Chapter 247

Chapter 247 – Friend…(1)

"Hyah!"

Bang!

Muk Il-gwang's axe split the head of an approaching Blood Dark Squad warrior vertically. Grayish brain matter and red blood splattered everywhere, making a mess of the deck.

"Huff!"

Muk Il-gwang exhaled deeply.

Misty steam continuously rose from his massive body. Sweat drops were evaporating from the heat radiating from his body.

He didn't know how many he had faced. The enemies kept coming endlessly like ants crawling out of their nest.

Muk Il-gwang swung his axe with full force to meet them.

The Blood Heaven Axe Technique wielded with two large axes showed even greater power in chaotic battles.

The axe handles were stained red with blood, and the flowing blood sticky on Muk Il-gwang's fingers.

"Brother!"

Bang Jin-bo's eyes trembled. Muk Il-gwang turned around and grinned.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you."

"Brother?"

"I promised big brother. I'll keep my word no matter what happens."

Though he said this, his stamina had already reached its limit. His hands holding the axes were trembling, and exhaustion was evident on his face.

Still, Muk Il-gwang gripped his axes tightly. His eyes burned with anger.

More than half of the Yellow Demon Channel bandits on the speedboat were already dead. Though from different bases, they were fellow outlaws. They were like brothers to him. Their deaths made Muk Il-gwang angry.

"You b*st*rds!"

Jang San-woo roared.

His entire body was stained with blood. Numerous corpses lay at his feet. They were enemies Jang San-woo had killed.

Even while engaged in fierce combat with the Blood Dark Squad, he never let go of the rudder. If he lost control of the rudder, the speedboat would be swept away by the rapids and shatter.

"Everyone, hold on! Just endure a bit more and we'll escape Hell Gorge."

Jang San-woo encouraged his subordinate bandits. The surviving bandits swung their weapons in fury. Having lost many comrades, their eyes saw nothing else.

"Die! You b*st*rd!"

"Ahhh!"

They charged in desperately fighting for their lives. Since they couldn't match one-on-one, four or five would gang up on one enemy.

Though they fought hard this way, even this had reached its limit. Their bodies trembled and they barely had strength to hold their weapons.

"Damn!"

"Is this the end?"

Just as despair was rising from the bottom…

Suddenly, the Blood Dark Squad looked up at the peak of Hell Gorge. The way they all silently looked up at the sky gave people a strange sense of fear.

They started stirring.

"The Immortal…"

"…is dead."

In that moment, the Blood Dark Squad exchanged glances and suddenly leaped toward the top of Hell Gorge. The cliff walls of Hell Gorge turned completely red as the Blood Dark Squad climbed up by digging their hands and feet into the cliff or using lightness skills.

"What?"

The surviving Yellow Demon Channel bandits looked blankly at the Blood Dark Squad climbing the cliff.

Like ants returning to their nest after losing their queen, the Blood Dark Squad frantically climbed the cliff.

Finally able to catch his breath, Muk Il-gwang muttered in a low voice.

"Brother!"

He could tell without seeing.

There was only one person who could make the persistently attacking Blood Dark Squad retreat so urgently.

Dam Ho had made them move.

Swish swish!

Red shadows climbed up and joined behind Deung Cheon-so. Hundreds of warriors in red martial clothes lined up.

The Blood Dark Squad emanated terrifying killing intent toward Dam Ho. Deung Cheon-so briefly looked at the Blood Dark Squad lined up behind him.

The Blood Dark Squad was a great asset of the Demonic Cult. Their individual martial arts were strong, but what was truly frightening was one particular internal technique they had mastered.

Deung Cheon-so gave them an order.

"Use the Blood Spirit Soul-Dragging Technique."

For a moment, the Blood Dark Squad's eyes wavered. But soon they used the technique.

The Blood Spirit Soul-Dragging Technique was one of the Demonic Cult's forbidden arts. Those who mastered it could connect their spirits.

When spirits are connected through this technique, thoughts are shared. The more people connected, the more the power increases exponentially. However, the technique had a weakness – once used, there was a very high chance of becoming disabled afterward.

It was a technique that put tremendous strain on the brain. If used wrongly, one could become an idiot, or worse, suffer complete paralysis – truly a demonic technique.

Even Deung Cheon-so was shocked. The Blood Dark Squad wasn't originally created to be used this way. They were carefully created for a greater purpose, but because of Dam Ho, they had to use their full power.

"In that case, I'll definitely take your head."

Deung Cheon-so roared. Terrifying killing intent emanated from his body. But even at his killing intent, Dam Ho didn't blink an eye.

Dam Ho's eyes were darkness itself.

His pitch-black eyes held not a trace of emotion.

Suddenly, he reached behind his back. Deung Cheon-so's sword was still stuck in his back. Dam Ho grabbed the blade. Then pulled forcefully.

Swoosh!

The sound of the sword cutting flesh rang out. The Blood Dark Squad and Deung Cheon-so flinched. The sound of the sword cutting Dam Ho's flesh felt like it was cutting their own hearts.

Dam Ho finally pulled out the sword stuck in his back.

His blood flowed down the blade. Dam Ho's face reflected in the blood-stained blade.

Crack!

When he applied force, the sturdy blade crumbled like a cookie.

"You!"

Deung Cheon-so, seeing his precious sword shatter in Dam Ho's hands, charged in anger.

That was the signal.

Swish!

The Blood Dark Squad attacked Dam Ho following Deung Cheon-so.

Short spears flew and arrows cut through the air. Some threw hidden weapons, others charged in bare-handed.

Though it seemed like they were charging randomly without any order at first glance, there wasn't a single gap in their wave attack. Connected through the Blood Spirit Soul-Dragging Technique, the Blood Dark Squad shared the optimal method instantly to attack Dam Ho.

Whoosh!

At that moment, Dam Ho's body vibrated slightly.

The Shield, a protective technique of the Defensive Energy Technique, was deployed.

Dam Ho jumped into the middle of the Blood Dark Squad with the Shield surrounding his body.

Clang clang clang!

Arrows deflected, hidden weapons struck the Shield and fell. Deflecting the enemies' sabers and swords, he charged straight ahead.

The shortest distance between two points. At the end were Dam Ho and Deung Cheon-so.

"Madman!"

Only then did Deung Cheon-so realize Dam Ho's target was only himself, and he trembled.

Dam Ho completely ignored the Blood Dark Squad's attacks. Leaving defense to the Shield, he attacked solely to kill one person – Deung Cheon-so.

That persistence and blind killing intent was enough to terrify even the great Deung Cheon-so.

Stab!

A Blood Dark Squad member's sword pierced his side through the Shield. The shocking pain that made his mouth gape shot up his spine and rang in his head. Still, Dam Ho didn't cry out, nor did he stop.

His eyes saw only one person – Deung Cheon-so. He completely ignored all other attacks.

Bang!

Dam Ho's Fortress Piercing Kick exploded in front of Deung Cheon-so.

With a "splat" sound, flesh exploded. But Deung Cheon-so was fine. A nearby Blood Dark Squad member had thrown himself in to block at the critical moment.

Instead, the Blood Dark Squad member's body exploded like a firecracker. Deung Cheon-so's entire body was stained red with his blood.

"You!"

Deung Cheon-so swung his sword in anger.

The Black Dark Heaven-Stealing technique was unleashed, targeting Dam Ho's heart.

From the front came sword energy with massive power, from the other three sides the Blood Dark Squad charged like hungry demons. There seemed nowhere for Dam Ho to dodge. And Dam Ho had no intention of dodging.

He stretched both hands forward.

His hands using the Silver Net Hand technique had invisible nets of fine energy formed. In that state, he grabbed Deung Cheon-so's sword.

The sword trembled as the Silver Net Hand clashed with the sword energy.

Seeing this sight, Deung Cheon-so felt his heart might burst. Grabbing a sword wrapped in sword energy with bare hands? Something impossible by his common sense had happened.

But soon he shouted:

"How dare you use such evil techniques? I'll blow off those hands!"

He poured even stronger energy into the sword. The energy gathered on the sword expanded explosively. But in just one place, where Dam Ho's hands gripped, it only wavered without expanding.

Creak!

Veins bulged on Deung Cheon-so's forehead and his sword hand trembled. He didn't let go of the sword.

The Blood Dark Squad, who had hesitated momentarily, charged at Dam Ho again. The weapons in their hands would pierce Dam Ho like a hedgehog. His job was to endure that brief moment.

That's when it happened.

Clang!

Cracks appeared on the sword's surface where Dam Ho gripped it, and it exploded instantly. The sword shattered, unable to withstand the clash of internal energy between Dam Ho and Deung Cheon-so. Hundreds of sword fragments scattered in all directions like hidden weapons.

"Kuhk!"

The fragments struck not only Deung Cheon-so but also the Blood Dark Squad and Dam Ho. Over ten fragments pierced Deung Cheon-so's chest and abdomen, and about ten Blood Dark Squad members charging like moths to a flame instantly lost their lives.

Five or six fragments also pierced Dam Ho's body. Still, Dam Ho didn't cry out and unleashed the Wide Pressing Hand technique.

Crack!

Deung Cheon-so's shoulder collapsed.

"Kugh!"

Deung Cheon-so gritted his teeth and stepped back. His face clearly showed his bewilderment.

Dam Ho pursued relentlessly and unleashed a Single Yang Strike.

Crunch!

Deung Cheon-so took a hit to his nose. As his nose bridge collapsed, blood sprayed everywhere, staining his face completely red.

Meanwhile, Dam Ho allowed another hit from the Blood Dark Squad. Though the Shield minimized the damage, it didn't mean he couldn't feel pain.

Deung Cheon-so felt fear toward such a Dam Ho. Despite receiving so many wounds, Dam Ho targeted only one person – Deung Cheon-so.

Even the great Deung Cheon-so couldn't help but be terrified by such persistence and venom.

'To think such a person existed in the world.'

His whole body trembled involuntarily.

He too had been called stubborn growing up, and was evaluated as a cold-blooded person without blood or tears. But compared to Dam Ho, the difference was as great as between the full moon and a firefly.

Dam Ho was truly persistent. He attacked targeting only Deung Cheon-so. He ignored the Blood Dark Squad's attacks.

Bang! Bang!

He attacked and attacked again.

Having lost all three swords, Deung Cheon-so couldn't find an opening to counterattack. His hair had long been disheveled like a madwoman's, and his entire body was covered in wounds large and small.

Deung Cheon-so's face was twisted. Though he didn't want to admit it, he was feeling fear toward Dam Ho now.

"Block him! Block him even if you have to throw your bodies!"

He shouted at the Blood Dark Squad.

Bang!

At that moment, Dam Ho's hammer-like fist struck his temple. Deung Cheon-so's consciousness flew away momentarily.

Dam Ho's attacks continued like wagon wheels without pause on Deung Cheon-so's staggering body.

An elbow struck his chest, followed by a shoulder attack with full body weight. A knee buried into his abdomen, and a heel shattered his left shoulder.

"Uwaah!"

Deung Cheon-so vomited blood and collapsed.

Dam Ho's relentless combination attacks had shattered every bone in Deung Cheon-so's body. Deung Cheon-so wobbled like an octopus on land before collapsing to the ground.

He barely raised his head to look up at Dam Ho. He opened his mouth, drooling blood and saliva.

"Heh! Fist Demon, Fist Demon. To think someone like you existed in the world. But your end won't be so…"

Bang!

At that moment, Dam Ho's large fist struck Deung Cheon-so's face. Deung Cheon-so's head shattered like a watermelon.

Deung Cheon-so died without finishing his words. Though he had killed him, Dam Ho had no time to rest.

The Blood Dark Squad was charging like a swarm of bees. Dam Ho threw his whole body at them.

Bang!

Death arrived.