Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Episode 81: Heading to Kolima (2)

Karon spent the entire morning sitting in the hallway connected to the first-floor deck, staring endlessly at the sea.

From the outside, he seemed idle, but his mind was anything but relaxed. In reality, he was observing every single person moving between the deck and the cabins.

He meticulously checked if their appearances matched the last time he saw them, down to their voices and scents.

This feat would be unimaginable for most, but with his extraordinary memory, it was merely a minor nuisance.

Perhaps it was Andrew’s first time on a ship. Initially curious, he wandered around everywhere, but now, looking slightly tired, he glanced up at Karon and asked: “Karon, how long will the sea last?”

Normally, one might ask how far the sea stretches, but Andrew didn’t seem concerned about such distinctions.

Neither was the one answering.

“Probably until tomorrow.”

“Oh.”

Andrew pouted as if disappointed. Knowing he couldn’t change the situation, he harbored no complaints.

What could one do but let the endless sea guide them?

At that moment, Karon’s eyes lit up with suspicion.

He focused on a person stepping out of a cabin.

A burgundy headscarf, a navy coat, and pointed shoes.

The outfit was the same as he remembered from yesterday, but the person wearing it was different.

Additionally, there was a faint scent of blood and an unsettling, unfamiliar energy.

It wasn’t the aura of a demon but something entirely distinct.

What was this?

Karon delved deeper into his memories.

Then, he remembered where he’d seen the man’s face. He was one of the captives rescued from the Foggs’ stronghold island.

That meant this person had escaped the island disguised as a hostage, secretly boarded the ship, eliminated a merchant, and was now impersonating him.

Why, though?

Perhaps he had ties to the Blue Raven Gang.

Fortunately, the man didn’t seem to recognize Karon, likely because he hadn’t seen him on the island.

‘Once we arrive, I’ll tail him.’

Karon burned the man’s features into his memory.

By lunchtime, the group of four gathered again. Despite the circumstances, everyone seemed hungry.

As if waiting for this moment, Ironius approached and handed them several sheets of paper.

“Here are transit permits for Kolima, issued by the Empire. You’ll need them when entering the port tomorrow. I’m giving them now because I might be too busy to hand them out later.”

“Thank you, Ironius.”

Hinshan accepted the permits and checked each one.

Deciding it would be best for one person to hold onto them, he took responsibility.

Only then did Karon grasp the true motive behind the Foggs remnant disguised as a merchant.

‘It’s to gain entry into Kolima.’

Unable to enter with their identity, they had borrowed someone else’s.

While their determination to reach Kolima intrigued him, Karon had no intention of confronting them immediately.

Patience was one of his greatest strengths.

“Shong.”

He called out to Shong.

“Yes?”

“Do you sense anything unusual?”

“Not really. I haven’t felt anything strange since boarding the ship. Why? Is something wrong?”

Karon wasn’t the type to ask such questions without reason.

Shong instinctively sensed that something was amiss.

Ding, ding, ding, ding! Ding, ding, ding, ding!

Suddenly, the sound of urgent bells rang out.

Judging by the pattern—four rapid chimes—it seemed to convey a specific meaning.

“What’s that sound?”

“It means a monster has appeared. Everyone, move to the top deck immediately!”

Ironius spoke with a grave expression.

“Head to the upper deck at once!”

“Everyone, to the top deck!!”

Simultaneously, sailors began shouting and running through the deck and cabins.

Karon’s group quickly rushed outside and scanned the sea.

From the east, monsters were rapidly approaching, kicking up waves. Though small in size, their numbers were overwhelming.

“Do monsters appear often around here?”

Karon asked, to which Ironius shook his head.

“They do appear occasionally, but I’ve never seen so many at once.”

“How many fighters are aboard?”

This time, Hinshan posed the question.

“We have about ten mercenaries hired for this trip.”

“There’s no choice, then. Let’s gather at the top deck and fight together.”

Hinshan hurriedly sent Ironius to the upper deck and returned to the cabin with the group to retrieve their weapons.

As they prepared to ascend, Karon headed toward the opposite deck.

“Karon!”

“Go ahead. I’ll follow shortly.”

Karon unsheathed his sword as he spoke.

Without arguing further, Hinshan hoisted Andrew onto his back and climbed the stairs.

The monsters were already swarming the ship, clinging to its sides.

Their size matched that of a human, with webbed hands and feet, and their arms and legs were as sharp as blades.

Their bodies were covered in tough-looking scales.

Karon ran along the narrow railing, his sword drawn.

Though the space was quite confined, it was wide enough for him.

Clang! Clang!

He swung his sword at the first monster’s head, sparks flying upon contact.

Though it left only a wound and didn’t slice through, Karon remained unfazed.

Sss—

A red aura began to emanate from his blade.

Slash!

As the second monster climbed onto the deck, Karon decapitated it cleanly.

This time, there were no sparks—just a seamless cut, like slicing paper.

Swish! Slash!

Karon’s movements grew faster and more fluid.

As Karon dashed along the railing, a crimson streak followed in his wake, leaving behind nothing but bisected monsters sprawled across the deck.

Yet, the more he fought, the more something felt off.

“Are they ignoring me and heading upward?”

Though he had been deliberately drawing the monsters’ attention, they seemed fixated on climbing higher, as if driven by an unseen force.

“Click!”

Karon clicked his tongue and redirected himself toward the stairs.

As he ascended, he slashed through every monster in his path.

Occasionally, a monster would swing its limbs at him from his blind spots, but as if he had eyes on the back of his head, Karon effortlessly countered, slicing off their limbs without even looking.

Clang! Clack!

“Kraargh!”

“They’re breaching from that side! Hold them off!”

The clamor of weapons clashing and frantic shouts of people echoed from the rooftop, signaling an intense battle underway.

Thud!

Karon leapt lightly, ascending one floor at a time.

When he finally reached the rooftop, he was met with the sight of dozens of monsters surrounding the area.

Fortunately, Hinshan and Shong were fending them off efficiently, each guarding one side.

Hinshan alternated between a bow and a sword with remarkable dexterity, while Shong targeted the monsters’ heads and chests with pinpoint precision using his rapier.

However, the creatures’ tough scales made quick work difficult.

Andrew stood nearby, holding a dagger and appearing nonchalant. Strangely, no monsters approached him.

“Karon! Look over there!”

Shong’s shout drew Karon’s attention.

He followed Shong’s gesture and saw a massive galleon rapidly approaching, almost on a collision course.

“Karon! There’s an orb user on that ship!”

Shong’s sharp eyes caught a bright glow emanating from one side of the galleon.

Around the ship, monsters continued to appear, likely summoned by the power of the orb.

They couldn’t afford to remain tied up here.

As Karon alternated his gaze between the galleon and their ship, Hinshan shouted,

“Karon! Leave this to us! Take care of the orb user!”

Karon nodded, then leapt powerfully from the ship toward the galleon.

But it wasn’t a reckless leap. He landed precisely on one of the monsters swimming toward their ship, using it as a springboard to jump onto another and eventually the galleon.

None aboard the galleon could have imagined someone crossing over in such a manner.

The first to fall to Karon’s blade was the helmsman.

Slash!

The helmsman’s severed head rolled away, and the rudder, now unmanned, spun aimlessly, causing the ship to tilt sharply.

“Get him! Take him down!”

The pirates finally noticed Karon and rushed to attack, but with the ship’s steep angle and rapid spinning, they struggled to maintain balance.

Clack!

Slash! Slash!

Despite the chaos, Karon moved gracefully through the crowd, cutting down pirates with fluid precision.

Even the extreme conditions of the tilting deck posed no hindrance to him.

By the time half the pirates had been slain, someone managed to regain control of the ship’s rudder.

As Karon prepared to eliminate the new helmsman, monsters surged from all sides, enclosing him in a tightening circle.

Growl!

Grkrk! Grkrk!

Karon stood still, sword in hand, as the monsters parted to reveal a figure.

The pirate captain emerged, clad in a tattered black hood, a pirate’s hat, and a shabby coat.

A faint blue glow emanated from his chest, where an orb appeared to hang as part of a necklace.

Beside him stood two towering monsters, larger and more menacing than the others.

This must be the captain.

“An orb that controls monsters. Interesting.”

At Karon’s emotionless question, the pirate captain flinched but quickly retaliated with raw, unrefined killing intent.

“Doesn’t matter how you got here. Your little tricks end now, brat.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the monsters surrounding Karon lunged at once, their sheer numbers overwhelming.

The spot where Karon had stood was buried under a mountain of writhing bodies, like a living tomb.

And then—

Ssshhh!

Shred!

A vivid crimson light erupted from the pile, followed by a swirling dark red aura that lashed out violently, tearing the monsters apart.

The torrent of energy didn’t stop there, mercilessly ripping through the deck around them.

Amidst the destruction, Karon emerged, walking like a ghost.

His glowing red eyes gleamed ominously, and his sword, now surrounded by a dark crimson haze, exuded a deadly aura.

“What was your purpose in attacking this ship?”

Karon’s chilling voice resembled that of a vengeful spirit.

For the first time, fear crept into the pirate captain’s expression.

“D-damn it! Kill him!”

The captain sent his last two monstrous bodyguards charging at Karon.

Growl!

Grkrk! Grkrk!

The towering creatures, over two meters tall, swung their massive arms menacingly.

But to Karon, their attacks were nothing more than clumsy theatrics.

He moved with such ease that even their fingers appeared slow in his eyes.

Karon spotted their weak points with absolute clarity and adjusted his grip on his sword.

Slash!

Thud! Thud!

Each swing of his blade severed the monsters’ limbs, cutting through their tough scales like paper.

With every step forward, the distance between him and the captain shrank.

“Damn it!”

The captain turned to flee, but a brilliant crimson arc slashed through his legs.

Slash!

“Aargh!”

Both of the captain’s legs were severed, and he collapsed onto the deck.

Having dealt with the monsters, Karon flipped the captain onto his back with a kick and crushed the glowing orb on his chest underfoot.

“This is your last chance. Why did you attack the ship?”

Karon’s indifferent tone radiated such menace that the captain was consumed by the fear that refusal meant death.