Chapter 72

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 72 – The Traitors (2)

“It was a joke.”

The murderous aura that had been surging suddenly vanished. Maria Sanchez raised both hands in surrender. Her inflated body returned to normal.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Joo Hayun didn’t let her guard down. Maria Sanchez, looking completely sincere, casually perched herself on the rooftop ledge.

“My job was just to keep you here. Fighting you now wouldn’t be worth the trouble.”

She let out a long sigh.

“Besides, this is Hyukcheon Group business, isn’t it? If I interfere, I’ll be picking a fight with them… and I’m not that crazy.”

Maria patted the spot beside her invitingly.

“So just chill out and take a seat too.”

Joo Hayun narrowed her eyes at her.

She wanted nothing more than to go help Kwon Hanul, but she knew full well Maria wouldn’t let her go so easily.

“Don’t even think about it. You know, right? You can’t beat me.”

“I can still take you down with me.”

“Well, true. But do we really have to go through all that? It’s just exhausting for both of us.”

Joo Hayun withdrew her hostility and sat on the ledge—though not beside Maria, but across from her.

“Huh? You’re actually staying put?”

“Would you prefer we fought?”

“I figured you'd be pacing back and forth, worried sick about that guy.”

“If it’s Lord Kwon Hanul, there’s no need to worry.”

“Oooh, confident much? Are you sure you're not worried he’ll back down at the name of Hyukcheon?”

“That’s not it.”

“Good to hear. Honestly, that guy—Ferderance—he hates high-ranking clans.”

Maria wore a pitying expression.

“He’s smart, and he’s got skills too. But the second he runs into one of the old bloodlines, he loses his head. Can’t make a rational decision. Your man might actually die, you know.”

“That’s not really your concern, is it?”

Joo Hayun answered flatly. Maria looked disappointed.

“Let me ask you one thing. Why did Ferderance attack the Takamine family? It can’t be just for some ancient artifact. That doesn’t add up.”

“Oh, that? Nah, it wasn’t about the relic. It’s about transcendence.”

Joo Hayun frowned, not following.

“Transcendence?”

“Ferderance has been stuck at a plateau for a while. He was looking for a way to reach a higher realm when he got this proposal.”

Hunters can grow infinitely through their stat windows—at least, that’s the common belief.

But it’s not true.

Even with a status window, every Hunter hits a growth ceiling. Reaching S-rank stats, for instance, usually requires consuming powerful elixirs. But not everyone can get their hands on them.

Some might earn them by clearing dangerous dungeons. Others? They just stagnate.

At some point, every Hunter hits a wall they can’t overcome.

“That idiot’s just obsessed. That kind of fixation only holds you back,” Maria sighed again, looking almost regretful.

* * *

Everyone looked dumbfounded when Kwon Hudon refused to take the poison.

“What kind of BS is that?! You didn’t hear him? If you don’t drink it, you die!”

Rockbreaker shouted.

“What, you scared of a little poison? It doesn’t even hurt. Long as you take the antidote on time, you’ll be fine—Ferderance said so himself.”

“I-it’s not the poison,” Hudon said, trembling. “I-I’m just… stupid.”

“Yeah, we know,” Rockbreaker replied bluntly.

Hudon flinched, but pressed on.

“I-I’m dumb… always disappointing Mom… b-but…”

He clenched his fists.

“I’m a blood-born of Hyukcheon.”

Which meant—he could not yield. He could not beg for his life. That was his choice.

“…Hah.”

Rockbreaker scoffed.

“What a load of crap. You’re basically saying you want to die?”

He released his killing intent.

Ferderance might’ve beaten him, but Rockbreaker was still a world-ranked Hunter.

Just standing in his aura made Hudon feel like his skin was being sliced open.

“Fine by me. You’ve been pissing me off with your idiocy for a while now. This is a good chance…”

“Wait.”

Ferderance held him back.

“Kwon Hudon, was it? You’ve got some backbone. Very Hyukcheon of you.”

Hudon looked confused. Why was the enemy praising him?

“Ah, not just any Hyukcheon, right? Your mom’s Kwon Mi, the only one there with a lick of sense?”

“Y-yeah.”

“A direct line to the Chairman, then. Wow, you’re actually a big deal.”

Ferderance was clearly enjoying himself, talking to himself and chuckling.

“Rockbreaker.”

“Yes?”

“Make sure he breaks.”

He pointed at Hudon.

“I want him crawling, begging for his life. Make him drink the poison himself. Got it?”

“I mean… wouldn’t it be cleaner to just kill him?”

“Are you defying my orders?”

Ferderance’s voice turned icy. Rockbreaker immediately shook his head.

“N-no sir! Hey, boss! You heard that, right?”

Rockbreaker cracked his knuckles and stepped toward Hudon.

—“Stop! Please stop!”

A voice came from the crystal necklace around Hudon’s neck.

Ferderance immediately recognized the face inside the crystal.

“Lady Kwon Mi. A pleasure to meet you.”

—“Likewise, Ferderance.”

Kwon Mi’s face appeared calm, but her pale skin and trembling voice betrayed her act.

—“I understand the situation. Hyukcheon will no longer interfere with you.”

“You mean… you’ll let me kill Takamine Ryoko?”

—“Yes. But please… just let Hudon go.”

Ferderance glanced at Ryoko.

She barely reacted. Boringly stoic.

—“Let him go, and I’ll never forget the favor.”

“Now that… is a tempting offer.”

Ferderance looked at Hudon.

“But wouldn’t it be safer to just feed him latent poison?”

Kwon Mi froze for a moment.

—“Touch one hair on my son’s head and I will hunt you to the ends of the earth!”

“Be my guest.”

—“Ferderance!!”

Kwon Mi screamed, but it was no use. Rockbreaker was already closing in.

—“Hudon! Drink the poison! Do whatever it takes to live! I’ll come for you—I swear it!”

“…Sorry, Mom.”

—“What are you talking about?! Don’t be stupid—just do what I say!”

“You told me, right? No matter what… never lose the pride of Hyukcheon.”

Kwon Mi was speechless.

It had just been something she said to comfort him. She didn’t mean it.

“So I won’t surrender.”

Black scales wrapped around Hudon’s body—Black Dragon Bloodline second ability: Blackscale Armor.

But something was off.

Blackscale Armor was hard to maintain due to its mana cost. Most blood-born could only partially summon it.

Hudon, however, cloaked his entire body in it. He looked like he was wearing obsidian armor.

“…Oh?”

Ferderance muttered, intrigued.

“Right… you weren’t just a typical pureblood, were you?”

Everyone in Hyukcheon possessed Black Dragon Blood, but the strength varied—even among those with identical purity levels.

Some had innate affinities for specific abilities.

Hudon was one of those rare cases—born with a natural talent for Blackscale Armor. Its performance, duration, and volume were all top-tier.

He outclassed any other pureblood in that regard.

“He’s coming.”

Hudon charged. Clad in his armor, he looked like a battering ram on legs.

“Rockbreaker, stand down. Let’s see what the others can do.”

Ferderance gave the order. Rockbreaker stepped back, and the rest of the team moved in.

“Boss, are you serious?”

“You know he’s gonna get wrecked, right?”

They sneered. They knew Hudon well—how much of a coward he was, how pathetic.

“I’ve been waiting to send someone flying at least once.”

The teammate with the massive hammer stepped forward and swung with all his strength.

He was the one who got sent flying.

“…Huh?”

“…What?”

They all froze. Panic set in.

“W-wait!”

“S-scatter!”

Hudon charged forward without even acknowledging them. He bowled through them like human pins.

“Pathetic.”

Ferderance clicked his tongue and looked toward his dolls.

“You lot, handle it.”

One of the living dolls rushed in and threw a punch.

It landed, hard. The basement shook.

For the first time, Hudon was stopped—but only briefly.

“RAAAAH!”

He roared and launched himself again, sending the doll flying.

“…”

Ferderance looked genuinely stunned. The power was beyond expectations.

“What are his stats?”

“Only his mana is S-rank.”

“Then where the hell is that power coming from…”

He trailed off—then realization hit.

Blackscale Armor.

He wasn’t just using it for defense. He was flexing it like muscle—enhancing his momentum many times over.

“It’s not armor—it’s a power-enhancing exoskeleton.”

Hudon barreled through the dolls, closing in on Ferderance. When he was nearly in range, he activated his draconic energy—Dragon Aura.

“RAAAAGH!”

Combined with his charge, it was like a human missile.

But.

Rockbreaker moved.

He threw both fists forward in a massive explosion that shattered the Blackscale Armor.

“AAAGH!”

The explosion consumed Hudon entirely. He screamed as he was blown back, tumbling across the floor.

“Cough, cough…”

Kwon Hudon kept coughing, but the pain wouldn't go away.

The blast had charred his entire body, turning his skin black like charcoal. His abdomen, pummeled by fists, looked like it had been ground in a mortar—soaked in blood.

“Oops. Maybe I went a little overboard.”

Rockbreaker looked down at Kwon Hudon, mocking him.

“But I gotta say, I’m a bit disappointed. For someone from the Family of Hyukcheon, you went down with just one hit. Is your boss that pathetic? Or were the rumors just overhyped?”

Kwon Hudon weakly lifted his head, eyes locking onto Rockbreaker.

“W-Why…?”

It was a question heavy with meaning. Why betray them so easily? Why strike without hesitation?

But Rockbreaker didn’t answer. Instead, he kicked Hudon in the stomach, launching him into the wall behind him.

“Why? You really wanna know why?”

Rockbreaker scoffed, as if the question itself was ridiculous.

“What a lame thing to ask.”

He began walking forward. As he approached, Hudon clawed at the ground in pain, trying to lift himself.

“Boss, let’s cut the chit-chat. Hurry up and decide. You wanna die here by my hands, or…”

Rockbreaker spread his arms wide. Behind him stood the living puppets and his teammates.

“…will you swallow the poison and follow me, like they did?”

Kwon Hudon gritted his teeth. Forcing himself up, he clenched his fists.

Rockbreaker laughed dryly.

“Wow, you really are the righteous type, huh?”

He punched Hudon in the face. Hudon staggered back—no more room to retreat. The wall was right behind him.

“I’ll ask again. Will you drink it? Or won’t you?”

Rockbreaker began pummeling him all over.

Hudon couldn’t do anything but endure the beating, pressed against the wall.

“Make your choice already!”

Rockbreaker's fist smashed into Hudon’s temple. His eyes rolled back, and he crumpled to the floor.

“Cough, cough…”

He coughed weakly. His boyish face—so young he could be mistaken for a teenager—was now a bloody mess.

“Still not gonna listen? Huh?”

Even seeing that face, Rockbreaker didn’t stop. He kicked Hudon’s torso over and over again.

But even then, Kwon Hudon refused to give him the answer he wanted.

“This is getting boring.”

Ferderance muttered in a disinterested tone. Standing beside him, Nomura Masataka asked, “How long are we waiting? Just kill Takamine Ryoko already.”

“She’s already caught in our trap. Why the rush?”

“Hey!”

“Yes, yes. I got it.”

Ferderance, looking mildly annoyed, began walking toward Takamine Ryoko.

He could’ve ordered a living puppet to do it—but she was too important a target. He wanted to kill her himself.

“Miss Takamine Ryoko.”

Ryoko turned her gaze to him, her expression calm.

Ferderance’s brow twitched slightly. That serenity in the face of death annoyed him.

“Miss Takamine. You're about to die.”

He said it, knowing it was pointless—but he wanted to provoke her.

“So it seems.”

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Of course I am.”

“You don’t look it.”

“Showing it won’t change anything.”

Ferderance found himself both intrigued and irritated by her.

He admired her composure—aware of her death, yet calm. But that she remained so composed even before him—that he couldn’t stand.

He wanted to tear that mask off her face.

“If you’d like, I could kill the director and that woman instead. Just say the word.”

He offered in a soft, coaxing voice.

After all, even someone enlightened before death would waver before hope.

He was certain this offer would expose her true feelings.

But—

“No, that’s all right.”

Ryoko refused—without hesitation.

“…Did you just say it’s all right?”

“I don’t need your help. He’ll be here soon.”

He?

Ferderance's face twisted with confusion.

Who could possibly save her in this situation?

* * *

“No! Nooo!”

At Hyukcheon Group’s HQ.

Kwon Mi was screaming.

“Hudon! No! Hudon!”

Through the crystal ball on her desk, she watched her son being beaten senseless.

“I-I have to stop this!”

But how? With all their team members turned traitor, who was left to save her son?

“…Kwon Hanul.”

Frantically, she grabbed the phone and called him.

Thankfully, he picked up quickly.

“H-Hello!”

Kwon Mi shouted.

—Aunt, I think you’ve got the wrong number. Let’s just pretend this call never happened.

Her instincts screamed at her. She yelled back, “D-Don’t hang up! I didn’t call by mistake! I meant to call you!”

After a beat, he responded with suspicion.

—You didn’t misdial?

“There’s no time to explain! H-Hudon is in danger!”

—What are you talking about…?

“Rockbreaker, that bastard—he’s… he’s beating Hudon…”

She broke down crying but forced herself to keep speaking.

“If this keeps up, Hudon’s going to die!”

There was silence on the other end. She didn’t have time to wonder what he was thinking.

“I’ll tell you where he is! Ferderance is there too! Don’t go alone—bring Hayun—”

—How do you know all this, Aunt?

His voice turned icy, like a dagger made of frost.

At that moment, Kwon Mi realized she had stepped on a landmine.

“That’s…”

—Answer the question. How do you know? Surely Hudon didn’t call you mid-beating.

With no other choice, Kwon Mi told him everything.

Normally, she’d have come up with some excuse—but not now. Her son’s life was on the line.

When she finished, Kwon Hanul let out a bitter laugh.

—So you’ve been using the relic to watch everything?

“Yes…”

—Then you also knew Rockbreaker disobeyed my orders, and you didn’t stop him?

“H-Hanul, I…”

—And you’re the one who sent Hudon on this mission in the first place. And now you’re interfering too? I didn’t expect this even from you.

Normally, she would’ve yelled that he was being ridiculous.

But not when her child’s life was at stake.

“I-I’m sorry. I truly am. I’ll never do it again. Please, just save Hudon… just him…”

—No. I won’t.

Kwon Hanul cut her off.

“H-Hanul… What are you saying?”

—Think about what you’ve done. Why should I help you after this?”

“I-I was wrong! But Hudon did nothing wrong. It’s all my fault.”

—I’m hanging up.

“Wait! Just wait a minute!”

Click. The call ended. Kwon Mi screamed.

“No! No! No!”

She called again. No answer.

Again. Still no answer.

“Please, please…”

Desperately, she kept dialing like a madwoman.

Suddenly, the line connected.

—You’re being loud. Stop calling.

“Hanul! Please, I beg you—!”

—I’m busy. Goodbye.

Despair washed over Kwon Mi’s face. Then, she heard one last thing.

—I need both hands now, so don’t bother.

Both hands?

Confused, she blinked—and then a massive crashing sound came through her phone.

* * *

Rockbreaker’s fists froze mid-air.

His instincts screamed at him. Something was wrong.

“…Above?”

He looked up at the ceiling.

A second later, a massive shock rocked the hideout.

“W-What the hell?!”

Crumbling echoed around them. Then—another boom. And another.

Not just loud.

“It’s getting closer—”

Before he could finish, the stairwell entrance exploded.

Chunks of stone blasted outward.

“Hoo…”

Someone stepped through the dust and rubble.

“Well, everyone’s here.”

Kwon Hanul glanced around at the group.

“First time seeing you… You must be Ferderance?”

“Quite the imaginative one. You guessed right.”

Ferderance looked intrigued.

“But how did you know to come here?”

“Questions later.”

Hanul turned his gaze to Rockbreaker.

“What are you looking at?”

Rockbreaker scowled and muttered.

Suddenly, Kwon Hanul darted forward—his fist connecting directly with Rockbreaker’s jaw.

The blow whipped Rockbreaker’s head to the side. His legs buckled.

In that instant, Hanul shifted his stance again.

Black Dragon Ascension Art– Basic Form

Rhythmic Strike Type: Spiral Wave

His fist slammed into Rockbreaker’s abdomen.

“Grahh!”

Rockbreaker let out a gasp—but it wasn’t over.

The released dragon energy blasted both him and the wall behind him. The wall collapsed, burying his body beneath the rubble.

Kwon Hanul wiped sweat from his forehead and smiled.

“Now that felt good.”

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]