Bloodline is Everything - Chapter 9

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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 9】

Chapter 9: Bloodline is Peculiar (3)

“Haah…”
Kwon Han-ul exhaled deeply, allowing his overheated body to cool.
Glancing downward, I saw Kwon Woo-jin sprawled flat on his back across the floor.
It was an undeniable victory for me.
When I turned to observe the other clan members, they stood frozen in shock, and the moment they felt my gaze, their bodies trembled visibly.
The Branch Family bloodline was so thoroughly overwhelmed by me that even a mere glance sent them into tension.
Witnessing their reaction, I found myself lost in peculiar contemplation.
It was a sensation I’d never experienced before, difficult to articulate,
yet it was far from unpleasant.
Never in my life had I dominated others in such a manner.
“Why are you standing there? Take this man with you.”
Kwon Han-ul pointed toward Kwon Woo-jin. Only then did the clan members scramble forward.
Even as they supported Kwon Woo-jin, the bloodline members watched my expression carefully.
“Kwon Han-ul.”
A familiar voice reached my ears. Joo Ha-yeon had entered the Training Hall without my noticing.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Her voice remained emotionless as always. Yet her eyes trembled with unmistakable emotion.
Kwon Han-ul, who had been a bloodline member for merely a day, had defeated a Heukcheon clan member.
Even accounting for his status as the lowest impure blood, the gap between them made this achievement truly extraordinary.
“The Chairman was delighted upon hearing the news.”
“You reported to him already?”
“An achievement of such magnitude warranted immediate notification.”
“Well, whether he’s pleased or not hardly concerns me. Did he mention any rewards?”
“Actually, I was about to discuss that very matter…”
That was when it happened.
“Uuuaaahhh!”
A roar erupted, accompanied by an overwhelming surge of murderous intent.
Kwon Woo-jin, now awake, screamed toward me.
“Not yet! Not yet! I won’t lose to the likes of you!”
The other clan members, witnessing his ferocious aura, didn’t even dare attempt to restrain him.
“Uuuaaahhh!”
Kwon Woo-jin’s eyes split into serpentine slits.
Simultaneously, a crimson aura erupted from his entire body, rippling outward like waves and tearing mercilessly across the walls and floor.
What is that?
It was vastly different from Kwon Woo-jin’s magical power that I had witnessed during our fight. Far more ferocious, brutal, and sinister.
“Kwon Han-ul!”
Kwon Woo-jin began his charge. With each step he took, the ground carved deep beneath his feet.
“Please step behind me.”
Joo Ha-yeon stepped forward and spoke. But Kwon Han-ul instead pushed her behind him.
“Kwon Han-ul?”
I’ll make sure he never talks back again.
Kwon Han-ul regarded Kwon Woo-jin with cold, piercing eyes.

“I’ll kill you!”
Kwon Woo-jin swung all five fingers toward Kwon Han-ul. A blood-red aura coalesced around each fingertip.
Suddenly, Kwon Han-ul’s body vanished from Kwon Woo-jin’s sight. He froze in bewilderment.
“What? What?”
Then, he saw Kwon Han-ul kneeling directly beneath him.
“Kwon Han—gack!”
Kwon Han-ul straightened the knee he had bent. He thrust his palm upward from below.
The impact struck beneath his jaw. His head snapped back, the shock reverberating through his brain.
Kwon Woo-jin collapsed backward with a heavy thud.
A second defeat.
Kwon Woo-jin looked up at Kwon Han-ul with an expression of utter disbelief.
“Pathetic.”
Kwon Han-ul’s voice came from above his head.
“Failing to accept defeat and attacking cowardly from behind is one thing, but to lose yourself to rage and charge forward like that?”
The blood-red aura Kwon Woo-jin had displayed moments ago was truly terrifying.
Ordinarily, I should have been shredded by that power.
But Kwon Woo-jin had lost his reason. That was why he fell for such a simple feint just now.
“If losing to me troubles you so much, shall we go again?”
Kwon Han-ul waited for Kwon Woo-jin’s answer.
After staring up at him for a long moment, Kwon Woo-jin quietly lowered his gaze.
“I… I have lost.”
“Is that all?”
Kwon Woo-jin immediately understood what Kwon Han-ul meant. This time, he spoke while properly kneeling.
“A blood member of the Branch Family humbly apologizes for his disrespect toward a blood member of the Main Family.”
“I accept your apology.”
After speaking briefly, Kwon Han-ul turned and left the Sparring Arena.
Even after Kwon Han-ul disappeared, Kwon Woo-jin remained unable to lift his head for a long time.

* * *

“That was magnificent.”
Once we stepped outside, Joo Ha-yeon spoke. I shook my head.
“There’s no need for flattery.”
“It’s not flattery. Just now, you demonstrated the dignity of the main family.”
I could only offer a bitter smile.
“But what was that power that person used earlier? It felt different from mana.”
“You observed correctly. That energy is not ordinary mana. It’s called Dragon Combat Qi, one of the abilities granted by the Black Dragon Bloodline.”
Now that I thought about it, the Black Dragon Bloodline’s description mentioned that new abilities could be unlocked whenever the assimilation rate reached multiples of ten.
“Dragon Combat Qi is the first ability of the Black Dragon Bloodline. It allows you to harness the power of dragons. Are you familiar with Aura?”
“You mean that power only the highest-ranked hunters can use?”
Aura was a force obtained by refining mana to its absolute limit.
I’d heard its destructive power was incomparable to ordinary mana.
“Dragon Combat Qi surpasses Aura.”
“…It surpasses it?”
“Not only that, but it’s far more versatile. You can spread it in all directions to threaten monsters, or create barriers with it.”
Such a tremendous force was merely the first ability.
I couldn’t help but whistle in amazement.
“That’s precisely why controlling Dragon Combat Qi is extraordinarily difficult. Since you witnessed it directly, I’m sure you understand what I mean.”
Indeed, Kwon Woo-jin seemed less to be wielding Dragon Combat Qi and more to be overwhelmed by it.
“I’ve heard that the higher the purity, the easier it is to control Dragon Combat Qi. I look forward to the day you unlock this ability.”
I was genuinely surprised. This was the first time I’d heard Joo Ha-yeon use the word “look forward.”
“When the Black Dragon Bloodline’s assimilation rate reaches thirty percent, you’ll be able to use Dragon Combat Qi. That’s why the clan’s primary goal is to raise the assimilation rate to….”
“You need a thirty percent assimilation rate to unlock an ability?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
I checked my Black Dragon Bloodline once more.
It clearly stated that new abilities were granted at every multiple of ten.
‘Does the True Black Dragon Bloodline unlock abilities much faster than other grades?’
Something told me it was more than just that.
‘There might be more abilities in total.’
The True Black Dragon Bloodline might possess hidden abilities that other versions didn’t have.
Based on everything the True Black Dragon Bloodline had shown me so far, that seemed highly likely.
‘Current assimilation rate: nine percent.’
Not much time remained.
The day I would unlock my first ability was drawing near.
“Shall we head out now? I’ll escort you to the Mansion where you’ll be staying.”
The Mansion.
I was momentarily puzzled, but I assumed she’d simply chosen the wrong word and didn’t dwell on it.
And moments later, I was utterly astounded.
I never knew my mouth could open this wide.
“…This is where I’m supposed to stay?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Surely you don’t mean I’m using this entire place?”
“That’s right.”
Joo Ha-yeon had guided Kwon Han-ul to a five-story mansion constructed in traditional Korean architectural style.
A five-story building designed as a hanok seemed odd at first, yet it blended together surprisingly well.
But that wasn’t the real issue.
“I thought I’d be using just one room.”
“That’s the case for members of the Branch Family. However, since you are a true bloodline, you receive the same treatment as the pure-blooded members.”
As I stepped inside the building, I saw servants lined up in rows.
“It is our honor to serve such noble blood.”
The servants bowed in unison toward me.
“Who are these people?”
“They are the ones who will serve you and manage this mansion going forward.”
“…You mean these people manage only this mansion?”
“That’s correct.”
I let out a hollow laugh.
“Just yesterday, my dream was to secure a single 500-square-foot rental apartment.”
Yet suddenly, I had acquired a sprawling mansion and dozens of servants.
The reality of becoming a member of the Heukcheon bloodline was finally sinking in.
Then, a delicious aroma wafted from deeper within the mansion.
“I arranged for a meal to be prepared in advance.”
At Joo Ha-yeon’s words, the hunger I’d forgotten came rushing back. I headed straight toward the dining hall.

* * *

My first meal at the Kwon Family was nothing short of lavish.
“Sky pig tenderloin wrapped in Antman leaves, then seared over direct flame using the fire of a Volcano Beast.”
The chef offered explanations with each course, but I didn’t pay much attention to them.
What mattered to me was that the food tasted absolutely exquisite, and
【Healthy Blood detects the food!】
【A nutritionally rich meal!】
【Strength, Agility, and Stamina each increase by 0.1!】
each bite brought stat increases far greater than usual.
After the meal, as I sat thoroughly satisfied, Joo Ha-yeon brought me a cup of tea.
Even the aroma alone seemed to sharpen my mind—this was no ordinary brew.
“What kind of tea is this?”
“It’s made from young leaves harvested from a World Tree sapling.”
“…Surely you don’t mean the World Tree I’m thinking of?”
“I’m afraid so.”
A single leaf from the World Tree could purify a decaying lake completely.
That’s why every power in the world coveted it with desperate intensity.
And yet they’d brewed green tea from its young shoots?
“Truly, the Heukcheon Group…”
I’d lost count of how many times I’d said that.
“Tea made from World Tree leaves excels at restoring the body. Please drink it while it’s still warm.”
I took a sip of the tea. A refreshing fragrance bloomed across my palate.
【Consumed premium-grade food!】
【Body activation initiated!】
【Regeneration rate temporarily increased for 12 hours!】
This effect came from the tea itself, not from Healthy Blood.
The Healthy Blood’s effect appeared separately.
【Healthy Blood detects the food!】
【Food with remarkable essence!】
【Detoxification permanently increases by 0.1%!】
So Healthy Blood had functions beyond just raising stats.
I was staring at the message with newfound wonder when
“Kwon Han-ul, the Chairman has sent you a gift.”
Joo Ha-yeon produced something from her robes—a small sphere gleaming with a violet hue.
“It’s called an Inner Elixir.”
I nearly spat out my tea.
“An Inner Elixir? Isn’t that a concentration of power possessed only by the rarest of top-tier monsters?”
“You’re well-informed. This one is particularly rare among Inner Elixirs—it comes from a Leviathan.”
Black Dragon Blood and a Leviathan’s Inner Elixir.
Just hearing it sent a thrill through me.
“It’s said that one who possesses Black Dragon Blood can gain truly exceptional abilities by consuming a Leviathan’s Inner Elixir.”
To offer such a thing as compensation. He certainly has a generous spirit.
…Or so Kwon Han-ul thought, before a memory surfaced in his mind.
“I heard that consuming a core recklessly leads to disaster.”
A core is a densely condensed mass of a monster’s power. Because of this, consuming it without preparation could result in death in the worst case.
Therefore, consuming a core required extensive preparation.
“That’s correct. Especially the core of an Imoogi contains such potent toxins that detoxification is absolutely necessary.”
In other words, eating it would kill you.
“Surely the Chairman provided something to detoxify the poison along with it?”
“The Chairman gave only this core.”
“Then how am I supposed to consume it?”
“He said to find the method yourself.”
Had senility already set in?
Kwon Han-ul entertained that thought for a moment before understanding dawned.
“…It’s a test.”
Joo Ha-yeon nodded.
The Chairman had offered this core precisely to test whether Kwon Han-ul could discover a method to detoxify it and successfully consume the core.
“And the Chairman also said he would grant a reward for your victory over the Branch Family bloodline.”
“He’s not going to give another useless reward like this core, is he?”
“He said you may choose one item from the Treasure Vault.”
The Treasure Vault.
The repository of all treasures belonging to the Heukcheon Group.
To be allowed to choose a single item from that place?
It was an opportunity too valuable to pass up.
“However, he has imposed two additional conditions.”
Of course he has.
Kwon Han-ul’s expression darkened with disappointment.
“The first condition is that you must hold your debut match within six months.”
“What is a debut match?”
“When the time comes, the bloodline of Heukcheon must solo a Dungeon and prove their abilities.”
Naturally, certain conditions were required to hold a debut match.
“If you raise all your stats to B grade or higher, the Black Dragon Twelve Martial Arts to 5 stars or above, and your synchronization rate with the Black Dragon Bloodline to 30 percent, you will qualify to hold your debut match.”
“You’re saying I need to meet those qualifications within six months?”
“That’s correct.”
That wasn’t a problem.
Kwon Han-ul possessed numerous benefits from acquiring ownership of the artifact thanks to his Pure Blood and True Black Dragon Bloodline.
The problem lay with the second condition.
“The second condition is that you must clear a Platinum-grade Dungeon in your debut match.”
Kwon Han-ul set down his tea.
Dungeons are classified into five grades: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.
Among these, Diamond-grade is a national catastrophe.
Platinum-rank dungeons are classified as city-scale threats.
Typically, an entire major guild must mobilize to handle a dungeon dangerous enough to earn Platinum-rank status.
“Just asking out of curiosity—do all Heukcheon members conduct their debut matches in Platinum-rank dungeons?”
“No. Usually, they use Gold-rank dungeons as their stage.”
Even that was an extraordinary feat.
Clearing a Gold-rank dungeon required five elite hunters working in concert.
If one were to challenge a dungeon alone, the difficulty would scale accordingly higher.
The same principle applied to Platinum-rank dungeons as well.
“Even so, asking someone to clear a Platinum-rank dungeon solo doesn’t make sense.”
“There is precedent. Several of our purebloods have conducted their debut matches in Platinum-rank dungeons.”
One person clearing a city-scale disaster? It was absurd.
“It’s said to be possible if all ability stats reach A-rank or higher, and the Black Dragon Twelve Martial Arts reach 7-stars or above.”
Regardless of anything else, achieving all ability stats at A-rank made no sense.
As grades increased, raising ability stats became exponentially harder.
The E~B range was far easier than the B~A range—there was no need to elaborate.
“Those are excessively harsh conditions.”
“However, Kwon Han-ul, access to the Treasure Vault is worth that price.”
Joo Ha-yeon’s expression was far more serious than usual.
“The Treasure Vault contains treasures the Heukcheon Group has discovered across the entire world. If you could obtain even one of them, it would be of tremendous benefit to you, Kwon Han-ul.”
I already knew that.
But how was I supposed to meet those impossible conditions?
‘If I consumed an Inner Elixir, it might be possible, but…’
Countless legends surrounded Inner Elixirs.
Tales of complete transformation with a single consumption. Stories of gaining a monster’s power.
But without a way to neutralize the Inner Elixir’s toxicity, it was nothing but a pipe dream to me.
I took another sip of tea to calm my irritation.
【’Healthy Blood’ detects food!】
【Food with remarkable energy!】
【Detoxification power permanently increases by 0.1%!】
‘Huh?’
My eyes widened.

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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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