Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 351

Weapon-Devouring Bastard – Episode 351

The world was now beyond shock or confusion, teetering on the edge of oblivion.

Practical matters like reorganization or troop deployment were irrelevant.

Assessing the dead and injured was a luxury they couldn’t afford.

Only those with an unyielding destiny had any hope of surviving this.

* * *

Inside a crumbling building, I gathered my siblings and the main family’s leadership.

This could very well be our last meeting.

Everyone assembled, their faces etched with grim anticipation.

“Fortunately, we’ve managed to restore a communication line. But it’s unstable and will only last for about two hours. The magic field in the atmosphere is too erratic…,” Valerie explained, surrounded by a chaotic array of salvaged machinery.

It was a makeshift communication device.

Not a video call, but a voice-only system.

This line had been prepared before the war, a pre-set broadcast to various locations after the continent fractured.

‘I wonder… how many will respond?’

This meeting wasn’t just about coordinating with the main family’s warriors.

At this point, the main family alone couldn’t possibly face the impending doom.

“Time… it’s time, Patriarch,” the Elder Council Head said, his face tight with anxiety.

I nodded and turned to Valerie.

“Valerie, connect the communication.”

“Yes! Patriarch!”

Valerie channeled magic into the device, and after a tense moment.

-…Connected.

-Oh, God. Thank goodness.

-Are you alive, Lee Cheol? Oh, thank goodness.

Amidst a crackling static, the communication device successfully linked with people from various locations.

Familiar voices.

The Nine Dragons, the Holy Kingdom, the Russell Family, and other survivors around the world who had heeded my warning.

‘They’re alive.’

Singularities, individuals born with strong destinies.

I clenched my fist.

The news of their survival brought a wave of relief that washed over me.

* * *

I laid out the facts, stark and unvarnished.

Hiding anything was pointless, and they likely suspected the truth anyway.

-So you’re saying.

Jang Han’s voice crackled through the static.

-…Every life that’s been lost is being fed to that monster?

“Yes, that’s correct.”

My words caused the faces of the main family elders to pale.

“That’s absurd.”

“It… it can’t be.”

The twin brothers and Lee Jae-hak, barely able to move, were also present.

Silence hung heavy on the other end of the line.

“There’s no room for doubt, not with the dwarves’ testimony. And you all saw it. That sight.”

The sight of black-tainted souls screaming after the First-Class Monster’s demise.

Lee Seo-hyun, sitting beside me, paled.

“Hah, but… is that even possible? If so, then that monster is more like…”

…A god.

Even through the communication device, Lee Seo-hyun hesitated to utter that blasphemous word, knowing the Holy Kingdom was listening.

But even without finishing the sentence, everyone understood her implication.

-Please summarize, Patriarch.

The calm voice belonged to Henry Russell of England.

-In short, the aerial fortress’s collapse was meant to eliminate our future.

-And we won’t even find peace in death?

“Yes, you understand correctly.”

-Then what was the reason for the earth’s fracturing just before that?

“…To divide our forces, I believe.”

-….

The Primordial Abomination had simply declared war.

On humanity, before its full resurrection.

With that single act, the sky had been twisted, and the continent shattered into countless pieces.

No one spoke, but everyone understood.

The Primordial Abomination was unlike any previous cataclysm.

It now understood humanity and was rising with true destruction as its goal.

* * *

The meeting continued, urgency pressing down on us.

“First, we need to assess the situation. I know it’s insensitive to ask about troop strength, but we no longer have the luxury of avoiding it. What is the current status of the Nine Dragons?”

-It’s better than expected.

“How much ‘better’ are we talking?”

-About 70% of our forces survived. Fortunately, we were stationed in the central part of the continent that split.”

The Nine Dragons boasted the largest military force among the great powers.

A 30% loss from that…

…Could that really be considered ‘better?’

-The Holy Kingdom has suffered significant losses, Lee Cheol.

-Approximately 20% of the Paladins are dead or crippled. The Holy Cross Knights, along with the Mage Division, are isolated in the uncharted regions of Northern Europe.

Following the Holy Kingdom’s report, the North and South American alliances reported, and the commander of the remnants of the Northern European Allied Forces continued the grim tally.

Originally, the communication line was open to many more, but many hadn’t connected in time.

We couldn’t know their fate, but we could guess.

-The Russell Family has half survived, Lee Cheol.

Ron of the Russell Family spoke last.

A low, somber voice, barely recognizable as Ron’s usually clear tone.

-No, not even half. If we include those who can no longer fight, only 30% have survived.

-The Royal Knights, the prestigious knightly families, and other mercenary organizations… all are crippled.

The Russell Family was relatively small.

Bound by tradition and loyalty, unlike the Soongmoo Lee Family, the Russell Family, as knights sworn to the Queen, had suffered a devastating blow.

-Soongmoo Lee. What is the situation with Soongmoo Lee?

“Fortunately, we managed to mitigate some of the damage. If we have a day, we can tend to the injured.”

I stated the facts calmly.

-How…?”

“We managed to block the initial attack.”

My words were met with stunned silence.

My brothers and the main family warriors looked at me with awe.

‘We survived thanks to Patriarch Lee Cheol.’

‘I don’t know how he did it, but he’s become a monster.’

In this cataclysm, Soongmoo Lee had miraculously survived with a large portion of its forces intact.

It wasn’t a miracle, but an achievement born of human will.

Lee Cheol.

It was Lee Cheol who had intercepted the attack from the sky, the attack that had shattered the continent.

“But we still suffered damage. More importantly…”

The meeting continued.

No one mentioned the civilian casualties.

No, they couldn’t.

-The end… it’s the end.

Saintess Christina’s voice echoed, heavy with despair.

The end.

An expression the Holy Kingdom rarely used.

Silence descended on the communication line.

The atmosphere among the main family was equally grim.

-So?

A voice broke the silence.

-What are you going to do now?

It was Jang Han.

I could only hear his voice, but I imagined him looking at me with a knowing expression.

As if saying, ‘Of course, you have a plan, right?’

“It will move.”

-It?

“The Primordial Abomination. The signs so far… were just a prelude to its awakening. It won’t be long now.”

I looked at the sky.

Beyond the darkness, I sensed the distorting celestial energy.

It had finished its preparations.

The final battle was about to begin.

-Already… already?

-Didn’t you say a week?

“More than half of that has passed… and the preparations are complete.”

I paused, about to outline our next steps.

Could they truly unite?

Despite the alliance, it was a hastily formed network from the Soongmoo Lee Family succession ceremony.

The Holy Kingdom, Nine Dragons, the Russell Family, and others.

Ultimately, they were all bound to their own countries and interests.

Then.

-Stop stalling, Lee Cheol. I asked what you are going to do, not what will happen.

Amidst the frustrated voices, Jang Han’s firm voice cut through.

-I know you. You’re not one to give up. You’re the kind of person who finds answers in any situation. So tell me. I will follow your lead.

-I don’t like it, but Nine Dragons will stand with you. I will do my best to follow your instructions.

A voice filled with unwavering trust.

It was hard to believe that the leader of a great power had spoken those words, and the communication line buzzed with murmurs.

Those words were subtle, yet perfectly timed.

The Chaeju [Clan Head] of the Great Nine Dragons Fortress had pledged unconditional support.

It was the moment when Lee Cheol’s position as the alliance’s leader was solidified.

‘…If this happens, we can prepare without internal conflict.’

The Elder Council Head clenched his fist, a silent exclamation escaping his lips.

No matter how close destruction loomed, and no matter how strong Lee Cheol’s presence was, humans were inherently self-serving.

However, Jang Han’s words had shifted the atmosphere.

-The Holy Kingdom stands with you, Lee Cheol. We will walk through the narrow gate with Lee Cheol, the master of prophecy.

-The headquarters of the European Union is the same. While we cannot unconditionally follow your instructions, we will share information and….

-Lee Cheol. As a friend, the Russell Family will also do its best. Let’s protect the world!

….

Such voices echoed from the other side.

Some pushed for a stronger alliance, some couldn’t offer complete support due to their positions, and some expressed support as friends….

Ultimately, their message was the same.

Lee Cheol of Soongmoo Lee.

They trusted the man who had consistently performed miracles and foreseen the future.

“Thank you. Jang Han… or rather, as the Chaeju of Nine Dragons said, I have no intention of stopping because destruction is coming. Perhaps, none of us do.”

“….”

-….

The elders of the main family.

Everyone listening to Lee Cheol.

They were silent, waiting for his next words.

They had no choice.

Under this sky, only Lee Cheol had been preparing for this destruction.

And it was Lee Cheol’s actions that had held back the tide of destruction.

That’s why they waited.

For the voice of the person who would lead them.

“…So.”

I felt the pressure.

The weight on my shoulders was no longer just Soongmoo Lee.

Faced with destruction, I felt the weight of the world.

‘So this is it.’

I felt the Mandate of Heaven [a traditional Chinese philosophical concept concerning the legitimacy of rulers].

I realized the path I had to walk, the responsibility I had to bear.

And I thought of those who had come before.

Father, Lee Tae-shin.

Lee Goon-seong, who was an enemy but entrusted me with the future.

And the dwarves who entrusted me with the future.

I clenched my fist.

It’s heavy.

But I will endure that weight and move forward.

“I will strike. The Primordial Abomination.”

-…!

“…!”

Words everyone expected, but had never dared to speak.

“It is not moving yet. I believe now is our chance.”

-But….

-What….

“There is no other possibility.”

I replied firmly.

“The moment the Primordial Abomination sets foot on the ground, it will be irreversible. Its power is to consume and assimilate. It will devour everything and grow stronger.”

Even Lee Hyul-hyun’s ancestor had only managed to stop it as it first touched the earth.

So I will do the same.

The Pacific Ocean, that distant sea.

I will cut off the destruction before it can take root.

“I have the power to completely destroy it. But my power alone, the power of the main family alone, may not be enough. All-out war. We must pour all our available forces into this and drive it back.”

I slammed the table.

“I will settle this. Please, lend me your strength.”

That was my Mandate of Heaven.

The mission given to me under this sky.