Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 106

Weapon-Eating Bastard – Chapter 106

Lee Cheol was deep within the forest.

Three ethereal blue flames danced closely behind him.

Legend called them goblin fires, mischievous spirits of the woods.

*Whoosh!*

The flames flared, coalescing into the forms of children, boys and girls around the age of seven or eight.

*Giggle giggle!*

They giggled, observing the human as he drank from the stream.

“Hehe. Did you see that human stumble into the swamp earlier? He didn’t even realize it was a wetland,” the first goblin, Gyeong, said, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

“Humans can’t sense magic, can they? I suppose that’s why,” Chang, the second goblin, replied, nodding in agreement.

“Of course not. Humans are, by nature…” Yung, the third goblin, neatly swept her long hair behind her neck and muttered.

Suddenly, Gyeong shoved Yung.

“Oh! Yu- Yung! We’ve been spotted! That human is looking right at you!”

“Oh, oh?”

Indeed, Lee Cheol had turned his head, his gaze fixed on them.

The way he narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing them, was unsettling.

Gyeong, Chang, and Yung exchanged nervous glances, their big eyes darting around.

They watched him carefully for a moment.

“The water is lukewarm…”

Fortunately, Lee Cheol looked away and began to wash himself in the stream.

*Giggle giggle!*

The three goblins erupted in laughter once more.

Gyeong’s eyes sparkled as he spoke, “I’ve never seen a human before. Do humans need to drink hot water to know it’s hot?”

“I suppose so… It’s amazing,” Chang replied, more composed than Gyeong, though his eyes also shone with curiosity.

Between the two, Yung puffed out her chest, trying to appear worldly.

“Humph! I’ve seen them before with Grandma. You guys are so clumsy…”

“Oh oh! That human is looking this way again! Hide!”

“Hey, hey! I wasn’t finished talking yet!”

Gyeong and Chang transformed into flames and darted into the bushes. Yung, with a tearful pout, reluctantly followed.

To them, Lee Cheol was an enigma.

His emotions shifted rapidly, he wielded strange weapons, and he muttered to himself.

Furthermore, he carried an unfamiliar, pungent odor, and his eyes glowed like the setting sun.

“Humans are so interesting. I don’t understand why the elders dislike them.”

Gyeong, Chang, and Yung observed Lee Cheol from about 100 meters away.

A considerable distance for human eyesight, but a mere stone’s throw for the goblins.

Gyeong watched as Lee Cheol prepared to sleep near the valley after washing.

“But are all humans like that? Knocking down those scary monsters so easily.”

“…I was a little scared when he was beating up the water ghost earlier,” Chang admitted.

“Hehe! But he deserved it! We couldn’t even go there to play because of him!”

Gyeong and Chang continued to chatter, their voices filled with glee.

They were making quite a racket, yet their voices remained strangely muted.

Only their laughter carried.

“B, but guys… shouldn’t we go back now? The adults told us not to come to the valley alone…”

“Wow! That human is going to sleep! He’s lying down now!”

“Wow, he’s struggling to start a fire. Shouldn’t it just light up with a flick [referring to a magical ability]?”

“You again! Why do you keep cutting me off!”

Yung snapped at the two young goblins who were ignoring her.

“Yung, don’t be so scared. Nothing will happen. Nothing’s happening now, right? The adults are just trying to scare us, okay?” Chang, seemingly the most level-headed of the three, soothed Yung.

“B, but scary demons come out here…”

Yung muttered, barely audible.

“Hey! If that’s the case, go back to the village by yourself!”

“Gyeong. Don’t be so mean to Yung. We’re all friends; we should play nicely. Why are you telling Yung to go alone?” Chang interjected, attempting to defuse the situation.

Gyeong huffed and turned away.

Yung hesitated and mumbled, “I, I’m just scared because Grandma and Grandpa told us not to go outside the village with other kids because scary demons come out… I’m scared…”

“It’s okay. If the demons find us, we can just run away.”

“Do you think the demons can chase us?”

“But demons use strange powers.”

As Yung trembled, Gyeong and Chang smiled reassuringly.

“Don’t worry. Besides, when else would we see a human like that?”

“That’s right, Yung. Don’t worry too much.”

“…”

Yung glanced around nervously, fear gnawing at her.

This stream was a precious resource, visited by the ‘villagers’ whenever they needed water.

Goblins were immune to magic, but the other ‘villagers’ were not, so the elders ensured that magic did not permeate this place.

However, this also meant that dangerous monsters often appeared, leading them to warn the children against venturing there recklessly.

‘Huh?’

Just then…

“G, guys… what’s that?”

Yung, her eyes darting around anxiously, grabbed Gyeong and Chang’s sleeves and pointed behind them.

“Wow! What’s that sword?”

“That ring is amazing too. It definitely turned into a staff earlier, right?”

However, Gyeong and Chang were so engrossed in watching Lee Cheol that they failed to notice the encroaching danger.

Even as they spoke, darkness writhed.

Yung was certain it wasn’t an animal.

Something unpleasant and foul-smelling…

And then its form materialized.

“G, g, guys…!”

Yung’s face paled as she stammered.

-Kee-luk?

Behind Yung’s terrified gaze.

A hulking demon stood, its presence imposing.

Wings of leathery membrane, horns sprouting from its head, and skin that shimmered with an oily sheen.

-Keeeeeeek!

“Oh, oh!”

“Run away!”

Gyeong and Chang belatedly grasped the situation and scrambled to flee.

But Yung was paralyzed by fear.

She couldn’t even transform properly, her legs buckling beneath her, causing her to collapse.

“Yung! Grab her!”

“Ugh, ah…”

Gyeong and Chang seized Yung and took to the sky.

But their escape was short-lived.

-Quick! Ka-lurk! Thud!

Demonic creatures materialized in the sky, blocking their path.

*Thud!*

The goblins’ transformation faltered under the force of a demonic creature’s kick, sending them tumbling to the ground.

“Ah, ah…”

“You demons!”

“Kyaaaaak!”

The demonic creatures drooled, closing in on the goblins.

-Kieeeek!

These demons were formidable foes, ones that even the adults in the village struggled to contend with.

Gyeong, Chang, and Yung trembled, squeezing their eyes shut in terror.

Then, in that desperate moment…

*Flash! Rumble rumble!*

A thunderous roar, so deafening it made their ears ring, reverberated through the air.

*Whoosh, thud!*

And then came the sound of something heavy falling to the ground.

The three goblins cautiously opened their eyes.

“What are you guys?”

And they saw him.

The human they had been observing, standing protectively before them.

* * *

Demonic species are powerful.

Magi [a type of dark energy] and unique abilities.

These two elements allowed the demonic species to be compared to the Dragon race.

Demonic species were especially dangerous when dealing with intelligent beings.

Lower-level demonic species could employ seduction and illusion, while higher-level demonic species possessed even more sinister abilities.

And the most perilous of all was the magi they wielded.

Exposure to their magi could drain one’s life force, induce illness, or even destroy the body as if poisoned.

‘I managed to take down one with a surprise attack, but…’

I gripped Mujin [a sword’s name] and Black Night [another sword’s name] in both hands, my gaze fixed on the demons before me.

Thanks to the body that had absorbed the Amethyst Stone Blossom [a magical item] and the magic eye that analyzed reality, I was immune to curse-type or illusion-type attacks.

The question was whether they possessed other types of attacks.

Of course, I wasn’t overly concerned about that either.

‘I was wondering what to do with the last piece of equipment, but I’m glad I acquired this after all.’

I channeled magic power into the necklace around my neck, and my eyes shone with determination.

-Kieeeek!

One of the demonic species, its back hunched like a hunchback, unleashed a blast of energy at me.

The air it touched became tainted, and the surrounding bushes withered instantly.

I fearlessly charged into the path of that seemingly lethal power.

*Fssst!*

The necklace intercepted the demonic species’ energy.

-Krak?

The demonic species’ eyes widened in disbelief as it realized its attack had failed.

A masterpiece-grade Amulet [a magical necklace].

It emitted a sacred aura that repelled unclean energy.

It had many limitations, and its efficiency was poor because it converted magic power into divine power, but it was perfectly suited for this situation.

*Thud!*

Mujin and the demon’s magi collided, creating a deafening roar.

The Amulet consumed magic power at an alarming rate, but it was manageable.

The amount of magic power had increased due to the weapons I had absorbed, and the regional advantage of Yeongsan [a location] replenished that magic power.

-Kyaaaaa!

The demonic species opened its maw wide and spewed out magi.

I poured magic power into Black Night.

*Crackle!*

Black Night, the sword that extinguished magic power.

Having fully unleashed its power during the test at Cheonwisan [a location], it erased the magi as if it were a pencil mark, and plunged into the demonic species’ throat.

*Splatter!*

Leaving behind the severed head of the demonic species, I tossed Eunhan [a magical item], which I was wearing, to the young goblins behind me.

“What’s your name?”

I asked the goblin who seemed the most composed.

“Ch, Chang.”

Chang trembled, but calmly revealed his name.

“Are those two your friends?”

“Yes, yes!”

“Okay, Chang. Wear that over you. Never take it off.”

“Ye, yes! Th, there, behind!”

-Kiek!

Seizing the opportunity created by the brief exchange, one of the demonic species charged.

But I was already prepared.

I immediately pivoted, transforming Mujin.

In my left hand, I held Anchille [a shield’s name], a masterpiece-grade shield.

In my right hand, Black Night.

Anchille’s Spirit Magic Barrier erected a protective wall.

*Thud!*

The creature that collided with Anchille was sent flying backward.

I could never lower my guard against the demonic species.

While the Dragon race, with their purely physical strength, could be subdued with brute force, the demonic species, with their bizarre special abilities, presented too many variables.

‘And those two…’

I was concerned about the two demonic species who had yet to fully engage in the battle.

*Whoosh!*

The moment I glanced away, the demonic species I had just repelled began spewing out a dark energy once more.

‘Kugh!’

The inside of my ear rang loudly.

-Igeudaegseeriindalleongeudeneoireonmweogabani… [gibberish, likely a demonic language]

Incomprehensible words, languages I couldn’t even pronounce, pierced my ears.

A moment of disorientation.

The demonic species seized the opportunity.

-Keeek!

But their target wasn’t me.

The demonic species soared through the air with incredible speed, aiming for the young goblins.

*Thud!*

The young goblins, protected by Eunhan, were struck by the demonic species’ charge and sent tumbling.

“Ugh, aaaa… It hurts…”

“Hwaaaang.”

“Scary!”

Despite being directly hit by the attack, I could hear the goblins’ voices from within Eunhan.

‘I’m glad it blocked it well after all.’

The voices reassured me of the goblins’ safety.

Eunhan, pre-infused with magic power, had successfully deflected the demonic species’ charge.

And now I was free from the demonic species’ special abilities.

*Rumble rumble!*

Ganggi Art, Lightning [a martial art technique].

The sound of real lightning echoed.

The sword energy that surged forward obliterated the demon that had targeted the young goblins.

Two remained.

-Kick, kikik.

I didn’t let my guard down.

These two were the real threat.

The number of horns on their heads was twice that of the three demonic species I had defeated earlier.

‘At least Grade 4 [a power ranking].’

Three pairs of wings.

The middle pair appeared underdeveloped, but if they were Grade 4, their special abilities would be far more potent than those of the previous demonic species.