Bloodline is Everything

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 26: The Victory of Bloodline (1)

Kwon Hanul stood frozen for a moment.

Fortunately, this wasn’t his first time experiencing something like this, so he quickly regained his composure.

He opened his status window to check his bloodline.

<Special Attribute – Bloodline>

Black Dragon Bloodline:

Grade: SSS+

Purity: True

Effect: Grants the power of a dragon.

Healthy Bloodline:

Grade: S+

Purity: True

Effect: Enhances physical health.

Genius Bloodline:

Grade: S+

Purity: True

Effect: Enhances intelligence.

Shura Bloodline:

Grade: SS+

Purity: True

Effect: Instills the essence of a Shura within the body.

???

Grade: ???

Purity: ???

‘…It multiplied again.’

The mysterious ??? Bloodline remained, just like last time. This meant there was a high probability that another bloodline would manifest in the future.

"What exactly is happening to my body?"

A bloodline, by definition, is something a person can have only one of. If someone possessed more than one, their body would collapse, leading to death.

Even in the rarest of cases, where a miracle allowed a person to have two, that would already be considered an anomaly.

But possessing five bloodlines, like Kwon Hanul? That simply shouldn’t be possible.

‘My father belonged to the Hyukcheon Clan. Could there be something on my mother’s side?’

Or perhaps there was something unusual on his father’s side as well—or both.

‘Once this is over, I need to investigate my parents’ history.’

For now, Kwon Hanul decided to put his concerns about his bloodline aside.

He needed to focus on preparing for the group match against the Mei Clan.

That was when a thought crossed his mind.

‘The Mei Clan doesn’t have any True Blood, do they?’

Unlike the Healthy Bloodline and Genius Bloodline he had obtained earlier, the Shura Bloodline originated from the prestigious Mei Clan.

And now, he had awakened the True Shura Blood?

This might be a far more significant event than he had initially realized.

The captain’s announcement over the intercom interrupted Kwon Hanul’s thoughts.

"We will be landing shortly."

* * *

Somewhere in Hangzhou, China.

A large airplane descended onto the runway.

The moment the door opened, someone bolted out as if they had been waiting for this exact moment.

“Haha! It’s been a while since I’ve been here!”

The first person to step off the plane was Kwon Myung-woo.

Forgetting that he was now in the heart of the Mei Clan’s territory, Kwon Myung-woo confidently strode forward.

Behind him, members of the Hyukcheon Clan disembarked one after another—including Kwon Hanul.

He glanced around.

Just like the Hyukcheon Clan had turned their homeland into their domain, the Mei Clan had done the same with Hangzhou.

The key difference was that while the Hyukcheon Clan’s architecture was built around traditional Korean hanok, the Mei Clan had fully embraced modern buildings.

From a distance, a voice spoke in Chinese.

“Welcome. You must have had a long journey.”

Looking up, Kwon Hanul saw a group of people dressed in traditional Chinese robes standing before them.

As Kwon Myung-woo approached, the rest of the Hyukcheon Clan followed suit.

Now, the Mei Clan, clad in red traditional robes, and the Hyukcheon Clan, dressed in black suits, stood facing each other.

“We, the Mei Clan, sincerely welcome the Hyukcheon Clan!”

A middle-aged man at the center shouted.

Despite speaking in Chinese, Kwon Hanul understood him perfectly.

Thanks to the translation skill he had acquired before arriving.

Ears and Eyes Open

Quality: Unique (A)

Effect: Allows the user to comprehend foreign languages and written text.

(However, subtle nuances may not be perfectly understood.)

Though not as rare as spatial abilities, translation skills were still considered highly valuable.

However, within the Hyukcheon Group, acquiring translation skills was as simple as requesting them.

“Mei Tian! The head of the Mei Clan personally came to greet us? What an honor!”

“Of course! It is only right for the host to welcome esteemed guests.”

The atmosphere seemed friendly, but Kwon Hanul quickly realized that was just an illusion.

“Though I must say, I did not expect Hyukcheon’s Strongest Fist to accompany you. Were you so afraid to step into the Mei Clan’s territory that you brought him along? To think the mighty Hyukcheon would act so cowardly!”

Mei Tian, the head of the Mei Clan, provocatively smirked.

Kwon Myung-woo responded with a grin of his own.

“If I were scared of the Mei Clan, I wouldn’t have bothered coming. I only came because I was bored.”

Despite their harsh words, both men continued to smile.

Just then, a man stepped forward from behind Mei Tian.

“You’re still as arrogant as ever.”

Kwon Myung-woo’s eyes sharpened.

“Mei Rong. So even the Greatest Sword of the Central Plains is here.”

“I’ve told you before—it’s Best Sword of China now.”

“Claiming to be China’s greatest while you’ve never beaten me? That’s bold.”

Mei Rong, the so-called "Best Sword of the Central Plains."

Kwon Hanul had heard his name many times.

If the Hyukcheon Clan had Kwon Myung-woo, then the Mei Clan had Mei Rong.

However, just like the gap between the two clans, the gap between these two men was vast.

For decades, Mei Rong had never once defeated Kwon Myung-woo.

‘So this is the Mei Clan…’

Kwon Hanul slowly observed the members of the Mei Clan.

He had heard many stories about them, but this was the first time he was seeing them in person.

There was a saying that touching their skin would leave behind traces of white sand—a testament to their pale, delicate complexions.

Among them, several were glaring at the Hyukcheon Clan with open hostility.

‘Those must be the Mei Clan’s representatives.’

There were exactly three of them—two men and one woman—all radiating confidence.

‘Except for the woman.’

Unlike the others, she felt out of place.

Although she harbored hostility, it didn’t seem directed at the Hyukcheon Clan.

More than anything, she looked forlorn—as if she were carrying an overwhelming burden.

‘Not my problem.’

Just as Kwon Hanul brushed the thought aside, Mei Tian turned to Kwon Myung-woo.

“For our esteemed guests, I have prepared a grand banquet. Would you care to join us?”

“Oh, that sounds great! I was just getting—”

“Wait a moment!”

A voice interrupted as Kwon Mi stepped forward.

“I am the one in charge of this group match, not Uncle Myung-woo! You should be asking me!”

Mei Tian raised an eyebrow and glanced at Kwon Myung-woo, who simply folded his arms and stepped aside.

“My apologies, then. What would you like to do?”

“We appreciate your hospitality, but we don’t have time for a banquet.”

Kwon Hanul immediately understood Kwon Mi’s reasoning.

She had no intention of eating food that may have been tampered with by the Mei Clan.

“Then what do you propose?”

“We didn’t come here for diplomacy. I suggest we begin the group match immediately.”

The Mei Bloodline members visibly reacted.

“So soon after arriving? Surely, you must be exhausted from your travels.”

“We’re fine. We had plenty of time to rest on the plane.”

A grin spread across Mei Tian’s lips.

“Very well. Then let’s begin.”

“Ugh… Urgh… My stomach hurts…”

Kwon Jiseok clutched his stomach with a pale face.

Seeing this, Kwon Hanul asked incredulously, “Do you have stress-induced gastritis or something?”

“S-So what if I do? W-What are you gonna do about it?!” Kwon Jiseok snapped, but his usual forcefulness was absent.

‘Now I get why Great Uncle said he had the makings of a leader—only when he wasn’t nervous.’

Perhaps this was the reason he had been the last among the brothers to receive permission to form a team.

If gastritis had held him back at critical moments, it made sense.

“Then let’s send both vanguards forward,” Mei Clan’s leader said.

“Understood.”

At those words, Kwon Mi shot Kwon Hanul a deadly glare, as if to say, If you lose, I won’t let this slide.

Kwon Hanul opened his subspace, reached inside, and pulled out a pair of gloves.

To ensure fairness in this team battle, the Hyukcheon Clan and the Mei Clan had agreed to craft and distribute equipment using only pre-designated materials.

These gloves and greaves were the result of that agreement.

“Wait… Is that a subspace?”

Kwon Jiseok, standing nearby, exclaimed in shock. Kwon Hanul responded casually.

“Yes, it is.”

“No way… I couldn’t even get one because no one was selling it. Where did you get it?”

“The Chairman gave it to me.”

At that, Kwon Jiseok’s face went blank with disbelief.

“G-Grandfather just gave you a subspace skill? That cold-hearted man? No… That’s impossible.”

Ignoring him, Kwon Hanul stepped onto the dueling ground.

On the opposite side, Mei Chau, the Mei Clan’s vanguard, ascended as well.

Mei Chau rotated his sword several times in the air, loosening his wrist.

With each swing, thin lines appeared on the ground—his aura’s sharpness was chillingly intense.

“Hey, Black Worm!”

Suddenly, Mei Chau shouted.

Black Worm?

At first, Kwon Hanul was confused, but he quickly realized it was a derogatory term meant to insult the Hyukcheon Clan.

“Let me give you some advice. You’d best give up now.”

Mei Chau’s voice brimmed with confidence.

“You and I are different. My father is the Greatest Sword.”

Hearing that, Kwon Hanul couldn’t help but scoff. No matter how prestigious a bloodline, it was still just a pureblood lineage.

And yet, he dared to boast about that to him—a trueblood.

“Spout nonsense all you want, but don’t cry when you get beaten.”

Kwon Hanul had no time to humor Mei Chau’s drivel.

The thrill of battle surged through his body. He wanted to unleash his power—to show it.

“You little—!”

Mei Chau’s eyes turned vicious, but at that moment, the Mei Clan’s leader called out.

“Both sides, move to the far ends!”

The dueling ground was oval-shaped.

Kwon Hanul and Mei Chau each moved to their respective ends.

As he reached his position, Mei Chau appeared small in the distance.

Kwon Hanul slipped on his gloves, feeling an unusual energy settle within them.

<The power of Shura imbues the gloves.>

<Gloves’ durability and attack power slightly increase.>

<Your proficiency in fist techniques improves.>

Even my gloves are affected by the Shura Bloodline?

Briefly surprised, he quickly adapted.

He clenched and unclenched his fists. The gloves had already been lightweight, but now, they felt as if he weren’t wearing anything at all.

“Begin!”

At the Mei Clan leader’s signal, Mei Chau assumed a stance and let out a battle cry.

“Haaah!”

It was his way of psyching himself up before combat.

But it was too late. Far too late.

Kwon Hanul had already finished his preparations before the signal had even dropped.

He bent his knees. The air around him began to swirl.

<The demonic authority ‘Monarch’ manifests.>

A power obtained after subjugating the Demon Marquis, Vernak.

That power summoned a violent gale. The winds compressed beneath Kwon Hanul’s feet, ready to explode at any moment.

“What the hell is that?”

“Wind? Since when did the Hyukcheon Clan have techniques like that?”

The Mei Clan’s bloodline members murmured anxiously at the unusual sight.

<Releasing first authority—Dragon Demon Aura.>

A black aura erupted from Kwon Hanul’s body, clashing against the Monarch’s winds in violent resistance.

Using that force as an explosive catalyst, he kicked off the ground.

The floor shattered. His body shot forward like a bullet.

The winds propelled him. Each time his foot struck the ground, the Dragon Demon Aura detonated beneath him, accelerating his speed.

“W-Wait, what?!”

Mei Chau’s face twisted in shock.

Kwon Hanul reached him before he could even process the situation.

Panic-stricken, Mei Chau floundered, unable to decide what to do.

In that moment, Kwon Hanul struck.

A full-force punch.

Mei Chau barely managed to tilt his blade horizontally in an attempt to block.

Gloves and sword clashed.

And Kwon Hanul saw it.

The Shura energy within his gloves—shattering the Shura energy within Mei Chau’s sword.

The blade crumbled into pieces.

His fist, unchecked, slammed into Mei Chau’s torso.

The impact sent him hurtling out of the dueling ground, straight into the outer wall.

The wall exploded upon impact, sending a massive cloud of dust into the air.

When the dust settled, Mei Chau was revealed—battered, embedded into the wreckage.

The match had ended with a single decisive blow.

Silence blanketed the dueling ground.

Kwon Hanul dusted off his hands and muttered, “Too easy.”

A beat later, the Mei Clan’s bloodline members erupted in shock.

“D-Did Mei Chau just lose?”

“The heir of Mei Rong… lost?”

“W-Who the hell is that Hyukcheon Clan member?”

Less than ten seconds had passed since the match began.

Even the spectators, who had been watching from a third-party perspective, struggled to accept what had just happened.

“Hahahaha! Yes! That’s what I’m talking about! What did I say? That kid was the perfect choice for vanguard!”

Amidst Kwon Myung-woo’s roaring laughter, Kwon Hanul stepped off the dueling ground.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]