Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 324

Weapon-Devouring Bastard – Chapter 324

For thousands of years, it was the envy of countless martial artists. In the modern era, with continents connected, it became an object of worldwide reverence: the Iron-Blooded Family, Soongmoo.

A space reserved only for the most esteemed.

Lee Gun-sung sat in the Head Family’s office.

This place was too serene and humble to be the office of the Head of the Great Soongmoo Family.

However, Lee Gun-sung’s entire life had been directed solely towards this position.

“The night is deep.”

Late at night.

The scenery of the Soongmoo Family, visible from the office, was shrouded in a black, cloud-like mist, submerged in an even deeper darkness.

Lee Gun-sung gazed down at the Soongmoo Family’s landscape.

Soon, Lee Gun-sung turned his head.

In the room, filled with darkness deeper than the night, a man was walking like a shadow.

“Are you waiting?”

The man’s voice echoed heavily, vibrating like that of a ghost.

The moonlight seeping in partially revealed the man’s face.

It was Lee Myung-jung.

Clearly, it was Lee Myung-jung, but he was also not Lee Myung-jung.

“Yes.”

“Don’t you think he’ll run away?”

“Run away… I see. There might be a possibility.”

Lee Gun-sung’s voice floated leisurely in the air.

That would be a reasonable, and even more likely, approach.

However.

“But I feel it. My destiny is approaching.”

It was a conviction closer to foresight than speculation.

Lee Gun-sung felt the approaching tide of the era.

Where there is this, there is that; when that rises, this sinks.

When the darkness of deep night arrives, the dawn that cuts through it also rises.

What remains unknown is merely.

Who will become the darkness, and who will become the dawn.

“……”

Lee Gun-sung looked up at the sky.

The clear sky, without a single cloud, was filled with stars.

Perhaps because the lights on the ground were subdued, those lights felt even brighter.

In an instant, Lee Gun-sung realized.

What his destiny was.

‘It’s you.’

His adversary, chosen by this world.

His youngest brother, who would understand his struggle more than anyone else, yet stood on the opposite side.

He is coming.

“Child, have you read the celestial omens?”

“Yes.”

Lee Gun-sung rose from his seat.

The moonlight falling from the window was obscured by his body.

The room was plunged into an even deeper darkness, as if Lee Gun-sung was wrapped in darkness.

Lee Gun-sung passed by Lee Myung-jung and grasped the handle of the door leading out of the office.

“Produce results. What answer will you bring at the end of this complex battle? I am curious.”

Leaving Lee Myung-jung’s voice behind, Lee Gun-sung opened the door and stepped outside.

* * *

Lee Gun-sung’s footsteps echoed in the darkness.

And in an instant, Lee Gun-sung opened his mouth.

“Tell the Spirit Sword Unit to prepare immediately.”

In response to Lee Gun-sung’s words, a voice was heard from the nearby air.

“What preparations should we instruct them to make?”

“The youngest is coming.”

Lee Gun-sung himself did not know how he realized it.

He simply felt it distinctly.

Perhaps Lee Chul also feels this.

“Understood.”

Soon, the swirling darkness receded from his side.

The quiet atmosphere of the Soongmoo Family soon began to stir busily.

Even amidst this, the outside air was cold.

Lee Gun-sung felt the approach of winter.

Leaving behind a cloudy breath, Lee Gun-sung continued walking, passing through the main avenue that bisected the Soongmoo Family.

Towards the place woven by karma, towards the place led by destiny.

Lee Gun-sung followed it, and soon he arrived at the massive main gate of the Soongmoo Family.

Before he knew it, countless warriors had gathered behind him.

Time flowed slowly.

It was when the troops, who had begun preparations, were beginning to wonder at the continued silence and stillness.

“Above…?! Fr, from the sky, an unidentified flying object is rapidly approaching…!”

A warrior on the outer wall of the main gate cried out urgently.

The head of the Four Gods Unit guarding the main gate, Bloodhowl, reported to Lee Gun-sung.

“Head Family. We will deploy aerial defense. Please step back for a moment.”

“Leave it be. We can’t stop it anyway, and even if we deploy it, it would be meaningless.”

“Pardon?”

It was then.

-Screeeeeech!

From the sky above the Soongmoo Family, the cry of some enormous creature tore through the silence and echoed.

Thud!

It crashed down right outside the main gate of the Soongmoo Family.

A cloud of dust billowed up.

As Lee Gun-sung had said, the aerial defense hadn’t even reacted; it was a rapid descent as if it had transcended space.

And the next moment, the main gate of the Soongmoo Family slowly began to move.

Thud!

The iron gate, too massive for humans to open, swung wide open.

The defensive barriers capable of withstanding tactical weapons, and the defense systems capable of holding off an army, didn’t even activate.

And a man walked in.

Even with thousands of people, including the troops guarding the outer wall and the main gate, not a single breath was heard.

The only sounds in the silence were the fluttering of the man’s coat in the blowing winter wind and the confident footsteps that followed.

“Welcome. Youngest.”

Lee Gun-sung faced the man.

Lee Chul.

His adversary.

He had returned to the family.

“Greetings. Second Brother.”

I faced the troops and responded to Lee Gun-sung’s greeting with ease.

* * *

Lee Gun-sung slowly opened his mouth.

“You’re late.”

Lee Gun-sung’s words.

I stared at Lee Gun-sung.

As Lee Gun-sung said, I was indeed late.

Not late for the battle to reclaim the Soongmoo Family, but far too late for the battle to resolve the long-standing grudge with Lee Gun-sung.

Passing through a previous life, and arriving in this current life.

Only after experiencing two lives did I stand in this place.

‘But.’

I took a long breath in front of the thousands of troops.

Certainly, I was late, but on the other hand, it wasn’t too late.

Today, at this moment, in this place.

I would sever the grudge that had continued through two lives.

“It’s ironic. I used to be in your position, but now you stand there. Back then, you couldn’t even face me.”

I could understand Lee Gun-sung’s words.

He knows about my regression.

But at the same time, I felt that there was no great agitation in those words.

“You’re not surprised.”

“I also somehow felt that you would know, Brother.”

“I only found out recently. I just… saw it at some point. A vision. What convinced me it wasn’t a vision is right now.”

Since when was it?

It must have been after reaching ‘this state.’ Knowing the events of a timeline that had never happened.

In that vision, Lee Gun-sung had become the Head Family, and Lee Chul had become a sacrifice, dying in the northern uncharted territories.

“It’s no different from then and now. In the end, this position I’ve won was destined to return to me, no matter the variables. Do you have the confidence to overcome such strong karma?”

Lee Gun-sung asks.

In response, I laughed and replied.

“I have no intention of being swayed by fate, karma, or things like that.”

Weaving the weft of fate and the warp of karma to create a fabric called the future is none other than myself.

“Then, it’s my turn to ask.”

I glared at Lee Gun-sung and opened my mouth.

“Yes, what are you curious about?”

“Is this the result of the struggle you chose?”

Lee Gun-sung closed his mouth for a moment at those words.

Then, he smiled faintly and nodded.

“That’s right. This is my answer, my struggle. But this is just a process.”

“Is the appearance of a family corroded by such misguided power your answer?”

I swept my gaze over the warriors lined up around me, examining my surroundings.

The dark mist that was thickly laid out.

This was Black Qi [dark energy/life force].

And I could also feel the Black Qi wriggling within the bosoms of the warriors present.

Looking at them, I felt revulsion.

Some of them will wear masks.

Some will become immortal, with black hair and yellow eyes.

“I don’t know what that has to do with anything.”

“Is this really the image of the family you wanted to obtain, Brother?”

“Family, family… Why is that so important? In the end, what matters most is that I have risen to this throne.”

A domineering aura settled in Lee Gun-sung’s voice.

“Are you, of all people, asking me that?”

Lee Chul, who had lived by struggling more than anyone else.

The energy dwelling in his body and the origin of his energy were no different from his own.

“Do you sincerely think that you and I are the same?”

Lee Gun-sung knows that I use Black Qi.

But it’s different.

This Black Qi was born from my hands, I nurtured it, and it was my power that I endured.

But what about the energy that has consumed the Soongmoo Family?

From their perspective, this power is merely a power given without any hardship.

I admit that the temptation is sweet, but power gained without struggle is meaningless.

But Lee Gun-sung didn’t think so.

“Yes, of course, I think so. Using everything we can to prepare for a certain destruction. You, of all people, should understand that.”

“…I see. So that’s what you think, Brother.”

I took a step forward.

“From the start, my thoughts and yours are different. From now on, I will not respect you.”

Thud!

One step forward.

As if tearing down a curtain, I freely unleashed the aura I had been hiding.

“Kuh!”

“Cough!”

“……!”

Even with thousands of warriors in front of me, my aura never faltered.

Gradually occupying the air, a massive amount of Black Qi poured out from my body.

“How confident. Youngest. Knowing that the most troops are gathered at the main gate, yet coming here alone.”

“I don’t need to use the back door like a rat to enter my own house.”

“But is it possible? Even if you manage to handle this place, the difference in numbers is absolute.”

Lee Gun-sung’s tone wasn’t particularly overbearing, nor did it feel dismissive.

Only curiosity, as if he was genuinely wondering.

“The guys who said those words in front of me are buried underground now. Take a look. How weak the Soongmoo Family you’ve created is.”

Whoooong!

I deployed Cheonra [heavenly net].

The weapons that had built up countless legends began to line up in the sky.

The vibration of magical power, like the fluttering of a swarm of bees, echoed, and I took a deep breath and shouted.

“Soongmoo Family-!”

The voice imbued with magic echoed, spreading throughout the silent Soongmoo Family.

“Choose your positions well! From this moment on, those who block ‘us’ will be judged as rebellious forces that harm the values of the Soongmoo Family.”

The voice was accurately embedded in the ears of the Soongmoo Family warriors.

Starting with those words.

Kwarararararng!

From the outer walls of the Soongmoo Family in all four directions, east, west, south, and north, which seemed as if they would remain steadfast forever, the flames of war erupted.

The forces I had brought were beginning to move.

With the flames erupting on the outer walls, the darkness covering the main house was receding.

“Draw your sword. Lee Gun-sung.”

With those flames behind me, I grabbed one of the weapons floating in the air.

“Today, I will kill you.

And prove my struggle.”

Lee Chul’s eyes flashed with a blue light.

Lee Gun-sung wore a deep smile on his face and drew his sword.

“Then I, too, will kill you and prove that my struggle was right.”

Kwaaaaaaaang!

Empty air.

Exactly halfway between Lee Chul and Lee Gun-sung.