The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 271

269. The Scout (1)

The silver chain and yarn were intertwined, stretched taut. The yarn, so thin it seemed like it would snap, appeared no match for the chain. But it held, gradually pulling the chain back.

“How did you get out here!”

The sixth fragment of the Crescent Moon, Centaurus, shouted, his eyes wide and furious. His right hand, adorned with dangling ornaments, reached forward, revealing not a chain but a black bow.

At the same time, pink light slashed across the sky. Hundreds of strands of yarn spread like a net, and a black obsidian arrow was nocked on Centaurus’s bow. The taut bowstring released with a twang. The act of firing the bow unleashed a powerful gale.

Pajijijik, a powerful electric current leaped along the yarn. The arrow, wrapped in a swirling black vortex, intertwined with the net of electricity, and then—

Kwaaaang!

It exploded. Arrows flew again, scattering lightning with a deafening roar. The black arrows, raining down like a storm, splitting the dark sky, were swallowed and burned. The aftermath, where lightning and arrows collided, was completely blocked by the spread-out yarn net. Not a single fragment flew our way.

[Honey!]

I was blankly staring at the scene when a message window popped up, snapping me back to attention.

[It’s the newbie! I’ve finally made proper contact! That world, the dungeon, won’t last long! It’s breaking down due to too much interference!]

“Newbie, you! How do I get out?”

[I barely managed to connect, so I’ll create a logout portal for you. Or Honey can log you out! Honey is the real body, after all!]

“If I’m logging you out…”

[Just kill the body you entered.]

…What a load of bull.

“Give me the portal.”

Immediately, a message saying, Just a moment, appeared, and a quest popped up.

[It’s Time to Go Home!

The dungeon is collapsing. Sadly, it seems further exploration is impossible! Hurry and open the portal to log out! You can settle your points and items when you enter the portal.

Open the portal?

Yes/No

Reward: Portal Open]

Why are you even asking? Of course, Yes. When I clicked the option, something like a compass appeared. One end of the compass needle pointed east and sparkled.

[Log Out Your Party

Let’s get all the party members out of the dungeon through the portal or by logging them out directly.

Reward: Han Yoojin’s Dungeon Escape]

I can’t log out through the portal, can I? I looked up at the lightning-filled sky. Sung Hyunjae was still nowhere to be seen. I need to send the others back first. What about Sigma?

“A portal to escape this place has opened!”

I shouted, climbing onto Peace’s back. Fortunately, it was in the opposite direction from where the horse-head was standing. Sung Hyunjae will probably block him, so in the meantime, I’ll log everyone out, and finally, Sung Hyunjae… but what about Sigma?

For now, it would be better to evacuate the party members. Who knows what will happen if they die here. Seeing as I have to log them out with my own hands, it will be difficult to get out safely if they are killed by someone else.

…If they get fatally injured, should I strike first?

“This way!”

I directed Peace.

– Kreung!

Peace stopped running and shouted at Yoo Hyun. I wondered what was wrong, but then Yoo Hyun got behind me and wrapped his arms around me, creating a burst of flames. Then, he used an acceleration skill and started running. He’s C-grade in stats, but I wouldn’t have made it if I had ridden alone.

Everyone had fully replenished their mana, so they followed Peace, using their skills without holding back. Yerim used teleportation, Noah used various support skills, and Moon Hyunah managed to find a motorcycle that had been parked near the Medes Defense Agency and drove Sigma. She had skills related to motorcycles or other vehicles, so she was as fast as Peace.

Kururung, Kwang!

The sound of the sky tearing apart echoed behind us. Without even thinking of turning back, I stared intently at the compass. The light of the needle grew stronger.

“Isn’t that it?”

Yerim, who was crossing the sky, shouted. A blue portal was visible in the middle of the 8-lane road ahead.

“Uncle, can I take the Spirit’s Egg out with me?”

“They said they’ll settle the items and points when you go in. If it doesn’t work, I’ll somehow pry it out, so don’t worry and go in!”

Yerim nodded and teleported to the front of the portal. Her hand touched the portal.

“If I just go in……”

Her voice cut off, and Yerim’s, Delta’s body, lost consciousness and collapsed. I was surprised for a moment, but since it wasn’t her original body, it seemed only her spirit had left. The color of her disheveled hair was completely blue. Her face had also changed slightly.

“Noah and Hyunah, please go in quickly!”

Despite my words, both of them just stood in front of the portal, hesitating. Then, Moon Hyunah took a deep breath and reached out to the portal.

“Hyung-nim [term of respect for an older brother or male friend], take good care of Dal. I wonder if that volleyball can do anything about it. I can’t tell you to bring him back no matter what… Dal, I won’t say goodbye.”

They must have grown fond of each other in that short time. The two of them got along quite well.

“Even if I go to that world, I have no intention of joining your guild, Moon Hyunah.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just come back safely. Noona [term of respect for an older sister or female friend] will buy you something delicious.”

With a grin, Moon Hyunah touched the portal. Lambda’s body also crumbled. It seemed that neither Lambda nor Delta had died, but they didn’t wake up even while being moved to lie down next to each other.

“I… guess I should go back too.”

Noah said, looking down at his palm.

“Noah, here……”

“It’s okay, it wasn’t originally mine anyway. It’s not a situation to be picky about.”

As if trying to cut off his lingering feelings, Noah reached out his hand. Mu’s body collapsed. I couldn’t check his eye color, but his hair had turned close to reddish-blond. He said it was okay, but that couldn’t be true. I looked down at Mu, who seemed asleep and didn’t resemble Noah as much as I thought, and patted Peace’s back.

“Okay, Peace, you go in too.”

– Kkeung.

Peace shrank his body and looked up at me. He circled around my legs, sweeping them with his abundant tail.

“You have to go home.”

– Kkiang.

“Dad will follow soon.”

I pushed Peace’s butt towards the portal. The tip of Peace’s nose, who was groaning, touched the portal. The body of the small monster that collapsed was similar to a large squirrel.

Now only Yoo Hyun was left. The roaring sound was still far away, but it was constant. My brother had a slightly stiff face. As soon as I saw that, I knew he had caught on.

“Yoo Hyun.”

“Hyung [term of respect for an older brother or male friend].”

“I’m told that I can automatically get out after everyone who came here goes back. So don’t worry.”

“Including the Guild Leader of Sesung, right?”

Yoo Hyun said, looking up at the darkened sky.

“How can I leave Hyung behind?”

“Yoo Hyun.”

“I know. That I have to go. That it’s better that way too.”

“That horse-head must have made a contract with the King of Harmlessness, so he won’t be able to kill me. If I just push the Sesung Guild Leader into the portal, I can go right away.”

“Okay.”

My brother nodded. He had a lot to say, but instead of opening his mouth, he took out all the items from his inventory.

“Just in case.”

“I should have told the others to empty their inventories too.”

I deliberately smiled lightly and pushed my brother’s back. Go quickly before it gets dangerous. Yoo Hyun, unable to take his eyes off me, touched the portal. I supported his collapsing body. Hmm, he doesn’t look much like him either. I laid Alpha next to Delta and turned around. Sigma was looking at me.

“I remember when I first came here.”

I met Sigma first, and he’s the last one left.

“Then shall we go together? I’ll introduce you to Sung Hyunjae. He probably knows about you, Sigma.”

The newbie hadn’t been able to connect properly the whole time. It was probably Sung Hyunjae who sent the quests, except for the main quest and the sub-quests to help with the progress in the beginning. The quest to protect Sigma too.

“You mean the guy who uses weird-colored thread.”

“…Weird-colored? It’s pretty, though.”

“Your taste is terrible.”

“N, no, it’s not that bad!”

Sigma looked at me as if wondering why I was getting so worked up. No, I dyed it hot pink thinking of giving it as a terrible gift… but still, I feel like I’m being insulted. Moreover, I was wrapped in hot pink the whole time in Drosia, was it that strange to see?

“Anyway, let’s go.”

After taking the items Yoo Hyun had handed over, I got on the motorcycle that Moon Hyunah had left behind. It’s a combat guard type, so it’s also bulky.

“Sigma, get on.”

“Do you even know how to drive?”

“I rode a motorcycle when I ran away from you, remember?”

“That was a scooter.”

“This is the same thing.”

I started the motorcycle. Going back the way we came made my spine tingle. I still have some lives left, but Sigma’s is over once he dies, will he be okay?

Kwarreureung! The sky shook with a loud noise. Shattered yarn fell like snowflakes. Centaurus stood above the chains that stretched endlessly from the darkness and were driven diagonally into the ground. With a more ferocious expression than ever, every time he swung the black bow greatly, the wind raged and thunderous roars erupted.

“How long are you going to hide! Come out now!”

“Hide? Your memory is bad.”

A familiar voice answered Centaurus’s cry. The space between the completely lowered darkness began to distort and split.

“Wasn’t it you who regained system authority and imprisoned me? Thanks to that, it just took me a little longer to get out.”

The split gradually grew larger. Moving towards the mana hole, I took off the magic sensitivity suppression item I was wearing on my wrist.

“Heok……!”

“C-grade!”

Sigma grabbed me, who had lost the motorcycle due to dizziness, and jumped to the ground. The motorcycle stopped, crashing into the wall of a broken building.

“This, this is no joke……”

It felt like standing in a storm that was raging without direction. No, just the feeling alone was like being scattered here and there. The vortex of mana that Centaurus was spewing out was also enormous, but the mana coming out of the splitting gap was hard to even express.

The movement of familiar mana was also felt. And around it, endlessly complex and elaborate movements continued, so much so that I couldn’t even dare to look at it.

That’s the system.

“D, don’t you feel that?”

“It’s strong, but.”

Sigma frowned slightly and looked at the gap that had now grown almost into a circle. He’s an SS-class Awakened, but can’t he feel it properly? Even just looking at it from afar made my body feel like it was heating up. Control bracelet… damn it, did I drop it earlier? Where did it go?

Kugugeugeu─

With a heavy resonance of space, the system’s barrier that had been blocking the existence beyond the gap was finally destroyed. The aftermath blurred my vision again. I also felt nauseous. When will I be able to adapt to this? Can I even adapt?

I feel like I’m going to throw up… uh.

Suddenly, the surroundings, the flow of mana, became quiet. The hand of Sigma, who was supporting me, tightened. The blurred vision cleared again, and something that wasn’t there before came into view. The tip of a shoe.

A gloved hand was held out in front of me.

“Will you accept the last special quest?”

“…You’ve prepared enough points, right?”

“I’ve gathered them generously.”

“Seven zeros, no, eight zeros must be attached. I don’t deal with anything below that.”

I took the outstretched hand and raised my head. It was a familiar face. However, his hair was white. It had faded, but not this much. Originally, the color was… what color was it? So, it was definitely…….

“Why are you preserving your power even though you forced your way through the system!”

A fierce growl erupted from above the sky. Sung Hyunjae turned his head and looked at Centaurus.

“It’s the result of a simple contract.”

A contract appeared in the air. Sung Hyunjae let go of my hand and spun the contract around, pointing to a part.

“The white tail will take minimal responsibility for its subordinate. This part, can you see it? And that poor monster who suffered is my subordinate who contracted with me. Even though he was tragically murdered, if I don’t avenge him, it would be a breach of contract.”

It would be troublesome if that happened, he said, raising the corners of his lips in a smile.

“So I will fulfill the contract.”

The contract disappeared, and light appeared on Sung Hyunjae’s hand. A pure white spear stretched out long, and Centaurus stomped his hooves, trampling the sky.

The launched spear and the silver chain collided, and the world was dyed white.