Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 143

Weapon-Eating Bastard 143

In Eastern cultures, ‘Sword Saint’ is more of an epithet given to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery with the sword. However, in Western cultures, ‘Sword Master’ is closer to an actual title or position.

A Sword Master isn’t just someone who is strong or skilled with a sword.

They must have the backing of their social status, be proficient in various military arts and command, possess an understanding of martial arts and magic theory, be well-versed in various cultural subjects, and, above all, be an outstanding educator.

In fact, Henry Russell, the current Earl of Eastgrow and father of Ron Russell, is both a Sword Master and known by the epithet ‘Iron-Blooded Knight.’

Thus, Sword Master is a title and position that is truly difficult to obtain.

Even the most outstanding knights can barely achieve it by their 40s or 50s, and many never attain it at all.

Yet, the boy before me, Ron Russell, who would later be known as the Sword Saint and Emperor of Knights, earned that title at the age of thirty—a genius among geniuses.

Moreover, in my past life, he was a man of such excellent character that he was respected by many and even considered a paragon of knighthood.

He was someone I admired and looked up to in my previous life as well…

“Hahaha! I’ve really been looking forward to meeting you! I was so impressed by your performance in the Asian preliminaries. Everyone else only talks about the duel with the Eighth Princess of Soongmoo, but I was captivated by everything you showed throughout the preliminaries…”

I never imagined that the boy would be like a girl meeting her favorite celebrity, his eyes sparkling and his mouth running non-stop.

“Ahem, I’ve been talking for too long. I apologize. I really wanted to meet you at least once, haha.”

He slightly bowed his head with the refined accent of a British aristocrat.

“It’s nothing. I also wanted to meet you someday.”

I was now in a café by the river, a bit away from the arena, with Ron.

Ron was a celebrity in many ways, so we were talking in a secluded place like this.

‘Ron Russell, Ron Russell…’

I took a sip of my coffee and looked at Ron.

My first impression was very simple.

Strong.

A composed aura, a stable flow of magic, and controlled movements.

This boy, who at first glance seemed like an ordinary, energetic teenager, was already a complete martial artist.

‘If we were to fight?’

To be honest, I couldn’t be sure.

Just looking at him, I couldn’t quite gauge it.

If I used my Mystic Eyes, I could figure it out accurately, but there was no way Ron wouldn’t notice that.

‘And Ron Russell is interested in me…’

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Ron.

Currently participating in the tournament, I am Kim Cheol-hyun, not Lee Cheol.

And the current tournament has participants from various major factions gathered.

Moreover, there’s Jang Han, who has earned the title of a disciple of the Nine Dragons Gate in the Asian region.

Of course, I have the title of ‘the participant who defeated Lee Seo-hyun,’ but even so, it was still somewhat puzzling.

Thinking about it didn’t give me any answers.

As always, I decided to test the waters.

“I didn’t expect someone like you, Ron, with the nickname ‘Iron Wall,’ to be interested in an unknown like me.”

“‘Lord’? I’m still lacking.”

Ron scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.

But he soon gave me a subtle smile as he looked at me.

“But an unknown… are you really an unknown?”

“What do you mean?”

“Ah! I didn’t mean to probe. I apologize if I offended you. It’s just… it’s extremely difficult for an ordinary martial artist to reach Kim Cheol-hyun’s level.”

Ron took a sip of his coffee and then spoke in a calm tone.

“And I came to see you not to investigate or find out anything, but to build a friendship.”

“Friendship? Even though you don’t know what kind of person I am?”

“Isn’t that why we build friendships, because we don’t know each other?”

Ron said that and looked straight at me.

“It might sound a bit strange, but I saw a part of myself in Kim Cheol-hyun’s sword.”

Perhaps what Ron was saying now was something that could only be understood by those who walk the same path of martial arts.

A person’s disposition inevitably resides in their sword.

My eldest brother’s sword was noble and clean.

Lee Seo-hyun’s sword is direct and upright.

Jang Han’s sword is quiet and sharp.

In that sense, Ron may have found something similar to himself in my sword.

“That solid swordsmanship and magic manipulation. I couldn’t see it properly because it was just a video, but I was truly impressed many times.”

“…I see. I’m grateful that you think so highly of me.”

A strange feeling arose.

To hear such words from the British knight who would be called the Sword Emperor in the future.

“Um, Kim Cheol-hyun, have you perhaps seen my preliminary match videos?”

Ron looked at me hesitantly.

I was momentarily speechless.

I hadn’t seen them.

I had been too busy repeating training almost every day for the 4-Star Magic Art refinement.

I had been coming to the arena since the main rounds started, but Ron wasn’t in today’s matches, and I didn’t have the leisure to find and watch his preliminary videos.

“I, um…”

“Y-you haven’t seen them, have you… Haha. I-it’s okay! It’s understandable! Anyway, that’s why I really wanted to meet you. I thought we could be good friends.”

It was obvious that he was disappointed, but Ron tried to brush it off with a laugh.

I chuckled and asked a question.

“You just wanted to be friends?”

Ron gave a meaningful smile.

“Of course, that’s not all. As a knight, I wanted to gauge Kim Cheol-hyun.”

Just as I had gauged Ron, he had gauged me.

I put down my coffee cup and said.

“Then I’d like to hear it. What do you think?”

“I think I’ll win.”

Ron’s eyes, which had been those of a pure and polite aristocratic youth, shone with confidence.

“How coincidental.”

I smiled at his cute provocation and replied.

“I also thought I would win.”

Ron and I stared at each other for a moment.

Ron and I were almost at opposite ends of the bracket. Therefore, for me to face Ron, I would have to go almost all the way to the finals.

I was secretly looking forward to it.

What would he look like when that holy sword, now hidden in its scabbard, was drawn, and when that boy revealed everything he was hiding?

* * *

After parting ways with Ron Russell, I returned to my lodgings and prepared for tomorrow’s match.

Of course, even the preparation wasn’t anything special.

As always, I read the 4-Star Magic Art incantation that my aunt had given me through Lee Seo-hyun and practiced magic.

And the next day was my first match in the main rounds.

An upset occurred.

* * *

With a disgruntled expression, I listened to the association’s explanation and left the arena, returning straight to the audience seats.

Jang Han was sitting next to the seat I returned to.

As I plopped down next to him, Jang Han muttered.

“The chosen one is different, huh? Good luck.”

“I’m the one who’s dumbfounded. And I don’t know if it’s really good luck.”

“A bye to the second round, huh? Haha.”

Whether it was good luck or bad luck, the martial artist from North Africa who was scheduled to be my opponent forfeited.

“Still, it’s become interesting.”

“What is?”

“Your next opponent. A participant who advanced with a bye, just like you. Of course, the circumstances are a bit different from yours.”

Besides me, there were several others who had a bye before the main rounds even started.

And according to the bracket, I would advance to the second round with a bye in the first round and play a match in the afternoon against one of the other bye recipients.

“Your opponent had no choice but to withdraw due to a summons from their home country, but ‘she,’ whom you will face in the second round, seems to have different circumstances. It seems they ran away as soon as they found out who their opponent was.”

My opponent had no choice but to withdraw due to a summons from their home country.

It seemed that monsters had appeared in an unexplored area, and they had to return home urgently.

But the opponent I would meet in the second round had slightly different circumstances.

They simply said that their opponent had run away for no reason.

Jang Han let out a silent laugh.

“To think you’d run into a strong championship contender from the very first match. I said the chosen one is different, but maybe you’re just unlucky. Do you know about your opponent?”

“Of course. It would be strange not to know.”

My opponent was none other than Serena Cannata, a participant affiliated with the Vatican who was scheduled to become a Paladin as soon as she came of age.

“I heard she received a secret technique from Saint Christina this time.”

First-class Holy Knight, Christina Martinez.

The person leading the Paladin Order of this era and one of the strongest female martial artists.

Serena Cannata was her disciple.

“So?”

“She didn’t let anyone use that secret technique in the preliminaries. Among her opponents was an excellent knight who freely used Aura Skills. I heard they didn’t even exchange a proper sword strike, right?”

Jang Han said, his eyes shining with genuine interest.

“Now that it’s come to this, do your best to let us see the secret technique that the Vatican has been hiding so carefully.”

I didn’t need such provocation.

That was my intention from the start.

* * *

The first round of the main rounds ended by this morning.

The second main round, which was held immediately in the afternoon.

The second main round was first played by those who had advanced with a bye.

And so, I faced Serena Cannata.

“…”

She wasn’t much different from what I had seen in my past life.

She had the exact image that people commonly associate with the name Saint.

Waterfall-like flowing blonde hair, aquamarine-like blue eyes, and silently pursed lips.

However, instead of a rosary or a bible, she held a thick mace and shield in her hands, and instead of white linen robes, she wore light armor.

‘I can see why they ran away.’

I felt a strange sense of pressure from her.

At first glance, she was just a beautiful girl, but the moment she held the mace, I felt an unknown sense of oppression.

“Nice to meet you, Kim Cheol-hyun.”

She opened her mouth in a low voice.

It was English with a unique Italian accent.

I also replied politely.

“Nice to meet you, Lady Cannata.”

“I have not yet received knighthood from His Holiness. I would appreciate it if you would just call me by my name.”

“Yes, then. Serena.”

While the match was being prepared, we stood facing each other, maintaining some distance.

As I examined the magic defenses and barriers that were slowly being deployed around the arena, I felt Serena staring at me with a strange look in her eyes.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I…”

Serena hesitated for a moment and opened her mouth.

“I participated in the tournament to meet Kim Cheol-hyun.”

“Excuse me?”

Suddenly, what kind of nonsense was that?

If she had seen the preliminaries and become interested in me, I could understand, but from the outset, I was just an unknown martial artist to the outside world.

It didn’t make sense that she participated because of me.

“I misspoke a little. To be exact, it wasn’t because of Kim Cheol-hyun. I attended the tournament to find someone I didn’t know, and it seems that person was Kim Cheol-hyun. I thought it would take quite some time, but this must be the Lord’s guidance.”

I frowned slightly.

What on earth was she talking about?

“We will now begin the match between Kim Cheol-hyun, the hunter from South Korea, and Serena Cannata, the prospective Paladin from the Vatican!”

But before I could ask a question, the match began.

With those words, Serena took a step forward.

“After this match, I would like you to spare some time for me.”

With Serena’s words.

Kugung!

A heavy magic power spread over the arena.

I instinctively raised my Aura and tried to raise my sword.

No, I was trying to raise it.

‘Aura…!’