Bloodline is Everything - Chapter 156

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

【Bloodline is a Thug Chapter 156】

156. Demon (4)

Fortunately, Kwon Han-ul was rescued quickly.
Upon returning to Heukcheon’s ship, Kwon Han-ul first bathed, then changed into a white robe and emerged.
“Finally finished your bath.”
The moment he stepped out of the Shower Room in his white robe, Kwon Seon-woo’s face came into view.
Kwon Seon-woo sat in a chair, sipping tea with elegant hand movements, while Joo Ha-yeon waited nearby, holding a teapot.
“Making me wait like that. How presumptuous.”
“And who was it that abandoned me in the sea at the end?”
Kwon Han-ul grumbled and sat across from Kwon Seon-woo.
“Is that all you have to say?”
Kwon Han-ul clamped his mouth shut like a mute eating honey. He hadn’t yet uttered words of gratitude. Yet strangely, his lips refused to part.
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“…Thank you for saving me.”
Finally, Kwon Han-ul spoke those words. Seemingly satisfied, Kwon Seon-woo offered a faint smile.
“Did you fly here from South Korea in your Incarnate Form?”
“The situation was urgent. I had no choice. One cannot afford to be leisurely against the Demon King.”
As with the Mei Family before, Kwon Seon-woo’s Incarnate Form possessed remarkably swift speed. Perhaps it was only natural for a dragon’s manifestation.
“What happened inside?”
Finally, the difficult question came. Kwon Han-ul produced words he had prepared beforehand.
“I encountered the Demon King. He had been hiding in the Sky Arena to heal wounds sustained during the war.”
“Demons hiding in dungeons is their specialty. Was that all?”
“He said he originally intended to sleep until his kin came to retrieve him. But he awoke when he sensed my true bloodline.”
“…Reacted to your true bloodline?”
“Yes. During the war with humanity in ages past, he felt the aura of the Black Dragon Bloodline so intensely that he opened his eyes to investigate.”
At this point, Kwon Han-ul gauged Kwon Seon-woo’s reaction, checking whether his lie had taken hold.
“I didn’t know the existence of a true bloodline could stimulate even a demon.”
Fortunately, Kwon Seon-woo passed over it without suspicion. Kwon Han-ul felt relief wash over him. There was indeed wisdom in the saying that lies should be mixed with truth.
“Then why did the Demon King disappear without killing anyone?”
“Since his kin never came for him over the long ages, he accepted defeat and vanished. He asked me to tell you that humanity had achieved victory.”
“The Demon King gave up on life for such a reason?”
Doubt colored Kwon Seon-woo’s voice.
In truth, it was the Ark that Kwon Han-ul possessed that had broken the Demon King’s will, but he could not say so directly.
“If that’s what happened, then no one died, did they?”
Kwon Han-ul instead acted with confidence, using the absence of casualties as evidence.
“…Living long enough, you encounter all manner of things.”
Kwon Seon-woo extended an empty teacup to Joo Ha-yeon. She tilted the teapot and slowly poured the tea.
“By the way, why were you clinging to the Babel Family’s daughter like that?”
At that moment, Joo Ha-yeon’s body trembled slightly as she held the teacup. Kwon Han-ul answered Kwon Seon-woo without noticing.
“We simply cooperated with each other to survive at that height.”
“Cooperation? You’re telling me a man and woman embraced each other? I don’t understand what goes through young people’s heads these days.”
“If you knew how high we fell from, you wouldn’t say such things.”
“You’re certain there was nothing else to it?”
“There wasn’t.”
“Just so you know, the Babel Family is off limits. We and Heukcheon have been enemies for generations.”
“I’m telling you the truth.”
Eventually, Kwon Han-ul had no choice but to speak irritably. Then Joo Ha-yeon set down the teapot and spoke.
“Chairman, Kwon Han-ul is not the type of person to carelessly give his heart to a woman.”
With Joo Ha-yeon taking his side, it felt as though I had gained ten thousand allies. I was about to thank her when Joo Ha-yeon suddenly turned to face me.
“Isn’t that right?”
Joo Ha-yeon smiled and asked again. Under that subtle pressure, I could only nod.
“…Since you say so, I’ll let this matter pass.”
Even Kwon Seon-woo had retreated a step, overwhelmed by Joo Ha-yeon’s presence.
I had a premonition that I shouldn’t provoke Joo Ha-yeon any further. I quickly changed the subject.
“It seems I’ve failed to keep your order, Chairman.”
At my words, Kwon Seon-woo tilted his head.
“What do you mean?”
“You told me to win the Heavenly Arena and bring honor to Heukcheon’s name. But because of the Demon King, everything fell apart… So I’m saying that I’ve ultimately failed to keep my promise.”
“Ah, that.”
Kwon Seon-woo gestured to Joo Ha-yeon. She handed over a tablet PC.
“See it with your own eyes.”
I stared at the tablet PC Joo Ha-yeon offered.
My image was displayed on the main page of a portal site.
-The Dragon Slayer’s Disciple! Overwhelmed by Heukcheon’s True Blood!
-A Dragon that Slays the Dragon Slayer Appears?
-Skill Analysis: The Technique that Pierced the Heavenly Arena’s Maze in a Single Strike!
Every internet article was nothing but stories about me.
“The Heavenly Arena was destroyed as you said. So there’s no way to win the championship.”
Kwon Seon-woo continued speaking as he took a sip of tea.
“But what you showed is worth far more than that.”
Kwon Seon-woo pointed to one of the articles.
“I especially liked this part. A Dragon that Slays the Dragon Slayer. That brat Dragon Slayer must have had his eyes turn inside out.”
Kwon Seon-woo let out a laugh. He seemed that pleased.
“You’ve kept my order. So I must keep my promise as well. I promise full support for your Rebirth Surgery. Furthermore, I’ll grant you free access to the Treasure Vault.”
Without realizing it, I clenched my fists.
“Don’t become arrogant thinking you’ve achieved your goal. This is only the beginning.”
“I understand.”
Currently, Kwon Han-ul is a hunter strong enough that his name is known among hunters worldwide.
But to be coldly honest, Kwon Han-ul only has three S-rank abilities.
Compared to world-ranked hunters, it was still far from sufficient.
“Besides, if we use the Treasure Vault, couldn’t we grow stronger quickly?”
“Only to a certain extent.”
“To a certain extent?”
At the ominous words, I had no choice but to ask back.
“Currently, the Heukcheon Vault has S-rank elixirs in stock, but there are no SS-rank elixirs left. Not a single one.”
“What?”
As Kwon Han-ul cried out in surprise, Kwon Seon-woo frowned.
“What do you mean ‘what’? Did you think SS-rank elixirs were that common? SS-rank elixirs are items that barely appear on the market once every few years.”
It wasn’t an unreasonable statement. I had gone through considerable hardship just to raise my S-rank abilities. SS-rank elixirs would be even more difficult.
But the situation wasn’t that dire.
In other words, since S-rank elixirs were still available, raising all my abilities to S-rank would be quick.
If I strengthened the superhuman bloodline and dragon heart bloodline I possessed, I could raise my abilities to SS-rank.
“If you understand, then I’ll rest inside for now.”
Kwon Seon-woo stood up. Joo Ha-yeon followed behind him.
“You said you would tell me about Father after the Heavenly Arena ends.”
Then, Kwon Han-ul asked. Though a promise had been made, I wanted confirmation once more.
Kwon Seon-woo’s footsteps stopped abruptly. He spoke without turning to face Kwon Han-ul.
“Yes, I’ll tell you everything soon.”
With those words, Kwon Seon-woo left the room.

* * *

After Kwon Seon-woo left, I climbed up onto the deck as well.
My teammates were waiting there, and I needed to explain the situation to them.
“Han-ul!”
The moment I appeared, my teammates welcomed me. Kwon Hu-don rushed over first and asked.
“D-did the Chairman… I mean, did the Chairman say anything? D-did he say anything unusual?”
“No, he didn’t say much, so don’t worry. He just asked me about the Demon.”
“Oh, I see.”
Kwon Hu-don let out a sigh of relief.
Despite having done nothing wrong, Kwon Hu-don was intimidated by Kwon Seon-woo. It wasn’t that Kwon Hu-don was unusual—most of our clansmen behaved this way.
“Please explain it to us too. What exactly happened at the Heavenly Arena?”
Mei Hong spoke up. At that, Kwon Hu-don and Gael Garsian also became interested. Everyone was clearly curious.
“Nothing much happened.”
I repeated to them exactly what I had told Kwon Seon-woo, word for word.
“A being of the Demon King’s stature came out so favorably toward you?”
“Who can truly understand a Demon’s intentions?”
I played dumb, claiming I didn’t know either.
“How is the Chairman’s condition? He used the Orb of Harmony. He must be quite exhausted.”
“The Orb of Harmony?”
“The one that lifted the entire Heavenly Arena into the air with you… Ah, you wouldn’t know about that.”
Kwon Hu-don glanced at Mei Hong and Gael Garsian.
“What is it?”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Well, that’s… it’s supposed to be a secret from outsiders…”
Mei Hong’s eyes blazed with intensity. Faced with her gaze of distrust, Kwon Hu-don backed down.
“Mother said it was a secret, but… the Orb of Harmony is the final power of the Black Dragon Bloodline. More precisely, I heard it’s the ability to create the Orb of Harmony.”
Kwon Hu-don explained what he knew, piece by piece.
“When you use the Orb of Harmony, you can supposedly cause celestial transformations like a true dragon. The power of the Orb grows stronger the more effort you pour into it after creating it.”
I recalled my previous fight with Kwon Chan-seong.
Back then, Kwon Chan-seong used the Orb of Harmony to escape from illusions and block the Heavenly Dragon’s Descent.
“The Chairman displayed the Orb’s power on a wide scale to save you and the others. He must be incredibly exhausted.”
That’s why he moved to rest immediately after the business was concluded.
“Do you know anything else about the Orb of Harmony?”
“Nothing more. The Orb of Harmony isn’t something many people have mastered, and there are many secrets surrounding it.”
Kwon Hu-don scratched his head.
“Oh, that’s right. Our founder killed a Black Dragon and obtained its true blood. I’ve heard that the Orb of Harmony obtained from that Black Dragon is hidden somewhere in our family.”
“The Black Dragon’s Orb of Harmony?”
That was not something I could simply overlook.
Even the vast tempest created by an Orb of Harmony made by a mere human—and not even a true-blooded one at that—was extraordinary.
If that were a true dragon’s Orb of Harmony, it would surely wield far greater power.
“Ah, Commander. I have something to give you.”
Just as I was about to ask more about the Yeouiju, Gael Garsian pulled a letter from his pocket.
“While you were speaking with the Chairman earlier, someone from the Babel Family left this.”
Kwon Han-ul tore open the envelope and examined its contents. Inside was an invitation.
There was no fixed date. I could visit whenever I wished. With this invitation in hand, I would be allowed passage through the Babel Family Compound without question or scrutiny.
“Hmm.”
The reason Sasha Babel had given me this invitation was obvious—she wanted me to heal Allia Dafi.
“It’s not something I can simply ignore, though…”
When I fell from the sky, Sasha Babel had helped me. Since I owed her a debt, it was only right to repay it.
Yet I couldn’t heal Allia Dafi. If she regained her strength, I had no way of knowing what threat she might pose to Heukcheon.
Kwon Han-ul folded the letter and tucked it away. For now, I decided to shelve the matter.
“Right. There’s something I need to tell all of you.”
The three of them turned their attention toward me. Kwon Han-ul spoke to them.
“I’ve been granted unrestricted access to the Treasure Vault from now on. This means we can all elevate our abilities to the next level.”
Though there were no SS-rank elixirs remaining, S-rank elixirs were still in stock.
This was an opportunity for all my team members to acquire S-rank abilities. Combined with weapons and equipment from the Treasure Vault, our team’s overall strength would increase substantially.
“…”
Yet the atmosphere felt strange. Not a single person looked happy.
“What’s wrong?”
Kwon Han-ul asked the three of them. Kwon Hu-don opened his mouth hesitantly.
“I appreciate it, but… I don’t think I deserve to use the Treasure Vault.”
“Same here.”
“I share that sentiment.”
Kwon Han-ul couldn’t help but be taken aback.
“What are you all talking about?”
“Until now, we’ve only ever received help from you.”
Mei Hong and Gael Garsian remained silent, but their expressions showed they agreed with this sentiment.
“And this time too—getting permission to use the Treasure Vault is your achievement. How could we possibly presume to…”
“You’re all worrying about nothing. Instead of fretting like this, it would be far better to grow stronger quickly and actually be of use to me.”
Even at those words, the three of them didn’t brighten much. Kwon Han-ul smiled bitterly.
“Within the Kwon Family, the only people I can truly trust are Joo Ha-yeon and you three here.”
Since I first entered the Kwon Family, only Joo Ha-yeon had been on my side. Even then, as someone close to the Chairman, it was difficult to open my heart completely.
But the Heukam Corps was different. Though there were only three of them, every single member stood entirely with me.
“I can only feel at ease if the three of you grow stronger. So please, don’t say such things…”
Kwon Han-ul trailed off and closed his mouth. Kwon Hu-don was already sobbing.
“You… you believe in me… H-Han-ul!”
Kwon Hu-don came rushing at me in tears. Kwon Han-ul deftly sidestepped.
That was when it happened.
“Your team’s bond seems quite strong. It’s nice to see.”
An unfamiliar voice rang out. Kwon Han-ul reflexively looked toward the railing.
An unknown woman sat perched on the railing, staring down at Kwon Han-ul.
“That’s why youth is so wonderful. Burning like fire, sweet as honey, the most radiant period of one’s life.”
“…Who are you?”
“Does the name Blood Flower Sword mean anything to you?”
At those words, Kwon Han-ul’s mind flooded with countless pieces of information.
Blood Flower Sword—leader of the Assassination Sword Corps, commander of the remnants of the Mei Family, and the sworn enemy who had killed Mei Hong’s Mother.
“…Mei Xiao.”
At his words, the woman’s eyes curved with a smile.

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————