Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 15

“Young Master Lee! We’ve broken through the south gate! The fire over there is under control!”\n\n”R-really?”\n\nShinmo looked at Yeon Ji-Pyeong with a puzzled expression.\n\nYeon Ji-Pyeong’s expression was strange. He seemed to be both afraid and amazed by something.\n\n”Young Master Lee?”\n\n”This isn’t the time for that! Get everyone evacuated quickly!”\n\nYeon Ji-Pyeong dashed forward.\n\n”I’ll go get the Jeagal Clan people!”\n\n”Huk! Young Master Lee! It’s dangerous over there! The enemy’s leader is… !”\n\n”It’s okay! My brother took care of him!”\n\n’Brother? Is he talking about the eldest young master?’\n\nShinmo turned her head towards the broken gate with a confused look.\n\nAt that moment, a powerful explosion echoed.\n\nBoom!\n\n’Huk!’\n\nImmediately after the violent impact, Ma Bang involuntarily stepped back.\n\n’Does it hurt?’\n\nHe looked at his hand.\n\nThe palm was swollen and red. His hand, which could break a log with a palm strike without using internal energy, was trembling faintly.\n\nMa Bang looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong’s iron rod.\n\nFrom the tip of the rod, a blue aura was rising like a heat haze.\n\n’A spear?!’\n\nIt wasn’t a rod technique, but a spear technique. It looked like an iron rod, but the strike he just unleashed was clearly a spear attack. It was a murderous technique that would pierce the opponent’s chest in one blow.\n\n”This bastard…”\n\n”Bring it out.”\n\n”What?”\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong said coldly.\n\n”Weren’t you stuck after learning the Yin Fire Red Type [a martial arts style focused on fire energy]?”\n\n”… !”\n\n”I’ll take it, so come on.”\n\nMa Bang’s eyes turned red.\n\nThe emotion of anger, which he had forgotten, slowly rose. It wasn’t because his opponent was more skilled than he had imagined. It was because he was surprised that his opponent knew about the Yin Fire Red Type.\n\n”It’s no use asking how I know, right?”\n\nWhoosh!\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong rushed in like a shot.\n\nHis speed wasn’t that great, but the momentum he was charging with was incredibly fierce. The fierce momentum alone made it difficult to evade.\n\n’It’s like a beast.’\n\nWhoosh!\n\nThe iron rod he thrust out aimed for his neck in an instant.\n\nNot the chest, but the neck. Aiming for the neck, which had a small target area, meant that he was confident in his precise attack.\n\nClang!\n\nHe deflected the path of the iron rod with the daggers in both hands.\n\n’Kuk!’\n\nA strong shock remained in both hands holding the daggers.\n\nHe didn’t know about anything else, but his raw strength was superior to his own. He couldn’t understand how such a slender body could generate such power.\n\nThey had only exchanged three blows, but Ma Bang finally realized. He couldn’t win against this guy in this state.\n\n’This bastard!’\n\nFlames seemed to rise from deep within his dantian [energy center in the body].\n\n’If you want to see it that badly, I’ll show you!’\n\nMurderous intent surged from Ma Bang’s eyes.\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.\n\nThat was the problem.\n\nWhether it was the Yin Cold White Type [a martial arts style focused on cold energy] or the Yin Fire Red Type, those who had mastered the Yin style martial arts would never reveal their murderous intent. It was a martial art created for assassination in the first place.\n\nMa Bang was clearly out of his mind. He wasn’t afraid even in front of the Jeagal Clan’s children, and he even thought about torturing and selling the siblings.\n\nMa Bang was now in a state of demonic possession and suffering from madness.\n\nBut that was a golden opportunity for Yeon Ho-Jeong.\n\n”You bastard!”\n\nWhack!\n\nMa Bang’s movements changed.\n\nThe insidious and passive footwork instantly turned rough and active. He had already thrown away his poisoned daggers and was now aiming for Yeon Ho-Jeong’s head with his bare hands.\n\n’He’s coming.’\n\nWham!\n\nThe palm technique that tore through the air was quite fierce.\n\nIt was a fast and violent palm technique that matched the revealed murderous intent. It was truly a fiery martial art.\n\nBang! Boom!\n\nA sound like a drum bursting echoed in the air.\n\nWhen facing the Lightning Flame Bandits, and even when facing Ma Bang until just now, Yeon Ho-Jeong had never stopped attacking. It was as if he didn’t know how to defend or evade in the first place.\n\nBut not now.\n\nHe wasn’t confronting Ma Bang’s fiery martial arts, but was thoroughly evading them. His movements were jerky and didn’t look natural, but he didn’t allow a single blow.\n\n’This guy?!’\n\nMa Bang, who had been attacking relentlessly, couldn’t hide his bewilderment.\n\n’Does he even know the characteristics of the Yin Fire Divine Palm [a powerful palm technique using fire energy]?’\n\nThe Yin Fire Divine Palm was a hidden palm technique specialized in penetrating force.\n\nIt wasn’t a martial art that focused on destructive power, but rather one that penetrated and damaged the internal organs. Even if you blocked it, it would penetrate the defense and cause internal injuries to the opponent.\n\nIt was bound to be difficult for anyone to face. There was no way to respond except to evade or look for openings.\n\nMa Bang, who had raised his internal energy even further, thrust his palm towards Yeon Ho-Jeong’s chest.\n\nSwoosh! Boom!\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong’s body rotated and went straight behind Ma Bang.\n\nMa Bang’s eyes wavered.\n\nThe blow aimed at his chest was a feint. He pretended to attack with the Yin Fire Divine Palm and aimed for the midsection with his toes, but even that was evaded.\n\n’He read that?’\n\nEven his trump card was evaded. It was an amazing evasion ability.\n\nWithout even turning around, Yeon Ho-Jeong swung his iron rod.\n\nThwack!\n\n”Kuk!”\n\nMa Bang staggered.\n\nThe back that was hit by the tip of the rod felt like it was splitting apart. If it had been imbued with internal energy, his ribs and part of his shoulder blade would have been shattered.\n\n”Did you steal it from somewhere? Why are you so clumsy?”\n\n”… !”\n\n”Why don’t you do it properly?”\n\nMa Bang’s eyes blazed with anger.\n\n”I’ll completely cook your insides.”\n\nWhoosh!\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong spun the iron rod. When he grabbed the middle of the rod and spun it, it felt like the air was being sucked in.\n\nSparks flew from Ma Bang’s eyes.\n\nThere was no expression on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face. He looked languid in a way, but there was no particular emotion revealed.\n\n’Is he looking down on me?!’\n\nHe didn’t see him as an opponent. Ma Bang felt like his boiling internal energy was rising to the top of his head.\n\n”You bastard!”\n\nWham!\n\nIt was faster than before.\n\nPrecision was gone, but it was much more threatening. In particular, the faint red light rising from Ma Bang’s hands made those who saw it feel an unknown sense of unease.\n\nIn that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.\n\n’Fire energy!’\n\nThe opponent had finally unleashed his true power.\n\nMa Bang’s hand aimed for Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face.\n\nCrack!\n\nThe tree that was hit by the Yin Fire Divine Palm snapped in half from the middle. The surface of the broken tree was blackened.\n\n’Impressive.’\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong, who had evaded it perfectly, was satisfied with his opponent’s level.\n\nMa Bang gritted his teeth. It was because he saw Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face smiling as if he was satisfied.\n\n”You bastard! I am the successor of the Yin God!”\n\nBang! Boom!\n\nThe air became hot.\n\nThe faint red glow gradually intensified, and soon it began to form a shape similar to flames.\n\n’A little more.’\n\nPop! Pop! Pop! Whoosh!\n\nSmall flames appeared and disappeared in the air.\n\nThe more he unleashed his martial arts, the more the fire energy rose and the power increased. The speed also became faster.\n\nMa Bang’s eyes were bloodshot. No matter how you looked at it, he was out of his mind. On the other hand, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes were calmly cold.\n\n’More!’\n\n”Die!!”\n\nWhoosh!\n\nMa Bang’s movements suddenly increased.\n\nA powerful energy was emitted as if he was about to unleash his maximum attack. The fire energy and murderous intent had risen to their maximum.\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes changed.\n\n’Here!’\n\nIn an instant, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body, which had been seven steps away, rushed right in front of Ma Bang.\n\nStartled, Ma Bang thrust out his palm.\n\nWham!\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong’s left hand grabbed Ma Bang’s right hand.\n\nJoy surged on Ma Bang’s face.\n\n”You stupid bastard! You’re dead!”\n\nWoo-oong!!\n\nA strange resonance echoed from the hands of the two people who were holding each other.\n\nMa Bang, who had been wearing a cruel smile, was momentarily bewildered.\n\n’What?’\n\nThe palm force that had entered through his opponent’s hand should have instantly burned his blood vessels and internal organs.\n\nBut Yeon Ho-Jeong was still looking at him with a blank face and clear eyes. He seemed to be fine even from the penetrating force of the Yin Fire Divine Palm.\n\n”… Huh?”\n\nMa Bang said with a bewildered face.\n\n”What? Why are you okay?”\n\nThat was when it happened.\n\nFrom Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes, which were faintly glowing with a subtle blue light, something black soared up.\n\nIt was darkness, but it was different from ordinary darkness.\n\nIt was a black color that gave off a cool and soft feeling. The surging black energy, like a flooding river, seemed as if it would pour out of his eyes and engulf Ma Bang at any moment.\n\nSizzle!\n\nWhite steam rose from their clasped hands.\n\nMa Bang’s eyes widened.\n\n’The fire energy?!’\n\nThe energy of the Yin Fire Red Type was being sucked into this young man’s palm.\n\nIt was being sucked in so naturally, like water flowing from a high place to a low place. As if that place was originally its own, the fire energy that had escaped Ma Bang’s control was heading towards Yeon Ho-Jeong at a terrifying speed.\n\n’Huk!’\n\nMa Bang’s body trembled.\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong exhaled.\n\n”Hoo-oo.”\n\nA thick moisture lingered in his breath.\n\n’Good, I’ve drawn it out.’\n\nLike the legend of the Four-Sided Siege [a situation of being surrounded and isolated] surrounding the Western Chu Overlord [a historical figure known for his military prowess], the fire wall surrounding the Choseong Tower was emitting fire energy that was both advancing and retreating.\n\nBut that wasn’t enough.\n\nThe Four Divine Beasts Martial Art (四神武) [a legendary martial art based on four mythical creatures] was clearly a human martial art, and it would only properly activate when it received the enemy’s murderous intent and fighting spirit. He might not know if his level was deep, but the initiation itself was based on a battlefield of life and death.\n\nMore easily, more surely.\n\nBy encountering an enemy who was emitting fire energy and murderous intent, Yeon Ho-Jeong finally awakened the legend of the Four Divine Beasts sealed within his soul.\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong swung the iron rod in his right hand.\n\nWhoosh! Thwack!\n\n”Keok!”\n\nMa Bang groaned and fell forward.\n\nIt was as if he had been hit by an incredibly thick whip. The pain in his left collarbone felt like it was splitting apart, making it difficult to regain his senses.\n\nThud!\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong, who had planted the iron rod on the ground, took a deep breath.\n\nWhoosh!\n\nThe fire that had been suppressed momentarily tilted towards Yeon Ho-Jeong.\n\n’Come.’\n\nThe secret technique of the Divine Beast, stimulated by Ma Bang’s fire energy, finally raised its head, drawing out a much stronger flame to amplify the water energy.\n\nThe amplified water energy wrapped around his entire body, making his body flexible. The meridians that had become hot from the power of the Yin Fire Divine Palm instantly returned to their original state.\n\nWhoosh!\n\nA wind blew.\n\nThe water energy that Yeon Ho-Jeong was emitting was hit by the wind, creating the form of a translucent divine beast. The divine beast had a strange appearance with a snake’s head and a turtle’s body.\n\nThe water god of Gyehae (癸亥) [a reference to the Chinese sexagenary cycle]. The ruler of the north.\n\nThe Black Tortoise (玄武) [one of the Four Divine Beasts] of the Four Divine Beasts Martial Art revealed its form.\n\nSizzle!!\n\nThe soaring water energy swirled around the entire iron rod.\n\nMa Bang, who had vomited blood, screamed.\n\n”Ugh! You bastard! What did you do to my internal energy!!”\n\nMa Bang threw a punch with his blood-soaked face. It was a punch swung with his remaining internal energy, but its destructive power was sufficient.\n\nAt that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong spun the iron rod.\n\nBang!\n\nMa Bang, who had attacked, was thrown back at an incredible speed and rolled on the ground.\n\nMa Bang’s body, which had rolled on the ground, twitched. His right arm, which he had thrust out, was grotesquely broken.\n\nIt was a tremendous rebound force.\n\nWhoosh!\n\nA faint barrier formed in front of the iron rod that was spinning in a circle.\n\nIt was the martial art of the Black Tortoise. It was an absolute defense technique that could block even cannons and siege rams when mastered.\n\n”Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to draw it out faster than I thought.”\n\nNow that he had passed the initiation of the Four Divine Beasts Martial Art, it was only a matter of time before he could summon the other three divine beasts.\n\nThe legendary martial art of ancient Murim [a term for the martial arts world], the Four Divine Beasts Martial Art, was an undefeated martial art that had never been defeated in the thousand years it had been passed down.\n\nOnce awakened, Ma Bang’s level of martial arts would not be able to touch even the hem of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s clothes. He had only awakened one of the Four Divine Beasts Martial Art, but even that alone was enough to block most attacks.\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong grabbed the collar of the fallen Ma Bang and lifted him up.\n\n”Since you helped me shorten the time, there should be some kind of reward, right?”\n\n”Cough!”\n\n”It seems like you like fire, so at least I’ll let you spend your last moments in the fire.”\n\nMa Bang’s eyes, which had lost their strength, widened.\n\n”N-no…”\n\nThwack!\n\nAll of his front teeth were broken by the iron rod.\n\nIn front of everyone’s eyes, Yeon Ho-Jeong, holding Ma Bang, walked towards the raging flames.\n\nThere was a look of disbelief on people’s faces. Among them were Yeon Ji-Pyeong, Shinmo, and the Jeagal siblings.\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong grabbed Ma Bang’s neck and lifted him high.\n\n”If you’re reborn, play with fire by yourself.”\n\n”Krrk!”\n\nYeon Ho-Jeong threw Ma Bang towards the fire demon.\n\nWhoosh!\n\nThe fierce flames engulfed Ma Bang. Ma Bang, who had suffered severe internal and external injuries, could not escape from the flames.\n\nA gruesome scream echoed throughout the Choseong Tower.\n\nWatching a person burn alive, the crowd shuddered in horror.\n\nBehind the corner.\n\nThe fire of the Choseong Tower was extinguished.