Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 611

A strange silence fell.

The white-masked man’s head tilted slightly.

“A very lively greeting, indeed.”

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had been glaring at the white-masked man, turned his head towards Tang Gwan.

“This is the last time.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, this is the last time I’m switching your opponent. There won’t be a next time.”

“……?”

“Go.”

Yeon Ho-jeong waved the White Dragon Staff dismissively, as if telling him to leave because he was a nuisance.

“Shouldn’t you be capturing Tang Ho?”

“……This is my battlefield.”

“You’re wrong. The Clan Lord’s battlefield isn’t this messed-up place, but the Clan Lord’s Hall.”

“…….”

“No, I mean, why didn’t you just finish him off earlier? Why do you keep making things difficult for people?”

Tang Gwan’s eyes deepened.

Was it because his allies had arrived? Even he, who had been flustered, was quickly regaining his composure.

“My opponent was being underhanded.”

“Isn’t finishing them off before they get underhanded the basic principle of a life-or-death struggle? You know all this, so why are you acting like this today?”

“I don’t know. I guess I’m getting old.”

“Judging by the looks of it, you could have killed Tang Ho in an instant, but you gave him a chance because he’s your kin, right?”

Tang Gwan nodded honestly.

Yeon Ho-jeong sighed.

“I understand. I would have done the same. But as a result, you’ve made things difficult.”

“I know.”

“Go and handle the mess you’ve created yourself. I’ll take care of things here.”

“It will be difficult.”

“I hate hypotheticals, but didn’t I tell you to finish him off earlier?”

Yeon Ho-jeong glanced at Tang Gwan’s sleeve.

“Judging by the looks of it, you’ve used it once.”

“It’s a technique with no follow-up. At least, not yet.”

“Since there’s no follow-up, you can just destroy everything, right? You have that much destructive power, don’t you?”

“I cannot die here.”

“Damn it, we’re just going in circles.”

Yeon Ho-jeong took a step forward.

“Go now. I’m saying this again, this is the last time. As soon as you meet him, crush him with that secret technique. This isn’t a recommendation or advice, but an order from the leader of this operation.”

“Shut up.”

Tang Gwan, who had risen to his feet, glanced at the white-masked man.

The white-masked man wasn’t looking at Tang Gwan. He was just staring at Yeon Ho-jeong with vague eyes.

Tang Gwan turned his body.

Even though the enemy he had been fiercely fighting had turned his back, the white-masked man didn’t even twitch. It seemed that he could only see Yeon Ho-jeong.

Tang Gwan, who was heading towards the rear of the formation, stopped in his tracks.

“You brat.”

“Yes?”

“…….”

“……?”

“I don’t know how to get out.”

It was a statement that poured cold water on the tension that had been building up.

Yeon Ho-jeong sighed, and even the white-masked man made a sound similar to a dry cough with his quiet voice. He seemed quite dumbfounded.

Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.

“After trying various things, it seems this formation is ultimately based on the Tang Clan’s techniques. It just looks difficult because it’s been elaborately packaged.”

“So?”

“The void of the void, the reverse of the reverse.”

Tang Gwan’s eyes lit up.

The void of the void, the reverse of the reverse.

It was the characteristic of the Tang Clan’s martial arts that he had spoken about when he was training with Yeon Ho-jeong in the Mancheon Gong [Thousand Heavens Art] and Hwawoo Gong [Flowing Rain Art].

‘I see.’

Tang Gwan let out a sigh.

‘Why didn’t I realize such a simple thing?’

He had been so fixated on what was in front of him that he had failed to see his surroundings.

In that regard, Yeon Ho-jeong was truly an amazing fellow. One could say that his range of thought was different. Even though it was a formation he had seen for the first time, he had tried this method and that method to figure out the life and death paths.

Tang Gwan raised his right hand.

‘The void of the void.’

Swoosh.

The released true energy wriggled through the air, and the energy of the formation came chasing after it.

At that moment, Tang Gwan’s left hand rose.

When he released true energy into the space with reduced density, the energy of the formation rose even more strongly and filled that space.

Tang Gwan constantly changed the space and repeated the action. Then, the formation at the place where he was releasing true energy began to fluctuate wildly.

‘From here.’

Tang Gwan changed the position of his hands.

‘In reverse.’

From the palm that had been emitting true energy, a strong attractive force arose in an instant.

Whoosh!

At the same time, a pure white light burst out from an empty space.

It was an exit. An exit had been created so easily.

Of course, it was an impossible feat for most people. But for Tang Gwan, who had inherited the Tang Clan’s training, there was no easier way to break through it.

However, he had simply failed to come up with the idea of opening the life path of the formation with true energy.

Tang Gwan said,

“I’m going.”

“Are you still not gone?”

“……You brat!”

Whoosh!

And with that, Tang Gwan left the formation.

Yeon Ho-jeong grinned. It was a more ferocious smile than before.

“Now that the nuisance is gone, shall we play among ourselves?”

“Seventeen times.”

“Hmm?”

The white-masked man said in a subdued voice.

“Until the Tang Clan Lord left, I found seventeen openings. And I tried to attack.”

“I know.”

“But they were all blocked.”

“Would you allow such a thing?”

“Indeed…….”

Chiiiiik!

A dark red energy flowed out from the three-pronged spear held by the white-masked man.

It was a color extremely similar to the true energy that Tang Ho had emitted. But it was only similar in color; the depth and concentration were worlds apart.

Sssrrrrrr.

The corpses staggered back at the ominous energy that was flowing out.

Fear arose on the faces of the corpses, which were nothing more than illusions. It was the ability to make illusions not illusions. It was an energy that made even lifeless beings feel a sense of alienation, an energy that should not exist in this world.

Murdurous intent arose in Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes.

“So, it’s demonic energy.”

“Even the existence of demonic energy! As expected, the Byoksan Tiger General [a title of great martial prowess] is something else, isn’t he?”

“Do you know me?”

“Of course. How could I not?”

The white-masked man’s voice grew even lower.

“A rising star who appeared like a comet in the Central Plains martial world a few years ago. A person who brought down the Nine Great Clans, became the leader of the Myeolsa Army [an elite military force], and crushed the Black Path sects. Furthermore, he successively defeated the warriors of the Shinwha Cult [Divine Flower Cult] and the experts dispatched by the Sayeom Cult [Four Flames Cult], and even mediated the relationship between the Martial Alliance and the Mukryong Clan [Black Dragon Clan], the greatest diplomat and martial artist of this era.”

“……!”

“His danger level is in an unquantifiable realm. If we were to consider only his danger level, excluding his martial prowess, he is classified as a super-high-risk individual, comparable to or even greater than the Thirteen Seats of the Holy Heaven, and that is the Byoksan Tiger General.”

Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.

Although it seemed like he was openly mocking him, he was actually very surprised inside.

“You’ve done a lot of research. You even know how to say nice things.”

“I’m not saying it to be nice. Our side sees you as that dangerous.”

“Should I be honored?”

“It means you’re evaluated as more dangerous than the Holy Heaven. It’s definitely an honor.”

The white-masked man’s eyes curved. Or so it seemed.

“The front lines said it was an excessive evaluation. They couldn’t believe that a young man who wasn’t even thirty could display such abilities.”

“…….”

“But we’re different. We’ve gathered and analyzed every piece of information about you. And as a result, we were able to evaluate you more objectively than anyone else.”

“That’s something to be proud of, you fiend.”

“It’s perfect.”

Whoosh!

The dark red demonic energy that had been flowing out disappeared as if it had been washed away.

At the same time, the white-masked man’s pupils became as sticky as blood.

“I already knew you had come to the Tang Clan. I thought that if Tang Ho couldn’t handle you, I would have to step in myself, but you’ve come to me first, so I’m even grateful.”

His tone was different from when he was talking to Tang Gwan.

Tang Gwan was also someone who deserved to die, but Yeon Ho-jeong was an enemy of a different dimension. Regardless of their skill level, it was a matter of prioritizing objectives.

He had made a deal to kill Tang Gwan, but Tang Ho wouldn’t trust this deal anyway.

Even if he did trust it, with Yeon Ho-jeong’s appearance, Tang Gwan was a problem for later.

“The clear air of this world, I will offer your blood as a sacrifice to accelerate our sect’s advance.”

Thuddddddddd!

In an instant, with a tremendous resonance, the white-masked man’s body bent backward.

The white-masked man’s eyes wavered.

‘Tremendous power!’

It was a powerful strike. In an instant, he had closed the distance and swung down a black hand axe, and its power was comparable to the three-pronged spear.

“A sacrifice, you say.”

Even though his explosive strike had failed, Yeon Ho-jeong was not flustered.

It wasn’t that he thought he couldn’t block it, nor that he hadn’t anticipated a follow-up attack.

It was literally a greeting and a venting of anger. That was why Yeon Ho-jeong’s strike was so fast and edgy.

“You came from the Gwanghyeol [a place associated with demonic arts], didn’t you?”

“…….”

The white-masked man did not answer.

The smile that had appeared on Yeon Ho-jeong’s lips grew wider and wider, revealing his white teeth.

“Sacrifice is good, very good. If this world can become even a little more livable by sacrificing you crazy bastards, I will personally burn you all to ashes.”

He had changed.

The white-masked man thought. Yeon Ho-jeong had changed.

Saaaak!

Something dark red wriggled and rose from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body.

It was a color almost identical to the true energy that the white-masked man was emitting. But the energy that Yeon Ho-jeong was emitting was not demonic energy.

‘Murderous intent!’

That’s right.

Murdurous intent, condensed to a high degree, so tangible that even a commoner could see it without needing to see the essence of the world, sent a chill down the white-masked man’s spine.

‘He’s insane.’

It wasn’t processed true energy, but just pure murderous intent, condensed to the point where it was visible to the human eye.

Such murderous intent was not normal. It was a realm that even the white-masked man, who had cultivated demonic arts, had never heard of.

It was a murderous intent more dangerous than demonic energy. It was the worst kind of murderous intent, ignited by someone who was even more insane than those who had mastered demonic energy, a living being who had broken the limits of life and was burning with the fury of nature.

“Let’s have a proper death match today.”

Flash!

The white-masked man’s eyes widened.

‘He disappeared?!’

He had been watching him, but he had disappeared from that spot.

It was truly an incredible speed. He had no idea where or how he had moved.

‘Where……?’

In that instant, the white-masked man felt a huge blade of murderous intent rising from below.

Its size was so immense that it made him wonder if the crescent moon floating in the sky would look like that if it fell to the ground. Even though it wasn’t a real blade, it felt like a blade that could split even a mountain with its murderous intent was aiming for his body.

The white-masked man swung down his three-pronged spear with all his might.

Clang!!

The explosion was loud and short.

The white-masked man, who had been pushed back, felt his back getting hot. The speed at which he was being pushed back was so fast that the air being pushed away was becoming dangerously overheated.

The white-masked man gritted his teeth and planted his feet on the ground.

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

The ground was torn apart with a terrifying sound.

His back felt like it was about to split, and his ankles and knees felt like they were about to break. If it hadn’t been for the Iron Demon Body technique of the Mad Demon Divine Art, one of his limbs would have surely broken.

“Crazy!!”

His curse, which burst out loud, was filled with anger and bewilderment.

The white-masked man looked ahead.

In that instant, shock appeared in his bloodshot pupils.

Kuh-huh-huh-huh!

The roar of a beast that did not exist in reality echoed.

A strike of murderous intent that did not even care for its own body. Even Yeon Ho-jeong, who had attacked, had suffered internal injuries. It was a strike that had burned everything he had.

But he didn’t stop.

Even though the attacker himself had suffered internal injuries and his face had turned pale, the murderous intent that filled his eyes was even more intense than before.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Yeon Ho-jeong, who was running with murderous intent, using his two axes as front legs to strike the ground, was no different from a beast.

In that moment, the white-masked man realized why he hadn’t been able to see Yeon Ho-jeong’s movements.

The murderous intent that Yeon Ho-jeong was emitting was so thick and immense that it had caused an anomaly in his perception.

“This is impossible!!”

“Uwaaaah!!”

Flash!

The black and white twin dragon strikes intersected in a cross shape, aiming for the white-masked man’s body.

Splat!

Along with the blood that dyed his vision red, the severed spear shaft flew high into the sky.