Ice Dragon of Namgung - Chapter 22

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 22
Sa Do-gwang, a first-mate of the Heuksuchai, let out a hollow laugh at Namgung Geom’s words.
“A boy playing loose with his tongue. Desperate to die, are you?”
“You seem unafraid of the Namgung Clan, it appears.”
At Namgung Geom’s remark, Sa Do-gwang snorted derisively.
“Why should I fear a distant Namgung Clan?”
“Is that so?”
At Namgung Geom’s loaded words, Sa Do-gwang faltered for an instant.
His gaze caught something he’d overlooked—Namgung Geom’s martial robe.
White as snow, with a blue dragon embroidered on each sleeve.
The Azure Dragon White Robe.
Unmistakably the Namgung Clan’s garb.
Sa Do-gwang’s eyes flickered with uncertainty.
“Are you truly a martial artist of the Namgung Clan?”
“I am. So if you don’t intend to clash with the main house, you’d best turn back.”
Sa Do-gwang looked behind Namgung Geom.
There stood disciples of the Changrong Pavilion, dressed identically to Namgung Geom.
Counting them, there were fewer than thirty.
And all of them were barely past early adulthood.
However strong they might be at that age, how formidable could they truly be?
More to the point, given their youth, the likelihood of real combat experience was slim.
Experience fighting aboard a ship on the Yangtze River—they would have none of that.
Fighting on a swaying deck in the Yangtze’s currents was no easy feat, even for a martial artist.
Without experience in such conditions, displaying one’s true skill was difficult.
Beyond the Namgung Clan’s martial artists, no other forces were visible.
‘Against those numbers, the odds favor us.’
This time, the Heuksuchai had mobilized two warships.
The pirates aboard those two vessels alone numbered one hundred.
Against fewer than thirty of the Namgung Clan’s young martial artists, there was no way they could lose.
The real problem was the Namgung Clan’s retaliation.
If the Namgung Clan moved to strike the Heuksuchai with full force, annihilation would be unavoidable.
Ideally, Sa Do-gwang should avoid conflict and let Yi Ga-jang’s ship pass unimpeded.
But Sa Do-gwang had received special orders from the Heuksuchai’s Organization Master.
The order was to attack Yi Ga-jang’s vessel and seize the goods within.
Sa Do-gwang could only guess that something of importance lay aboard Yi Ga-jang’s ship.
In any case, having received the Heuksuchai’s Organization Master’s command, Sa Do-gwang had no choice but to obey.
Even if the Namgung Clan’s martial artists were present.
“You think I fear the name Namgung Clan? Let me be clear: to pass this point, you must pay one hundred silver taels—or hand over whatever goods lie within your hold.”
Sa Do-gwang spoke with an air of finality, as if there were no other choice.
Namgung Geom’s brow furrowed.
Even knowing the Namgung Clan’s martial artists were present, this brigand held firm—this was no light matter.
“Are you saying you mean to oppose the main house?”
“If it comes to that, I won’t back down.”
“Even if the Heuksuchai faces utter destruction in this affair?”
At Namgung Geom’s words, Sa Do-gwang’s body tensed.
But he pressed forward as if that moment of hesitation had never occurred.
“Your lot will fall first.”
“Is this the will of the Yangtze Water Route Alliance? Or merely the Heuksuchai’s reckless gambit?”
“It is neither alliance nor organization—it is my decision alone.”
“As I thought.”
Namgung Geom nodded, then planted his foot hard against the bow.
The ship lurched violently, and Namgung Geom’s form shot upward into the void.
Then he soared forth on the wind.
Sa Do-gwang’s eyes widened at the sight.
The distance between the two ships was roughly twenty paces.
Even a master at Peak Mastery would struggle to clear such a distance in a single leap.
Yet Namgung Geom traversed it effortlessly.
That meant one thing: Namgung Geom’s mastery was at least at Peak Mastery.
‘Peak Mastery in early adulthood?!’
Sa Do-gwang’s face went slack with disbelief.
Yet he couldn’t afford to linger in shock.
Namgung Geom was diving toward the bow of the ship.
“I’ll send you into the Yangtze!”
Sa Do-gwang hurled a harpoon at Namgung Geom.
At such close range, even a master would find it difficult to evade.
Moreover, Namgung Geom was suspended in mid-air, his movements severely constrained.
Sa Do-gwang believed the harpoon was inescapable.
But Namgung Geom exceeded his expectations.
Namgung Geom struck the harpoon streaking toward his chest with his blade.
Using the rebound, he bounced upward and landed behind Sa Do-gwang.
Sa Do-gwang spun in alarm to counterattack, but Namgung Geom’s hand was faster.
Flash!
In an instant, Namgung Geom had subdued Sa Do-gwang’s vital points.
Then he pressed his blade to the man’s throat.
“If anyone moves, this man’s head leaves his shoulders.”
At Namgung Geom’s threat, the pirates aboard the vessel hesitated, watching his every move.
“Don’t mind me—kill him now!”
Sa Do-gwang clenched his teeth and roared the command.
The pirates rushed toward Namgung Geom, hurling harpoons.
Namgung Geom frowned and flung Sa Do-gwang backward.
Crash!
Sa Do-gwang struck the bow with a cry and lost consciousness.
Namgung Geom paid him no further attention and swung his blade at the incoming harpoons.
The Sword Wind erupting from his weapon deflected every harpoon.
The pirates’ jaws fell open at the sight.
“F-fire again!”
The pirates launched another volley of harpoons.
Namgung Geom raised the Sword Wind once more, deflecting them.
This time, he didn’t merely turn them aside—he reversed their trajectory toward the pirates themselves.
The pirates gasped as their own harpoons came screaming back, and they threw themselves to the sides.
Thud-crack!
Those too slow to escape were struck by the harpoons and fell.
Namgung Geom rushed at the panicked pirates, blade extended.
The Sword Wind from his weapon swept across them like a scythe.
The pirates caught in the wind spray spattered blood and were hurled backward.
Namgung Geom’s Sword Wind was far too formidable for them to withstand.
In a single exchange, the pirates understood.
With their skills, even if they died and were reborn, they could never block his blade.
All they had was numbers—and that proved meaningless.
To exploit their numerical advantage, they would need to surround him, but the ship’s structure made that impossible.
Above all, the range of Namgung Geom’s Sword Wind was vast.
The Heuksuchai pirates couldn’t even approach him.
They hurled harpoon after harpoon, desperately seeking any opening.
But Namgung Geom sent them all back without exception.
The Heuksuchai pirates were driven back helplessly.
They resembled a flock of sheep fleeing a single wolf.
Meanwhile, the moment Namgung Geom charged into the forward lines, the rear lines of the Heuksuchai vessels immediately attacked Yi Ga-jang’s ship.
“We’ll hold the rear lines!”
Namgung Chang and his cohorts immediately moved to the stern of the vessel.
Boom!
Then the Heuksuchai’s rear lines rammed directly into Yi Ga-jang’s ship.
The impact jolted the vessel violently, and the disciples of Changrong Pavilion staggered.
In that moment, the Heuksuchai’s vessel extended a boarding bridge.
And Heuksuchai’s pirates leaped across onto Yi Ga-jang’s ship.
“Kill them all!”
The pirates launched harpoons at the Changrong Pavilion disciples.
The disciples quickly recovered their balance and deflected the harpoons.
But not everyone managed to block them.
Thwack!
“Urgh!”
Harpoons pierced the bodies of those who reacted too slowly.
They screamed and collapsed.
Namgung Chang checked on his fallen classmates.
Fortunately the vital points had been missed, but fighting seemed difficult now.
Even so, the water bandits continued hurling harpoons as they boarded Yi Ga-jang’s vessel.
“I’ll block the harpoons!”
Namgung Cheol-ung appeared from somewhere with a large wooden shield and positioned himself in front of his classmates.
Thack-thack-thack!
The harpoons the water bandits threw bounced off the wooden shield without piercing it.
Namgung Cheol-ung charged forward toward the water bandits, the shield held before him.
“Everyone get behind me!”
At Namgung Chang’s shout, the disciples of Changrong Pavilion quickly fell in behind Namgung Cheol-ung.
Deflecting every harpoon, Namgung Cheol-ung drew near the water bandits and drove straight through them.
Crash!
The water bandits, overwhelmed by Namgung Cheol-ung’s strength, collapsed in a tumble.
Some of the water bandits who had just boarded Yi Ga-jang’s vessel were knocked backward and fell into the Yangtze.
Namgung Cheol-ung did not stop there, swinging the shield to batter the water bandits.
Those struck by the shield coughed blood and fell.
Following Namgung Cheol-ung, the disciples of Changrong Pavilion rushed forward to attack the water bandits.
Enraged by their classmates’ injuries, the Changrong Pavilion disciples showed no mercy in their techniques.
The water bandits had no defense against their assault.
Though inferior to Namgung Geom, they were all Elite Disciples of the Namgung Clan.
Mere Third-Rate water bandits could not match them.
But the rough currents of the Yangtze were a problem.
Each time the vessel pitched, the disciples of Changrong Pavilion momentarily lost their balance.
The water bandits seized that opening and launched a counterattack.
The disciples of Changrong Pavilion were forced back by their assault.
Yet even so, Namgung Chang and the other two squad leaders held their ground.
In that interval, the disciples regained their footing and renewed their attack.
The water bandits of Heuksuchai retreated again.
With the Changrong Pavilion disciples gaining the upper hand, the fighting at the forward position came to an end.
Namgung Geom alone had felled all the water bandits at the front line.
He brought the unconscious Sa Do-gwang back to Yi Ga-jang’s vessel.
Yi Ga-jang’s transport unit gazed at Namgung Geom with awe.
The sight of Namgung Geom leaping single-handedly into Heuksuchai’s front line and sweeping away the water bandits was magnificent.
“Please look after him.”
Namgung Geom handed the unconscious Sa Do-gwang to Yi Hong-baek, the master of the transport unit, then moved toward the rear of the vessel.
His classmates from Changrong Pavilion were still in the thick of fighting.
Despite the vessel’s rocking, they were fighting well.
It seemed Namgung Geom need not intervene.
Namgung Geom left the remaining water bandits to his classmates.
Real combat experience like this was invaluable the more they engaged in it.
Most of all, the confidence gained from defeating enemies by their own strength was immense.
Under Namgung Geom’s watch, the disciples of Changrong Pavilion systematically felled the water bandits.
And as the last remaining water bandit fell to Namgung Seol’s blade, the fighting ended.
“Fighting on a rocking vessel wasn’t easy—everyone did well.”
“Compared to our captain, who single-handedly swept an entire enemy vessel, our efforts were nothing.”
At Namgung Cheol-ung’s jest, Namgung Geom let out a soft laugh.
“Still, next time give me some warning beforehand. I was shocked when you suddenly charged into Heuksuchai’s front line.”
“Right. I know your skill, but don’t try to handle everything alone. Not unless you’re just showing off.”
Namgung Geom smiled at Namgung Chang’s words.
“Are you worried about me?”
“Worried? I just can’t stand seeing you show off like that.”
Namgung Chang gave a derisive snort as he spoke.
“Anyway, I never thought Heuksuchai would attack us even with us here.”
At Namgung Cheon-sang’s remark, Namgung Cheol-ung nodded.
“Are they really that reckless?”
“There wouldn’t be recklessness without reason.”
Namgung Cheon-sang spoke as if suggesting something lay beneath.
“What do you think?”
Namgung Chang asked.
Namgung Geom spoke, his gaze fixed on Sa Do-gwang, who was being held to one side.
“Now we find out.”
Namgung Bing-ryong
Author |
Baek Wol-geom
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Samyang C&C Inc.
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Editorial Department
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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