Chapter 180 - Bloodline is Everything

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 180: Revelation (2)

Truthfully, Kwon Hanul had expected that everyone had already figured it out.

He’d freely wielded the might of the Superhuman Bloodline and even used the magical power of the DragonheartBloodline to surround the hospital.

After causing such a commotion, there was no way the others hadn’t noticed.

In the end, Kwon Hanul had no choice but to lay all his secrets bare.

As Hanul's story continued, the others responded with disbelief.

But they couldn’t help but believe it—he had, after all, used the powers of other bloodlines in front of them.

“So... what you’re saying is, Captain has the ability to absorb other bloodlines?”

When no one else spoke, Mei Hong broke the silence.

“Besides the Black Dragon Bloodline, you also have the Healthy Bloodline, Genius Bloodline, Shura Bloodline, Superhuman Bloodline, Vassal Bloodline, Sacred Beast Bloodline, and Dragonheart Bloodline…”

Mei Hong folded down her fingers one by one as she listed them, then looked stunned.

“At this point, you’ve basically collected all the bloodlines in the world!”

“In a way, yes,” Hanul replied.

“And they’re all purebloods too?!”

“Yes.”

Mei Hong’s jaw dropped wide open—and showed no sign of closing anytime soon.

“Did Hudon oppa know about this?”

“I-I didn’t. I had no idea Hanul wasn’t just your average pureblood…”

Kwon Hudon looked at Hanul with eyes filled with awe. It was honestly a bit overwhelming.

“Huh? But Gael doesn’t look surprised at all?”

“I already knew,” Gael said calmly.

“What?! You knew?!”

“The Sacred Beast Bloodline is highly sensitive to others’ energy... Why are you looking at me like that?”

With Mei Hong glaring furiously and Hudon looking wounded, they both started badgering Gael Garcia.

“How could you keep such an enormous secret between just the two of you?!”

“It was Captain’s order…”

“R-Right… Still, it feels like we were totally left out!”

“There are only four of us—how could we exclude two people…”

As the two pressed in on him, Gael began to flounder. It didn’t look like the interrogation would end anytime soon.

“But why exactly does Kwon Hanul have this kind of ability?”

For the first time, Joo Hayun, who had been silent until now, asked a question. Hanul couldn’t answer immediately.

The existence of the Vessel was far too massive a truth. Was it even okay to tell them?

But soon, Hanul shook his head.

These people had risked their lives to save him. If he couldn’t trust them, then who could he trust?

“I don’t know the full nature of this power myself. But I do know how I came to possess it.”

Hanul explained that the power originally belonged to a demon.

When the demon arrived on Earth, weakened, the founder of Aeon killed it and stole its power and abilities.

“After that, Aeon conducted countless experiments on people to harness that power. The mage in charge of those experiments was Odin. And one of the test subjects… was my mother.”

Mentioning his parents, Hanul felt a surge of emotion. He held it down and continued.

Kwon Cheon had attacked Aeon’s research facility and rescued Hanul’s mother. The two fell in love, and Hanul was born.

“I believe when my mother gave birth to me, the Vessel was passed on to me.”

After finishing his story, Hanul looked around at the group. Their faces had gone from confusion to sheer bewilderment.

Well, of course. Even Hanul, who had lived through it, found it hard to accept.

“Hanul, I understand what happened to you. But… how did you learn all of this?”

This time, Kwon Mi asked. As Hyukcheon’s diplomatic officer, she had dealt with information from all over the world.

But everything Hanul had just said was completely new to her.

“When I lay in the stone coffin to undergo the Rebirth procedure, I saw the past. I think I was shown the memories of those who possessed this power before me.”

He couldn’t say for sure.

But since the memories started from the demon, it seemed plausible.

“With that power… things like that are possible?”

“I don’t know for certain. But given what this power can do, I wouldn’t say it’s impossible.”

Aeon had used the Vessel for all kinds of experiments. It had performed miracle after miracle. Each time, Aeon’s mages were so moved, they cried.

“And through those memories, I also learned the truth behind my parents’ deaths.”

At those words, Kwon Mi’s shoulders trembled.

“I thought they both died of illness?”

“There’s a high chance it was all orchestrated by Kwon Hyuk. My parents were murdered… by his hand.”

Hanul spoke in a flat tone. No emotion. Or rather—he was pretending to be emotionless. Because if he didn’t, the flood of feelings might overwhelm him.

“…Hyuk oppa? That… that’s true?”

“I swear on my own name and my parents’ honor. Every word I’ve said is the truth.”

Before he knew it, Hanul had clenched his fists tightly.

“Aunt Mi, I’m going to kill Kwon Hyuk.”

Hanul’s voice was firm, resolute. Kwon Mi’s face hardened.

In that moment, Hanul wasn’t just speaking—he was declaring. That Kwon Hyuk was his mortal enemy.

And at the same time, he was forcing a choice.

He was asking Kwon Mi: which side will you take?

“…Honestly, I don’t know what to think,” Kwon Mi said, her voice uncertain. “Knowing Hyuk oppa’s personality, it’s not impossible. He is a cruel and frightening man. But even so… to go that far…”

Kwon Mi was a member of the Hyukcheon Clan.

And members of Hyukcheon did not abandon family. They didn’t cast out their own blood.

That belief made it hard to accept that Kwon Hyuk could’ve done something like this.

Or maybe—she simply didn’t want to believe it.

“But this much I promise: I will always stand by you.”

Kwon Mi grasped Hanul’s hand.

“No matter what you do, I’ll support you. And if… if Hyuk oppa tries to attack you…”

Her eyes sharpened. A hint of killing intent flickered in them.

“Then I’ll fight by your side.”

Hanul bowed deeply. He was truly grateful that Kwon Mi had given him such a clear, unwavering answer.

* * *

Afterward, Hanul focused on the aftermath of the battle.

First, he helped treat the Black Sharp operatives scattered throughout the hospital. Fortunately, the hospital staff had been hiding in the underground shelters, so they were able to assist.

Some Black Sharp members had died. Many others were badly injured.

Even with Hanul and Takamine Ryoko doing their best, the overall combat strength had taken a serious hit.

The Black Sharp unit was strong—but the villains from Pandemonium had come in overwhelming numbers. In one-vs-many battles, they simply hadn’t been able to hold out.

“Odin must’ve truly staked everything on this fight. It was my mistake to only prepare for Mei Xiao,” Kwon Mi said bitterly.

Had it just been Mei Xiao and her troops, they could’ve handled it.

But Odin had brought a full army of Pandemonium’s worst.

“In any case, I’ll be resting for a while. Might as well use this time to reorganize the Black Sharp.”

Thanks to Hanul’s help, Kwon Mi’s condition had improved greatly. But she still wasn’t fully healed.

The massive curses she’d endured had twisted her senses and disrupted her magic channels.

It would take time and dedicated healing to restore them.

“…We need to mourn Secretary Kim too.”

Kim, Kwon Mi’s right hand and second-in-command, had died fighting Odin.

To her, it was a devastating loss.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get everything back to normal soon.”

But her moment of vulnerability didn’t last long.

“Someday, I’ll need to fight for your sake too. I can’t just sit still, can I?”

Once again, Hanul was reminded of just how strong a person Kwon Mi was.

After the aftermath was dealt with, Kwon Hanul arranged a private meeting with Takamine Ryoko.

It was to express both gratitude and apology.

"I'm sorry. Because of me, the hospital ended up in ruins."

"Why are you apologizing, Lord Kwon? If you think about it, the real culprits are the criminals from Pandemonium who attacked the hospital."

Takamine Ryoko shook her head as she spoke. Her attitude made Kwon Hanul feel a pang of guilt.

It was true that the hospital had been devastated by Pandemonium’s villains… but the damage Kwon Hanul had caused while slamming Odin around had been even worse.

In particular, he had shattered ceilings from the basement to the top floor, leaving the hospital teetering on the edge of collapse.

“Still, since I was the cause, I can’t avoid responsibility. Our Hyukcheon will cover all the costs needed to rebuild the hospital.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I can’t accept it.”

Takamine Ryoko responded immediately, without even a hint of hesitation. Kwon Hanul couldn’t help but feel taken aback.

“I prepared the Rebirth Surgery to repay the debt I owed you, Lord Kwon. That was entirely my decision. Whatever happened during the process is my responsibility alone.”

Her voice and gaze didn’t waver in the slightest. Kwon Hanul was impressed by her resolute attitude.

“But if things continue like this, the hospital will be in danger.”

“……”

Takamine Ryoko seemed momentarily at a loss for words.

The hospital practically needed to be rebuilt from the ground up, and thinking about the losses they'd suffer in the meantime made her head hurt.

“Still, I can't accept your offer. I tried to repay a favor, but instead I would be receiving help…”

“Then think of it like this. Lady Takamine, you’re not receiving help from me. You’re being compensated for what you did.”

“…Excuse me?”

Takamine Ryoko blinked, clearly confused.

“My aunt told me. Even while she was slipping in and out of consciousness from Odin’s curse, she saw what you did.”

“I didn’t do anything special…”

“She said you stood in Odin’s path when he tried to enter the surgery room and stalled for time.”

Takamine Ryoko was undoubtedly intelligent—capable enough to oversee a large hospital at a young age—but she was still an ordinary person.

She had no mana and had never trained in any skills. It was no exaggeration to say that Odin could’ve killed her with a single glance.

Even so, Takamine Ryoko had blocked Odin’s path.

“As a doctor, I couldn’t abandon my patient. I only did what was right.”

“You were the only one who did what was right in that moment.”

There had been many other doctors in the surgery room besides Ryoko.

But when Odin tried to break through the door, they had all panicked and fled through the emergency exit.

“Because you bought us those precious seconds, I was able to wake up safely. So please—give me a chance to repay that.”

“But…”

“And if you think about it, aren’t we in this together now? We’re bound by a shared fate.”

When Kwon Hanul revealed all the secrets, Takamine Ryoko had been present.

He had briefly considered asking her to leave the room before speaking, but changed his mind.

After all, Takamine Ryoko had already seen him using the powers of another bloodline.

“I don’t want to see a trustworthy and highly skilled doctor like you disappear just like that.”

That part was sincere. In life, finding someone you can truly trust is as rare as catching a falling star.

“Although I’m making it sound like it’s me paying you back, the money’s actually coming from my aunt’s pocket.”

Kwon Hanul added with a playful grin. Takamine Ryoko’s expression finally softened.

“Then I’ll gratefully accept Hyukcheon’s support this time.”

Once everything was over, Kwon Hanul and the Dark Shade Squad returned to the main house.

Meanwhile, Kwon Mi and the Black Sharp Squad stayed behind in Japan for further recovery.

“Ooh… So this is the subspace crystal Odin left behind?”

On the plane back to the main base—

Kwon Hanul and the Dark Shade Squad gathered closely around the black crystal.

“It’s from a Pandemonium council member. There’s gotta be some crazy treasure in here, right?”

Mei Hong’s eyes sparkled. Kwon Hudon and Gael Garcia looked just as excited.

“Odin was obsessed with getting stronger. There might even be an artifact in here that suits you, Lord Kwon,” Joo Hayun added hopefully. She mentioned artifacts because her own gear was starting to fall behind compared to Kwon Hanul’s.

In fact, every piece of equipment Kwon Hanul had was extraordinary—few people in the world, even among top-ranked hunters, had such a loadout.

But his next opponent would be Kwon Hyuk.

The second-in-command of Hyukcheon. One of the top five strongest people in the world. To fight him, Kwon Hanul needed even better gear.

“Alright, let’s open it.”

Kwon Hanul infused the crystal with mana, and its contents spilled out in a heap.

The anticipation on everyone’s faces grew—until moments later, disappointment set in.

“…What is all this?”

“Odin’s treasure… is this it?”

“I think… something must be wrong.”

All they saw were stacks of books—bound in leather.

Joo Hayun picked up a few and skimmed through them.

“These are… spellbooks.”

At that, Mei Hong, Kwon Hudon, and Gael Garcia immediately lost interest.

Spellbooks were only useful to those with a talent for magic.

Most hunters, therefore, had little use or desire for them.

“…I get it now. From Odin’s perspective as a sorcerer, these spellbooks probably were the most important treasure in the world.”

Joo Hayun said with a scowl. Just understanding Odin’s mindset felt revolting to her.

“Lord Kwon, if you don’t mind… can I take a look at these books?”

“Go ahead.”

Joo Hayun combed through the collection and picked out a few volumes. She quickly became engrossed.

—“These characters are completely new to me.”

—“My interpretation skill isn’t even activating.”

—-“What kind of leather is this?”

Meanwhile, the other three members of the Dark Shade Squad showed no interest.

Kwon Hanul also picked up one of the books and flipped through it. It was filled with symbols he’d never seen before.

<‘Half-Demon Bloodline’ is reacting.>

“…Huh?”

The contents of the spellbook began to make sense. The characters were unfamiliar, yet he could understand them.

And that wasn’t all.

<‘Half-Demon Bloodline’ is absorbing knowledge.>

Kwon Hanul stared at the message in disbelief.

Magic isn’t something you can learn without the right aptitude. And unlike skills, magic takes time and training to master.

And yet, here he was, being offered to acquire a spell like a skill?

“This bloodline is turning out to be way more interesting than I thought…”

Kwon Hanul muttered in awe as he flipped through more books. Each one triggered a new acquisition message.

“There aren’t even any limits on how many I can learn…”

Normally, a mage can only learn one spell—human talent has its limits.

But with the Half-Demon Bloodline, even that restriction didn’t apply. He could learn all the spells.

Just as Kwon Hanul was marveling and picking out useful spells—

“Huh?”

Mei Hong spotted something. A glimmering object hidden between the books.

“C-Captain! You’ve got to see this!”

She quickly handed the item to Kwon Hanul.

It looked like a rose made of pure gemstone. Its layered petals were breathtakingly beautiful.

“Check it right now!”

Pressed by Mei Hong’s urgency, Kwon Hanul checked the item’s details.

Quality: Legendary (SSS+++)

Description: The noble heart of a mythical beast. Brimming with powerful life force. Simply carrying it provides immense benefits.

Effect: Upon consumption, allows one chosen stat to rise to SS rank.

“…Whoa.”

Kwon Hanul couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]