Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 516

“You’re leaving already?” Gang Ryang asked, wiping sweat as he entered.

Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded.

“Yeah. I need to get ready right away.”

“Tch, and I was just about to have some fun.”

“Fun?”

“I was having a blast sparring with Lady Jeong-an.”

“Oh, I bet that’s tough to win?”

“We were going at it with just our techniques, no inner energy. I almost died, you know.”

“Hmm.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong, stroking his chin, nodded.

“You stay here, then.”

“Huh?”

“Stay and train. Paeyul and I will go.”

“Have you finally grown tired of me?”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t even hesitate…”

“Your energy is unusual. It seems like a crucial moment. Don’t be too greedy, and train hard.”

Gang Ryang’s eyes lit up.

Yeon Ho-Jeong doesn’t joke around when it comes to training. That must mean a big change is coming for him.

‘Come to think of it, back then…’

He would have broken through the Wall of No Seed [a metaphorical barrier in martial arts] if it hadn’t been for Yang Cheon’s interference.

Of course, he didn’t regret it. It was also his fault for losing focus so easily. You can’t live life dwelling on what-ifs.

However, hearing Yeon Ho-Jeong’s words, it seemed like another opportunity had come.

Gang Ryang asked,

“Are you sure you’ll be okay without me?”

“Who’s worrying about who?”

“Woof. Understood. Then, please be safe on your trip.”

“Yeah. Don’t cause any trouble.”

“Who’s worrying about who?”

“I’ll kill you.”

Having dismissed Gang Ryang, Yeon Ho-Jeong put on his martial arts uniform and picked up his spear.

Paeyul glanced at his waist.

“You’re taking the Black and White Twin Dragon Pouch and the Azure Dragon Chain?”

“Yes. You never know.”

“You’ll probably end up stabbing with that spear and then hacking them to pieces.”

“I’m not going to fight… or so I’d like to say.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s expression turned serious.

“I might have to see some blood.”

“Is the situation that bad?”

“Yes.”

“Looks like I’ll get to stretch my body properly for the first time in a while.”

“You should be careful.”

“We’ll talk about the details on the way.”

The two left their residence and headed straight for the Black Dragon Unit’s headquarters.

“Huh?”

Paeyul’s eyes narrowed.

“Isn’t that the Iron Cavalry?”

“It is.”

Soon after.

Heeheeheeheeing!

About a hundred mounted soldiers stopped in front of them with rough snorts.

At the front was Hwang Seok-Tae. Unlike his usual self, he was wearing sturdy light armor and holding a red spear, looking very dignified.

Yeon Ho-Jeong tilted his head.

“Are you going too, Unit Leader?”

“The Vice Unit Leader will do a good job with the training.”

“Is that okay?”

Hwang Seok-Tae snorted.

“It’s an order from above. They told me to go with you no matter what.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“I won’t refuse.”

Hwang Seok-Tae handed over two horses.

Yeon Ho-Jeong and Paeyul mounted the horses. The horses were well-trained, not even flinching when they were mounted by strangers.

Hwang Seok-Tae said,

“I only received the order urgently. I don’t know the destination or the mission details.”

“I’ll explain on the way.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes deepened.

They were the eyes of the Black Emperor, never wavering, yet filled with a more passionate rage than anyone else.

“The situation has become urgent. In many ways.”

* * *

“Haa! Haa!”

His breathing was rough.

It was his own breathing, not anyone else’s.

It was a serious situation, but he felt more dumbfounded than a sense of crisis.

‘My breathing is already messed up. I really got hit hard.’

Isn’t it funny?

He didn’t know when he was only proficient in one weapon, but after mastering ten, he realized something.

That all weapons have a purpose in their shape.

Then, he could use any weapon he picked up as naturally as breathing.

That was the Hundred Weapons. He was a master of the Hundred Weapons, and he had grown to the point where he could show the best skills no matter what weapon he held.

However, limiting the scope of weapons was a mistake.

‘Poison was also an excellent weapon. I’m only realizing that now.’

Boom! Boom! Boom!

At that moment, colorful fireworks exploded in the sky all around.

He felt a chilling sensation. He knew that such an act was a ploy to make him anxious, but he still felt a shiver down his spine.

And feeling that about himself, Makwon couldn’t help but feel bitter inside.

‘In the end, I’m just a weak human who fears death.’

A martial artist proficient in the Hundred Weapons.

He was an absolute master linked by the name of the same Saintly Heaven, though he couldn’t stand shoulder to shoulder with the Saintly Emperor. [The Saintly Emperor is likely a title for the most powerful martial artist in their world.]

Except for the Saintly Emperor, he was arguably the best in the world. It wasn’t in his nature to be obsessed with fame, but he was confident in the martial arts he had achieved.

That confidence was shattered by this incident.

‘Let’s move for now.’

He tried to take a powerful step, but his vision spun for a moment.

“Damn it…”

He kept using curses that he didn’t usually use. That meant he was getting that anxious.

Woo woo woo.

He used the Heavenly Martial Divine Energy [a type of internal energy used in martial arts] to suppress the rising poison.

It was difficult. The poison was increasing in quality and quantity over time. And what was being consumed by the poison was his own inner energy.

The poison was getting stronger, and his inner strength was getting weaker. Moreover, the injuries he had sustained were also serious. He wasn’t about to die immediately, but if he continued like this for a few days, he would be on the verge of death.

In that situation, pursuers were also catching up.

He felt hopeless.

Whoosh!

However, he couldn’t just stop moving because he felt hopeless. Makwon squeezed out the stamina he had stored and started running.

The scenery of the forest quickly rushed past him.

‘My legs are still okay.’

Except for the occasional dizziness caused by the poison, there was no major problem with moving his body.

‘However…’

At that moment, Makwon’s eyes flashed.

Crack!

He dodged the hidden dagger of a masked man who had approached stealthily and broke the opponent’s arm.

Thud!

The masked man, stabbed in the neck by his own dagger, trembled and fell. He was dead.

Makwon took another breath.

‘My reaction speed is getting slower.’

This was also due to the poison. The poison, which was gradually increasing in size, would devour his inner energy and grow even more if he was even slightly careless.

The grown poison was trying to spread to his limbs like an explosion, and he had to focus on preventing that spread.

‘I have no choice.’

He put down the thick iron coffin on his back.

Thud!

It was an iron coffin weighing twenty ‘gwan’ [a unit of weight]. And inside the iron coffin were twelve of his favorite weapons, folded up.

A light of determination flashed in Makwon’s eyes.

Chiriring!

He pulled out a five-foot-long iron rod from the center of the head of the iron coffin.

He was as comfortable with the Hundred Weapons as he was with his own limbs, but the first things he learned were staff and spear techniques. It was safe to say that they were the most familiar weapons in a crisis.

‘My life comes first now.’

He had worked quite hard to make that iron coffin.

However, he couldn’t give up his life to save his precious items. As soon as he took off the iron coffin, his waist felt cool and his gait became lighter.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

After swinging the iron rod a few times, he started running again.

Whoosh!

He was much faster than before.

Normally, there wouldn’t be much difference in speed even if he took off the iron coffin. This meant that his stamina and inner energy were greatly depleted.

Whap! Whap! Whap!

Fortunately, his inner energy circulation became much easier as his body became lighter.

He focused all of it on the areas where the poison was erupting. Then, the poison noticeably shrank. To be precise, it was closer to being condensed, but that was enough to stop the eruptions for the time being.

How long had he been running like that?

Boom!

Makwon’s eyes snapped open.

‘Cannons?!’

At that moment, he felt an intense heat from far to his left.

KWA-AAANG!

The fired cannon destroyed three large trees.

Whoosh!

The hot flames greedily devoured the broken prey.

Makwon’s face contorted.

“You crazy bastards…!”

‘Cannons? Are they really using cannons just to catch me?!’

‘How did they even mobilize cannons?!’

It was an era where the power of the imperial palace and government offices was weaker than ever before.

But there was still a limit, a line. No matter how crazy the martial artists were, they couldn’t mobilize government cannons without permission.

KWA-AAANG! KWA-AAANG!

It seemed like it wasn’t just one. The cannons, which fired several times with explosions, ruthlessly destroyed Makwon’s front and back.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whap!

Makwon’s charge was dazzling.

He charged forward, scattering flames and smoke in all directions by rotating the iron rod in one hand.

Whap! Whap! Whap! Kwaang!

A huge flame engulfed the place where Makwon had been standing.

Before he knew it, Makwon was flying high into the sky, moving by stepping on tree branches.

It was a lightness technique that had reached the level of divine skill. Makwon’s senses, which allowed him to evade by reading the killing intent and fire energy, shone even in his injured state.

However, it didn’t last long.

‘….?!’

Makwon, who was crossing the forest faster than the movement of the cannons.

At that moment, he felt a killing intent that ran down his spine.

‘Attack… front…? It’s coming!’

Makwon thrust the iron rod forward. It was an instinctive judgment.

Kwaang!

With an explosion, Makwon’s body staggered back.

The opponent was the same. He had launched a surprise attack with all his might, but Makwon’s strength, even injured, was still that of a monster.

“Impressive. I thought I had a good chance of winning in a head-on fight, but this is going to be close.”

The opponent, who got up while brushing off one knee, was not wearing a mask, unlike the assassins who had ambushed Makwon so far.

Makwon’s face contorted.

It was because he knew who the opponent was.

“It was you after all.”

“Did you guess?”

“I didn’t know. Until just now.”

“I see.”

“No one but someone like you could have mobilized cannons.”

“You’re wrong. There are many people who could mobilize government cannons, even if it’s not me.”

“What?”

The man smiled.

He had different hair, different skin, and different features from the people of the Central Plains. His golden yellow hair, white skin like snow, and long limbs proved that he was from the Western Regions.

Whoosh!

The golden flames that had been emanating from the man’s hand gradually subsided.

“Do you want to know who else can mobilize cannons besides me?”

“…”

“Then, I’ll make you one last offer. Come to us. If you come to us, you will not only save your life but also gain a higher position than me.”

“I told you I have no interest in such things.”

“These people in this area, the so-called martial artists, are quite peculiar. There are many who seek money or women, but they are particularly obsessed with fame.”

The man tilted his head.

“But when you look at it, it’s all arbitrary. Sometimes they risk their lives for nothing, and other times they refuse even if you offer them a treasure.”

“…”

“You must know. In just a few years, we will be able to take over the entire imperial palace and government offices. When that happens, the owner of this land you call the Central Plains will change.”

Makwon stared at the man without a word.

The man nodded.

“No matter who you fight, a war will break out. You just have to side with the winning side.”

“Aren’t I doing that?”

“Hmm?”

Makwon smiled coldly.

“If the people who risk their lives with a single sword on this land are going to win, why would I need to side with you charlatans?”

It was a fierce provocation.

The man chuckled.

“Too bad. I thought you, who are not from the Central Plains, would understand us, but you’ve become a martial artist.”

Whoosh!

Golden flames blazed from the man’s body. It was the fire of the Golden Emperor, with truly tremendous firepower.

Cold sweat ran down Makwon’s forehead.

The path to break through was blocked, and he couldn’t see ahead.