Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1210

The Bizarre Battle of Supernatural Powers (5)

A Nemesis.

The word implies a destined adversary sent by the heavens. Someone you are bound to clash with, no matter when or how, someone you are destined to meet within the complex order of all creation.

A nemesis is such a being.

At the same time, they are inevitably difficult to face, as they are sent by the heavens.

To Cheon Wi-ryong, Yeon Ho-jeong was a fated rival sent by the heavens, and also someone who embodied the meaning of a predator, as people often say.

“The Five-Colored Hell Art is an absolute demonic art of the inhuman, born from human hands. But because it was born from human hands, it could be altered so that humans could cultivate it. Clinging to that single possibility, we were able to complete the Gwangse Demonic Art [a modified version of the Hell Art] after several generations.”

Cheon Wi-ryong’s voice sounded distant.

They should have been attacking each other, exploiting any opening, but Yeon Ho-jeong listened to him in silence. Even as he stood still, there was no opening to be seen.

In reality, Cheon Wi-ryong was erecting a formidable wall of inner energy in front of him. The multiple layers of that barrier were so thick and solid that even his nemesis, who had previously broken through it with a mere charge, hesitated.

“But the Saseok Madman [a legendary figure in the Blood Cult], said to be the greatest genius in the history of the Blood Cult, completed the Hell Art on his own. Since that completed Hell Art has been passed down to you, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that you and I are half-brothers.”

Cheon Wi-ryong’s eyes darkened.

At the same time, the world seemed to darken as well. Even the sacred energy of Mount Wudang was now emitting a terrifying heat, as if it had turned into a red hellish sky.

“I was wrong. There’s a reason why my ancestors called him a Saseok Madman and reviled him as the worst traitor.”

“……”

“The martial art of the Saseok Madman, who destroyed the Blood Cult three hundred years ago, was truly remarkable. There’s a reason why he’s called the greatest of all time. But no matter how great one’s martial prowess is, one cannot fight the world alone.”

An individual cannot stand against the entire martial world. If that were possible, they would no longer be qualified to be called human.

A being that cannot be described even as a half-immortal. A true immortal, a real martial god, not just a metaphor, was the only one who could do that.

“The reason he was able to kill more than half of the Blood Cult’s high priests, tear apart even the Blood Cult’s secret Hell Formation, and then vaporize a force of four divisions single-handedly, must have been due to his martial art blossoming as a nemesis, rather than his skill alone.”

Flash!

In the eyes of the demon god who looked down on everything, a fierce emotion arose for the first time.

It was hatred, a loathing for his nemesis. As that hatred was directed at Yeon Ho-jeong, even the roaring yellow dragon flinched for a moment.

“You are not some half-brother. You are nothing more than a hateful nemesis.”

“Whether you hate me or cherish me, it’s none of my concern.”

“……”

“If we have to fight anyway, there’s no need to attach any reasons. Did you think I would spare you if I wasn’t your nemesis?”

Cheon Wi-ryong’s answer was unexpected.

“Of course, I would.”

“What?”

“Even if your life were to end, I intended to take your head and broken body. I was going to pour the essence of the cult’s techniques into you, so you could be reborn in a new body. As a brother of the demon god, guarding the side of the divine seat.”

“You’re insane.”

“But I no longer intend to let you enjoy such a luxury.”

“It’s a luxury only for you. I’d rather die.”

“Very well, then.”

Whoosh!

Black flames flickered all over Cheon Wi-ryong’s body.

He abandoned the Thunder Dragon Vajra [a weapon or technique] and only ignited the Dark Dragon Flame. As the hellish flames filled his entire body, a powerful heat was transmitted, making it difficult to face even with the power of the nemesis.

Yeon Ho-jeong, taking three steps back, lowered his stance.

Without the Mad Dragon Axe, he was poised to exchange martial arts techniques with only the Black and White Twin Dragon Axes on his back.

Cheon Wi-ryong shouted.

“I will vaporize you from this earthly realm without leaving a single piece of flesh!”

Fwoooosh!

A streak of black fire rushed in like a gale.

He did not unleash the Peerless Divine Demon Shadow Movement [a movement technique]. Yet, he was fast. The fierce fire that dominated the surroundings was causing his dantian [energy center] to boil.

‘Close-quarters combat!’

It was both close-quarters combat and a battle of energy. From the start, the two could not be separated.

The moment Cheon Wi-ryong charged, Yeon Ho-jeong was fully prepared to face the demon god.

Thud!

Before he could even get close, the Golden Dragon Crushing Evil Fist, as its name suggested, contained enough power to crush even mountains.

It was a fist of power. The strongest of the strong fists. But within it was the principle of flowing with the opponent’s momentum, making it simple yet not simple at all.

An illusion arose, as if a golden dragon was writhing. Cheon Wi-ryong’s hands drew circles like lightning.

Whoooosh!

The charging fist seemed to be blocked by something, vibrating and stopping. It didn’t end there. The moment it stopped advancing, the heat surging from all directions seemed to melt his arms in an instant.

Flash!

The Yellow Dragon Divine King Art awakened, bestowing overflowing golden energy.

The fist that had stopped vibrating moved straight forward again. The hellish flames surging from all directions groaned and scattered as they collided with the golden energy.

Clang!

An explosive attack, the earth struck by the golden fist wind was being devastated once more.

‘Strong.’

Yeon Ho-jeong couldn’t help but be amazed by his own fist technique.

He was the one who created the Mad Dragon Art, the Axe Method, the Golden Dragon Art, and the Fist Palm Method. So, he knew the limits of their power well. Even if the divine energy rooted in his upper dantian amplified the power with imagination, it could not unleash such destructive force.

Was it because he had properly mastered the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art? It didn’t seem like it. He had only seen the true form of the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, but his inner energy and imagination had not changed.

Screech!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s amazement quickly turned into urgency. Cheon Wi-ryong, who had evaded the Golden Dragon Crushing Evil Fist that had been unleashed at close range with a subtle movement, was splitting his crown with a left hand blade.

It seemed he was serious about taking his head. Even though he had aimed for his face before, he had never been this brutal. As if he intended to split him with a single hand blade strike, violent fire and even stronger killing intent poured down like a storm.

Thud!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s body, having retrieved the Crushing Evil Fist, displayed an uncanny movement.

He leaned back, using a technique close to the Iron Plate Bridge [a martial arts stance], while moving diagonally and planting one hand on the ground. It was no longer a stance. His body was completely broken.

Whoosh!

Yet, the follow-up movement was natural. Following the movement of his rotating upper body, the power flowed to his lower body. He swung that explosive power towards his nemesis, transforming it into a brutal leg technique, as if chopping down a collarbone with an axe.

Even the mighty Cheon Wi-ryong could not have expected Yeon Ho-jeong to move like this. Yet, he did not panic. His eyes, filled with killing intent, flashed as he thrust out his right shoulder, attacking with his entire torso as if using a leaning technique.

Clang!

The leg technique and the leaning technique collided, creating an explosion.

Screech!

His body rotating in the opposite direction, Yeon Ho-jeong’s body spun like a top, unleashing leg technique energy in all directions.

The power of the leg technique, chopping down like an axe, was amplified by the rotation. The energy spreading in all directions was like watching the merciless slash of the Mad Dragon Axe.

Although he had the upper hand in power, he could not ignore the energy spreading out with the rebound. Cheon Wi-ryong’s palms softly moved forward.

Clang!

It was more than firing a cannonball. It was like multiple cannon shots from a warship exploding at once.

The ground trembled, and the sky groaned. The released palm energy was round like an actual cannonball, but the difference was that it was a sphere of black flames, not iron.

Looking at that palm energy, Yeon Ho-jeong could feel the truth in Cheon Wi-ryong’s words about truly killing him.

‘This won’t do.’

He knew instinctively. This palm energy could not be disrupted even with the power of the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art. It was an attack that was impossible to defend against if one was not fully prepared.

A technique of overwhelming power that suppressed even the power of the nemesis. It was like a tiger that had been stalking a deer suddenly finding itself facing a giant elephant, bewildered.

A power that could neither be avoided nor blocked.

At that moment, Yeon Ho-jeong could see the exquisite form drawn by the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art.

It was a martial art that awakened a counterattack form, like the will of a person. The Yellow Dragon Divine King Art, encountering its nemesis, was sharpening Yeon Ho-jeong’s spirit to a razor’s edge.

Swoosh!

Cheon Wi-ryong’s eyes wavered.

It was an attack that could absolutely not be avoided or blocked. Yet, he evaded it. As if he were a boneless invertebrate, or a giant dragon swimming in the sea.

Evading the Dark Dragon Cannon with an incomprehensible movement, Yeon Ho-jeong, approaching like a ghost scattering golden ghostly energy, was a ghost itself.

Clang!

The Golden Dragon Crushing Evil Fist, swung at close range, announced its existence to the heavens and earth.

It was a strong and heavy fist technique, yet he had already unleashed it twelve times. The reality of the Crushing Evil Fist Twelve Consecutive Strikes, a series of fist techniques that Yeon Ho-jeong could not have imagined before, poured down like a storm towards the demon god’s upper body.

Bang! Thud!

Yeon Ho-jeong was displaying unbelievable martial arts, but Cheon Wi-ryong’s martial arts were even more remarkable.

The moment the Crushing Evil Fist flew in, he erected a barrier of demonic energy, offsetting the impact and buying himself a moment to retreat. As the barrier crumbled after three fists, he had already taken up a position behind Yeon Ho-jeong with a terrifying lightness technique unleashed with the Thunder Dragon Vajra.

It was a series of surprises.

He, who had been unleashing the power of thunder and fire to the left and right, or right and left, had shifted to an upper fire, lower lightning energy technique, moving into a blind spot.

It was clear that it was an energy technique he had never displayed before. Yet, there was no awkwardness to be found. His supreme inner energy and perfect body were flexible enough to instantly absorb a single realization.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes widened.

A powerful energy wave was felt from behind, a terrifying demonic energy that seemed to sweep away the power of the yellow dragon in an instant.

‘Evade!’

It was a combat technique ingrained at the instinct level. Yeon Ho-jeong urged evasion, and his right foot immediately moved forward.

But the Yellow Dragon Divine King Art rejected it.

Clang!

The one step for evasion was transformed into one step for counterattack.

Cheon Wi-ryong, who was about to unleash the Thunder Dragon Tremor of the Thunder Dragon Vajra, which was as lethal as the Dark Dragon Cannon, failed to unleash the thunderbolt strike.

Swoosh!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s body, which had taken a step forward as if to advance, moved to the side, as if he had become a yellow dragon, stepping on a yellow dragon footwork that had not even been properly named.

That footwork was surprisingly similar to the Divine Demon Shadow Movement. Since the Divine Demon Shadow Movement was the footwork that best suited the Gwangse Demonic Art, the footwork that best suited the yellow dragon martial art, which originated from the same source, would inevitably resemble it.

Therefore, it was a surprise attack for Cheon Wi-ryong. Because while everything else could be blocked, footwork and lightness techniques were not something that could be broken.

It was not a breaking, but a copy. It was even more nimble than the Divine Demon Shadow Movement.

Whoosh!

The footwork and attack were one.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s palm, having turned to the side, soared into the sky, eventually leading to the Golden Dragon Sky-Turning Palm, a martial art of outer softness and inner strength that overturned the heavens.

A point where neither the Divine Demon Shadow Movement nor the Heavenly Thunder Demon Body was possible.

Clang!

The sky-turning strike sent Cheon Wi-ryong’s body flying.