The Illegitimate Who Devours Weapons

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Lucky]

Chapter 13

Lee Hwa and I stood atop a massive martial arts stage, spanning 40 meters in both width and length.

Before us appeared a man.

A solidly built body, with a grotesque scar running diagonally across his right eye and cheek.

For a warrior of his caliber to bear such a scar—especially in an era where medical advancements could easily erase such marks—one could only imagine the kind of hell he had endured.

He opened his mouth to speak.

“My name is Lee Joongkwan.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

The same situation as in my past life. The same sight before me.

The only difference was Hwa, now glaring at me with wary, venom-filled eyes, and myself—having gained far more than I had in my previous life.

“From this moment on, I will instruct you in the secret techniques of the Esteemeed Martial Lee Clan. Choose the weapons you will wield.”

At Lee Joongkwan’s command, Hwa and I descended from the stage and headed toward the weapon rack.

There were no wooden or bamboo swords—only real weapons, their edges gleaming with razor-sharp precision.

That was when I noticed Hwa staring at me with an odd expression.

“What are you looking at? Got something to say?”

“W-What?! I wasn’t looking at anything! And why would I have something to say?!”

“If you don’t, then don’t. No need to shout.”

Her gaze suggested otherwise, but I had no intention of prying.

Then, as if making up her mind about something, Hwa awkwardly approached me and spoke in a hushed voice.

“Hey… You use a sword too, right?”

I responded flatly.

“No.”

“What? But during weapons training, you clearly—”

Ignoring her words, I grabbed a whole armful of weapons from the rack and cradled them in my arms.

“Hey, hey! What the hell are you doing?!”

I didn’t answer and simply walked back up to the martial arts stage.

Lee Joongkwan’s brows furrowed as he watched me struggle under the weight of the weapons.

“…What exactly are you doing?”

“You told us to choose our weapons, so I brought them.”

“I said to bring the weapon you use.”

“These are the weapons I use.”

From short daggers to long spears—twelve different types of weapons in total.

“…I thought you had some sense, but turns out you’re just an idiot.”

Lee Joongkwan sighed, clearly uninterested in wasting more words on me.

Shortly after, Hwa stepped onto the stage as well.

“I don’t like repeating myself, so listen carefully and remember what I say.”

Lee Joongkwan’s sharp gaze shifted from me to Hwa.

“I said I would teach you the clan’s secret techniques, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be teaching you specific stances or techniques. That’s not what you need to learn.”

He then unslung the weapon from his back.

Kiing—!

The sound it made was eerie, like the intertwined roots of a tree groaning under pressure.

When he removed the leather covering from its blade, a peculiar resonance filled the air.

A sacred weapon-level spear—Mokho.

“The Esteemeed Martial Lee Clan possesses many secret techniques. But none of them are structured martial arts based on forms or stances. They are simply individual techniques—nothing more.”

Words I once struggled to comprehend in my past life.

But now, I understood them completely.

Lee Joongkwan continued speaking.

---

---

"To master these secret techniques, there are many conditions to fulfill. But the most fundamental—the very first requirement—is this: The dormant ‘sense’ in your blood must awaken."

The bloodline of the Esteemeed Martial Lee Clan was different from that of ordinary people from the very beginning.

Those who inherited the clan’s blood strongly were born with three undeniable blessings, though their degree varied.

The first was an absolutely strong body.

The second was a unique ability, awakened through the Naming Ceremony.

And the third—

"The Sixth Sense."

Lee Joongkwan’s voice was resolute.

"From this moment on, I will awaken your senses. Rather than wasting time learning rigid, outdated martial forms, those of us who carry the blood of Esteemeed Martial Lee need only draw out the instincts our bodies already possess for combat."

One step.

Then another.

Lee Joongkwan steadily closed the distance between us.

"Secret techniques, ultimate moves, even the most basic forms—you won’t be able to grasp any of them until your senses awaken."

“W-why… why are you coming closer?”

Unconsciously, Hwa took a step back.

I, on the other hand, wordlessly threw the weapons I had been carrying across the stage and drew a longsword.

"Get ready. Unless you want to pass out the moment this begins."

I directed my words at Hwa, but by then, Lee Joongkwan was already upon us.

"Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Your bodies will naturally find the way."

A spear strike curved in from the left.

The textbook response would be to deflect it by angling my blade sideways.

But—

"Kuhk!"

Clang!

Even though I had anticipated the attack, I barely managed to deflect the blow.

The impact rattled through my body, shaking my organs so violently I felt like vomiting.

"And you call that blocking?"

Could I even say I had blocked it?

A strike so powerful that it seemed to burrow into my very core—my stomach churned, nausea clawing at my throat.

"Hah. At least you're not a complete fool."

"Kyaaah!"

Boom!

Hwa, unable to withstand even a single thrust, collapsed unconscious on the spot.

So much for buying me some time.

I clicked my tongue in frustration.

‘To think I’d have to go through this insanity again.’

I had already experienced this ordeal once before.

Lee Joongkwan—he would wield his spear with terrifying precision, striking just hard enough to avoid killing his opponent. And since I was an illegitimate son, he might not even bother to hold back.

Suppressing the bile rising in my throat, I narrowed my eyes.

"In my past life, I never even received proper training."

Back then, I had failed to keep up with the group training. I had been cast aside early on, forced to watch from the sidelines as the others continued.

This time would be different.

Boom!

Lee Joongkwan kicked off the ground.

Gritting my teeth, I swung my sword.

---

---

More than a month had passed since training with Lee Joongkwan began.

Boom! Crash! Crack!

The dueling platform echoed day after day with the sounds of things shattering, exploding, and breaking apart.

"Damn it!"

I rolled across the ground, dodging a sweeping spear strike, then swung my sword with all my might.

Zzt!

For a split second, I thought I had dodged it—but the spear reappeared right in front of my face.

Even though I had infused my blade with amplified magic, it was completely shattered by his attack, which didn’t contain a single ounce of mana.

The next thing I knew, I was airborne—before slamming into the ground.

"That one wasn’t bad."

His voice grew closer. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I scrambled to my feet. Lee Joongkwan never hesitated to attack a fallen opponent.

"Grrk!"

Suddenly, he stopped.

Hwa, who had taken a direct hit to the left side of her ribcage, had started foaming at the mouth.

Lee Joongkwan furrowed his brow slightly.

"Call the medics."

"Kugh… huff… huff… y-yes, sir."

I staggered off the platform, pulled out my phone, and contacted the medical unit.

They must have been on standby because within five minutes, doctors rushed in and began examining Hwa.

"Her ribs are fractured. And the impact on her liver has caused a drop in blood pressure and heart rate, leading to breathing difficulties."

"Tch. We’re running low on potions… Use one. How long will it take?"

The doctor’s face darkened slightly.

He probably wanted to prescribe complete bed rest, but he knew that wasn’t an option.

"Even with a potion, at least ten minutes."

"Ten-minute break."

The moment I heard that, I collapsed onto the ground.

"Damn it. What kind of insane training is this?"

A regimen where broken bones and internal injuries were routine. This wasn’t training for ten-year-olds.

But I wasn’t going to complain.

No, I had no reason to complain.

Little by little—

Bit by bit—

I could see it.

"The path is becoming clear."

At times, when I focused intensely, I would be overcome by a strange sensation.

This is how I should swing.

This is how I should move.

It wasn’t just sight—it was a feeling, an instinct.

It was still vague, but I was beginning to grasp what they called the Sixth Sense.

"Illegitimate or legitimate, you’re all weaklings. The moment I call for a break, you collapse like dead weight. The future of this clan looks bleak."

Lee Joongkwan sneered.

Just then—

"Hah!"

Lee Hwa’s eyes snapped open.

Not ten minutes—barely five had passed.

---

She looked around, seemingly unable to grasp the situation, before turning her gaze to me.

“No way, again?”

“Yeah. You fainted for the 22nd time. I’ve only fainted sixteen times.”

“Ugh! If only I had prepared on the first day!”

Hwa stood up, gripping her sword in frustration.

Lee Joongwan smirked.

‘Not bad.’

His words were harsh, but in truth, he was quite pleased.

‘Eighth round. That kid’s body is seriously tough. I went a little overboard, but she hasn’t even suffered a single major injury?’

He admired her resilience for a moment before shifting his gaze to the side.

That was where the real interest lay.

‘And that illegitimate one... I noticed it on the first day, but... he’s something else. No wonder my subordinates felt uneasy, like they were the ones being evaluated. His ability to assess the situation, that bizarre mana art… And on top of that, he’s hiding something.’

At first, when the guy showed up carrying a whole armory of weapons, Joongwan thought he was just another idiot.

But his proficiency with each weapon was impressive, and his adaptability exceeded expectations.

There were even moments when his unpredictability had caught Joongwan off guard.

‘And now, I bet he can see it—just a little. It's only been a month... Maybe he’ll break the record.’

Joongwan grinned and swung his spear with even greater intensity.

Then, the moment came naturally.

It wasn’t triggered by any drastic change.

The vague feeling sharpened into certainty.

“Hey.”

I called out to Hwa.

She looked at me, panting heavily.

“I’ll give you a signal. Just block once for me.”

“Why the hell should I?”

“Well, don’t if you don’t want to. I just thought I might finally land a hit on Uncle.”

A murderous glint flickered in Hwa’s eyes.

Yeah, she was pissed off too.

The moment I said there was a chance to strike back, her expression changed.

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah.”

“You’ll owe me for this!”

Hwa exhaled sharply.

I was the first to move.

Up until now, I had dodged his spear purely by instinct. But now, that instinct had turned into certainty.

‘He’ll strike from the right.’

I twisted my body, slipping past the spear’s edge.

‘The moment his foot touches the ground, he’ll thrust upward.’

A strange sensation washed over me.

My body moved exactly as I envisioned.

I could feel my will coursing through every muscle fiber.

“Oh?”

Lee Joongwan’s eyes gleamed sharply.

I grabbed a spear lying on the ground and swung it without hesitation.

Clang!

Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal.

His counterattack was inevitable.

In that instant, I shot a quick glance at Lee Hwa.

“Yaaahhh!”

Though she looked displeased, her eyes were sharp and focused.

A split second.

A moment within a moment.

But I saw it—a clear opening.

I abandoned the spear mid-swing and seized a sword lying nearby.

The grueling training sessions with my aunt had never stopped, even after enduring this hellish routine.

I wasn’t perfect, but I had already grasped the threshold of the 2nd-Star level.

Vrrrnnng—

The sword technique I acquired from Boundless.

Demon Piercing strike.

Amplified mana coursed through the blade, its energy perfectly stabilized.

I struck, aiming for that fleeting gap—my sword slashing straight toward Lee Joongwan’s chin.

“……!”

His expression twisted.

In a split second, he yanked back his spear to block my strike.

It didn’t matter.

I never intended to land that hit in the first place.

Whoosh!

I let go of the rebounding sword and lunged straight into his guard, driving my fist forward.

“Hm?!”

Joongwan’s eyes widened.

‘This one’s going to land!’

Thud!

The sharp sound of metal colliding filled the air.

I looked at my fist, eyes filled with disbelief.

‘He blocked that?’

Crack!

A sudden, searing pain shot through my abdomen.

His other hand.

Why the hell was it pressing into my stomach?

“Guhh—!”

“Congratulations. Looks like you’ve awakened.”

Joongwan nodded, satisfied.

‘Damn it, if you were going to congratulate me, did you really have to punch me first?!’

I clutched my stomach, barely holding back a groan.

“That’s what instinct feels like. But you’re still rough around the edges. If your senses were fully sharpened, you would’ve dodged that last hit too.”

His demeanor had shifted slightly.

Unlike his usual mocking tone, Joongwan spoke with unexpected seriousness.

“Thirty-seven days, huh? I’ll be honest. That was impressive. Even the eldest, Myungjeong, took forty-five days. Just as I predicted—you were faster.”

At his words, I momentarily forgot my pain and stared up at him in a daze.

And then—

“You’re still far from done.”

“Gyaaah!”

Thud!

Hwa, who had attempted a sneak attack, was immediately countered and sent crashing into the ground.

“That’s it for today’s training.”

With that, Joongwan ended the session about an hour earlier than usual.

I sat there, replaying everything that had just happened.

“You traitor! I trusted you, damn it!”

Hwa yelled, rubbing her bruised shoulder in frustration.

Meanwhile, Joongwan walked away from the training grounds, his gaze fixed on his own palm.

A small bruise had formed there.

‘Even after drawing out my mana… it still got through?’

It wasn’t much, but he had broken his own self-imposed restriction against using mana.

It was an outcome he hadn’t anticipated.

That level of combat instinct—far too advanced for someone who had merely awakened their sixth sense.

‘And to think he was willing to abandon that level of skill…’

A kid his age, possessing such skill, would normally flaunt it. Yet, he held back until the very last moment—and ultimately chose to discard it.

He was impossible to read.

His mana technique defied classification.

His swordsmanship was something that could have easily been mistaken for a secret technique of the family.

And the fact that he built an entire setup just to throw it all away in an instant…

‘He’s got potential. If he keeps growing like this… Well, the old geezers in the clan are definitely going to lose their minds.’

Joongwan dusted off his sleeves and smirked.

On the forty-seventh day of training, Hwa finally awakened her sixth sense.

At that point, Joongwan declared the training complete. He left us with time to rest and reflect on what we had learned.

I took full advantage of the break, continuing my research on mana arts with my aunt.

And then, the day arrived.

The Naming Ceremony.

The second trial to prove myself as a true warrior of the Esteemeed Martial Lee clan.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Lucky]