Chapter 38. Sword Demon – Thunder Fang 

“What… was that?!”

“Lightning?!”

“Th-that… could it be?!”

“It’s the Heavenly Thunder Qi! That’s definitely the aura of the Namgung Clan’s Heavenly Thunder Monarch Divine Art!”

“No way! My grandfather said that technique was lost over 300 years ago!”

The late-stage experts stood stunned, unable to look away from the lingering traces of white lightning streaking across the night sky.

It was beautiful, yet terrifying. The thunderbolt was so captivating it felt like it could steal one’s very soul.

“…We have to go now! While he’s distracting them!”

“Ah…”

“R-right!”

Moyong Yul was the first to snap back to her senses. Her words jolted Tang Segi and Shangguan Hae back to reality as if waking from a dream.

Crackle! Snap!

“This way!”

Moyong Yul darted into the Dohwa Stable like a cat, swift and agile. Tang Segi and Shangguan Hae followed right after.

“All units, charge! Wipe out the Shadow Pillar Squad and rescue the children!”

Moyong Hak, a beat behind, gave the command and stormed into the stable with the other experts.

Rumble! KRAK-BOOM!

Zzzt—CRACK!

And what they saw next was…

A dazzling little beast cloaked in thunder and lightning, rampaging like a beautiful yet wild animal.

HSSSSHHHH!

The wide courtyard of the Dohwa Stable was mostly empty, except for a few shrubs scattered here and there.

It was not a good sign for a place that shouldn’t have been deserted.

The wind rustled, carrying not only the sound of leaves but also a sense of unease.

Moonlight didn’t only cast shadows of tree branches—it hinted at danger.

‘Phew… This is tight. If I can’t end this within one Illusionary Stage, things will get rough.’

The situation was far from ideal.

Yet Hoyeon smiled.

Wuuuuummm!

His upper dantian sensed the danger and began wildly amplifying his spiritual energy.

‘First, the protective shield.’

CRACK! CRAAACK!

Using psychokinesis, Hoyeon wrapped protective layers of telekinetic force around each joint.

It was a measure to protect his body during intense movement.

‘Next, the meridians.’

Zzzzt!

He then coated his key meridians—including the Eight Extraordinary Channels—with reinforced energy to shield them from the Heavenly Thunder Qi coursing through his body.

‘My body will start breaking down soon. I have to use everything before that happens!’

RUMBLE!

KRAK-A-BOOM!

Lightning crackled violently from his energy core, amplifying the Thunder Qi through alternating front and back circuits.

Zap! Crackle!

White lightning burst from Hoyeon’s entire body, and with his protective aura shimmering, he looked nothing short of a Thunder God.

CRACKLE!

The tie holding his hair snapped, and his now-static-infused hair waved like a living creature.

— Save your energy.

Just then, the Heavenly Thunder Sword spoke for the first time in a while.

“What now? Old man, you done being angry?”

— Ahem. I was never angry. More importantly, don’t use your psychic field—it wastes too much spiritual energy. Keep your powers focused only on defense.

“Oh? Didn’t expect the old geezer to know more about my own abilities than me.”

Hoyeon chuckled.

He had been planning to use his psychic field to detect the assassins.

— I know nothing about your weird abilities—and don’t want to. But I do know more about the Heavenly Thunder Monarch Divine Art than you ever will.

“And what does that mean?”

— None of the past Thunder Qi users feared assassins. Know why?

“Why’s that?”

— Because Thunder Qi allows you to detect electrical currents in all things. The human body moves using electric signals—making it a conductive entity.

“Electric signals? Conductive body?”

Hoyeon frowned, confused.

— Just spread the Thunder Qi outward! You’ll understand then!

“Huff!”

ZAP!

Following the sword’s advice, Hoyeon unleashed Thunder Qi in all directions.

It was a modified version of Sword Cloud Technique—perhaps better called Thunder Cloud (雷雲).

As the Thunder Cloud spread through the moisture in the air, a faint current dispersed through the space—and Hoyeon experienced something amazing.

Pop! Crack! Snap!

‘I can feel it! The current’s flow!’

Tiny sparks of lightning started blinking in the darkness.

BANG! ZZZAP!

With a powerful step, Hoyeon zigzagged like a bolt of lightning, swiftly closing in on a diagonal tree.

He spread his palm and activated the second move of the Heavenly Thunder Triple Palm—Thunderquake Wave (雷震波).

RUMBLE! CRAAASH!

A thunderclap, like a roaring Thunder Tiger, echoed as a wave of white lightning erupted from his palm, scorching everything within a ten-meter radius.

CRACKLE—!!

Thud! Thump! Thunk!

As the flash faded, two charred corpses and a smoldering tree remained.

Rustle!

The assassins began surrounding him swiftly, alarmed by the sudden deaths.

“I see you, you sons of—!”

Crack! Snap! Crack!

Even in that moment, Hoyeon’s lightning-filled white eyes detected every glimmer of movement.

“Die!”

He flicked his fingers.

Flick! Flick! Flick!

BOOM! KRAK!

Tiny lightning bolts shot from his fingertips, piercing the heads of hidden assassins.

Sizzle! Splatter!

They died instantly, unable to even scream. The intense heat even caused their eyeballs to boil and pop out.

“Damn it! All units attack! Use the Black Smoke Annihilation Formation!”

One of the assassins, sensing they had no more time, shouted.

Popopopopop!

The shadows elongated like mist, forming a dark lotus around Hoyeon.

Clangclangclang!

Dozens of black daggers coated in charcoal soot shot at him like a rain of death.

“Let’s go, old man!”

SHRAANG! BOOM!

Hoyeon drew the Heavenly Thunder Sword and launched into the air like a blazing fire.

—

“Thirteen Lightning Blades of the Thunder Flash! Unleash Storm Thunder Frenzy!”

“HRAAAAH!”

With a battle cry, Hoyeon’s inner lightning erupted.

Zzzzzzaaaap!

Though the Heavenly Thunder Sword seemed to swing wildly, the result was pure destruction.

CRACK!

SHATTER—!

The white lightning spiral shattered all the incoming weapons and swept the entire area in a storm of lightning.

“Aaagh!”

“Gahhh!”

“Grrrk!”

The assassins were pinned to trees by lightning, their mouths and noses pouring out smoke as they died.

Buzz! Crackle!

The current continued to pulse through the corpses, making them twitch like they were still alive.

Seeing that, Hoyeon nodded.

“Ahh, that’s what you meant, old man. The human body is a conductive vessel moved by electric signals.”

— …Close enough.

“Fascinating. I should try dissecting one of them next time.”

As Hoyeon casually conversed with his sword, the watching experts muttered, stunned.

“W-who is he?!”

“He’s like… the very fangs of lightning…”

“Good heavens, did the Namgung clan actually restore the Heavenly Thunder Monarch Divine Art?!”

Namgung Myung-po’s plan was going smoothly.

While Hoyeon danced in thunder and lightning—

Tap! Tap!

Four people snuck around the back path of the Dohwa Stable.

“You brat! Yul! Where do you think you’re going?!”

“I’m now a 4th squad leader of the Baekga Sword Corps, sir.”

“Why you little—!”

Moyong Hak ground his teeth at Moyong Yul’s insolent reply.

But then, Tang Segi glanced back with a smirk.

“Come now, Moyong Hak. A military guest should follow orders, not question them.”

“…Tang Segi.”

Though his cheek twitched, Moyong Hak said nothing more. Tang Segi was the legitimate heir of the Sichuan Tang family.

‘He refused my invitation. Said he wouldn’t attend the Baekga Sword Tournament!’

Moyong Hak had tried hard to recruit many talents—Tang Segi included.

He’d declined with an irritated face.

So why was he now following Namgung Hoyeon’s orders as part of the 5th squad?

“Haha, Sir Moyong. To put it simply, this is a diversion plan.”

“Diversion?”

Shangguan Hae interjected with a smile, trying to ease the tension.

“Namgung is drawing all attention to the front so we can find and rescue the missing children.”

“…Then you know where they are?”

“Well…”

Shangguan Hae hesitated and looked toward the front.

Tap! Tap!

Moyong Yul was dashing across the stable like she owned it.

“There!”

“The stables?”

“This way!”

DASH!

She leaped into the stables, narrowing Moyong Hak’s eyes.

‘How does she know? Someone inside the Dohwa Stable gave her information? That’s unlikely—no one would risk retaliation from the Assassins.’

So how…?

“Neighhh!”

“Huff! Huff!”

“Look for the white horse with a black diamond shape on its nose!”

The sudden intrusion startled the horses.

Following Yul’s instructions, the three began darting between stalls.

“Found it!”

Soon, Shangguan Hae shouted. Moyong Yul ran over.

“Clear the straw!”

“Neighh!”

“Easy, easy… There!”

Shangguan calmed the horse and cleared the straw—revealing a small, narrow tunnel.

“A secret passage?!”

“I’ll go first!”

Wide-eyed, Moyong Hak watched as Yul dived into the tunnel.

Tap! Drop!

She slid down a ladder and landed underground.

“Whew… Huff…”

Breathing heavily, she scanned the area.

A massive underground chamber. Pitch black in all directions.

“Squeak! Squeak!”

A faint sound led her forward.

Her foot hit something.

“Is it here?”

Squeak!

She crouched and touched soft, warm skin.

“Found them! We need light!”

“Wait there—I’ll bring a torch!”

Shangguan Hae quickly lit a straw torch.

Whoosh!

Tap! Tap!

The rest arrived with him and were shocked at what they saw.

“Gasp!”

“Good heavens!”

“What is this?!”

“This is… monstrous!”

On the floor lay at least fifty children.

Their eyes, ears, mouths, and noses all leaked red blood.

BOOM! FLASH!

“Hmm… Heavenly Thunder Monarch Divine Art. A rare sight here in the Central Plains.”

“It’s my first time seeing it too. That martial art was said to have been lost 300 years ago.”

Far away, on a hill overlooking the Dohwa Stable—

Two men in dark nightwear conversed. Their clothes, while similar, had subtle differences.

“Three hundred years ago… That was when our ancestors failed.”

“You mean the Sword Demon? He was like a natural disaster. Even the Shadow Pavilion wasn’t spared.”

“I don’t regret that failure. It taught us the value of allies.”

“Haha. Our sect is honored to work with the Ghost Gate. Your Geoseon Arts are remarkable.”

“Heh…”

The thin-eyed man thought to himself:

‘By allies, he means the Society. Your Shadow Pavilion is just another piece on the board.’

But he nodded politely.

“Of course. The honor is ours.”

“Haha. Too bad we won’t get to see the faces of those Baekga brats when it all ends.”

“Don’t worry. Your Ghost Gate’s Young Lord will surely take care of it.”

“True. They were useful pawns to the end.”

Their cryptic conversation drifted quietly into the night.