Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1313

“Kuaaaak!”

“Aaaagh!”

Screams and flames engulfed everything. It was a living hell. Warriors and servants, people he considered family, were dying in droves.

The invasion of masked strangers, a bloodbath. The family was collapsing.

“Lord! The enemies have breached the inner courtyard! We’ve sent for the Flying Sword Guards, but they won’t arrive for at least two hours!”

“Hold them back.”

Even facing annihilation, his father remained calm. The blazing fire outside the window blurred his vision, and the screams echoing from all directions seemed to tear his ears apart.

The destruction of the family, which had seemed invincible. He and his younger brother instinctively knew that today, the Yeon family bloodline could be wiped out.

His father spoke, his face cold.

“Can you hear it?”

“……”

“Can you see it?”

“……Yes.”

Ji-pyeong answered, but he remained silent. His mouth wouldn’t open easily. His inferiority complex towards his younger brother and his resentment towards his father had turned him into a rogue. As a rogue, he had become a fool, easily swayed by the smallest things.

But today, his mind was calm. Even on any other day, he couldn’t have shown such a foolish side in such a dangerous moment. Especially not when people he considered family were dying.

That was the blood of the Yeon family. That’s what he thought.

“The history of the Yeon family may end today.”

His father didn’t offer any false hope. His tone was as strict and cold as ever. Perhaps that was why? A clear resolve was etched on both his and Ji-pyeong’s faces.

“At your current level, you cannot stand against them. Even if you could, I cannot leave you here, as you are the ones who must carry on the family line.”

Ji-pyeong shouted.

“Father! I will stay!”

“……”

“My brother will carry on the family! He will surely be able to rebuild it! So, I will stay here and fight for my brother’s share!”

He had his eyes closed. Did Ji-pyeong realize his words were based on the premise of annihilation? It was an unavoidable destruction, and he had already given up hope. That’s how dire the situation was.

His father shook his head.

“Ho-jeong will be able to rebuild the family.”

At his father’s words, the memory of himself in his mind opened his eyes wide.

“However, it will be difficult for Ho-jeong to navigate this harsh martial world alone. Ji-pyeong, it will be even more so for you. You two are brothers, and brothers can fill each other’s shortcomings. I did not have such a brother.”

His father looked at him.

“Ho-jeong.”

“Yes, Father.”

“You’re alright.”

“Yes?”

He remembered that moment. His father still didn’t smile. But he thought his father had smiled. There was a satisfaction in his heart that was greater than any outward smile. Yeon Ho-jeong could see that heart, for some reason, clearly.

“I know you have wandered for a long time. I abandoned you. I believed that you would grit your teeth and rise again.”

“……”

“That doesn’t mean that the resentment you have felt will disappear.”

“……”

“I don’t expect it, but I will not apologize to you.”

It was his father speaking not as a father, but as a person. His eyes, looking at his father, were moist. He was feeling all sorts of emotions.

Uaaaagh!

Again, a terrible scream was heard. His father’s face was filled with sternness.

“The main family is a traditional sword family of the Central Plains. Unlike the countless schools of the martial world that have developed their own sword principles, we are the only martial family that has developed the original form itself.”

Crack! Boom!

The sound of buildings collapsing and explosive force being released was heard. It was an urgent situation. But it seemed like they were somehow holding on. The shouts of the swordsmen fighting back covered the roar and the killing intent.

“The sword principles are also embedded in the martial arts I have taught you. So, I am not worried about the form of the sword being lost. If you dedicate yourselves to it, the Yeon family’s sword will reveal itself. However, the inner energy cultivation method is different.”

Swoosh.

His father handed over two bundles wrapped in cloth.

“These are the secret manuals containing the five great divine arts of the main family.”

“……!”

“The one I gave to Ho-jeong is the original, and the one I gave to Ji-pyeong is a copy.”

Whoooom!

His father’s eyes flashed with a terrifying light.

“There is a secret passage in the back garden of the family head’s residence. The Divine Eagle Guard will escort you, so escape through there.”

“Father!”

“Think about why I divided the secret manuals of the five great divine arts into two. Even if one of you dies, the lineage of the main family must not be cut off.”

It must have been very difficult to say such words to his children. One of his children dying? It was a pain that could not be compared to any torture in the world. The situation was so bad that he could say such words calmly.

“Now go.”

Swoosh.

The will to fight to the death rose from his father’s body as he drew his sword.

Kwaaang!

A huge explosion and terrifying killing intent surged in. The inner courtyard had finally been breached.

“I will stop them and then follow you! Go now!”

He and Ji-pyeong gritted their teeth and left.

“Catch them!”

“It’s the head of the Yeon family!”

Krrrrrr! Kwaaang!

With a roar that shook the heavens and the earth, the bodies of the masked men were torn to shreds. The head of the family’s swordsmanship, enraged by the threat of annihilation, was truly invincible. The Iron Sword Great Formation, which appeared with terrifying killing intent, crushed the enemies, and his father’s movements, which naturally flowed into the Asura Eight Swords [a powerful sword technique], were like the grim reaper of hell itself.

‘Ji-pyeong.’

As they were escaping through the secret passage, they were ambushed. He told him to hurry and escape, but Ji-pyeong followed him and then turned back to fight. Seeing him throw the secret manual into the torch before fighting, it seemed like he had already accepted his death.

He watched Ji-pyeong die. Ji-pyeong, who was spitting blood from all seven orifices, but still glaring at the enemy with dignity, was the epitome of a martial god that all warriors in the world should emulate.

But what about him?

‘How pathetic.’

He fled, shedding tears. Even while watching his family burn, he gritted his teeth and ran. He didn’t remember how he felt at that time. He could even recall memories from when he was a baby, but he couldn’t remember his emotions from that time.

Perhaps he was very afraid. Considering his rogue days, it was a miracle that he didn’t wet himself. But seeing the killing intent in his eyes, it seemed that he had indeed inherited the blood of the Yeon family.

And as time passed, he wandered aimlessly through the mountains and finally met that person. That person who rebuked him, who was in tatters, who had lost the will to live and was kneeling.

“An interesting look in your eyes.”

He said it was interesting, but he didn’t smile. His tone was also extremely stiff.

“Emptiness, regret, sadness, anger, resignation… It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a human’s emotions so tightly intertwined in their eyes.”

“……”

“Can’t you even speak?”

“……”

“Yes, you don’t speak with your mouth.”

That person smiled. Or rather, it seemed like he smiled. His smile was awkward, like someone who had never smiled in his life.

“You express yourself with your whole body, like a baby taking its first breath of the world. A baby feels fear in the joy of life, but you are burning with a fierce resentment and a will to live in the fear of death.”

“……”

“And within that, you possess a single strand of righteous energy that even you were unaware of.”

That person slowly knelt down. The sight of him reaching out his hand while making eye contact with him was even sublime.

“The beast-like instinct to live even though you have lost your purpose in life. The resentment and righteous energy that you never let go of, even in a situation where only the beast’s instincts remain. Perhaps today’s meeting with you will change the fate of the world.”

“……”

“Will you follow me?”

He took that person’s hand as if he were possessed. That person nodded.

“You are war, anger, and madness itself. You are just like the lives of the common people who are groaning under the tyranny in a world infested with bandits.”

“……”

“In the time of turmoil, countless people died in ways that were not human. There was a warrior who chose death to end such a world and became the light for all, and your natural talent is truly like his.”

“……”

“After wandering for a long time, I have finally met a man connected by the will of heaven. I will stake my remaining fate on you.”

It was then.

‘Huh?’

Yeon Ho-jeong was startled. A faint golden aura rose from his master’s body. And that aura was slowly seeping into his body.

‘A golden dragon?!’

His master stood up.

“If you follow me, you will have the power to confront the world. But your future life will be extremely painful.”

“……”

“If you overcome that pain and frustration and reach the pinnacle, you will finally become invincible.”

Invincible. A word that meant there was no equal in the vast world, a childish word that could not help but make his blood boil.

“But I want you to become a human being rather than invincible.”

And then, his memories faded again. Only a distant darkness enveloped him.

It was then.

“Lord.”

Flash!

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had opened his eyes, looked to his side. Han Jung-myeong was looking at him with a worried face.

“Lord. Are you alright?”

“Commander Ho-jong.”

“You have been like this for more than half a day.”

“Half a day? Already?”

Looking at the sky, it was already dawn. The night had passed.

“I apologize for being presumptuous, but… you suddenly started crying.”

Yeon Ho-jeong unconsciously wiped his eyes. It was as Han Jung-myeong had said. What had wet his eyes and cheeks was definitely tears.

‘Why did I cry?’

He didn’t know. No, more than that, he was more surprised that half a day had already passed. Considering the flow of his memories, it felt like only two hours had passed.

“Did you all rest well?”

“Yes.”

That couldn’t be true. The faces of the Ho-jong Guard members, who had taken turns standing guard in case something happened, were full of undisguised fatigue.

Yeon Ho-jeong felt sorry for no reason. Of course, he didn’t express it.

“Please eat something first. I have prepared some snacks.”

It was then.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who was about to nod, turned his head towards Mount Tai at the sudden feeling of a presence.

“No, let’s eat later.”

“Yes?”

Yeon Ho-jeong, who slowly got up from his seat, picked up the Mad Dragon Axe. At that moment, Han Jung-myeong’s eyes lit up.

“All of you, protect the Lord.”

“You don’t have to.”

Yeon Ho-jeong stopped them.

“This is my fight. You are enough as observers.”

“B-but, Lord!”

“And… you can’t stop him. Perhaps no one in the world can stop him.”

He was still calm. In the midst of his calmness, he felt a strong tension running down his spine.

Whoooosh.

A group of people was approaching, cutting through the thin fog. Only after confirming their appearance did Yeon Ho-jeong’s body become engulfed in a hot heat. He could no longer remain calm.

Fwoooosh!

The writhing fog surged towards Yeon Ho-jeong and the Ho-jong Guard as if it had a will of its own. Yeon Ho-jeong swung the Mad Dragon Axe.

Whoom!

The golden dragon energy swirled at the end of the swinging axe, and the damp fog disappeared as if it had been washed away. And beyond that, his one and only fated rival, whom he had not seen for years, whom he had to see, and at the same time, never wanted to see again, revealed himself.