A sea of undulating blue water.

The small dots that appeared beyond the horizon gradually grew larger.

It might not be a scene to boast about, but the disciples of Southern Island Sect felt a breath-stopping pressure as they watched.

Because they made their living from the sea, they knew the moment they saw it.

That the approaching ships were somehow different from those they had seen before.

“Four Sects Alliance...”

A groan-like voice escaped someone’s mouth.

Those who had been lively moments ago all froze in place and stared blankly at the approaching ships.

They had been fired up, willing to risk their lives against Four Sects Alliance, but the moment they saw the fleet approaching with their own eyes, an overwhelming despair and fear swept over them.

Fear is contagious.

Especially in a situation like this, it spreads faster than anything. Someone standing on the shore instinctively took a step back, about to retreat.

“Seeing those bastards so often, it’s almost becoming pleasant.”

Chung Myung’s nonchalant voice pierced their ears.

“...No matter what, calling the Evil Sect guys pleasant.”

“You did see them way too often.”

“I agree, sasuk. It’s a sight I’ve tired of seeing on the Yangtze river, and seeing it again out here feels strange. At this point it feels like the Evil Sect all travel by ship.”

“...That’s true, but.”

Chung Myung snorted.

“Anyway, those bastards never learn. They get beaten while at sea and then come back by ship again?”

“Then how would they come to the island?”

“They should swim here!”

“...Chung Myung. Not everyone in the world is as crazy as us.”

“Not crazy, just rational!”

“Even if all reasoning in the world dies, that still wouldn’t be reasonable...”

Those who overheard the conversation looked anew at Chung Myung and the Mount Hua disciples.

Seeing these people calmly accept a situation that filled them with fear, one name naturally sprang to their minds.

Plum Blossom Island.

Yes. That very name.

‘Come to think of it...’

Plum Blossom Island was the isolated island on the Yangtze river that had been besieged by the Pirates.

Mount Hua had attacked that island without hesitation and rescued the Namgung Family, who were in despair. They built an unshakable reputation on that single feat.

If you think about it calmly, that situation and the current one are quite similar, aren’t they?

Of course the situations aren’t identical. It was Mount Hua that defeated Four Sects Alliance on Plum Blossom Island, but now these people are only part of Mount Hua, and the ones who must truly stand against them are Southern Island.

But...

One thing was certain: in a situation like this, the people you could trust more than anyone were precisely those Mount Hua disciples.

Remembering that fact eased their minds a little compared to before.

Moreover...

“Should we just wipe them out as soon as they land?”

“If that’s the case, why make a plan! You idiot!”

“I know, but seeing them makes me angry. Those bastards have no fear.”

“No. They don’t know we’re here, do they?”

“Don’t know? If they don’t know, they deserve a beating then!”

“...Please, stop.”

Seeing these people not intimidated by the Four Sects Alliance fleet but instead joking about it stirred resolve in their hearts.

They were the offspring of sea-faring people who battled the ocean.

Even if their skill was uncertain, they prided themselves that their courage did not lag behind any sect in the land.

So to show even a momentary fear upon seeing the enemy, how shameful was that?

“If you’re going to attack as soon as they land, let us join in.”

“Hm?”

When Chung Myung turned to look, Gwak Hwan-So grinned and spoke.

“If it’s about grievances against Four Sects Alliance, there’s nowhere angrier than us.”

Chung Myung snorted at those words.

“You’re fearless. What will you do if you die?”

“If I were afraid to die, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Oh?”

Gwak Hwan-so’s words hardened the expressions of Southern Island’s disciples.

He was right.

Those who came here had all been prepared to give their lives.

So what was there to be afraid of now?

“...Come to think of it, it might be better to die attacking than to die being chased.”

“That would feel more satisfying.”

“I have my own grudges too—I wish I could put a blade to those bastards’ throats at least once...”

“Is that so.”

A growing competitiveness filled everyone’s voices.

It wasn’t because they had forgotten fear. Death was still terrifying, and Four Sects Alliance was frightening.

But if fear changes nothing, you mustn’t let it consume you.

They all understood that, so they forced themselves to muster any courage they didn’t truly feel.

Seeing that, Chung Myung finally gave a wry smile.

“I get how you feel, but... for now...”

Chung Myung changed his expression and looked at Im So-Byeong with a cool gaze.

“There’s also the effort of the one who schemed this plan, no matter how ill-conceived, so we should follow the plan for now.”

“...Thank you for that.”

Im So-Byeong spoke with a face forcing down his boiling temper.

“Warrior Gwak. Is the preparation complete?”

Gwak Hwan-so quickly scanned the situation and nodded.

“Two ships remain, but they’re underway and will be finished soon.”

“Hurry. And move everyone off the shore to their designated positions except for the minimum necessary personnel. It’s no good if they see a crowd on the shore.”

“Yes!”

As Gwak Hwan-So issued orders, the disciples on the shore ran back swiftly.

“Footprints!”

At that moment, Im So-Byeong barked out.

“Erase the footprints! Footprints! Do you want the whole town bragging that a mob gathered here like mad?”

Startled, Southern Island’s disciples hurriedly rubbed out the scattered footprints on the shore.

“Tsk.”

Im So-Byeong clicked his tongue in displeasure.

He knew that just as a perfectly built dam can collapse from one small hole, strategies are undone by trivial details like this.

“Move!”

“Yes!”

Im So-Byeong quickly checked the condition of the ships and the shore.

“Are you sure they’re landing here? If we’ve prepared everything and they suddenly go elsewhere, it would be meaningless.”

“Ho Ga-Myung must have come.”

“Yes?”

Namgung Do-Wei tilted his head at the somewhat unexpected reply.

“This is something the Ten Thousand People Clan must handle without leaving any repercussions. It would be nice if Jang Ilso could come in person, but he cannot withdraw from the Four Sects Alliance main force now, so Ho Ga-Myung would have come instead.”

Im So-Byeong continued as if it needed no debate.

“Jang Ilso may be unpredictable in his actions, but ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) Ho Ga-Myung is someone who straightforwardly pursues gain. Unless they somehow learned we were here, in a place occupied only by Southern Island it’s not worth their trouble to land elsewhere. They will definitely land here.”

Namgung Do-Wei stared at Im So-Byeong with a blank look.

It wasn’t the logic itself but the certainty behind it that unnerved Namgung Do-Wei.

He was usually hard to understand, but at moments like this Im So-Byeong displayed an intimidation that brooked no contradiction.

‘This is the dignity a sect leader possesses.’

Namgung Do-Wei nodded unconsciously. He disliked the man, but this was something to learn from. Im So-Byeong was certainly not someone to be underestimated...

“What if they land somewhere else?”

“We’ll cut them down! Not looking back!”

“...”

Im So-Byeong’s face contorted sharply.

“Then it means those bastards knew we were here and came fully prepared. If we resist clumsily, we’ll just have our heads cut off. Chop chop!”

“Ah, no. Even so, there are people left behind; us fleeing alone...”

“No, what nonsense is this! I don’t care about Southern Island or anything else! I have to survive first.”

No.

He must have been mistaken. There’s nothing to learn from a man like that.

Whether fortunate or not, the fleets seen in the distance did not change direction and were heading straight for the shore where they were.

“Preparations complete!”

Im So-Byeong gave a final sharp check of the shore’s situation.

“Good!”

Confident that this was enough, Im So-Byeong made a large gesture to signal.

“Move to your prearranged positions! And remember, absolutely do not move first! Understood?”

“Yes!”

Southern Island’s disciples led by Gwak Hwan-so sprinted toward the thicket beyond the shore.

“We’ll move as well!”

“Understood.”

Baek Cheon turned his head, took the approaching fleet in with his eyes, and nodded.

‘We’ve done everything we can.’

All that remained was to act according to the prearranged plan. As always, deal with minor variables as they arise.

“Let’s go!”

“Yes!”

The Mount Hua disciples, their feet pounding the ground, leapt over the thicket and ran toward the ridge of the mountain connected to the shore as planned.

Jo Gul, watching Baek Cheon running ahead, shook his head.

“Even the sasuk has gained a lot of composure, hasn’t he.”

“He looked calm even to me.”

“I was worried his legs would be shaking.”

“Exactly.”

They couldn’t not be nervous. Four Sects Alliance and the Ten Thousand People Clan remained fearful and threatening even to them.

Usually they had the confidence of fighting alongside Mount Hua supporting their backs. Now they had to coordinate with Southern Island Sect, with whom they’d never fought—why wouldn’t they tremble?

Yet Baek Cheon had to play along with Chung Myung’s light jokes because the Southern Island disciples were clearly more fearful and tense than they were.

People take their cue from the composure of those ahead of them.

Therefore Baek Cheon must not show nervousness. At least to those beside him he must seem composed.

Jo Gul and Yoon Jong fully understood Baek Cheon’s mindset and how hard he was trying.

“This way!”

“Yes!”

Those running hid themselves in a hollow in the ridge that Im So-Byeong had pointed out.

Though still some distance away, lowered in tension, they raised their heads slightly to watch the approaching ships.

“...They’re big.”

“Yes. Just like before.”

Ships they had already seen once.

But the feeling when those ships were docked at the shore and when they came straight at them was completely different.

The sharply rising prows of the ships seen head-on felt like blades aimed at them.

“Sasuk.”

“Yes.”

Baek Cheon nodded.

“They’re coming.”

As Chung Myung’s eyes grew dim and bleak.

Swooooosh.

At last, Four Sects Alliance’s fleets cut through the rough waves and reached the shore where they were.

Splash!

The sound of huge anchors plunged into the water changed the expression of this shore.

Into the thing called a battlefield.