[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Chapter 21: A Bloodline’s Resolve (4)
Two days later, the long-awaited debut battle had finally arrived.
Kwon Hanul was in the midst of his final preparations for his challenge against the Platinum Dungeon.
“All set,” Joo Hayun announced.
At her words, Kwon Hanul glanced down at himself.
A suit of jet-black armor enveloped his entire body. The armor, crafted from what seed to be overlapping Imoogi scales, exuded an undeniable sense of excellence.
“Master Blacksmith Park Tae-sik wanted to pass along his apologies for only sending the armor,” Joo Hayun added.
“He’s busy with work, isn’t he? It can’t be helped.”
Not that he had any complaints. Even if he had, they would have vanished the mont he read the armor’s description.
Aryongtae – The Molted Scales of a Young Dragon
Grade: Legendary (A )
Description: A suit of armor forged from an Imoogi’s heart and scales, combined with various rare tals.
Abilities:
Increases all stats by 20% when worn.
Enhances mana efficiency by 20%.
Boosts the power of all impact-based attacks by 20%.
Absorbs up to 20% of external damage.
Passively absorbs ambient mana to form an automatic Qi Barrier.
With five powerful abilities, it was worthy of its A Legendary ranking—precisely the kind of equipnt Kwon Hanul had hoped for.
“Master Park ntioned that he focused on maximizing mobility. Why don’t you try moving around?”
Kwon Hanul perford a few test movents. He raised both arms high and swung them side to side. He extended one leg straight up. None of it hindered his mobility in the slightest.
Moreover, the armor felt incredibly light—almost like he was wearing nothing more than a thin layer of clothing.
“Incredible,” he muttered.
“An A Legendary-grade armor is a rare find, even within Hyukcheon,” Joo Hayun remarked.
Starting off with such an artifact was no small stroke of luck.
“All that’s left now is to clear the dungeon,” Kwon Hanul said, swinging his fists in the air.
Joo Hayun, however, still looked uneasy.
“Why the worried face?” he asked.
“I feel like my words have put you in danger.”
He blinked, montarily confused, before realization dawned on him.
“You an when you told to challenge the peak of Hyukcheon?”
“So, you do rember.”
“Of course. But don’t bla yourself for that. You only suggested it—I made the decision. So don’t let it weigh on you. Besides…”
Kwon Hanul trailed off, casting a brief glance at his armor before speaking again.
“Even if you hadn’t said anything, I would have ended up doing this sooner or later.”
It wasn’t a guess. It was a certainty.
“I’ve been suffocating for too long.”
Growing up as an orphan, Kwon Hanul had always been an outsider. It was difficult to blend in, yet all too easy to be cast aside.
Even after learning the truth about his birth and joining the Hyukcheon family, his situation had remained unchanged.
“Really… it was stifling beyond words.”
He suddenly beca aware of Joo Hayun standing right next to him. When he looked down, he saw her hand gripping his.
Unconsciously, he had clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.
“You’re about to enter the dungeon. You shouldn’t be harming yourself like this,” she said.
Kwon Hanul exhaled and loosened his grip, shaking out his hands.
“Let’s head out.”
He stepped out of the container. Not far ahead, the gate to the Platinum Dungeon lood.
A mix of anticipation and tension swirled within him.
Before stepping through, he glanced back.
Joo Hayun stood there, holding a towel and a water bottle.
“See you later.”
With those parting words, Kwon Hanul leaped into the gate.
* * *
Morning
Kwon Chan-seong made his way to his grandfather’s office.
Kwon Seonwoo had summoned him, instructing him to arrive before lunch.
What could this be about?
With each step, a heavy feeling settled over him. An unshakable discomfort climbed up his throat.
Kwon Seonwoo.
Chairman of Hyukcheon Group. Head of the Hyukcheon family.
To all those carrying Hyukcheon’s bloodline, Kwon Seonwoo was both revered and feared.
That included Kwon Chan-seong, his father Kwon Hyuk, and his aunt Kwon Mi.
“I’m coming in.”
After a light knock, he opened the door.
Inside, Kwon Seonwoo sat at his massive desk, buried in an avalanche of docunts. Without even looking up, he spoke.
“You’re here.”
Kwon Chan-seong felt an invisible weight press down on his shoulders. Imdiately, he bowed.
“I trust you’ve been well.”
Anyone who knew Kwon Chan-seong would have been shocked by his deanor.
The self-assured, arrogant man of usual was nowhere to be seen.
At this mont, he was as cautious as a man walking on a razor’s edge.
“Sit.”
Only after the Chairman gave his command did Kwon Chan-seong take a seat.
“Do you know why I called you here?”
“I’m afraid I don’t,” he replied without hesitation.
He had seen what happened to those who tried to predict the Chairman’s intentions and failed.
“It’s about Kwon Hanul.”
Kwon Chan-seong’s expression flickered with surprise. This was unexpected.
“I hear he stirred up quite an interesting ga in his Platinum Dungeon challenge.”
“I apologize.”
Kwon Chan-seong imdiately bowed his head.
He had never imagined the Chairman would pay such close attention to Kwon Hanul. A grave miscalculation.
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not blaming you.”
Relief washed over him.
“I simply wanted to ask—do you think he’ll survive his debut battle?”
Kwon Chan-seong answered without hesitation.
“Hanul will die today.”
Amusent flickered in Kwon Seonwoo’s eyes.
“And what makes you so sure?”
“Because I set the board to ensure it.”
Kwon Chan-seong’s voice brimd with confidence. The Chairman chuckled.
His eyes widened. It had been a long ti since he had seen the Chairman laugh.
“You’re still just a brat.”
The remark stung.
“Grandfather, my judgnt—”
“I get it. You have confidence in your own foresight. But rember—nothing in this world is certain. What worked yesterday may not work today.”
“Then… do you believe Hanul will clear the dungeon?”
“That, I do not know.”
Kwon Seonwoo’s words were firm, contradicting his previous statent. Kwon Chan-seong hesitated.
“I just told you, didn’t I? No one knows how things will turn out. However…”
After a brief pause, the Chairman continued, “My instincts tell —he’ll survive.”
* * *
Inside the Dungeon
As soon as Kwon Hanul entered, he was t with a vast cavern, its scale reminiscent of a massive valley.
Every inch of the towering walls was covered with swarming Karankula drones.
“For eating just two tentacles, this is a bit much, isn’t it?”
Even at a glance, there were hundreds of thousands of them.
And they weren’t just nurous. They were enormous.
Karankula drones were typically the size of large dogs.
But the ones before him rivaled tigers in sheer size.
Worse yet, every single one of them exuded murderous intent, all directed at him.
“You’re hungry, huh? Well, don’t just stare—co get your al.”
The drones leaped from the walls all at once, darkening his vision.
Then—
BOOM!
The Karankula drones exploded in unison, and the world was bright once more.
Dragon Aura.
Simply unleashing his Dragon Aura had crushed them.
Kwon Chan-seong’s first miscalculation:
He had drastically underestimated Kwon Hanul’s power.
Synchronization Rate 10 → 12%
Kwon Hanul's heart pounded even harder. He could feel the rapid surge of blood coursing through his veins.
Black Dragon Ascension Art - Entry Form
Forceful Strike Technique: Bamboo Splitter
He raised his leg high and slamd it down with full force. The ground cracked like a spiderweb.
Imdiately afterward, a massive explosion followed. The lingering presence of dragon energy wiped out the remaining Karankula workers entirely.
“Phew…”
Kwon Hanul steadied his ragged breathing. The intense movent in such a short span had drained a significant amount of his stamina.
Managing stamina during battle was crucial. But even knowing that, Kwon Hanul had pushed himself recklessly.
Because—
By the ti he took a deep breath once, twice, and finally a third ti, all fatigue had vanished.
Just like before the battle started, his entire body was brimming with energy.
It was then—
A flurry of wing beats echoed from above. Looking up, he saw a swarm of Karankula Hummingbirds gathering.
In unison, they fired their spikes. The elongated projectiles bombarded the spot where Kwon Hanul had just been standing.
Kwon Hanul raised his leg and stomped down with all his might. The scattered remains of the Karankula workers lifted into the air.
Then, with a swift kick, he sent the debris flying. Shards of armor imbued with dragon energy rained down upon the Karankula Hummingbirds.
He continued hurling debris, forcing the hummingbirds to scatter in different directions.
Then, he began to run. Scaling a wall, he climbed to their altitude, then propelled himself off the surface and into their midst.
Black Dragon Ascension Art - Entry Form
Continuous Strike Technique: Chaotic Onslaught
Kwon Hanul’s hands moved in a blur, intertwining in a frenzy. The Karankula Hummingbirds were torn apart, their bodies shredded.
After confirming that they had been completely wiped out, he landed lightly on the ground.
But the mont his feet touched the earth, massive creatures erupted from below.
Karankula Soldiers.
Monsters born for the sole purpose of exterminating intruders. Normally, they were about the size of a midsize car.
But now—
They had grown to the scale of a low-rise building.
And there were at least five of them.
“This… could probably bring down a whole building.”
They were now several tis larger than before.
“And they've even got weird pincers.”
Not only that, their front limbs resembled those of a lobster, making them even more suited for combat.
—Screeeech!
One of the Karankula Soldiers lashed out at Kwon Hanul with its front limb. The attack was swift and precise, like a bee’s sting.
Yet, the force behind it was no joke.
Kwon Hanul channeled his dragon energy into both hands. His palms looked as if they were stained with black ink.
Ignoring the incoming attack, he lunged forward.
The soldier’s pincer struck Kwon Hanul’s torso.
At that mont, a black barrier ford on the surface of his armor. The pincer failed to penetrate it and was repelled backward.
Kwon Chan-seong’s Miscalculation #2.
He had underestimated the quality of Kwon Hanul’s gear.
In other words—"gear advantage."
Reviews
All reviews (0)