Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 661

The False Killing Intent (4)

“……!!”

Shin Gi-ja raised his hand.

At the same time, the masked men following him halted their movements.

Their synchronized, swift footwork was flawlessly executed. The presence of over two hundred masked men, each a formidable expert, underscored their exceptional skill.

Trickle.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Shin Gi-ja’s forehead.

‘What was that?’

The reason he, a demigod of the blood of the gods, had survived until now wasn’t solely due to his combat prowess.

He wasn’t as naturally gifted in martial arts as some. However, his survival instincts were extraordinary.

In other words, his senses were exceptionally sharp. His ability to navigate numerous battlefields as a technician stemmed from his heightened awareness, more acute than anyone else’s.

And those senses were now screaming.

‘What is this overwhelming pressure?!’

He realized that the shockwaves emanating from this location were the result of an intense battle between experts of unimaginable caliber. And one of those experts was none other than Ho Yeon-jong, the Three-Eyed Law.

Thus, he had hastily mobilized his forces, but he had sensed the energy en route.

The opponent was strong, but Ho Yeon-jong was stronger. The difference was marginal, like a thin sheet of paper, but in a clash between experts, that slight difference could be an insurmountable barrier.

He didn’t know the identity of the opponent, but he confidently predicted Ho Yeon-jong’s victory. Bringing the troops was merely a precaution.

But now, that near-certain prediction had shifted.

‘The tide has turned.’

Shin Gi-ja swallowed hard.

‘It means the enemy’s energy has changed, and this energy is…’

It was a ferocious energy that felt like it could paralyze his entire body instantly.

A majestic roar of a mountain king was drawn like an illusion. It was as if a giant tiger king was surveying the world with golden eyes.

“Chief Technician?”

The masked man directly behind him spoke.

“What’s wrong?”

“……It’s nothing.”

Shin Gi-ja took a slow, deep breath.

“Everyone, take out the Mountain Yin Explosives. There might be a moment when we need to use them.”

“……!”

“We shouldn’t advance directly. Let’s go around. Just in case, we need to identify the enemy’s weakness.”

Swoosh.

The two hundred experts moved through the forest.

* * *

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing was like the sound of a tiger’s paw scratching against rock.

Boom!

With the movement of a possessed giant axe, Ho Yeon-jong retreated frantically.

Flash!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s Blood Wing Sky Rend, which pursued the retreating Ho Yeon-jong, was beyond description, even with the term ‘divine skill.’

‘Crazy!’

He wanted to obliterate his opponent with the Yin Desolate Dance, but there was no time.

As if not a single moment could be spared, the opponent was closing in with incredible speed, swinging his axe. He couldn’t find his rhythm at all. It was as if a giant beast was hidden within him, pressuring him with movements more akin to an animal than a human.

‘I need to create some distance…!’

Thud!

If the opponent persistently stuck to him and denied him the chance to counterattack, he could create distance with faster and more unpredictable movements.

Thump thump thump!

Ho Yeon-jong’s body moved erratically between the trees. The speed at which he moved was so fast that the trees he kicked with his feet shattered with a loud crack.

Flash!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s movements, which managed to keep pace with Ho Yeon-jong, were truly astonishing.

Ho Yeon-jong’s eyes flashed.

Clang!

This attack was something even Yeon Ho-jeong wouldn’t have anticipated.

Ho Yeon-jong, who seemed like he was going to create distance again, gathered all his strength and confronted Yeon Ho-jeong head-on. A body slam, a posture very similar to the one Yeon Ho-jeong had used on Ho Yeon-jong.

Thump thump!

Yeon Ho-jeong retreated, pushing off the ground several times.

It was shorter than the time it took to take a breath, but Ho Yeon-jong had finally bought himself some time.

Kugugugung!

The desolate energy of the shadow wasteland blazed like flames from Ho Yeon-jong’s entire body.

“You bug-like bastard!”

Ho Yeon-jong growled.

“You dared to push me this far!”

Clang!

A repelling force strike.

It was as fast as a cannonball fired from a cannon. A bright yellow sphere had already penetrated within a foot of Yeon Ho-jeong’s chest.

Boom!

The sphere exploded, and the Yin Desolate energy spread out around it.

Fsssh.

The bushes that touched the smoke gradually withered.

It was a terrifying martial art that created the desolate landscape of the wasteland. [Yin Desolate Dance is a martial art that manipulates desolate energy to create various effects.]

The true horror of the Yin Desolate Dance was this. The energy itself was terrifying, but the Yin Desolate energy, which changed its nature according to the incantation, could shatter external objects, seep in and explode, or even make them wither.

It could freely create almost all the results that could be created with penetrating force. There were martial arts with more destructive power than the Yin Desolate Dance within the school, but none were as versatile and venomous.

‘It’s shaking.’

Ho Yeon-jong’s eyes blazed.

The yellow smoke spread everywhere. He saw the enemy’s body faltering within it.

‘Got it!’

His movements and even his energy were wavering. The Yin Desolate energy had penetrated.

A sadistic pleasure rose on Ho Yeon-jong’s face.

“You bastard! Finally!”

Clang!

Footwork that fully utilized the elasticity of the Mad Panther Martial Body, Ho Yeon-jong instantly closed the distance to Yeon Ho-jeong. [Mad Panther Martial Body is a martial art that enhances agility and flexibility.]

Ho Yeon-jong swung the Yin Desolate Palm again.

“Die…!”

Thwack!

In an instant, Ho Yeon-jong’s eyes widened.

The palm he had thrust out, just before the power of the Yin Desolate Palm was about to explode.

A long, wide blade pierced the center of his palm.

“……It was quite spicy.”

Swoosh.

The yellow smoke cleared.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes, which appeared within, were gleaming with a bright yellow killing intent like a tiger’s.

“Still, you have a long way to go to match your father’s skills.”

At that moment, Ho Yeon-jong realized. That he had been lured.

Knowing that he couldn’t be easily caught once he created distance, he had taken the Yin Desolate Palm’s Desolate Cannon directly.

But Ho Yeon-jong couldn’t believe it.

‘He’s unharmed?!’

Of course, Yeon Ho-jeong wasn’t unharmed.

His face was pale, and blood was flowing from his nose and mouth. His well-tailored clothes were tattered here and there, and especially the area around his solar plexus was torn to shreds, revealing his upper abdomen.

But, even so.

The energy emanating from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body was the epitome of resilience. There was a slight tremor, but his ferocity seemed even more intense than before.

“I won’t let you get away.”

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled whitely.

Ho Yeon-jong felt a chill run down his spine at his pale face, smiling brightly with blood-stained teeth.

Swish!

He quickly pulled his hand back, but the movement of the Heaven Piercer was slightly faster. [Heaven Piercer is the name of the axe.]

The blade that pierced his palm cut between his middle and ring fingers.

‘Tch!’

One who has opened the Limitless, the power to restore the body with the energy of a demigod is unparalleled. [Limitless refers to a state of enhanced power and regeneration.]

But it was impossible right now. At least in this fight, he couldn’t use the Yin Desolate Palm with his right hand. It was a huge loss.

Thump thump thump!

Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t let Ho Yeon-jong, who was trying to retreat again, get away.

Thump thump! Thwack!

“Hup!”

Ho Yeon-jong’s face contorted. He was being attacked madly with the Heaven Piercer, and then he was struck in the thigh by a sudden kick.

His bones weren’t broken, but his energy wavered for a moment. His backward movement was stopped.

‘This…!’

Ho Yeon-jong raised his head.

In an instant, his vision turned black.

Swish swish swish!

The giant axe with blades multiplied into a dozen, moving mercilessly from left and right.

It was the Tiger King Nine Wall Formation, Tiger Claw Chaos. A chaotic attack technique that mercilessly trampled the opponent with a tiger’s paws. [Tiger King Nine Wall Formation is a martial art style.]

Thump thump thump!

Ho Yeon-jong’s arms were covered in blood.

Still, he managed to block it. He couldn’t use his right hand right now, but his deep and vast Yin Desolate energy was fine. He had suffered a great loss, but he didn’t suffer any serious internal injuries or broken bones.

But the two knew. That this was the turning point.

Yeon Ho-jeong swung the Heaven Piercer.

A powerful tail swung by a giant tiger, Tiger Tail Mountain Shake. [Tiger Tail Mountain Shake is a martial art technique.]

Ho Yeon-jong let out a scream-like shout without realizing it.

“Uaaaaaa!!”

Whoooom! Clang!!

The shaft of the Heaven Piercer struck Ho Yeon-jong’s torso. His body smashed through a rock and was buried in the ground.

Boom!

Yeon Ho-jeong attacked again towards Ho Yeon-jong, who had exploded with Yin Desolate energy.

Whoosh!

Ho Yeon-jong felt his vision go dark.

In the world of darkness, four giant axes were divided up and down, sweeping over his body.

It was as if a giant tiger was lunging with its jaws wide open. It was twice the range of the Tiger Fang Kill and four times the destructive power. Tiger Jaw Fiend. [Tiger Jaw Fiend is a martial art technique.]

Ho Yeon-jong detonated the Desolate Cannon.

Flash! Rumble!

With a tremendous explosion, Yeon Ho-jeong retreated more than ten feet.

Cough!

Ho Yeon-jong, who didn’t retreat, or rather couldn’t retreat, took the full force of the shockwave.

“Cough!”

The blood he coughed up was dark red.

It was a sign of a deep internal injury. Moreover, his whole body, as well as his arms, was covered in blood. He had not only been hit by the continuous attacks of Tiger Tail Mountain Shake and Tiger Jaw Fiend, but he also couldn’t resolve the shockwave of the Desolate Cannon, causing his energy to flow in reverse.

‘But still!’

A flush of color returned to Ho Yeon-jong’s face.

He had made his opponent retreat ten feet. The damage was severe, but that was enough.

Crack!

Veins bulged all over his body in an instant. He had once again drawn out the power of the Mad Panther Martial Body to create distance.

That’s when it happened.

Ho Yeon-jong saw Yeon Ho-jeong.

‘……?!’

A moment split into a fraction of a moment.

Ho Yeon-jong was puzzled.

‘What is that movement?’

He raised the axe he was holding with both hands high into the sky.

The distance between him and himself was nearly ten feet. It wasn’t a close-range attack, and there was no need to show such a movement at this distance.

‘Is he perhaps going to throw it?’

If so, he was making a mistake.

It was an opportunity he had gained even while enduring internal injuries. His left heel was already off the ground. No matter what martial art he used, he wouldn’t be able to keep up with his movements.

But he was wrong.

Yeon Ho-jeong didn’t try to approach him, nor did he intend to throw the Heaven Piercer.

Rumble!

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck.

The power of light surged over the Heaven Piercer, which contained a white storm. It was the power of the Light Divine Pill. [Light Divine Pill is a pill that enhances power.]

Yeon Ho-jeong struck the Heaven Piercer straight down towards the ground.

Clang clang clang!!

In an instant, the ground within a radius of twenty feet around Yeon Ho-jeong was shattered.

Clang! Bang! Thump!

The ground flipped, and energy swirled like a whirlwind from the broken earth.

Rumble! Thump thump!

Nothing on the ground could be safe. It was a mad martial art that destroyed and ground everything within its range.

It was the true Hundred King Tremor, the last three moves of the Tiger King Nine Wall Formation, unleashed with the power of the Limitless. [Hundred King Tremor is a martial art technique.]

“Kuaaaaak!”

Ho Yeon-jong screamed and collapsed.

His right foot, swept away by the Hundred King Tremor, was twisted grotesquely. His thighs and shins were sharply gouged in places.

‘Such an absurd martial art…!’

Just as Ho Yeon-jong, gritting his teeth, was about to get up, it happened.

Thwack!

Yeon Ho-jeong, who had already approached, stepped on his chest and brought the axe blade to his neck.

“Hah hah!”

He was panting, but his face was full of madness.

Ho Yeon-jong felt a chill run down his spine. Yeon Ho-jeong’s expression was not that of a normal person.

Yeon Ho-jeong smiled and said.

“Are you ready?”