Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1257

“It’s here.”

“Indeed.”

“My goodness… it’s so magnificent.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s face was filled with awe as he gazed at the massive Black Emperor Fortress.

Even from beyond the gate, dozens of sharply pointed roofs were visible. The fortress walls surrounding the vast area were so high that even a martial arts master using their movement techniques couldn’t scale them, and the central gate looked so sturdy that it seemed impenetrable even by cannon fire.

Though smaller than the Murim Alliance [a large martial arts organization], it gave the impression of being more densely packed. It was as if a giant shrouded in darkness was crouching there.

“Let’s go.”

As they reached the gate, the gatekeepers crossed their spears, blocking the two of them.

“This is the Black Emperor Fortress. State your identities.”

Their reaction was sharp.

The rough nature of the Black Path [a faction of martial artists known for their unorthodox and often ruthless methods] was evident, and they also seemed highly sensitive due to the wartime situation.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong was once again impressed.

He had thought that the Black Path, having gathered under the legendary giant Yang Cheon, would be different. However, they seemed far more elite than he had vaguely imagined.

If even the gatekeepers were like this, how disciplined would the elite troops and core masters be?

Thud.

The Mad Dragon Axe was planted into the ground.

Yeon Ho-Jeong spoke calmly.

“Can’t you recognize this axe?”

“……?!”

“You should have received word, shouldn’t you? Did it not reach Seo Jeong-Gwang?”

He suddenly mentioned the name of one of the Five Great Generals.

However, the gatekeepers couldn’t get angry.

“That axe, could it be?!”

They had tried their best to compose themselves, but Yeon Ho-Jeong’s terrifying presence was not something that could be hidden. It was because of that presence that they hadn’t even seen the axe. Only then, upon seeing the axe, did the gatekeepers’ eyes shake as if an earthquake had struck.

“Could it be, are you the Fortress Lord?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong took out an iron badge from his chest.

“I told the Dark Guard Leader to contact you separately and enter first, but I believe they should have arrived ten to fifteen days ago. Is the Dark Guard Leader inside as well?”

Thud!

The gatekeepers knelt on the spot.

“We greet the Fortress Lord!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong, looking embarrassed, helped the two up.

“Don’t do that. You’ll break your knees.”

The gatekeepers, helped to their feet, had faces full of emotion.

The Black Emperor Fortress Lord, Black and White Conqueror, Yeon Ho-Jeong.

His name was like a legend in the Black Path Murim.

Though young, no one now looked down on him because of his age. Rather, because he was young, he had become a myth and a hero.

Moreover, Yeon Ho-Jeong, despite being from a prestigious family of the White Path [a faction of martial artists known for their orthodox and righteous methods], had willingly become a disciple under Yang Cheon. Since then, he had astonished the world with his outstanding abilities and martial arts, making him more than a hero to the people of the Black Path.

“It is an honor, Fortress Lord. I never imagined I would meet you like this.”

His voice was filled with emotion.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong could tell just from the gatekeepers’ reactions how respected his brother had become. He felt truly proud.

“Open the gate.”

“Ah…!”

The gatekeeper bowed his head apologetically.

“I am sorry, Fortress Lord, but please wait a moment. I will send word inside.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s eyes widened.

‘Send word? He’s the Fortress Lord?’

It wouldn’t be strange to open the gate immediately and escort him inside, but sending word could be interpreted as not acknowledging the Fortress Lord.

Unexpectedly, Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded lightly.

“Of course, you should. I must be quite tired myself. I forgot the procedure.”

“I am sorry. I will gladly accept any punishment.”

“Haha, my friend. It’s a law that the Supreme One and I made, so why would I punish you? Don’t worry and send word inside.”

“Thank you!”

With that, the gatekeeper entered through a side door on the left.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong cautiously asked.

“Brother, what did that warrior mean?”

“There are many oddballs in the Black Path. Even if it weren’t the Black Path, it’s wartime now. There could be those who forge iron badges or hide their identities to enter the fortress, so even if it’s the Fortress Lord, they were told not to let anyone in without thorough verification.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s mouth dropped open.

“You and the Battle King created that law?”

“It’s not really a law, but yes, that’s right.”

“……You’re amazing, Brother.”

Though he himself was not like that, Yeon Ji-Pyeong knew well how easily those in power could change.

The Black Emperor Fortress Lord was one of the most powerful figures of the era, dividing the martial world’s power. For such a person to go through such a cumbersome procedure to enter, Yeon Ji-Pyeong was amazed and proud of his brother.

A moment later.

“Fortress Lord!”

Seo Jeong-Gwang, who had rushed out, knelt on the spot.

“Your subject, Five Great General Seo Jeong-Gwang, greets the master of the Black Path Murim!”

The young elders and deputy commanders who had run with Seo Jeong-Gwang also knelt and shouted.

“We greet the Fortress Lord!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

“How exhausted must you be, both physically and mentally, from the numerous battles? Please, come inside and rest comfortably.”

Seo Jeong-Gwang’s tone was now perfectly composed. Seo Jeong-Gwang, who used to look down on the world’s renowned strategists with just his intuition, now seemed to possess the dignity of a Zhuge Liang [a famous strategist from Chinese history].

“Will there be time to rest? The Central Plains are in turmoil. Anyway, let’s go inside for now.”

And so, Yeon Ho-Jeong was able to return to the Black Emperor Fortress after a long time.

Though it was a fortress that had not been built long ago, it felt as comfortable as returning home.

* * *

“Ho-Jeong.”

“You?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

“It’s been a long time.”

Jeagal Ayeon grinned. Her white teeth were neatly aligned.

“Since this isn’t an official setting, I don’t have to treat you like the Fortress Lord, right?”

“You’re as shameless as ever.”

“Can you say that? You’re always just using your older sister.”

“I used you because you were useful. Anyway…”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes sparkled.

“You’re amazing. You’re completely different from before. You haven’t been slacking in your martial arts training.”

She was close to the Martial Ancestor realm but had not yet surpassed it, so she was not yet prominent among the renowned masters.

However, considering her age, this was also remarkable. It was just that there were so many talented monsters around, but for a member of the Jeagal family, famous for their scholarship, to have achieved this level of martial arts at her age was astonishing.

“I received proper guidance from my father.”

“You inherited the family’s secret techniques. It’s similar to the strategist’s energy.”

“You’re a ghost, as always.”

Jeagal Ayeon patted Yeon Ho-Jeong’s shoulder.

The pats grew stronger and stronger, eventually making thudding sounds.

“You’ve been so busy running around that it’s been hard to meet. But the rumors about you have always shaken the world. The Black and White Conqueror… it’s a title that doesn’t suit you at all, yet strangely fits you well.”

“My shoulder hurts. Stop hitting me.”

“How funny. A supreme master who has made it to the Heavenly Ranking [a ranking system for the most powerful martial artists] is complaining about this?”

Though she said that, Jeagal Ayeon was truly happy. Her face was even flushed, suggesting she felt more than just simple joy.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong smiled and bowed his head.

“Sister.”

“Who is this!”

Her joy was similar, but she seemed much more comfortable than when she was with Yeon Ho-Jeong.

“Wow, you’re really unrecognizable! You’re not the Ji-Pyeong I knew. Where did that white, round, cute face go? You’ve become a complete man!”

“You flatter me.”

“And this aura…! I heard rumors that you surpassed the Martial Ancestor realm, but you’re really amazing. My goodness, you’re completely different from when I first saw you. If anyone bullies me later, I can just tell you!”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong scratched his head, looking embarrassed.

“I’m not yet at a level to be recognized as a true warrior.”

“If you’re like that, what am I?”

Jeagal Ayeon looked back and forth between the Yeon brothers.

‘Is it their bloodline, or their different martial arts?’

The older brother, Yeon Ho-Jeong, had become a master on par with the strongest in the Central Plains Murim, and the younger brother, Yeon Ji-Pyeong, had also surpassed the Martial Ancestor realm at such a young age, becoming a master swordsman.

It was rare for siblings from one family to bloom so quickly. Moreover, the flowers that the two had bloomed were so large and beautiful that it was hard to find anything comparable in the present or the past.

Jeagal Ayeon was inwardly certain. The next strongest in the world would be the Byeoksan Yeon family.

At the same time, she thought.

‘They’ll never accept it.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong had become the Black Emperor Fortress Lord to win the war, not because he had ambition.

Moreover, his younger brother, Yeon Ji-Pyeong, also felt a great burden about the family head position. With this personality and this much martial power, he should be overflowing with confidence, but he was humbling himself.

Even if the war ended and peace was restored, these brothers would never try to lead a force and rule. It seemed like it was in their nature.

“By the way, how did you get here, Sister…?”

“Huh? You didn’t know?”

Jeagal Ayeon shrugged, showing her human side.

“The Black and White have formed an alliance, but most of the people who can use their brains are gathered in the Murim Alliance. Of course, there are many talented people in the Black Path, but it would be difficult for General So alone to handle such a vast amount of work. That’s why I came.”

“I see.”

“But when I actually came, there wasn’t much to help with. General So’s strategy and insight have reached a level that rivals the world. He’s so smart that I’m jealous.”

At that moment, Seo Jeong-Gwang entered the room.

“You shouldn’t say that. If it weren’t for Miss Jeagal, all sorts of problems would have erupted in the Black Emperor Fortress, such as the organization, the military hierarchy, and information processing. It’s clear that those who have learned from prestigious families are different.”

Jeagal Ayeon’s face turned red. She felt embarrassed that Seo Jeong-Gwang had said that.

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled and said.

“I should wash up first. Let’s gather again in an hour.”

“I wish I could tell you to rest for a few days, but… as the Fortress Lord said, given the situation, it would be better to talk quickly.”

An hour later.

“Here it is.”

Seo Jeong-Gwang pointed to a spot on the map.

“We have received reports that the Hebei Murim has been devastated. The Murim Alliance is also responding to it. The Divine Flame Church forces that entered Hebei are said to number over twenty thousand, but the details of their strength have not been determined.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes turned cold.

“They attacked at this moment… I knew it would happen soon, but with over twenty thousand troops, it’s practically an all-out offensive.”

“That’s right. And there’s one piece of evidence to support that.”

“There’s no way out.”

A genuine smile appeared on Seo Jeong-Gwang’s face. Jeagal Ayeon also looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong with an admiring expression.

“You’re exactly right. If a large army of over twenty thousand has moved south, it means they’ve made up their minds, but at the same time, if they lose them, the Divine Flame Church will suffer irreparable damage. Therefore, they must create a retreat route so they can escape at any time.”

“……”

“But they don’t have that. At best, they’ve dragged Shanxi into the flames of war, but that’s to occupy the north, not to create a retreat route.”

“If they were trying to create a retreat route, the land would be the answer, so it wouldn’t be Shandong either. If they didn’t have something to believe in, they wouldn’t have started this, but in the current situation, they should have occupied Hebei and solidified their position instead of spreading the flames of war everywhere.”

“As expected, I can communicate with the Fortress Lord.”

Seo Jeong-Gwang nodded, his face also showing a serious expression.

“A southward advance without a retreat route, spreading the flames of war everywhere without solidifying their position. If they don’t want to be annihilated, there’s only one answer.”

“A feint.”

“That’s right. In this case, it would be a feint to the north and an attack to the east.”

Seo Jeong-Gwang’s hand pointed to the East Sea.

“The Evil Sound Cult, the Evil Sound Cult is highly likely to push into the East Sea and attack the Imperial Palace.”

“……”

“……And there, is the Fortress Lord’s family, the Yeon family.”