[Translator - Helga ]

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Chapter 181: Revelation (3)

Kwon Hanul stared at the Heart of the Mythic Beast with a look of utter shock.

When Odin had shouted that he would give the Heart of the Mythic Beast to the villains of Pandemonium, Hanul hadn’t paid it much attention.

After all, a person backed into a corner can say anything.

But to think he actually had it in his possession…

“T-The Heart of the Mythic Beast?!”

Joo Hayun, who noticed it a moment later, gasped in alarm.

Even someone as normally reserved as Joo Hayun was visibly shaken. That’s how valuable the Heart of the Mythic Beast was.

Most SS-rank elixirs either had strict intake conditions or only raised specific attributes.

But the Heart of the Mythic Beast had no such limitations.

“You can’t just consume it like that! You need to stabilize your condition, find a safe location free of distractions, and prepare yourself to fully absorb the elixir—”

“I get it, so calm down.”

Hanul gently stopped her. It was obvious how agitated she was.

“There’s no need for such extensive preparation. I can absorb it as is.”

He wasn’t exaggerating. It was true.

After undergoing his rebirth, Hanul’s body wasn’t just sturdier—it could contain much more.

He was confident he could even absorb an elixir more potent than the Heart of the Mythic Beast.

“What matters isn’t how I take it, but which attribute I’ll enhance.”

Strength, Agility, Stamina, Magic Power, Perception, Willpower.

Those six attributes were displayed in a Hunter’s status window.

With an SS-rank elixir being incredibly rare, choosing which stat to enhance was a critical decision.

“You’re really going to take it now?”

At Hanul’s remark, Mei Hong’s eyes lit up. Kwon Hudon and Gael Garcia also perked up.

“Go with Agility! You should boost Agility!”

“W-Wouldn’t Stamina be better, though?”

“I think Perception would be the best choice.”

SS-rank attributes were every Hunter’s dream.

So naturally, all three began making suggestions as if it were their own decision to make.

“Agility is everything in battle! A split-second move can decide life or death!”

“Speed is useless without the stamina to sustain it!”

“You’re both forgetting something. In combat, it’s not Agility or Stamina—it’s Perception that matters most.”

Before long, the three had launched into a heated debate. Hanul ignored them and turned to Joo Hayun.

“What do you think, Hayun?”

“I’d recommend Magic Power.”

She answered without hesitation, then added thoughtfully, “If someone else had asked me, that would’ve been my suggestion. But… your situation is unique, Hanul. I think you should consider a different approach.”

Hanul possessed multiple bloodlines.

The conventional method didn’t quite apply to someone like him.

He had even overwhelmed Odin like a mere scarecrow.

“You should think about which attribute you need least—and which one you lack most. In short, go with the one that will give you the most impact.”

Hanul began to assess things internally.

Strength and Magic Power were out. With Superhuman Bloodline and Dragonheart Bloodline, he could temporarily reach SS-rank in those two areas by using their powers.

Perception was also unnecessary. The instincts granted by Black Dragon Bloodline heightened his senses to an extraordinary level. Ever since acquiring it, Hanul’s perception had been razor-sharp.

That left Agility, Stamina, and Willpower.

‘Stamina’s out, too.’

Thanks to the Healthy Bloodline’s ability, he had never experienced any real endurance issues.

‘Agility or Willpower…’

But even this wasn’t a real dilemma. He had Genius Bloodline and Vassal Bloodline, both of which supported mental prowess.

Boosting Agility would yield the most tangible effect.

But Hanul decided to take a longer view.

‘If I can raise the Synchronization Rate of each bloodline just a bit more… I can unlock so much more.’

Thanks to his rebirth, the Synchronization Rate of all his bloodlines had reached 80%.

And with that, he could sense it.

If each bloodline’s power grew just a little more, the related attributes would see explosive growth.

He would undoubtedly reach SS-rank.

‘The problem is… I can’t afford to raise those rates right now.’

His body was currently in disarray, struggling to adapt to the sudden surge in bloodline power.

To put it simply, the bloodlines were clashing with each other.

Normally, the overwhelming dominance of Black Dragon Bloodline kept everything in check.

But now that their powers were nearly equal, they were all jockeying for control.

‘Seriously, what are they fighting about now?’

It wasn’t a critical issue, but resolving it would take significant time.

‘I need to stabilize them quickly. Only with full control can I raise their Synchronization Rates further.’

“I’ve decided.”

As soon as Hanul spoke, Joo Hayun and the three others turned to him.

“So, it’s Agility, right?”

“No way, it’s Stamina, right Hanul?”

“You picked Perception, I’m sure of it!”

All three looked at him eagerly.

Hanul gave a crooked smile and shook his head.

“None of the above.”

He placed the Heart of the Mythic Beast into his mouth.

It felt like biting into thin ice—crisp, yet melting the moment it cracked.

He could feel a pure energy spreading throughout his body. Closing his eyes, Hanul focused on absorbing it fully.

You have consumed the Heart of the Mythic Beast.

Select the attribute to enhance.

‘I choose Willpower.’

The energy he’d absorbed flowed directly to his head.

Despite having Genius Bloodline and Vassal Bloodline, he chose Willpower for a fundamental reason.

Genius Bloodline only blocked outside interference. Vassal Blood amplified mental strength, but that alone couldn’t tame the bloodlines.

That’s why Hanul chose Willpower.

‘Willpower’ has reached SS-rank.

You comprehend the flow of “Winds Stir the Storm.”

You foresee the path of “Heaven's Aid for Ascension.”

You awaken to the principle of “No Shortcut to Mastery.”

From D-rank to S-rank—he had undergone many upgrades.

But this was different.

It wasn’t just that his mental strength had improved.

It felt like a vast current swept through his entire being. Like he was standing atop a high, sacred mountain, gazing down at the world.

Black Dragon Bloodline bows its head.

Shura King suppresses his discontent.

Superhuman Bloodline kneels.

The bloodlines sensed Hanul’s transformation and began to submit.

Moments ago, they were bickering like wild beasts, but now they had quieted like obedient dogs.

Hanul slowly opened his eyes.

What he saw were faces filled with awe.

“Whoa…”

Kwon Hudon couldn’t help but gasp.

That’s how much Hanul had changed before and after taking the elixir.

After his body’s transformation, Hanul had already seemed formidable—but also wild and fearsome.

Now, he was different. His aura was unbelievably calm and harmonized.

“Hanul, you…”

It was natural for a person to change after consuming an SS-rank elixir.

But Hanul’s transformation went beyond that. It felt like his very essence had shifted.

No one said it aloud, but they all felt it in their bones.

The current Kwon Hanul was more than twice as powerful as the one from just moments before.

“…So, Captain.”

Mei Hong raised her hand.

“What attribute did you end up choosing?”

“W-Was it Strength? Right?”

“I still believe it was Perception.”

All three crowded around Hanul with curiosity.

He sighed and waved them off.

“I’ll tell you later. For now, give me some space.”

* * *

Even after that, the three of them persistently clung to Kwon Hanul, but he didn’t give them an answer.

Eventually, one by one, they gave up and went off to do their own thing.

Finally free, Kwon Hanul sank into the sofa to take a short break. There was a mountain of things he needed to think through.

“Captain.”

At some point, Mei Hong had sat down next to him.

“If it’s about my stats, I’m not telling you.”

“That’s not why I’m here. I mean, I wouldn’t mind knowing, but that’s not it.”

“Then what is it?”

Mei Hong cleared her throat, trying to set the mood before asking.

“Captain, you said you were planning to fight the Vice Chairman, right?”

“I did. What, getting cold feet now?”

“Do I look like that kind of person to you? Even as a joke, please don’t say that.”

Mei Hong frowned as she answered Hanul’s question.

“I’m not worried, because you’re the one leading us.”

“You have a bit too much faith in me.”

“Well, to be honest, that’s a lie. You are amazing, but our opponent is Kwon Hyuk.”

Kwon Hyuk—the Vice Chairman of Hyukcheon Group, widely known as the most powerful force in East Asia.

The eldest son of Clan Head Kwon Seonwoo, and considered the de facto successor.

The power and influence Kwon Hyuk wielded were nearly unfathomable.

“You’re about to face off with Kwon Hyuk, and let’s be honest—we’re a bit unprepared. Our equipment is lacking too.”

To an outsider, that would sound ridiculous.

The four of them aboard this plane were armed with gear taken from the Hyukcheon Vault.

A place where the heirlooms and treasures of the Hyukcheon clan across generations were stored. Even a single item leaking out would have sparked a bloodbath.

“You’re right about that.”

But things were different when it came to facing Kwon Hyuk.

He had long held the position of Hyukcheon’s number two. He hunted SS-class monsters to craft gear, and he had collected some of the world’s rarest relics.

Even the treasures from the Hyukcheon Vault fell a bit short when compared to what Kwon Hyuk possessed.

“I might have a way to solve that problem all at once.”

“You have a secret plan?”

Mei Hong gave him a strange smile—almost like a child struggling to hold back laughter.

“There was something I told you back when I asked to join your team. Do you remember?”

What was it again? Kwon Hanul searched his memory.

Then suddenly, the memory resurfaced.

“…No way.”

“Ah, so you do remember.”

Mei Hong placed her hands on her hips and grinned.

“Let’s go open the Mei Clan’s treasure vault!”

* * *

Kim Cho-hee of the Black Mark Unit led Azeth Hermes to a royal suite in a high-end hotel in Japan.

“Go on in. Quickly.”

She didn’t step into the room herself. She stopped at the entrance and sent Azeth Hermes inside.

Nervously, Azeth Hermes stepped forward. Inside, sitting comfortably on a plush sofa, was Kwon Hyuk.

“Have a seat. Right here.”

Still seated, Kwon Hyuk gestured to the spot beside him.

The patronizing attitude made Azeth Hermes’ blood boil.

“A nobleman of Hyukcheon summons this old man—why, I wonder?”

He sat in the indicated seat, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Kwon Hyuk didn’t react. He simply said, “You’re awfully prickly. And here I thought I saved your life.”

“Saved my life? What nonsense is that?”

“My subordinate rescued you, didn’t he?”

At that, Azeth Hermes’ brows shot up.

“Exactly! That’s what I wanted to ask! Why was your subordinate even there? And why didn’t he help the Black Sharp Unit?”

He didn’t trust Kwon Hyuk. There was something off, something ominous about him.

The Hyukcheon family was infamous for being fanatics when it came to protecting their own bloodline. If one was in danger, the whole family would mobilize.

But this man acted entirely differently.

“Explain yourself! What’s your game?!”

“I don’t mind telling you. My subordinate was there to evaluate Kwon Hanul’s progress.”

“Progress?”

“Yes. I was curious how strong he’d become after his rebirth.”

Kwon Hyuk said it casually.

“As for why we didn’t help the Black Sharp Unit—simple. I never gave the order. I had no intention of helping them. Does that clear things up?”

“You had… no intention of helping? Are you lying to my face?”

“Lying? Not at all. Let me ask you something: why should I help them? There’s nothing in it for me.”

Azeth Hermes was at a loss for words.

He’d looked into Kwon Hyuk before.

Outwardly, he was always smiling, always polite. But it was all a façade.

In truth, he was a ruthless, brutal man.

Still, he didn’t think Kwon Hyuk would go so far as to betray his bloodline.

“Let’s skip the pointless chatter and get to the main topic.”

Kwon Hyuk leisurely opened a wine bottle and poured himself a glass. Staring into the red liquid, he continued.

“I need Aeon’s power. You’ll be working under me for about a year.”

At that, Azeth Hermes’ lip twitched.

“Aeon doesn’t take requests from anyone.”

“I think you’re misunderstanding. I’m not making a request. I’m giving you an order.”

Crack.

Azeth Hermes clenched his teeth and barely managed to suppress his rage.

“Even more reason not to comply. So save your arrogance.”

“Oh dear… did that offend you? Then how about a threat instead?”

“A threat?”

Azeth Hermes looked incredulous.

“You think threatening me will let you control Aeon?”

Aeon was a group born from Azeth Hermes’ desire to study “the Vessel.” He had cultivated it with care over many years.

He’d prepared it to survive even if he was no longer around.

“You’re dreaming. Even if you capture me, Aeon won’t obey you.”

He looked at Kwon Hyuk with smug confidence.

At that moment, Kwon Hyuk tossed something toward him.

A thick bundle of papers.

“What’s this?”

“See for yourself.”

Puzzled, Azeth Hermes picked up the stack and flipped through a few pages.

“What the—?!”

He recoiled and threw the papers away in shock.

The pages were filled with detailed information: places where Aeon’s mages often gathered, storage sites for magical tomes, even secret passphrases.

“H-How the hell did you get all this…?!”

“I once worked with one of Aeon’s mages,” Kwon Hyuk said, calmly picking up the documents again. “They did their job well, so I figured I might use them again. I’ve been gathering intel ever since.”

“Th-That’s absurd!”

Aeon was a secretive organization that avoided all exposure.

Azeth Hermes had gone to extreme lengths to conceal it.

Even when Hyukcheon attacked them in the past, they hadn’t uncovered this much.

“In Hyukcheon, nothing is impossible. If we want it, we make it happen.”

Kwon Hyuk sat back down.

“Now, I’ll ask one last time. Will you follow my orders? Or…”

His voice turned razor-sharp.

“…will you sit back and watch Aeon crumble with your pride?”

Azeth Hermes trembled. He had never felt such humiliation in his life.

“…Fine. I’ll accept your proposal.”

“‘Proposal’?”

Kwon Hyuk’s voice turned cold.

“Did you just say proposal?”

“…A slip of the tongue. I meant—I’ll follow your orders.”

Only then did Kwon Hyuk seem satisfied.

“Thank you for understanding. First, you’ll need to contact the Dragon Slayer.”

Of course he knew about Aeon’s connection to the Dragon Slayer. Azeth Hermes had suspected as much, but it still shook him to hear it confirmed.

“And about those experiments Aeon has been conducting…”

What came next was beyond even Azeth Hermes’ imagination.

“You’ve been trying to enhance the power of bloodline abilities, haven’t you?”

“…How did you even know about that?”

“There are ways. Anyway, the goal was to complete an Incarnation, right? Why did the experiment fail? Have you figured it out?”

“…The test subjects were too weak. We only kidnapped low-tier bloodlines that the clans ignored. The results were… disappointing.”

“So if you had better test subjects, could you complete the Incarnation?”

“I can’t say for sure… but likely, yes.”

At that moment, a chill ran down Azeth Hermes’ spine.

The smile on Kwon Hyuk’s face was horrifyingly cruel.

“Perfect. As it happens, I’ve got just the right person for the experiment.”

“N-No! That won’t be enough—it has to be a high-tier lineage—”

“Don’t worry. He’s a pureblood. Arguably the most gifted one of them all.”

“You’re saying you’ll offer such a person as a test subject?”

Kwon Hyuk clicked his tongue.

“He’s completely useless now. Emptied out, good for nothing else.”

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]