Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1095

“The Murim Alliance forces have arrived!” Yang Cheon sighed in relief at the administrator’s words. “Well, they’ve arrived just in the nick of time.” It would take more than half an hour to get here from the South Gate of the Imperial Palace. Still, the fact that they had arrived was a relief in itself. If the enemy had launched a surprise attack before then, they would have had to rely solely on the Imperial Palace forces, which would have resulted in unnecessary sacrifices. Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at Yeon-Wi. “Father.” Yeon-Wi smiled. “I am already prepared.” Even though the enemy had not yet arrived, Yeon-Wi felt much more at ease knowing that they could fight alongside the Murim Alliance forces. “Everyone who needs to be here has gathered. Now, all that remains is the outcome of the battles in Gansu, Shaanxi, and Liaoning.” Yeon Ho-Jeong slumped into a chair. Yeon-Wi cleared his throat and said, “You should rest a bit. It seems like you haven’t slept properly for days.” “I’ve slept enough.” “There are dark circles under your eyes.” “I’m starting to think that Military Advisor Jeagal is amazing. I don’t think I could endure this kind of thing for even three months.” It wasn’t just the mental strain of strategizing. Entrusting battles to others was difficult in itself. Of course, during his time as the Dark Emperor, he had entrusted many battles to the Five Great Generals, whom he trusted like family, but this was different from that time. Turning the tide of war by using those connected by trust was one thing, but keeping an eye on areas where anything could happen at any time and reading the overall situation was a completely different matter. “You should listen to your father for once.” Yang Cheon patted Yeon Ho-Jeong’s shoulder. “We’ll take care of the Murim Alliance forces, so go inside. There may be many talented people in the world, but you are the core of the Imperial Palace Military Department right now. Depending on the situation, you might be deployed to another region at any time.” “Tch.” “Resting well is also a job. Go wash up and rest. You smell.” “I don’t.” “How would you know?” “Because I have a dog’s nose.” “Then go quickly before you start to smell, you rascal!” Yeon Ho-Jeong grumbled and got up from his seat. “Don’t get too worked up.” He seemed to be quite exhausted. Yeon-Wi and Yang Cheon couldn’t help but laugh at his grumbling. “Then, I’ll go rest for a bit.” “Not just for a bit, rest well.” With that, Yeon Ho-Jeong went to his quarters. He was going to wash up, but the thought of just sleeping for a day made everything seem bothersome. In the end, he just flopped onto the bed. ‘To hell with the Supreme Extremes [a level of martial arts mastery].’ It seemed that this kind of fatigue didn’t care about one’s level of mastery. As he closed his eyes while lying down, the world seemed to spin for a moment. It was a similar feeling to when he lay down after drinking heavily. He felt like he could fall asleep right away. However, Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t fall asleep easily. ‘Liaoning should be fine. Muk Bi and Gang Ryang have such good eyes. Plus, there’s one Supreme Extremes master and the highly skilled fire-cannon soldiers….’ His thoughts naturally moved to Gansu. ‘The Tang Clan Head’s insight is also worthy of discussing the world. His tactical vision might be inferior to Muk Bi’s, but his ability to see the big picture is high. Even if a fierce battle breaks out, he’ll know when to strike and when to retreat.’ Even in his exhaustion, his thoughts continued to race. ‘The problem is the Common Faction… Their temperaments are so strong and rough, I wonder if they’ll be easy to control. Well, knowing the Tang Clan Head’s personality, he’ll lead them well, even if he has to drug them all.’ Still, this was a war that determined the fate of the entire Central Plains. Regardless of their temperaments, it was clear that they would unite to face the enemy. ‘Did they win? At least, I don’t think they’ll lose. Even if the damage is great, if the Tang Clan Head intervenes directly, he’ll be able to turn the tide at the last minute.’ His thoughts about Gansu naturally led to Shaanxi. ‘Shaanxi… Honestly, Shaanxi is the most ambiguous. The Sword Saint Senior and my brother took two thousand troops, so there shouldn’t be any major problems, but the fact that they’re cavalry bothers me.’ Cavalry. If the demonic troops of Gansu were the Blood Fiends, and those who charged in from Liaoning were the Shinwha, then the cavalry coming down from Shaanxi must be the Saim. Yeon Ho-Jeong opened his eyes. The spinning ceiling had returned to normal. ‘Cavalry… There definitely weren’t any cavalry back then.’ He was referring to his time as the Dark Emperor. ‘No, there were cavalry. But their numbers were only in the hundreds. They were good at hit-and-run tactics, but they weren’t exactly an elite force. They were skilled in mobile warfare and had great destructive power on the plains, giving lower-level troops a hard time, but when they faced elites, they were only focused on avoiding them.’ It was a natural strategy. Any unit would rather retreat than fight an opponent they couldn’t match. ‘They were the Hidden Tiger Cavalry, weren’t they?’ He had never actually clashed with them, so his memory was hazy. But he still remembered their name. The Saim’s cavalry unit that was active in the early stages of the war. They swept through various places in the North China region with five hundred men, causing considerable damage, before being completely wiped out by the elite swordsmen sent by Sword God Moyong Gun. ‘Ten thousand cavalry? History might have changed. After all, I’m changing history myself.’ But why did they suddenly increase the number of cavalry? ‘The Saim Cult’s martial arts are all about insidious destructive power. Their infiltration techniques are stronger than any other martial art in the Central Plains, and their bizarre true energy [internal energy] manipulation is so impressive that it can even deceive the senses of a supreme master. Those guys created ten thousand cavalry… What does this mean?’ Even though he wanted to sleep soundly, he couldn’t fall asleep. His mind was only working for the sake of the war. Yeon Ho-Jeong recalled the Saim Cult masters he had fought during his time as the Dark Emperor. And the units they commanded. ‘They were quite troublesome. Especially their massive numbers. In reality, the Saim Cult alone caused countless deaths among the martial artists of both the White and Black Paths. At least in terms of numbers, they were probably the best among the Three Sects.’ The Saim Cult, the Saim Cult. Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes gradually became hazy. ‘I have to destroy those bastards with my own hands. Even if the Blood Fiends and Shinwha are dark inside, they can’t be as bad as those guys….’ He was definitely tired. It seemed like his mind was becoming clearer, but his eyes were quickly closing. And just like that, Yeon Ho-Jeong fell asleep in an instant. When a person falls asleep, they don’t properly recognize that moment. But Yeon Ho-Jeong immediately recognized that he had fallen asleep. ‘Huh.’ Everything was dark. Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t help but grumble. “That’s a fine thing to do. I told myself to sleep well, but even in my sleep, my mind is still awake.” Yeon Ho-Jeong, who was wearing a wry smile, suddenly looked down at his hand. He was holding an axe. Surprisingly, the axe was neither the Mad Dragon Axe nor the Black and White Twin Dragon Axe. ‘This is?’ Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes sharpened. ‘The Wind and Thunder Axe?!’ A favorite weapon he used during his time as the Dark Emperor. The best weapon of the Black Path, which had met its end with him in the final battle against the Saim Cult Leader. It was not made of a rare metal like the Mad Dragon Axe, but because it was a massive heavy weapon made of pure steel, it became the best weapon of the Black Path. Of course, it was also because the best of the Black Path wielded it. Anyway, he was glad to see it again, even in a dream. Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had lifted the Wind and Thunder Axe to his chest, smiled and stroked the axe blade. “I handled you quite brutally.” Because it wasn’t a divine weapon like the Mad Dragon Axe, he had deliberately made the blade blunt. He thought that the blade might get damaged or broken if he swung it carelessly. “But this dream is so real. From the touch to the temperature, it’s exactly like the real Wind and Thunder Axe?” That’s when it happened. “Is that so?” Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyebrows twitched. “Then, shall we see if your skills are still the same as back then?” In an instant, a storm-like killing intent erupted from behind him. Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body reflexively turned. The Wind and Thunder Axe in his hand was swung horizontally, emitting a thunderous roar. Jjeoeoeoeong! With a tremendous resonance, Yeon Ho-Jeong staggered and stepped back. In an instant, his eyes widened. “You’re still good at blocking.” “……You?” “Impressive skill. Just a horizontal slash is enough to make my ears ring. In the current world, the only one who can unleash an attack with this much soul is….” Pa-a-a-a-ak! The Wind and Thunder Axe, which had rushed in like a gale, was swung mercilessly. Jeojeojeojeong! Kwaaang! The martial art he was instinctively using was surprisingly an attack-oriented martial art, the Tiger King Nine Thunderous Strikes. Not the Yellow Dragon Art, but the Four Divine Martial Arts. The White Tiger Art from the Four Divine Martial Arts had been unleashed. Yeon Ho-Jeong could clearly recognize it. The moment he recognized it, the forms of the White Tiger Art, which he had forgotten while practicing the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, came to his mind. “What are you doing?” The unknown evil god had appeared above his head. Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face contorted. “You bastard!!” Kwaang! The Wind and Thunder Axe, which was bending like a thin whip, created a huge barrier of true energy. It was the Twelve Walls of the Northern Sky. It was the art of the Black Tortoise, a defensive martial art that could even block cannon fire. “How dare you come here!” The forms and true energy manipulation of the Black Tortoise Art were instantly imprinted on his upper dantian [energy center]. However, Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t pay attention to that. What was in front of him now was the evil god. He was the enemy back then, and he was the head of the Saim, who he had to eliminate now. “Die!” Hook! Following the Blood Wing Sky Sweep, which moved the shortest distance, the ultimate killing technique, the Crimson Flame Six Kill Art, was unleashed. It was a burning axe technique. Each strike was meant to inflict a fatal wound. The evil god’s body, which was blocking the axe, was instantly covered in blood. A white smile appeared on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face. At that moment, the evil god’s hand moved strangely and penetrated Yeon Ho-Jeong’s abdomen. It was as if there were no bones in his arm. It was a serpentine martial art, he didn’t know the name, but it was definitely a killing technique that the Saim Cult Leader had used. Yeon Ho-Jeong’s feet moved to the side, and at the same time, the Wind and Thunder Axe rotated. Chiririring! He absorbed the insidious killing technique and stored up even more power. It was the Azure Dragon’s Cloud Stepping Footwork and the Three Forms of the Dragon Army from the Azure Dragon Art. He swung the Wind and Thunder Axe as if stabbing, storing the power of the Saim Cult Leader. It was the last move of the Three Forms of the Dragon Army, the Dragon King’s Heavenly Return Cannon. Kwaaaang! The evil god disappeared from the cannon-like martial art. “…….” Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had been staring intently at the front with wide eyes, slowly relaxed his posture. He had unleashed all of the Four Divine Martial Arts in an instant, but his mind was only focused on the evil god. “……Where did he go?” Even seeing him in a dream made his stomach churn with anger. If he could kill him, he felt like he could kill him tens of thousands of times. Through his meeting with his master, Yeon Ho-Jeong knew that this emotion was part of the passionate competitive spirit unique to the Four Divine Martial Arts. ‘I don’t care.’ Who cares if it’s a learned emotion or not. The important thing was that the bastard deserved to die, and if he could kill him, Yeon Ho-Jeong would do anything. Yeon Ho-Jeong kept looking around. In the space filled with darkness, the evil god was no longer there. “Did he really disappear?” He was really gone. There was no sign, no shadow to be found. After looking around for a long time, Yeon Ho-Jeong sighed and sat down on the spot. ‘What is this….’ The wry smile on his face suddenly hardened. Like a lie, the world changed in an instant. ‘Where is this?’ At that moment, a voice was heard. “It’s over.” Yeon Ho-Jeong turned his head. There… was himself, Moyong Gun, and Tang Gwan, all with their chests melted and dead.