Monochrome Sovereign (Novel) - Chapter 73 - Enemies, and the Source of Water (3)
Chapter 73 – Enemies, and the Source of Water (3)
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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“Eldest Young Master!”
Urgency appeared on Shin Mo’s face.
Stepping with an earth-shattering tremor and charging like a sudden storm, Yeon Ho-jeong had already reached the vanguard of the enemy line.
It was a monstrous speed. To close the distance with footwork rather than a movement technique… there was no such waste.
The problem was Yeon Ho-jeong’s murderous intent.
Shin Mo had seen that murderous intent once before. The momentum when he overwhelmed the Lightning Hero Chu Seong was exactly like it was now.
However, there was no comparison in its concentration.
If the murderous intent then was a breeze, the current murderous intent was a gale. If the murderous intent then was a campfire, the current murderous intent was a flame capable of burning even a great mountain.
‘Dangerous!’
He didn’t know how the boy could emit such murderous intent. The important thing was the fact that the Eldest Young Master could be captured in vain if he was not careful.
“Protect the Eldest Young Master!”
Swish!
The Goshawk Squad, led by Shin Mo, moved quickly.
Shin Mo, who was running frantically, suddenly saw the footprints left on the ground. They were the traces of the steps Yeon Ho-jeong had taken.
‘Such traces?!’
It was a mess.
It wasn’t stamped in the shape of a footprint, but cracked in all directions as if a rock weighing hundreds of geun had fallen. It seemed as if he had poured in internal energy with the intention of breaking the ground on purpose.
Footprints where not even a fingernail’s worth of calmness could be glimpsed. Those traces, which were nothing short of gruesome, were showing Yeon Ho-jeong’s psychological state just as it was.
‘Danger!’
Boom! Boom!
In Shin Mo’s eyes, who had closed the distance with all his might, Yeon Ho-jeong’s back was finally clearly visible.
‘Huff!’
Shin Mo’s eyes widened.
Boom, boom, boom!
The sound of gunpowder exploding echoed like thunder.
Startled, Shin Mo stopped his movement technique without realizing it.
Thud! Thump! Boom!
Cracks spread on the ground three inches in front of his toes.
It was not Shin Mo’s power. It was a trace created by an intangible shockwave that had bounced off.
“Everyone stop! You must not approach!”
The Goshawk Squad hurriedly stopped their movement techniques.
Shin Mo’s mouth gradually opened.
“How can this be?!”
* * *
Above the massive man reminiscent of a Vajra Warrior.
Just before flying high into the sky and swinging his axe, Yeon Ho-jeong thought.
Is it really alright to do this?
The opponent was an expert. Even if he wasn’t an expert who had crossed the wall of enlightenment and reached the realm of peak mastery, he was an expert who could easily contest for the lead in the realm below that.
It wasn’t just this massive man. The two experts watching him with startled eyes from three zhang behind were similar.
If it were these three, capturing a representative elder of the Nine Sects and One Gang would be possible, even if the head of one of the Seven Great Clans would be difficult.
He had charged toward such people.
‘I cannot face them all at once. I must thoroughly target one fellow. I cannot use Squad Leader Shin right now. Fortunately, they have no intention of killing me.’
In a split second, he reads all the surrounding circumstances, reality, and the future.
Countless cases of possibility. Although he could not control the murderous intent that exploded upon seeing his mortal enemies, he was a battle-hardened veteran who had experienced an uncountable amount of pandemonium.
He reads. He calculates and derives. He reviews the derived answer and fits the reviewed answer into the situation.
A link between fiery emotion and cold reason.
He got angry as Yeon Ho-jeong and swung his axe as the Dark Emperor.
Thump!
The massive man, Myeong Hak, was startled.
‘What?!’
He was a man who had practiced muscles compressed to the limit and the martial arts of the Myeong ancestors, the Spirit Turtle Divine Art.
The Spirit Turtle Divine Art was one of the Four Great Divine Arts left by the ancestors, and it was a miraculous divine art that achieved the Invincible Vajra Body when it reached its peak.
The martial art practiced by the Hidden Death Squad Leader Myeong On-ji was exactly the Spirit Turtle Divine Art. And Myeong Hak had reached a much higher realm than Myeong On-ji. It was because the depth of the martial art he had originally practiced was outstanding.
An axe was struck into the arm that had become as hard as steel due to the Spirit Turtle Armor of that Spirit Turtle Divine Art.
The axe blade dug in more than an inch. No matter how heavy a weapon it was, it was an nonsensical power considering the repulsive force of the Spirit Turtle Armor.
“This bastard!”
Whoosh!
Myeong Hak’s fist tore through the air.
It was an absurdly large fist. Even though he hadn’t fully extended it, the atmosphere seemed to fluctuate.
An inescapable blow. Yeon Ho-jeong’s visual power embraced the darkness of the north.
Boom!
‘Huff!’
Myeong Hak retreated a step.
It was by external force, not of his own will. The fist he had thrust out was as painful as if it were breaking.
“What is this guy?!”
Thud!
Yeon Ho-jeong landed on the ground, and around his body, semi-transparent hexagonal turtle shell patterns rose.
Whirrrr!
Above Yeon Ho-jeong’s shoulder, a monster resembling a snake squirmed as if ascending to heaven.
It was a technique of the Black Tortoise, the Northern Heavens Twelve Walls. It was a technique famous for its absolute defense, and it was a secret technique said to repel cannonballs with just an internal energy shield when it reached its peak.
Myeong Hak’s face distorted.
“Exactly what are you…?!”
Swish!
There was no need to listen. Yeon Ho-jeong approached with agile body movements.
Even though it wasn’t the White Tiger Sovereign Step, it was fast. His ability to close the distance in an instant was superior to Myeong Hak’s.
Startled, Myeong Hak swung his twin fists.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
It was a heavy fist technique. It was a fist technique as powerful as it was heavy.
However, if it was heavy arts, even Yeon Ho-jeong could do it. It was Yeon Ho-jeong’s martial art to bring out the essence of a single killing blow with an eighty-geun heavy weapon.
He swung the Wild Beast Axe.
Clang!
The left fist was repelled, and the right fist curved down and broke the ground.
Astonishment appeared once more on Myeong Hak’s face.
What he had displayed was the Spirit Turtle Divine Fist. Although he hadn’t used his full power, it was a power that would render even a decent expert unable to fight in a single blow.
That fist had been blocked. A blow that would even blow away a rock.
Whoosh! Thump!
A leg like a pillar of a grand hall kicked Yeon Ho-jeong’s iron axe. Yeon Ho-jeong’s body was pushed back smoothly.
The corners of Myeong Hak’s mouth trembled slightly.
Considerable pain arose in the leg he had extended with a kick technique. It was because of the repulsive force.
Thud!
Myeong Hak, who had corrected his posture, asked in a cold voice.
“What are you? How dare you face the Myeong Clan… hmm?”
He didn’t know because he had carried out a sudden attack, but looking at him calmly, it seemed this fellow was that guy.
“Are you that brat Yeon Ho-jeong?”
Yeon Ho-jeong replied coldly.
“Are you all there is?”
“…Hah!”
Myeong Hak burst into a hollow laugh.
“Hahaha! Have I seen such a crazy bastard? Even though you know who we are, you charge at us and swing an axe?”
Leisure emanated from his laughter.
Not only that. Although they were surprised by the sudden attack, the two experts standing with their hands behind their backs three zhang away also had a leisurely air.
Murderous intent arose in Myeong Hak’s eyes.
“This is actually better. I will break your limbs and escort you to my family’s dungeon.”
To break limbs.
It was a phrase he had heard countless times. It was a verbal abuse to the point of becoming cliché.
Ssssss.
Yeon Ho-jeong felt a fiery murderous intent rise to the point that he himself felt a chill.
‘It’s this fellow.’
It’s definitely this guy. It’s certain.
It wasn’t because he practiced the same martial art. Although it was an old memory, Yeon Ho-jeong accurately remembered the opponent’s temperament.
It was certain. This guy, and the two guys standing behind him with their hands behind their backs, were the ones who had played the role of the vanguard when the Yeon family was invaded.
Tremble.
The axe shook. Anger that ignored cold reason breathed a terrifying power into the axe.
Myeong Hak’s face stiffened.
“What a gruesome murderous intent. Even a butcher of the Unorthodox Path wouldn’t be able to emit such murderous intent. As expected of a villain who considers killing people a trivial matter.”
“…Considers killing people a trivial matter?”
Sparks flew from Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes.
“To you all, it’s fine if I do.”
Flash! Flash!
The visual power flickering with reddish murderous intent made Myeong Hak’s spine chill.
Myeong Hak reached his hand back.
“I’ll catch him, so you all rest.”
A middle-aged man with a long sword at his waist said.
“Be careful, brother. That guy is no ordinary fierce beast.”
“He’s still just a beast.”
Thud!
Myeong Hak took a powerful step forward.
It was a strong tremor. It was a power no less than Yeon Ho-jeong’s tremor.
“Come.”
He was grand.
Whatever his character, the warrior’s posture as he entered the match was as majestic as a warrior of a prestigious sect.
Yeon Ho-jeong hated his grandness.
The grandness of that guy, who had buried an innocent force under the pretext of serving his family, and who had beaten people to death like a butcher while wearing a mask, was disgusting.
Yeon Ho-jeong, with the axe slung over his shoulder, spoke.
“You, what is your name?”
“As expected of a butcher, you have no manners. Right, I am the elder called Myeong Hak. Reflect on the name of the elder who caught you and threw you into the dungeon.”
“Myeong Hak… Myeong Hak…”
Yeon Ho-jeong nodded.
“I will remember you.”
“Enough with the small talk. Now, co… ”
Boom!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who closed the distance in an instant, swung his axe.
It was a lightning-like blow. It was a completely different speed from before.
Nonetheless, Myeong Hak was not flustered. He simply thrust out a single fist toward the axe flying so fast that the spear shaft would bend.
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing and resonating erupted.
‘Exactly what is this guy…?’
This time too, Myeong Hak could not help but be surprised.
He had felt it from the first clash, but it was no ordinary strength. It was a monstrous power to the point that even he, who did not lose to anyone in strength, had to tighten the muscles of his entire body.
Yeon Ho-jeong poured in a storm-like attack.
Clang! Clang!
It was fast and strong.
It seemed like he was swinging it haphazardly, but every single one was a killing blow, and they were attacks that cut off the flow and prevented follow-up attacks.
Was there another expert who operated such a large and heavy massive weapon so fast and delicately?
Boom!
Yeon Ho-jeong coughed up blood.
The force that flowed in from the fist that struck the axe blade instantly shook his insides.
There is softness within the strong fist. Since he displayed it with intention, one suffers internal injuries just by clashing.
However, Yeon Ho-jeong also showed no retreat.
The White Tiger Qi soared, implementing combat footwork of infinite advancement.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Strength, and more strength.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who advanced a short distance, finally displayed the Sovereign Tiger’s Nine Thunderclaps.
‘…!’
Myeong Hak’s complexion changed abruptly.
It was an offensive power on a different level from before. Before even being struck by the axe blade, it felt like his skin was splitting. It was a gruesome momentum.
It was not an attack to be received with appropriate strength. Myeong Hak pulled up the Spirit Turtle Divine Art as much as he could.
Crash! Boom!
The axe and the fist clashed, causing an immense shockwave.
The spreading shockwave swept the surroundings. Not only the two experts Myeong Hwi and Myeong Heon, but the entire three hundred White Dragon Army members retreated.
If one were accidentally swept away, they could suffer internal injuries. If it were someone with lower skill, they could be on the verge of death after being struck by the shockwave. It was a collision that powerful.
The two of them clashed repeatedly.
Crash!
It was a confrontation of strength and strength, internal energy and internal energy.
Myeong Hak was strong. Although he was not agile, his entire body was a weapon. He was a pugilist with external power that repelled an eighty-geun axe and the power to blow away a rock with a single fist.
Yeon Ho-jeong was the same. Contrary to his appearance, his physical strength was innate. He did not lose to anyone in terms of strength.
Boom! Thump!
Yeon Ho-jeong coughed up blood once more.
Crack!
Myeong Hak’s body faltered.
“Hmm.”
He had intended to strike the chest with a combo technique, but the axe that curved up struck his thigh.
That blow was so strong that he almost fell over. His right thigh swelled up.
Myeong Hak gritted his teeth.
“This brat… I’ve had enough!”
Ssssss!
Myeong Hak’s aura soared as if it would pierce the sky.
It was to the point that it was not easy to endure just the pressure of the aura. He was pulling out his full power by exploding the Spirit Turtle Divine Art to its extreme.
A terrifying martial art. It was Myeong Hak’s true skill. It was a momentum where someone who had not practiced martial arts would faint just by standing in front of it.
It was then.
“You…”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s face was filled with puzzlement.
His complexion was pale and his mouth was bloodied.
Myeong Hak’s thick eyebrows squirmed.
‘What is it?’
Woooong. Wooooong.
Myeong Hak, who was about to pour in an attack immediately, felt a bizarre sensation.
‘Why is that guy’s Qi…?’
Ssssss.
A black energy soared from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body.
Surprisingly, his temperament became stronger than before he suffered internal injuries. It was unbelievable.
Yeon Ho-jeong was equally surprised.
“You, exactly what kind of martial art have you practiced?”
“What are you saying!”
Yeon Ho-jeong distorted his expression.
“A fake Black Tortoise Art?”