Bloodline is Everything - Chapter 84

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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 84】

Chapter 84: Dungeon Conquest (1)

【’???’is suspending the acquisition of ‘Phantom Beast Blood’.】
【The user’s vessel has reached its limit.】
【To acquire a new bloodline, you must expand your vessel.】
Once again, the bloodline was not acquired.
Since I had never increased my stats before, there was nothing surprising about it.
More importantly, what mattered now was that the man before me was a bloodline holder.
‘Phantom Beast Blood?’
It was a bloodline I had never heard of in my entire life.
“Your name is GG, correct?”
“That’s right.”
The man spoke curtly. His demeanor was remarkably taciturn.
“If you’re a guide, are you affiliated with the Pablo Family?”
In response to Kwon Han-ul’s question, GG replied in a clipped tone.
“I’m only temporarily employed. Originally, I’m a freelance hunter.”
South America was a lawless region, so many disreputable hunters tended to hide there.
Given that this man had given a pseudonym like GG, it was highly likely he had come to South America for that reason.
I wanted to ask about his true identity, but I had no idea how GG would react if I did.
‘He’s the only man who knows anything about the Dungeon. If he runs away, that would be troublesome.’
Regardless of what I asked, I decided to first gather information about the Dungeon.
“What is the interior of the Dungeon like?”
In response to Kwon Han-ul’s question, GG pulled out a thick sheet of paper from his pocket and unfolded it on a nearby rock.
“It’s a map I drew while exploring the Dungeon.”
The gazes of four people, including Kwon Han-ul, converged on the map.
Though the drawing skill was crude, the buildings and pathways inside the Dungeon were depicted in detail.
“The interior is structured as Ruins.”
At GG’s words, Kwon Han-ul couldn’t help but furrow his brow. Among the many types of Dungeons, this was particularly troublesome.
First, I couldn’t know what mechanisms might be in place.
Traps were standard, and there were cases where doors were locked and wouldn’t open.
To get past those obstacles, one had to solve complex puzzles or find keys—either way, it was formidably difficult.
“What kind of monsters appear there?”
Kwon Han-ul asked while examining the map.
“Demons.”
And at GG’s words, he lifted his head.
“Demons inhabit the interior of the Dungeon.”
GG drove the point home with his words, speaking as firmly as a nail being hammered.

* * *

Demons.
Among all the lifeforms encountered in dungeons, they were the only species possessing both advanced intelligence and civilization.
Because of this, the threat level posed by demons existed in an entirely different dimension compared to other monsters.
In the past, humanity had even faced existential crises because of them.
Since then, humanity had adopted a policy of complete annihilation whenever demons were discovered.
“Only lower-tier demons have been appearing, so no particularly threatening individuals have been confirmed.”
The fortunate aspect was that the demons within this dungeon were of the lower tier.
Lower-tier demons possessed at most the intelligence of beasts.
Still, one could not afford to be careless.
Beyond their high intelligence, demons possessed innately elevated mana and formidable physical capabilities.
The fact that a dungeon with merely lower-tier demons was estimated to be S-rank spoke volumes. Should even a mid-tier demon appear, the danger would escalate considerably.
Yet it was not entirely unfavorable.
The rewards obtained from slaying demons far exceeded those from ordinary monsters.
‘Perhaps I might even acquire an Authority.’
Among all possibilities, acquiring an Authority was what I anticipated most.
Previously, I had obtained the wind Authority ‘Monarch’ through demon boots in the Heukcheon Vault.
And that Authority had become the foundation of my current movement technique, Heavenly Void Flight.
Perhaps this time I could acquire an Authority comparable to Monarch.
I examined the map once more. Suddenly, I noticed something drawn in the very center of it.
“What is this?”
“It is an object observed from the dungeon’s depths. I myself am uncertain what it is.”
I studied the drawing carefully.
It resembled an egg of some kind. Perhaps it was the dungeon’s clear reward.
‘Wait—he went all the way to the depths?’
That meant he had ventured deep into a dungeon teeming with demons and returned alone.
Such a feat would be impossible without exceptional skill.
‘I need to be cautious.’
There were far too many inconsistencies to regard him as merely a guide.
I wanted to press him for answers immediately, but the dungeon was what mattered now.
“Will you be entering the dungeon today?”
“No, not today.”
“Then please summon me once your schedule is confirmed.”
GG bowed and vanished.
Watching his departing figure, Mei Hong and Kwon Hu-don spoke.
“He certainly has a heavy atmosphere about him.”
“Right? Looks like the type who’d chew rocks instead of eating rice.”
Kwon Han-ul shared the same thought.
“Joo Ha-yeon, do you happen to know anything about the Phantom Beast Bloodline?”
“The Phantom Beast Bloodline?”
Joo Ha-yeon didn’t seem to know much either. She couldn’t answer immediately, and unusually, she furrowed her brow slightly as she began to ponder.
“…I think I’ve heard that such a bloodline existed among the early Hunters.”
“Early Hunters?”
“It’s likely that one of the First Hunters who protected South America from monster invasions during the Dungeon Gate opening possessed the Phantom Beast Bloodline.”
Kwon Han-ul couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
“How is it that I never heard of such a person?”
“Because they disappeared shortly after stopping the monster invasion.”
“Disappeared?”
“According to rumors, they went into hiding somewhere with their followers. I’m not sure of the exact reason.”
That’s why such a remarkable figure had been forgotten by the world.
“What kind of bloodline is the Phantom Beast Bloodline?”
“It’s not well documented, so I don’t know much either. However, I’ve heard it’s a bloodline that allows one to use monster abilities.”
After finishing her explanation, Joo Ha-yeon asked with a puzzled expression.
“But why are you suddenly asking about the Phantom Beast Bloodline?”
“Ah, I just heard about it in passing. It’s been difficult to find information on it.”
Kwon Han-ul gave a vague response.
“Shall we head back now? Everyone must be tired from coming all this way.”

* * *

After that, Kwon Han-ul headed to the hotel where he had made reservations with his companions.
Though Mexico was known as a lawless territory, not every region suffered from such chaos.
The cities under the Pablo Family’s direct management were well-developed and maintained strict security.
It was contradictory, but it wasn’t Kwon Han-ul’s concern.
Upon arriving at the hotel, Kwon Han-ul rested and consulted with his companions about the Dungeon.
They inspected their equipment and checked the condition of their supplies.
Meanwhile, Kwon Han-ul contacted Ricardo Pablo to inquire about GG.
—You wished to know about the guide? Indeed, it seems you don’t take even the selection of a guide lightly.
Ricardo Pablo praised even such an attitude of Kwon Han-ul, recognizing the wisdom in his approach.
—I don’t know much about that guide myself. I’ll connect you with someone who would.
There was no reason for the organization’s boss to know about a mere freelance hunter.
Ricardo Sanchez, who managed Dungeons and hunters for the Pablo Family, connected Kwon Han-ul with the appropriate person.
—GG? He’s not the most entertaining fellow, but his skills are certainly reliable.
—No matter how complex a Dungeon is, he finds the path accurately.
—I’ve worked with him for quite some time. Probably over a year now.
—Personal information? There are more than a few who operate while hiding their identities, so we don’t concern ourselves with such details.
After all, freelance hunters were merely convenient tools—useful when needed, discarded when not.
There was no reason to take interest in their specific identities.
In the end, the only way to learn about GG’s true identity was to ask him directly.

* * *

And so, the Dungeon conquest became a reality.
“Good to see you.”
GG, whom I encountered again, was no different from before. He remained taciturn and expressionless.
“You’ve called me sooner than I anticipated.”
“Have I?”
“I expected at least a week, but I never thought you’d summon me in just three days.”
GG examined me and my companions before speaking.
“It seems not all of your members have arrived yet.”
“They’re all here.”
GG glanced at me and the other team members once more.
“I only see four people.”
“That’s everyone.”
In that moment, GG’s pupils dilated ever so slightly.
“If I may be so bold as to speak out of turn.”
GG’s face had grown rigid and tense.
“That Dungeon is dangerous. I’ve barely escaped with my life after dying countless times. I believe four people will struggle.”
At those words, I laughed and replied.
“It’s not four—it’s three. Joo Ha-yeon won’t be participating.”
For this Dungeon conquest, Joo Ha-yeon had decided not to take part.
If she were to participate, the conquest would become far too easy.
Joo Ha-yeon’s reasoning was that the Chairman wouldn’t acknowledge it otherwise.
“….”
GG stared at me with an expression that clearly held much more to say.
“Understood.”
Yet in the end, he chose not to voice his concerns and deferred to my judgment.
My companions and I stood before the Dungeon Gate. Joo Ha-yeon watched over me from a short distance behind.
“Then, Joo Ha-yeon, I’ll be going.”
“Return safely.”
With her farewell, I stepped through the Gate.

* * *

As I passed through the Dungeon Gate, a dim sky came into view.
Beneath that sky, ruins stood scattered about in various states of decay.
“That path leads toward the central chamber.”
GG pointed westward as he spoke.
Before entering, he had been so anxious, yet the moment we stepped inside, he quietly began his work without hesitation.
“From this point forward, you must follow my instructions carefully. Even a moment of carelessness could trigger the Ruins’ traps….”
Mid-sentence, GG stopped in his tracks. He glanced around before speaking.
“Demons are converging on us.”
I expanded my sensory abilities as well. Yet I detected nothing.
In that moment of confusion, thorns erupted from beneath my feet. I stomped on them in reverse and leaped skyward.
The other team members reacted slightly slower, but they twisted their bodies and evaded the thorns.
-Screech.
A black creature burst from the ground. Its limbs were long and pointed like thorns, while its torso and head were remarkably small.
“An Exsir.”
GG spoke with an unusually grave tone even in this situation.
“It’s a demon that uses its arms like thorns and spews acidic substances from its mouth. Both are dangerous, but you must be especially careful of the acid. If it covers you, it will dissolve you along with your equipment.”
Exsirs began bursting forth in rapid succession. Their numbers quickly exceeded dozens.
-Screech.
-Screech-screech.
The Exsirs cried out. It sounded like human laughter, and it was deeply unsettling.
“If the Exsirs rush us all at once, it will be dangerous. Let’s retreat to a safer position first….”
“Ugh, their cries are irritating.”
At that moment, Mei Hong interrupted GG’s words. There was no malice in her action.
“Let’s make them shut their mouths first.”
Mei Hong drew her blade.
She pressed her palm against the blade and dragged it across. Blood seeped out, staining the sword crimson. Characters materialized across the red blade.
信否斫足
It was not a Rakshasa technique.
It was the manifestation of a Ghost Blade, one of the powers of Rakshasa Blood.
Mei Hong swung her blade in a wide horizontal arc. A crimson sword aura spread in a circular pattern, slashing through all the Exsirs.
The Exsirs struck by the aura shrieked. Yet only shallow wounds appeared on their skin—they remained intact.
-Screech?
-Screech!
-Screech-screech-screech!
The Exsirs’ cries grew louder. They seemed to mock Mei Hong’s attack.
Then, Mei Hong’s lips twisted into a smile.
“That shouldn’t have landed.”
The wounds on the Exsirs’ torsos began to glow red and intensify.
-Screech?
The moment confusion crossed the Exsirs’ faces, the wounds blazed with light before detonating in a violent explosion.
The laughter of the X-Cs instantly transformed into screams. Severed limbs flew in all directions.
Ghost Sword
A power of the Asura bloodline that kills a person and enslaves their soul.
Mei Hong had mentioned it before.
The greatest advantage of the Ghost Sword was the ability to use one of the slain opponent’s skills.
The soul used in Mei Hong’s Ghost Sword belonged to Mark Griffin. And Mark Griffin’s specialty was an explosive skill called Bomberman.
“How is it?”
Mei Hong spoke with a proud expression.
That was when it happened.
-Screech!
Several surviving X-Cs lunged toward Mei Hong.
Despite having lost their limbs and part of their upper bodies in the explosion, they still moved with startling speed.
The X-Cs all opened their mouths wide. Splurt—they spewed a green substance.
Though calling it spitting, the velocity was nearly that of a bullet.
Kwon Hu-don blocked their path. He was already clad in his Black Scale Armor.
“It’s dangerous if it touches you.”
Kwon Han-ul warned. Even with Black Scale Armor as his specialty, taking an acidic substance directly would be perilous.
But Kwon Han-ul’s concern proved unnecessary. Kwon Hu-don had no intention of merely blocking the acid.
Undefeated Armor—Scattered Potassium Burst
Cracks formed across the Black Scale Armor.
An explosion erupted, sending armor fragments to scatter the acidic substance and blast the X-Cs away.
The remaining X-Cs were all swept away and vanished.
“Phew!”
Kwon Hu-don wiped sweat from his forehead as he spoke.
“Han-ul, it’s all done!”
“Why are you speaking as if you did it alone? I eliminated seventy percent of them.”
“I, I never said that.”
It was then that Kwon Hu-don and Mei Hong began to quarrel.
Suddenly, the ground trembled. A monster burst forth, demolishing the ruins’ structure.
Its size exceeded three meters. What was more grotesque was its appearance.
Its legs were identical to a horse’s. Its torso was human. But its head was that of a goat.
“Gotman?”
GG’s voice, always composed, trembled for the first time.
During the demon invasion, the demon that slaughtered the most humans. It was equally powerful and cruel.
It was incomparably more dangerous than the X-Cs they had just faced.
-Maaaaaah.
With a grotesque cry, Gotman raised the massive axe in his hand.
Mei Hong, Kwon Hu-don, and even GG prepared for the battle about to unfold.
“I’ll handle that.”
Before they could respond, Kwon Han-ul stepped forward. He retrieved black gloves from subspace and fitted them onto his hands.
“Ha, Han-ul? Going alone seems dangerous….”
“We don’t know how the Dungeon will unfold from here on. I need to conserve my stamina wisely.”
In that sense, it made sense for Kwon Han-ul, who hadn’t engaged in combat yet, to handle the Gotman.
…That’s what I meant to say, but there was actually another reason.
【Equipping ‘Ring of Sloth’.】
【Please set constraints, duration, and achievement conditions.】
The Ring of Sloth, an artifact in Kwon Han-ul’s possession, maximizes training effects by imposing constraints on oneself.
【All stats decreased by 30%.】
【Dulled mana flow.】
【Sensory limitation.】
I had imposed three types of constraints.
All of them were fatal.
【Duration: 10 minutes.】
【Achievement condition: Defeat Gotman alone.】
What I had learned about the Ring of Sloth so far was
that the harsher the duration and achievement conditions, the greater the rewards.
I wanted to test the Ring of Sloth against a monster like Gotman at least once.
-Maaaagh!
Gotman charged toward me. I also rushed toward Gotman.
A massive axe descended toward me. Before I could even blink, the axe split the ground.
-Maagh?
Gotman let out a bewildered cry. I, who should have been crushed by the axe, was instead standing on top of it.
Heavenly Sky Flight Path
First Stage: Solitary Sprint
A wind path connected me and Gotman. I rushed toward Gotman along the wind path.
My figure stretched, and in an instant, I reached Gotman’s head.
Mystical Dragon Ascension Technique Basic Form
Slash Form: Decapitation
Dragon magic wrapped around my two hands. I swung both hands in a crossing motion.
In that instant, blood erupted and Gotman’s head fell to the ground.
The moment I landed on the ground, Gotman’s head hit the earth.
I brushed the blood from my gloves.
【Achievement condition for ‘Ring of Sloth’ completed!】
【Permanently increase Stamina, Agility, and Senses by 1 each!】
Since Gotman turned out to be weaker than expected, I didn’t obtain a particularly large reward.
Setting aside my disappointment, I spoke to the group.
“Let’s move now.”
But there was no response. They all just stared at me with dumbfounded expressions.
“What? Is this your first time seeing a demon die?”

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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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