The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 159

159. Blue Mist (3)

“What were you thinking, coming all the way here? Isn’t it time you accepted that you’re just a hindrance, Hyung?”

My brother said, openly displaying his weariness. If you didn’t know better, you’d be hurt. He was trying to push me away with a plausible expression and tone. For three years, and then another five years.

I wanted to ask him. What was he thinking, what was in his heart? All alone for that long, what was he feeling?

I wanted to know what was inside him, but at the same time, I didn’t want to even guess. If I faced it directly, it might be too heavy, leaving me unable to move. Whatever happens, I might end up wanting to give him everything he wants.

“I’m sorry.”

At that short word, Yoohyun visibly wavered. On the way here, I had been thinking about how to appease my brother, but my head felt empty, and nothing came to mind. Instead, the words I had been holding in all along came out.

“I’m sorry, Yoohyun. Because I’m too weak.”

If only I had been stronger. If only there had been a bigger age gap, like a real parent, if only I had been more of an adult. Then, instead of thinking he was abandoned, I could have let him go, thinking it was just his time. Without struggling uselessly, unable to accept reality. Without using resentment and hatred as a shield, exhausted by suffering.

I don’t know. Because the current me is still clutching on. To my brother, whom I can never let go of.

Trying to shake off my thoughts, I slowly moved my feet. Yoohyun narrowed his brows, looking at Song Taewon, Bellare [likely a title or position], whom he had entrusted to him, and Noah in turn. He seemed to sense that the situation was strange.

“Yoohyun, let me explain.”

“…What are you plotting? That guy seems to be at least an S-Rank Hunter.”

Yoohyun glared at Song Taewon with a guarded look.

“Even if you involve Hyung, nothing will change. Don’t waste your effort.”

“That’s not it.”

“Then? Why bring Hyung to a place like this… This is…”

“This is Choi Seokwon’s villa, from MKC. You might not remember, but you—”

Yoohyun, who had been confused, moved. Before I could react, he was instantly in front of me. Yoohyun’s hand grabbed my arm tightly and pulled. Cold, blazing eyes were close.

“What is this mana?”

“…Huh?”

“And this earring.”

My brother’s hand, which had been touching my chest, moved up and touched my ear. He touched the earring as if to check it.

“It looks like a high-grade item.”

“Ah, that. The Sesung Guild Leader gave it to me.”

I blurted out the truth without thinking. At the word Sesung, Yoohyun frowned deeply.

“Damn it, are you out of your mind?! I warned you so many times not to get involved with guilds or Hunters. Sesung? Are you really crazy, Hyung?”

The hand that had been examining the earring grabbed my collar. My body was lightly pulled, and Yoohyun’s expression became even more ferocious.

“…You seem to have awakened, but what’s your stat rank?”

“It’s F-Rank. But my skill rank is high, so you don’t have to worry. It’s a useful special skill, so I’m definitely being protected.”

I quickly added, but it seemed like my brother didn’t hear me properly. Unable to bear his murderous gaze, I avoided his eyes.

“Hey, you know all about it. You just can’t remember because you’re affected by the Mist Poison, ugh!”

My arm was roughly twisted back and grabbed. Noah, who had been watching anxiously, panicked and stepped forward.

“Yujin-ssi!”

“Why is that guy acting friendly with Hyung again?”

“It’s not acting, it’s real, ack, it hurts!”

If he twisted it hard enough to break, Eunhye would block it, but he was applying force halfway. My shoulder felt stiff. Noah hurriedly explained himself.

“I’m Noah Luthier, a Hunter affiliated with Han Yujin-ssi!”

“…Hyung’s affiliate? What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Ugh… it’s temporary, but it’s real. You just can’t remember because some of your memories are gone. Check your inventory. You’ll find weapons you’ve never seen before. And the Black Board contract will be gone too.”

When I mentioned the contract with Diarma, Yoohyun’s face hardened. He was silent for a moment, checking his inventory list, before speaking again.

“The contract is… Damn it, what the hell happened?”

“A lot of things happened, but there weren’t any big problems. You know all about it, and we even went around together, ugh. Hey, let go of my arm!”

“I was just watching? I must have been out of my mind.”

Yoohyun muttered coldly. In fact, he didn’t just watch, he even tried to confine me. He was even secretly escaping from confinement right now.

“I’ve taken enough measures for my safety. So you’re okay too—”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

A fierce voice growled lowly. It was like a ferocious beast, but at the same time, I faintly felt a sense of desperation, as if he was cornered.

“With what kind of heart I let go of Hyung. I, would rather…”

The end of his voice blurred, and the last words were barely audible. Instead, I heard the sound of him grinding his teeth. The sword that he had put into his inventory to grab me was once again in my brother’s hand.

“I don’t care about memories. And I definitely don’t need Hyung’s affiliated Hunters. It would be better to get rid of the mouths that might blabber.”

From Yoohyun, a thick murderous intent overflowed. Noah’s face hardened at the furious energy, and he reflexively stepped back. Song Taewon, who had been silently watching us, also changed his stance.

“Yoohyun! Stop!”

Get rid of them, what is he going to do! I shouted, pulling at the arm he was holding to get it free.

“You’ll be fine once your memories come back. So use my skill…”

“Why, did you get attached in that short time? Did they treat you kindly, unlike me? But Hyung, those guys are high-ranked Hunters too. They’re not suitable for you.”

With a whisper that was close to a threat to just watch quietly, my arm was released as if I was being pushed away. I followed my brother, who was taking a step back, and hugged him tightly. He frowned, but didn’t avoid or reject me.

“Don’t say stupid things! Who would care about me more than you, Yoohyun.”

“What…”

“I know everything. Why you did that. You’re such a foolish guy. Why are you trying to take it all on alone, when you’re just my younger brother, Han Yoohyun.”

I put strength into the arms that were hugging my brother’s shoulders. It’s good to see his bewildered face. I wonder if the poison resistance effect will start to appear soon.

“Don’t keep doing that. You’ve done enough. It must have been hard enough. I may be weak, but still, I’m your brother, so trust me a little.”

“…But.”

“Yoohyun.”

“…Yeah.”

The voice that had been so sharp noticeably subsided. Only then did he seem like a twenty-year-old. Being a brother, I’ve only made him sharp all along. I’m really sorry.

“My brother, Han Yoohyun. I love you.”

I deliberately said it exactly like I did right after the regression [time travel/reincarnation]. However, the emotions contained were a little different. The shoulders I was hugging flinched. Yoohyun’s expression became slightly dazed. The hands that had been hanging down wrapped around my back.

“That time, too.”

“Do you remember?”

“…A little. That’s right, I made up with Hyung.”

It seemed like he was finally being detoxified. It took much longer than with Noah. Did he not have a detoxification item? I wish Yoohyun had a poison resistance skill too. I wonder if I can’t get a skill granting item somewhere.

“I’m going to use a skill, so don’t refuse it and accept it.”

The moment I was about to use Teacher Skill on Yoohyun to fully restore his memories,

Swoosh—

Suddenly, the mist began to move. Like a flock of sheep being herded, it rushed towards the half-destroyed mansion. At the same time, blue mist seeped out of Yoohyun’s body.

“Yoohyun!”

Before I could do anything, the mist that came out of my brother was sucked into the mansion. Not only Yoohyun, but also Noah and Song Taewon had a tiny amount of mist flowing out of them, also moving towards the mansion. Noah reflexively reached out his hand, but there was no way to catch the mist. It slipped through his fingers.

Could it be that the mist, the poison, was swallowing the memories in their bodies… and then escaping? Then what about the memories?

“Yoohyun, do you remember anything else?”

Yoohyun shook his head briefly. Shit, did it really take it away?

“There’s something over there!”

Noah shouted, pointing at the mansion. Immediately after, Yoohyun picked me up and fled to where the two of them were.

In the darkness-covered mansion, a dark blue mass was taking shape. The mist was rushing towards that mass. As the sucked-in mist increased, the size of the mass gradually increased.

Just in case, I used Seedling Skill on the mass, and a system window popped up.

[Awakened ? Choi Seokwon (Harmless Clan)

Current Stat Rank SS

Awakening Possible Stat Rank A~S

Optimized Initial Skills

Acquired Crescent Sword (S)

Acquired Path of Virtue (S)

Acquired Sound Fishing (A)]

“Choi Seokwon?”

“That’s Choi Seokwon?”

Following Yoohyun, Noah and Song Taewon also wore expressions of bewilderment.

Even I can tell that it’s not Choi Seokwon, let alone a human… What’s the Harmless Clan? Besides, his stat rank has risen to SS. It would have originally been S-Rank, did he grow by swallowing the mist containing memories? Damn it, then what about Yoohyun’s memories! Are they going to disappear like this? Will they come back if I kill that bastard? Please say yes.

The dark blue object labeled Choi Seokwon continued to grow in size, soon easily surpassing the size of the mansion.

Kugugung.

Choi Seokwon’s villa, which had already been half-destroyed, was completely trampled to the point where one couldn’t even imagine its original form. On top of those ruins, a human-shaped monster, easily tens of meters tall, slowly straightened its back. It was literally a giant. A giant doll covered in dark blue heavy armor all over its body.

In the parts where the two eyes should be, a luminous mist flickered. The two hands, roughly carved, slowly clenched into fists. At the moment the giant fully stretched its body.

With rough footsteps that shook the ground, something huge and black suddenly popped out of the darkness.

– Kreurr!

Bang!!

The jet-black dragon collided with the giant with the momentum it had been running with. With a roar that sounded like a mountain collapsing, the giant staggered greatly. The black giant that had charged at the giant leaped back and swung its tail long. Quarrel [likely the dragon’s name], the innocent surrounding buildings collapsed with each strike of the tail.

The mouth, packed with jagged teeth, opened wide. It looked terrifying on the outside, but it was most likely smiling brightly.

– Hello, Honey!

“Hello!”

Riete and Kang Soyoung, who was sitting on her head, shouted energetically. They arrived with good timing.

* * *

A car stopped in front of a barricade with overflowing mist nearby. The association’s Hunters who were guarding the barricade stiffened when they saw the man getting out of the car. The owner of the car was none other than Sesung Guild Leader, Sung Hyunjae.

Even though his face was practically an ID card, they still had to go through the procedural check, but no one stepped forward first. They just glanced at each other, taking cues. It was because they had heard the news that the Sesung Guild Leader had just come out after clearing an S-Rank dungeon.

“You said it wouldn’t be a dungeon break, but no matter how I look at it, this mist looks like a dungeon explosion.”

The woman who also got out of the car, Sesung’s S-Rank Hunter Evelyn, looked at the blue-tinted mist and whistled long. Sung Hyunjae also fixed his gaze on the mist.

“Our Han Yujin-gun’s invitation is a bit special. Nothing ever ends normally.”

Sung Hyunjae said, sounding amused, and approached the barricade. In the headlights of the car, the mist was wriggling like a living creature. The murky blue light it contained was eerie.

“You must be tired after the clearance, are you sure you’re okay to go like this?”

“How considerate. I should at least see the real thing of the Guild Leader’s Candy Box [a nickname or title]. I haven’t had a chance to meet him all this time.”

Evelyn smiled as she signed the consent form that the association employee handed her, instead of the Guild Leader. Soon, part of the barricade was removed, and just as she was about to return to the car.

Saaa.

The mist, which had only been wriggling obediently, suddenly quickly crossed the barricade and filled the surroundings. Sung Hyunjae slightly raised the end of his eyebrows at the instantly obscured vision.

“What could this be.”

Not only the association’s Hunters, but even Evelyn, who was only two steps away, couldn’t be sensed. It was impossible to completely obscure the senses of an S-Rank Hunter with just mist. So there must be some other reason.

Should he wait a little longer or move? While he was pondering, the mist in front dissipated and a figure appeared. A familiar face to him wore an affable smile.

“Hello, Sung Hyunjae-ssi.”

“Han Yujin.”

Imitations aren’t my taste. Muttering that, Sung Hyunjae looked at the young man who had appeared from the mist. The thing that looked like Han Yujin opened its mouth again.

“Do you perhaps remember what happened in your childhood?”