Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1221

Mok Won’s face hardened.

“What’s wrong, Senior?”

Mok Won relaxed his expression at Chun Hyo-Rak’s question.

“It’s nothing. I just felt strange for a moment.”

“Did you sense some kind of energy?”

“No. I think I’ve become overly sensitive because the situation is so chaotic. It’s probably nothing.”

Though he said that, Mok Won felt an unknown tension.

‘There’s definitely something.’

Originally, he had planned to reorganize in Shanxi and return to the Murim Alliance [a large organization of martial artists].

But he couldn’t. The Murim [martial arts world] in Shanxi was in far worse condition than he had vaguely imagined, and the air was heavy with a lingering unease.

The Murim Alliance had many troops stationed, but Shanxi did not. Thousands of troops had died in this Shanxi war, so even if they had defeated the enemy, someone needed to stay behind to manage the aftermath.

In the end, Mok Won, Chun Hyo-Rak, and Hwa Hyang remained in Shanxi.

The reputation of the White Military God was truly great. Just his presence in Shanxi brought relief to many martial artists.

They knew how powerful the Limitless Master was.

Although they had struggled, the martial arts of the Sword Emperor Namgoong Seung and the suddenly joined Spear King So Hyun-Rip were truly overwhelming. Their power was enough to turn the tide of the war in an instant, and they were worthy of being called gods.

Although things were improving, considering Namgoong Seung had returned to the Murim Alliance to properly treat his upper dantian [energy center in the body], it was the right decision for Mok Won to stay.

When Mok Won stayed, Chun Hyo-Rak stayed, and when Chun Hyo-Rak stayed, his maid Hwa Hyang also stayed.

He didn’t know how much time had passed.

“By the way, are you going to be alright?”

“Yes?”

“It’s not the time to say this, but… you have a reason to go to the main base of the Blood Demon Cult, don’t you?”

Chun Hyo-Rak’s eyes deepened.

“That’s right.”

When the Divine Forest of Demons was destroyed, his younger sister had been kidnapped by the Blood Demon Cult.

Having walked the path of demons, he could guess how sinister the Blood Demon Cult, the pinnacle of the demonic path, was. How worried he must be, with his younger sister kidnapped to such a place.

Yet, Chun Hyo-Rak had never shown any sign of it.

“Even if I go now, I can’t save my sister with my own strength.”

“Of course, but if I and a few others help….”

“I am worried about my sister. It’s not like I haven’t thought about it. However, with the battle against the Three Sects at its peak, I cannot create a gap in our forces because of the Chun family’s affairs.”

“……”

“Rather, when the Blood Demon Cult suffers a critical blow in this battle, that will be the opportunity to rescue my sister.”

“……That’s not wrong.”

Everything he said was right. But how could human hearts be like that? Whether it worked or not, if your own kin was captured, it was normal to go looking for them without thinking.

Yet, Chun Hyo-Rak was calm. Or rather, he was trying to observe the situation as calmly as possible.

It wasn’t something that could be done just by being smart. Even at this moment, Chun Hyo-Rak was probably managing his own heart with his transcendent mental strength.

“Decisively, I have a certain amount of faith.”

“Faith?”

“Yes. Faith that my sister will be safe.”

Chun Hyo-Rak looked far to the northwest.

In reality, they didn’t even know where the main base of the Blood Demon Cult was. They only knew that they were somewhere in the northwest of the Central Plains.

Reading the scriptures of the Divine Forest of Demons, he knew that when the Blood Demon Cult’s main base was established on the continent, they would call the Blood Demon’s family ‘Yucheon’.

Yucheon meant the northwest sky. Considering their mad demonic path, it was a fitting expression.

“Originally, my sister was once dead.”

“What do you mean?”

“Many great methods and unimaginable sacrifices were needed to revive a body that had once died.”

“……?”

“She will be safe. For the time being.”

His voice was distant. He was certain, but there was also a sense of unease.

Mok Won, who had been quietly watching Chun Hyo-Rak, sighed.

“I understand for now. I won’t talk about your sister for a while. It will only make you more anxious.”

“Anyway.”

As if wanting to change the mood, Chun Hyo-Rak spoke in a deliberately calm voice.

“If you have time, I would like to ask for a spar. My skills are improving, but I’ve heard that the faster one grows, the more unstable their foundation becomes.”

“Your rate of development is so astonishing that even I, who have been watching you, am amazed. If I can play a part in helping such a genius reach a great realm, I can spar with you anytime.”

“I am just grateful.”

The two men talked, smiling.

However.

“……!!”

The smile instantly disappeared from Mok Won’s face.

Sarak.

Mok Won quickly stood up and looked far to the west, his face extremely serious.

“Senior?”

“……”

“……Senior?”

“It’s military energy.”

“Yes?!”

“Military energy… and demonic energy at the same time.”

Mok Won’s voice trembled slightly.

At that moment, Chun Hyo-Rak and Hwa Hyang’s eyes shook greatly. Even though they hadn’t been together for years, it was the first time they had heard Mok Won’s voice express such deep emotion.

“It’s a demonic army. It seems to be a unit of demons. But… the numbers are beyond imagination.”

Saaaak.

A hot wind swept through.

Mok Won’s clothes fluttered silently.

The Heavenly Martial Divine Weapon Qi blazed, spreading a metallic energy throughout his body. The cold and chilling energy of the divine weapon immediately prepared him to use the Heavenly Martial General Art to its limit.

“Wait here.”

Paah! Paah! Paah!

He picked up the White Lightning Spear he had placed aside and flew towards the distant hill.

Was it because of the tension? His movements were rougher than usual. Still, the White Steel Flight always made his body fly like an arrow.

‘Strong.’

Mok Won thought as he quickly crossed the hill and another hill.

‘It’s an enormous number. I can feel a terrifying madness.’

Chun Hyo-Rak wasn’t the only genius.

Mok Won was also a strongman who had grown up being called a genius of his time. He had even been evaluated as a talent who would change the history of the Martial Sect, and his level was gradually increasing thanks to countless real battles.

Except for Yeon Ho-Jeong, he was the youngest among the Saintly Heavens, but his martial power was worthy of being called a king. Depending on the opponent, he could show a considerable win rate even in a fight against the Three Emperors, and his skills were reaching their peak.

That was why Mok Won was even more tense.

Before reaching this level, he would have only felt unpleasantness from that military energy. But now, he also felt a chilling sensation running down his spine.

‘It’s not just a few thousand troops. There’s no end to it. Tens of thousands of troops are moving. And… they are all demons who have mastered martial arts!’

It was an outrageous force.

He didn’t know if they had supply units or scouts. But even if seven out of ten of those demonic troops were supply units, they were a force that could wipe out a major sect in an instant.

At least, that’s how Mok Won felt.

Kwaang!

He crossed several hills and several streams.

And finally, the scene came into view.

“……This is insane!”

From far away, in the distance.

There was a giant snake moving south, creating a cloud of dust.

Each of the writhing demons looked like scales of an Imugi [a mythical serpent] that had failed to become a dragon. The end of the procession was nowhere to be seen.

‘How can this be!’

He knew at a glance who they were.

‘From the Blood Demon Cult?!’

It was no exaggeration to say that they had sent almost their entire force.

Mok Won couldn’t understand.

‘Why? A sudden all-out war? In this situation?’

He was closer to a seeker of the martial path, so he knew less about actual warfare and military strategy than others.

Still, he had gained various experiences while traveling with Yeon Ho-Jeong, and he had gained at least some knowledge.

‘He said that an all-out war is never waged carelessly. That’s obvious. The standard is to achieve victory with minimal damage. An all-out war is waged when you are confident of winning by overwhelming force, or when you have to win at all costs, even if it means taking great damage.’

They couldn’t possibly have more forces at their main base than this.

If this wasn’t the entire force of the Blood Demon Cult, it made even less sense. If that were the case, they would have already poured their forces and conquered three-tenths of the Central Plains.

‘Something happened. There’s no other explanation. A major incident must have occurred that forced the Blood Demon Cult to dispatch a force close to their entire army.’

What could that incident be?

Pasasak.

Mok Won, who had been staring blankly at the Blood Demon Cult’s forces, suddenly noticed a group of people coming down a quiet mountain ridge in the distance.

‘Jongnam!!’

The demonic forces were moving south below Mount Jongnam.

Even if they were devastated, there was no way they wouldn’t know that such a force was passing through their front yard. It was natural for the Jongnam Sect to dispatch swordsmen.

‘Damn it! They can’t engage them!’

The Jongnam Sect, having lost more than half of their existing forces, could never handle them. No, no single sect could handle such a force.

The problem was that Jongnam was also filled with deep feelings of defeat and anger.

The sect leader was so capable that he wouldn’t issue rash orders, but they might lose their minds if they saw the demons in the field.

Paah! Paah! Paah!

Mok Won quickly spread his White Steel Flight and shot forward.

He was flying through the air in an instant.

‘……!!’

Woo woo woo woo!

The air vibrated.

It wasn’t because of his own speed. From somewhere far away, whether it was north or east, something terrifying was rushing towards them.

Mok Won’s eyes widened.

Flash!

A streak of light was seen flying over the mountain ridge.

‘An axe!’

There was someone riding on a giant axe, flying like a gale.

It was flight using sword control. It was an unbelievable divine skill, and the speed and momentum were truly outrageous, as if they had an inexhaustible internal energy.

And soon, the axe and the person riding on it disappeared from Mok Won’s sight.

All that was visible was a dragon writhing like an illusion. The afterimage of a yellow dragon stimulating his upper dantian, with thunder and lightning striking between its two towering horns.

“Ho-Jeong?!”

Paah! Paah! Paah!

His already increased speed was getting even faster.

It wasn’t a distance where they could talk, but Mok Won could feel it.

Yeon Ho-Jeong had glanced at him once.

It was too far to feel any joy, but he could tell that Yeon Ho-Jeong had expressed his happiness just by the subtle fluctuations of his energy.

Joy spread across Mok Won’s face as well. How long had it been since they had seen each other?

But that was only for a moment.

“Ho-Jeong! No!”

The place where he was flying through the air was the procession of those insane demons. It was a force that no matter how great a martial artist was, they could never stop.

But Yeon Ho-Jeong, if he was from the Three Sects, if he was the owner of that mad rage that made him lose his mind, he might charge in regardless of the numerical advantage. Yeon Ho-Jeong was that kind of person.

“Damn it!”

Paah! Paah! Paah!

He spread his White Steel Flight to stop him, but Yeon Ho-Jeong had already passed over the Jongnam swordsmen and reached the rear of the Blood Demon Cult’s forces.

And, Mok Won could see it.

Yeon Ho-Jeong lightly jumped up and grabbed the Mad Dragon Axe.

From that high sky, he lowered himself with terrifying speed, holding the axe with both hands, fully cocked back.

“Ho-Jeong!!”

Kwaaaang!!

The Mad Dragon Axe exploded with a roar.