Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1356

“Elder Namgoong!”

Muk Bi, rushing over, examined Namgoong Seung’s condition.

‘T-this!’

Muk Bi’s face turned pale.

Namgoong Seung’s injuries were severe. His side wasn’t just pierced; a portion of his internal organs was gone. However, his powerful inner energy prevented the remaining organs from spilling out.

In fact, even a skilled martial artist would be on the verge of death with such injuries. It was only because of Namgoong Seung’s extraordinary physique and energy that he could maintain a calm demeanor.

“Elder! Are you alright?!”

“Cough!”

Namgoong Seung, after a fit of coughing, sighed.

“Too fast.”

“Yes?”

“Too fast. My fight.”

Muk Bi couldn’t understand what he meant. However, she saw a deep sense of regret in Namgoong Seung’s expression.

And also, joy and elation that were no less than the regret.

“This is not the time. Please, let’s get you…”

“Let me be.”

“Elder!”

Namgoong Seung sighed again.

His breathing wasn’t rough, but the air he exhaled carried the scent of death. Muk Bi knew what this meant.

‘He’s wishing for death himself.’

That’s right. Namgoong Seung had no desire to live any longer.

Of course, with a part of his internal organs gone, it was already difficult to guarantee his survival. However, if some of the supreme masters forcefully drew in the energy of nature to drastically enhance their healing power, they might be able to regenerate the lost organ fragments.

Naturally, such a luxury was impossible on this battlefield. However, if he didn’t lose hope and held onto his life with his powerful inner energy, he might somehow be able to plan for the future.

“I am,” Namgoong Seung smiled.

“I was already dead, as that martial artist from the Demonic Cult said.”

“Elder.”

“I wasn’t living. And I feel disgusted with myself. As the Supreme Family Head, I jumped into the battlefield for the sake of the family, but at some point, I was just fighting out of habit.”

“…”

“I wasn’t fighting for my homeland or my family like you all. I wasn’t even fighting for revenge. I was just… fighting for the honor of Namgoong.”

His smile gradually twisted.

“What is the point of such worthless honor?”

“No, that’s not true. Thanks to you, Elder, many warriors were saved from the brink of death. If it weren’t for you…”

“I don’t want to deny my small contributions. Whether it’s honor or whatever, as an elder of the martial world, one must fight when the time comes. I don’t regret the past.”

“…”

“I’m just… very tired.”

Muk Bi somehow felt like she could understand Namgoong Seung’s feelings. It was the same feeling she had when she first went through several battles with Yeon Ho-Jeong.

From the beginning, the martial world’s battles were not hers. However, she wanted to be with Yeon Ho-Jeong for her own sake, and through numerous battles, she was able to complete herself.

Moreover, she liked the countless people who had formed bonds with Yeon Ho-Jeong.

She would throw her life away any number of times to protect them. And only then could she resolve all the fatigue of the past and live proactively.

However, Namgoong Seung was different.

From the moment he passed on the family head position to his son, Namgoong Seung was half-removed from the martial world. However, he was a member of the Namgoong family from birth, and he was in a position where he could never be free from responsibility.

Responsibility, responsibility, responsibility.

Even if he wanted to find freedom, the family he was born into, the children who succeeded him, and the world would not leave him alone.

That was not the life Namgoong Seung wanted.

“That’s why I became weak. I had great doubts about this battle itself. I knew it in my head, but I wanted to get out of the battlefield right away. I wanted to live my own life.”

“…”

“But if I can’t avoid it, I should at least fight in my own way.”

Namgoong Seung regained his smile.

“It was the first time. The first time I burned my life for myself.”

“…”

“Without any responsibility, I’ve never enjoyed fighting so much, using only my sword and fighting spirit as weapons.”

“…Elder.”

“So, I am satisfied. I know that to you, the people who have risen up for this world, I might seem too selfish and self-centered. I won’t deny that.”

“…”

“Even if you don’t forgive me, I won’t regret it.”

These were not the words a martial arts alliance elder should say. At least, an elder, a member of an organization, should fight to the end for the community without giving up.

However, Muk Bi could neither blame nor criticize Namgoong Seung.

She didn’t know the path he had walked, but she knew his fatigue.

The old master, who had always wanted to live with dignity and at the same time always wanted to live only for himself, had chosen a fight for himself for the first time in his life. Who could criticize him?

Muk Bi forced a smile.

“We will fight hard.”

“…Yes.”

“So, don’t worry about us and go in peace.”

Namgoong Seung’s eyes warmed.

“I’ve felt it before, but you are a very good person.”

“You flatter me.”

“I understand why Lord Yeon keeps you by his side. It’s hard to find someone like you anywhere.”

It was then.

Krrrr.

The sky let out a bizarre scream.

Namgoong Seung’s face turned serious.

“You felt it too, didn’t you? This ominous demonic energy.”

“Yes, I did.”

“It seems the Tang Family Head has failed. If so… he’s either dead or critically injured.”

“…”

“But the fight is not over. There are allies fighting thousands of enemies below the mountain. And I heard that those who have trained in the Demonic Arts of the Three Cults are appearing all over the world, threatening the common people.”

“…!”

“Perhaps the fight that could be the real last one has just begun.”

Namgoong Seung took Muk Bi’s hand.

“You must fill my place.”

“I will try my best.”

“Trying is not enough. You must become like Lord Yeon. You must reach the Supreme Realm.”

Muk Bi’s eyes wavered.

“H-how could I dare…”

“Lord Yeon was a monster, so he could do it. But in my eyes, you are not far behind. Just the fact that you are on the verge of reaching the Supreme Realm at your age is enough to call you an extraordinary talent.”

“I was just lucky…”

“Luck is also a skill. The fact that you have stepped into such a realm is because you have the ability. Don’t underestimate your talent, your destiny.”

It was then.

‘…!!’

Muk Bi felt a pain as if her palm was being torn apart.

‘W-what is this?!’

Something flowing from Namgoong Seung’s palm seeped into her palm.

For a moment, the pain was so intense that she felt dizzy, but the pain quickly disappeared.

Rather, a refreshing sensation followed the pain. An unknown force that had risen up her arm naturally traveled up her shoulder, neck, and reached her forehead.

‘Gasp!’

Flash!

A sharp light flashed in Muk Bi’s eyes.

Spiritual energy that she had never cultivated before began to envelop her upper dantian [an energy center in the body]. It was just a fragment, but it was a spiritual energy with a terrifying density that could burn all the spiritual energy she had accumulated so far.

‘This is the spiritual energy of a Supreme Master!’

It was a power comparable to the fragment of the Yellow Dragon that Yeon Ho-Jeong had left behind.

“I wish I could give you all my power, but even if you are a Supreme Master, the martial arts you have learned are different, so a complete transfer of power is impossible. Furthermore, your dantian is already saturated. There is no reason to receive my inner energy.”

“…!”

“Therefore, I am giving you a fragment of spiritual energy that contains my insights. Of course, receiving these insights does not mean you can reach the Supreme Realm. Everything depends on you.”

Muk Bi’s eyes wavered.

The process of transferring insights itself seemed to consume a tremendous amount of mental energy. Namgoong Seung’s eyes were tinged with gray, and his face was as pale as a corpse.

Fzzzz!

Dense true energy began to emanate from his body.

The power of the heavens, the inner energy of the Namgoong family’s secret technique, was returning to nature.

“Don’t forget. You already know how to reach the Supreme Realm. You know it, but you just can’t see it.”

“…”

“Use my insights as a guiding light. You have already paved the way. I’m giving you this even though you might not need this help, because the situation is that bad.”

“I understand.”

Namgoong Seung closed his eyes.

There was no need to force open eyes that could no longer see.

“Go now. And run away.”

“Yes?!”

“The demonic energy is gradually engulfing the mountain. If you touch that demonic energy, it’s over. It would be best to leave this area as soon as possible.”

“Elder…”

“I want to be alone.”

Muk Bi, gritting her teeth, stood up and bowed her head silently.

Whoosh!

Behind Muk Bi, who headed towards the battlefield in an instant.

Namgoong Seung, left alone, suddenly felt Myeong Yu’s presence.

‘He managed to survive.’

He was on the verge of death. If he had been hit directly by the formless sword one more time, his whole body would have been torn to shreds.

‘To go to the underworld with the one who helped me complete my own fight… that’s not so bad.’

Fssss.

As his true energy almost completely drained away, his body immediately became emaciated.

His chest and abdomen caved in, and his arms and legs seemed to thin. His cheeks sank, and he felt the sensation of his cheekbones protruding.

Namgoong Seung thought of his son.

‘In-ah.’

His son’s voice, expression, gestures, eyes….

Why? None of them were clearly visible.

‘Your image, which was so clear as if I could grasp it, is now invisible.’

Could it be that he hadn’t paid enough attention to his son? Or was it that he was just a person who only cared about himself?

Namgoong Seung felt regret.

‘If I hadn’t been obsessed with the sword and let go of everything, if I hadn’t been stuck in the training grounds while working, would I have been able to remember your face clearly?’

If that had been the case, he wouldn’t have earned the title of Sword Saint.

But what did it matter? Just like the honor of Namgoong was nothing, the title of Sword Saint was also just an illusion.

‘I see.’

It felt like his body was sinking somewhere.

‘I wasn’t just weighed down by responsibility and fallen into lethargy.’

Truth is truth, and I am me.

Family is family, and responsibility is responsibility.

‘I was just… a nasty old man who couldn’t see the future and was always looking back.’

A guy who should have died long ago, but somehow received a blessing and is going after finishing a fight just for himself.

Namgoong Seung was grateful for that.

He didn’t know who he was grateful to.

‘It’s peaceful.’

And with that, Namgoong Seung’s breathing stopped.

The passing of the Supreme Family Head of the Namgoong family, the best swordsman in the Central Plains.

* * *

“Kuh…”

Tang Gwan, who had coughed up blood several times, straightened his body with a distorted face.

Several ribs were broken, and his left arm and right leg were fractured. If he hadn’t re-operated the Myriad Return Divine Art [a technique to control the body] to control his body, he would never have been able to stand up.

“Damn it!”

Tang Gwan looked towards the top of the mountain.

A dark shadow was gradually descending down the mountain. It was as if a huge wave of ink was slowly engulfing the mountain.

‘I can’t handle it.’

It was a miracle that he was still alive. In the previous attack, Tang Gwan had felt a fragment of demonic energy that could tear even the sky.

Tang Gwan, gritting his teeth, turned his body and ran down the mountain.

His mind was urgent, but his body couldn’t keep up with his mind.