Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 25

Weapon-Eating Bastard – Episode 25

The instructor led the members assigned to Class 5 this term, along with me, toward the training grounds.

‘I remember there being about 20 of us in total.’

I followed from the back, observing the cadets.

“Damn it, Class 5. Will we even graduate?”

“What am I going to tell my father…?”

“There’s no way I should be in Class 5. Those main family guys just have unnecessarily high standards…”

Like young boys, they couldn’t hide their emotions, their faces contorted as they grumbled.

“I heard Class 5 has a ton of repeaters. I hope they don’t haze us [subject someone to humiliating or dangerous tricks as an initiation].”

“I just hope they don’t hit us…”

Their slumped shoulders and muttered words made them look like true losers.

‘Pathetic.’

My brow furrowed at the sight.

I sighed, looking at the grumbling cadets.

“……Excuse me.”

Just then, someone approached and quietly spoke to me.

It was the gentle-looking boy who had caught my eye earlier.

He was either my age or a few years older, but quite small.

“You’re the main family’s youngest young master… right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Ah, I knew it! I really wanted to say hello. I’m Kim Han. I’m 14 years old. I’m from Kim’s Smithy. Ah, I guess you wouldn’t know even if I said that. It’s a small smithy that subcontracts for the Soongmoo Family. Hehe.”

Kim Han scratched the back of his head with a naive smile.

‘Kim Han… I don’t really remember him.’

His name is a single character like mine, so I should remember him, but nothing comes to mind.

“As you probably know, I’m Lee Cheol, the youngest of the main family. Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, it’s a pleasure.”

“So, what’s up?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just really wanted to talk to Young Master Lee Cheol.”

“With me?”

He must know about my status as a bastard, but he wants to talk to me? It felt a bit strange.

“Well, you’re quite the talk of the town. The main family’s direct line always does amazing things, but you’re the only one who’s achieved such things at such a young age.”

I checked his expression, wondering if he was being sarcastic, but Kim Han was looking at me with sparkling eyes and a serious face.

I stared at him for a moment before opening my mouth.

“Kim Han, you said?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“What do you think about being in Class 5?”

“Huh?”

Kim Han’s eyes widened at the sudden question.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly what I said. Class 5 is called the trash heap, isn’t it?”

“W, well, yeah…”

Kim Han became noticeably gloomy.

But he soon wore his signature naive smile and said,

“But it just means that my skills are at the level of Class 5 right now. No one knows what will happen in the future, right?”

I saw a strange flicker in Kim Han’s eyes as he said that.

“Hehe, of course, I might still be like this in the future, though.”

Just as quickly, Kim Han hid that look with a seemingly fragile smile.

I smiled back at him.

“You, passed.”

“Yes?”

The cadet corps entrance exam isn’t something that a child from a small subcontractor can simply pass.

I recalled Kim Han’s palm when he scratched the back of his head.

A rough, distorted palm. The marks of calluses formed from dozens of blisters that had burst.

* * *

The atmosphere of Class 5 was quite different from what the new cadets had feared.

“Welcome!”

“Nice to meet you!”

They had lined up in the training grounds to welcome us, and they greeted us quite warmly and kindly.

They looked like seniors who were genuinely happy to see their cute juniors.

“Now that the greetings are over, everyone pay attention. I’ll start with a brief introduction.”

5th Grade Warrior Lee Jung-ho.

He had earned the title of 5th Grade Warrior at the young age of 30. He briefly explained the rules, regulations, teaching methods, and schedules before finishing his speech.

“……That’s all. Since a new class has arrived today, we’ll end it here. Any questions?”

Perhaps because of his young age, Lee Jung-ho was full of enthusiasm.

I could feel his strong desire to teach the Class 5 cadets diligently.

‘In my past life, he gave me personal lessons to help me, even though I couldn’t keep up.’

In my previous life, I couldn’t use magic at this time.

When everyone else gave up, he did everything he could to help me. Of course, the result was disastrous.

“No questions, I see. Then, Inha, you were the class leader last year, so you can educate the new students on the remaining details. It would be good to elect a class leader first.”

“Yes! Instructor!”

A kind-looking boy answered Instructor Lee Jung-ho’s words with a loud voice.

“That’s all. Gather at 06:00 tomorrow.”

With that, Lee Jung-ho stepped down from the platform.

As he left, the boy who had answered Lee Jung-ho’s call turned around and stood in front of the boys.

“Alright, new students. Hello. I’m Choi Inha, and I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve repeated two years, so I’m already in my second year as class leader. Ah, everyone must be tired of standing, right? Anyone who wants to sit can sit.”

The boy called Inha gestured with a friendly smile.

Following his lead, the cadets hesitantly sat down.

I didn’t sit down but leaned against the wall of the training ground with my arms crossed.

“We’re cadets, but we’re often deployed on missions. So, the class leader is essentially the leader of the warrior squad.”

Choi Inha. I remembered.

He was 15 years old, and his weapon of choice was a longsword. He must have come from the Soongmoo Hope Center.

The Soongmoo Hope Center was one of the social contribution projects carried out by the family.

Choi Inha’s parents were Soongmoo Family warriors who died during a mission, and he grew up in the Soongmoo Hope Center as an orphan.

Despite his past, he was always kind and friendly, so the Class 5 cadets followed him like an older brother.

The cadet corps program was a total of 3 years, so this year could be his last year in the cadet corps.

“Therefore, the instructors only conduct the designated training and education, and the class leader of each class is essentially in charge of everything else. That’s why we need to decide on a class leader first. Any questions?”

“Excuse me……”

The one who raised his hand was Kim Han, who I had spoken to earlier.

“Yeah, go ahead. What are you curious about?”

“How do we choose the class leader?”

“Ah, I didn’t explain that. I don’t know about the other classes, but we have a light sparring match and then vote.”

“Not just decided by sparring, but by voting?”

“Yeah, it wouldn’t be fair if someone who’s just strong became the class leader.”

“Ah, I see……”

Kim Han scratched the back of his head with a subtle expression.

Looking at Choi Inha, who was still smiling brightly, I thought about him in my past life.

He was a very kind person, and he respected all the cadets regardless of their abilities.

That’s why I followed him well too.

Because of the age difference, Choi Inha, who was quite skilled, led the class quite well.

“Anyone else have any questions?”

“……”

“Alright. Then let’s start sparring now! This sparring is to test each other’s strength, so don’t use magic! Also, don’t do gauntlet matches [successive fights with different opponents], so take a break after each sparring session!”

With that, the sparring began.

Choi Inha, who had received the list from the instructor in advance, called out the repeaters first.

Clang-!

The sound of weapons clashing began to be heard over the Class 5 training grounds.

The first sparring partners’ weapons were spears and swords. The two sparring partners competed in martial arts without using magic and suppressing their killing intent.

Bang!

And the boy with the spear used his reach advantage to subdue the boy with the sword.

“Stop! Wow, Youngha, you’ve improved a lot?”

“Thanks. Good work.”

The boy with the spear grabbed the arm of the boy with the sword and helped him up.

A friendly competition. It was nice to hear and heartwarming to see.

I looked at Choi Inha, the person who had created this atmosphere.

He’s basically a good person.

It’s not easy to see someone like that in the Soongmoo Family.

That’s why I can say with certainty.

He’s wrong.

“Okay, next……”

“Are you serious?”

I stepped forward, interrupting Choi Inha’s words.

Choi Inha turned his head towards me with a flustered expression.

“……Young Master Lee Cheol. Is there something you don’t like?”

“What you’re doing now, what you’ve said. All of it. Are you doing it sincerely?”

All the cadets’ eyes turned to me.

In the chilling atmosphere, I opened my mouth.

“Right now, everything happening here looks like a children’s game to me.”

“What do you mean?”

Even Choi Inha, with his kind face, began to harden his expression.

“Get a grip. This is the Soongmoo Family. If you want to play student, don’t come to the cadet corps and go to a regular school in a safe zone.”

“You’re going too far. I think you’re misunderstanding something. It’s just an effort to decide on a class leader peacefully without fighting. Young Master, you’re qualified enough, so if you want……”

“Choi Inha!”

Choi Inha’s expression twisted as I shouted.

“What is the Soongmoo Family’s motto?”

“Constantly struggle……”

“Then do you think this ridiculous game I’m seeing fits that?”

“……What are you trying to say?”

“You don’t understand even if I say it like this.”

I went up onto the training grounds.

And I looked at all the cadets looking up at me and said.

“Come up one by one. I’ll take on everyone here from now on.”

* * *

A repeater came out with a sword and faced me.

Thanks to the Soongmoo Family’s blessed physique, there was no difference in build between me and the cadet, despite the age difference.

“I probably won’t be able to beat Young Master anyway.”

That was obvious.

My sword grip and the amount of magic I exuded were both superior.

“I guess all of us are like that. Do you want to show off your strength against the weak?”

I spoke even more coldly to the cadet.

“Have you always resigned yourself to opponents stronger than you?”

“Yes?”

“Stop talking. It hurts my mouth.”

I rushed in and swung my sword as if ambushing him.

“Hmph!”

Clang!

The cadet hurriedly swung his sword to block it.

It was a clean swordsmanship that showed traces of long training.

That’s why I was even more angry.

To have trained to this extent, and to have that kind of mentality.

I dug into him.

At that moment, Choi Inha, who was watching from the side, shouted urgently.

“Violent methods are prohibited, Young Master……!”

Crack-

An unpleasant cracking sound came from the cadet’s arm, which was hit by my sword.

“Kuaaak!”

I looked down at the cadet who was collapsing with a broken arm.

“I’ll say it again, if you’re going to say something like that, leave the Soongmoo Family. ……Take this guy to the infirmary.”

Anger filled the faces of the cadets who were watching the sparring.

‘Is the main family showing off their strength just because they’re from the direct line!’

‘Is beating up the weak what the direct line does? I was expecting a little bit!’

I slowly headed back to the end of the training ground, took my stance again, and looked at Choi Inha.

“Next.”

“Are you serious? We’ve finished this sparring session, so take a break for a while……”

I mercilessly turned my gaze to the cadets looking up at me and said.

“I’ll let it slide this time since it was the first sparring session, but if you show the same 모습 [Korean word for ‘appearance’ or ‘state’] as that guy who’s collapsed over there next time……”

The cadets looked tense.

I put my heart into the next words.

“I’ll cut you down.”