The Leader of Haeyean Mountain Bandits, Known as the Great Sage, Heaven's Equal
Sun Wukong was honestly a bit taken aback.
'It was a situation that felt strangely familiar.'
That time, when he was causing all sorts of chaos, the celestial soldiers had come to capture him, and they had done it exactly like this.
But there was no way the humans he saw for the first time would say they were taking his life.
Of course, the ones they were pointing at wasn't Sun Wukong.
"Damn it! We're the Shaohua Sect warriors! Brother!"
"Big trouble, Seomya. The Shaohua Sect leader has come personally."
Gu-re-na-ru and Baek-sa-eun shouted in shock.
Sun Wukong chuckled.
'Haha, this is an interesting situation.'
The most fun thing to watch is a fight, after all.
His nature of playing pranks on others remained unchanged. He secretly stepped back and watched with interest.
"These trash from Haeyean Mountain! You thought you could rob the Shaohua Sect's warehouse and still be safe!"
"Coming out of the mountains on your own, this Shaohua Sect leader, Ho Buk-jik-rang, I'll take your life!"
The sect leader, Ho Buk-jik-rang, was a middle-aged man with a sharp appearance.
'Hmm. So these are also Murim people.'
The energy felt from Gu-re-na-ru stirred in his dantian. Sun Wukong quietly compared it.
'What? It's nothing special? It seems weaker than Gu-re-na-ru?'
Originally, the root was from yoryeok. Sun Wukong was a great demon who had mastered handling yoryeok. He could tell just by looking.
'They said there are stronger ones than me in Murim. When will I see them?'
It looked like the appearance was not as strong as expected, despite the imposing manner.
But the interest didn't fade.
'Originally, fights are more fun when the weak fight each other.'
The Shaohua Sect had seven warriors with swords, though a bit less than the sect leader.
On the other side, excluding Sun Wukong, there were only two: Gu-re-na-ru and Baek-sa-eun.
Gu-re-na-ru was sweating but had a composed look. Baek-sa-eun was pale and looked like he was about to wet himself.
'Still, even in this state, he has the spirit of a bandit leader.'
Indeed, that's why he swung his fist at my head.
At that moment, Gu-re-na-ru quietly approached Sun Wukong and said.
"Lord, great hero."
"Hm?"
"You'll help us, right? We came all the way here together."
"Why me?"
Sun Wukong said that and took two steps back.
Gu-re-na-ru's face showed betrayal, as if he hadn't expected Sun Wukong to retreat.
"No, if I don't go, who will guide us to Namgung Clan?"
"Is there only you who knows the way there? Just find a guide."
"What kind of bastard... Hah."
Gu-re-na-ru looked at Sun Wukong with resentful eyes. Full of resentment.
Eventually, Gu-re-na-ru bit his lip and stood straight, giving up on seeking Sun Wukong's help.
His posture with shoulders proudly raised was quite impressive.
"Ho Buk-jik-rang, you say? Ho Buk-jik-gyeon (Henan Red Dog), everyone in Ho Buk knows you're a dog bastard, yet you attach such a nickname. Aren't you ashamed?"
"Those double bastards of bandits!"
Kwang!
Gu-re-na-ru slammed the ground hard. With the power of neiryeong, the atmosphere changed instantly.
Oh, he has quite a spirit. He didn't win the bandit leader position by luck.
"I am the Haeyean Ya-cha! You are the one who appeared before my eyes right now, your guts have come out of your stomach!"
"You must be crazy. This bandit."
"Crazy is you! Knowing you're dead, you come out in front of the Haeyean Mountain Bandits' leader!"
Indeed. Losing in verbal sparring means losing in the battle of momentum.
"Here, our Haeyean Mountain Bandits' leader, whose name is the Great Sage, Sun Wukong, has appeared!"
Indeed. The Haeyean Mountain Bandits' leader, the Great Sage, Sun Wukong... Huh?
Suddenly, the ominous killing intent from the Shaohua Sect warriors turned to Sun Wukong.
Sun Wukong's head slowly turned to the side. Gu-re-na-ru, with shoulders raised and arms on his waist, looked at himself proudly.
"......"
"......"
No, this guy.
* * *
The Great Sage, Heaven's Equal!
The monkey demon who caused chaos, tormenting famous Daoists, monks, immortals, heavenly generals, and even slapping the back of the Jade Emperor!
Such a one.
"Wah, you hit my back so hard."
Gu-re-na-ru flinched but maintained his proud expression. He shouted in a loud voice, as if wanting everyone around to hear.
"Leader, leader, you, you are going to fight these guys directly?"
The voice trembled terribly. Sun Wukong truly admired him.
'This is a great guy.'
An amazing guy whose guts came out of his stomach.
It was so absurd that he didn't even get angry. Rather, Gu-re-na-ru seemed impressive.
"What, is the yellow-haired one really the leader?"
"Haeyean Mountain Bandits? Those two are boasting about being bandits among themselves."
"There was one more?"
Ho Buk-jik-rang and the warriors murmured in surprise. Sun Wukong's appearance was definitely unusual. His height was tall, shoulders broad, arms and legs sturdy, showing he was a proper martial artist.
Moreover, golden hair and golden pupils.
Ho Buk-jik-rang's eyes sparkled as he carefully observed.
'He doesn't seem to have accumulated inner energy?'
There are two reasons he couldn't sense inner energy.
One is that he is much stronger than himself and can't be detected.
Or, he has no inner energy at all, or it's too weak.
'There is no way such a master would appear here. Especially not to mess with bandits.'
Ho Buk-jik-rang was almost certain. The latter. He himself was a skilled person who had some reputation among nearby black dao.
'At best, as bandit leader, he couldn't have accumulated much inner energy. He's nothing special.'
The Haeyean Ya-cha is bluffing. He's putting on airs by setting up a nothing guy.
Ho Buk-jik-rang snorted.
"Hey. Yellow water head."
"...Me?"
"Yeah. No need to bleed, just get out. I know you're not the bandit leader."
"Ah... I'm not the bandit leader, but, a bit, what?"
"What?"
Sun Wukong's head tilted sideways. Pointing with the tip of a sword and spitting out casual speech with mocking tone. Sun Wukong was a bit hurt.
Since Sun Wukong didn't seem to want to leave easily, Ho Buk-jik-rang tilted his head.
"Hah. This insolent guy. Who the hell are you to come out like this?"
Who am I?
Ah, this is it. No choice.
Sun Wukong cleared his throat and spread his arms wide.
"If you ask who I am, the answer is obvious. Wash your ears clean and listen!"
"Uh?"
The faces of the Shaohua Sect warriors became strange. Just spreading arms, yet somehow attracting attention. It was still daytime, but the sunlight seemed to shine especially strongly on Sun Wukong, flashing.
A cold wind blew. As if circling around Sun Wukong.
The surroundings fell into silence. There was a strange power. An illusion that everything around was turning around Sun Wukong.
Amid the warriors' mouths opening wider at this strange sight.
A powerful yet rhythmic voice flowed from Sun Wukong's mouth.
"This body is who? The stone monkey made by the sky and the earth far beyond the sea, the handsome Monkey King, the Beautiful Monkey King, the Golden Fur Ape King with beautiful golden hair, the greatest star and sage ruling the sky, this body is none other than the Great Sage, Sun Wukong!"
Kk, if introduced like this, the surrounding demons, mountain gods, earth deities would all bow down prostrating on the ground in fear.
Sun Wukong slightly opened his half-closed eyes.
"......"
"......"
Silence fell over the surroundings.
How much time had passed? The silence was broken by a burst of laughter.
"Puup!"
...Laughing?
"Pup, puuuwup."
"Kruhuhuk. Kk."
"What, the. The Great Sage, Sun Wukong?"
"No, this guy must be really crazy."
No. Why wouldn't people believe when a person speaks?
Sun Wukong stood proudly, and Ho Buk-jik-rang laughed mockingly.
"Sun Wukong? Hey, then call your Somersault Cloud."
"...That has circumstances."
"Puup."
"Kruh, huh. Then take out your Ruyi Jingu Bang."
"...That also has circumstances."
"Sigh. This bastard! Haeyean Ya-cha! The one I brought along while fleeing is this yellow water-headed lunatic!"
"Uha ha ha ha!"
Sun Wukong silently watched the laughter.
How much time passed? When the laughter finally subsided, one of the warriors in front walked out, wiping tears with his fingertips.
"Hey, Great Sage-nim. If you don't want to get stabbed, just go..."
At that moment, Sun Wukong's body suddenly shook.
No, it looked like that.
The instant, or rather the moment when time was divided countless times.
Sun Wukong's body stretched like lightning, and his fist precisely hit the warrior's chest.
It was natural like flowing water. Stepping foot, knee bending then straightening, exploding with tremendous power. Perfect power was applied to the fist.
It was clearly just a normal punch.
Kwaa a a a a ang!
"......!"
Ho Buk-jik-rang's eye twitched.
The guy who was mocking right in front flew away, brushing past the ear.
Just one punch.
With that one punch, the chest caved in visibly, and he flew away.
The surroundings fell into silence. Sweat formed on Ho Buk-jik-rang's face.
'Not visible.'
The movement wasn't visible. No, did he even move? The fist was hanging loose? Did he really get hit and fly away?
What does this mean.
A movement that couldn't be tracked with the eyes, and that ease.
"Master..."
A real expert I can't handle.
Trembling with confusion, Sun Wukong's voice thundered like thunder.
"Hey, you guys."
"......!"
"You guys made a big mistake."
"This, this crazy guy!"
Sun Wukong slowly walked forward. Crunch, crunch, loosening each finger bone.
A slight anger appeared on his face.
It was actually a joke when he scolded Gu-re-na-ru and Baek-sa-eun. It was the first time in a long time he felt the human behavior was outrageous, so he just beat them up a bit to relieve some frustration.
But now it was sincere.
"I can endure my parents' insults, but I can't endure mine. How dare you insult me in front of this Sun Wukong?"
"......"
...Isn't that the opposite?
"Everyone, I'll show you some hand."
"...At the same time!"
Ho Buk-jik-rang and the warriors rushed forward simultaneously.
Although he didn't have the Ruyi Jingu Bang, Sun Wukong was originally a master of fighting. Even in the time without the Ruyi Jingu Bang, he had beaten countless heads of guys who charged without thinking.
He stepped on the knee of one leaping up, flicked away the sword coming from the side, grabbed the shoulder and smashed it, hit the front enemy's abdomen to churn the intestines, and for the one sneaking from behind, he spun his body and smashed the face with his foot.
"Kuaa a a a a aak!"
Ho Buk-jik-rang's face became bloodied, screaming. The sect leader and warriors all mixed up and screamed. Sun Wukong continued to swing his fists and feet amidst it. Crushing noses, breaking cheekbones, knocking out teeth, bang, bang, bang.
Extremely efficient movements. No inner energy, nothing, but all thoroughly calculated actions suppressing them step by step.
The warriors fought with desperate resolve, but they couldn't even touch a fingertip and were smashed.
On the other hand, Sun Wukong.
'Ah, I should do some light exercise. My body is too stiff.'
It felt like loosening the body before exercise.
Overwhelming martial prowess.
Watching the one-sided beating that couldn't even be called a fight, Baek-sa-eun cheered.
"Brother! We're winning! That guy is being beaten down!"
"......"
"Eh? Brother? Why are you trembling? Why the sweat? Brother! Why is your face so pale? We're winning!"
Gu-re-na-ru's trembling didn't stop. Baek-sa-eun suddenly recalled the event earlier.
Forcing the Sun Wukong he didn't want to associate with into this...
"Ah."
So,
"Ack! Uak!"
"Kuaa a a a a aak!"
Kwang! Uduk! Paduk!
Forcing that monster...
Baek-sa-eun quietly backed away.
'I didn't say anything, right.'
Shiver.
Gu-re-na-ru remembered clearly. That face looking at him with a dumbfounded expression. The golden pupils that he didn't even dare to face directly.
"...It's over."
No, I didn't know he was this monstrous.