[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 221: Epilogue

News that Kwon Hyuk, Vice Chairman of Hyukcheon, had staged a rebellion spread across the world in an instant.

The Chairmanship was in disarray, with factions within the organization turning on each other.

For those who bore grudges against =Hyukcheon, there could not have been a more perfect time to draw their blades of vengeance.

And yet, surprisingly few external forces moved to strike against Hyukcheon.

The first reason was that—even weakened— Hyukcheon were still Hyukcheon.

Their baseline power was so formidable that even most established guilds, not to mention world-ranking Triple Number hunters, dared not make reckless moves.

The second reason was that the rebellion had been crushed with unexpected speed.

Just two days after it began, Kwon Hyuk—the ring leader—was dead, and his forces completely annihilated. The Hyukcheon’ main house was left unscathed.

The final reason…

"These little worms dared point weapons at Hyukcheon?"

"Seems the world needs a reminder of what Hyukcheon is really about."

…was that Kwon Myung-woo and Kwon Mi, now fully recovered from their injuries, began mercilessly hunting down any groups that had shown even the slightest hint of disloyalty or disobedience toward Hyukcheon.

Thus, a rebellion that could have changed the very fate of Hyukcheon quietly came to an end.

But one month later, the world was rocked by news so overwhelming that it all but erased memories of the rebellion.

The date for Patriarch Kwon Seonwoo’s official retirement had been announced.

* * *

"The spring breeze feels warm."

At the sudden remark, Kwon Hanul momentarily paused pushing the wheelchair. Looking down, he asked, "Shall we take a short break?"

"No need. I prefer to keep moving rather than sit still."

"You're saying that while sitting in a wheelchair?"

"You got a problem with that? Want to trade places?"

"No, thank you. The whole world would curse me for it."

With a soft chuckle, Hanul resumed pushing the wheelchair. Its wheels rolled gently across the brick path in the garden.

"Do you really have to step down as patriarch?" Hanul asked abruptly. Kwon Seonwoo offered a faint, bitter smile.

"I have no choice. A body like this can’t handle the weight of Chairmanship anymore."

Seonwoo had survived Kwon Hyuk’s rebellion, but the injuries he sustained left him permanently disabled. One arm and leg were no longer usable, and his flow of magical energy had been disrupted.

The damage had resulted from losing the Dragon Pearl, and even Hanul had no way of reversing it.

"Besides, I had already planned to retire soon. I've sat on this seat for too long, and it’s worn me down."

He sighed deeply.

"Just in time, Myung-woo told me he got a new yacht and tried to drag me out on a fishing trip. Said we should bring a case of booze and hit the ocean."

"Ah, so that’s the real reason."

Seonwoo coughed in place of answering.

"But what about you? Are you really okay with this?"

"With what?"

"If things go this way, you'll be tied to Hyukcheon for good. Isn't that too much of a waste for someone with your youth and talent?"

Hanul burst out laughing. Seonwoo’s expression twisted, as though he'd been mocked.

"Coming from the same man who once asked me to take care of Hyukcheon?"

"That was then. But thinking about it now… I wonder if Hyukcheon is too small for you."

Hanul didn’t just carry the Black Dragon Bloodline. He bore the true bloodlines of many houses—he possessed the qualifications to rise to the top of any family he joined.

"Hmm."

"What is it?"

"Just… seeing you so gentle and mellow is really throwing me off."

Seonwoo’s expression twisted again.

"Don’t worry about me. There’s still something I need to do here in Hyukcheon."

"What kind of thing?"

"Restoring the honor of my father and mother."

At those words, Seonwoo’s face darkened—his own past sins rising to the surface once again.

"Then I’ll release a formal statement. And I’ll do everything in my power to clear your parents' names."

"No. That’s something I must do."

Hanul’s voice was firm.

"A statement means nothing. What will truly change people’s perceptions is if I—their son—remain here, raise Hyukcheon’ prestige, and live as one of its own."

Only when everyone acknowledged Kwon Hanul as one of their own would his parents' honor truly be restored. Hanul believed this without a doubt.

"So don’t worry. I’ve already made up my mind."

"I see…"

"And if Hyukcheon turns out too small for me, then I’ll just expand them myself." Hanul added with a mischievous grin. That finally drew a laugh from Kwon Seonwoo.

"We’ve arrived."

Hanul stopped walking, and the wheelchair came to a halt.

They were standing in front of a building only used for the most significant events within the Hyukcheon.

"Brother, done with your walk?"

By the door, Kwon Myung-woo stood waiting.

"Yes, let’s go in."

"Understood."

At Seonwoo’s signal, Myung-woo pushed open the large double doors. They creaked slowly as they parted.

A wave of heat surged from within.

The grand hall was packed to capacity.

These weren’t ordinary people. Politicians, elite hunters, business tycoons—only those with substantial influence and ties to the Hyukcheon had earned a place here.

"Let’s go."

Hanul pushed the wheelchair forward along the long carpeted path.

All eyes turned toward the two of them. It should’ve been overwhelming, but neither Hanul nor Seonwoo flinched.

At the end of the carpet stood a high platform. With help from his guards, Seonwoo slowly made his way up.

Once he was in position, Hanul walked toward the guests.

"Lord Kwon Hanul, over here!"

Joo Hayun and the Dark Shade Unit, already seated, waved him over. Hanul joined them.

"Thank you for attending this humble old man’s retirement."

It was rare, but Seonwoo was using honorific speech. His usual commanding tone was absent, just for today.

"In the past, Hyukcheon experienced troubling events. It wasn’t a sudden accident or random disaster. It was the festering of old wounds left untreated for too long."

Seonwoo had once admitted that, though Hyukcheon' methods had helped it grow, they had also left behind scars—one of which had manifested as Kwon Hyuk.

"All of it stems from me. And so, I take responsibility by stepping down from this position today."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Even up until this point, many hadn’t believed the retirement would actually happen.

"And now, I will announce the new Patriarch of Hyukcheon."

Seonwoo pointed to Kwon Hanul.

"My grandson, Kwon Hanul, shall be the 12th Patriarch."

Gasps spread through the hall. No one had expected this.

"Hanul, come up here."

Hanul ascended the stage and knelt before Seonwoo, who offered him the ring symbolizing the Patriarch’s authority. Hanul reached out with both hands and received it.

A thunderous round of applause filled the hall.

"Hah! Hanul, you rascal! You’ve made it big!"

Kwon Myung-woo’s voice boomed louder than anyone else's. So loud that even Hanul and Seonwoo flushed with embarrassment.

Seonwoo helped Hanul to his feet and presented him before the guests.

"With this, the 12th Patriarch is born."

After the joint retirement and inauguration ceremony, Hanul was overwhelmed greeting the steady stream of guests.

"I’m Monaca Drong, Guildmaster of the Ballon Guild! What an honor it is to witness the new Patriarch take the stage!"

"I’m Hwang Soon-chul, run a small company—yes, that’s right, the second-largest conglomerate in Korea, Soonkwang Industries."

Everyone who came to greet him was prominent in their field. Hanul didn’t even have the option of showing his exhaustion.

It wasn’t all strangers, either.

"Hanul, you rascal!"

"Uncle… please, calm down."

"How could I possibly stay calm on a day like this!"

Familiar faces like Kwon Myung-woo and Kwon Mi also showed up.

"I knew it the moment I first saw you! You were destined for greatness! Though I didn’t expect this great!"

Myung-woo pounded Hanul’s back in joy.

Once so burdensome, the gesture was now bearable.

"Ahem, Hanul, congratulations."

Kwon Mi stepped forward with a shy smile.

"You know… I’m trusting you with my Hudon."

"Of course."

"T-thank you."

Kwon Mi smiled brightly and muttered as she walked away, “Knew I had a good eye.”

Thunder Fist and Master Park Tae-sik came as well. Soon after, unfamiliar guests resumed flooding in.

"Ugh… Hanul, how much longer do we have to stand here?"

"Sharpening swords would be more useful..."

"These formalities really aren’t for me…"

Even the Dark Shade Unit couldn’t rest while their captain worked.

"Get used to it. This’ll become a regular thing from now on."

Joo Hayun, acting as Hanul’s secretary, stood beside him.

"Uuugh…"

"Urrgh…"

"Kill me…"

Seeing their pain, Hanul offered encouragement.

"Just a bit more. Looks like we’re almost through."

"That looks ‘almost through’ to you…?"

"Captain… did your vision get worse or something?"

Kwon Hudon and Mei Hong grumbled.

Hanul chuckled.

"But aren’t you three in a good place? Once this is over, it’s back to training, right?"

At that, their faces froze.

Despite Hanul's elite status, the Dark Shade Unit still had many shortcomings—and Myung-woo and Thunder Fist were subjecting them to hellish training every day.

"You know what? Suddenly, this event feels amazing."

"M-me too. I’m overwhelmed with joy."

"More guests. Very good. Bring them on."

Hanul stifled his laughter and turned to greet the next guest—

When Joo Hayun gently tugged on his sleeve.

He turned to her, puzzled.

"Lord Kwon Hanul. Please look over there."

She pointed to a small group standing awkwardly off to the side. They were nervous, clearly feeling out of place—like they didn’t belong here.

"They’re the ones you invited."

"…Right."

Hanul politely excused himself from the crowd and walked toward them.

"Welcome."

The group flinched in surprise. An elderly man stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"W-we lowly folk greet the new Patriarch of Hyukcheon."

"Thank you for coming."

"How could we disobey your summons?"

Their formality bordered on subservience. Hanul bit his lip.

"Please, speak freely."

"H-how could we dare?"

"Sir, you of all people have that right."

This elderly man was none other than the Patriarch of the Bae Clan—Bae Cheol-su’s father. The very man whose actions had saved Hanul’s mother.

"The Bae Clan’s help saved my parents’ lives. Thank you."

At those words, the old man's eyes widened. So did the rest of his clan.

"And I’m sorry. It’s my failure that I didn’t acknowledge your help until now."

"No, we should be thanking you. Because of you, our clan received a full pardon. And you even overlooked Cheol-min’s… the traitor’s crimes."

Hanul’s chest ached at the words.

These people were innocent—wrongfully treated as criminals.

What Hanul had done wasn’t mercy. He’d simply returned them to where they rightfully belonged.

"From now on, I’ll take responsibility for the Bae Clan,” Hanul said, clasping Bae Hong-myung’s hand. The man looked stunned.

"I never thought I’d live to see a day like this. Truly, the heavens have smiled upon us."

"No," Hanul said, shaking his head. "This isn’t the work of the heavens. You’re simply reclaiming what was always yours."

* * *

When the delegation from the Bae clan withdrew—

“Lord Hanul~!”

A very different voice rang out.

A woman dressed flamboyantly rushed forward and threw her arms around Kwon Hanul’s neck.

“Why did you take so long to call for me? I’d come running whenever you need me, you know?”

Hanul gently pried the woman’s arms off. Her name: Catalina Blaga. Her face darkened as if wounded.

“Am I... too much for you? If you treat me so coldly, I might cry.”

As Catalina Blaga’s eyes welled with tears, nearby guests visibly panicked.

They had all fallen victim to the bloodline ability—Authority of the Vassal Bloodline—that Catalina had manifested.

Hanul sighed and snapped his fingers. His own Authority from the same bloodline completely nullified hers.

Thanks to that, the guests quickly regained their senses.

“Catalina. How many times have I told you not to recklessly unleash your bloodline’s powers?”

“Oh my, I didn’t mean to, but it just keeps slipping out.”

“And honestly, you are too much. Please leave. I’ll call you back later.”

At Hanul’s firm tone, Catalina pouted in protest, but at his second command, she had no choice but to leave.

“You’re such a difficult man.”

Still, Hanul had called her for a reason.

Though their relationship had started on bad terms, both Catalina and the rest of the Blaga bloodline now pledged absolute loyalty to Hanul.

Now that she was one of his own, ignoring her entirely wasn’t an option. That’s why he invited her privately—to help facilitate reconciliation between Hyukcheon and the Blaga clan.

Hyukcheon possessed immense combat power, while the Blaga clan excelled in intelligence gathering. A collaboration between the two would surely yield results.

A new guest stood before Hanul.

Unlike the others, this one offered no greeting. She simply stood there, glaring at him with a stiff expression.

Hanul didn’t mind. He reached out his hand and said calmly, “Thank you for accepting my invitation, Maria Sanchez.”

“…How could a pureblood like me refuse a summons from a bearer of true blood?”

Maria Sanchez.

A high-ranking member of the Sanchez clan, holders of the Superhuman Bloodline.

Once, in the Mystery City, she had clashed with Hanul. But in the end, the hierarchy of bloodlines forced her into submission.

“Did you succeed in taking control of your clan, as I ordered?”

“…More or less. So? Why did you call me here?”

“I have a proposal.”

Hanul extended his magical energy, creating an invisible barrier around them to keep the conversation private.

“Bring the Sanchez clan into Hyukcheon. How long are you going to live under the stain of being affiliated with Pandemonium?”

“…Are you out of your mind?”

Maria looked stunned.

“You’re saying you’ll accept the Sanchez clan? Do you even realize what that means? You’d be taking on all of our sins.”

The entire Sanchez bloodline had sworn loyalty to Pandemonium—a faction infamous for countless atrocities.

“I’ve learned one thing while living in this world.”

“Oh boy. Here comes some high-and-mighty proverb.”

“When you have power, no one can say a thing.”

Maria stood slack-jawed. Hanul shrugged.

“Of course, any grudges we can compensate for—we’ll have to address them within Hyukcheon.”

“…You’re a strange one.”

“No pressure. Just think it over.”

With that, Hanul dismissed her.

The next guest to approach was also a woman.

“Lady Dahlia Babel, thank you for coming.”

Hanul bowed respectfully, acknowledging her position as clan head.

“You’ve changed so much. Both your ability—and your standing.”

“‘Changed while I was away,’ you mean? That’s quite the joke.”

Hanul grinned.

“You had your eyes on me all along. You had spies around me, didn’t you?”

“So you noticed.”

Dahlia showed no surprise. She knew full well there wasn’t a single Hunter capable of hiding from someone like Hanul.

“I couldn’t help myself. I was curious. Don’t take it personally.” She leaned in slightly and whispered, “You’ve got other bloodlines, don’t you? Not just the Black Dragon’s.”

Even though his secret was out, Hanul didn’t flinch.

“If this is some kind of threat, it’s pointless. I no longer care if that gets exposed.”

He had only kept it secret because exposure would be a hassle—not because it was valuable leverage.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand. I’m not planning to use it against you. I’m just saying… since we’re sharing secrets, maybe we can grow a little closer?”

Dalia pulled out a business card and handed it to him.

“My direct line. Call if you need me.”

With those words, she left.

Just as Hanul slipped the card into his pocket—

“You’re quite the ladies’ man, huh?”

A chilling voice came from behind.

Hanul turned, startled. It was Joo Hayun.

“Ha-Hayun, this isn’t what it looks like—”

“Am I wrong? Every single guest has been a woman.”

“Well, that’s…”

Hayun clammed up. Hanul flailed, unsure what to say.

Meanwhile, Mei Hong and Kwon Hudon, watching from the side, started whispering.

“What’s with them all of a sudden? Are they… dating?”

“Huh? You didn’t know? They come out of the same room every morning.”

“…What?”

Kwon Hudon let out a shout, then quickly slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Wait—wait. Are you serious? Since when?”

“It’s been a while. They even drop honorifics when it’s just the two of them.”

Hudon stared back at the pair.

“Unbelievable… Guess the quiet cat does get to the hearth first.”

But with two quiet cats tangled up like this, they hadn’t just reached the hearth—they were sitting on the rooftop.

And no one had noticed.

“Hayun, at least hear me out.”

“Listening won’t change anything.”

Now that the truth was out, even their bickering looked different.

“So they were just putting on a show this whole time!” Kwon Hudon shouted in disbelief.

Bloodline Is Everything — The End

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]