Chapter 20

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 20: A Bloodline's Resolve (3)

Silver-Rank Dungeon

A place where only raid teams of five or more, including first-rate hunters, are permitted entry.

A battle was unfolding within.

"Chwirarararak!"

Monstrous beings with pig-like heads and sickly greenish-blue skin charged forward, letting out ferocious cries.

Their thick, muscular bodies and crude axes, forged from shattered ore, exuded a chilling menace.

Man-eating Orcs.

Monsters known for their relentless fighting spirit, wild nature, and bodies as hard as steel.

Even experienced hunters avoided them due to their ferocity, yet here they came—dozens of them, surging forward.

And into their midst, someone leaped.

Alone. Without even proper equipment.

Anyone could predict the outcome—it wasn’t just a metaphor; he would literally be trampled and torn apart by the horde of orcs.

Yet, the scene that followed was the complete opposite.

With a single kick, the man's foot struck an orc’s head, sending it flying.

The orcs’ eyes turned blood-red at the sight of their fallen kin.

"Chwirarararak!"

"Chwirururak!"

There was no monster more dangerous than an enraged orc. With their numbers in the dozens, the threat required no further explanation.

Weapons raised, the orcs rushed at their foe.

“……Hoo.”

The man who had charged into the fray, Kwon Hanul, took a deep breath.

Oxygen filled his lungs and coursed through his bloodstream, spreading throughout his body.

<True Black Dragon Bloodline grants you the instincts of a dragon.>

<Black Dragon Bloodline advises your movements.>

The primal instincts of a dragon and the calculated reasoning of a genius intertwined.

Inside his mind, the orcs’ movements became clear, as if he were viewing himself from a third-person perspective.

One by one, starting with the nearest enemy.

Each time Kwon Hanul moved, another orc fell lifeless.

Each punch shattered a skull. Each kick snapped a spine. His five fingers crushed throats with ease.

With swift and efficient movements, Kwon Hanul reaped the lives of the orcs, resembling a predator among a flock of helpless sheep.

A shadow of fear crept across the surviving orcs’ faces. The orcs, infamous for their unwavering combativeness, turned and fled.

‘Ten more left!’

Chasing after them, Kwon Hanul shouted in his mind.

* * *

‘Amazing.’

Watching from a distance, Joo Hayun marveled at Kwon Hanul’s battle prowess.

‘Every single move is aimed directly at a vital point. It’s as if he already knows exactly where to strike.’

Despite being inside a dungeon, Joo Hayun had not drawn her weapon or taken any defensive measures.

That was how flawlessly Kwon Hanul was handling the orcs.

‘And his combat flow is calculated. Even against this many orcs, he hasn’t taken a single hit.’

At first glance, it seemed as though he was fighting wildly, surrendering to his primal instincts. His movements were aggressive and unrelentingly violent.

But Joo Hayun saw through it.

Kwon Hanul moved before the orcs even had a chance to attack.

He dodged first. He struck first. He defended first. He countered first.

Such precise movements were only possible if he could read and predict every action his opponents would take.

‘And the most astonishing part… he’s not using any magic at all.’

Kwon Hanul was overwhelming the orcs using nothing but his physical abilities.

Not a single trace of magic had been used.

‘Is that even possible?’

After consuming a Core, all of Kwon Hanul’s stats had reached rank A.

A rank signified true superhuman status. Against orcs, sheer physical ability alone should be enough to dominate.

‘But against an entire horde? That’s another story.’

No matter how skilled a fighter, one person couldn’t overpower ten at once, just as one hand couldn’t block ten strikes.

And orcs were known for their pack mentality.

Even for a hunter with all stats at rank A, facing a horde of orcs without magic was an incredibly difficult feat.

Yet, Kwon Hanul made it possible with near-divine foresight and an unparalleled tactical view of the battlefield.

This wasn’t the first time he had imposed such restrictions on himself.

He had done the same in countless practice dungeons before this.

And with each dungeon he conquered, his combat abilities only grew sharper.

Like a driver gradually adapting to a newly purchased sports car.

‘If he were to fight at full power…’

Without a doubt, clearing even a Platinum-Rank dungeon would be as effortless as stepping over a doorstep.

* * *

“Hoo.”

A deep exhale filled the air. The battle had already ended.

It had taken less than five minutes to deal with all the orcs.

“Surely, watching this wasn’t entertaining enough to be worth following me in here.”

“No, it was an impressive display of combat.”

“You’re just flattering me now.”

Kwon Hanul spoke with an awkward smile. Despite his usual composure, which at times bordered on shamelessness, he was oddly susceptible to compliments.

“Let’s head back quickly.”

As if trying to hide his embarrassment, Kwon Hanul took the lead.

That evening, Kwon Hanul was resting in the suite of a hotel prepared by Iron Fang.

Iron Fang had cleared out the entire top floor for his exclusive use, ensuring he could enjoy the space without any disturbances.

“I must be straining Iron Fang’s finances quite a bit.”

“As a member of the Hyukcheon Bloodline, you deserve far more than this.”

At Joo Hayun’s response, Kwon Hanul let out a bitter chuckle.

Perhaps it was because of his origins, or because he hadn’t been part of the Hyukcheon Bloodline for long, but he still hadn’t fully adjusted to this kind of treatment.

“So, did you look into what I asked?”

“Yes, I was just about to report on that.”

Joo Hayun opened a folder, pulling out several photographs and a tablet.

“These are images captured by surveillance cameras on the Bomon Mountain hiking trail three days ago.”

The camera quality was poor, but the contents were still discernible.

“If you look here, you’ll see members of Iron Fang’s guild transporting something.”

Dozens of Iron Fang guild members were pushing a large cart, which was covered with a massive cloth.

“What is this?”

Without a word, Joo Hayun played a video on the tablet.

The grainy footage showed Iron Fang guild members struggling to push the cart.

Then it happened.

The cloth suddenly fluttered, and one of the guild members was sucked into the cart.

Moments later, the cart trembled violently as blood sprayed out.

“Though we can’t be completely certain… the cargo in that cart appears to be—”

“The tentacle of an Eclipse.”

Joo Hayun’s eyes widened at Kwon Hanul’s swift deduction.

Given the poor resolution and frame rate, only a few blurry frames of the Eclipse’s tentacle dragging the guild member in were visible.

Even Joo Hayun had needed to slow the playback and concentrate to identify it.

“You recognized it right away.”

“I’ve seen them enough times to take a guess.”

“You’re absolutely right. The cart contained an Eclipse’s tentacle.”

The blood of Eclipse possesses the ability to forcibly subjugate and mutate monsters. It seems likely that Kwon Chan-seong deliberately inserted Eclipse's tentacle with that in mind.

Mutation.

Kwon Hanul stroked his chin, recalling how powerful the legion of monsters that followed Eclipse was. He had briefly read a newspaper article that condemned the sheer terror they instilled.

"If Karankula consumed Eclipse's tentacle..."

"By now, the interior of the dungeon must have turned into a horrifying lair."

Karankula was already deemed highly dangerous, and now it had devoured Eclipse's tentacle?

"This dungeon has likely surpassed the threat level of a Platinum-tier dungeon. It might even be at the Diamond level."

Joo Hayun spoke with concern.

"Lord Kwon Hanul, this dungeon is too dangerous. You should inform the Chairman and find a new dungeon."

"Do you really think the Chairman is unaware of this?"

At Kwon Hanul's words, Joo Hayun fell silent.

"...He probably already knows."

"Exactly. There's no way the Chairman of Hyukcheon wouldn't be aware of something like this. He must have known and chosen to ignore it."

During their first meeting, Kwon Sunwoo had said: Treasure never loses its value, no matter the circumstances.

Given his philosophy, wouldn't he expect Hanul to overcome such a minor scheme?

"If I expose this and opt for a different dungeon... the Chairman will surely be disappointed. He wouldn’t even spare me another glance."

That would mean losing the foundation needed for growth.

Like it or not, surviving within Hyukcheon required the Chairman’s support.

"I will proceed with the Platinum dungeon as planned."

Joo Hayun's face darkened. She looked as if she wanted to dissuade him.

Hanul shrugged.

"I boldly claimed I would reach the pinnacle of Hyukcheon. I can’t afford to be scared of a few spiders that gnawed on an octopus tentacle."

There was another reason.

Competitiveness and conviction.

He possessed the True Black Dragon's blood. There was no way he would cower before something as insignificant as a tentacle.

"But as it stands, the risks outweigh the rewards."

Regardless, from Hanul’s perspective, this was an unpleasant situation.

"Since I’m already taking on the challenge, I might as well raise the stakes. Make a call for me."

"To whom?"

"To Kwon Chan-seong hyung."

Joo Hayun's eyes widened slightly.

She dialed the number on the suite’s wireless phone and handed it to Hanul.

After a few rings, the call connected.

"Hyung, how have you been?"

-Hanul? How did you get my number?

"I asked Hayun."

-Ah, right. Hayun is with you. What’s the occasion for this sudden call?

Hanul carefully chose his words.

In moments like this, being direct was best.

"I see you’ve been playing some interesting tricks with the Platinum dungeon where I plan to debut."

Silence.

-...Oh? You figured that out? Faster than I expected.

Though he feigned composure, his response was slightly delayed.

A smirk crept onto Hanul’s lips. Chan-seong probably never expected to be caught off guard like this.

-Now that you know, let me give you a piece of advice. You should abandon that dungeon.

"Because you placed Eclipse’s tentacle inside?"

-...

A second silence. This one was shorter.

-Opening the gift box I had prepared ahead of time... You’re no fun today, little cousin.

Chan-seong let out a brief complaint.

-So, did you call to confront me about it?

"Would that change anything?"

-True. You’re sharp as always.

Chan-seong chuckled over the phone.

-Can I offer you a bit of advice? If you’re considering backing out—

"I have no such intention, so don’t waste your breath."

Hanul cut him off before he could even suggest it.

"I will proceed with my debut in this Platinum dungeon as planned."

-Little cousin, no offense, but are you drunk?

"No, I’m perfectly sober."

Hanul leaned back in his chair, speaking more comfortably.

"The Chairman once told me that treasure never loses its value, no matter the circumstances."

The moment he heard that, Hanul immediately understood what kind of person Kwon Sunwoo was.

"There’s no way the Chairman didn’t foresee this. He must have known and let it happen."

The assignment given to him likely included dealing with unexpected disasters like this.

If he were to back out now due to such a disaster?

"The Chairman would be gravely disappointed in me and would never take interest in me again."

Not necessarily a bad outcome.

"On the other hand, if I complete this task, he will place even greater expectations on me."

Kwon Sunwoo was not a petty man. If he recognized the value of treasure, he would do whatever it took to nurture it.

-That’s true. But little cousin, do you really think it’s possible?

"The only way to know is to try."

-I willingly used two of Eclipse’s tentacles for this dungeon.

"I’m aware."

-You think you can clear Karankula’s nest, after it consumed Eclipse’s tentacle, all by yourself? I acknowledge your skills, but it’s impossible.

"Last time, you underestimated me and lost, if I recall correctly."

Chan-seong laughed again.

-That day, I saw everything you had to offer with my own eyes.

During his battle against Lee Pilseung, Hanul had pushed himself to the limit.

Chan-seong had observed the entire fight from start to finish.

-I assessed your skills perfectly and made my plans accordingly. There’s no way you can clear this dungeon.

"I’m not the same person I was back then."

-Are you referring to consuming the Imoogi’s Core? I’ve never had one myself, but I’ve taken similar elixirs. I can guess exactly how much stronger you’ve gotten.

"How can you be so sure?"

-Let me ask you in return. Do you really think I’d misjudge your abilities and growth?

Hanul didn’t hesitate.

"That’s unlikely."

Kwon Chan-seong wasn’t just any hunter.

He had slain the SS-rank Eclipse and was one of the world’s top-ranked hunters.

There was no way such a skilled individual had miscalculated. If anything, he had probably gauged Hanul’s abilities with pinpoint accuracy.

-I guarantee it. You won’t clear that dungeon.

Perhaps Chan-seong was right.

If Hanul wasn’t of True Bloodline.

And if another bloodline didn’t exist.

"Then how about a wager?"

-Why would I bet with someone who’s about to die?

"You never know how things might turn out."

Chan-seong burst into laughter. It was the same chuckle Hanul had heard before.

The sound of someone entertained by a puppy’s antics, yet looking down on it.

Hanul clenched his fist and asked, "If I clear the dungeon, what will you give me?"

-If that happens, I’ll hand over one of my prized treasures. What do you say?

"Are you serious?"

-I’ve never broken a promise in my life.

At that, Hanul grinned victoriously.

"Then you’ll have to keep your word."

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]