Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 406

Muk Bi’s participation was truly a divine move.

Puh-puh-puh-puh-pung! Puh-oong!

Direct and indirect shots relentlessly targeted So-bang’s body.

Normally, she would have evaded such attacks by creating distance or exploiting openings. It wouldn’t be easy, but it wouldn’t be too difficult either.

The problem was that So-bang’s current condition was not normal.

‘I’ll kill you!’

Puh-puh-puh-pung! Swish!

So-bang’s sleeve was sharply torn.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to respond. The five spearmen’s battle formation had become stronger with the addition of one archer. The sticky battle formation, like a net enveloping her entire body, made it hard to move, as if she were stuck in a mud pit.

‘What the hell is this formation?!’

It was truly absurd.

To avoid being caught in the same trap, she had tried to take down those bitches with long-range attacks before even engaging with the formation.

But that was impossible. They were already charging in formation, and as her energy approached their battle formation, her power was being chipped away.

She had launched every possible long-range attack, but those five spearmen blocked her attacks with an incredible combined technique.

‘There’s no such formation in our sect. I’ve never heard of such a formation in Gwanghyeol or Sinhwa either.’

So-bang gritted her teeth.

This was cheating. They were just five low-level fighters she could easily kill with a single punch, yet they were blocking a master on the verge of becoming a demigod just by forming a battle formation?

Was this really possible? It was logically absurd.

Kwaaang!

With a powerful shockwave, So-bang was pushed back a couple of steps.

The flow of her inner energy slowed down even more. Her stamina was noticeably decreasing, and the power of her explosive strikes seemed to be reduced by at least thirty percent.

At this rate, she would inevitably suffer the same fate as before.

‘What should I do? There’s no way…’

Suddenly, So-bang’s eyes twitched.

The moment she realized she couldn’t kill the enemy no matter what, a single word popped into her head.

Escape.

“…Damn it!”

Whirr-whirr-whirr!

Her blood-demon energy flared even more fiercely with extreme rage.

So-bang let out a crazed shout.

“Do you think I, of all people, would retreat because of you mere insects!”

Kwakwakwang!

This time, her energy was truly fierce.

Cough!

Song Yeon-gyeong and two spearmen coughed up blood.

Anyone could form a battle formation with rigorous training, but the power of the formation depended on the inner energy and enlightenment of its members.

The spearmen, who had trained in combined techniques in the Ami sect [a fictional martial arts sect] before joining the Myolsa Army, boasted the strongest power among the small formations within the Myolsa Army.

That was why they were able to withstand So-bang’s one-sided attacks. If it had been other soldiers, the formation would have collapsed long ago.

“I’ll kill you all!”

As So-bang charged forward with a thunderous cry, she saw the spearmen’s eyes waver for a moment.

‘Huh?’

In a split second.

So-bang’s keen senses caught the battle formation faltering.

‘It’s wavering? The battle formation?’

Only then did So-bang realize.

‘That’s right. Those bitches have reached their limit!’

That was the answer.

The Myolsa Three Kill Formation was extremely powerful in battles against high-level masters.

However, no matter how excellent a formation was, it could not maintain that level of power continuously. There was a clear limit, and exceeding that limit posed a fatal threat to the users.

The limit of the Three Kill Formation was its duration.

It could allow a few people to fight against a master of extreme heights, but the energy that formed the battle formation came from the inner energy of its members.

To amplify that inner energy to this extent required an explosive surge of inner energy. And that surge of inner energy caused extreme fatigue, and if the time limit was exceeded, it could inflict severe internal injuries on the users.

In other words, it was an equal exchange. It brought about an extreme increase in power, but if the limit was exceeded, it could kill the members of the formation.

That was why it was called the Three Kill Formation. Either the opponent died, or they died, or everyone died.

And now, the five spearmen were reaching their limit.

Pa-a-a-a-ang!

So-bang retreated ten yards away.

She wasn’t trying to escape. She was buying time for the formation to break down on its own.

Muk Bi urgently fired her bow.

Pa-pa-pa-pa-pang! Pu-oong!

She blocked six shots, but she couldn’t properly block the last one. An explosion erupted on So-bang’s shoulder.

But it was okay. She was switching from an offensive battle to kill before her own power waned, to a defensive battle to wait for the opponent’s power to wane. She could grit her teeth and endure this much impact.

Pa-a-a-a-ak!

Muk Bi flew into the sky.

The opponent had realized the weakness of their formation. If that was the case, they had no choice but to unleash overwhelming offensive power before the formation broke.

Pung! Pu-puh-pung! Pu-oong!

Muk Bi attacked with her godlike archery, while So-bang evaded with her erratic movement techniques.

In between them, the battle formation that had been spreading like a spiderweb gradually lost its power.

And finally.

Tuk! Tu-duk!

So-bang’s eyes lit up.

She could feel the battle formation, like a spiderweb that had bound her body, breaking one strand at a time.

Hwa-a-a-a-ak!

The flow of her inner energy, which had been slow, suddenly accelerated.

Kwaang!

This time, she didn’t dodge Muk Bi’s arrow. So-bang’s energy shattered one of Muk Bi’s invisible bullets.

Muk Bi’s eyes wavered.

Tu-du-du-duk! Tu-du-duk!

About half of the Three Kill Formation’s power that had been binding So-bang had been severed.

Whirr-whirr-whirr!

The area of her blood-demon energy expanded twice as much.

So-bang felt a sense of relief. Now she could finally show her true power.

“You damn bitches! I’ve waited long enough!”

Flash!

So-bang appeared above Muk Bi’s head.

It was a speed that was on a different level than before. As the flow of her inner energy accelerated, her reaction speed also increased, and the density of her power increased accordingly.

Flash!

Muk Bi landed on the ground. If she hadn’t reacted instantly, her neck would have been snapped by So-bang’s hand.

“You’re fast, archer.”

Pa-a-a-ak!

She was still slower than Muk Bi. But catching up was not impossible.

So-bang approached Muk Bi at a terrifying speed. She no longer cared about the five spearmen.

‘If I just catch that bitch…!’

That was when it happened.

‘….?!’

The archer’s face, which was expanding menacingly, had a strange expression. It was as if she knew she would approach like this.

At that moment, So-bang felt killing intent approaching stealthily from the left, right, and above.

Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-pung!

A fierce explosion erupted in the air.

It was the Dragon Killing God Net of the Nine Dragons Destroying Heaven Bow, which fired invisible bullets in all directions to form a net, and then controlled them with inner energy to ensnare the target.

Unlike other techniques that could use both arrows and invisible bullets, the Dragon Killing God Net could only be used with invisible bullets. The reason was that it required thorough control of one’s energy.

It was the first time she had used this ultimate archery technique after breaking through the Wall of No Seed [a metaphor for achieving a higher level of martial arts mastery].

‘Did I catch her?’

Muk Bi, who was looking at the sky, gritted her teeth for a moment.

‘Damn it!’

She used the Dragon Flight Movement Technique.

Pa-a-a-ak! Kwaaang!

A large crater was formed in the ground where Muk Bi had been standing.

“Damn bitch!”

Koo-oong!

So-bang’s appearance after landing on the ground was a sight to behold.

Her body was torn or burst in various places, unable to withstand the pressure of the invisible bullets. Her whole body was covered in blood.

There were no fatal wounds, but she had lost a lot of blood in an instant. It meant that it was not good to drag out the time.

Saa-a-a-a-a-ak!

The power of the Three Kill Formation had almost completely dissipated.

Hoo-oo-oo-oong.

The bleeding from So-bang’s wounds stopped. It was the power of her blood-demon energy that had stopped the bleeding all at once.

Song Yeon-gyeong gritted her teeth.

“Everyone, do your best! We have to hold her down somehow…!”

At that moment, Muk Bi shouted.

“No! You’ll die if you do that!”

“Commander Muk!”

“Release the formation! Even if we have to let her go, don’t overdo it!”

“But…!”

“I’m telling you again! Release the formation! That’s an order!”

Muk Bi’s voice was filled with strong authority.

Song Yeon-gyeong gritted her teeth.

“…Everyone, dismantle the Three Kill Formation.”

Srrr-rrr-rrr.

The power of the Three Kill Formation disappeared as if it had been washed away.

“Huff!”

“Cough!”

The spearmen staggered, gasping for breath. Two of them were even bleeding from their noses and mouths. They had already reached their limit and suffered internal injuries.

Hook!

So-bang’s energy, which had been erupting like a volcano, was instantly condensed into her body.

“…I’ve waited long enough.”

Crack!

So-bang rotated her shoulders.

She had internal injuries, and her external injuries were quite severe. But now that she could fully utilize her blood-demon energy, those things were no longer a problem.

So-bang sneered coldly.

“Will it be you first, archer? Or should I take care of those guys first? Take your pick.”

Muk Bi silently raised her Crimson Lotus Bow.

So-bang’s words were not just empty threats. Now that the power of the Three Kill Formation had been released, the tide of the battle had completely turned. She could tell that just from the energy she felt.

But Muk Bi was fine.

Crr-crr-crr-crack!

The Crimson Lotus Bow screamed. It was because she had poured all of her Bow String Strengthening Inner Energy into it.

“Ah, you first? If that’s what you want, so be it.”

Muk Bi released the bowstring.

Kwa-a-a-a-a-ang!

A huge explosion erupted in front of So-bang.

It was a powerful invisible bullet, but that was all.

Srrr-rrr.

The smoke cleared, and So-bang was seen with her hand outstretched. She had blocked it with one hand.

So-bang’s eyes deepened.

“The games are over, you damn bitch!”

That was when it happened.

Charr-rrr-rrr-rrr!

So-bang’s eyes widened at the chilling sound of metal.

Muk Bi said in a cold voice.

“Yes, the games are over.”

Chiriririring!

“Huk!”

The Coiling Dragon Chain, which had flown in unnoticed, was now wrapped tightly around So-bang’s left arm.

It was so fast that she couldn’t even react. No, in reality, the distance wasn’t that far.

Drawing the Crimson Lotus Bow again, Muk Bi said.

“I knew you would block it without dodging. That’s how arrogant you are.”

So-bang turned around.

Yeon Ho-jeong was already within three yards.

Only then did So-bang realize. The archer had fired the invisible bullet with all her might to create a shockwave that would conceal that ghost-like man’s movement.

So-bang looked into Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes.

Two eyes that showed no emotion, the very epitome of indifference.

‘…No way!!’

Pa-a-a-ak!

So-bang pulled her body back and released her blood-demon energy, trying to break free from the Coiling Dragon Chain.

Puh-oong!

“Kaaak!”

So-bang screamed as she was hit by an invisible bullet in her abdomen and collapsed on the spot.

Muk Bi had no mercy.

Puh-puh-puh-puh-pung!

Five consecutive invisible bullets were embedded into So-bang’s body.

“Cough!”

Even with the blood-demon energy’s inner energy shield, she couldn’t stop her insides from shaking.

And that wasn’t the end of it.

Whirr-whirr-whirr!

The tremendous fire energy transmitted through the Coiling Dragon Chain began to devour her blood-demon energy.

Chiii-iii-ik!

White smoke rose from So-bang’s left arm. Her flesh was being burned by the Vermilion Bird Fire [a powerful fire-based martial art].

“Kyaaaaaak!”

Puh-buh-buh-buh-buk! Puh-buh-buh-buh-buh-buk!

Muk Bi coldly fired invisible bullets, and So-bang, who was helplessly held by Yeon Ho-jeong’s inner energy, was directly hit by a total of twenty-eight invisible bullets.

Thud!

So-bang collapsed on the spot. She had fainted from severe internal and external injuries.

Yeon Ho-jeong quickly rushed over and stepped on So-bang’s thigh.

Crack!

So-bang’s femur was fractured. He had made it impossible for her to escape even if she woke up.

Muk Bi sighed.

“You’ve worked hard…”

“Hurry and carry this bitch. We’re moving to the third base.”

“Huh?”

“Ok Cheong is in danger. He’s barely clinging to life, but we need to get him to a doctor as soon as possible.”

“…!!”