The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 379

377. Owner of the Domain (6)

A massive battle-axe whistled through the air, swinging mightily towards the Undead. *Thwack!* With a heavy sound, the Undead exploded.

‘He uses it like that.’

Normally, an axe is used with its blade to attack. But Noah was swinging the axe with its flat side, like a large iron club. A simple blunt weapon might only knock off a part of the body, allowing it to continue moving, but the zombies that were smashed by the broad side of the axe blade couldn’t easily get back up.

Noah’s body lightly soared into the air. He gripped the axe handle with both hands, aiming the wide side again, and dropped straight down towards the Undead.

*Bang!*

Adding to the force of the fall, the zombie was flattened as if crushed by a giant press.

– Kroooo!

Another dead Hunter lunged at Noah. The corpses rushed in from both sides, emitting unintelligible noises. The axe handle in Noah’s hands smoothly shifted to his left hand only, and a flanged mace appeared in his empty right hand.

*Whirr*, the double-edged axe spun half a turn and embedded itself right in front of the leaping zombie. Normally, a high-level Hunter would easily jump over such an obstacle. But the Undead, with its diminished perception, tripped and offered its leg to the angled blade.

At the same time, the mace’s hard head collided roughly with the zombie’s head on the opposite side. *Thwack.*

“Noah is really used to this.”

It was common, but he really wasn’t a novice at taking down zombies. I had been worried about the Undead transformation of high-level Hunters, but he said it was similar to the monsters in S-Rank Undead Dungeons.

“Don’t overdo it! You can’t use your skills, can you?”

“It’s okay.”

Noah cheerfully smiled, sending a zombie flying with a thud.

“I don’t have any attack skills in the first place!”

That’s true, but still.

“I’ve been to Undead Dungeons a lot even before getting the title.”

Besides, he could use support and healing skills directly on himself. Turning into a dragon was impossible because of the significant physical change.

“High-level Undead basically carry poison, so the Haeyeon Guild Leader should be careful. They’re slow compared to their stats, but try not to let them get close. By the way.”

The corpse that had been smashed to pieces about ten minutes ago was getting up again. Noah’s brow furrowed slightly.

“The regeneration speed is fast. Regenerating Undead are common in S-Rank Dungeons, but they’re not usually this fast unless they’re amorphous like slimes.”

Clearly, there would be no end to it at this rate.

‘Could the military have been aiming for this when they kidnapped me?’

If you told an S-Rank Hunter, ‘Hey, you, become a zombie,’ they would risk their lives to defect from China, no matter how loyal they were. The same goes for A and B-Rank Hunters. But if they lured in Korean Hunters, they could obtain high-quality corpses with little resistance.

Hunters who are slightly weaker than when they were alive, but constantly revive and never betray.

‘Hwangrim seemed to know, but Chohwawoon really didn’t know, huh.’

He seemed to know about the skill nullification. But the Hunters here were under Chohwawoon’s management. He probably had no idea that his own people would be turned into Undead. …Or maybe he knew but thought that mid-level Hunters were no different whether they were corpses or not. If it’s that guy’s personality, hmm.

Yuhyun carefully held me and jumped onto the wreckage. Unlike usual, my brother was not holding a sword. It was one of the items I had picked up, a ranged weapon with large blades attached to both ends of a sturdy string made from monster tendons.

It’s never easy to wield a weapon attached to the end of a string. It wasn’t a style of weapon that Yuhyun used. But thanks to his experience with flexible swords, he skillfully cut down zombies with the bladed string using only one hand while holding me in the other.

Unlike Noah’s axe, the blades were thrown, targeting only the legs due to their weaker destructive power. The ankles of the zombies that were rapidly approaching were cleanly severed. Yuhyun’s wrist twisted, pulling the string, and the retrieved blade spun wildly above our heads before cutting through the air again.

The zombies, having lost both feet in an instant, collapsed. But those wounds would soon regenerate.

‘…I can’t even use skills, so I’m just a hindrance.’

I forcibly swallowed the words, ‘Aren’t I being a burden?’ that rose to my throat. Yuhyun and Noah would say no, of course. Nevertheless, my heart felt heavy. Has the effect weakened a bit? I want to chew another cigarette.

“If we push them away with fire, they won’t be able to regenerate. Still not working?”

Yuhyun nodded, knocking away an Undead’s head.

“It’s hard to control, and you might get hurt, hyung [older brother/term of endearment for a close male friend].”

“I guess we have no choice but to run away. You said the helipad is closer to the land, right?”

“Yes! It’s better to go that way.”

Undead might not be able to swim, but you never know. Besides, something else might appear.

‘A First-Class Demon.’

I had never seen or heard of one. Even before the regression, First-Class Demons never appeared. There weren’t any demons at all. Except for that one time.

‘Yuyun had transformed once.’

Into a Demon King. I opened the skill window to check. Yuyun (S). It’s still the same. Besides, the nameless Demon King back then was said to have been completely annihilated, down to the last fragment.

So it shouldn’t be Yuyun, but I couldn’t think of any First-Class Demon that would suddenly pop up now. Yuyun did absorb that waterwheel thing… Could it have been separated? Damn it, I hope he’s safe. He’s still on the taming list, so he must be alive.

“If Hwangrim is telling the truth, an SS-Rank monster might appear. A high-level one, too.”

Then there was no choice but to run. It was fortunate that we weren’t inside a dungeon. It’s China, so the military can control things and cause this mess.

“It seems like the First-Class Demon’s skill is creating the Undead right now, but since it’s not appearing directly, there must be some restrictions. So, the priority is to get to a place where we can at least use skills─”

*Kwarururung─!*

A terrifying sound echoed. Light soared high into the sky, cutting through the darkness. The flash, spreading like the roots of an overturned old tree, disappeared in an instant, and the smell of burning drifted over here.

Before we could even be taken aback, another loud boom erupted in succession. What are they doing!

“That, that doesn’t seem normal!”

Yuhyun agreed with my words.

“There’s too much waste.”

“It’s not the Seseong Guild Leader’s style.”

Noah also added a word. Could a First-Class Demon have appeared there?

“Let’s go quickly!”

“It’s dangerous, hyung.”

“I’ll go ahead.”

He didn’t have elemental resistance, but he was S-Rank and could use healing skills, so he could handle the spreading electricity, Noah said, and ran forward. Yuhyun also followed Noah, keeping a safe distance while holding me. Before long, the blackened, burnt ground came into view. Here and there, charred corpses stirred, trying to regenerate.

In the middle of it all stood Seong Hyunjae. Even at a glance, he looked displeased. *Damn it, that guy is annoyed.* Well, he wouldn’t like the situation where he can’t properly control his magic. The chains of the Seeker were scattered at Seong Hyunjae’s feet.

– Grrr.

An Undead with its lower body burned away raised itself up on its arms. Beyond it, there were also intact zombies. Seong Hyunjae coldly extended his fingertips towards the monsterized Hunters. Electricity sparked.

*Kwagwagwagwa─!*

A storm of lightning swept across the ground, stretching out. Normally, it would have struck the Undead in a straight line. But now, the light was raging wildly like an unbridled wild horse. It dug into the ground, then leaped into the sky, zigzagging erratically.

Power far from refined burned the zombies. The target was cleanly dealt with, but Seong Hyunjae’s expression didn’t seem satisfied at all. A chill ran down my spine at his coldly subdued gaze.

Was it annoyance at the opponent distorting his magic? Or was it displeasure at not being able to properly wield his own power due to such interference?

“Seong Hyunjae!”

Only after shouting did his golden eyes turn towards us. I deliberately cowered exaggeratedly.

“Why are you so fiercely annoyed! You’re scaring me to death. Honestly, I’m more annoyed, you know? I……”

I swallowed dryly and continued to shout.

“I’ve become completely useless! I can’t even protect myself!”

“Hyung,” Yuhyun grumbled. It wasn’t wrong.

“Even a little bit of your static electricity hurts me to death, so calm down!”

Seong Hyunjae curved his eyes. His expressionless face relaxed a little.

“Sorry. It feels like being tangled in a spiderweb. It’s more annoying to have something interfering halfway.”

“That’s true. Do you happen to have something like a rowboat in your inventory?”

“I only have yarn.”

“Not yet?”

Why did you do that, Han Yujin? A basketful would have been enough.

“And the clock that Han Yujin refused, and the spatula that Han Yujin handed over.”

“Ah, I was wondering where that went!”

It was specially made from dungeon byproducts for the kids to use easily, but I lost it during Chuseok [Korean harvest festival]. Seong Hyunjae had taken it.

“And, a helicopter.”

“…Pardon?”

A helicopter in the inventory? I was about to ask if that was possible when the sound of helicopter blades reached my ears. A helicopter was flying unsteadily across the lake. If we catch that, we can escape.

“Anyone here able to fly a helicopter?”

Seong Hyunjae and Noah raised their hands. Yuhyun said he had learned, too. Everyone is amazing.

Meanwhile, the Undead horde was gathering towards us. The helipad was already in a high position, and it was flashing lights, so all the zombies on the island would flock there. First, I approached Seong Hyunjae. Seong Hyunjae’s eyes went to my legs. But he didn’t bother to bring it up. He just frowned slightly.

“Did you kill that many? There are a lot.”

Even at a glance, there were easily over hundreds. Most of the soldiers on Nosan Island seemed to have become Undead.

“No. There were also those who became Undead while still alive. It seems they had made contracts or other arrangements in advance.”

“Living people, crazy.”

What do they think human lives are? With so many people, they can just push aside a few hundred without any problem?

At that moment, the helicopter came right above us. But something was wrong with its condition.

“Song Taewon couldn’t fly a helicopter.”

What? The door of the helicopter, which was staggering and falling almost like it was crashing, opened. No, it burst open. A corpse that had smashed the helicopter door was flailing in the air. It was a zombie. The helicopter pilot had been turned into an Undead.

Then, a familiar face peeked out from inside the door.

“Chief Song!”

I waved my arm towards him.

“I heard you were on vacation!”

Instead of answering, Song Taewon grabbed the side of the helicopter and pulled himself out. He punched the still spinning helicopter blades. *Bang!* The main rotor crumpled like a paper pinwheel, and the fragments that flew off shattered the tail rotor.

The helicopter, having lost all its blades, crashed onto the approaching zombie horde. *Boom!* An explosion spread out, and Song Taewon, who had landed on the ground a step ahead, raised his foot towards the half-destroyed helicopter. One leg was firmly planted on the ground as if nailed down, and a kick with all his weight pushed the helicopter forward.

*Kugugugu─* The large military helicopter, pushed roughly, crushed and scattered the zombies like fallen leaves swept away by a broom.

Come to think of it, Chief Song mainly uses skills that are directly applied to his body. He can use Plunder on his body, not on weapons.

Song Taewon, glancing at the remaining Undead horde, turned his gaze to the pile of building debris. It was the remains of a warehouse that had been attached to the helipad. Approaching the debris, he checked the sloping stairs and raised his fist. His thick shoulders were pulled back, and Song Taewon’s body floated slightly into the air. Then, his knees bent as he was.

*Kwang!!*

The fist struck the ground. The floor cracked and began to pour down along with the building debris. It was as if a landslide had occurred. A heavy wave that even a decent Hunter below mid-level would find hard to avoid covered the Undead. Clouds of dust soared into the sky.

They won’t die even if that happens, well, they’re already dead, but anyway, they’ll crawl out again, but we can buy time. Maybe they’ll be quietly buried since they can’t see anything.

“Then everyone’s here for now, right? I’m glad Yerim didn’t come. It’s too gruesome.”

“She went into the water.”

“…What?”

“And Peace came too.”

My brother said. What? Peace?

“Into the water! Peace came too?”

“There’s no need to worry. An S-Rank Flame Mane Lion is faster than an S-Rank Hunter.”

Still! Besides, Yerim is there? In the lake? My brother said nonchalantly that she might have already come out. Yerim! Peace! I clutched my head, wondering how to find the kids, when Song Taewon approached.

“The range is estimated to be slightly larger than the lake. Since their physical abilities are intact, they can quickly get out using Vine Lotus Leaves.”

“Do you have any? Those aren’t used much even by mid-level Hunters.”

The lotus leaves, often found in lower-level dungeon ponds, are about the size of two palms and have enough buoyancy to easily support an adult male. So lower-level Hunters often used them when hunting in lakes or rivers.

But around mid-level or higher, there would be better items and support skills… Is it a budget shortage?

Anyway, since it’s a living thing and not an item, we should be able to use it. Just as I thought it was a good thing, the air vibrated with a *thrum─*.

This feels exactly like that. Phase 2.