Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1102

Pheeing!

A sharp sound tore through the sky. It was a signal arrow.

With that sound, dozens of arrows flew towards Namgoong Seung.

Even though the arrows rained down amidst the chaotic battle, they posed little threat to Namgoong Seung’s abilities. After all, he was the greatest swordsman in the Central Plains. The title of Sword Emperor was not something anyone could easily earn.

However, Namgoong Seung couldn’t completely ignore the barrage.

Pa-ba-ba-bak!

The arrows, blocked by an invisible barrier of energy surrounding his body, bounced off in all directions.

It was a natural result. A master of the Supreme Realm unconsciously emits an invisible shield of true energy. Moreover, the Sword Emperor’s shield would be even more difficult to penetrate with such an attack.

The problem was that Namgoong Seung was in the middle of a fight with a powerful opponent he couldn’t ignore.

Jjeo-eo-eong!

Namgoong Seung’s body lurched backward as he received a brutal spear strike.

‘You bastards!’

Woo-woo-woong!

The blue sword light emanating from the nameless iron sword scattered into five streams, spreading in all directions.

It was the Five Dragons Piercing Strike, the ultimate technique of the Namgoong Family’s Azure Sky Limitless Sword [a powerful sword style].

Peo-beo-beo-beok!

With gruesome sounds of flesh tearing, fifteen cavalrymen fell, spurting blood. Each sword strike had taken down three cavalrymen, cutting through both the riders and their horses with their tough hides.

Jjeo-eo-eo-eong!

Unable to avoid the descending long spear, he turned his iron sword to block it.

Namgoong Seung’s feet dug into the ground.

‘Such brute force.’

In a flash, his match with Yeon Ho-Jeong came to mind.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s martial arts had been an unprecedented surprise for Namgoong Seung. In particular, the unique brute strength with which he freely wielded a heavy weapon weighing over eighty pounds was something that even Namgoong Seung, with his deep inner energy like the sea, found difficult to face head-on.

In that regard, the spear strike of the cavalry commander before him was clearly lacking. His strength, speed, and even delicate techniques were a level below Yeon Ho-Jeong’s at that time.

Yet, it was still difficult.

Hi-hi-hing!

The horse, wailing, lowered its stance.

The cavalry commander, having retrieved his spear, immediately thrust it towards Namgoong Seung’s chest.

Beonjjeok!

It was a lightning-fast strike, as if a bolt of lightning had flown and struck.

He retreated using the Heavenly Wind Step [a movement technique] and deflected the blow with his iron sword, but the impact from the blocked sword traveled all the way to his elbow.

‘Such martial arts exist!’

He quickly struck the horse’s head with a fierce blow of the Heavenly Wind Sword [a sword technique], but the cavalry commander had already drawn a curved saber and deflected the Heavenly Wind Sword strike.

Pheeing!

At that moment, arrows flew in. Namgoong Seung, who had been trying to push through with force, had no choice but to retreat and deflect the arrows.

‘The martial art of man and horse as one.’

At times, the horse would lower its stance or raise its front legs, and it would turn its thick, long neck to make it easier for its master to attack and defend.

It was truly a mounted combat technique that had reached the level of the divine. This was an area that could not be explained simply by the bond between master and mount or by countless experiences.

‘Is it a spirit beast?’

It should be called a demonic beast rather than a spirit beast. Its blood-red eyes and the fact that it was even larger than other cavalry mounts made it seem like it could crush a large rock with a single kick.

Whether it was a spirit beast or a demonic beast, the important thing was that the existence of that mount was a great surprise to Namgoong Seung.

Namgoong Seung’s tiger eyes shone.

The cavalry commander also had fierce tiger eyes. However, unlike Namgoong Seung’s eyes, which were as intense as the sun, his eyes held an endless abyss.

Beonjjeok! Beonjjeok!

The long spear, which was well over seven feet, almost eight feet, emitted three bolts of lightning.

It couldn’t even be compared to Yeon Ho-Jeong’s axe, but it was also a heavy weapon. Yet, it was as fast as if he were swinging a tree branch.

Namgoong Seung’s iron sword bent flexibly.

Chi-ri-ri-ring!

He deflected the martial art of power and speed with a soft sword strike.

Under his helmet, the cavalry commander’s eyes emitted a strange light.

He had already put his curved saber back into its scabbard and was now gripping the long spear with both hands.

Kureung!

The mount charged, doubling the power of the spear strike.

Namgoong Seung kicked off the ground.

Kwang!

The ground struck by the spear cracked open.

Namgoong Seung, who had risen into the sky, unleashed the Heavenly Flower Sword [a sword technique]. Known as one of the three great sword techniques of the Namgoong family, along with the Heavenly Wind and Heavenly Thunder, it was a sword technique that deceived the enemy’s senses with an ultimate illusionary sword.

In an instant, the cavalry commander’s mount turned its body at an incredible speed.

Peo-peo-peong! Kwang!

The mount spun, dodging half of the Heavenly Flower Sword’s strikes, and the cavalry commander, riding on top, used a chaotic flurry of attacks to deflect the remaining illusionary swords.

The clash of spear and sword created a powerful shockwave.

What was surprising was that the mount did not buckle its legs even with that terrifying shockwave. It momentarily lowered its head and swelled its leg muscles, and even though its four large hooves dug into the ground, it was fine.

Pi-pi-pi-ping!

The three thousand cavalrymen who had not yet crossed the hill were constantly crossing the hill and firing arrows at Namgoong Seung.

Namgoong Seung, who dodged the arrows with graceful movements in the air, cut down three cavalrymen in an instant and then charged towards the cavalry commander.

A strange light flashed in the cavalry commander’s eyes.

Woo-woo-woo-woong!

A powerful reverse field arose around Namgoong Seung’s body as he charged, becoming one with his sword.

Body and sword as one, and mind and sword as one. The lightning-like gaze seemed to be able to cut through anything, and the sword energy that rushed in all directions seemed to be able to overturn a landslide.

The cavalry commander shouted.

‘Retreat!’

It was a terrifying voice.

The voice, which was neither demonic nor evil, and could not be considered a human voice, was no exaggeration to call it a sonic attack. Even Namgoong Seung, who was flying with his body and sword as one, almost disrupted his true energy for a moment.

The cavalrymen crossing the hill widened the distance a little more.

At that moment, the Seven Heavens Feast Sword [a sword technique] of the Azure Sky Limitless Sword Technique and the five bolts of lightning unleashed by the cavalry commander collided.

Kwar-reureung!

The heavens and earth trembled.

The cavalry commander’s mount staggered and retreated for the first time. The ground where the two had collided caved in, raising a cloud of dust.

Hi-hi-hing!

The mount cried out roughly.

Namgoong Seung, who had soared high into the air, swung his sword again. Immersed in the same enlightenment of body and sword as one, his sword strikes instantly unleashed the Azure Sky Flash and the Azure Dragon Crossing the River [sword techniques], two sword techniques with different characteristics from the Azure Sky Limitless Sword.

The cavalry commander’s face contorted.

Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jeong! Kwakwang!

The long spear, which had multiplied into dozens, received the Sword Emperor’s martial arts, but the intense pressure that came in relentlessly shook the cavalry commander’s energy.

Namgoong Seung’s eyes flashed.

‘It’s over.’

The outcome of a master’s duel is decided by a hair’s breadth.

Unlike the enemy who had staggered and retreated, Namgoong Seung had a moment of respite. That respite would determine the outcome of this match.

Hwa-a-a-ak!!

A blue light rose above Namgoong Seung’s sword.

It was a blue wind accompanied by lightning. It was the final move of the Azure Sky Limitless Sword Technique, the One Kalpa Limitless Strike [a sword technique].

It was when the true energy of the Azure Sky Great Divine Art [a martial art] was creating waves, pushing the power of the sword to its limit.

Peo-peo-peo-peong!

Blue smoke burst around the cavalry commander’s body.

It was as if several small firecrackers had exploded. The blue smoke that surged after the chain explosion made Namgoong Seung’s spine tingle.

‘No Mind!’

Namgoong Seung swung his sword without hesitation.

Swae-ae-aek! Kwar-reureung!

The sword strike, which fell like a disaster from the sky, brought hell to the top of the hill.

The wind that rushed in all directions was hundreds of sword winds, and the lightning that roamed the heavens and earth was the sword energy of Yang energy that would burn away anything.

Ku-gu-gu-gung!

The entire hill caved in.

With the One Kalpa Limitless Strike that had overturned an area of about twenty yards in radius, about thirty cavalrymen who had been swept away despite having widened the distance fell, becoming minced meat.

Jii-ing! Jii-ing!

Above the Sword Emperor’s iron sword, which had achieved a truly unbelievable feat, three or four thin blue electric lights flickered repeatedly, showing off a chilling threat.

Namgoong Seung, having regained his breath, glared at the cavalry commander.

‘…Impressive.’

Ttal-kkak!

The cavalry commander’s left shoulder armor and breastplate shattered and fell to the ground.

Kung!

The large mount knelt down.

Even the world’s demonic beast could not withstand the true power of the Sword Emperor. Black blood flowed from the mount’s eyes, nose, and mouth.

Even in the midst of that, it was not yet dead. The strange demonic energy emanating from the mount’s entire body was still burning. It seemed to be trying to recover in that time.

Namgoong Seung could understand why the mount had not died.

It was because the cavalry commander had absorbed most of the attacks and then shattered the pressure.

Thanks to that, the mount had survived, but the damage the cavalry commander had taken was not insignificant. His sun-tanned skin had turned white, and the aura he was emitting had also become quite unstable.

One sword strike was enough to make a judgment. Even if he had given up his mount and taken the blow, he would not have been unscathed. The cavalry commander had built up martial arts that would make him a target of fear for anyone, but he was clearly below Namgoong Seung.

Pi-pi-pi-pi-ping!

Arrows flew again.

Even after witnessing the battle between these inhuman, superhuman martial gods, the cavalrymen did not seem to be afraid. They were still firing arrows at Namgoong Seung as they climbed the hill.

Namgoong Seung, who had been glaring at the cavalry commander, swung his sword without even turning around.

Woo-woo-woong! Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jeong!

The arrows, which had changed direction along the path of the sword, flew towards the cavalry commander. The cavalry commander rotated his long spear and deflected all of the arrows.

Seureuk.

The cavalry commander, who had dismounted from his horse, stroked the horse’s neck.

‘Retreat.’

Kung!

The mount, staggering as it rose, whinnied a few times and then ran off, mixing with the cavalrymen who had crossed the hill.

Namgoong Seung’s eyes deepened.

‘A terrifying demonic beast.’

‘I’ve heard that mainlanders are good at using swords that are easy to break.’

It was a bizarre voice.

Namgoong Seung had also met many heretics, but he had never seen a demonic leader who could disrupt a person’s mind with just their voice.

‘I’ve heard that among those weaklings, there are a few strong ones who can’t be ignored. I think the greatest of them is called the Sword Emperor.’

‘That’s right.’

Namgoong Seung said, his eyes shining.

‘I am the Sword Emperor of Namgoong.’

The title of Sword Emperor given by others had never given Namgoong Seung any emotion.

But at this moment, he proudly defined himself with the title of Sword Emperor. If the plunderers from foreign powers who were aiming for the Central Plains were afraid, he was willing to accept the title of Sword God, not just Sword Emperor.

The cavalry commander smiled.

It was as bizarre as if a smile had been forcibly drawn on a bronze doll’s face.

‘I am So Hyun-jong.’

‘…’

‘I am one of the four evil kings of the Saim [a foreign power], and the commander of the Silver Tiger Horse Soldiers, the strongest cavalry unit in history.’

Silver Tiger Horse Soldiers.

Namgoong Seung frowned.

‘The strongest in history, how arrogant.’

‘I have never sought the understanding of others.’

Whik!

The cavalry commander, So Hyun-jong, who had raised his long spear, emitted a demonic light in his eyes.

‘Seo Province will be annihilated.’

‘Shut your mouth!’

With a terrifying shout, Namgoong Seung soared into the air and unleashed the One Kalpa Limitless Strike once more.

The Sword Emperor’s martial arts, filled with overflowing power and the will of heaven, descended as if to crush So Hyun-jong’s body.

So Hyun-jong shouted and swung his spear.

Ku-gu-gung!