Chapter 13

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 13 – Curious About Bloodline (4)

Kwon Jiseok could only stare in blank disbelief.

It was clear that he was struggling to accept the reality of the situation. But Kwon Hanul had no intention of showing him any mercy.

He was going to crush Kwon Jiseok’s pride completely—humiliate him beyond recovery.

“Oh, and we still have an outstanding debt to settle, don’t we?”

“A… debt?”

“You still owe me an apology for everything you’ve done.”

A flicker of life returned to Kwon Jiseok’s eyes. No—it wasn’t life, but fury.

“Y-You! You bastard! Do you really think you can walk away unscathed after doing this to me?!”

“That’s for me to worry about. You don’t need to concern yourself with it,” Kwon Hanul replied icily. “Hurry up and beg. You’re already on your knees, so at least that part’s convenient.”

“You… you son of a—!”

Kwon Jiseok roared in rage.

At that moment, Joo Hayun spoke up.

“Lord Kwon Jiseok, if you go back on your word and the Chairman finds out about this, you will face severe consequences.”

“Wh-Why are you bringing up my grandfather here?!”

“I merely meant to remind you to act wisely.”

Kwon Jiseok trembled where he knelt, his fingers digging into the ground.

“I… I, Kwon Jiseok…”

He forced his lips to move, but his voice faltered, and his words scattered into nothingness.

Even so, there wasn’t a hint of impatience on Kwon Hanul’s face.

Quite the opposite.

The same Kwon Jiseok who had always looked down on him as the son of a traitor was now on his knees. Bowing his head. Apologizing.

Something surged within his chest—an unfamiliar feeling. But Kwon Hanul recognized it immediately.

Victory.

He had seized victory with his own hands. He had subdued his enemy and claimed his spoils.

The satisfaction of it thrilled him.

“I… I apologize to Kwon Hanul for everything I’ve done…”

Just as Kwon Jiseok was about to finish his sentence—

“I beg your pardon, Lord Kwon Hanul!”

One of Kwon Jiseok’s attendants suddenly shouted.

“Lord Kwon Jiseok is a direct descendant of Kwon Seonwoo, the head of the family! Such humiliation cannot be tolerated!”

The attendant’s face was twisted with anger—not just an attempt to curry favor, but genuine fury on his master’s behalf.

Even if Kwon Jiseok was insufferable, he had the loyalty of his people.

But to Kwon Hanul, this was nothing more than a nuisance.

“If that’s the case, then I, too, am a direct descendant of the family head.”

His retort left the attendant speechless.

Kwon Hanul had always been mocked as the traitor’s son, as someone of tainted blood, but in terms of status alone, he far outranked a mere branch family member.

Yet the attendant didn’t back down easily.

“But Lord Kwon Jiseok is the second son of Vice Chairman Kwon Hyuk—”

“Do you not understand the situation?”

Kwon Hanul’s voice was razor-sharp.

“A branch family member like you has no right to interfere. Shut your mouth and get lost.”

The attendant’s face turned deathly pale. He fell silent and didn’t dare speak again.

Unlike the other branch family members Kwon Hanul had dealt with before, this one seemed to be genuinely afraid of him.

Kwon Hanul glanced around at the other onlookers. They averted their gazes.

“…Hah.”

A short chuckle escaped his lips.

Winning his match against Kwon Jiseok hadn’t just earned him materials.

It had earned him authority.

Even with his True Black Dragon Blood, he had never been acknowledged. But now, his presence alone was enough to make the branch family cower.

Kwon Hanul turned his gaze back to Kwon Jiseok.

The man looked pitiful, glancing desperately at his attendants for help.

“I don’t hear anything. What are you waiting for?”

“I… I…”

“I can’t hear you. Speak up.”

“I—I, Kwon Jiseok… apologize… for everything I’ve done… to Kwon Hanul…”

Kwon Jiseok clenched his eyes shut and shouted—

“…I apologize!”

The feeling of triumph spread through Kwon Hanul’s entire body.

His lips curled into a smirk.

* * *

“Damn, that was one hell of a show.”

Park Tae-sik spoke as he drove the small truck.

Kwon Hanul sat in the passenger seat.

“Kwon Jiseok’s a real piece of work, but he couldn’t do a damn thing against you. That was priceless.”

Tae-sik laughed heartily—a man who always seemed to be in good spirits.

“And you even scored some rare materials. Now that makes me want to hammer out something special.”

Kwon Hanul was currently on his way to Park Tae-sik’s private workshop.

A secretive place—one where only Kwon Hanul was granted access.

There, he planned to discuss in detail what kind of equipment to craft using the materials he had taken from Kwon Jiseok.

The truck was loaded with everything he had won.

“Even with that True Black Dragon Blood of yours, you’ve got some guts and drive. Just like your old man.”

At those words, Kwon Hanul immediately turned to look at him.

“…You knew my father?”

“You mean Kwon Cheon? Yeah, I met him a few times.”

His heart pounded at the revelation.

“What kind of person was he?”

“Shouldn’t you be asking Hayun about that?”

“The Chairman ordered her to keep it confidential. She won’t tell me anything.”

“Confidential? Damn, Kwon Seonwoo’s always been a stingy old bastard, but to keep something like that from his own grandson?”

Park Tae-sik casually referred to the Hyukcheon Chairman—the man even world leaders bowed to—by name.

It seemed they were closer than Kwon Hanul had assumed.

“I don’t know much. The Hyukcheon clan never reveals their internal affairs—not even to someone like me, working in their forge.”

Kwon Hanul couldn’t help but feel a wave of disappointment.

"What kind of person was my father?"

"A genius among geniuses," Park Tae-sik replied without hesitation. "I've met countless hunters while working as a craftsman, but I’ve never seen anyone like Kwon Cheon. I can say with certainty that he was the greatest talent ever produced by the Hyukcheon Group."

It was the highest possible praise. Even though it wasn’t about himself, Kwon Hanul felt an odd sense of pride swell in his chest.

"There was only one time I ever made equipment for a rookie who hadn't even passed his entrance trial—and that was for Kwon Cheon. He didn't pass the test like you did, but his skills were exceptional."

"He must have been an incredible person."

"Incredible doesn’t even begin to describe it. Didn't he have his debut match in a Platinum-class dungeon?"

Kwon Hanul nodded.

"But at the same time, that genius might have been the reason he was cast out."

A chill ran down Hanul’s spine.

"…Cast out?"

"Have you ever heard anyone mention the name Kwon Cheon?"

He hadn’t.

All the other members of the Hyukcheon bloodline had their moments of recognition, at least once or twice. But not Kwon Cheon.

"Kwon Cheon disappeared before he could even begin his career properly, right after his debut match. People say he ran away because he didn’t want to carry the family name, but… I don’t know. The Kwon Cheon I knew took great pride in being part of the Hyukcheon Group."

A man like that wouldn’t abandon his family.

But he might have been abandoned.

"This is just my theory," Park Tae-sik admitted. "But it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious—especially when you’re already in such a complicated situation."

Despite being a craftsman, Park Tae-sik had enough experience to accurately read Kwon Hanul’s circumstances.

As they spoke, they arrived at Park Tae-sik’s workshop.

Together, they unloaded all the materials from the truck.

"This is my personal workshop."

When Park Tae-sik flipped on the lights, the interior came into view. It was smaller than the previous workshop Hanul had seen, but it was packed with even more materials and tools.

All around were finished or half-completed weapons and armor. The gleaming blades, flawless craftsmanship, and sheer presence of the equipment made it clear—these were no ordinary pieces.

As expected of a master craftsman’s personal workshop.

"Kwon Jiseok might be an idiot, but he sure knows how to get his hands on rare materials. Where the hell did he find all these treasures?"

Park Tae-sik grinned as he examined the metal containers filled with materials. As a craftsman, he seemed practically itching to get started.

"The quality is impressive, but the quantity is even more amazing. With all this, I can make whatever you want."

"I’ll be in your care."

"Oh, don’t be so formal. Before we decide what to make, let’s take your measurements first."

Park Tae-sik pulled out a measuring tape and began taking Kwon Hanul’s precise dimensions.

Once he finished, he fell into deep thought for a while.

"Hmm… It’s exactly the same."

"What is?"

Without answering, Park Tae-sik walked into his storage area. A moment later, after a lot of clattering and rummaging, he returned carrying a stand.

Hanging from it was a suit of black armor.

The moment Hanul laid eyes on it, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

The armor’s design was reminiscent of a dragon. The sharp angles of the forearms and shoulders gave it a fierce appearance, while the rest of the armor flowed with smooth, curved lines.

It was an impressive sight, but what truly shocked Hanul was the overwhelming magical energy radiating from it.

"Impressive, isn’t it?"

Hanul could only nod blankly.

"It doesn’t just protect the wearer—it also enhances their hands and feet, maximizing the destructive power of martial arts."

Park Tae-sik seemed eager to continue boasting.

"On top of that, it’s made from an exceptional core material, giving it a variety of functions. It even allows the user to harness the abilities of the monster it was made from."

At that level, it wasn’t just unique-grade—it was unquestionably legendary.

"Out of everything I’ve crafted, this ranks in my top ten. The core material is that extraordinary, and I put an incredible amount of time into making it."

A masterpiece that a world-renowned craftsman personally ranked among his greatest works.

There was no need to question its value.

"The problem is… it’s unfinished."

"Why didn’t you complete it?"

"Two reasons. First, the client who commissioned it is dead. No reason to finish a piece no one will use, and no one else was willing to provide the remaining materials."

"Couldn’t you have given it to someone else?"

"That’s the biggest issue. This armor was custom-made. It was designed specifically for the original client, meaning no one else can wear it properly."

Custom-made equipment was tailored to fit the wearer perfectly, allowing its performance to be maximized.

But that also meant no one else could use it.

"Then why are you showing it to me?"

"Would you be interested in finishing this armor with the materials you just acquired?"

"But you just said… it was designed to fit only one person—"

"Do you know who ordered this armor?"

Park Tae-sik’s words made Hanul freeze.

"It was your father, Kwon Cheon."

Hanul’s entire body stiffened.

"Maybe it’s just a coincidence, or maybe it’s the power of genetics. But your body measurements are exactly the same as your father’s. In other words, you can wear this armor."

That explained why Park Tae-sik had been so deep in thought while taking his measurements.

"And we just happen to have the materials from Kwon Jiseok…"

Park Tae-sik turned to Hanul once more.

"So, what do you say? Want to finish what your father started?"

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]