Chapter 978: There's No Way Not To Believe It (Part 3)

Pararararalak.

Something that had soared into the air spun fiercely. No one on the island could take their eyes off it.

Without a moment's pause, the object that sprayed red blood in all directions lost its strength and fell.

"Teok!"

Everyone stared blankly at the spectacle.

It was an arm.

A muscled, warrior's arm was stuck in the sand dunes. The blood dripping from the severed end was turning the white sand a deep red.

No one could even breathe deeply.

It was difficult to understand what they were looking at even when they saw it with their own eyes. The silence was so thick that even the sound of swallowing saliva sounded like thunder.

"Gahhh!"

Then, with a chilling sound, the Black Dragon King staggered backward.

"Keuuu...."

The Black Dragon King, who had lost his composure, clenched his left hand on his shoulder. Blood spurted out between his thick fingers.

Everyone stared blankly at the sight.

The Black Dragon King's right arm.

The arm that had wielded the enormous Cloudless Moon BLade and commanded the Yangtze River had been severed from just below his shoulder. The moment Chung Myung's sword swung toward his head, he had raised his arm to prevent his neck from being cut off, but his arm was cut off without any chance.

Distrust, astonishment, and fear.

With uncontrollable emotions, he stumbled backward, again and again.

"This, this guy...."

Looking at the Black Dragon King like that, everyone was struck dumb.

Who could have imagined this?

A leader of the Five Great Evils, who once ruled like a king, and was now a leader of the Evil Tyrant Alliance, had his arm severed by the sword of the Mount Hua Sect's third-class disciple.

However, no matter how hard they closed their eyes and opened them, the scene in front of them did not change. The moment they realized that all this was real, an overwhelming sense of discomfort began to wash over everyone on Plum Blossom Island.

Except for one group.

"As expected!"

"Damn it!"

Suppressed admiration flowed from the mouths of Mount Hua disciples. Shoulders, previously tense, were now restlessly relieved. Suppressing their immediate desire to cheer, they clenched their fists in unison.

Baek Cheon also watched Chung Myung's back with tightly clenched fists.

"There's no way not to believe it."

"That's right."

"Hmm!"

Jo Gol and Yoon Jong nodded vigorously. Even Yoo Iseol's shoulders lightly trembled with excitement.

For the past three years, the Mount Hua disciples had observed what kind of training Chung Myung had undergone, and it was unimaginable that he would lose in their eyes. If what they had gone through was hell, then what Chung Myung had experienced was truly a hellish journey.

However, regardless of their belief, those who had taken Mount Hua's unsworn oath were now trembling with endless joy welling up in their minds.

It felt like they had been rewarded.

Chung Myung had proved himself clearly in front of them. The efforts they had put in overtime were by no means in vain. What they had accumulated during that time was undoubtedly accompanying their swords now.

But to the disciples of the Namgung Family, who did not know Chung Myung well, this scene was a shock in itself. Their faces were filled with indescribable emotions.

"I, I can't believe this...."

"Incredible...."

They understood how powerful the Black Dragon King was. Even Namgung Hwang, who had ignited his revenge, had been proven by the formidable power of the Black Dragon King. And now, this Black Dragon King was staggering back with his arm severed by the Mount Hua swordsman.

The outcome of the battle was too clear.

"Ugh...."

The Black Dragon King retreated with bloodshot eyes. However, the pirates who saw this, instead of helping him, were cowed in fear, retreating in panic.

Sshink.

Chung Myung lightly turned the sword and lowered it toward the Black Dragon King.

Everyone was excited and shocked at the same time.

However, Chung Myung's gaze remained unchanged from the beginning. With a sinister and deep-set look in his eyes, he continued to approach the Black Dragon King slowly.

"Ugh...."

The Black Dragon King's jaw trembled. His vacant mind couldn't continue thinking, as he had never anticipated finding himself in such a situation.

And then, Chung Myung made a move that no one expected.

Clang!

He picked up the Black Dragon King's sword that had fallen to the ground. The sword, which had sprung into the air, landed precisely at the Black Dragon King's feet.

"...."

In the trembling gaze of the Black Dragon King, who alternately looked at his own severed arm and Chung Myung, a cold voice echoed in his ears.

"Hold it."

Chung Myung spoke with an emotionless tone, as if stating the obvious.

The spine of those who watched his words felt a chill due to his cold and sinister manner.

"Your arm was cut off?"

"...."

"So what?"

Chung Myung's eyes were devoid of any emotions. Seeing someone trembling over losing an arm made his stomach turn.

"You moron."

They didn't know. Those who had lived sheltered lives in peace didn't know or understand. They didn't know who had protected Kanho, how fiercely they had fought, what it felt like to pull a sword from the corpse of a fallen comrade and swing it.

They had no idea why those who had lost an arm fought, trampling on their severed arm and tearing the opponent's throat with their teeth.

People who knew nothing were acting like kings of Kangho. As he watched that bastard, he felt nauseated.

No, in fact, there was no need to dwell on the past.

Chung Myung pointed with his chin behind him.

"Namgung...."

As Chung Myung uttered the name Namgung, the swordsmen of the Namgung Family tightened their muscles throughout their bodies.

"He fought even after his arm was severed, right up to the moment his throat was cut."

The swordsmen of the Namgung Family bowed their heads and gritted their teeth. Those words pierced their hearts more powerfully than any consolation.

Despite their torn bellies, they had thrust their swords into the enemy, gripped the opponent's ankle even as their own throats were being cut. The memories of their comrades who had done that were vivid in their minds. It was because of them that those present here were still alive.

"Hold it."

"Ugh...."

"Hold it, you damn bastard."

The Black Dragon King gritted his teeth and clenched the remaining sword with his one arm.

And in that moment...

Kaaaah!

Chung Myung's sword rushed forward, striking the Black Dragon King's sword. The Black Dragon King was sent flying backward into the midst of the pirates.

As the terrified pirates quickly retreated to the left and right, the Black Dragon King grabbed one of the pirates trying to escape beside him.

"St-stop him."

"Black Dragon...."

"Stop him! Stop this bastard! Stop him!"

The frenzied Black Dragon King lost his composure. But no one stepped forward to block Chung Myung on behalf of the Black Dragon King.

It was only natural.

They followed the Black Dragon King because they were afraid of him. It was the fear of retaliation that kept them obedient when they didn't listen to his orders.

But hadn't the Black Dragon King's fate already been sealed? Why would they now rush to save him and remain loyal to him?

The pale-faced pirates quickly stepped back, stumbling and retreating. Even as they clung to their injured backsides, they staggered backward. In no time, there was no one left around the Black Dragon King.

"These bastards! Won't anyone stop him? Stop him!"

As the Black Dragon King raged and shouted, his voice scattered into the empty air.

"Ptoo!"

Spitting out the blood in his mouth, Chung Myung approached him with an indifferent gaze.

The Black Dragon King, who had been glaring at the pirates with a fiendish expression, involuntarily took a step back when he saw Chung Myung. His one remaining hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Ugh, ugh...."

Moaning sounds escaped from his lips as he forced himself to grip his sword.

How did it come to this?

Until the arrival of Mount Hua, everything had been going according to his plan. But how did it all go so wrong?

He didn't have time to dwell on these thoughts. Before he could even rise to his feet, Chung Myung rushed forward and kicked his jaw.

Kwaang!

With a shattered jaw, the Black Dragon King was sent flying through the air like a leaf in the wind.

Kwaaang!

He landed miserably, impaled by a rocky outcrop, and in pain, he clenched the sand.

"Ugh...."

Struggling to turn his head, he saw Chung Myung slowly and steadily approaching with measured steps.

Behind him, the disciples of Mount Hua followed, as if guarding Chung Myung, with the sunlight reflecting off their swords dazzlingly.

But... now, there was no one behind the Black Dragon King.

"Ugh... ugh...."

No one was coming to his aid. The Su Lo Chae he had built throughout his lifetime was now just watching his impending death from a distance. Not a single person was willing to risk their life for him.

"You treacherous scum! Uwaaaah!"

He let out a roar of frustration. At that very moment, an executioner with a sword arrived in front of him.

"...."

The Black Dragon King stared blankly at Chung Myung.

"You know it's over."

"...."

"You can't even measure up to Namgung Hwang's little toe."

"Ugh...."

"Su Lo Chae?"

Chung Myung sneered.

"This is the sandcastle you built, you stupid bastard. A weakling like you isn't even an insect. No one will fight for you."

"Aaaaargh!"

As the Black Dragon King reached out to grab his sword again, Chung Myung's blade sliced through his wrist.

Sshhk!

"Aaaaargh!"

Before his agonized scream could even subside, the flying sword shredded his entire body.

Sshhk! Sshhk!

It was he was determined to leave as many wounds on his body as there were deceased swordsmen of the Namgung Family.

"Aaaaargh!"

His screams were endless, so intense that even a casual observer would have furrowed their brows. Normally, he wouldn't have screamed like this even if his body was crushed. But with his heart already shattered, he had no strength left to resist.

"Shut up!"

But Chung Myung paid no heed to the Black Dragon King's circumstances.

Fwoosh!

The sword pierced through the Black Dragon King's shoulder and twisted. In the midst of the excruciating pain that severed his muscles, the Black Dragon King's massive body trembled uncontrollably.

Thud!

And as his knees buckled, he collapsed forward like a landslide.

Chung Myung, with his foot on the Black Dragon King's head, pointed his sword at his throat.

"A bug should die like a bug, don't you think?"

"Ugh... ugh...."

"Fall into hell."

Without a trace of regret, Chung Myung brought down his sword.

At that very moment...

Kaaah!

With an immense metallic sound, Chung Myung's sword, which had been descending toward the Black Dragon King's throat, was forcefully deflected to the side.

Chung Myung, still pressing his foot on the Black Dragon King's head, turned his gaze. At the end of his icy stare, slowly approaching the edge of the island, was a small boat.

More precisely, a man standing on that small boat.

"You call him a bug...."

With a smile that seemed to find Chung Myung amusing, the lone man on the small boat looked at him.

"Of course, I don't necessarily disagree with that... Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword."

His slender eyes, filled with a sense of mischief, locked onto Chung Myung.

"But, unlike you... in this world, there are people who need that bug."

The boat carrying Jang Ilso reached the sandy cliffs of Plum Blossom Island.