Bloodline is Everything - Chapter 173

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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 173】

173. Time (3)

Joo Ha-yeon released the spatial magic.
The completed spell took form and pierced through Odin. It was like a ship’s ram driving through a person.
Before that tremendous force, Odin’s body burst like a balloon. Not a single piece of flesh, not a drop of blood remained.
“….”
Even after eliminating Odin, Joo Ha-yeon couldn’t express joy.
Joo Ha-yeon’s knees touched the ground. Her veins bulged prominently blue. It was because she had rapidly consumed vast amounts of mana to complete the spell.
Her words about needing to stake her life were neither metaphor nor a vow to steel her resolve.
She had simply spoken the truth.
“Are you alright!”
Secretary Kim rushed toward Joo Ha-yeon, pulling recovery potions from his subspace as he ran to save her.
That was when it happened.
Secretary Kim’s body suddenly burst. Fragments of what had been human scattered in all directions.
The situation was so abrupt that Joo Ha-yeon couldn’t react immediately. She could only stare blankly at Secretary Kim’s remains.
“Secretary Kim…?”
A black shadow spread across empty space. Someone stepped out from within it.
“Wow.”
It was Odin.
“Ha-yeon, when did you create something like this? I almost died.”
Odin’s eyes widened as admiration poured out. His praise was genuine.
“To go beyond application and achieve creation! I never knew you’d honed spatial magic to this extent! My instincts were right after all! Your talent is truly remarkable!”
“What did you just do! How could you…Secretary Kim…!”
“Oh, that?”
Odin pointed at Secretary Kim.
“I transferred the damage I received.”
Joo Ha-yeon felt all the blood in her body turn cold. What kind of nonsensical thing was he saying?
“I can’t transfer all the damage, just roughly 30% or so?”
“Don’t lie! There’s no such curse magic….”
“Ha-yeon, what kind of foolish thing are you saying? Did you think I was just sitting idle while you grew?”
Odin clicked his tongue disapprovingly.
“More importantly, aren’t you curious where the remaining 70% of the damage went?”
Odin spread both arms wide. Clusters of curses poured out from beneath his feet.
And a significant portion of them dissipated as smoke.
“I substituted it by sacrificing the curses I’ve been accumulating all this time.”
Joo Ha-yeon stared at Odin silently. Each time a cluster of curses dissipated, she could only clench her fists tightly.
-Gaaahhhhh!
-Kyaaahhhhh!
Screams of agony echoed endlessly. Their meaning was singular and unmistakable.
The cursed mass Odin wielded was nothing but human souls.
He corrupted them, rotted them, twisted them into submission and servitude.
That was precisely why Odin could bear the damage meant for his mouth.
“You… truly should never have been born into this world.”
“It’s a bit sad hearing that from Ha-yeon, honestly.”
Odin raised his index finger, pointing it at Joo Ha-yeon. A curse crystallized at his fingertip.
“Get some good sleep for now. We’ll talk later.”
The curse of enfeeblement shot toward Joo Ha-yeon. Her body crumpled forward.
“Well, that’s settled then. All that’s left is…,”
Odin turned to look behind him. Three youthful figures came into view.
“I’m in such a good mood from meeting Ha-yeon today. Should I just let you three live?”
A scoff burst forth. Mei Hong twisted her lips and gripped her blade.
“Spouting nonsense.”
“Pretty face, but a foul mouth.”
Mei Hong ran her palm across the blade’s edge. Crimson energy dyed the steel.
She had drawn upon the Asura Bloodline’s power—the Ghost Sword.
“What will you do, Hu-don?”
Kwon Hu-don wrapped himself in Black Scale Armor without a word. He didn’t bother answering, but his eyes burned with hatred as he glared at Odin.
“And you, Gael?”
“There is no need for a response.”
At Gael Garsian’s reply, Mei Hong let out a short laugh.
“Quite the touching camaraderie.”
Odin regarded the three with evident boredom. In truth, he had no interest in anyone but Joo Ha-yeon and Kwon Han-ul.
“Prepared to die to protect your comrades. Truly admirable. Watching young people exert themselves like this is quite moving.”
“Sir, do you have delusions?”
Mei Hong suddenly spoke up. Odin looked at her in surprise.
“Delu… what?”
“Prepared to die? We have no such intention. If you’re muttering to yourself like that, it’s definitely delusion. Or maybe your age is catching up with you, making you talk nonsense.”
Odin’s face gradually hardened.
“We won’t die.”
Her voice carried conviction rather than mere bravado against a formidable foe.
“Our commander will arrive before that.”
Odin burst into hollow laughter. He laughed for a long while, as if the notion were absurd.
“Teaching young juniors the bitter taste of life doesn’t sound so bad.”
Kwon Hu-don stepped forward, wrapped in Black Scale Armor. Mei Hong drew her longsword. And Gael Garsian….
“Baal.”
He whispered the Demon King’s name softly.
Explosive magical power engulfed Gael Garsian. Transformed into a black beast, Gael Garsian lunged at Odin.
“What? A Phantom Beast Bloodline?”
To block Gael Garsian, Odin erected a curse barrier. However, the curse barrier melted like foam the moment Gael Garsian’s magical power touched it.
“Ah, I forgot. Magic was originally a demon’s discipline.”
It wasn’t just that magic didn’t work. Curses were equally ineffective against demons. Curses were magic that affected the human soul.
They had no effect on demons, who possessed souls far more resilient than humans.
“To think I’d meet my natural enemy here. This is why the world is so entertaining.”
Yet despite his words, Odin evaded all of Gael Garsian’s attacks with ease.
-!@%!$#%@$!.
The more he attacked, the more ferociously Gael Garsian pressed forward. But he couldn’t even graze Odin’s clothing.
Suddenly, Odin’s movements stopped. Gael Garsian seized the opening and brought his hand down.
With a violent sound, the ground cracked. Yet Odin remained unscathed.
“What, was it all just appearance?”
Odin was blocking Gael Garsian’s arm with his forearm. His face was as serene as if a feather had landed on him.
“Then there’s nothing more to see.”
Just as Odin was about to shift his offense, a sharp killing intent pierced the air.
Odin retreated. A crimson slash cut through the space where he had stood.
“Quite sharp, aren’t you?”
Mei Hong immediately closed in on Odin, wielding her longsword.
“I’m here too!”
Kwon Hu-don crashed down on Odin from behind. Under their combined assault, Odin’s movements became more frantic.
Sensing the situation was turning against him, Odin opened a subspace and retrieved a T-shaped short staff. Gripping it inverted, he blocked both their attacks.
Kwon Hu-don’s fists and Mei Hong’s sword strikes tangled in a dizzying blur. Watching their attacks mesh together with such perfect synchronization, Odin couldn’t help but marvel.
“Are you both insane? To reach this level of skill at your age?”
Even Odin had to acknowledge it. The talent these two possessed was extraordinary.
Finding rivals in their age group would be difficult. Perhaps even across the entire industry.
Yet they were still nothing but unripe fruit.
-%$&&#!!!!
Gael Garsian roared and burst into the three-way battle. Kwon Hu-don and Mei Hong moved in perfect coordination with him.
That was when it happened.
“Cough!”
Kwon Hu-don coughed up blood. His face had already turned a sickly black.
“Brother Hu-don!”
Kwon Hu-don’s body collapsed. A curse that had been placed on him was stealing his life.
“You shouldn’t worry about others.”
The moment Odin spoke, Mei Hong coughed up blood. Her sword fell first, followed by her body.
“To think you didn’t even notice I was scattering curses. You’re still just children, after all.”
Gael Garsian desperately rushed at Odin. Odin, as if he’d been waiting, thrust the staff forcefully into Gael Garsian’s abdomen.
The intense impact momentarily severed Gael Garsian’s consciousness. His semi-transformation released, and Gael Garsian crashed to the ground.
Gael Garsian tried to activate the Phantom Beast Bloodline’s power again. But before he could, Odin rushed forward and kicked him in the head.
Gael Garsian slammed into the wall without even managing to scream.
“That was rather enjoyable.”
Odin tucked his staff into subspace. He stepped over the broken figure and headed toward the entrance of the Operating Room.
“Seems fairly sturdy.”
Odin recognized at a glance the power protecting the Operating Room.
It was so formidable that ordinary Hunters wouldn’t dare attempt to breach it.
But Odin was no ordinary Hunter.
Odin swung a mass of curses against the door. The Operating Room’s entrance shattered with pathetic ease.
“Well then, shall I go see the face of the one holding the vessel?”
Odin chuckled to himself as he stepped inside.

* * *

Since returning from Baekdu Mountain, Lee Da-hae had been consumed by worry.
The expression Kwon Hyuk had shown weighed heavily on her mind.
‘It wasn’t mere jealousy. It was something more.’
It looked as though he was on the verge of crossing some line.
Yet she couldn’t tell Kwon Cheon about this. For a mere maidservant to accuse the Heukcheon Bloodline was absurd.
‘He wouldn’t believe me anyway.’
Kwon Cheon had always trusted and followed Kwon Hyuk as his older brother. This was not a situation where Lee Da-hae could interfere.
Knowing this, Kwon Hyuk had made those remarks to Lee Da-hae without hesitation.
‘No matter how I think about it, there’s no solution.’
Yet she couldn’t simply give up. Lee Da-hae was the only one who knew Kwon Hyuk’s true nature. That meant she was the only one who could help Kwon Cheon.
‘What should I do?’
Lee Da-hae’s worries deepened with each passing day.
Then one day, an unexpected opportunity presented itself.

* * *

November was gradually slipping into winter.
A foreign guest had come to visit the Heukcheon Estate.
That guest was an elderly Arab man from the Middle East.
-I apologize for bringing you such a long distance.
Even the Family Head of Heukcheon, who was always stern, showed genuine warmth toward this guest.
Lee Da-hae couldn’t contain her curiosity and asked another maid.
-Who is that person to receive such hospitality?
Since the maid had poor relations with her, she received a sharp glare first.
-How long have you been working here and you still don’t know who that is?
The words that she’d only been here for five months rose to her throat, but she swallowed them back. After all, Lee Da-hae was the one in urgent need of information.
-He’s Abdul Rasad from the Rasad Family. He’s a First-Class Harmonizer.
-A Harmonizer?
-Just as the Heukcheon Estate possesses the Black Dragon Bloodline, the Rasad Family possesses the Genius Bloodline. They say that using the Genius Bloodline can make Hunters even stronger.
Even stronger.
Those words embedded themselves in my mind.
If Kwon Cheon became stronger than he was now, if he became so powerful that no one could challenge him.
Then even Kwon Hyuk wouldn’t be able to do anything about Kwon Cheon.
It was at that moment my thoughts reached that far.
【’???’detects the Genius Bloodline.】
【Acquiring the True Genius Bloodline.】
A message suddenly appeared.
“…What?”
Lee Da-hae couldn’t help but be bewildered.
I already knew that Aeon had implanted something strange in my body. After all, I had obtained the Vitality Bloodline because of that strange thing.
But I had never obtained the Black Dragon Bloodline while working at Heukcheon.
So why now?
In that instant, an overwhelming pain engulfed her. Lee Da-hae collapsed to the floor, her body trembling.
-W-Why is this happening all of a sudden!
The maid beside her panicked and shook Lee Da-hae. The more she did, the more intense Lee Da-hae’s agony became.
-A-A doctor! I’ll call a doctor!
The maid rushed off in a panic.
Lee Da-hae’s consciousness gradually sank into darkness.

* * *

When Lee Da-hae regained consciousness, she found herself lying on a white bed.
At first, I couldn’t immediately grasp what had happened to me.
Only after some time passed did the situation gradually become clear.
-How much time has passed?
-A month, they say.
A response came to my casual remark. Lee Da-hae turned in surprise to look beside me. Kwon Cheon sat in a chair, reading a book.
-W-w-Kwon Cheon?
-You collapsed so suddenly, it frightened me. What on earth happened? Even the doctor said he couldn’t determine the cause.
Kwon Cheon asked with a worried expression. Lee Da-hae brushed it off, saying she wasn’t entirely sure herself.
-I… but has it really been a whole month?
Kwon Cheon nodded. Lee Da-hae couldn’t help but feel flustered.
-For the first week, you had a high fever, and then your entire body became cold as ice… Do you know how much I suffered?
-What? You mean…?
Lee Da-hae’s face turned pale.
For an entire month, Kwon Cheon had visited Lee Da-hae every single day to care for her.
The thought that I had only burdened him rather than being of any help made me sigh involuntarily.
-Still, I’m glad you’ve recovered. I’ll call the doctor.
Kwon Cheon rose from his chair. Lee Da-hae couldn’t find words, overwhelmed by embarrassment and guilt.
However, the moment Kwon Cheon stood up, I felt a sharp, burning pain searing through my mind.
-…Huh?
The landscape before my eyes transformed. Kwon Cheon’s body became completely visible to me.
Not just his muscles and bones, but even the mana pathways that lay deeper within.
Kwon Cheon’s physique was nearly perfect, so much so that even a layperson could recognize it. Yet there were several places that caught my attention.
-Is your left arm perhaps uncomfortable?
Lee Da-hae spoke without thinking.
-Huh? How did you know that?
-The mana pathway connected to the seventh nerve isn’t flowing smoothly. It seems you’ve used your mana intensely recently, doesn’t it?
Kwon Cheon responded as if finding it remarkable.
-Ah, that’s right. Yesterday, while practicing the Black Dragon Twelve Martial Forms, I accidentally struck a training dummy too hard.
-It would be better to refrain from using your left arm for a while. It’s a minor injury now, but if this continues to accumulate, it will leave lasting aftereffects.
-I understand. Thank you for your concern.
Up until this point, Kwon Cheon had merely found it remarkable.
However, as Lee Da-hae continued speaking, Kwon Cheon’s expression grew increasingly rigid.
-Your left rhomboid, latissimus dorsi, and teres major muscles are excessively developed. If this condition worsens, the imbalance will prevent you from reacting nimbly to sudden ambushes.
-Da-hae?
-Your right knee is angled about two degrees off. Once this is corrected, your pelvis will align properly and your spine will find its balance.
-What are you even saying right now…?
-It would be good to further expand the fifteenth mana pathway connected to your heart. That way, in emergencies, you can release vast amounts of mana without suffering significant strain.
Bewilderment crossed Kwon Cheon’s face. He couldn’t understand why Lee Da-hae was suddenly saying such things.
What he understood even less was that everything Lee Da-hae was saying made perfect sense.
It was similar to what Abdul Rasad had said when he visited the Kwon Family a month ago.
-Ah…!
Lee Da-hae suddenly came to her senses. The moment she slowly recalled what she had said, she bowed her head to Kwon Cheon.
-I’m, I’m sorry. I said something strange….
Rather than reproaching Lee Da-hae, Kwon Cheon took her hand.
-What happened.
At his voice filled with concern, Lee Da-hae felt the barrier she had built within her heart crumble.
-It’s….
Lee Da-hae told him everything that had happened to her.
About being injected with something by Aeon. And how she had obtained the Healthy Bloodline and the Genius Bloodline because of it.
After hearing the full story, Kwon Cheon fell silent. His mind was overwhelmed with too much information.
-…It would be best to keep this hidden.
An ability to acquire bloodlines. There was nothing good about it becoming known to the outside world.
Even Kwon Seon-woo, the Family Head of Heukcheon, would surely dissect Lee Da-hae to discover the reason if he learned of this fact.
-Why this happened to you. We’ll investigate that gradually.
Kwon Cheon did not abandon Lee Da-hae even after learning her secret.
Instead, he worried about it as if it were his own problem. Seeing his response, Lee Da-hae realized her decision had been right.

* * *

After that, Kwon Cheon paid special attention to Lee Da-hae.
To protect her, and to uncover the truth about this mysterious power.
Because of this, the time the two spent together grew increasingly longer. For Lee Da-hae, it was a situation she could not have wished for more.
-Just now, about that technique. I think it would be good to focus on the 81st mana pathway.
Lee Da-hae did not hesitate to offer advice to Kwon Cheon using the Genius Bloodline she had acquired.
At first, Kwon Cheon did not take Lee Da-hae’s words seriously. But as time passed, he could not help but acknowledge that her advice was remarkable.
Her advice was not only appropriate, but also pointed out problems that even Kwon Cheon had failed to grasp. Simply by correcting the issues Lee Da-hae identified, Kwon Cheon’s abilities improved by leaps and bounds.
-Da-hae… you really are amazing.
-It’s not that I’m amazing, it’s the True Genius Bloodline that’s amazing.
It was sincerity, not modesty.
The Genius Bloodline is the only bloodline in the world known to be able to coordinate Hunters.
The True Genius Bloodline possessed far superior abilities. It was to the degree that even a genius like Kwon Cheon had to acknowledge it.
Kwon Cheon grew stronger rapidly thanks to Lee Da-hae’s help. Lee Da-hae was happy simply being with Kwon Cheon.
However, when a young man and woman spent so much time together, it would be strange if strange feelings did not develop.
The two gradually developed a more intimate relationship. Sometimes they shared a deeper bond.
Thus a year passed, and the successor trial that Kwon Seon-woo had promised drew near.

* * *

-How do I look?
Kwon Cheon asked while dressed in a formal suit. The black suit, a symbol of Heukcheon, suited him remarkably well.
-You look wonderful in anything you wear, Kwon Cheon.
Lee Da-hae spoke with a bright smile.
-You always say that.
-Because it’s the truth!
Lee Da-hae spoke with conviction. Since meeting Kwon Cheon, she had never seen anyone as handsome as him.
-Your tie is a bit loose.
Lee Da-hae carefully adjusted Kwon Cheon’s attire with worried hands.
Today, Kwon Cheon was leaving the Kwon Family.
To complete the mission that Chairman Kwon Seon-woo had set forth.
The successor to Heukcheon would be determined based on how he accomplished this task.
-But are you really planning to support Kwon Hyuk?
Kwon Hyuk would accompany him on this mission. It was natural, as this was an opportunity to verify the qualifications of a successor.
-I told you before. My brother is the one truly suited to be Family Head.
Over the past year, Kwon Cheon’s resolve had not wavered.
For Lee Da-hae, it was disappointing. She believed Kwon Cheon was the one truly suited to be Family Head.
But it didn’t matter. What was important to Lee Da-hae was only Kwon Cheon. His position was irrelevant.
-Please return safely.
Just come back unharmed.
Holding back those words, Lee Da-hae saw Kwon Cheon off.
And days later.
While cleaning Kwon Cheon’s room, Lee Da-hae suddenly heard a loud commotion.
The door burst open without a knock. Heukcheon’s hunters were staring at Lee Da-hae.
-You’re Lee Da-hae, right?
The hunters spoke in a rigid tone.
-You need to come with us for an investigation into Kwon Cheon’s suspected treason.
The worry she had harbored became reality.

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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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