Chapter 173

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 173: Time (3)

Joo Hayun released the space.

The completed spell took form and pierced through Odin—like the ram of a ship crashing into a man.

Faced with that overwhelming force, Odin’s body exploded like a balloon. Not a single piece of flesh or drop of blood remained.

“……”

Even though she had taken Odin down, Joo Hayun couldn't bring herself to feel joy.

Her knees hit the ground. Her veins bulged blue and thick under her skin—consequences of having burned through a massive amount of mana in an instant to complete the spell.

When she said she would risk her life, it hadn't been a metaphor, nor a statement made to stir resolve.

She had merely stated the truth.

“Are you alright?!”

Secretary Kim ran to her, pulling a healing potion from a subspace to save her.

That’s when it happened.

Without warning, Secretary Kim's body exploded. The fragments of a human being scattered in every direction.

The suddenness of it all left Joo Hayun momentarily frozen. She could only stare blankly at the remains.

“Secretary Kim…?”

From empty air, a dark shadow spread. Someone stepped forward from within it.

“Wow.”

It was Odin.

“Hayun, when did you learn to make something like that? I almost died.”

Odin looked genuinely impressed, his eyes wide with admiration.

“To go beyond adaptation and into creation! I had no idea you had honed spatial magic this far. I knew I wasn’t wrong about you. Your talent is truly extraordinary!”

“What did you just do?! How could you—how could you kill Secretary Kim?!”

“Oh, that?” Odin gestured toward the scattered remains. “I redirected the damage I took.”

A chill washed over Joo Hayun. What he said was absurd. It shouldn’t even be possible.

“You can’t redirect all of it, of course—maybe around 30 percent?”

“Don’t lie! There's no such curse magic!”

“Hayun, don’t be foolish. You think I’ve been idle while you've been growing?”

Odin clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“Now, aren’t you curious where the remaining 70 percent went?”

He spread his arms, and a mass of curses erupted at his feet.

Many of them dissipated into smoke and vanished.

“I used the curses I’ve been accumulating as sacrifices.”

Joo Hayun said nothing. But every time a mass of curses disappeared, her fists clenched tighter.

—Aaaagh!

—Urrraaaah!

Endless human screams echoed from the dissolving curses. They signified only one thing.

The curses Odin controlled… were human souls.

He had been corrupting, polluting, and distorting human souls, enslaving them for his use.

That’s how he could divert damage from himself—it was possible because of what he used as currency.

“You… You’re someone who should never have been born.”

“Now that’s a little hurtful coming from you, Hayun.”

Odin raised an index finger, pointing at her. A curse shimmered at the fingertip.

“Get some rest. We’ll talk later.”

A curse of exhaustion shot toward Joo Hayun. Her body crumpled forward.

“Well, now that that’s settled…,”

Odin turned around. Three young, pale-faced individuals stared back at him.

“I’m in a good mood after seeing Hayun again. Maybe I’ll let you three go?”

A snort escaped. Mei Hong curled her lip as she gripped her sword.

“What a load of crap.”

“Pretty face, filthy mouth,” Odin muttered.

Mei Hong dragged her palm along the blade. A red aura seeped into it.

She had drawn upon the Ghost Blade—a power of the Shura bloodline.

“What about Hudon oppa?” she asked.

Without a word, Kwon Hudon clad himself in the Blackscale Armor. His eyes, filled with seething hatred, fixed on Odin.

“And Gael?”

“Do I need to answer that?” Gael Garcia responded curtly.

Mei Hong smirked at that.

“What touching camaraderie.”

Odin watched them, visibly bored. Truthfully, unless it was Joo Hayun or Kwon Hanul, he had little interest in anyone else.

“To risk death for your comrades… Admirable. Truly moving to see the youth struggle so earnestly.”

“Hey, old man. You got delusions or something?”

Mei Hong spoke suddenly. Odin turned to her, startled.

“De… what now?”

“You said we were ready to die? That’s not even on the table. Talking nonsense like that just proves you’re delusional. Or maybe just senile?”

Odin’s face began to harden.

“We’re not going to die.”

Her voice wasn’t bravado—it was certainty.

“Because before that happens, our captain will show up.”

Odin laughed. A disbelieving, mocking laugh.

“Guess it’s not so bad to give you young pups a taste of reality.”

Kwon Hudon stepped forward in his Blackscale Armor. Mei Hong drew her longsword. And Gael Garcia…

“…Beurel.”

He murmured the name of the Demon King.

A surge of explosive magical energy enveloped him. Transformed into a black beast, Gael charged Odin.

“Huh? A Descendant of the Sacred Beast Bloodline?”

To counter him, Odin raised a wall of curses—but it evaporated the moment Gael’s mana touched it.

“Oh, right. Magic was originally the domain of demons.”

Not just spells—curses didn’t work either. Curses affected human souls, but demons had far more resilient souls. They were immune.

“Fancy meeting my natural enemy here. The world really is full of surprises.”

Despite his words, Odin dodged all of Gael’s attacks with ease.

[Unintelligible demonic screech]

Gael’s attacks grew wilder and fiercer, but he couldn’t even graze Odin’s robe.

Suddenly, Odin’s movements halted. Gael didn’t miss the chance and slammed his hand down.

The floor cracked loudly—but Odin was unharmed.

“What, was it all bark and no bite?”

Odin had blocked Gael’s arm with his forearm, as calmly as if brushing off a feather.

“Well, that’s enough of that.”

Just as Odin was about to counterattack—he sensed something sharp.

He backed off. A crimson slash tore through the air where he’d just stood.

“Not bad.”

Mei Hong was already on him, swinging her longsword.

“I’m here too!”

From behind, Kwon Hudon joined in. The two’s pincer attack forced Odin to move more urgently.

Seemingly deciding this couldn’t go on, Odin opened a subspace and pulled out a short T-shaped staff. He held it upside down and used it to deflect their strikes.

Their coordinated attacks flowed perfectly, like rehearsed choreography. Even Odin had to acknowledge their prowess.

“They’re both insane. Reaching this level at their age?”

He had no choice but to admit it—their talents were exceptional.

Few their age could match them. Maybe even across the entire field.

Still, they were unripe fruit.

[%$&!!!!]

Gael Garcia roared and leapt into the fray. Kwon Hudon and Mei Hong immediately fell into rhythm with him.

Then—

“Guh!”

Kwon Hudon coughed blood. His face turned pitch black.

“Hudon oppa!”

His body crumbled. A curse had taken hold without them noticing, draining his life away.

“Not really the time to worry about others.”

As Odin spoke, Mei Hong coughed up blood next. Her sword dropped. Then she collapsed.

“You didn’t even notice I was spreading curses. Still amateurs.”

Gael Garcia lunged desperately. Odin, ready, rammed his staff into Gael’s abdomen.

The intense impact knocked Gael unconscious. His partial transformation reverted as he hit the floor.

Gael tried to invoke the power of the Sacred Beast Bloodline again—but Odin reached him first and kicked him square in the head.

Gael crumpled against a wall without even managing a scream.

“That was fun.”

Odin tucked his staff back into subspace. He stepped past the ruined bodies toward the entrance of the surgical room.

“Looks tough.”

He instantly saw through the magical defense protecting it.

It was so secure that ordinary Hunters wouldn’t dare approach.

But Odin was no ordinary Hunter.

He smashed it with a mass of curses. The door shattered effortlessly.

“Well, let’s go see the face of the one carrying the vessel.”

Odin strolled inside, grinning from ear to ear.

**

Since returning from Baekdu Mountain, Lee Da-hae had been consumed with worry.

She couldn’t get the look on Kwon Hyuk’s face out of her head.

That wasn’t just jealousy…

It was as if he were about to cross a line.

But she couldn’t report it to Kwon Cheon. As a mere handmaiden, accusing a blood heir of the Hyukcheon clan was beyond absurd.

He wouldn’t believe me anyway.

Kwon Cheon trusted and respected Kwon Hyuk as an older brother. Lee Da-hae had no place to interfere.

That’s why Kwon Hyuk had spoken so freely to her—he knew she couldn’t act.

There’s just no way…

But she couldn’t give up. She was the only one who truly saw Kwon Hyuk’s true nature. Which meant… she was the only one who could help Kwon Cheon.

What am I supposed to do?

Her concern deepened with each passing day.

Then, one day—an unexpected opportunity presented itself.

* * *

November, as winter began to settle in.

A guest from a distant land visited the Hyukcheon family.

The visitor was an elderly Arab man from the Middle East.

“Forgive me for making you come all this way.”

Even the ever-dignified head of the Hyukcheon clan welcomed him warmly—a rare display that surprised many.

Lee Da-hae couldn’t contain her curiosity and asked another maid nearby.

“Who is he to be treated with such respect?”

The maid, who had never been fond of Da-hae, shot her a cold glare.

“How long have you even worked here, and you still don’t know?”

Da-hae bit back the retort that it had only been five months. She didn’t have the luxury of picking a fight—she needed answers.

“That’s Abdul Rasad from the Rasad family. He’s a First-Class Tuner.”

“A… Tuner?”

“Just like the Hyukcheon clan possesses the Black Dragon Bloodline, the Rasad family holds the Genius Bloodline. They say it can strengthen Hunters even further.”

Stronger.

That word embedded itself in her mind.

If Kwon Cheon became stronger—strong enough that no one could ever threaten him again—

Even Kwon Hyuk wouldn’t be able to touch him.

Just as the thought crossed her mind—

<‘???’ has detected the Genius Bloodline.>

<You have acquired the True Genius Bloodline.>

A sudden message appeared before her eyes.

“…Huh?”

Da-hae could only be shocked.

She had already known something strange had been implanted in her body back in Aeon—that anomaly had granted her the Health Bloodline.

But she had never absorbed the Black Dragon Bloodline during her time at Hyukcheon.

So why now?

Suddenly, a sharp, overwhelming pain surged through her. Da-hae collapsed to the floor, trembling violently.

“W-What’s happening to you all of a sudden?!”

The maid beside her, alarmed, shook her in panic. But the more she shook, the more intense Da-hae’s pain became.

“I-I’ll go get a doctor!”

The maid bolted out of the room.

Da-hae’s consciousness slipped away into darkness.

* * *

When she came to, Da-hae found herself lying in a white bed.

At first, she couldn’t grasp what had happened.

Only after some time did she start to piece things together.

“How long have I been out?”

“A month,” came a calm reply.

Startled, Da-hae turned her head—and saw Kwon Cheon sitting in a chair, reading a book.

“L–L-Lord K-Kwon Cheon?”

“You scared me when you collapsed like that. What on earth happened? Even the doctors couldn’t find the cause.”

Kwon Cheon asked with genuine concern. Da-hae could only mumble that she didn’t really know.

“W-Wait... Did you really say a month?”

Kwon Cheon nodded solemnly.

Da-hae was speechless.

“You had a high fever for the first week, then your body turned ice cold… Do you even know how much I worried?”

“W-Wait… you mean…”

Da-hae’s face went pale.

For the entire month, Kwon Cheon had come every day to care for her.

The thought that she’d done nothing but burden him made her sigh with guilt.

“Still, I’m glad you’re better now. I’ll call the doctor.”

He stood up from his chair, but the moment he did, Da-hae was struck by a searing pain in her head—like her brain had been set on fire.

“…Huh?”

Her vision changed. She could see through Kwon Cheon’s body—his muscles, bones, even his internal mana pathways.

Even to an untrained eye, his body was nearly perfect. But a few things stood out.

“Is your left arm bothering you?”

The words slipped out before she realized.

“Huh? How did you know?”

“The mana flow around the seventh nerve is disrupted. Have you been using a lot of mana lately?”

Kwon Cheon replied with surprise, “Yeah… Yesterday I was practicing the Black Dragon Twelve Ascendant Techniques and struck a training dummy wrong.”

“You should avoid using your left arm for now. It’s a minor injury, but if you keep straining it, it could leave lasting damage.”

“Got it. Thanks for the heads-up.”

At first, Kwon Cheon was simply curious.

But as Da-hae continued speaking, his expression began to harden.

“Your left rhomboid, teres major, and latissimus dorsi are overdeveloped. If that imbalance worsens, it could slow your reaction to sudden attacks.”

“Da-hae?”

“Your right knee joint is off by about two degrees. Adjusting that will realign your pelvis and stabilize your spine.”

“What are you even—”

“You should expand the fifteenth mana pathway connected to your heart. That way, you can release a large burst of mana in emergencies without overloading your system.”

Confusion spread across Kwon Cheon’s face.

He didn’t understand why she was saying all this—but stranger still, everything she said made sense.

Her words echoed what Abdul Rasad had said during his visit a month ago.

“Ah…!”

Da-hae snapped out of it.

As soon as she realized what she’d said, she bowed deeply to Kwon Cheon.

“I-I'm sorry! I don’t know what came over me…”

But instead of scolding her, Kwon Cheon gently took her hand.

“What happened to you?”

His voice, full of concern, broke through the wall Da-hae had built in her heart.

“Well…”

Da-hae told him everything.

What Aeon had done to her.

How that led to her acquiring the Healthy and Genius Bloodlines.

Kwon Cheon was speechless. The amount of information overwhelmed him.

“...We should keep this a secret.”

The ability to acquire bloodlines—nothing good could come from revealing that.

Even Kwon Seonwoo, the head of the Hyukcheon family, would likely dissect her to find out why.

“We’ll figure out why this happened to you… together.”

Even after hearing everything, Kwon Cheon didn’t turn his back on her.

Instead, he treated it like his own problem.

And that convinced Da-hae that she had made the right choice.

From then on, Kwon Cheon began to take special care of Da-hae.

To protect her—and to uncover the mystery of her newfound power.

They spent more and more time together. For Da-hae, it was everything she had hoped for.

“About that technique you just used… You should focus on the 81st mana pathway.”

Using her Genius Bloodline, Da-hae began offering Kwon Cheon frequent advice.

At first, he hadn’t taken her words seriously.

But as time passed, he couldn’t deny her insights were brilliant.

Not only were her suggestions accurate—they pointed out weaknesses even he hadn’t noticed.

Just correcting what she pointed out improved his skills dramatically.

“Da-hae… you’re incredible.”

“It’s not me. It’s the True Genius Bloodline that’s amazing.”

It wasn’t modesty—it was the truth.

The Genius Bloodline was said to be the only bloodline in the world capable of harmonizing Hunters.

And the True Genius Bloodline surpassed even that. So much so that even a prodigy like Kwon Cheon had to acknowledge it.

Thanks to Da-hae’s help, he grew stronger at an incredible pace.

And Da-hae was simply happy to be by his side.

But a young man and woman spending so much time together…

It was only natural that deeper feelings began to bloom.

Their bond grew closer. At times, even intimate.

A year passed, and the successor trial promised by Kwon Seonwoo drew near.

“How do I look?” Kwon Cheon asked, dressed in a sharp black suit—the symbol of the Hyukcheon family. It suited him perfectly.

“You look good in anything, Lord Kwon Cheon.”

Da-hae smiled sweetly.

“You always say that.”

“Because it’s true!”

She spoke with conviction.

Since meeting Kwon Cheon, she hadn’t seen a single man who could compare.

“Your tie’s a little off.”

With gentle hands, she adjusted his outfit.

Today, Kwon Cheon would leave the Hyukcheon estate.

To complete a mission assigned by Chairman Kwon Seonwoo.

How he handled it would determine the next head of the family.

“Are you really going to support Kwon Hyuk?”

Kwon Hyuk would also take part in the mission. It was only natural—this was a test of worthiness.

“I told you before. My brother deserves to be the next head.”

Kwon Cheon’s conviction hadn’t changed in a year.

It was disappointing to Da-hae—she believed he was the rightful heir.

But it didn’t matter. Kwon Cheon was all that mattered to her. His title was irrelevant.

“Come back safely.”

That was all she wanted.

But she kept that part to herself as she saw him off.

* * *

A few days later.

While cleaning Kwon Cheon’s room, Da-hae heard a loud noise.

The door flew open—no knock, no warning.

Hyukcheon Hunters stood there, eyes fixed on her.

“Are you Lee Da-hae?”

Their tone was cold, official.

“You’ll need to come with us. We’re investigating Kwon Cheon on charges of treason.”

The very thing she had feared… had come true.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]