Chapter 16 - Bloodline is Everything

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Episode 16 – A Clash of Bloodlines (3)

“Little cousin?”

Kwon Hanul wanted to examine his status window more closely, but Kwon Chan-seong calling his name left him no choice but to close it for now.

Bloodline abilities were too vast in scope to fully understand just by reading their descriptions. He would have to figure them out gradually over time.

“What are you standing around for? Hurry up and follow.”

Kwon Hanul began walking, with Joo Hayun following alongside him.

Then, something struck him as odd.

“You’re not trying to stop me?”

“It’s true that I don’t find this situation ideal… but I can’t interfere in a fight that has already been agreed upon.”

Joo Hayun let out a short sigh.

“But you must win.”

“Of course.”

Kwon Hanul answered as if it were obvious.

Kwon Chan-seong led them to an outdoor training arena within the Hyukcheon family grounds.

Unlike the training room Kwon Hanul had used previously, this space was far more expansive.

“If either of you gets seriously injured, I’ll step in immediately. Understood?”

Once Kwon Chan-seong moved aside, Kwon Hanul finally stood face-to-face with Lee Pilseung.

‘Lee Pilseung… To think I’d meet him in person instead of just hearing rumors.’

Even when Kwon Hanul had been working as a Hunter, he couldn’t go a day without hearing Lee Pilseung’s name.

That was how famous and formidable he was. Someone like Kwon Hanul wouldn’t have even dreamed of holding a conversation with him.

And now, not only was he standing before him, but they were about to cross blades.

This won’t be easy.

Lee Pilseung possessed a Gift, and he had even faced the SS-rank colossal beast, Eclipse.

There was no way Kwon Chan-seong had chosen him as an opponent without reason.

But the same applied to Kwon Hanul.

‘Ever since obtaining True Black Dragon Blood, I’ve started sensing things.’

When he faced an opponent, he could instinctively gauge whether he could defeat them or not.

“You just gonna stand there like a statue?”

A sharp voice pulled Kwon Hanul out of his thoughts.

“If you’re scared, I’ll start first.”

Lee Pilseung clapped his hands together. Something about the gesture unsettled Kwon Hanul.

“You’re not using a weapon?”

Lee Pilseung had supposedly sliced through Eclipse’s tentacle. Kwon Hanul had naturally assumed he would use a blade.

“I don’t use weapons. Instead, I use this.”

Lee Pilseung unleashed his mana—a staggering amount, far beyond what one would expect from someone his age.

It was an impressive sight, but something felt off.

‘Isn’t he just wasting mana?’

He wasn’t channeling it into a skill or technique; he was simply expelling it into the air. It made no sense.

Then, Kwon Hanul realized what was strange.

…The mana isn’t dispersing?

The energy released into the air didn’t fade—it lingered. It warped the space around Lee Pilseung, making the air ripple.

“Hup!”

Lee Pilseung let out a sharp breath, and the scattered mana rushed back toward him.

It condensed around his body and began transforming into something else entirely.

Heat haze.

Despite it being broad daylight, a shimmering mirage visibly rose around him.

Lee Pilseung clenched his fist, and the heat haze gathered, forming the shape of a blade.

The intangible sword, forged from condensed energy, glittered like scattered gemstone dust.

It was mesmerizingly beautiful.

But Kwon Hanul couldn’t afford to be captivated.

“…Don’t tell me that’s—”

“Kwon Chan-seong, you’re always scheming.”

Joo Hayun suddenly spoke up, her gaze fixed on Kwon Chan-seong.

“Scheming? I have no idea what you mean.”

“If you’re going to feign ignorance… fine. But let me say this—if you underestimate Kwon Hanul, you’re going to regret it.”

Kwon Chan-seong burst into laughter.

“I’ve never once underestimated my little cousin.”

The Black Dragon Blood was the foundation of the Hyukcheon family’s power.

The stronger its purity, the greater its strength. At its peak, a trueblooded wielder of Black Dragon Blood possessed power akin to that of a transcendent being.

“A Trueblood is undoubtedly formidable. No Hyukcheon master from any past generation could hope to match him.”

The gap created by Black Dragon Blood was absolute.

Most purebloods refused to acknowledge this reality, but Kwon Chan-seong had accepted it early on.

Kwon Hanul, a Trueblood, would eventually grow into a terrifying force.

“But that’s something for the future. Right now, he’s still lacking in many ways.”

Even dragons had once started as mere serpents. The same applied to Kwon Hanul.

“Meanwhile, the rookie is already complete. Just watch—it’s starting.”

Kwon Chan-seong gestured toward Lee Pilseung.

In the distance, waves of heat haze rose from his entire body.

Joo Hayun’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Aura? That’s impossible. How could someone his age…?”

Even among high-ranking Hunters, very few had mastered Aura.

Unlike a skill, Aura could only be obtained through experience and enlightenment.

“That’s his Gift—‘Natural Extremity.’”

Kwon Chan-seong spoke with unmistakable pride.

“He was born with an innate mastery over all things mana—storage, affinity, adaptation—you name it.”

There were many kinds of geniuses in the world.

A genius in martial arts, a genius in weaponry, a genius in writing…

“Our rookie? He’s a genius of mana itself.”

‘I didn’t expect him to use Aura…

Aura—a force that could only be obtained by refining mana to its purest form, over and over again.

A power so rare that only a handful of Hunters had ever achieved it.

And yet, Lee Pilseung had already mastered it.

“Hah!”

Lee Pilseung shot forward. No—he was launched like a bullet.

His Aura propelled his body forward at terrifying speed.

Kwon Hanul instinctively bent backward.

At that exact moment, a gleaming line of light was drawn through the air.

The Aura blade had just sliced through the space where his head had been.

“Your reflexes aren’t bad!”

Lee Pilseung swung his Aura blade again.

No—by the time Kwon Hanul registered the motion, the attack had already been executed.

Aura was sharp enough to slice through even a monster’s hide as if it were tofu.

If it made contact with Kwon Hanul’s body, it would cut through him as easily as water.

He couldn’t let his guard down for even a second.

Not a single misstep was allowed.

His attacks are simple.

Despite the danger, Kwon Hanul’s mind remained surprisingly calm.

Is it because of the Black Dragon Blood?

The more his synchronization rate increased, the more his instincts changed.

Rather than fearing injury, his body was thrumming with excitement for battle.

“Hah!”

Lee Pilseung swung his Aura blade downward with full force.

At that moment, Kwon Hanul’s instincts screamed at him.

He kicked off the ground with everything he had, retreating in an instant.

The very next second—BOOM.

The spot where he had just stood shattered as if struck by a hammer.

…Did he just transform Aura into a hammer?

Just before impact, Lee Pilseung had condensed his Aura into a massive blunt weapon.

If Kwon Hanul had reacted a second later, his body would have been crushed to pieces.

"You dodged that?" Lee Pilseung muttered in disbelief. "Then, how about this?"

Lee Pilseung unleashed his Aura.

Due to his backward retreat, the distance between Kwon Hanul and Lee Pilseung had grown to over 10 meters—far beyond striking range unless the Aura was thrown.

Yet, Kwon Hanul instinctively twisted his waist to the side. A spear-like extension of Aura brushed past his abdomen.

He can wield Aura this freely at such a young age?

As far as Kwon Hanul knew, mastering Aura was already difficult—controlling it was even harder.

To use it so fluidly required immense experience.

It shouldn't have been possible at Lee Pilseung's age.

"So, it really is a Gift."

There were rumors that Lee Pilseung was a prodigy of magical energy.

At the time, Kwon Hanul hadn’t understood what that meant.

Now, he did.

"Sharp instincts!"

Lee Pilseung swung his Aura again. It extended like a whip, lashing toward Kwon Hanul.

Each strike split the ground apart.

If even one of those attacks landed, it wouldn’t be the ground breaking apart—it would be him.

"This is bad."

Lee Pilseung was overwhelmingly powerful with his Aura.

Aura surpassed magical energy—it was like replacing an engine with a superior fuel.

‘And since it's Aura, I can’t just block it carelessly either.’

Aura wasn't merely a sharp blade—it was a mass of raw magical energy.

Anyone other than the user who touched it would be harmed.

‘And yet, I thought I could beat someone like this?’

Was the Black Dragon Blood really something he could trust?

As he grumbled inwardly—

A flood of knowledge surged into Kwon Hanul’s mind.

"Wait…?"

Inside his head, thoughts sparked and fused like a chemical reaction.

In that instant, Kwon Hanul realized something.

"Why have I been using my magical energy like this?"

Until now, he had only used his magic for Black Dragon Ascension Art.

But magical energy wasn’t meant to be used that way.

‘Magical energy is water. My body is the vessel that holds it. If water stays still, it serves no purpose. It must flow—constantly moving, constantly changing.’

A simple realization—

But the effect was enormous.

Magical energy coursed through Kwon Hanul’s entire body.

Power surged into his movements.

His speed increased naturally.

Where before he had been dodging the slashes at the last moment—

Now, he was avoiding them a step ahead.

"Huh?"

A flicker of shock crossed Lee Pilseung’s face.

"You… you grasped magical energy control?"

As a magic prodigy, Lee Pilseung immediately sensed the change.

Most hunters treated magical energy as nothing more than fuel for their skills.

But veteran hunters who mastered Magical Energy Control saw it as raw power—something to be shaped and used in countless ways.

"But… how?"

Magical Energy Control was essential to mastering Aura, a technique that required years of experience.

Yet Kwon Hanul had just learned it mid-battle.

It was only natural for Lee Pilseung to be stunned.

But Kwon Hanul wasn’t focused on his reaction.

‘No… this method doesn't suit me.’

Without hesitation, he modified the way he controlled magical energy.

Altering magical energy control was something even veteran hunters hesitated to do—

It was difficult, dangerous.

But Black Dragon Bloodline continued to pour inspiration and knowledge into him.

Kwon Hanul’s Personalized Magic Pathway

Quality: Unique (S)

Effects:

Skill activation speed +20%

Magic regeneration speed +20%

Magic flow efficiency +20%

Magical energy filled Kwon Hanul’s body.

An endless well of vitality surged forth.

At the same time, magic gathered in his hand—

Taking shape, like a droplet of water forming at his fingertips.

Seeing it, Lee Pilseung shouted in shock, "H-How can you do that?!"

It wasn’t Aura—

But it was close.

A man who had been a third-rate hunter only three months ago had now reached the threshold of wielding Aura?

"That’s impossible!" Lee Pilseung roared, summoning another blade of Aura.

He crossed his arms and slashed forward—

Twin Sword

Cross Grave

A Unique Skill—Cross Grave.

A massive cross-shaped slash cut through the air, aiming straight for Kwon Hanul’s chest.

Black Dragon Ascension Art (Entry Form)

Defensive Style—Twisting Fork

Kwon Hanul thrust his hands forward.

The cross-shaped slash split apart like a flowing stream.

Lee Pilseung’s eyes widened in disbelief.

He had frozen mid-motion, arms still outstretched—

Leaving his chest completely exposed.

Kwon Hanul seized the opening and launched himself forward.

His elbow shot straight toward Lee Pilseung’s solar plexus—

Black Dragon Ascension Art (Entry Form)

Forceful Strike—Ramming Horn

His elbow pierced Lee Pilseung’s midsection.

Magical energy detonated—sending Lee Pilseung flying backward.

A flawless victory.

Kwon Hanul slowly lowered his stance.

"Phew."

He tried to act calm, but inside, emotions surged.

A third-rate hunter like him had just defeated a rising star like Lee Pilseung.

The sheer joy of it was overwhelming.

"Black Dragon Blood… this thing is legit."

As Kwon Hanul murmured—

A sinister aura flared from where Lee Pilseung had been thrown.

* * *

“What did I tell you?”

Watching Lee Pilseung get knocked back, Joo Hayun smirked.

"I told you not to underestimate Kwon Hanul."

"...It’s not over yet."

Kwon Chan-seong’s gaze remained locked on Lee Pilseung.

"He still has a trump card."

A trump card?

Joo Hayun frowned.

Then—

From the dueling ground, an overwhelming feral energy erupted from Lee Pilseung.

Joo Hayun, who had spent years in Hyukcheon, recognized it immediately.

"…How is an outsider using Dragon Combat Techniques?"

A power granted only to those with the Black Dragon Bloodline.

Yet Lee Pilseung was using it.

"I told you—"

Kwon Chan-seong grinned.

"That guy’s a magic prodigy. He watched me use Dragon Combat Techniques over and over—until he finally copied it."

With confidence, Kwon Chan-seong declared, "As a pure-blood, I guarantee it. Lee Pilseung’s Dragon Combat Techniques… are stronger than even mine."

* * *

The oppressive aura felt like facing a monster.

"Dragon Combat Techniques?"

There was no mistake.

Lee Pilseung’s energy was unmistakably Dragon Combat Energy.

People often called Gifts the blessings of the gods.

But who would have thought one could even mimic the Black Dragon Bloodline’s power?

"It’s not over yet."

Lee Pilseung spat onto the ground—his saliva tinged with blood.

His insides were damaged.

"Things won’t be easy from here. But you already knew that, didn’t you?"

He shot forward.

His foot struck the ground—sending tremors through the earth.

The gap of dozens of meters closed in an instant.

At point-blank range, Lee Pilseung slashed with a blade forged from Dragon Combat Energy.

Kwon Hanul twisted his body—dodging the strike.

But the moment the blade struck the ground—

Dragon Combat Energy detonated.

The sheer force blew Kwon Hanul and the entire battlefield away.

"This power…!"

For the first time—Kwon Hanul felt fear.

And deep within his soul—

Something began to awaken.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]