Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 900

Chapter 900

Chapter 900: The Complete Banishing Strategy!

Only nine Paragons remained . They were all that was left of humanity’s greatest Adepts .

The Wine Master quickly relayed Lan Jue’s command . He also told Kang Hui aboard Tyrannosaurus, which thankfully could still fly . As commander of the armada it was his responsibility to give the order to fall back .

“Pass on my directive . Everyone is to fall back to Angel . Bastions take up the rear . Leave a couple reconnaissance vehicles behind . ”

No more need be said . Everyone could see the dancing lights within the Strategy . Compared to when they first started the energy surging from it was inconceivable . Even laymen could tell that they were on the cusp of completion . Victory was eminent .

The five remaining Paragons stayed behind to bear witness while Kang Hui and his soldiers began to retreat .

Even though the soldiers were falling back, there was no decrease in the faith afforded to the four sword bearers and their Strategy . Though, it wasn’t just their Strategy anymore . Everyone, all throughout the galaxies, had a hand in its completion .

Monarch would never have believed that he would be caught by the wiles of man, but such was the case . He struggled and railed against his prison, sure that he could escape if only he found the right place to attack . Before his attacks felt blocked, like they were caught in a mire of that chaotic energy . Now that sense was gone . All of it was gone .

The confusion was gone and reality came back into focus, free from the flows of chaos . This lauded Strategy had its limits, he was glad to discover . Monarch was pleased that his golden immortal abilities were able to defeat their ploy . He grinned arrogantly to himself .

He glared at his surroundings as they once more became clear, and reached out with his perception . To his North was Ultus; to his South, Occisus; on his West arose Captus; at his East was Demortus . Before him arose a gate, and from it issued a murderous aura and an evil wind .

This is…

Something flashed behind his eyes . He wasted no time, moving quickly toward Ultus . It was the sword he was most familiar with, the one he’d left his mark upon . It would likely be the easiest one to conquer .

However as he moved forward to take the sword a portal appear . He slipped through, and was transported back to where he started . He hadn’t gained any ground toward Ultus .

The Banishing Strategy’s suffocating pressure had dissipated once his surroundings became clear again . It led him to believe the danger was passed . But he was wise, and understanding was clear in his face . Instead of moving forward to seize the weapons himself, instead he lashed out with a punch in each direction .

Faced with Monarch’s all-mighty powers the swords simply flickered . Monarch’s explosions of energies vanished without foundation . He was the most powerful being in a millennia, so he sensed the flows at they reacted to one another . He felt it as the manifestation of his power was shattered and swallowed up like it was nothing .

His manufactured human heart sank . Without question, he no longer possessed the power to threaten the trap he’d been caught in . It was in this moment a flash of purple caught his eye . It caught him off guard and he nearly fainted away, but turned fast enough to catch who it was . The Violet Prince was at his side .

The Prince was ablaze in violet light . Monarch recognized that he was consuming the essence of his Core to empower his abilities .  

“Monarch!” The Prince greeted weakly .

The immortal regarded his progeny with an ominous glare . “Why are you here? Did I not order you to destroy the Strategy?”

“The humans staunchly resisted,” the Prince explained . “Moments before I could break free and attack the sword bearers, the Strategy changed . I was caught . ” 

Gazing upon the lesser alien’s beaten and crippled body, he knew it to be true . It meant that the humans had obtained some unknown power to aid them . Whatever it was, it had been enough to help them complete the Strategy .

Even now Monarch found it difficult to believe that his strength was incapable of breaking them free . The humans were no greater than Nirvana-level, how could they possibly contend against him?

It was well known that the gulf between an Adept of Nirvana and a denizen of the Infinite was vast . The difference between the Infinite and Immortality was larger still . The potential of an Immortal was vast as the heavens themselves .

At his level of cultivation it would require another ten thousand years before he arose to the next degree of domination . If crossing the threshold from one Paragon rank to another was a herculean task, rising in status as an immortal took eons .  

Monarch’s face darkened . Finally he realized that perhaps he’d overestimated himself . At the final moment, when he thought victory was his, human beings proved their strength .

There was nothing in the genetic material he stole from mankind that told him what this trap was . How could it? There were so few humans who knew of the existence of the Banishing Strategy .  

“Monarch, what should we do?” The Prince asked .

Monarch fixed him with a serious gaze . “The only thing we can do is try to break free . Perhaps we can overwhelm their ability to hold us here . I don’t believe these humans can maintain this trap for long . The amount of energy required to hold me here must be immense, and the moment they begin to falter that will be our chance . It’s a test of endurance, how can they challenge me in such a trial? This trap they’ve lain has only kept me stationary – it does not cause any harm . ”

The moment these words left his lips, the four Banishing Blades glowed brighter . As more portals appeared all around them reality became less distinct . The areas around them started to change .

All of a sudden the swords seemed leagues away .

A deep and booming voice thundered through the interior of the Strategy . “In all of history you are the first to assume this trap lacks bite . Monarch, you must know what it is you face . Regardless, I shall tell you: it is called the Banishing Strategy . In the days of immortals it was called the greatest weapon under heaven . Is it not your goal to attain the highest state of immortality? I may as well tell you, even if you succeeded this very moment the Strategy would reduce you to dust . Were this not so, would its title be so audacious? What you face terrified the gods of old . You – will – die . ”

The voice was Lan Jue’s . It was cold and callous, full of dark promise .

Monarch responded with a dismissive sniff . “Very well! I’m eager to see what your so-called super weapon is capable of!”

“Monarch . Are… are you sure we’ll be fine?” The Prince at his side sounded less than convinced .

Scorn dripped from Monarch’s voice . “This is nothing more than a trick to shake our confidence . Greatest weapon under heaven… they have no means to kill me-“

His haughty affirmation were cut short when suddenly reality began to tremble . In the distance eight glimmering portals revealed themselves . Shimmering around them the rainbow of color started to fluctuate . Monarch shook and the Prince quailed . The lights went out .

When the Prince looked at his master he was surprised to see shock on Monarch’s face . Before his eyes miniscule cracks appeared upon the immortal’s body, spurting golden light . They started on his head, but quickly spread until they criss-crossed every inch of him .

With a loud clap, Monarch’s body broke apart .

A beam of golden light escaped from where its head had been . It tried wildly to flee in any direction it could . However the flows of sword-energy that had vanished suddenly reemerged from the darkness . The moment the golden light crashed into these lights it froze, and revealed its true nature .

It was Monarch, though a miniature copy . The tiny golden homunculus was nimble, but was now frozen with an expression of disbelief writ plain on his face .

“No! Don’t kill me . I’ll surrender the immortal realm . I can teach you how to make one of your own . I can –“ Before he could finish Lan Jue’s voice rumbled from within the tempest .

“Your pleas are useless . Did you think we would allow you to live, after what you did to our people? With every murder you only thought about consuming more – you never spared a thought for those not of your ilk . Goodbye, Monarch . You should be proud to die by the might of the Banishing Strategy . ”

As the last syllable hung in the air, an unending torrent of cutting light descended upon him . Monarch’s immortal spirit was cut to ribbons and drifted away to nothing in the emptiness of space .

The Violet Prince witnessed the whole scene . His face had gone ghastly pale .

Monarch – the ascendant, he who consumed the power of both Queen and Consort, the master of their immortal realm – was dead!

How was this possible? How could they have killed a god?

He stood still, frozen in place, shaking ever so slightly . No thought of confrontation entered his mind, for in the face of that terrifying storm he felt insignificant .

When it swept through the Violet Prince was rent asunder until nothing remained . He was beneath even a final word from Lan Jue .