Bloodline is Everything - Chapter 157

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

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【Bloodline is a Thug Chapter 157】

157. Each Other’s Enemy (1)

Kwon Seon-woo was heading toward the VIP Room under Joo Ha-yeon’s guidance when it happened.
Suddenly, Kwon Seon-woo clutched his chest and fell to his knees. Joo Ha-yeon was startled and rushed to support him.
“Chairman!”
Joo Ha-yeon spoke urgently, but the Chairman had no strength to respond. He could only endure the searing pain in his chest, cold sweat dripping down his face.
“…Haa.”
After a long moment, the agony subsided. The Chairman leaned against the corridor wall, breathing heavily.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry too much.”
The Chairman spoke to Joo Ha-yeon. Yet she couldn’t shake the concern from her expression.
“Using the Yeouiju must be why the backlash is so severe this time.”
Most people don’t truly understand transformation bodies.
They only know that by becoming a monster, one becomes far stronger.
But transformation bodies were actually a far more brutal power than that. Even Kwon Seon-woo felt tremendous strain each time he used his transformation.
It was inevitable. Even possessing a bloodline, a mere human could never properly wield a dragon’s power.
“…Is Kwon Han-ul so precious to you that you would endure such pain?”
Joo Ha-yeon suddenly asked Kwon Seon-woo.
“What nonsense are you spouting.”
“Given your nature, Chairman, you wouldn’t have stepped forward even if something far worse than a Demon King had appeared.”
Kwon Seon-woo is Heukcheon’s ultimate trump card. He possesses overwhelming power.
Kwon Seon-woo’s defeat would mean Heukcheon’s defeat. That’s why he rarely revealed his true strength. It was to avoid giving enemies too much information.
Yet Kwon Seon-woo transformed into his true form and flew here to save Kwon Han-ul. And he did so at the Heavenly Arena, where the entire world’s attention was focused.
“You’re really talking nonsense.”
Kwon Seon-woo spoke with a bitter smile.
“I only stepped in because I didn’t want to lose a pure bloodline. It has nothing to do with Kwon Han-ul.”
Just as Joo Ha-yeon was about to speak again, Kwon Seon-woo addressed her.
“Don’t tell Kwon Han-ul anything like that. Understood?”
“Why would you give such an order?”
Kwon Seon-woo fell silent. He muttered in a barely audible voice.
“That way, he won’t think of me as his enemy.”
The voice was so faint that Joo Ha-yeon couldn’t hear him properly. She tilted her head in confusion and asked again.
“Chairman? Could you say that once more…?”
Joo Ha-yeon asked again, but Kwon Seon-woo didn’t answer. He rose to his feet.
“Let’s go. I need to rest now.”

* * *

“Mei Xiao!”
A shout tore through the air. Mei Hong drew her long sword and rushed toward Mei Xiao.
In that instant, Mei Xiao appeared behind Mei Hong’s back. She struck down at her neck with the edge of her hand. Mei Hong collapsed mid-charge.
Kwon Han-ul reflexively clenched his fists. Kwon Hu-don and Gael Garsian both assumed combat stances.
“Everyone, please calm down.”
Mei Xiao spoke with empty hands raised.
“I’ve merely knocked her unconscious. I’d prefer to avoid unnecessary commotion. If things escalate, the Chairman on the ship will certainly notice me.”
At those words, Kwon Han-ul sensed something amiss. With someone of Mei Xiao’s caliber this close, Kwon Seon-woo should have no way of remaining unaware.
“You look puzzled as to why the Chairman of Heukcheon hasn’t arrived?”
Mei Xiao spoke as though she’d already anticipated his thoughts.
“There are two reasons. First, your Chairman is currently exhausted from using his incarnate form. Second, I was originally part of the Assassination Unit.”
Having used his incarnate form, Kwon Seon-woo was severely drained. His sensory abilities had inevitably diminished.
Meanwhile, Mei Xiao was an assassin who made concealment her primary craft. She was bound to excel at hiding her presence.
“However, if the disturbance grows any larger, the Chairman will certainly detect me as well. So I’m asking you—would you please remain quiet?”
“And if we refuse?”
Kwon Han-ul asked provocatively.
In this situation, Mei Xiao held the disadvantage. No matter how exceptional a swordmaster she was, she could not defeat Kwon Seon-woo. Even exhausted, the outcome would be the same.
“Then I have no choice but to die at the Chairman’s hands here.”
Mei Xiao readily acknowledged her own limitations.
“But everyone in this room will die by my hand before the Chairman arrives.”
In that moment, a chill ran down their spines.
Without even raising her killing intent, death seemed to loom before them.
“We all want to live, don’t we? So let’s each make a small compromise. After all, I came here today simply to meet you.”
Kwon Han-ul stared at her for a long moment, then unclenched his fists.
“What is your business?”
“I’m glad you understand my meaning.”
“Just answer the question.”
“My master.”
Expression drained from Mei Xiao’s face. Like a desert stripped of all moisture, she asked coldly:
“How did the Maejung First Sword meet his end?”

* * *

Maejung First Sword Mei Rong.
Once, he was known as the strongest of the Mei Family.
However, during the previous war between the Kwon Family and the Mei Family, he was defeated by Kwon Myung-woo.
Although Maejung First Sword’s defeater was Kwon Myung-woo, the one who took his life was someone else.
He lost his life at the hands of Kwon Han-ul.
“Must you really hear about that?”
Mei Xiao of the Blood Flame Sword was a disciple of Maejung First Sword Mei Rong.
According to Mei Hong, Mei Xiao had already surpassed her master during her time as a disciple. However, she chose to become an Assassination Unit member for the sake of her master’s honor.
To that extent, Mei Xiao was a disciple who followed her master with fanatical devotion.
“Yes, I must hear it.”
It was obvious what kind of emotions Mei Xiao harbored toward Kwon Han-ul, one of her master’s enemies.
“At that time, Maejung First Sword suffered severe injuries in his battle with Director Kwon Myung-woo. His torso was pierced through by Kwon Gang, and his heart was completely destroyed.”
At that moment, Maejung First Sword had already sustained injuries from which he could not survive.
“However, to at least fulfill the family head’s command to kill me, he used a relic to isolate himself and me in a subspace. But in the end, Maejung First Sword lost his life to me instead.”
Kwon Han-ul stated the facts as they were. However, he did not elaborate on how he killed him. If he had, he would have had to reveal the Asura Blood.
“That’s nonsense.”
Mei Xiao flatly denied Kwon Han-ul’s words.
“Considering the gap between my master and you at that time, it’s impossible. Even if death was right before his eyes, it would be the same. There must have been another reason.”
There was indeed another reason. At that time, Kwon Han-ul had used the Asura King.
“Mei Rong was the same.”
But even if he hadn’t used it, the result would have been the same.
“He lost his life to me because of that arrogant attitude—that he could never die by my hand.”
“Don’t lie. That can’t be true.”
“A lie? Isn’t the fact that I’m alive proof of it?”
Having nothing to refute, Mei Xiao fell silent.
“…So you really were the one who killed my master?”
“That’s correct.”
“So you’re truly my master’s enemy.”
At that moment, Mei Xiao’s expression changed.
It felt eerie, repulsive, yet strangely delighted. It was like watching a ghost laugh.
“Do you know why I’ve let you live until now?”
Kwon Han-ul shook his head. How could he know such a reason?
“Because I didn’t want to kill my master’s enemy while he was still unremarkable. That would diminish my master’s prestige.”
Even after killing Maejung First Sword, Kwon Han-ul was not a particularly famous figure.
He became a topic of conversation among gossips, but ultimately he was merely adding a spoon to food that Kwon Myung-woo had already prepared.
After that, his fame grew through several incidents, but it was incomparable to Maejung First Sword’s.
But now the situation had changed.
“Because of the incident at the Heavenly Arena, your name became known throughout the world. Everyone admires you, fears you, and is terrified of you.”
Now Kwon Han-ul’s fame had risen. From Mei Xiao’s perspective, he had finally become worthy of assassination.
“The reason I came directly today is because of that. This isn’t mere assassination. It’s revenge to restore my master’s and the Mei Family’s honor.”
That is why Mei Xiao faced Kwon Han-ul directly. And she declared it herself.
“I shall return soon enough. When I do, I will take your life.”
The Mei Family’s greatest assassin.
And their greatest swordmaster made her declaration.
That she would kill Kwon Han-ul.
“Do you truly believe Heukcheon will simply let you walk free?”
“Perhaps not. But it matters little. No one will be able to stop me.”
Mei Xiao seized the longsword that Mei Hong had been holding.
She drew it with fluid grace, raising the blade’s keen edge toward the heavens.
Sword aura crystallized upon the blade’s surface. It seemed as though heat shimmer and smoke intertwined, wrapping around the steel in equal measure.
“Hide within your family if you wish, or surround yourself with guards. But I assure you—nothing you do will matter.”
Then the appearance of the sword aura transformed.
What had been gaseous in form compressed upon itself. It solidified into matter, then began to radiate with brilliant luminescence.
Kwon Hu-don and Gael Garsian failed to comprehend what they were witnessing.
But Kwon Han-ul recognized it at once. He had actually wielded such power before.
“…Sword Force.”
A technique transcending sword aura—or what others called aura—by one entire tier.
An absolute weapon capable of destroying anything.
Sword Force, which even the Maejung First Sword had never attained, now unfolded in Mei Xiao’s hands.
Mei Xiao swept her blade through empty air. The Sword Force extinguished like a snuffed candle.
“Struggle as much as you can. It will make my vengeance all the sweeter.”
Mei Xiao lowered her sword and bowed respectfully.
“Until we meet again.”
Immediately after, Mei Xiao’s form dissolved into smoke and vanished.

* * *

Even though Mei Xiao had vanished, Kwon Han-ul couldn’t shake the tension that gripped him. Kwon Hu-don and Gael Garsian felt the same way.
“…Ha, Han-ul. Let’s request assistance from the Chairman.”
Kwon Hu-don spoke up, mustering his courage.
Now that Mei Xiao had declared her assassination attempt, it was arguably the most rational decision they could make.
A human who was already monstrously powerful had now acquired a sword of that caliber. There seemed to be no way for Kwon Han-ul to survive.
But Kwon Han-ul had no intention of following Kwon Hu-don’s suggestion.
“Hu-don. Would you move Mei Hong to the bedroom for me?”
“U-uh, okay.”
Kwon Hu-don lifted Mei Hong without complaint and carried her into the ship.
“Gael.”
“Yes, speak your command.”
“What do you think?”
“I believe it would be better to seek assistance from Heukcheon, as Kwon Hu-don suggested.”
The same thought, then.
That’s what Kwon Han-ul was thinking when—
“However, it seems your thoughts differ, Kwon Han-ul.”
Gael Garsian offered an unexpected response.
“What thoughts do you think I’m having?”
“You appear to be angry.”
Those words shook Kwon Han-ul’s heart. Without realizing it, the corners of his mouth twisted.
“That’s right. After a long time, a deeply unpleasant memory has surfaced.”
When I first came to Heukcheon, I was insulted by everyone I met, called the child of a traitor.
That wasn’t all. Kwon Ji-seok, Kwon Chan-seong, and even Kwon Mi—all of them tried to belittle and oppress me.
“It’s absurd, isn’t it? That they dare to come forward so confidently while leading losers who have already been defeated by Heukcheon.”
Gritting my teeth, I clenched my jaw.
“The warning I gave beforehand means they should tremble until their dying breath.”
Rage surged up. Murderous intent boiled over.
In this moment, Kwon Han-ul made a decision. I would personally eliminate Mei Xiao with my own hands.
“The Chairman’s words were correct.”
Kwon Seon-woo was right. There was no time for complacency. I had to grow stronger with relentless determination.
And there was something I absolutely had to obtain to grow stronger.
An elixir capable of raising my stats to SS-rank.
“Gael. I have one favor to ask.”
“Give your command.”
“Go to the Babel Family’s ship right now and deliver my message.”
Kwon Han-ul handed back the letter he had been carrying and spoke.
“Tell them I’ll visit at dawn tomorrow.”

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

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