Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1133

‘This is incredible!’

Lee Gwang, the commander of the Geumcheon Cavalry, clicked his tongue as he watched the Silver Phantom Horsemen scatter from the rear.

He, too, had led all sorts of cavalry units. He had led light-armored cavalry, heavy-armored cavalry, and even bare-bodied cavalry who wore no armor to lighten their bodies, like martial artists.

But no cavalry unit had ever shown such divine horsemanship as the Silver Phantom Horsemen.

‘They are truly one with their horses.’

With subtle movements of their waists, the tightening of their legs, and the shifting of their upper body’s center of gravity, they freely changed direction. Their reactions were so nimble that they didn’t even need reins.

It wasn’t impossible for a skilled horseman to do this. But those guys were doing it on the battlefield. And not just one or two, but the entire unit.

The bigger problem was the horses themselves.

‘Monsters!’

The size of each horse was equal to or greater than that of the Geumcheon Cavalry’s horses.

They were far superior to the Geumcheon’s horses, which had been trained for a long time, with their bodies enlarged through thorough breeding, their endurance and strength equally enhanced, and their natural fearlessness even when swords and spears were swung at them.

Moreover, an ominous demonic energy flowed from their entire bodies, and the energy was so intense that even the famously brave Geumcheon horses flinched at times.

‘They are truly demonic creatures. Demonic creatures created by the Demonic Cult.’

However, no matter how bizarre the enemy group was, the Imperial Palace’s best cavalry could not back down.

Lee Gwang shouted,

“Combine Blades!”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

As the front-line cavalry pushed back the demonic horsemen with their spears, a thousand troops in the center raised their crescent blades.

They were large blades for cavalry, with spear shafts four feet long and thick blade bodies three feet long. The blades, similar to the Executioner’s Blade [a large, curved sword], gleamed brilliantly.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The Silver Phantom Horsemen scattered in all directions and charged again, aiming for the Geumcheon Cavalry.

In response, the Geumcheon’s front-line spearmen also spread out widely to block their advance, and the blade-wielding soldiers with crescent blades sprang out from the gaps.

“Cut them all down!”

Clang! Clang!

The Silver Phantom Horsemen were formidable, but the Geumcheon Cavalry was no less so.

While they couldn’t match the Silver Phantom Horsemen in terms of reaction speed between horse and rider, their weight and the power of their strikes were greater.

This was possible because they were heavy-armored cavalry. Moreover, the Geumcheon Cavalry’s soldiers were all trained in first-class martial arts, and they advanced without regard for their lives, wearing armor that boasted the ultimate in defense, so even a unit of Silver Phantom Horsemen couldn’t easily break through.

The demonic eye of the Silver Phantom Horsemen’s First Unit Commander, Bugok, flashed.

KWAANG!

In an instant, Bugok’s spear and horse exploded forward, sending two heavy-armored cavalrymen flying to the left and right.

It was a powerful advance. Surprisingly, Bugok’s horse, which had rammed the Geumcheon’s horses head-on, was unharmed.

Lee Gwang’s face hardened as he watched the scene from afar.

‘Such internal energy?!’

It was clear that he had protected not only himself but also the body of the horse he was riding with internal energy [a form of energy cultivated through martial arts].

‘How many masters of that level are there!’

It was a level beyond imagination. Lee Gwang, too, had mastered considerable martial arts and was a transcendent master who had surpassed the level of a martial artist, befitting his position as the leader of the Imperial Palace’s best cavalry.

But he had never even imagined doing something crazy like charging with internal energy surrounding his horse, like the First Unit Commander Bugok. The reason he hadn’t imagined it was simple. It was impossible in the first place.

It was necessary to assess the opponent’s level. Lee Gwang quickly drew his Dragon Eye Bow and aimed at Bugok.

WHOOSH!

A huge arrow shot out by a transcendent master.

It literally exploded the air as it advanced. It was impossible to fire in rapid succession, but the power of a single strike was overwhelming.

Bugok’s eyes widened.

CLANG!

He had blocked the Dragon Eye Arrow fired by the transcendent master, but Bugok’s upper body was wide open from the impact.

Not only that, but the horse he was riding staggered and retreated a few steps. It was to offset the impact.

Lee Gwang’s eyes flashed.

‘Even at his best, he’s not a better master than me.’

Yet, he charges with internal energy surrounding his horse? And even the horse is unharmed.

There was only one answer.

‘It means the horse’s body is close to the strength of iron. Furthermore, it means that the demonic energy residing in the horse’s body is synchronized with the demonic energy that the soldiers have mastered.’

The more he knew, the more absurd it was.

He had never heard of infusing a beast with true energy and binding it like a master of internal energy. If that were possible, there would be no reason for the Imperial Palace to go to such lengths to create heavy-armored cavalry.

‘They have shattered common sense. This battle, if we’re not careful, we could lose.’

TING! TING! TING!

A thousand cavalrymen in the rear fired Dragon Eye Arrows.

It was to attack the Silver Phantom Horsemen who had spread out in all directions. The huge Dragon Eye Arrows flying widely were truly a spectacle.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Thud! Thwack!

Those who blocked the arrows and those whose bodies were pierced by the arrows were clearly divided.

What was surprising was that the bodies of the horses hit by the Dragon Eye Arrows were unharmed. Some horses were bleeding, but it was clear that the wounds hadn’t reached the bone.

They were taking that little damage even after being hit by Dragon Eye Arrows infused with internal energy.

‘The destructive power of these guys doesn’t come from the soldiers. It’s the horses. Those horses are the decisive weapons that make impossible operations possible.’

That’s how cavalry usually is. But the horses led by masters who have trained in martial arts play a supporting role in the soldiers’ martial arts.

Perhaps those soldiers are also using their horses like weapons.

“Keep firing!”

The Dragon Eye Arrows flew through the sky, and the crescent blades, which had become brilliant in the sunlight, unleashed threatening strikes.

WHOOSH!

In the meantime, one by one, the Geumcheon’s cavalrymen fell.

Lee Gwang’s eyes wavered.

‘Damn it.’

The movements of the Silver Phantom Horsemen were too fluid. They seemed to move haphazardly, but then, in an instant, four or five of them would combine to break through the Geumcheon’s defenses, and the destructive power of that single charge was immense.

‘But.’

Clang! Clang! Clang! Thwack!

The Silver Phantom Horsemen weren’t unscathed either.

Although they were inhuman, the spear and blade strikes wielded by the Imperial Palace’s elite cavalry were threatening enough. The number of soldiers who died from spears and blades, not arrows, exceeded two hundred.

On the other hand, the Geumcheon Cavalry’s casualties numbered three hundred. Even though they were wearing the Imperial Palace’s special heavy armor, which was supposed to block any impact, the damage was greater.

The difference in skill was clear.

The Silver Phantom Horsemen were a step above the Geumcheon Cavalry. Of course, with two thousand cavalrymen preparing to charge from inside the fortress walls, they were clearly outnumbered, but even considering that, the casualties were too high.

Lee Gwang shouted,

“Blade Soldiers, form the Twin Wings Formation!”

The Geumcheon Cavalry’s unit commander raised his crescent blade.

“Geumcheon Twin Wings!”

Neigh! Neigh! Neigh!

The heavy-armored horses spread out to the left and right in unison.

Even as they moved apart, spears and blades clashed incessantly. The sparks flying in all directions were like stars in the daytime. It was a nebula of desire created by those who would never die and those who would surely win.

The blade soldiers, spread out to the left and right, unleashed threatening strikes, and the murderous intent of the archers, who hid behind them and fired Dragon Eye Arrows from time to time, blocked the battlefield like a huge silk cloth.

They would not let anyone into the western fortress wall. The Geumcheon Cavalry’s will was clear.

But no matter how excellent their formation was, the destructive power of the Silver Phantom Horsemen, who charged without regard for their lives, could not be ignored.

KWAANG! KWA-KWAANG!

As horses collided with horses, the Geumcheon’s cavalrymen fell, spitting blood.

The impact was so severe that cavalrymen wearing heavy armor were sent flying into the air. Many also died instantly from internal injuries caused by the intense shockwaves.

The scene of the battlefield changed in an instant.

The Geumcheon tried to block them at all costs, and the Silver Phantom Horsemen, from the First Unit to the Fifth Unit, who had all gathered, tried to break through at all costs.

Lee Gwang gritted his teeth.

‘It can’t be helped, but…’

Such sacrifices were unavoidable for him. He had already planned the operation in advance, and someone had to lose their lives for victory.

Gal-yo, who had followed with the Fifth Unit, shouted,

“Crush them and break through the fortress wall!”

Rumble!

Explosions erupted, and roars soared.

As they charged with the overwhelming numerical advantage, along with the horses that had become demonic creatures, the Geumcheon’s defenses crumbled in places in an instant.

Lee Gwang shouted,

“Tighten the formation!”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Despite the combined efforts of the spearmen and blade soldiers, and the desperate fight of the rear archers, hundreds of cavalrymen had already lost their lives.

Lee Gwang did not waver.

Even if tears of blood flowed at the deaths of his subordinates, all of this was for victory. Even if I die, I wouldn’t want my comrades to get excited and become prey for the enemy.

Thus, the Silver Phantom Horsemen, who had finally broken through the Geumcheon Cavalry’s defenses, charged towards the fortress wall.

It was a terrifying charge. It was as if a black storm was blowing in.

‘Go.’

He didn’t have to look back to know how far they had reached.

Lee Gwang gritted his teeth.

‘The moment you enter within thirty yards of the fortress wall, you’re all dead!’

It was then.

WHOOSH!

The Silver Phantom Horsemen, who had been charging towards the fortress wall, suddenly changed direction and charged towards the rear of the Geumcheon Cavalry.

WHOOSH!

A tremendous murderous intent was felt from behind.

Lee Gwang felt a shock run down his spine.

‘They’re not going to the fortress wall?’

He had deliberately deployed his defenses, accepting a certain amount of sacrifice.

If they didn’t break through, he would have blocked them to the end, and if they did break through, he would have spread out the formation and lured them to the fortress wall.

‘A counterattack!’

Lee Gwang instinctively looked at Gal-yo. He had recognized him as the leader of the Silver Phantom Horsemen.

A cruel smile appeared on Gal-yo’s face.

“Your training is good. But the process of deliberately showing a weakness was a bit clumsy. Anyone could see that you were planning to lure us to the fortress wall.”

That was not the case.

It wasn’t that the Geumcheon Cavalry was clumsy, but that the Silver Phantom Horsemen’s tactical insight was extremely outstanding. Their ability to see through the enemy’s movements with their vast experience and training, and to instantly recognize the presence of traps, was shockingly impressive.

Lee Gwang’s face turned pale.

‘How?!’

They pretended to fall into the trap, but instead sent cavalry to the rear, surrounding and attacking from the front and back.

It was a simple but not at all simple tactic. It required the ability to see through the Geumcheon Cavalry’s trap, divine horsemanship, and training that allowed them to immediately execute the appropriate operation without being told.

‘These guys are planning to annihilate us first and then gradually attack the fortress wall.’

His vision blurred.

Nearly a thousand of his subordinates had lost their lives to lure them into a deadly trap. But these guys pretended to fall into the trap, charged, and then surrounded the formation to annihilate them.

It was a horsemanship tactic of divine skill that he had never seen before. Lee Gwang felt death approaching, and he felt a crushing despair, not at his own death, but at the fact that he would die without protecting His Majesty the Emperor’s residence.

‘Your Majesty!’

It was then.

WHOOSH.

He didn’t know how he heard such a sound in the noisy battlefield.

He turned his head to where the small noise came from, and there was the enemy commander.

Gal-yo, who was smiling cruelly in the distance.

WHOOSH!

A black hand axe flew and shattered Gal-yo’s upper body.