Chapter 113

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 113: The Sanchez Family (3)

The giants were destroying everything.

They looked like masses of cloud clumped together, swinging their fists and smashing buildings, the ground—everything in sight.

At a glance, it seemed like random, indiscriminate destruction, but that wasn’t the case.

There was a clear target.

“Wahaha!”

A fist came crashing down.

And there, standing at the center of the impact, was an East Asian man laughing loudly.

“The Sanchez family's gigantification is always a spectacular sight!”

Every time the giant’s fist struck the ground, the earth trembled. The air itself seemed to be crushed.

Yet despite being exposed to such overwhelming force, the man laughed like he was having the time of his life.

“But what a shame! Did you really think such slow punches could catch someone like me, Kwon Myung-woo?!”

Contrary to his words, the giant’s fists weren’t slow at all.

To the average eye, the moment a punch seemed to be raised, it had already slammed into the ground.

But Kwon Myung-woo was faster. He dodged before the punch even landed.

“Well, now that I’ve had my fill of spectating, let me show you my own fists!”

Kwon Myung-woo activated Dragon Aura Combat Arts. A black aura surged around him.

Kicking off the ground, he soared into the sky, leaving a dark afterimage like a dragon ascending to the heavens.

In an instant, he reached the giant’s eye level—and then threw a punch.

Black Dragon's Twelve Ascending Techniques — Upper Form

Aura Strike Technique: Rising Dragon Fist

A tremendous amount of Dragon Aura burst forth.

The energy took the shape of a dragon’s head and pierced the giant’s torso.

Even after penetrating one giant, the Rising Dragon Fist didn’t dissipate—it went straight through to the next.

In a flash, two giants vanished with gaping holes in their bodies. All that remained in their places were corpses.

“Wahahaha! This is delightful!”

Kwon Myung-woo roared with joy.

Watching him, Khan Sanchez clenched his teeth.

‘That lunatic old man…’

There was no other way to describe him.

Who were the ones currently fighting Kwon Myung-woo?

They were the strongest hunters and elite warriors of the Sanchez family.

Only the best of the best were gathered here, yet they were being overwhelmed by one man.

‘What is he?! What the hell is he?!’

The higher-tier ability of the Superhuman Bloodline—Gigantification—wasn’t just about becoming huge.

It granted overwhelming destructive power and unimaginable defensive capability, far beyond what a human body could contain.

A Sanchez blood relative in a gigantified state was basically a walking fortress—and a bomb.

Yet this man, Kwon Myung-woo, was not only handling multiple of them at once but obliterating them in a single strike.

‘This kind of difference in power? It’s insane!’

It was beyond comprehension.

He knew Kwon Myung-woo was hailed as the Strongest Fist of Hyukcheon, one of the top hunters in the world.

But the Sanchez side was also among the strongest.

So how was there such a massive gap in ability?

“Wahaha!”

Just as Khan Sanchez let out a curse under his breath, yet another giant was wiped out.

—Disengage gigantification! You’re just making yourselves bigger targets at this rate!

Realizing things couldn’t go on like this, Khan issued a command.

The remaining members of Dentes de Leao’s unit all deactivated their gigantification.

“What a shame. It was fun punching you lot.”

Kwon Myung-woo said, casually scanning his enemies.

Unlike him, the Sanchez bloodline members were gasping for breath.

Not only did gigantification consume enormous stamina, but they had also fought Kwon Myung-woo in that state.

Even in their exhaustion, the Sanchez clan remained tense—unsure when he might strike again.

“Hm.”

But Kwon Myung-woo didn’t attack immediately. Instead, he looked to the sky and muttered.

“They’re all doing quite well.”

Khan and the others didn’t immediately understand what he meant.

“Can you feel it too? The tide of battle far off in the distance—it’s shifting.”

Only then did they realize.

The flow of Aura in the distance had changed.

The Sanchez clan’s presence had noticeably weakened. In contrast, the aura of the Black Dragon bloodline had grown stronger.

There was only one possible interpretation.

The Sanchez family was being pushed back.

Khan Sanchez and his unit's expressions darkened.

“Hudon’s a talented kid with great instincts… but he's too afraid. He keeps avoiding fights, so of course he lacks experience. And hiding behind the Blackscale Armor all the time doesn’t help either.”

Whether they listened or not, Kwon Myung-woo kept talking with a satisfied smile.

“There are realms in this world you can only reach by risking your life. That’s why I forced them into this group battle. And they’ve grown just as I’d hoped.”

His monologue wasn’t over yet.

“That Mei Hong girl—it seems she finally let go of some of that pride. You’ve heard, haven’t you? That the Mei family are traitors?”

His expression turned solemn.

“The first time I saw that child, I felt chills. That kind of dazzling talent is rare. If she’d been an enemy, I would’ve killed her without hesitation—to eliminate any future threat.”

That such a monster of a man would speak so highly of someone…

Under different circumstances, Khan might have been impressed. But he didn’t have the luxury to think about that now.

He had to recover his drained stamina as quickly as possible.

“But right now, she’s on Hanul’s team, so we’ve got to help her. Her problem was that she carried too much weight on her shoulders.”

Kwon Myung-woo lightly tapped his own shoulder.

“I get it. She bears too many burdens. But if you’re consumed by revenge, you can’t grow. That’s why I sent her to the underground arena—to let her blow off some steam.”

Khan Sanchez felt his breathing beginning to stabilize.

“Gael Garcia… well, there’s not much to say about that one. He does fine on his own. His stats are a bit lacking, though, so I had him join to power up with the tournament prize.”

Khan glanced around. The rest of the unit was recovering too.

“Hanul’s a lucky one. How does he keep gathering those kinds of people?”

Mid-sentence, Kwon Myung-woo turned his gaze to Khan and the Dentes de Leao soldiers.

“So? Everyone caught their breath?”

A vein bulged on Khan’s forehead.

Was that whole monologue just to give us time to recover?!

There was no greater insult.

“Then let’s begin again.”

Kwon Myung-woo reignited his Dragon Aura. Facing that immense force, Khan roared—

“Attack!!”

* * *

Meanwhile…

“This can’t be…”

Maria Sanchez refused to believe it.

The blood relatives she had brought were among the finest in the entire Sanchez family.

Some were already affiliated with Pandemonium, and the rest had reputations that towered sky-high.

And yet—they were losing to a bunch of unknown rookies?

“What’s got you so surprised? You were like that once too, weren’t you?”

Maria Sanchez had become a Pandemonium council member at a young age.

The reason? She was a genius.

She overcame disparities in stats, experience, and age through sheer talent.

That was Maria Sanchez.

“…Don’t tell me you think those brats are in the same league as me.”

“I don’t know if they’re the same, but I’m saying it’s not impossible.”

With that, Joo Hayun raised her mana.

At that moment, a black wall formed behind her.

It wasn’t a real wall. Her mana was simply so intense that it appeared that way.

“No need to drag this out.”

The vast magic began to take shape into a spell.

The space around her started to warp. Though seemingly empty, the distortion began to form a visible shape.

A spear.

A spear forged from twisted space materialized above Joo Hayun’s head.

“…Zanella Ibisili.” Maria Sanchez muttered softly.

It was Joo Hayun’s ultimate spell—one that had earned her the nickname Witch of Hyukcheon.

A single touch from that spear erased anything, no matter what it was.

Back when she worked with Chairman Kwon Seonwoo, she used it to kill an S-class monster in one blow.

“…You’re right. No point in dragging it out.”

She’d wanted to enjoy this fight a little longer.

But with her bloodline comrades in danger, she couldn’t afford to indulge.

At that moment—

—”Miss!”

Khan Sanchez’s voice echoed in her mind.

He was using a specialized skill for telepathic communication.

“Mr. Khan? You called at the perfect time! Things are taking a serious turn. We need your help right awa—”

—“Miss, I’m sorry, but I’m not in a position to help either.”

At those words, Maria Sanchez’s mind went blank for a moment.

“What do you mean?”

—“Do you know who let them into the Mystery City? It was Hyukcheon’s Greatest Fist!”

At that, Maria felt a chill shoot through her entire body.

“No… That’s a lie, right?”

—“If only it were.”

“Even if it’s Kwon Myung-woo… if it’s you and the Dentes de Leao Unit—”

The call abruptly cut out. A few moments later, the line resumed.

—“Huff—huff!”

Heavy breathing followed.

—“Miss, I can’t explain further! You need to forget about the other clans.”

“What are you talking about?”

—“I mean prioritize the mission! You must return our Founder’s relic to the family!”

Khan Sanchez’s voice grew increasingly urgent—a sign that things were getting worse.

—“After fighting that monster Kwon Myung-woo, I’m convinced. If things continue like this, the Sanchez family will never surpass the Hyukcheon Clan!”

It was hard to believe such words were coming from the proud Khan Sanchez himself.

—“The Founder’s relic is absolutely necessary! We need it! And one more thing—you must survive and return!”

With just Maria and the Founder’s treasure, the Sanchez family could outmatch the Hyukcheon Clan.

Such was Khan Sanchez’s faith in Maria Sanchez’s abilities.

—“Please, do exactly as I say—”

The call disconnected before he could finish.

Maria stood dazed, her expression blank.

“What are you doing?”

It was Joo Hayun speaking to her.

“…Things have changed.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“I wanted to at least finish this properly, but it looks like I can’t.”

Without warning, Maria opened a subspace. She reached into it and began rummaging around.

Eventually, she pulled out a pink-colored pill—a hwandan, a mystical alchemical pill.

“…What’s that?”

The stench emanating from the hwandan was so intense that Joo Hayun’s face stiffened.

Not because it smelled foul, but because just inhaling it elevated her senses and agitated her mana.

“Is that… a booster?”

Some hunters used drugs to supplement their lacking abilities.

“Don’t insult it like that.”

Maria dismissed her.

“It’s similar, but completely different. This is a secret technique passed down in the Sanchez family.”

Maria rolled the hwandan in her palm. Its pink hue deepened.

“Boosters vary in effect, but they all have one thing in common: the stronger they are, the worse the side effects.”

By now, the hwandan had turned crimson.

“And Sanchez bloodlines are far stronger physically than most hunters.”

Joo Hayun’s eyes widened.

She realized what Maria was about to do.

“No way…”

Maria bit down on the hwandan.

Her body was instantly dyed red. Every vein stood out, bulging with power.

Her appearance resembled molten metal—unstable, threatening to melt down from within, yet bursting with overwhelming force.

“Dear god…”

Those with superhuman bloodline possess bodies far beyond ordinary hunters—nearly unkillable, with exceptional vitality.

What kind of strength could be attained if such a body were pushed to its absolute limits with doping?

The very thought was terrifying.

At that moment, Maria assumed a combat stance. Joo Hayun quickly aimed Zanella Ibijilli, her intangible spear, at her.

The spear flew toward Maria—

—but Maria struck it with her fist.

Magic and muscle collided.

In that instant, the spell shattered.

Piercing through the exploding mana, Maria charged forward.

“It’s been fun.”

With those parting words, Maria kicked Joo Hayun in the stomach.

Joo Hayun’s body shot off like a bullet and vanished.

“Still alive, huh?”

Maria looked down at Joo Hayun, now embedded into a building.

After crashing through dozens of buildings and tearing up the ground, she had finally stopped.

“How are you even alive?”

Joo Hayun couldn’t respond—she was unconscious.

Maria noticed the accessory on her and understood.

“A protective relic?”

Artifacts that absorbed damage on behalf of the wearer. That must have been what saved her.

Even so, they hadn’t absorbed everything—the relics were destroyed, and Joo Hayun was barely clinging to life.

“I’ve got no time, but I should still finish this properly.”

Maria raised her foot to crush Joo Hayun’s head—

That’s when it happened.

“Sis!”

A familiar voice. A welcome face.

“Marcos?”

Maria turned, visibly relieved.

“I just finished off Kwon Hanul and—”

She stopped mid-sentence.

Behind Marcos Sanchez… stood Kwon Hanul.

“Kwon Hanul?”

“Hello there.”

Kwon Hanul waved casually. Maria was stunned.

“What’s with the polite speech—no, wait, more importantly, what the hell is he doing here… Marcos, don’t tell me you captured him?”

But that didn’t make sense. Kwon Hanul wasn’t bound or even injured.

Still, it was too surreal to assume anything else.

“Sis! That’s not it!”

“Then what is it?”

“I’ve finally realized who my true master is!”

Marcos Sanchez dropped to his knees and pointed at Kwon Hanul with both hands.

“It’s him! He’s the one I—no, the entire Sanchez family—should devote our loyalty to!”

Maria’s jaw slowly dropped.

“Marcos. This is no time for jokes.”

“It’s not a joke! I saw the light after meeting Lord Kwon Hanul! I finally understood why I was born!”

He clenched his fists, trembling with emotion.

“I was born to serve him! To give my life for Kwon Hanul’s great cause!”

Maria closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temple.

To calm the headache.

“The relic?”

“The Founder’s treasure? Of course, Lord Kwon Hanul has it. He’s the true, rightful bearer—”

A murderous aura erupted from Maria.

In a flash, she appeared in front of Marcos and threw a punch.

At that moment, Kwon Hanul grabbed her fist mid-air.

“Family shouldn’t fight.”

“I’ll deal with that idiot later. You’re next. Let go and get lost.”

“Can’t do that.”

Kwon Hanul rejected her flatly.

“As you can see, Marcos Sanchez has pledged his loyalty to me.”

Maria’s brow twitched.

“What did you do to him?”

“Oh, a bit of this and that. Don’t worry, nothing bad for his health.”

Maria’s face twisted further.

“…Right. Looks like I got the order wrong. I shouldn’t have started with that idiot—should’ve killed you first.”

She reached with her other hand and grabbed Kwon Hanul by the throat.

With the power of her superhuman bloodline and the doping effect, she should’ve been able to crush him.

She should have.

No matter how hard she squeezed, his neck wouldn’t budge. It was like pressing against a steel pillar embedded in bedrock.

“How are you…?”

Before she could finish, Kwon Hanul grabbed her hand in return.

Maria screamed—the pain felt like her bones were being shattered.

“I’ll explain everything later.”

He raised his other hand.

On his fourth finger was a strange, ornate ring.

“But first—this.”

He clamped the ringed hand over Maria’s face.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]