet exploded. The soaring flames engulfed the area.
In fact, I had been hiding a spear of flame lightning under the deck since a while ago. It had taken time because I had to wrap the deck floor with shadows to make it difficult to detect its energy.
“It’s quite unique…. It’s no wonder that old man is interested, you’re pretty good, aren’t you?”
But Sayurang, who had broken through the karma, had no wounds. Unlike the other blood fiends, the quality of the protective qi she used was different.
‘Is it still not enough?’
I realized it with that surprise attack just now. With just the four of us now, it was nearly impossible to defeat that monster.
The difference in strength was too great from the beginning.
Then there was only one way left.
“It’s better to give me up! The Namgung family has nothing to do with this, right?”
When I suggested that to Namgung Bihwa, she, as expected, took a step forward and slowly shook her head.
“Since I’m involved, this is also my business.”
“…Righteous path people are so troublesome, they even speak so prettily. Then I’ll have to take care of this first!”
Sayurang, who was staring at Namgung Bihwa, rushed out with her flexible sword in hand. Just as Namgung Bihwa and her escorts were about to face Sayurang, who was closing the distance in an instant.
Clang!
Along with a fierce sword wind, Sayurang and Namgung Bihwa’s figures were sent flying back. And what was heard from the center was a strange voice.
“Are you alright?”
In that anomaly was a man wearing a mask. It was the assassination squad, which was called the shadow of the Namgung family.
“I was wondering why I felt a disgusting gaze somewhere…”
Sayurang, who had been pushed back, muttered, grinding her teeth.
‘With this, the tide of the battle has turned. As expected.’
The last resort I had believed in, that was Namgung Bihwa’s shadow escort. As a squad leader-level person of the assassination squad, his realm was at the super-peak level.
He was not an opponent that the injured Sayurang could face. And even more so in a situation where there were four peak-level masters.
‘On the contrary, I can take care of Sayurang in this place.’
It was already the second time my life had been threatened by her. Now, Sayurang was an enemy that I had to deal with.
“Hmph, so what! It doesn’t matter since I’ve taken this out!”
Just then, Sayurang’s two eyes turned completely red, and she swung her flexible sword. A sword face with holes pierced here and there. It swayed in the air like a snake.
Fwoooosh-
A sword sound that vibrated the atmosphere, as if one had entered the middle of a deep valley where a fierce gale was blowing.
The flexible sword, which had been changing its trajectory at a speed that could not be seen with the eyes, finally rushed towards Namgung Bihwa.
In a moment, the shadow escort who blocked it.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
The moment the flexible sword touched the dagger, Sayurang grinned, and at the same time, the air in the area was mercilessly torn apart.
Claaang!
“Kuaaak!”
A qi wave that was enough for even a peak-level master to let out a groan. I reflexively unfolded the Daoist Scholar’s Fan and protected my front. And I guessed the identity of the martial art she had used.
‘Sound art !’
It was a martial art that inflicted shock on the opponent with a sound that contained internal energy.
‘By the way, that weapon…’
“Be careful, it’s an artifact!”
“…Master!”
Just then, I heard the shouting voice of Choi Mi-kyung, who had climbed up onto the railing at the back of the boat with one arm. It seemed she had fallen into the river during the battle with Sayurang, judging by her completely soaked appearance.
But the injury that ran from her shoulder to her waist seemed quite serious.
“The length of the sword increases at will! It’s also coated with poison, so you have to be careful!”
“I should have taken care of it properly then.”
It was no wonder she had lost, since poison and an artifact had been added.
“Ugh!”
“Are you okay?!”
As Choi Mi-kyung staggered, Yang Ha-eun supported her. It seemed she was not in a state to participate in the battle.
‘It can’t be helped. I’ll have to actively join in myself!’
While Sayurang’s attention was on Choi Mi-kyung, I secretly flew a lightning bolt that I had hidden in the Daoist Scholar’s Fan. The lightning, which was my fastest attack, and the mana acceleration of the Daoist Scholar’s Fan added to it, was shot in an instant.
But before the magic could even get close, the flexible sword cut it. Still, since it had some power, Sayurang’s expression changed.
“That fan! It’s no ordinary thing, is it? Well, this is also from the Zhuge family. Was it left by some great formation master in the past? Good, I’ll have to collect yours on this occasion.”
Sayurang stared at me, raising one corner of her mouth. It was a surprise attack to make her wary of us, since our strength had increased, but on the contrary, unexpected information came back.
‘Then is that flexible sword one of the musical instruments that are the keys to the Daoist Scholar’s Fan made by Zhuge Goya?’
Originally, the key-like weapon made by Zhuge Goya was not just one.
The Seven Star Ladle was just one of the hidden pieces I had seen in the guide. I knew that originally, a weapon called the Three Evils was used instead of a key.
To think that one of the items that contained Zhuge Goya’s will was in the hands of such a villain. I didn’t like it very much.
In many ways, the reasons to fight had increased.
“Let’s attack together. I’ll help from a distance.”
I suggested to the shadow escort, but he just kept his silence.
“My top priority is Miss Namgung Bihwa’s safety. Protection is the priority over offense.”
“So you’re going to let her go?”
“If that makes the young lady more dangerous, I don’t care.”
It became troublesome. From the beginning, her target was me. It was safer for the escort to chase the enemy or give her what she wanted, rather than just attacking her.
“Then I’ll go!”
Just then, Namgung Bihwa, who had been listening, raised her voice.
A declaration filled with a resolute will. No matter how much of a super-master she was, she could not break her will. He, who had been thinking for a moment, reluctantly answered.
“…Then, in exchange for my participation, please promise me that you will take care of yourself safely in the back.”
The shadow escort declared, as if he could not yield on this.
“…I’ll do that.”
Namgung Bihwa accepted with a displeased tone. To be frank, that was right. Because the strength of one super-master was that great.
To ultimately deal with Sayurang, this was the best judgment.
“Go, assist.”
At the shadow escort’s words, I immediately lifted the Daoist Scholar’s Fan. In this place, the only one who could provide long-range support relatively safely was me.
Clang-!
The shadow escort struck Sayurang’s flexible sword and dug in. At this, the flexible sword bent in a strange trajectory and aimed for the escort’s back.
The shadow escort, who rotated his body with his advancing foot as an axis and swung his dagger. In the meantime, Sayurang retrieved her flexible sword and increased the distance.
Aiming for that gap, I flew the spear of flame lightning I had prepared. Although it was an attack that was shot at an exquisite timing, Sayurang’s wrist movement, which was handling the flexible sword in a moment, was faster.
The spear of flame lightning split, and the flame and lightning scattered in the air. A linked attack that had returned to nothing. But it became a foothold for the shadow escort to approach.
The dagger of the shadow escort, who had rushed to a close distance before I knew it, flashed. Although she tried to defend by returning her flexible sword, her wounds only increased at the relentless movement of the dagger.
“You’re annoying…!”
Sayurang, who was cornered, gathered her energy, and her flexible sword vibrated, scattering a high-pitched sound wave in the area.
An offensive that was enough to cause a shock to the inside even if you raised your protective qi. But it was not something that could not be dealt with.
Fwoooosh-
I created a gust of wind with wind magic. The weakness of the sound art was the wind. If you changed the flow so that the sound could not be transmitted or canceled it out, you could drastically reduce its effect.
“This… thing!”
Sayurang, whose eyes were now even filled with a black energy, rampaged. At this, the shadow escort was pushing her, but he lacked a decisive blow.
‘Then I’ll make an opening from this side.’
I flew a fireball at her in succession. A fireball that was cut without fail, I used wind magic to surround only Sayurang’s surroundings with flames.
Mainly, I covered her back with flames to make it easier for the shadow escort to approach and to make it difficult for Sayurang to escape.
“This little thing!”
The flames around the flexible sword exploded. But compared to the huge internal energy, the power of the sound art was not great. Because it had become difficult to use the sound art due to the turbulence caused by the fire.
Swish-!
And so, after a few minutes of offense and defense, the shadow escort finally cut Sayurang’s one arm deeply. Since she was already injured, and the magic was also bothering her, she had finally shown an opening.
“Keuk!”
But Sayurang, on the contrary, kicked off the ground, extending the length of her artifact, the flexible sword. It was towards me.
“I’ll take care of you!”
I moved the shields that I had floated in the air in advance and blocked her attack.
“This much!”
The shields, which had been stacked in layers, were cut down in one go by Sayurang’s angry gesture. But it was enough to waste her sword path once.
‘There’s plenty of water around here.’
I immediately aimed the Daoist Scholar’s Fan at Sayurang. And I imbued it with mana and shot a stream of water.
‘If I push her back with this…’
Swish!
But as if it were just wind, Sayurang cut down the stream of water as if she were bursting it with her flexible sword, which had been heated red by the fire earlier.
‘I’ll block it somehow.’
I gathered all the mana in my body and activated the ice magic.
Craaack!
The rapidly cooled stream of water became numerous icicles and rushed in, filling the area. And soon, the ice fragments that were shattering like glass fragments.
‘Is it still not enough?’
But I had bought time. In the meantime, the shadow escort came up close and struck a dagger at her back. But the artifact, the flexible sword, bent sharply and blocked it.
Claaang!
Although it was a similar aspect to before, this time, the sound was subtly different.
“Huh?”
Sayurang’s dazed voice was heard. A crack had formed in the joint of the flexible sword, which was made of several layers.
‘Anything that gets hot and then cools down rapidly will develop a crack. And even more so if it’s a complex structure.’
“Even if it’s an artifact, it seems it couldn’t withstand the blow of a super-master in a situation like this. Or is it just that the owner’s capacity is lacking?”
“This…!”
At the continued taunt, Sayurang glared with her two eyes, but since the shadow escort, who had already approached close, was pushing her, she had no choice but to turn her gaze right away.
A shower of sharp daggers that followed, the flexible sword trembled unstably as the shock continued.
Cornered, she tried to use the sound art somehow, but the destructive ringing of the beginning just became duller and duller along with the crack in the flexible sword.
‘If it goes on like this, I can win…. Huh?’
But something felt strange. I looked at the palm of my hand, which was holding the contact line, at the incongruous feeling.
The fan ribs, which were trembling slightly. The Daoist Scholar’s Fan was reacting to the vibration of the flexible sword breaking.
(End of Chapter)