381 Chapter 1269: Worry About Those Myriad Man Manor Bastards! (Part 4)

"Uwaaaah!"

"Aaaah!"

One corner completely collapsed.

Of course, compared to the overwhelming force that seemed to cover the entire coast, the part destroyed by Chung Myung was so small that it wouldn't significantly impact the overall situation.

However, those calmly observing the situation can't help but see the repercussions created by the small crack with their own eyes.

The ripple spreading from Chung Myung at the center gradually intensified like concentric circles forming on a calm lake. The charging army that had seemed ready to chew on flesh and spill blood faltered for a moment and gradually began to lose momentum.

"Retreat! Retreat! Uwaaaah!"

It was no longer a battle between a force of nearly a thousand and a single individual. Those who were completely terrified by Chung Myung, those who, contrary to the lofty name of Myriad Man Manor, had lost their courage, turned their bodies and fled. 

Completely losing their sanity, they indiscriminately swung their swords at their comrades blocking their way.

"Are these guys crazy?"

"Why are they doing this?"

"Aaaah!"

Those hit by their comrades' swords were initially confused, then angry. But ultimately, they froze in deep bewilderment.

'What the heck is going on?'

One member of Myriad Man Manor, while his body stiffened, looked around in confusion.

Confusion on the battlefield was common.

Running away due to a fear of death was common. But would those accustomed to killing people from the beginning be so unfamiliar with blood?

However, the problem was that those who were now wielding weapons against their own side, even resorting to evil acts, were all elite members of Myriad Man Manor. They were not rookies thrown into the battlefield for the first time. They had already fought numerous enemies, stained the battlefield with the blood of many sects' members.

How could these people, who had shed blood like this before, suddenly run away from the enemy as if it were their first time seeing blood, and in such madness?

"Calm down!"

"Step aside! Step aside! Uwaaaah!"

Those that were escaping continued to struggle, pressing down others with evil intent and pushing them aside. It seemed as if they didn't get out of the way, they would cut off each other's heads along with the swords blocking their way.

"This is insane..."

And then, it happened.

Paaaaaaaaa!

The sound of tearing air was heard. Simultaneously, a red line appeared on the chest of the struggling Myriad Man Manor disciple.

"What..."

Initially thin like a stroke of a brush, the line gradually thickened, and soon, the upper body slid down as if following the slanted line.

Even though the body was cut in half, the torso that couldn't fully accept death still stood there.

Chwaahhh!

Blood spurted from the severed section.

The one behind the now-dead Myriad Man Manor member saw it. Beyond the spouting blood, a black shadow rushing towards him.

Among the blood splattering like a waterfall, what stood out behind the flowing hair were smiling lips and teeth dyed red. 

"Uwaaaah!"

Now he understood why those in front were trying to escape like crazy. Unfortunately, the grim reaper, who had been blocked from his view, didn't give him a chance to escape.

Paaaang!

Accompanied by an explosive sound, a severed head shot up into the air.

The part of Myriad Man Manor that had been blocking it saw it clearly. The black shadow rushing from behind the spouting blood.

Paaah!

Again, with the fierce explosion, a head shot up into the air, leaving its body behind.

In the extremely brief time it took for the head to reach the absolute conclusion called 'death,' he saw it clearly.

Chung Myung, like a black leopard stalking for prey, trampled on the headless body and leaped forward.

'I'd rather...'

The world turned black.

Now no one will ever know what the last thought he tried recall was.

Ho Gakmyung observed the battlefield with cold eyes. Despite his efforts to train the members of Myriad Man Manor with utmost dedication, one single person was literally trampling them.

Nevertheless, without any expression of disturbance, Ho Gakmyung watched the situation, and suddenly, he looked down at his own hand. He slowly released the fist that had been tightly clenched. As the blood circulated through his pale, trembling hands, a sensation like ants biting rushed over him.

"Hoo."

Ho Gakmyung, who had briefly exhaled, slowly raised his head.

He could pretend everything was fine, but at this point, that would be pathetic and excessively arrogant. Ho Gakmyung admitted it honestly. That he was greatly disturbed.

"...This is beyond belief."

He couldn't help but feel agitated because he knew and understand exactly how this situation came to be.

Immediately crush the momentum at once with overwhelming power. And slaughter the enemy as violently as possible, as brutally as possible. So that they clearly understand what fate awaits them if they try to fight back.

Ultimately, humans are existences who are influenced by what they see. No matter how much they try to objectively perceive the situation with their minds, in the end, they accept the fear right in front of their noses through instinct.

An ultimate victory?

In a situation where I'm about to die, what's the meaning of a victory gained after I die? Would the glory of Myriad Man Manor be even remotely important to the one standing in front of that sword?

The moment one person turns away, fear becomes contagious. The fear instantly spreads, breaking the morale of the entire army and ultimately cutting off the will to resist.

Ho Gakmyung knew this method very well. The reason was simple. It was none other than the method the Myriad Man Manor had enjoyed using for a long time.

The fear given by the name Jang Ilso and the perception that Jang Ilso's subordinates will rush in like demons ready to jump into hellfire. [idk] This perception was created and promoted by none other than Ho Gakmyung and Jang Ilso. That way, the enemies would be intimidated of them.

After showing an overwhelming appearance with tremendous power, use fear to break the enemy's morale. That was how they had achieved victories that seemed impossible.

Now, Ho Gakmyung truly realized how it felt to be on the receiving end of the method they had used.

No, it was even worse. This man was clearly demonstrating how to destroy an army in a much more violent and brutal manner.

"...Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword."

Certainly, that person was not normal.

Jang Ilso said he didn't know how to evaluate Hyun Jong, a madman absorbed in righteousness, but Ho Gakmyung was different. In Ho Gakmyung's eyes, Hyun Jong was nothing more or less than a fool immersed in the name of the justice.

What he truly couldn't understand was Chung Myung, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword.

'What the hell are you thinking?'

Chung Myung's strength was not surprising. If Ho Gakmyung was amazed by Chung Myung's strength at this point, he would be nothing more than a fool unfit to be called a Myriad Man Manor's military commander.

What he truly couldn't comprehend was the reckless behavior of that madman rushing alone against a large army.

Was there really no one in the world stronger than Chung Myung?

Absolutely not. [hahaha...surprise, bitch]

There was. There must be. He was confident that right now, even Jang Ilso was stronger than that madman from Mount Hua. Even among the righteous sects, there might be expert sect leaders or absolute masters living in seclusion who could show a stronger appearance than Chung Myung.

But none of those strong individuals would act so recklessly.

It wasn't because he didn't value his own life. He understood the immense losses he would incur if he were to die as a result of such reckless actions.

However, that crazy bastard rushed in as if he didn't whether he or not he died, swinging his sword, crushing the enemy from the forefront.

Stupid, pathetic, and insect-like behavior, at least according to Ho Gakmyung's common sense.

"Aaaah!"

"Run away!"

"Aaaah!"

But that foolish behavior, beyond all reason, brutally shattered the military discipline Ho Gakmyung painstakingly engraved into their bodies.

Ho Gakmyung lowered his head again. The fist that he had barely opened was tightly clenched again. Seeing that his fingernails were broken and bleeding, he shut his eyes tightly.

'Gakmyung-ah.'

He had to admit it. It was something he already knew, but it wasn't enough to just know; he had to accept it. That guy wasn't someone he could judge based on his common sense.

"The damage is extensive."

Trying to calm his boiling insides, Ho Gakmyung heard the laughter-tinged voice of Gwayang, the leader of the ominous Blood Sword Sect [idk if it's actually the blood clan or a subsect or something], in his ear.

"We can't catch him."

"..."

"This isn't a fight between people. It's a fight between beasts. Of course, when a pack of wildcats gather, they may be able to catch a tiger, but..."

gwayang's lips curled into a sly smile.

"That's when wildcats have the leisure to do so. When the one standing at the front gets his neck torn out and starts gushing blood, all that remains is one-sided slaughter."

Momentum was crucial on the battlefield. And Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword undoubtedly knew this fact by both instinct and intuition.

"So? Since the battlefield is in chaos, are you enjoying the spectacle?"

"Why? Are the lives of those dying bastards so precious? For the great Ho Gakmyung?"

Ho Gakmyung looked at gwayang with cold eyes.

"Don't look at me with those eyes, Commander."

gwayang laughed eerily. Although he laughed out loud, his eyes keenly observed Chung Myung's movements without missing a single one.

"A beast cannot catch a tiger. Catching tigers is for hunters. Do you know what's the most important thing needed to catch a big tiger?"

"...Avoiding detection."

"No, it's being detected."

Ho Gakmyung's eyes narrowed in suspicion. But as if gwayang anticipated that, he continued explaining.

"You can catch an ordinary tiger by surprise, as you said. But you can't catch a real big tiger that way. The important thing is to let your presence be known from a distance where a surprise attack is impossible. Make them continue to be exhausted by paying attention to your presence for days, months, or even longer."

"...All those lives?"

gwayang laughed sinisterly.

"If those petty guys who can barely fill in numbers could drain the stamina of Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword, wouldn't it be a glorious death rather than a dishonorable one? I would even applaud."

"You..."

"Ah... Instead."

A creepy energy emerged in gwayang's eyes.

"He will die. The more he goes wild, the more certain it becomes."

Feeling the deadly aura emanating from gwayang, Ho Gakmyung nodded silently.

'Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword.'

His gaze was fixed precisely on Chung Myung, who wielded his sword amid the blood.

'You will definitely die.'

Even if all his subordinates died here, it wouldn't be a loss if he could kill Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword.

'Definitely...'

He slowly relaxed the clenched fist.