Chapter 136 - Bloodline is Everything

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 136: Spear vs. Spear (3)

A black storm swirled around Kwon Hanul.

It blew away everything on the ground and rose into the sky, tearing through the clouds.

Catalina Blaga had to dig her fingers into the ground just to avoid being swept away.

Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the storm calmed. The winds dispersed, revealing Kwon Hanul.

The first thing that stood out were the two horns protruding from his forehead. His entire body was engulfed in magical energy like black flames, and amidst it, violet eyes glimmered.

“...Little Dragon?”

The words left Catalina Blaga’s lips before she realized it.

But Kwon Hanul didn’t respond to her. He only glared at Kwon Chan-seong.

“So that’s the power of the True Blood, a privilege only a descendant may wield.”

Kwon Chan-seong slowly examined Hanul from head to toe.

“I was curious when I saw it on video. Just how powerful was that ability? What kind of potential did it hold?”

He paused for a moment.

“This... far exceeds my expectations.”

A grin crept across his lips.

“Impressive. That someone who hasn’t even fully awakened could generate this kind of energy... That’s a terrifying power.”

A flush of excitement appeared on Kwon Chan-seong’s face. The pride shared by all of the Hyukcheon clan suddenly surged within him.

“Cousin, allow me to test you.”

Hanul shot forward.

With just a light push from the ground, he was suddenly right in front of Kwon Chan-seong, swinging a punch.

Chan-seong crossed his arms to block the blow. As their powers clashed, a burst of aura exploded around him.

“Heavy!”

Chan-seong shouted in exhilaration. Remarkably, he remained unscathed.

Then his own fist struck Hanul’s abdomen. A shockwave rippled outward, shaking everything around them. Hanul’s body was thrown back.

But the impact didn’t seem too severe. He quickly recovered, launched himself into the air, and raised one leg high.

“Oh?”

His heel came crashing down in a straight arc.

Chan-seong raised his forearms to block. The shock he couldn’t fully absorb traveled through his legs and into the ground, causing the earth beneath him to sink.

“Your strength and speed are decent. Now let’s see how skilled you are.”

He pushed Hanul’s leg aside and sent him flipping through the air. Hanul twisted his body mid-air and landed cleanly.

Chan-seong clenched his fists, gathering dragon energy. Hanul swiftly summoned his own draconic power.

“Haa!”

With a shout, Chan-seong launched a punch. An overwhelming surge of dragon aura burst forth.

Black Dragon Twelve Ascendant Techniques – Upper Form

Aura-Strike Style: Rising Dragon Fist

Hanul mirrored him with his own punch. His energy erupted.

Black Dragon Ascension Art – Upper Form

Aura-Strike Style: Rising Dragon Fist

Two black dragons appeared. They lunged at each other, jaws wide to tear each other apart. But the moment their mouths clashed, Hanul’s dragon disintegrated.

The collapse of Hanul’s dragon triggered an explosion of energy, wiping out Chan-seong’s dragon as well. The impact zone was charred black, as if bombed.

“Khak.”

Suddenly, a cough. Blood spattered from Chan-seong’s mouth.

“Ah, brother. Don’t get the wrong idea. This wound isn’t from you.”

– I know.

Chan-seong’s eyes widened at the voice that echoed in his head.

“You can speak now? And you knew?”

– You’re not in perfect condition. You’re suffering internal damage from your fight with Catalina Blaga.

Hanul hadn’t rushed in without a plan.

Though Chan-seong had won, he had taken serious damage from battling Catalina. He was physically worn and internally injured.

Even so, Chan-seong was still holding the upper hand against Hanul, proving what a monster he truly was.

“To think you’d understand. I appreciate that.”

He wiped the blood from his lips and continued.

“If it had been any other Black Aura member here instead of me, they wouldn’t have been able to defeat you.”

Chan-seong raised his aura. Dragon aura coiled around both arms in the form of spiraling bands.

The bands spun violently, emitting a shrill, ear-splitting sound that filled the air.

“But now I know. You’re strong, cousin... but not complete.”

Hanul couldn’t deny it. The spirals around Chan-seong’s arms emanated a terrifying presence.

“Then let’s begin again.”

This time, Chan-seong moved first—so fast it was hard to track him without absolute focus.

“One strike!”

His punch shot toward Hanul’s ribs. Hanul slammed his elbow down to intercept it.

But his elbow was deflected. The spiral around Chan-seong’s arm repelled the blow.

– Khak!

Chan-seong’s fist drove into Hanul’s ribs. Hanul cried out and stumbled back.

“Two strikes!”

Chan-seong followed up immediately. Hanul raised his arm to block the next punch.

Even though he blocked it, the shock reverberated through his entire body. His bones ached, his organs twisted.

He couldn’t keep blocking.

Hanul instinctively knew this. He took a deep breath.

Black Dragon Ascension Art – Upper Form

Aura-Strike Style: Dragon Roar

He exhaled the breath he had drawn in. The amplified soundwave ripped forward.

But Chan-seong was gone.

Hanul panicked. Had he vanished in that brief moment of preparation?

“I told you...”

The voice came from above.

“You’re not complete yet.”

Hanul snapped his head up. But before he could react, Chan-seong’s fist descended.

Black Dragon Twelve Ascendant Techniques – Upper Form

Destruction Style: Spiral Tempest

The spirals unwrapped from Chan-seong’s arms.

His dragon energy mixed with the air and spun.

A gray vortex consumed Hanul.

Was it ten seconds?

The vortex eventually faded, leaving the ground beneath shredded and cratered.

Already ravaged terrain was now utterly devastated.

At the center of it all—

Someone knelt, coughing blood.

“Heh, so you’re still alive.”

Chan-seong sounded genuinely surprised.

Even after being caught in that, Hanul hadn’t lost consciousness.

But he couldn’t fight anymore.

The two horns on his forehead were broken. The black flames that had cloaked him were gone. His exposed black carapace was cracked all over like shattered glass.

– Khak, khak.

Each cough sprayed bright red blood, like he was expelling his life force itself.

“To think your body’s still intact... and you’re still breathing…”

Chan-seong’s smile vanished. Despite his victory, he looked down at Hanul with solemn gravity.

“Father was right about you. You’re dangerous. So dangerous, you need to be eliminated—by any means necessary, as quickly as possible.”

He raised his hand, compressing dragon energy into his palm.

“Cousin. Farewell.”

He braced to throw the compressed energy—raised one leg, drew back his arm.

But at that moment—

– I knew it.

Hanul, who had only been coughing blood, spoke.

– You’re strong. Well, it makes sense. The one once called heir to Hyukcheon wouldn’t go down easily.

Laughter followed. Hanul shook with laughter, as if it came from deep within his soul.

“Gone mad, have you? Guess you’re delirious now that you’re about to die.”

Chan-seong frowned.

“Then let me end this before you lose your mind completely.”

He hurled the dragon aura with full force.

It shot toward Hanul’s chest—and hit.

But in that instant, Hanul opened his hand.

He caught the energy. His fingers crushed it.

Then it exploded.

A blast of black aura engulfed the area.

But Hanul remained, unharmed.

“...How did you block that?”

Chan-seong was dumbfounded. How could someone barely clinging to life stop that attack?

– A descendant of Hyukcheon shouldn’t be asking that.

Hanul slowly stood. His once-dim eyes now glowed again.

– We were born with this bloodline, after all.

Each bloodline bore a distinct nature. The Black Dragon Bloodline manifested as an overwhelming lust for battle.

<‘Black Dragon Bloodline’ is enraged!>

And the bloodline responded most fiercely when facing powerful opponents.

In fact, it only truly awakened when challenged by overwhelming strength.

<‘Black Dragon Bloodline’ synchronization rate increased: 44% → 47%>

As the synchronization rate climbed, its power surged—affecting Hanul’s partial transformation.

<‘Black Dragon Bloodline’ is further enraged!>

At 40%, there had been no new power.

But beyond 50%, he awakened something new.

“...Right. That’s the kind of bloodline the Black Dragon Bloodline is.”

Chan-seong muttered quietly. He too could feel the changes stirring in Hanul.

“But even so... you can’t defeat me.”

He wasn’t bluffing. Though Hanul’s bloodline had evolved, it still wasn’t enough to surpass Chan-seong.

Then it happened.

A new message appeared before Hanul’s eyes.

Growth.

At that moment, dormant bloodlines began to awaken.

<‘Healthy Bloodline’ has opened its eyes!>

The cracks on Hanul’s body vanished. His broken horns regrew.

And not just the body. His depleted energy surged back.

<‘Superhuman Bloodline’ has awakened!>

A liquid-like energy shrouded Hanul. The famed defense of the Superhuman Bloodline wrapped him once again.

<’Shura Bloodline’ is regaining consciousness!>

<’Shura King’’ reclaims its presence!>

Hanul extended his claws and drew a line down his forehead.

<‘Shura King’ has opened its eyes.>

A crimson energy followed the line, spreading through his body. Black and red intertwined.

“You…”

Chan-seong’s voice trembled.

“What... What did you just do?!”

This shouldn’t be possible.

“What is happening right now?!”

Hanul didn’t answer. He only clenched his fist.

His glowing fist caught Chan-seong’s eye—leaving him stunned.

“No... It can’t be. Someone like you... how could you...?!”

Hanul launched his fist forward.

Sword Aura.

That radiant light pierced straight through Kwon Chan-seong.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]