Weapon-Eating Bastard [EN]: Chapter 41

Weapon-Eating Bastard – Episode 41

The advancement ceremony had come to an end.

Although the advancement ceremony was an annual event, this year’s ceremony was quite the hot topic.

And for good reason.

This year’s class included two direct descendants, one of whom was the youngest bastard, Lee Cheol, who was slowly proving his worth.

In addition, it was the first class to experience the more rigorous evaluation system, and the lowest-ranked Class 5 achieved remarkable results. The advancement ceremony test method called the Scramble was also introduced for the first time.

It would have been stranger if people weren’t paying attention.

“Of course, the Eighth Young Lady [Lee Seo-hyun] will be first place. Now, the question is the results of Class 5 and the bastard, right?”

“First place is a given, but with the participation of the 2nd graders, would the 1st graders have been able to hold on? Besides, it’s still Class 5 after all…”

Whenever three people gathered, the topic of the advancement ceremony and the Cadet Corps always came up.

How much would the bastard Lee Cheol distinguish himself?

How far would the rebellion of Class 5 go?

And the results were shocking.

Lee Cheol. A total of 168 nameplates acquired. Uncontested first place.

Considering that the number of nameplates acquired by the 2nd place was less than 50, it was an overwhelming victory.

Breaking everyone’s expectations, the Eighth Lee Seo-hyun only acquired 28 nameplates and didn’t even make it into the top 20.

And all of Class 5 landed within the top 40. Some of them were even in the top 10.

The shock didn’t end there.

Massive elimination of promising students from the 1st and 2nd grades of the Cadet Corps.

Several class representatives were also eliminated, and all of those eliminated suffered quite severe injuries.

The martial arts instructors who had planned to scout them as apprentices when they became 3rd graders after successfully completing the advancement ceremony were caught off guard.

The advancement ceremony, which had brought many questions and shocks in many ways, eventually came to an end.

And after combining the evaluations so far, all the cadets received a single piece of paper.

The paper with their grades and rankings.

And whether they were held back or promoted.

* * *

After the advancement ceremony, the cadets were given their last vacation of the year.

It had been an eventful year.

Some left with stern expressions, some gritting their teeth, and some with overwhelmed expressions, each heading to their own homes.

After finishing their vacation and returning, the cadets gathered at the training grounds of each class.

Although all the quarterly evaluations, education, training, and even the advancement ceremony were over, there was still one last schedule remaining.

The announcement of the advancement ceremony results.

It was an event that marked the end of the Cadet Corps year.

“Young Master Lee Cheol.”

Lee Jung-ho called me from the platform of the Class 5 training ground.

As I slowly approached, Lee Jung-ho congratulated me.

“You’re the top student. Congratulations, Young Master.”

The words ‘Top Student’ were stamped at the top of the paper I received.

“Thank you. Honestly, I didn’t think they would give me the top spot.”

I chuckled as soon as I checked the grades Lee Jung-ho handed me.

Since I was assigned to Class 5 during the class assignment, I thought I wouldn’t be able to receive the top spot for some reason.

‘I guess they couldn’t openly hold me back too much. It would have been different if the Eighth [Lee Seo-hyun] had good results in the advancement ceremony.’

I recalled the last moment of the advancement ceremony.

In the end, I clashed with Lee Seo-hyun and won.

It wasn’t exactly revenge, but I took all of Lee Seo-hyun’s nameplates.

Since there wasn’t much time left until the end of the test, Lee Seo-hyun had to beat up the remaining survivors like crazy to collect nameplates.

She barely avoided being held back, but the results of the advancement ceremony were bound to be terrible.

“You’re so calm. Being the top student of the Cadet Corps is quite an achievement.”

“My nanny will be happy. Thanks for the congratulations.”

I put the report card in my arms and went down from the platform.

“Congratulations! Young Master!”

“Congratulations!”

The cadets cheered and applauded.

I felt happier about their congratulations than getting the top spot.

“Next is…”

The names of the cadets were called out one by one.

The cadets cheered.

The results of the advancement ceremony were what they were, and Class 5 had never failed a single quarterly evaluation, so there were no students held back.

And now, the name of a cadet who had been held back for a very long time was called.

“Cadet Choi In-ha. Come up.”

Lee Jung-ho’s call.

Choi In-ha couldn’t easily take a step and swallowed hard.

Then, she took a short breath and went up to the platform.

“13th overall. Promotion, congratulations.”

“Thank… you.”

Choi In-ha clenched the report card tightly.

All sorts of emotions surged, and the past time came to mind.

Choi In-ha was an orphan.

Since her parents died during a mission, she received various support from the Soongmoo Lee family, but the life of an orphan was terrible everywhere.

Still, because she respected and loved her parents, Choi In-ha wanted to become stronger. In order not to disgrace her parents, in order to overcome this reality and soar higher than anyone else.

But reality was not easy, and she met Lee Cheol while living in moderation.

To be honest, it was a terrible year.

Lee Cheol’s first impression was truly the worst. There wasn’t a day when she wasn’t sick from the sudden change in her daily life.

But because Lee Cheol was there.

She learned to fight, learned to win, and finally achieved it.

“Don’t get drunk, Choi In-ha.”

Then a calm voice was heard.

Lee Cheol, the youngest bastard of the Soongmoo Lee family, who was always ahead of her.

“It’s good to enjoy it, but if you get carried away, nothing will change.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Choi In-ha nodded.

Her heart suddenly turned cold.

This is not the beginning.

It’s just a few drops of ink written on a piece of paper.

‘So that I don’t become a burden to that person, and so that I don’t live that mediocre life.’

Choi In-ha clenched her fist.

‘I won’t lose from now on.’

In the fight against myself, and in the fight against anyone in the world.

The paper in her hand now was just the first step for that.

Choi In-ha tightly gripped the scabbard that she always wore around her waist.

Lee Jung-ho smiled at Choi In-ha and then called another cadet with a stern expression again.

“Cadet Kim Han. Come out.”

Kim Han, a cadet who always created the atmosphere of Class 5 with a smile, couldn’t smile as he looked at the report card in his hand.

“Congratulations. Promotion in the first year. You have great talent, no, you worked hard.”

“Ah…”

Kim Han tried to smile brightly as always, but instead closed his mouth tightly.

34th place. Promotion.

Looking at the two words, Kim Han fiddled with the calluses embedded in his palm.

Kim Han actually had a shameful dream.

A dream of becoming a legendary martial artist or hero who only appears in old stories.

Following his dream, Kim Han grabbed a sword instead of a hammer and started working hard without a plan.

But as time passed, Kim Han realized what reality was.

Reality was different from old stories. The differences in talent, bloodline, and environment were clear.

-Learning martial arts… Well, it’s admirable.

The people who saw him working hard always gave him mediocre consideration. Without even knowing that it was more hurtful.

So he worked harder.

Effort, effort, crazy effort.

He walked a long way, not knowing whether the results would come out or not.

Now he has achieved the results.

There was no such thing as luck. It was purely the product of effort.

But Kim Han wasn’t that happy or surprised, to the point where he himself was puzzled.

After staring at the report card for a while, Kim Han finally realized his feelings.

‘This is… disappointment.’

34th place. An ambiguous number.

Kim Han, who had only worked hard, had become greedy at some point.

Kim Han turned his gaze to the reason for that.

Now, what he dreamed of was not the martial artists or heroes in legends.

The boy standing proudly in that place. Lee Cheol.

Becoming the same person as him.

To do that, the current Kim Han is too insignificant.

‘It’s just the beginning.’

Kim Han’s clear eyes sparkled.

“Cadet Kim Bo-sung. Come forward.”

Kim Bo-sung walked out.

This result was quite important to Kim Bo-sung, who would have to leave the school if he was held back this year.

24th place. Promotion.

Kim Bo-sung didn’t rejoice or feel emotional.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

To be honest, promotion was a goal that he had given up on halfway through the beginning of this year.

He achieved it, but Kim Bo-sung felt thirsty.

’24th place. I didn’t work hard enough. I have to work harder, more.’

He recalled the beginning of the Cadet Corps this year.

Kim Bo-sung still remembers Lee Cheol’s screams in the training ground and the light he looked up at at that time, which showed no signs of going out.

Kim Bo-sung wanted to change.

Everyone else thinks he has changed, but Kim Bo-sung thinks he still has a long way to go.

Kim Bo-sung will not be satisfied until the training sounds and lights of that time imprinted in his head fade away.

He slowly turned his gaze and looked at the faces of the cadets one by one.

‘Is this the end with these guys?’

In the next grade, they would be divided into their respective classes, and due to the nature of the 2nd grade, where they were often individually deployed to the field even if they were assigned to the same class, there was little chance that they would live together every day like in the 1st grade.

There was a little concern.

Class 5 is currently not without hostility from other cadets. In the 2nd grade, there was also the possibility that the cadets who were held back by Class 5 would think of revenge. No, there will definitely be.

But.

‘I don’t have to worry too much.’

He looked at the faces of the Class 5 cadets.

They were all happy, but none of them were foolishly drunk on the results.

They were holding their own emotions in their hearts and making new resolutions.

If they are those guys, they will do well on their own no matter what happens.

After the advancement ceremony was over, the cadets gathered at the training ground as usual.

Originally, they would have gathered like this and started training, but not today.

“Everyone worked hard.”

I looked around at the cadets and said.

“It’s all thanks to you, Young Master.”

“Thank you! Young Master!”

The Class 5 cadets cheered and rejoiced.

I couldn’t help but laugh. The guys who were so wary of each other just a few months ago have changed a lot.

“Everyone was promoted. I was going to force the ones who were held back to train, but it’s a shame.”

Ooh-

The cadets shut their mouths tightly.

“The 2nd grade will be more harsh. There will be many guys who are eager to eat you up. You can do well on your own, right?”

“Yes!”

The cadets’ eyes were filled with confidence.

Trust that comes from the bottom of one’s heart in oneself. There is no more valuable asset than that.

I opened my mouth one last time to those cadets.

“Fight.”

Just like I told them when we first met.

The Soongmoo Lee family is a family of blood and iron.

Struggle is the only way of life, and strength is the best virtue.

Therefore, the people of the Soongmoo Lee family, from the mere vassals to the head of the family who leads people from above, must not forget the struggle.

“You can do it.”

The cadets smiled at my words.

That’s how the 1st grade of the Cadet Corps came to an end.

* * *

When I brought the report card to my room, my aunt stroked my head with an indifferent expression and went to watch a drama, and my nanny burst into tears.

As soon as we finished a simple celebration and meal with the three of us, I came out of the room and moved my steps.

“Hey, I can’t accept it.”

Whoa-

At the voice that suddenly popped out, I let out a sigh first.

“What can’t you accept again?”

A cat-like girl who appears whenever I’m about to forget. It was Lee Seo-hyun.

Lee Seo-hyun pouted and grumbled.

“If it weren’t for the advancement ceremony, I would be the top student! You cheater! It was enough to knock me down, why did you have to take my nameplate! Do you know how hard it was to collect them again?! Do you know what rank I am thanks to you! And you had so many anyway! You couldn’t have shared some!”

“There’s no way I’d share. I collected them.”

“Tsk! If I had Sang-ah Sword…”

If she had Sang-ah Sword.

I recalled the time back then.

‘She’s not wrong. I thought I could win quite easily back then.’

I thought I could overwhelm her, but the battle with Lee Seo-hyun lasted for over an hour.

Although I didn’t use Mujin [Lee Cheol’s weapon or special ability] either, Lee Seo-hyun didn’t use Sang-ah Sword either.

Beyond my imagination, no, beyond imagination, Lee Seo-hyun was strong.

‘A naturally strong body with an enormous amount of magic, and the ability she opened is regeneration, and the one chosen from the Iron Thread Style [a martial art style] is the holy sword, Sang-ah Sword.’

I shook my head.

It was fortunate that she hadn’t even mastered the sword yet, and her ability was still at a level where she couldn’t use it well.

If it was Lee Seo-hyun who could do all that… I don’t think I would want to fight her, win or lose.

Lee Seo-hyun sighed and clicked her tongue.

“Still, a promise is a promise.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“No, I’m talking about the promise we made back then.”

“The promise we made back then?”

“The title. Am I going to call you now? Oh-”

Swish.

I blocked Lee Seo-hyun’s mouth.

“If you say any more after that, it’s a life-and-death duel. Lee Seo-hyun.”