The Monarch who was speaking froze, unable to process the sudden appearance.
*Rumble!*
Another flash of lightning rapidly following the one before lit the mask from one side, the sound coming almost at the same time because of how close the lightning struck.
This caused the Monarch to shudder and his pupils dilated while jolting to take a distance, the next instance receiving a palm into his chest before his Protective Qi could be enhanced there as the more powerful layer growing from the center of his back already covered almost everywhere else and was spreading to that spot from all directions.
"Khu~!!!"
*Krrch~*
A sound of crushed bones reached the ears of the others which were still adapting from the loud thunder just prior, as they turned to look at their colleague who flew back nearly folded in two from the impact.