Chapter 14 - Bloodline is Everything

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 14: A Clash of Bloodlines (1)

At the break of dawn, Kwon Hanul was already in the training room, wrestling with the equipment.

With a barbell loaded with plates the size of bulls on either side resting on his shoulders, he performed squats—lowering and raising himself repeatedly.

With every movement, his veins bulged visibly across his entire body. Sweat poured down like a torrential downpour, forming puddles on the floor.

Messages popped up with each motion, but Kwon Hanul had no time to read them.

His mind was occupied with something else entirely.

‘Three months from now, the armor will be complete.’

It had already been a week since his visit to the forge.

Naturally, he had accepted Park Tae-shik’s offer.

After all, who would refuse the world’s greatest craftsman offering to forge the finest equipment?

The promised deadline was three months—coinciding exactly with the debut match deadline imposed by the Chairman.

‘Not just Unique, but Legendary-grade armor…’

Park Tae-shik had outright classified the armor as Legendary.

Legendary.

Just the thought of it sent a rush of excitement through him.

Legendary equipment, as the name implied, possessed overwhelming performance.

Some even referred to Legendary artifacts as divine tools capable of performing miracles.

Moreover, this armor was specifically designed by the world’s greatest craftsman to maximize the power of Black Dragon Blood and Black Dragon Twelve Ascendant Techniques.

It was bound to surpass even the average Legendary items.

Just as Kwon Hanul’s thoughts reached that point—

He swiftly dropped the barbell.

Thud!

The floor trembled slightly upon impact.

Immediately, a change swept through his body.

It was as if a hot spring had erupted within him, filling his body with searing energy.

His muscles swelled and contracted in cycles, while his bones shifted and realigned themselves.

The bizarre phenomenon lasted only a brief moment.

Wiping the sweat from his face, Kwon Hanul spoke.

“Status window.”

Awakener: Kwon Hanul

Titles: Master of the Black Dragon Ascension Art, Msster of the Wishstone

Strength (B) 0.00 / Agility (B) 0.00 / Stamina (B) 0.00

Magic Power (B) 0.02 / Perception (B) 0.01 / Mental Fortitude (B) 0.04

The phenomenon he had just experienced was the physical reconstruction that occurred when all attributes reached B-rank.

For those at C-rank, they were still within the realm of enhanced humans, comparable to steroid-fueled athletes.

But from B-rank onward, one stepped into the realm of superhumans.

And to handle a superhuman’s strength, the body had to undergo an appropriate transformation.

This was precisely why Kwon Hanul had been pushing himself so hard.

He was so close to reaching his goal.

Other bloodline members took a full year to reach B-rank.

Kwon Hanul had achieved it in just three months.

‘It’s all thanks to the Healthy Bloodline.’

Even if he pushed his body to exhaustion, it would fully recover in just a few minutes.

Even if he overworked himself to the point of breaking down, by the next day, he would be completely healed.

Thanks to the Healthy Bloodline’s ability, he was able to endure this extreme training.

To test his newfound strength, he grabbed the barbell he had been using.

Each side carried 150 kg, making it a total of 300 kg, not counting the weight of the bar itself.

Previously, he needed both hands to lift it.

Now, he could lift it with just one hand.

‘With this, I’ve met the requirements for my debut match.’

To qualify for a debut match as a Black Dragon bloodline member, one needed:

-All stats at B-rank or higher

-Black Dragon Twelve Ascendant Techniques at 5-star proficiency or higher

-Synchronization rate above 30%

Kwon Hanul had almost met every requirement.

All of his stats were B-rank, and he had reached 5-star proficiency in Black Dragon Ascension Art.

The only issue was that his Synchronization Rate was stuck at 9%, refusing to rise any further.

But he wasn’t too concerned.

‘Even with a 9% Synchronization Rate, I defeated a branch family member with over 30%. It doesn’t matter.’

Still, he found it a bit regrettable.

At 10%, the Authority of the Black Dragon Bloodline would awaken.

He was curious to see what kind of power it would grant him.

‘Regardless, I’ve passed the first trial.’

The Chairman had given him five months to prepare for his debut match.

He had completed the necessary training in three months.

But Kwon Hanul had no intention of rushing into the match immediately.

Because there was still a second trial to pass.

Solo-clearing a Platinum-tier dungeon.

‘To challenge a Platinum-tier, I need all stats at A-rank and Black Dragon Ascension Art at 7-star proficiency.’

Even with his Healthy Bloodline, reaching A-rank in just two months was practically impossible.

‘This must be a test—to see if I can handle this.’

Reaching into his pocket, Kwon Hanul pulled out a small, purple-hued bead.

The Imoogi’s Core.

It was a treasure once acquired by his father, Kwon Cheon, which had eventually made its way to Kwon Hanul through the Chairman.

A high-grade Core didn’t just raise one’s stats.

In some cases, it granted unique abilities or increased skill mastery.

If he consumed this Core, his attributes would undoubtedly increase—

And more importantly, his Black Dragon Ascension Art’s mastery would advance as well.

However, consuming it required detoxification beforehand.

‘My poison resistance has reached 50, and my detoxification ability is at 47 thanks to the Healthy Bloodline. That should be enough to neutralize the poison.’

Everything was going smoothly.

And yet…

Lately, he had been feeling an inexplicable heaviness in his chest.

‘Could it be… because of my father?’

Even to himself, the idea sounded ridiculous.

Kwon Hanul had grown up in an orphanage.

He had never known the love of parents—he hadn’t even seen their faces.

And yet, now, he found himself thinking about his father.

‘Master Park said my father was banished.’

He recalled Park Tae-shik’s words.

Since they came from an outsider, he couldn’t take them as absolute truth.

‘But… it’s possible.’

A straight-growing pine is often the first to be cut down.

Because it holds too much value and has too many potential uses.

And humans were no exception.

‘What really happened to my father?’

And, more importantly—

‘Why… was I abandoned?’

Unanswerable questions continued to circle through his mind.

‘Is there any way to learn more?’

As Kwon Hanul was deep in thought, the training hall doors swung open with a burst of noise.

“So then, at that moment, I just completely…”

A group of more than ten branch family members entered but immediately froze upon seeing Kwon Hanul.

Without hesitation, they lined up and bowed deeply toward him.

“We greet the direct descendant of the main family!”

Their attitude was excessively formal, almost oppressive.

Ever since the incident with Kwon Jiseok had spread throughout the clan, the way the main family members treated Kwon Hanul had changed drastically.

They regarded him with both fear and reverence, offering their respects before quickly stepping aside whenever they crossed paths with him.

At long last, he was receiving the treatment befitting a trueblood.

Kwon Hanul was about to pass them by and leave the training hall when something caught his attention.

“You all look strangely familiar… Have we met before?”

At his question, the branch family members immediately dropped to their knees.

“We… We have committed a grave sin.”

“We had nothing to do with what happened that day! We swear!”

“It was all Kwon Woojin! He acted on his own!”

Finally, Kwon Hanul remembered why their faces looked so familiar.

They were the ones who had been with Kwon Woojin.

While Kwon Woojin had provoked him, these people had simply stood by and done nothing.

Now, afraid that he might hold them accountable, they were prostrating themselves before him.

“I don’t see Kwon Woojin here. Where is he?”

“W-Woojin… I mean, that bastard has been holed up in his room lately!”

“He must have finally realized what he’s done and is hiding in shame!”

One after another, the clan members rushed to denounce Kwon Woojin.

‘I need to find out who was behind it.’

That day, something about Kwon Woojin’s behavior had seemed off. Kwon Hanul was certain he hadn’t acted alone.

“Well, all right then. Make sure you all train properly.”

With that, Kwon Hanul resumed walking.

As soon as he was out of sight, the branch family members let out a collective sigh of relief.

“I thought today was going to be my funeral…”

When he stepped outside, Joo Hayun was waiting for him. She handed him a towel and a bottle of water.

“You worked hard.”

“I did it for myself, really. But how did you know I’d be here?”

“Every morning, you come back completely drenched in sweat. There are only so many places you could be.”

As Kwon Hanul drank his water, he glanced at Joo Hayun out of the corner of his eye.

Her outfit was simple and modest, yet her presence was anything but.

Even after knowing her for so long, he still found himself drawn to her.

‘Recruit Joo Hayun to my side?’

Kwon Hanul recalled his conversation with Park Tae-sik.

It had happened after Park Tae-sik agreed to take his commission.

* * *

“Good. I’ll have the armor completed within three months.”

“Thank you.”

“Well, that’s enough business talk. Mind if I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“How in the world did you convince Hayun?”

It was an unexpected question.

“That girl wouldn’t take orders from anyone except Kwon Seonwoo. And yet, she’s practically glued to your side.”

“It’s because the Chairman assigned her to assist me.”

“You really don’t get it, do you? Even if the Chairman ordered her, she never listened to anyone before.”

“She was allowed to do that?”

“Anyone else would’ve been kicked out immediately… But it’s Hayun. Even the Chairman let it slide.”

Kwon Hanul frowned in confusion, and Park Tae-sik let out an exasperated sigh.

“You really know nothing about her, huh?”

“I know she holds a high position and that Kwon Jiseok wants to recruit her.”

“It’s not just Jiseok. Even his older brother Kwon Chan-seong, along with members of the branch families, are all desperate to bring her into their ranks.”

Kwon Hanul had known Joo Hayun was exceptional, but he hadn’t realized just how sought-after she was.

“Why do they all want her so badly?”

“Because she’s that skilled. She may not have bloodline abilities, but she’s got something even rarer.”

“…You mean a Gift?”

A Gift.

A special ability possessed only by an extremely small number of Awakened individuals.

Some called it a talent, while others considered it outright superhuman.

Every renowned Hunter in the world was a genius born with a Gift.

“To succeed as a member of the Hyukcheon Clan, you need to build your own team and operate externally. If you manage to recruit Hayun when that time comes, it’ll be a tremendous advantage.” Park Tae-sik crossed his arms and added, “But it won’t be easy. When she was young, she was taken in by Kwon Seonwoo. To her, his word is absolute. Getting her to switch allegiances won’t be simple.”

“I never planned on trying in the first place.”

At that, Park Tae-sik gave him a knowing smile.

“Once you see her abilities, you might change your mind.”

* * *

“Hayun, if I ever form a team, would you help me then?”

At Kwon Hanul’s question, Joo Hayun answered without hesitation, “I serve only the Chairman.”

It was the response he had expected. Kwon Hanul chuckled bitterly.

“Well, I guess that’s that.”

“But… if it’s just for a short while, I might be able to assist.”

Her next words, however, were unexpected. Kwon Hanul looked at her in surprise.

“Because of the Chairman’s orders?”

“Even if it weren’t an order.”

What was that supposed to mean?

She always had a way of throwing him off.

“The meal is ready. Let’s head back.”

Joo Hayun turned and began walking toward the mansion.

Kwon Hanul followed her, but just then, something in the sky caught his eye.

Several large transport aircraft were approaching, each carrying the carcass of a massive monster.

“…What’s that?”

“That would be Eclipse.”

Joo Hayun, who was standing beside him, spoke.

"It's an SS-rank threat-level monster. It completely wiped out the southern part of Africa."

Eclipse. Even Kwon Hanul had heard of it before.

The so-called Demon of the Sea—a monster that nations had joined forces to hunt, only to be hunted themselves in return.

Since that day, the southern oceans of Africa were no longer humanity’s domain.

"Why is that thing here...?"

"It seems Kwon Chan-seong has returned with his team."

Kwon Hanul recalled an article he had read not long ago.

It had reported that Kwon Chan-seong, the eldest son of the vice chairman of Hyukcheon Group and a world-class ranker, had led his elite subjugation team to hunt Eclipse.

When he first saw the article, Hanul had thought that no matter how pureblooded a Hyukcheon clansman might be, going up against Eclipse was too much.

Yet, Kwon Chan-seong and his team had not only hunted the monster, but they had also brought its corpse back with them.

"If you seek the strongest, look to Hyukcheon first."

The saying now felt more real than ever.

What kind of monster must Kwon Chan-seong be to have taken down something like that?

A fierce curiosity ignited within Hanul.

"Where are those helicopters headed?"

"They're likely heading to the workshop. The dismantling team is stationed there."

"Kwon Chan-seong is probably on one of those helicopters too, right?"

"Most likely. A monster of Eclipse’s caliber would have many eyes on it. He’s probably escorting it personally."

"Let’s go see for ourselves."

Kwon Hanul changed direction toward the private jet.

But something felt off.

The massive transport helicopters carrying Eclipse’s corpse weren’t heading toward the workshop.

They were flying directly toward him.

"Joo Hayun? I feel like I’m seeing things wrong. That’s really happening, isn’t it?"

"It seems you're seeing things correctly."

The helicopters rapidly closed the distance before gradually slowing down.

Thanks to that, Hanul got a clear look at Eclipse’s body.

A skeletal main body, resembling the skull of a carnivorous beast, was covered with dozens of tentacles writhing like those of an octopus.

But what was truly overwhelming was its size.

The main body was as massive as a mountain, and its tentacles looked like they could tear skyscrapers from their foundations.

And that terrifying monster was now lying dead, its head split clean in two.

Judging by the sheer precision of the cut, it had been felled in a single strike.

"How on earth…"

Hanul was still shivering from the sheer sight when a sharp, metallic sound rang out.

The transport helicopter’s doors slid open, and a dozen or so figures leaped out.

Even from 300 meters above the ground, they landed as lightly as feathers.

One of them shouted loudly.

"This is my first time seeing you in person! I almost passed by without noticing!"

He looked to be in his mid-thirties—handsome, yet brimming with an untamed energy.

Despite his confident demeanor, there was a heavy presence about him that made it clear he wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

"Should I call you my cousin? Or should I just use your name? Ah, whatever, formalities don’t matter!"

The man strode toward Kwon Hanul with powerful steps.

It wasn’t the approach of a person—it felt more like a typhoon or a tidal wave crashing forward.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Kwon Chan-seong!"

The moment Hanul saw him, he knew without a doubt.

This was the man who had split Eclipse’s head with a single strike.

"I’m not one for beating around the bush. So I’ll get straight to the point."

Chan-seong extended his hand toward Hanul.

"Join my team, Kwon Hanul."

It was nothing short of a bombshell declaration.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]