This incident had happened over twenty years ago in a village near the Amazon. Stevens was annoyed by the person who kept trying to contact him.
[Hey, Stevens. Don’t trust Lee Gun too much.]
It was the Goat Saint Sergeyevich.
‘I can understand why he’s so desperate in trying to contact me.’
Two weeks ago, Lee Gun had destroyed the weapons made by the Capricorn temple, surprising everyone. This had happened despite Sergeyevich being a secretive weirdo who had concealed his full name, the Zodiac Saint of blacksmiths.
Anyway, everyone had lost trust in the Capricorn temple because of Lee Gun.
But the Capricorn temple didn’t want to lose any clients. So the Goat Saint spoke through the mouth of the communication-type Construct.
[There is no way I would purposefully weaken the durability of my weapons, unlike what Lee Gun claims! If you die, I’ll lose a very important client!]
That was true. The Leo temple and the blacksmiths had a symbiotic relationship. Why?
‘Damn it! The Leo temple is useless without weapons!’
Since it was connected to their survival, this was an absolute secret kept away from the other Zodiac Saints. In reality, Leo Saint couldn’t activate his skills unless he held a weapon. It wasn’t a lie. He really couldn’t use any skills.
In other words, Stevens was screwed if lost his grip on his weapon. Of course, he was a superhuman, so he could survive up to a point without his skills. However, it was a dangerous affair where his life would be at risk.
Anyway, this was why the Leo temple needed a good relationship with the blacksmiths. However, Stevens was in a situation where he couldn’t fully trust the Capricorn temple…
[I guess I have no choice.]
Flash!
A light appeared before Stevens as a Construct from the Capricorn temple made an appearance. The Capricorn Construct held a great sword.
“That is…!”
Sergeyevich soon spoke through the line of communication.
[This is a weapon especially made by the Zodiac. I’ll let you borrow it. This is an attempt to regain your trust, so you don’t have to pay anything.]
Stevens became infatuated.
‘A Z…Zodiac made it himself?!’
The weapons that he had received from Sergeyevich were weapons Sergeyevich had made using Capricorn’s power. And they were A-rank and S-rank weapons.
If this was a weapon made by Capricorn… Stevens’s eyes shook.
Sergeyevich spoke.
[Of course, it’s on a different level. How about it? Will you use it?]
“Don’t look down on me. I…” Stevens was about to say he wasn’t someone to be trifled with.
[I like that you’re honest.]
“…”
Both of Stevens’s hands were clutching the great sword offered by the Capricorn Construct.
The Capricorn Construct cackled.
Feeling embarrassed, Stevens stamped his feet.
“Ahhk!! Damn it!” he yelled as he tried to throw the blade into the lake, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He merely cut wood with it. “If! Only! I! Didn’t! Become! Impotent! When! I! Lose! My! Weapon!”
Stevens’s pride had been extremely hurt. He kept cutting wood with his blade. “Damn it! The other fighting-type Zodiac Saints have weapons as their Royal holy items! Why isn’t Leo’s Royal holy item a weapon?!”
The Royal holy item of the Leo temple was a necklace that increased his luck!
Stevens was already pissed off at Leo since he had heard why the Zodiac had picked him as his Zodiac Saint!
‘He chose me as an apostle because I looked like I would be good at acquiring food? If I don’t bring him food, he’d use me like emergency food? He’d eat me?’
“Damn it! That cat is senseless! Why the hell can’t the Leo temple use our skills if there are no weapons!!!”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Ahhhhhk!!!”
Stevens screamed when he heard a voice behind him. Turning his head, he was faced with Hugo, who had a bright smile on his face.
Appalled, Stevens asked, “Why are you here?! No!! Did you hear what I just said?!”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Stevens let out a sigh of relief when he saw Hugo’s reaction. He had been worried his weak point had been leaked.
‘The Sagittarius temple is like the Scorpio temple. They are Stealth-type temples. As expected, I can’t sense his presence…!’
“Alright. It’s fine if you didn’t hear it—”
“It must be a big pain since you can’t use a skill without a weapon.”
“Ahhhk!!!” Stevens took up his sword when he saw Hugo’s bright smile.
The Zodiac Saints were already jockeying for ranks against each other, yet his greatest weakness was revealed!
‘I have to shut him up before he tells the others…!’
At that moment…
“Hugo, the ingredients Lee Gun is looking for aren't over there. They are over here.”
“?!”
When Stevens heard the familiar voice, he turned around in surprise and caught sight of Hailey.
She had jet-black hair, and her face was devoid of mirth. The woman looked so beautiful that a picture wouldn't do her justice. She seemed to be from out of this world.
This was around the time when Hailey had packed up her belongings and had been secretly following Lee Gun and Hugo.
Stevens’s face turned red when he saw Hailey, but he soon became interested in the ingredients that she had mentioned.
“Ingredients? Are you taking it to Lee Gun?!”
“Yes. He plans on making weapons. Why?”
Stevens almost lost his mind. He wanted to ask Lee Gun to make him a weapon, but he soon clicked his tongue. “Whatever. Lee Gun makes weapons for only himself. He refused my request several times.…”
“What? Teacher makes weapons for other people.”
Stevens’s head turned in a robotic manner. He stomped toward Hugo and grabbed his shoulders as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard. “What are you talking about? Lee Gun refuses to make weapons for anyone else!”
“What? He made them for Miss Hailey and me…”
“Don’t lie to me!!! Lee Gun said he can’t make it! He said his manufacturing skill doesn’t work like that! He can't make it!!! He shouldn’t make it even if he can!!”
“Y…You should look at it for yourself….” The surprised Hugo unsheathed a dagger from his belt.
Feeling Lee Gun’s energy from the blade, Stevens looked at Hugo with jealousy in his eyes. “Why did Lee Gun make this for you? Why you!?”
“I…I’m his student……?”
In the case of Hailey, she had fed them, so Lee Gun felt thankful toward her. This was why he had created a more beautiful dagger with better specs for Hailey.
When Lee Gun had held up the dagger toward her, Hailey had stiffened and ran away.
This had hurt Lee Gun a little.
- Does she hate me enough to run away?
- What?
- Whatever. I’ll use it for myself.
Of course, Hailey had run away because she had hidden as she watched Lee Gun, yet Lee Gun had found her as if it were no big deal.
She truly didn’t want to be found out. So when he nonchalantly appeared in front of her, her brain had short-circuited.
Anyway, Hugo became serious as he thought about the incident where Hailey had run away.
‘Is that why he doesn’t make weapons for others?’
Hugo's guess was completely wrong, but it didn’t matter at that moment. Stevens’s gaze was overbearing, and it made Hugo sweat.
‘Now I understand why he’s obsessed with Teacher’s weapons.’
The skills of the Leo Temple were too violent. The durability of regular weapons couldn’t withstand their power for long.
This issue was so bad that Stevens had to pack fifty weapons for each raid.
Hugo looked at Hailey. She was picking up the ingredients that Lee Gun wanted. She was economical in her actions, as if she was putting potatoes into her sack.
At that moment, Hugo had a weird misunderstanding.
‘Huhk. Is that why Miss Hailey has been following us? She wants a weapon like Mr. Stevens?’
Now that he thought about it, Hailey had frequently looked at Stevens’s weapons!
‘Yes. That’s what’s going on!’
In truth, Hailey had been looking at the Capricorn temple’s weapons to see if they’d be of help to Lee Gun.
If one of them looked useful, she either copied it or stole it. She would place it in the pack that she gave to Lee Gun.
Kwahng!!!!
“!!!”
“Kee-ehhhhk!!!”
Suddenly, several hundred monsters broke through the ground. The three Zodiac Saints were taken aback as they took up their weapons.
“Damn it! There was a nest here?! There are so many of them!”
“Should I bring Teacher here?!”
It didn’t matter if several hundred or even several thousand monsters gathered here. Lee Gun could kill them all in short order. He was humanity’s strongest weapon.
Their work would be much easier if Lee Gun were here, but Stevens declined that option.
‘I have a weapon made by a Zodiac! This will last for a long time!’
Normally, his weapon would be destroyed when he killed twenty monsters, yet this sword was fine even when he had already cut down fifty monsters!
‘Good! I might be able to use my Royal skill with this.’
Stevens had never been able to use his SS-rank skill, the Royal skill that others could freely use.
If he used an S-rank skill using an A-rank weapon, the weapon would be instantly destroyed. Stevens generally used S-rank weapons, but they wouldn’t last if an SS-rank skill was used.
However, this was a weapon made by Capricorn!
‘I might be able to my Royal skill!’
This was his opportunity to gain points with Hailey!
[Roar of the Beast King (SS)]
Leo was amused when a powerful golden energy emanated from Stevens’s body.
[Oh! That idiot is finally using his killer move.]
‘That is right!’
[I kept demonstrating it for you and even taught it to you, yet you’re always wishy-washy about using it.]
‘Things are different now!!!’
Stevens confidently swung the sword…
Bbah-gahk!!!
“?!!!”
However, it broke.
Stevens’s face froze.
Leo clicked its tongue as if it had expected this.
[Hmmph. I should’ve expected this from you. You’re on your own. I’m going back to sleep.]
“?!!”
No, why the hell would you go back to sleep!! It was a situation where Leo’s Zodiac Saint was weaponless and surrounded by several hundred monsters! However, the damn Zodiac had made himself scarce.
Stevens cussed as he quickly looked for anything that resembled a weapon.
‘Damn it! Did the Goat Saint dupe me?!’
He had said the blade was made by a Zodiac. Stevens never imagined it would be destroyed because he used an SS-rank skill!
‘Or maybe it can’t withstand Leo’s skill?’
It didn’t matter in the end.
‘Weapon! Weapon!!!’
All the weapons that he had brought had been discovered and destroyed by the monsters.
Hailey sighed when she saw this. She swung her tachi as she saved Hugo and Stevens. Her skill was overwhelming.
Stevens’s male pride didn’t allow him to ask Hailey for a weapon. He looked at Hugo, who was being crushed alongside him. “Hugo! Do you have any weapons left?”
“I don’t! I only have the one that I gave you earlier!”
“Damn it! Are you talking about this?!”
Stevens was grasping at straws. He unsheathed Lee Gun’s dagger. This dagger was something Hugo used to keep enemies in check.
‘It won’t last against powerful enemies!’
More powerful weapons would break when faced with these types of monsters. This was why Stevens didn’t expect much, as he blocked a foot flying toward him. He thought it would be the end of the weapon…
“Kee-ehhhk!!!”
However…
“Kee-ehhhk!”
Huh? Why wasn’t it breaking?
Stevens reflexively swung his blade.
After he had killed over a hundred monsters, Stevens’s face was a sight to behold.
‘What the hell? Why isn’t it breaking???’
Much more expensive and reinforced weapons would’ve broken much earlier!
“Stevens-nim! Look up!”
It was as if Hailey considered the weak Hugo a hindrance. Hugo screamed as she carried him like a straw sack.
Stevens looked up in surprise at Hugo’s shout.
‘I’ll die if I don’t use my SS-rank skill!’
It wasn’t a normal monster.
Stevens knew the skill wouldn't work, but for some reason, he took a firm grip on the dagger.
‘Capricorn’s weapon was destroyed when the SS-rank skill was used…!’
Stevens didn’t know why, but he found himself using the skill.
[Roar of the Beast King (SS)]
Something surprising happened this time.
Flash!
A blinding golden tornado surged into the sky. The golden light entered the tail of the enormous monster and pulverized its skin, muscles, and bone. The remnant flew into the sky within the tornado.
Hailey and Hugo, who was being treated like luggage, looked at Stevens in surprise.
‘I’ve never seen that skill before…!’
The one most surprised was Stevens. “It…It succeeded? I did it?!”
Moved by this sight, Hugo looked at Stevens. “You have an AOE attack!”
He bit his tongue as he looked at Hailey, wondering if Hailey was following them at Stevens’s request. “Did you see it, Miss Hailey? Mr. Stevens did it! He killed numerous monsters with his Royal skill!”
“…huh?”
Hailey was expressionless. She furrowed her brows as she tilted her head in puzzlement. “He didn't kill them all.”
“What? What are you—”
Hugo turned pale from fright when he saw the pile of monsters stacked behind Hailey. Hailey had killed 95% of the monsters. It was embarrassing that the two male professionals had killed only 5%.
“Hmmph. If it were Lee Gun, he would’ve ended it in an instant. I wouldn’t even have the opportunity to fight…”
“…koo-oohk.”
Hailey ruthlessly attacked him with facts, making Hugo vomit blood.
The Scorpio Saint held the position of a stealthy elite unit. As expected, she was on a different level. She was one of the few people who Lee Gun acknowledged.
Stevens despaired when Hailey looked at him as if he wasn’t that big of a deal. However, it didn’t take long for his body to start shaking.
‘Still, I used it. I used the SS-rank skill!'
He had used 100% of his power with a low-rank dagger supposed to be used to keep attackers at bay.
Stevens couldn’t understand what had happened as he looked at Lee Gun’s dagger. He soon grabbed the back of his neck when he had a realization.
On that day, Stevens had gone looking for Lee Gun. “Lee Gun! Sell this dagger to me!”
Lee Gun’s expression soured when Stevens made an appearance. He became angry. Instead of answering, he glared at Hugo with gold eyes. “Hey. Why does he have the dagger?”
“What? I wasn’t supposed to?”
Hugo received a blow from Lee Gun. “I gave it to you. Why is a different apostle holding it?”
“I…I’m sorry!”
Lee Gun was furious as he took the dagger away from Stevens.
Stevens laughed when he saw this. It was as he had expected.
‘Yes. That’s how it was.’
Lee Gun must’ve told Hugo that it was a B-rank dagger, but in truth, it was an amazing SS-rank weapon!
‘Yes! He must have made a good one since Hugo is his comrade!’
Stevens’s eyes flashed. “Lee Gun. This should be beneficial to you too. I’ll pay a high price. Just sell me this! No, you have to sell me this!”
“What did you say, idiot?!”
“W-What?”
“XXX XXX XXXX. XXXX.” Lee Gun sent Stevens flying with a kick. Afterward, he entered his quarters.
Hugo stuck close to Lee Gun.
Lee Gun seemed to not like the overbearing Stevens, and such beatings were commonplace…
“It’s too bad. I don’t think it’s a bad deal if we think about our finances…”
Hugo took a hit again.
“Hey, maggot. I told you before. I don’t plan on taking commissions from those bastards, who only know about money. I don’t plan on selling anything I’ve made. The only one I’ll make items for is you and only you. Understood?”
“Stevens doesn’t work only for money… That’s why you’ll be better off selling him a weapon for living expenses…. Ahhk!”
After taking another blow from Lee Gun, Hugo screamed.
Lee Gun had ruthlessly destroyed the dagger that Stevens had returned.
“Why would you destroy that?”
“It’s dirty since that Leo bastard touched it.”
“What?! Wasn’t that an SS-rank weapon? I was moved because of it… You didn’t want me to be burdened by receiving such an item, so you purposefully told me that it was a cheap weapon. Am I right?”
After destroying the blade, Lee Gun looked at Hugo as if he was speaking nonsense. “Why would I make such an item for you?”
“From what I saw of its durability, I thought it was an SS-rank!”
“Look at you being so hopeful. That’s a D-rank junk item. The cost to make it was twenty won.”
Hugo seemed shocked. His mouth fell open. “Twenty… Twenty… You gave your student a D-rank item worth twenty won… What about the one you tried to give Miss Hailey? It was a really good one!”
“She’s given me a lot. If I combine all the stuff that she has given me, a single blade isn’t enough to repay her.”
“I gave you a lot of things too….”
“Yes. It’s worth twenty won.”
“#@$*$#&*!”
Although Lee Gun was saying this, his personality wouldn’t allow him to jeopardize the lives of others. There was no way he would give something that couldn’t be used in a fight to Hugo.
Unaware of this, Hugo despaired as he spoke. “Still, it’s a shame. Mr. Stevens did say he would pay at least two million dollars for it…”
Lee Gun, who had been looking for some table salt, came to a stop. What? Two million dollars?
His eyebrows moved violently as if he regretted destroying the dagger. However, it lasted only a moment.
Lee Gun smirked as he glanced at the broken dagger.
* * *
After that incident, Lee Gun always brought around cheap-looking toys and clubs and sold them all to Stevens.
Lee Gun found it a shame to waste ingredients on Stevens, so he made the items by using the ingredients from the trash heap. He swindled Stevens for several million each time.
Moreover, the items were more like children's toys than weapons… They were junk items… Still, Stevens had made good use of these items.
Of course, the other Zodiac Saints thought he was nuts because he unsheathed a toy hammer or toy sword on the battlefield. Nevertheless, the Leo Saint was able to use his Royal skill using the junk items, so he didn’t complain.
‘How great would it have been to use a weapon properly made by Lee Gun?’
Stevens sighed as he thought about the past. He had patched up his weak points by now, and when it was an important task, Lee Gun allowed Stevens to borrow his weapons.
Still, he wanted a weapon that Lee Gun made for only him. He wanted to use a proper weapon fitted for him even if it was just one time. He wanted to use it like Hugo.
In reality, Stevens had been able to kill monsters too well using the toy hammer, but… he couldn’t throw away his desire to use a weapon specifically tailored for him.
This was why Stevens had mixed emotions as he had this thought.
It had to do with Baby Lee Gun. Baby Lee Gun was ecstatic as he drank the apple juice. Stevens had swapped out the alcohol with the apple juice.
‘It would’ve been great if he had retained his memories.’
Lee Gun loved alcohol. However, this was a child who didn’t know the difference between alcohol and juice.
Yes. He was a child that couldn’t differentiate between alcohol and juice… He was a baby….
“Uh?”
Stevens started to sweat when he closely looked at Lee Gun.
‘Wait a moment.’
Stevens suddenly sniffed the air. He had sensed a strange smell. The smell was coming from the baby bottle with the juice. Lee Gun held it in his hands as he drank from it.
A slightly sweet smell of apple juice was supposed to be coming from it… Yet for some reason, it smelled like alcohol…. Wait a moment, alcohol??!
“Alcohol?!!!”
He was sure of it! This was the distinct smell of whiskey and brandy! Moreover, Lee Gun’s face was oddly flushed as he sucked on the bottle…
Stevens was taken aback. He snatched the baby bottle away. Popping the top, he took a sip! “Hey!!!!!!! Why the hell is there alcohol in here!!!”
He had wondered why Baby Lee Gun had been drinking it with such joy. Baby Lee Gun had been drinking alcohol?! Also, how did this baby know about alcohol that he was able to swap it out?!
