Rebirth of the Thunder God

"Spirit! It's an attack by a bandit group!"

"But there's a barrier, isn't there?"

At Namgung Hui's question, the royal guard answered in a blunt tone.

"That's what we're wondering too. It means the spirit's barrier has been breached."

As people's gazes turned to the six-tailed fox, she opened her mouth with a bitter smile.

"It seems I was lacking and allowed an intruder."

Anyway, since there was nothing to be said about the already breached barrier, Namgung Hui immediately asked Jang Hwang.

"Brother. To breach a barrier of that level, the opponent must also be a great sorcerer or a master, right?"

"At least as much as the six-tailed fox here. If I were to dismantle the barrier with all my might, it would take me at least two hours."

"Two hours! A person like you..."

"Wihong. That's enough. First, evacuate the villagers."

"The other royal guards have gone to evacuate the villagers. I will first and foremost serve the spirit. Please evacuate to the safe house immediately. And you people, leave the village right away. To be honest, I'm suspicious because you came at the same time as those intruders, but I'll endure it for the spirit's sake."

At the royal guard's order to leave, Jeok Hwarin looked at Namgung Hui and asked.

"Great Hero. They're telling us to leave. What are you going to do?"

"One of our purposes is the bandit group. Since the six-tailed fox doesn't seem to be running away right now, let's deal with those guys first and then continue our conversation."

"Hmph! It's not a bandit group of a level you can handle! They are the Mad Wind Group that rules this area! Don't act recklessly to gain the spirit's favor and leave the village right away. If you step forward, you'll only die a dog's death."

"Why do you seem to feel proud when you introduce the Mad Wind Group? Well, whatever. It's better to show with actions than words. Mungchi. I'll go alone, so you stay here with my brother and take care of the kids."

"Dad. Are you sure you don't need my help? As that person said, they're not at a level to be ignored. The Mad Wind Group is probably the bandit group that has learned the martial arts I mentioned."

"I'm not at a level to be ignored either. Anyway, since there's a high probability that their target is the six-tailed fox here, it might be better for me to defeat them one by one. Rather, you might have to face more of the bandit group. If you also leave your post for no reason, the six-tailed fox might..."

"Ah, alright. I'll stay here and guard. Go and come back."

Namgung Hui grinned and patted Mungchi's waist.

Even though he had transformed into a human, his height was so great that it was difficult to even place a hand on his shoulder.

If Mungchi of this size were to guard the six-tailed fox's side, it would be a great relief.

"Brother. Just in case, take this talisman with you. There might be an outstanding sorcerer on the opponent's side."

"What effect does this talisman have?"

"It can return a sorcery to the caster just once. Well, if it's a sorcerer with a stronger power than me, it will be difficult for it to be effective, but if not, you'll surely benefit from it."

"Oh. That's a great performance. I'll be sure to use this well. Then."

As Namgung Hui was about to leave the shrine, Jeok Hwarin grabbed his sleeve and said.

"Great Hero."

"What is it this time?"

"Take this too. I don't know if it will be a great help, but I hope it will be of some help."

Namgung Hui, looking at the fist-sized bead that Jeok Hwarin handed him, showed a strange light in his eyes.

"This is a Hot Wind Bomb. I've received something quite precious."

"Huh? How do you know about the Hot Wind Bomb, Great Hero?"

"Of course I know, because my insight is outstanding. Anyway. I'll be back, so wait quietly. And if you think the six-tailed fox is going to possess the party, you, as a woman, should do something."

Just because she was a woman's body did not mean she would not be possessed by the six-tailed fox.

However, perhaps because Jeok Hwarin was innately superior in mental immunity, she did not show any signs of being swayed by the six-tailed fox.

'Perhaps it's an innate constitution. From what I've roughly observed, Jeok Hwarin was also the owner of a peculiar body.'

At first, he had thought it was because she had learned the martial arts of the Sun God Palace, but the fact that her body itself was full of fire Ki felt like an innate constitution.

As if it were the opposite of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians.

Well, since it was also slightly different from the severed meridians, Namgung Hui had no information about it in his head.

Anyway, since the important thing now was the invading bandit group, Namgung Hui immediately performed his lightness skill and returned to the village.

Ujigeun! Wajangchang!

The intruders, the bandit group, seemed to be more intent on destroying the village than on plundering, and were smashing all the structures in sight.

Originally, for a bandit group, it was a principle to minimize destruction for the sake of plundering.

If they destroyed everything, what would they plunder?

There were quite a few cases where really vicious bandit groups would just receive tribute without any act of destruction.

As if they were harvesting crops.

That meant that the bandit group's goal was not plunder.

'As expected, their purpose is to capture the six-tailed fox. But they attacked just as we visited.'

There is no such thing as a simple coincidence.

They probably took advantage of the gap when Namgung Hui's party visited and aimed for the right time.

Because if the six-tailed fox were to greet Namgung Hui's party, her guard would be lowered.

Namgung Hui flew towards the enemies to find out their purpose more clearly.

And he did so while spreading the Great Hand Seal.

-Huuung...!

On the wreckage that the bandits had destroyed.

The wrath of the Tathagata descended.

The shape of a palm dyed in darkness, just like the bandits' inner thoughts.

-KABOOOOM!!

The moment it covered the bandits, the wreckage of the destroyed wooden fence was crushed to pieces and evaporated along with the bandits' bodies.

And at the same time, shouts erupted from all directions.

"Shit. It's an ambush!"

"Form a defensive formation!"

"The enemy's lightness skill is swift! To the hawk hunting formation!"

The bandit group, dressed in black, moved in perfect order.

Each of them held a unique weapon, and that also seemed to be related to the defensive formation they were forming.

'That's closer to that of a military unit than that of the martial world.'

A defensive formation that felt strangely familiar.

Without giving Namgung Hui time to recall his idle thoughts, they immediately launched an attack.

-Swaeaek! Swiiik! Hwiririk!

Each with a different trajectory and appearance, they aimed for Namgung Hui's vital points.

Certainly, since they had no intention of capturing him, each and every one was a fatal path.

But even such a powerful joint attack was only meaningful if it hit.

Seuseuseuk.

Thunder Shadow Victory Steps.

As Namgung Hui left an afterimage and deflected all the attacks, the bandit group shouted in surprise.

"A clone technique! The enemy is using a Daoist art!"

"Heop! It's a Daoist who has descended from the Kunlun Mountains!"

'Still, this time it's a Daoist art, not a wicked art.'

Although the Thunder Shadow Victory Steps that Namgung Hui had performed was not a Daoist art either, if you traced it back, it might be a martial art that originated from Daoist arts.

Should I say this was a lucky guess?

The bandit group, seeing Namgung Hui's extraordinary martial arts, stopped their attack and coordinated their opinions among themselves.

"If we fight among ourselves like this, it's a certain defeat. We have to bring the envoy."

"But won't he be in the middle of a fox hunt right now?"

"If so, let's at least bring the sorcerer. By now, he should have finished all his rituals."

"Alright! I'll go."

"Then we'll buy time."

Nod. Nod.

As the conversation ended, a bandit ran off somewhere in a hurry.

Although Namgung Hui could have chased him, he just let him go as he was, in order to wipe them all out in one go.

"You bastard! You're so full of yourself. Let's see if that composure lasts until the end!"

"You guys also seem to have something you're counting on. That trust. I'll shatter it to pieces."

"Ha! How absurd. Do you know who we're waiting for?"

"Didn't you say it was a sorcerer earlier? At best, it's probably a fellow who knows how to perform some wicked arts."

"Ahem! A fellow! You're speaking words that deserve punishment. Yes. Today will be your death anniversary. What can't you say in your last words? Then, now that I've heard all your last words. Suffer a good beating."

As the bandit finished his words, something flew from right behind Namgung Hui, cutting through the wind.

It looked like a paper doll, but it moved organically like a living creature.

'That's a shikigami!? Don't tell me the one called the sorcerer is...'

A sorcerer who handled shikigami was usually called an onmyoji.

This was originally not from the Central Plains, but had come over from Wa.

Perhaps the sorcerer in front of him was also a person from Wa who had crossed the sea, judging by his attire.

"To think they even recruited a sorcerer from the Wa country. The bandit group's resourcefulness is better than I thought."

"Haha... No! How did you know I came from the Wa country?"

"Well, just by looking at your clothes, aren't they different from those of the Central Plains? Your appearance also feels strangely different."

"You're a fellow with more insight than I thought. But the result won't change! Mr. Seiko! Kill that fellow. You don't have to capture him alive."

The onmyoji answered in a slightly slurred tone.

"I feel a strange energy from that person. Is it okay if I capture him and play with him?"

"Umm... Well, do as you please."

Namgung Hui could not read any energy from the onmyoji in front of him.

A feeling quite different from a martial artist who handled internal energy.

Although Jang Hwang had used a sorcery that used internal energy, the principle of the onmyoji in front of him seemed to be a little different.

As the onmyoji flapped his fluttering sleeves, this time, the paper dolls transformed into various animals and flew towards Namgung Hui.

Fox, raccoon, snake, toad, wolf...

Besides that, beasts of various appearances surrounded Namgung Hui with their mouths open.

Originally, it was not good to face an unknown territory.

Because he didn't know what kind of curse or illusion he would fall into if he were to face the onmyoji's sorcery.

But Namgung Hui was not completely ignorant of the existence of onmyoji.

'I've seen one once in my past life.'

Although it wasn't a deep connection, there was a person who could be said to have left a deep impression on Namgung Hui.

He had also had a duel with him like this, and he had had a hard time from the beginning.

The strange sorceries were by no means at a level that Namgung Hui could ignore, even if he was in the ranks of a supreme master.

Thanks to that experience, Namgung Hui knew well how to fight an onmyoji.

'I didn't know I would be using this right away, but maybe it's for the better.'

Namgung Hui performed the Thunder Shadow Victory Steps and took out a fist-sized bead from his bosom.

The shikigami had no way of knowing what this was, and the onmyoji, who was far away, also seemed not to know.

It was natural.

Because this was the Hot Wind Bomb of the Sun God Palace, which few people in the Central Plains could recognize.

Namgung Hui threw the Hot Wind Bomb towards the flocking shikigami and then sent a thunder finger towards the fuse.

The most precise and swift finger technique among the martial arts that Namgung Hui possessed.

A flash of light ran at the speed of light and struck the detonator.

-KABOOOOM!! Hwareureuk!

With a resonant roar, the animal-shaped shikigami instantly turned to ash and disappeared.

A pungent smell filled the village, and the moment the onmyoji opened his eyes wide in surprise, Namgung Hui's figure disappeared from his spot as if it had been extinguished.

Flash.

The place where Namgung Hui reappeared was right behind the onmyoji.

He immediately pressed the onmyoji's vital points and turned him into a stiff log.

"Bandits. Didn't you say you'd see me later? Don't you have anything else prepared?"

"N-No. How did you defeat Mr. Seiko in one move!? He's a strong person that even the shoguns of Wa can't ignore...!"

'As expected, the fact that there is an exchange between countries means it's them.'

Namgung Hui decided to subdue the bandit group rather than kill them.

Seeing as they were flapping their mouths, it seemed they had more information than he had thought.

If he were to torture them with the Bone and Tendon Separation for the first time in a long time, he might get good results.

The source of the bandit group's martial arts that the Fist King had requested.

The bandit in front of him would know that best.

As Namgung Hui strode towards the bandit group, the fellows, as if they had lost their fighting spirit, just huddled together and did not resist at all.

And so, the moment Namgung Hui extended his hand to press their vital points.

A slurred voice was heard from behind.

"The people of the Central Plains are full of affection. To think you won't take a life. Thanks to that, I was saved.”

(End of Chapter)