Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 384

“……This is quite interesting.”

Yang Cheon’s eyes, looking down at his shin, flickered with a strange light.

“He aimed for the moment of impact and used an explosive slash to tear through my inner energy shield and cut my flesh. I’m not sure if it was a coincidence or if he was aiming for it…”

Sizzle!

The wound on his shin healed instantly.

Even though it was a wound, it was just a cut in the flesh. In terms of depth, it was less than half an inch. But even that was a cut, and he healed it instantly with extreme inner energy manipulation.

It was a terrifying ability. It wasn’t just because Yang Cheon’s Black Lion Energy was great; an absolute master who had reached the peak could heal this kind of wound just by focusing their inner energy.

Of course, emotional wounds were an exception.

“His level of mastery at that age is astonishing, but what’s truly amazing is his efficiency.”

Thud!

Yang Cheon took a step forward.

It was the leg that had been injured.

“Who is your master?”

Krrrrrr!

Even though his true energy didn’t manifest in a tangible form, it seemed as if dark, shimmering heat waves, like a black mane, were emanating from his entire body.

“The head of the Gangdong Byeoksan Yeon family, the Judge’s Sword, is said to be among the top martial artists of the six families, but even with his abilities, he couldn’t have raised a monster like you. Who taught you that martial art, that fighting technique?”

“I learned it from my father.”

“From the Judge’s Sword? That’s impossible.”

“My martial arts began with my father. I learned the basics of all martial arts from him: inner energy, swordsmanship, fist techniques, footwork, and everything else.”

The corners of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s mouth curved upward.

Even while fighting the strongest enemy since his regression, he was smiling. A person who could smile even in a situation where his life could be taken at any moment—that was why Yeon Ho-Jeong was so remarkable.

“If the basics are solid, one can learn the rest on their own. Although he was strict, the foundation of my martial arts began with my father.”

He spoke sincerely.

Of course, he also had a master who taught him the Four Divine Martial Arts. But if he hadn’t been born into the Yeon family and learned the basics of martial arts from his father, he wouldn’t be who he was now.

A recurring story. In the end, it was just a matter of who the current ‘me’ felt grateful to.

“The world is learned alone…”

Yang Cheon, who had been muttering to himself, gave a faint smile.

“That’s right. As long as you don’t die, you can learn to fight on your own. But while you can learn techniques, it’s hard to learn natural talent.”

Yang Cheon lowered his stance.

Unbelievably, he was taking a stance against a young junior who was much weaker than him.

“I’m curious to see what the result of your arrogance in challenging me will be.”

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-Jeong rushed at Yang Cheon.

It was fast, but it wasn’t Bloodwing Sky Dance [a high-speed movement technique]. It was slower, but more cautious, and it was a very combative movement that didn’t let go of the will to attack.

Yeon Ho-Jeong reached a yard in front of Yang Cheon.

Thud!

The movement itself was a form of closing in. But Yeon Ho-Jeong didn’t close in. He took a strong step from a yard away and swung the Black Dragon Axe diagonally. A blue light was emanating from the axe blade as it cut through the air.

Clang!

The slash that cut through the air vanished before the axe could even finish its swing. All Yang Cheon had done was flick his left hand.

Bang!

Yang Cheon advanced.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes widened.

‘I can’t avoid it.’

Even though it was much slower than his own speed, he couldn’t avoid it. Yang Cheon’s movements, the fighting spirit he was emitting, were completely blocking his escape routes.

He was restricting his opponent’s movements with his energy, and it was being released as naturally as breathing. The enlightenment itself was ingrained in his body.

‘If I can’t avoid it…’

Yeon Ho-Jeong crossed the Black and White Twin Dragon Blades [a pair of legendary swords].

‘I’ll block it.’

Yang Cheon forcefully extended his fist.

Clang!

Yeon Ho-Jeong was thrown back at a terrifying speed.

Blood gushed from his mouth. He had blocked it with all his might, but he had suffered internal injuries just from blocking a single punch.

“Hmm?”

Swoosh!

This time, it was as fast as lightning.

As if the previous speed had been a lie, he moved with explosive speed and took up a position behind Yeon Ho-Jeong’s side. The speed was comparable to Bloodwing Sky Dance.

Whoosh!

Yang Cheon’s eyes flashed.

It wasn’t just that his movement speed was fast. He had moved in with a rhythm that made it difficult for his opponent to take a stance to evade or defend, and he had thrown a punch, but Yeon Ho-Jeong had avoided the punch with a subtle body movement.

‘How did he avoid that?’

He hadn’t used his full power. If he had used his full power from the start, Yeon Ho-Jeong would have died within three moves, or at most ten moves.

But that didn’t mean that this attack was easy to deal with. The unconventional fighting style that played with rhythm was threatening enough to catch even a strong person off guard.

But Yeon Ho-Jeong had avoided it.

Swoosh!

And that wasn’t all.

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body rotated half a turn, and his elbow aimed for his temple.

It was a terrifyingly natural response. He evaded and attacked at the same time. The series of movements was so natural that it was as if they had rehearsed it beforehand.

Yang Cheon slammed his head straight into the elbow.

Bang!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s brow furrowed slightly.

The elbow that had hit Yang Cheon’s head ached to the bone.

‘As expected.’

Pow! Thud!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had disrupted Yang Cheon’s approach with a flurry of Black and White Twin Dragon Blade attacks, retreated backward in an instant.

‘He headbutted without hesitation. He hasn’t changed from the old days.’

Even if they weren’t from prestigious families, masters who had reached a certain level of mastery tended to have a certain dignity. Many masters wouldn’t even use a leg technique that involved raising their legs, let alone a headbutt.

But Yang Cheon didn’t have any of that. He had thought that he might have gained some dignity while serving as the vice-leader of the Black Dragon Unit, but Yang Cheon was still Yang Cheon.

‘The Fighting King, he hasn’t abandoned his reputation as the king of fights.’

Then, Yang Cheon opened his mouth.

“Did you say you wanted to fight?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong hesitated.

Yang Cheon shook his head.

“No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem like it will be a fight. It’s truly amazing that you injured my shin, but any further fighting is meaningless.”

“That’s right. If you had used your full power, I would be a ghost by now.”

“You know that well, yet you said you wanted to fight me?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to die that badly?”

“I’m fighting because I don’t want to die.”

“What kind of wordplay is that?”

Flash!

The Black Dragon Axe that Yeon Ho-Jeong had thrown was caught in Yang Cheon’s hand.

At the same time, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s leg technique aimed for Yang Cheon’s lower body. He had used a leg technique even while holding the White Dragon Blade.

Yang Cheon’s leg and Yeon Ho-Jeong’s leg collided.

Bang!

With a loud bang, Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body spun around.

Yang Cheon’s eyebrows twitched.

‘He deflected the force?’

He had known from the start that he would be able to deflect it. His combat sense at this moment was truly admirable.

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who was spinning, aimed for Yang Cheon’s side with the White Dragon Blade.

‘You brat, playing these tricks…’

Flash!

Yang Cheon’s elbow aimed for Yeon Ho-Jeong’s wrist as he swung the axe.

Whatever it was, he had no intention of letting him go quietly. At the very least, he would break one of his arms.

And Yang Cheon’s intention, surprisingly, failed.

Clang! Thud!

Surprise flickered in Yang Cheon’s eyes.

‘He let go of his weapon?’

The White Dragon Blade, hit by his elbow, was stuck in the ground.

Then what about Yeon Ho-Jeong?

Whoosh!

In that instant, Yang Cheon saw an illusion of a blue dragon writhing and rushing in front of his eyes.

‘Palm technique?!’

Thud!

Yang Cheon quickly retreated.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t confident in blocking it. But if he blocked it, a series of follow-up attacks would come. Of course, he could block all of those follow-up attacks as well, but his body reacted first. It was a fighter’s habit; his body knew that it was better to evade and deflect than to block to show the difference in power.

And that was exactly what Yeon Ho-Jeong wanted.

Boom!

As soon as the missed Half Dragon Palm hit the ground, Yang Cheon’s counterattack began.

Flash! Clang!

Yang Cheon’s eyes widened.

‘He blocked it?’

He hadn’t evaded it; he had blocked it. And he hadn’t just barely blocked it; he had blocked it with some composure.

Whoosh!

Black water energy became a wave and covered Yang Cheon.

After the defense of the Black Tortoise Technique [a defensive martial art], the White Tiger Technique’s Tiger King Nine Wall Stance [a powerful fist technique] was immediately activated.

Clang!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist wind passed an inch to the left of Yang Cheon’s face, causing an explosion in the air.

Pow! Pow!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had approached with short steps and sudden speed, unleashed all nine stances of the Tiger King Nine Wall Stance in an instant.

Yang Cheon involuntarily used both hands to block Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fist techniques.

Thud! Thud!

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s fists were truly fierce.

‘He knows how to put real power into his punches.’

Whoosh!

He aimed for his opponent’s vital points with fist techniques, then suddenly lowered his stance as if aiming for the lower body, and then suddenly used a leg technique towards the upper body.

The tremendous elasticity generated from his entire body was remarkable. Yang Cheon knocked away Yeon Ho-Jeong’s foot with his right hand.

Bang!

With a single gesture, his stance was broken.

But that wasn’t the end of it. Yang Cheon, who was about to throw a punch at Yeon Ho-Jeong, who was faltering, felt dumbfounded by the pile of dirt that suddenly flew towards his face.

‘He threw dirt?!’

He had known in advance that his stance would be broken, so he had grabbed the ground and thrown a pile of dirt.

It was a truly absurd fighting style. Even Yang Cheon, who was called the strongest in mud fights, couldn’t have imagined that Yeon Ho-Jeong would do something so ridiculous.

Whoosh!

Yang Cheon blew away all the dirt with an inner energy release.

Clang!

The punch that had been delayed because of that dug into the bare ground. If it hadn’t been for the momentary release of inner energy, his punch would have already been embedded in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s abdomen.

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had grabbed the ground with both hands, rotated his legs and struck Yang Cheon’s upper body.

It was a very rare technique. In some ways, it was a somewhat comical stance.

But Yang Cheon couldn’t laugh at Yeon Ho-Jeong’s stance or attack. The stance was strange, but the leg technique that was flying like a windmill was aiming for his side and neck.

‘It’s incredibly sharp.’

Bang!

Yang Cheon’s body seemed to scatter like mist, and then he immediately appeared in front of Yeon Ho-Jeong.

This time, it seemed that even Yeon Ho-Jeong hadn’t expected it. His expression was the same, but there was a hint of bewilderment in his eyes.

Yang Cheon’s eyes blazed.

Tap!

It was an amazing action.

Yang Cheon grabbed Yeon Ho-Jeong’s collar with his left hand. At the same time, he raised his right fist. He was about to slam it into his face.

That was when it happened.

Whoosh!

Like when he held the Blazing Dragon Axe, when he concentrated his fire power to the point where the axe blade turned red.

The Vermilion Bird Energy [a fire-based energy], which had risen like flames, wrapped around Yang Cheon’s wrist, which was holding his collar.

‘……!’

Sizzle!

Even so, Yang Cheon held onto Yeon Ho-Jeong’s collar until the end. However, Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had read the ‘shake’ of a moment, tore his clothes and retreated.

‘This guy……’

He had seen through the fact that he had hardened his clothes with inner energy to prevent him from retreating, and he had concentrated his fire energy one step ahead, tearing his clothes and running away.

Yang Cheon involuntarily burst into a hearty laugh.

Just like before, this guy was reading one step ahead, no, two steps ahead. In such a fast exchange, even though his opponent was himself, who was called the Fighting King!

“Hoo.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had retreated out of the yard, lowered his stance and glared at Yang Cheon.

Yang Cheon read a terrifying fighting spirit in Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes as he glared at him.

‘He’s looking at me, who’s called the Fighting King, with those eyes? With just that level of martial arts?’

In that moment, Yang Cheon realized.

“Let’s fight… So, that fight wasn’t the fight I was thinking of, but this kind of fight?”

“Hoo. Hoo.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong took a short breath. He didn’t even respond to Yang Cheon’s words, thinking of charging in immediately.

Yang Cheon, who had been staring at Yeon Ho-Jeong, suddenly burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha! Have I ever seen such a crazy guy! I was going to punish him, but he’s going to use his fight with me as the foundation for his growth, is that what he’s saying?”

Clang!

Yang Cheon lowered his stance.

He had no intention of using his full power. He just wanted to respond to his opponent’s challenge with dignity as the king of fights.

“I was oblivious. Not a warrior’s fight, but a fighter’s fight… Good. I’ll play along with your rhythm this time too.”

Yang Cheon flicked his hand.

“I’ll teach you a lesson. Come.”

Whoosh!

Yeon Ho-Jeong rushed in like a beast.