Chapter 209 - Bloodline is Everything

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 209: Preparation Period (1)

Kwon Hanul sat quietly, rolling the Dragon Pearl between his fingers.

Just holding it in his hand, he could feel it—the immense power sealed within the orb.

“So this is the Black Dragon’s authority...”

The founder of the Hyukcheon clan, Kwon Hyun-moon, had hunted a Black Dragon to obtain that very power.

It was said that the Black Dragon that had appeared at the time was so powerful, its threat level couldn’t even be measured. For Kwon Hyun-moon to have slain such a being—he might have transcended even the Absolute beings themselves.

Still, Hanul had a theory. Perhaps there had been a hidden element to that legendary feat.

He recalled a memory sealed inside a vessel—a demon's memory. During its passage between dimensions, the demon had been greatly weakened and fatally wounded.

Because of that, it had been easily slain by none other than Azeth Hermes, who just happened to pass by.

Perhaps Kwon Hyun-moon had been just as lucky.

“There’s no way to know for sure.”

Whether or not that theory held any truth, one thing was undeniable—this orb was unimaginably powerful.

It would take time to tame it. But if he succeeded, the power he would gain was beyond measure.

“This suit, too, is no ordinary item.”

After safely storing the Dragon Pearl, Hanul once again inspected the suit.

Crafted from materials harvested from a Black Dragon, the suit was immensely durable and bestowed numerous abilities upon its wearer.

“Still... it’s a bit underwhelming. Considering it was made from a Black Dragon, this is all it offers?”

Though the description listed the famed master craftsman Park Mu-myeong as the creator, Hanul found the suit’s performance lackluster.

Quality: ???

Description: A peerless masterpiece crafted by legendary master Park Mu-myeong. Created using the Black Dragon’s scales, hide, and tendons, without sparing any effort.

Abilities:

Increases all stats by 30%.

Reduces all physical impacts received by 50%.

Stores absorbed impacts and allows for discharge.

Put positively, it was simple and powerful. But put bluntly, it was a bit too simplistic.

“Feels like there’s a lot more potential in these materials.”

Though not a craftsman himself, Hanul was the possessor of True Black Dragon Bloodline. That gave him an instinctive awareness—this suit wasn’t extracting even close to the full potential of the Black Dragon’s essence.

It wasn’t surprising, really. The suit had been crafted back in the early days of the Dungeons’ appearance.

Compared to modern standards, the craftsmen of that era were simply less capable.

“I’ll have to get this upgraded…”

The real question was—who could possibly touch something this extraordinary?

He pondered the question, then chuckled at himself.

There was no need to think so hard about it. The greatest artisan in the world was already within the Hyukcheon household.

Packing up all the items, Hanul left the Hyukcheon Vault. Outside, Joo Hayun was waiting.

“Did you find what you were looking for, Lord Hanul?”

“And then some,” Hanul replied with clear satisfaction on his face. “Hayun, before we head back, there’s one more place I’d like to stop by.”

“Another errand?” she asked curiously.

“I need to visit the workshop.”

* * *

The Workshop

It had been a while since Hanul last visited the workshop, but it was just as lively as ever.

“You idiot! The furnace temperature’s too low! Throw in more flame stones—now!”

Right in the middle of the chaos, Master Park Tae-sik was yelling at the other artisans.

“You moron! Do you have any idea how expensive that material is? If you keep wasting resources like this, I’ll make you relearn from square one!”

As Park Tae-sik continued to bark orders, he finally noticed Hanul and Hayun.

“Master Park, it's been a while…”

“Who let outsiders into the workshop at this hour?!”

Hanul hadn’t even finished his greeting before a roar of fury erupted from Park.

“I—I let them in! He insisted he had to see you…”

“And you think you run this place? Who said you could act on your own?!”

“B-but… it’s Lord Hanul. How could I just…”

Park Tae-sik’s brow twitched furiously.

“Shut it! Get them out of here, now! They're disrupting the work!”

Flustered, the artisan rushed over to Hanul, apologizing profusely. Hanul reassured him.

“It’s fine. I should’ve known better. We’ll wait outside.”

Left with no choice, Hanul and Hayun stepped out of the workshop.

Outside, Hanul gave a sheepish smile.

“I forgot what kind of man Master Park is.”

It had been the same when he first met Park Tae-sik. Kwon Jiseok had tried to strongarm him into crafting equipment through sheer authority, but Park hadn’t even flinched.

“Are all craftsmen so stubborn—err, I mean, principled?”

“Not at all. Master Park is… unique.”

“Thought so.”

Still, Hanul couldn’t hold it against him.

After all, Park Tae-sik was the world-renowned master who forged the legendary Heaven-Crushing Blade.

While the two chatted, the doors to the workshop suddenly burst open.

“Follow me.”

Park Tae-sik barked the order and began walking away. Hanul and Hayun trailed behind him.

He led them into his private forge.

Once inside, Park slumped into a chair and looked up at Hanul.

“So? What is it this time?”

“I’d like you to upgrade this equipment.”

“Upgrade?”

Hanul opened his subspace and pulled out Gamotmoe, holding it out.

“The suit’s performance is a bit lacking.”

Park Tae-sik went silent the moment he laid eyes on it.

He took the suit carefully, inspecting it thoroughly before asking, “Where on earth did you find this?”

“It was in the Hyukcheon Vault.”

Hanul answered honestly. Park stared in disbelief.

“Impossible… If something like this was in the Vault, it would’ve been discovered ages ago.”

“Well, I’m a bit of a special case.”

Hanul added playfully. Park nodded, finally understanding.

“That’s right—you’re a true-blood.”

He continued staring at the suit, then suddenly asked,

“Do you know who Park Mu-myeong, the one who crafted this, was?”

“No idea.”

“He’s my ancestor.”

Hanul blinked in surprise at the unexpected reveal.

“My family has followed the path of craftsmanship for generations. When I first picked up a hammer, my grandfather told me—our family began with a legendary ancestor.”

Park folded the suit carefully and placed it on the desk.

“You want this upgraded?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. I’ll do it. More than anything, I can’t stand the thought of my ancestor leaving behind such a pitiful creation.”

Hanul gave a wry smile. Only Park Tae-sik would call a legendary artifact “pitiful.”

“Oh, and if it’s not too much—one more request?”

“What now?”

Hanul opened his subspace again and pulled out six different weapons.

Park Tae-sik’s face immediately stiffened.

“Y-You... Where the hell did you get those?!”

“From the Mei family’s vault. But that’s not the point—can you rework them to suit my style?”

“You want these modified?”

Park stared at the weapons in disbelief.

“I specialize in martial arts—I don’t have much use for so many weapons. I want them adjusted for my own combat style.”

Park gave him an incredulous look.

“You want to modify weapons this perfect…? You really are insane.”

“Coming from you, Master, that’s a bit rich—your eyes are practically glowing.”

Just as Hanul pointed out, Park Tae-sik’s eyes were burning with passion.

“Hah! Of course they are! Who wouldn’t be thrilled to work with materials like these?!”

Park began gathering the weapons up with eager hands.

“How long do you think it’ll take?”

“More than half the work in crafting is refining the materials. These are already top-quality—won’t take long at all.”

He beamed with confidence.

“Give me a month!”

* * *

After finishing his meeting with Master Park Tae-sik, Kwon Hanul returned to the estate.

He parted ways with Joo Hayun on the way—she had her own errands to take care of.

Upon arriving, the butler and attendants greeted Hanul.

The butler took his coat and said, “A package has arrived for you, Lord Hanul.”

“A package?”

Hanul blinked in confusion at the unexpected statement.

“Where did it come from?”

“From the Babel family and the Blaga family.”

“...Ah.”

Hanul spent a moment puzzling over why those two families would send him gifts—until he finally remembered.

“Where is it now?”

“It’s been moved to the basement. But I advise caution, sir. We couldn’t inspect the contents, so our security team couldn’t verify whether it poses any danger.”

Hanul told the butler it was fine and headed downstairs.

It was only then that he realized what had the butler so concerned.

“What on earth is this?”

What had arrived from the Babel family was a massive steel container. It was a solid block of metal, seamless and unbroken.

Hanul examined the container from all sides, trying to figure out how to open it.

“How the hell are you supposed to open this?”

As he wondered aloud and placed his hand on the top of the box—

A long horizontal line appeared across the surface, and the lid opened.

Inside was yet another box. Hanul touched that one as well, prompting another message:

Hanul had to go through several more layers of authentication. Only after completing them all did he reach the innermost item.

“Did they really need to be this thorough?”

Grumbling, Hanul finally checked the contents.

<Soma>

Quality: Legendary (SSS+)

Description: An ancient elixir once consumed by the gods. Made from the sap of a now-extinct sacred tree. Grants the drinker exceptional power.

Effects:

Increases one stat to SS-rank.

Boosts the power of all skills by 10%.

Activates 30% of all physical capabilities.

“...Okay. That kind of security makes sense.”

The Babel family, like the Hyukcheon clan, was descended from dragons.

This was the SS-rank elixir that Dahlia Babel—the matriarch—had promised him. And now, it was in Hanul’s hands.

“But where’s the item from the Blaga family?”

As Hanul looked around the basement, confusion swept over him.

From the ceiling hung a fat, bloated bat, staring directly at him.

“...And just what are you?” Hanul asked, dumbfounded. The bat just rubbed its face with a tiny hand, offering no real response.

“No way… this is what the Blaga family sent?”

Just as the thought left his lips, the bat spun around, revealing an envelope attached to its back.

Hanul reached out and took the letter.

—To the Clan Head! It's been so long since I last saw you. Each day without you has been torture—like living in hell.

“...Yeah. Definitely from Catalina Blaga.”

Even the opening line was overwhelming. Hanul sighed and continued reading.

—I imagine the sudden delivery of an animal must have surprised you. It’s actually a monster I raised myself. Its stomach can safely store items—very handy for deliveries!

To prevent others from stealing its cargo, I installed some safety measures. If someone tampers with it, the contents will dissolve instantly!

To retrieve the item, use the family’s method!

The family’s method...? Hanul raised a brow and kept reading.

—That’s all for now. I endure each day, dreaming of the moment I can see you again.

P.S. By the way, why is that shameless woman from the Babel family so interested in you?

Why did it feel like he caught a chill just reading that postscript?

Hanul roughly folded the letter and shoved it into his pocket. Then he stared long and hard at the bat.

“Spit it out.”

He tried threatening it a bit, but the bat only turned its head away with an air of indifference.

“The family’s method, huh…”

Suddenly, an idea occurred to him.

Hanul activated the power of the Vassal Bloodline.

His eyes turned a soft rose-pink. The bat’s expression slackened into a daze.

After a few heaving gags, the bat finally coughed up an object wrapped in slime-covered plastic.

“Ugh.”

Peeling away the slime and wrapping, Hanul checked what was inside.

Quality: Legendary (SSS+)

Description: A divine fruit said to grow only in the realm of immortals. Consumption grants eternal youth and immortality.

Effects:

Increases one stat to SS-rank.

Increases total health and mana by 30%.

Enhances regeneration and vitality by 60%.

“Whoa… she actually got her hands on one.”

The Blaga family had lost their territory and were currently living as nomads. Yet even in that state, Catalina Blaga had managed to secure an SS-rank elixir.

Her resourcefulness was truly impressive.

“That makes three SS-rank elixirs now...”

Currently, the only SS-rank stat Hanul possessed was mental strength.

With these three elixirs, he could potentially boost his total SS-level stats to four.

But acquiring SS-rank elixirs was already difficult enough. Using them as-is felt wasteful.

“Maybe I can amplify their effects with Healthy Bloodline... That might be worth trying.”

Hanul rolled the elixir in his hand for a moment before storing it in his subspace.

He’d deal with the complex decisions later. For now, there was something more pressing.

Hanul took out his smartphone and dialed Joo Hayun.

“Hey, Hayun. Sorry—am I interrupting anything?”

Her voice came back, telling him it was fine. Hanul gave a quiet smile and said, “I need a secure place to safely consume some elixirs.”

Joo Hayun asked for details. The call ended up running long as they discussed the specifics.

“Thanks in advance, then.”

Only after quite some time did the call end. Hanul put the elixirs away and left the basement.

* * *

Three days later...

Hanul made his way to the location Joo Hayun had arranged.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]