The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 179

Riete headed straight for the healer waiting nearby. Even though she had used a potion, there might still be some unnoticed damage to her body, so it would be better to receive healing skills as well. Properly managing one’s body is a basic requirement for combat-type Hunters. Of course, it’s good for ordinary people to take care of their bodies too.

I should exercise more.

The drones in the sky withdrew, and as we were about to leave the arena—or rather, the wasteland that looked like it had been through several earthquakes—my phone rang. It was my cell phone. When I answered, I heard a boisterous noise.

[Oh, he answered, he answered!]

[Yujin! Was everything okay?]

[Master, is Noah nearby?]

[I just saw it, he won! Noah is the best!]

It was Dohamin, Myungwoo, Seok Hayan, and Kim Minui. I could hear other people’s voices as well. Due to editing, the broadcast was a bit delayed, so the match had just ended on TV. First, I told Myungwoo that everything was fine, perfect, and thanked him.

“What’s Seok Hayan’s team doing up?”

[Thanks to a special blend of energy drinks that brings tomorrow to today!]

[How about Noah? Is he all healed up?]

One of Seok Hayan’s teammates asked worriedly. I replied that he was fine and handed the phone to Noah. Congratulatory shouts were heard, and Noah said thank you, looking a little embarrassed.

‘He’s still on good terms with the building people.’

After the day I went to ask for the harness, I quickly became close to Myungwoo as well. To be precise, Myungwoo felt sorry for Noah after hearing about his family history with Riete and took care of him, but Noah didn’t dislike it at all. It was more like looking up to him. After he made the harness and then the claw covers, the look of respect in his eyes deepened.

Listening to the phone calls, it seemed like a big deal everywhere. It was the first time an S-Rank Hunter’s battle had been broadcast on TV, so it was understandable, but it seemed like more of a festive atmosphere than I had expected. Since it was a domestic scale rather than international, I thought the reaction would be less than the original Ranking Match. But when the Ranking Matches started in my past life, Hunters’ personal battles and strategies had already been broadcast several times, so it wasn’t the first.

‘Yoon Yoon would have liked it quite a bit if he were here.’

Suddenly, the Goblin King came to mind. No news, and his SNS [Social Networking Service] updates had stopped quite a while ago. I was worried if he was okay, but there was no way for me to find out. Just in case, I gave Dohamin his phone number and asked him to look for him, but he said it was a number that had been used for less than a year. Moreover, due to his elusive skills, it was difficult to track him down even if he was in the country, but he was increasingly isolated in China.

‘He has S-Rank space movement and stealth skills, so there’s no one who can harm Yoon Yoon, but…’

Still, you never know. The Jellyfish might have intervened. Yoon Yoon, though of a different race, could be considered a born S-Rank, so they might have tried to contact him. Just looking at his skills, he’s very useful.

‘He’s not the type to give in easily, but I’m still worried.’

At least the contract is intact, so he must be alive. I guess I have no choice but to wait anxiously. His consistently updated SNS stopped around the time Choi Seokwon died. It was the day after I met the Jellyfish at Sung Hyunjae’s house, so I was even more concerned.

“Hyung, are you hurt anywhere? Are you dizzy?”

“Uncle! Are you okay?”

Then Yoohyun and Yerim came up and asked. I wasn’t completely fine, but the motion sickness medicine seemed to have worked. I had used more than half of my mana and forcibly used Teacher Skill on Riete, so I had a bit of a headache.

Should I take out a mana potion and, while I’m at it, take a painkiller since I have poison resistance on? But I stopped myself. I didn’t want to worry the kids.

“I’m just a little tired. Thanks for helping, Yoohyun. Yerim, you did a great job too.”

“I want to be on the broadcast for matches, not just commentary! Will there be an S-Rank Ranking Match too?”

“Even if there is, you can’t go out.”

Yerim’s eyes widened at my words. She looked like she had been struck by lightning.

“Why?”

“You’re a minor. How can they broadcast kids fighting?”

“Noah is only nineteen years old!”

“His birthday has passed. And Noah is legally an adult in his current nationality.”

“But, didn’t they say that different laws apply to Hunters?”

“That’s only for some things, and it doesn’t apply to matches like the Ranking Match. Even if you’re a Hunter, teenagers should be protected.”

If you ask if attacking dungeons isn’t the same as fighting for your life, the excuse becomes lame, but that’s for survival. On the other hand, the Ranking Match is just entertainment and a type of sport. It’s obviously wrong to push a minor into a fighting arena where they can get seriously injured, just because they’re an Awakened. Moreover, broadcasting such scenes would draw a lot of opposition.

So, even before the regression, only those over 18 could participate in the Ranking Match, and this A-Rank Ranking Match was the same. Come to think of it, I wonder if Soyoung’s birthday has passed yet. Even if she had come out of the dungeon early, she wouldn’t have been able to participate.

“It’s unfair! If only I had been born five years earlier!”

“Not four years?”

“If I’m going to be born earlier, I might as well be on par with the Guild Leader. My birthday is earlier, so I’d be the older sister.”

Yerim being Yoohyun’s older sister is hard to imagine. Yoohyun had a similar expression. …Not similar, but mocking?

At that moment, Noah, who had finished his call, handed me back my phone. Then, he said with a serious face.

“Yujin, I once asked you to let me stay by your side until I wasn’t afraid of Nunim [term of endearment for older sister] anymore.”

“Ah, yes. You did.”

“But now, I just want to stay by your side for no other reason.”

“I welcome it. I’m getting a lot of help from Noah.”

Noah smiled as if he knew I would agree. But soon, his expression turned serious again.

“I’m fine now, and I won’t worry even if Nunim is in Korea. But still, if possible, could I live with you at Yujin’s house?”

“Huh? Well…”

“…That damn lizard, I helped him for nothing.”

Just as I was about to say yes, I heard Yoohyun’s low murmur. It was a voice so small that it wouldn’t normally reach my ears. But I had used Teacher Skill on Noah. Thanks to that, I could clearly hear the growl-like voice.

As I was flustered, Noah turned to Yoohyun.

“Hunter Han Yoohyun, please!”

…Why to Yoohyun? He even went right up to Yoohyun and started pleading earnestly.

“I’ll be in my specialized form so I won’t be a nuisance!”

“…What?”

“I’ll get a miniaturization or fluidization skill somehow! Even now, if I shrink as much as possible, there’s not much difference from when I’m human. I’ll stay quietly in the corner, so please.”

Was that why he wanted a miniaturization skill? I was about to step in and say there was no need to go that far, but Yerim grabbed my arm and shook her head. Then, she said in a small voice.

“Let Noah handle it.”

“But.”

“Noah is doing well. Even if Uncle allows it, if he doesn’t defeat Han Yoohyun, he’ll be kicked out without anyone knowing. He might be kidnapped in the middle of the night and abandoned somewhere overseas.”

Noah has flight and stealth skills, so he’ll be able to find his way back no matter where he’s abandoned, but such a thing shouldn’t happen in the first place.

“…Would Yoohyun really do that?”

“He’s more than capable of it. If I hadn’t crushed his nose in Hong Kong, it would have been hard for me to get into Uncle’s house.”

“Park Yerim, don’t talk nonsense.”

Yoohyun frowned. Then, he turned to Noah and opened his mouth coldly.

“If you’re in a miniaturized state, there’s someone else you need to get permission from.”

“Yes? Who is it?”

“It’s Peace. If Peace accepts you, I won’t interfere anymore. Of course, you have to get the miniaturization skill first.”

…Peace. Noah, is it really okay for you to come into my house like that? I had just declared independence from Riete a little while ago, but I wondered if this was okay.

‘Noah wants it himself.’

Besides, he’s still young anyway. Even if the method is a bit embarrassing, it’s a positive thing that he wants a new place and is trying to get in. You can’t become an adult who stands alone right away, as if shedding a skin with one opportunity.

In the first place, if a person breaks free from all the shackles of the world in an instant, that’s just transcending humanity and attaining enlightenment. It’s enough to develop one by one in a better place and in a better direction throughout life.

Noah is still young, and there are other people around me. It’s okay to grow slowly. As he said before, it’s okay to be pampered and stay in protection.

Because he won’t stay the same forever anyway. Someday, he may be recognized in his human form, not just in his specialized form, or he may find a new nest and leave proudly before that.

‘…I should ask the unfilial children about the miniaturization skill.’

Peace is kind, so he’ll accept it. He’s gone along with everything so far. Noah would be really cute if he was miniaturized.

“Noah would be super cute if he was miniaturized.”

Yerim seemed to be thinking the same thing. Just imagining it makes my heart flutter.

“We have to be careful so Soyoung doesn’t steal him. She still has the portal key. She’ll definitely sneak in at night after stealing the Seseong Guild Leader’s key.”

I doubted it, but it seemed plausible. For reference, the portal key had not yet been replaced due to opposition from the Association. Seseong was lukewarm, and Breaker postponed the answer, saying the Guild Leader was absent.

In the past, I needed it because if something happened to me at home, they had to break through the wall to get in without the portal key, but now I have two S-Rank housemates. If Yoohyun and Yerim both go on a raid, I can leave the key with Seseong or the Association for a while… or rather, with Song Taewon, so why are they still talking about safety?

“I’ve sent the other Hunters back, so you can release your stealth.”

Sung Hyunjae, who had approached unnoticed, said. As he said, the healer and A-Rank Hunters had disappeared with their equipment. They must have returned to the training center to re-equip. Riete was gone too, so she must have gone with them.

“Hey, Seseong Guild Leader.”

I released my stealth skill and turned to him.

“You must have enjoyed watching, so how about it? Do you feel like adding another birthday party invitation?”

Don’t ignore our Noah. If the skill works, you can become weaker than Noah in an instant. No matter how good you are, if your stats are halved, you won’t be better than an A-Rank.

At my words, Sung Hyunjae looked at Noah, who was thanking Yoohyun for accepting him. Uh… does he look a bit like that right now? Yoohyun, you should tell Noah that you never said that and draw a line. Still, he said it would be okay if Peace accepted him, so isn’t that half an acceptance?

“It wasn’t bad.”

“You’re being too stingy.”

“Do you think Noah needs my recognition right now?”

“That’s, not true.”

He’s broken free from Riete, who he’s been tied to for his whole life, so he wouldn’t care about Sung Hyunjae now. Now that he’s taken flight with skillful wing movements, he’ll land in the nest he wants and desires, not a cage. Even if he was briefly caught by the Seseong Guild Leader, it wouldn’t have much meaning now. Because he can’t give Noah what he wants.

“You definitely lost out, Seseong Guild Leader. Our Noah has so many different abilities.”

“I’ll have to do better in the future so I don’t lose out more.”

I was about to say to try harder, but I noticed his gaze was directed at me, not Noah, and closed my mouth. No, never mind me. I took a big step away from Sung Hyunjae and said to Noah.

“Noah, as a celebration, I’ll treat you to dinner! Everyone together, let’s rent out a restaurant!”

With all the building people. Celebrations should be lively.

When we returned to the Advanced Awakened Training Center, an Association official who had been waiting in advance said that the A-Rank Ranking Match would continue tomorrow, not today. The arena was a mess, and the scale difference was too great to start the A-Rank match right away.

It’s not that the A-Rank Hunter’s battle is insignificant, but they can’t destroy mountains, overturn the ground, or even fly into the air. That’s why the Association wanted the closing match instead of the opening match, but Riete demanded the first match, so they had no choice.

Still, the viewership and reaction were a hit, so everyone except the overshadowed A-Ranks seemed satisfied.

Kang Soyoung and Riete, who had recovered from their fatigue, also attended the celebratory party in the evening. That was fine, but the Seseong Guild Leader joined in without any tact. I said to eat dinner together in his presence, but he actually came.

Thanks to that, I was going to use my card for the first time in a while, but this time I just swiped Sung Hyunjae’s card again. I booked a nice place, so it cost a lot, but it won’t leave a scratch.