Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 147

Weapon-Devouring Bastard – Chapter 147

“Why didn’t you use the Holy Sword?”

Ron’s eyes widened at my question.

Ron’s beloved sword, the Sword of the Lake, Lacus Galradio.

That relic, said to have been gifted by an ancient fairy, was a weapon so powerful that it would be considered Celestial-grade in the future, with all its power unleashed.

Even now, Ron should have been able to use a portion of that Holy Sword’s power, even if he couldn’t wield all of it.

“Did you underestimate me?”

I glared at Ron.

Could it be that he was holding back in this fight?

Ron shook his head.

“I simply didn’t have the capacity to unleash it.”

“Don’t lie.”

“……You too.”

Ron stared intently at me.

“You hid your strength as well.”

“…….”

“For some reason, you didn’t equip the gear you should have originally possessed. You are not a pure swordsman. Your movements were somewhat unconventional for that.”

‘So, he has that much insight,’ I thought.

Ron continued slowly.

“I came here to compete with swords, not to boast about them. I wanted to win against you under the same conditions and in the same way. I lost in the end, though.”

It was a slightly different belief than mine.

Using everything I have to seize victory was my way of life.

‘It seems foolish, but.’

It wasn’t incomprehensible.

And.

‘It’s kind of cool in its own way.’

I even thought that a little.

But if you told me to act like Ron, I would immediately laugh at you.

“And I was serious about not having the capacity. You have to give me time to unleash the Holy Sword. Besides, you had strength left even after breaking my last strike.”

Ron rebuked me, furrowing his brow.

“That’s true.”

“Next time…… definitely.”

Ron’s eyes sparkled.

“Definitely, let’s compete after having everything.”

I smiled wryly at Ron’s words.

“Then you’ll be quite frustrated, you know?”

“Pardon?”

“Even if I take out just one of the things I have, you’ll be quite embarrassed.”

Heukya, Mujin, Eunhan.

These three are my true weapons.

If I had Heukya, I would have completely annihilated the barrier, and if I had Eunhan, I could have drastically reduced the magic power consumed by defense.

If I had Mujin, I could have unleashed unconventional attacks that would have been difficult to defend against.

“Hehe, I have never been frustrated, even after suffering many defeats.”

“I have never lost, though.”

He was the first guy I’d ever seen who bragged about losing a lot.

“…….”

Ron pouted.

“Don’t underestimate the power of my Holy Sword. It will be terrifying once it’s activated.”

I chuckled at Ron, who was changing the subject.

The power of the Holy Sword…….

I want to see it, but I was more curious about what kind of expression Ron would make when he saw Heukya or Mujin.

“Alright. I’ll look forward to it.”

I said that and got up from my seat.

“Are you leaving already?”

“Yeah, the finals are next week. I need to prepare too.”

I turned around and left the hospital room.

The final of the Grand Tournament remains.

Jang Han is waiting for me.

* * *

Jang Han is an assassin.

The world in which an assassin lives is naturally different from that of ordinary people, and different from ordinary martial artists.

I can’t explain it in detail, but.

Jang Han felt that there were countless lines spread out in the world.

If you move along that line, you can kill the opponent.

You might die or become crippled in the process, but if there is a line, you can kill them.

His master called this the Sense of Murder (殺覺) [Sakuk: the intuitive understanding of how to kill someone], and it was the first step of the Thousand Slaughter Path.

He awakened the Sense of Murder at the age of seven.

While training under his master, he awakened that sense when he was starving for ten days, contracted pneumonia, and was on the verge of death.

After that, he was convinced that he could kill anyone who had a visible line.

If the line was not visible, it meant that he could not kill them now, and preparation was needed to make the line visible.

Of course, there were opponents for whom the line did not seem to appear.

The Lord of the Nine Dragons and his nameless master.

Not even a fragment of a line could be seen from them.

In any case, that’s how the world looked to Jang Han.

And such Jang Han faced a shock.

‘The youngest of the Soongmu Yi family. Yi Cheol.’

He recalled the first time he met Yi Cheol with Yang Seo-dan, a prospective elder, almost two years ago.

Yi Cheol, whom he saw at that time, was certainly unbelievably strong, but it wasn’t that he couldn’t see the line.

He thought he could kill him.

But for some reason, he wasn’t sure.

It was the first time he had met such an opponent.

He had been embarrassed because he couldn’t see the line, but it was the first time he thought he couldn’t kill someone even though he could see the line.

He had dozens of experiences assassinating opponents of Yi Cheol’s level, and it wasn’t that he had never faced someone stronger than Yi Cheol.

But Yi Cheol was different.

He had something beyond strength.

Jang Han was never sure whenever he thought of Yi Cheol.

Nearly two years passed since then.

Jang Han canceled all assassination missions and devoted himself to training.

‘That’s how I obtained the 2nd Form.’

He suffered severe injuries ten times, had near-death experiences four times, and even after that, he obtained several aftereffects that he might have to carry for the rest of his life before he finally obtained the 2nd Form of the Thousand Slaughter Path.

And during this Grand Tournament, he became a disciple of the Lord of the Nine Dragons and was taught a special ‘technique’.

Even after obtaining those, Jang Han could not gain certainty from Yi Cheol.

So, he continued to prepare.

He continued to gather data and investigate Yi Cheol, collecting all kinds of information.

Like an assassin researching a target.

To turn uncertainty into certainty.

That’s how he watched Yi Cheol’s first match in the main tournament, the battle against Serena Cannata.

‘The line was visible.’

But…… he wasn’t sure he could win.

‘I have to create a countermeasure.’

Throughout the main tournament, Jang Han only researched how to deal with Yi Cheol.

He analyzed the weaknesses of the techniques he had shown and came up with ways to create openings.

Jang Han slowly opened his eyes in a dark room.

That’s how the countermeasure was prepared.

He was fully prepared.

Now, as an assassin, he would simply act according to the plan.

* * *

“Long have you waited! Countless young people from around the world gather to shine……!”

The heat in the stadium, filled with spectators, was incomparably hotter than before.

The host introduced Jang Han and Yi Cheol in a thunderous voice, perhaps to create an atmosphere for the start of the final match.

Jang Han looked at Yi Cheol.

Both sides had been given enough rest time after the semi-finals, so their physical condition was perfect.

Jang Han narrowed his eyes.

‘I can see it.’

There was a line.

A distance of about 10 meters [~33 feet].

The neck and head. The legs and arms…… I can move within ten steps and cut them.

But it’s strange.

Yi Cheol, standing in a natural stance without even drawing his sword, is as calm as ever.

Indeed, something is different.

Even though I can see the line, I can’t be sure.

But I can’t hesitate any longer.

‘I will defeat you and stand at the top of the Nine Dragons.’

This battle will not just be a simple competition, but a place where I prove myself.

I looked at Jang Han, who was looking at me and stirring up a sharp fighting spirit.

‘He’s gotten stronger again.’

I didn’t see Jang Han’s semi-final match against Justin Garrett, but I watched all the matches before that.

Jang Han was strong then, but he is stronger now.

It seemed like he was thinking of taking out something he had been hiding.

“The match will now begin!”

With the referee’s voice, I drew my sword and took a stance.

However, Jang Han didn’t move.

“What is he doing?”

I frowned and looked at Jang Han.

Jang Han gestured with his longsword hanging down.

“We’ve already figured each other out. I don’t think we need to drag this out.”

“So?”

“Use it.”

Jang Han said that and pointed his longsword at me.

“Use your unidentified secret skill. I will prepare a sword corresponding to it. I am ready. Whether it’s the special aura skill you used in the semi-finals, or the power to absorb aura into your body, it doesn’t matter. Use it.”

Jang Han glared at Yi Cheol.

Some might say it’s foolish to give the opponent time, but since we already know each other, troublesome petty psychological warfare is meaningless.

‘I’ll break through head-on. That’s the only way it has meaning.’

Jang Han’s eyes sparkled.

And Yi Cheol laughed silently and said in a low, subdued voice.

“You’ll regret it.”

A terrifying amount of aura began to dwell within Yi Cheol’s body.

Yi Cheol raised his sword.

Jang Han’s eyes widened.

He saw his hand going towards the scabbard on his waist, but he didn’t see the scene of the sword being drawn.

Jang Han closed and opened his eyes.

In that instant, Yi Cheol’s figure, which had been in front of him, disappeared.

His spine chilled.

‘Behind me!’

Kwaaaang!

The moment he quickly lowered his body, Yi Cheol’s sword was swung, brushing past a few strands of his hair.

No, he didn’t see the sword being swung. He only felt something eerie brushing over his head, and then saw a few strands of hair flying in the air.

Hwaak! Kwang!

He felt the sword being swung from behind, but before he knew it, he felt a presence again from the front.

His reaction was a step late.

He would have lost immediately if he hadn’t instinctively thrown himself away.

Facing it directly, he felt it even more keenly.

Yi Cheol’s technique is dangerous. It can show the movements of someone who is several levels above his actual skill.

Clearly, the speed of launching attacks was faster for him, but the moment he used that technique, Yi Cheol’s speed began to surpass him.

It doesn’t matter.

As I foretold, I have prepared a sword to break that technique.

‘Thousand Slaughter Path, 2nd Form.’

Jang Han’s magic power began to flow in reverse.

The next moment, Jang Han saw Yi Cheol spinning greatly in the air and swinging his sword towards him.

That’s right.

He could see it.

‘Did you think you were the only one who had that technique……?’

Woong!

Yi Cheol’s eyes widened.

Jang Han slowly extended his longsword.

* * *

There was something Jang Han was misunderstanding.

After reaching the 4th Star of New Magic Power and fighting Ron.

I can now unleash the Mana Body almost immediately without much preparation time.

Hwaaaaaak!

I immediately drew the aura circulating within my body to the extreme point and deployed the technique.

It was the activation of the Kanggi Art [a martial art technique], Mana Body.

‘Let’s see what you’ve prepared!’

Uuuuuung!

In an instant, the amount of information received by all my senses was amplified.

In the rapidly slowed space-time, consciousness expanded endlessly.

Jang Han, who was starting to move slowly, and Jang Han’s longsword, which was being raised while scattering sharp energy.

I felt the heavy air and moved towards the back of Jang Han.

Sgaak!

As expected, the assassin’s senses cannot be ignored.

Jang Han avoided my strike from behind. All I cut was a few strands of Jang Han’s hair.

Ignoring the scattered pieces of Jang Han’s aura, I immediately moved to the front and brought down my sword.

Hwook! Kwang!

Jang Han barely avoided it and glared at me.

‘What is it?’

I saw a strange ripple in Jang Han’s eyes as he glared at me.

The flow of aura circulating within Jang Han’s body began to change rapidly.

The flow is strange.

And that flow was eerily similar to the Mana Body.

Twitch-.

For a moment, something bright flashed before my eyes.

It was the light of the sun reflected in Jang Han’s longsword.

“……!”

Sgaak!

The longsword brushed past my nose.

I would have been hit if I hadn’t stopped walking.

‘He attacked?’

Jang Han was looking at me.

He was turning his head exactly in the direction I was moving.

Until now, when I unfolded the Mana Body, the opponent could never keep up with this speed.

Not only Lee Seo-hyun and Serena Cannata, but even Ron, who would be called the Sword Emperor.

At this speed, ‘defense’ was all they could do, and no one had ever caught up with that speed and counterattacked.

But just now, I was clearly attacked by Jang Han’s longsword.

The meaning of that is.

‘Could it be…….’

I looked at Jang Han.

His black eyes were looking exactly where I was.

‘He’s keeping up with the speed of the Mana Body……!’

Jang Han is now moving in the same time as me.

Kwa, a, a…….

Jang Han’s longsword and my sword, slowed down like slow motion, collided in the air.

The noise of the collision was cut off and continued for a long time.

“Did you think you were the only one who had this kind of technique?”

At the same time as I heard Jang Han’s voice, the longsword was swung from far away.

A strike aiming for the right shoulder.

Jang Han, who was already using a quick sword, was truly chillingly fast.

Hwaak!

Avoiding the upper attack, I immediately lowered my body and aimed for the lower body.

Jang Han defended with the end of his longsword and approached another step.

Hwiik! Kkadeuk!

Jang Han didn’t just use his longsword. He immediately stretched out his fist and threw a feint [a deceptive or distracting maneuver].

I blocked the fist with my elbow and immediately unfolded my aura and swung my foot.

Hwaak!

Jang Han approached another step.

The sleeve of my clothes, grazed by the sword energy emanating from the longsword, crumbled into dust.

‘First, I’ll create some distance.’

This distance is the optimal distance for Jang Han, who uses assassin techniques. I needed to create some distance.

I immediately pushed away Jang Han’s longsword with my sword and kicked him with a feint.

But.

Kwang!

Jang Han just took my kick with his body and approached even more. He didn’t seem to care that the impact would be considerable, and he kept narrowing the distance even while bleeding from the corner of his mouth.

In an instant, a cool sensation brushed against my forearm.

Sgak!

The longsword brushed past my arm. I could see drops of blood forming and flying in the air.

Thanks to the power of the Evil Eye and my sixth sense, it ended with only the leather being slightly cut, but the fact that it was cut was important.

Jang Han was trying to take the bone by giving up his flesh [idiom: to achieve a greater goal by sacrificing something of lesser value].

“Tsk, did you avoid it.”

Jang Han spat out blood-mixed saliva and shone his eyes again.

I frowned as I looked at Jang Han, who was swinging his longsword again.

‘It feels like my movements are being read.’

Kwaaang! Sgak!

Jang Han skillfully deflected my sword.

Thrusting Heocho [a specific sword technique]. He avoided this too.

Jang Han’s foot was already heading to the position of the footwork I often used.

It’s a strange feeling.

It felt as if he was seeing through the techniques and combat methods I would unfold.

‘Countermeasure!’

I realized it immediately.

Jang Han had been devising tactics solely to counter me.

‘I have to test it.’

Mujin 1st Form, Repel Demons.

I launched a strike towards Jang Han.

But.

Kwang!

Aura cleverly surged along the sword surface of Repel Demons, and the trajectory twisted.

Following the Mana Body, even Repel Demons.

Jang Han let out a sneer.

“The techniques you have will not work on me.”

Jang Han said as if declaring it.

And he immediately thrust his longsword straight out.

Pung!

I avoided that strike that brushed past my right earlobe, but my eardrum burst from the wind pressure, and blood flowed down.

I covered my ear and took a few steps back.

“……I never thought you’d prepare this far.”

Jang Han didn’t answer my words.

With all my techniques being countered and my movements being analyzed, it felt like everything was going wrong.

Jang Han knew all my habits and combat methods.

Moreover, since he had created countermeasures for all the decisive secret moves, it was natural to be pushed back.

‘It’s a little scary.’

I couldn’t even guess how much he had analyzed and researched me.

“No technique is perfect. There is a solution for everything. All your techniques have been blocked.”

Jang Han said that as he kicked off the ground and approached.

“I won.”

I let out a hollow laugh at Jang Han’s words, as if declaring it.

I admit it.

No technique can be perfect.

That’s why countless warriors wield their swords to get infinitely close to that perfection.

Jang Han analyzed and exploited the loopholes in my techniques.

But you know.

‘Do you think I’ll only use the techniques as they are?’

I swung my sword with a whoosh.

Kwang!

Jang Han parried the sword.

And at that moment.

Hwaak!

I dropped the sword.

Bare-handed combat.

‘Sorry, but. I don’t just use swords.’

As always, my weapons are freedom and unconventionality.

The sword is just one of the weapons I wield.

Jang Han’s eyes widened.

My fist was swung towards his chin.

The petals of the Black Lotus were stacked like scales on my fist.

‘I’ll break the countermeasure you worked so hard to prepare.’

And the fist landed squarely on Jang Han’s chin.