The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 504

502. Surface Layer (2)

“I got a few. They popped right out when I poked them.”

One, two, three. I spread the three invitations I got, excluding the one from Chloe, on my palm before putting them back into my inventory.

“But is it okay for you to keep standing? Let’s sit down.”

I said, turning toward the sofa.

“Or you could just lie down on the bed. You’re quite heavy, you know.”

He was more than twenty centimeters taller than me, and his build was much bigger. If he collapsed again, I’d have trouble carrying him…

“It would certainly be difficult for Han Yoojin.”

Sung Hyunjae smiled, scanning me up and down.

“Even if you’re working out, there isn’t a big change—”

“It’s because I’m lazy, lazy! Of course, I can lift him.”

“How reassuring.”

Sung Hyunjae said, asking me to take care of him, and sat on the sofa. If he collapses again, should I move him to the bed? Lifting him should be possible, but to the bed… Hmm… Well, if he’s unconscious, he won’t know if I drag him.

“How much do you weigh?”

“I’m invoking my right to remain silent on sensitive questions.”

What’s that supposed to mean? Why is that sensitive? I sat on the sofa and changed the subject.

“I think we can get about two more invitations easily. But I still haven’t found Park Hayool or your people. Did you hear anything from Chloe?”

“No. But there’s another way. A sure way to handle everything.”

“Really? If you had a way like that, you should have said so sooner. What is it?”

Sung Hyunjae answered with a smile.

“Kill them all.”

“…Excuse me?”

What nonsense is he suddenly spouting?

“What, are you saying we should burn the house down to catch a flea? There are several S-Rank Hunters alone, how are you going to kill them all?”

“It’s not a difficult task.”

Sung Hyunjae leaned back on the sofa, casually crossing his legs. I unconsciously tried to imitate him but stopped.

“If you use that buff skill, you can easily handle however many S-Rank Hunters are gathered. Above all, most of the S-Ranks here have never cooperated before. It might be tricky if they formed a proper team and worked together, but right now, they’re just individual Hunters, not an S-Rank team.”

…As Sung Hyunjae said, it might be difficult if it were a team of S-Rank Hunters. But a team and several individuals are completely different. If they fight with strangers who don’t know each other’s skills or fighting styles, they’d be lucky if they didn’t get caught up in the other’s attacks.

“You were supposed to give me information on Gi Seungsoo before dinner. Once all the Hunters arrive on the island, send all the helicopters back without exception. I’ll provide special service with the communication equipment. It’s easy to paralyze it, at least within the range of this mansion.”

Block the escape routes and cut off contact with the outside.

“Even if they use flight skills, the Fire Horned Lizard and Noah Hunter, transformed into a Lightning Dragon, will be faster. It might be troublesome if they all flew in different directions at once, but it’s unlikely they’ll show that level of cooperation from the start. So, prioritize dealing with the Hunters who have flight skills.”

“…Wait a minute. No, what are you going to do by killing all the Hunters here? It’s not like Korea will be fine on its own. What about the overseas dungeons?”

“The Hunters who came here are from countries that can afford to have them away for a while. It won’t collapse immediately just because they all disappear. And if they become too busy protecting their own countries, they’ll have no room to be taken over by Chatterbox.”

“That’s…”

“Also, if Han Yoojin puts in a little effort, you can find new S-Rank Hunters, can’t you? S-Rank Hunters that Han Yoojin finds and helps awaken. New guilds that will establish themselves relatively easily, thanks to the disappearance of many competitors, even if they are latecomers.”

Contrary to his words, Sung Hyunjae’s eyes were calmly lowered. Is he telling me to become a sponsor for new S-Ranks, for new S-Rank guilds?

It wasn’t impossible. With the Sprout Skill and by reviving as many memories from before the regression as possible. Information on S-Rank Hunters was often protected, but overseas, it was often revealed in detail. Especially if they were from famous sports backgrounds, they often brought that fame with them.

There was also the brute-force method of just digging. Most S-Rank Hunters have good physical abilities even before awakening, so you can narrow down the range as much as possible and find them.

“But how long will that take? Before ethical issues, isn’t it too wasteful?”

“Set aside the words that are too good to throw away. Also, those who are definitely unrelated. It would be good to give them a tour of Yoo Myungwoo Hunter’s smithy. Send Song Taewon as a supervisor. And if Han Yoojin is worried, the little miss as well. In the meantime, on the island, one or two more SS-Rank monsters with strong aggression just happen to appear.”

The words that I thought were absurd gradually began to take on reality. The stage was already set, and all that was left was to execute it. Even so. I sighed briefly but deeply.

“Are you telling me to become some kind of slaughterer? No, it’s not me, it’s something you’d have to make my brother do. Of course, I can’t do that kind of thing.”

“Do you think Han Yoohyun would feel guilty?”

“……”

“He would cut down not only unfamiliar Hunters but also the people around Han Yoojin without any hesitation if Han Yoojin wanted him to. In addition, the history of this world is much longer with slaughterers being treated as heroes than without.”

“I know that even in the old days, people who indiscriminately killed even unrelated people were called bastards, right?”

“These aren’t powerless civilians, they’re high-level Hunters.”

I unconsciously swallowed hard. Are these words he’s saying really sincere? The story of calmly murdering a large number of people.

“…It’s not like we don’t have time, and that, Park Hayool’s side isn’t completely hostile either.”

“It’s the safest, fastest, and most certain method. From what I’ve heard, Chatterbox can’t directly intervene in this world, can he? So, I think it’s best to eliminate all of Chatterbox’s words and prevent him from attracting new words in the future.”

That wasn’t… wrong. If I prioritize the results, the safety of the people around me above all else. Then it might be better to cleanly uproot them here.

My heart was saying no, but my mind was moving on to the next stage. I still can’t go outside the area. But if a large number of S-Rank Hunters disappear, the countries that lost them will become anxious. At that time, I can inform them about the Special Awakening Center and have them send recommended candidates.

Without me having to search for them myself, I can pick out the S-Ranks from the people they send and apply the keywords. And while the keyword effect is applied, I can engrave the dangers of Chatterbox into them.

“…Damn it, still, what’s not right isn’t right.”

I rubbed my face with both hands. I would have gone wild using my skills a long time ago if I was going to do that.

“Besides, that’s, in the end, a similar act to the Transcenders. Sacrificing one world to save several worlds.”

Anyway, they’re people who haven’t done anything wrong. If I kill them all here for our sake, for the sake of the world, I will lose the right to protest against the actions of the Transcenders.

“Also, there’s no such thing as an eternal secret in the world. If it ever gets exposed, we’re doomed. Completely.”

There are definitely people who have already faced Chatterbox. So even if we wipe them out cleanly, who knows. I alone… have skills, so.

“So, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“I understand.”

Sung Hyunjae nodded lightly. Neither I nor Sung Hyunjae said anything for a while.

‘…He didn’t say that because he thought I would accept it, right.’

But if I were to answer yes, Sung Hyunjae would definitely actively help.

“…I know it too.”

I said quietly, as if muttering to myself. The fact that there will eventually be times when I have to give up something. That it’s hard to have no sacrifices at all. The current me has already lost and returned.

“If there really, really is no other way. Then I too, will protect the people I need to embrace first. But not yet.”

“Han Yoojin’s priorities are clear.”

“Don’t cry about being abandoned when that time comes.”

Even if I throw him far away, he seems like he’ll come back perfectly fine at some point. Instead of answering, Sung Hyunjae smiled, curving his eyes.

“Since you promised, they’ll probably approach you before the meeting ends. I do have something in mind. Anyway, that’s settled, what about Chatterbox’s party? Sung Hyunjae, you’ll be attending, right?”

I took out an invitation and threw it to Sung Hyunjae. He raised his hand a beat late.

Thud.

The jewel tapped Sung Hyunjae’s thigh and rolled onto the sofa. I almost cursed out loud.

“Hey, you… and you’re saying we should catch and kill S-Ranks in that state?!”

It’s not that you didn’t dodge the knife, you couldn’t dodge it! Huh? Sung Hyunjae picked up the invitation. It’s not that he can’t move, but he’s definitely not normal.

“Are you really okay? Yoohyun and Yerim were completely exhausted too, but still!”

“It just takes some time to fully take over the body. Sung Hyunjae is very thin, so.”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean there’s nothing to worry about.”

He said he’d be fine soon, but I was a little suspicious. Should I take him to the Elder once?

“I’m sorry to Song Chief [referring to Song Taewon], but ask him to stay by your side. If you say you’re not feeling well, he’ll protect you. How about asking him to go to Chatterbox’s party with you?”

It would be nice if Song Chief went too, but, um. I feel really sorry.

“No, it’s okay to just skip it.”

“Are you already throwing him away? As expected, Han Yoojin is only interested in my body—”

“I’m worried, worried! And honestly, if you take away your body and skills, I’d have to throw you away. Who would put up with that temper?”

It’s a relief that his body and abilities are good. No, did he become like that because he’s so good?

“If you’re fine, how about Yerim? Or it seems like Gyeol is thinking of going with you. But he won’t be of any help.”

“I don’t mind, but Han Yoojin or Song Taewon will be happy.”

“Exclude me, and try to persuade Song Chief. I’m really, really sorry, Song Chief. Lastly, my neck.”

I tapped my neck with my fingertips.

“What do you mean?”

Sung Hyunjae stood up from his seat and came towards me. Now his movements felt no different from usual.

“Show it to me.”

I removed the magic power covering the mark. At the same time, Sung Hyunjae’s expression instantly turned cold. His golden eyes, filled with an unpleasantness that made me flinch unconsciously, looked down at me.

“What… why are you like that?”

“I want to ask. Why did Chatterbox put a mark of ownership on Han Yoojin?”

“…Pardon?”

Sung Hyunjae leaned down and put his hand on my neck.

“To be exact, a sacrifice. A sacrifice offered at the end of the ritual.”

…The harmless king trapped in a large tank came to mind. Is this like a notice that he’s going to make me like that after the funeral?

“He wants to kill me, that bastard.”

“It’s a different feeling from that.”

“If it’s a sacrifice, it’s roughly similar. He said the party is the harmless king’s funeral.”

I quickly covered the mark with my magic power again. As soon as I did.

“Ugh!”

My neck tingled as if a strong static electricity was rising. I reflexively kicked Sung Hyunjae’s leg. Of course, only my foot hurt.

“Are you showing off that it’s getting cold! Your Christmas present is an anti-static bracelet!”

“Can you turn off Grace for a moment? I want to see if I can erase it.”

“I’ll die before that! And it’s a secret from Yoohyun.”

My brother would probably want to burn me to ashes if only I was safe. Sung Hyunjae’s face looked so dazed that I quickly got up from my seat, afraid that he might try to find Grace, take it out, and try it.

“Consult with Song Chief and contact me. Haven’t you gotten a new phone yet? Why did you break it anyway?”

“I did break it, but it wasn’t my fault.”

I was about to say, ‘Then did your hand move on its own and break it?’, but I closed my mouth. If his body wasn’t moving properly… that might have been the case. I felt strange again.

“Take good care of yourself, and make some time when you get back. Let’s go see the Elder once.”

I turned away, leaving Sung Hyunjae behind. My steps felt heavy for no reason as I walked out the door. No, why do I have to feel like this towards the great Seseong Guild Leader? It’s like abandoning a child by the water. He’s lived ten years longer than me.

I returned to the kids who were waiting in the stuffiness like being soaked in rain during the monsoon season. As soon as they saw me, Gyeol quickly flew over and circled around me as if checking me.

“Nothing happened.”

Can I really go with Sung Hyunjae? I think it would be better for Gyeol to just stay.

“I heard you’re going to ask Song Chief first.”

“I don’t think he’ll ever go. No, he might end up following him because he’s worried about Seseong Uncle.”

He hates being with him, but he hates leaving him alone even more, that’s Sung Hyunjae.

I was heading towards the temporary conference room for the afternoon briefing when.

“Hello, Jinah.”

Hwangrim appeared. Swish, without a word, Yoohyun drew his sword and aimed it at Hwangrim’s neck, who wore a troubled smile.