Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 972

Could this state of mind be captured in words or writing?

Yahareuk could only gaze at the sky, speechless.

‘It’s over.’

Before him stood the Cult Lord, and behind him, Yeon-wi.

He was caught between a half-baked fire god who had ascended to the heavens only to fall back to earth, and a sword god who had roamed the depths of the earth before soaring into the sky.

Even Yeon-wi alone was a master whose victory was not assured. With Gi Cheon-ung, whom he had served as his lord—no, as a god—his plan was undoubtedly a failure.

‘But why?’

Even amidst the turmoil, he felt an unexpected sense of relief.

Was it because he had already accepted death? But wasn’t that death something he could only embrace with a smile after achieving his goal?

Why am I so calm? Why do I feel relieved and at peace?

“You’ve strayed from the path.”

Yahareuk looked at Gi Cheon-ung.

Gi Cheon-ung, with his arms resting on his knees, resembled a crouching fire dragon.

“Yeon-wi must have given you the final choice.”

“…Indeed.”

Yahareuk smiled.

What that smile meant, even Gi Cheon-ung, who was facing him, could not decipher.

“Did you know everything all along?”

“I didn’t know.”

Gi Cheon-ung was honest.

“With my upper dantian [energy center in the body] shattered and the roots of my spiritual eye lost, I am now the most powerful weapon in the world, yet I am no different from a passive artillery piece. Someone has to aim me in the right direction to fire.”

“…”

“But while I lament that fact, I have never turned away from reality. Even though I have become blind, there are still people who can be my eyes.”

Gi Cheon-ung’s eyes trembled slightly.

Yahareuk realized that the eyes of the man he had revered like a god were shaking because of him.

“One of those people was you.”

“…”

“But the person I thought would be my eyes tried to rob me while the owner was blind, and the merchant I went to for a deal became my eyes instead.”

The one who informed Gi Cheon-ung that Yahareuk was acting strangely was none other than Yeon-wi.

However, even then, Yeon-wi could not know what Yahareuk was planning. That was only natural. The ability to know everything if one wanted to was not in anyone’s grasp.

But he could prepare, and Yeon-wi immediately told Gi Cheon-ung about it.

At first, Gi Cheon-ung’s reaction was cold. He dismissed it as nonsense, and if it were true, he would speak to Yahareuk himself.

It was the Emperor who refused that.

He knew that the best way to uncover what was happening, even if he didn’t know the specifics, was to simply observe, since he had already made up his mind.

Even if Yahareuk was lying, Gi Cheon-ung was not so oblivious that he could not distinguish truth from falsehood when facing him.

However, whatever Yahareuk’s intentions were, it was not just Gi Cheon-ung’s problem, but a matter that could directly affect the entire Central Plains, so they agreed to wait and see.

Yahareuk, unaware of the circumstances, was lured by Yeon-wi to this place.

“I see.”

“You are not a talented liar.”

“…”

“If I had called you for a private meeting, I would have immediately noticed that you had ulterior motives.”

“I’m sure you would have.”

“There were several political reasons for keeping an eye on you. But that was just the Emperor’s idea. The reason why Yeon-wi over there told us to watch you was different.”

“What is that reason?”

“He didn’t give you a chance. He was just being patient for my sake and offering you another option.”

Yahareuk looked at Yeon-wi.

Yeon-wi’s expression remained unchanged. His eyes were the same as well.

The absolute swordsman known as the judge’s sword of the Jianghu [the martial arts world]. Although he had treated him gently until now, now that the situation had come to this, he was just a stern judge, focused on a single goal.

With all preparations complete, all that remained was the final conversation between Gi Cheon-ung and Yahareuk.

“Why did you do it?”

“…”

“What was the reason for deceiving me?”

“…”

“Did you follow me knowing my purpose, thinking that if you followed me, you could gain a cause that was the opposite of what I wanted?”

Yahareuk’s eyes flashed like lightning.

“Did you say cause?”

“…”

“Yes, it was a cause.”

“What cause are you talking about?”

“The cause of the Divine Flame Church conquering the world as the Divine Flame Church should.”

The world is much bigger and wider than people vaguely think.

“The Divine Flame Church is fire. It is flame and blaze. In this world, which is nothing but immoral, it is the very divine flame that can purify everything.”

“That is our doctrine.”

“It’s not just a doctrine. Do you really think this world, this world, is safe enough to return to its original state with just a little fire?”

“…”

“Absolutely not. This world is rotten. It cannot prove anything, and it does not recognize anything. It is not just our Northern Sea, but the Southern Continent and everywhere else in the world.”

“So what were you trying to do?”

“The most influential force in this world is the martial world of our main enemy, the Southern Continent. And at some point, that martial world tried to restore the Emperor’s honor and set the world’s safety right.”

“Doesn’t your statement that you are setting the world’s safety right prove that it is the opposite of what you are trying to do?”

“Absolutely not.”

Yahareuk’s words were definitive.

“This world is crazy. Even if one clear principle emerges, no one follows it. Even if you say this is right, this is the best, isn’t it a world full of people who just think that’s all there is to it and drool as if they’re possessed!”

Whoosh!

Yahareuk’s face turned slightly pale.

A powerful energy emanated from Gi Cheon-ung’s body, who was sitting on the steps.

The intensity of that energy was truly beyond imagination. Yeon-wi vaguely thought that the density of this energy alone could turn a small forest into an active volcano.

A huge wave of fire energy.

As Yeon-wi looked at Gi Cheon-ung with trembling eyes, he stared at Yahareuk with eyes that were trying hard not to waver.

“Do you think that one principle is working to lead this world correctly?”

“At least, considering the reason why you haven’t acted, what I’m going to do might be much more valuable.”

Yahareuk’s statement was aggressive.

Was it because he had already risked death? Yahareuk’s face was full of excitement.

“The Divine Flame Church is rotten.”

“…”

“Without even mentioning the misdeeds of the young cult leader, the Divine Flame Church was just wandering around without any goals. Even after you went into seclusion, the strong began to devour the weak and focus only on increasing their power.”

Gi Cheon-ung could not be free from those words. His face turned pale.

Yahareuk shouted as if spitting fire.

“In that situation, the world was no different from hell. The stronger get more power? What does that mean? The young cult leader couldn’t even control this situation with his political power. We were all just living as we were going along.”

“So you’re going to kill the Emperor?”

Gi Cheon-ung’s words were like arrows.

“What does what you’ve said so far have to do with what you’re going to do?”

“Cult Lord!”

“Do you think the world will be right if the Emperor dies?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then why are you trying to kill the Emperor?”

The combination of those terrible and horrific words, the assassination of the Emperor, came out of Gi Cheon-ung’s mouth for the first time.

Yahareuk did not taint the truth, the work he had to do, with lies.

“If the Emperor dies, the entire continent will rise up.”

“…”

“From then on, there will be no need for strategy or tactics. The death of the Emperor is directly linked to the destruction of the continent.”

“Is that what you wanted?”

“There is only one thing I wanted.”

Whoosh!

Fearsome flames soared from Yahareuk’s two fists. It was the Divine Flame Church’s strongest fist technique, the Fire Dragon Descent Fist.

And that Fire Dragon Descent Fist was also Gi Cheon-ung’s true martial art.

“To burn everything to ashes and then plant the sacred seeds of the Divine Flame Church in that place.”

“So you were trying to kill the Emperor?”

“That’s right!”

Did he feel that he could not be persuaded by any words?

Yahareuk shouted.

“To burn everything, everything must be broken! Everything must be meaningless, and everything must be in a state that deserves to be burned!”

“…”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s you or the young cult leader! It doesn’t matter if the Blood Demon Cult or the Yin Evil Cult gets involved. Rather than becoming a pawn of another force, it would be a million times more valuable to become an agent of the incarnation to return everything to its original state!”

Yahareuk shouted as if he had nothing to lose.

He seemed to be shouting in anger or madness. But Yeon-wi, who was looking at his face, felt that he was less agitated than he thought.

‘Why?’

What is the reason?

Is it because he is saying everything he can to Gi Cheon-ung, the cult lord of the Divine Flame Church, who was his lord?

How is it that there is no emotion other than relief in his voice?

Even though he had lost his spiritual eye, Gi Cheon-ung, who had lived in the Divine Flame Church all his life while practicing the Scorching Yang Art, could not have failed to grasp the truth in Yahareuk’s shouts.

“Do you want to die?”

“Yes! Kill me! Isn’t that what you want?”

“That’s not what I want.”

Gi Cheon-ung’s eyes blazed.

“It seems more like what you want.”

“…!”

“What you’ve said so far, it’s all meaningless, isn’t it?”

“…”

“It’s just words you’ve thrown out because you don’t think the other person will understand your cause, right?”

Yahareuk gritted his teeth.

He was truly a person who could not hide his expressions. Even Yeon-wi, who was considered righteous, had never seen anyone as fickle as Yahareuk.

Gi Cheon-ung, who had been staring at Yahareuk, said as if throwing it away.

“Can’t you give up that idea now?”

“…”

“Can’t you walk the same path with me now?”

It was then.

Clang!

With a magnificent sound, Yeon-wi’s Imperial Sword was drawn.

The Heavenly Imperial Sword.

The first and last famous sword that the Emperor of this era and this country bestowed upon a martial artist.

Yeon-wi pointed his sword at Yahareuk.

“The opportunity is already gone. All that remains is to punish you.”

“…”

“Do you have any last words?”

Yahareuk looked at Yeon-wi.

His eyes were gentle, but Yeon-wi’s eyes were as hard and upright as steel.

“I have no words, but I would like to have a good fight with a master like you.”

“I’m sorry.”

Yeon-wi lowered his sword.

“That is impossible.”

“Is it because I am a sinner?”

“It’s because I’ve already cut you down.”

“…?”

What does that mean?

Yahareuk, who was tilting his head, suddenly felt his vision blurring.

It wasn’t his body that was cut, but only his vision that was blurred. He didn’t know if it was because his ears were shocked or what.

Yahareuk staggered and knelt down.

Yeon-wi brought his sword to his neck.

“I have cut down the heart that you have given up on once more.”

“…!”

“I’ll buy you a drink later.”

Yeon-wi pulled his sword back cleanly.

Swish!