Thunder Heaven's Decree

"Not bad. Far better than my real body."

Seong Yujin grinned as he surveyed the ghosts surrounding him.

Before he had reclaimed control of his body, a faint unease had lingered—the possibility that he might fail to wield Ghost Qi as he intended. But Ghost Qi was still energy. If anything, the way it moved and answered his will made it, in some sense, more comfortable than mana.

The absence of the Thunder Heaven Style's innate traits left him a touch inconvenienced, yet he still possessed the knowledge and the feel of the art. That was enough to run Thunder Heaven techniques through Ghost Qi.

"Kyaaaaah!"

A bird-shaped ghost screeched and lunged. Yujin remained utterly at ease. His energy spread, his senses expanded, and every ghost present registered on his awareness. Sensing them was no reason to fear them.

"Watch closely. This is what proper sword work looks like."

He threw a little swagger for Dojin—the Rakshasa ghost watching from inside him—and moved his arm.

Thunder Heaven Style — Lightning Flash.

In the instant blue lightning flared, the ghost was already split in two and dead.

…Impossible. A human handling Ghost Qi this easily?! Don't tell me… you weren't human at all. You were a ghost?!

"Heh. Idiot. Do I look like a ghost to you? You're stuck to my body—you should know without me saying it. I'm human, not a ghost."

Even while talking, Yujin kept swinging. Minimal motion. Perfectly controlled Ghost Qi. He butchered ghosts with clinical precision.

It was nothing like Dojin's brute-force brawling. Yujin's blade was clean—so clean it bordered on art.

…Impressive. I acknowledge your swordsmanship. After witnessing this, I can hardly refuse.

After roughly thirty ghosts fell to the Ghost-Slaying Blade, the ones that had been charging without hesitation faltered. They eyed one another. When Yujin stepped closer, they even backed away.

"Getting scared, and you're ghosts? Just rush me already. You're being a pain. You're all going to die by my hand anyway."

"Uwaaaaah! Don't get cocky!!"

A bald kappa ghost charged. Among the rabble, its Ghost Qi stood out as particularly dense.

Yujin narrowed his eyes and focused. Then he stepped through a footwork form, brushed past the kappa, and cut.

Shadow Heaven Style — Blue Stream.

The kappa collapsed with its eyes round, as if it still had no idea how it had been cut.

"Been a while, but it still works."

What was that movement just now…? Ghostlike.

"Ghostlike, huh… Coming from an actual ghost, that isn't even funny."

Yujin seized the kappa he had deliberately left alive with only a mortal wound and hauled it up by the neck.

"Dojin. Absorbing Ghost Qi… how do you do it?"

A mere human trying to ape my Ghost Consumption?

"You burned through Ghost Qi without thinking, so I'm going to run short."

Forget it. You're human. Fight like one.

"Do I have to eat it myself? I'm something of a gourmet—I'd rather not. Your Ghost Consumption is basically an ability, so…"

Yujin dredged up the memories of the Path of Ascending Light. Among the martial arts he had mastered were techniques that stole an opponent's energy. The Heavenly Demon Divine Art's Dark Blood Acupoint was one. The Great Star-Devouring Art was another.

I can't use the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Technically I could, but the aftermath is the problem. I don't have Absolute Mind right now.

That left the Great Star-Devouring Art. Yujin moved Ghost Qi through its formulas.

It worked.

The kappa's Ghost Qi drained away. Robbed of it, the creature withered like a mummy.

Yujin was startled. He had not expected success on the first try.

…I'm not this talented. Ah—that must be it. This world's body already had talent, didn't it? They said it wasn't an ordinary family… bloodline, most likely.

Good enough. He grinned.

You miserable insect…! Do you even know where you are, crawling in here?!

"Tch. Why the sudden screaming? Looking to die?"

You don't even realize the kappa's vengeful soul just slipped inside you? Your Ghost Consumption is incomplete. Used properly, a ghost's residual soul would never invade the mind at all.

"Oh, is that so? You're surprisingly useful. Any ghost that enters my mind—you handle it."

This bastard… treating me like a subordinate. …Fine. Run wild as you please. Your swordsmanship. Your way of fighting. I'll watch it all.

"Kid's trying to steal my secrets right out in the open."

Yujin snickered and kept snatching lesser ghosts, absorbing their Ghost Qi over and over. Meanwhile Nurarihyon, master of the Hyakki Yagyō, looked down and observed.

"So the human has seized the flesh… But what is that? Why does he look stronger than when the Rakshasa held the body…? And he handles Ghost Qi better than most ghosts. Absurd."

"Boss. Are you going to keep watching? The lesser ones are dying."

Daitengu spoke.

Nurarihyon, who had been intrigued by Yujin's method of using Ghost Qi, glanced around. The ghosts were ready to kill Yujin on the spot. He would have preferred to watch longer, but he accepted their will and nodded permission.

Daitengu moved first.

He shot forward like a gale, aiming to crush Yujin's skull with a single kick.

Thunder Heaven Style — Gale Thunder.

Yujin's body vanished. The instant a startled Daitengu checked his momentum, the world spun. In that whirling view he saw his own body—without a head.

…I was beheaded?! And I only realized it after the fact…!

Yujin absorbed Daitengu's Ghost Qi. Daitengu felt his existence being pulled into the human.

I won't give up like this! I'll become a curse and gnaw your mind to pieces!

Daitengu's residual soul plunged into Yujin's mind—and found Dojin waiting with a sword in hand.

"Welcome, long-nose. Glad you dropped into my territory. I was getting bored playing with that bald one."

"Kyaaaaaah!"

The kappa, a blade through its heart, screamed hideously and dissolved.

"Rakshasa…!"

"I've never lost a one-on-one fight. And this is my domain. As long as you're here, my power only grows. It won't be like before."

"I'll kill you and shatter that human's mind!"

"Idiot. If that were possible, would I still be stuck here?"

While Dojin and Daitengu clashed in the mental world, Yujin swung the Ghost-Slaying Blade with rising exhilaration.

His body was light.

Hands and feet answered exactly as he willed.

The Ghost-Slaying Blade was magnificent—easily a match for Hwaryeonbido.

And the energy itself, Ghost Qi, was abundant. If it ran low, he simply grabbed a ghost and drained it.

With that overwhelming power he slaughtered every ghost that charged him, as if he were playing an unstoppable rampage game.

"This is fucking fun! All that built-up stress just melted away!"

"Don't get arrogant, human!"

Inugami charged, raking with razor claws to shred Yujin's flesh.

Thunder Heaven Style — Lightning Blade.

A blade of lightning flashed. Inugami's claws snapped. The lightning edge did not stop—it carved straight through Inugami's body.

"Impossible…! My claws, harder than cold iron…!"

"Ah, this is sword aura. It can cut dragon scales too."

KRAAAANG!

A colossal skeletal hand slammed down from above. Yujin slipped aside an instant before it touched him—possible only because his senses had already locked onto Gashadokuro. He planted a foot on the bone arm and shot upward, driving the Ghost-Slaying Blade into the center of the giant skull.

"Heh… Foolish… A blade like that… can't sever my head…"

"Harder than that dog bastard's claws, I'll give you that. How about the inside, then?"

Crackle-crackle-CRACK.

Lightning poured through the blade into the hollow skull. Yujin felt the empty bone fill to the brim with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thunder.

"Useless… I am not… a frail creature… like you…!"

Yujin ripped the sword free and dropped to the ground.

"Done. Die already."

"What?"

Thunder Heaven Style — Extreme Technique: Explosive Quaking Thunder.

The lightning packed inside Gashadokuro's skull detonated all at once. The skull shattered into fragments that sprayed outward like a grenade.

Landing, Yujin licked his lips and looked up. Hundreds of ghosts hanging in the dark sky flinched as one.

"Daitengu-sama, Inugami-sama, and even Gashadokuro-sama…!"

"The prophecy was right! That human will be a calamity upon us ghosts!"

"The Rakshasa Dojin is the worst traitor!"

"We have to kill him here! For the sake of all ghosts!"

"A mere human!"

The ghosts no longer hid their fear. Screaming hatred, they threw themselves at Yujin.

Thunder Heaven Style — Ten Thousand Thunders.

Lightning bolts erupted from Yujin as the center. The streams spun like tops, scouring every direction. Hundreds of ghosts caught in the storm were electrocuted and annihilated. A few survivors were cut down by the sword aura he flung after them.

"Heh. Nice."

Ghost Qi flooded the air. Using the Great Star-Devouring Art, Yujin slowly drank it in as he looked up at Nurarihyon. Lightning still lingered in the space around him, refusing to fade.

"You're the only one left. I didn't think you'd sit still until every last subordinate was wiped out. Was I that scary?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I was merely learning from you. The way you use Ghost Qi… remarkably efficient. I gained something useful. The Hyakki Yagyō can simply be rebuilt."

Nurarihyon raised a finger and pointed. A blue bolt of lightning leapt out and shot toward Yujin. Startled, he threw himself aside.

"This bastard… He copied Thunder Heaven just from watching?"

"Is that what you call Thunder Heaven? I dislike the name. Once I kill you, I'll give it another."

"You don't get a next time. You die here. The preparations are already finished."

"Preparations finished…? Hm?"

Nurarihyon looked at the sky. The Ghost Qi that had pooled thick through the space converted in a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠single rush into lightning energy and answered from above. KRA-KOOOOM! Thunder tore the air until it seemed ready to split eardrums.

"…The lightning is resonating with itself?"

"Thunder Call. No—unlike Thunder Call, I'm not controlling the bolts myself, so it needs a different name. Decided. This is a new Extreme Technique of the Thunder Heaven Style."

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

With a roar that seemed to crumple space itself, a colossal bolt took form at the heart of the sky.

Nurarihyon knew at once it was too late to flee. He swallowed the sigh that tried to escape and muttered,

"Absurd… That a mere human should possess such power…"

Thunder Heaven Style — Extreme Technique: Thunder Heaven's Decree.

The great lightning fell from the heavens.

It was a waterfall. It was a tidal wave.

The moment it struck the earth, it swallowed everything and swept it clean.

Yujin opened his eyes. He had armored himself with protective aura as thoroughly as he could, and so he weathered Thunder Heaven's Decree without serious ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠harm.

Before him lay nothing.

Where a mountain had stood, only empty waste remained. The ground was black—scorched by lightning. Literally everything had been scoured away by a tidal wave of thunder.

Yujin walked forward.

Amazingly, Nurarihyon still lived. Only a head remained, and even half of that had melted away.

Yujin reversed his grip on the Ghost-Slaying Blade and raised it for the finish.

"…O Heaven. Why did you set such a human upon the earth…"

"No matter how much you lament, Heaven won't do a thing. Die."

Thud.

The blade punched through Nurarihyon.