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[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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Chapter 44: Jealousy (2)
“Lady Catalina!”
Suddenly, a shout rang out. Ruyn Aspadam had slammed his palm down on the table with a loud thud.
“What do you mean by that just now?!”
“Ruyn, you’re getting too worked up.”
“You cannot make such decisions without consulting me! I absolutely cannot accept this!”
“Ruyn, calm yourself.”
“I cannot calm down! Don’t tell me... you came here from the beginning with this in mind—”
“Ruyn.”
Just one word.
That single word weighed down on the entire restaurant like a crushing force.
“I’m the one speaking right now.”
Ruyn Aspadam fell silent. But his eyes burned with frustration as he glared at Kwon Hanul.
It was rather unjust from Kwon Hanul’s perspective.
“I did some research on you,” Catalina Blaga said.
Her tone had, at some point, returned to a calm and gentle one.
“You’re the son of a fugitive who ran away from his clan. Because of that, your position is extremely precarious, and you don’t have any allies either.”
She spoke of Kwon Hanul’s circumstances as if reciting a report.
“Even though Hyukcheon Chairman has taken a liking to you, that man is a warrior to his very core. He’s not someone who’ll look after you with care.”
It was far too detailed for an outsider to know.
Kwon Hanul stared at her with eyes full of suspicion. Catalina Blaga chuckled softly.
“If the Hyukcheon clan excels in martial power, then our Blaga family is unrivaled when it comes to handling information,” she said, her voice tinged with subtle persuasion. “Little Dragon. Take my hand. Your situation will completely change if you do.”
“How could an outsider like you possibly help me?”
“There are plenty of ways. I could provide you with the information you need, lend you support when fulfilling tasks given by the clan, and most importantly…”
Catalina Blaga raised a finger and pointed at Kwon Hanul.
“I could give you the means to become stronger than you are now. If necessary, I could even open the Blaga family’s vaults for you.”
It was a truly tempting offer.
Kwon Hanul lacked backing and was in no position to receive material aid. Even now, he’d had to come here himself because he couldn’t acquire White Soil through other means.
Rising in status within the Hyukcheon Group might resolve these problems, but doing so was no easy feat.
Yet, if he accepted Catalina Blaga’s proposal, all those worries would vanish in an instant.
The problem was the one making the offer—Catalina Blaga herself.
Still wary, Kwon Hanul asked, “What is it that you want from me?”
“I’ve already told you.”
“You’ve told me?”
“I said I want to be your sponsor. So, what do you think I want from you?”
Her gaze roved over Kwon Hanul’s body, thick with suggestion.
It was only then that Kwon Hanul understood what Catalina Blaga truly wanted.
“You’re young, full of vigor, good-looking, and above all, you have outstanding talent and skill. I’m satisfied simply by forming a deep relationship with someone like you.”
Catalina Blaga licked her lips with a flick of her tongue.
“Oh, are you worried about receiving help from the Blaga family while being part of the Hyukcheon clan? Don’t worry. Our relationship will be kept completely secret.”
Given her expertise with information, it was safe to assume she was also skilled at hiding it.
“Or… are you hesitating because you fear being dominated by me?”
Her eyes narrowed, as if mocking him, teasing his pride with a smile that felt like a taunt.
“How disappointing. A scion of Hyukcheon, afraid of being bewitched by a single woman like me.”
Kwon Hanul’s eyes twitched at the blatant provocation.
“I’m just a mere woman in bed, you know. Depending on how you handle me, I can scream, be led, and serve.”
Catalina Blaga rose from her seat and approached Kwon Hanul, slowly, like a spider closing in.
“How you choose to treat me is entirely up to you. Even so, are you still going to reject me?”
Her pale fingertips grazed Kwon Hanul’s chest. Kwon Hanul silently stared at that hand.
A victorious smile curled at Catalina Blaga’s lips. In a confident voice, she said, “Then, shall I take that as you accepting my—”
“I refuse.”
Kwon Hanul pushed her hand away the moment he spoke.
Catalina Blaga’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I appreciate the offer, but I have no need for the Blaga family’s help. Besides…”
He looked her squarely in the eye.
“You’re not all that attractive.”
At that moment, Catalina Blaga’s face turned blank, as if struck by a hammer.
Though she had kept her true feelings hidden until now, Kwon Hanul’s words seemed to have genuinely shocked her.
Seeing no more reason to linger, Kwon Hanul stood up and turned away.
“You made the right choice,” Joo Hayun whispered into his ear.
“She’s too dangerous an opponent to accept.”
Kwon Hanul nodded.
Catalina Blaga was like a poisoned chalice—one couldn’t tell if the gain outweighed the risk. In such cases, the wisest choice was to simply ignore it.
Just as Kwon Hanul and Joo Hayun were about to leave, a furious shout erupted from behind.
“Kwon Hanul!”
Turning around, Kwon Hanul saw Ruyn Aspadam’s face twisted with rage.
“You dare insult Lady Catalina and try to run away?!”
Ruyn Aspadam strode toward him. Catalina Blaga hurriedly tried to stop him.
“Ruyn, stop.”
But Ruyn didn’t listen. Instead, he unleashed his magic. Objects around them flew about as if caught in a typhoon.
His magic was as formidable as his reputation. But it wasn’t exactly awe-inspiring.
‘Aside from agility, his stats are about the same as mine.’
As Kwon Hanul calmly assessed Ruyn Aspadam, Joo Hayun stepped forward.
“Kwon Hanul, please stand behind me.”
But Kwon Hanul stopped her.
“It’s fine.”
"That man is Ruyn Aspadam. He's still dangerous—"
"If you say it like that, it only makes me more determined," Kwon Hanul said with a smile. "Other than being a bit fast, there's really not much to look at. Don’t worry so much."
Reason told him not to engage yet.
But his instincts said otherwise—they told him he wouldn't lose.
"Besides, that guy’s been calling me a rookie or whatever nonsense since earlier."
In truth, Ruyn Aspadam had no right to even raise his head before Kwon Hanul.
Sure, he was once the disciple of the Thunder Fist, but that was ancient history.
Yes, he was a vassal of Catalina Blaga, but that only meant something within the Blaga family.
Yet, despite his lowly standing, he dared to look down on Kwon Hanul.
"A man who abandoned his master because he got seduced by a woman—laughable."
There was a faint trace of anger in Kwon Hanul’s voice. Joo Hayun sighed slightly and stepped back.
"…Just be careful."
"I told you, I’ll be fine."
Kwon Hanul stepped forward, facing Ruyn Aspadam head-on.
"I'll give you credit for not hiding behind the witch."
"Unlike some people, I’m not into tailing after women," Kwon Hanul retorted.
At his provocation, Ruyn Aspadam furrowed his brows.
"First, I’ll crush your face!"
With a shout, Ruyn Aspadam kicked off the ground.
Kwon Hanul tensed every muscle in his body, ready to counter the attack at any moment.
He had already seen how fast S-rank stats could be back in the dungeon. He could handle it.
Or so he thought.
A fist appeared in front of him.
‘…What?’
Before he could react, the fist smashed into his face. His body flew backward, crashing through tables and chairs, slamming into the wall.
Where Kwon Hanul had been standing, Ruyn Aspadam stood with his fist extended.
Retracting his hand, Ruyn growled.
"Consider this blow repayment for your insolence toward Lady Catalina Blaga!"
He turned his body.
Or at least, he tried to.
"…Urgh?"
A searing pain like shattered bones shot up from his fist. Ruyn Aspadam looked down.
His fist was swollen and discolored—his bones had fractured.
"What the hell…?"
He quickly turned back to Kwon Hanul.
Despite taking such a heavy hit, Kwon Hanul was calmly rising to his feet.
Black armor had covered half his face. Ruyn Aspadam scowled.
"You… when did you activate Black Scale Armor?"
At the moment of crisis, Kwon Hanul had deployed Dragon Demon Armor to shield his face.
He had planned to dodge, but there was no time.
"That was close."
The Dragon Demon Armor crumbled into dust.
Armor that could withstand aura had shattered in a single blow.
Proof of just how powerful Ruyn Aspadam's strike had been.
<‘Black Dragon’s Bloodline’ rages!>
<’Shura King’ refuses to tolerate the enemy!>
Two forces erupted inside Kwon Hanul like wildfire, demanding that he bring the man to his knees.
Kwon Hanul didn’t suppress them. He let them loose.
In that instant, his aura multiplied many times over.
Even Ruyn Aspadam had to tense up. That was how overwhelming Kwon Hanul’s presence had become.
"Little Dragon, are you really going to continue?"
"You started it, didn’t you? And now that we’ve begun, we might as well see it through."
"…Fine."
Ruyn Aspadam raised his magic power.
"This time, I will break your face."
His aura now was far more intense than before. But Kwon Hanul only looked bored.
"Not planning to use Thunderclap Fist?"
From the dungeon until now, Ruyn Aspadam had never used any skills.
He fought purely with physical ability and magic power.
"Thunderclap Fist? I wouldn’t waste a skill like that on a greenhorn like you. I’d never be able to show my face again if I did."
Ruyn sneered.
"A rookie like you? I don’t need skills to handle you."
"Is that so? I’ve actually always been curious about what Thunderclap Fist was like."
Kwon Hanul took a stance, ready to strike at any moment.
"I’ll force you to use it, even if I have to."
Ruyn's sneer deepened.
"Then I’ll make sure you can’t act cocky ever again."
Before the words even finished, Ruyn Aspadam vanished. Not even an afterimage remained—he was that fast.
Again, Kwon Hanul couldn’t see him. Couldn’t sense him.
However—
<‘Black Dragon’s Bloodline’ rages!>
<True Black Dragon Bloodline Synchronization Rate: 24% → 26%>
<Dragon instincts intensify.>
The black dragon blood boiled through Kwon Hanul’s body. Instinctively, he threw a punch into the air.
In that moment, Ruyn Aspadam appeared. Their fists collided.
No—they almost did.
Had both fists not stopped mid-air, suspended.
Both Kwon Hanul and Ruyn Aspadam looked at their fists in shock.
Their punches had been caught—by someone else.
"You both seem a little too worked up."
Catalina Blaga.
She stood between them, gripping both of their fists.
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[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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