Return of the Heavenly Sword

Chapter 24. Vajra Dog (2)

As I soaked my body, which was caked in dirt and sweat from training, in the bath, I felt my whole body grow languid.

I wasn't particularly happy about it.

In order to kill even one more villain, I always had to be sharply honed.

“Tsk.”

Perhaps the problem wasn't the bath, but the story I had heard from the inn couple earlier.

As I had expected, the naive man I had seen earlier was indeed Nam Seup.

However, he was not yet the Vajra Dog.

Far from killing people, he had never even tormented anyone yet.

He was just a naive kid who was strong and had a big build.

So much so that the innkeeper's wife lamented, ‘Why did such a good kid have to be picked up by such a wicked woman?’

One who would become a villain in the future. But one who had not yet committed any evil deeds.

“Should I cut the weeds and remove the roots? Or should I just clean up the surroundings?”

After returning to the past, I had been killing only those who were consistently trash, both then and now, so it was a problem I hadn't even thought about.

I had naturally assumed that the Vajra Dog Nam Seup would also be trash at this time.

In the first place, I had only heard about the Vajra Dog through rumors. I had never encountered him directly.

Memories from before my regression came to mind one by one.

Vajra Dog Nam Seup. He and I were complete strangers, but we had a minor ill-fated connection.

It wasn't simply that I had to kill him because he was a villain.

In my life before regression, when I returned to my hometown after finishing my first ten years of training.

After I had disposed of the Iron Blood Gang that had newly settled in Heavenly Sun Village, when the heretic bastards of the Steel Sinew Sect came to kill me.

The master who saved me when I was on the verge of death had said this to me.

- I know it's rude on our first meeting, but I'll give you some advice for your own good. Just give up on martial arts and live quietly. The martial world is a ruthless place to survive with just that much talent.

And a few days later, that man was killed by the Vajra Dog.

The man who had been meddling in my affairs had, in turn, lost his life due to his lack of martial arts.

However, then and now, I had no intention of laughing at the man.

“He was a fine chivalrous hero. Of course.”

How could I laugh at such a man, who had failed while attempting the fine work of punishing those worse than trash?

Furthermore, it was not a meaningless death either.

His master's sect, upon learning of his death, came to this place, and because of them, the Steel Sinew Sect collapsed.

In any case, the Vajra Dog was the one who had killed the chivalrous hero who had saved my life. In my life before regression.

In fact, in addition to punishing villains, there was also a small part of me that wanted to repay the favor.

“I thought that if I killed the Vajra Dog in advance, that man wouldn't have to die.”

As I muttered complainingly, I shot up from the bath.

And I boldly slapped my own cheek.

Slap!!

“Get a grip.”

Being lost in such worries was also a waste of time. Worse, if I were to fall into an inner demon or qi deviation because of this, not just a day or two, but months could be lost.

While I was wandering, the Seven Evils would grow rapidly. Also, in the meantime, countless people would suffer at the hands of miscellaneous villains.

“First, I will deal with the Steel Sinew Sect. I'll see how the Vajra Dog reacts after that.”

What if he becomes an avenger and comes looking for me?

That would be just fine.

I had no intention of killing him simply because I was afraid of future trouble.

If I were to commit murder for such a trivial reason, I would be no different from the bastards I was trying to kill.

But what if he tormented others besides me? Then I would just have to find him again and kill him.

***

The next day.

As always, I woke up at dawn, sat cross-legged, and practiced energy circulation.

After leaving the room with a body that felt much lighter than yesterday, I asked the inn couple, who were also working from early in the morning, to order boiled meat.

Since I had to start a sword fight from now on, I had to fill my stomach.

If I were to die from lack of strength due to hunger while fighting, there would be no more pathetic death than that.

Although it was less than that fellow Nam Seup, I hastily stuffed meat into my mouth and left the inn.

I walked for a while towards the Steel Sinew Sect's estate, which I had found out about yesterday.

A strange sight came into view.

In the distance, Nam Seup was walking with a few other men.

Nam Seup's build was so large that I could recognize him even from a distance.

The reason the scene was strange was simple.

The guys with Nam Seup must be the heretic bastards of the Steel Sinew Sect.

As for heretic bastards, it was standard practice to drink at a brothel all night, play with courtesans, fall asleep at dawn, and wake up only when the sun was high in the sky.

To be active this early in the morning was not a heretic-like behavior.

There is usually a reason for moving differently than usual.

I followed Nam Seup and the heretic bastards who were visible in the distance.

After walking like that for a while.

They soon arrived in front of a small estate with a plaque that read [Five Sword Sect].

In front of it, Nam Seup and the heretic bastards began to argue about something.

As I cautiously approached them, I could slowly hear their voices.

“B-breaking things is a bad thing, big brother. I-I'll get in trouble if I break it.”

“Ahem! It is the order of the Leader!”

“M-my mom?”

“Yes! It is something the Leader has permitted. You won't get in trouble for breaking the gate, so just break it!”

Nam Seup, who seemed to be contemplating something at the persuasion of the heretic bastard, pouted his lips and threw a punch at the gate of the Five Sword Sect.

Crash!!

With a monstrous strength befitting his huge build, the gate of the Five Sword Sect exploded.

They entered the Five Sword Sect as it was, and I also followed them and secretly approached the wall of the Five Sword Sect.

Was it because of the noise of the gate exploding?

Only then did the disciples of the Five Sword Sect start to rush out of the pavilions one by one with panicked expressions.

“W-who are you bastards!”

“Who do you think you are to dare come here!!”

As I used my stealth technique to secretly watch the scene from the wall, the smell of alcohol pricked my nose.

It seemed they had been drinking all night until dawn and were sleeping it off.

‘That's a heretic for you. Of course.’

I had found out from asking around for information at the inn yesterday, but the Five Sword Sect was also a heretical sect.

A fight between heretics and heretics.

With the feeling of ‘kill each other’, I decided to continue watching the situation from the wall for now.

Then, all I had to do was finish off the winning side with my own hands.

It was a truly beautiful situation where I could aim to wipe them out in one fell swoop by taking advantage of their conflict.

While the heretic bastards of the Five Sword Sect were drawing their respective weapons with still hungover faces, the heretic bastards of the Steel Sinew Sect and Nam Seup were arguing again.

“Now! Seup, kill all those bastards!”

“B-big brother? K-kill them?”

“It is the order of the Leader!”

“B-but killing is a b-bad thing.”

At Nam Seup's more vehement refusal than when he broke the gate, the heretic bastard who had been arguing with Nam Seup since before frowned.

Soon, as if he had come up with a plan, he relaxed his expression and shouted.

“Those bastards were the ones who tormented the Leader! As a son, are you going to just let the bastards who tormented your mother go!”

“T-those uncles, m-my mom?”

When Nam Seup showed a startled reaction, the Five Sword Sect side showed an even more surprised reaction.

“What nonsense have you crazy bastards been spouting since before!”

“Who tormented whom! When did we ever torment the leader of the Steel Sinew Sect!”

At their shouts, the man who was persuading Nam Seup screamed.

“Aren't you bastards interfering with the Leader's business!!”

And the man turned his head and said to Nam Seup.

“You should believe your mother and big brothers. There's no need to believe the words of guys like that. So kill them! Shouldn't you repay the grace of the mother who raised you!”

While the heretic bastards of the Five Sword Sect were making incredulous expressions, Nam Seup, who had been looking confused, took a step towards the Five Sword Sect.

Then, he opened his mouth with a pleading face.

“U-uncles. C-can't you just go somewhere else? D-don't bother our mom.”

The heretic bastards of the Steel Sinew Sect closed their eyes in frustration, and the heretic bastards of the Five Sword Sect either let out a dry laugh or snorted.

“I don't know what nonsense that moron has been spouting since before, Sect Leader.”

“How dare you come to our Five Sword Sect with such a moron. Attack!”

As the middle-aged man called the Sect Leader shouted, the heretic bastards of the Five Sword Sect rushed towards Nam Seup.

Clang!

Every time they swung their swords, a metallic sound echoed as they struck Nam Seup's body.

The clothes cut by the sword were torn, but Nam Seup's skin was fine.

“S-stop it!”

Rather, one of the heretics who was accidentally hit by the arm that Nam Seup swung for defense was sent flying.

“Eek! Take care of those guys first!”

When the Five Sword Sect Leader pointed to the Steel Sinew Sect heretic bastards behind Nam Seup, the Five Sword Sect disciples rushed towards them.

A dogfight soon broke out.

“Seup!! Are you just going to let us die!!”

As the heretics of the Steel Sinew Sect shouted again, and one of them was even stabbed and fell, Nam Seup's attitude changed completely.

“Don't bully my big brothers!!”

As Nam Seup recklessly flailed his arms and legs, disregarding defense, the Five Sword Sect disciples around him fell like autumn leaves.

After watching the dogfight for a while.

The heretic bastards of the Five Sword Sect were all sprawled on the floor.

However, not everyone was dead.

Nam Seup was still controlling his strength. He had subdued every single one of them without killing them. Well, there were probably many with broken arms, legs, or ribs from being hit by his monstrous strength.

“…Was this the reason he brought in the Green Valley Worm?”

I had simply thought it was because the Vajra Dog's martial prowess had become too strong, making him a threat.

But now I wondered if it was because he refused to kill.

Just then, as if he had heard my muttering, one of the Steel Sinew Sect heretics near Nam Seup shouted.

“Who goes there!!”

Only then did Nam Seup also turn his head towards me.

“Huh? It's that big brother from yesterday. H-the strange big brother who talks to himself.”

There was no need to hide anymore, so I leaped from the wall.

Since half of the trash had fallen while fighting amongst themselves, I, as the fisherman, had to take care of the other half myself.

As I landed on the abdomen of a heretic bastard who was sprawled on the ground, the bastard let out a choked groan.

Thud.

“Gah…”

“Tsk. You shouldn't let bastards worse than trash live.”

I clicked my tongue lightly and used my movement technique towards the remaining heretic bastards of the Steel Sinew Sect.

The closest heretic bastard hastily thrust his spear.

It was a shabby-level strike, so it was not difficult to dodge.

Slash.

As I cleanly closed in and cut his throat, the Steel Sinew Sect bastards were startled and shouted.

“K-kill him!”

“Seup! Kill that bastard right now!”

Only then did Nam Seup also rush towards me.

“H-he's not a strange big brother! He's a bad big brother!”

A smirk escaped my lips.

“To think I'd hear such words from the Vajra Dog.”

In the meantime, Nam Seup, who had approached me, swung his fist.

It was a terrifying sight of a fist the size of my head tearing through the air, but I felt no particular emotion.

It was a powerful but simple and crude style.

Whoosh.

As I lightly twisted my upper body to dodge and simultaneously used my movement technique, I passed by him as if grazing him.

I could feel the wind created by the hand he swung to grab me from behind.

Regardless of that, I closed in on the Steel Sinew Sect heretic bastards.

Slash!

“S-stop it!!”

Every time I killed one, Nam Seup's urgent shout erupted.

Slash!

“Don't bully my big brothers!!!!”

Even in the midst of that, the fellow did not use lethal techniques.

Did the Steel Sinew Sect heretic bastards notice that fact too?

Stab.

The heretic bastard whose heart was pierced by my sword looked at Nam Seup with a gaze full of resentment.

“You… moron…”

“What a pathetic last word.”

It was truly ridiculous that he was resenting Nam Seup for not protecting him, instead of resenting me for killing him.

The last remaining heretic bastard shouted furiously.

“Nam Seup!!! While you hesitated, your family all died!!!”

Nam Seup's face had turned red, and his breathing had become ragged.

“K-kill. I'll kill you!”

Nam Seup rushed at me like a mad boar.

As I had decided last night, I intended to let Nam Seup live. He hadn't committed any crimes, and his nature seemed to be good.

However, if I just left him be, it seemed he would get in the way of dealing with the Steel Sinew Sect.

Ultimately, it meant I had to subdue him without killing him, but.

“This is tricky.”

A minor problem remained: how to subdue a mad boar that even a sword couldn't pierce.