Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 180

Kwaaaang!

Pa Sa-Reuk was thrown back, his eyes wide with shock.

‘What is this guy?!’

Thwack!

He lightly pushed off the ground and was instantly right in front of him. It wasn’t that his speed was incredibly fast, but it was strangely difficult to react to.

Whoooom! Kwaang!

It was heavy.

Even though he had pulled up all the Sumi Reverse Buddha defenses [a defensive technique focusing on inner energy], he could, the force was so powerful that his back was bent backward.

“This bastard!”

A crimson light flared as a giant fist, burning the air, aimed for Moyong Gun’s head.

It was fast and sharp. He was a head taller than Moyong Gun, his entire body armed with muscles developed beyond their limits, yet he used martial arts that were incredibly flexible and fast.

But that was all. Moyong Gun’s martial arts, focused intently on his opponent, were on a different level than before.

Thwack! Thwack!

Pa Sa-Reuk’s eyes widened.

The fist, imbued with the power of the Bulyeong Divine Fist [a powerful fist technique], was immediately deflected upwards. The layers of force that had pushed in had disrupted the fist’s path.

Crack!

Pa Sa-Reuk’s face contorted.

‘Damn it.’

A sharp pain shot through his abdomen from the sweeping kick.

He had achieved a body impervious to swords and blades, yet he felt pain? This meant that his opponent’s attack power was superior to his defense.

“You son of a bitch!”

It was a betrayal of his body, which he had believed would never be damaged by anything less than the martial arts of the mountain masters of the Nine Great Sects [major martial arts schools] or the leaders of the Six Great Families [influential martial arts clans].

Pa Sa-Reuk stomped his foot hard.

Kugung!

A powerful tremor shook the earth.

Moyong Gun’s eyes flashed.

Thwack!

Moyong Gun, dodging the incoming tremor and leaping into the air, gripped the Tangma Greatsword with both hands.

‘Slash.’

Swish!

The heavy blade grazed Pa Sa-Reuk’s shoulder.

It was a sword strike intended to cut his head off in one blow. It was a moment where Pa Sa-Reuk’s flexible evasion ability shone.

‘He’s really honed himself.’

Outwardly, he seemed like a clumsy, dull body.

But the reality was completely different. The power from his well-developed muscles was strong, the flexibility of his joints was on par with any master in the Central Plains, and his quick movements were as nimble as a swallow.

He was the leader of a bandit group that sucked the blood of the common people, but he had properly trained his martial arts. His body and martial arts were a perfect harmony of strength and flexibility.

Clang! Clang!

He blocked the pouring fist techniques with the flat of his greatsword.

Those who have properly mastered martial arts know the exact timing for attack, evasion, and defense.

Those who have gone a step further can execute two or three methods simultaneously. They can use evasion and attack in one breath.

Pa Sa-Reuk was like that.

That was why he could easily defeat opponents with weapons, even with his bare hands.

‘But.’

Whoosh!

Moyong Gun’s figure appeared on Pa Sa-Reuk’s rear left.

Urgency flickered across Pa Sa-Reuk’s face.

‘That’s all.’

Kwaang!

“Kuh!”

Pa Sa-Reuk staggered.

He somehow managed to turn his body and throw a punch, but Moyong Gun’s Tangma Greatsword was imbued with the force of a mountain.

Paang!

Moyong Gun, closing the distance, swung his sword at an incredible speed.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

“Kuh!”

More than a dozen cuts appeared all over Pa Sa-Reuk’s body.

This attack, too, had only cut through flesh. It hadn’t cut through muscle or bone.

But Pa Sa-Reuk realized.

‘It’s deeper?!’

The cuts were slightly deeper.

Just as he was about to retreat in terror, the greatsword extended and pierced his pectoral muscle.

“Huk!”

Thud!

He knocked the greatsword away with his fist and lowered his upper body.

Sluuuurp.

Pa Sa-Reuk’s eyes wavered.

This sword strike had cut through flesh and even muscle. He quickly tightened his muscles with inner energy to stop the bleeding, but the amount of blood that had gushed out in an instant was considerable.

“I’m getting used to it now.”

Pa Sa-Reuk looked at Moyong Gun.

Swish!

Blue inner energy, reminiscent of the sky, surged from Moyong Gun’s body as he approached, emitting a terrifying light.

“I’m finally getting used to your toughness.”

Pa Sa-Reuk’s face contorted.

Getting used to it? Could he cut through what he couldn’t cut just by getting used to it?

“You little brat, I was trying to end this quickly… !”

It was then.

Kwaaaang! Thwack!

“Uwaaaak!”

“R-Run away!”

“Chief! Chief!”

“Boss! We have to run!”

Kwarurururung!

Pa Sa-Reuk’s eyes widened.

The wall connecting the inner and outer core had collapsed, and his subordinates were being pushed back.

They weren’t running away. They had been pushed back this far because they couldn’t withstand the enemy’s overwhelming power.

Hwaaaak!

Beyond the retreating subordinates, someone emitting explosive energy waves appeared.

Kwaang! Kwaang!

They were like fallen leaves in the wind.

As the dark gray iron chains writhed, the bandits’ necks were torn off, and as the black and white dragon-shaped axe swept through, their bodies were shattered into pieces.

It was the rampage of a three-headed, six-armed monster that no one could stop. The murderous intent of the one indiscriminately massacring the bandits was surging like flames.

It was not an exaggeration to call him a war god. And behind that war god was a divine archer, flying through the air and drawing his bow.

“…What.”

Pa Sa-Reuk’s pupils trembled.

“What is that crazy bastard!”

Then, Moyong Gun said.

“That’s the Myeolsa Army Commander.”

“What?”

“He’s the leader of the Myeolsa Army [a powerful military force] and the best late-stage master in the Central Plains, known by the alias ‘Azure Mountain Tiger General,’ the eldest son of the Yeon family. And…”

Moyong Gun readjusted his Tangma Greatsword.

“He’s my brother.”

Kwaaang!

A thick vein popped out on Pa Sa-Reuk’s forehead.

“Eek!”

It was a terrifying force.

Moyong Gun, having witnessed Yeon Ho-Jeong’s mad performance, seemed to be burning with fighting spirit as well. Pa Sa-Reuk crossed his arms to block the sword strike, but Moyong Gun was pushing harder, displaying monstrous strength.

Sluuuurp.

The greatsword was gradually digging into his muscles.

‘No way!’

Pa Sa-Reuk accurately assessed his own condition.

‘I’m going to lose.’

Losing wasn’t the problem. The important thing was that he could actually die like this.

‘Escape!’

Pa Sa-Reuk had no honor or pride. As Moyong Gun had said, his highest value was always survival.

And that wasn’t just him. All those who lived under the name of bandits were like that.

Pa Sa-Reuk shouted.

“Everyone scatter…!!”

Thwack!

“Kuaaak!”

Pa Sa-Reuk knelt down. An invisible arrow had struck his back.

It was an arrow of inner energy, a Shadowless Bullet [a projectile of concentrated energy]. Muk Bi, who had been massacring bandits dozens of yards away, had fired a furious blow.

If it had been a steel arrow instead of a Shadowless Bullet, his life would have been over. It was a stroke of luck for Pa Sa-Reuk.

Crack!

Blood spurted from Pa Sa-Reuk’s mouth. Moyong Gun’s knee had struck his jaw.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Moyong Gun’s eyes sparkled.

He had intended to cut off his head in one blow, but even in the midst of it, he had spread his fist and palm to block the sword strike. He was a tenacious bastard.

Of course, it wasn’t without results.

Snikt!

Pa Sa-Reuk’s left index, middle, and ring fingers were cut off.

“Eek!”

Kwaang! Snikt!

Pa Sa-Reuk threw himself to the left. Moyong Gun’s sword had cut his back, but he had somehow managed to escape.

Moyong Gun’s eyes flashed.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

It was then.

Charrrrrrrr!

The iron chain, shot through the blood-filled air, strangled Pa Sa-Reuk’s neck.

“Kehk!”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes emitted a terrifying murderous intent.

“Come here.”

Cha-a-a-ang!

The Coiling Dragon Chain tightened, and Pa Sa-Reuk’s body was lifted into the air.

Swish!

Moyong Gun’s greatsword moved like a flash of light.

Snikt!

It was a response that was truly admirable.

Even while being strangled by the chain and flying through the air, he twisted his body to avoid Moyong Gun’s lightning-fast sword. He had suffered a serious cut on his back, but he had prevented his body from being split in half.

It was a terrifying will to survive. His ability to read the enemy’s murderous intent was beyond imagination.

“Uwaaaap!”

Kwaang!

Pa Sa-Reuk, stomping on the ground with both feet, pulled on the Coiling Dragon Chain. His body, born with innate divine strength, was filled with the Sumi Reverse Buddha to its limits. And with his life threatened, he was displaying a monstrous strength that was beyond imagination.

But this time, his opponent was bad.

Whoooooooosh!

The Vermilion Bird energy of the Fire Heaven was imbued in the Coiling Dragon Chain.

“Hup!”

Kwaang!

Pa Sa-Reuk’s body was once again lifted into the air.

‘Wh-What?!’

He had pulled with explosive force, but he was being pulled back to his opponent. Even though his opponent was pulling with only one hand!

Pa Sa-Reuk’s pupils widened.

A monster, his face covered in blood, was glaring at him.

“Uwaaaaaa!”

Thwack!

Pa Sa-Reuk’s legs were blown off from below the knees.

Kwaang!

Pa Sa-Reuk, having lost both legs, was slammed into the ground.

Yeon Ho-Jeong stepped on Pa Sa-Reuk’s face.

Thud!

His nose was broken, and his teeth were knocked out. His right cheekbone was crushed and sunken.

Pa Sa-Reuk’s trembling body soon went limp. He had fainted.

Yeon Ho-Jeong looked at Moyong Gun.

He could tell what the other wanted just by looking at his eyes. Moyong Gun shouted loudly.

“Everyone stop!”

Whoooom! Whoooom!

It was a voice that echoed throughout the area. It was no less loud than Pa Sa-Reuk’s voice, which was reminiscent of sonic attacks.

“You have been defeated! Drop your weapons now!”

Fear filled the faces of the bandits.

Next to Moyong Gun, Yeon Ho-Jeong, who had grabbed Pa Sa-Reuk by the scruff of his neck, was glaring at them with murderous eyes.

Shivers!

The remaining Hallway Unit trembled in fear.

A huge number of casualties had been caused by the monster who had suddenly appeared and swung his axe. And as if he wasn’t tired, his body, which was holding up their leader and glaring at them, was surging with destructive energy waves.

His eyes, his energy waves, were telling them.

If they didn’t surrender, they would die.

Clang! Clang!

The bandits began to drop their weapons one by one.

As simple as they were, they showed tremendous morale when they were on a roll, but once their morale was broken, they collapsed beyond recovery. It was the moment when their greatest strength became their worst weakness.

It was the limit of the bandits. For them, who valued survival above all else, there was no such thing as a glorious death.

Moyong Gun sighed.

‘Is it over?’

Then, his gaze turned to Yeon Ho-Jeong.

Yeon Ho-Jeong was slowly shaking his head. The murderous intent that filled his eyes was burning even more fiercely.

Surprise flickered across Moyong Gun’s face.

‘You want to kill them?’

‘Yes.’

‘They’ve already surrendered. There’s no need to kill them…’

‘It’ll be easier to deal with them now that they’ve dropped their weapons.’

‘….!’

‘Don’t worry. I’ll take the burden of the evil deeds.’

In Moyong Gun’s bewildered eyes, he suddenly saw the formations of the Myeolsa and Tangma Armies.

“…!!”

When had it been?

The Tangma and Myeolsa Armies had perfectly surrounded the Hallway Unit. It was a formation optimized for a surprise attack.

In an instant, Moyong Gun realized.

‘Yeon-je?!’

That’s right.

The moment he entered the battlefield, Yeon Ho-Jeong had to consider not only the destruction of the enemy but also the minimization of friendly casualties.

That’s why he hadn’t broken through one point to completely crush the enemy. Doing so would have killed more enemies, but it would have also increased friendly casualties.

Yeon Ho-Jeong, flashing from east to west, had concentrated his allies.

The Tangma and Myeolsa Armies had unknowingly formed a formation that slowly surrounded the Hallway Unit.

Thud!

Yeon Ho-Jeong, having carelessly thrown Pa Sa-Reuk aside, glared at the bandits.

And that wasn’t all.

Unlike the Tangma Army, who had relaxed, thinking they had already won, the eyes of all the Myeolsa Army members were similar to Yeon Ho-Jeong’s. It was because they had experienced this kind of situation countless times.

Yeon Ho-Jeong spoke coldly.

“I command the Myeolsa Army.”

Shhhhhhh.

A thick murderous intent spread like fog.

“Send them off cleanly.”