Chapter 78

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 78 – Conditional (1)

After completing his mission, Kwon Hanul returned to the Hyukcheon Clan.

He had hoped to take some time off, but unfortunately, that wasn’t an option.

“Lord Hanul, the Chairman has requested a private meeting at noon.”

Just as he was about to relax at the estate, Joo Hayun brought him an unexpected message.

It wasn’t a request—it was a command. Classic Kwon Seonwoo.

“The Chairman?”

“Yes. He said he wants to have lunch with you.”

Kwon Hanul blinked in surprise.

He had met with the Chairman many times, but never once shared a meal with him.

“Why do you think he called me?”

“He likely has a lot to say about what happened.”

Kwon Hanul checked the time. About an hour until the appointment.

“He did say you could decline if you were busy.”

“Now that’s a meaningless thing to say.”

Who would dare refuse the order of Kwon Seonwoo, head of the Hyukcheon Clan and Chairman of the Hyukcheon Group?

“Even if I get ready now, I’ll be cutting it close.”

He was already within the main estate, so it wouldn’t take long to get there—but he couldn’t exactly show up in casual clothes when summoned by the Chairman.

Hanul immediately called for an attendant to help him prepare, dressed in proper formal wear, and made his way to the meeting spot.

The place Kwon Seonwoo had summoned him to was the peak of Mount Oga, near the main estate.

They had flattened the summit and built a small tower atop it.

Standing on the top floor of the tower, Kwon Hanul looked out the window.

“Wow… I had no idea this place existed.”

The blue sky stretched endlessly above, and the mountain ranges below sprawled out like a grand painting.

Just then, the door opened. Kwon Seonwoo entered, flanked by bodyguards.

As soon as he saw Hanul, the Chairman frowned.

“Don’t act like a fool.”

Being scolded out of the blue, Hanul couldn’t help but feel a little unjustly accused.

“What did I do?”

“You were probably gawking out the window in awe, weren’t you?”

Nailed it. Hanul couldn’t deny it anymore.

“Sit.”

Seonwoo gestured toward the table—the only one in the entire spacious floor. It would’ve been ridiculously inefficient for a restaurant, but this wasn’t just any room.

This space existed for the Chairman alone.

Hanul took a seat. After a short wait, servants brought out the food.

As expected of a meal prepared for the Chairman, the aroma alone could stir one’s appetite.

But Hanul couldn’t fully enjoy the taste—after all, this was essentially a meeting.

“The clams are nice and plump.”

Yet the Chairman quietly continued eating without saying another word.

“Why did you ask to see me?”

Unable to hold back any longer, Hanul asked. Seonwoo raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

“Were you always this impatient?”

“Normally, I’m laid-back. But today, I feel like being impatient.”

“Foolish brat. You’re supposed to wait quietly while someone is eating.”

Despite the scolding, Seonwoo finally set his utensils down.

“You did well this time.”

Hanul almost doubted his ears. Praise—from the Chairman—this easily?

“Pardon me… Are you really the Chairman? You’re not an imposter in disguise or something?”

“You’ve lost your damn mind, spouting nonsense like that.”

Considering how naturally the Chairman cursed, yeah—it was definitely him.

Hanul was even more confused now. So… did he really just get praised?

“You protected Takamine Ryoko, eliminated the traitor Rockbreaker, and defeated Ferderance… Honestly, it’s far beyond expectations.”

The Chairman tapped the table with his fingers.

“No… ‘unexpected’ would be more accurate. I never imagined you’d actually kill Ferderance.”

His gaze darkened slightly.

“Impressive, yes—but it also raises questions. Can this truly be explained by being of True Blood?”

Hanul flinched internally.

“What do you think?”

Seonwoo’s eyes narrowed as he locked his gaze onto Hanul. He carefully masked his true feelings and answered:

“Didn’t you say the Hyukcheon Clan is the best in the world? Then as a True Blood, shouldn’t I at least be capable of this much?”

Apparently satisfied, Seonwoo gave a small nod.

“You’re not wrong.”

“You’re not just going to leave it at words, are you?”

Hanul’s casual demand for compensation made the Chairman chuckle dryly.

“You’re right. You deserve a proper reward.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll grant you access to the Treasury.”

Hanul’s eyes widened.

“Enter with your teammates. Each of you may take one item.”

“…You’re serious?”

“You defeated one of Pandemonium’s villains. That kind of feat deserves a worthy reward.”

The Hyukcheon Treasury housed all the treasures the clan had ever acquired.

Letting not just Hanul, but even his teammates take something from there—this was an incredible privilege.

“Anything else you’d like?”

Seonwoo didn’t stop at the Treasury. He even asked if Hanul had any other requests.

“Yes. There is.”

“Let’s hear it.”

Hanul took out a sheet of paper he had been waiting to hand over.

“What’s this?”

“A list of ingredients. I’d like you to obtain them.”

Seonwoo scanned the paper. As he read further, his brow gradually furrowed.

“Root of Solar Pepper, petals of Ice Bloom… Mandrake fruit…”

He looked up from the paper and stared at Hanul.

“Have you lost your mind?”

Hanul wasn’t surprised. He expected this reaction.

None of the listed herbs boosted combat stats.

But they did things like rejuvenate the body or regenerate damaged brain tissue—extraordinarily rare effects, making them outrageously expensive.

The total cost would be a burden even for the Hyukcheon Group.

“Are you planning to ask the Takamine family for a Rebirth Procedure?”

“How did you know?”

“If I didn’t know at least that much, I wouldn’t be sitting here.”

Seonwoo spoke casually, but Hanul felt a chill.

The Rebirth Procedure was a technique the Takamine family had only just recently developed, and very few even within the family knew about it.

Yet Seonwoo not only knew—it seemed he had already identified the list down to its purpose.

“The Rebirth Procedure… not a bad idea. Not every master has undergone it, but everyone who has become a master has.”

After some thought, Seonwoo spoke again.

“I can get them.”

“Really?”

“But there’s a condition. Hand over all the poison you obtained from Ferderance.”

“What do you want that for?”

“Do you think poisons that potent are easy to come by? They’re useful in all sorts of ways.”

That condition wasn’t difficult to agree to. After all, having the authority was meaningless if it couldn’t be used.

“Lastly, raise the prestige of Hyukcheon. Then I’ll hand it over.”

“…Excuse me?”

Kwon Hanul frowned and asked again. The condition was too vague. Raise the prestige?

Perhaps sensing Kwon Hanul’s confusion, a faint, enigmatic smile appeared on Kwon Seonwoo’s face.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already figured out how.”

Just then, a bodyguard whispered something into Kwon Seonwoo’s ear. He nodded and said:

“Perfect timing. Let them know I’ll be there soon.”

“Understood.”

Even though there was still food left on the table, Kwon Seonwoo rose from his seat.

“Let’s go. There’s someone you need to meet.”

Kwon Seonwoo led Kwon Hanul to a reception room, clearly intended for entertaining guests.

Inside, two people were already seated—an elderly man and a young man.

As soon as Kwon Seonwoo entered, both men stood up and bowed their heads.

“It’s been a while, Chairman.”

Kwon Seonwoo grasped the old man’s hand in a warm handshake. The two seemed to be on very familiar terms.

“Thank you for coming all this way.”

“It was nothing. I was too excited about delivering this important news to feel tired.”

Kwon Seonwoo laughed heartily, then turned to Kwon Hanul.

“Introduce yourself. This is Abdul Rasad from the House of Rasad.”

“I’m Kwon Hanul. It’s a pleasure.”

Hanul bowed politely. The elderly man—Abdul Rasad—let out a hearty laugh.

“I may be old and plain, but I serve as a Master Tuner for the House of Rasad.”

A puzzled expression spread across Hanul’s face. It was the first time he’d heard of the Rasad family or the title of Master Tuner.

Thankfully, Kwon Seonwoo noticed his confusion and offered an explanation.

“The Rasad family is based in the Middle East. They’re the only truly neutral clan in the world.”

“Neutral?”

“No faction is allowed to interfere with the Rasad family, and in turn, they cannot side with any particular group. That’s the agreement.”

It was a remarkable and unprecedented agreement.

Hanul looked at Abdul Rasad again, now with even more astonishment. Rasad only smiled silently.

“It’s not as grand as it sounds. Our family lineage happens to carry a rather unique trait.”

“You’re being modest. Countless Hunters have benefited from the Tuners of the Rasad family.”

“I appreciate the kind words.”

Abdul Rasad smiled brightly and continued.

“If you’re unfamiliar with our family, then I assume you haven’t heard of the Genius Bloodline either.”

“I’m afraid not… Wait, what?”

Hanul shouted in surprise.

“Did you say the Genius Bloodline?!”

“Hahaha, the name is misleading. It doesn’t literally make you a genius. It’s a bloodline that enhances cognitive flexibility, allowing you to understand things others wouldn’t.”

There was no way Hanul didn’t know it. He possessed that very bloodline.

It not only expanded thought processes, but also offered defense against mental attacks, insight into structures of objects, and the ability to dispel curses—making it a truly versatile lineage.

“With the power of the Genius Bloodline, one can accurately assess a Hunter’s condition. For example—whether their physique is well-balanced, or whether they’ve developed any bad habits. Things like that.”

But the version Abdul Rasad was talking about seemed a bit different from what Hanul knew.

“No matter how skilled a Hunter is, they always pick up a few bad habits. Our Rasad family’s work is to identify and correct those flaws.”

Correction of flaws.

Hearing that, Hanul felt a resonance. It seemed similar to the True Genius Bloodline he possessed.

To be precise, it was clearly a subset of his True Genius Bloodline.

Hanul had experienced it firsthand—True Bloodlines possessed powers on an entirely different scale compared to standard ones.

“Even with an explanation, it may not feel real. Why don’t you experience it for yourself?”

Suddenly, Abdul Rasad’s expression turned serious.

He scanned Hanul’s body with piercing eyes. A moment later, his face revealed genuine surprise.

“…This is astonishing.”

“Is something wrong?”

“On the contrary. There’s nothing wrong at all.”

Clearly finding it hard to believe, Abdul Rasad continued to observe Hanul.

“Your skeletal alignment is perfect, and your muscles are evenly developed. I’ve never seen a body this flawless.”

He tilted his head slightly in wonder.

“This is unusual. Even the most rigorous Hunters tend to have one or two weak points in their flow of mana. But I can’t find a single one in you, Mr. Kwon.”

It was the first time Hanul had heard something like this. But he had a good guess why.

Because what he possessed wasn’t just any Genius Bloodline—it was True Blood. Without realizing it, his flaws may have already been corrected.

“Ah, pardon me. I’ve behaved rudely… It’s just so surprising…”

Even as he apologized, Abdul Rasad couldn’t take his eyes off Hanul.

At that moment, Kwon Seonwoo asked, “And the young man beside you?”

His gaze shifted to the youth who had accompanied Abdul Rasad.

“I greet the Master of Hyukcheon!”

The young man immediately dropped to his knees.

“My name is Steven Babel.”

Even if the name wasn’t familiar, Hanul had heard the surname Babel many times before.

The House of Babel.

A lineage known for possessing the Dragon Heart Bloodline)—a bloodline tied to dragons.

Dragons and Eastern-style dragons were different species, but both belonged to the category of “dragonkind.” Naturally, comparisons between the Hyukcheon family and the Babel family were frequent.

Just as the Hyukcheon Clan was known in the East, the Babel family was their counterpart in the West.

As one might expect, the relationship between the two families was far from cordial.

“Babel?”

Kwon Seonwoo asked with a curious expression.

“What’s someone from the Babel family doing here?”

“I’m currently escorting him on behalf of the Babel family to request tuning from Master Abdul Rasad.”

“Hmph.”

Kwon Seonwoo stroked his chin.

“I never intended to allow anyone from the Babel family into this place.”

His single comment instantly dampened the mood in the room. Steven Babel swallowed nervously.

The Hyukcheon clan, known for their pride, would hardly view the often-compared Babel family in a positive light. The reverse was also true.

Simply put—their relationship was…

“Somewhat unpleasant.”

Hostile, even.

Sweat poured from Steven’s face. Kwon Seonwoo eventually let the tension go.

“I’m joking.”

It was clearly not a joke. He’d just asserted dominance to put the Babel representative in his place.

“Well, he’s still an honored guest. Greet him properly.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Hanul quickly stepped forward, as if he’d been waiting for this moment. Ever since he heard the name Babel, he had something in mind.

“I’m Kwon Hanul.”

He swiftly extended his hand. Steven Babel, watching Kwon Seonwoo’s reaction, cautiously shook it.

<‘???’ detects the presence of the Dragon Heart Bloodline.>

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]