Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 318

Weapon-Eating Bastard – Chapter 318

Choi Yu-jeong, the last descendant of Soongjeong Choi, was pregnant with a child who carried the blood of Soongmoo Lee.

It was an impossible situation. A tragedy seemed like the only possible outcome.

But Choi Yu-jeong refused to give up on the child.

As the days passed, her vital energy [a concept in traditional Chinese medicine referring to the body’s essential life force] dwindled, and she grew gaunt, but her eyes shone with even greater intensity.

“Seriously, who did you inherit all that energy from?”

Feeling the baby’s kicks, Choi Yu-jeong playfully poked her belly.

For her, the baby in her womb represented life itself.

It was a source of stability and a precious gift for someone who had only ever known running away.

There was no way she could give it up.

“Please grow up healthy. Don’t worry about me. How much trouble does your dad cause me?”

Choi Yu-jeong often spoke to her unborn child like this.

She simply hoped to spend some time with the child and Lee Tae-shin.

‘……’

I watched my mother as she was.

Even while giving her life force to the baby in her womb, even knowing that death was the inevitable end, my mother’s face was filled with smiles.

From that point on, the time my father spent with my mother decreased.

He traveled the world, searching for all kinds of elixirs and artifacts.

He sought a way to restore even a fraction of my mother’s damaged vitality, and during this time, Lee Tae-shin’s name became renowned around the world.

It wasn’t an action that aligned with my memory of my father.

My father never liked attracting attention, even when he accomplished great things.

He repeatedly went on excursions, never succeeding to the position of head of the family, and voices of dissatisfaction arose from within the family.

In fact, Lee Tae-shin himself didn’t really know the full extent of his motivations.

“Why don’t you stay around a little longer? You know you created this situation, right? What am I supposed to do if you keep wandering around outside like that?”

“……”

My mother often scolded my father.

But as always, he didn’t say much in response.

“Seriously, you’re as quiet as a mute who swallowed honey.”

There wasn’t much conversation between the two.

Honestly, at first glance, it still seemed like they didn’t get along well.

But in my eyes, my father’s demeanor seemed different.

‘Did Father ever make that kind of expression in front of Mother?’

My father looked at ease when he was with my mother.

I somehow felt that was my father’s true self.

My mother’s belly grew bigger and bigger, and she became increasingly sleepy as her energy was depleted.

My father traveled all over the world.

He searched for legendary elixirs and secret medicines.

In fact, my mother became a little healthier.

But that was the root of the problem.

* * *

That day, the pain was particularly severe.

Since the due date was still some time away, I initially thought it was just a passing pain, but I noticed the intervals between the pains were shortening.

My mother realized that they were labor pains.

She sensed that childbirth was coming much earlier than expected.

“Ha, geez. Your damn father is late even at times like this.”

Shaking with an unknown chill, my mother entrusted herself to the doctors and nurses that my father had ordered to be on standby.

She no longer had the strength to move on her own.

That’s when the labor pains intensified.

Thump!

The outside became noisy, and I sensed something approaching.

“What, what is it? I hope I’m not too late? Ugh!”

My mother smiled faintly, thinking that my father had arrived.

But I bit my lip.

‘No. This presence… it’s not just one person.’

Flash!

At that moment, I felt the scene in front of me distorting.

Unfamiliar memories flooded in, overwhelming the scene unfolding before my eyes.

And before I knew it, I was standing outside the safe house.

The one walking into the house, with the moon behind him.

“Finally, I have finally found it.”

The leader of Kabbalah [a mystical Jewish tradition], an old monster.

This was the leader’s memory.

The absorbed leader’s memory was intersecting and mixing with my mother’s.

* * *

It was too unfortunate a fate to simply call it bad luck.

Kabbalah, Behemoth, and the Blood Cult, who had been searching for the Soongjeong Choi bloodline, eventually found it.

A hidden safe house that Lee Tae-shin frequented.

The existence of a certain child there.

“I searched the whole world as soon as I got the Evil Eye, but I finally found it.”

The leader of Kabbalah, the old monster, felt that miracles did exist.

Not only was she of the Soongjeong Choi bloodline, but she even carried the blood of Soongmoo Lee.

A perfect vessel.

Where else could there be a being with so much potential?

“The Blood Cult and you, the Demonic Sky Church, must tie up Lee Tae-shin as promised. We will steal the child.”

Thus, the forces of Six Nights stormed the safe house.

Of course, there were considerable defense facilities and troops prepared there.

But it was useless.

Because it was none other than the leader of Kabbalah who had come to the safe house.

“Stop him!”

“Stop, stop that guy… Keuk!”

Blood flowed and destruction continued with every step the old monster took.

Destroying the safe house step by step from the outside, the old monster approached the inside.

‘No.’

I bit my lip and looked at the old monster.

My mother didn’t have the energy.

Her life force had reached its limit, so in fact, there were only non-combat personnel inside.

But this was just a regenerating memory.

Regardless of my wishes, the old monster finally brushed aside all obstacles and reached the entrance.

“Finally!”

The old monster opened his mouth wide and smiled like a demon, opening the door to the room where my mother was.

And.

────Thud!

The old monster felt a force blocking his path.

A golden, hazy barrier was creating waves and blocking his path.

An unidentified spell.

At that time, a murderous voice flowed out from across the room.

“You son of a, bitches… Seriously, you have such bad timing, coming at a time like this….”

It was Choi Yu-jeong who spoke.

Choi Yu-jeong leaned against the bed, trembling and holding her belly.

It was the Choi family’s magic that she had squeezed out all her remaining strength to create.

A technique that would turn away all evil things, a technique that could be used for days and nights if she was in proper condition.

“Amazing. You’re worthy of being from a family of miracles. Such skill….”

The old monster frowned, but soon smiled leisurely and took a step forward.

Flicker!

Sparks flew as the barrier and the old monster’s body rubbed against each other.

“But it’s too weak. Hahaha!”

Very slowly, the old monster’s foot was clearly breaking through that barrier.

‘Where the hell is he? Lee Tae-shin!’

Choi Yu-jeong bit her lip.

If it was Lee Tae-shin, maybe everything could be resolved if she just waited until he came.

At that time.

“Hehe, are you looking for Lee Tae-shin? Unfortunately, he won’t be able to come. Can’t you tell by the fact that we, who have never joined forces before, have gathered together?”

The old monster uttered those words with a face full of pleasure.

Choi Yu-jeong was finally able to understand what had happened.

She also realized that she couldn’t wait for Lee Tae-shin.

Behind the old monster, she could see strange groups following.

Men wearing blood-colored priestly robes, strange people wearing masks…….

They must be working together to hold Lee Tae-shin back.

Throb!

At that moment, labor pains came fiercely.

Her mouth opened wide at the pain that felt like her intestines were twisting.

“Baby. Just a little, just wait a little. Please……”

Choi Yu-jeong gasped roughly and sat on the bed, panting.

As if in a hurry, the baby kept urging her to come out into the world.

A vision blurred by pain.

Choi Yu-jeong forced her eyes open and raised her head.

She saw the face of the old monster, stretching out his foot with a look full of joy.

The emaciated figure, the face full of wrinkles and distorted…… looked like that of a demon.

Throb! Throb!

Again, labor pains surged violently.

She couldn’t even maintain her half-leaning position on the bed and fell to the floor.

“Madam!”

“Kyaa!”

The doctors and nurses who had been trembling managed to catch her quickly.

Choi Yu-jeong felt her mind fading.

Her mind was fading due to the intense pain.

Choi Yu-jeong barely moved her lips and said.

“…Stab me.”

“Yes? What, what did you say?”

“Stab my thigh with a knife.”

The doctor doubted his ears.

“If I faint, the baby, and you all will die. Stab me with a knife.”

The doctor’s eyes were filled with worry, conflict, and doubt.

He was hesitating.

“Right…… what am I asking…… of a doctor……”

Choi Yu-jeong’s hand quickly swept across the floor for a moment.

Before anyone knew it, a piece of wood that had fallen in the corner was in her hand.

“Oh!”

People were flustered and couldn’t stop her.

Choi Yu-jeong’s hand drew a large arc and fell on her thigh.

Stab!

It was a pain that didn’t even feel like pain due to the labor pains.

But perhaps because of the blood loss, Choi Yu-jeong felt her mind returning, even if only a little.

She turned her head again and looked at the old monster.

Flicker!

By now, the tip of the old monster’s foot had passed through the barrier.

Once he pushed it in, it would be easy to push his whole body in.

In fact, her strength was bound to weaken more and more.

She couldn’t wait for Lee Tae-shin to return like a miracle.

Choi Yu-jeong let out a hollow laugh.

Come to think of it, there was still one thing left.

With a faint smile, Choi Yu-jeong stroked her belly.

‘Mother.’

I…… could only helplessly look down at the scene, holding my trembling heart.

And.

“Baby.”

My mother called me.

Amidst the noise of the invading monsters echoing all around, my mother’s hand was stroking her bulging belly.

“Because your mother is incompetent, I’m going to make you bear a lot of burdens. I’m sorry. Really, really…….”

My mother’s hand touched the blood that was flowing down.

With blood on her hands, she began to draw something on her belly.

“I can’t even guess how long it will take for you to see the world. I can only hope that your dad finds you early. I don’t know how late that guy will be, but please wait for your dad bravely. Your mom will be waiting for your dad with you.”

My mother’s trembling voice gradually began to become clearer.

Her blurred eyes also began to glow faintly.

Woo-oong!

My mother’s blood began to contain magic.

The eyes of the old monster, who was watching all the scenes from outside, were distorted with shock.

“How dare you! What are you doing! Do you think your soul will be intact if you do that! Stop it. Stop it. Baby. That is forbidden. If you sacrifice your soul, you will fall into terrible pain. No, no!”

The old monster was flustered.

His relaxed expression had disappeared, and he was desperately forcing his body inside the barrier.

“I, I will save you. I am a master of all the secret arts in the world, so I can save your life. How about we make a deal? You…….”

“Get lost.”

My mother smiled slyly.

The old monster’s expression twisted.

“Haha, serves you right. You old geezer. Be quiet. I’m talking to my baby.”

My mother smiled like that and moved her hand again.

One stroke, then another stroke.

A circle is drawn, a line is drawn, a dot is marked.

Magic dwelled in those blood-stained lines, and a strange power began to flow out.

“Baby…….”

My mother’s voice began to fade away.

‘……Yes, Mother.’

I knelt down in front of my mother.

I know this is just a memory, but my body moved like that without me knowing.

“Actually, I’m pretending to be strong, but…… actually, I too…… Mom also wanted to be with you, with your dad, I really tried to spend time with you…… Cough! I think this is it. I’m so tired.”

The strength was slowly draining from my mother’s smile.

“I wanted to talk a lot and do a lot for you. I or he doesn’t care about anything, so I wonder if you won’t be picky about food either. I hope you take baths well…… and brush your teeth well by yourself. I hope you don’t whine too much when you sleep, respect adults, and get along well with your friends…… I heard that mothers are supposed to teach those things well when they’re young…… Sniff, sob…….”

My mother’s blurry eyes were directed at me.

I wasn’t reflected in my mother’s eyes that were searching the air, but I was clearly looking at those eyes.

“If you end up going to Soongmoo Lee…… it will be very difficult. Your dad is a person who carries a lot, so he might suspect you at first. Or he might not know how to treat you. Anyway, he’s a troublesome man. In that cold family…… how can you overcome it without a mother.”

‘No. It was hard, but I overcame it.’

I put my hand on top of my mother’s hand.

Although our hands didn’t touch, it felt like I could feel some warmth.

“Still, I hope you grow up strong. There will be many difficult things in life, but please don’t give up. I hope you live strongly in the world.”

‘Yes, I am living strongly. I didn’t give up. In the end, I was recognized by the family.’

I answered my mother.

I hoped this voice would be heard.

Tears were flowing from my mother’s tightly closed eyes.

“Baby. Actually, I had many dreams while having you…… I wanted to give you a name, and I wanted to feed you. I also wanted to sing you a lullaby…… I wanted to go on a trip somewhere far away with your dad…….”

My mother’s tears fell.

I shut my mouth tightly.

“No, no. Actually, more than that, I wanted to hold you in my arms at least once. You’re such a strong child, so you’ll hug Mom so tightly that it hurts, right?”

My mother’s eyes began to blur.

My mother’s eyes, looking at the air, curved softly and smiled.

“Baby. Th…… Thank you. For coming to my side. I don’t know how long it will take, but let’s wait for your dad together…….”

Whoaaaa!

Soon, darkness fell in the memory I was seeing.

“Nooooo!”

A scream-like cry from the old monster followed.

* * *

That was all of the memories I had received from my mother.

What followed from then on was the old monster’s memory.

“You’re saying you sealed the child. Did you think that I, that I wouldn’t be able to undo it?”

The old monster took care of Choi Yu-jeong’s body.

The magic of the Choi family, combined with innate true energy and powerful magic, was like an impregnable fortress, not to mention the magic that was unfolded at the cost of her soul.

But the old monster did not give up.

He finally succeeded in dragging the child out of that body.

But, in the first place, he shouldn’t have done that.

There was another trap there.

When the child forcibly saw the light of the world, the magic circle activated even more strongly and stopped everything about the child.

Growth, magic, and life force.

“This can’t be! It can’t be!”

The old monster couldn’t do anything through that child.

The born child was no different from a doll that didn’t even breathe, didn’t grow, and didn’t even change.

The old monster tried to do everything he could to open the magic that was protecting the child’s body.

He unfolded all kinds of magic and secret great laws, and poured out forbidden techniques that touched taboos and souls.

But the mother’s obsession to protect her child was beyond the old monster’s imagination.

A magic that sacrificed her soul and life, a magic that might be called human sacrifice.

A magic with such obsession would crack but would not break easily.

The last resort he could do was to inject black energy.

A strange phenomenon occurred there.

The child began to harbor black energy.

Whether it was the power of the Choi family, or some other action.

The child was not adversely affected by the black energy at all.

But that was the end.

The black energy only lingered around the child, but there were no other changes.

The child was alive, but it was the same as being dead.

* * *

And time passed.

Lee Tae-shin could not find them.

The reason was simple.

It was because Kabbalah had no real organization or power.

Kabbalah *was* the old monster, and the old monster *was* Kabbalah.

It wasn’t even a covert organization in the traditional sense.

The old monster only needed to identify Lee Tae-shin’s location through the ‘eyes’ and run away.

Thus, Lee Tae-shin’s directionless rage was unleashed on other entities that could be considered organizations.

To do that, Lee Tae-shin rose to the position of head of the family.

And he accepted the arranged marriage determined by the Council of Elders.

And he wielded all the power of Soongmoo Lee to start a war in secret.

It was a war with Six Nights.

The Blood Cult was destroyed.

The cult, which had continued its history for hundreds of years, had all its history burned down by the military power of Soongmoo Lee.

The legacy flowed to Behemoth and Kabbalah, and Lee Tae-shin tracked it down.

And Behemoth received Lee Tae-shin’s visit.

Lee Tae-shin, who visited alone with a few swords, slaughtered thousands of believers that day, burned hundreds of buildings, and smashed every mask in sight.

Time passed again.

The old monster gave up on Choi Yu-jeong’s child.

He couldn’t feel any life force in it, and the pursuit of the Ten Swords and the Spirit Sword Squad was closing in.

Suppressing his anger, he retreated from Lee Tae-shin.

Like that.

A child was found in Kabbalah’s abandoned laboratory.

Next to it was the preserved body of a woman, and the child was rescued and transported to Soongmoo Lee.

“Is this child, my child?”

The moment Lee Tae-shin took the child, the child’s stopped clock began to move.

“Wahhhh!”

The child, who hadn’t even been breathing, breathed, and magic surged through the child’s body.

The child, who had no life force at all, suddenly bloomed with life.

But…… too much time had already passed.

Lee Tae-shin couldn’t help but doubt as he looked at the child.

It seemed like his child, but because it was a child who had been touched by Six Nights.

He couldn’t help but doubt whether the child was really his child, and even if he was his child, whether some trick had been applied.

But he couldn’t abandon it.

Because the child’s face was so similar to Choi Yu-jeong.

* * *

That child would later grow up and have the childhood name ‘Young’, meaning the root of the flower.

Overcoming oppression and humiliation, proudly proving himself, and finally receiving the one-letter name ‘Cheol’ [meaning ‘iron’].

And time flows again.

Lee Tae-shin had been watching the child who was proving himself more and more.

He saw himself in that child, he saw Choi Yu-jeong, and he saw a strong and upright spirit, truly like iron.

It took a long time to admit that he was his son…… but in the end, he had no choice but to admit it.

No, even if it was a child with some trick applied, he wanted to handle it himself.

Like that.

The name Lee Cheol of Soongmoo Lee was now one of those representing the great family of martial artists.

* * *

That was what I didn’t know either.

What was hidden in the world.

All the truths related to my birth.