Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 358

“Father!”

“Did you get a message?”

“Yes!”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s face broke into a smile as he received the letter from Jeagal Ayeon.

“As expected.”

He knew they would handle it properly. This letter was a victory report stating that Yeon Ho-Jeong, Tang Gwan, and Muk Bi had won.

Jeagal Mun-Ho had faith in them. However, no plan could ever be one hundred percent certain. There were always variables when it came to human endeavors.

But fortunately, the three of them had clearly proven their abilities. The Myulsa Army’s help was there, but holding out until reinforcements arrived was entirely their doing.

“By now, they must have already moved towards the enemy’s headquarters.”

It was then.

“Military Advisor! A breaking report from the intelligence advisor!”

“A breaking report?”

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s eyes widened as he read the letter handed to him by the informant.

“Gunpowder……?!”

Jeagal Ayeon asked with a surprised expression.

“Gunpowder? Are you talking about the gunpowder I know?”

“Yes. It seems they requested gunpowder from Commander Yeo to wipe out the enemy’s headquarters.”

Not fire bombs, but gunpowder.

In a way, gunpowder was more difficult to handle than fire bombs. Fire bombs could be made safer by securing safety devices or making the outer shell thicker, but gunpowder would explode as soon as it caught fire.

Moreover, it was vulnerable to humidity. This was especially true for gunpowder with high explosive power.

‘Not fire bombs, but gunpowder… Considering the cost and difficulty of managing it, it means that Yeo Gong’s side is also going all in.’

Even a commander would have to bear a great burden to leak that much gunpowder to the outside. Especially now that the empire’s power had weakened, he could be stripped of his position if he was caught.

‘Or maybe gunpowder is safer.’

When fire bombs explode, there are always remnants left behind. On the other hand, gunpowder is done once it explodes.

If they gave gunpowder to avoid any possible issues, then Yeo Sang-Do was indeed an extraordinary person.

‘Whatever the case, with gunpowder involved, they should be able to achieve victory without much damage.’

The Tangma Myulsa Army was a unit that had a knack for using fire bombs. They were trained not only to use them but also to understand the blast radius and penetration paths of the explosions.

What was left?

‘The Tangma Myulsa combined forces can handle the small fry. But what about the high-level experts?’

Jeagal Mun-Ho’s eyes deepened.

‘I don’t know how many great experts are hiding. Of course, I think the Eighteen Martial Generals are all there is…….’

What if, just in case, an expert beyond that had come?

What if a powerhouse beyond the level of a transcendent expert was stationed there?

‘That’s unlikely. Even if that were the case, our forces are by no means lacking.’

Jeagal Mun-Ho did not know how strong a master of the Seongcheon Thirteen Seats level was.

Naturally, the power in that realm would transcend common sense. Perhaps they could easily handle the power of three or four clan leaders of the Six Great Clans.

However, if they were just retreating, that much power would be enough. He was confident in that.

‘Even if it’s anyone else, Commander Yeon and Clan Leader Moyong wouldn’t be obsessed with a fight they couldn’t win.’

Thinking that, he finally felt relieved.

It would be heartbreaking if any of their allies died, but especially those four could not die in this battle. Of course, that would have to be the case in the future as well.

Jeagal Mun-Ho looked out the window.

The sun was setting. By now, all the fighting would be over.

How would the final battle in Hanam end?

“……I hope everyone is safe.”

* * *

Kugugugung!

The Tangma Army’s advance was completely different from the Myulsa Army’s.

Kwaang! Puuhuhuhuk!

“Kuaak!”

“Aaaak!”

It didn’t end with just cutting and stabbing.

It wasn’t just the soldiers who wore heavy armor. If the Myulsa Army’s warhorses were agile and had good stamina, the Tangma Army’s warhorses were heavy and full of power.

With heavy armor and a relentless charge, their destructive power was something that even a top-tier expert could not easily withstand. Their bodies were lacerated by all sorts of spears and swords, and then the warhorses’ hooves trampled over them.

Kwakwakwang! Kwaang!

Even though all the gunpowder had exploded, explosions still echoed everywhere. It showed how terrifying the Tangma Army’s charge and the warhorses’ weight were.

Moyong Woo shouted.

“Kill them all thoroughly! They’re tenacious bastards!”

There were no words like ‘cut their necks’ or ‘crush their heads’.

However, even without such instructions, the soldiers faithfully carried out Moyong Woo’s orders. While using their powerful charge, their eyes were coldly calm.

Yeo Guk whistled involuntarily.

“That’s some incredible destructive power.”

Puuhuk!

Peng Man-Ho, who had just decapitated a Divine Flame soldier, said calmly.

“This is the first time the entire army has been deployed except for the Hall of Return, yet their formation is perfect.”

“They’ve ingrained battle-like training into their bodies. Otherwise, it’s impossible to show such movement and composure at the same time.”

“Whatever it is, they finally look like a proper military unit.”

“You can say that again.”

Puhuhung!

Song Yeon-Gyeong, who had pierced a Divine Flame soldier’s neck with a merciless spear technique, shouted.

“This isn’t the time to evaluate our allies’ skills! Let’s go!”

“Ah, of course.”

Pa-ba-bak!

The Myulsa Army’s attacks were fast and sharp. The Tangma Army’s attacks were heavy and full of destructive power.

The combined assault of the Tangma Army charging from the front and the Myulsa Army pouring in from the left and right was truly seamless. They were annihilating the enemy very efficiently without encroaching on each other’s territory.

Of course, there was a reason for that.

“Kuhuk!”

Sixth Martial General Go Hyeok staggered back.

His left side was covered in terrible wounds. Some parts of his torso, covered in scabs, had exposed bone.

It was because he had been caught in the gunpowder explosion without any preparation. It was fortunate that his body hadn’t been blown apart, even though the gunpowder was powerful. However, due to the terrible pain and crushed blood points, he was in a situation where he could barely exert thirty percent of his true power.

Not only that, but Ninth Martial General Ju Chang was in even worse condition. His lower body was completely destroyed, making it impossible to use his martial arts.

Go Hyeok shouted.

“Deploy the formation! Don’t panic! Throw the oil barrels inside the headquarters to form a fire barrier!”

Go Hyeok, who was commanding the Divine Flame soldiers with a booming voice, approached Ju Chang.

“Are you alright?!”

“Kueueuk!”

Ju Chang gritted his teeth.

The pain was indescribable. But what was more unbearable than the pain was the fact that even if he survived, he would live as a cripple for the rest of his life.

“Hang in there! The Divine Maiden will somehow heal you!”

It was then.

“So there’s a Holy Maiden and a Divine Maiden? I didn’t know that.”

Moyong Gun appeared, clearing away the thick smoke.

Go Hyeok’s face contorted.

“Who the hell are you……!”

Puhuhuhung!

Ju Chang’s head was shattered into pieces.

It was a truly gruesome death. Moyong Gun, who had killed Ju Chang with a Lightning Flash strike at the same time as drawing his sword, spoke in a murderous voice.

“How dare you, lowly barbarians from beyond the borders, covet the Central Plains?”

“Y-you bastard!”

Go Hyeok screamed.

“I’ll kill you!”

Flash!

Even though he couldn’t exert his full power, Go Hyeok was still a master who was not far behind Moyong Gun. The power of the Blazing Palm that he unleashed from his right palm instantly engulfed Moyong Gun.

Kwarururung!

Go Hyeok’s power was astonishing.

He was using a much hotter palm force than the Blazing Palm that the other martial generals had shown so far.

The masters within the Ten Martial Generals had almost no difference in skill. It was just that each of them had different specialties.

Go Hyeok’s specialty was the firepower itself. He was called the best martial general in terms of fire energy manipulation, except for the First and Second Martial Generals.

Also, that was why he was able to survive the gunpowder explosion. The fire energy within his body had offset nearly half of the explosive force that had come from the outside.

‘Is he dead?’

Tension settled on Go Hyeok’s face as he looked at the front, which was covered in flames and smoke.

‘If he took the Blazing Palm head-on, he wouldn’t be unscathed.’

He had poured out his inner energy to the point where his head spun for a moment. At the very least, he would have suffered severe internal injuries.

Go Hyeok, who was looking down at Ju Chang’s corpse with his head blown off, gritted his teeth and turned his body.

‘I’m sorry, Ju Chang. I will avenge your resentment in the future……!’

At that moment, a strange sound was heard.

Jiiiiiiing!

A bizarre sound that could not be heard in nature.

With an indescribable sense of dread, Go Hyeok quickly turned his body and took a defensive stance.

Puhuhuhuhuk!

Go Hyeok’s face went blank.

A sword energy that had flown like lightning had already severed his right arm completely.

“To flee without even checking the opponent’s condition… It’s truly absurd. Is that the kind of half-hearted mindset you had when you tried to take over the Central Plains?”

Pussshhh.

The smoke cleared, and Moyong Gun’s figure was revealed.

Except for the dust on his clothes and his disheveled hair, Moyong Gun was fine. The lightning energy emitted from his entire body had perfectly blocked the fire energy of the Blazing Palm.

In order to master the Divine Flame Sect’s Blazing Yang Art, one had to drastically increase the body’s heat resistance.

And that was the same for Moyong Gun. The Lightning Art was an ancient martial art, an ultimate martial art that could not even be entered with ordinary talent.

As he wielded lightning energy, he was not inferior to the masters of the Divine Flame Sect in terms of heat resistance. No, perhaps he was even superior to the martial general-level masters in terms of heat resistance.

“Lowly vermin from the borderlands, consider it an honor to die by this martial art.”

Blue lightning exploded from Moyong Gun’s sword.

Flash! Chwaaaaaak!

A sound like lightning cutting through water erupted.

At the same time, Go Hyeok’s body was cut into half a dozen pieces. It was a terrifying sword technique that could not be blocked or avoided.

It was the Falling Thunder Cross Strike of the Unfeeling Heavenly Thunder Style, the invincible swordsmanship that Moyong Gun had mastered. The sword strike, which was shaped like the movement of lightning, was so fast and powerful that it was difficult for human reflexes to even react to it.

Moyong Gun looked down at Go Hyeok’s corpse, which had become a lump of meat, with cold eyes.

It was then.

Kwaaaaaang!

A tremendous explosion erupted from the center of the headquarters in the distance.

Moyong Gun, startled, looked at the source of the explosion.

‘What is it?’

It wasn’t just a simple explosion. The density of the shockwave felt from the explosion was truly enormous.

Pa-a-a-ak!

Moyong Gun, who had flown towards the source of the explosion, saw Yeon Ho-Jeong staggering and a young man full of anger.

Moyong Gun’s eyes shook.

‘Who is that guy?’

Hwareureureuk!

The flames rising from the young man’s body were tinged with gold.

It was a completely different color of flame than the Divine Flame soldiers and martial generals he had fought so far. It wasn’t just the color that was different, but the savagery of the nature itself was on a different level.

“You guys are quite the cheeky ones.”

The young man’s voice was very clear and echoed clearly throughout the noisy battlefield.

“Yeah, I thought the air had been strange for the past few days, but it turns out you buggers were targeting this place. But how did you know? Ah! Yeo Sang-Do, that old man who I wouldn’t mind chewing to pieces, told you?”

He was a terrifying young man. A fierce madness could be felt in his voice.

Moyong Gun asked coldly.

“Who are you?”

“That’s not something an attacker should be saying?”

The young man growled softly.

“Well, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know. You’re all going to die here anyway.”