Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 32

Tension was evident on Myeong Ho-Rim’s face, impossible to hide.

It wasn’t just him. The junior disciples resting nearby, and even those sparring, all focused their attention on the two of them.

Yeon Ho-Jeong had proven his skill by defeating Naehyeop Chu Seong.

Myeong Ho-Rim was the third young master of the most prestigious family, and he had trained in martial arts more deeply than anyone else here.

As the two faced each other, an inexplicable silence fell. Some might not admit it, but this was a duel between the two strongest individuals here.

Naturally, the level of attention was bound to be high.

Myeong Ho-Rim belatedly opened his mouth.

“It’s a bit late, but I watched your duel with Master Chu. Well done.”

“Thank you.”

“That was an amazing spear technique. Did the Yeon family have such martial arts?”

“It’s nothing compared to the Myeong family.”

Myeong Ho-Rim smiled amiably.

“Quality is more important than quantity, wouldn’t you say? I’ve had my eyes opened to a mysterious spear technique I’ve never seen before.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong also smiled back.

“I, too, wish to witness the true martial arts of the most prestigious family.”

It was a meaningful remark.

Myeong Ho-Rim, unaware of his true intentions, laughed.

“Haha, I wonder if it will meet Young Master Yeon’s expectations.”

“You’re too modest.”

Whoosh.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, holding the iron bar in the middle and spinning it, seemed ready.

“It was a bit of a messy start, but since we’ve had our taste, let’s move on to the main event.”

By ‘taste,’ he meant the close-quarters combat from before.

Myeong Ho-Rim’s expression hardened as he recalled yesterday’s close-quarters fight.

‘He was no ordinary opponent. And today as well.’

The techniques he had shown in the fight against Chu Seong were all practical.

However, Myeong Ho-Rim saw Yeon Ho-Jeong’s true ability hidden within those fierce moves.

‘It’s not just about having good martial arts. The key is how you use those martial arts in any given situation.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong knew how to use his weapon at the optimal moment, with precision.

That was something difficult for anyone. It wasn’t just about talent; it was a method impossible without a tremendous amount of real combat experience.

Where did this young man gain such experience?

‘Besides…’

When Chu Seong received the first three moves.

‘At that time, there was definitely something there?’

He felt an unknown force binding Chu Seong.

No, to be precise, it seemed that way. It seemed like Yeon Ho-Jeong had done something, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

‘Whatever it is, there’s no doubt he has something more than what meets the eye.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes gleamed.

“Shall we begin?”

“Very well.”

Myeong Ho-Rim picked up a wooden sword that had fallen on the ground.

It was a gently curved wooden sword. It was different from a wooden practice sword.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes lit up.

‘Sword techniques?’

He recalled the time when his family was attacked by a mysterious group.

Whether it was in his past life or now, after returning to the past, he had never forgotten that situation. The shock was so great that he remembered almost everything.

‘There were definitely swordsmen back then too.’

It wasn’t just swordsmen. There were also fist fighters, and even spear users.

The attackers all used the most common weapons in the martial world. There wasn’t a single person who used unique weapons like hidden weapons, mandarin duck axes, whips, or iron brushes.

If the Myeong family was truly the family behind the attack on the Yeon family.

And if he could see traces of them in the sword techniques of Myeong Ho-Rim, the third young master of that family.

If the Myeong family was truly the culprit, how should he move forward?

‘……’

Yeon Ho-Jeong cleared his mind.

‘It might not be the Myeong family. Hasty judgments are forbidden.’

The reason he had deliberately created this training ground atmosphere wasn’t just to fight Myeong Ho-Rim.

It was to fight all of them. It was because there might be something he had missed.

But there wasn’t. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t find any similarities between the martial arts of other families and those of the attackers.

On the other hand, yesterday, he felt a similar sense of foreignness in Myeong Ho-Rim’s aura as he did with the attackers.

Swoosh.

Myeong Ho-Rim lowered his stance.

“Well, I’m ready.”

“Me too.”

“Then let’s begin.”

Clash!

The two of them leaped towards each other almost simultaneously.

Even though they weren’t using their full power, they were fast. Their footwork was faster than anyone else training here.

Yeon Ho-Jeong unleashed his martial arts without hesitation.

Whoosh!

The Whirlwind Staff Technique unfolded. The staff technique, as free and soft as the wind, flew towards Myeong Ho-Rim’s shoulder and side simultaneously.

Myeong Ho-Rim’s eyes flashed.

‘He’s strong!’

He could tell with just one move. How amazing Yeon Ho-Jeong’s weapon skills were.

It was on a different level from their hand-to-hand combat. The staff technique, drawing out the Byukra True Energy [a type of internal energy], contained both lightness and heaviness at the same time.

Myeong Ho-Rim swung his wooden sword.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

It was an excellent counter.

Myeong Ho-Rim’s movements, wielding the wooden sword in a dual-wielding style, were flawless. He was blocking the power of the heavy iron bar from its very foundation.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s foot landed on the ground.

Thud!

The strong rebound traveled up his thigh and added power to his waist.

Whoosh!

A thrust that exploded in an instant.

The strike, delivered with the rotational force of his waist, was incredibly fast. Myeong Ho-Rim quickly lowered his stance and deflected the wooden sword upwards.

Clang!

Myeong Ho-Rim’s eyes wavered.

He could feel it without seeing it. The surface of the wooden sword had been slightly dented by the thrust of the staff.

‘Incredible power!’

Thud!

Myeong Ho-Rim, pushing away the iron bar and leaping backward, was momentarily startled.

Whoosh!

As if he knew he would retreat, Yeon Ho-Jeong was already approaching.

The distance was incredibly close. So close that there was no time to swing the wooden sword.

At the same time, the iron bar was also moving. The iron bar, coming in with a horizontal strike, was so fast that it was slightly bent.

‘I can’t block it?!’

He hadn’t even exchanged a few blows, and he was already on the defensive.

If he continued like this, he would surely be defeated. It wasn’t a close match, and it wasn’t because he had made a mistake, but he was about to fall in a disgraceful manner.

‘Carelessness…!’

Even though he knew how great his opponent’s techniques were, he had been pushed to this point. It could only be seen as carelessness.

Carelessness. Defeat. Mistake.

These three words stimulated Myeong Ho-Rim’s pride.

Whoosh! Clang!

The arm that swung the iron bar became heavy.

Somehow, the wooden sword was blocking the iron bar. It was a time when it should have been impossible to block, yet he had blocked it.

Whoosh.

A faint golden aura emanated from Myeong Ho-Rim’s body as he gripped the wooden sword with both hands.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes flashed.

Myeong Ho-Rim had finally unleashed his true power.

Whoosh.

The golden aura that was being emitted spread out like a haze.

It was a truly beautiful sight. Before the greatness of his energy, it was astonishing that he could materialize his true energy to this extent.

‘Amazing.’

Ga Deuk-Sang exclaimed in admiration.

‘With such a clear aura, he’s worthy of being called a master.’

Thud!

Yeon Ho-Jeong retreated.

Myeong Ho-Rim was about to launch an attack when he was startled.

Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t just retreat. He grabbed the end of the staff and swung it out, and a powerful force struck his chest.

It was like a spike on the end of a whip flying towards him. It couldn’t be blocked with a simple release of internal energy.

“Hap!”

Clang!

The force was shattered by a clean downward slash.

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-Jeong charged in again. He attacked before Myeong Ho-Rim could even regain his stance.

‘This is!’

It was unbelievable stamina.

The attacks and evasions were too fast. The problem was that this kind of exchange was extremely exhausting. No, before that, it was a fighting style that overused the muscles.

In fact, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body was flushed red. It was because he was pushing his muscles to their limit.

‘Show me.’

Yeon Ho-Jeong swung the iron bar.

Myeong Ho-Rim retreated continuously as the staff technique, which attacked from all directions, pressed in.

‘Show me your true martial arts!’

Thud!

The tip of the staff shattered the stone floor.

It was then that Myeong Ho-Rim’s counterattack began.

Thud!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes widened.

For a moment, it was as if his arm had stretched out, and he was slashing the wooden sword diagonally.

It was a brilliant counterattack. It wasn’t Myeong Ho-Rim’s reflexes, but the martial arts technique itself was focused on counterattacks.

Clang!

He quickly retrieved the iron bar and blocked it, but the impact was intense.

It didn’t end there. Myeong Ho-Rim’s sword technique was just beginning.

Boom!

Myeong Ho-Rim, kicking off the ground, advanced.

It was the True Divine Martial Art of the Guju Myeong Family, the Golden Net Divine Art [a powerful family martial art], followed by the Demon Slaying Sword Technique. It was a powerful martial art that had been created less than a generation ago, yet was only passed down to blood relatives.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sword technique, wielded with both hands, was heavy and powerful.

However, there were no major characteristics in the forms. As if representing the truth that simplicity is strength, it gave strong power and speed to simple movements.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

In an instant, Yeon Ho-Jeong was pushed back. He was blocking by rotating the iron bar with both hands, but it seemed like he couldn’t counterattack properly.

Myeong Ho-Rim’s eyes flashed.

Now that he had gained the upper hand, he was determined to see it through to the end. He drew out the power of the Golden Net Divine Art to its maximum.

Whoosh!

The golden true energy burned even brighter.

At the same time, the energy on the wooden sword slowly swirled.

‘……?!’

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes widened.

‘This is?!’

The three strikes of the wooden sword were flying towards him.

The forms and the principles contained in the moves were different. However, he had seen the energy swirling within that blade before.

To be precise, he had seen the method of energy manipulation.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Thud!

The iron bar was deflected by a powerful strike and scraped the ground.

The true energy contained in the blade was rotating wildly. However, that rotation was invisible to the human eye.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes and senses were feeling it.

A foreignness that was fundamentally different from Central Plains martial arts.

On the surface, it seemed to contain honesty and depth, but the method of internal energy manipulation itself was completely different from Central Plains martial arts.

And that martial art was……

‘Palm!!’

In an instant, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes shone blue.

Whoosh! Clang!

“Kuh!”

Myeong Ho-Rim’s body was pushed back.

His eyes wavered.

‘Oh, incredible martial arts!’

He looked at the wooden sword.

The wooden sword was almost completely broken. If he hadn’t drawn out the Golden Net Divine Art to its full power, he would have been seriously injured by this strike.

Myeong Ho-Rim looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Whoosh.

A blue aura flickered from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body. The Byukra True Energy, one of the five great martial arts of the Yeon family, which was not inferior to the Golden Net Divine Art, was burning.

He was kneeling on one knee, holding the iron bar with both hands. But the way he was holding the iron bar was strange.

It wasn’t a spear technique, but a stance as if he were holding a glaive or a large axe.

In that moment, Myeong Ho-Rim felt a chill run down his spine.

‘This isn’t his real martial arts!’

That’s right. Everything Yeon Ho-Jeong had shown so far, from his close-quarters combat to his staff and spear techniques.

All of that was not Yeon Ho-Jeong’s true martial arts. Yeon Ho-Jeong’s true martial arts were something much stronger and much more explosive.

Rustle.

Yeon Ho-Jeong lowered his head and stood up from his spot.

It was as if he was bowing, or perhaps he didn’t want to show his face.

“It would be best to end the duel here.”

Was it a mistake? Yeon Ho-Jeong’s voice sounded somewhat hoarse.

Myeong Ho-Rim, discarding the broken wooden sword, clasped his hands in a respectful bow. His hands, which were clasped, trembled slightly. The impact had been too great.

“I’ve learned a lot.”

“Me too. Then.”

With those words, Yeon Ho-Jeong crossed the training ground and headed towards the inner courtyard. He was walking so fast that even Yeon Ji-Pyeong couldn’t catch up to him.

The only path leading to the inner courtyard’s lodgings.

A terrible murderous intent flickered in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes.

“…It’s the Myeong family.”