Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1014

“So, it was that.”

Hong Ik-cheon’s pupils turned bluish as he looked at the Mad Dragon Axe.

“An amazing demonic weapon. A divine weapon forged by the greatest artisan in the world, reforged with blood and killing intent. A weapon that hasn’t even been a hundred years old, yet it possesses a terrifying deathly aura, like an ancient demonic weapon.”

He tried to remain calm, and he actually did, but Hong Ik-cheon’s words momentarily unsettled him.

It wasn’t because of the Mad Dragon Axe. Listening to Hong Ik-cheon’s tone made him feel like he had truly returned to the Black Demon Fortress days.

It was different from Muk Bi, Gang Ryang, Jin Yang, and So Jeong-gwang.

The fact that Nam Su-hwal, one of the last Five Great Generals and his friend, was actually an enemy spy seemed to affect him even more.

However.

Thud!

The Mad Dragon Axe pierced the floor.

The tip of the spear was buried about a foot deep. It was so heavy that it seemed like it would tilt, but there was no sign of that. It was an amazing balance.

Hong Ik-cheon smiled faintly.

“Aren’t you going to wield that vicious demonic weapon?”

“I will. But we decide when your blood stains this axe blade, not you.”

“……Indeed.”

Hong Ik-cheon’s eyes narrowed.

The smile on his lips remained, but his gaze changed, making his entire expression seem different.

“You are indeed difficult. Given your personality, based on my research, it wouldn’t be strange if you started by slicing off an arm, but you truly defy expectations.”

“You are certainly extraordinary in your own right.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s voice was unusually cold.

“You don’t sound like someone facing death.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s not like you have some grand plan. You simply aren’t afraid of death itself.”

“Well, I am afraid, but I’ve just accepted that I could die at any moment.”

Hong Ik-cheon’s lips curled up even more.

“It’s not just me, it’s everyone. But people live forgetting that obvious fact. If they didn’t forget, they could live each day more interestingly and fiercely.”

“Fierce, maybe, but not interesting. Not your antics, anyway.”

Yeon Ho-jeong sat down on an empty chair.

Moyong Gun, who had been silent until now, spoke.

“Do you know about this person?”

It was a question directed at Yeon Ho-jeong.

He referred to Hong Ik-cheon, whom he had considered a colleague and a great junior, as ‘this person’.

The shock was just a shock. Moyong Gun had an excellent ability to grasp and accept reality.

To him, Hong Ik-cheon was already an enemy. Shock or any lingering regret were luxuries. His wavering mind had already transformed into something as unyielding as steel.

“I don’t know him.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s answer was no different from Moyong Gun’s.

The person Yeon Ho-jeong knew was Ham Mu-heon, not Hong Ik-cheon.

Of course, he was greatly shocked by Hong Ik-cheon, but he was quick to recover. The traces of shock remained, but that was that, and reality was reality.

People were dying, the Martial Alliance was paralyzed, and he was even framed. He had no choice but to be cold.

Looking at the two men’s calm eyes, Hong Ik-cheon spoke in a composed voice.

“You two are very similar……”

“You seemed to know the Water Dragon Divine Needle Technique.”

Moyong Gun interrupted Hong Ik-cheon and spoke to Yeon Ho-jeong. It was as if he was treating Hong Ik-cheon as if he didn’t exist.

It was clearly a necessary action. Hong Ik-cheon was someone who had driven people to suicide with his terrifying rhetoric. There was no need to engage in conversation with him.

Hong Ik-cheon closed his mouth. However, he didn’t seem to feel any other emotion. He simply looked at the two men with the same gaze as before.

Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.

“I knew it as the Water Dragon Divine Needle Art. Of course, it’s the same thing.”

“This person said earlier that a man named Ham Mu-heon was the last inheritor of the Water Dragon Divine Needle Technique. And you mentioned the name Ham Mu-heon first.”

“It’s a long story. It’s also difficult to explain. What’s important is that I know the Water Dragon Divine Needle Art, or rather, the Divine Needle Technique.”

Yeon Ho-jeong continued, looking at Hong Ik-cheon.

“That’s why this bastard can never leave this place.”

Hong Ik-cheon’s smile deepened.

“Indeed, you know a lot about the Water Dragon Divine Needle Technique.”

Unlike Moyong Gun, Yeon Ho-jeong had no intention of avoiding conversation with Hong Ik-cheon.

“I do.”

“The Water Dragon Divine Needle Technique has many secret arts. There are many secret arts that are completely unknown to the outside world.”

“That’s right.”

That response was truly peculiar.

Yeon Ho-jeong was not a fool either. Before he even thought of making Nam Su-hwal’s Ham Mu-heon his comrade, he had already used the Black Faction’s intelligence network to gather all sorts of information about the Water Dragon Divine Needle Art.

As Hong Ik-cheon said, the Water Dragon Divine Needle Technique had many secret arts unknown to the outside world. These secret arts were only to be used in extremely dangerous situations, and if used properly, they were amazing techniques that could overcome any dangerous situation.

Later, Ham Mu-heon became his comrade, but Ham Mu-heon did not show Yeon Ho-jeong even half of his many secret arts.

He thought it was natural.

The Water Dragon Divine Needle Technique was also a one-person secret. No matter how close they were, unless they were master and disciple, it was not something that could be easily leaked to the outside.

However, Yeon Ho-jeong, having realized all the truth, understood that it was not that it was a one-person secret, but that Ham Mu-heon himself simply had no intention of revealing it.

At the same time.

‘The Ham Mu-heon from back then is different from this guy now.’

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes were not blind.

While there was a natural aspect to it, as a man who had reached the pinnacle in the brutal Black Faction, his intuition and mental agility were faster than anyone else.

Ham Mu-heon from the Black Demon Fortress days was a trustworthy man. Even if he didn’t talk about his techniques, there were definitely moments when he sincerely revealed his inner thoughts.

Yeon Ho-jeong could be sure.

At that time, Ham Mu-heon was definitely a spy, but while they were together, he had also been somewhat influenced by the Black Demon Fortress.

In other words, he had hesitated several times between his mission and friendship. There was no way to confirm it now, but Yeon Ho-jeong believed that was definitely the case.

And naturally, the current him was different from the one in the Black Demon Fortress.

The past information only made Yeon Ho-jeong more alert and capable of responding, but it did not revive any lingering feelings for him.

“Even if it were someone else, useless bluffs wouldn’t work on you, Yeon Ho-jeong. Even if I said that among the many secret arts of the Water Dragon Divine Needle Technique, there was a way to escape from you two right now, you wouldn’t believe it.”

“No, I believe it.”

“……”

“You know many ways. Your bluffs aren’t just bluffs. You don’t bluff with the intention of making your opponent lower their guard.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.

“You’re just a pervert who finds the fun of life in observing and analyzing the reactions of others and realizing facts you didn’t know.”

The smile disappeared from Hong Ik-cheon’s face.

It wasn’t because he was shocked or angry at Yeon Ho-jeong’s words.

It was just pure surprise. This man named Yeon Ho-jeong was truly remarkable. No one had ever recognized his true nature, and no one had ever recognized it on their first meeting.

Even that envoy hadn’t.

“You are truly someone worth studying. No one is like you.”

“If no one is like me, why bother studying me? You can just exclude me from the world you know. Isn’t that right?”

“……”

Hong Ik-cheon, who had been quietly looking at Yeon Ho-jeong, stroked his chin.

“You could see it that way. But there’s no guarantee that someone like you won’t appear again in the world, is there? Your research data is very valuable.”

“So, are you going to try to get out of here?”

“It’s ambiguous. Logically, it’s natural that you don’t know about my secret arts, but strangely, I don’t feel like using them.”

“Everyone who has been deceived by your silver tongue must have felt that same helplessness.”

Hong Ik-cheon gave a strange smile.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve experienced this either. If you’re saying that to shock me, you don’t have to.”

“I’m not saying it to shock you. I’m just curious.”

“What do you mean?”

“You haven’t accepted the fact that humans can die at any moment.”

“……”

“You’re just not afraid of death.”

“There’s no one who isn’t afraid of death.”

“You’re not afraid.”

“What makes you say that……”

“Even that is just interesting to you.”

At that moment, Hong Ik-cheon’s mouth closed.

Even his own death is part of his interest?

If it were someone else, they would say that was crazy, but Hong Ik-cheon was different.

And as if he didn’t even know that fact himself, Hong Ik-cheon exclaimed.

“……I see.”

“……”

“You’re right. I’ve never thought deeply about that part… You’re truly an amazing person.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

“So, what are you going to do with me now?”

Moyong Gun said coldly.

“Of course, I have to kill you. After revealing the whole story, of course.”

“Moyong Clan Leader says so. What do you think, Yeon Ho-jeong?”

“Revealing the whole story is important. But whether to kill him or not is not up to us. We need to talk to many people first.”

“You’re so composed. Even in this situation. You’re truly amazing.”

“It’s not like I’m a fool who will make a mistake by staying calm until the end just because you’re flattering me. As you said, I don’t know how I’ll change if I lose my mind.”

There wasn’t a single gap.

Hong Ik-cheon thought. Yeon Ho-jeong was truly a remarkable person.

No one had ever shown such a reaction. It sounded like he was just casually throwing out words, but if you dug deeper, they were all words that completely blocked the path to the direction he wanted.

Instead of leading the situation to his advantage, he was making himself ambiguous. When he first heard about the Mad Dragon Axe, Yeon Ho-jeong was clearly visible, but now, it was as if he was shrouded in fog, and his true form was not revealed.

‘He’s a devil in disguise.’

It wasn’t human thinking.

Yeon Ho-jeong was showing a much more difficult and inhuman side than he had thought, a devil in every sense of the word.

“If you don’t plan to kill me right away, does that mean you’re going to capture me?”

“I guess so.”

Hong Ik-cheon smiled.

“Then, would you mind waiting just a little longer? This tea is very good. I want to savor both the aroma and the taste.”

Just as Moyong Gun was about to speak.

“Okay.”

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.

“Do that.”

“Thank you.”

Moyong Gun frowned.

“Vice-Chief Yeon. Why are you doing this? This guy might have pulled another trick.”

“We’ve already won. There’s no one like him. I think it’s okay to give him time to finish his teacup.”

Moyong Gun, who had been quietly looking at Yeon Ho-jeong, turned his head away.

Yeon Ho-jeong silently crossed his arms and looked at Hong Ik-cheon.

Hong Ik-cheon slowly sipped his tea. He seemed to be truly savoring the taste and aroma.

Even in this moment, to show such composure was something that not just anyone could do. Whether he was born strangely or not, he thought that part was truly remarkable.

As the time approached one hour.

“Thank you for waiting.”

“Get up.”

“Let me put on some clothes. It’s chilly……”

“There won’t be an explosion even if you wait longer.”

At that moment, Hong Ik-cheon’s eyes widened.

“……How did you know that?”

“You made a mistake.”

“Could you tell me what mistake I made?”

“Knowing that I’m different from anyone else, your mistake was thinking that I would react the same way as anyone else.”

“……!”

“Did you really think I would just stand by and watch?”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled coldly.

“If you tell Namgoong In that you’re going to meet Senior Sword Saint, my choice will naturally be to move away from that direction.”

“……!!”

“Your biggest mistake was not knowing that I’m someone who likes to tattle. Rather, in those situations, I go all the way.”

* * *

It was when Namgoong Hyeon arrived at a small forest behind the military headquarters building.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”

Startled, Namgoong Hyeon turned his head to the side.

At that moment, his face turned pale.

Namgoong Seung’s face, sitting on a small rock, was full of fatigue.

“Why? Did you have business at the military headquarters?”