[Translator - Helga ]

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Chapter 179: Revelation (1)

Kwon Hanul lowered his fist.

Odin’s corpse was nowhere to be found. Unable to withstand the power of Kwon Hanul, even his body had been completely annihilated.

“It’s over.”

He had killed Odin, yet felt no satisfaction.

If anything, he was more enraged than before. Stifled. Tormented.

It was clear—his vengeance was not yet complete.

Giving a dying man a thimbleful of water doesn’t quench his thirst—it only makes it worse.

This was no different. Odin was gone, but Aeon remained.

And not just Aeon—Kwon Hyuk was still alive and well. More than just alive, he was thriving as Hyukcheon’s vice chairman, living a life of glory.

“Damn it…”

Just thinking about Kwon Hyuk’s face made Hanul grit his teeth. It felt like his rage could burst through his skin at any moment.

He suppressed it all. Locked it deep within a vault in his heart and sealed it tight.

“Not yet.”

He had to wait.

For the day he’d face Kwon Hyuk—for the battle to come.

On that day, he would unleash everything.

“Aeon… and Kwon Hyuk.”

They weren’t the only ones.

The hunters who attacked his parents under Kwon Hyuk’s orders—they were all targets of his revenge.

Kwon Hanul didn’t intend to let a single one of them live.

He would show them despair. Drown them in fear. Make them regret everything they’d done—then kill them in agony.

And once all of that was done—

“I’ll rise to the top of Hyukcheon.”

He would restore his parents’ honor. Prove their innocence. Reclaim their name.

Kwon Hanul reaffirmed his vow.

“…What happened to the others?”

As his adrenaline faded, he began to worry about the rest of the group.

Spreading his aura, he searched for the people in the hospital.

The Dark Shade Unit, Joo Hayun, and Kwon Mi were in the underground surgical ward. The Black Sharp operatives were scattered throughout the building.

Hanul decided to head for the surgical ward first.

Just then, something flickered at the edge of his aura.

“A rat was hiding.”

He reached into the air.

A spear, dropped by one of the villains in their final moments, floated up and landed in his grasp.

Authority: Dragon’s Eye has manifested.

A long fissure split across his forehead. It parted to reveal violet eyes.

The authority of the Dragon’s Eye began manipulating the magical energy in the area. The spear in Hanul’s hand became wrapped in draconic energy.

He raised the spear. Drew his body back. Focused power into his arm.

Then, like a drawn bowstring, he launched the spear with his entire body.

A black flash pierced the wall and shot off into the distance.

* * *

At that moment, Azeth Hermes was observing the hospital from outside.

“…”

They say when you're shocked enough, your mind goes completely blank.

Azeth Hermes was experiencing that firsthand.

“…That guy has five bloodlines?”

The Vessel may have infinite capacity, but its wielder does not.

Ordinary people struggle to withstand even a single bloodline. Their bodies simply can't contain more.

But Kwon Hanul had five—and was completely fine.

“No… that’s not possible. Those are… true bloodlines.”

True Bloodlines had a vastly greater capacity than regular ones. Most test subjects couldn’t handle even one and died.

Yet Hanul not only carried five true bloodlines, he could use their authorities.

No wonder Odin was defeated so easily.

“I didn’t think the plan would fall apart like this…”

Azeth Hermes scowled and sighed.

He hadn’t just failed to recover the Vessel—he’d also lost Odin. A devastating blow.

His relationship with Odin had always been… complicated.

Odin was originally a mage affiliated with Aeon.

After losing the Vessel to Hyukcheon, he was exiled—but ten years later, he rose again as a high representative of Pandemonium.

There was no way Odin harbored any goodwill toward Azeth Hermes, the one who cast him out.

And Hermes felt the same.

He hated that the subordinate he once commanded now stood as his equal.

“Still… Odin was the only one who actually listened…”

Despite it all, the two cooperated often. They shared the same goal: uncover the world’s secrets and reclaim the Vessel.

Hermes needed Odin’s strength. Odin needed Hermes’ knowledge.

That’s how they managed to coexist as business partners.

“Now that Odin’s gone… I don’t know how to handle Hyukcheon’s retaliation…”

He had originally planned to counter their revenge together.

Maybe relocate all of Aeon into Pandemonium. Maybe hire Pandemonium’s villains as mercenaries.

But with Odin dead, those plans were worthless.

“I don’t have time for this. I need to return and figure out how to survive Hyukcheon’s response.”

Hermes activated his magic.

A black portal opened in the air. He was just about to step inside—

When a black flash streaked toward him from the hospital’s direction.

It struck in a straight line—right through his shoulder.

“GAAAHHH!”

His shoulder and forearm vanished. Hermes screamed in agony.

“You blood-soaked little brat!”

He cursed furiously.

Another black flash flew toward his head.

In that split second, Azeth Hermes saw death.

His life flashed before his eyes.

But death never came.

Just before the flash reached his skull—someone jumped between them.

“Hi-yah!”

A woman in a hoodie let out a strange shout and kicked the flash away. The draconic energy in the spear exploded, releasing a thunderous roar.

“Jeez, I nearly lost my whole leg there…”

The woman limped on one foot, muttering to herself. Azeth Hermes stared at her in disbelief.

“W-Who are you…?”

“Me? I’m Kim Cho-hee of the Black Mark Unit.”

Hermes’s eyes and mouth both fell open.

There was only one unit in the world that used that name:

Kwon Hyuk’s personal task force under Hyukcheon.

“If you’re Black Mark, then you’re with… Kwon Hyuk…?”

“Correct.”

“Why is Black Mark here? Why save me…?”

“Our vice president wants to meet you.”

Just when he thought he’d escaped Kwon Hanul—Kwon Hyuk appeared?

Like running from a tiger only to run into a lion.

He wanted nothing more than to flee, but the woman in front of him had no intention of letting him go.

“Save the questions for later. Right now, we have to get out of here.”

She hoisted Azeth Hermes onto her back.

“I am not fighting that monster.”

And with a single leap, she vanished beyond the horizon—Hermes still in her arms.

* * *

“Did I lose them?”

Kwon Hanul muttered as he looked in the direction the two had disappeared.

“They're pretty fast.”

Hanul had sensed two presences.

One of them was likely the mage from Aeon. The magical energy felt more like Odin’s than a Hunter’s.

But the other… was impossible to identify. Whoever it was had completely masked their aura.

“I didn’t think anyone would come to rescue a mage.”

Aeon’s mage couldn't be allowed to live.

That’s why he had prioritized dealing with the mage. He hadn’t expected the other presence to intervene.

He could still give chase.

But Hanul had no choice but to abandon pursuit.

He could feel someone’s life force weakening rapidly from the direction of the operating room.

He let go of his regrets and leapt down through the hole in the floor.

The hole created by blasting Odin away led straight to the operating room.

Landing on the ground, Hanul stepped outside. The moment he did, he heard Kwon Hudon’s panicked voice.

“M-Mom!”

Kwon Mi was lying on the floor, dying. Her face had turned a dark, ashen color—likely from the effects of a curse.

Takamine Ryoko was by her side, administering emergency treatment, but it was no use.

Kwon Mi’s life was rapidly fading away.

Hack.

Kwon Mi let out a dry cough. Tears started dripping from Kwon Hudon’s eyes in large drops.

“Mom…”

Kwon Mi’s eyelids fluttered. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

Perhaps she no longer had the strength to speak. She silently gripped Hudon’s hand. He squeezed his eyes shut, more tears falling.

“…Hanul.”

At that moment, Kwon Mi saw Kwon Hanul. At her words, everyone turned to look at him.

Their faces were filled with unspoken questions. But they held them in—for Kwon Mi’s sake.

“…Come here. Just for a moment.”

She called him over. Hanul approached and knelt by her side.

“…Did you win?”

“Yes. I also rescued the Black Sharp unit. You don’t need to worry.”

“Thank… cough…”

She coughed again, her body wracked with pain. Each spasm contorted her face.

“Please listen to me… I won’t get another chance after this.”

Hanul nodded.

“First… I want to apologize.”

“If you mean for what you did to me back then, I believe you already apologized.”

“No… I mean before that… I want to apologize for what I did to you… even earlier.”

She took a deep breath.

“The day we first met… I said such awful things to you.”

Hanul recalled the memory.

That day, Kwon Mi had called him the child of a traitor, hurling harsh accusations.

“When I first saw you… it felt like Cheon-oppa had come back to life. I was overwhelmed… with longing, with joy… and resentment.”

Hanul remembered the young Kwon Mi he’d seen in his fragmented memories.

Rough with words, perhaps—but an incredibly kind and sweet girl.

“I loved Cheon-oppa so much. He was the only one in this family who ever truly cared for me.”

Kwon Seonwoo had treated her not as a daughter but merely as an heir. Kwon Hyuk had viewed her only as a future rival.

Only Kwon Cheon had treated her like family—a younger sister.

“So when he fled the clan… I felt so betrayed. As if he had abandoned me.”

Her eyes grew hollow. Just recalling it seemed to cause her pain.

“At first, I refused to believe it. But as time passed… and passed… eventually, I had no choice but to accept it. That he had left the clan… and left me behind.”

That’s why she was furious when she first saw Hanul.

“I took the betrayal I felt from Oppa… and directed it at you. I know now that was wrong… Instead of doing that, I should have embraced you, like he once embraced me…”

Hack.

She coughed again. Blackened blood dripped from the corner of her lips.

“I’m sorry. I truly am.”

Her voice trembled.

“I have no right to ask… but please… take care of Hudon…”

Her voice grew quieter and quieter.

“Please grant me this… What… are you doing?”

At some point, Hanul had stopped listening to her words. He was opening his subspace, chugging all sorts of potions.

“Just a moment. I’ll hear the rest of the story in a bit.”

“If not now… there won’t be another chance…”

“If I listen to you first, I might miss the timing.”

“…Timing?”

Confusion washed over Kwon Mi’s face. What was this kid talking about?

Regardless, Hanul kept drinking potions. After downing over ten, he finally stopped.

“Alright, give me your hand.”

He took her hand. Using Genius Blood, he analyzed her condition.

The curse Odin had cast had completely ravaged her body.

‘The power of the Black Dragon Bloodline isn’t functioning properly.’

The curse Odin had referred to—“that serpent that slays”—was wreaking havoc.

It nullified the powers of the Black Dragon Bloodline, drained her magical energy, and allowed other curses to run rampant.

“Genius Blood” is analyzing the target’s internal structure.

Hanul had already encountered and deciphered this curse while treating the head of Babel.

Odin had placed great confidence in this curse—but it was ineffective against the true Genius Bloodline.

“Dragonheart Bloodline” is activating!

All magical energy will be converted for the next 3 hours!

Elemental resistance increases by 1000%!

Skill damage taken reduced by up to 80%!

Hanul activated Dragonheart Bloodline. A vast amount of magical power surged into Kwon Mi’s body.

“…!”

Her eyes widened.

The amount of magical energy Hanul injected was staggering—enough to leave her stunned.

That power incinerated every curse entrenched in her body.

As the curses vanished, a slight flush returned to her face.

‘Don’t be fooled.’

The curses were gone, but her body was still wrecked. If treatment stopped now, she’d still die.

He had to restore her damaged organs and replenish her depleted vitality.

Activating “Healthy Bloodline”!

Originally, Healthy Bloodline only worked on Hanul himself. But thanks to his Rebirth, its power had been unlocked for external use.

Target’s life is in critical danger!

Activating the authority of “Longevity and Peace”!

Target’s natural recovery rate increased by 1000%!

Target’s regenerative ability increased by 1000%!

Target’s disease resistance increased by 1000%!

A green glow enveloped Kwon Mi’s body. Her breathing quickly stabilized.

But Hanul didn’t stop there. He activated one more power of Healthy Blood.

Activating “Blessing and Harmony”!

Transferring vitality and stamina to the target!

Transfer efficiency: 30%!

All the potions Hanul had consumed were instantly metabolized. That energy flowed into Kwon Mi.

Only after transferring all of it did Hanul release her hand.

Kwon Mi suddenly sat upright. Everyone around her froze in shock.

“M-Mom!”

Kwon Hudon threw his arms around her. Kwon Mi, now teary-eyed, embraced him back.

“Whew…”

Hanul wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Killing was easy. Saving someone, however, was incredibly hard.

But watching the two cry and laugh made the effort worthwhile.

“Hanul.”

After basking in joy, Kwon Mi turned to Hanul.

“I… I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“Don’t say such distant things between family.”

At his words, Kwon Mi looked stunned, like she’d just been struck.

“…Yes. We are family. Thank you… for saying that.”

She smiled. Hanul smiled back.

“But Hanul… gratitude is one thing…”

Her expression suddenly turned serious.

“…How is it that you, a member of the Black Dragon bloodline, can use powers from another lineage?”

Hanul’s smiling face stiffened.

Everyone else now wore a look that clearly demanded answers.

“Please… tell us everything. From beginning to end.”

Their eyes—including Kwon Mi’s—gleamed with anticipation.

Hanul realized there was no way out of this.

No matter what he did, there’d be no dodging this conversation.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]