Black and White Martial Emperor

“You son of a bitch!”

At the moment when everything hung by a thread.

“Gok Gang.”

Gok Gang, who had been taking a stance as if he would charge at any second, flinched.

Seok Gyeong spoke in a stern tone.

“Endure it.”

“Senior!”

“How can you call yourself a Warrior-General if you fall for the provocation of a child who knows nothing of the world? Understand your own position.”

His manner of speech was different from usual. True to a man who drew a clear line between public and private matters, his voice was filled with authority, and the force pouring out of him was perfectly refined.

It was an atmosphere that would make any subordinate naturally bow his head. But Gok Gang was different.

“Since he made a provocation that barely even deserves the name, should we not punish him accordingly?”

“Gok Gang.”

“Surely, Senior, you do not think I cannot handle one brat?”

If Seok Gyeong’s voice was filled with authority, Gok Gang’s was filled with rage and Killing Intent.

Seok Gyeong clicked his tongue inwardly.

Just as I thought. He’s young.

An experienced genius was frightening. But a genius who had crossed an Asura field and returned could develop fatal flaws.

Carelessness, and arrogance.

In terms of talent alone, Gok Gang was a genius who ranked among the top three of the Eighteen Warrior-Generals. His natural gifts had granted him rapid growth in martial arts, but on the other hand, they had stolen from him several qualities a warrior ought to possess.

Seok Gyeong said, “Winning or losing is [N O V E L I G H T] not what matters. Do not let personal emotion seep into the mission.”

“Look at the difference in forces. Our victory is already decided.”

“Whatever the case, I forbid you from acting rashly.”

“Senior!”

“Or do you mean to refuse the command of the man currently seated at the head of this group?”

Gok Gang flinched.

He was arrogant, but he was not the sort to run wild without reason or limit.

And Seok Gyeong was a man whose experience and martial arts stood among the finest even within the Eighteen Warrior-Generals. He was clear in reward and punishment; when a subordinate earned merit, he praised it greatly, but he showed no mercy toward insubordination.

Damn it.

Grinding his teeth, Gok Gang took two steps back.

Of course, he did not simply retreat.

“Brat. Count yourself lucky.”

Yeon Hojeong gave a faint laugh.

“Dogs who tuck their tails and back down always say something like that to save their pride. Does saying it make your anger go away? How fascinating.”

Seok Gyeong frowned. Gok Gang, on the other hand, began to emit Killing Intent far denser than before.

“You son of a bitch!”

Yeon Hojeong shook his head.

“Enough. You’d better go back now. This is a battlefield. It isn’t a place where a hollow fool like you should be allowed to strut around.”

In that instant, Gok Gang completely lost his reason.

Seok Gyeong shouted.

“Gok—!”

BOOOOOM!

There was no time to stop him. Gok Gang, who had charged forward with terrifying speed, swung his fist toward Yeon Hojeong’s face.

Yeon Hojeong’s left hand also moved like lightning.

JJEOOOOOEONG!

Gok Gang’s fist and Yeon Hojeong’s hand collided, unleashing a fearsome shockwave.

If Seok Gyeong had learned the same Blue Furnace Pure Fire Art as Gyu Jeok, Gok Gang had learned the Red Lotus Pure Fire Art cultivated by Yo Roe. The red Fire energy raging from his fist moved dynamically, swirling like a whirlwind.

Chiiiiik!

By contrast, dark water energy surged from Yeon Hojeong’s hand.

Fire energy clashed against water energy. Pale steam rose above the searing shockwave.

Gok Gang growled.

“So you did have one decent move.”

Tremble, tremble.

The two men’s touching hands gave off a faint tremor.

Yeon Hojeong grinned.

“You somehow found the courage, little boy.”

Seok Gyeong shouted, “Gok Gang! Withdraw at once!”

Gok Gang roared like a beast.

“Do not say something so absurd! The fight has already begun!”

Rage had risen all the way to the crown of his head. Now even his superior’s command no longer reached his ears.

Seok Gyeong was about to speak again.

......?

Mu Seong caught his sleeve and shook his head.

Seok Gyeong frowned. Unlike Gok Gang, Mu Seong was cautious by nature. There had to be a reason he stopped him.

Seok Gyeong looked back.

The Divine Flame soldiers were glaring at Gok Gang and Yeon Hojeong, giving off ferocious Killing Intent. They had already become completely immersed in the fight.

It cannot be helped.

If he had not stepped forward, that would have been one thing. But now that he had, they could not stop him. If he withdrew here, the morale of the Divine Flame soldiers would waver.

Of course, that did not mean Gok Gang seemed likely to lose, but there was no need to take needless losses.

Yeon Hojeong’s smile deepened.

“Your superior has allowed the fight.”

“Shut up! I’ll turn you to ash within three exchanges!”

BOOOOOM!

With an explosive roar, the two men stepped three or four paces back.

“You bastard!”

BANG!

His temper seemed to have stretched as far as it could go. Gok Gang’s movement as he kicked off the ground and charged was extraordinarily fast, and as rough as it was fast.

HOOOOOOONG!

Red Fire energy once again swirled around Gok Gang’s fist.

It was the Divine Flame Cult’s secret art, the Flame King Eight Fists.

Die!

BANG!

He stomped down right before Yeon Hojeong’s nose and gathered all his destructive power into his fist.

Gok Gang swung his fist with force. It was a powerful strike that could crush a boulder in a single blow.

Yeon Hojeong merely watched that fist in silence.

Gok Gang smiled triumphantly inwardly.

Madman. He can’t even react.

It was too late to dodge, and it would be too powerful to block. That was what Gok Gang thought.

Then it happened.

......?!

Time suddenly slowed.

An instant felt like eternity. He could see every single spark of fist-flame being pushed backward by the pressure of the air.

What is this?

Gok Gang was puzzled.

This sudden sensation of time slowing.

This occurred when True Qi forcibly amplified the power of the brain in response to an unexpected threat. The body, not the mind, sensed danger first, and True Qi naturally reacted.

Why in the world......?

In that instant, Gok Gang saw Yeon Hojeong’s right arm, which had somehow been raised high, tilt forward.

What?!

It was a movement so fast that even in this slowed world, the tilt was clearly visible. Unless he had intended and prepared it from the beginning, such speed could not have emerged.

......!

For a moment, his vision darkened. Something enormous was blotting out the light and casting a shadow.

Gok Gang’s eyes lifted upward.

Before he knew it, an absurdly huge axe blade was falling toward his head.

Huk!

A tremendous Killing Intent came from the axe blade.

It was the axe Yeon Hojeong was swinging down. If Gok Gang did not stop his fist, Yeon Hojeong’s face would be crushed, but if that happened, Gok Gang’s body would also be split diagonally.

This madman!

Gok Gang quickly struck upward with his fist.

KWAAAAANG!

With a tremendous explosion, Mad Dragon bent downward and struck the ground. Gok Gang had withdrawn his fist and struck the side of the axe, altering its path.

Hup!

The slowly flowing time suddenly accelerated.

At the same time, Yeon Hojeong’s body moved like lightning.

BOOOOOM!

Footwork that reduced the short distance between them completely to nothing.

It was Blood-Wing Sweeping Heaven of the Vermilion Bird Art. The wings of a phoenix containing flame drew Yeon Hojeong’s speed to the limit.

Startled, Gok Gang madly swung both fists.

PUH-PUH-POONG!

Gok Gang’s martial arts were indeed outstanding.

Even after being struck by a counterattack that had taken advantage of his carelessness, there was no wavering in the fist strikes he poured out.

It meant that although he was arrogant by nature, his skill itself was certain. He had blossomed his innate talent through blood-soaked effort, refining it so perfectly that even unconsciously, he could embody an upright martial path.

But Yeon Hojeong was no different in that regard.

In terms of inborn martial talent, he was below Gok Gang. But he possessed countless experiences, the enlightenment of the Dark Emperor, and on top of that, ultimate battle sense.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

“Keuk!”

Gok Gang retreated wildly.

It was a fist art he had thrown out in confusion, but its power had certainly been real. Yet despite hammering away with such powerful fists, a rebounding force surged back through his wrists as if they would break.

Gok Gang glared forward.

Chiiiiik!

Beyond the pale steam covering his vision, a translucent black fortress wall had risen.

It was the Northern Heaven Twelve Walls of the Black Tortoise Art. A secret art of absolute defense formed from water energy, which opposed Fire energy.

And through the center of that iron wall of black water, a huge axe appeared, cleaving vertically.

CHWAAAAAAAK!

It was the fang of a mad dragon slicing through the current.

You!

JJEOOOOOEONG!

Gok Gang quickly twisted his body and struck the axe blade with his palm.

Hup!

The axe that had lost its path vanished faster than the speed at which it had thrust out. The moment its trajectory wavered, it had been withdrawn.

Both the release and withdrawal were as fast as lightning. At a glance, it was a heavy weapon that looked as if it weighed several dozen geun, yet he could not understand how Yeon Hojeong handled it so freely.

FLASH!

And that was not all.

Gok Gang had charged in to attack Yeon Hojeong, who was hidden by the steam, but before he knew it, Yeon Hojeong had taken his rear.

Shock spread across Gok Gang’s face.

How is he this fast?!

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

Gripping Mad Dragon’s shaft with both hands, he unleashed a frenzy of attacks.

JJEOOOEONG! THUD! BANG!

Three consecutive strikes, swift as lightning.

Gok Gang knocked away the first strike, but failed to completely deflect the second, and a handful of flesh flew from his shoulder. Then, at the final third strike, his body shook violently.

Gok Gang retreated, coughing blood. He had blocked using a shield of qi-art power, but Mad Dragon’s strength and sharpness were beyond imagination.

PUHWAAAAK!

A great spray of blood erupted from his left forearm. The axe blade of Mad Dragon had severed his muscle and even broken part of the arm bone.

This cannot be.

Even as he retreated, Gok Gang could not believe it.

I lost?!

This was a fight in which he had never even considered defeat. Was that why? The fact that he had been pushed this far in fewer than twenty exchanges struck him with tremendous shock.

Gok Gang clenched his teeth.

“Impossible!”

He burst out shouting and detonated the Red Lotus Pure Fire Art.

KURURURUNG!

Crimson Fire energy surged from his whole body, writhing like snakes.

“How dare this bastard use sorcery......!!”

Then it happened.

THUD!

Yeon Hojeong rapidly approached and struck Gok Gang in the chest.

It was not an especially powerful blow, but it was enough to send his body flying. Gok Gang’s figure was buried inside the fog created by the collision of Fire energy and water energy.

......!

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes shone fiercely.

As expected.

A palm force of tremendous power flew toward him from behind. Seok Gyeong, having seen the balance of the fight tilt sharply, had intervened in the battle.

This will be difficult.

A head-on duel, one-on-one?

Such things had no meaning in war. Before victory, honor and shame had no value whatsoever.

Seok Gyeong knew that as well, and that was why he had joined in.

Yeon Hojeong swung Mad Dragon along the path of Tiger King’s Nine-Wall Breaker, Tiger King Kill.

KWAAAAANG!

The density of their power was different.

Yeon Hojeong slid back. The palm force was so strong that a tingling pain spread through the hands gripping Mad Dragon.

But that was all.

BANG!

Yeon Hojeong drove Mad Dragon into the ground and straightened. At that, Seok Gyeong and Mu Seong, who had been charging toward him, flinched.

Yeon Hojeong grinned.

“What’s the hurry? You’re running over like a colt with its tail on fire.”

“......You bastard.”

Seok Gyeong growled quietly.

“What did you do to Gok Gang?”

Then, from beyond the steam, a cold voice flowed out.

“You mean this brat?”

HOOF!

A powerful gust sent the steam surging high into the sky.

And there, Tang Gwan appeared, gripping the blood-soaked Gok Gang by the neck. Gok Gang hung limp, blood flowing from all seven orifices.

Bloodshot lines spread through Seok Gyeong’s and Mu Seong’s eyes.

“You bastards......!!”

“You were the ones who broke the rules first, weren’t you? Swarming in to catch the two of us? That was too cheap.”

Tang Gwan tightened the hand gripping Gok Gang’s neck.

Crack, crack.

Gok Gang’s neck bent at a grotesque angle.

His organs had melted, and even his neck bones had been crushed, so survival was no longer possible.

Tang Gwan tossed Gok Gang aside carelessly and walked up beside Yeon Hojeong.

Yeon Hojeong said coldly, “The preliminary bout is over. Now let’s fight properly.”

Seok Gyeong shouted, “Kill them all!”

PAAAAAK!

The two camps charged toward each other.