Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 565

It is said that a battle is all about momentum.

This emphasizes the importance of morale. A unit with momentum can unleash two or three times its original power, while a unit that has lost its momentum can’t even muster half of its original strength.

A unit is made up of people. Therefore, this saying also applies to individuals.

The four experts facing Yeon Ho-jeong’s group were shocked by this unbelievable outcome.

And they felt fear.

Even when the first battle began, they were only surprised by the enemy’s sudden attack, but they never thought they would lose.

But what about now? Less than a tenth of their forces remained.

Yet, none of the enemies had died. The young expert who seemed to be the enemy’s leader was the most injured, but judging by the aura he was emitting, he looked like he could fight for another half a day.

The result was clear.

Defeat.

A force of fifty, consisting of eleven transcendent masters and thirty-nine peak masters, had been crushed by just four people.

This was a major upset that could be recorded in the history of Sichuan martial arts. They, especially Myeong Jin, still couldn’t accept this outcome.

“Alright.”

Yeon Ho-jeong slung his twin axes on his waist and loosened his hands.

“Let’s kill them all except for that wannabe nun.”

Whoosh!

The first to charge was Gang Ryang.

Gang Ryang’s body was also covered in blood. There was a lot of the enemy’s blood, but he also had many wounds on his body.

Even with his excellent combat sense, the fundamental difference in skill was clear. He had been fighting fiercely, running around everywhere, but he had also suffered considerable internal and external injuries.

Yet, as soon as the words were spoken, he charged forward. His burning momentum, the soul of the Demon Sword, the best sword of the Black Path [a term referring to a dark or unorthodox martial arts path], was craving the enemy’s life.

Clang!

The Qingcheng expert retreated from the powerful sword strike.

He was a master who had broken through the Wall of No Form [a high level of martial arts mastery] and was capable of looking down on Gang Ryang.

Yet, he was being pushed back. Gang Ryang was emitting more power than usual, fueled by his intense bloodlust and fighting spirit, but even considering that, he was too powerless.

This was the difference in momentum. In a state of great psychological shock, one could be defeated even by an inferior opponent.

Following him, Pae Yul and Hwang Seok-tae also moved.

Clang! Clang!

The two each took on one opponent.

Their skills far surpassed Gang Ryang’s. The battle quickly turned in their favor.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions and shockwaves swept through the area.

And through it all, Yeon Ho-jeong was walking forward.

Myeong Jin, who was staring at Yeon Ho-jeong with her mouth open, took out a horn from her pocket and blew it forcefully.

Peeeeeeeeee.

It was clearly a sound that human ears couldn’t hear, yet it was faintly audible.

Myeong Jin’s desperation to call the Second and Third Squads was evident in the loudness of the sound.

Yeon Ho-jeong frowned and rubbed his ear.

“It’s useless.”

“What?”

“The forces you’re trying to call are already annihilated.”

“What kind of crazy talk is that!”

“Then you should have kept your senses open. Why do you think I recklessly amplified that red spear wielder’s power, even at the cost of internal injuries?”

“……?!”

“It’s because there are no more enemies to fight except for you guys. If that weren’t the case, I would have tried to take you down more carefully, even if it meant draining my stamina.”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.

Woong!

The wind of the White Tiger [a martial arts technique] gathered in his fist.

“I don’t think you’ll listen, but just kneel down quietly.”

Myeong Jin looked around in panic.

‘……?!’

She didn’t know.

She was a person with amazing senses, but she wasn’t capable of sensing the presence of the Second and Third Squads from a distance.

In the first place, it was difficult for anyone to do that. Even Yeon Ho-jeong would have had a hard time reading the aura of the Black Masks who were deliberately hiding at this distance.

Of course, he knew how to read the air and sense the enemy’s presence rather than relying on aura, so it didn’t matter.

“Eek!”

Myeong Jin staggered back.

There was no way to confirm if the enemy’s words were true. But seeing that they weren’t coming even after she blew the horn, it seemed like what he said was true.

If so, it meant that there was no one here to help her.

In the end, there was only one option for Myeong Jin.

Whoosh!

She instantly turned her body and used her movement technique.

Myeong Jin’s movement technique was incredibly fast. She was running with all her might, pouring all the internal energy in her body.

‘This can’t be happening.’

Myeong Jin gritted her teeth.

‘This can’t be happening!’

That’s when it happened.

Boom!

With an explosion, Myeong Jin’s figure was sent flying back towards Yeon Ho-jeong.

Myeong Jin couldn’t even scream. She flew, spewing blood from her nose and mouth, and couldn’t even regain her senses due to the shock that seemed to paralyze her entire body.

But she knew one thing.

‘Am I, am I going to die?!’

She fell off the cliff.

But her body wouldn’t listen. Her internal energy was unstable, and even if it was full, it would be fatal to fall with a body that couldn’t move.

‘Ughhhhh!’

Then, the speed of her descent slowed down.

Whoosh. Thud!

“Ugh!”

Even though the speed of her descent had slowed, the impact of hitting the ground was enormous.

Myeong Jin’s mouth fell open. One of her legs was broken, and her ribs and collarbone were fractured.

She couldn’t see clearly. She was conscious but also not. She had suffered a concussion.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled wryly.

“I told you to just kneel down quietly.”

Swoosh.

Above the cliff.

A person who had risen from the darkness flew through the sky with light movements.

Swoosh.

There was almost no sound when he landed in the air. His mastery of movement techniques had reached its peak.

“…….”

The two looked at each other.

The first to speak was Tang Gwan.

“You look pathetic, you little brat.”

Yeon Ho-jeong grumbled.

“Were you enjoying the show? If you were going to help, you should have helped sooner.”

“I wasn’t watching.”

In fact, Tang Gwan had come here immediately after crushing the Second and Third Squads.

No matter how much he trusted his allies, it was better to lend a hand as soon as possible to minimize the damage. There was no way Tang Gwan wouldn’t know that.

Tang Gwan looked down at Myeong Jin with cold eyes.

“Are you from Emei [a famous martial arts sect]?”

“Yes, I am.”

Tang Gwan, who had been looking down at her silently, stepped on Myeong Jin’s lower abdomen.

Thud!

“Cough!”

Myeong Jin, who had been trembling, fainted. Her lower dantian [an energy center in the body], the Sea of Qi point, had been destroyed.

It was a miracle that she wasn’t dead.

“You’re still rough.”

“Are you one to talk? You’re the one who kills people by cutting them into pieces.”

“Don’t keep treating me like a serial killer.”

“Shut up.”

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been quietly looking at Tang Gwan, sighed.

“How is your son?”

“…….”

Tang Gwan didn’t answer.

Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.

“You need to get a grip on yourself.”

“……I locked him in the prison. With my own hands.”

“…….”

“The time for such advice has passed.”

“I see.”

Yeon Ho-jeong turned his body.

“Go.”

Swoosh.

As soon as the words were spoken, Tang Gwan’s figure reached Hwang Seok-tae’s front.

Hwang Seok-tae was startled.

Boom!

Tang Gwan nullified the terrifying penetrating power of the Crimson Dragon Divine Spear with a single punch.

It was truly amazing power. Hwang Seok-tae, who staggered back, tensed up and raised the Crimson Dragon Divine Spear.

But Tang Gwan had his back to Hwang Seok-tae.

He was looking at the person Hwang Seok-tae was facing.

It was Dang Guk.

“……!”

Dang Guk’s expression was one of pure shock.

“L, Lord of the Clan?!”

“……Lord of the Clan?”

Tang Gwan smiled.

“Am I the Lord of the Clan?”

“……!!”

“I asked if I am the Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”

Dang Guk couldn’t speak. His face, completely terrified, was about to crumble.

The smile on Tang Gwan’s face turned expressionless again.

He raised his left hand and flicked his index finger and thumb.

Click!

With a clear sound, the Qingcheng swordsman that Gang Ryang was fighting and the Emei fist fighter that Pae Yul was fighting collapsed as if they were falling apart.

“Huh?!”

Slash!

He didn’t even have time to retrieve his sword. The body of the Qingcheng swordsman, who had fallen to Gang Ryang’s sword, was split diagonally.

Thud!

Pae Yul was the same. The head of the fallen Emei fist fighter was blown away by a single strike of the Guanil Spear [a type of spear].

“……!!”

It was a gruesome sight.

The atmosphere, which had been heated by the excitement of the battle, froze as cold as a winter ice rink.

Soon, they realized that the two experts had collapsed because of Tang Gwan’s poison.

That’s why it was so surprising. They hadn’t seen or felt when or how Tang Gwan had used the poison.

Hwang Seok-tae’s eyes trembled.

‘Terrifying!’

This was the power of Tang Gwan, the pinnacle of the Tang Clan, the one called the Overlord of Sichuan.

It wasn’t just about using poison. Even though he used the poison openly, no one knew how he used it, what kind of poison he used, or where in his movements the internal energy technique that induced the poison’s effect was hidden.

Whoosh.

The wind that blew felt particularly cold.

Tang Gwan asked Dang Guk.

“How many are there?”

“…….”

“How many more are there?”

Dang Guk couldn’t answer.

No, he couldn’t do anything. He seemed to have frozen in place. The true energy he had gathered in his hands had completely disappeared.

He just stared blankly at Tang Gwan. He seemed to have lost his mind at the unbelievable reality.

Tang Gwan nodded.

“Even my son has been deceived. You won’t be the only one.”

“…….”

“I will strip you of the Tang surname.”

With those words, Tang Gwan turned his body.

Hwang Seok-tae hesitated. It was because Tang Gwan was looking at him.

Tang Gwan, who had scanned Hwang Seok-tae up and down, shone his eyes.

“The level of completion is outstanding. Are you from the Black Dragon Unit?”

“……Yes.”

“There were talented people there too.”

Tang Gwan asked Yeon Ho-jeong.

“Is it okay to bring him in?”

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

“The Black Dragon Unit even took in me, who is an extremely dangerous person.”

Tang Gwan frowned.

“You shouldn’t think that the Black Dragon Unit and the main family are the same.”

“Think of it as bringing in one more person to help.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Even if you don’t like it, shouldn’t we start with the cleanup?”

Tang Gwan looked at Hwang Seok-tae again.

By now, Hwang Seok-tae had regained his original expressionless face.

Tang Gwan, who had been looking at him silently, said one thing.

“Don’t blame me even if you die.”

Hwang Seok-tae shook his head.

“The target of my resentment is already set. Don’t worry.”

“That’s a relief then.”

Tang Gwan looked up at the sky for a moment.

“…….”

This silence was rather long.

Tang Gwan, who had been looking up at the sky for a long time, lowered his head.

“Let’s go. I’ll buy the drinks today.”

“Alright.”

Yeon Ho-jeong followed behind him.

Gang Ryang quietly went to Yeon Ho-jeong’s side and asked.

“Brother.”

“Hmm?”

“What about that guy? Are we just leaving him?”

Gang Ryang’s gaze was directed at Dang Guk.

Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.

“Leave him be. And carry that unconscious nun over here.”

“Ah, yes.”

Gang Ryang tilted his head and picked up Myeong Jin. Even in the midst of all this, Dang Guk was staring blankly ahead.

‘What is it? Has he completely lost his mind?’

Still, was it okay to just leave such a dangerous person behind?

Gang Ryang soon dismissed his doubts. There must be a reason.

After a while.

It was when the group reached the entrance of the street.

Kaaaaaaak!

Dang Guk’s terrible scream could be heard from here.

Only then did Gang Ryang realize. Dang Guk had already been poisoned by Tang Gwan.

Perhaps, Dang Guk would suffer in hellish pain for a long time before dying.

Until the moment his breath was cut off, he would not be able to escape from the pain.

Tang Gwan glanced at Yeon Ho-jeong.

“If you mention white liquor again, I’ll make that sound come out of your mouth too.”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled wryly.

“Buy me expensive liquor. I’m scared, geez.”