Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 34

Weapon-Eating Bastard – Chapter 34

Dugun.

The cocoon I was focused on pulsed deeply, like a heart.

Dugun!

No, it wasn’t just the ominous cocoon that pulsed. It was my heart.

The heart that pumps blood throughout my body beat wildly.

‘Black Qi? Why?’

With that pulsation, the Black Qi resonated.

Whatever was inside the cocoon reacted to my Black Qi, and the Black Qi within my body slowly began to flow out.

-……Not yet. ……Also gi…… Wait…….

At that moment, a fragmented, unfamiliar voice pierced my ears.

-Not yet. Ah, such a long wait. Rim…… Is…… King…… Yeo. Finally…….

The voice became clearer and clearer.

There was no need to wonder whose voice it was.

The voice was coming from inside that cocoon.

And as soon as I realized that.

Crack-.

The grotesque object split open.

* * *

As hunter tactics developed in modern times, the role of the command center began to be emphasized.

Briefings, situation control, communication, remote supply, and combat support through various observation equipment.

It was an era where those who could wield weapons on the front lines weren’t the only important figures.

And supporting Class 5 right now was none other than Lee Jung-ho.

-All members have completed joining.

Lee Jung-ho nodded at Choi In-ha’s report.

The preparation was completed faster than planned.

The youngest master [referring to the protagonist, Lee Cheol] had attracted attention better than expected, and the cadets’ operational capabilities were better than anticipated.

“Good work. Magic power fluctuation detected 50 meters ahead. It seems like a quasi-adult [referring to a Man-Faced Spider that is not fully mature] is approaching, so move to the northwest.”

-Yes.

Lee Jung-ho swallowed dryly and examined the screen installed at the base camp.

Everyone’s heart rate and blood pressure were somewhat high, but considering their tension, it was still at an acceptable level.

Due to the influence of the dungeon’s magic power, the amount of magic power in their bodies seemed to be somewhat suppressed, but this was not serious either.

‘Thanks to the youngest master drawing attention, the cadets had enough time to adapt. We avoided the worst-case scenario of fighting without adapting.’

It was a crazy plan.

It was a crazy plan, but… for some reason, the more he heard it, the more he couldn’t refuse.

It was because he believed that if they followed the youngest master’s method, they could achieve great success beyond simply carrying out the mission.

Lee Jung-ho glanced at the time.

‘Communication was cut off 10 minutes ago… so they must have arrived at the nest by now.’

The moment communication is re-established is the start time of the operation.

Until then, all Lee Jung-ho had to do was appropriately monitor and brief them on the approach of monsters in advance.

BEEP! BEEP!

At that moment, the transmission equipment began to sound an alarm.

“What is it?”

The graph showing the magic power distribution in the dungeon fluctuated wildly.

‘Is it an error?’

No matter how unstable the magic power of the dungeon is, it never rises so suddenly and explosively.

Lee Jung-ho’s expression distorted as he checked the fluctuating graph.

It’s not a device error.

The center of the dungeon.

The nest of the Man-Faced Spiders.

Lee Jung-ho’s eyes trembled as he read the number that appeared next to the red dot.

“Rank 5……?”

The constantly rising magic power level eventually exceeded the limit of a Special Rank 6 dungeon.

* * *

It wasn’t a cocoon.

It was an egg.

The forest of Man-Faced Spiders, the anomaly that this dungeon gave birth to, the mission given to Class 5 itself.

Crack-!

A huge, knife-like leg extends from the crack in the split egg sac.

Sticky mucus scatters everywhere, and a huge, heterogeneous form reveals itself.

-Ah, ah…….

Human torso, spider lower body.

In the area where the Man-Faced Spider’s head should be, the upper body of a human female extended out, and below the waist, a huge torso three times the size of a normal adult Man-Faced Spider was revealed.

-Kieeeeeek!

The adults guarding the egg began to scream.

The unidentified ‘something’ that walked out stared blankly at the sky.

I swallowed dryly.

I could tell.

That monster is stronger than any Man-Faced Spider here.

The surprise didn’t end there.

-Kieeek.

Very slowly, the half-human, half-beast monster lowered its head and looked around at the Man-Faced Spiders.

-Children. I’m hungry.

It spoke.

A mere Rank 6 dungeon monster, speaking human words.

‘No. It didn’t open its mouth. But how…!’

It’s not that there are no monsters that speak, but usually, that’s only when the monster has awakened human language or is transmitting consciousness to humans through telepathy.

But I was reading the monster’s consciousness regardless of its will.

‘Could it be the Black Qi?’

This has never happened before.

But that was the only reason I could think of.

-Kiek! Kick!

The adults cleared the way in an orderly fashion.

The half-human, half-beast monster, walking leisurely like a queen, slowly climbed up the web and brought its mouth to the top of the hanging cocoon.

And.

Crunch!

The moment the monster’s hand touched it, the cocoon quickly crumpled, and the sound of the fabric twisting was heard.

At the same time, magical power like a red mist flowed out of the cocoon and began to be absorbed by the monster.

‘Consumption. The ability of a high-level monster.’

Now I knew why so many cocoons were gathered here.

‘If there was such a monster, there’s no way I wouldn’t have seen it in the bestiary [a medieval illuminated manuscript describing real and mythical animals]. So… did the dungeon create it anew?’

If so, then that monster is, in short, the leader of the Man-Faced Spiders that this dungeon created.

If I had to name it, it would be the boss monster, the queen of the Man-Faced Spiders.

The prey stored in the cocoons was for the queen, not the juveniles.

The adults gathered to protect their queen, who was not yet complete.

‘That’s not what I need to be thinking about right now.’

A variable has appeared in the plan.

In the short time it took for the monster to satisfy its hunger, my head spun quickly.

I didn’t expect there to be no variables when making the plan, but this is too big of a variable to proceed as is.

I don’t have any information about the monster yet, and the adults that should be scattered throughout the dungeon are gathered in one place.

‘…Variable. Is that really a variable?’

The moment I thought that far.

My eyes flashed open.

My intuition sounded an alarm.

Abdomen, right in front.

Something is flying!

Bang!

I swung Mujin [protagonist’s weapon] and defended immediately.

The spider web cocoon that was covering me burst open.

I didn’t even think about maintaining the stealth technique.

The momentum of the incoming attack was so great that I had no choice but to immediately unleash magic power.

-What are you?

Clatter! Clatter!

The queen slowly approached me, climbing on the trees and webs.

-What awakened me… is inside you. Why does a human have that, that…….

I put my hand to my ear.

-Give it to me! That thing!

Boom!

The queen suddenly unleashed magic power.

The moment I was hit by the fierce sound waves that rushed in with the magic power, my body staggered.

Fear.

The cry of a predator subjugating a lower life form.

But Fear doesn’t work on me.

Crack-.

The Black Qi that spread out as if to cover my entire body completely swallowed the energy of Fear.

-You impudent!

At that moment.

Kwaaaang!

The ground shook madly with a violent explosion.

The queen, who was hanging on the tree, fell to the ground, and countless adults trembled, making strange noises.

Whirr-.

In the depths of the forest, which was so dark, a fire soared up.

The queen Man-Faced Spider trembled.

-My forest……?

The fire began to engulf the forest at an incredible speed, as if flowing on oil.

-What on earth have you done!

It started.

The ear I touched just before facing the queen. There was a radio installed there.

Resuming the radio signal was the signal to start the operation.

-We’ve started! We’ll do it right now!

-Team 1! We’re departing! Please hold out until we arrive!

I manipulated magic power to strengthen my whole body and glared at the queen.

“It’s a weapon called a magic power incendiary bomb. Thankfully, this nasty nest has a lot to burn.”

Magic Power Incendiary Bomb.

A firearm created by humans through magic stones.

An explosive that uses surrounding magic power as fuel, rather than exploding through gunpowder.

The forest of Man-Faced Spiders is a place where spider webs with subtle magic power flow densely. There is plenty of fuel.

-This is base camp! Master, a Rank 5 level of magic power has just been detected in the nest where you are. It seems……!

“I’m fine. Make sure to support the cadets first!”

A thick murderous intent flowed from the eyes of the queen Man-Faced Spider.

-Children! Quickly! Protect my forest!

With the will of the Man-Faced Spider, dozens of adults gathered in the nest rushed out into the forest.

The queen Man-Faced Spider revealed her huge fangs to me.

-I will chew you up and swallow you myself.

I swallowed dryly and pushed magic power into Mujin.

* * *

Choi In-ha shouted as soon as he heard the communication.

“Start the operation! Team 1, head straight to the nest!”

“Wait a minute. You said a variable occurred in the nest! Is it okay to proceed like this?”

Even with Kim Bo-sung’s shout, Choi In-ha fearlessly raised his sword.

“The master has instructed us! We’re going according to plan!”

Class 5’s plan was as follows.

First, after Lee Cheol is captured, film the video as originally intended.

Second, Lee Cheol stirs up the forest while rampaging, attracting attention, and in the meantime, the cadets install incendiary bombs throughout the forest.

Finally, Lee Cheol reconnects communication as a signal to detonate the incendiary bombs. While avoiding the eyes of the adults who spread out in all directions to put out the fire, some of Class 5 infiltrate and escape with Lee Cheol.

It sounds like an easy and perfect plan, but it was actually crazy.

The reason why firearms are not used in dungeons is simple.

Gunpowder weapons that have not been magically modified only work on lower monsters, and in the case of magic-powered firearms, it is impossible to know what adverse effects they will have on the already unstable state of the dungeon.

Moreover, it is not a proud thing for a descendant of the Soongmoo Lee family [a family known for their martial prowess], who reveres strength, to use firearms.

But Lee Cheol didn’t care.

-All we need to worry about is the success of the mission anyway. Besides, there were no conditions in the order not to use firearms or burn down the dungeon.

Lee Cheol smiled and continued.

-And… spiders and insects are originally weak to fire.

Kwaaaang!

The sound of another incendiary bomb exploding echoed.

* * *

Team 1, centered around Kim Han, departed to join Lee Cheol.

Choi In-ha and Kim Bo-sung’s cadet team aimed to secure the escape route.

Choi In-ha looked at Kim Bo-sung.

“What’s the number of remaining incendiary bombs?”

“We distributed three per person. What about you guys?”

“We’re similar.”

-Kieeeeeeeek!

The forest is shaking.

The smell of burning corpses and the screams of monsters echoed from all over the place in the feast of flames that engulfed the forest.

“That’s enough. Don’t spare them while securing the escape route.”

Kwaaaang!

The sound of another incendiary bomb exploding echoed.

* * *

The adults all scattered in all directions.

Now all that’s left is the queen Man-Faced Spider.

-You impudent human child. Even if none of my children are here, do you think you can do anything alone? Do you trust your companions who are running towards the nest?

“…….”

-Foolish. My children have rushed out in all directions, so I don’t know if they will be able to come here in time. You will not be able to do anything to me…….

I know.

I have awakened Aura, but what stands before me is a Rank 5 monster belonging to the high-level monster group.

Rank 5, boss monster, mutant.

Even if only one of them comes out, there will be a problem, but three are mixed together.

But even such a dangerous guy is just a newly born spider.

“You’re underestimating me too.”

I closed my eyes tightly and slowly opened them again.

Wooong-.

A subtle light like the sunset overflowed in my two eyes.