The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 273

271. Changeling (1)

“Kuh… Ugh…”

Unlike the welcoming beeping, my condition was rapidly deteriorating. My entire body felt like it was melting, beyond just being hot. My vision blurred, and my ears were ringing. I felt nauseous and was on the verge of vomiting. Someone seemed to be holding me up to prevent me from falling, but I could barely feel their touch.

Eun-hye’s appearance meant my stats had returned to F-grade. As my stats dropped, the surrounding mana felt even more vivid than when it was C-grade—almost violently so.

It wasn’t just the external mana. My equipment and skills were stimulating every nerve in my body. My mind was flooded with a massive influx of information, turning it blank white. I couldn’t endure it any longer, and my consciousness began to fade.

– Beep! Beeep!

Blue frantically beeped and circled around me, seemingly panicked. Seong Hyeon-jae supported my limp body. He could easily tell I had a fever without even touching my bare skin. My F-grade body couldn’t handle the senses forcibly activated by the mana imprint.

“Is there any record of giving special imprints, other than for increasing mana, to someone with F-grade stats?”

Seong Hyeon-jae asked, and Sigma searched his memories to answer.

“We haven’t done anything other than basic mana imprints, even for E and D-grades. At least, not in Solemness [a specific organization or faction]. Even if they have special skills, it’s hard for lower-stat individuals to participate in combat. Medes [another organization or faction] might be different, as non-combat skills are used in various ways, but even then, they wouldn’t waste resources on special imprints for low-grade guards.”

“You said there wouldn’t be any significant side effects, though.”

Seong Hyeon-jae had watched Han Yu-jin receive the mana imprint and had heard the detailed explanation. However, that was based on C-grade body records, and no one had survived receiving this much mana imprint. Han Yu-jin had given up one life to receive it.

Seong Hyeon-jae subtly manipulated the White Tail’s barrier skill to completely block external mana from Han Yu-jin. He also made the barrier skill itself as simple as possible.

“…Cough, Keuk.”

Han Yu-jin’s blocked breath burst out, and he barely opened his eyes, though they were still unfocused and blurry. Seong Hyeon-jae looked at Sigma again.

“If you have any painkillers that don’t react to poison resistance or any items that can dull the senses, give them to me.”

“Do we have anything like that…”

Sigma trailed off and took out a bottle of alcohol from his inventory. Moon Hyun-ah had forced it on him, saying, ‘You might end up taking your inventory items with you, so just take one bottle!’ It was Medes-produced wine that could intoxicate regardless of resistance or stats. Sigma handed the potent wine, chosen according to Moon Hyun-ah’s taste, to Seong Hyeon-jae.

Han Yu-jin took more than a glass of wine and coughed violently again.

“Ma, mana too…”

Sigma took the mana potion that Han Yu-jin barely managed to pull out of his inventory and opened it for him. The strong alcohol dulled his senses, but Han Yu-jin’s complexion was still pale. His head was also spinning.

“No, why… Ugh… How do S-grades… handle this?”

They say you get used to it. Seong Hyeon-jae helped Han Yu-jin stand, ignoring his complaint-filled grumbling.

“It seems Han Yu-jin is a special case.”

“…Huh? Ugh, why?”

“Usually, the weaker you are, the more sensitive you are to external senses. But Awakened Ones with low stats also have a lower sense of mana, befitting their stats.”

So, simply put, S-grades can move mana much more sensitively and delicately than F-grades.

“The environment itself would feel different. It’s like comparing a butterfly fluttering in a gentle breeze to a dragon battling a typhoon. What would happen if you suddenly threw a butterfly into a typhoon?”

“…It would be torn to pieces.”

“It’s probably something similar. Fortunately, Han Yu-jin hasn’t been torn to pieces, but even the slightest breeze, which a dragon wouldn’t even feel, would strike him powerfully.”

Han Yu-jin blinked and frowned. It was an unforeseen side effect. Because his stats were low, he was more sensitive to mana than even S-grades. Seong Hyeon-jae lightly pressed the back of Han Yu-jin’s neck.

“I’ll temporarily paralyze the mana imprint. When you get out, ask Hunter Yoo Myung-woo for a mana sensitivity suppression item.”

“Why didn’t you do that from the start? This alcohol… is too strong, ugh.”

“It could be dangerous to touch it with your senses intact.” Seong Hyeon-jae, urging him to drink more to numb his senses, suddenly looked up at the sky. The rain was subsiding.

This dungeon, this world, hadn’t completely collapsed yet, but external interference was already beginning. Han Yu-jin’s stats had also returned to normal. The power of the White Tail [referring to the dungeon boss or a powerful entity within the dungeon], this world’s filial piety addict, was also weakening.

“We should say our goodbyes.”

“Goodbyes… Are you talking about Sigma?”

Han Yu-jin looked at Sigma. His face was flushed with intoxication, and he frowned slightly before rummaging through his inventory.

“It might be hard to replenish mana in the new place, so… Is your inventory spacious enough?”

All the mana potions in Han Yu-jin’s inventory were taken out. Small items were added as well. Weapons and equipment too, since they would disappear once he left.

“Tell Hyun-ah…”

“That I’ll be a little late.”

Sigma said, picking up the mana potions.

“See you again, C-grade.”

His attitude was light and calm, as if he were just going on a short trip not far away. He wasn’t pretending to be nonchalant. Han Yu-jin smiled. He wouldn’t be that kind of person.

“Yeah. I’ll tell her. Bring back a souvenir.”

A gap opened with a rumble. Sigma turned around. His figure soon disappeared beyond the gap. Han Yu-jin slowly blinked, watching the closing gap.

“…You really don’t know where he went?”

“I can’t know the location or even the time period. He is originally a being belonging to the past.”

“It’s impossible, but still.”

Han Yu-jin said in a slightly dazed, low voice.

“I don’t want to say goodbye anymore. I’ve already done it so much… Too much.”

“Aren’t there many people who won’t leave Han Yu-jin’s side? Especially your brother, who will stay by your side no matter what.”

“…Yes. Yes.”

Han Yu-jin clenched his fist, as if he had thought of something. He looked around with clearer eyes and then made a troubled expression.

“The portal made by the newbie must have disappeared, of course. I need to log you out to get out, but…”

Only this area was barely maintaining its form; everything around was blurry. Han Yu-jin shook his head, recalling everything that had disappeared.

“Let’s get ready to leave.”

“It might be dangerous, so let me finish dealing with it first. Starting with the mana imprint, it will hurt a little.”

Powerful mana was injected along the mana imprint. The pain was only a tingling sensation, but Han Yu-jin’s body lost strength and collapsed to the floor.

“This, my senses… I can’t see well.”

“It will come back soon.”

“…I can’t hear well either.”

– Bleep!

Eun-hye, who had landed on Han Yu-jin’s shoulder, hopped around anxiously. Then, as if thinking of something, he fluttered his wings and flew towards the fading mana hole. The small bluebird jumped into the blue light. Seong Hyeon-jae watched it before turning around.

His heavy footsteps headed towards the fallen sixth piece of Crescent Moon [a significant artifact or entity]. Hearing the footsteps, the centaur stirred. He couldn’t lift his head because of the spear piercing his neck, so he only rolled his eyes.

“You…”

The centaur said, grinding his teeth.

“As I thought, it’s strange. The Dellowes [referring to White Tail] you entered… was originally an ordinary cat. It accidentally devoured a baby dragon and became a semi-dragon, devouring all the dragons in its world and gaining great power, but its essence is a beast.”

Even though they were both Transcendents [beings of higher power], compared to races with inherently high intelligence and abilities, they were relatively inferior.

“Its combat power was outstanding, but there’s no way that beast’s power could have temporarily seized system authority! Besides… about Crescent Moon, there’s no way it would know. Knowing it in such detail…”

“It’s not the White Tail.”

His golden eyes narrowed. Seong Hyeon-jae’s foot rested on the centaur’s head.

“As you guessed.”

Helping with the system seizure and telling him about Crescent Moon.

It was a white bird. But there was no reason to tell him, and it was impossible to even utter it. That was the contract.

Strength slowly entered the tip of his foot. Not just simple physical force, but also heavy mana gathered.

“Wait!”

“Are you still attached to your fake life?”

“Which number are you!”

“The first.”

“What?”

“Always the first.”

The blood-stained mouth twitched as if he was dumbfounded, and the drooping horse’s body stirred. The sixth piece shouted, gritting his teeth.

“How long do you think a human can last as a human! You’ll wear down and eventually scatter!”

The sixth piece, who had a duty to manage the small moon as a scout, spoke with even pity mixed in.

“Unlike the other possessed ones, I couldn’t recognize you at all! Considering the difference in status with the White Tail, you’re perfectly handling that body. In the end, it’s that faded!”

How many times had he refused and endured? Even Crescent Moon was said to be asleep. What had happened?

“…It might be the last time. This time!”

“Maybe.”

After checking on Han Yu-jin, Seong Hyeon-jae put more strength into his foot. With a cracking, breaking sound, the centaur’s head, followed by his body, scattered like a mirage. The blurry surroundings now began to shake violently. Seong Hyeon-jae quickly returned to Han Yu-jin.

– Bleep!

“Eun-hye, what did you do?”

Han Yu-jin, who had already gotten up, looked down at the bluebird sitting on the back of his hand. The power of the mana hole was faintly flowing out of the beeping bird. It gently soothed Han Yu-jin’s overworked senses. His vision, hearing, and other senses returned to normal.

“Han Yu-jin.”

“Yes.”

Without needing a long explanation, Han Yu-jin took out the white gun. For some reason, it hadn’t turned into the dagger he had first received from the newbie but remained in the form of a gun. The muzzle was aimed at Seong Hyeon-jae’s head.

“This feels strange. Let’s go out and talk.”

“Let’s.”

Clenching his teeth, Han Yu-jin pulled the trigger. The light spreading from the muzzle enveloped Seong Hyeon-jae’s head. Fortunately, there was no unsightly scene. Like the centaur, Seong Hyeon-jae’s, the White Tail’s body, also quietly scattered.

Once again, the world shook greatly, and what had been lurking outside reached out.

As if waiting, it devoured the dungeon and swallowed the message that should have reached Han Yu-jin without a trace.

“…This is an experience I won’t have twice, really.”

– Beeep

I blew that human’s head off with my own hands. It disappeared cleanly without a single drop of blood or trace of injury, so I didn’t really feel like I had killed Seong Hyeon-jae, but it still felt disgusting. After putting the gun in my inventory, I rubbed my hands roughly on my clothes. Now, I just need to get out. Not much time has passed, right? I can’t let the kids worry unnecessarily. I quickly opened the quest window.

[Log out your party members.

Let’s send all party members out of the dungeon through portals or direct logouts.

Reward: Han Yu-jin’s dungeon escape]

“…Huh?”

The quest remained unchanged. I couldn’t claim the reward. What the heck is this? I touched various parts of the quest window in a panic, but there was still no response.

“Everyone’s out, right? Hey! Newbie!”

There was no answer. It was just quiet. Even though my L-grade fear resistance had returned, my spine felt chilled.

“Newbie! Volleyball!”

The meaningless shouts scattered into the air. …Are you kidding me, doing this at the last moment? As the inside of my mouth dried up, fog spread to my feet. Fog that I didn’t know where it came from was getting thicker and thicker. At the same time as it enveloped my body.

Pajijik!

Something repelled the fog. It was none other than the power given by the oldest spirit. That means, could it be.

‘…King of the Harmless [a title or entity].’

…Damn it, crazy, Newbie. I’m alone. No, even if there were other people, it would have been difficult to face the jellyfish bastard. It’s rather fortunate that I’m left alone… No, it’s not! Really!

First, I used Eun-hye. I racked my brain in the thickening fog, but no suitable answer came out. What am I supposed to do, really? Should I just stall for time by rolling my tongue until the newbie helps me?

…I was also saddened by the fact that I had no choice but to wait for the help of the newbie, the unfilial bastards. I’ll grind my teeth for a moment.

“Hello.”

With a joyful voice and.

[Dad.]

Another, unfamiliar voice was heard.