I swung my sword wildly, cutting down the pirates. The skills of these commoners were not much, and I could usually end their lives with a single strike. After cutting down about twenty of them, it seemed the pirates who were boarding the ship started to flee. Their ship, despite being rammed, seemed to retreat quickly.
The battle on the ship ended rather anticlimactically. However, I could hear the surrounding people cheering for me.
"Ooooh!!"
"Thank you, young hero!!"
While everyone else was struggling, I had been slaughtering them like sheep. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I had repelled them single-handedly.
I surveyed the casualties on the ship. A couple were dead, and about ten were injured. Given the short duration of the battle, the pirates' sword skills seemed quite formidable. However, my skills were far beyond those of a pirate, allowing me to slaughter them. For a typical escort or guard, it would have been difficult to handle.
The head of Xugong Escort Agency approached and said,
"Young hero, they might launch fire arrows. What should we do?"
As the head of Xugong Escort Agency suggested, the pirate fleet seemed to be circling around, looking for an opportunity to attack. He seemed to think, based on his experience, that the pirates might shoot arrows.
"Isn't their target the trade goods? Would they risk setting the ship on fire?"
The head of Dalong Trading Company shook his head.
"If they think your martial arts are too strong for close combat, they might try to sink the ship first and then sell the survivors as slaves. Or they might follow us and look for another chance to attack."
"Hmm."
"If we can just block the fire arrows, the rest should be manageable. Can you think of a way with your martial arts?"
The heads of Dalong Trading Company and Xugong Escort Agency seemed tense. Indeed, the scale of the Blood Blade pirates exceeded what they had initially expected. It was rare to see a pirate fleet with three large ships, and the Blood Blade pirates still seemed to have plenty of strength left despite losing over twenty men.
I glared at the pirate ship and thought for a moment. Then I said,
"It's too far to do anything immediately. If they get close enough to shoot arrows, I'll jump over and block the fire arrows."
"Even if they shoot arrows, they can probably reach fifty paces. Can you do it?"
"Prepare a small boat. If we can just reduce the distance a bit, it might work."
"Understood!"
I waited on the emergency boat, a small, sturdy vessel, with two oarsmen from the escort agency. They seemed skilled but were extremely tense. One of them said,
"We're counting on you, young hero."
"The Blood Blade pirates are the largest and most vicious in the Yellow Sea. Please, just get us out of this situation...."
I smiled wryly.
"Don't worry. This is nothing."
"Oh..."
The oarsmen looked stunned. After all, a teenager who fought pirates without breaking a sweat was bound to seem like a monster. But for me, who had fought countless monsters and demons, human pirates were just minor nuisances.
"They're coming!"
At that moment, the largest of the Blood Blade ships approached. Seeing archers on the front deck, it seemed they were about to shoot arrows, as the head of the escort agency had predicted. I focused my vision and saw that the arrows were regular iron arrows, not fire arrows.
'They're not using fire arrows.'
I realized their strategy was to circle the merchant ship and clear the deck with arrows. Clearly, they wanted to reduce our numbers and then overwhelm me.
"I'm going!"
Swish
The oarsmen cut the ropes and rowed the boat forward, cutting through the waves. I switched from my sword to a spear and focused on the front. As the pirate ship approached, arrows started flying towards us.
Thud
I knew that a long spear was much more effective at deflecting ranged weapons. Using the defensive techniques of the Thundering Eight Postures, I quickly deflected the arrows aimed at me and the escorts. The oarsmen were surprised that not a single arrow hit them.
I glanced at the water's color, knowing that the hue of the surface could help gauge the distance at sea. When we were about thirty paces away, I leaped onto the water.
Splash!
My body didn't sink but instead shot up into the air, creating a large splash. I didn't have the lightness skill to leap twenty paces in one go, but by planting my feet on the water at about ten paces, I could use the rebound to jump.
I landed on the deck of the pirate ship, and all eyes turned to me.
Without hesitation, I swung my spear, decapitating the archers within three paces. As the spear blade swept past, human bodies were torn apart.
"Aaaah!"
"Ugh!"
I glanced at the oarsmen before the intense battle began. They were already turning the boat around, busy with their tasks. I knew that if I could quickly clear the deck, their lives would be safer. So I let out a lion's roar.
[You are all dead men!!]
"Uaaaaah..."
The deafening roar echoed, and the pirates on the deck screamed and fell. I had poured my full internal energy into the roar without mercy, causing their eardrums to burst and blood to flow from their ears. It seemed cruel, but I had heard how vicious the pirates were, so I put those thoughts aside.
As the archers were quickly neutralized and the deck secured, the remaining pirates seemed confused. The lead pirate ship's actions influenced the others, who also hesitated. I surveyed the deck, and from inside the ship, more pirates with red blades rushed out.
"Die!"
They poured out and started swinging their blades. Over thirty Blood Blade pirates emerged, which was astonishing given the number that had been hiding on the ship. This pirate ship was unusually large, making it possible.
Clang
Clank
I parried the pirates' blades from all directions. Despite being surrounded by so many, they couldn't touch me, and they looked bewildered.
"Crazy!"
"How can a kid like that have such skills..."
I had a rough idea of the pirates' abilities. Their average skill was surprisingly high, and there were a few who were on par with skilled escorts. Even a top-notch expert would struggle against such a coordinated attack.
But I decided the reconnaissance was over and my eyes glinted with killing intent.
"Time to die!"
Whoosh
The techniques of Lan (ζ¬) and Na (ζΏ) swirled around the tip of my spear, creating a sound like a swarm of bees. This was an advanced application of the basic techniques taught by Sanjie Li Guang. By combining different energies and techniques, a powerful destructive force was generated. Though it had no specific name, this method could produce effects comparable to high-level techniques.
Crash
I swung my spear like a windmill, and within a ten-foot radius, five pirates who had rushed at me were torn apart. The sound was not like flesh being ripped but more like a giant's arm striking, creating a strong wind pressure. The pirates were stunned by the carnage, and I lunged forward, swinging my spear five times in quick succession.
Rip
"Kuaaaah!!"
Human bodies were shredded, and large bloodstains cut through the air. The deck quickly turned into a sea of blood, and the pirates, unable to fight back, watched as fifteen of their comrades were sent to the afterlife. They dropped their blades in shock.
Clang
"Hi... Hiieek..."
"Monster...!!"
I had no intention of sparing them. They were pirates who attacked ships, sold people into slavery, and raped women before killing them. It was more merciful to end their lives quickly. I stabbed three of them with my spear, skewering them like kebabs, without changing my expression.
Thud
"Khhhaaaak!!"
"Aaaaaah!!"
Then, I smiled and used the Lan (ζ¬) technique to rotate my spear. With a tearing sound, the pirates were shredded from the inside out, turning into pieces. After clearing the pirates, I was the only one left on the blood-soaked deck.
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and said,
"Stop watching and come out yourselves."
"......"
Three Blood Blade members, dressed in red, glared at me with their swords drawn. They wore masks that matched their red clothing, hiding their faces. I suspected they were the leaders of the Blood Blade pirates and provocatively asked,
"Are you the leaders?"
"Yes."
"Come on, then. I'll make your deaths quick and painless."
"Who are you? Who are you to interfere with us?"
"What's the point of knowing a dead man?"
"Ugh..."
I felt there was no point in further conversation and lunged at them. The three leaders of the Blood Blade pirates emitted sword qi from their blades to counter me.
"Huh?!"
I was taken aback by the sudden appearance of sword qi.
Clang!
'What? A pirate leader using sword qi?'
Sword qi was not something just anyone could use. It was a technique mastered by only the most outstanding experts after years of dedicated martial arts training. While it was possible for someone with high internal energy skills to use sword qi without reaching the peak, I was still surprised.
"Keh!"
But they couldn't withstand the internal energy I channeled through my spear and were sent flying ten feet away, landing on their butts and spitting blood. If I hadn't pulled back a bit in my surprise, I could have killed one of them with that strike.
I glared sharply at the pirate leaders who were struggling to stand.
"What are you? Who taught you these skills?"
From one clash, I knew that while the common pirates were not skilled, these leaders had a clear and systematic high-level martial arts. It was unthinkable for ordinary pirate leaders to have such skills. It was baffling that these men, who could pass as top experts in the martial world, were engaged in piracy.
"Kiiiiieeek!"
"Kiaaaah!!"
They didn't answer but instead let out strange sounds and attacked. I was surprised by the sudden increase in their strength and speed. They were much stronger than before, a clear enhancement of their physical abilities.
'There are truly extraordinary people in the world.'
Clang! Clang!
I was surprised and fought them calmly for about twenty seconds. The force of their attacks was so strong that my steel spear would have broken if I hadn't used the spear's transformation technique. Naturally, the better one's strength, the stronger their martial arts, so I had to focus to counter them.
Crash
Seeing a weakness in their movements, I lunged and pierced one of their chests, creating a fist-sized hole. The pirate looked at me in disbelief as he slowly fell. I expected him to collapse.
"Kiiiiieeek!!"
"Huh?!"
But instead of falling, he became even stronger and charged at me. I was taken aback and stepped back, blocking his attack. I was now surrounded at the end of the deck, and I was bewildered. A wound like that would be fatal for a normal human, yet he stood there unharmed!
I said,
"Hey... What are you? Why aren't you dying?"
"Krrrr... Krrr..."
"......"
On closer inspection, they weren't shouting martial roars but making strange sounds. They either understood or didn't understand human speech, staring with pale eyes. It was unsettling, like looking at dead fish.
I realized I wouldn't get any information from them and decided to finish them off properly, gripping my spear firmly.
"Consider it an honor to die to this technique."
The Thundering Breath flowed through me. I hadn't used Thundering Current in the battle with the pirates, but now it coursed through my body. The pirates hesitated at the sudden change, and when one of their heads and arms exploded, they finally reacted.
Crash
I had only activated the Thundering Breath and used the Cha (εΉ) thrust, but it was enough to be a fatal strike.
Thud
A leader fell to the ground, blood dripping from his body. I frowned as I saw fish scales and a fishy smell emanate from his body.
'What is this?'
The other leaders ignored their fallen comrade and charged at me.
"Kiiiiieeek!!"
"Hmph."
But with the Thundering Breath activated, they were no match for me. I dodged their powerful attacks with the Thundering Shadow Step and swung my spear two or three times, passing by them. In the next moment, dozens of holes appeared in their bodies.
"Kiiiiieeek..!!"
But shockingly, one of the leaders, riddled with holes, still charged at me. His mental fortitude was astonishing, and I was filled with frustration. I kicked his head with the Luohan Kick of the Thunder Cloud Soft Fist.
Crack
His neck snapped, and his head soared into the sky before falling to the ground. I examined the head, which had a frog-like face and a fish-like body. It was as if he was a mix of a fish, a frog, and a human, with gills on his neck and a green body.
I had never seen such a creature before and couldn't close my mouth. I had thought they were human because they spoke and used martial arts, but were they actually a different race?
Throb
"Ugh."
I felt an even stronger sense of disgust. I realized it was because of the evil aura they emitted, which was affecting my internal energy.
But killing the source of the evil aura made me feel better. I had once again experienced how the evil aura of different races could pollute the surroundings. I thought about what was happening but couldn't come to a conclusion.
I went inside the ship. There, ordinary humans were rowing busily. I pointed my spear at one of them and said,
"Your leader is dead. Surrender!"
One of the pirates was shocked.
"Huh... Dead? Really?"
"Yes."
"Understood. We surrender. Please spare our lives."
The surrender was immediate. The other pirates stopped rowing, raised their hands, and dropped their weapons. I realized they had been forced into this.
Subduing the remaining pirate ships was easy. When the pirate ship raised a flag of surrender, the others approached, and I cut down about twenty more pirates. The Blood Blade pirates, stunned, surrendered without resistance.
After the pirates surrendered, I returned to the main ship. The head of Dalong Trading Company was delighted.
"Young hero, you are a hero! I never thought you would single-handedly destroy the Blood Blade pirates...!!"
At the same time, he couldn't hide his unease, seeing me covered in blood from the many I had killed. I wiped the dried blood from my face and said,
"Head of Dalong Trading Company, I have something to discuss. Is it alright?"
"Of course."
"Can the head of Xugong Escort Agency also join us?"
"Me? Alright."
The room was bustling, and I entered a private room with the head of Dalong Trading Company. I placed the heads of the Blood Blade leaders, wrapped in a large cloth, on the table. When I unwrapped the cloth, a fishy smell filled the room, and the heads of Dalong Trading Company and Xugong Escort Agency were visibly shocked.
"Ugh!"
"What... What are these monsters?"
I said calmly,
"These three are the leaders of the Blood Blade pirates I cut down. I brought their heads here to avoid alarming the other sailors."
"Ugh, wrap them back up. It's not a pleasant sight."
"Understood."
I wrapped them up again, and the head of Dalong Trading Company, pinching his nose, said,
"You're not lying? These monsters are the leaders of the Blood Blade pirates?"
"Wouldn't you know if you saw their bodies? I told the pirates to hide them, but if you want to see, I can't stop you."
"No... No, I believe you."
The head of Dalong Trading Company looked pale. The head of Xugong Escort Agency, who had been thinking, said,
"I've heard stories about creatures like these."
"What kind of stories?"
The head of Xugong Escort Agency, looking pale, said,
"There were rumors that the Blood Blade pirates were related to the Sea Deity's race. They gained unusual strength in recent years, becoming pirates that even official trade groups feared. Perhaps this is related to that."
"Is the Blood Blade pirates' threat over with these leaders dead?"
"No. They likely have a base on a pirate island. And they probably receive supplies from the mainland through that island."
"So there are more of these creatures."
"Perhaps..."
The room fell silent, a chill settling in.
The head of Dalong Trading Company broke the silence, waving his hand and saying,
"Enough! I don't want to deal with this. My job is to bring trade goods to Goryeo and trade them. This is not my concern. The navy should handle the pirate island. Agree?"
The head of Xugong Escort Agency nodded.
"I agree. Let's put this aside for now and get information from the pirates about their base. We'll throw these monstrous heads and bodies into the sea."
"......"
"Thank you, young hero. I will repay you."
I felt the matter was mostly resolved but couldn't shake off a lingering unease.
'Sea Deity's race?'
Based on my experience, these creatures were clearly from a different world, a different race. The surprising strength and vitality I had encountered were likely innate to their race. If they were called the Sea Deity's race, did they live in the sea?
Regardless, the matter proceeded smoothly. The surrendered pirates were captured and confined on the merchant ship, and the bodies of the leaders were secretly thrown into the sea at night.
I arrived at Kaegyeong, the main port of Goryeo, about four days later. The merchant group, greeted by Kaegyeong merchants, began trading busily at the port. I secretly disembarked and blended in with the merchant group, entering Kaegyeong.
"Ha ha! Let's have a drink."
After the day's work, as dusk fell, the head of Dalong Trading Company entered the foreign merchants' quarters. He invited me and the head of Xugong Escort Agency to join him for a drink, and I didn't refuse. At the well-prepared table with delicious Goryeo food and snacks, the head of Dalong Trading Company said,
"Young hero, what are your plans now?"
"I plan to stay in Goryeo for a few years and learn the language. Goryeo is an interesting place, and I want to travel here for a while."
"Hmm... I won't dissuade you, but..."
The head of Dalong Trading Company subtly changed the subject.