The Illegitimate Who Devours Weapons

Episode 5

A person who has always been there for me, a great talent, and a person whose personal strength is by no means weak.

My uncle, General Lee Tae-hong, was that kind of person.

But the answer was set.

“It’s okay, uncle.”

I can’t take my uncle as my teacher.

I don’t know the exact time, but in my previous life, I lost my magic power to someone.

Although the events at the Iron Wire were inevitable, if I were to receive direct instruction from my uncle, it would only serve to further provoke anyone who wanted to attack me.

I didn’t want to attract attention when I wasn’t ready yet.

“……what?”

“I know that my uncle does a lot for the family. I don’t want to cause trouble.”

My uncle frowned as if he was disappointed.

“Farewell. I just want to make some time for my nephew, so don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“I heard that the government recently asked for cooperation on the undeveloped area project.”

Lee Tae-hong’s eyes shook.

“How did you do that… …?”

“I heard the guards talking. I don’t know much about it, but I heard that the government office is very busy. Isn’t that where your uncle is?”

Lee Tae-hong sighed.

A new government came into power this year, and every time a new government comes into power, the policy it puts forward is the stabilization of the undeveloped areas in the North.

Nothing has been decided yet, or rather, because nothing has been decided, the Sungmu administration has been very busy.

So, I was finally able to visit my nephew, whom I had wanted to visit for a long time.

“Besides, in principle, you can’t serve your teacher until the naming ceremony is over. If I receive teachings from my uncle, he’ll be in an awkward position.”

“Tch! They’re breaking the rules too, what do you think they’re going to say to me?”

“I won’t say anything out loud, but I’m saying that it might be awkward.”

I looked at my uncle with a smile.

My uncle let out a deep sigh.

“Are you okay? Your other four brothers are all receiving all kinds of elixirs and training from good teachers.”

“I don’t think that just because a principle is not followed by anyone else, it doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be followed. And… … I will prove myself without the elixir or the teacher.”

“her…….”

Lee Tae-hong couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration as he watched his nephew speak confidently.

‘Is this kid really 9 years old?’

Lee Tae-hong felt someone’s face appear in the clear eyes looking at him.

And the moment he remembered who he had seen on that face, Lee Tae-hong opened his mouth without realizing it.

‘Big brother. Yeah, it feels like I’m seeing my big brother.’

It’s rare to find someone with eyes like these.

And those few people all left a huge mark on the world.

Lee Tae-hong said with a faint smile.

“But I feel bad because this uncle doesn’t do anything for me. Is there anything I can do to help you?”

I took a breath.

I was waiting to hear that.

“I would like to tour the basement of Bigo.”

Secret store.

A space where numerous treasures of the Sungmoo family are stored.

And among them, the underground… … .

“Did you know that in the basement of the Bigo there are weapons that have been sealed for various reasons?”

“Those weapons are rotting away there, never seeing the light of day, without even finding their owners. Each of those weapons has its own story… … It’s just so pitiful.”

I spoke with as much childlike innocence as I could muster.

My uncle squinted his eyes for a moment and looked at me.

“Do you want to see it just because you feel sorry for it?”

“I will use many weapons in the future. Those weapons will leave many stories with me. I want to see them so that I can cherish the weapons that I have chosen. I think I will be able to know how to handle my weapons in the future.”

“Haha, what a guy.”

Lee Tae-hong let out a snicker.

It was the first time I felt the innocence that was appropriate for my age, and the reason for it was quite peculiar.

“It’s nice to see you have such a wonderful idea. Good. If it’s to that extent, I’ll try my best.”

“thank you!”

“But there are also weapons of the level of demons that devour their masters mixed in there. We cannot allow them into the sealed room.”

Common works, masterpieces, sacred works, heavenly works, etc.

Among the numerous grades that determine weapons, it is difficult to simply divide relics and monsters into grades.

In particular, the weapons of the demon class were weapons that contained dangerous mysteries that could devour their owners, just as my uncle had said.

“Yes, I don’t like those things either.”

“Since I have a regular check-up tomorrow, tomorrow would be fine. It’s supposed to be done in about an hour, but I’ll make it about two hours for you. Do you think that’ll be enough?”

I nodded with a bright smile.

My uncle roughly stroked my head with his rough hands.

‘it’s okay.’

I clenched my fist.

Now you are ready to find ‘that thing’.

* * *

People in the world often say this to those who are looking for extremely rare or ridiculous items.

-It must be in the Lee family warehouse.

-They say that the Lee family’s warehouse contains all the treasures of the world.

To the extent that such words were used as idioms, the treasures hidden in the Sungmu family’s secret register were no less than those of the Vatican or the Matap, which were huge, nationwide organizations.

And as such, the Sungmu family’s secrets boasted tremendous security.

A huge building with a lot of cutting-edge equipment and many secret arts applied.

Although it looked like a simple modern building, its exterior was covered in geometric patterns.

This huge building, with one basement floor and six above-ground floors, was the headquarters of the Sungmu family.

“Are you that excited?”

My uncle looked at me and smiled faintly.

I guess I showed my excitement without realizing it. I smiled awkwardly.

“Yes. I’m going to add a note.”

“Well, isn’t our family’s warehouse amazing?”

Behind me and my uncle, the clan administration officials followed. Their gazes were not very kind, but no one dared to show it in front of my uncle.

I looked up at my uncle.

‘I didn’t know before, but… … .’

I felt anew how great a person my uncle was, who, despite being an illegitimate child, carried out his duties as the head of the family.

I knew better than anyone how difficult it was for an illegitimate child to rise to a high position in the Sungmu family.

“stop.”

chuck-!

As soon as we approached the large wall surrounding the fort, the police officer guarding the entrance held out his spear.

“Please state your identity and purpose of visit.”

“It’s a regular inspection. Commander-in-Chief Lee Tae-hong, the head of the military supply office, and the working-level staff of each military unit. And the youngest, Young-i, came for a tour. There are 14 people in total.”

As the uncle handed over the documents, the police officers took them and disappeared inside.

‘This must be a weekly thing… … You’re so thorough.’

After a while they finally opened the window.

“Chung-! All official documents and paperwork have been confirmed. Please come in.”

Normally, there would have been a baggage check and additional searches here, but since it was a regular inspection, it was skipped.

‘Okay. This is what I was aiming for.’

I took a deep breath, feeling the things I had stuffed inside my baggy coat.

“Baby. I’ll send my secretary to the entrance. The card key is for entry and exit, and the badge is for passing through various magical security measures. I’ll leave the card key with my secretary, but you must keep the badge with you.”

My uncle, perhaps worried about my young age, sent his secretary to me with strong instructions.

“Come this way, Your Majesty.”

The secretary guided me in a blunt tone.

I smiled bitterly as I slowly descended into the basement.

‘… … It’s a new feeling.’

Footsteps echoed loudly on the beige linoleum floor.

The hallway was filled with the faint smell of metal and the smell of sword oil used to maintain weapons.

I was excited before I got in, but once I got into the lobby, my excitement subsided and I became calm.

The first and last time I entered the palace was when I was about to be kicked out of the family and had to return the Cheongseong I had been chosen for in the Cheonseonsik.

How many stairs did I have to go down?

Soon, a huge iron door appeared in front of me and my uncle’s secretary.

“Your Majesty, I have arrived. I will be waiting at the entrance. If anything happens, please call me loudly.”

“thank you.”

That’s right-

As I held up my card key to the firmly locked iron door, the underground vault opened with a heavy sound.

“hmm.”

It smelled like a musty basement.

It wasn’t for nothing that this place was called the Graveyard of Weapons.

In a space that looked to be at least 200 pyeong in size, numerous weapons and relics were tightly packed in a sealed state.

‘Shall we begin?’

The reason I came all the way to Vigo was to find ‘a certain weapon.’

The black night chosen from the iron wire was an item that could not be used as is.

‘It’s not just that I need a usable weapon… … but that weapon’s abilities are what I need right now.’

The weapon has been kept in the family for such a long time that its origins are unknown.

Although it looked like an ordinary dagger, it had many special features, so it was sealed in an underground vault until its secrets were discovered.

Until my third brother discovered it.

‘There must be hundreds of them, but it would be difficult to find just one here… … .’

At that moment, a black current emerged from my hand.

It’s not that hard for me, who can read the weapon’s memories.

It just takes time.

And the two hours I was given were enough.

‘Let’s get started.’

A black aura stretched out and enveloped the nearest dagger.

Time passed quickly.

Among these numerous weapons, I moved forward, reading the memories of numerous daggers.

And there were unexpected harvests.

‘I can’t believe that the Daedogolga clan was wiped out because of our family.’

I held a gleaming dagger in my hand and my eyes sparkled.

The Gol family, a family of thieves, disappeared without a sound one day.

But in fact, it wasn’t hidden.

They infiltrated the impregnable fortress of the Sungmu family in order to raise the family’s reputation, but ended up paying the price of destruction.

‘This is the dagger technique of the Gol family.’

I put the dagger back in its place.

I felt like I wanted to absorb everything, but I was running out of time. Reading only the end was enough.

‘A dagger from a different race? As expected from a legend, there are all sorts of things.’

An hour has passed since I started exploring various weapons.

‘This isn’t it either.’

I put down the dagger, which may have been the dozenth one.

Less-.

At that moment, something heavy, perhaps caught on the collar, fell to the ground and rolled.

It was a small lump of iron that was so old that it was almost rotting away.

It was so rusted that it was hard to believe it was possible. The surface was covered with rust in quantities far greater than its volume, so it looked more like a block of wood than a block of iron.

‘There’s a lot of rust. How can it be like this?’

I paused as I tried to return the hammer to the stand.

If we could just remove the rust here and restore the handle a little more… … .

Need to check.

I slowly gathered my strength.

“ah?”

A stupid sound came out.

The black energy that had always been under my control flowed out in a clump and dug into the dagger.

I felt dizzy and my consciousness gradually became hazy.

And then I lost my mind.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, what unfolded before my eyes was a world completely dyed red.

Even the sky turned red and seemed to be bleeding. The moment I turned my gaze and looked around, I felt dizzy.

It was a veritable bloodbath.

There were countless corpses everywhere, both human and monster.

‘What the heck is this?’

The air was heavy. The smell of blood was thick enough to make me want to vomit.

It was so different from any weapon I had ever seen before.

Is what I am seeing now the owner’s memories contained in the weapon?

If not that, then why am I standing here?

Every scene seemed unrealistic, as if it were a dream, but at the same time, every sensation felt on my skin was so vivid.

-Phew… … .

At that moment, I heard a soft breathing sound in my ear.

I turned my head towards where I heard breathing.

There was a man there.

Alone, covered in blood, in the middle of a mountain of corpses.

The man was wearing old-fashioned clothing that looked like something you would see in a museum, and he was carrying a long sword with a missing blade hanging limply.

thud-!

The ground shook.

The sound alone sent shivers down my spine.

I forced myself to turn my head and look at the source of the noise.

A monster shrouded in smoky fog.

With each step it took, the ground shook as if screaming, and its breath rose up with a foul stench as if it were poison.

The moment I faced that monster, my breath almost stopped.

‘What the heck is that… …!’

I felt like I had been thrown into the deep ocean.

Every breath I took was painful. The air surrounding my body stabbed me as if it were a knife.

Even the most impoverished country could clearly see this.

That it is different from ordinary monsters.

An overwhelming presence that makes the surrounding air creepy.

Beings that even make nature fearful.

I knew such beings.

‘Apocalyptic monster… … .’

Primordial monsters said to have emerged from a blue hole long ago.

An ancient horror that is now in deep sleep, said to have engulfed countless civilizations.

The man looked at the monster and moved his sword.

‘No. I’ll die.’

That monster was truly the apocalypse itself. I couldn’t imagine a human being defeating it.

but.

Crunch-!

A flash of light.

There was no loud noise or violent vibration.

It was just a single flash of light crossing the world.

But the world was divided.

A long diagonal line was drawn across the body of the monster approaching the man, and then it collapsed.

I stared at the man, forgot to even close my eyes at the unbelievable sight.

At that moment, the man’s head turned towards me.

-… … ?

A curious look.

The man was looking at me.

Ouch!

I was frozen and couldn’t move an inch, just staring at the man.

-What are you?

slowly.

The man approached me very slowly. The sword that had cut through such a powerful monster moved silently.

and.

* * *

“omg!”

Thud-.

He collapsed, breathing heavily.

The sledgehammer fell from my hand and made a dull noise.

‘What? What was that scene just now?’

It felt like I still had the feeling of the heavy air pressing down on my whole body. It also felt like the smell of blood was lingering at the tip of my nose every time I breathed.

Just now, did I see a memory or did I actually experience it?

It was hard to believe that I was in a cool basement, my whole body was drenched in cold sweat.

Knock knock-.

At that moment, the iron piece that had fallen to the ground vibrated heavily.

The rust that had accumulated on the surface was melting away on its own. The yellow lump of iron soon began to shine brightly as if it were new.

From the appearance, it was clearly a dagger.

‘no way?’

I pricked my finger with the tip of the dagger and drew blood.

and.

“I will become the master of all diseases.”

He spat out a short phrase, filled with magical power, like a wizard reciting a spell.

That moment.

Woohoooooo-.

A clear light burst out from the dagger.

I immediately injected some of my magic into the dagger.

At that moment, the dagger naturally absorbed my magical power as if it were a part of my body.

‘Found it.’

I grabbed the dagger tightly.

Endless.

A rare treasure that my third brother obtained.

It came into my hands.