The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 330

328. The Black Dragon’s Heart (3)

“Well, my health wasn’t so good, you know.”

“You were thrashing around like you were trying to die.”

“…Hyung?”

“About not being able to see, I mean, your eyes. The Elder was exaggerating. Your eyesight has recovered a lot now, hasn’t it?”

‘Lord Chaos, Elder, please!’ Thankfully, Chaos didn’t say more and crossed his arms. But Yoohyun still looked at me with suspicious eyes.

“Helping the Seseong Guild Leader, was that too much of a strain?”

“No. Of course, it wasn’t easy, but it was just overwork. Like normal overtime.”

Black eyes narrowed. Red eyes also narrowed. Since Chaos resembled Yoohyun, it felt like I had two younger brothers blaming me.

“I, I had to save people…….”

“What’s this Seseong Guild Leader guy?”

“Ah, that…….”

“He’s a human who bothers Hyung.”

“Seeing as you left him alone, he must be a Source Awakener [a person with special abilities derived from a unique origin] too.”

“Yes. But he’s going abroad soon.”

Yoohyun said as if he was getting rid of a cumbersome obstacle. I felt like I should make some excuses, but do I need to defend Seong Hyunjae? Still, I brought it up.

“He’s a helpful person. He’s kind of a business partner or collaborator with me. His personality is a bit of a problem, but his face—no, his abilities are good. And… he makes bread well too.”

Besides his looks, all I could think of was food. Is that why they say eating is what’s left? He’s also unnecessarily good at knitting.

“…Anyway, he’s a de…cent person. Not bad, right?”

When I tried to praise Seong Hyunjae, Song Hyunsil’s face flickered before my eyes. Chief Song, I’m sorry. The young Chaos looked at me with strange eyes.

“How long has it been since you met that guy?”

“Huh? About four months, I guess. Adding the fake world time.”

“Four months? But the way you talk about him… Are you too generous, or is that guy not acting like a Source Awakener should?”

“Hyung was deceived.”

Yoohyun answered unhappily for me and added.

“He likes anyone easily, too.”

“Anyone, I never did that. How many people are even around me to say that?”

“Hyung was always like that, so it can’t be helped, but be careful. They keep increasing even without me knowing. How did you get close to… that person again?”

I felt a bit wronged. It was the opposite. I’ve been suspicious of strangers approaching me for five years. …I did get tricked a few times in the meantime, so my brother’s words weren’t entirely wrong. What can I do if they pretend to be really nice and understanding? The one who’s bad is the one who poked at my weaknesses and deceived me.

“I’ve only met Chaos twice. Close? And Elder, I’m not that close to Seong Hyunjae, the Seseong Guild Leader. That guy said himself he doesn’t have any friends. I don’t think he’ll ever have one. The temporary friend thing expired a long time ago.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re calling a Source Awakener you’ve known for four months a decent person, so you must not like him at all. Were you born like that, or did raising that one make you like that?”

The young Chaos walked towards the edge of the cliff and continued.

“His foundation seems to be that of a normal human, but how can someone like that exist? A mere thirty-year-old kid.”

“How did you know I’m 30 years old? Did the newbie tell you?”

“I can tell by looking.”

Does it show? Besides that, he immediately recognized my condition, but. Well, the jellyfish also gave me a diagnosis. I suddenly became curious about the young Chaos. Even among Transcendents [beings of immense power and age], there seemed to be variety.

“Hey, judging by how the Elder treats the newbie, aren’t you quite high up? Anyway, you called other Transcendents ‘these days,’ so you must have lived much longer, Elder, right?”

“I’ve lived enough.”

Chaos’s body floated lightly into the air. His toes, which had fallen off the cliff, touched the surface of the water. *Splash*, ripples spread in a circle, and the sea receded in an instant. It was like fast-forwarding a video of the ebb tide. The full sea water drained away with a loud noise, revealing the wet bottom and the severed dragon’s body.

It didn’t seem like he was manipulating water like Yerim, but I couldn’t figure out what kind of trick he was using to create such a sight, even seeing it right in front of me. Even if we were both Transcendents, I thought I wouldn’t be able to win if I fought the young Chaos instead of the King of No Harm. Even if my stats were higher.

As I was about to follow him down, Yoohyun snatched my waist. Like willow leaves scattering and descending the stairs, we gently reached the drained land.

“I can come down by myself now.”

“Still, there’s no need to move yourself. More than anything… tell me honestly, Hyung. Isn’t this mental skill a burden on you right now?”

Yoohyun asked with eyes mixed with worry and suspicion.

“To be really honest, it would have been a burden before. When I use the skill, mana is consumed, but my mana pool is small even with item buffs. I can’t even drink mana potions in an unconscious state. But now I’m okay thanks to Eunhye.”

Unlike with Seong Hyunjae, I didn’t feel like I was lacking mana at all. I turned to Chaos as if to show off and said.

“Right? Elder.”

“If it weren’t for me and that lizard bastard.”

“Yes?”

“You’d be bedridden for a day.”

He said it like I’d only be sick for a day, but the red eyes directed at me were stern. I figured he shortened it because Yoohyun was there. That alone was enough to fluster my brother.

“Hyung……!”

“What can we do, it’s already happened. Next time, I’ll be careful as the Elder says.”

While I was soothing Yoohyun, Chaos approached the severed head of the black dragon. The dragon’s closed mouth opened, revealing sharp teeth. A growl leaked out between the huge fangs like pillars.

“Noisy.”

Chaos kicked a stone. The flying stone hit the dragon’s nose, and the opened mouth slammed shut as if hit by a hammer.

“…Is the Elder stronger than the King of No Harm?”

“I’m the strongest.”

“…Yes?”

Oh, I mean.

“Among the Transcendents? The strongest? Even more than Crescent Moon?”

“Yes.”

He answered calmly as if stating an obvious fact. I didn’t know if I could believe it. It was certain he wasn’t ordinary, but still, the strongest. I glanced at the black dragon and approached Chaos.

“Hey, Elder. Then please help us. Please. I’m confident we can survive on our own as long as the Transcendents don’t interfere unnecessarily. I don’t have the ability to pay you a satisfactory price, but I’ll do whatever you want. Think of it as taking pity on poor kids─”

“Hyung! Anything! I’d rather do it instead!”

“What? Instead of what!”

“…Both of you, shut up.”

The young Chaos frowned and said. Even though it wasn’t a scolding, but a low voice, both Yoohyun and I couldn’t move and shut our mouths. We didn’t dare to resist.

“I can’t attack unless someone attacks me first. Besides, if I interfere now, it’ll only be more of a mess.”

I didn’t expect much, but I guess it wasn’t possible. Even if he was strong, he couldn’t face all the other Transcendents alone.

“There’s no need to worry right now either.”

Chaos clicked his tongue and said.

“Once the two groups finish negotiating, neither side will be able to directly intervene in this world. They’ll do indirect tricks, but, hmm.”

With the appearance of a twelve-year-old boy, the young Chaos crossed his arms loosely with an attitude that reeked of old age and looked back at the black dragon’s head.

“First, let’s finish dealing with this guy.”

The black dragon growled lowly as if resentful. How should I persuade him? Should I start by introducing myself?

“Hello, Mr. Black Dragon. My name is Han Yoojin. This is my younger brother, Han Yoohyun.”

The needle-like, bright red pupils moved towards me. It was like molten lava seeping out between black cliffs.

“You’ve lived long enough, but wouldn’t it be better to live than to die here? My brother cherishes his weapons. He can take good care of you, and we’ll provide as much convenience as possible. Should I tell him to take you out of the inventory so you can move around? We can put wireless earphones on you and play music or audiobooks.”

I heard the sound quality is good even without wires these days.

– Better to live?!

A voice, scratched and hoarse, flowed out. The heat hit me hot.

– Are you saying it’s living to be trapped in a sword made of my body, barely maintaining consciousness?

“Uh… I have nothing to say about that. But I’d like to recommend that you prepare yourself and leave slowly, even if it’s just for a few years, rather than suddenly dying here. I’ll do my best to help you enjoy the last of your life.”

– A few years? How can I believe that. Isn’t that just saying you’re going to throw away a good weapon that can’t be obtained again?

The black dragon sneered. Certainly, what madman would try to get rid of a weapon that can grow to L-grade [highest rank] on their own? I wouldn’t believe it either. Then Yoohyun opened his mouth.

“I can promise.”

– Just with words.

“I have a skill that can melt all the swords taken out of the inventory. But the skill didn’t work because of the trait that the Ruler’s Sword doesn’t melt in flames below L-grade.”

The Sword Devourer skill description said it could melt anything regardless of grade, but the opposing trait of the Ruler’s Sword was superior. Well, the Ruler’s Sword was originally at the L-grade level, and the Sword Devourer skill grade was lower than that.

“If the Sword Devourer skill or the flames become stronger, the Ruler’s Sword can also be swallowed.”

– So, you’ll melt me then?

“If it’s to protect Hyung, I won’t hesitate to cherish even the most precious weapon.”

Yoohyun said calmly that he would melt and use it if necessary. In my heart, I was like, no matter what, don’t just melt an L-grade sword! But I kept my mouth shut.

“Even if you die here now, the sword made of your flesh will remain. Don’t you want to melt away cleanly? I would.”

“Hey! What do you mean, I would!”

“If Hyung is gone and there’s no need to live anymore, Yerim will take care of it.”

Seeing him say it as if it were natural made me feel frustrated. I guess I have to live another hundred years somehow.

The black dragon was silent for a moment. He slightly lifted his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again. The young Chaos, who was watching it, stepped forward.

“Now that I say I’ll kill you, it seems you don’t want to die.”

– That…….

“That’s right, Elder. Come to think of it, if you really wanted to die, you could have committed suicide before the Elder came. You wanted to live after all, Mr. Black Dragon.”

In response to my words, agreeing with Chaos and telling him to be honest, the black dragon growled.

– I don’t want to live trapped in a sword, but if there’s a way to escape, of course!

“What if there’s a way to get a new body?”

At Chaos’s words, the black dragon was silent again. The black eyes took on a suspicious light.

– An old man who can only make swords and destroy things.

“You’re five thousand years older than me.”

It’s a meaningless age argument. Chaos reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me.

“And this guy is the one who makes the body.”

“Yes?”

– What?

“Don’t drag Hyung into this. It’s my sword and my business.”

Yoohyun grabbed my other arm and frowned. The black dragon looked at me with a puzzled expression.

– Unlike the Source Awakener next to you, he’s an ordinary human.

“This guy is a caretaker. He’s as good as a gardener when it comes to raising things. There’s only a piece of the heart left, so it won’t be as good as the original body, but you’ll be able to roam freely, what will you do?”

Who’s the gardener again? It doesn’t seem like he’s talking about a simple job. At the young Chaos’s words, the black dragon hesitated and opened his mouth.

– Is it really possible? With just a piece of the heart?

“That guy is also there. A Source Awakener with a similar nature to you.”

“A similar nature? Yoohyun and the black dragon?”

At my question, Chaos nodded.

“Yes. He’s a Source Awakener with the nature of fire at a glance. Unlike your brother, the proportion of the source is only a little over half.”

I looked at the black dragon with a fresh perspective. The same fire Source Awakener.

“Then he’s closer to Yoohyun’s kin.”

“Hyung is much closer than that.”

“What nonsense is that? Even if they’re blood relatives, they’ll feel completely different.”

That’s right. I tilted my head and looked back at Yoohyun.

“Right now, Hyung is the same as me. Using the exact same power.”

The same power, is that why? I briefly explained the Teacher Skill to Chaos. The young Chaos made a face as if he was seeing all sorts of strange things after hearing my story.

“Anyway, your brother is a pure Source Awakener, so you can use him as a material for the body without much refinement.”

“Ma, material! No, why a perfectly fine person! Surely the Transcendents aren’t targeting Yoohyun because of that?”

The jellyfish was also interested. I hugged Yoohyun in horror, and Chaos continued his explanation, telling me not to be so dramatic.

“It’s just that it takes less work, it’s not that it’s precious in itself, so don’t worry. The power of the source is also inherent in ordinary humans. If they’re Transcendents, they’d rather refine ten thousand intelligent beings than pluck your brother. It’s easier than searching for rare Source Awakeners. Maybe a hundred ordinary Source Awakeners.”

“…Is there that much of a difference?”

“The power of the source is also reduced as you filter out impurities. Those who don’t have the ability to refine would cherish it, but those guys can’t capture Source Awakeners. Even if they catch them, they won’t be able to handle them properly.”

Still, there were those who caught Source Awakeners and made elixirs of immortality. In that respect, it was fortunate that it was a modern society. …No, even in modern times, there are many people who would go crazy if they could live long without aging. There are quite a few gruesome superstitions floating around about Awakeners.

“The fact that the black dragon’s consciousness has fully awakened is also thanks to the power of the pure Source, similar to his nature. So, if you put some fire source into the heart piece, you’ll get a decent body.”

At the young Chaos’s words asking what he thought, the black dragon blinked his eyes slowly. Then he answered.

– Okay, I accept.