Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: Blood for Blood
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“What the hell are you saying out of the blue?”
Unaware of it even in her dreams, she bared her claws.
“You think I look like a pushover just because I let it slide? Even in this state, I’m still the head of the Wolf Clan and the shrine maiden. I’m not brain-dead enough to hand over the ‘Wolf Head’ to some nobody.”
“I know.”
Gonghyuk, wearing the wolf mask, smiled nonchalantly.
“But if someone meets all the qualifications to be the Wolf Head, that shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
“Qualifications?”
“I’ll fulfill three.”
Gonghyuk held up his fingers.
First, restoring the twelve perfected secret techniques of the Wolf God Arts.
Second, the downfall of the rat bastards who mocked the Wolf Clan and the revival of the Wolf Clan.
Third, thorough revenge against the Northern Fortress flesh-style that humiliated the previous Wolf Head.
“Isn’t that what it takes to be the Wolf Head?”
Kisua asked in disbelief.
“Restoring the secret techniques of the Wolf God Arts? You just asked for their succession a moment ago…”
Ju Gonghyuk’s figure vanished.
A voice came from the ceiling.
“This is the Wolf God Arts’ Instant Step Cliff Wave.”
“…”
“I might know more Wolf God Arts than you, Shrine Maiden.”
“You, where the hell did you come from?”
She visibly tensed up.
“Instant Step Cliff Wave is a technique neither Gongchun nor Yuran inherited. That Phantom Flame Dream Draw you showed earlier was different from the one my father restored.”
If anything, the one this gray wolf was demonstrating might be the original.
She forced her paralyzed body to move.
“Don’t tell me, power from a contract with a demon.”
“More like an angel.”
White wings unfurled from the gray wolf’s back.
‘The energy I’m sensing… it’s similar to the angels I met before.’
It wasn’t a lie.
Which only deepened the mystery of his identity.
“…Just what the hell are you?”
“The hidden guardian deity of the Wolf Clan. Let’s leave it at that.”
Gonghyuk let out an enigmatic chuckle.
* * *
The next day’s flesh conclave.
Around fifty beastkin gathered atop a pavilion in a quiet meadow.
The twelve heirs from each tribe.
Today’s meeting doubled as an exchange to gauge the heirs’ levels.
Those present glanced toward the Wolf Clan’s section.
“Hey, the number of Wolf Clan heirs…”
“Exactly.”
There should have been twelve seats for heirs, but only four were filled.
And the shrine maiden Kisua had come to the conclave with bandages wrapped tightly from her neck down.
“Oh my?”
The tiger shrine maiden let out an exclamation.
Next to the shrine maiden’s cushion was the tribe head’s cushion, always empty before.
Now, a gray wolf none had seen sat there.
“Kisua, who’s that sitting there?”
“The newly selected wolf heart, a guy named Gonghyuk.”
She hesitated before continuing.
“…He’s also a candidate for our Wolf Clan’s chieftain.”
“So that’s the male undergoing the Wolf Head trials.”
The surroundings buzzed.
“Wolf Head? To someone who popped up overnight?”
“The Wolf Clan’s really gone to the dogs.”
“What’s wrong with Kisua, and what happened to the rest of the heirs? I heard some nasty rumors.”
Ignoring the ominous mood, the tiger shrine maiden wagged her tail happily.
“Oh dear, then our Kisua can finally hold her wedding. That’s wonderful.”
At the shrine maiden’s words, the tiger head Jian cleared his throat.
“Ahem, Tiger Shrine Maiden. That’s a bit…”
“Father, isn’t it great?”
The tiger shrine maiden covered her mouth with her tail and giggled.
Kisua bowed deeply from her seat.
“Thank you for your concern, Jishen.”
“No, no. I adore Kisua so much. Isn’t that right, Hugwan?”
Among the tiger heirs, a burly young tiger scratched his ear with a claw.
“Mother, stop bringing up other people’s marriage troubles. It’s awkward for me and Sua, and poor Ukou too.”
“Oh my, hearing that from my son makes this mother so sad. You and Ukou always sang about marrying Sua…”
“No, Mother! That was ages ago!”
The young tiger jumped up, bristling his whiskers.
He was the tiger head Jian’s grandson.
The tiger shrine maiden Jishen’s son.
The twelve heirs’ tiger claw, Hugwan.
“So, Hugwan~”
The tiger shrine maiden looked at Gonghyuk with eyes free of playfulness.
“I’d like to see a bit of the new Wolf Clan chieftain candidate’s skills.”
A skill check right as he arrived at the conclave.
In other words, they didn’t trust the Wolf Clan’s endorsement.
‘Not a good look.’
Hugwan glanced at Kisua.
She nodded subtly.
Permission granted.
‘It’s not looking down on the Wolf Clan, but if we’re checking, better me than someone else.’
Scrape—
Hugwan picked up the glaive beside him.
The 3-meter giant, far larger than an average beastkin, clasped his fists.
“My name is Hugwan. I carry the blood of the tiger tribe’s founding tiger god Hutaero, and I’m tiger head Jian’s grandson.”
He crossed his forearms and glaive, bowing his head briefly.
“Tiger Clan twelve heir, tiger claw, challenges the wolf heart Gonghyuk to a contest of strength. If you’re a true wolf of honor, accept the challenge.”
A strange tension spread through the pavilion.
A test for the newly appeared Wolf Clan heir.
The main focus was how much the fallen Wolf Clan could stand against the strongest tiger clan.
It wasn’t just them filled with anticipation and curiosity.
The shrine maidens and Gonghyuk.
Behind them stood the now two remaining Wolf Clan heirs.
‘Wolf tail’ Kien and ‘wolf nose’ Guyo.
Half of the twelve heirs gone, and half of those dead.
They’d heard the circumstances, but their hearts wavered naturally.
‘We need to show strength.’
First impressions matter.
Ju Gonghyuk had come here precisely to stir things up.
Gonghyuk donned his iron claws.
“I am Gonghyuk. Grandson of the previous twelve heir Gongchun, inheritor of the wolf heart seat.”
Ooooh!
The warriors’ fervor rose at the young duo’s standoff.
“I, Wolf Clan twelve heir Gonghyuk, will… postpone your contest of strength a bit.”
The heat turned to boos.
“Already tucking tail?!”
“Do Wolf Clan heirs dodge fights this easily?!”
It wasn’t whispers—they openly berated him.
The disappointment was greater than expected.
The western tribes openly mocked the Wolf Clan.
“Kisua’s the worst. Making an unqualified guy a heir.”
“Chieftain candidate? Mocking the other chieftains!”
As others chimed in.
Only tiger claw Hugwan and monkey head Ukou tilted their heads seriously.
‘Kisua wouldn’t hand the Wolf Head to just anyone.’
‘She’s the real deal in skill and talent. What’s she thinking propping this guy up?’
Kisua was just as flustered.
From the skills he’d shown yesterday, Gonghyuk wasn’t one to back down from a challenge.
‘Yesterday you said you’d proudly revive the Wolf Clan?’
And now his actions were the opposite.
He was only piling on the shame.
Amid the furious atmosphere, Gonghyuk calmly raised a finger to his lips.
“Shh.”
A signal to be quiet.
The pavilion fell silent.
Lips flapping and veins bulging on necks, yet no sound emerged.
The chieftains sensed something off.
‘The air’s gone.’
When Gonghyuk said “shh,” he unleashed a burst of mana.
It had pushed the sound-carrying air out of the pavilion.
‘Extraordinary internal energy and technique.’
Tiger head Jian was genuinely impressed.
No one had noticed his mana burst, nor imagined such a method.
As air slowly returned to the pavilion, Gonghyuk spoke.
“As Wolf Clan chieftain candidate, I have business to attend to.”
“What is it?”
Hugwan asked amiably, intrigued.
“First, look at our Wolf Clan shrine maiden.”
Gonghyuk pointed to Kisua, drawing all eyes.
The bandages peeking from her collar showed signs of injury.
“Last night, Kisua killed three heirs with her own hands. They were acting on Rat God Sobak’s orders, trying to violate her.”
“What!?”
Starting with Hugwan, the beastkin erupted in shock.
“No way!”
“Impossible. Even if Rat God dislikes the Wolf Clan…”
Sobak puffed his pipe casually.
Kisua’s face paled rigidly.
‘What’s he doing spilling that himself…’
A Wolf God heir trying to violate the shrine maiden for another tribe.
A humiliation too shameful to voice.
Yet Gonghyuk stated it plainly.
“The Rat God coaxed three heirs, forced Kisua to step back, aiming to seize the Wolf Clan. The plan failed, but we lost three heirs pointlessly.”
Heirs Kien and Guyo bowed deeply.
Only four Wolf Clan heirs left.
The empty eight seats felt even vaster.
“You know that wolf beard Haran, right?”
Sobak set down his pipe.
“But this is news to me. Who’d think that guy would plot something so absurd just to impress me. Unfortunate.”
I had no idea.
No intention.
That was his implication.
But Gonghyuk’s direct approach tripped Sobak up.
“Lord Sobak, you seem a bit flustered.”
“Why do you say that?”
“How did you know ‘Haran’ was the ringleader among the missing three heirs?”
A chill silence spread at Gonghyuk’s questioning.
Sobak chuckled darkly.
“Because Haran led them and met me every time. A lead wolf who mastered three secret techniques—naturally he was the mastermind.”
“I see. That makes sense.”
An ominous current flowed through the pavilion.
Some bought the explanation, others saw through the lie.
‘But that doesn’t matter.’
Click.
Ju Gonghyuk raised his iron claws.
“Our beastkin have never settled disputes with words alone.”
“Hoo~”
No questions asked, survival of the fittest.
He crossed his iron claws over his chest.
“I, twelve heir Gonghyuk, demand blood price from the rat tribe.”
“Blood price meaning?”
“Like the three Wolf Clan heirs who lost their lives.”
Ju Gonghyuk’s claw tips pointed toward the rat tribe’s twelve heirs.
“Three rat heirs—their lives.”
At his words, the twelve rat heirs stood as one.
Fierce killing intent turned the sunny pavilion into a barren desert.
“Keekek.”
Sobak shuddered before rising grandly.
“Hahahahaha!”
Rat God Sobak burst into mad laughter.
“To think the Wolf Clan has such a bold one. I’ve reevaluated you. Kekekeke. Kisua, this male’s a fine stud.”
“Enviable. So enviable.”
Muttering, Sobak nodded.
“The Wolf Clan has always valued loyalty and integrity. I shouldn’t have kept Haran close from the start—it bred misunderstanding. I apologize profusely for this. With wealth and…”
“Six.”
A heavy voice shook the pavilion.
“I’ll take six heirs’ lives.”
Sobak’s laughter cut off.
Clear negotiation breakdown.
The watching beastkin’s tension peaked.
Crack!
The pavilion’s wooden floor splintered as Rat God’s power seeped like mud.
“…Young one. There’s a limit to indulging a pup’s bravado.”
“Nine.”
The number rose.
Sobak’s crumpled whiskers trembled.
“Must you really see blood…”
“Twelve.”
Gonghyuk slowly rose.
“The hunt begins.”