Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 168

Weapon-Eating Bastard – Episode 168

The world plunged into pitch black.

Activating the Evil Eye was almost an instinctive reaction.

And what my Evil Eye reflected was pure chaos, as if all the world’s energies were colliding.

-Krrr….

Whether it was just the wind or something else, I couldn’t tell.

In the black-dyed world, a sound like a beast’s cry echoed.

‘Black Qi is protecting me.’

The Black Qi wrapped around my body, shielding me from the encroaching darkness.

No, it was going beyond protection; it was baring its fangs.

‘Just what are you guys?’

I swallowed hard, feeling the darkness envelop me and the Black Qi wriggling, extending from my body like a living thing.

The black mist I saw in my ancestor’s tomb, the Black Qi that took root after the regression, the black object in the cathedral, the black stone Mujin and the Mountain Spirit mentioned, even the smell the Mystics found repulsive…

‘This is a power that doesn’t align with the world’s natural order.’

I knew it, or at least, I was becoming certain.

This wasn’t a power that would only be helpful to me.

‘Wait. A power that doesn’t align with the principles of the world?’

Just one more step, just as my thoughts were about to solidify.

Whirr!

Suddenly, something like a chain shot out, tearing through the darkness.

Bright light burst forth from the Hebrew inscriptions densely etched on its surface.

Thud!

Immediately after, I heard a sound like something being sucked in.

The darkness filling the space was being drawn toward the center.

And.

“Huff, cough!”

“Hah, hah….”

From behind me, a groan filled with pain escaped.

Bishops Horatio and Francis were breathing roughly, as if on the verge of collapse.

“Are you alright?”

I quickly grabbed their hands and used healing magic.

The two old priests finally caught their breath and sat down, drenched in cold sweat.

“…Young Master Lee Cheol. Are you alright, Young Master Lee Cheol?”

Bishop Horatio looked at me with wide eyes.

Nothing particularly special had happened to me.

I couldn’t understand why they were in so much pain.

“I’m fine. What happened to you two?”

“It seems the seal on that object has weakened. To think it would attack our minds… We even moved the seal to this underground area, but it’s still like this.”

Bishop Horatio sighed.

I followed his gaze to the basement.

In the center stood a glass case.

Chains emitting light were connected to each vertex, the ground was covered in what appeared to be holy water, and various holy objects filled the space.

I slowly approached the case.

Thud!

Something dark and murky inside struck the glass.

A black object, agitated like a caged beast.

‘Can I absorb it right away with Black Qi?’

Just like I did with the black mist.

In fact, the Black Qi was already extending from my body, wriggling as if eager to absorb it.

And this black object…

Thud!

It pounded on the glass, as if wanting to rush at the Black Qi.

I glanced behind me.

Bishops Horatio and Francis were watching me.

Serena didn’t have the authority to come this far.

‘Whether I can absorb it or not, now isn’t the time.’

I didn’t know what would happen if I used Black Qi.

I was defenseless against mental attacks in my ancestor’s tomb, after all.

It wasn’t right to do anything with those two behind me.

“We were exhausted and collapsed, but Young Master Lee Cheol was fine! You are definitely the subject of the prophecy!”

Horatio grabbed my hand, his eyes filled with joy.

“Thank goodness. The Holy State has made many sacrifices because of that strange object. You will be able to solve it, won’t you?”

“Wait.”

Bishop Francis, who had been listening, stopped him.

“Calm down. This isn’t the place to discuss this. You must be tired, young guest, and need time to rest. Bishop Horatio.”

“Hmm… But.”

“And we haven’t received confirmation from the Saintess about the prophecy. I know you’ve been researching how to seal this object for a long time, but haste makes waste.”

“Haha, I lacked consideration. I understand. Let’s get out of here for now. Are you alright?”

“Yes, I want to rest a little today.”

“I understand.”

I left the basement with the two bishops.

Bishop Horatio recited a prayer, and the door closed with a creak.

Clack-!

I looked at Bishop Francis, walking ahead with his cane.

The way he cut off the conversation and stopped Bishop Horatio, as if deliberately buying time.

And the stories he told.

It was fortunate I wasn’t walking beside them or leading the way in the narrow corridor.

I stared intently, quietly fiddling with Mujin [a ring], which was on my finger.

* * *

After the incident in the basement, I sat face to face with Bishops Horatio and Francis again.

“Thank you for today. Once Saintess Sophia gets out of bed, she will give you a definite answer about Young Master Lee Cheol’s prophecy.”

Saintess Sophia Serezard, the owner of the prophecy, was said to be usually unable to be active due to excessive use of the prophecy and illness due to old age.

For now, at Bishop Francis’s insistence, I was waiting for the Saintess to wake up.

“Thank you so much for today, Young Master Lee Cheol.”

Bishop Horatio smiled kindly, as if truly grateful.

“If that black object is sealed, our Holy State will be able to dedicate more resources to the stability of the world. I can’t deny that the Holy State has been passive because of that object.”

“Is that so.”

Bishop Horatio nodded excitedly.

“Oh, I’ve been holding you for too long. Serena, please guide Young Master Lee Cheol well.”

“Yes, Bishop.”

With that, I ended the meeting and turned around.

Serena was silent as we left the main building.

I didn’t bother to talk to her.

After passing through another security check and getting outside, Serena spoke as she walked.

“Lee Cheol-nim. Can we stop somewhere before going to the accommodation?”

I looked at her and replied.

“I don’t think it would be wise to go straight there.”

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you planning to see Saintess Christina? If we move right away, we’ll be followed.”

Serena’s eyes widened.

“Are you saying we’re being followed? More than that, I never said I was going to see the Saintess, so how….”

“It’s just a simple guess.”

I turned my head, subtly scattering my senses.

Filtering out the presences caught by my sixth sense and Evil Eye, little by little.

‘There’s a tail.’

Not just a simple tail, but someone watching with determination.

Some were using stealth techniques difficult to detect without direct examination with my Evil Eye.

Ordinary martial artists from the Holy State wouldn’t be able to use such techniques, so they must be agents from the Special Task Force on a secret mission.

“It would be better to head to the accommodation first to divert their attention, then move. Ron will help.”

“…I understand.”

I slowly walked the streets of the capital with Serena, thinking about the situation in the Holy State.

Bishop Horatio, Bishop Francis, Saintess Christina, and even the involvement of an outsider like me.

‘In the end, I’ll have to hear the story from Saintess Christina.’

The words about a traitor and an attack from the outside.

At the center of it all is the ‘black object’ I saw today.

And I had experienced something similar in my previous life.

‘The Holy State Terror. I heard it was conducted in this way.’

The incident being discussed in newsletters and the media.

The situation in the Holy State and that incident in my previous life seemed too similar.

* * *

Outside Vatican City.

A man in a spacious warehouse sat in a reverent posture, as if in prayer.

Behind him, a woman in a plain white mask walked in.

“Apostle. I have a report.”

The man opened his eyes and stood.

His eyes were closed.

However, he moved naturally, as if he could see everything.

The woman bowed her head and spoke.

“The Divine Body has shown a change by the hand of that boy.”

“In detail.”

Anticipation appeared on the man’s face.

“I shared the eyes of the Dragon-Faced Lord with my ‘eyes’. I saw the Divine Body sealed in the basement and Lee Cheol, who caused the change. He didn’t even flinch in the breath of the Divine Body, and that scene….”

Suddenly, the woman began to tremble.

“Why are the true free unfreedom and blue breath crawling in the breath of the Divine Body! Ah, that beautiful, that…!”

The woman’s words twisted and became strange.

Incoherent words popped out.

It felt as if several people were speaking at once.

Crack!

The white mask changed.

A turbid color spread across the once spotless surface.

The man smiled and approached.

“You still lack training.”

He placed his hand on the mask, and the colors disappeared, returning it to pure white.

“Ah…! I’m sorry. Apostle.”

The woman lowered her head.

The man shook his head.

“I have seen what you have seen. No need to explain.”

The man let out an excited breath, walking out of the prayer room with a satisfied smile.

“Oh, what a wretched fate. To think the descendant of that cursed family is a blessed being. Ah….”

The man moved, muttering in a high tone.

And a bizarre sight was revealed beneath him.

“Keugh! Keuek!”

“Kieeee!”

“Kyaaaa!”

Those who were neither monsters nor humans.

Hundreds… no, thousands of something lined up, simultaneously raising their heads to look at the man, dripping with turbid saliva.

The man grinned.

* * *

As soon as Ron and I arrived at the mansion, I called him.

“Can I ask a favor?”

“Yes? Out of the blue?”

“I have to go out again, and I’ve got a tail. Please pretend we’re still here. I’ll explain later.”

Ron sighed.

“Sigh. I feel like I’ve become a supporting actor. You have to explain, right?”

“I’m sorry, Ron-kyoung [term of respect].”

Serena bowed lightly.

Ron smiled awkwardly and waved his hand.

“No. Serena-kyoung. Friends help each other.”

Ron used our coats and hangers to make scarecrows.

Immediately after, Serena and I used stealth magic and left the mansion.

I used the power of the Myriad Manifestations Iron Skin to change my face and transformed Eunhan [a sword] to change my clothes.

Serena finished by lightly putting on makeup and wearing glasses and a hat.

It was a crude disguise, and I was worried because Serena’s stealth skills were lower than I thought, but we shook off the tail without much difficulty.

Serena and I headed to a small cathedral north of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Despite being small, it was still popular with tourists.

In a place full of antique decorations, I found a woman looking at an object on one wall.

“Ah, you’ve come.”

The woman turned around and looked at me.

First-class knight.

A living saintess, Serena’s teacher, the Sword of the Papal States.

Saintess Christina looked at me and gave me a kind smile.

“Nice to meet you, Young Master Lee Cheol.”