Chapter 116

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 116: The Sanchez Family (6)

“There’s nothing I need you to do right this moment…”

It was clear now that Maria Sanchez held a very high position within her family.

That alone could be a huge asset if used well. But the real reason she had been subdued in the first place was due to the forbidden command of the Superhuman Bloodline.

“I’ll let you go. But if the Sanchez family or Pandemonium tries anything suspicious, contact me.”

Kwon Hanul pulled out a business card and handed it to her. Maria Sanchez accepted it with a dumbfounded look.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“I mean, if you’re going to use me, you could do anything…”

Even Maria herself looked startled by her own words.

This should’ve been something to celebrate—so why did she say that?

“You could wipe out the Sanchez family… or go after their heirlooms…”

“Whoa, sounds like you’ve got quite the grudge against your family. You’d get along well with Mei Hong.”

That remark made Maria flare up. She was in the middle of talking, and he just had to mock her like that?

“It’s all tempting, sure… but these are grand plans. You’d need to prepare and execute them properly.”

He knew from experience with the Hyukcheon clan—powerful families were tightly managed and heavily guarded.

A few traitors wouldn’t be enough to bring them down.

Even if one of those traitors was Maria Sanchez.

“Besides, I’ve got a lot on my plate.”

The Sky Arena Tournament was fast approaching. Not to mention the remaining threats from the Mei family.

“So this setup feels just about right.”

With that, Kwon Hanul left Maria Sanchez behind and headed to where Joo Hayun was waiting.

“Kwon Hanul, sir!”

Marcos Sanchez lit up at the sight of him.

“I saw everything! You really pushed Maria that far—Sir, you’re truly…”

“Yeah, okay.”

Marcos looked like he was ready to lick the dirt off Kwon Hanul’s shoes.

“You should head back now.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Marcos looked as though his whole world had collapsed.

“I want to serve by your side, sir!”

“No. Go back. Now.”

Kwon Hanul’s tone left no room for argument. Dejected, Marcos trudged off in the direction of Maria Sanchez.

Even as he walked away, he kept glancing back at Kwon Hanul, clearly reluctant to leave.

Kwon Hanul watched him go, lost in thought.

Marcos acted like he would give up everything for him… So why was Maria so different?

“That’s strange…”

“Sis.”

“Shut it. Before I rip your mouth open.”

Maria Sanchez’s voice dripped with venom. Still, she couldn’t actually lay a hand on Marcos.

Kwon Hanul had ordered her to forgive him before leaving.

“Start pulling our people back. Let Elder Khan Sanchez know, too.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Marcos quickly fled to carry out the order.

“I don’t get what just happened…”

Ever since Kwon Hanul grabbed her head, she hadn’t been able to disobey his commands.

What made it worse—this wasn’t just obedience against her will.

“It… it didn’t even feel that bad…”

That outrage she’d shown earlier? All an act.

The truth was, Maria felt… pleased to follow his orders.

It was utterly baffling.

“No way. I’m losing it. I’ve really lost it.”

Then she remembered the last thing Kwon Hanul had said.

“Could you aim to become the head of your family?”

But he hadn’t commanded her to become the family head. All he said was to keep an eye on the Sanchez family and Pandemonium.

Still…

“…If I became the head… wouldn’t I be able to help him even more?”

At some point, Maria had started referring to Kwon Hanul as him—with reverence.

That was the terrifying power of the contract.

Without even realizing it, the body and heart surrender completely to the master.

“…Yeah. That’s right.”

The moment she set that goal, a firework exploded high in the sky with a loud bang.

It was the retreat signal—launched by Marcos Sanchez.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kwon Hudon was in a real bind.

“What the hell am I supposed to do…”

Lying unconscious at his feet was a woman.

Larisa Sanchez—a member of the Sanchez family’s bloodline—whom he had just fought.

“Seriously, what now…”

The moment the battle started, she went down from a single punch.

The real problem came after that.

She was the enemy, so killing her should’ve been a no-brainer. But now that she was unconscious, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“…Damn, I should’ve hit harder from the start.”

Had he done that, she would’ve died on impact and spared him this moral dilemma.

“Ugh…”

Kwon Hudon hesitated as he stared at Larisa.

Then—boom! A firework exploded in the sky.

“What’s that?”

He looked up in confusion, and just then, Larisa Sanchez’s body twitched.

“Ugh… my head…”

Seeing her regain consciousness, Kwon Hudon sighed in relief.

He’d been unsure about killing a defenseless opponent. Now that she was awake, problem solved.

If she attacked again, this time…

“…You spared me, didn’t you?”

Kwon Hudon froze. Wait, what?

“I tried to kill you… but you…”

Larisa Sanchez’s eyes welled with tears.

It seemed she had wildly misread the situation in her mind.

“The retreat signal’s been fired. I’ll never forget this kindness.”

With that, Larisa pushed off the ground and vanished.

Once she was gone, Kwon Hudon muttered quietly to himself.

“…I should’ve just killed her earlier.”

* * *

“Spare me.”

It was the moment just before the killing blow.

Out of nowhere, Karolina Sanchez spoke up.

“What kind of crap is that?”

“I’m saying I don’t wanna die, so please spare me.”

Despite her massive frame, Karolina Sanchez showed no shame in begging for her life.

“You’ve already won, haven’t you? So couldn’t you show just a bit of mercy?”

The battle with Karolina Sanchez hadn’t been easy.

She swung massive weapons like they were feathers, and her relentless attacks had pushed Mei Hong into danger more than once.

But in the end, the victor was Mei Hong.

“So come on, let me live.”

“Killing you seems like the smarter choice. Better to get rid of future trouble while I can.”

“You’ve got a point. But how about this—think of it this way: if you let me live, someday I’ll be of use to you.”

Mei Hong’s eyes narrowed, half-lidded.

“I don’t need your help.”

“There’s no such thing as ‘never’ in this world. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll end up helping you.”

Mei Hong tightened her grip on the sword. She didn’t see the point in listening to this nonsense any longer.

“Aren’t you curious about what the Mei Clan is planning?”

But that made her pause.

“You know something?”

“Not right now. But if the Mei Clan wants to attack your Hyukcheon, they’ll have no choice but to get help from the Underworld.”

Crack.

The sound of teeth grinding filled the air. Mei Hong’s eyes were bloodshot.

“So you’re dangling the Mei Clan as a bargaining chip without even knowing anything?”

Karolina Sanchez shrugged.

“That’s how desperate I am. And you’re no different, are you? You’re so in the dark that even vague info like this has you biting.”

In that moment, Mei Hong’s sword flashed. A shallow cut traced across Karolina Sanchez’s neck.

“…Get lost. And don’t forget your promise.”

“Thanks.”

Without hesitation, Karolina Sanchez fled.

Mei Hong silently watched her go.

* * *

Meanwhile

“Gotcha!”

Bruno Sanchez spread his arms wide and shouted.

Despite being known as the toughest in the Sanchez family, his body was covered in wounds.

But this humiliation would soon be over. All he had to do was grab the enemy and crush him with his bare hands—

Then Gael Garcia reached into the air.

Demonic energy gathered, forming an executioner’s axe. Bruno Sanchez’s face went pale.

“Hey! That’s cheating…!”

The black axe dropped vertically. A dark line sliced down from the top of Bruno’s head to his groin.

From that line, blood burst forth. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.

Gael Garcia grabbed Bruno Sanchez’s head and raised it high. Only after confirming death did he release his demonic form.

“Whew… Definitely not a technique I should use often.”

Summoning demonic power granted immense strength, but the toll was just as great.

Just then, a fireball shot into the sky and exploded, lighting up the air with grand fireworks.

“Fireworks? In broad daylight?”

Though puzzled, Gael Garcia quickly dismissed the thought.

“Better regroup with the boss.”

Leaving Bruno Sanchez where he lay, Gael turned and walked away.

Moments after he left—

“Urghh!”

With a guttural breath, like someone exhaling after holding it too long, Bruno Sanchez raised his head.

“Damn near died there.”

Anyone who heard that would’ve screamed.

He’d been sliced from head to groin. Not split in two, but still a wound he should’ve died from.

“Never fighting that guy again.”

Bruno shook his head violently, then looked up at the fireworks.

“Guess that was the retreat signal. Time to get the hell out of here.”

* * *

Seeing the fireworks in the sky, Khan Sanchez was taken aback.

A retreat signal? Now, of all times? Could Lady Maria have already secured the Founder's Relic?

A dozen thoughts raced through his head. But the last one that surfaced was:

Impossible.

Retreating only works against opponents who are in your weight class.

Escaping from Hyukcheon’s top martial artist—this monster—was out of the question.

“So the Sanchez family uses easy-to-spot retreat signals.”

Kwon Myung-woo looked up and remarked.

“Pah.”

Khan Sanchez spat out blood instead of replying. His mouth had torn from a punch just moments ago.

“Don’t bother talking.”

“You’ve got some fight in you, kid. Most would be scrambling to run by now after getting pushed this far.”

All of Dentes de Leao’s squad members were down. Most were dead, and the rest were critically injured.

Khan Sanchez was relatively intact—but that wouldn’t last.

Then Kwon Myung-woo did something unexpected. He sat down on the ground.

Perplexed, Khan Sanchez asked, “You’re letting me and my men go?”

Kwon Myung-woo nodded.

“A reward for standing your ground and not losing your will, even against me.”

That instant, Khan Sanchez seethed with fury.

“How far are you going to humiliate us?!”

They hadn’t landed a single hit. Now they were being spared out of pity?

Was there any greater shame for a warrior?

“Get up and fight me!”

To his killing intent, Kwon Myung-woo responded with calm indifference.

“You just inherited the title of strongest in the Sanchez family. That makes you the clan’s representative. You may not know it yet, but taking on that title marks your true beginning.”

Then he added, “You’ve just begun to sprout. Crushing you now would be a waste. Grow stronger—and we’ll meet again.”

To say he looked forward to his enemy’s growth—it was unbearably arrogant.

Yet Khan Sanchez couldn’t deny him those words.

Kwon Myung-woo had earned that right.

“…Damn it.”

Khan gathered his surviving squad members.

He stored the dead in subspace. At the very least, he had to bring back their bodies.

“Hyukcheon’s Strongest Fist—next time we meet, it won’t be like this.”

“I’ll be around,” Kwon Myung-woo said, waving a hand.

After Khan Sanchez disappeared, Kwon Myung-woo patted his back with a clenched fist.

“Oof, my back. Am I getting old?”

Even with his overwhelming skill, fighting the Sanchez family’s top hunter—and their elite squad—had taken its toll.

“Not bad.”

Had Khan Sanchez been less impressive, Kwon wouldn’t have let him live.

But he’d held his own, even pushed Kwon to get serious.

“My brother always said it was a bad habit… but oh well.”

Letting strong enemies go was a habit of his—and perhaps the reason he’d come this far.

“Time to go find someone else to beat up.”

With that, Kwon Myung-woo stood and walked off.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]