Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 301

Whirr!

The swung sword was heavy, yet the sound of the blade cutting through the air was remarkably light.

Swish! Swish!

The sword was so massive and thick that it seemed more suitable for slashing than thrusting. It was a greatsword, like a single-edged dao [a type of Chinese saber], but also capable of being used like a heavy spear, thrusting and pushing forward.

“Hah, hah!”

Gang Ryang’s body was drenched in sweat.

His breathing was completely ragged. With his breathing disrupted, the power transmitted to his muscles was erratic, and even his perfectly honed footwork was gradually falling apart.

Further training was pointless. Any expert who saw Gang Ryang now would say so, almost certainly.

But Gang Ryang didn’t think so.

Thwack! Thud!

The thick blade embedded itself in the trunk of a rather large tree.

With Gang Ryang’s internal energy output, he should have been able to cut through it in one stroke, but he hadn’t even managed half. It was as if a woodcutter had swung a dull axe.

“Hah! Hah!”

The last strike, with all his might, using explosive breathing, made his already violent breathing even more ragged.

Even a tough guy like him couldn’t endure any longer. Gang Ryang dropped his sword and collapsed onto the ground.

“Damn it.”

Trickle, trickle.

Gang Ryang’s hands were torn and bleeding all over.

He panted, looking at the sword embedded in the tree.

The embedded sword was slowly slipping out, unable to bear its own weight.

‘It’s unbelievably heavy.’

That sword was a greatsword that Yeon Wi had commissioned from a subcontracted ironworks that had a deal with Maeng. It was nearly five ja long [approximately 1.6 meters], and the width of the blade was well over half a ja [approximately 16 centimeters].

Just lifting and swinging it was hard labor. It was a weapon that even a master would find difficult to wield.

Gang Ryang had been swinging such a sword for over half an hour.

“How on earth does Brother Yeon swing an eighty-geun axe like that?”

Gang Ryang had also held the Gwangryongbu [Yeon Ho-Jeong’s axe] himself.

And he had thought, unless Yeon Ho-Jeong insulted his parents or siblings, he should never go against him.

‘He’s not human.’

Eighty geun [approximately 48 kilograms] was no joke, and to swing it around like a quick sword was difficult even for a supreme master.

Even if it were possible, constantly using such martial arts would eventually ruin one’s joints. Internal energy wasn’t omnipotent. It could maximize physical durability and flexibility, but it couldn’t change the structure or nature of the human body.

Yet, Yeon Ho-Jeong seemed to use the Gwangryongbu for more than half a day without any strain on his joints or muscles.

It was astounding.

‘He must have undergone some incredible training that I don’t know about.’

In the past, the Lord of the Yeon Family had told him about Yeon Ho-Jeong’s training schedule.

He had been very surprised to hear it, but he hadn’t believed it all. He had thought it was not a training regimen that a master who hadn’t broken through the Wall of Martial Arts [a metaphor for reaching a higher level of martial arts mastery] could handle.

But now he understood.

‘That training is real. No, it wouldn’t be strange if he had done even more brutal training in places the Lord didn’t see.’

As he sorted out his thoughts, his breathing returned to normal.

Gang Ryang sighed.

“Pathetic.”

It wasn’t just Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Although he called her ‘sister,’ Muk Bi was also very young in the martial world. Yet, she was on the verge of breaking through the Wall of Martial Arts.

It was an area that couldn’t be explained by talent alone. She, too, must have reached that level through blood, sweat, and tears.

And finally.

‘Yeon Ji-Pyeong, was it?’

Gang Ryang’s eyes wavered.

‘He was amazing.’

After returning to Maeng, Gang Ryang had been living and sleeping in this forest.

It was for no other reason than that he had received a greater shock than ever before.

‘He was younger than me. Yet, he had such martial arts…’

On the way back escorting the Western Divine Maiden, Gi Woo-hee.

The martial arts that Yeon Ho-Jeong and Muk Bi had shown at the time were nothing short of divine. Yeon Ho-Jeong engaged in close combat, holding the enemies in place with his battle command, while Muk Bi showed the epitome of escorting allies by killing enemies with ranged attacks.

But the number of enemies was too great. Those who escaped the martial arts of the two monsters, Yeon Ho-Jeong and Muk Bi, attacked Moyong Woo, who was carrying Gi Woo-hee, countless times.

It was then that Yeon Ji-Pyeong stepped forward.

‘It was an incredible mastery of swordsmanship. Before even considering the characteristics of the sword techniques, the level was already at the point of being called a master…’

Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s swordsmanship was perfect.

No, he didn’t know if it was actually perfect, but at least it looked that way to Gang Ryang.

It was an impregnable fortress of swordsmanship that nothing could penetrate. Instead of flexibly responding to enemy attacks, he was using an iron wall of swordsmanship that blocked any attack.

To wield such swordsmanship at an age not even twenty was truly astonishing. Gang Ryang had to return to the Martial Alliance under the protection of Yeon Ji-Pyeong, who was younger than him, without doing anything.

The shock was so great that no one but the person who experienced it could understand. Even when Yeon Ho-Jeong had scolded him to face reality, he hadn’t been as shocked.

At first, he had thought this. That Yeon Ho-Jeong and Yeon Ji-Pyeong were simply monsters. That the Lord of the Yeon Family’s martial arts were so outstanding, the talents of the two people who inherited his blood were bound to be extraordinary.

But such thoughts were nothing more than an escape.

‘My father was strong too.’

The master of the Guicheol Sword Clan. The pride of the Black Dao Sword Clan.

His deceased father’s martial arts were also among the best in the Black Dao. And he was the son of such a father.

Gang Ryang closed his eyes.

‘Of course, there must be talent. There must also be differences in teachings. But the most important thing is how much one has devoted their soul to acquiring strength.’

Everyone makes an effort. The important thing is whether one knows something beyond effort.

And to find out what that was, Gang Ryang had been swinging his sword in the forest for several days.

The result?

“…I don’t know.”

Gang Ryang smiled bitterly.

“Was I such an idiot?”

He, who had been called one of the most promising talents in the Black Dao, now seemed utterly foolish.

“I don’t know what else to do. I don’t know, but…”

Still, there was one thing he had realized from these past few days of self-torture.

“If it doesn’t work, I’ll just keep doing it until it does.”

Then, a voice filled with laughter was heard.

“That’s a good mindset.”

Startled, Gang Ryang jumped up and looked behind him.

There, Yeon Ho-Jeong was squatting, looking down at him, having arrived unnoticed.

“B-Brother?”

“Yeah.”

“When did you get here?”

“Around the time you started using that solemn sword to chop wood?”

Gang Ryang scratched his head, looking embarrassed.

“I showed you an unsightly sight.”

“Unsightly? It was great. It was a strike filled with soul.”

“Soul? It was just a desperate swing. I couldn’t even split the wood.”

“That’s why it was filled with soul.”

“Huh?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“Does there have to be a purpose to put power into something? Do you have to be angry or sad to put yourself into your sword?”

“… !”

“Sometimes, a thoughtless swing can clearly show the direction you’re heading.”

Gang Ryang looked at the tree.

The sword, which was still slowly slipping out, was just big and looked so pathetic.

“Don’t look at the sword, but think about the moment you swung it, the moment you were yourself.”

“The moment I was myself…”

“At least, the strike I saw, while reflecting your confused mind, was very honest and clean in the trajectory it drew.”

Gang Ryang’s eyes wavered.

Yeon Ho-Jeong stood up.

“My brother, he was strong, right?”

“Yes. He was really strong.”

“Even if you try not to compare, you keep comparing yourself to him, right?”

“That’s how it is.”

It was an honest answer.

At the age of twenty, full of vigor, it wouldn’t have been easy to admit it because of his pride. But Gang Ryang was very honest with himself, even if he was frustrated and bitter.

“It’s okay to compare. But you shouldn’t think that the path you’ve walked so far is wrong because of it, right?”

“…?!”

“You were an outsider to me. Ji-Pyeong is different. He’s my blood relative. But now, both of you are my brothers.”

Gang Ryang’s eyes widened.

“Do you understand? You can be different. But neither of you is wrong.”

“Y-Yes, I understand.”

“I won’t tell you to grow your vessel. But don’t be trapped in delusion for too long. You have your own path, don’t you?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled.

“And one more thing. At least in terms of practical combat ability, you’re still far ahead of Ji-Pyeong.”

“… !”

Gang Ryang’s fist clenched involuntarily.

“When faced with an unavoidable battle, you can’t just stand there and take a sword just because the opponent’s martial arts are better than yours. There’s always a way. The key is how quickly you can find that way and how much you can maximize it.”

“That’s right.”

“It’s the same with martial arts training.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong reached out his hand.

Gang Ryang took his hand and stood up.

“You’ve tortured yourself enough. Pick up your sword and follow me.”

“W-Where are you going?”

“Don’t you remember what I said at the beginning? I said I’d make you stronger.”

A murderous smile appeared on Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face.

“Real combat-like sparring and overflowing, flashy enlightenment aren’t the only things that make a person grow. If you want to regain your reputation as the strongest swordsman of the Black Dao, you need to broaden your horizons.”

* * *

After Gang Ryang had cleaned himself up and filled his stomach with rice balls, Yeon Ho-Jeong took him to the Military Affairs Department.

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s eyes widened.

“Oh, Commander Yeon, you’ve arrived.”

“Yes, Military Advisor.”

“But who is this young man beside you…?”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s eyes sparkled.

“From Honam?”

“That’s right.”

Gang Ryang bowed respectfully.

“Gang Ryang greets Military Advisor Jeagal.”

It was a very manly greeting. There was no prejudice in his voice.

Jeagal Mun-Ho couldn’t help but admit that his first impression of Gang Ryang was better than he had expected.

“Indeed, he’s a talent worth bringing along.”

“Haha.”

“But it doesn’t seem like you came here just to introduce this friend to me. What brings you here?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

“The two sponsors of the Tang Family Lord, they’re registered, right?”

“Of course. Didn’t you bring the Western Divine Maiden yourself? I registered them right away.”

“I see.”

“By the way, I wanted to ask you right away, but the atmosphere was too tense, so I couldn’t. What did you say to Doctor Gi? Doctor Gi’s face was almost about to faint…”

“I’ll tell you about that later. Let me tell you why I came first.”

Jeagal Mun-Ho chuckled.

“You’re always so aggressive, I don’t know what kind of momentum you’re trying to unleash. Alright. Let’s hear it.”

“I want to request a private meeting with Moyong Gun.”

“…!!”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s face hardened.

“Moyong Gun, that person?”

“That’s right.”

“…I won’t ask why. But what does that have to do with me? You could just go and ask to meet him.”

“Please focus all of the Alliance’s intelligence capabilities on southern Hobuk.”

“Huh?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong pointed to Gang Ryang.