The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 511

509. Weapons are the Best After All

Two people appeared in the empty, wide room. Han Yu-hyun and Song Tae-won calmly surveyed their surroundings. On one wall, the words ‘Please prepare’ emitted a faint light. It seemed to be a kind of waiting room.

Han Yu-hyun immediately put on his ceremonial attire and checked his equipment. His attitude was extremely cautious, as if he were about to face a high-level dungeon or monster.

“…Hunter Han Yu-hyun.”

“It won’t be easy.”

Han Yu-hyun said, taking out a poison resistance item.

“My brother would never propose a disadvantageous bet without any preparation.”

“I know. But under the current conditions, it’s nearly impossible for Han Yu-jin to win.”

Song Tae-won also checked his equipment. The most useful wire and handcuffs were both forcibly given to him by Han Yu-jin. *Was* it okay to take these? Shouldn’t he return them before leaving?

“Currently, Han Yu-jin has F-grade stats, and Hunter Sung Hyun-jae is said to have dropped to B-grade. Even if they share double the attack skills, their abilities are hardly enough to handle me alone.”

Also, there was no Changeling to instantly make Han Yu-jin match an S-grade. He had Grace and other items, as well as poison and curse resistance, but it was virtually impossible to snatch victory from two S-grades with just that.

“However, the environment here may be advantageous to Han Yu-jin.”

Song Tae-won looked at the wall of the room as if searching for an invisible entrance.

“If it’s an area covered with poison and curses of S-grade or higher, just hiding and stalling for time will be enough.”

“Poison can be burned away.”

Unless it was poison that inflicted wounds and directly penetrated the body, simple poison terrain would hardly harm Han Yu-hyun. He could just wield flames and burn it all away. Most poisons were weak against fire, so with his current abilities, Han Yu-hyun could cleanly burn away even SS-grade or higher.

Song Tae-won nodded slightly and took out a fire resistance item to wear. If Sung Hyun-jae’s skills were also at the B-grade level, he could withstand them without resistance items. So, considering Han Yu-hyun and Han Yu-jin’s bombs, it was better to pay attention to fire resistance.

“If my brother adds his jacket and shoes to his stealth skills, it will be difficult to track his location. If he uses cookies on top of that, even an S-grade would have difficulty noticing his approach.”

Song Tae-won stared at Han Yu-hyun, who was telling him about the cookie and doppelganger doll tricks, and then opened his mouth.

“Wouldn’t it be better for Hunter Han Yu-hyun to just assist?”

At the questioning gaze, Song Tae-won explained.

“I may not have the right to say this, but I want Han Yu-jin to be hurt as little as possible. So, it would be better for Han Yu-hyun, who will remain by his side, not to actively cooperate.”

“First of all, my brother is strong. You should discard the thought that he will naturally win.”

Han Yu-hyun said coldly.

“At the same time, my brother tends to underestimate himself. If we lose with me participating passively, he is likely to have an even harder time.”

If he felt like he was being humored, and then lost in that state, he might blame himself even more severely. So, Han Yu-hyun judged that it would be better for the two S-grades to do their best.

“I know that if it’s the result of a fair fight against a much stronger opponent, even defeat will feel lighter. Isn’t that so?”

Glass-like, emotionless eyes stared at Song Tae-won. It was a completely different look from when Han Yu-jin was around. With Han Yu-jin, Han Yu-hyun sometimes seemed like an ordinary person, but at the same time, that difference made him feel even more inhuman.

“That… may be true. Especially for Han Yu-jin.”

“And my brother accepted me, so this much is okay. He tries to understand even if I act in a way that is offensive by human standards. Of course, I am also trying.”

He didn’t try to suppress himself unconditionally like before, but at the same time, he also *tried to 맞춰주다* [match/accommodate] to Han Yu-jin. In particular, Park Ye-rim was a good subject for observation.

Park Ye-rim followed Han Yu-hyun’s combat habits and work attitude, but Han Yu-hyun also watched Park Ye-rim’s daily life, which was full of emotions unlike his own, and learned from it. Above all, the same position as a protected person living with Han Yu-jin was helpful in many ways.

Han Yu-hyun’s lips drew a soft line. A face that had been like a lifeless doll bloomed brightly. Slightly curved eyes held his brother, who was not here.

“…Hunter Han Yu-hyun.”

Song Tae-won swallowed his words again. In a different direction from Sung Hyun-jae, Han Yu-hyun was an alien and difficult to understand being. Without Han Yu-jin, he was simply an emotionless S-grade hunter. But Han Yu-jin’s existence was making him shine.

And Sung Hyun-jae was also due to Han Yu-jin, Song Tae-won’s teeth clenched unconsciously. He forcibly ignored the small, crouching heart deep within him.

“You like Han Yu-jin very much.”

In the end, he glossed over it with a cliché. Han Yu-hyun nodded with a smiling face.

“Yes. I love him.”

Song Tae-won turned his head as if he was overwhelmed. He felt the urge to get out of this place.

[10:00]

At that time, the letters that said to prepare changed to numbers. Seeing that it changed in seconds, it seemed to mean that the wait would end in 10 minutes.

“It would be better to end this quickly.”

Han Yu-hyun said, taking a short breath.

“Even though my brother initiated the bet, it’s still a sudden, unplanned event. The more time we give them, the more disadvantageous it will be.”

“…Yes.”

Song Tae-won struggled to shake off his thoughts and wrapped the wire around his arm. It would be over soon anyway. He would leave, and Han Yu-jin would live on. The people around Song Tae-won would also continue to live after a brief period of mourning.

The familiar faces he had encountered in the Christmas Nightmare dungeon came to mind. Now, there would be a black sheep among them. And Han Yu-jin was the kind of person who would take good care of those he left behind.

That was enough. He shouldn’t be greedy for anything more.

“Song is… never mind.”

Was it because the weather was getting colder? Recently, she had been trying to climb onto the bed to sleep. She liked to climb onto the back of the sofa and walk around. Was it because her fur was black? She seemed more at ease when buried in black. She didn’t refuse baths, but she hated getting her fur wet in the rain. She avoided dirty puddles as much as possible or clung to him, begging to be held.

“If the baby sheep tries to bite Han Yu-jin’s fingers, please tell him to be careful. She is used to my fingers.”

He had to say that, so he spoke the words out loud, because he shouldn’t get hurt and shouldn’t be hurt. 5 minutes, 3 minutes, and 1 minute. A quiet conversation passed between the two. Except for the baby sheep, it was all about combat strategy.

[00:00]

The blinking timer disappeared. Then, a message window appeared in front of the two.

[All Awakeners will become Non-Awakeners.]

Han Yu-hyun and Song Tae-won’s eyes widened.

* * *

“This wasn’t the plan!”

The scenery in front of him changed, and a room with all sides blocked appeared. It was a waiting room. He sighed deeply and turned to Sung Hyun-jae.

“Don’t laugh.”

“That’s too much. Doesn’t it look better to laugh?”

Yes, you’re handsome.

“Shouldn’t your face also drop a little if your grade drops?”

“There hasn’t been much change since before awakening. Only the height has increased a bit.”

…Yu-hyun was handsome from before, but. There’s an age difference, so it’s a bit different.

“Over 180 [cm]?”

“It’s over 190 [cm].”

“You’re so great, really!”

Of course, other S-grades didn’t grow more than 10 centimeters when they awakened in their mid-twenties, but teenagers or early twenties grew quickly. Yu-hyun and Ye-rim are also growing diligently. Will Noah grow more too?

“I want to split open that brilliant head of yours to see what you’re thinking. You’re enjoying yourself alone, alone! Looking like that!”

“Calm down.”

“Do I look like I can calm down! Oh, my fate. My neck hurts, so sit down! Why are you standing there blankly!”

Sung Hyun-jae sat obediently on the floor. The sight of him gathering his knees and hugging them made him feel even more frustrated. Why does he sit like that even when he sits down?

“Are you acting pitiful now?”

“The floor is cold. I can feel the chill because my stats are B-grade.”

“F-grade is freezing to death! No, if your stats are like that, call Evelyn or something to protect you. Why were you sitting there blankly alone? Even if you don’t die, what kind of things do you know you’ll be subjected to? How many S-grades are on the island!”

“Hunter Miller doesn’t have a kind personality.”

“Then So-young라도요 [라도요 implies ‘at least’]!”

“So-young doesn’t think about the aftermath as much as she looks, so she’ll rush in to fight.”

“Sung Hyun-jae lived a really good life!”

Don’t laugh! Why are you laughing! Is it funny! Yes, being alone is probably the safest thing to do realistically. If someone doesn’t know about Sung Hyun-jae’s condition, they won’t even dare to approach him. Even at the restaurant, they hesitantly approached and took bread crusts, how many people would go to the guest room and knock.

He sighed loudly repeatedly. How did we end up like this?

“At first, I was going to get some help from the great Sesung Guild Leader. No, I did get quite a bit of help, though. …Should I just throw him away? He’s B-grade.”

“Yu-jin……”

“Don’t act pitiful. You’re smiling. Are you having fun? Huh? I’m feeling sick to my stomach!”

“I’ll apologize for that.”

“Damn it, you know I can’t let go!”

He kicked Sung Hyun-jae’s leg. As expected, his foot hurt more, but now the man would feel a little bit of the sensation of being touched. When he kicked again, Sung Hyun-jae took out a handkerchief. He took it and roughly wiped his eyes. His eyes were stinging and his stomach was churning.

“I can’t give up. Even if I’m cursed for being foolish, I can’t do it. Even if everything ends up ruined and I regret it to death, what can’t be done can’t be done.”

“Okay.”

“What do you mean okay! You know that and you say okay? Chief Song is too much, but you’re just as bad!”

Yu-hyun… thinking about before the regression, he’s much better now. My stomach is already turned upside down with just my brother, but these people are really… are you thinking of turning it upside down one more time and restoring it?

“If you’re going to pass it on to me, pass on your assets! I don’t need anything else! You know the answer, you damn……!”

He pressed his throbbing head and took a deep breath. Calm down. It’s not enough to shout all year round, so let’s calm down for now.

“I have more to say to Chief Song, but he’s not here right now.”

“My turn is-”

“It’s not over. Don’t think about running away, your opponents are Yu-hyun and Chief Song.”

As soon as he thought of it, he felt *막막해졌다* [ 막막해졌다 – a sense of being overwhelmed and hopeless]. Why those two of all people. Sung Hyun-jae stood up from his seat and looked at me.

“Realistically, it’ll be 1 minute at most.”

“If we just stick together, it won’t even take 30 seconds. No, 10 seconds. 10 seconds to approach us.”

If the distance is far, we might be able to escape for about 5 seconds more. He looked around, but all he could see were the walls and ceiling. He didn’t know what the outside was like. However.

“Empty out your inventory.”

It wasn’t that there was no possibility at all. First, he started taking out all the items in his inventory. Sung Hyun-jae also took out various things.

“Do you still have the spatula? Do the balls of yarn lay eggs in your inventory? What’s the *기념* [souvenir] towel, when did you pack it?”

“There’s also a Peace doll that goes into the inventory.”

“Is it a warehouse? Huh? Is it a warehouse?”

“That’s the bicycle I gave you. What’s in that basket?”

“It’s a laundry basket, it’s comfortable.”

He said, spilling out a bunch of firearms. Except for the *살쾡이* [wildcat] gun, all the firearms were low-grade equipment.

“Have you ever shot a gun? Military service?”

“Believe it or not, I was in the Marines.”

“…Really?”

“What do you think.”

He couldn’t believe it. He was laughing, so it seemed like a joke, so did he go to the military or not. As the items piled up on the floor, a 10-minute mark appeared on the wall. He unconsciously swallowed hard.

“After 10 minutes, we will become non-Awakeners.”

Sung Hyun-jae looked a little surprised.

“To be exact, we will be replaced with such bodies. Like the dungeons in Japan, it’s like a temporary body. So it’s safe. I tempted Chatterbox by asking how it would be to see pure combat ability without skills or stats. Originally, I was preparing to suppress the S-grades who received Chatterbox’s invitation.”

Without skills or stats, as pure humans.

“Of course, S-grades’ physical conditions are generally excellent even before awakening. But the fact that something that existed disappears is bigger than you think. Everyone has a lot of auxiliary skills attached to them. It becomes harder to adapt to the non-awakened state than an F-grade with no abilities.”

Not only stats but also skills cannot be used. It becomes completely different from usual combat.

“Just like it’s hard to control your power when you first awaken, you won’t be able to adapt right away. Usually. Even equipment becomes ordinary items, and the inventory is blocked. We, who can prepare in advance, have no choice but to be at a disadvantage.”

The problem is.

“Yu-hyun and Chief Song… will be a little different. Especially Chief Song.”

“Certainly, Song Tae-won doesn’t rely on equipment or skills.”

“Adaptation will also be fast. The same goes for Yu-hyun.”

In the end, it was hard to say that we were definitely at an advantage. In the meantime, the time was gradually decreasing. He threw a gun at Sung Hyun-jae.

“But if it’s a fight between non-Awakeners.”

“Weapons are the best after all.”

Yu-hyun, I’m sorry. Chief Song, I’m not sorry today.