The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 307

305. It Was Your House (2)

“Are you alright?”

A voice came from behind me.

“Are *you* the one to talk!”

I shouted, glaring at Song Taewon. The presence I felt from behind was no joke. And this was just a small fraction of it leaking out. But Seong Hyeonje wasn’t pushing me away, so it seemed I could still hold on.

What should I do now? My mouth felt parched. My mind wasn’t clear, but I had a gut feeling that I had to stop these two from clashing. Think, think.

Fortunately, Song Taewon didn’t rush at me right away. He calmly looked at the gun in my hand with a composed expression. I hadn’t fully charged it because I was in a hurry, but it still had at least a B-grade attack power. It was unbelievable power coming from an F-grade weapon, so he must be wary. Even the bomb wasn’t the kind he knew. An S-grade bomb that ran on magic, not gunpowder that even F-grades could use.

…Am I going to jail? Possessing a poison dagger requires mandatory reporting, and using it outside a dungeon results in immediate arrest.

“You came in hiding your grace. It’s a pity I couldn’t give my partner trust─”

“Can you be quiet for a second! Is this the time to be saying such leisurely things!”

I was also spacing out.

Seong Hyeonje had gone through many worlds with his memories being erased. Or rather, his memories were being overwritten. All those long years and experiences were stacked up, and then thinly covered with the idea that you were born in this world and are a person of this world, before being sent into a new world.

I still don’t know how he was planted in our world. Whether it was when he was a child, when he was already an adult, or whether he was replaced with an existing Seong Hyeonje.

“…Do you remember your childhood? Dari said it was hazy. From what age are your memories clear? What do you remember doing?”

The scarf wrapped around my legs, as if to hide where Grace was. Grace’s attack nullification effect also applied to my clothes to some extent. But because the bomb was inside my clothes, the area around the bomb didn’t have the effect, and my pants were torn off as if they were cut in a circle. The bottom part fell down, and the top part became like shorts. It must look a bit funny.

“This way, even if I go crazy, I won’t be able to take it away in an instant.”

“…It would be hard to calmly untie the knot or slowly cut it off in a crazy state. It reminds me of when you tied my tie at the airport. I tied everyone there, but Seong Hyeonje wasn’t there, so I felt a bit empty.”

“It’s a shame I missed such an opportunity.”

“You probably have a lot of people tying them for you, so why would you feel regret.”

You probably have a dedicated coordinator. He’s the kind of person who suits being attended to by many people. I wonder if he’s ever been a king or emperor in another world.

“That’s true. But I’ve never tied one for you. Or a scarf, for that matter.”

“Your Majesty, I am honored.”

So, what about your childhood memories? I don’t have the confidence to catch up if Chief Song starts moving. And I can’t really use Teacher Skill [a skill that allows the user to impart knowledge or abilities] on Song Taewon or Seong Hyeonje. When I asked again, Seong Hyeonje finally gave an answer.

“I do have them, but they’re ambiguous. Right now, they feel suspiciously fake. The point where my memories are clear is, around twenty-four years old, I suppose.”

“Then it’s highly likely you were moved when you were an adult. More precisely, it seems to be the point when your physical growth ended.”

He doesn’t need childhood memories. It wouldn’t be easy to transplant a person from another world, but Crescent Moon [an organization] has many transcendents and fragments of herself. And it wasn’t just planting, but a replacement, so there must have been a special method.

“In one world, at least around 10 years, and up to 20 years or more. Each time, they were basically at least S-grade [a ranking system for power].”

He might have grown to SS-grade or even higher. No, he would have easily reached SS-grade. That had been continuously accumulating. A naturally talented S-grade who constantly repeated growth, honed himself, and experienced many worlds.

The power that had accumulated like that. Just how much would it be?

‘…Could Crescent Moon have been aiming for this?’

At first, she simply wanted Seong Hyeonje to swallow the world and become a transcendent. But he refused, and after repeating it a few times without letting go of him, she realized it.

A new method of pushing countless worlds into one human.

Seong Hyeonje, an excellent vessel, endured and endured until he was finally full and worn out, his body and soul aged and faded, and something was born.

‘It might be possible not only to block the source, but to eliminate it altogether.’

A chill ran down my spine. Crescent Moon, the cradle of countless transcendents, she wouldn’t have been obsessed with one human for a long time for no reason. If Seong Hyeonje was no different from any other transcendent, it would be more profitable to find and nurture a new transcendent candidate in that time.

But if it was an existence with the potential to completely annihilate the source.

“…Hey, Seong Hyeonje. If what’s accumulated inside you bursts out, what do you think will happen to you?”

“Well, I don’t know. But even with just what’s leaking out now, it’s becoming difficult to maintain my sanity. When it completely bursts, it will be hard to maintain myself.”

That’s right. Either way, he is human. Once what had been suppressed burst out and he accepted all that power, he would at least no longer be human. He would change into something other than the Seong Hyeonje we knew. He might become an existence close to the source above the transcendents, but he might also be reduced to a simple mass of power that had lost its reason.

Crescent Moon would have made layers of contracts with Seong Hyeonje, so she could manipulate either side to destroy the source.

The source disappearing, well, that’s good. But before that, our world would also disappear cleanly. And Seong Hyeonje too. The human standing behind me would disappear. No more cafe lattes, egg tarts, or scarves.

“Both of you, just wait for now. There’s no need to use dangerous methods unnecessarily. Seong Hyeonje, don’t risk your life so lightly, unlike you.”

“I never said I would die. I would admit it if you called it greed to not want to miss anything. The chances of success aren’t zero.”

No, you’ll fail. According to my guess, you already failed once!

Seong Hyeonje received the Plunder skill as a gift from Song Taewon. And Song Taewon died. Until now, I couldn’t understand why, but now I think I know.

He must have tried it, back then too. To alleviate Seong Hyeonje’s accumulated past with Plunder.

But Song Taewon died, and instead, he gave Plunder to Seong Hyeonje, and Seong Hyeonje went into hiding. I still don’t know the details. What is certain is that the attempt was not successful.

‘Even now, Chief Song’s skill proficiency is lower than it was then.’

If I had known this would happen, I would have pretended to be crazy and applied keywords to Chief Song and grown his skills! Even so, it would have been difficult to catch up to several years.

In any case, the probability of failure was very, very, very high.

“Is there another way?”

Song Taewon said, still tense and ready to pounce. His voice was as calm as if he were receiving a complaint. There wouldn’t have been many people who could raise their voices in front of Chief Song.

“…I’m thinking. But, the method Seong Hyeonje is trying now is really dangerous. You could get hurt, Chief Song! You could die!”

“It’s alright.”

Ah, yes. I expected you to answer that way. Says an 8-year veteran of self-abuse. Let’s love ourselves a little. At least protect our lives.

‘He lasted a few more years before the regression, so the biggest problem is me after all.’

If there hadn’t been the singularity called me, there wouldn’t have been new experiences.

“Seong Hyeonje said he would stabilize if he killed me, right?”

“Even so, it’s only a temporary measure after all. It’s something that will happen someday.”

Any time I can buy is worth it. Would the act of killing alone help? If so, maybe I could go into Seong Hyeonje’s mind and patch things up by offering my neck. The problem is whether I can handle his current state.

If I were to face what’s accumulated in his mental world, that would be the end.

“Don’t think useless thoughts and just get out.”

“I’m racking my brain, so don’t disturb me.”

“You have to return safely for your precious younger brother. You can’t let Young Master lose Han Yoojin, the only person he loves.”

“I never said I would die either. If you call it greed to not want to miss anything, you’re one to talk.”

You’re trying to persuade me with Yoohyun. I won’t risk my life even if you don’t say that. I won’t, damn it. The anxiety quickly built up, but there was no suitable method that came to mind. No, there must be one. There has to be. A way to alleviate it…….

The Seong Hyeonje before the regression received Plunder. His grade would be high, and he would be skilled in how to use it. If I could use it now, the problem is still that I have to enter the mental world.

“Han Yoojin.”

If I learn the Plunder skill with Teacher Skill and use it in reality. But it’s impossible for me to use it skillfully right away with my abilities. Time is still the problem…….

“Please step aside.”

The moment I heard that voice, my stomach warmed up. I had a feeling Song Taewon was about to move. I gave up on seeing with my eyes. The accumulated experience and the predictions that came with it. I trusted it and pulled the trigger.

Pweeet─!

What was fired from the gun was a thin arrow-like magic bullet. Myungwoo, who had examined the White Lynx gun, told me that it could change the magic-formed bullet in various ways. It was also possible to incorporate skills depending on the user’s ability, but I didn’t have a suitable skill. Instead, I could change the shape of the bullet.

I fired the arrow bullet and then, with almost no delay, slightly changed the direction and fired again. It was in the right direction.

I didn’t visually confirm Song Taewon’s movements. It would be too late if I saw and then shot. It’s a prediction.

This magic bullet, unlike the first, contained enough mana to be S-grade. If you blocked it with an S-grade sword, the weapon would be impacted. The Plunder skill weakens both the weapon and the opponent’s attack, so Song Taewon’s personality was more likely to choose evasion rather than blocking.

It’s a borrowed weapon. Yoohyun said I could use it as much as I wanted, but he’s not the kind of person to do that, and more than anything, he’s facing me right now. He wouldn’t waste the weapon’s durability on me while leaving Seong Hyeonje alone. But it’s an unfamiliar weapon’s attack to block with something like a fist. Since I don’t know what kind of effect it will have, he will most likely avoid it, and if so, it’s to the right.

Thwack! The first magic bullet hit the wall. He must have been relieved that the first one hit the wall without any effect. Then he’ll deflect the second one. The third bullet was fired in the same direction as the second. Immediately after, thud, the second magic bullet was deflected. As expected. Colliding and charging straight ahead. But the third one.

Goo Woong─!

With maximum power, it swept around the surroundings in a wide range and exploded. Seong Hyeonje supported my body, which was being pushed back by the repulsive force. I couldn’t see properly in front of me because of the spreading light.

“Last one.”

Along with Seong Hyeonje’s voice, he moved my hand holding the gun and adjusted the direction. At the same time, I pulled the trigger.

The light subsided, and the cracked and dug-up floor, like a dried-up rice paddy, came into view. It must have been made from dungeon byproducts, as it was somehow holding up without collapsing. Beyond that, Song Taewon was standing. The hem of his pants on one leg was torn long.

‘Wow, it even grazed him.’

It’s thanks to Seong Hyeonje’s help, though. Still, I felt quite thrilled that my prediction was correct. I took a deep breath and looked at Song Taewon.

“Just wait a little longer. I’ll somehow─”

“You’ve done enough.”

The answer came from behind, not from the front. I want to fire one behind me too. Did you help me just to say that? To be satisfied with what I’ve done and tell me to get lost? Song Taewon took out a wire this time. It seems he’s trying to subdue me for sure. It’s a shame it’s the one Yoohyun gave me, so the performance will be good.

“If there’s no other way, please step aside willingly.”

“Seriously, both of you shut up! No one’s going to die this time!”

Of course, I know very well that not sacrificing anything is a pipe dream. I know it to the bone. But I still hate it. It can’t be helped? Screw that. If I could have ended it with that one word, I wouldn’t have been tormented for 8 years, and I wouldn’t have been agonizing until now.

Even if I learn the Plunder skill, Chainling has to wake up to use it in reality… Chainling.

‘A monster born by transferring a fragment, a part of Seong Hyeonje, into a mana stone.’

Then, couldn’t I do the same thing again? …The problem is that I don’t know how. Still, if I could, it would be safer than cutting out Seong Hyeonje with Plunder.

“Chainling! Wake up for a moment! Or at least let’s talk!”

I slept for a few days anyway. Wake up for a moment and then go back to sleep!

“Yes, Daddy.”

A welcome voice came. A pinkish silver-haired child was standing next to me before I knew it.

“What, is that child.”

Song Taewon said, quite flustered.

“He was born.”

Seong Hyeonje quickly realized Chainling’s identity. He bent down slightly and looked down at the child who resembled him.

“Ah, don’t look! You said you’re about to burst with too much information!”

“Even if I die, I can’t miss something like this. You said it was only a small part, but it doesn’t look like it at all.”

“He can transform into other forms too? That’s not important. Chainling, can you transfer a part of Seong Hyeonje into a mana stone like you did?”

“Yes.”

Chainling stared at Seong Hyeonje and answered. Then he frowned. His wrinkled nose was cute.

“If I don’t… it seems dangerous, but even if I do, Daddy will have a hard time. It’s annoying.”

“Still, he’s the one who helped you be born, even if it was just a fingernail’s worth. Let’s help him just once.”

When I coaxed him, Chainling sighed. He shook his head as if he couldn’t help it. He looked like a child imitating adults. He is a child, though.

Anyway, I’m glad there’s a way.