Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 141

Weapon-Eating Bastard – Chapter 141

Looking at the scribbled handwriting at the beginning of the book, I was certain it was from my aunt.

‘Still looks like alien language.’

Still, it wasn’t as illegible as when I first saw my aunt’s notebook, which required deciphering.

-My baby. This is a gift.

I put down my fork and knife and began to read the letter on the first page.

-It’s been over a year since you left. That little niece is also leaving for the Murim Assessment [a martial arts evaluation], so I’m rushing to finish this. She grumbled, but happily agreed when I asked her to deliver it to you.

-Are you overdoing it again? You’re not dead, are you? If you were, you wouldn’t be able to read this letter. But you couldn’t be dead. Oh, I’m doing well. The drama I always watched has ended, but there’s a sequel coming out. That’s not what I wanted to talk about… I used a pen, so there’s no eraser…

After that, it was a chaotic feast of nonsensical content.

Still, I carefully read through it, not knowing what might come up.

-Anyway, you must be having a hard time. They say life is tough away from home… No, maybe you’re more comfortable away from home. Either way, this aunt is worried about you leaving at such a young age. Good job, my baby.

More comfortable away from home, huh…

There were struggles in the main house in their own way, and there were struggles in the Murim Assessment in its own way.

-And you must be stronger now.

The main point of the letter started from there.

Before reading the main point, I glanced at Lee Seohyun, who was eating the abalone dish across the table.

Lee Seohyun was enjoying the served food alone, as if she didn’t need my attention.

“Eat mine too. I don’t think I’ll eat it.”

The moment I glanced over and checked her plate, Lee Seohyun flinched.

“I-I’m okay!”

“I’m just full. They must have worked hard to make the food, and I’d feel bad leaving it like that for the chefs.”

“…I guess so. Then I’ll eat it for you!”

Lee Seohyun smiled and started moving her fork and knife.

Only then could I focus on the letter in the book.

-You’ve probably completed the 3rd Star. Maybe you’ve even reached a higher level than that. But you left for the Murim Assessment without hearing about the 4th Star. You might be stuck at a wall.

At the time, I hadn’t even completed the 3rd Star, so my aunt deliberately withheld the explanation for the 4th Star.

She was worried that I might aim for a higher level and go down the wrong path, but also because she hadn’t fully established the *gyeol* [core principle] or operational methods for the 4th Star yet.

-So, I’ve written down the *jeongni* [arrangement/systematization] for the 4th Star that I worked on while you were away. Theoretically, it seems about 80 percent complete. But I don’t know what it will actually be like. You’ll have to complete the missing parts by trying it yourself.

How many nights did my aunt stay up, and how much study and research did she go through to quickly complete the contents of the new Mana Arts 4th Star and pass it on to me?

I felt the weight of this thick book was like the time my aunt had spent.

-Here are some precautions.

-If you don’t think you’ve completed the 3rd Star, don’t decode this book. You might go down the wrong path.

-It’s unlikely, but if you’ve reached the 4th Star, this book will give you wings. Well, even if you haven’t, don’t be too discouraged. Honestly, even if you’re a genius, it’s ridiculous to get the 4th Star that quickly, right?

I’m sorry, Aunt.

I’ve already grasped the basics of the 4th Star.

-The decryption key is in the early part of the Amplification *sulbeop* [art/technique]. Assign numbers to the mana processing process of the mana spring and mana circuit, and arrange them in that order.

The contents of the Amplification *sulbeop* [art/technique] are only known to me and my aunt in the whole world.

Since I had Lee Seohyun deliver it, there was a need for encryption.

Just in case it might get lost.

-My baby. Fighting! I hope this book helps you with the things you’ll face in the future!

After reading the letter, I turned to the next page.

I arranged the fragmented letters according to the mana circuit sequence of the Amplification *sulbeop* [art/technique] in my head.

I had to use my head a bit, but thanks to my heightened senses from experiencing the Goblin Wrestling, the decryption didn’t take long.

[New Mana Arts 4th Star (Unfinished)]

Looking at the title written on the first sentence, I let out a hollow laugh.

What my aunt had delivered to me through Lee Seohyun was a secret manual of the New Mana Arts that couldn’t be exchanged for even a thousand gold pieces.

“Did you see it all?”

Lee Seohyun said, poking at the carrot cake that came out for dessert.

“No, I have to read it slowly.”

I hadn’t read the contents completely.

I had only read the letter and the first chapter or so.

More than that, wasn’t it delivered rather than picked up?

I don’t know why it’s so difficult to just say that she was asked by my aunt to bring it.

“Thanks. For bringing it.”

“Hmph! I told you I picked it up!”

“Is there anything else you want to eat? Should I buy you some more a la carte?”

Honestly, I received something more precious than any elixir or weapon.

I felt like I had to repay her somehow to feel comfortable.

“No, I’m full now.”

“Well, you ate two servings each from the main course. You eat quite a bit, huh?”

“You told me to eat!”

“I didn’t force you to eat it, but I didn’t expect you to scrape up all the sauce. The chefs must be happy.”

“Eek!”

Kkiiiggeeeek!

The dessert fork that Lee Seohyun was tightly gripping screamed and bent.

She didn’t even use mana, but she bent the fork with just her strength. That’s Lee Seohyun for you.

“Still, you have to repay the debt, so tell me anything.”

“You don’t have to do anything for me. I’m going to leave to properly start the Murim Assessment [martial arts evaluation] anyway. From now on, I have to do it with my own strength.”

Lee Seohyun said, carefully putting down the fork that was bent in the shape of her grip.

“Are you planning to drop out like this?”

“I originally participated to fight you, not to do anything in this Grand Tournament. I fought you, so that’s enough. I know it’s too early now.”

I looked into Lee Seohyun’s eyes.

They weren’t the eyes of someone who had given up or was trying to avoid something. Rather, they were the eyes of someone preparing for the next moment.

I tapped the table for a moment, then smiled and opened my mouth.

“Where are you planning to go?”

“Originally, I was just going to live as a *sikgaek* [a guest/retainer who is supported by a noble family] while traveling around the *myeongga* [prestigious family] or *myeongmun* [renowned clan], like my older sisters or brothers did…”

Lee Seohyun looked at me.

I don’t know what she sees in me, but there was a different light in Lee Seohyun’s eyes.

“…I’m still thinking about it. It feels like a waste of time to spend time there. Unlike you, I haven’t decided for sure what path I should take. I think I need to experience a lot to decide on that path.”

It was clear that the path she was talking about was not a literal path, but the *mudo* [martial path/way].

I was lost in thought for a moment.

Even if I didn’t say anything, Lee Seohyun would carve out her own path well.

But.

‘I can reduce the waste of time.’

I finished thinking and opened my mouth.

“Go to the Vatican.”

“…What?”

“You’ll be able to find your own path there.”

Lee Seohyun’s eyes widened at my words.

I took a sip of my after-meal drink and smiled.

* * *

The preliminary rounds progressed steadily.

By the time we got to the third preliminary round, people using Aura Skills were starting to appear one by one, so I couldn’t win as quickly as I did in the first and second preliminary rounds.

But all it did was increase the match time from 1 minute to 2-3 minutes, and I won all my matches and eventually passed the third preliminary round as well.

“It seems like you and I are destined to meet in the main tournament. See you in Germany.”

Jang Han, who had won all the preliminary matches like me, hadn’t run into me during the preliminaries, and he left, promising to meet me at the main tournament in two weeks.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

And Lee Seohyun, who had dropped out of the preliminary rounds but often spent time sparring with me, also left for the Vatican.

I didn’t leave for Germany, Korea, or any other part of China.

The place I headed to was Russia.

The place where I first met the Black Turtle Association *ju* [branch/faction].

The forest next to Lake Baikal where Leshy was staying was where I would spend the next two weeks.

I was going to embody the *gyeol* [core principle] of the 4th Star Mana Arts that my aunt had passed on to me there.

* * *

Having told the Black Turtle Association *ju* [branch/faction] in advance, I settled in the cabin where Anastasia used to stay.

Whether it was because of the blessing I received from Leshy, I was able to not get lost in the *jinbeop* [formation/array] given to the forest without being guided or using the Evil Eye.

I unpacked my luggage and started training as soon as I settled in the forest.

The realm of Mana Arts 4th Star is the complete control of Aura.

The 3rd Star was the same, but the depth was different.

-You have to handle Aura like mana. The beginning of the 4th Star is being able to release Aura at any time without even a moment’s delay.

Mana like Aura.

Aura like mana.

Refining mana into Aura without stopping for even a second.

That was the first start.

“Hoo…”

In this training, I put aside physical training and focused on only one thing.

I sat in the middle of the forest in a relaxed state and constantly delved into Mana Arts.

Swaaaaaa-.

I instantly converted the mana emitted from my whole body into Aura, and then instantly converted it back into mana.

When I first obtained Aura, it took a moment to convert mana into Aura, but now I can do it easily with just a fleeting moment.

But the realm of the 4th Star couldn’t even have this fleeting moment of conversion.

-Eliminate the process of converting Aura. You just have to be able to turn mana into Aura at any time, in any situation.

The process of converting from mana to Aura has been like this so far.

Mana extends from the mana spring, the mana circuit controls it, and Aura is generated through processes such as compression or refinement.

But what my aunt was asking me to do was to ignore all these processes and emit Aura directly.

“Is this possible?”

Although it was a bit different, it was like trying to light a fire with only fuel in a gas stove without an igniter.

My aunt’s answer to my question was this.

-You can do it. Because I did it too.

Just do it.

You can do it because I did it.

It was a very aunt-like thing to say, so I didn’t complain and started training.

Because… I thought it was possible too.

-If this becomes possible, your mana efficiency will be maximized. Since the process used for Aura conversion disappears, the loss of mana in the middle will also disappear, and the release speed and control of Aura will naturally increase.

Hwaaaak! Swaaaaaa-.

Emit Aura, then absorb it again.

Absorb Aura, then emit it again.

I repeated the process.

And as the process was repeated, the process became shorter and the speed only increased.

After three days, I was able to generate Aura directly from the mana circuit.

Two more days later, Aura was generated directly from the mana spring as well.

Other than meal times and sleep times, I delved into only Aura Skills all the time.

After a week, I let out a hollow laugh.

“It really worked.”

I could feel ‘Aura’ flowing through my body.

Not mana flowing. All the mana in my body has been converted into Aura and is flowing.

‘With this method… the *mache* [mana body] doesn’t need a process either. I can unfold the *mache* [mana body] right away at the desired moment.’

I unfolded the *mache* [mana body] as a test.

Kuuung-.

There was no process of compressing or absorbing the emitted Aura into the body.

The Aura-ized technology in the body was directly applied to the body, and its immense power was immediately activated as a skill.

I felt that the duration of the *mache* [mana body], which I had only been able to activate for a short time, had increased by at least two or even three times.

“That’s not the end.”

I slowly got up from my seat and grabbed the wooden sword in both hands.

And in an instant.

Hwaaaak!

The power of lightning and bitter wind dwelled in each of the wooden swords.

In the past, I needed some preparation to use two or more Aura Skills at the same time, but now there is no such thing.

It meant that I could unfold as many Aura Skills as I needed at any time.

And that meant that it also affected the overlapping of the Black Lotus.

I haven’t even completed the 7 overlaps yet, but I instinctively realized that I would be able to exert the power of up to 9 overlaps.

-This process is the beginning. Now I’ll explain the *gyeol* [core principle] of Aura Skills that can only be done when you become a 4th Star.

I began to unfold the techniques that came out after that one by one.

They were techniques that were different from the primary Aura Skills that I had been unfolding.