Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 268

Weapon-Devouring Bastard – Episode 268

Members of the Soongmoo Yi family’s direct line receive mandatory, comprehensive liberal arts education.

It’s called liberal arts, but it’s practically at the level of a bachelor’s degree. While my case was different, my other siblings sometimes even obtained master’s or doctoral degrees.

Their degrees are mainly in fields related to monsters or magic, and my twin brothers were also talented individuals with bachelor’s degrees in those areas.

Therefore, the two twin brothers were astonished as they examined the corpse of the strange creature lying on the ground.

“It’s a bit different from the initial reports… but it seems to be an Earliester.”

Earliester.

It was a term referring to ancient monsters that had never been discovered until they suddenly appeared.

The first discovery was near a dangerous zone in eastern Russia, an area classified as undeveloped until the Great War.

“After the initial discovery, they started appearing sporadically. This one definitely feels similar to the one discovered in the northern undeveloped area, right?”

“Right? Look at the oral structure here. There’s another jaw inside the neck.”

“The initial reports were wrong. Weren’t they originally expected to be reptiles?”

Lee Hyun-chan and Lee Hyun-jae began to analyze the corpse, dissecting it here and there.

My second sister watched them quietly, then turned her head towards me.

“But even if this existed, it doesn’t make sense that this place is ancient Earth.”

My second sister stated firmly.

Even if they somehow managed to revive an ancient monster, there was no way they could recreate ancient Earth.

“Sister, nothing is impossible. We just don’t know the method yet.”

“……”

That’s what I heard from my first brother.

As my second sister was also a martial artist who had reached the realm of Simgeom [Mind Sword, a high level of swordsmanship], she seemed to understand the meaning of my words.

“Everything I’ve seen since coming here proves that this is ancient Earth.”

“……I understand. Let’s include that possibility for now. Researchers have gone out to explore, so they will find something out.”

My second sister concluded the discussion for the time being.

I am sure that this place is ancient land, but I understood my sister’s thoughts that this should be judged carefully.

“Hmm, anyway… what are you guys doing?”

My second sister glanced at the twins.

“Yes, yes?”

“Why, why……”

“Who told you to slack off here? Go and help build the base.”

“Ah, no……”

Lee Jin-yoon, resolutely trying to push her younger siblings into the swamp of labor once again.

The twins looked towards me, hoping for help, but…….

“Then shall I help too?”

“Hmm? You, maknae [youngest sibling]?”

“Yes, my magic is restricted here, so it’s quite good for physical training.”

“Hmm… you’re not normal either.”

I was quite enjoying discovering the limits of my body.

I can help build the base while doing that, so of course, I should volunteer.

“But is it really good for training?”

“Yes, it’s quite good for physical training.”

“Hoo, should I try it too?”

Lee Jin-yoon.

She was also a woman who was crazy about training, to the point of being called Mugwang [Martial Arts Maniac].

‘No way!’

‘Maknae! Not you too!’

The twins looked at their youngest sibling with betrayed expressions.

Now that even Lee Jin-yoon showed interest, there was practically no way for them to escape from labor… no, hard labor!

“Sniff…….”

“Ugh…….”

Lee Hyun-jae and Lee Hyun-chan walked away, drooping their shoulders.

My second sister looked at their backs with pitiful eyes.

“Anyway, those pathetic things… how could they accept such people into their faction? Do they have no eye for talent?”

My second sister glared at me and asked.

I smiled lightly and replied.

“If they are motivated, there are no more trustworthy people than them.”

“Hmph, that’s just a nice way of saying they’re lazy. Lee Seo-hyun seems to have become a bit more plausible, though.”

“I heard that the sister who says that also accepted the sixth sister into her faction?”

Sixth, Lee Seol-ah, eventually joined my second sister’s faction.

She was abandoned by Madam Baek, ignored by the other siblings, and my first brother was close to me, so it was a natural step.

My second sister scoffed at my words.

“I just took her in because she was whimpering like an abandoned puppy.”

“Haha, that’s just like you, sister. Anyway, I’ll be going now.”

I stood up from my seat.

At that time.

“Wait.”

The moment I was about to bow and turn around, my second sister grabbed me.

A somewhat subdued voice.

There was seriousness in her eyes.

“Are you sure about what you said earlier?”

I realized that this question was not about factions, but about this trial.

“Of course. I wouldn’t have said it if I wasn’t sure.”

“……If what you say is true, then the content of the trial mentioned by the residents of the aerial fortress makes sense.”

-Be careful. This primordial land will see you, who have lost your strength, as weak prey.

“Then what should we do? Depending on the purpose of the trial, would it be better to focus on survival while investigating this land further?”

I looked at my second sister for a moment.

And said with a hollow laugh.

“It seems that my second sister is also hesitant?”

“What? What do you think of me?”

A tyrant with the qualities of a conqueror.

……But if I said that, I felt like that thick arm would swing straight at my chin.

“Don’t worry about being a leader and worrying unnecessarily.”

“Huh, is this guy trying to fight me?”

My second sister glared at me.

I chuckled and said.

“Sister knows better than anyone. We don’t fight to survive.”

The Soongmoo Yi family aims to fight and win, rather than fight to survive.

At those words, my second sister’s eyes widened for a moment.

“Puhah! You cheeky bastard. Well, that’s right. Isn’t smashing everything our way the only way?”

Lee Jin-yoon felt a moment of pleasure and smiled.

There will be six organizations scattered throughout this land, excluding the Soongmoo Yi family.

They are competitors.

And the ancient monsters that fill the gaps are just enemies.

Of course, compared to Behemoth and Kabbalah, the main family’s forces are at a disadvantage… but who cares? Has the Soongmoo Yi family ever considered advantages or disadvantages?

‘I feel like my head is cleared up. Thinking complicatedly is not my way in the first place.’

My complicated head clears up with a few words from that cheeky youngest sibling.

Thinking about it that way, I’m quite looking forward to the situation ahead.

I feel like running outside right now and swinging my greatsword.

“Hehe, good. It’ll be fun once the base is all built. It’s been a while since I’ve fought without magic.”

“Yes, it should be.”

“Ah, and… was this guy strong?”

My second sister looked at the corpse of the Earliester and shone her eyes.

“Yes, quite.”

It was just a beast without magic… but I struggled quite a bit.

And at my words, my sister curled up the corners of her mouth and laughed lowly.

“That’s good. An ancient monster. It’ll be fun to hunt.”

She should be wary, but she’s having fun.

Anyway, my sister was still my sister.

I chuckled and turned my steps.

* * *

If you ask who was the most helpful in building the base, it was none other than the Mountain God.

“Ah, you bastards really have no talent other than killing and hurting people. Have you never built a house before? Cut it there, there! No, not here!”

The Mountain God also had various powers based on magic sealed, but he was able to use some sorcery to manipulate nature itself.

Wooddeuk!

As the Mountain God swung his club, the trees lying on the ground rolled over on their own and stacked on the ground.

After that, the warriors hammered in wooden pegs, and before we knew it, a log house was built in no time.

“Keu! That’s it.”

I watched it with a hollow laugh.

“Mountain God, what are you doing here?”

“Oh! You came? Brat?”

The Mountain God, who was applying mud to the roof to reinforce it, lightly descended in front of me.

“Where have you been? While I’m doing manual labor, you’re sucking honey somewhere……”

He seemed to be enjoying it until just now, but when I came, the Mountain God grumbled.

“I’m sorry. Things got a bit twisted. More than that, do you know how to do this too?”

“Of course. Do you keep forgetting what kind of race I am?”

Shinbi species, Goblin.

‘Ah.’

Goblins are races with skills comparable to dwarves.

“Besides, how many years do you think I’ve lived? This is a piece of cake.”

“……I’m really glad I brought the Mountain God.”

Thanks to the Mountain God, the base construction has progressed considerably.

It was to the point where you couldn’t say it was done without any tools.

“Then treat me to some alcohol when you get out of here. That one you brought last time was delicious. The one that tastes like pine needles.”

“Of course. More than that, do you have some time?”

I glanced around and asked.

“Hmm…… what is it again?”

I moved a little away from the barrier being built with logs and stones, and told the Mountain God the story I had shared with my second sister.

The Mountain God’s expression frowned a little.

“Hmm, I knew it.”

“You mean… did the Mountain God also feel it?”

“The smell of the air and the feeling of the land are not what I know. I’ve never seen these grasses in thousands of years of living. And why are the bugs so big?”

The Mountain God shook his head.

“So? You wouldn’t have come just to tell me that story… what do you want to ask me?”

“I wanted to ask if this is possible.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Magic, I mean.”

Magic was naturally something that existed.

But there is no magic here now.

If this place is ancient land, wouldn’t magic not be necessary in the first place?

“I can see what you’re thinking, but I can say with certainty that that’s not it.”

“Yes?”

“There’s no need to call it magic grandly, it’s just ‘power’ in the end. Power is bound to exist somehow. The guys of this era are just handling it with magic.”

The Mountain God continued with a nonchalant expression.

“How many eras do you think I’ve seen? As the energy of heaven and earth wanes and prospers, power has originally changed like this.

The humans of this era naturally feel that magic is abundant in nature, but about six or seven hundred years ago, there was so little magic that there were no humans who could use magic at all. Because of this, the ancient secrets were cut off.”

It was a story I had never heard before.

I also naturally thought that magic would always exist constantly.

“Then does that mean there is extremely little magic here?”

“It could be, or it could not be. Or it could be that it ‘disappeared’ for some reason.”

I felt like I had found an important puzzle piece.

The truth of this land.

I could instinctively realize that the secret of the aerial fortress was bigger than I thought.

‘What are they trying to show us? And… why are they trying to test us?’

In this aerial fortress that I came to this time.

I had a feeling that I would be able to dig into the fundamental secrets of the world I live in.

* * *

Two days after entering the aerial fortress.

The researchers returned, proving that my prediction was correct.

In addition, the base construction was completed.

It was such a decent base that you couldn’t think it was built without tools in the field.

Barriers made of stone and logs, and all kinds of tools made of earth and wood were prepared.

While the troops were resting and relieving their fatigue.

My second sister urgently summoned the brothers and the heads of the warrior squads.

“Reconnaissance teams 1 and 4, which departed today, have not returned. They are two hours late than the expected return time.”

“……”

The atmosphere in the room sank at my second sister’s remarks.

Currently, some of the main family’s forces were exploring the surrounding area on a rotation basis.

The fact that two of them had not returned.

That is.

‘It means they encountered the enemy.’

Whether it was a monster or another force.

The fact that the main family was fully prepared meant that the enemies were also somewhat prepared and had begun to act.

“I want to go myself, but I can’t.”

My second sister looked towards me.

“So you go, maknae. I’ll attach the Bloodhowl Squad and the Celestial Bow Squad. If the exploration team is alive, rescue them, and if there are enemies, smash them and come back.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I nodded confidently.

Now, the fight in this land was about to begin in earnest.