Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 330

Weapon-Devouring Bastard – Episode 330

The head family’s office, steeped in the quiet of the night.

I slowly entered and opened the door.

It felt like a return to my first visit here.

Back then, I was just a teenager, and Father had me recount my experiences from the Cadet Corps.

‘Has it really been almost 20 years?’

I’m nearing 30 myself.

Over 20 years since the regression.

It’s been a relentless rush forward.

So much so that I’ve rarely felt time to pause.

But thanks to that, I’ve reached this point.

Unearthing countless secrets I couldn’t have known in my past life, and wielding the power to contend for the summit.

Swish!

As I sat at the desk, I noticed a worn notebook bound in dark brown leather.

‘I’ll take a good look. Brother.’

In a way, I was carrying on Lee Gun-sung’s legacy.

Gaining enlightenment from our battle, surpassing realms, and now even inheriting his only legacy.

Starting tomorrow, I’ll probably have to squeeze every minute to handle the work, so I need to take this time now, right after waking up, to examine this.

I opened the notebook.

And the contents unfolded.

Inside, Lee Gun-sung’s struggles were recorded in dense writing.

[……Father knew. About the coming destruction. Is that why he prepared for war and examined the monsters?

In the end, he headed to the northern frontier to undo the curse sleeping in the blood of the Soongmoo Lee family.

Is he planning to purify the bloodline of the main family in preparation for the final battle?

It’s a meaningless act. He is already within me. I should think about using him instead. This power… it’s not a situation to be picky.]

[There are many excellent warriors in the Soongmoo Lee family. But their strength is biased towards the norm.

In the battles to come, honest strength is meaningless. We need something exceptional.

The Soongmoo Lee family has neither the Eifel Magic Tower’s mobile fortress, nor the Holy Power of the Church, nor Behemoth’s Mask, nor Kabbalah’s technology. We need to use them.]

It was Lee Gun-sung’s diary, a plan, and sometimes just simple grumbling.

It described his interactions with the Six Nights [an organization dealing in forbidden knowledge and power].

My third brother traded with them because he wanted to understand the principles behind Behemoth’s Mask, and he cooperated with them to acquire Kabbalah’s technology.

The Immortals were soldiers for the upcoming Great War.

Immortality and invincibility. Yet, soldiers that could be mass-produced with just the Black Knight.

All of that was for the war against the primordial monster that was to come.

[The time has come. I need to acquire the family.

Remember, Lee Gun-sung.

The conditions needed to acquire the family are three.

Kill the father, who is bound by old, rigid rules, eliminate Lee Myung-jung. Finally, I must obtain Lee Chul, that child’s power.]

The pages of the notebook felt heavy.

The texture of the paper touching my fingertips was rough.

[The deal with the Progenitor has been made. He wants Lee Chul and Black Night. But he is not yet ripe, and two seals remain on Black Night. Until they are released, I have decided to provide a body for him to reside in.

It’s the first brother. His talent is unbelievable. He was also satisfied.]

So that’s how it was.

I clicked my tongue.

If Lee Hyul-hyun wanted to, anyone who even slightly inherited the blood of the Soongmoo Lee family could not refuse him.

Whether they liked it or not, he was our origin, the one who created the traits of this blood.

Father broke free from that shackle with his extraordinary strength, and the Choi family’s blood rejected it.

‘In the first place, the family tradition of cherishing the direct line to an extreme while maximizing the number of bloodlines must have started from him.’

The excessive obsession with the direct line itself was a result of Lee Hyul-hyun’s obsession.

[Then there’s Father. Perhaps it won’t be difficult.

The Progenitor’s tomb is guarded by the king of the northern frontier.

No matter how much he is with the Ten Swords, by the time Father cuts him down, he will be quite exhausted.

After that, he will even fight against the Progenitor’s spirit, so the only time to strike is that moment.]

I swallowed hard.

‘Father’s death was indeed Brother’s plan.’

It was something I only had a hunch about, without any concrete evidence.

The king of the northern frontier. He actually clashed with that monstrous being.

Come to think of it, there was a time when the strange phenomena in the northern frontier suddenly decreased.

To think that was Father’s achievement.

[I’ll try to move Goo Ryong-chaeju [a powerful martial artist]. He will agree to this plan.

And if he moves, the Nameless Assassin of the Cheonsal Gate will follow. There is a possibility.]

Goo Ryong-chaeju.

Could it be that he, who had been quiet, had moved?

But as I looked at the third brother’s plans that came one after another, I felt something was lacking.

‘With just this… did Father really die?’

It was definitely an unbelievably meticulous preparation.

A Class 1 monster, Goo Ryong-chaeju, one of the strongest of the time, the Progenitor’s spirit, and Jang Han’s master, the Nameless Assassin.

They were opponents that even I couldn’t be sure of.

Except for Goo Ryong-chaeju among them, I had never directly fought any of them. Moreover, even that Goo Ryong-chaeju was not a direct confrontation.

But now that I had reached this realm, I was certain that those preparations were insufficient.

‘It’s certain. To deal with Father, this is not enough…….’

As I thought that and turned the page, I abruptly stopped my hand.

Lee Gun-sung’s answer to my question was written on the last page.

[……This will be enough.

Because Father’s lifespan, in the first place, was not much time left.]

I felt my breath catch in my throat.

* * *

Silence isn’t always the answer.

As soon as I woke up, the Soongmoo Lee family announced the current situation to the media on a large scale.

Naturally, there was quite a bit of chaos.

No matter how different the world above the surface is from this world where magic and swords clash, there is still the framework of the law.

But it was a chaos that had to be gone through, and we quickly acknowledged the problems and resolved them.

The only problem, if it could be called that, was that the process wasn’t very smooth.

“……Are you alright?”

In the midst of frantically processing electronic documents, I glanced to the side.

The person holding the file was none other than my seventh brother, Lee Jae-hak.

“Brother, you’ve arrived. Yes, I’m fine. There’s just a lot of work.”

“…….”

Is this… just a lot?

Lee Jae-hak looked at Lee Chul’s office with an absurd expression.

Looking at the computer screen, there were over three pages of pending documents alone, and the written reports were piled so high on the wide desk that they were overflowing.

In this battle, the working-level employees didn’t suffer much damage, but many decision-makers such as the elders were injured or killed.

Lee Chul was currently taking on their proxy work.

Lee Jae-hak handed over the documents he needed approval for with a wry smile and said.

“These are the documents for reorganizing the main family’s businesses. There are parts where budget operation is urgent, so can you look at them right away?”

“Um… Yes, I understand.”

I immediately reached out to my seventh brother.

Lee Jae-hak smiled bitterly and asked.

“I heard you’ve been staying up for four consecutive nights since you got out of the hospital bed. Are you really alright?”

“I’m fine. …Probably.”

It was just pretending to be strong. In fact, I was incredibly tired.

Except for taking naps in between, I really hadn’t slept.

If it weren’t for the effects of strengthening my body through the Kabbalah’s leader and the Rebirth, I would have really collapsed.

“Hmm, I’ll help you as much as I can.”

“You’re already helping a lot. And you don’t have to worry too much. There are many people helping me.”

Not only Anastasia, Jung Jin-soo, and the surviving elders, but also retired former elders and working-level employees were returning to the Soongmoo Lee family to help with the work.

The Soongmoo Lee family had suffered significant damage, but just as many people were gathering together to combine their strength.

A storm had passed, and now it was time for the ground to become firm.

The Soongmoo Lee family will become stronger.

No, it must become stronger.

More than before.

“Um, Jung Jin-soo has decided to take over this business, so let’s prepare to liquidate it. The financial situation isn’t very good.”

“Alright, let’s do that.”

I finished signing the documents and checked the time.

Then, I roughly cleaned up the desk, which had already become an irreversible situation, and got up from my seat.

“Where are you going?”

“It seems like you’re also out of your mind because of work, Brother. Isn’t today that day?”

“That day?”

Lee Jae-hak tilted his head for a moment, then widened his eyes slightly.

“Ah, that’s right. I need to prepare. I’ll leave you to it. You’re in charge of that event as well, so you must be really out of your mind.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I acknowledge the necessity of the event, but I’m a bit doubtful as to why I have to do it. The head family’s proxy is currently being handled by the Elder Council Leader.”

“Are you really saying that because you don’t know?”

“Yes?”

Lee Jae-hak let out a hollow laugh.

“Yes, that’s like you. I’ll leave you to it, so do well.”

Lee Jae-hak waved his hand and left the office.

* * *

Soongmoo Lee family, Central Training Ground.

Many warriors of the Soongmoo Lee family were gathered in this place, where big events or important martial arts competitions were held.

That event that I had discussed with Brother Lee Jae-hak today was none other than….

“From now on, the inauguration ceremony will be held.”

Standing next to the central platform and proceeding with the ceremony was none other than the Elder Council Leader, Lee Dong-young.

Many people in the Soongmoo Lee family had died or been injured, and now, at this point where things had been somewhat settled, it was necessary to fill those vacancies.

From the appointment of elders to the heads of each warrior squad, to the reorganization of the entire military force.

The inauguration ceremony for important personnel was being held today.

Originally, due to the Soongmoo Lee family’s characteristics of liking simple and practical things, such events were not frequent unless it was a head family-level position.

I heard that during the Lee Chul-joong death incident caused by me, Elder Lee Dong-young only went through a simplified inauguration ceremony for the first brother.

But now was a critical time.

Lee Dong-young persuaded me that this event was held to console the warriors of the main family who had experienced the civil war and to unite them.

‘However, I didn’t know I would be in charge of this.’

In the center of that platform.

I was standing there wearing a splendid navy blue robe reminiscent of a dragon robe.

At first, I refused this position, but it was because they said that the direct line had to do it since it was an important event no matter what.

“Hey, you’ve made it?”

At that time, Lee Seo-hyun’s playful voice was heard from the VIP seats in the back.

It was a voice sent with magic, even though it was quite far away.

I chuckled and answered without turning around.

“I guess so. Do I look pretty impressive?”

“You’re a real jerk.”

Although she spoke harshly, Lee Seo-hyun was smiling.

The eyes of many warriors were pouring towards Lee Chul.

Now, in their eyes, there was not a single trace of hostility or disregard for the illegitimate child.

‘You wouldn’t know. The reason you’re standing in that position… because you’re that kind of person.’

Lee Seo-hyun thought.

The person who should be in that position was not the first brother, nor the father, nor the Elder Council Leader, but Lee Chul.

The emotions dwelling in the eyes of those warriors were admiration, awe, or respect.

Only Lee Chul, who had proven himself through struggle, had won, and had risen to this position, could stand in that place.

“Hmm…….”

Lee Seo-hyun looked at Lee Chul’s back with an expression that felt somewhat gratifying.

“From now on, there will be a speech by Young Master Lee Chul.”

I smiled bitterly at those words and looked around.

Numerous warriors were focusing on me.

Those who had experienced the civil war and now had to prepare for the upcoming chaos, those who carried the name of the main family.

What should I say?

I folded the prepared speech and put it away, then opened my mouth.

“The name of the Soongmoo Lee family is not on this land.”

I spoke of the story that Ancestor Lee Hyang-sun had told me.

“The name of the Soongmoo Lee family is not in one person either.”

And that was also the words of the successive head family heads of the Soongmoo Lee family that had been around for a long time.

“The Soongmoo Lee family is in the people who make it up. Those who struggle and win in their respective lives. It’s not just when blood splatters and you grit your teeth that it’s a struggle. It’s enough if they are actions in their own life’s story that they are not ashamed of.”

I spoke of the struggle.

It was the value of the struggle that I, who had shared with Lee Gun-sung and now had won, was speaking of.

“Of course, there may be scars. There can be no scars at the end of a fight.”

I glanced at one part of the Great Training Ground.

There was a collapsed part there.

The traces of the civil war, destroyed by the aftermath of the mobile fortress’s bombardment.

“But the fruits gained in that way will be sweeter than anything else. It is proof that you have struggled, and after it heals, it will become a scar that you can be more proud of than anything else.”

I once again took each and every one of the warriors into my eyes.

“You are the Soongmoo Lee family. There was chaos, but we will become stronger again, and you will be the main players.”

Waaaaaaaah!

A cheer that seemed to leave the training ground followed.

Lee Dong-young smiled thinly, which was rare, and began the inauguration ceremony.

“From now on, we will begin the appointments. The people who are called, please come forward to the platform.”

The first order was the elders.

It was necessary to fill the vacant positions of the elders.

The selection was conducted by the Elder Council Leader.

I did not distrust Lee Dong-young Elder’s insight, as it was trustworthy.

“I appoint you as the head of the Tribunal.”

“I humbly accept the order.”

One of the branch family heads respectfully accepted the sword I offered.

The ceremony of handing over the sword and receiving it proceeded one by one.

And.

“Uh, uh? Uh-oh…….”

When I saw the person standing in front of me, I almost burst out laughing without realizing it.

Then I muttered quietly so that no one around could hear.

“……Aunt. Lower your body. You have to receive this.”

“Th, th, that’s right? Uh, uh-oh…….”

My aunt, who was very nervous, stammered and slumped down in her seat.

I offered the sword with a smile.

“I appoint you as the head of the Research Institute.”

“I, I humbly accept the or- or- or-! Ugh, I will.”

My aunt, Lee Kyung-hwa, who bit her tongue loudly, received the sword from me with a tearful face.

Aunt Lee Kyung-hwa became the head of the Research Institute.

Following that, I almost laughed even louder when I saw the woman next to her.

“B, damn it. Why am I here? Why me? Who am I?”

It was Valerie.

The Eifel Magic Tower had collapsed, and France was in a state of irreversible ruin.

I wanted to provide her with land to stand on.

“I appoint you as the deputy head of the Research Institute. Will you accept the order?”

“……I, I will accept the order.”

Valerie reluctantly accepted the staff I offered.

Next to her, my aunt was wearing a victor’s smile for some reason.

The inauguration ceremony continued after that.

Choi In-ha became the head of the Iron Brigade, a part of the newly established Four Gods Army.

She was a quasi-Class 2. She had enough skills to succeed the position of the head.

Kim Bo-sung and Kim Han became the heads of the Cheongung Brigade and the Gwisu Brigade, which were also parts of the Four Gods Army.

The twin brothers and the seventh brother became formal elders.

The second sister… was still unconscious.

Not only them, but all the guys from Cadet Corps Class 5 also took over important positions one by one.

Anyone who saw it would think that I intentionally plugged them in.

In that way, people were appointed to numerous positions, and the event was successfully concluded.

After the inauguration ceremony.

I was able to face a group of people who were waiting for me.

The Elder Council Leader, Uncle Lee Tae-hong, a few other elders, and even the living direct line members were all gathered.

“What’s going on? Gathering like this.”

At my words, the Elder Council Leader slowly approached and said.

“Young Master Lee Chul. It seems like the time has come.”

“What are you talking about?”

At my question, the Elder Council Leader paused for a moment before spitting out a completely different story.

“Young Master Lee Chul’s speech was impressive. The people of the Soongmoo Lee family who struggle are the Soongmoo Lee family. But since ancient times, the main family has always exerted its power under the absolute authority of the head family.”

I could guess what the Elder Council Leader was going to say.

“Don’t tell me…….”

“Young Master Lee Chul.”

In the silence.

The Elder Council Leader opened his mouth.

“Now, inherit the position of the head family.”