Bloodline is Everything - Chapter 19

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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 19】

Chapter 19: Bloodline Resolves (2)

My debut match was scheduled for exactly one week later.
Kwon Han-ul boarded a private jet to scout the Dungeon in advance.
“The recently discovered Dungeon is located inside Bomun Mountain in the Daejeon region of South Korea.”
Inside the aircraft soaring through the sky, Joo Ha-yeon provided a general overview of the Dungeon.
“Bomun Mountain? I’ve never heard of such a place.”
“It’s a small mountain in Daejeon. It’s not particularly famous, so it’s understandable that you wouldn’t know of it.”
Kwon Han-ul listened to Joo Ha-yeon’s explanation while continuously adjusting his necktie in front of the full-length mirror.
Wasn’t this how it was supposed to be?
Wearing a formal suit for the first time in my life felt utterly strange.
“Based on the escaped monsters we’ve analyzed, we believe the interior of the Dungeon is a Karancula nest.”
“Dreadful creatures. They’re monsters that reproduce endlessly around a mother, aren’t they?”
“You’re well-informed. Left unchecked, they could devour an entire metropolis in moments.”
Truly befitting a Platinum Dungeon. The caliber of monsters that appeared was on an entirely different level.
But right now, this necktie was a more formidable opponent than Karancula. As I struggled to tie the necktie, I asked Joo Ha-yeon a question.
“If it’s Karancula, then the interior of the Dungeon must be a burrow, right?”
“Yes, that’s the primary reason why eliminating Karancula is so difficult. While it’s expansive enough for a single person to move around, it’s….”
“Too cramped to engage Karancula in combat.”
“You certainly know your material.”
“I picked up quite a bit of knowledge during my time working as a Hunter.”
Joo Ha-yeon tilted her head. For someone who claimed to have merely picked things up, I knew far too many details.
“Anyway, do I really have to wear formal attire? I’m dying of discomfort.”
“That can’t be right. This formal suit was tailored specifically to Kwon Han-ul’s measurements. It’s woven using Arachnid silk, so it has elasticity and even temperature-regulating functions….”
“No, that’s not what I meant… I’ve never worn clothes like this before, so it just feels uncomfortable.”
This was the first time in my life I’d ever worn a formal suit. I’d never had occasion to wear one.
I’d always lived in shabby t-shirts and worn jeans, so formal attire felt like an extraordinarily cumbersome thing.
Never before had the phrase “clothes that don’t fit your body” resonated with me so deeply.
“The black formal suit is the symbol of the Hukcheon Estate. You must wear formal attire at all official occasions.”
Joo Ha-yeon spoke with unwavering resolve. I could sense her rigid determination—there was no room for compromise.
“What kind of family symbol is a black formal suit… Who decided that?”
“The founding patriarch did.”
I made a decision in that moment.
Once I reached the pinnacle of Heukcheon, I would remove formal attire from the family’s symbols.
With that thought, I finished adjusting my necktie. After fiddling with it for a while, I exclaimed.
“Done!”
A cheer escaped my lips unbidden. The necktie that had resisted my every attempt to form a presentable knot finally took on a crisp, elegant shape.
Kwon Han-ul turned to look at Joo Ha-yeon, his pride evident in every line of his posture.
Joo Ha-yeon let out a short laugh.
“You’re skilled at everything else, yet you seem to lack dexterity in the strangest places.”
Joo Ha-yeon stepped closer until she was just beneath my chin, then reached out to undo the necktie and began tying it anew.
I felt a moment of confusion. When I lowered my gaze, I caught sight of her neatly styled hair and the pristine white part dividing it. A subtle fragrance lingered at the tip of my nose.
An unexpected shyness crept over me, so I turned my head to the side. For a while, I heard only the soft sounds of her tying the necktie.
Once she finished, Joo Ha-yeon gave my chest a light pat and spoke.
“From now on, I’ll have to tie your necktie separately.”
“I suppose I should practice tying it myself.”
I scratched the bridge of my nose as I replied.
“We should be arriving soon. When you reach the Dungeon, you’ll first meet the administrators.”
“Are those administrators part of the Heukcheon Group as well?”
At my question, Joo Ha-yeon wore a mysterious smile. I was somewhat surprised that she could wear such a playful expression.
“You might enjoy discovering who those people are.”
The meaning of her words became clear the moment we arrived at the airport.
“Thank you for coming!”
A group of people greeted us from the moment we stepped out of the airport.
They were people I knew well.
“From now on, Iron Fang will be honored to serve you, Kwon Han-ul!”
Iron Fang.
The guild that had attempted to pin the responsibility of a Dungeon failure on me, only for their scheme to fall through with Joo Ha-yeon’s arrival.
A guild with which I shared a minor—if somewhat awkward—history.

* * *

A luxury limousine raced across the highway, carrying three passengers within.
Kwon Han-ul and Joo Ha-yeon. The third person was….
“It’s an honor to meet the bloodline of Heukcheon!”
The Iron Fang Guild Master.
He was the sort of portly middle-aged man you’d see on any street corner.
His appearance hardly befitted a Hunter, yet he had once been called Steel Fang and was a formidable Hunter who had severed the life threads of countless monsters.
“Indeed, you’re as imposing and radiant as the rumors suggested—a true specimen of masculine beauty!”
This man continued to shower Kwon Han-ul with honeyed words.
Finding the spectacle almost unbelievable, I leaned over and whispered softly to Joo Ha-yeon.
“Why would a major Guild like Iron Fang volunteer for something like this?”
Iron Fang’s responsibilities extended far beyond managing the Platinum Dungeon.
Kwon Han-ul’s protection, lodging, and provision of training Dungeons—everything.
They had apparently promised to provide all necessary support for Kwon Han-ul’s debut match.
Even considering the Heukcheon Group’s prominence, it seemed difficult to fathom why the nation’s number-one Guild would go to such lengths.
“Kwon Han-ul, there is no Guild in this world that can refuse the Heukcheon Group’s commands.”
Not a request—a command.
Though I clicked my tongue at such arrogance, part of me understood.
Given the Heukcheon Group’s position, it wasn’t an impossible thing at all.
“Besides, from Iron Fang’s perspective, having the Heukcheon Group handle the Platinum Dungeon is quite beneficial.”
A Platinum Dungeon is a matter of such gravity that even major Guilds must mobilize. For Iron Fang, it was an unavoidable burden.
“So it’s a matter of mutual profit and loss.”
“In truth, even if there were no profit, Iron Fang would have no choice but to obey the Heukcheon Group’s command.”
“And why is that?”
“Because the Heukcheon Group has already intervened on Kwon Han-ul’s behalf.”
Kwon Han-ul nodded. I had wondered why he was being so deferential, but it was because he had already taken a severe blow.
“Is your seat uncomfortable? We took great care in arranging it, though I worry whether someone of your stature will find it satisfactory. If there is anything else that troubles you….”
“Ah, it’s fine.”
Kwon Han-ul reassured the Iron Fang Guild Master.
Yet the Guild Master continued to watch for any sign of displeasure.
The reason was obvious.
“Kwon Han-ul, I apologize for speaking so presumptuously upon our first meeting….”
The Guild Master suddenly prostrated himself on the floor. The spacious interior of the limousine made such an action possible.
“I beg your forgiveness for the rudeness that Iron Fang has committed!”
Though the Heukcheon Group had already taken action, it felt somewhat unsatisfying to simply grant forgiveness without ceremony.
Yet inflicting humiliation seemed unwise when a debut match loomed ahead—I had no desire to create complications.
After deliberation, I opened my mouth.
“I will decide based on how Iron Fang conducts itself.”
The Guild Master’s face went pale. Watching his expression, I barely suppressed the laughter threatening to escape.
“You really do have a terrible personality, Kwon Han-ul.”
Joo Ha-yeon, seated beside me, whispered. Kwon Han-ul pretended not to hear and shrugged.

* * *

“That’s the Platinum Dungeon’s gate.”
Slightly off the hiking trail of Bomun Mountain.
A massive circular ring hovered weightlessly among the trees.
Distinctively, the ring was composed entirely of platinum. The brilliant white light reflecting off the sun was bright enough to sting the eyes.
Heavily armed hunters stood guard around the gate’s perimeter.
They were members of the Iron Fang Guild.
“What happened to the monsters that escaped the gate?”
“We hunted them all down. Iron Fang is handling the corpses, but… would you perhaps need them…?”
“No, that’s fine.”
I planned to hunt plenty inside anyway. A few strays don’t matter.
“Has that Karancula bastard escaped the dungeon frequently?”
“It was common in the early stages, but I hear there hasn’t been a single escape recently.”
Upon hearing the Guild Master’s answer, Kwon Han-ul paused momentarily.
“Not a single escape recently?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Did you perhaps send an extermination squad inside?”
“How could we! Iron Fang has no intention whatsoever of interfering with Heukcheon’s event!”
The Iron Fang Guild Master bounced nervously, clearly terrified of being misunderstood.
“So no one has entered the gate at all?”
“Yes! That’s right!”
Kwon Han-ul regarded the Guild Master quietly. Visibly tense, the Iron Fang Guild Master swallowed hard.
Kwon Han-ul smiled faintly and spoke.
“Yet those Karancula bastards haven’t escaped the dungeon. That’s fortunate.”
“I think so too. Hahahaha.”
The Iron Fang Guild Master continued explaining various other matters afterward.
How Iron Fang Guild manages the Bomun Mountain area. How backup forces are prepared to support Kwon Han-ul in case of emergency.
But Kwon Han-ul paid none of it any mind. Following the Guild Master, I whispered to Joo Ha-yeon.
“Iron Fang has done something to the dungeon.”
At my words, Joo Ha-yeon’s eyes widened.
“That’s absurd. Iron Fang wouldn’t dare act against Heukcheon…”
“Iron Fang wouldn’t have acted alone. There’s no benefit in it. Someone must have helped them, whoever they are.”
I could see Joo Ha-yeon’s expression harden. There was no need to ask who the suspect was.
The culprit had to be a pureblooded member of the Kwon Family.
“How did you know that so immediately?”
“When I asked earlier, his heart rate accelerated.”
“…What?”
Joo Ha-yeon looked genuinely flustered. It’s true that hunters’ senses are sharper than ordinary people’s.
But hearing a heartbeat from a distance?
“My ears are rather special, you see.”
It was possible thanks to the water serpent’s senses I’d gained through Flood Dragon Physiology.
“I’m counting on you.”
“Of course. I’ll look into it while I’m at it. Just give me half a day.”
Joo Ha-yeon spoke in a hushed voice.
Just then, the Iron Fang Guild Master’s smartphone rang.
“What’s going on? What? A Gold-rank Dungeon? In the Daejeon region? We’re already short on personnel… At least cordon off the area for now!”
The Guild Master turned to face me, bowing repeatedly.
“I’m terribly sorry. Something urgent has come up… Would it be alright if I stepped away?”
“A Gold-rank Dungeon?”
“Yes! The team on-site won’t be able to handle it alone… I’ll resolve it as quickly as possible and return.”
“Perfect timing. I needed to warm up anyway.”
At Kwon Han-ul’s words, the Guild Master responded with evident gratitude.
“If Kwon Han-ul would assist us, there’s nothing more we could ask for….”
“I’ll go in alone.”
The Guild Master’s expression went blank at Kwon Han-ul’s statement.
“Ha-ha, Kwon Han-ul, I think you misheard. It’s not just any dungeon—a Gold-rank Dungeon has spawned.”
“Yes, I heard.”
“But you’re going in alone?”
“Before my debut match, I need to clear other dungeons to build experience and loosen up.”
A debut match is proven by clearing a dungeon ‘alone’.
Since it’s no easy feat even for the Heukcheon bloodline, the standard practice is to build experience by clearing lower-ranked dungeons before the debut match.
“W-well, of course I understand. That’s why Iron Fang has prepared several practice dungeons according to Heukcheon Group’s guidelines! But the guidelines clearly state two ranks lower….”
Practice dungeons are just that—practice. The body shouldn’t be strained.
That’s why practice dungeons had to be at least two ranks lower than the debut match dungeon.
“Ah, so you’re saying a Gold Dungeon would be too much?”
“N-no! Of course not! You challenge Platinum Dungeons alone! But… with such an important event ahead, if you were to get injured in a Gold-rank Dungeon….”
It would be Iron Fang’s fault. And how the Heukcheon Group would respond was as predictable as fire.
An idea seemed to strike the Guild Master. He snapped his fingers.
“Right! Didn’t you ask us to secure practice dungeons before challenging the Platinum Dungeon? We have several dungeons secured in the Daejeon region! Three Bronze-ranks and one Silver-rank….”
“I don’t think forgiveness will come easy at this rate.”
At Kwon Han-ul’s single remark, the Iron Fang Guild Master’s face went rigid.
“Just show me the way.”
At Kwon Han-ul’s words, the Iron Fang Guild Master’s shoulders sagged.

* * *

“It’s here….”
The Guild Master gestured weakly toward the road.
A golden ring shimmered above the black asphalt.
Kwon Han-ul stood before the ring and stretched lightly.
The Guild Master fidgeted nervously.
“Um, are you really going in alone? Wouldn’t it be better if you took some of our hunters with you….”
“See you later then.”
Kwon Han-ul didn’t even acknowledge him and simply hurled himself into the ring.
‘Damn it! This cocky bastard!’
The Guild Master cursed inwardly.
‘Just because he challenged a Platinum Dungeon, he thinks Gold-rank is a walk in the park!’
Having the strength to slay a lion doesn’t mean hyenas aren’t dangerous.
Even veterans who clear Gold Dungeons like eating breakfast can die in a Silver Dungeon if they let their guard down—that’s how this industry works.
And yet he’s challenging a Gold-rank Dungeon unprepared?
‘If he gets hurt, Iron Fang Guild is the one who’ll take the fall!’
If he died? He didn’t even want to imagine what came next.
While the Guild Master was still spewing curses, he suddenly turned to look at the woman standing beside him.
Even the Guild Master, who had sworn to love only his wife his entire life, found his gaze drawn to her—she was strikingly beautiful.
‘But why isn’t this woman worried? Why isn’t she trying to stop him?’
The Guild Master recalled Kwon Han-ul’s face and was about to resume cursing….
“He’s coming out faster than expected.”
Suddenly, the woman spoke. The Guild Master looked at the gate with a confused expression.
The golden ring was disintegrating into dust.
It was proof the Dungeon had been cleared.
“Wh… what…?”
The dust scattered, and only one figure remained standing.
Shaking a monster head the size of a compact car, Kwon Han-ul spoke.
“It was quite challenging after all.”
The Guild Master checked his wristwatch. Less than ten minutes had passed.
Miracles happen in times of plenty.
The Guild Master barely managed to steady his reeling mind.

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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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