NOVPUB[Translator - Helga ]
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Chapter 134:. Spear vs. Spear (1)
“Catalina Blaga…?”
Kwon Hanul muttered in disbelief. It was only natural—this situation was absurd.
“You should’ve stayed at the mansion. We found you late because you were wandering around.”
Catalina Blaga scolded Kwon Hanul. Hanul was silently appalled. Why was he being lectured by this woman?
“Well, look who’s finally graced us with her presence.”
At that moment, Kwon Chan-seong spoke. He seemed perfectly composed, even in the presence of the true power behind the Blaga family.
“But don’t you think you’re a little late? Showing up only after your entire house has been decimated?”
“I couldn’t possibly greet guests barefaced, could I? I needed time to prepare.”
“I honestly don’t get why you wasted time on something so pointless.”
A sneer curled at the corner of Chan-seong’s mouth.
“Not like it matters. You’re going to die soon anyway.”
“Oh my, how frightening. I suppose you feel free to say whatever now that you’ve got nothing to lose.”
Catalina chuckled right back at him.
“To be honest, I was surprised. I figured you wouldn’t sit still, but I didn’t expect you to move this fast.”
“My father doesn’t believe in procrastination.”
Chan-seong raised his chin slightly, pride glinting in his eyes.
“But your methods are rather crude. How do you plan to deal with Chairman Kwon Seonwoo’s wrath?”
“I already have that part figured out. No need to worry.”
He turned to look at Kwon Hanul.
“The star of this little scenario is none other than my dear cousin, Hanul.”
“How flattering.” Hanul muttered sarcastically. Chan-seong ignored him and continued.
“My brother here was kidnapped by the Blaga family. Catalina tortured him mentally in an attempt to seduce him. But he held on—fought through it all. Right up until I arrived. He did well. Just the spirit I expect from a descendant of Hyukcheon. “
Chan-seong nodded approvingly.
“But unfortunately, by the time I rescued him, the trauma had already shattered his mind. He was broken. So I had no choice but to bring my now-mindless brother back home.”
“How kind of you to spare my life.”
Hanul shot back mockingly. Chan-seong smirked—a chilling, unpleasant expression.
“Hanul, you’re not listening. In this scenario, you have to become a vegetable.”
Chan-seong tapped his temple with a finger.
“But don’t worry about how. I specialize in rupturing internal organs while leaving the skin intact. Same technique works on the brain. You’ll survive—but with your mind completely gone.”
“I don’t like this story.”
“Too bad the lead actor doesn’t get script approval.”
“The Chairman will see right through this farce.”
“Fair point. But Hanul, it’s impossible to fool him completely. What I can do is…”
“...manipulate the situation so that even if he suspects something, he can’t prove it.”
Catalina cut in. Chan-seong turned to her.
“How did you know?”
“I’ve been having similar thoughts lately. Seems we’re more alike than I’d like to admit.”
Catalina slipped off the cardigan draped over her shoulders and began folding it carefully.
“Catalina Blaga. Don’t tell me you’re thinking of fighting me.”
“Obviously. It’s not every day I meet a man who truly catches my interest. I can’t let you turn him into a mindless husk.”
Chan-seong scoffed, as if she were being ridiculous.
“You stupid bitch. Can’t you see what’s going on? Look around. What’s left of your family?”
Buildings in ruins. Blood kin and followers slaughtered.
Even now, destruction and carnage continued all around them.
“Your clan’s been wiped out. You should be fleeing with the survivors. What’s that? You can’t leave Hanul behind?”
His scoff became raucous laughter.
“Coming from a slut who’s spread her legs for men over centuries—don’t try to act noble now. Know your place.”
“Such foul language from someone raised in high society.”
Even as Chan-seong hurled vicious insults, Catalina remained unfazed.
“And I think you’ve misunderstood something.”
With good reason.
“Destroyed? The buildings, maybe. But those can be rebuilt. You’re being overly dramatic.”
“Buildings, sure. But your people—your household—are dead.”
Just then, Catalina handed the neatly folded cardigan behind her.
From thin air, a man appeared and received it.
“It’s precious. Take good care of it, okay, K?”
“As you command.”
Chan-seong’s eyes widened.
Standing there unharmed was Chris Ben—the same man whose heart he’d crushed.
“This… how?”
Chan-seong’s gaze trembled.
K’s chest was soaked in blood. Wounds from a stabbing still gaped open.
And yet, K was perfectly fine.
“Did you forget? Our Blaga bloodline is famous not only for illusions, but regeneration.”
“I destroyed his heart. No matter how resilient he is, no one survives that kind of wound.”
“That’s what everyone thinks.”
Catalina shrugged.
“We deliberately spread rumors that our regeneration was limited. So people would let their guard down.”
And just like that, Chan-seong had underestimated K’s recovery and failed to kill him properly.
Thanks to that, K had managed to return alive—even against overwhelming odds.
“By now, all the blood kin and servants you thought were down are probably back on their feet.”
Only the buildings were destroyed.
The majority of the Blaga clan still lived.
“Hah…”
Chan-seong let out a dry laugh.
“Doesn’t matter. Your people can’t match my squad.”
Even if a rabbit resurrects a hundred times, it can’t defeat a lion.
No matter how impressive their regeneration, the Blaga clan couldn’t possibly stand against the Black Aura.
“If crushing a heart doesn’t work, I’ll tear off their heads. If that fails, I’ll burn them to ashes.”
This wasn’t a threat.
As commander of the Black Aura, Chan-seong knew exactly how ruthless his troops could be.
Foes with extraordinary regeneration? They’d faced worse. They would find a way to kill them for good.
“No one said we’d be fighting.”
Catalina’s voice cut in sharply.
“You think we’d waste our hard-earned survival by going toe-to-toe with your monsters? They’ve already retreated.”
Chan-seong scowled. Retreat? It was the smart move—but something felt off. Catalina didn’t strike him as the type to surrender so easily.
“Our true strength doesn’t lie in our warriors or monsters.”
“I know. Your greatest weapon is illusion.”
The Blaga clan’s bloodline had the power to manipulate minds.
“We came prepared.”
Not only Chan-seong, but every member of the Black Aura had fortified their minds and were armed with relics that dispelled illusions.
There was a reason the Blaga kin had fallen so easily—this was expected.
Those relics were just contingency measures, though.
Overpowering someone’s mind was incredibly difficult.
Maybe a second-rate hunter could be deceived—but to manipulate elite, world-class hunters like the Black Aura? Nearly impossible.
“Hmm.”
So he thought.
“Captain Kwon, when did you get that gash on your thigh?”
Chan-seong glanced down. A deep cut ran across his thigh—like it had been slashed by a blade.
A sharp pain surged, and blood sprayed out like a fountain.
He stared at it in disbelief. It wasn’t the severity that shocked him—it was the impossibility of it.
“No, I must’ve imagined it.”
Catalina clapped once.
The wound vanished.
“Huh? But doesn’t it feel heavy? Something’s holding you down.”
He blinked—and saw thick tree roots coiled tightly around his entire body.
An illusion.
He bit his tongue, trying to wake himself with pain. But the more he tried, the tighter the roots constricted.
“You look uncomfortable. Let me help.”
Suddenly, the roots vanished. Chan-seong glared at her.
Then the ground quaked. The sky crumbled. Darkness spread beneath her feet.
From that abyss, monstrous beasts emerged, jaws wide open like they’d crawled out of hell.
Illusions. Lies. Fakes.
And yet—he couldn’t look away.
“Did you really think those relics could suppress us? Maybe other bloodlines. But not ours.”
Us.
He knew exactly who she meant.
The Twelve Elders of the Blaga family.
All clans had elders—but the Blagas were different.
These were ancient monsters who had existed since the founding of the house.
“They’re probably on the battlefield by now.”
Screams erupted in the distance—multiple voices.
Chan-seong immediately knew.
Those weren’t Blaga voices.
They were Black Aura soldiers.
“…I admit it. I underestimated the Blagas.”
“Funny. Everyone seems to realize that a little too late.”
“Then allow me to take you seriously from now on.”
“Oh? And how exactly do you plan to do that?”
In a blur, Chan-seong moved. Just one step—and he was already right in front of Catalina.
“Like this.”
His hand, shrouded in dragon aura, lashed forward. The aura looked sharp enough to be mistaken for a blade.
If he couldn’t neutralize her illusions, he’d strike before she could use them.
He aimed straight for her heart—a flawless, lethal blow.
“Oh dear.”
She caught it.
“You really shouldn’t touch a lady’s chest without permission.”
With almost no effort, she crushed the energy in his hand. Shock flickered across Chan-seong’s face.
“That’s your punishment for messing with my house.”
She yanked him forward and slammed him into the ground.
It didn’t hurt much, but the impact rattled him to his core. Dizzy, he pushed himself up.
As he lifted his head—he saw her.
Catalina drew back one leg like she was winding up for a kick.
“Yap!”
With a playful shout, she launched her foot square into his face.
The result wasn’t playful at all.
His head snapped back. Blood burst from his nose and mouth. His body flew, then crashed down.
“How was that?”
Catalina lowered her leg with elegant composure.
“Still think I’m an easy target?”
Chan-seong raised his bloodied face. That had been no illusion.
Catalina Blaga.
The true power behind the Blaga family.
She had mastered not only illusion—but her physical form as well.
“You damn monster…”
Chan-seong spat out bloodied saliva—and charged again.
[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
