The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 351

349. Under Discussion (1)

The trunk popped open, and a box filled with luggage was tossed out. A Hunter, who had only managed to grab essential items, grumbled with resentment.

“Damn it, why is this shit rolling downhill to us too!”

Another Hunter’s face was equally contorted in displeasure.

“We went through hell to get settled in Korea.”

Korea had fewer instances of high-ranking Hunters’ tyranny compared to other countries, thanks to the well-functioning Awakened Management Office and Hunter Association. This led some mid-to-low-level Hunters from overseas to come to Korea, albeit through unregistered, illegal routes.

Any country would have low barriers to entry for experienced Hunters, but the reason they chose illegal routes was due to the tariffs on dungeon byproducts. High taxes were imposed on taking Hunter equipment and important byproducts out of the country. Unlike other goods, there were no taxes on exchanges equivalent to imports, but exports were taxed.

Therefore, there were several groups who secretly entered Korea, which was relatively safe and easy to operate in, and illegally raided dungeons to smuggle dungeon byproducts to overseas locations where they were worth more.

“Anyway, they’re going to catch all the illegal dungeons with that dungeon detector thing. We’re done for.”

“They’ll figure out a way to jam it soon enough. It’s not like we’re the only ones using illegal dungeons. We can just lie low for a while and come back.”

Preserving the routes they had painstakingly built was the priority. The guild building was emptied, and one of the cars loaded with important luggage was just pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road when—

Bang!

A spear of dark blue flames pierced the car’s front bumper and exploded. The car, its front bumper completely obliterated, spun around and slid backward. The Hunters inside frantically forced the doors open and scrambled out.

“Torch the car and run—”

The words were cut short. A man leaping from the air pressed the Hunter’s head with the tip of his foot and lightly twisted. The sound of a neck snapping echoed as the Hunter’s body collapsed to the ground. The remaining Hunters didn’t even have time to process the situation before the attack continued.

No, it was barely even a movement worthy of being called an attack. He simply tapped them with the scabbard still on his sword, yet the two remaining Hunters tumbled across the floor like leaves caught in a storm.

“…They’re not dead, are they?”

A Hunter Association employee, who had been watching the scene from afar, asked worriedly.

“Do you think he can’t even control that much?”

A HaeYeon Guild member raised an eyebrow, as if wondering what nonsense they were spouting.

“Our Guild Leader is personally taking care of this. There’s too much nagging.”

“No, honestly…”

The Association employee swallowed the words, ‘Even though it’s more work for us, it would be easier on our conscience if we handled it.’

The HaeYeon Guild Leader was the most difficult person to deal with for the Association employees. While the Seseong Guild Leader naturally looked down on people, the HaeYeon Guild Leader was simply emotionless. Making eye contact with those black, glass-like eyes made them reluctant to speak first, to the point of being afraid.

Having subdued the Hunters, Han Yoohyun headed straight for the guild building. Seeing the first car being caught, the remaining Hunters quickly got out of their cars and entered the building, intending to escape through the back door.

Instead of chasing after them, Han Yoohyun drew the Ruler’s Sword and approached the three-story building. He took a step forward and swung the sword mightily.

Crack!

The concrete wall split like tofu. The shockwave spread throughout the entire building, and it soon crumbled. A cloud of dust billowed upward.

It didn’t seem like anyone had escaped. Han Yoohyun nonchalantly put the sword back into his inventory. This was barely even a warm-up for him.

“This is the last one!”

The Association employee shouted, checking on the Hunters sprawled on the road. The small-to-medium-sized guilds associated with the group that kidnapped Han Yoojin were being dealt with swiftly. Unlike this guild, which at least had time to prepare to flee, there were also guilds that were blown away along with their buildings without even knowing why.

Han Yoohyun’s lips twisted slightly. He had stepped back as his brother had advised, but he couldn’t just stand still, so he volunteered to clean up the mess. But far from being a distraction, it only made him feel more depressed. Just then, a text message arrived.

[They lost him]

It was Park Yerim. Han Yoohyun’s brow furrowed. His teeth ground together involuntarily.

After sending a reply asking where he needed to go, he ignited flames to burn away the dust and pulled a contract from his inventory. It was a protection contract with a penalty that if Han Yoojin sustained a critical injury, a wound would appear on Han Yoohyun’s right hand.

Han Yoojin hated the idea of a wound, but he reluctantly accepted his younger brother’s persuasion that it would be easier to know immediately.

The contract was intact, and Han Yoohyun’s hand was clean. Ileen scurried up onto the hand holding the contract and looked up at her master.

“…I trust hyung [older brother/term of endearment], but still.”

Being kidnapped by humans was far more reassuring than secretly entering a dungeon. Han Yoojin had a high value that would never disappear. Besides, he knew very well that his brother, even with his low stats, was not someone to be trifled with.

So, he had no doubt that he would return safely, but it would be difficult to get him back in a day or two.

Starting today, hyung wouldn’t be home. No, a place without Han Yoojin couldn’t even be called home for Han Yoohyun. The only place where he could stay and rest comfortably was next to Han Yoojin, only one place.

The only haven that no one else could replace.

He knew in his head that he hadn’t lost him completely, but his insides were twisted. Han Yoohyun suppressed his rising emotions and turned to go to the place Park Yerim had told him about.

“Our Guild Leader will be here soon.”

Park Yerim said, looking up from her phone.

Seong Hyunjae was sitting in a bare room with nothing but a table and chairs. It was inside the breeding facility, in an unfinished building.

Song Taewon, who had received Seong Hyunjae’s call, had asked him to wait at the breeding facility instead of coming to Seoul. Even if a dispute arose between S-Rank Hunters, it would be in a place where there would be no civilian casualties.

Park Yerim had been picked up by Kang Soyoung in Comet, but she refused to accompany Han Yoohyun. She said that Comet had been stressed enough and needed to rest, and then left as if fleeing.

“Before that, I’d like to hear, how did you lose him?”

Han Yoojin might refuse, but it wasn’t impossible to protect him forcibly and thoroughly. S-Rank Hunters could take turns sticking right by his side. But they couldn’t do that forever, and since Han Yoojin had already been caught by a mental skill, it was necessary to find the culprit.

That’s why they deliberately left a slight opening. If they had just left him alone, he would have been successfully kidnapped, so they kept a close watch. Instead, they planned to create a trap to lure out the shrinking culprit by letting it leak that the target was often home alone and slowly lowering their guard, but Han Yoojin escaped before that.

“You expected ahjussi [term for older man, like ‘uncle’] to break free, didn’t you?”

If the mental skill was stronger than expected and Han Yoojin tried to escape on his own, there was virtually no way to stop him. It was the same even if an S-Rank Hunter was by his side.

No, that might be even more dangerous. If Han Yoojin took himself hostage against Han Yoohyun, Park Yerim, or Noah, they would not only let him go but would likely cooperate.

So, they were also preparing for that situation by monitoring the airport. Sure enough, not long after Han Yoojin escaped, suspicious activity was detected at Gimpo Airport.

Immediately, Song Taewon took Gimpo Airport, Moon Hyuna took Incheon Airport, and Park Yerim and Noah, who had flight skills, took the roads leading to the airport. After a quick arrest at Gimpo Airport, Han Yoohyun’s job was to sweep away the associated group, and Seong Hyunjae headed to the breeding facility, which Han Yoojin was most likely to choose.

“It was because I wanted Han Yoojin-gun’s [formal suffix] limbs to be safe.”

Park Yerim frowned slightly at Seong Hyunjae’s answer.

“Did ahjussi end up going that far?”

“It seemed more dangerous to forcibly hold him in that state. Rather than letting him do reckless things to protect the skill caster, it seemed better to trust Han Yoojin-gun and send him away for now. The more he felt threatened by us, the higher the possibility that the mental skill would be strengthened.”

It was a type of skill that made him follow the skill caster voluntarily. It was no good to give strength to the culprit’s words, who was trying to separate Han Yoojin from the surrounding S-Rank Hunters.

Park Yerim nodded as if she understood.

“It would have been the same even if we had gone. That’s why ahjussi told us not to come.”

A brief silence flowed, and Park Yerim opened her mouth again.

“Even if it wasn’t about the mental skill, the Seseong Guild Leader wouldn’t have been able to touch ahjussi.”

At Park Yerim’s words, Seong Hyunjae, who had been half-closing his eyes expressionlessly, shifted his gaze to her.

“You have a high opinion of me.”

“Well, if you had decided that it was okay to hurt ahjussi, you would have dealt with us first. The Seseong Guild Leader.”

Park Yerim continued, “It’s not like I have a good impression of that side.”

“Me too, Han Yoohyun would be the most annoying, right? Isn’t it?”

“Why do you think so? I cherish both the little miss and the young master.”

“Don’t lie, you’re only interested in ahjussi and Chief Song.”

Park Yerim scoffed.

“You only care about us because ahjussi would have a hard time if we were hurt, right?”

At the bold gaze that met his, Seong Hyunjae slowly raised the corners of his lips.

“It’s not that I haven’t thought about whether it would be okay if the little miss and the young master disappeared.”

Even if Han Yoojin completely collapsed, the process of taking him in and making him stand up again would surely be enjoyable. Perhaps that would be more in line with Seong Hyunjae’s temperament.

He wouldn’t miss Han Yoohyun or Park Yerim even if they disappeared. Especially Han Yoohyun, who was just a byproduct attached to Han Yoojin for Seong Hyunjae. Although he was rare and unique, the important thing was Han Yoojin, who had raised him that way. However, it was only because Han Yoojin cherished them so much that he was considerate.

At Seong Hyunjae’s words, Park Yerim raised her eyes without backing down.

“If you’re going to attack, you’re welcome. Considering the difference in experience, I’ll give you a handicap, let’s meet at the beach. I wanted to go to Haeundae once.”

“Han Yoojin-gun would be angry that I’m not acting my age, so I’ll decline. Instead, I’ll empty the hotel so you can use it comfortably.”

“I also have money, uh… enough for a hotel room.”

Her financial situation wasn’t good in many ways. Park Yerim made a sulky face.

“The other S-Rank Hunters spend money like water!”

“The little miss will be there soon too.”

“Of course. Just you wait, when I become an adult, the Seseong Guild Leader’s seat will be mine. Maybe even before that.”

Seong Hyunjae’s eyes lit up with a bit more interest at the confident words.

“Leaving the HaeYeon Guild Leader and coming to me?”

“Han Yoohyun would be satisfied if he just had ahjussi by his side. He doesn’t have any desires like that. But I’m not. Right now, they say the Seseong Guild Leader is the best Hunter, but in a few years, it will be Park Yerim.”

With the environment supporting her, there’s no reason she can’t do it, she declared confidently, and Seong Hyunjae’s smile deepened slightly.

“I’m a little, looking forward to it.”

“You’re not going to crush a sprout just because you heard these words, are you?”

“Of course not.”

With the sound of a chair sliding back, Seong Hyunjae got up.

Turning around the table, he approached her in one stride, and Park Yerim flinched unconsciously. But she didn’t back down and raised her chin to look up at the man who was much taller than her.

Seong Hyunjae lowered his head slightly and continued.

“On the contrary, if you need help, contact me anytime. Hunter Park Yerim.”

“…I want to eat you up and kick you away, I’m torn. Or should I tell ahjussi—”

“That would be difficult. I’m already on his bad side because of the young master.”

“Is that so?”

“Even though I didn’t have any influence, he seems to be worried. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have taken an interest in him.”

Seong Hyunjae pretended to be upset. When Park Yerim had first entered the room, she had been wrapped in an atmosphere so heavy and cold that it lacked humanity, but it seemed like her mood had improved a bit.

“If you said you weren’t interested, ahjussi would complain again, saying how can you ignore my dongsaeng [younger sibling/term of endearment].”

“You know him well.”

“Well, it’s obvious. Ahjussi’s Han Yoohyun pattern. And Han Yoohyun too.”

Park Yerim shook her head, saying that it was ridiculous to watch them both. Seong Hyunjae agreed with her words.

Just then, the door opened and Han Yoohyun entered. Han Yoohyun looked back and forth between the two people standing face to face.

“…Hunter Park Yerim. If you were threatened by the Seseong Guild Leader.”

“It’s the opposite.”

Seong Hyunjae stepped back, saying that he had been challenged. Han Yoohyun looked at Park Yerim suspiciously and then said.

“How is hyung?”

“He’s probably over the sea by now.”

Seong Hyunjae explained what had happened.

“Chief Song Taewon needs to arrive before we can have a detailed discussion, but please refrain from jumping in recklessly.”

“Are you telling me to stand by and watch?”

“You need to officially announce Han Yoojin-gun’s kidnapping and protest. Unless you want to experience the first war triggered by a Hunter.”

“Could there be a war?”

Park Yerim asked, tilting her head.

“Hunters must not be used in disputes between countries. It’s an international agreement. If an S-Rank Hunter is put into a war, the damage would be enormous.”

Above all, mobility and stealth were the problem. It was possible for an S-Rank Hunter to quietly infiltrate and eliminate all the heads of the enemy country, as long as they were not protected by another S-Rank Hunter. That’s why all countries quickly agreed to the agreement.

“Hunters should only intervene in matters related to Hunters. If that is not observed, the world will quickly fall into chaos. Of course, there are some countries that are a mess, but the so-called powerful countries generally abide by it well.”

“Then ahjussi is a Hunter, so it’s okay, right?”

“It’s just a suspicion for now.”

Even if they presented evidence, it would be difficult to intervene openly if it turned out that it was the work of a subversive group and had nothing to do with the Chinese government.

“I heard the Seseong Guild Leader did a lot of things overseas.”

“I was always the victim. It was self-defense. You’ve arrived.”

Song Taewon appeared through the open door. His face was stiff, and a deep shadow was cast over it as he looked at the three S-Rank Hunters.