Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 653

Having obtained well-dried tea leaves, Ji So-hyeon (池素炫) looked around the village.

‘It’s nice.’

Despite the cold weather, many people were bundled up in fur coats. Yet, their faces were full of life.

People were out on the streets promoting inns, others were selling fish caught that morning, and some were dazzling passersby with fine silks.

It was a scene that made one feel good just by looking at it.

‘To think I would see them with such feelings.’

Ji So-hyeon was an orphan. She didn’t know who her parents were, and naturally, she had no home, forcing her to live as a beggar.

Perhaps that was why? She had never been able to appreciate such peaceful everyday life. In her childhood, these people were not ordinary citizens living their lives, but cold and cruel power holders.

As she grew older and matured, she was secretly kidnapped by the owner of a certain courtesan house.

Despite being kidnapped, she was grateful for a life where she didn’t have to beg. For her, the most terrifying thing was not violence or lack of freedom, but hunger.

Just before she was about to officially start her life as a courtesan after receiving training.

A fearsome master punished the owner of the courtesan house and released all the courtesans under her.

That person was Ji So-hyeon’s teacher, Ha Eun-gyo.

While the other courtesans were older and had families, Ji So-hyeon was young and had no family.

In the end, Ha Eun-gyo took her in and raised her as an artist. Furthermore, recognizing her talent for martial arts, she also taught her martial arts.

Learning music and martial arts, and then the ways of the world, Ji So-hyeon realized how incredibly fortunate she was to have met Ha Eun-gyo.

Thus, Ha Eun-gyo became her sky.

‘Should I head back now?’

After watching them for a while, Ji So-hyeon turned her steps towards the mountain.

The distance from her residence to the village was quite far. However, for her, who had learned martial arts, this distance was easily covered in a short time.

She left the village and entered a side path leading to the mountain when it happened.

“……”

Ji So-hyeon’s face turned cold.

She had been feeling several gazes since about fifteen minutes ago.

It was only natural. Having become Ha Eun-gyo’s disciple and learned martial arts, she had grown into a beautiful woman. The occasional glances were nothing unusual.

She had dismissed these gazes as such, but they hadn’t disappeared even after she had gotten quite far from the village.

There was malice in them.

“Come out.”

Swoosh.

As soon as she finished speaking, several men appeared from the bushes.

Ji So-hyeon’s eyes gleamed.

‘Bandits?’

They wore vests made of animal hide, and various menacing-looking weapons were hanging from their backs and waists.

Their faces were dirty with grime, and their beards and hair were unkempt. Yet, they were all muscular. With their menacing appearance, they were clearly bandits.

“The information was correct.”

The first to speak was the smallest of the bandits.

Though he was called small, he was much more robust than Ji So-hyeon. He held a dull axe in his hand, which made him look even more vicious.

“They said there was a pretty girl going back and forth in the village without a home, but she’s even prettier than I heard?”

His voice was filled with a sinister desire.

Ji So-hyeon asked,

“Are you bandits?”

The men laughed heartily.

“We are bandits. Yes, we are bandits.”

“Boss, let’s take her quickly. It’s cold.”

“Ugh, I can’t stand it.”

Quite vulgar conversations were exchanged.

Regardless of their true intentions, it was clear that such conversations were excellent at intimidating their target.

‘There’s no need to find out more.’

Her teacher had always said that everyone has their own circumstances. That what you see on the surface isn’t everything. And that one should always be careful when taking action.

But it didn’t seem like that was necessary with these men. Their eyes, tone, and menacing aura made it unnecessary to consider their circumstances.

The bandit leader pointed at Ji So-hyeon with his chin.

“Hit her on the back of the head. Knock her out quickly.”

Thwack!

A bandit behind Ji So-hyeon quickly rushed at her. In the bandit’s hand was a leather club.

The bandit swung the club forcefully.

Whoosh! Thud!

“Huh?”

The bandit’s eyes widened. The club that should have hit the back of her head was caught in Ji So-hyeon’s hand.

She said calmly,

“That looks more like you’re trying to kill me, not knock me out?”

“……!”

“Are you really bandits?”

The leader’s eyes turned cold.

“Attack!”

Whoosh!

The remaining six bandits rushed towards Ji So-hyeon.

Surprisingly, their movements were very fast and sharp. They seemed to have learned a fairly high level of martial arts, not just simple bandits.

Clang!

The bandit who had dropped the leather club drew a short sword from his waist and swung it.

Flash!

The short sword cut through the air. The charging bandits stopped in surprise.

“Slow.”

The eyes of the bandit with the short sword widened.

The voice came from behind him.

Thud!

With a sound like a drumbeat, the bandit spat out blood and collapsed.

It was a palm strike that shook the inside of the body, not just hitting the flesh and muscles. It was a high-level technique with the essence of penetrating force, a martial art difficult to achieve at her age.

Whoosh!

The bandits threw their weapons.

Ji So-hyeon’s eyes flashed.

Weapons were flying towards her. Axes and daggers. Their speed was considerable, and their trajectories were very precise.

It wasn’t possible to throw like this just by having some internal energy. It was a type of flying sword technique honed over a long time.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Ji So-hyeon’s footsteps, drawing a circle, were dazzling.

Her movements were not fast, but graceful. The weapons cutting through the air all missed her because of her movements.

Tap!

She even snatched one of the daggers.

Ji So-hyeon, rotating her body, swung the dagger. It became a beam of light and pierced the shoulder of one of the bandits.

“Argh!”

It pierced between the bones, not the shoulder muscles, tearing the cartilage and destroying the joint.

Behind the screaming and collapsing bandit, the remaining five bandits drew their swords and rushed at Ji So-hyeon.

Ji So-hyeon’s right foot stepped forward.

Whoosh!

It seemed like she moved just one step, but she instantly appeared in front of the bandits.

The terrified bandits swung their swords, but Ji So-hyeon’s hands had already struck their bodies once each.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

With a series of crisp sounds, all the bandits who had attacked spat out blood and collapsed on the spot.

“Hoo.”

Ji So-hyeon, breathing lightly and straightening her back, was truly a sight to behold.

The bandit leader’s lips twitched.

“Indeed, you are more impressive than I heard.”

Ji So-hyeon asked in a cold voice,

“Who are you? Reveal your identity.”

“Shut up!”

Whoosh!

In an instant, Ji So-hyeon’s eyes widened.

A beam of light shot from the leader’s left hand was already right in front of her face.

‘Fast!’

Swish!

She quickly turned her head to the side, but a small wound appeared on her cheek.

It wasn’t just shot like an arrow, but it was a hidden weapon shaped like an actual arrow, a hand arrow [a small arrow shot from the hand] (手箭).

Whoosh!

The leader, closing the distance in an instant, swung his axe.

It was the same motion as chopping firewood, but Ji So-hyeon felt a sense of danger. Both the approach speed and the swing speed were far beyond her expectations.

Swoosh! Clang!

She quickly twisted her body and struck the broad side of the descending axe blade.

The leader staggered, but he regained his posture and swung the axe horizontally.

The crescent-shaped attack was simple but fast and menacing. Without complex moves, his ability to control his body was top-notch, making each strike a threatening killing blow.

Flash!

She dodged using the Iron Plate Bridge technique [a martial arts stance], but the leader, having regained control of his body, brought the axe down again.

He handled the weapon freely. It wasn’t a giant weapon, but it was still heavier than any sword, yet he wielded the axe very quickly and efficiently.

In a moment of desperation.

Thud!

Ji So-hyeon, shooting her force into the ground and raising her upper body, wrapped around the descending axe and kneed the leader in the chest.

Thud!

“Cough!”

The leader, pushed back with a groan, turned pale.

Ji So-hyeon asked,

“I asked who you are! Why are you attacking me?”

“Shut up!”

Whoosh!

The difference in skill was clear. The leader’s martial arts were strong, but Ji So-hyeon was stronger. If Ji So-hyeon had more practical experience, the fight would have ended long ago.

Knowing this, the leader didn’t give up. Although his speed was slower than before, he approached with a sufficiently fast movement and threw a punch. It was because Ji So-hyeon had taken his axe.

‘Why?’

Ji So-hyeon, dodging the leader’s punch, kicked his thigh.

Thud!

The leader’s body shook greatly.

But that was all. Ji So-hyeon’s attack was sharp, but not powerful enough to finish him off.

“Ugh!”

With a scream-like shout, the leader’s hand blade aimed for Ji So-hyeon’s neck.

Ji So-hyeon’s hands drew a soft curve, wrapping around the leader’s arm, and then her body moved behind the leader.

Crack!

She broke his arm by shifting her weight. The leader’s face turned bright red.

“You damn bitch……!”

Thud!

The leader, struck on the back of the neck, collapsed.

That was the end of it. He wasn’t dead, but he wouldn’t be able to get up for at least half a day.

“Hoo.”

Ji So-hyeon, catching her breath, suddenly turned her head towards the direction where she heard rough breathing.

There, a bandit with a dagger stuck in his shoulder was glaring, holding a fallen sword.

His eyes were filled with a red murderous intent. A look of disgust appeared on Ji So-hyeon’s face.

“Reveal who you are. Then I won’t kill you.”

“Bullshit! A girl who hasn’t even killed anyone is threatening me!”

Ji So-hyeon’s face turned cold.

She didn’t know how he knew she had no experience with killing. But she wasn’t intimidated.

“That day of fate could be today.”

“Shut up!”

Murderous intent exploded from the bandit’s body.

Ready to attack immediately, Ji So-hyeon raised her fighting spirit again.

That’s when it happened.

Thud!

With a strange thud, the bandit sat down.

“Huh?”

The bandit also looked down at his leg, as if he was puzzled. He didn’t seem to know why he was kneeling.

Thud!

With a sound like a drumbeat, the bandit collapsed. Again, he didn’t know where or how he had been hit.

Ji So-hyeon, looking down at the fallen bandit with a bewildered expression, turned her head for a moment.

Thud. Thud.

There was a person walking towards her, making no attempt to hide his footsteps.

Ji So-hyeon frowned.

“……I don’t understand what’s going on.”

The young man walking towards her, smacking his lips, had a huge halberd slung over his shoulder.

Even at a glance, the weight of it was enormous. Yet, he didn’t seem to be struggling at all.

She couldn’t feel any aura emanating from him, but it was clear that he was a master.

The young man asked with a perplexed look,

“Can I ask you something?”

“……”

“By any chance, are you……”

Whoosh!

First strike wins.

At this moment, a young man appeared, holding the same axe that the bandit leader had been using. It was clear that they were in cahoots.

Without a word, Ji So-hyeon rushed forward and swung her force towards the young man’s side.

Thud!

‘Got it!’

The outstretched hand, the formless force emitted from her hand, struck the young man’s side.

The moment a light of victory shone on her face.

Crack!

The last thing Ji So-hyeon heard was a chilling sound from the corner of her head, and then she fainted.

The young man, Yeon Ho-jeong, frowned and brushed off his side.

“What the hell, this bastard. Attacking without even talking? Ugh, I should just…”