Chapter 245
At that moment, Jin Taedo, the foremost warrior among the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, led the naval fleet—including the Black Dragon Ship—into battle. Meanwhile, Pak Cheonjo, the strongest fighter of the Hyungsan Sect’s combined sword technique, was charging straight at Sun Woojin.
Surprisingly, the first to ambush Sun Woojin and his group were not them.
It was the Blood Brotherhood, the world’s deadliest assassin clan.
Shriiiik!
A dark cloud of hidden blades swept through the air, covering every inch of space like a net, leaving no room to dodge.
“Haaah!”
With a fierce shout, Jin So-eun swung her long staff in a wide arc.
The circular motion of the staff acted like a shield, deflecting the incoming blades.
Tititititit!
But at that very moment, the ground beneath her feet erupted, and three assassins sprang up.
It was a deadly attack aimed at her back, timed perfectly as she blocked the blades.
Shiiik!
Three daggers shot toward her back.
Or rather, they almost did.
Clang clang clang!
Her staff, twisting like a living dragon independent of her hands, intercepted the daggers just in time.
Not only that—
“Hoooop!”
Whirrrr!
The staff spun irregularly, evading the three daggers and then slicing past their heads from unexpected angles.
Puff puff!
Where the staff passed, parts of their heads seemed to be gouged out, as if carved by some unseen force.
That faint white glow at the tip of the staff was Jin So-eun’s energy passing through.
The assassins, missing parts of their heads, froze in place before collapsing heavily to the ground.
But Jin So-eun had no time to spare even a glance at them.
Because at that moment, a massive net descended from above, engulfing her.
Fwaaak!
The enormous net, gleaming black like twisted iron strands, spread across the sky, blocking every escape route.
There was no way to dodge such an all-encompassing attack.
And that wasn’t all.
As Jin So-eun stared up in shock at the falling net, hidden blades rained down from all directions.
Shriiiik! Swaaaak!
A full-scale assault, flooding her with blades.
Whether she got caught in the net or tried to defend it, the attackers intended to turn her into a human pincushion.
Caught in this impossible situation, a flicker of panic crossed Jin So-eun’s face.
It was a crisis.
But only for a moment.
She gritted her teeth and began to move.
Her movements were decisive and unhesitating, like a seasoned veteran of countless battles.
“Hup!”
Whoosh!
Surrounded on all sides—except underground—by enemies aiming for her, Jin So-eun chose to thrust her staff through the gaps in the net.
Immediately, blades poured down on her exposed surroundings.
Shriiiik!
Then—
“Hah!”
She swung the staff with all her might through the net.
Shuhaaak!
The iron net caught on the staff swirled around her like a massive cloud, deflecting the blades.
Bwaaaang!
Tutututututuk!
The blades helplessly struck the tangled net, unable to penetrate.
The net was so huge that even just the portion caught on her staff was enough to shield her body.
In the end, Jin So-eun managed to block all the blades using the net itself.
But she didn’t stop spinning the net afterward.
Bwoooooong!
The tangled mass of net and staff spun faster and faster.
Despite its heavy weight, made entirely of iron strands, Jin So-eun accelerated its rotation until, with a fierce cry, she hurled it away.
“Ughhh, ha!”
The tangled net flew like a meteor toward the Blood Brotherhood assassins who had thrown the blades.
Shuhaaak!
Startled, the assassins scrambled to dodge.
But at that moment—
Jin So-eun sprang out from behind the flying net.
“Hah!”
“!”
She had thrown the net and ghosted right behind it.
And the fact that the assassins didn’t notice her meant she had used stealth techniques.
As their eyes widened in shock at her sudden attack, Jin So-eun’s staff began spinning like a whirlwind once more.
Bwaaaang!
Puff puff puff puff!
Five assassins, missing parts of their heads, flew through the air with the momentum of their dodges.
Blood sprayed like red paint splattered across the sky.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Their bodies crashed to the ground.
But no one in the arena spared a glance at the corpses.
They had seen too many such scenes during the nearly twenty-four hours of continuous fighting.
“Haa, haa.”
Jin So-eun tried to steady her breath and limp body.
Though she had killed for nearly a full day, the area was still swarming with Blood Brotherhood assassins.
No matter how many she killed, they kept crawling out like cockroaches, attacking without fear.
Watching them, Jin So-eun suddenly wondered,
“Maybe… this was the wrong choice?”
But she already knew well enough.
Regret was useless now; nothing could be undone.
Gritting her teeth, she forced her weary body forward and charged at the enemies.
And with a roar filled with fury, she shouted,
“Sun Woojiiin!”
Four days earlier, Sun Woojin had parted ways with the warriors of Haenam Clan and Saga, as well as with Myo Aran.
It was only natural.
Jin Taedo’s plan was to lure Sun Woojin out of Haenam Island, and that was Sun Woojin’s basic strategy.
Meanwhile, the warriors of Haenam Clan and Saga planned to secretly infiltrate Haenam Island with the evidence Sun Woojin had gathered.
They intended to contact other opposing clan leaders, expose Jin Taedo’s atrocities, and gain justification to seize control of Haenam Island while he was away.
Ten years ago, Jin Taedo had conspired with the Hyungsan Sect to assassinate the clan head, In Gye-gun.
He had also colluded with the Hyungsan Sect to form the Combined Mountain Sect, diverting naval forces to create the White Sect.
None of these acts could ever be forgiven, so there was more than enough reason to expel him from the clan leadership.
The only concern was whether the Haenam Clan warriors could infiltrate the island and contact other clan heads without Jin Taedo discovering their movements.
After all, his eyes were everywhere on Haenam Island.
Myo Aran, who had grasped Sun Woojin’s plan in a single meeting, warned him:
“If Jin Taedo finds out about their movements first, he won’t hesitate to start a civil war on Haenam Island. He’ll try to purge the other clan heads before they can act.”
She was right.
Sun Woojin knew this was the one part he had to leave to fate.
When Sun Woojin accepted her words, Myo Aran proposed,
“I’ll draw his attention. I’ll enter Haenam Island openly by a different route and meet Jin Taedo. I’ll ask him to avenge your father.”
“Hmm.”
It was an offer Sun Woojin couldn’t easily refuse.
If she returned openly and drew Jin Taedo’s gaze, it could serve as a diversion, increasing the chances of success dramatically.
But he didn’t accept immediately.
Instead, he asked,
“You know how dangerous this is, don’t you?”
She would be walking straight into Jin Taedo’s hands alone.
With the clan head Myo Cheongju absent, no one could say what might happen if Jin Taedo had ill intentions.
But Myo Aran smiled calmly and replied,
“No matter how dangerous, it won’t be as dangerous as it is for you, Lord Sun. Besides… I must take this risk if I am to have the honor of asking for your help.”
Sun Woojin nodded and asked,
“A favor, then. Regarding my father’s fate, I presume.”
Myo Cheongju was bound and sealed by the Haenam Clan warriors.
They glared at him as if ready to tear him apart at any moment.
If Sun Woojin so much as uttered a word, they would likely rip him to shreds instantly.
Myo Aran looked at her father with a complicated expression, then bowed her head and pleaded with Sun Woojin.
“I do not dare wish for the survival of the Myo clan. Father committed unforgivable sins that deserve the clan’s destruction. But as his daughter, I cannot simply watch his death in silence. I will dedicate my life to fulfilling your plan, Lord Sun. So please, for the sake of using me as a hostage to compel my actions, I beg you to spare my life.”
Her words meant this:
Use her to perfect Sun Woojin’s plan, and keep her father alive as leverage to control her actions—but do not kill her.
For Sun Woojin, it was a proposal with no downside.
He had come to understand her sincerity and felt uneasy about killing Myo Cheongju.
At the same time, it removed a weak point in his plan.
He readily accepted her offer.
Then he explained the situation to Hyun Cheong-gun, leader of the Haenam Clan warriors, and asked him to convince the others.
Hyun Cheong-gun agreed without hesitation.
Though it was regrettable not to kill their enemy Myo Cheongju, they accepted it as a necessary step to bring down their true enemy, Jin Taedo.
Besides, since they still held him captive, they could always kill him later if needed.
The warriors of the Haenam faction, upon hearing Sun Woo-jin’s plan, actually cheered.
They believed that finally, they would be able to kill their true enemy—Jin Tae-do.
Above all, they worried deeply about Sun Woo-jin.
Hyun Cheong-gun spoke up.
“This is far too dangerous, Soju. Please, let at least half of us accompany you.”
This wasn’t just empty words.
After a single meeting, the warriors of Hyun Cheong-gun, the Inga, and the Sa factions had come to fully trust and believe in Sun Woo-jin.
They would have followed his orders to become sacrifices, even if it meant dying at the hands of Jin Tae-do.
For the past ten years, as masterless warriors, they had nurtured only bitterness and hatred, not even knowing who their true enemy was.
Just knowing that Inpa-rang, the rightful heir of the Inga faction, was still alive was enough to fill them with gratitude.
And now, Inpa-rang had grown into a formidable young master, surpassing many in the martial world, tracking down their true enemy, and executing a perfect revenge.
For them, there was no reason not to devote their loyalty wholeheartedly to this newly found young master.
But Sun Woo-jin shook his head at their earnest advice.
“What I intend to do is not to fight Jin Tae-do head-on, but to lure him out and buy time. Since I won’t be facing him directly, the fewer people involved, the better. This will be a matter of stealth and secret techniques, not brute force. In other words, I can minimize casualties and maximize effectiveness best if I act alone.”
Hearing this, Hyun Cheong-gun knew he couldn’t ask to stay any longer.
He had clearly witnessed Sun Woo-jin using a secret technique that resembled the legendary Lee Hyeong-hwan’s during the fight with Sul Mo-saeng.
If what Sun Woo-jin said was true, their presence might only get in his way.
Hyun Cheong-gun looked at Sun Woo-jin with a pained expression.
The thought of parting from their master again, of being powerless and unable to aid his plan, was heartbreaking.
Sun Woo-jin smiled gently, as if to ease his worries.
“The real battle will come after we reclaim Haenam Island. The warriors of Inga and Sa, who have waited ten years, should not be sacrificed in such a trivial role. Please take care of yourselves. I look forward to your valor in the final showdown.”
Hyun Cheong-gun was deeply moved.
This young master, possessing incredible martial skill and strategy beyond his years, even showed such consideration.
His pride swelled, believing no one else in the world could have such a master.
He dropped to his knees and shouted,
“Soju! Please take care of yourself! Until you return, we will risk our lives to reclaim Haenam Island!”
Behind him, nearly three hundred warriors from Inga and Sa also dropped to their knees, shouting in unison,
“Soju! Please take care of yourself!”
“Soju! Please take care of yourself!”
It was a heartwarming scene born from the genuine devotion of over three hundred warriors.
After sending off the warriors and Myo Ah-ran, Sun Woo-jin turned to those who remained by his side—Son Dae-su, Son I-rang, and Jin So-eun.
“For the same reasons, I cannot have you stay with me any longer. Son Nosa, please return to your comrades and assist them. Thank you for all your help.”
Son Dae-su sighed.
Though parting from Sun Woo-jin, with whom he had shared so much, was painful, it seemed inevitable.
If Jin Tae-do himself led his forces, they could be of no help to Sun Woo-jin.
In truth, it was hard to say they had been much help so far.
Moreover, thinking of their comrades under attack by the Six Harmonies Sword Sect’s Pa San Jo, he needed to return quickly.
He smiled ruefully.
“They say ‘all meetings must end in partings.’ I suppose now is that time. Please take care until we meet again, Gongja.”
His granddaughter, Son I-rang, pouted.
“Why did you leave out ‘all partings must lead to reunions,’ Grandpa? We will definitely meet again, won’t we, Gongja?”
Sun Woo-jin smiled warmly.
“Isn’t your godbrother already there? Of course, we will meet again.”
Of course, they all knew that for that to happen, they had to survive.
But none of them said it aloud.
After bidding farewell to the two Sons, Sun Woo-jin looked at Jin So-eun.
Lately, she had been avoiding him, so it was the first time in a long while that he met her gaze directly.
“Jin So-jeo, thank you as well. You’ve suffered following me for no reason. You can return to the Jin family or follow Son Nosa. Do whatever your heart desires.”
Jin So-eun lowered her head, unable to meet his eyes again.
For a moment, she stared at the ground, then suddenly looked up and answered—something Sun Woo-jin never expected to hear.
“No.”
“…Excuse me?”
Sun Woo-jin looked at her, puzzled.
He couldn’t understand what she was refusing.
Nor could he comprehend the resentful look she gave him.
Jin So-eun spoke again.
“I don’t want to leave you, Gongja, especially when I can’t even help. Please let me stay by your side. This time, I want to truly be of help.”
Her words caught Sun Woo-jin off guard.
He never expected such a response from someone who had been avoiding him all this time.
Her usually timid eyes now burned with an intense fire.
But he couldn’t help but smile wryly and shake his head.
“No. What lies ahead is too dangerous for you. Besides, if you avoid even talking to me, you’ll only get in the way.”
Normally, such a refusal would have made Jin So-eun bow her head shyly.
But not now.
Her eyes blazed even brighter as she shouted,
“I won’t! I won’t avoid talking to you! I’ll follow whatever you ask! Please give me a chance!”
Jin So-eun was filled with deep disappointment and disillusionment with herself.
She had just witnessed the warriors of Haenam Inga and Sa, who had trained themselves for ten long years waiting for their master.
She had seen Myo Ah-ran, who without hesitation, threw herself into mortal danger to save her father and her fiancé, Inpa-rang.
She thought,
“What am I doing right now?”
Everyone was risking their lives for something precious to them.
Even Sun Woo-jin, who had nothing to do with her, was throwing himself into this dangerous mission.
But she alone was not.
“What am I doing?”
She had followed Sun Woo-jin simply because she wanted to be with him, yet she was turning away from him because it hurt her heart.
Her petty reasons and pathetic behavior filled her with disgust.
So she thought,
“Think. What should I do? What do I want?”
No matter how much she thought, she had no desperate reason like the Haenam warriors.
No grand cause like loyalty or revenge.
But still, there was something she desperately wanted.
“To be with him. Above all, to be of help to him.”
That was what she longed for most, what she wanted to achieve.
So she couldn’t leave him now.
She couldn’t end their journey like this, holding onto such a pitiful image.
It didn’t matter that it wasn’t a grand cause like revenge or loyalty.
It was what she wanted most.
Sun Woo-jin sighed softly, meeting Jin So-eun’s earnest, burning gaze.
“Huu…”
He didn’t understand why she had suddenly become so desperate.
But even so, what he wanted was impossible.
His mission was to lure Jin Tae-do, who would bring overwhelming forces.
If anyone less capable than himself joined, it would only be a hindrance.
Jin So-eun’s abilities were not yet sufficient.
If he kept her by his side, both of them would be in grave danger.
Just as he was about to shake his head again, a voice suddenly spoke in his mind.
“Why not give her a chance?”
Startled, Sun Woo-jin asked,
“…What? You mean her?”
Muk-rang smiled and replied,
“Yes. I have high hopes for her potential. And now, it seems the conditions for it to bloom are barely met. After some real combat experience, she’ll grow rapidly.”
Sun Woo-jin hesitated.
He trusted Muk-rang’s words completely.
But even so, taking her along was risky.
If her first real battle was against Jin Tae-do, she’d be crushed before she could grow.
Just as he was about to say no again, a thought struck him.
Perhaps Jin Tae-do wouldn’t be the first enemy they’d face.
It would take time for those on Haenam Island to cross the sea and chase them onto the mainland.
Sun Woo-jin’s mind raced.
“If that’s the case… then the first enemies we encounter might be…?”
At that thought, Sun Woo-jin smiled—a chilling smile that even made the fiercely determined Jin So-eun flinch.
He asked her,
“Can you truly carry out everything I ask of you, So-jeo?”
Jin So-eun’s eyes blazed with renewed determination as she answered.
“Anything! I’ll do whatever you ask!”
Hearing her reply, Son Rang, who was standing nearby, muttered under his breath.
“A woman giving such a reckless answer…”
From her perspective, Sun Woo-jin’s expression looked disturbingly sly and dangerous.
But to Jin So-eun, burning with determination, no other voice mattered.
And now, four days later.
After fighting the assassins of the Blood Lotus all day long, Jin So-eun, covered head to toe in dirt, ground her teeth and shouted out Sun Woo-jin’s name.
“Ahhh! Lord Sun Woo-jin!”