Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1281

His slightly darker blonde hair and skin were as pale as Gi Cheon-Woong’s. However, his build seemed even larger. He was easily over seven feet tall, and his broad shoulders looked capable of supporting even a mountain.

The well-tailored red silk clothes he wore were as luxurious as an emperor’s. Unlike Gi Cheon-Woong, he wasn’t barefoot. He wore gold-trimmed shoes and a jewel-encrusted bracelet on his wrist.

Gi Cheon-Woong’s eyes flickered when he saw the bracelet.

‘The Fire God Beads.’

The bracelet was adorned with three small, red, pearl-like beads.

It was the Fire God Beads, a treasure of the Mythical Cult said to contain enough condensed fire energy to burn a mountain for a hundred years. And the bracelet with the Fire God Beads was known as the Fire God Ring, one of the sacred objects of the cult leader.

‘He went that far.’

The Fire God Ring, embedded with the Fire God Beads, would burn the spirit and flesh of anyone who couldn’t handle its power.

In other words, wearing the Fire God Ring meant that Gi Woo-Hwan’s fire energy was sufficient for a cult leader and that his ability to control it was also remarkable.

Gi Woo-Hwan opened his mouth.

“Lower the palanquin.”

Sreureuk.

The masters of the Mythical Order naturally spread out to the left and right.

Kureung.

The palanquin was slowly lowered to the ground with a heavy thud.

It was a truly overwhelming entrance, the epitome of splendor. However, Yeon Ho-Jeong sensed a twisted mind rather than splendor in that appearance.

A truly accomplished person doesn’t need to adorn themselves. Gi Woo-Hwan’s martial arts were indeed impressive, but he put excessive effort into his appearance and formalities. It was as if he was trying to show the world how great he was.

Yeon Ho-Jeong muttered involuntarily.

“He’s old, but he acts like a teenager.”

Even though he muttered, there wasn’t anyone present who wasn’t a master. Everyone who needed to hear it could hear it.

Namgoong Seung nodded involuntarily, and Jongli Baek clicked his tongue. Gi Cheon-Woong let out a bitter laugh, and the two Heavenly Flames masters who were assisting Gi Woo-Hwan emitted a terrifying killing intent.

Gi Woo-Hwan stared at Yeon Ho-Jeong with a blank face.

“What is your name?”

It was as if an emperor was questioning a subordinate.

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“You’re the Mythical Cult leader, yet you don’t know my name? Or are you pretending not to know?”

“…….”

“If it’s the former, you’re an incompetent halfwit, and if it’s the latter, you’re as petty as a street thug.”

Gi Woo-Hwan’s face slightly hardened.

“Your arrogance is sky-high. Well, it’s a world where a lowly being like you runs rampant, so it’s truly the moment when our cult’s purification is needed.”

“You, a parricide who was seduced by a heretical cult leader and stole your father’s position, talk big.”

Hwaaaaaak!

A terrifying heat emanated from the Mythical Order.

The heat was so intense that Namgoong Seung and Jongli Baek flinched involuntarily. The fire energy was so strong that their skin felt like it was burning.

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“I’d like to shower you with every insult I can think of, but it’s better for your father to step forward.”

He naturally took a step back, yet there was not a hint of servility in his demeanor.

Gi Woo-Hwan, who had been glaring at Yeon Ho-Jeong, looked at Gi Cheon-Woong.

Gi Cheon-Woong’s eyes flashed.

“Come down.”

“Of course, I should.”

Gi Woo-Hwan’s lips curled up.

“But I’d like to stay here a little longer. This feeling of looking down at my father from a high place is more thrilling than I thought.”

Gi Cheon-Woong let out a hollow laugh.

“Yeon Seong-Ju is right. You’ve lived so long, yet you act worse than a child. I knew I failed at raising you, but I didn’t know you were this pathetic.”

Gi Woo-Hwan didn’t waver. Rather, Gi Cheon-Woong’s hollow expression seemed to give him pleasure.

“I may be pathetic, but I took the cult leader position from you and drove you out, so wouldn’t that make me a better person than you?”

“That’s right. Even if I brought in outside forces, I was still robbed of my position by a despicable fellow like you, so who could be more pathetic than me?”

“…….”

“Saying I was careless because you were my son is just an excuse. I endured the humiliation and crossed the continent to wait for you, and thankfully, the heavens have provided this opportunity.”

Gi Woo-Hwan scoffed.

“Don’t be mistaken. This position was created by me, not by the heavens.”

“If not by the heavens, then by Sa Moon-Hyang, that damned bastard. It wasn’t created by you, was it?”

“Is that so?”

“I see it now. I have no intention of fighting you. The real culprit is Sa Moon-Hyang, not you.”

Sadness flickered across Gi Cheon-Woong’s face.

“You’re just a puppet.”

In that instant, an immense killing intent erupted from Gi Woo-Hwan’s body.

Hwaaaaaaaak!!

It was a killing intent more terrifying than fire energy about to explode.

The killing intent was so fierce that even the elite Mythical Order trembled. The Red Dragon Goma Han, the Second Fire King Gujo, and the Fourth Fire King Cheol Mok-Hu, who were waiting on either side, swallowed hard.

The same was true for the Martial Alliance forces. It was the first time they had seen a human’s killing intent be so powerful.

The only two people who were unaffected were Yeon Ho-Jeong and Gi Cheon-Woong.

“I don’t feel the need to correct your misunderstanding, but it’s still unpleasant. Sa Moon-Hyang controlled me? You’re wrong. It was I who used Sa Moon-Hyang.”

“Then tell me. You were the one who started the fight against the Central Plains first. But after that, you had to get Sa Moon-Hyang’s permission every time you mobilized the cult’s forces. Isn’t that right?”

“…….”

“If you’re going to say that you consumed the cult’s forces according to your will, then you’ve betrayed all the cult members here.”

Gi Cheon-Woong’s face hardened.

“A cult leader exists because of the cult members. Each cult member’s life is like a tear shed by the cult leader. You so easily pushed them to their deaths, and that was your will? Then are you truly the cult leader?”

Gi Woo-Hwan’s face turned cold.

“All cult members are the property of the cult leader. I am a god who rules over them. If the cult leader wishes, the cult members must give not only their lives but even more.”

“That’s why you’re not fit. You’re a fool who knows nothing about the cult, about the cult leader and the cult members.”

Gi Cheon-Woong pointed his chin at the Mythical Order.

“Look. See how the faces of those powerful Mythical Order members have changed because of your words.”

In that moment, Gi Woo-Hwan looked down at the Mythical Order.

However, their expressions couldn’t be seen from that position. Gi Woo-Hwan, who had been silently staring at the backs of the Mythical Order, smiled coldly.

“Your cheap tricks won’t work. It seems you’ve been in the Central Plains for too long. You’re the one who doesn’t know the cult well, Father.”

Pity appeared on Gi Cheon-Woong’s face.

Gi Woo-Hwan’s face hardened at that expression. Even if he was his father, he was still the cult leader, so how dare he make such an expression? It was unforgivable.

“There’s no need for long words.”

Kurururung.

An unknown roar echoed from Gi Cheon-Woong’s body.

Hwareureureuk.

Slowly, blue fire energy surged, but there was no heat. Even though he was clearly emitting fire energy, the people around him felt a sense of coolness.

The control over his fire energy was beyond imagination. Gi Cheon-Woong, who could confidently be called the best among the masters of the Heavenly Flame Yang Art, had reached such a level.

“Your father is here. Surely you’re not such a coward that you’re afraid to fight your own father.”

“…….”

“Come down.”

Gi Woo-Hwan, who had been staring at Gi Cheon-Woong, tilted his head.

“If I were such a coward, I wouldn’t have driven you out. But you see.”

“…….”

“This is war. It’s not a situation where we can decide the outcome with a nice one-on-one fight.”

The Second Fire King Gujo opened his mouth as if he had been waiting.

“Mythical Order, prepare to attack.”

Sreureung.

The entire Mythical Order drew their swords from their waists.

They were all about the size of small swords from the Central Plains. However, the blades were very wide.

They were less than two feet long, but the width of the blade was almost a hand’s span. The blade, which was wider than even the Central Plains’ broadsword, looked very dull compared to its length.

However, Gi Cheon-Woong knew what kind of weapons they were and how dangerous the martial arts they wielded with those swords were.

Gi Cheon-Woong said coldly.

“Do you think the Dragon Head Flame Spit Art will work on me?”

“It might not work on you, Father. But it will be different for those rabble.”

The Dragon Head Flame Spit Art was an ultimate technique created by improving the Mythical Cult’s secret technique, the Golden Restraint Pure Fire Art, into a martial art unique to the Mythical Order. The Flame God Sword, wielded with the Dragon Head Flame Spit Art, was known as a terror even within the Mythical Cult.

Gi Woo-Hwan grinned.

It was as if a crimson fire demon was passing over his face.

“Now, then, let’s fight…”

That was the moment.

Flash!!

The Mad Dragon Axe rotated at an incredible speed and flew towards the front of the Mythical Order.

The speed at which the heavy axe was thrown, creating a whirlwind, was beyond imagination. It was a speed that was hard to believe, considering it was thrown without any killing intent or preparation.

The surprised Second Fire King Gujo moved like lightning and swung his weapon.

It wasn’t as brutal as the Mad Dragon Axe, but it was a Western Yueji [a polearm with a spearhead and an axe blade], with a spearhead and a heavy axe blade at the end of a thick shaft.

Kwaaang!!

With a deafening roar, Gujo’s body was pushed back five steps.

Gujo’s eyes wavered.

‘Incredible power!’

The force transmitted through the hand holding the shaft was truly terrifying. It was clear that it was thrown without any preparation, but how could it contain such immense power in that short moment?

That was the moment.

Peobeobeok!

Behind the deflected Mad Dragon Axe, a white hand axe flew and blew off the heads of three Mythical Order members before returning.

The Mad Dragon Axe itself was a bait.

However, even as bait, it contained immense power. It was a prediction that one of the two masters would move.

In that moment of everyone’s surprise.

Paak!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who grabbed the returning White Dragon Axe with his left hand and pulled the deflected Mad Dragon Axe with his right hand using telekinesis, rushed forward like a gale.

Goma Han shouted.

“Attack!”

Hwareureureuk!!

The entire Mythical Order raised their small swords high into the sky and drew up the Dragon Head Flame Spit Art.

The flames that poured out looked like the flames spat out by a dragon. The sight of the surging flames merging and turning the sky red was so beautiful that it was hard to describe.

And as beautiful as it was, a dangerous attack was about to begin. Yeon Ho-Jeong predicted that.

Kwaang!

A strong stomp on the ground.

He gathered the earth’s energy and channeled it into his body, drawing up the Yellow Dragon Water Energy and deploying the Black Tortoise Art’s Northern Sky Twelve Walls.

Paaaaaaaak!

The massive water energy wall that spread out in all directions boasted a width that was on a different level than before.

The illusionary water wall was so transparent, and the image of the Black Tortoise was engraved within it, which was as spectacular as the Mythical Order’s Dragon Head Flame Spit Art.

The Flame God Swords were activated.

Peopeopeopeong! Chiiiiiiik!!

The fire energy of the Flame God Swords, colliding with the massive water wall, screamed and bounced off.

In that moment when the Mythical Order members were surprised.

Papapang!

Gi Cheon-Woong and Namgoong Seung charged forward.