Chapter 135

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 135: Spear vs. Spear (2)

Kwon Chan-seong charged toward Catalina Blaga, unleashing the power of the Black Dragon’s Bloodline.

Black scales began to spread across both his arms, shoulders, and back.

His front remained exposed. The Blackscale Armor only protected his arms and back.

At a glance, it looked like a foolish move. The Blackscale Armor was a defensive ability, yet he left his front vulnerable and chose to shield his back instead.

“So that’s your custom version, huh?”

But Catalina Blaga didn’t scoff at the sight.

Very few bloodline members could fully cover their bodies in Blackscale Armor. Most simply didn’t have the capacity to generate that much of it. As a result, the members of Hyukcheon adapted the armor into different forms.

Kwon Chan-seong was no exception.

By reinforcing his arms with the Blackscale Armor, he increased his offensive power. Covering his back created a brace to absorb the recoil of his attacks.

“You talk too much. Let’s tear that mouth off first.”

Kwon Chan-seong spread his ten fingers. The black-armored digits looked just like a dragon’s claws.

He slashed the air. Dragon Combat Aura burst forth in ten sharp waves, surging toward Catalina Blaga.

Catalina didn’t dodge. She punched through the incoming strikes, shattering them with a blow wrapped in aura.

A clash between two absolutes.

The shockwave alone leveled the buildings behind Catalina Blaga. The ground beneath them split apart.

A massive cloud of dust filled the air. Catalina exhaled a sigh of exasperation.

“It’ll cost a fortune to rebuild all this.”

“Shouldn’t you be worrying about staying alive first?”

Kwon Chan-seong shot out of the dust and landed a direct kick to Catalina’s abdomen.

But the impact didn’t send her flying. Instead, a chunk of flesh was ripped clean from her belly. A gaping hole was left behind.

“That hurt.”

Yet Catalina didn’t even flinch.

For one of the bloodline members, a wound like that was little more than a scratch.

Kwon Chan-seong had anticipated as much. Without hesitation, he clenched his fist and gathered his Dragon Combat Aura.

The air around his fist began to swirl violently. Catalina’s face tensed at the ominous sight.

If that punch lands—she’ll die.

Catalina knew it instinctively.

“Haah!”

With a shout, Kwon Chan-seong launched his fist forward. His Qi took on form as it gathered.

Black Dragon’s Twelve Ascending Techniques: Superior Form

Aura Impact Technique – Rising Dragon Fist

At that moment, Catalina Blaga’s eyes turned blood-red. Her ability flooded into Kwon Chan-seong’s vision.

The ground trembled. Countless spears shot up from beneath, impaling Kwon Chan-seong’s body from every angle.

“Khgh…?!”

Blinding pain surged through him. His limbs and torso were all pierced at once, rendering him unable to unleash the Rising Dragon Fist.

Catalina seized the moment and grabbed his fist, unleashing a wave of magic power.

When the two forces collided, a massive explosion erupted. Both were hurled backward from the blast.

“You’re a real pain.”

Brushing the dust from his clothes, Kwon Chan-seong muttered. Despite being at the center of the blast, he was unscathed.

“Seems you’re not fond of my illusions.”

Catalina, on the other hand, had injuries all across her body. But her wounds closed rapidly.

“Not fond at all. Finally met someone who can match me, and what does she do? Pulls cheap tricks like that. Pisses me off.”

“Tricks? That hurts my pride. Want me to show you something real, then?”

Her crimson eyes gleamed even brighter.

The instant Kwon Chan-seong saw that light, the ground beneath his feet gave way.

“What?!”

He plummeted into the abyss below. He tried to conjure footholds with magic, but the energy dissipated instantly.

Then they appeared.

From the darkness below, monsters lifted their heads—grotesque creatures with murderous eyes and dripping fangs.

Even Kwon Chan-seong felt a chill. These monsters were terrifying.

“This… is just an illusion?”

He muttered in disbelief, raising his Aura and preparing to fight.

He knew it was an illusion—but in front of Catalina Blaga, illusions were indistinguishable from reality.

“Damn it!”

Cursing, he released his Dragon Combat Aura toward the monsters.

* * *

Meanwhile…

“Hyaaah! Hah! Haaaah!”

In an empty clearing…

“I said, just DIE already!”

Kwon Chan-seong was punching and firing Aura into thin air. Despite how ridiculous he looked, his expression was dead serious.

Naturally—because within the illusion, he was fighting hordes of monsters.

“Even the mighty Kwon Chan-seong turns into a joke once he’s trapped in an illusion.”

Catalina chuckled as she opened a subspace portal.

She pulled out a long spear from within. Its shaft and blade were dyed a vivid crimson.

Demonic Spear Taldaria

An infamous relic said to pierce not just flesh, but the soul itself.

Even Kwon Chan-seong wouldn’t survive a hit from this.

“If I don’t finish this in one blow, I might be in trouble.”

Catalina poured magic into the spear. Its red glow deepened until it looked ready to drip blood.

With the weapon gripped tightly, she approached. Aimed straight for Kwon Chan-seong’s heart—and thrust.

The red arc pierced his chest. But in the same moment, the spear bounced back.

Catalina’s eyes widened. Through the torn fabric, black scales were visible.

“Blackscale Armor? When did you…?”

“Just now.”

Kwon Chan-seong’s voice rang out. His eyes locked onto hers.

Horror twisted Catalina’s face.

In the next instant, Kwon Chan-seong grabbed her spear and slammed his palm into her chest.

Dragon Combat Aura tore through her insides. Her organs were crushed and shattered. She coughed up blood as she was flung away.

Groaning, Catalina propped herself up with both hands, blood still streaming from her mouth.

“How… did you break the illusion?”

Kwon Chan-seong pointed to his eyes. Unlike usual, they were glowing violet.

“Name-Seeker’s Eye? But that ability doesn’t cancel illusions…”

“Normally, no.”

He nodded.

The Name-Seeker’s Eye enhances dynamic vision. Time slows down while using it.

“But as the synchronization rate with the Black Dragon’s Bloodline increases, the power strengthens too.”

His current synchronization rate: over 90%.

Thanks to that, his Name-Seeker’s Eye could now distinguish truth from illusion.

“It wasn’t easy. Had to pour every last drop of magic into it.”

Blood tears streamed down his face. Overuse had pushed the ability past its limits.

But to escape an illusion cast by someone like Catalina Blaga—that price was more than worth it.

“Now that illusions won’t work, what’ll you do?”

He hurled the demonic spear far into the distance and strode toward her.

But Catalina didn’t get up to fight. She couldn’t—not after taking that last hit.

“Can’t stand? That’s disappointing.”

Kwon Chan-seong raised a knife-hand. Dragon Aura wrapped around his arm.

“Still, I had fun. You lived up to your reputation.”

The aura in his hand flared even brighter.

Catalina remained frozen. Not by choice—she *\still hadn’t recovered from the blow.

The strike fell.

Black Dragon’s Twelve Ascending Techniques: Superior Form

Destruction Style – Absolute End

A massive arc of energy cut through the sky, falling toward Catalina’s head.

The same technique that once wiped out hundreds of monsters guarding the Blaga family.

The arc was mere inches from striking—

When Kwon Chan-seong’s arm vanished.

“What?!”

He panicked.

His eyes still saw the arm—but there was no feeling below the shoulder.

Shocked, he lost control of his Aura. The technique dissipated completely.

As soon as it vanished, sensation returned to his arm. He touched it, his expression grim.

“Phew… that was close.”

Catalina slowly stood up. Her wounds fully healed—no more blood at her lips.

“What did you do to me?”

“I used the bloodline ability.”

“Don’t lie. The Name-Seeker’s Eye can dispel illusions—”

“You’re dumber than I thought.”

Catalina sneered.

“You think human senses begin and end with vision? That one eye could block all of a Vassal Bloodline’s power?”

Humans have five senses.

The Vassal Bloodline can manipulate all of them.

Kwon Chan-seong’s face twisted.

“You really are a monster.”

“That’s my line.”

Once again, the two of them surged with power.

And clashed once more.

* * *

While Catalina Blaga and Kwon Chan-seong were fighting, Kwon Hanul desperately focused on recovering his physical condition.

“…There.”

With great effort, Kwon Hanul managed to lift himself up. Raising his head, he looked toward the two locked in battle.

The clash between the two transcendent beings was brutal. Every blow shook the earth. The clouds in the sky were torn apart.

“Terrifying…”

Hanul didn’t dare approach them. The battle was that intense.

“Hey! You bastard!”

A familiar voice rang out. Kwon Jiseok was running toward him.

But he wasn’t alone. Others followed behind him.

“…Rabbit?”

They were the bloodbounds who had once sacrificed themselves for Hanul.

“You’re okay!”

“I told you to run!”

“If I ran off alone, all the effort we put into getting this far would’ve been for nothing!”

Jiseok snapped irritably, and Hanul let out a breathless chuckle.

“Anyway, say hi. These people here are—”

“Rabbit.”

“…What, you already knew?”

Hanul looked over at the other bloodbounds.

“How… weren’t you dead?”

“Thanks to the regenerative ability of bloodbounds, we survived. …Though not all of us made it.”

Just as Rabbit said, more than half were missing. Their wounds must have been too severe for even bloodbound regeneration to heal.

“…Thank you.”

Hanul bowed his head to the bloodbounds. They waved their hands in dismissal.

“Don’t thank us. Dying for our Master is only natural…”

“No. It’s not something that should be taken for granted.”

He knew.

In the end, it was due to the coercive force of the bloodbound bond. But Hanul couldn't accept it as merely inevitable.

He had controlled them—yes, as a means to escape the Blaga family—but now he had to take responsibility for that choice.

That was the duty of one who held the True Vassal Bloodline. No… it was the duty of a human being.

“This isn’t the time for small talk. We need to get out of here.”

Jiseok urged Hanul.

“No, we can’t.”

“…Now what? What’s the problem this time? With hyung and Catalina Blaga fighting, this is our best chance.”

“Whoever wins, we’re not escaping this family.”

Watching the battle made it crystal clear—Hanul had no hope of escaping either of them in his current state.

Even if he did manage to run, once the battle ended, one of them would come after him.

“And Kwon Chan-seong will win this fight. Once he does, he’ll come for me. No doubt about it.”

“…Hyung’s going to win? What are you talking about?”

Jiseok looked confused, and understandably so. The two were still fighting on equal footing. Neither had the upper hand.

But Hanul was certain of it—Kwon Chan-seong would emerge victorious.

“Catalina Blaga’s taking more and more hits.”

It wasn’t obvious due to her regeneration, but she had already been struck multiple times.

“Her healing is also slowing down.”

Wounds inflicted by aura don’t heal easily. That’s because traces of the opponent’s mana linger and interfere with regeneration.

There is a way to deal with it—by using mana to erase the opponent’s mana—but it consumes a massive amount of energy.

No matter how exceptional her regeneration was, she had definitely used up a significant amount of mana by now.

“…But hyung’s exhausted too.”

Jiseok wasn’t wrong—Kwon Chan-seong wasn’t unscathed. His breathing was heavier, his body covered in wounds.

“It’s just a matter of time.”

No sooner had Hanul spoken those words—

A sudden explosion rocked the world. Hanul and Jiseok shielded their faces with their arms.

As the shockwave subsided, they lowered their hands—and saw it.

Catalina Blaga lay on the ground, coughing up blood.

And in front of her stood Kwon Chan-seong, smiling.

“Khak…”

Catalina Blaga spat blood.

Her condition was dire. Her overflowing regenerative power had ceased to function.

“Finally got you.”

Kwon Chan-seong chuckled darkly, looking down at her. She looked up at him and muttered, “…What… did you just do…”

One moment he had vanished—then the impact struck. When she came to, she was already smashed into the ground.

“I used my trump card. Didn’t expect you to force me to use it.”

Catalina’s mouth opened to speak, but blood poured out before she could utter a word.

“Catalina Blaga—living legend of the hunter world. Heard so many stories… but you’re not much, are you?”

It wasn’t that Catalina Blaga was weak. Among the world’s top-ranked hunters, very few could even hope to face her.

Kwon Chan-seong was simply stronger. Strong enough to transcend centuries of power and experience.

“Grrk.”

Kwon Chan-seong lifted his foot and pressed it against her chest. Her face twisted in agony.

“You’ve lived long enough. You can’t complain about dying now.”

He pressed down harder. Her breastplate cracked. Her heart was being crushed.

A scream tore from Catalina’s throat.

Just then—something flew through the air.

A chilling aura sharp enough to trigger Chan-seong’s instincts. He leapt back.

A spear landed exactly where he’d stood—a magic spear, the same one Catalina had tried to skewer his heart with earlier.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Chan-seong slowly turned his head.

Kwon Hanul stood frozen, arm extended in a throwing pose.

“…Little cousin. What the hell was that?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I threw a spear.”

Hanul relaxed his stance.

“That’s not what I’m asking. Why did you stop me from killing her?”

“I gave it some thought. No matter which of you wins, it doesn’t really benefit me. Between the two, I figured I’d be better off with Catalina Blaga still breathing.”

“So you interfered?”

Chan-seong clicked his tongue.

“Should’ve just run while you had the chance. Or did you fall for her in those few minutes?”

“Didn’t see the point. Either way, you’d catch me in no time.”

“Well, true. Fair assessment.”

“And when I thought it through, I realized—maybe I can beat you.”

Chan-seong’s body froze.

He tilted his head slowly.

“You think you can defeat me?”

“Yeah. I think I’ve got a shot.”

“Are you being serious right now?”

“Everyone who’s ever fought me didn’t believe me either. You know what happened to them?”

Chan-seong began to laugh. And with each laugh, his aura swelled.

“…You just compared me to those worms?”

His twisted smile looked more like a demonic grin.

“Fine. Then I’ll fix your delusions right here, right now!”

He was enormous.

Just looking at him made Hanul’s knees want to buckle. He felt like crying. Like curling into a ball.

But Hanul didn’t run.

He stood his ground—and slowly opened his mouth.

“…Dragon.”

One word. Whispered.

<Activating the power of the Sacred Beast Bloodline.>

<The Black Dragon Bloodline reacts to the Sacred Beast Bloodline!>

<The power of the Sacred Beast Blood transforms!>

<The strength of the Black Dragon Bloodline manifests in this place!>

<Half-Avatar Form activated!>

A storm of mana exploded forth.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]