The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 394

392. A Christmas Carol (6)

“I’m telling you now, I don’t plan on taking it easy on you. You still don’t think I’m a monster, do you?”

And more than anything.

“Hurting someone you’ve talked to is something a kid shouldn’t do.”

“I’m a Hunter. I can fight.”

“Whether you’re an Awakened or not, a kid is a kid. It’s not much better even if you’re an adult.”

It’s different from monsters. No, even if they’re monsters that can’t communicate, it’s usually hard to hurt them if you’ve had an exchange of emotions. If you’ve shared emotions, especially positive ones, it means that a part of your heart is contained within that person.

If you hurt someone you’ve given your heart to, it’s natural that the heart you gave them will also be hurt.

“Do you have a Gate Stone?”

“No, those are super rare.”

“They’re rare, but they’ve become quite common now. Can I give you one that I have?”

Park Yerim opened her inventory and frowned.

“There’s nothing but basic equipment. I guess monsters don’t use potions or items… I’m starting to realize more and more that there’s definitely something wrong with me.”

While looking at Park Yerim, who was troubled about what to do, Dang Ye exclaimed, “Ah!”

“Uncle has a good method!”

“Huh?”

“I don’t know if it’ll work, but Volleyball!”

Dang Ye shouted loudly into the air.

“You’re watching, right? I know you’re watching! This dungeon is very strange. Uncle will definitely get angry again, so please help me!”

“What are you doing?”

“There’s a volleyball that manages the system. If Uncle finds out that I had to hurt myself, he’ll be sad! He’ll also be very angry, and he’ll never let it go! So please help me a little! Then I’ll speak well of you to Uncle! I’ll take your side, Volleyball!”

Let’s help each other~~ Dang Ye’s voice rang out crisply into the sunset sky. But just when I thought there would be no reaction.

[Special Capture Quest!]

A system message window appeared. Dang Ye quickly checked the message window.

[★Fair and Square Match☆

If the area boss monster declares defeat, the area will be automatically captured! Any kind of bet is OK!

※ However, the boss monster’s consent is required. If the quest is accepted, capture is impossible if the boss monster’s declaration of defeat is not obtained.]

“Look at this! Any bet is fine.”

According to the system message, it meant that they could simply play rock-paper-scissors. The same message window appeared in front of Park Yerim. Park Yerim looked into the message window with curiosity.

“So a volleyball really manages the dungeon? I’ve heard predictions that there would be an administrator because the Awakened status window is similar to a game system, but there really is one.”

“It looks like a volleyball, but there are other people besides the volleyball.”

“What on earth are these people doing, and why did they suddenly create something like this?”

“Oh, that’s……”

Dang Ye tilted her head. It was a question she hadn’t thought deeply about yet, swept away by the power she had gained not long ago and the various events that followed.

“We have to stop the dungeons from exploding to save the world, and I think it was to help with that. But I don’t know why the dungeons were created.”

“If they can manage dungeons and Awakeners, why can’t they just get rid of the dungeons themselves?”

“That, I don’t know?”

How did the world end up like this? What are the identities of the volleyball and the mermaid queen? She had even been to a dungeon based on another world that had been destroyed in the past, but Dang Ye and Park Yerim didn’t know much.

“The people who manage the dungeons said they can’t come in here directly. So they said we just need to stop the dungeons. The people outside our world were incredibly strong.”

Dang Ye recalled the being that had appeared, splitting the sky, right after the fifth disc was installed. It was a terrifying sense of oppression. She couldn’t move at all. It felt like she could never win. Even though her grade was higher back then. Dang Ye’s shoulders drooped slightly.

“Ugh, I had forgotten about it, but I’m losing confidence again.”

“Are they that strong?”

“Yeah. But they also said that those people have lived for a very long time. So it’s natural that they’re stronger than me. I wonder if I can ever become that strong? If I become that strong, will I not be able to live in our world? When I think about it, there’s so much I don’t know.”

“That’s not true. Most people don’t even know about the existence of dungeon managers. A volleyball, that’s really unexpected.”

Park Yerim pressed the accept button on the system message window with her finger.

“Okay, I accepted.”

“Then what should we do?”

“What are you asking? It’s obvious.”

A spear appeared at Park Yerim’s fingertip, spinning around. Dang Ye also took out a magic staff instead of a bow.

“Let’s fight!”

They shouted without either one going first.

A transparent hemispherical barrier was set up quite widely, centered around the Water Splash Guild building. Park Yerim told them to return to the guild for now and not to worry about any noise they heard, then found a suitable place.

“It’s a shame that Dongmyo Park’s location is ambiguous.”

Other than that, it was all packed with buildings. The two people, who had moved to a place that was a suitable distance from the guild and wouldn’t get caught in the barrier while fighting, stood facing each other.

“Even though my Hunter career is much shorter, I’m an S-Class, so I won’t be easy to deal with!”

“Are you really an S-Class? I feel like there’s not much difference between us.”

“That’s right. But it seems like that to me too… Is an A-Class here about the same as an S-Class?”

Even if Park Yerim was an excellent A-Class, she should be behind an S-Class in many ways. Anyway, if it was an opponent to properly fight against, not just a regular monster, it was more welcome to be strengthened to S-Class. Park Yerim equipped her gear. Dang Ye also finished equipping her shawl, bracelets, and other equipment.

“Oh? Isn’t that the Wave Magos Shawl? It looks the same, but the color is different.”

“You know it?”

“It was put up for auction a while ago. I wanted to buy it, but I didn’t have enough money back then, so I just had to look at it.”

“I didn’t buy it with money either. Actually, Uncle swiped it.”

“Really?”

“There’s also a spear that’s being upgraded right now. SS-Class expected!”

“That’s great!”

Park Yerim honestly exclaimed, like a child.

“It’s hard for even S-Class Hunters to get SS-Class weapons right now.”

“I’m living so well like this.”

The two giggled and widened the distance. Their attributes were similar. The skills they possessed were also similar. A brief silence separated the two, and Dang Ye used a skill first. Shadowless Day. The effect of the wide-area skill spread out in an instant. Then, ice shards floated in the air and were shot at Park Yerim’s shadow.

The speed reduction effect of Shadowless Day was different from freezing. So it would work even on Park Yerim, who had cold resistance.

However, Park Yerim used teleportation to avoid the attack. Pow pow pow! The ice shards were embedded in the floor, and this time Park Yerim released cold air. Sharp ice spears appeared around Park Yerim. Even if she had cold resistance, a solid ice spear was a weapon with physical power in itself. The attack of the spear tip piercing was threatening enough, even if it didn’t freeze.

Swaeak! The ice spear cut through the air, and Dang Ye also used teleportation skills. But as before, Park Yerim immediately chased after her and thrust the spear she was holding.

“How, how!”

Dang Ye, who jumped back while avoiding the spear, widened her eyes.

“Huh?!”

Before she knew it, the ground beneath Dang Ye’s feet was covered in ice. It was also ice that was as smooth as a mirror, but with a slightly melted surface. She had cold resistance, but not slip resistance. Moreover, due to the instability of the action of jumping backwards, Dang Ye’s feet slipped greatly.

“Ugh, wait!”

“You didn’t learn martial arts properly, did you?”

While Dang Ye was losing her balance, Park Yerim quickly approached and aimed the spear tip. The spear blade lightly touched the nape of Dang Ye’s neck, who was awkwardly standing without falling. Dang Ye’s cheeks flushed slightly.

“No, I did learn it, but.”

“You probably learned it half-heartedly, relying only on teleportation and flight.”

“If I had a flight skill, I wouldn’t get caught in this kind of trap!”

Since the surroundings were covered with a barrier, she decided not to use flight skills that would easily escape outside the area. Park Yerim clicked her tongue at Dang Ye’s excuse.

“It’s a common mistake that rookie ranged Hunters make. But there can be plenty of situations where you can’t use skills.”

“I, I know that……. I’m going to learn it properly now!”

“Okay. Do you happen to have a close relationship with Chief Song Taewon?”

“Yeah.”

“Then ask him once. If you’re fifteen years old, you’re still… Anyway, he’s the best among domestic Hunters. There’s also Breaker, so he definitely knows Hyunah unnie [older sister/female friend], right? Hyunah unnie is also good, but she’s mainly focused on Gyeongchang, so she probably uses a short spear like me. Park Bora unnie from the Water Splash Guild is good at using spears.”

“Oh… I know both of them. I’m close to Hyunah unnie, and the Water Splash Guild merged with the Woods Guild.”

“They merged? Then my guild is─ Ah, it was said to be affiliated with Haeyeon.”

“Let’s start again,” Park Yerim said, withdrawing her spear. Dang Ye tapped the ground with the heels of her shoes.

“I was suddenly flustered by this. It’s going to be hard to avoid this.”

“You try it too.”

Dang Ye nodded and readjusted her spear. Park Yerim stepped on the ground strongly and ran towards Dang Ye. Taking a defensive stance by holding the spear horizontally, Dang Ye quickly froze the ground beneath Park Yerim’s feet. Just like before, she slightly melted the smooth surface to make it as slippery as possible.

The ground beneath Park Yerim’s feet slipped. But unlike Dang Ye, Park Yerim didn’t try to stand firm. She slid down as she was, lowering her body sharply. Dang Ye was horrified by the spear blade that pierced towards her ankles from a much lower position than expected and used teleportation.

“What!”

“You can slide like this too!”

Park Yerim froze the ground beneath her feet. She cleverly reduced the cold resistance only on the soles of her shoes, freezing them firmly to the ground. Then, her body, which had been sliding, stopped in an instant. With the sound of ice breaking, Park Yerim kicked out fiercely towards Dang Ye, who had dodged to the side.

Clang!

The spear blade struck down as if to break the spear shaft.

“You can stop by freezing it!”

“By removing the cold resistance only from the soles of your feet?”

“Our magic control abilities are amazing!”

“Yeah!”

“And Sigh!”

The fog that surrounded the two became thicker. Park Yerim closed her eyes.

“Practice with your eyes covered. If possible, cover your ears too.”

Thud, clang! Even with her eyes closed, Park Yerim’s movements were unhindered. She accurately aimed at Dang Ye and thrust her spear.

“Are you feeling it with the Sigh of Mist? Ah, I’ve tried it before too! Uncle taught me, but you’re so accurate, you!”

“You have to practice!”

Whoosh, Park Yerim stopped, swirling her spear in a circle. Small ice beads appeared around her. Dang Ye raised her spear as if preparing for an attack. The ice beads that Park Yerim created flew towards Dang Ye. They weren’t sharp, just round beads. She was puzzled as to why she was sending beads that wouldn’t have much impact even if they hit her body.

Pajik!

The ice beads burst before touching Dang Ye’s body. And.

“Ah! It stings!”

Electricity sparked. Dozens of beads burst simultaneously, pouring out sparkling electricity that paralyzed her body. Dang Ye screamed and dodged.

“You used it earlier too, what is it? Did you get other attribute skills too?”

“No, it’s an item!”

Park Yerim ran towards Dang Ye. This time, she made the ground beneath her feet slippery herself, lowering her body sharply right in front of Dang Ye. But Dang Ye wasn’t fooled by the same trick twice. She immediately slammed her spear vertically into the ground, blocking Park Yerim’s attack. Park Yerim used her spear, which was blocked by Dang Ye’s spear, to maintain her balance and slid around on the ground. Dang Ye hopped, having been severely hit in the ankle by a smoothly flying kick.

“Martial arts!”

“I know!”

“The ice I make with my magic is good for containing multiple attributes. I recommend electricity and poison. These two are the most efficient. Both are attribute powers that need to be concentrated to become strong, but if you trap them inside ice and send them to the enemy, the power doesn’t scatter, so even relatively weak attribute powers created with items have a good effect.”

“Ugh, I know.”

Dang Ye nodded and jumped onto the sidewalk.

“This time, I’ll show you properly too!”

I’m strong enough too! At Dang Ye’s gesture, Kwaaaa! Water gushed up from the floor. Not only that, but water burst out from inside the surrounding buildings and from other roads around. Dang Ye smiled confidently at Park Yerim’s surprised expression.

“I’m the strongest when there’s water!”

“Really, this is no joke.”

Park Yerim pulled up her magic power with a slight tension. The amount of water that had risen, as if trying to draw out all the water in the surrounding capital, continued to increase. That enormous amount of water crashed down on Park Yerim like a wave. Park Yerim froze the oncoming water, emitting cold air.

Jjeojeojeok, the water froze, creating an ice wall. But that was only for a moment, and the ice wall began to crack from the continuous pounding of the water.

“How much can you draw out?!”

“I swept away the entire large airport! It seemed bigger than Gimpo Airport.”

At those words, Park Yerim made a disgusted expression. Honestly, she had underestimated the younger version of herself. She thought that if their stats were similar, she could easily suppress her with experience, and it actually wasn’t difficult. But this is.

“Honestly, you’re amazing! You are. Sincerely!”

Kwajangchang! Park Yerim laughed as she watched the ice wall finally break. A wave that could swallow an average building whole was approaching her.

“That amazing me is you!”

The wave scattered with a whoosh. Rain poured down on the heads of the two people.