Rebirth of the Thunder God

After sending the guests away and returning to his room, Namgung Hui sat in a chair and fell deep into thought.

‘That Five Poisons Sect member mentioned the Moon Maiden Palace earlier, didn't he?’

At the name of the familiar sect, Namgung Hui was momentarily lost in nostalgia.

The Moon Maiden Palace was a sect composed entirely of women, similar to the Emei Sect.

But if the Emei Sect was made up of benevolent nuns, the Moon Maiden Palace, on the contrary, was composed only of women with ruthless hands.

The reason was that most of its members had been harmed by bandits or thieves.

Or, it was because the core members were courtesans who had been unjustly sold.

Sixty years ago, the palace's mistress at the time had participated in the Great War between Justice and Evil, so the Thunder God had a considerable acquaintance with the Moon Maiden Palace.

‘Of course, her personality was so prickly that we couldn't become close friends.’

And hearing that the young mistress had been struck by thunder like him, he felt a particular sense of kinship.

Should this be called a sense of fellowship?

Although he couldn't visit the Moon Maiden Palace as it was a sanctuary forbidden to men, he decided that if he happened to meet the young mistress by chance in the future, he would resolve the side effects of the thunder strike for her.

‘By the way, my eldest brother hasn't shown his face at all for a fortnight. Even though his younger brother came back from the dead.’

The acting family head, the young lord Namgung Chan.

As long as the family head, Namgung Uncheon, remained in seclusion for over three years.

He had effectively become the family head.

He had also had a child and started his own family, so he could now be called the respectable head of a household.

‘Well, I'll have to visit my brother later. I have something to give him anyway. So, shall I start creating my own martial art now?’

Before creating a new martial art, Namgung Hui first recalled the unique martial arts of the Thunder Sect.

Thunder Strike Fist, Thunder Dragon Palm, Thunder Severing Kick.

All were martial arts performed with the bare body.

Why did the Thunder Sect insist on using bare hands, abandoning the advantages of weapons?

It was because ordinary metals could not handle the powerful energy of thunder ki.

Unless it was the legendary metal, Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron, it was impossible to contain the explosive energy of thunder ki.

Nevertheless, the reason Namgung Hui intended to learn a sword art was because he had found a solution to that problem.

‘If the memories of this life are correct, it won't be impossible to obtain Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron.’

However, even if he obtained the Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron, processing it into a sword was a separate issue.

But there was a way for that too, which is why he decided to create a sword art that could be performed with thunder ki.

Having organized his thoughts, Namgung Hui pulled his chair to the table.

He took out a blank book and writing materials to create a new martial art.

After a moment of deep thought, he wrote the title on the cover.

[Heavenly Thunder Sword Art.]

The ‘Cheon’ (天, Heavenly) from Namgung Cheonhu.

The ‘Roe’ (雷, Thunder) from the Thunder Sect (雷電門).

It was named after his sworn brother's name and the name of the Thunder Sect.

Namgung Hui smiled triumphantly at the plausible name of the martial art.

Now it was time to live up to that name.

He began to fill the blank pages with his sworn brother's Emperor Sword Form and the Thunder God's insights.

And so, Namgung Hui's lazy afternoon disappeared along with the empty space in the book.

* * *

A first-rate master.

While third-rate and second-rate martial artists couldn't be called masters, a first-rate was certainly a respectable master.

It was the realm of Sword Ki Injuring People, where one could injure people with sword ki.

Such a first-rate master, dressed in a pitch-black mask and dark black clothes, was secretly heading somewhere in the dead of night.

‘Two hundred silver taels to take care of one sick person. This is a freebie of a request. The Namgung family probably doesn't have much money these days, but they really spent a fortune. I don't know why they're spending so much on a sickly young master, but it's good for me.’

The identity of the man in black was none other than O Mujin, who had previously received a request from Namgung Sang.

He was now hiding in the darkness, heading towards Namgung Hui's quarters to complete his request.

No matter how much the Namgung family had fallen, it didn't make sense for such a suspicious person to be wandering around inside, but perhaps because the third young master, Namgung Sang, had pulled some strings, the area around Namgung Hui's quarters was unusually quiet.

The maid, Chohwa, had also gone to sleep, so only Namgung Hui would be there.

Arriving at Namgung Hui's quarters, O Mujin checked his belongings just in case and put on a determined expression.

No matter how sickly and insignificant the youngest young master was, in the martial world, a single moment of carelessness could determine life and death.

Besides, when he took his pulse earlier, he was definitely not at a third-rate level.

Having prepared his body and mind, O Mujin gently opened the window of the quarters.

-Creeeak…….

The quiet area was filled with the sound of the scraping hinge.

No matter how carefully he tried to open it, the old, worn-out window that had been neglected for so long wouldn't keep its mouth shut.

Realizing his mistake, O Mujin hurriedly stopped his hand and looked at Namgung Hui, but fortunately, Namgung Hui showed no signs of waking up.

‘Phew……. That's a relief. He's dead to the world. I need to complete the request quickly.’

O Mujin took out a small flying needle from his pocket.

The tip of the needle glinted in the moonlight, looking as if it was coated with poison.

Seeing him handle even such a small amount with care, it was surely no ordinary poison.

O Mujin tiptoed towards Namgung Hui and was about to stick the poison needle into his Adam's apple.

Until Namgung Hui opened his eyes.

-Flash.

In an instant, a chilling glint shot out from Namgung Hui's eyes.

Only the faint moonlight was seeping into the room, but for a moment, it felt as if the room had become bright.

O Mujin was so startled that his heart almost leaped out of his mouth.

‘Hup! This bastard wasn't sleeping. In that case!’

Whether he woke up because he had to pee.

Or whether he woke up because he sensed something.

Either way, the dead tell no tales, so he just had to finish the job before that.

O Mujin hurriedly tried to stick the poison needle into Namgung Hui's neck.

“Keok!”

Instead, Namgung Hui's foot was planted in O Mujin's abdomen.

It was so fast that he didn't even realize it until the foot touched his abdomen.

Clutching his sore stomach, O Mujin shouted.

“You bastard! You were hiding your martial arts. Have you been deceiving people by pretending to be sick all this time?”

“A sick person hiding his martial arts? Do I have a reason to do that? By the way, if you come in through the window, you should close it behind you. The cold wind is getting in.”

-Whoosh~ Rattle. Rattle.

Just as Namgung Hui said, the window was rattling loudly due to the blowing wind.

Perhaps because of that annoying noise, O Mujin's gaze momentarily turned towards the window.

It was then.

-Swish!

Namgung Hui's foot cut through the air and flew towards O Mujin.

O Mujin, perhaps not expecting Namgung Hui's sudden attack, hurriedly crossed his arms to block the kick.

-Thwack!

O Mujin barely managed to block Namgung Hui's kick.

Now feeling his morale rise, he nodded and said to Namgung Hui.

“You cowardly bastard. Then I'll also get serious… Huk!”

-Zzzzt!

A numbing thunder ki traveled up O Mujin's arms and struck his body.

At the tingling pain he had never felt before, O Mujin gasped for air and scrambled backward.

Namgung Hui was not one to just watch.

He followed O Mujin's steps, continuously unleashing the Thunder Sect's secret technique, the Thunder Severing Kick.

-Swoosh. Thud!

O Mujin's arms were so numb that he ended up exposing his chest.

It was so numbing that it was difficult to even control his body.

He could only fall backward and stare at Namgung Hui.

“What on earth is this martial art? The Namgung family shouldn't have such a martial art. To handle thunder ki. I've never heard of or seen such a martial art.”

“At least you're not calling it a demonic art. That guy named O Sahyeok called my martial art a demonic art. You're better than him.”

O Mujin tilted his head at the somehow familiar name and then shouted.

“You bastard! How do you know his esteemed name!”

“Wow. Sahyeok is at a level where his name is esteemed? He's grown up a lot. In my day… no. What's the point of badmouthing someone who's already gone to the other world. By the way, to come visit at this time of night must mean you have something important to say, right? Shall we hear what you have to say?”

After speaking, Namgung Hui slowly walked towards O Mujin.

-Thud. Thud. Thud.

He had only taken three steps, but to O Mujin, Namgung Hui suddenly seemed as huge as a great mountain.

Under that pressure, O Mujin swallowed dryly and retreated backward, sliding on his bottom.

“The th-third young master ordered it. I just received the request.”

Even though Namgung Hui hadn't done anything yet, O Mujin's mouth opened smoothly.

But there was no way Namgung Hui would let someone who came for his life go.

He decided to savor the taste of his hands (?) for the first time in a while with a wicked smile.

“You'd better be prepared. My control isn't deep yet, so it's hard to adjust my strength.”

-Zzzzt. Zzzzt.

Seeing the static electricity rising around him, O Mujin hurriedly shouted.

“What on earth are you trying to do… Kuaargh!”

The thunder ki raged and churned through O Mujin's entire body.

O Mujin screamed in great pain, but since Namgung Sang had sent everyone away, there was no one anywhere to help him.

And so, half a shichen (one hour) passed since the thunder ki torture began.

A moment later.

“Heok… heok……. Please let me speak. I will tell you everything truthfully. I swear. Keoheuk!”

O Mujin, drenched in a cold sweat and with tears in his eyes, pleaded with Namgung Hui.

But who was Namgung Hui? He was the Thunder God who had mercilessly beaten down the demon heads.

He stared at O Mujin without a single change in his expression.

“Well, since you want it so much, I'll listen. But if it turns out to be a lie, you know what will happen without me saying it, right?”

“I-I understand. Please ask away.”

“Why is the third one after my life? Everyone knows I'm not the young lord and I don't have the makings of one. Isn't that right? Ah. You don't have to be cautious. Just speak honestly.”

O Mujin cautiously glanced at Namgung Hui's face before opening his mouth.

“...There are several reasons for that. As far as I know, there are two. One is that you are the son of the first wife. He was probably wary that you might lend your strength to the young lord.”

“Me, who was a sick person? Is there any faction that supports me? Anyway. What's the other one?”

“Actually, this seems to be the most important reason……. Do you happen to remember what happened ten years ago, right before you became bedridden?”

Namgung Hui had been tracing his recent memories, so the events of ten years ago came back to him vividly.

Right before he became bedridden, there was the third brother Namgung Sang's birthday banquet.

“Yes. There was my third brother's birthday party. What does that have to do with me?”

“It has everything to do with it. Among the guests invited at that time, there were quite a few rising stars of the martial world. And they were all handsome men and beautiful women.”

At that time, Namgung Hui had no interest in the people around him.

He couldn't recall the faces of the rising stars O Mujin was talking about.

It was natural, as Namgung Hui was only ten years old at the time.

“Did I make a mistake towards those rising stars? Enough to have my life threatened?”

“It wasn't even a mistake. You just showed your face and left. If that's a mistake, then it could be seen as a mistake. You should have just not come out.”

“I shouldn't have come out? What does that mean? Get to the point and speak clearly so I can understand.”

“I-I understand. So. When you showed your face, it seems one of the women there fell for you. But as fate would have it, the third young master was in love with that woman. After that….”

“Consumed by jealousy, he aimed for his half-brother's life? No way. Was it the third bastard's doing that I became bedridden?”

Learning the truth, Namgung Hui couldn't bring himself to call Namgung Sang ‘brother’.

Seeing that the timing also coincided, it seemed Namgung Sang had pulled some strings back then.

“Yes. From that day on, he started getting poison from our Five Poisons Sect. He probably didn't aim for your life at first. The poison he bought was also weak. He probably just wanted you to be bedridden. But it seems the pain of a broken heart was greater than he thought, because he kept getting poison until our Five Poisons Sect went into seclusion.”

Fortunately, it seemed Namgung Hui's life was spared because the Five Poisons Sect went into seclusion.

If he had continued to be fed poison, Namgung Hui's breath would have been cut off without anyone knowing.

‘At that time, Namgung Sang would have been fifteen, what a venomous mind. Just what kind of woman was she to steal the third bastard's heart like that?’

Well, it didn't matter who the other person was. It wasn't as if she had instigated Namgung Sang.

O Mujin cautiously glanced at Namgung Hui's face and asked tentatively.

“So what are you going to do with me now? Haven't I cleared up all your questions? As promised….”

“Promise? Did I promise anything? Ah. Right. I'll let you live. Instead, let's do a job together.”

(End of Chapter)