Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1062

The droplets of blood trickling down were all visible to Mak Won’s eyes, honed to their limit.

The amount of blood flowing wasn’t much. It was thanks to using the Heavenly Martial Divine Weapon [a technique or artifact that enhances martial abilities] the moment he was injured, staunching the bleeding and sealing the wound as much as possible.

‘Your reaction is quite good.’

So Hyun-rip thrust his spear as if to pierce a hole through Mak Won’s chest.

However, it actually only grazed Mak Won’s left upper arm. The image of the spear piercing through his arm was an illusion. It was thanks to Mak Won’s subtle and swift movements.

‘However, I’ve seen through all of your spear techniques.’

So Hyun-rip’s left hand, gripping the end of the spear shaft, slightly loosened its grip.

Mak Won’s eyes widened.

‘It’s coming!’

Flash!

It was truly a spear technique like lightning.

There were no consecutive strikes, but the speed of a single blow was incredibly fast.

Blood splattered on Mak Won’s side. He barely managed to evade it this time as well. If he had been a step slower, his ribs would have been broken and his liver would have been destroyed.

Ziiiiiing!

The White Lightning Spear let out a long wail.

The Heavenly Martial Divine Weapon, which had resembled a vast expanse of land, sharply constricted. It had spread a rich aura in all directions, using it as a foundation for abundant attack power, but to evade or block a spear strike of this speed, one had to increase the reaction speed of the body.

So Hyun-rip’s obsidian spear spat fire.

Flash! Flash! Flash!

The speed was terrifying.

Mak Won evaded all three spear strikes. However, he hadn’t perfectly evaded any of them.

He sustained injuries on his shoulder, thigh, and trapezius muscle. They weren’t deep, and there wasn’t much bleeding, but So Hyun-rip’s internal energy [a form of energy used in martial arts] remaining in the injured areas was constantly trying to penetrate inward.

The amount of internal energy consumed to expel that penetration path wasn’t much either, but the more it accumulated, the more he would be at a disadvantage, and eventually, he would lose the battle.

Mak Won gasped for breath.

‘A terrifying spear technique.’

The distance from So Hyun-rip was over five yards. Ignoring that distance, spear strikes poured down, and he was too busy evading to even think about blocking.

A spear technique that didn’t allow approach.

This was the Sea Mist Dragon Flash (解霧龍閃), which So Hyun-rip had created based on the martial arts of the Martial Sect and perfected by fighting against the experts of the Central Plains [a region in China often depicted in martial arts stories].

For So Hyun-rip, who was proficient in all ten thousand spear techniques, the formalities of spear techniques were now meaningless. The talk of stances and such was just a headache.

The Sea Mist Dragon Flash was a three-form spear technique. It was a simple yet effective spear technique that instantly defeated the enemy with internal energy flowing through the complex formulas, all in one move.

The culmination of all the spear techniques that So Hyun-rip, known as the Spear King, had seen, learned, and practiced.

The corners of So Hyun-rip’s mouth curled up.

‘You won’t even be able to touch my clothes.’

It’s coming!

Mak Won read the killing intent at the tip of the spear. At that moment, his body was already moving.

Flash!

It was the first time.

For the first time, Mak Won perfectly evaded So Hyun-rip’s spear.

‘Oh ho.’

If the Sea Mist Dragon Flash was the ultimate spear technique, then Mak Won’s Heavenly Martial Divine Weapon was also a divine skill that was no less powerful.

‘Let’s see if you can keep evading.’

Flash!

Another spear strike flew in.

This time as well, Mak Won evaded So Hyun-rip’s attack. He couldn’t block it, and approaching was still difficult, but with just two complete evasions, he had perfectly read the thrust of So Hyun-rip’s spear technique.

‘Good.’

Mak Won took a step forward.

‘I’ll close the distance.’

Whack!

The distance of over five yards was instantly reduced to three yards.

So Hyun-rip’s spear spat fire once more.

Flash!

The burst of light grazed Mak Won’s shoulder.

As the distance decreased, perfect evasion was impossible. However, only the surface was injured. This level of evasive maneuver was worthy of applause.

‘The distance is sufficient. Now it’s my turn.’

Just as Mak Won’s White Lightning Spear was about to unleash its killing intent.

‘……?!’

In a split second, a moment divided into fractions of a second.

Mak Won read a subtle and flexible killing intent targeting his back.

Fwoosh!

Mak Won, rolling on the ground, quickly widened the distance. The three-yard distance was once again widened to seven yards.

‘Damn it.’

His back was torn open lengthwise.

He was caught in the shockwave of a spear strike that was swung like a slash rather than a thrust. If he hadn’t rolled, his spine would have been split.

‘Hooh? You evaded that?’

It seemed unexpected. So Hyun-rip’s face slightly hardened.

‘Impressive. Not only did you become accustomed to my spear techniques in just a few exchanges, but you even blocked the Illusionary Soft Spear (幻柔槍) linked with the One Flash (一閃). Honestly, I’m surprised.’

The Sea Mist Dragon Flash was So Hyun-rip’s true martial art, but he didn’t only use that. Sometimes, he would use spear techniques of a lower level to kill his opponents.

To him, martial arts were simply the most rational way to kill. He didn’t commit the folly of clinging to powerful martial arts and forcing a battle of strength.

‘Hoo.’

Mak Won, taking another breath, turned his head this way and that.

So Hyun-rip’s eyes deepened.

‘To dare to be so relaxed. And in front of me?’

Mak Won didn’t say anything more.

‘It’s overwhelming. Even evading is. But…’

Even though his whole body was covered in wounds, Mak Won’s gaze was calmly settled.

‘Somehow, this fight doesn’t feel like I’m going to lose.’

Whoosh!

The Heavenly Martial Divine Weapon, which had been sharply constricted, rose again like a cloud.

It was a cold and chilling aura of iron. So Hyun-rip frowned.

‘You’re going to attack head-on? You fool. A one-hit kill with a quick finish? Do you think that’s possible?’

‘Shut up, you old man.’

Mak Won, cutting off So Hyun-rip’s words in his mind, lowered his stance even further.

It was a stance that was too low to unleash spear techniques. His legs were spread wide, and his upper body was almost bent over as if he were prostrating. It was an appearance like that of a beast.

So Hyun-rip clicked his tongue.

‘What an ugly stance. Try receiving my attack in that stance.’

Although he said that, So Hyun-rip never underestimated Mak Won.

He was a guy who had entered the sect more than a dozen years later than him, but he was a genius who had caught up to his level in just a few years. If you were to simply consider talent, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that he was among the top three in the history of the Martial Sect.

Whoooosh!

A fierce aura rose from Mak Won’s body.

So Hyun-rip’s cheek twitched.

‘That’s why I can’t forgive you.’

If that guy had ambition and had integrated all the martial arts within the sect and thoroughly exercised his skills, So Hyun-rip would have been willing to bow his head to him.

However, Mak Won was a bastard who had let his talent rot.

There were many reasons, but that one reason alone was enough for Mak Won to be a bastard. At least, that was how it was for So Hyun-rip.

‘I’ll pierce a hole through your heart.’

So Hyun-rip, releasing his stance, took his first step forward.

The moment he took one step.

So Hyun-rip’s obsidian spear had already reached Mak Won’s chest.

Swoosh!

A long gash appeared on Mak Won’s chest.

He had intended to stab him to death, but it only ended up as a slash. He had twisted his body like lightning before the spear could reach him, evading it.

So Hyun-rip’s eyes wavered.

The Lightning Flash Step (閃電長步) followed by the first form of the Sea Mist Dragon Flash, the Dragon Light Flash (龍光閃), had failed. It was a strike so fast and sharp that even if you read the killing intent beforehand, you wouldn’t be able to evade it, yet he had evaded it.

‘How?’

He was a guy who had barely managed to evade it a moment ago, when he had pushed the reaction speed of his nerves to the limit with his true energy. But now, having abandoned reaction speed and put everything into a powerful attack, he couldn’t understand how he had evaded this attack.

‘It’s coming.’

He could see Mak Won’s white spear writhing.

So Hyun-rip quickly raised his obsidian spear, preparing for a counterattack.

Clang!

So Hyun-rip’s eyes wavered.

‘A leg technique?!’

A leg technique that was launched from a low stance.

It was a powerful strike that made the shaft of the obsidian spear wail. It wasn’t a blow that would decide the outcome, but that one strike made So Hyun-rip’s body falter.

So Hyun-rip was startled.

It wasn’t because of the power.

‘How from that stance?!’

There were many words like transcendent and supreme, but in the end, the distinction of levels was, to put it extremely, the difference between being able to do it and not being able to do it.

However, Mak Won’s leg technique had come from an angle that was impossible given the structure of the human body.

And it didn’t end there.

Whack! Clang! Clang!

Incomprehensible martial arts flew in one after another.

Starting with the leg technique, Mak Won’s body approached in an instant, followed by elbow strikes, punches, palm strikes, and then a powerful strike from the White Lightning Spear, followed by a series of spear attacks.

It was a sudden reversal of the battle. So Hyun-rip, retreating in a daze, couldn’t help but be astonished.

‘What is this?!’

Leg techniques, elbow strikes, punches, palm strikes.

In other words, body techniques. But they were incomprehensible body techniques.

He kicked and approached, then used only his left arm to deliver elbow strikes, punches, and palm strikes in succession.

If he had struck with both arms in succession, it would have been understandable, but he was implementing all those martial arts with one arm, and it was incredibly fast and powerful. It wasn’t like he was striking with a time difference either. He was watching it with his own eyes, but he couldn’t understand how such a thing was possible.

And it didn’t end there.

After finishing the three seconds of attacks with his left arm, he gathered power and unleashed a powerful explosive force with the White Lightning Spear. As soon as he blocked that explosive force, another quick attack of spear strikes flew in, and that was still an attack from the spear held in his right hand.

It was a martial art that defied the principles of martial arts, the human body, and even the flow of power. It was as if a master of hand-to-hand combat and a master of spear techniques had appeared at the same time and were attacking.

The left arm was hand-to-hand combat, and the right arm was spear techniques. But the speed and flexibility were no different from using both arms.

‘This bizarre…!’

Whoosh!

Incomprehensible martial arts were best seen from a distance.

He widened the distance with the Lightning Flash Step. In the blink of an eye, the distance of five yards was created.

‘……!!’

So Hyun-rip’s eyes widened.

Before he knew it, Mak Won had chased him right up to his nose and was swinging the White Lightning Spear. But that spear technique was strange.

Instead of the unique movements of thrusting and slashing, he was implementing a technique that swung and smashed, crushing everything. With that long spear!

‘A staff technique!’

He was wielding a martial art as if he were swinging a short staff of less than three feet with a spear that was over six feet long.

It was a bewildering martial art. So Hyun-rip, who had been trained in hundreds of battles, had never seen this kind of martial art before.

Clang!

So Hyun-rip’s face contorted.

This strike was truly powerful. It wasn’t a particularly powerful explosive force or a killing technique that could be called a finishing move, but it was enough to make his insides churn.

‘You bastard!’

So Hyun-rip’s body, having deflected the shaft of the White Lightning Spear, moved dynamically. He instantly twisted his upper body, gathered power, and was about to unleash the Dragon Light Flash.

It was then.

Thud!

A leg technique launched from a low stance deflected the shaft of the obsidian spear that had begun to move.

Whoosh!

The force, shot out like a beam of light, curved diagonally and split the sky.

Mak Won’s left foot, which had deflected the obsidian spear, was covered in blood. His shoe was torn off and flew away, and even the hem of his pants was reduced to dust.

So Hyun-rip’s face contorted.

His right arm, which had moved according to the flow of power, felt as if it would be torn off completely. It was unbelievable that a technique that no one could stop once it was implemented, even though it was difficult to implement, was bent by a single kick.

Crack!

So Hyun-rip felt his vision flash.

Mak Won, who had been supporting himself with one foot, strongly kicked off the ground and headbutted So Hyun-rip’s chin with his forehead.

‘Crazy!’

A headbutt.

He had delivered the most efficient attack at a distance where it was awkward to swing a spear or hands and feet.

Even so, for someone who had built up this level of skill to headbutt his opponent. So Hyun-rip felt a sense of absurdity amidst the shock that made his mind feel like it was flying away.

The two people widened the distance.

The White Lightning Spear, fully imbued with Mak Won’s Heavenly Martial Divine Weapon, turned into a flash of light and flew towards So Hyun-rip’s chest.

Thwack!