Chapter 84 - Bloodline is Everything

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 84: Dungeon Raid (1)

[‘???’ has deferred acquiring the Sacred Beast’s Bloodline.]

[The user's vessel has reached its limit.]

[To acquire a new bloodline, the vessel must be expanded.]

Once again, the bloodline hadn’t been acquired.

But since Hanul hadn’t upgraded his stats yet, it wasn’t all that surprising.

What mattered more now was that the man standing in front of him possessed that bloodline.

‘Sacred Beast Bloodline?’

He had never heard of such a bloodline before.

“You said your name was GG?”

“Yes.”

The man answered briefly, his demeanor terse and reserved.

“If you're a guide, are you affiliated with the Pablo Family?”

To Hanul’s question, GG replied stiffly, “I’ve only been temporarily hired. I’m originally a freelance hunter.”

Because South America was largely lawless, many disreputable hunters often went into hiding there.

And judging by the alias "GG", it was highly likely this man had come to South America for similar reasons.

Hanul wanted to probe further into his identity, but he couldn’t predict how GG might respond.

He’s the only one who knows anything about the dungeon. If he bolts, that would be a serious problem.

Whatever the case, dungeon info came first.

“What’s the dungeon like inside?”

GG pulled out a thick sheet of paper from inside his coat and spread it over a nearby rock.

“This is a map I drew during my exploration.”

Hanul and the other three leaned in to look.

The drawing was crude, but the layout of the structures and paths inside the dungeon was surprisingly detailed.

“The interior consists of ruins,” GG said.

Hanul furrowed his brows. Among the many types of dungeons, this was one of the trickiest.

First, it was impossible to predict what kinds of mechanisms were inside.

Traps were a given, and sometimes doors would be locked tight and wouldn't open.

To get through, you’d either have to solve complex puzzles or find keys — neither of which were easy tasks.

“What kind of monsters appear inside?” Hanul asked as he studied the map.

“Demons.”

He looked up at that.

“Demons inhabit the interior of the dungeon.”

GG repeated the statement, as if driving in a nail.

Demons.

Among the beings encountered in dungeons, demons were the only species known to possess highly developed intelligence and a form of civilization.

Which meant the danger they posed was in an entirely different league from other monsters.

Humanity had once been brought to the brink of destruction by demons.

Ever since, the global policy was to exterminate on sight whenever a demon appeared.

“Only low-tier demons have shown up so far, so none of them have been particularly threatening.”

Thankfully, the ones inside this dungeon were supposedly low-tier.

At most, they had the intelligence of wild beasts.

Still, that didn’t mean they could let their guard down.

Demons, even the weakest, were born with immense magical energy and physically superior bodies.

A dungeon that only spawns low-tier demons was already considered S-rank. If a mid-tier one were to appear, the risk would spike dramatically.

But it wasn’t all bad news.

Compared to regular monsters, slaying demons came with far greater rewards.

I might even gain a Authority.

That was the most exciting possibility.

Hanul had previously gained the Wind Authority: Monarch from a demon’s boots in Hyukcheon’s Vaults.

That Authority became the foundation of his current movement technique, Sky Path.

This time, he might gain another Authority like Monarch.

Hanul returned his attention to the map. Suddenly, something at the center caught his eye.

“What’s this?”

“A structure I saw deep within the dungeon. I don’t know what it is either.”

Hanul examined the drawing closely.

It looked like an egg — possibly the dungeon’s final reward.

He made it all the way to the deepest part?

That meant GG had entered and returned from the depths of a demon-infested dungeon alone.

Only someone with exceptional skill could pull that off.

Definitely not just an ordinary guide.

There were too many things that didn’t add up.

Hanul wanted to press him for answers now, but the dungeon came first.

“Are you planning to enter the dungeon today?”

“No, not today.”

“Then please call for me again once the schedule is set.”

GG gave a short bow and disappeared.

As he walked away, Mei Hong and Kwon Hudon commented, “Man, that guy gives off serious gloomy vibes.”

“Feels like he eats rocks instead of meals.”

Hanul agreed silently.

“Hayun, do you know anything about Sacred Beast Bloodline?”

“Sacred Beast Bloodline?”

Joo Hayun didn’t seem to know either — she furrowed her brows in thought, which was rare.

“…I think I’ve heard it mentioned in relation to the earliest hunters.”

“The first-generation hunters?”

“Yes. I believe one of the First Hunters — the ones who defended South America during the initial dungeon outbreaks — possessed that bloodline.”

Hanul couldn’t help but wonder.

“Then why haven’t I heard of this person?”

“Because they disappeared right after fending off the monster invasion.”

“Disappeared?”

“Rumor has it they went into hiding somewhere with a group of followers. The reasons aren’t clear.”

That must be why such a legendary figure had faded into obscurity.

“So what kind of bloodline is Sacred Beast Bloodline?”

“The details aren’t well-known, but apparently it grants the ability to use monster-like powers.”

After finishing her explanation, Hayun asked curiously, “But why do you ask about Sacred Beast Bloodline all of a sudden?”

“Oh, I just overheard something. It’s been hard to find any info.”

Hanul deflected the question.

“Anyway, let’s head back. Everyone must be tired from coming all the way here.”

After that, Hanul and the others headed for the hotel they had booked.

Though Mexico was a lawless zone, not all areas were like that.

Cities under the Pablo Family's direct control were well-developed and tightly secured.

It was ironic, but not Hanul’s concern.

Once at the hotel, Hanul rested and discussed dungeon strategy with the group.

They checked their gear and the condition of their supplies.

Meanwhile, Hanul contacted Ricardo Pablo to ask about GG.

“Curious about the guide, are you? Very thorough of you. Not even choosing a guide carelessly, I see.”

Ricardo praised Hanul, interpreting even his caution as a virtue.

“I don’t know much about that guide. But I’ll connect you with someone who might.”

It wasn’t like a crime syndicate boss would know about every freelance hunter under his employ.

Ricardo connected him with the person in charge of managing dungeons and hunters for the Pablo Family.

“GG? Boring guy, but very capable.”

“No matter how complicated the dungeon, he always finds the right path.”

“We’ve worked together for quite a while now. Over a year, at least.”

“As for his background… well, there are so many operating under aliases these days…”

Freelance hunters were like disposable tools — useful when needed, forgotten when not.

No one really bothered to look into their backgrounds.

If Hanul wanted to uncover GG’s identity, he’d have to ask the man himself.

Eventually, the day of the dungeon raid arrived.

“Greetings.”

GG hadn’t changed at all — still expressionless, still taciturn.

“You called sooner than I expected.”

“Oh really?”

“I assumed it’d take about a week, not just three days.”

GG scanned Hanul’s group.

“But it seems not everyone has arrived yet?”

“This is everyone.”

GG glanced again at the team.

“I only see four people.”

“That’s all of us.”

GG’s pupils widened slightly.

“Forgive me for being presumptuous…” His expression hardened. “That dungeon is extremely dangerous. Even I barely made it out alive several times. I don’t think four people will be enough.”

Hanul smiled.

“Actually, it’s just three of us. Hayun won’t be joining this time.”

Joo Hayun had opted out of this raid.

She believed that if she joined, the dungeon would be cleared too easily — and the Chairman wouldn’t recognize the achievement.

GG looked at Hanul like he had a lot to say — but ultimately held his tongue.

“Understood.”

Hanul and his team stood before the dungeon gate. A little ways back, Hayun watched them quietly.

“We’ll be back soon, Hayun.”

“Stay safe.”

With her words seeing them off, they stepped through the gate.

Once inside, they saw a darkened sky above.

Below it sprawled the ruins — broken, ancient structures in disarray.

“That way leads to the central area,” GG said, pointing west.

Despite having expressed doubt earlier, now that they were inside, he calmly got to work.

“From this point on, please follow my instructions carefully. If you lose focus for even a second, the ruins’ traps will…”

Just as he was about to speak, GG suddenly stopped in his tracks. He looked around and said, “Demons are approaching.”

Kwon Hanul expanded his sensing range as well, but he couldn’t detect anything.

In that brief moment of confusion, thorns sprouted beneath their feet. Kwon Hanul reacted quickly, using the thorns as a springboard to leap into the air.

The rest of the team was a bit slower to respond but managed to dodge the thorns by twisting their bodies midair.

— Kyaruruk.

From underground, black creatures sprang up. Their arms and legs were long and thorn-like, while their torsos and heads were tiny.

“Xcies,” GG said, his tone calm and serious despite the situation. “They use their limbs like spikes and can spit out acidic fluid from their mouths. Both are dangerous, but you need to be especially careful of the acid. If it hits, it’ll melt through your gear along with you.”

More and more Xcies began bursting from the ground, quickly growing into dozens.

— Kyaruru.

— Kyarururuk.

The Xcies let out shrill cries, disturbingly similar to human laughter.

“If they charge all at once, it could get ugly. We should fall back to a safer position first—”

“Ugh, that sound is seriously irritating,” Mei Hong cut GG off mid-sentence. It wasn’t out of malice. “They’re loud. Let’s shut them up first.”

She drew her sword.

Running her palm along the blade, she sliced it open. Her blood stained the sword red, and glowing letters appeared on the blade:

Ghostblade– “Truth or Falsehood, Sever the Feet”

It wasn’t Shura Aura.

It was one of the abilities of Shura Bloodline—the manifestation of the Ghostblade.

Mei Hong swung her sword in a wide arc. A crimson wave of sword energy rippled out in a circle, slicing through the Xcies in one motion.

The Xcies screamed as they were struck, but their injuries were only superficial—just scratches on their skin.

— Kyaruk?

— Kyaruru!

— Kyarururuk!

Their cries grew louder, as if mocking her.

Mei Hong’s lips curled in a smirk.

“You really shouldn’t get hit by that.”

The wounds on the Xcies' torsos began to glow red.

— Kyaruk?

Right as confusion spread across their faces, the glowing gashes flared—and exploded.

Their laughter turned into screams in an instant. Severed limbs were flung in every direction.

Ghostblade (鬼劍):

A power of Asura’s Blood that enslaves the souls of those it kills.

Mei Hong had explained this once before:

The greatest strength of the Ghostblade is that it lets the wielder use one skill from the soul they’ve absorbed.

The soul she used this time belonged to Rockbreaker. His signature ability? An explosive skill dubbed Bomberman.

“How was that?” Mei Hong asked, clearly proud of herself.

And then—

— Kkiruk!

Several surviving Xcies charged toward her.

Despite having lost limbs—and even parts of their upper bodies in the explosion—they moved frighteningly fast.

They all opened their mouths. With a sharp phut, they spat out green fluid.

To call it "spitting" was generous—it fired like a bullet.

Kwon Hudon jumped in front of her just in time. He was already armored in his signature Blackscale Armor.

“That stuff’s dangerous,” Kwon Hanul warned.

Even with his Blackscale Armor, Hudon could be in serious danger if hit directly by that acid.

But Hanul’s concern was unnecessary.

Kwon Hudon wasn’t planning to just tank it.

Unbreakable Armor: Scattered Potassium Burst

Cracks appeared on the surface of his Blackscale Armor.

A powerful explosion burst from it, sending shards of armor flying, deflecting the acid, and blasting the charging Xcies away.

The remaining Xcies were wiped out in one go.

“Phew!”

Kwon Hudon wiped sweat from his brow.

“Hanul! I finished them off!”

“Why are you acting like you did it all? I took out like 70% of them.”

“I-I never said I did it all…”

As Hudon and Mei Hong bickered—

The ground trembled violently.

A massive creature burst through the ruins of the ancient building.

It stood over three meters tall. But what stood out even more was its grotesque appearance.

It had the legs of a horse, the torso of a man, and the head of a goat.

“Goatman…?”

For the first time, GG’s ever-serious voice wavered.

During the demonic invasion, Goatman was responsible for more human deaths than any other. He was powerful. Ruthless. Nothing like the Xcies they had just fought.

— Meeeeehhhhhh…

With a chilling cry, the Goatman raised his massive axe.

Mei Hong, Hudon, and even GG braced for battle.

“I’ll handle this one.”

Before anyone could move, Kwon Hanul stepped forward. He pulled out a pair of black gloves from a subspace and slipped them on.

“H-Hanul? Isn’t it too dangerous to go alone—?”

“We don’t know what’s waiting deeper in the dungeon. We need to manage our stamina.”

That was his stated reason—since he hadn’t fought earlier, it made sense for him to take on this fight.

…but the truth was different.

The Ring of Sloth was a relic that amplified training effects by imposing constraints on the user.

Hanul applied three deadly restrictions.

<Duration: 10 minutes>

<Condition: Defeat Goatman solo>

What he’d learned about the Ring of Sloth:

The harsher the conditions, the greater the reward.

And he’d always wanted to test it on a monster of Goatman’s caliber.

— Meeeeeh!

Goatman charged.

Hanul rushed in as well.

The giant axe came crashing down, splitting the ground in an instant.

— Meeh?!

Goatman cried out in confusion.

Hanul wasn’t crushed beneath the axe—he was standing on top of it.

Sky Path

Phase One: Lone Run

A path of wind connected Hanul and the Goatman. He raced along it in a blur.

His spiritual energy surged as he reached Goatman’s head in the blink of an eye.

Black Dragon Ascension Art: Basic Form

Execution Slash: Decapitation Style

Dragon Demon Aura wrapped around both of Hanul’s hands as he crossed them and slashed.

Blood exploded into the air—Goatman’s head hit the ground.

Hanul landed just as the severed head struck earth.

He casually flicked the blood from his gloves.

<‘Ring of Sloth’ mission complete!>

Goatman had been weaker than expected, so the reward wasn’t anything extraordinary.

Brushing off his disappointment, Hanul turned to the group.

“Let’s move.”

…but no one replied.

They all just stared at him, completely dumbfounded.

“What? Haven’t you seen a demon die before?”

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]