Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 61

Myeong Chi-san was quite surprised.

‘Huh.’

The wind rustling through the bamboo forest stirred Yeon Ho-jeong’s collar.

It was as if he might scatter with the wind. An empty aura filled his entire being.

‘He’s a prodigy.’

He had heard that he was not yet of age.

Yet, his aura was very peculiar. He seemed completely unfazed even with ten experts standing before him.

Moreover, that posture?

‘He’s free.’

He was simply standing there, yet it seemed as if he could dash off anywhere.

Even though his mastery of footwork didn’t seem exceptional. He was a young man with such a mysterious disposition.

Myeong Chi-san was genuinely impressed.

“The Yeon family has finally caused trouble. Have they raised such a talent?”

Yeon Ho-jeong asked calmly.

“Are you from the Myeong family?”

His voice was lower and softer than he had expected. He had heard that his nature was rough, but his voice alone showed no such sign.

“That’s right.”

“You’re later than I thought.”

“Later… does that mean you knew we were coming?”

“It’s hard not to know. Is there any place in the Henan region where the Myeong family’s eyes don’t reach?”

“What? Haha!”

Myeong Chi-san couldn’t help but laugh.

He was bold. He was arrogant.

Yet, he didn’t dislike that confidence. There were no such unique martial artists within the Myeong family.

Myeong Chi-san said with a smile.

“It’s amazing how calm you can be even with warriors dispatched from the Myeong family in front of you. I like it.”

“I don’t like men.”

“You’re good with words too. I’ve spent my whole life wielding a sword, so I envy your eloquence.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes sparkled.

‘He’s strong.’

He was a master of the highest level.

But he wasn’t an ordinary master. He was beyond the likes of Naehyeop Chuseong, and even Myeong On-ji, who was said to be the leader of the Dark Assassins.

He had spent his whole life wielding a sword? He believed those words.

Even after hearing such words from a junior, he didn’t get angry at all. That composure was the composure of a strong person.

‘This could be dangerous if I’m not careful.’

That’s why it was good.

To meet such a man as his first opponent, he was truly lucky.

“Let me introduce myself. I am Myeong Chi-san, of the Myeong family’s Pure White Martial Guard.”

The Pure White Martial Guard.

It referred to a group of warriors in the Nine Provinces Myeong family who only trained in martial arts, without holding any positions.

They were not part of any combat unit, nor were they mobilized for family affairs. They held no positions throughout their lives, but when an order was given, they were deployed for that mission.

In other words, they were troubleshooters. However, they were not ordinary troubleshooters.

They were a group with countless Myeong family bloodlines, many of whom were from collateral lines.

“And these men came from the Guardian Hall.”

Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.

“I don’t know what kind of organization that is.”

“Haha, it’s alright if you don’t know. There’s no need for you to know.”

There was no need to know, but it was worth being wary of.

Myeong Chi-san was strong. But the nine warriors he brought were also strong enough. He didn’t know their actual combat abilities, but each one possessed martial arts that were two or three levels above the Dark Assassins.

Yeon Ho-jeong tilted his head.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Didn’t you say it yourself? That you knew we would come. There must be a reason why you thought that?”

“The Dark Assassins?”

Myeong Chi-san’s eyes sharpened in an instant.

“The Dark Assassins… did Myeong On-ji, that child, blurt out even the unit’s name?”

“She told me before I even asked.”

“That can’t be. That child is not someone who was trained haphazardly.”

“She didn’t want to die, so she told me everything when I kept hitting her with an axe.”

Myeong Chi-san’s face hardened.

He read the truth in Yeon Ho-jeong’s words. Yeon Ho-jeong was not lying.

‘Could it be?’

And the words about hitting her with an axe also bothered him.

Myeong Chi-san’s voice lowered slightly.

“I’ll ask directly. Where are the Dark Assassins?”

“Would I have let those who came to kill me go back alive?”

Came to kill him?

“That’s nonsense. They had no intention of killing you.”

“Why are you so sure when you weren’t even there?”

“It’s best to stop playing word games. I’ll ask again. Where are the Dark Assassins?”

“The Myeong family members are all lacking in understanding. That girl was the same.”

Yeon Ho-jeong grinned.

Slightly, slightly.

Where had the mysterious energy gone? A faint cyan aura emitted a murderous intent.

“It was a life-or-death battle. There was no reason to show mercy.”

“…You killed them all?”

“Or should I have died?”

“You! Speak clearly! I asked if you really killed the Dark Assassins!”

Thud!

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had lifted the axe resting at his feet, had a chilling look in his eyes.

“I killed them.”

Whoosh!

A vicious killing intent erupted from Myeong Chi-san’s body.

Not only that, but the warriors of the Guardian Hall also emitted a fierce killing intent.

It was a genuine killing intent. They were ready to tear Yeon Ho-jeong apart and kill him right away.

Myeong Chi-san spoke in a calm voice.

“I received orders to bring you back, but there was no mention of your condition.”

“…”

“You should be prepared to lose a limb.”

Tsutsutsu.

The tightly woven aura gradually turned into killing intent.

Yeon Ho-jeong gave a colorless, transparent smile.

“Will such soft resolve be enough?”

Myeong Chi-san shouted.

“Seize him and make him kneel!”

In an instant, the warrior at the end drew a horn bow like lightning.

Swoosh! Ting!

The series of actions of nocking the arrow and drawing the bowstring were as fast as lightning. In a flash, the arrow was already shot.

The arrow was aimed at Yeon Ho-jeong’s thigh. The intention was to block his movements first.

Thud!

The archer’s eyes wavered.

“You use good arrows. You must have a lot of money.”

The arrow was caught in Yeon Ho-jeong’s hand. As if he knew it was aimed at his thigh, he snatched it so naturally.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes turned cold.

“Thanks to you, I couldn’t even eat, you bastard.”

Thump!

He stomped hard on the ground and shot the arrow.

Swoosh! Thwack!

“Ugh!”

The archer staggered, clutching his shoulder. The arrow was embedded in his left shoulder.

It was faster than shooting with a bow. It was as if he had mastered some kind of hidden weapon technique.

Myeong Chi-san’s eyes gleamed.

‘Fast!’

A master of archery had fast footwork. It was natural since they had to create distance to shoot arrows.

Yet, such an archer was hit by an arrow without even reacting properly. If he hadn’t instinctively tilted his upper body, it would have pierced his chest.

“Go all out!”

Tadatadak!

The eight experts rushed towards Yeon Ho-jeong.

It was a faster and more aggressive footwork than the Dark Assassins. They closed the distance in an instant and swung their weapons, a perfect coordinated attack without any gaps.

Yeon Ho-jeong swung his axe.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Seven weapons were deflected. But one sword managed to cut through the wind pressure and leave a wound on Yeon Ho-jeong’s shoulder.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s body spun like a whirlwind.

Crack!

The swordsman went flying and crashed into the ground. He had been hit by the Yeon family’s Sky Piercing Kick.

“Cough!”

The swordsman, who tried to get up again, coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed on the spot.

Surprise flickered across Myeong Chi-san’s face.

‘In one blow?!’

The warriors of the Guardian Hall basically trained their external strength as much as their internal energy. This was because they had to throw themselves to block the enemy’s sword even in dangerous situations.

That warrior with a sturdy body had collapsed from a single kick.

‘Penetration Force!’

Whack!

Yeon Ho-jeong charged forward.

As if waiting for it, the remaining seven warriors also swung their weapons and pressured him.

‘They’re different.’

They were definitely on a different level from the Dark Assassins. If they were jackals, these were wolves. Each one had a clear position and style they were responsible for.

The formation was designed to reduce their power even with just one hit.

In this situation, he had no choice but to go all out from the beginning.

Kwaang!

It was a stronger ground stomp than when he shot the arrow.

Yeon Ho-jeong swung his axe like a windmill.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Kwaang!

It was an overwhelming display of power.

The weapons hit by the axe blade were all chipped or broken.

No matter how well-made the weapons were, they couldn’t overcome the difference in weight. Moreover, it was an axe whose hardness was increased by Yeon Ho-jeong’s internal energy.

Whack! Thwack!

A warrior hit by a fist coughed up blood and collapsed.

Ting! Bang!

He swung the axe face and struck the chest along with the weapon. The warrior who flew away broke through a dozen bamboo trees and collapsed.

Kang! Kagagagang!

Among them, there was one who used a striking swordsmanship. He blocked the attacks with a spear, while attacking with a fast and light sword.

Yeon Ho-jeong, who was blocking the attacks with the spear, used a kick from the upper body.

Crack!

The swordsman, hit in the temple, collapsed on the spot.

Myeong Chi-san’s eyes wavered.

‘He’s strong!’

Yeon Ho-jeong was strong.

His martial arts were good, but his combat power itself was strong.

‘The flow…? No, that’s not it.’

Thwack!

Another warrior collapsed again. He wasn’t even hit directly, but was knocked down by the end of the spear that was deflected while approaching.

‘That guy, he reads weaknesses.’

He could see the weaknesses in the formation at a glance. He knew where the weak points were, who to attack, and even what his next move should be.

Myeong Chi-san couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

‘It’s a natural talent. He doesn’t break through by clashing head-on, but by thoroughly exploiting weaknesses to bring them down?’

No matter how he looked at it, he wasn’t a martial artist. His physique itself was not suitable for learning martial arts.

Yet, he fought better than anyone else.

He had met countless martial artists, but he had never seen anyone fight as efficiently as him. He relentlessly exploited weaknesses, and when it came to a head-on fight, he charged in like a ferocious beast and brought them down.

He wasn’t a martial artist. Nor was he a fighter.

He was a warrior. He was a guy who only fought to win, and he knew how to win.

Myeong Chi-san kicked off the ground.

Thwoom!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.

He tripped the remaining warrior and then struck him with the face of the axe.

Thwack!

His jaw, teeth, and ribs were shattered as he flew away. It was exactly in the direction Myeong Chi-san was approaching.

Whoosh.

Myeong Chi-san grabbed the warrior’s collar and turned him around.

And in front of him, Yeon Ho-jeong had already arrived.

“I’ve been waiting.”

“You!”

A heavy broadsword was drawn from Myeong Chi-san’s belt.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The resonance of metal clashing against metal swept through the entire bamboo forest.

It was an all-out battle from the start. Yeon Ho-jeong retreated three or four steps from Myeong Chi-san’s explosive sword strike.

Murderous intent flashed in Myeong Chi-san’s eyes.

He admired his opponent, but admiration was just admiration. He was the one who killed the Dark Assassins, and even his niece, Myeong On-ji.

He could not forgive him.

Thwack!

The footwork he used to close the distance was astonishing.

His whole body was full of elasticity. It was a different level of movement compared to the warriors of the Guardian Hall.

Yeon Ho-jeong swung his axe.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

It was an incredible martial art.

He deflected each of the eighty-pound axe strikes, and the blade was not even scratched. The blade, protected by his powerful internal energy, became an even more dangerous weapon than Yeon Ho-jeong’s axe.

The two men’s weapons collided spectacularly.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

They clashed at an incredible speed. It was a straightforward fight that was nothing short of exhilarating.

Swoosh!

Blood splattered from Yeon Ho-jeong’s chest.

He deflected the heavy weapon, and in a short moment, he rotated his sword and managed to cut him. The wound was shallow, but it was a strike that made him snap to attention.

Thwack!

The fist of the Yeon family’s Thirteen Fists, which was swung upwards from below, was blocked by his knee.

His defense was as excellent as his fierce attacks. It was a martial art of offense and defense combined. He was not an easy opponent to attack.

‘Right.’

Thwack!

Blood spurted from Yeon Ho-jeong’s mouth as he failed to avoid the kick.

Even while spitting blood, Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes followed Myeong Chi-san to the end.

‘If it’s this guy.’

Whoosh! Crack!

Myeong Chi-san also faltered. Yeon Ho-jeong’s elastic kick had made his upper body creak.

In an instant, his concentration reached its peak. In front of an opponent who could defeat him if he made a mistake, Yeon Ho-jeong’s will became as sharp as a blade.

‘If it’s this guy, it’s possible.’

Whoooooooosh!

Within the faint cyan true energy, the dark energy of the north surged.

It was the Black Tortoise Energy. But it wasn’t the energy he had drawn to unleash the Twelve Walls of the Northern Sky.

It was a martial art that was already prepared. True energy that was already prepared.

That energy was slowly revealing itself under the guidance of the Black Tortoise Energy.

‘If it’s this guy, I can call it out.’

Myeong Chi-san’s blade was swung mercilessly.

Whoosh! Swoosh!

A terrifying blade wind was unleashed. It was a blade wind that flew in, cutting through the distance. If he couldn’t block it, his right arm, along with the axe, would be blown away.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes turned white for a moment.

‘Wind.’

At that moment, the world slowed down.

The swaying bamboo leaves slowed down as if they were rippling. Myeong Chi-san’s movements looked as sluggish as if he were stuck in mud.

And in the middle of it, the wind of the blade, which should not be visible, appeared as a pure white light.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s thigh muscles swelled up.

Kwaaang!

The ground stomp that struck the earth resembled the roar of a tiger. The muscles in his arms holding the axe swelled up like enraged bulls.

‘Come out!’

Whhhaaa!

The white wind rushed into his lungs.

A cold and chilling white energy spread like a flash of light through his entire nervous system.