Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: New Blood
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It wasn’t a mistake.
Su-ho quickly checked the details of New Blood.
[ New Blood ]
# A new type of bloodline.
# The foundation of evolution is absorbing and merging existing ones.
# It accepts all bloodline effects without discrimination.
# ‘Harmony (S)’, ‘Refinement (S)’, and ‘Qualification (S)’ are granted between possessed bloodline skills.
Su-ho’s eyes widened as he confirmed the New Blood information.
It was truly a trait he had never seen before.
Moreover.
‘At this level, it’s top-tier even among S-Rank traits…!’
Unlike skills, traits don’t have official ranks.
However, the Association arbitrarily assigns ranks based on the innate skills or effects of the trait, and something like the New Blood Su-ho had acquired—with S-Rank effects, no less, and a whopping three of them—was extremely rare.
Su-ho checked the details of each effect granted by New Blood one by one.
[ Harmony ]
- Rank: S
# Prevents conflicts between bloodline skills while preserving the effects of both sides intact.
[ Refinement ]
- Rank: S
# Removes the side effects of bloodline skills.
[ Qualification ]
- Rank: S
# Grants the original qualifications of the bloodline skills.
Su-ho couldn’t help but smile at the descriptions.
‘With options like these, the seal on Vampire Blood had no choice but to break…!’
Su-ho then checked the information on the previously sealed Vampire Blood.
[ Vampire Blood ]
- Rank: S+
# The pure bloodline of the original vampires, called the ‘Royal Vampires,’ nobles of the night.
# Lv.1 - Royal Blood: Original Vampire (S)
# Lv.2 - [ ??? ]
: Locked.
└ Unlock Conditions
① Reach Level 100.
② Unknown.
# Lv.3……
Su-ho’s eyes widened at the information.
That was because it differed somewhat from the Vampire Blood he remembered.
‘Royal Vampire?’
The Vampire Blood that Hyeol Dae-je had obtained was an A+ Rank trait.
However, the Vampire Blood Su-ho had acquired was S+ Rank.
Moreover, Hyeol Dae-je’s didn’t have terms like ‘Royal’ or ‘Original,’ but Su-ho’s did, likely thanks to the effect of the New Blood trait.
Su-ho checked the details of the first-stage Royal Blood effect among the special options of Vampire Blood, which allowed phased liberation like Dragon Blood—specifically, the ‘Original Vampire.’
[ Original Vampire ]
- Rank: S
# The first vampires are called Originals.
# They are the noblest and purest among countless vampires, worthy of being called royalty.
# Inherits the power of Original Vampires.
# Unaffected by darkness restrictions.
# Unaffected by garlic, silver, crosses, or sunlight.
A flood of information.
Su-ho was a bit surprised by it.
‘This is how powerful it is?’
It was worth being surprised.
He remembered that Hyeol Dae-je’s vampire skill didn’t have this information.
‘Hyeol Dae-je even became a half-blood player whose race itself changed, unlike me. And yet my skill has richer options.’
A hollow laugh escaped him.
He had thought that since he regressed, he just needed to monopolize the existing S-Rank skills, but he never imagined things would unfold like this.
‘As time passes, the chances of not handling things according to the original plan might increase.’
But it didn’t matter.
In this case too, even though it deviated from the plan, he had obtained far better results than planned.
Su-ho finally checked his status window.
[ An Su-ho ]
- Lv: 51
- Class: Healer
- Trait: New Blood
- Strength (R): 13
- Vitality (R): 13
- Mana (R): 13
- Senses: 78
- Bonus Stats: 17
The newly added trait entry in the status window.
Next to it, the name New Blood was prominently engraved.
Su-ho invested all his acquired bonus stats into Senses and closed the window.
‘Then, shall we head out?’
He had caught the cursed prince and acquired the trait he aimed for.
There was no longer any reason to stay here.
Su-ho turned his steps toward the outside of the gate.
***
“So you just let him go like that?”
“……Yes, that’s correct.”
At the National Hunter Association building.
Jeong Cheol-min was getting scolded by the vice chairman.
The reason?
Naturally, it was for failing to bring in Su-ho.
As Jeong Cheol-min’s voice grew smaller, Vice Chairman Park Gyu-man furrowed his brow.
“Team Leader Jeong.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t ask you to do anything difficult, and you couldn’t even handle that one thing properly?”
“……I’m sorry.”
“No, ‘sorry’ doesn’t cut it. The chairman has already cleared his schedule to meet that guy. So somehow bring him in. Got it?”
“……Yes, understood.”
“Good, then I’ll count on you, Team Leader Jeong.”
His voice wasn’t raised, but it was practically a threat.
Perhaps that’s why.
As he left the vice chairman’s office, Jeong Cheol-min felt a deep sense of disillusionment.
‘Should I just quit and join a private guild…?’
The disillusionment that hit him at times like this was no joke.
But he soon shook his head.
Why did I join the National Hunter Association in the first place?
He had joined the National Hunter Association for the public good.
So he decided to endure once more and straightened his resolve.
At that moment, someone greeted him familiarly.
“Hey, isn’t this Team Leader Jeong?”
Someone speaking casually to him.
Looking up, it was another person he disliked as much as the vice chairman.
It was the head of the Special Division, ‘Pi Seong-yeol.’
“Ah, Section Chief Pi.”
“I heard you’re having quite a headache over that An Su-ho guy?”
Pi Seong-yeol.
He was the person who had served as head of the Special Division longer than anyone since the National Hunter Association was founded, and unlike the chairman or vice chairman—who were civilians—he was an ‘Awakener Player.’
So at first glance, he might seem better than the chairman and vice chairman, who didn’t understand the industry…
‘They say you fear those who know you, and that guy knows too much.’
That’s why Pi Seong-yeol was someone Jeong Cheol-min disliked in a different sense.
But dislike was dislike, and social life was social life.
Jeong Cheol-min gave an awkward smile.
“Haha. Well, yeah…….”
By the way, was the Special Division’s intel fast, or did rumors spread quickly in this building?
How long had it been since the story got out, and he was already acting like he knew.
As Jeong Cheol-min smiled awkwardly, Pi Seong-yeol spoke in a subtle tone.
“How about I help you out a bit?”
“You mean you, Section Chief Pi?”
“What’s so hard about bringing in one person? Just pin some suitable charge on him and bring him in under the pretext of a summons investigation. Then release him later saying it was a misunderstanding.”
Continuing, the section chief spoke in an excited tone, as if giving a tip to a junior.
“If you want to get more detailed with the setup, arrange the situation so it looks like you’re releasing the guy the chairman summoned for investigation in exchange. That way, you can wrap it up nicely in all sorts of ways, right? I heard that guy wants to join the National Hunter Association too?”
Disgusting.
How could anyone think like that?
At those words, Jeong Cheol-min forced a smile and expressed reluctance.
“Haha, that’s a funny joke. It’s fine. If we mess with a rising star like that and something big happens…….”
“Something big?”
At that moment, Pi Seong-yeol’s expression hardened slightly, then he lifted one corner of his mouth and said.
“Every time I see you, Team Leader Jeong, I think you’re too nice. What reason does someone working for the nation have to fear a mere hunter punk?”
“Haha…….”
“I’m not joking. You know the investigation and prosecution rights over players are ours, right? That’s why people used to fear the prosecutors back in the day. So Team Leader Jeong, try thinking more flexibly about incidents. You’re a team leader at the National Hunter Association, after all—why act like this?”
“Ah, yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good, instead of sticking strictly to the manual, try rolling your thoughts flexibly like me. Anyway, if you need help, just say the word. I’ll always listen if it’s a request from Team Leader Jeong. Take care.”
Pi Seong-yeol patted Jeong Cheol-min’s shoulder a couple of times before entering the vice chairman’s office.
Jeong Cheol-min stared at the closed vice chairman’s office door for a while, brushed off the shoulder Pi Seong-yeol had touched, and then moved on.
***
Day broke.
Su-ho stopped by his old studio apartment, packed his personal belongings, and headed to Kaiser Cheongdam.
Getting into the studio apartment wasn’t difficult.
Thanks to the first no-notice entry.
Jo Jin-hwi must have been busy, as he could only be seen again in the morning.
“Good morning, Mr. Su-ho.”
“You’re up?”
“Yes, I’d love to sleep more, but there’s a lot of work at the company.”
“I know reporters are busy. Even just covering me should give you plenty of stories, but I guess you still have a lot on your plate?”
At those words, Jo Jin-hwi chuckled and said.
“There are a few things I was already handling before you offered to make me your partner reporter. And no matter how much I’m your partner reporter, I can’t just live off your issues alone.”
This time, Su-ho laughed.
Right.
This was the kind of person Jo Jin-hwi was.
Born into a good environment but never settling for it, always seeking out his work and handling it responsibly.
Someone born on third base but never mistaking it for his own skill.
Su-ho nodded and said.
“Yeah. That’s why I like you, reporter.”
“Whoa, a sudden confession…… Anyway, what’s your schedule like today? I need to head out soon.”
“Today’s the day. The one I mentioned before.”
“That day…… Oh, you’re going to Nexus?”
“Yes. And by the way, last night I hit level 50 and got a trait.”
“Pfft! What?!”
Jo Jin-hwi, who had been drinking water absentmindedly, spat it out.
He hurriedly wiped his mouth and said.
“No way, how long has it been since you came out of the Tower of Challenge, and you’re already level 50? Weren’t you level 40 when you came out?”
“Precisely, I’m now level 51. Anyway, that’s how it is.”
“Crazy…… So you’re really joining Nexus today?”
“That’s right. To proceed with the plan I told you about before.”
“That’s huge…….”
It was exactly that.
As Su-ho had told Jo Jin-hwi, he planned to meet Nexus affiliates today and join the Nexus Guild.
He hadn’t given up on the goal of joining the National Hunter Association.
This was all just part of the preparation process to enter the National Hunter Association.
Jo Jin-hwi said.
“Then you should dress sharply today. Come here instead. I’ll lend you some clothes and a watch.”
“Nah, it’s fine. I’m not lacking in ability, and if it were a place swayed by appearances, I wouldn’t have waited this long.”
“Haha, fair point. What about a car? With all the eyes on you, wouldn’t a car be better than public transport or a taxi?”
“Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Mind if I borrow one?”
And so the two prepared to head out together.