The Illegitimate Who Devours Weapons

Weapon-Eating Illegitimate Son Episode 28

The training ground was deserted.

There were no dummy machines for training, no equipment for strength training, and no flashiness befitting the name of the Sungmoo family.

All that was there was a flat, seamless blue stone.

Above, the head of the Sungmoo clan at the time, Lee Tae-shin, moved his sword alone.

Starting with light warm-up exercises, to secret techniques and secrets.

There were no violent phenomena occurring. There were only neat, precise swords cutting through the air.

The training of Lee Tae-shin, who was considered the strongest warrior of his time, was actually incredibly simple.

“Phew.”

With a short exhale, Lee Tae-shin lowered his sword.

“Thank you for your hard work, my lord.”

Butler Choi politely handed out a towel and ice water to Lee Tae-shin.

The only person who could closely follow Lee Tae-shin during his training was Butler Choi.

“Before you begin your training, the official documents regarding the matters you have entrusted have been processed.”

“Give it to me.”

Butler Choi handed over the documents.

Several sheets of paper contained plans for practical training to be given to the cadets.

Lee Tae-shin read the documents silently and shook his head.

“This isn’t enough.”

“… … Are you saying that it’s not enough for level 7 and 8 dungeons? Even at the cadet level, that level would be dangerous.”

The cadet corps was not just a place to receive training.

The students of Sungmoo House were tested for their qualifications from time to time, and sometimes were sent to places like dungeons and gates to prove themselves.

And what we have prepared this time are 7th and 8th level dungeons.

Normally, a team of professional hunters active in the field would be dispatched.

Nevertheless, Lee Tae-shin shook his head.

“Weapons and provisions are all that we need to accumulate, but not people. Now, we need to create people who can survive, not just a few mediocre guys.”

Lee Tae-shin was preparing something now.

Butler Choi was silent for a moment.

Then he bowed his head deeply.

“I will do as you instructed. And… … .”

Butler Choi slowly began to report on what had happened in Class 5 of the Cadet Corps.

“That’s what the youngest said.”

Interest appeared in Lee Tae-shin’s eyes at Butler Choi’s words.

“He’s still young, but he knows what struggle is.”

Lee Tae-shin raised the corners of his mouth as if he was satisfied.

“Ever since he was little, the boy had eyes that were different from others. He had the kind of eyes that only those who have had something taken away from them or been knocked to the ground have.”

The look in his eyes is that he wants to fight since he’s been robbed, and that he wants to crawl up since he’s been knocked to the ground.

Is it because of my status as an illegitimate child?

Or maybe they were just born that way.

The important thing was that the child suited the Sungmoo family better than anyone else.

“But it’s a whole other thing to change a person with your own beliefs and then lead them on.”

Lee Tae-shin looked at the sword he was holding in his hand.

“Let’s change the test content a little bit. Class 5… … Since the 8th class is also in the same class, let’s raise the level of the entire cadet corps, including Class 1.”

“You already said you were going to increase the difficulty level. Are you talking about more?”

“Yes. I will have to see if that child is truly capable of leading people. Last time, I saw his appearance as a ruler, so this time I will have to see if he has talent as a leader.”

Lee Tae-shin looked far north.

Lee Tae-shin, who returned from the North, has been looking north a lot recently.

“And if that kid shows something this time, it’ll add some nice tension to the relaxed atmosphere of the cadet corps.”

Lee Tae-shin smiled meaningfully.

Butler Choi bowed his head politely and answered.

“I will handle it as you command.”

* * *

There was a routine that I repeated every single day without fail after I met my aunt.

It was a study of magical arts with my aunt.

The only thing that changed was that what used to be done in the training grounds was now done in my aunt’s lab.

“… … Hmph!”

The magical power that had been writhing on my palm soon began to emit a ray of black light.

A condensation of magical arts called aura or sword energy.

“Baby! Now change shape!”

The wind created by the aura of the many lines connected to my body swayed here and there.

I once again focused my mind on the aura gathered at my fingertips.

‘Ugh.’

Aurora began to stir here and there.

But at that moment, the aura began to shake from the ends and its shape began to disintegrate.

“Stop! That’s it!”

My aunt shouted urgently.

I barely managed to recover my magical power while holding onto the aura that was about to collapse.

I walked out of the lab, tearing off the wires attached to my body.

“Ugh, I failed again this time!”

My aunt fell on the table and started whining.

“Oh, my dear. Rub your shoulders, Auntie.”

His aunt was lying face down and tapping his shoulder.

“I actually used magic, so why is my aunt… … .”

“Ah! Hurry up! Auntie, die!”

I sighed and started to squeeze my aunt’s shoulder.

Although she said that, she knew that her aunt was reducing her sleep and working hard on her research into magic.

“Ugh.”

My aunt began to look at the printed experiment results again, making a sound like an old man.

“Hmm, that’s the problem. Whenever I try to manipulate the aura, the shape always collapses.”

My aunt didn’t create magic spells based solely on her senses. Instead, she put a lot of effort into researching the latest research materials and papers.

‘This magical art still needs to be developed.’

My aunt, who had seen the use of the horse’s magical power a few years ago, completed the practical framework of the theory that had already been created just by that.

But this is only the basics.

As this magical art held great potential, it required further modification and improvement.

“I never thought this kind of problem would arise after reaching 3 stars. Just look at this.”

My aunt thrust a piece of paper with a graph drawn on it right in front of my nose.

It took a long time to absorb the sudden surge of magical power after the incident at the naming ceremony.

However, once I completely absorbed that magic, I was able to create it whenever I wanted by concentrating the sword energy that I had been struggling to pull out.

The problem was that the moment I used the various ‘techniques’ that my aunt had theorized about, stability dropped.

“Auntie, I’m sorry, but I still can’t figure it out.”

“Really? Anyway, I feel like I’m missing one important key. How did the people of old who used magic furnaces use magic? I wish there was some information about it… … .”

Something came to mind when I heard my aunt’s words.

“… … That’s probably how it’ll turn out.”

I fiddled with the black ring on my finger, Mujin.

‘If it’s Mujin.’

Now, I feel like I can read other memories contained in Mujin.

Even the parts that are currently blocked may be able to find a clue through it.

“Actually, since you’ve practically perfected the amplification and conversion techniques, it might be the same this time too.”

“Yes, thank you every time.”

My aunt let out a deep sigh.

“But you should come already. It’s really amazing that you’re taking the first step toward becoming a 3-star.”

After the naming ceremony, I finally laid the foundation for entering the 3rd level of the new magic arts.

If we consider the stages of existing magic techniques, it would be equivalent to achieving four stages.

Level 4 of magic, the realm of transformation.

Stage 4 was the realm where one could concentrate the magical power released outward and manipulate the aura, a crystallization of pure power.

“Auntie. What does the 3rd star do?”

“You will be using your Aura skills.”

My aunt tapped my hand that was rubbing her shoulder, then took a step back and looked up at me.

“Already… … you say?”

Gangqigong (罡氣功), secret techniques commonly referred to as aura skills.

The fourth level was to freely manipulate the aura, and the fifth level was to give direction to the aura and exert a specific power.

Those who are able to use their aura freely, as their level increases, will be able to give their aura a specific direction beyond just increasing its cutting power and making it stronger.

“It’ll take a while to get it right. I’ll start once I fully understand Auror.”

“What kind of strong force will you be dealing with?”

“What is the biggest difference between our magic and existing magic? It’s diversity and stability. If it works as planned… … you’ll be able to do things beyond your imagination.”

My aunt put the materials down and continued speaking.

“Let’s solve the problem first, instead of trying to do something weird again. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves by doing something useless again.”

I nodded silently.

My aunt glanced at the training ground and nodded.

“Want a little more?”

“No. I’ll rest today. I have to go to the cadet unit early tomorrow morning.”

“How’s the cadet corps? You seem so tired lately.”

My aunt asked with a worried look on her face.

“Just, yeah.”

“I’ll help you! Just trust me!”

My aunt puffed out her chest and patted her shoulder.

There was something ominous about that sight.

I shook my head in disgust.

“You have a lot of work to do, so there’s no need to do that.”

“Hehe! Well, I decided to give a special lecture this time anyway!”

“yes?”

Suddenly, what kind of lecture is this?

“Theory classes and magic classes. I’ve decided to come out as an instructor for Class 5 a few times.”

My aunt is, after all, a senior researcher. Why would she bother giving a lecture when she is not even a member of the training center?

And on top of that, is there anyone who complains all the time because they also have personal work to do with the magical research I do?

I looked at my aunt with gloomy eyes.

“Auntie, please tell me the truth.”

“Well, I have nothing to tell you honestly?”

I looked at my aunt quietly.

My aunt rolled her eyes and whistled.

There is a quick fix for this kind of aunt.

“… … If you tell me the truth now, I won’t say anything unnecessary.”

“Really? That’s because the budget is low… … If you step forward as an instructor and get good results, you get credit for your performance, and Class 5 is always noisy, so it’s even worse… … .”

“I understand that the research center has a pretty generous budget. And the magic arts department doesn’t need a large budget, right?”

My aunt answered hesitantly.

“Ah, that, a rare relic came out, so I bought some at the auction house.”

“… … I knew it.”

My aunt made an excuse in a bewildered voice as I shook my head.

“What do you mean, I knew that! It’s a relic from before the Common Era! It’s the secret of this world!”

“What are you going to do if you get investigated?”

“Oh, it’s just data for ancient research! I’m innocent!”

My aunt’s lab was famous for being full of all sorts of useless old junk and old books.

“And you say it will work? How can you be sure of that?”

“You’re the class president anyway, so wouldn’t something change if I did just a little bit?”

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at his confident tone.

‘Should I be grateful that you believe me or should I be angry that you are so irresponsible?’

My aunt wiggled her fingers, embarrassed by my expression.

“Well, honey. You know it’s not just about the budget, right? This aunt is thinking of her nephew… … .”

“Yes, yes, I understand.”

“What kind of tone is that!”

The aunt’s death followed.

I headed to my room with a sigh, thinking that I would get more tired if I hung out for no reason.

* * *

Several weeks have passed since the cadet training began.

Martial arts, weapon skills, and numerous other subjects were taught rigorously.

It was a routine that mostly started before the sun rose and ended around sunset.

But for some reason, Lee Jeong-ho set the meeting time for 8 o’clock today.

The cadets, whose expressions had been dull due to their tight schedules, gathered at the training grounds with lively expressions, perhaps thanks to waking up late after a long time.

Only after lining up those cadets did Lee Jeong-ho open his mouth.

“Today there will be a special lecture on magic. Everyone, please dress neatly and stand still.”

A look of puzzlement appeared on the cadets’ faces at the mention of special lectures.

Having heard this from my aunt in advance, I looked up at the stage calmly.

Step by step-

A woman walked up onto the firing line.

A confident stride, intelligent eyes, and a stylish lab coat.

‘There was no need to worry. You look quite fit.’

My aunt was dressed in a neat, special lab coat from the Sungmu family.

My aunt, wearing a modified white hanbok, the uniform of a researcher, exuded an intellectual aura.

“Everyone! Salute!”

“insect!”

The cadets, nervous at their aunt’s appearance, immediately raised their hands and took a standing posture.

Even I, who was doing something else, awkwardly got dressed.

Actually, officially, my aunt was my teacher and an adult one generation above me.

“Hehehe! It’s embarrassing. Guys, stop it! Stop it! Sit down! Sit comfortably!”

My aunt waved her hands and twisted her body.

I put my hand on my head.

That majestic appearance disappeared in just one second.

“My name is Lee Kyung-hwa! I’m a senior researcher! Self-introductions are over! I don’t like dragging things out, so I’ll start the lecture right away!”

My aunt winked at me.

I watched my aunt’s lecture.

My aunt is obsessed with the keyword “ancient” to the point of being a maniac, but that doesn’t mean she’s only obsessed with it.

Rather, he was learning modern things very deeply in order to delve deeper into ancient knowledge.

‘Your teaching has gotten quite good.’

I thought he would speak with incredibly complex vocabulary like when he was teaching me, but now he was continuing his lecture by mixing in metaphors appropriately.

Meanwhile, the cadets’ eyes sparkled despite the difficult theory class.

‘This is an opportunity!’

If you are a researcher, it is an institution that is at the forefront of Sungmoo-i’s research.

Moreover, it was not a lecture by a junior researcher from a research institute, but by a direct senior scholar. I couldn’t miss a single word.

like that.

The class, which was long but felt short, has come to an end.

“Okay! This is the end of this boring class!”

Clap clap clap-

A loud applause was heard. Lee Jeong-ho approached with an expression of admiration.

“Thank you, Elder. I am sure it will be of great help to the cadets.”

“It’s not over yet?”

“yes?”

Lee Jeong-ho blinked.

“Instructor. The basic skill that the cadets are learning now is the wire cutter, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Okay then, now the real show begins! Everyone, from now on, I will show you the improved version of the iron wire machine that was improved at the research center!”

At my aunt’s words, Instructor Lee Jeong-ho, I, and all the cadets opened their eyes wide.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s true. I’ll explain from the beginning.”

The improved version of the iron wire machine differed from the basic horsepower operation.

It was a high-level magic technique that seemed like basic magic, so it was hard to tell if my aunt had really put effort into it.

Even Lee Jeong-ho, who was somewhat worried, couldn’t help but be surprised when he saw the structure and essence of the magic.

“Okay! Everyone, sit up straight! I’m only going to do this demonstration once, so everyone, stay focused!”

My aunt, who had been personally guiding the magic by placing her hand on the backs of the children sitting in the correct posture, came to my seat.

“What happened?”

I knew my aunt gave lectures, but I never thought she would teach improved magic techniques.

My aunt giggled at my whispering.

“Originally, when you enter the cadet corps, they would support you here and there, right? But you didn’t have anything. That’s why this aunt had to exert some effort. Ahem!”

My aunt whispered and stuck her chest out haughtily.

“… … Thank you, Aunt.”

“Okay, okay. If the theory is right, the power will be doubled. Isn’t that great?”

“Yes, Aunt. That’s great.”

“Hehehe, thank you even more to this great genius, Lee Kyung-hwa!”

I ended up chuckling.

Come to think of it, my aunt has changed too.

In the past, he was a true hard worker, but now he is able to lecture to others.

My aunt didn’t stop for me and started moving on to the next children.

The cadets were amazed as they felt the flow of magical power moving within their bodies.

‘A senior researcher… … And if it’s Senior Researcher Lee Kyung-hwa, isn’t she someone who was promoted to senior based solely on her knowledge?’

‘Even though it was not known until now, it is known that the head of the household personally appointed him as an elder.’

Although it was somewhat different from the truth, that was what was known to the public.

The cadets considered this a once in a lifetime opportunity, but they also glanced at the youngest, Seo Ja and Lee Cheol.

‘I thought you were just going to push through without any restraint… … Was this how you were going to raise us?’

It was widely known that Lee Kyung-hwa was acting as the youngest illegitimate child’s teacher.

Moreover, it was quite well known that the two had a good relationship beyond their priest-disciple relationship.

“There! Focus!”

“yes!”

The cadets delved deep into magical arts, for they could not afford to let such a great opportunity go to waste.

Kyung-Hwa Lee’s magic lecture ended long after lunchtime.

“Attention!”

After a brief moment of testing each of their magic techniques, Instructor Lee Jeong-ho shouted.