Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 289

Weapon-Eating Bastard – Chapter 289

I faced the dwarf.

The tomb’s space had turned completely white, transforming into a realm where rewards were given.

“Will you leave the estate? You who have returned from death.”

“No, I will take the next test.”

To hear that again so soon after arriving, I replied with a slightly weary expression.

“…Very well.”

“Ask. For the reward. As agreed, I will give it. The answer to the question. Only one.”

The third dwarf, like the second, seemed strangely wary of me.

The question was already decided.

I opened my mouth immediately.

“The content I heard in that place. Is it true?”

Confirmation of the facts.

From the beginning, I wondered if all these records were the work of the dwarves.

“Do you want that as a reward?”

“Yes.”

“You ask the same question all your brothers did.”

“…What?”

By brothers, does he mean my fourth and fifth older brothers and my second older sister?

‘Did they also hear about the family?’

If so, they couldn’t have avoided asking this question.

If you are a direct descendant of the Sungmoo Yi family.

Anyone who inherited this bloodline… would not have easily believed the hidden history of the main family’s bloodline that I heard from our ancestor.

‘What choices did those three make?’

Soon, the yellow light hidden within the dwarf’s robe emitted a bright light, and a clear voice echoed in my head.

-The content of the tests is all true.

-Everything in this test is a recreation of what already happened.

-There is no fabrication in these records.

In the end, it’s true?

My eyes gleamed.

‘Yi Gun-sung. Did you know this too?’

Perhaps even Father… knew?

I took a deep breath.

At that moment, the dwarf looked straight at me and continued.

-The reward is not over yet.

Whoosh!

The space shook chaotically.

And the next moment, I could see a huge woman walking through the white background.

“Maknae [Youngest sibling],”

My second older sister, Yi Jin-yoon, called me with a deeply worried expression.

* * *

-She gave up the fourth test and wished to leave the estate.

-Although exceptional, she wished for 5 minutes as a reward for the promised third test.

The dwarf said so and disappeared like smoke into the white background, as if to keep the place for us.

I stared at it for a moment, then immediately turned my gaze to my second older sister.

“Noona [Older sister], what’s going on? Leaving the estate? What are you going to do about the test?”

“I can’t concentrate here anymore. So, before I leave, I have something to tell you…”

My second older sister continued, then stammered.

As if her lips were paralyzed, she couldn’t make a sound for a while, only moving her lips.

Then, in an instant.

“Damn it! What is this? Hey! You dwarf bastards! What kind of crap are you pulling again…!”

“Noona, calm down for a moment. Are you perhaps trying to say what you learned as a reward?”

“Huh? That’s right. How did you know?”

“…Then you won’t be able to say anything no matter what. The restrictions the dwarves mentioned. Didn’t you hear the explanation?”

“Restrictions? Ah…!”

The story that you cannot convey what you have learned to others until the law of causality is fulfilled.

I didn’t expect it to manifest in this way, but the dwarves’ words seemed to be true.

Yi Jin-yoon’s expression twisted.

“Then I can’t explain it. You need to know too…”

About the family’s secret history, the curse embedded in the Sungmoo Yi family’s bloodline.

‘I have to leave, so this guy needs to know the situation. But….’

At that moment, Yi Cheol spoke first.

“Is it perhaps related to the bloodline?”

He didn’t mention the main family, nor did he say anything in detail.

However, with just those words, Yi Jin-yoon realized that Yi Cheol had learned the truth.

“…Did you find out too?”

“Yes, it seems you heard it too, Noona.”

“…”

Yi Jin-yoon nodded with a stiff expression.

Perhaps, this child knew more than she did.

That’s why he was so calm and had made up his mind.

‘That’s a relief.’ Yi Jin-yoon sincerely thought so.

“Then there’s no need for explanation. I’m worried about the family without us. Father has been away from the family for too long, and that monstrous older brother, and that sly third one….”

“You could be in danger too, Noona.”

“Me? I think I’ll be fine. They won’t target me.”

Would that really be the case?

Those who inherited the Sungmoo Yi family’s bloodline could never be safe from the founder’s obsession.

“Anyway, that’s why I’m thinking of giving up the test. Now that I know that, the Floating Fortress is no longer important.”

Yi Jin-yoon narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

“I don’t think we should leave the family right now. The fact that we left the family, the fact that the situation outside the estate has become chaotic… I have a feeling we’ve stepped into some huge trap without realizing it.”

“What are you going to do about the test?”

Yi Jin-yoon chuckled.

“You’re here, aren’t you?”

Then, as if asking the obvious, she answered immediately.

My second older sister looked straight at me.

All the playfulness in her expression had disappeared.

“I’m leaving this place to you. I’ve entrusted my share to you, so failure is not an option. Seize the estate and get rid of all the competitors. Don’t even think about dropping out halfway.”

My second older sister slammed her beloved sword, Geo-san, into the ground and stretched out her fist to me.

“Instead, I’ll take care of the family. Trust me.”

My second older sister smiled boldly, and I let out a hollow laugh.

“Do you know you’re being a bit cheesy?”

“…What?”

“It’s not like you, Noona. You’re being romantic. Well, you’re getting old now, so….”

“What, you punk? I’m only in my early forties! These days, forty is the prime of life…!”

That’s when it happened.

-The promised time is over.

The air distorted, and the dwarf slowly descended.

I lightly bumped my right hand against my second older sister’s still outstretched fist.

“Anyway, good.”

I looked at my second older sister.

“I’ll take care of this place, so please take care of the family, Noona.”

“Always so cocky.”

My second older sister smiled and nodded.

‘If it’s the maknae, I can trust him.’

It might be quite difficult to get through all these tests alone… but for some reason, a strong sense of trust arose.

Woo-oong!

Soon, Yi Jin-yoon felt her body turning into yellow particles.

“Then I’ll go first.”

“Yes, please take care of the family.”

“I’m counting on you for the Floating Fortress test.”

Whoosh!

Soon, all the light disappeared.

My second older sister’s body vanished, and I looked up at the dwarf.

“Unlike my second older sister, I have no intention of leaving. I’ll move on to the next test right away.”

The third dwarf was silent for a while, then continued with a long sigh.

“…Hoo, you who have returned from death. You do not know. How dangerous you are. It might be better for you to give up. For the sake of this world.”

The dwarf slowly fluttered his robe and spoke.

“The singularity of the Star Shattering Demise. Even that strong one was caught up in it. Because of you. You may distort everything.”

I scoffed.

“I don’t need your nagging. Hurry up and move on to the next test.”

Now that I had another reason to pass all the tests and see the end of this estate, I had no intention of wasting time.

“…”

The dwarf slowly floated towards the sky.

-The record is over.

-All challengers will begin competing.

-Prove yourself. Survive. Escape from those who are after you.

-This is the land of struggle.

-The corrupted and the beasts will target you.

-You will face the challengers and must prove your strength in the flow of causality.

-Be careful. The fog of death will approach you.

-The prepared door is in the center.

-Hunt the lords of the land, find the keys, and open the door.

Again, the incomprehensible content of the test, like riddles, was conveyed, and with that, my vision began to distort.

Soon, I closed my eyes and opened them again, and I realized that I had once again fallen into an unknown forest.

‘Could it be….’

I felt an ominous premonition and checked my mana first.

Fortunately, mana existed.

I didn’t feel any restrictions on any part of my body.

-Kieeeeeek!

The problem was that there were strange, really strange beasts.

‘Are they monsters?’

But I couldn’t feel the distorted flow of mana.

No, rather… the flow of mana itself felt similar to that of humans.

The names Behemoth and Kabbalah immediately flashed through my mind.

But I couldn’t jump to conclusions.

‘Come to think of it, the test content was struggle, and it mentioned challengers. Could it be that this test is being conducted together like the first test?’

“Anyway.”

I drew up my mana.

It was clear that those bizarre creatures were after me.

The moment I was about to deploy Cheonra in the air.

“Dodge, Young Master Yi Cheol.”

A low voice was heard, and I felt a massive flow of mana coming from the side.

Kwaaaaa!

Belatedly, a blue aura swept across the ground.

The familiar color of the aura.

A color similar to Ron’s.

Sssst!

After the flow of aura, reminiscent of a cannon, swept across the ground.

The bizarre creature that had been there had disappeared without a trace.

I soon felt a group of people gathering around me.

“It hasn’t been that long, but it feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”

There was a man revealing himself from behind.

A familiar voice, a massive mana that naturally caused tension.

First-class knight, Henry Russell.

In the new test, I faced him, the so-called Iron-Blooded Knight, before my eyes.

* * *

Yi Jin-yoon slowly opened her eyes.

As soon as she regained consciousness, she looked around.

“Huh? What is this?”

“Aren’t I dead?”

“I’m alive. I’m finally out of that hellish place!”

“Hic, heuuuk!”

Besides her, a group of people were out from under the estate.

Yi Jin-yoon found familiar faces among them.

They were warriors of the Sungmoo Yi family.

Warriors of the Four Gods and the Cheongung Squad.

Yi Jin-yoon headed straight for them.

“Hey! Cheongung Squad!”

“Uh, uh? L, Lady Yi Jin-yoon?”

Yi Jin-yoon quickly examined them.

“What happened? Why are you guys here?”

“T, that is… I clearly lost my life in the third test….”

“I was stabbed in the abdomen with a sword, my intestines… clearly… but I’m alive.”

They also seemed bewildered.

Yi Jin-yoon suddenly recalled a scene in her head.

‘Come to think of it, the guys who died in the first test didn’t leave corpses and just turned into light and disappeared.’

Yi Jin-yoon quickly finished organizing her thoughts.

Unlike her, who voluntarily ended the test, it seemed that this was not the case for them.

‘That’s good. I don’t have to worry about troop losses.’

Yi Jin-yoon’s eyes gleamed, and she looked around.

Her eyes narrowed.

“…Sungmoo Yi family. Gather behind me.”

At Yi Jin-yoon’s mana-filled voice, the warriors of the Sungmoo Yi family, who had been in confusion, regained their senses and gathered behind her.

Yi Jin-yoon’s gaze was fixed on the troops approaching them from beyond the forest of the uncharted territory where the Floating Fortress was located.

From there, a group of people was slowly approaching the place where people were gathered.

The Sungmoo Yi family crest was imprinted on their chests.

At the very front was a Black Robe member of the Yeonggeomdan.

“Welcome, Lady Yi Jin-yoon. You’ve worked hard.”

Black Robe.

The unique stitching that only the family’s master tailor could make was visible.

“We were waiting to guide those who came out of the Floating Fortress test. We will take you to the main family right away.”

He says it’s to escort the personnel of the main family who entered the Floating Fortress.

Anyway, this was an uncharted territory, and there were forces from other organizations, so it was a reasonable measure.

The Black Robe itself was a powerful means of identification, so there was no room for doubt.

But Yi Jin-yoon scoffed.

“Affiliation, name.”

“Yes?”

“Reveal it. Affiliation and name.”

“I am the 3rd Squad Leader of the 1st Division of the Yeonggeomdan [Sword Shadow Corps]. But I cannot reveal my name.”

The Yeonggeomdan has no name.

Even if they do, they must not reveal it.

“What about the troops following behind?”

“Likewise, the 3rd Squad of the 1st Division.”

“What is your purpose here?”

“Of course, it is to safely return the main family’s troops who entered the Floating Fortress.”

Yi Jin-yoon narrowed her eyes for a moment and stared at him, then let out a deep sigh.

“Ha, frustrating. Unlike the maknae, I can’t probe or see through things like that.”

“…What do you mean?”

Yi Jin-yoon continued to say what she had to say, regardless of the Yeonggeomdan member’s words.

“But there’s one thing I’m good at. What do you think it is?”

“I don’t know what the Second Lady is talking about right now.”

Yi Jin-yoon’s hand gripped Geo-san.

“It’s my gut feeling. Even Father acknowledges my gut feeling. He says it’s an intuition close to precognition.”

Yi Jin-yoon’s Geo-san was clenched tightly.

“My intuition is telling me that you are my enemy.”

Swish!

Yi Jin-yoon’s Geo-san beheaded the Yeonggeomdan member.

All the troops of the Sungmoo Yi family there were startled and trembled.

Yi Jin-yoon raised Geo-san and frowned.

‘Mana, movement. It’s all different from the Yeonggeomdan. Rather, it feels similar to those Kabbalah bastards.’

Yi Jin-yoon raised her aura.

For these things to be under the Floating Fortress, and even wearing Black Robes and impersonating the name of the Sungmoo Yi family.

Why is the main family condoning it?

Do they not know?

Or are they aware and neglecting it?

Whichever it is… it was proof that the situation of the main family was absolutely not normal.

At that time, one of the main family’s troops who came to greet them shouted.

“What is this! Why are you attacking allies…!”

What a joke.

For the main family’s troops to raise their voices at a direct descendant… and not even an elder, but a lower-ranking warrior?

“Enough. Come at me. I’m going to cut all your throats and go directly to the family.”

Yi Jin-yoon’s Geo-san caused a great explosion.