Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1304

“Hoo-uk!”

Dan Gong, having circulated his energy to tend to his body, inhaled roughly.

His face was quite pale. Even after taking internal injury medicine and circulating his energy, he hadn’t healed.

‘It’s severe.’

He recalled the sword wielded by the middle-aged swordsman.

Even now, the memory of that violent sword sent shivers down his spine. The two eyes, once full of righteous energy, had been stained with a ferocious killing intent, and the swordplay, once reverent and majestic like brushstrokes, had instantly transformed into the kicks of a wild beast.

In the myths from distant India, there exists a being called Asura. Myths, constantly changing over time, now depict Asura as a war god and demon with three faces and six or eight arms.

The swordsman was just like that.

The true energy, which had resembled a clear blue sky, was instantly dyed crimson and surged relentlessly, its energy so destructive and powerful that it was almost akin to demonic energy.

‘He was hiding a demonic nature. But it’s not just because of his temperament.’

Dan Gong raised his arm.

He could heal most wounds in less than half a moment. That was the power of the Yin Desolate Evil Energy. [A dark, corrupting energy source]

Yet, even with that Yin Desolate Evil Energy, the sword wound etched on his arm wouldn’t heal.

‘Just what was that swordsmanship? It’s true energy, but the way he uses the sword is different from any swordsman I’ve ever seen. It’s not just cutting with internal energy; it’s as if an external force is imbued, causing it to cut the opponent on its own.’

Whatever it was, it was just a sword wound. There was no reason why the Yin Desolate Evil Energy couldn’t heal it.

Yet, it was in this state. He had to assume that there was something special hidden in the man’s swordsmanship.

Or perhaps the sword itself was a special object.

‘It didn’t particularly seem like an object imbued with the power of dispelling evil and revealing the righteous.’

It was also incredibly dangerous. If he hadn’t used the Yin Desolate Spirit to shake the opponent’s upper dantian [an energy center in the body], he might have truly lost his life.

After examining his body for a moment, Dan Gong sighed.

“Still, this much is fine.”

His internal injuries weren’t fully healed, but he was fit enough to fight.

Dan Gong, shaking off his seat, walked out of the tent.

“Master.”

His disciple and closest aide, Horyeon Yul, the leader of the Thunder Flash Unit, bowed his head.

“What’s the situation?”

“We’ve reached a stalemate. The two Great Kings have said they will push forward calmly.”

Dan Gong nodded.

They had already pushed the front lines this far. Since the enemy’s response was not easy, it would be better to slowly attack rather than take an aggressive offensive.

Dan Gong glanced at Horyeon Yul and the five hundred members of the Thunder Flash Unit and asked casually,

“How is the Blood Drinking Evil Art?”

“It’s being controlled well.”

The Blood Drinking Art was an offshoot of the Yin Desolate Art, a demonic art that those without talent couldn’t even begin to learn.

Even those who managed to start often ended up spitting blood and dying halfway through. Only a handful survived, and all of them were the blood relatives of the cult leader.

Of course, the fact that they were blood relatives wasn’t that significant. If they didn’t show enough talent and ability, they were just puppets similar to the countless other cult members.

In that sense, it was no surprise that Horyeon Yul, one of the countless illegitimate children of the cult leader, became Dan Gong’s disciple. Dan Gong also regarded him as just a talented cult member, not as the cult leader’s son.

“Just in case, check the Blood Replenishing Pills.”

“I already gave the order a little while ago.”

“Good.”

All five hundred members of the Thunder Flash Unit had mastered the Blood Drinking Evil Art, which only the cult leader’s blood relatives could dare to learn.

Only less than ten people in the Evil Sound Cult had mastered it ‘properly,’ but it was possible to learn it through shortcuts. They had used the Yin Empress Ha Eun-Gyo to allow them to train without using such shortcuts, but unfortunately, it had failed.

In the end, they had no choice but to use the Blood Replenishing Pills.

“As you know, you are the force that must fight the final battle with the five thousand Mountain Heaven Unit. You must be thorough in managing your bodies until the end.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Good.”

“But…”

“Hmm?”

Horyeon Yul looked at the front lines with sharp eyes.

“Although the fighting is ongoing, there are still some enemies who haven’t joined the battle.”

There was one unit that they had clashed with a few times while pushing the front lines this far, but they had never truly fought.

It was a cavalry unit of one thousand, and even in the battlefield filled with killing intent and military discipline, their presence was felt even here.

“Those must be the Dragon Fang Iron Cavalry.”

Dan Gong’s eyes also sharpened like Horyeon Yul’s.

“I heard they are the strongest force in the Black Path martial world. Although they are only one thousand, they are said to be comparable to ten thousand elite imperial guards.”

“That’s the same for us.”

“I know. What I mean is that a total war hasn’t broken out yet. Those guys aren’t fools either, so they must have saved that much power. The moment they join the battle, this fight will end.”

“Yes.”

Wooong. Woooong.

Even as he spoke, a faint evil energy was emanating from Dan Gong’s body. As time passed, his recovery was gaining momentum.

Horyeon Yul looked at Dan Gong with awe.

‘Aside from the past cult leaders, has there ever been anyone who has mastered the Yin Desolate Art to this extent?’

He had become Dan Gong’s disciple because he had caught Dan Gong’s eye, but also because he himself was born with the talent to advance in the Yin Desolate Art.

Dan Gong was different. He was not a blood relative of the cult leader, yet he had trained in martial arts with outstanding talent and eventually mastered the Yin Desolate Art.

‘There must be at least five people in the cult stronger than him. But no one except the cult leader is as versed in the Yin Desolate Art as he is.’

He would take that power for himself someday. If he properly mastered the Yin Desolate Art and reached the extreme, he would someday become a Great King and reign like his master.

If not, he would become a Protector, but he preferred being a Great King to a Protector.

After spending some time in their own thoughts.

“Hmm?”

Dan Gong frowned.

“What is that?”

The front lines rippled once.

It was as if something invisible was cutting across the long front lines diagonally. In a way, it looked like a small storm was raging.

Horyeon Yul asked.

“Shall I go and investigate?”

“…”

“Master?”

Dan Gong couldn’t open his mouth easily.

He had a bad feeling. Even with his insight as someone who had reached the extreme, he couldn’t immediately grasp what was happening, but he knew that something ominous was breaking through the front lines.

‘A master? Was there another master who could break through those front lines?’

It was unknown.

Whatever it was, it would be best to prepare.

“Thunder Flash Unit, form a defensive formation. The Mountain Heaven Unit as well.”

“Understood!”

Dan Gong turned around.

“Where is the Evil Sound Monster?”

Then, a voice came from behind the main command tent.

“I am here.”

It was a gloomy voice. It was a voice so murky that it made the listener frown, as if a sticky liquid was wrapped around his throat.

“How much is the Evil Jade filled?”

“About sixty percent.”

“Hmm.”

Sixty percent was quite fast. The Evil Jade could be completed even without killing all of them.

“I will give a new order. The Thunder Flash Unit is to protect the Evil Sound Monster.”

“Yes!”

Having sent the Thunder Flash Unit to the rear, Dan Gong looked at the front lines again.

‘Is it blocked?’

Whatever had been cutting through the front lines diagonally was no longer moving.

It was then.

Boom! Boom!

A corner of the front lines collapsed with a deafening explosion.

Dan Gong was startled for a moment.

‘What was that?!’

It was as if invisible cannons had fired in succession.

The energy of the front lines was so chaotic that he couldn’t read exactly what it was. But he guessed it was a type of outstanding energy art.

And then.

Boom! Boom!

The explosions, which hadn’t been heard at first, rang out continuously.

‘Cannons… it’s not cannons.’

Dan Gong’s eyes widened.

‘Archery?!’

Eight out of ten of the Evil Sound Cult’s archers were dead, and only the archery captain and a few archers under him were still fighting.

But he could say with certainty that none of the Evil Sound archers could use archery as powerful as that. Moreover, they were moving while blowing away the bodies of their allies one after another. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

‘It’s that woman. The one who targeted our archers from the beginning to the end! It must be that archer who caused great damage to our army with her aggressive attacks in the early stages!’

And it didn’t end there.

‘……!!’

From afar, someone who was aiming for the divine bow had their head fall off.

Dan Gong couldn’t help but be startled at the sight.

‘Who is it?!’

Now he could see the archer. The archer was rushing towards them, tearing through the cult members like an invincible general breaking through a large army.

She wasn’t even a lone rider, but she was rushing in with only a bow in her hand. Yet, she was breaking through everything. It was an unbelievable feat.

There was a ghost helping her.

Whenever something invisible cut through the air, someone’s head would fall off. And more than half of those dead allies were officers.

It meant that they were picking out and killing only the skilled ones. The coordination between the master of divine archery and the assassin who would make even ghosts fall over in surprise, it was as if they were opening a path for someone.

‘An assassin! It’s certain! But… where did they come from?’

If there was such an assassin, why hadn’t they been deployed on the battlefield until now?

Dan Gong gritted his teeth for a moment.

‘Could it be that it wasn’t just the Dragon Fang Iron Cavalry?’

A force saved for deployment at a crucial moment.

That was the only thought that came to mind. Otherwise, there was no reason to hide such an absurd assassin until now.

‘They’re up to something. They’re aiming for something that will completely change the course of this battle.’

Woo woong!

The Yin Desolate Evil Energy surged violently from Dan Gong’s body.

“Mountain Heaven Unit, form a double defensive formation! An assassin and an archer are approaching! Set up a spider web!”

There was no answer. But the Mountain Heaven Unit was already moving.

Boom boom boom!

How much time had passed?

Dan Gong realized another thing.

‘They didn’t just break through our unit.’

The diagonal movement, then heading diagonally in the opposite direction, and now clearly rushing towards them.

‘They were breaking through the weakest points of the unit…’

Even as he thought, Dan Gong couldn’t believe it.

‘Is something like that even possible?’

He could push through with force. Dan Gong was confident in that. He was impressed by the skills of the archer and the assassin, but there was no way Dan Gong couldn’t do what they were doing.

The problem was the insight to see the weak points of the battlefield and immediately act on it.

‘How could they have such skills and yet…?!’

It was then.

Flash!

A streak of light green radiance flashed, and then a flash of light spread along the diagonal path that the archer and assassin had created.

Someone who had followed the path the two had created at an incredible speed had already reached the place where the archer was.

Whoosh!

Killing intent exploded from Dan Gong’s body.

“That bastard!”

The swordsman who had shown unbelievable breakthrough power along with Muk-bi and Sama Hyeon.

It was Judge Sword Yeon-wi who had appeared.

Fwaaaang!

The swordsman, archer, and assassin had completely broken through the front lines and were advancing.

Towards Dan Gong.