Chapter 4 - Bloodline is Everything

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 4: The Bloodline's Astonishment (1)

It wasn’t an illusion. The status window clearly displayed three bloodlines.

Hanul Lee knew nothing about bloodlines.

But one thing was certain—this was far from an ordinary situation.

“A-A traitor’s son possessing the True Black Dragon Bloodline? This is absurd!”

“There… there must be some kind of mistake! It has to be!”

“Shh! Are you questioning the chairman’s judgment?”

The murmuring grew louder. It was only then that Hanul snapped out of his daze and took in his surroundings.

The expressions of the branch family members varied—shock, disbelief, denial, envy, and jealousy.

Their reactions differed, but they all had one thing in common.

Not a single person dared to look down on him anymore.

Just moments ago, they had mocked and ridiculed his lineage.

A shiver ran down his spine.

He had endured countless insults because of his origins.

But never before had he been able to silence them so completely.

At that moment, Hanul realized something.

This… was the power of authority.

* * *

“Lee Hanul, was it?”

From the royal seats, Kwon Sunwoo called his name.

“Come with me. We have things to discuss.”

* * *

Kwon Mi, the eldest daughter and second child of the Hyukcheon Group, paced the same spot repeatedly.

“Mi, why don’t you calm down?”

Her older brother, Kwon Hyuk, tried to soothe her. But his words only poured fuel on the fire.

“How can I calm down?! That bastard Kwon Cheon’s son just awakened True Black Dragon Blood!”

The purity of Black Dragon Blood determined its strength. The gap between Mixed, Inferior, and Pure was as vast as the difference between a stray dog and a wolf.

That was why, within the core of the Hyukcheon Group—the direct bloodline of the Hyukcheon Clan—social status was dictated by the purity of one’s Black Dragon Blood.

“If Father chooses that bastard as the next heir, you and I are finished! Finished!”

“You’re jumping to conclusions, little sister.”

Kwon Hyuk dismissed her panic with a wave of his hand.

“Father isn’t that simple-minded. Sure, True Black Dragon Blood is remarkable, but he wouldn’t entrust the group to someone based on that alone.”

The purer the Black Dragon Blood, the stronger the individual.

Hanul would undoubtedly become a formidable hunter. But running a corporation was an entirely different matter.

The skills of a great warrior and a great leader were not the same.

Even after hearing this, Kwon Mi’s anger did not subside.

“But Father—that man—laughed! Out loud! Do you understand how insane that is?!”

“Of course he’s pleased. A living legend of our clan just appeared before his eyes. But that doesn’t mean he’s making him heir—”

“There’s no reasoning with you!”

Fuming, Kwon Mi stormed off.

Behind her, Kwon Hyuk called out.

“Send my regards to your husband. And to my adorable little nieces and nephews, too.”

She ignored him, stepping into the elevator and vanishing from sight.

The moment she was gone, the grin on Kwon Hyuk’s face disappeared.

“Stupid woman. Even after all these years, she still doesn’t understand Father. Then again, it’s because she’s like that that I was able to rise without any trouble.”

The one being considered as the next chairman of Hyukcheon Group wasn’t Kwon Mi. It was Kwon Hyuk.

Her influence wasn’t negligible, but she was no match for him.

“Still, I should be prepared.”

Their father wasn’t a man who would be swayed by something as simple as blood purity.

But he would put it to the test.

He would see for himself just how powerful True Black Dragon Blood really was.

And whether Hanul was truly fit to become the head of Hyukcheon Group.

"Desire is born from sight."

Even that foolish woman coveted the chairman’s seat.

There was no guarantee that he wouldn’t as well.

Kwon Hyuk’s gaze darkened as he stared into the distance.

“Cheon… my dear brother. Even in death, you’re still a thorn in my side.”

* * *

Kwon Sunwoo led Hanwool to a private room within Blackpolis.

“From now on, use the surname Kwon.”

The moment they arrived, Sunwoo spoke. It was an acknowledgment—Hanul was now officially recognized as a member of the Hyukcheon bloodline.

Lee Hanul—no, Kwon Hanul—was beginning to grasp just how much power True Black Dragon Blood carried.

Even Sunwoo, who had openly despised him, was willing to grant him the family name.

“Do you know why you inherited True Blood?”

“I don’t.”

Hanul’s father had been a direct descendant of Hyukcheon, but his mother was an outsider.

Under normal circumstances, he shouldn’t have inherited anything beyond Mixed Blood.

“It was nothing more than luck.”

A rather unflattering explanation.

“True Blood was a power possessed only by our clan’s founder, Kwon Hyunmoon. Before his passing, he left behind a prophecy.”

“A descendant shall be born with the True Bloodline once more.

And when the True Black Dragon Blood appears, the Hyukcheon shall rise again.”

“But for generations, no one inherited the True Bloodline. Eventually, people forgot about the prophecy altogether. And yet, here it is—manifesting in someone raised outside the clan.”

Sunwoo’s expression darkened as he stared at Hanul.

“You don’t seem very pleased that I’ve inherited it.”

“Of course not. The True Bloodline should have appeared in a direct heir.”

Sunwoo’s stance was clear.

The True Bloodline had finally returned. That was a good thing.

But the fact that it had appeared in Hanul? That was something he could never accept.

It explained why the same man who had laughed so loudly at the ceremony was now treating him so coldly.

“Don’t get arrogant just because you have the True Bloodline.”

“If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t be thrilled either. The ones who have ruled over others won’t easily accept being ruled themselves.”

People were selfish by nature.

They embraced anything that benefited them and rejected anything that didn’t.

The hierarchy within the Hyukcheon Group was the same.

Up until now, Mixed and Inferior had naturally submitted to Pure.

But with the arrival of True, the Pure were now the ones expected to submit.

And those who had stood at the very top weren’t about to accept that so easily.

“Especially when the one they’re supposed to submit to… is someone they’ve always looked down on.”

To them, Hanul was nothing more than the son of a traitor—a lowborn orphan.

Who among them would willingly accept his rule?

“In the worst case… they may even try to kill me.”

Sunwoo’s eyes gleamed with intrigue.

“You’re quite the pessimist.”

“That’s just how I’ve lived my life.”

“But you’re mistaken about one thing.”

“What is it?”

“It’s not a possibility that they’ll try to kill you.”

Sunwoo’s expression was cold and resolute.

“They will kill you. Without a doubt.”

Hanul let out a hollow laugh.

It was so absurd that all he could do was chuckle.

“Well, if you know that, shouldn’t you stop them?”

“Why would I?”

“You said the True Bloodline would lead the clan to prosperity. Are you really just going to sit back and watch it be destroyed?”

Sunwoo merely smirked.

“A true treasure never loses its value, no matter the circumstances. In fact, it only grows stronger when tested by adversity.”

"And what if it breaks beyond repair?"

"Then that’s all it was worth. If the True Black Dragon Blood is real, it won’t crumble from something like this."

What a ridiculous old man.

Hanul hadn’t expected special treatment just because he possessed the True Blood, but to be told to prove its worth?

"But I’ll make you a promise," Sunwoo continued. "If you prove the value of the True Blood, you will be rewarded accordingly."

"A reward?"

"Hyukcheon is a pure meritocracy. If you have ability and results, you will be treated accordingly."

"And yet, you divide people by bloodline while claiming to be a meritocracy?"

"Because the gap between lower and higher bloodlines is too vast. But within the same bloodline, everything is determined purely by skill."

It was true that the Hyukcheon bloodline was considered the strongest in the world.

While the Black Dragon Blood played a part, that alone wasn’t enough to earn such a reputation.

Their strength came from relentless competition, constantly pushing their limits.

"Sharpen yourself. Rise to the top. If you do, you can have everything."

"And what exactly do you mean by 'everything'?"

"You weren’t listening. I said everything."

Kwon Sunwoo gestured toward himself.

"If you want, you can even take this seat."

The chairman of Hyukcheon Group.

A position that ruled East Asia and could influence the course of the entire world.

Kwon Sunwoo was saying that he would give him that as well.

"But only if you outperform the purebloods."

It was an incredibly harsh condition.

"You may leave now. For the time being, Hayun will assist you."

That, at least, was a welcome piece of news.

Just before stepping out of the private chamber, Kwon Hanul turned back to ask:

"You said the first person to possess the True Blood was Kwon Hyeonmun, correct?"

"That’s right."

"Did Kwon Hyeonmun ever possess more than one bloodline?"

"A person can only have one bloodline. That’s why it’s called a bloodline."

"Are there any exceptions?"

Kwon Sunwoo hesitated before answering.

"There was one. A person who possessed two bloodlines."

"What happened to them?"

"The conflicting bloodlines tore his body apart, and he died. Why are you asking this?"

"It’s nothing," Hanul replied, brushing off the question before stepping outside.

* * *

As Hanul walked through the halls of Black Polis, he pulled up his status window.

Black Dragon Blood

Grade: SSS+

Purity: True

Grants the power of a dragon.

Healthy Blood

Grade: S+

Purity: True

Enhances physical health.

???

Grade: ???

Purity: ???

"Why do I have three bloodlines?"

A person was only supposed to have one bloodline.

But he had three.

And they weren’t just any bloodlines.

Healthy Blood

Grade: S+

Purity: True

Enhances physical health.

S+ grade.

Any ability rated S-grade or higher was considered a divine authority.

The difference between A and S might seem small, but in reality, the gap was immense.

As for the third bloodline, it was still marked as “???”—its details unknown.

But considering the first two were already S-grade or higher, the third was likely just as powerful.

"If having two bloodlines causes the body to collapse… then why am I fine?"

Hanul hadn’t told Kwon Sunwoo about his three bloodlines.

The reason was simple.

He couldn’t trust him.

From now on, Hanul would have to compete against the purebloods of Hyukcheon—or, in the worst case, fight for his life.

How could he trust Kwon Sunwoo in a situation like that?

"And if I want to survive, I need something to rely on too."

There’s a saying in the Hunter industry:

"If you want to live long, always keep 30% of your power hidden."

Back when he was just a third-rate Hunter, it was meaningless advice—he had no strength to hide in the first place.

But with an S+ rank bloodline, the story was different.

There was just one small problem.

"What the hell does ‘becoming healthier’ even mean?"

He knew it had to be something great, but he had no clue what kind of ability it actually was.

"Lord Kwon Hanul."

A voice called out to him. Standing in front of the elevator, waiting, was Joo Hayun.

"Starting today, I will be assisting you."

"I appreciate it."

"Please, speak informally. I cannot have a member of the Hyukcheon Bloodline using honorifics with me."

"I'm just more comfortable this way."

It was also a way of keeping some distance. He had no idea how much he could trust Joo Hayun yet.

"I noticed you haven’t had a single meal since arriving, so I’ve prepared something simple for you."

Kwon Hanul was actually starving, so he followed Joo Hayun into the elevator.

As it descended, she asked, "What did you talk about with the Chairman?"

"Nothing special. He just told me to compete with the Purebloods and survive."

"…The Chairman is truly merciless."

For once, there was emotion in Joo Hayun’s voice. She was definitely angry.

"The Purebloods are all world-renowned Hunters. And their skills weren’t built overnight."

Hanul had seen it himself before—how the heirs of top guilds were trained and nurtured.

Dozens of personal trainers, private doctors monitoring their health, an endless supply of the best food to strengthen their bodies.

Not to mention systematic, professional training programs and mastery of high-level skills.

If that’s how the top guilds trained their successors, then how much more would the Hyukcheon Group invest in theirs?

Could he really compete with the Hyukcheon Bloodline?

It was impossible.

Talent aside, there was too much of a gap in raw stats, in the number of skills they had mastered—in every way, he was outmatched.

"Now that you are part of the Hyukcheon Bloodline, you will receive the same support. But even then, closing the gap won’t be easy."

The Purebloods of Hyukcheon were like the fastest race cars in the world.

Hanul would finally get to sit in one of those cars himself, but that alone wasn’t enough.

If he just matched their speed, all he would do was maintain the distance.

"You don’t have to worry too much. The Chairman values you. He must have his own plans for you."

"We met less than a day ago. What’s there to value?"

His sharp remark left Joo Hayun speechless.

By then, the elevator had arrived, and the two stepped out toward the dining hall.

Once Kwon Hanul sat down, the chefs brought out the food.

Joo Hayun, standing beside him, lifted the lid off a dish, releasing a deep, rich aroma that instantly awakened his appetite.

"This is a soup made from the spine of a Grand Fish, the tenderloin of a Buffalo Horn, and the dew of a Symbiotic Tree, simmered for 24 hours."

Hanul barely heard what she said—he was too hungry to care.

He picked up a spoon and took a sip.

The warmth spread through his entire body.

"Oh…?"

Hanul let out an involuntary murmur of admiration.

He’d heard about it before—how top-tier ingredients from dungeons could grant special effects just from being eaten.

But those ingredients were so rare that ordinary people never even got to see them.

He never imagined he’d get to experience it himself.

"If I eat about a hundred bowls of this, I might actually increase my stats."

"That’s impossible. Only special elixirs found in dungeons can permanently increase stats through consumption."

"I was just joking."

He brushed it off and took another spoonful of soup.

And then—

<‘Healthy Bloodline’ has detected the consumed food!>

Clang!

Hanul dropped his spoon without realizing it.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]