The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 365

“Keo-heok!”

Goo Baek-young reflexively flinched, his face stinging from the brutal impact. Had it been a weapon instead of a bare hand, the blow would have been fatal. Even now, a bruise blossomed rapidly, and a couple of teeth felt disturbingly loose. His vision swam, but Goo Baek-young, a seasoned S-Class Hunter, reacted instantly, dropping to a crouch and activating his shield.

The semi-transparent shield expanded into a hemisphere, completely encasing him. It wasn’t pretty, a tactic he avoided unless absolutely necessary, but survival trumped vanity.

“D-don’t think there’ll be a second time!” Goo Baek-young spat, fumbling for a potion to soothe his throbbing cheek. *Kudeudeuk*, the sound of the Ruler’s Sword being wrenched from the shield echoed. In his weakened state, Han Yu-hyun couldn’t completely shatter the barrier.

Goo Baek-young’s shield wasn’t made of metal or mineral, so it remained unaffected by the melted final gate [referring to a previously destroyed barrier]. Moreover, it was fortified not only by his own defensive skills but also by buffs from other S-Class and A-Class Hunters. Unless Han Yu-hyun could somehow replicate the double attack skill effect he’d used on Han Yu-jin, it was safe to say no existing S-Class Hunter could break through.

Thus, Goo Baek-young met Han Yu-hyun’s icy stare without flinching.

“All my subordinates share my defensive power. Your attacks are useless!”

This unique defense skill was the cornerstone of Goo Baek-young’s command over the Shanghai 1st Special Forces. The Murim Alliance [a martial arts-based organization] had repeatedly targeted Shanghai, a vital city, but they had always been forced to retreat, unable to breach Goo Baek-young’s defenses.

However, this defense sharing was only effective for those with lower overall stats than Goo Baek-young. This made him a defensive specialist, rarely capable of capturing enemies. His own stats were comparatively low, hindering his efficiency in dungeon raids.

“Run if you want! But your brother will pay the price!”

As long as the enemy remained within his reach, his victory was assured. He had deliberately shown Han Yu-jin’s video to provoke the Korean Hunters.

“A turtle like you?” Han Yu-hyun’s voice was dangerously soft. Han Yu-jin was worth far more than someone who only knew how to hide. Could someone like Goo Baek-young even touch his brother? Goo Baek-young’s face flushed crimson at the insult. ‘Turtle’ was a derogatory term combat-oriented S-Class Hunters used to mock him – a helpless coward who couldn’t fight on his own.

“I… I am responsible for Shanghai, China’s premier city! Do you think I can’t touch a Hunter trapped in Korea? Try to escape, and I’ll make you regret it!” Goo Baek-young snarled, vowing to play that video before Han Yu-hyun’s very eyes.

“What are you waiting for! Capture him!” The Chinese Hunters, momentarily stunned by Goo Baek-young’s initial assault, snapped back to action. Besides Goo Baek-young, there was only one combat-type S-Class Hunter, and his stats were relatively low. The others were support-types and A-Class Hunters. Normally, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

But Han Yu-hyun’s attacks were proving ineffective against their enhanced defenses.

An S-Class Hunter wielding a massive sword lunged at Han Yu-hyun. His movements were so swift that ordinary people couldn’t even follow, but to Han Yu-hyun, they seemed sluggish. With a slight twist of his body, Han Yu-hyun effortlessly dodged the incoming blade and thrust the Ruler’s Sword towards the Chinese Hunter’s neck – a precise strike, as if threading a needle.

*Teng!* The Ruler’s Sword bounced harmlessly off the enemy’s skin. Instead, Goo Baek-young’s shield shimmered, a faint crack appearing before it rapidly healed. A barrage of weapons and skills rained down on Han Yu-hyun, who had failed to penetrate the defense. But in an instant, Han Yu-hyun vanished from the spot.

*Kwaduk! Kwakwang!* The floor cracked and exploded as the S-Class support-type Hunter yelled.

“Up!”

Blue willow leaves scattered. Above, in the brightening sky, dark blue flames engulfed the falling leaves. The Chinese Hunters gasped as the fiery rain descended. Despite their trust in Goo Baek-young’s defense, they instinctively recoiled from the flames.

“Don’t be afraid, it won’t work! You idiots!” Goo Baek-young roared.

“A little spark won’t even tickle! Keep attacking! He’s just one S-Class, he’ll eventually tire out!”

The dark blue flames that touched the ground melted the thick pavement. They consumed the remaining airport facilities and vehicles, rising to the height of a person. It was a sea of fire that ordinary humans couldn’t endure for even a second, yet the Chinese Hunters resolutely raised their weapons against Han Yu-hyun once more.

Arrows flew, and with the aid of flight skills, an S-Class attack-type Hunter soared into the air. Han Yu-hyun, stepping on willow leaves and spinning to evade the arrows and blades, suddenly plummeted downwards. Seeing him descend, Goo Baek-young spurred on his subordinates.

“Now’s your chance! Just keep him alive! Even if he loses a limb or two, he’s an S-Class, he won’t die! Surround him!”

The Chinese Hunters gritted their teeth and pursued Han Yu-hyun. For some reason, Han Yu-hyun didn’t utilize the vast expanse of the airport to his advantage, only dodging the relentless attacks. No Hunter could match his speed, but their sheer numbers were overwhelming.

Moreover, the Hunters and soldiers here had honed their teamwork through countless coordinated attacks. Initially, they had been intimidated by Han Yu-hyun’s superior stats and panicked, but they gradually regained their composure and began to fight as a unit.

*Seogeok*, the edge of Han Yu-hyun’s clothing was sliced off. The tip of a spear grazed his ear, and a dark red vine snaked up from the ground, attempting to ensnare his ankle. All this happened as Han Yu-hyun dodged a blade aimed at his shoulder.

*Kuoong!* A solid wall materialized. The Ruler’s Sword shattered it instantly, but in that brief moment of obstruction, wires and vines imbued with binding skills lashed out. The black blade transformed into a chain sword, severing the wires in a whirlwind of motion. However, it couldn’t intercept the vine skill, which remained intangible until it reached its target.

The dark red vine coiled around Han Yu-hyun’s ankle. Flames erupted, incinerating the vine as soon as it solidified, but the brief entanglement forced him to pause. A spear blade then sliced across Han Yu-hyun’s shoulder, inflicting a shallow wound. Had it not been for the layered defense of the Ye-jang [likely a protective artifact or skill], the injury would have been far more serious.

“Good! Keep the pressure on! Don’t give him a chance to use potions!” Goo Baek-young shouted, elated that they had finally managed to wound Han Yu-hyun. An S-Class Hunter, a powerful Awakened who had defeated numerous SS-Class monsters. Capturing such a prize would completely transform his reputation.

‘Cho Hwa-woon, that damn bastard, just you wait.’ He was tired of hearing that the ‘turtle’ who only let Murim Alliance Hunters escape wasn’t even fit to be a watchdog. A bastard who looked down on even fellow S-Class Hunters if they didn’t meet his exacting standards.

*Kwaduk!* Han Yu-hyun raised his forearm to deflect a blade. His clothes tore, his flesh ripped, and blood splattered. These minor injuries were accumulating. There was a limit to how long he could constantly dodge and block when his attacks were proving futile.

It wouldn’t be long now. As long as that guy didn’t escape. At that moment…

“Heo-heok, heok!” One of the A-Class Hunters began to gasp for air. Even the other A-Class Hunters were staggering.

“Wh-what’s wrong!” Goo Baek-young shouted in alarm. The A-Class Hunters flailed, clutching at their throats.

“I can’t… I can’t breathe…”

“I have to… get out of here—!”

The flames rose higher than a person’s height, engulfing the Hunters, particularly around their heads. Goo Baek-young’s eyes widened.

“Oxygen… damn it! Get out! No, don’t leave my skill range!”

The fire was consuming the oxygen. The defense skill only blocked physical damage, not suffocation. They couldn’t completely extinguish the flames even if they jumped. They couldn’t escape the sea of fire that had already spread. Before they could, they would burn up after leaving the range of the defense skill.

An A-Class Hunter with flight skills attempted to ascend. But faster than he could react, Han Yu-hyun stomped on his body, driving him into the melted floor. He didn’t sustain direct damage, but the crushing force was inescapable. The struggling Hunter soon fell silent, and other A-Class Hunters began to collapse one by one.

The S-Class Hunters also moved with diminished speed due to the thinning oxygen.

“Wh-what is this…!” Goo Baek-young’s face paled. The support skills that had been bolstering him were rapidly fading. Han Yu-hyun ignored the remaining S-Class Hunters and approached the crouching Goo Baek-young. Halting a meter away, Han Yu-hyun let the Ruler’s Sword hang loosely. The long sword morphed into a chain sword, and as Han Yu-hyun stepped forward, he unleashed a powerful swing.

*Kwang!* “Heuik!”

The black blade slammed into the hemispherical shield. Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface. But it didn’t end there. Channeling force from his arm and shoulder, all the way to his back, Han Yu-hyun struck again, wielding the Ruler’s Sword like a whip.

*Kwang!* *Kwaduk, kwadeudeuk*, the shield shattered, and Goo Baek-young’s face turned ashen. The cold gaze fixed on him was terrifying. Even though they were both S-Class Hunters, he felt like a cornered mouse facing a predatory wolf.

Once more, *Kwang*, the blade struck the remnants of the shield, and the semi-transparent defensive wall finally disintegrated. The chain sword pursued Goo Baek-young, who was scrambling away in terror, like a black serpent.

“Euaaak!” Goo Baek-young, struck in the back, tumbled across the floor. The blade landed inches from his head. The chain sword, retracting swiftly after digging into the floor, now targeted Goo Baek-young’s legs. Goo Baek-young, struck heavily on the side of his leg with the flat of the blade, collapsed, clutching his broken limb.

*Hwiririk*, Han Yu-hyun, retracting the fully extended sword, turned around. The remaining S-Class Hunters stood awkwardly amidst the dwindling flames. Among them, the support-type Hunter cried out urgently.

“M-my family is being held hostage!”

Before he could finish, Han Yu-hyun appeared in front of the attack-type Hunter. The attack-type Hunter tried to defend himself, but Han Yu-hyun’s kick was faster.

“Keok!” The Hunter, struck in the abdomen, flew through the air and crashed to the floor. The support-type Hunter, now alone, recoiled in terror.

“Han… Yu-hyun Hunter!” Eun Se-sun’s voice rang out.

“What that person is saying is true! The information is registered on our side.”

Hanging in the air, supported by Piece in his incorporeal form, Eun Se-sun continued to shout.

“And get out of the way!”

The sudden warning made Han Yu-hyun raise an eyebrow. A low rumble reached his ears. Something massive was approaching.

Park Ye-rim.

Han Yu-hyun used the blue willow leaves to snatch the support-type Hunter by the scruff of his neck. The collapsing airport building filled his vision as he leaped high into the air.

It was water.

*Kururururung-!* A wave, towering tens of meters high, was engulfing the airport. The planes gathered on the opposite runway had vanished without a trace. A smaller wave crashed through the airport building first, shattering the windows. Furniture and debris flowed out with the water, followed by the full force of the colossal wave.

As if the sea itself had been displaced, everything was instantly submerged. Only the deafening roar of the water pounding the ground echoed like thunder.

Han Yu-hyun landed on the soaked ground where the receding wave had left a trail of destruction. Park Ye-rim flew beside him, dropping the support-type Hunter he had been carrying.

“Ugh, my head is throbbing.” Park Ye-rim quickly retrieved a mana potion and downed it in one gulp.

“I told you not to waste your energy unnecessarily.”

“I was just practicing, practicing. This airport is huge. But Han Yu-hyun, what’s with your appearance?”

He wasn’t seriously injured, but he was far from unscathed. Park Ye-rim tossed a potion to Han Yu-hyun.

“Did you go wild just because that old man slapped you?”

Instead of answering, he poured the potion over his wounds. Eun Se-sun watched them both with a mixture of awe and apprehension. Park Ye-rim’s skills were terrifying, but Han Yu-hyun, who had single-handedly broken Goo Baek-young’s shield – a feat the Murim Alliance had struggled with – inspired a different kind of fear.

“Where should we go now, Unnie [term for older sister or female friend]?”

“Ah, I’ve already contacted them, so a car will be here soon.”

Eun Se-sun picked up the support-type Hunter, who was lying in a daze.

“Hunter Ga-sun, we will process this as a death. We will attempt a rescue when the surveillance of your family weakens.”

“…Yes.” Ga-sun nodded, avoiding Han Yu-hyun’s gaze. Han Yu-hyun, having treated his wounds, turned to Eun Se-sun. Eun Se-sun flinched.

“Can we go straight to Namsan Island?”

“I heard you’ll be joining the others arriving from different routes.”

“We can go first.”

“I’ll just stay nearby. I won’t interfere, just observe.”

When even Park Ye-rim chimed in, Eun Se-sun reluctantly agreed. Soon after, a car sent by the Murim Alliance arrived.

*Kwang!* A loud crash echoed. He hadn’t accidentally triggered a bomb in his sleep. Opening his eyes, he saw the bedroom door hanging half-broken on its hinges. Hwang Lim stood grinning beside the bed.

“…What is it?”

“The airport has been completely swept away.”

“Yes?”

“By water, water. It must be the work of Hae Yeon’s young Hunter, right?”

Instead of answering, he sat up and rubbed his face, trying to wake himself fully. The kids are here.