Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 302

Weapon-Eating Heir 302

Soong Moo Yi Ga had changed.

Lee Kyung-hwa, who had become the deputy director of the research institute, had been feeling an unpleasant sensation that kept nagging at her nerves for several days.

Everything looked the same as usual, but something definitely felt different.

‘What is it?’

Lee Kyung-hwa paused for a moment, lifted her head from the monitor, and looked around the lab.

It looked the same as always.

The researchers and subordinate researchers belonging to the institute looked busy. Various documents, electronic devices, and experimental records were being exchanged.

But Lee Kyung-hwa felt something was wrong.

‘A sense of incongruity?’

Yes. This feeling was a sense of incongruity.

Lee Kyung-hwa had experienced this once before.

She couldn’t pinpoint it, but it was the feeling of something happening beneath the surface.

And that feeling brought back an old memory.

‘It was like this back then too.’

The incident that took away her husband, her brother, and her son all at once.

As her thoughts turned there, Lee Kyung-hwa suddenly stopped what she was doing and shouted.

“I’m leaving!”

Even though there was still work time left, Lee Kyung-hwa abruptly told her subordinate researchers that and got up from her seat.

“Yes? You said you were going to finish the research data related to the mana furnace output today, Deputy Director.”

“Ah~. I don’t know. I’m not doing it. It’s annoying. I have to watch a drama!”

Lee Kyung-hwa shouted, pretending to be a whining child.

The researchers who were wearing gowns were briefly taken aback, but soon chuckled.

They felt like Lee Kyung-hwa, who had suddenly become mature a few years ago, had returned.

Like back then, when she was headstrong and often slacked off.

So, although it was unfamiliar to the researchers, they thought nothing of it.

Rather, they thought she had returned to her old self.

Well, if it was a veteran like Lee Kyung-hwa, it wouldn’t be a problem to skip out on working hours once or twice.

“You guys finish the research! I’m going back to eat snacks and watch dramas! Hamin is finally going to find out about the secret of his birth!”

It was then.

Lee Kyung-hwa felt a gaze staring intently at her from among the people.

He was a subordinate she cherished for being diligent, upright, and capable.

But his face was expressionless.

As if he was wearing a mask.

“O-okay, I’m leaving!”

Lee Kyung-hwa turned her body and headed for the door.

Thud!

A subordinate researcher with a strange look in his eyes blocked her path.

“Deputy Director. The research cannot proceed without you. You are the only one here who can use the mana furnace, Deputy Director Lee Kyung-hwa. Common mana furnace operation research requires you to be present.”

From the low, muttered voice, Lee Kyung-hwa felt her heart sink.

It was dangerous.

Those dark eyes, as if they would suck her in, seemed like they would devour her.

“……I don’t know. I’m leaving. I don’t want to work anymore! I’m going to watch dramas!”

Lee Kyung-hwa calmed the mana she almost unconsciously summoned and succeeded in acting like a child, pretending not to feel the sense of incongruity.

“Get out of the way! I said get out of the way!”

Only then did the researcher blocking her path step aside.

Lee Kyung-hwa swallowed hard and left the lab.

‘What is it? What happened? Is it a mistake? Am I just being weird?’

She was confused.

Everything was familiar, but at the same time, it was unfamiliar.

In the midst of that, only the sense of incongruity, which had now turned into a sense of crisis, filled her head.

Was what she felt just a groundless fear?

Was her madness acting up again?

After that incident, Lee Kyung-hwa suffered from panic and paranoia.

‘Could it be that I’m the one who’s weird?’

Clearly, the scenery she saw was the same.

The atmosphere was the same too.

It was chaotic because of the war situation, but it was definitely the same…….

“……I heard that Miss Lee Jin-yoon came out of the aerial fortress this time?”

“Is that so? For her to come out in the middle of it. That’s unexpected.”

“And that’s not the problem. The announcement will be made today, but she’s said to be missing. There are also stories that she plotted a rebellion against the main family and disappeared with troops.”

“Heo, is that really true?”

The voices of the warriors could be heard.

The same scenery as usual, trivial conversations, a staff member who appeared to be an administrative employee passing by, warriors standing guard…….

They were the same.

It was an atmosphere where she felt strange for feeling strangeness from them.

But.

Their gazes.

Were directed at her.

“……!”

Lee Kyung-hwa almost screamed.

She covered her gaping mouth with her hand and began to run.

‘It’s clear. There are strange people mixed in. But what is it? What happened? Why are the family members like this?’

What was certain.

Was that if she turned a blind eye like she did during that incident, pretending not to know anything, she would lose everything.

Lee Kyung-hwa bit her lip and headed straight for the mansion.

Not her own residence.

Lee Cheol’s mansion. The mansion guarded by Lee Cheol’s nanny, Baek Ga-hwa.

“Nanny!”

Even though she wasn’t her own nanny, Lee Kyung-hwa shouted urgently and rushed in.

But soon, Lee Kyung-hwa felt a sense of crisis ringing deep in her head.

‘Did something happen to Nanny?’

That wouldn’t do.

Lee Cheol cherished his nanny like his own parents.

If something happened to his nanny, Lee Cheol would be sad.

‘2nd floor, 3rd room.’

When Lee Kyung-hwa hurriedly ran towards the side where she felt a presence, she felt both relief and tension at the same time.

“Lee, Elder Lee Kyung-hwa…….”

The nanny was the same.

Her expression was different from the others.

But the person in front of her was the problem.

A black uniform with a mixture of Eastern and Western clothing styles.

It was the black uniform only allowed to the Spirit Sword Unit [a special forces group within the family].

Even though their expressions were all covered, Lee Kyung-hwa read the same thing from the eyes she saw beyond the mask as she had seen so far.

And her gaze reached the blade in his hand.

A sword.

It was a sword.

A member of the Spirit Sword Unit was holding a sword and pointing it at the nanny.

“How fortunate. To think that both of you would be in the same place.”

The Spirit Sword Unit. No, something that looked like the Spirit Sword Unit spoke.

“But, it’s not good for Elder Lee Kyung-hwa. If you had been in the lab, you might have lasted a little longer.”

Sparks flew from Lee Kyung-hwa’s eyes.

“Y-you bastard……!”

Lee Kyung-hwa pulled out her mana.

No, it was the moment she was about to pull it out.

-Bbaaak!

The cry of something huge, followed by a shadow cast over the window.

The Spirit Sword Unit member quickly turned his head, but the wall exploded faster than he could react.

Kwaaaang!

The wall of the mansion burst open, and the Spirit Sword Unit member was swept away by the debris.

Lee Kyung-hwa quickly shielded the nanny from the explosion.

Lee Kyung-hwa blinked her eyes and looked at the grotesque creature that had smashed the mansion, which was covered in all sorts of defensive spells.

“Huh?! You!”

-Kkiiik!

Lee Cheol’s spirit animal, the Black Crow, with mysterious feathers mixed with gold and black.

It was a reliable escort that Lee Cheol had kept by his nanny’s side to protect her in case of an emergency.

Lee Kyung-hwa’s eyes sparkled as she confirmed that.

“But why are you so late! We almost had a big problem!”

-Kkiik! Bbiik!

The Black Crow clacked its beak as if it was wronged.

Only then did Lee Kyung-hwa see its appearance.

It wasn’t normal either.

Its whole body was covered in soot, and its body was full of unidentified weapons.

The traces of battle.

The Black Crow had also experienced something.

-Bbyak?

Thud! Tteoldeodeok!

No, was it not stuck in?

As the Black Crow shook its body like a puppy, the weapons that had been hanging between its steel-like feathers flew in all directions.

“Golden Crow…… Surely, Squad 2 was supposed to take care of it…….”

At that time, the Spirit Sword Unit member, who had been thrown out by the debris, muttered and got up.

-Kkiiiiiik!

The Black Crow put its back in front of Lee Kyung-hwa and the nanny as if to protect them.

“What? What do you want me to do?”

“I-it seems like it wants you to ride it. Elder Lee Kyung-hwa.”

-Kkiik! Bbyak! Bbyak!

The Black Crow stomped on the floor as if it was frustrated.

It wasn’t just stomping, the building shook every time the huge bird stomped its feet.

“Ugh! I don’t know! Okay! Let’s ride!”

Lee Kyung-hwa erased her thoughts and climbed onto the Black Crow with the nanny.

Soon, the Black Crow quickly ascended.

Kwaaaang!

Towards its back, the sword energy swung by the Spirit Sword Unit member chased after them.

But it didn’t reach the Black Crow’s body. The Black Crow dodged it without any difficulty and flew higher.

‘W-what the hell…….’

Lee Kyung-hwa looked down at the scenery of Soong Moo Yi Ga from the high sky.

And she was startled.

Even though explosions were happening in Soong Moo Yi Ga and unidentified creatures were flying, there was no response.

Something was wrong.

Soong Moo Yi Ga, it wasn’t Soong Moo Yi Ga anymore.

‘The people have become strange. But not everyone. Many people have become strange, but there were also many normal people. What is it?’

Something had happened.

Some were normal, and some had changed.

The family had changed.

‘What about Little Brother? Myung-jung…….’

Lee Kyung-hwa’s head was filled with all sorts of complicated thoughts.

If the family had really become strange, what would happen to them?

“E-Elder Lee Kyung-hwa. What on earth is going on right now?”

“I, I don’t know either…… I’m having a hard time too…….”

From running out of the lab to escaping.

The series of events happened in less than 30 minutes.

She hadn’t adapted either.

It was at that moment.

Kwaaaaa!

Something chased after them.

Dark and murky mana.

It was a similar color to Lee Cheol’s, but if Lee Cheol’s mana was as deep and soft as the night sky, this was a gloomy and unpleasant mana.

-Bbiik!

The Black Crow dodged it and then flapped its wings in panic.

The sword energy wasn’t just one.

Numerous sword energies blocked their path ahead.

“Ah, ah…….”

The nanny lost consciousness from the shock of the aura, and Lee Kyung-hwa bit her lip.

“Iik!”

Even though her actual martial power had declined, she was the one who had taught Lee Cheol.

She was confident that she could block this level of sword energy!

But at that moment.

Hwaaa!

Something red appeared in front of Lee Kyung-hwa’s eyes.

A lizard-like creature wrapped in flames.

“A spirit……?”

The moment she sensed its power.

Paah!

Flames of elemental power rose from all directions, sweeping away all the storms of sword energy blocking their path.

Each and every one of them was a spirit.

The spirits cleared the way for them.

“Is it you? Did you do it?”

The Black Crow shook its head in response to Lee Kyung-hwa’s dumbfounded question.

Then who on earth was it?

“No, more than that, where are you going now?”

-Kkiiiiiik……!

As if it understood her, the Black Crow slowly began to descend.

Soon, the Black Crow landed completely on the ground.

Several people were standing there, waiting for them.

‘Huh?’

Lee Kyung-hwa’s eyes widened.

Deep in the mountains, there were spirits everywhere.

Beyond those spirits, Lee Kyung-hwa chuckled as she saw the figures of two people.

“Welcome, Elder Lee Kyung-hwa. It’s been a while. My name is Jung Jin-soo.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Anastasia from the Black Otter Society.”

Jung Jin-soo, Anastasia.

Lee Cheol’s people.

“I was going to go out to meet you, but you came first. It’s a relief.”

Jung Jin-soo greeted them with shining eyes.

* * *

The end of the fourth test.

In the pure white space, I looked up at the sky.

My question about the resurrection of the Primordial Beast.

The dwarf who was looking at me in response to that question fluttered his robe and opened his mouth.

“You already know. The one who returned from death, you do.”

“…….”

It wasn’t a thought transmission given as a reward.

I swallowed hard at the voice that was heard aloud.

It wasn’t a clear answer, but it was an answer in itself.

‘The Primordial Beast…… will be resurrected.’

Even in the world outside the castle.

Even in the records of the aerial fortress.

The monster I had seen like that would be resurrected.

All sorts of complicated thoughts filled my head.

“Then I will do something else. The reward.”

The dwarf’s yellow eyes shone brightly.

-An era has arrived, and destiny has been determined according to causality.

-Its resurrection is near.

-It does not die.

-It has continued to grow stronger.

-You have seen the records of the devoured eras. You who have returned from death.

-It will become even stronger as human power grows stronger over time.

I had already experienced it.

As human power grew stronger over time, the Primordial Beast also swept the world with stronger despair.

“Then why do you guys maintain this castle? Why do the humans you call singularities exist?”

The dwarf did not answer that question.

Then he looked straight at me.

-That despairing truth will be met in the next test.

-Will you give up the test? You who have returned from death.

-Or will you face the truth?

Facing the dwarf’s yellow eyes, I shone my eyes.

The dwarf didn’t bother to check.

As if he had read the will in my eyes, he immediately floated higher into the air and only spoke about the information of the next test.

-According to causality, the singularities born by the world.

-After four tests, the fifth test begins.

-What you will experience is despair.

-Be careful. The truth of the world will unfold before your eyes.

-The moment you are eaten, it is over.

-As causality merges into one, the moment a flaw occurs in the destiny given to you, all causality will be transferred to the one who has endured despair.

-Face the truth.

Soon, the pure white space began to fill with color.

When I came to my senses and opened my eyes, I was above the sky.

I looked down below.

It was a blue planet.

A land where clouds floated, the sea was full, and many living things lived and breathed on the land.

It was the scenery of Earth.

And far away, I could see a hole in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.