Chapter 63 - Bloodline is Everything

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 63: Mission Preparation (1)

Despite receiving the message, Kwon Hanul couldn’t immediately return home.

He only made his way back after watching Mei Hong tackle a platinum-ranked dungeon.

“You’re here.”

As soon as he arrived, Joo Hayun greeted the two of them as if she had been waiting.

“What about the item?”

“It’s already been delivered. Let’s go inside first.”

Following Joo Hayun’s words, Kwon Hanul headed into his mansion.

Upon entering, he saw a rectangular case sitting there—an attaché case commonly referred to as a ‘007 case.’

“This is a specialized case used by the production department to maintain security. Only the designated individual can open it.”

Joo Hayun gestured toward him.

“Place your hand on the case.”

Kwon Hanul did as instructed, resting his hand on the case. It absorbed his magical energy, and with a ‘click’, the lock disengaged.

With slightly trembling hands, he slowly opened the case. Inside, a pair of gloves and a pair of shoes lay neatly arranged.

They were made of leather, the kind worn by office workers—simple, without unnecessary embellishments.

Kwon Hanul looked at Joo Hayun with a puzzled expression.

“Are you sure these were made by Master Craftsman Park Tae-sik?”

“Yes, they are. Why do you ask?”

“You’re telling me that Park Tae-sik made these?”

The same Park Tae-sik who had criticized the design of the Blackriver Armor had created equipment that looked this plain? Kwon Hanul couldn’t wrap his head around it.

“I specifically requested that they match the style of the Blackriver Armor as closely as possible. It looks better that way.”

“And he didn’t complain?”

“Oh, he did. A lot. But I kept asking, and fortunately, he relented.”

Joo Hayun smiled brightly as she spoke. Kwon Hanul felt a chill. Just what kind of persuasion had she used to make that stubborn man swallow his pride?

“Try them on.”

Kwon Hanul slipped on the gloves first. Strangely enough, they adhered perfectly to his hands the moment he wore them, almost as if they weren’t gloves but a second skin.

[Inksteel - Gloves]

Grade: Legendary (SS)

Description: Leather gloves crafted by Master Craftsman Park Tae-sik using the fangs and hide of a dragon hatchling. The use of compressed materials has significantly enhanced all performance aspects.

Abilities:

Increases the power of Aura by up to 30%.

Increases the effectiveness of piercing and slashing attacks by up to 30%.

Ignores up to 30% of the enemy’s defense.

Next, he put on the shoes.

[Inksteel - Shoes]

Grade: Legendary (SS)

Description: Leather shoes crafted by Master Craftsman Park Tae-sik using the fangs and hide of a dragon hatchling. The use of compressed materials has significantly enhanced all performance aspects.

Abilities:

Increases the power of Aura by up to 30%.

Increases the effectiveness of impact-type attacks by up to 30%.

Ignores up to 30% of the enemy’s defense.

Special Effect of the Inksteel Set: Unlocks a unique skill when both items are worn.

[Inksteel Set Bonus]

Dragon-Suppressing Aura– Releases a special energy that neutralizes the enemy’s magic.

The Black River armor, created by Alchemical mage Weber Heinkel, was rated as Legendary S++.

Meanwhile, the Inksteel set, made by Park Tae-sik, was SS-ranked. It seemed Park Tae-sik’s boast that he surpassed Weber Heinkel wasn’t an empty claim.

“Wow….”

Beside him, Mei Hong’s face filled with admiration. As an expert in weaponry, she immediately recognized how extraordinary the Inksteel Set was.

“Try using it!”

“Use it? How?”

“Oh, come on! Just throw a punch or something!”

Following Mei Hong’s suggestion, Kwon Hanul casually swung his fist through the air.

Bang!

Even though it was a simple punch, the surrounding air burst apart with a resounding noise.

A shiver ran down Kwon Hanul’s spine. If he used his full strength with this? He felt confident that he could bring down a mountain.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s incredible. And this is just its base power—it still has a special skill I haven’t even activated yet….”

Without realizing it, Kwon Hanul was getting more and more excited. Joo Hayun smiled as if pleased by his reaction.

“Oh, right. Mei Hong, there’s something for you as well.”

“For me?”

“Yes, it was a special directive from the Chairman.”

Joo Hayun opened a subspace and retrieved something. It was a red garment with a striking tiger-stripe pattern.

“The Chairman instructed me to give this to you as a gift to celebrate your induction into the team. It’s made from the hide of a Crimson Blood Tiger, and its effects are….”

“Kyaaaaa!”

Mei Hong let out an excited scream as she grabbed the garment. She examined it closely, then screamed again.

“You’re seriously giving this to me?! Really?! This isn’t a dream?!”

“I made a request on your behalf. I wanted you to get something good….”

“Unni! I love you so much!”

Mei Hong threw her arms around Joo Hayun, who looked flustered as she tried to pry her off.

“Try it on.”

“Yes!”

Mei Hong left to change. Once she was gone, Kwon Hanul turned to Joo Hayun.

“Is that gear really that special?”

“It’s Legendary A+++ grade. For a swordsman, it’s one of the best pieces of equipment available. So many people wanted it that I didn’t expect them to actually give it away. But since it was a direct order from the Chairman, no one objected.”

“The Chairman? That miserly old man actually gave such an order?”

Kwon Hanul found it hard to believe.

“The Chairman said it was thanks to you.”

“Thanks to me?”

“Yes. As a penalty for losing a bet, he promised to provide full support for your team.”

Hearing that, Kwon Hanul felt unfairly treated.

“Wait, so why didn’t he give me anything…?”

Just as he was feeling more and more aggrieved, Mei Hong returned in her new outfit.

“Unni! This is amazing! I feel lighter and stronger just wearing it!”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Like it? This is beyond amazing! Even the Mei family doesn’t have anything like this!”

Mei Hong twirled around, admiring the garment.

“Oh, and I brought this as well.”

Joo Hayun then pulled out a longsword and handed it over.

“This is the White River Sword. It was forged from rare metals found in dungeons.”

Mei Hong’s expression turned serious as she examined the sword. She carefully drew it, checking the blade and testing its balance.

After a while, she finally spoke.

“…It’s a fine sword.”

Yet, her expression was somewhat stiff. Noticing this, Joo Hayun asked “If you don’t like it, I can get you another one.”

“No! It’s an incredible sword—far beyond what I deserve! It’s just….”

Mei Hong trailed off. Kwon Hanul, observing her, asked, “You’re thinking about your father’s sword, aren’t you?”

Slowly, Mei Hong nodded.

Her father’s sword, once his, was now with Kwon Mi.

Reclaiming it was impossible. She had refused Kwon Mi’s offer to join Kwon Hudon’s team in exchange for it.

“Do you have any regrets?”

“No, of course not.”

Mei Hong answered firmly.

“My father would rather see me take revenge than cling to a mere keepsake.”

A fleeting trace of killing intent flickered in Mei Hong’s eyes before quickly fading.

“Ah, and Kwon Hanul.”

Just as the atmosphere started to turn heavy, Joo Hayun pulled out another item.

“This is still left.”

She gestured to the attendants. One of them stepped forward, carefully carrying a tray with a round lid.

The attendant moved with extreme caution, as if this act was the most solemn duty of their life.

Once the tray was placed down, the lid was lifted. A sliver of golden light leaked out from the small opening.

At the same time, a refreshing fragrance filled the room. Kwon Hanul swallowed instinctively.

Finally, the lid was removed entirely, revealing a single golden apple resting on the tray, radiating a dazzling glow.

“The tree withered the moment it bore fruit.”

Joo Hayun’s explanation barely registered. Kwon Hanul’s eyes were locked onto the golden apple.

“Have you decided which stat to enhance?”

He gave a silent nod.

“Then, please consume it.”

The moment Joo Hayun finished speaking, Kwon Hanul took a bite.

As soon as it entered his mouth, the golden apple dissolved—not into a liquid, but into a gas that was instantly absorbed into his body.

‘…This is an enormous amount of energy.’

It felt like pouring an entire reservoir’s worth of water into his body.

And yet, strangely enough, his body accepted the overwhelming energy without any resistance.

Without hesitation, Kwon Hanul made his choice.

Among Strength, Agility, Stamina, Mana, Perception, and Mental Fortitude, he had chosen Stamina.

Truthfully, he wanted to enhance Mana. Among all stats, Mana was considered the most important for Hunters.

If other stats formed the framework of one’s abilities, Mana was the fuel that powered them. With high enough Mana, one could compensate for weaker stats.

And yet, Kwon Hanul had deliberately chosen Stamina.

His reasoning? The Bloodlines.

Right now, he could wield multiple Bloodlines at once, granting him immense power.

The fact that he had defeated Ruyn Aspadam and No Ho Min without an S-rank body proved that.

However, great power always came at a cost.

Every time he layered Bloodlines, he could feel the toll it took on his body.

That was why he prioritized Stamina.

<‘Stamina’ has reached S-rank.>

A Hunter’s Stamina determined their endurance and recovery speed. The higher the rank, the faster they recovered from exhaustion.

At S-rank, a Hunter’s physical durability became akin to metal.

Normal blades wouldn’t even leave a scratch. Even with Aura enhancement, the results would be the same.

But the transformation didn’t end there.

Grade: Legendary (A++)

Description: A skill granted exclusively to those who consume the Golden Apple. It allows the user to radiate the apple’s energy, strengthening vitality.

Effects:

Enhances the vitality of oneself or others, allowing wounds to heal.

When used on plants, accelerates their growth.

There were many elixirs capable of raising a stat to S-rank, but the Golden Apple was revered above all because of Golden Command.

Healing abilities were already rare. High-grade healing skills were even rarer.

‘I’ve gained everything I could from this.’

Just as Kwon Hanul had that thought, an unexpected message appeared.

<‘Healthy Bloodline’ reacts to the Golden Apple!>

<‘Healthy Bloodline’ absorbs the Golden Apple’s energy! Its authority grows stronger!>

He felt the power of Healthy Bloodline surging within him. Another message followed.

<‘Healthy Bloodline’ strengthens your body!>

‘AAA-rank?’

It was a term he had never heard before. Stats were supposed to go from A to S.

‘Well, if it’s offering, I’m not going to refuse.’

His second decision came just as quickly.

<‘Mana’ has reached AAA-rank.>

The once-dormant energy inside him surged violently. Kwon Hanul broke into a cold sweat as he tried to control it.

He had let his guard down, thinking AAA-rank wouldn’t be as intense as S-rank. But this was on a completely different level.

It was wilder, more ferocious—far harder to control.

It was as if a housecat had transformed into a leopard.

“…Whew.”

Kwon Hanul exhaled deeply. Far too much had happened in such a short time.

“Well done,” Joo Hayun said, watching him closely.

“It seems you chose Mana.”

“No.”

“…What? That can’t be. The energy waves just now were unmistakably—”

Rather than explain, Kwon Hanul turned to Mei Hong.

“Try cutting my throat with that sword.”

Mei Hong didn’t hesitate. She unsheathed her blade and swung.

Clang!

Her strike stopped mid-air.

“…You really followed me when I asked you to cut me,” Kwon Hanul muttered, looking unimpressed. He hadn’t expected her to follow through so readily.

“I figured you wouldn’t ask unless it was safe.”

Mei Hong calmly withdrew her sword.

There was only the faintest scratch where the blade had struck.

And that was without Aura enhancement.

Yet White River Blade was sharp enough to slice through solid rock like water.

Even so, it had failed to cut Kwon Hanul’s throat.

“…You chose Stamina, then.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

He rubbed his neck. The wound had already vanished. Another benefit of S-rank Stamina.

With new gear and enhanced stats, there was only one thing left to do.

“Hayun, how much time do I have before the mission the Chairman assigned me?”

“You need to arrive at the designated location by the day after tomorrow.”

Hearing that, Kwon Hanul smiled.

“Perfect.”

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]