The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 500

498. So, Put Them Out (5)

With an estimated SS-Class monster as their opponent, the Hunters who obtained the raid challenge rights began seeking cooperation from other S-Class Hunters. These were individuals who had never raided a dungeon with another S-Class Hunter before. There was no harm in coordinating now, especially in preparation for the future.

“You want me to assist? I’ve never taken care of someone else before!”

“I will only use some of my skills. I have no intention of revealing everything in a place with so many eyes.”

“Two S-Class equipment pieces. You have to give me at least that much. Take it or leave it.”

And most of them were creaking and groaning. Yes, that’s usually how it is. I wondered how many teams would be able to cooperate and fight smoothly. One? Two?

“Let’s go eat dinner.”

Yoohyun said, seemingly unconcerned with the S-Class Hunters’ squabbling.

“No, I have to watch, at least until tonight.”

I didn’t plan to stay up all night, but I had to see at least the first attempt. My brother gave me a dissatisfied look.

“Then I’ll pack a simple lunch box. Stay next to Park Yerim.”

“Just bring whatever’s available. Most of it can be heated up or eaten right away anyway.”

Since I couldn’t keep the chef here, most of the food was already cooked. There were ingredients too, but we could just eat what was already made. Yoohyun left to bring Peace as well.

“Kyul, do you want to go rest first?”

At my question, Kyul shook his head vigorously. He couldn’t even speak; it must be boring. I should feed him something when Yoohyun comes.

“I heard you’re close with my brother?”

From one side, Riet approached Myungwoo. Unlike Noah, she had Kang Soyoung’s skill for a massive dragon transformation, so she didn’t need much equipment. Or maybe it was just her personality. Unlike the other Hunters, she spoke without hesitation. Myungwoo frowned slightly at her words, which were tinged with provocation. But the person who reacted more strongly was none other than Noah.

“It’s none of your business, Madam.”

“I’m just trying to get to know him better.”

At Riet’s words, Noah gave her a suspicious look. Then, he urged Myungwoo to go inside.

“Yoojin-ssi, we’ll go inside first. Let’s go quickly.”

“I’m fine.”

Myungwoo said, but Noah, wary of Riet, practically dragged Myungwoo inside the building. Left alone, Riet pouted slightly.

“It’s not working.”

“You need to approach him more gently, Unnie [older sister or female friend]!”

Kang Soyoung came up to Riet and said.

“My brothers were also very kind to my friends. Except for the boys. And you have to know when to back off. Just buy them something to eat and disappear!”

Was Riet trying to improve her relationship with Noah? Taking advice from Soyoung? I didn’t know if Soyoung had persuaded her, or if Riet had decided on her own, but Riet was changing.

“How about praising Noah more instead?”

At my suggestion, Riet turned to look at me.

“I tell him he’s cute all the time.”

“I mean in terms of his abilities. Noah is good at many things.”

Riet’s eyes blinked slowly. Hey, she didn’t think he wasn’t good at anything, did she?

“He’s a better cook than me.”

“Not by your standards!”

“That’s right, Unnie. Lower your standards to normal!”

Riet looked like she was wondering why she should do that.

“He’s my brother? So, of course, it should be my standards.”

…Was the problem that Riet wasn’t looking down on her brother, but the opposite? Kang Soyoung said, “Unnie, that’s not it~” and dragged Riet away.

“It seems like Riet cares about Noah. I guess sometimes the more precious someone is, the higher the standards become.”

“Why? There are parents who push their kids too hard to study, thinking, ‘Our child should be able to do this much,’ right?”

Yerim nodded. If the parents were naturally talented like Riet, it would be even harder. The child would just be normal, but they would feel like they were lacking. You have to treat children according to their own standards, but that’s not easy. Everyone acts according to their own standards, even unconsciously, and parents are people before they are parents.

And at the same time, since the guardians are the adults, the adults are the ones who need to try harder. They may not know or may make mistakes, but wrong is wrong. Even if Noah gets completely better, Riet still needs to change.

“Yerim and Yoohyun are both so nice that I’m sometimes worried. I’m afraid they’re just doing what I want them to do, even if they don’t like it.”

“Isn’t it the opposite? You indulge Hanyoo and the Guild Leader too much.”

“Eh, if I had given Yoohyun everything he wanted…….”

He wouldn’t be here right now. Hmm. Yoohyun is a special case. The fact that he has lived like a person until now, and that he is living like this now, is all because of me. So, it’s only natural that I give in to my brother.

Yoohyun gave me everything first. To the point where he hated himself, without leaving anything for himself, everything.

…Thinking about it that way, if he really can’t stand it, I might as well tear off one of my arms.

“I hope you always put yourself first, Yerim. Always put Park Yerim first.”

“Of course, I do.”

Yerim paused for a moment before continuing.

“Because there was only me. They said that if I disappeared, everyone I cherished would disappear too. But they said that if I remembered, they wouldn’t disappear.”

“…Who?”

“My teacher. In elementary school.”

“…They sound like a good person. Let’s give each other a hug.”

“Okay.”

Yerim opened her arms wide. I hugged her tightly. Kyul also wrapped his arms around my neck. The surrounding Hunters looked at us strangely, but who cares? Yerim and Yoohyun too. I really need to live a long time.

“It feels like I shouldn’t interrupt.”

Then I heard Hwangrim’s voice. Song Taewon, who had been watching the Hunters preparing for the raid from a distance, had also approached me. I released the arm I had around Yerim and turned my head.

“I couldn’t see you, so I thought you had gone into the monster’s stomach.”

“The little Hunter turned me away because my name was different.”

“It is different.”

Yerim glared at Hwangrim, raising her eyebrows.

“Besides, you’re inappropriately dressed.”

“There was no dress code on the invitation, how unfair.”

But what was with his outfit? The Hawaiian shirt and shorts were one thing, but why was he barefoot?

“You ruined the military and now you’re completely undisciplined. Where did you sell your shoes? I thought you only sold cigarettes, but are you going to sell everything you’re wearing?”

Hwangrim flapped his half-dried shirt.

“Only one hundred dollars to our Jinny.”

“I’m not buying. Get lost.”

“The pants are a thousand dollars.”

“Why are they so expensive? Are they designer or something?”

“The bottom is always more expensive than the top.”

What was he talking about? Hwangrim took a step towards me, and Chief Song’s eyes narrowed. Yerim also closed her mouth tightly and grabbed my wrist as if she was about to teleport at any moment. Seeing this, Hwangrim spread his hands and smiled.

“I really came to sell things.”

“No one would believe that.”

“I’m really wronged─”

Hwangrim jumped back. At the same time, flames fell on the spot where he had been standing, burning it black.

– Kkiang!

Peace came to my feet and rubbed against me, and Yoohyun landed on the blackened ground.

“Can I kill him now?”

“You can’t do that in front of Chief Song.”

Hwangrim, who had retreated far away, smiled silently at me. He couldn’t have just come to sell cigarettes, so what was his scheme?

“…Let’s go check out the monster first. Chief Song, would you like to come with us?”

“I will stay here.”

Well, there were several Hunters remaining, and above all, Sung Hyunjae was here. Peace increased in size. Yoohyun got on my back, and Yerim also flew up with us.

“It’s huge.”

The monster, which was rising in a dome shape in the sea more than a hundred meters from the beach, was visible. It was a turtle species, and the part that was exposed above the water looked like a giant shell. It had a metallic, murky light and glistened under the sunset, making it seem absolutely formidable.

“Are you ready!”

Moon Hyunah, who had arrived at the beach first, shouted loudly. She was holding a timer in her hand. As an S-Class Hunter who was not participating in the raid, she had been asked to keep time.

The first team, consisting of two S-Class Hunters and five A-Class Hunters, grabbed their respective weapons.

“Don’t use your skills yet, stand at the starting line! Start!”

Thud! Moon Hyunah slammed the end of the spear she was holding onto the ground, and the raid team began to rush towards the monster. Instead of flight skills, round circles appeared on the water’s surface. The support types stepped and jumped across the long, continuous circles like stepping stones, pouring out their skills. Yoohyun opened the lunch box bag.

“I’ll warm it up for you.”

“Hanyoo, me too, me too. Ice in my drink, deal?”

“No. It’s cold.”

“Even if it’s cold, you need ice in soda.”

“Hyung [older brother] can drink milk.”

No, I want soda too……. In the meantime, the S-Class Hunter who arrived first swung his hammer forcefully. The battle hammer, wrapped in skills, struck the monster’s shell.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

The Hunter, along with the hammer, bounced high into the air. The rebound force was very strong. Estimated skill. Tricky, it’s going to be tricky.

* * *

The sound of water stopped. Sung Hyunjae put on a gown and came out of the bathroom. His hair was still wet. This was more appealing to Han Yoojin. He liked someone who had vulnerabilities and needed to be taken care of. Whether the other person was a human, a monster, or something that didn’t belong to either.

“I didn’t request a bathing service.”

In the middle of the living room of the room assigned to him, someone was standing. It had a human form, but the sensation he felt was not human. To be precise, it was something closer to a skill or an item.

[Why are you associating with them.]

It asked. Sung Hyunjae moved and approached it.

“If you’re a guest, you should start by revealing your name.”

[You’re frustrated with 답답함 [suffocation, frustration], angry with 무력함 [powerlessness]. Those things don’t suit you.]

Sung Hyunjae’s hand grabbed its neck. As if trying to escape, sharp magic scratched the hand holding its neck. Faint wounds were drawn along his hand, wrist, and forearm. Red blood dripped down, but Sung Hyunjae didn’t even twitch an eyebrow as he looked at what he was holding.

“It’s not Chatterbox, it seems.”

Sung Hyunjae’s magic dug into what he was holding. Gold light bounced off, and he scanned it thoroughly as if trying to dissect the opponent.

“…Not Crescent Moon either.”

But Crescent Moon was said to have many children. There was a good chance it was one of them.

“I already have too many worries here.”

Sung Hyunjae said, raising his other hand and placing it on its head. His fingers bent and dug into its head. Instead of blood, a black liquid oozed out. He gave it strength and tore it off. Zziiik.

[Why are you embracing them.]

It continued to speak as it was slowly torn apart.

[Anything, as you wish. Leaving the trivial things under your feet. Such an existence.]

“You seem to be mistaken.”

The things that were torn off fell to his feet and piled up. The backlash became stronger, and blood also flowed down his bloodied arms, soaking his feet.

“Why should I hate being angry, frustrated, and annoyed?”

Sung Hyunjae said, as if humming a little song.

“Living is like that. If you only feel pleasure, then you’re just a madman.”

Could a human who can only feel monotonous emotions be called normal? So, he was clearly slowly going crazy. Perhaps he had been for a long time.

“Someone, or perhaps many, seem to want me to stand above without wavering.”

Building, removing, and building again. And the countless people who have treated him in that world. He didn’t remember, but it must have always been like that.

“I like everything about myself very much.”

Someone may not like it, but it’s not worse for Sung Hyunjae. He was breathing colorfully.

Even if he fell to the bottom and wallowed miserably, if it was the result of his own will.

He would enjoy even that. As long as he remained Sung Hyunjae in any form.

Zziiik, the last piece split into two long strands. The piled-up things flowed like a small tar puddle.

[The more you do that.]

[The faster you will collapse.]

[So come find me.]

It faded and soon disappeared. Electricity crackled on the only remaining small bead. The fragments of the shattered bead burned black.

“There are many bugs even in this weather.”

Sung Hyunjae muttered, spraying potion on his blood-soaked arm. Should he wash again, or should he go out like this? Han Yoojin and Song Taewon would both give him quite enjoyable reactions.

Especially Han Yoojin would worry about him. Sung Hyunjae took a long breath. Han Yoojin was unfortunately F-Class, and that was fortunate. If he had been stronger, it would have been difficult to remain so obediently patient.

He wanted to squeeze out everything he could feel through Han Yoojin. Both positive and negative things.

“So I hope you live a long life.”

Sung Hyunjae smiled, putting some of the magic he had torn off earlier into an old magic stone. The time left for Han Yoojin and him was not very long.