Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 662

“……?!”

Ha Eun-gyo, who had been staring blankly at the sky with tearful eyes, lowered her head in surprise.

“It’s over?”

The clashing energy waves had subsided in an instant.

Both of them still possessed their unique auras. Although their energies seemed unstable, as if they had both suffered losses, they were both still alive.

However, there was a difference in the dominance of their presence.

The aura of Ho Yeon-jong, which had been emitting an eerie energy, was gradually being suppressed, while the aura of Yeon Ho-jeong, armed with a burning killing intent, grew even stronger.

That killing intent was truly bone-chilling. Even from this far away, it felt as if he was glaring at her from right beside her, causing goosebumps to rise all over her body.

‘Yeon Ho-jeong, that young man won!’

Despite the fact that she should have been happy, Ha Eun-gyo felt a strange mix of complicated emotions and worry.

She was relieved that he had won, but she felt guilty for not having participated in the fight. That was why she felt so conflicted.

Killing intent was power, and it was fortunate that he was still energetic despite being injured, but she was worried because his killing intent kept amplifying.

‘Should I just leave him like that?’

Killing intent is based on mental strength. The denser the killing intent, the greater the anger and murderous intent, but at the same time, one must have the mental fortitude to withstand such intense emotions.

Naturally, there is a limit to a person’s mental strength. Even a master of the half-immortal realm who has opened the Limitless [a state of martial arts mastery] is at risk of being consumed by killing intent if they are not a true immortal.

“…….”

Ha Eun-gyo’s eyes deepened.

Regardless of who won or lost, she was deeply moved by Yeon Ho-jeong’s actions.

She recalled Yeon Ho-jeong’s words.

‘I hope that you will join us not as a martial artist of the Central Plains, but as a great martial artist who has reached a high level of mastery. Both I, the Martial Alliance, and the Mukryong Clan.’

‘You must have had your reasons. But… you have already gone too far, senior.’

Too far.

It was a sad but true statement.

She was being dragged around for the sake of a child who might not even be alive in this world. She had passed on a dangerous technique to those strange individuals who used the martial art she had created to enhance her sound techniques as a means of killing people.

Those who possess power have a responsibility that comes with it. The moment that power falls into the hands of such dangerous individuals, the world will face a great upheaval, whether one likes it or not.

She had played a part in that dangerous affair. There was no point in making excuses that she had no choice.

‘Is it right to just endure like this?’

Ha Eun-gyo thought.

‘When I think about it, this isn’t a path for my child. It’s just me, a terrible mother who abandoned her child, doing this because I want to see my child once.’

Whatever the reason, the fault lay with her.

She acknowledged her mistake. She had never once turned away from it.

The problem was that she couldn’t just end it by acknowledging it.

‘Would they want to see me?’

Ha Eun-gyo closed her eyes.

‘Would they want to see a mother who abandoned them right after they were born, now?’

She didn’t know. She couldn’t be sure.

The important thing was that this meeting was entirely based on her own desires. She had no idea what her child’s feelings might be.

“…….”

Complex thoughts followed one after another.

She had never had such thoughts before. Or rather, she had always tried to ignore them whenever they arose.

But not now.

The Saeum Church had flattered her while also threatening her. They were using her child as a hostage to control her as they pleased.

However, Yeon Ho-jeong was different.

Yeon Ho-jeong also needed her, but he was not trying to exploit her. Rather, he had come to implore her to join him on the right path.

The difference was significant.

The difference between the impression she had received from the Saeum Church and the impression she had received from Yeon Ho-jeong made her unable to ignore the thoughts she had been trying so hard to suppress.

“…….”

Ha Eun-gyo opened her eyes.

She had many thoughts, but she was quick to organize them.

“…Having become a sinner who cannot face the heavens from the moment I abandoned my child, I have troubled the people of the world with my greed. How can I repay this sin while I am still alive?”

She sighed softly.

“I have forgotten what I needed to confirm, so I must do what a mother should do, even now.”

It was then.

Clanggggg!

A powerful sonic wave reverberated from the distant forest.

Ha Eun-gyo’s eyes sharpened.

“…I will only give you one chance.”

Whoosh!

Above the cliff.

A single, sorrowful flower that had been agonizing shed many of its petals and disappeared.

* * *

Zzzzzing! Zzzzzzzing!

The massive axe blade vibrated menacingly.

Swoooosh!

The killing intent flowing from the axe blade, as well as the thick spear blades attached to it, enveloped Ho Yeon-jong’s neck like a fog.

‘……!!’

Ho Yeon-jong’s face turned pale.

The mental strength of a master who had opened the realm of Limitless was like steel. Even in the face of the most intense killing intent, their minds would not waver.

Now, that common knowledge was being shattered.

The killing intent emanating from Yeon Ho-jeong, who was aiming at his neck, was not human. It was the killing intent of an inhuman being, an evil god that could not be expressed by human imagination.

Shudder.

Ho Yeon-jong’s fist trembled faintly.

Even though he was in a state of controlling his subconscious, his body was trembling on its own. Yeon Ho-jeong’s killing intent was that immense.

Sliiiide.

Even amidst all of this, his fractured right hand had been mended. Although he couldn’t use it properly yet, it was a testament to how terrifying the inner energy that had entered the Limitless was.

Ho Yeon-jong opened his mouth.

“What are you?”

Even with such deep internal and external injuries, his voice did not waver.

He was being consumed by killing intent, but he was still not losing himself. It was an impressive mental fortitude.

“Without knowing the Yin-Yang Demonic Arts [a martial art technique] well, such evasion and counterattacks… !”

Thwack!

“Kuh-euk!”

Ho Yeon-jong’s face flushed red. Before he knew it, the Heaven Piercer [Yeon Ho-jeong’s axe] had broken his collarbone.

It was a light swing, but it was a heavy weapon weighing eighty geun [a unit of weight]. Moreover, with the White Tiger Energy imbued in it, even a light swing had the power to split a small rock.

And yet, only his collarbone was broken. The Yin-Yang Demonic Energy that constantly protected his body was indeed a great martial art.

“That’s not important.”

Yeon Ho-jeong raised the Heaven Piercer again.

Ho Yeon-jong’s heart pounded like crazy.

‘This madman!’

Yeon Ho-jeong, with his back to the moonlight, held a massive axe.

His body had become one with the darkness, and only his eyes shone brightly. It was an appearance that would make even a ghost fall over in shock.

“You said you could still talk even if your limbs were cut off?”

“……!!”

“Interesting. Let’s find out together.”

Ho Yeon-jong swung his left hand like lightning.

Whoooosh!

The power of the Yin-Yang Divine Palm shattered against the Heaven Piercer.

Crack!

Blood gushed from Ho Yeon-jong’s mouth.

He had used the power of collapse rather than explosion. However, the axe strike that had crushed it was too close. And Ho Yeon-jong had to bear the full brunt of that impact.

‘Damn it!’

Yeon Ho-jeong spat out blood-tinged saliva. He was still stepping on his chest. He was constantly injecting Vermilion Bird Energy through his foot, making it difficult for him to move easily.

For a master of the Limitless, acupressure points were almost ineffective. Unless there was an overwhelming difference in power, they could quickly release the blocked blood points and acupoints with the power of their inner energy.

That was why Yeon Ho-jeong was not, or rather, could not seal his dantian [an energy center in the body] and body.

“Was it this hand?”

The Heaven Piercer was swung.

Swoooosh! Thwack!

“Kuaaaak!”

This time, even the power of the Yin-Yang Demonic Energy could not stop it.

Ho Yeon-jong’s left elbow was severed cleanly. Even though he had gripped the spear shaft short, the distance was so short, yet it was such a clean strike.

A large amount of blood flowed from the severed arm before stopping. The Yin-Yang Demonic Energy was stopping the bleeding.

Yeon Ho-jeong grinned.

“Indeed.”

“Kuh-euk!”

“As you said, it seems you can still talk. Your energy is protecting you. But still…”

The massive axe rose again towards the sky.

Ho Yeon-jong’s heart beat even faster than before.

“I need to check properly.”

Thwack!

A sound of teeth grinding came from Ho Yeon-jong’s mouth.

This time, it was his left upper arm. Even though the Yin-Yang Demonic Energy, which had been concentrated momentarily, was protecting his left arm, the axe blade of the Heaven Piercer tore through his muscles and reached his bone.

It was not a complete severance. Yeon Ho-jeong’s inner energy was also unstable. He had avoided a fatal internal injury from the Yellow Cloth Mountain, but the Yin-Yang Demonic Energy remained in his body, hindering the movement of his inner energy.

However, Yeon Ho-jeong did not care. In fact, he was even happier.

“Let’s slowly see how much your inner energy remaining in my body can hinder me. The night is long anyway.”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Yeon Ho-jeong’s axe strikes were swung with a steady rhythm.

Surprisingly, Ho Yeon-jong’s body was not shattered. With each strike, blood splattered, muscles were damaged, and bones were broken, but he still did not die.

The protective barrier of Yin-Yang Demonic Energy that Ho Yeon-jong possessed was slightly ahead of Yeon Ho-jeong’s attacks. Since it was an inner energy that made even the entire body’s meridians as strong as steel before using the Yin-Yang Demonic Arts, it granted its owner tenacious vitality.

“Good.”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s chin was covered in blood. It was because of the blood that was gushing out.

Still, he smiled. It was as if he felt no pain at all.

With each strike, his internal injuries were deepening. It was a miracle that he had not fainted yet. And yet, he did not fall. It was an overwhelming madness.

“Good, really good.”

Bang! Bang!

“I hope you can hold out as long as possible.”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

The sound of the axe striking a human body became more and more gruesome.

The axe blade that had broken bones no longer reached the bones. The power of the axe strikes was decreasing.

However, the impact was being transmitted directly to his internal organs. While his bones, nerves, and muscles were being protected, his internal organs were not.

Ho Yeon-jong’s eyes slowly glazed over.

Even with his powerful mental strength, it was no longer possible to endure. It seemed like his body would die before his mind.

‘This is dog-like.’

He could no longer feel the pain. He could only feel his vision shaking each time the axe struck his body.

‘My life is being violated by this madman.’

Thwack! Thwack!

‘I struggled so hard to survive… is this really how it ends?’

It was then.

[Protect your ears!]

In an instant, Ho Yeon-jong’s eyes regained their original color.

Whoooom!

The Yin-Yang Demonic Energy that had taken root throughout his body protected his entire brain for a fleeting moment.

Yeon Ho-jeong grinned. His eyes, stained red, filled with the killing intent of destruction, he was almost out of his mind. Because all his senses were focused on Ho Yeon-jong, he could not even read the flow of the wind.

“Giving up? That’s good too.”

The Heaven Piercer rose again.

“I’ll make sure you’re well-done…”

At that moment, his sense of smell picked up an unknown scent.

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes, which had been covered in killing intent, momentarily regained a cold light.

Yeon Ho-jeong forcefully stepped on Ho Yeon-jong.

Bang!

Ho Yeon-jong spat out blood.

At the same time, Yeon Ho-jeong turned his body. It was a movement ingrained in his instincts.

In his eyes, he saw five black objects flying towards him without any sign.

The Heaven Piercer cut through the air.

Clangggggggggg!

With a tremendous vibration, the surrounding trees exploded with a thud!

“…Who is it?”

Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes became bloodshot again.

The liquid flowing from his eyes was the same crimson color as his eyes.

“Who dares to interfere with me!!”

Thump!

Yeon Ho-jeong, gripping the Heaven Piercer with both hands, unleashed a terrifying power.

The second of the last three moves of the Tiger King Nine Wall Formation, the Hundred King Wave [a martial art technique], swept through the forest like a tidal wave.

Kwarurururung!