The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 207

207. Aberration (1)

‘Did these guys run without even resting?’

An S-Rank Dungeon is quite large. The one Yoohyun and Peace entered only had three floors, but it widened as you went up, and by the last floor, it would take a full day to cross it in a straight line.

To break through it in four days… It was obviously reckless, and I couldn’t help but sigh. What’s the rush? I decided I should never send them alone again. If there were other team members, they would be more considerate and try to stop them.

Kim Sunghan accompanied them this time as well. I glanced at him sitting next to me. Perhaps because he had grown into an S-Rank and some time had passed, his body seemed to be in better shape than when I first encountered him after the regression. Originally, he was a defense-type A-Rank, so there wasn’t a huge difference, but he probably got a little taller too.

“Do you have something to say?”

Kim Sunghan asked me. His tone was gentle. Even though the keyword effect had disappeared, his attitude was very different from before the regression, and even from right after, probably because of what I had done for him. I had helped him grow into an S-Rank, and Haeyeon had various cooperative relationships with him, and most of all, he had become good brothers with Yoohyun, the guild leader. It was only natural that he would see me in a better light than before.

On the other hand, I felt a little more uncomfortable with him. Ever since I had requested information about the people I had lost before the regression, the memories I had buried kept trying to surface. Both Seok Simyeong and Kim Sunghan felt more awkward to me than before.

“You’ve changed a lot in many ways since you grew into an S-Rank, haven’t you?”

Would it get better if he changed even more drastically than now? He would probably have to be at least an SS-Rank. Kim Sunghan folded and unfolded his fist, looking a little embarrassed.

I had been caught by those hands several times. To me, who had no fear resistance at the time, even an A-Rank Hunter was threatening enough. In most cases, they simply pressured me with their aura, but there were times when violence was involved. Even after being treated like that, I was terrified, but I still rushed in again. I was something else.

“I suppose so. Not only myself but also my surroundings have changed.”

But that was something that hadn’t happened yet, and Kim Sunghan was a trustworthy person. He had helped Yoohyun a lot and would continue to help him.

“I’ve been getting a lot of calls from various places. Especially since the MKC guild leader went missing…”

“You refused, right? Of course?”

I couldn’t help but blurt out the words. The jumbled thoughts were pushed out as if swept away. Yerim was like that too, what were they so greedy for? I can’t give it to you. I won’t give it to you. Kim Sunghan nodded and smiled.

“I’ve heard a lot of talk that wasn’t sure whether it was persuasion or provocation, asking when I would stay under someone else when I became an S-Rank and wasn’t as young as Hunter Park Yerim. Of course, I refused them all.”

“It’s really unnecessary meddling. Of course, I think Sunghan is qualified enough to take the guild leader position… Oh, I heard there’s talk about a vice guild leader?”

Haeyeon Guild didn’t have a vice guild leader yet. There was only the guild leader. Because Yoohyun was so young, it was said that having a vice guild leader could divide the internal forces, and there was a high possibility that people outside would say that the vice guild leader was the real leader, so they deliberately only had a guild leader.

But now that Yoohyun was twenty and Kim Sunghan had become an S-Rank Hunter, Seok Simyeong told me that he would be promoted to vice guild leader.

“Yes. Since the internal structure is changing significantly, it will be carried out slowly.”

“Wouldn’t it be okay to be a little faster? Kim Sunghan has been supporting Yoohyun for a long time as an early member of Haeyeon, so no one would object. I think you’re the best fit for the position.”

I wanted him to quickly solidify his position and settle down. In the past, Kim Sunghan stayed by Yoohyun’s side until the end, but the situation was different now. Even if Kim Sunghan was loyal, his heart might waver a little now that he had become an S-Rank Hunter. And people who would tempt him would continue to appear.

I couldn’t lose one of the few people I could trust.

“If you need my help or want anything, please feel free to tell me anytime. I’m so grateful for your help with my brother that I’ll do anything I can.”

“I’ve already been indebted to Director Han enough.”

“Still.”

The keyword effect had disappeared, so I had to hold him back with something else. Kim Sunghan looked down at me, who was smiling with the heart of a service worker.

“Director Han, you really care a lot about the guild leader.”

“Of course, he’s my brother. I practically raised him, and he’s still young.”

If we could have lived peacefully, I wouldn’t have been so protective and worried less. I would have been able to say things like, ‘Eat well, don’t drink too much, don’t stay out too late because you’re a college student, are you short on allowance?’

But the reality was that I was going to pick up my brother who had entered a dungeon swarming with monsters. Damn dungeon. It should have been created a hundred years later.

Should I hurry Yoohyun and Team Leader Seok to put Kim Sunghan in the vice guild leader position? Thinking that, I looked at my phone. I opened one of the piled-up messages.

[I don’t have any particularly favorite animals.]

It was Song Taewon’s reply. I wanted to ask more, but the conversation was cut off because he entered the dungeon. It wasn’t an S-Rank, but an A-Rank dungeon that MKC couldn’t manage properly, so it urgently needed to be cleared.

Most of the association’s S-Rank dungeons were perfectly cleared lower-level dungeons, so the association’s A-Rank team could manage them, but as a result, there was usually a shortage of hunter teams, so when urgent clearing cases arose, they were often passed on to Song Taewon. It was really just taking care of the leftovers.

“I think the Awakened Management Office needs to be expanded, but I’m sure the National Assembly is blocking it.”

Support and budget went to the Hunter Association, which was relatively easy to interfere with, and the Awakened Management Office, which was difficult to touch, was treated coldly. Blocking dungeon breaks is the same as protecting the country. Even though it belongs to the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, shouldn’t they take some of the defense budget and give it to them? It’s about 40 trillion won, so if they allocate just 1 trillion won, they could reorganize the national S-Rank team splendidly.

Song Taewon is a waste. Isn’t it like bringing in an aircraft carrier and leaving it empty? Of course, Song Taewon has enough firepower on his own, but still. If you’re going to use it anyway, use it properly.

‘Surely they’re not not accepting Ki Seungsoo because they don’t have the money to manage him.’

Even though he entered urgently because it was an A-Rank dungeon, he’ll probably come out today or tomorrow. Should I send him the Peace and Ppiyak doll when they’re finished? He might like it unexpectedly.

The dungeon that Yoohyun and Peace entered this time was outside of Seoul. It was nearby, but you had to drive quite a bit. When I arrived in front of the dungeon building, I saw association officials and a few reporters waiting.

“The association is one thing, but the reporters are quick to get news.”

“They’re people who were waiting in advance. Guild Leader’s previous S-Rank dungeon clearing time was a record. This time, it’s the same conditions, so they’re expecting and waiting.”

I see. I mean, it’s not in Seoul, so it’s too fast to have heard the news and come. As I got out of the car, the camera turned towards us.

“Should I go in alone?”

At my words, Kim Sunghan nodded. It didn’t seem like there was a problem with the two of them, and I owed them a favor. It took a long time to get here, and if they’re not moving inside the building, they must be waiting.

I walked into the dungeon building alone. When I opened the door to the innermost gate room, I saw the two of them. Yoohyun and Peace, in his adolescent form, looked at me at the same time.

“Hyung.”

My brother smiled brightly and approached me. There were traces of blood splattered and hardened in places, and his clothes were dirty, but there were no visible injuries.

“I missed you.”

“Are you hurt? You haven’t slept, have you?”

“I wasn’t very sleepy. I didn’t need to sleep.”

I knew it, but did you really? I told you not to overdo it, but you didn’t listen. I hugged my brother, who was hugging me like when he was young. Are you trying to do everything you couldn’t do for three years? Somehow, you seem to be getting more spoiled.

“Don’t forget to put on the artifact before you go out. You can’t get caught yet. There are several reporters waiting.”

“Okay.”

“Why is Peace like that?”

Peace was still in his adolescent form, standing in front of the gate, just staring at us. It was an unfamiliar attitude. Worried that something might have happened, Yoohyun stepped aside, letting go of me.

“We decided the order.”

“What?”

“Peace lost.”

What are you talking about? As Yoohyun stepped aside, Peace finally moved. He reduced his size slightly and ran to me.

– Kkiaaaang.

Peace, who was unusually mournful and clung to me, was picked up. Peace rubbed his whole body against my chest and wagged his tail.

– Kkiang, Kkiwoong.

“…Yoohyun, you didn’t bully Peace, did you?”

“No, not at all.”

Something’s fishy. When I sent him a suspicious look, my brother stuck close to me. I have to wash them both. Peace still has monster blood all over him. Look at his fur, hardened and clumped together.

“Hyung, did anything happen?”

“Nothing happened to me. Why did you come out so quickly? I told you not to overdo it.”

At my question, Yoohyun suddenly closed his mouth. Then he looked at the surveillance camera on one side of the gate room. It was being recorded, but it was usually stored for a few days as data for emergencies and then cleanly deleted so no one could see it.

A thin flame appeared from Yoohyun’s fingertips,

Crack.

The flame, shot like a small arrow, smashed the camera. Immediately after, my phone rang. It was Kim Sunghan.

[An internal camera failure alert came in. Are you okay?]

“Yes, nothing’s wrong. It’s a simple mistake.”

After hanging up, I looked at my brother. Yoohyun opened his mouth.

“I felt a strange gaze inside the dungeon.”

“Gaze?”

“It definitely wasn’t a monster, and it felt like someone outside the dungeon was watching. Really, nothing happened to Hyung, right?”

Yoohyun said he came out faster because he was worried. A gaze.

“Should I go in and ask right away?”

Since we’re right in front of the gate. Yoohyun grabbed me as I tried to move.

“No, don’t go now.”

“Huh? Why?”

“…I have a bad feeling, Hyung. I felt the gaze, but there was nothing I could do. Even if it’s a dungeon for Hyung, it connects to a normal dungeon when you come out. So let’s wait for Park Yerim to come out and check.”

Yoohyun said a little sullenly that he was uneasy with just himself and Peace. Is the influence of the Choi Seokwon incident still lingering? His insecure appearance was heartbreaking. It’s not that I don’t trust Yoohyun, but he’s exhausted, so I nodded in agreement.

“Yerim will be out soon too. I thought she would finish the clearing faster than you.”

Since Blue is there, she should be out by tomorrow at the latest.

“…I hope nothing strange happens to Yerim either.”

For a moment, I felt a sudden worry. Yoohyun said he only felt a gaze, but what if something more than that happened?

“It’ll be okay since it’s a dungeon with a lake and a river.”

Yoohyun said soothingly. Nothing should really happen. I had the urge to go into the dungeon right away and shake out the volleyball, but I struggled to hold it back. It’s an S-Rank dungeon, not just any place. I couldn’t take the tired kids in.

‘…Come to think of it, what about Sung Hyunjae.’

Has nothing happened to that human who entered the dungeon first? He’s someone who will come back alive no matter what happens, but I was slightly worried. Still, since he’s a business partner, by half of half of a fingernail.

…He’ll be okay. He’s a human who I can’t even imagine getting seriously hurt.

As I took the kids outside, telling them to go wash up and rest, association people and reporters stuck to us. Of course, not too close, but asking questions while keeping a circular distance. Most of them were asking if they really succeeded in clearing the S-Rank dungeon in four days, but there were other questions too.

“Is it true that Haeyeon Guild’s Hunter Park Yerim is scheduled for a friendly match with a Japanese hunter?”

The topic that was burning hot these days popped out of the reporter’s mouth. Korea VS Japan, Hunter match. Anything becomes a hot topic when it comes to Korea-Japan matches, but this is a fight between S-Rank Hunters.

The rumors that spread not long after the A-Rank ranking match ended were further fueling people’s expectations. Haeyeon Guild and the Hunter Association were being careful, saying that it was not a confirmed fact, but it was not a denial, so it was said that they were really going to do it! As soon as Hunter Park Yerim finishes clearing the dungeon, she’s going to Japan! Actually, it’s not Park Yerim, but Han Yoohyun who’s fighting! There’s also talk of Sung Hyunjae! Online and offline were all in an uproar.

“Details will be announced after Hunter Park Yerim comes out of the dungeon.”

As I answered appropriately, the other reporters changed the subject, asking if Hunter Park Yerim was really going to come forward and if she wasn’t too young. There was also a reporter who asked Yoohyun if he had any intention of stepping up as the current fastest S-Rank dungeon clearing record holder.

What’s wrong with our Yerim? Don’t underestimate her.

“Please step back.”

“Haeyeon will announce this clearing record separately.”

Haeyeon Guild members and Kim Sunghan blocked the people. In the meantime, I took Peace and got into the car with Yoohyun.