The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 288

286. Predator (1)

“…I’m sure the skill application time was said to be 30 minutes.”

Shishio asked with a suspicious expression because we were too calm. The other Japanese Hunters also glanced around nervously. Looking at the melted earth, they seemed frightened. With the power to easily defeat five SS-Class monsters, no matter how many S-Class Hunters gathered, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

If I said it was a lie at this point, they would run away in a panic, but that would only create losses, not gains. It would be the same as revealing that my explanation of the skill was false. Then my life would become twice as tiring. There are already many who are after me, so I can’t afford to increase their numbers.

“It’s 30 minutes~ I told you everything honestly, not an inch of a lie.”

“What? Then what are you so confident about!”

“My brother.”

The guys looked dumbfounded. It was understandable since we only had one S-Class Hunter. Peace was there, but he had to protect me, so he was effectively out of combat power. On the other hand, they had Shishio, a strong S-Class Hunter, plus two more S-Class Hunters. One of them was Kagu, who fought Yerim.

Out of the five S-Class Hunters in Japan, three were here. In addition, there were six A-Class Hunters attached. They were probably support, healers, and defense types to protect them.

‘I’m reminded of Choi Seokwon and Yoon Kyungsoo.’

They also swarmed me to catch me back then. Sung Hyunjae easily crushed them thanks to Riete backing out. Now, there’s no one to back out, so it’s actually more dangerous than then. I trust Yoohyun, but I can’t help but be a little worried. In fact, Yoohyun said that Shishio wouldn’t be easy to deal with. Or rather, he said it would be annoying to capture him alive.

“Ahem! Han Yoojin. Flame resistance items are prepared, so it would be better to give up resisting unnecessarily. You care a lot about your brother, don’t you? If you surrender peacefully, I will guarantee the lives of both of you. We will announce that you and the Flame-Horned Lion were killed by an SS-Class monster, and if the Haeyeon Guild Leader makes a contract to keep the secret, we don’t have to shed blood!”

“Ummm, sorry. I’ll apologize.”

“Apologize? Then.”

“I thought you were a pig, but you were a dog. You’re so good at barking. Woof woof.”

“W, what……!”

“Now that I see it, your fur is yellowish, just like a stray dog in the neighborhood. Why didn’t I realize it sooner? Sorry.”

Huh, my eyes have been a little blurry lately. I should get glasses. I smiled brightly, thinking that you can’t spit on a smiling face, but he’s growling like a mad dog. I guess there’s no such saying in Japan. What a bleak place.

“Ha, good! I was going to take you nicely, but you insist on choosing a fight!”

Shishio got angry and took out his weapon. It was a Qinglong blade [a type of Chinese glaive] with a huge blade. Did I scratch him too much?

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

Yoohyun took a step forward. He looked back at me and smiled brightly.

“The Amateras Guild had several S-Class swords, right?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

“Can I take some?”

“Of course! You caught almost all the monsters in the first place. You can take whatever you want.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

But why suddenly… Ah, could it be.

‘That skill he used in Hong Kong.’

I didn’t see it and lost consciousness, but I was curious and asked what it was like. Is he going to use that? Even with an S-Class weapon, not an A-Class weapon like in Hong Kong.

‘…It’s over.’

Then they can’t win. Of course, not Yoohyun, but those Japanese guys.

“You impudent brat! Say your goodbyes to your brother!”

“Wow, if you only listen to the words, it sounds like a fair one-on-one duel. You came in a pack.”

“Sh, shut up! If you fall into my hands, I’ll fix that habit of yours for sure!”

“Is there no owner of this dog here? Whose dog is barking so much? He’s so big, but he must be scared.”

It was obvious that they would swarm and bark. Shishio looked like he wanted to pounce on me instead of Yoohyun. I would be grateful if he took the bait. Peace would be faster anyway, and Yoohyun could easily deal with the remaining guys in the meantime.

However, the Guild Leader was a Guild Leader, and he just gritted his teeth. The end of the Qinglong blade hit the ground with a thud, and Shishio’s skill was activated. His domain spread out in a circle.

My hands are bored. I wish I had a microphone or a megaphone.

“Ah, I have an announcement. Amateras Guild Leader Shishio, you have a good skill. Increased defense within a certain area, decreased speed and defense of enemies. Finally, a trap effect that firmly grabs the enemy’s ankles by moving the ground!”

“Y, you bastard!”

I worked hard to recall my memories. He should be grateful that I remembered a guy who couldn’t even get into the top 10 in the overall rankings.

“The skill name is, Muddy Pig Wallow, right?”

“It’s Lion’s Declaration of Territory!”

“You write Muddy Pig Wallow and read it as Lion something, something like that?”

To be honest, I don’t think that’s the real skill name. Did he just make it up himself? It feels so good to stab him every time he flails.

In the meantime, various weapons rained down around Yoohyun. In addition to A-Class swords.

‘…Isn’t that too wasteful?’

A smooth, white-glowing S-Class longsword was stuck in the ground. The dagger next to it was also S-Class. Excluding Yerim’s spear, which was custom-made, there were only fifteen S-Class weapons in Korea. Such a small dagger is not considered a practical weapon and is classified as an auxiliary, so it is not included in the fifteen, but it was still rare.

Then, a large awl-like rondel dagger [a type of stiff-bladed dagger] was placed next to the dagger. That was also S-Class. He showed it to me, asking if I wanted to have it for self-defense. I refused, saying it was a waste.

‘I want him to put the longsword back.’

No, there are many S-Class weapons. The Amateras Guild warehouse is mine. It’s okay.

The weapons stuck in the ground vibrated lightly. The Japanese Hunters, including Shishio, looked at Yoohyun, wondering what he was trying to do.

“Even if you take them all out and line them up, you only have two hands!”

With Shishio’s confident shout, the other two Japanese S-Class Hunters each gripped their weapons. Their plan was obvious. The two S-Class Hunters would drive Yoohyun into Shishio’s domain. The domain was quite large, and once he entered it, it would be advantageous.

Yoohyun, who glanced at me once, lightly moved his fingertips. Flames lightly rose, and the surrounding swords began to melt.

“W, what is he doing?”

Kagu muttered in embarrassment. The other Japanese Hunters also looked surprised. Precious high-grade weapons were melting. Including S-Class weapons. If they weren’t enemies, any Hunter would be horrified and stop him, saying he was crazy.

Han Yoohyun’s special support skill, Sword Devourer.

As the name suggests, it was a skill that devoured and melted sword-type weapons with flames. If it was a sword from his inventory, he could melt any grade.

If you only look at this, it’s a skill that’s not only useless but should never be used.

‘The grade of the weapon to which the skill is applied increases by one level.’

In other words, an A-Class weapon becomes an S-Class, and an S-Class weapon becomes an SS-Class.

Sizzle! The molten metal cooled down and then boiled again. The melted weapons wriggled around Yoohyun as if they were encircling him. They were scattering heat and light in bright red.

The red line where three S-Class weapons and six A-Class weapons were melted. It wriggled and changed shape according to the owner’s will. Some of them turned into slender longswords, and a white hand lightly gripped the sword that was so hot that ordinary people couldn’t even get close to it.

SS-Class sword. The strongest weapon in existence, with even better practical stats due to the absorbed abilities of other weapons.

Using S-Class, let alone A-Class, as disposable items was too wasteful, so it was said that he had never properly used the skill. That must be why I had never seen it in the Ranking Battles before the regression. So even then, I just looked at the skill name and skipped it. …Did Yoohyun use it? Back then, what weapon did he have? In the end, in that hand.

I bit my tongue. Let’s not think unnecessary thoughts.

Gripping the sword, Yoohyun kicked off the ground in an instant. Without dodging or retreating, he went straight into Shishio’s skill range.

“Is he crazy?!”

One of them shouted. They were planning to forcibly drag him in, but they looked surprised that he would come in on his own. Shishio was also flustered, but he quickly took a fighting stance, claiming to be the strongest in Japan. The ground shook. He was planning to grab Yoohyun’s ankles.

“Blue Willow Leaf.”

Would he be foolish enough to fall for a skill he already knew? Leaves scattered and soon burst into flames. Stepping on the flames, Yoohyun rushed forward to Shishio in an instant. Even though he received a speed reduction, his instantaneous movements were as fast as usual thanks to the equipment. In fact, there was almost no penalty for speed in close combat.

“A guy who will fall with one hit!”

However, the defense reduction remained. Shishio swung the Qinglong blade like a windmill. It was like a round shield. If you touched it carelessly, you would be cut by the blade or hit by the handle. It was a momentum that anyone would flinch at, but Han Yoohyun stepped on the willow leaf with one foot, adding to the speed he was charging at, and greatly rotated his whole body.

Clang─!

Fragments scattered. They were fragments of the Qinglong blade. The red-hot sword added rotational force and struck down on the Qinglong blade, shattering it. There was no significant difference in strength. No, Shishio was likely to be more advantageous.

However, an S-Class weapon could not withstand the blade of an SS-Class sword, which could be said to be the best of the best.

“Keuk!”

Yoohyun broke through the fragments of the Qinglong blade, which had been shattered into pieces, and kicked Shishio’s torso as he spun his body again as if dancing. Shishio, who had lost his weapon and was momentarily defenseless, was pushed back.

“Shishio-nim [honorific suffix]!”

The two S-Class Hunters rushed towards Yoohyun, and the support and healers in the back were also trying to use their skills. But Han Yoohyun was not just watching them.

The red molten metal that remained after making the sword moved in the air. Clatter, dozens of slender needles were created, and Yoohyun quickly gathered them in his hand and threw them as they were.

“Block it!”

The defense-type Hunters who were waiting stepped forward. They were A-Class, but if they used their skills, they could block even the attacks of S-Class Hunters. Especially if it was just throwing thin needles. The two Hunters confidently raised their shields and used their skills.

“Keuek!”

“Heok!”

The flying needles pierced through the shields as they were. To be exact, they melted them. The needles were thin, but the holes that were melted and burned all around were as big as a child’s fist. The shields with the applied skills were in that shape, so of course, the people couldn’t be safe.

The defense-type Hunters collapsed, and the support and healers hiding behind them suffered the same fate.

“Die!”

Immediately after Yoohyun threw the needles, Kagu fired a sword strike. The arm wearing the equipment strongly deflected and blocked the attack that flew through the air. Kagu’s eyes widened at the sight.

“The defense power, it was definitely…….”

It should have been weakened, so his arm should have been deeply cut. I was also puzzled for a moment.

‘That dung beetle bastard!’

I recalled the explosion smoke from the dung beetle. The Thunder God’s equipment also had the effect of increasing defense power cumulatively as it received attacks. How many times did the explosion happen back then? It kept exploding every time it touched, so the equipment’s defense power accumulation must be at its maximum now.

One hour duration at maximum accumulation. The duration increases by ten minutes each time it is attacked again.

In the end, Shishio’s Muddy Pig Wallow did not have any particular effect on Yoohyun. The ground trap was covered by the willow leaves, and the speed reduction and defense power reduction were all covered by the equipment.

‘It was worth jumping in right away.’

Yoohyun charged at Kagu, who paused for a moment because his attack was not working. He used a skill that made the surrounding air boil, causing heat haze, but it would not work on Yoohyun. Unlike with Yerim, his skin color did not change at all, and he deeply swung his sword as it was.

Kang!

Sword and sword collided, and soon, Kagu’s sword was cleanly cut off. Yoohyun’s sword slightly changed direction and slashed the opponent’s arm. The arm holding the halved sword fell to the ground with a thud.

“Euaaak!”

“Damn it, Kakuto!”

Another S-Class Hunter roared and swung his fist. The fist wearing the knuckle sharply cut through the air, but Han Yoohyun had already avoided that spot. Without even looking back at the S-Class Hunter chasing him, he moved towards Shishio, who was taking out a new spear. Flames flared up behind Yoohyun. While the S-Class Hunter reflexively retreated, Yoohyun quickly closed the distance and swung his sword at Shishio.

“That sword, Keuk! What is it!”

The spear was cut off again just as easily. Since he couldn’t block it, there was no way but to avoid it. Since he shouldn’t collide with the sword, a large weapon was rather disadvantageous. Shishio retreated and held a pair of knives in both hands.

In addition to his Hunter experience, Shishio’s movements were more skilled than expected, as he had trained in martial arts for a long time. He savagely dug into gaps like a hungry beast, then skillfully pulled his body out repeatedly. But he had no choice but to be at a disadvantage because he had to avoid the opponent’s attacks unconditionally. Especially Yoohyun.

“Keuek!”

He kept the longsword as his main weapon and changed the weapons in his other hand from time to time. It became a long spear and stabbed, or it became a flexible chain sword and slashed in unpredictable ways.

Whirly─ It turned into a red-hot wire and wrapped around Shishio’s ankle. Yoohyun grabbed the wire and jumped high. Shishio forcibly endured the pulling force and struck down on the wire with a knife, but as expected, it was his weapon that broke.

With Shishio’s ankle grabbed, Yoohyun strongly threw the longsword behind his back. Kwak! Following the sound of collision, the sound of flesh and bones being cut off was heard. It was the S-Class Hunter who was trying to attack Yoohyun through the flames. He hurriedly blocked the flying sword with his weapon, but not only the weapon but also his body was pierced through.

“Really, Keuk, it’s absurd!”

Shishio shouted as if he was dumbfounded. The sword that had pierced through the Japanese S-Class Hunter liquefied and smoothly returned to its owner’s hand, transforming back into a sword. Shishio smiled powerlessly at the cold gaze looking down at him. He had a face that he had never expected to lose.

With the blade of the sword in front, Yoohyun jumped down. He stepped on the low willow leaves as if he would touch the ground, melted the ground with flames, and thrust his sword towards Shishio. Shishio barely avoided the blade and tried to swing his knife without giving up, but.

“Ugh!”

The ankle tied with the wire did not move. The opposite end of the wire had already been buried deep in the ground. In addition to its own heat, Yoohyun’s flames made the ground dig deep, and it seemed to have been stuck in something like a rock.

The wire that was being dragged out while digging up the dirt stopped, and Shishio’s movements also lost their flow. Not missing the gap, Yoohyun’s knee directly hit the guy’s solar plexus. With a suppressed groan, the knife that was trying to counterattack was helplessly smashed by the longsword.

“Kuaaak!”

He even split the hand holding the knife all the way to the back of his hand. The sword changed direction in a circle and struck down on Shishio’s shin. Then, a spear was plunged into the other leg.

“Keueok, Keok…….”

Yoohyun strongly kicked Shishio, who was slumped on the floor. He pressed down on the guy’s Adam’s apple with his foot.

“He’s my hyung.”

“Keueu, Keuk.”

“He’s my ride.”

The foot that was stomping on his neck as if daring to covet him was given strength.

“Yoohyun, don’t kill him! He’s a precious person who has a lot of debts to repay.”

He is a precious person who will have to diligently collect items and offer them in the future. Let’s see, how should I write the contract?

– Hyung!

At that time, a small voice was heard near my neck.

“Ri─”

– Shh! Yoohyun will hear you.

Irin, who had come to me, whispered softly.

– Just listen, Hyung.

…What’s going on suddenly?