The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 528

The door closed behind me, and the long hallway stretched out before me. Hunter Association members would be guarding the entrance, but this area was deserted for security reasons. Just beyond a single door were Yoohyun, Yerim, and several others who were well-disposed toward me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of being left alone.

I took a step, slowly. Even now, if I turned back and opened the door, I wouldn’t have to go forward alone. They were people who would embrace me even if I faltered.

‘…Being protected isn’t such a bad option, actually.’

To the public, I might remain an F-rank who needed the protection of S-ranks, but those precious to me already knew Han Yoojin well. I could be content with being recognized by the people around me.

Of course, that would mean I’d inevitably have to step back. It would be like before, with the S-ranks taking the lead and Han Yoojin quietly being protected and following along. The impression I made at the Japanese gathering wouldn’t last long and would fade away.

Everyone else might do well even without me. After all, they were S-ranks with superior abilities. An F-rank should act like an F-rank.

‘That’s still infuriating.’

Turning the corner, I saw the Association’s hunters. The door to the conference hall was closed. My head was still full of thoughts. All sorts of expectations and predictions raced through my mind, but in reality…

All of it was just an excuse. Not that they were completely unfounded. Giving the high-rank hunters a sense that I was qualified to stand alongside them, and gaining the support of the general public, would definitely be beneficial. In the long run, it would be a good turning point for mid- and low-rank hunters as well.

But the biggest reason.

I stood before the door, looking down at the handle.

The biggest reason I was going this far was deeply personal.

Because I wanted to. Because I wanted to be recognized. Even now, everyone was worried, and my family and loved ones would be relieved if I just stepped back. But this time, I wanted to be a little selfish.

I wanted to be acknowledged as someone who could stand proudly alongside Yoohyun and the S-ranks. I wanted everyone to think that was natural. Even while considering it greedy, still.

Was I making a mistake? Was this a pointless endeavor? Would I regret it? Despite the negative emotions, I reached out. For my own sake. At that moment.

[Hyung.]

The voice came. I quickly turned my head, but there was no one around except the Association hunters. Was I hallucinating from lack of sleep? Still, it had only been a day; had my body become that weak?

– Peep!

This time, even a chick sound—

– Peep peep.

My crown felt heavy. A warm bundle of energy fluttered on top of my head.

“Piyak!”

Did this guy teleport here again? I had reported in advance to the Association because there was no telling when or where he might appear, but it wouldn’t be good for him to be seen by others.

“Excuse me, but could you please take Piyak to the waiting room? I would appreciate it if you could leave him with Hunter Park Yerim.”

One of the Association hunters agreed to take Piyak. Thanks to that, the tension eased a bit. Feeling lighter, I opened the door. Smiling at the reporters packed inside, I walked onto the platform.

Originally, press access to conferences involving high-rank hunters, especially S-ranks, was usually limited to reporters who were favorable to hunters. It was part of managing the image of high-rank hunters. Of course, there were cases where some would publish sensational articles, but in those cases, they would face disadvantages such as being unable to attend future conferences or being denied interviews with high-rank hunters, so they usually kept a low profile.

But this time, the restrictions were minimized. As a result, I saw a few familiar faces among the reporters.

‘Kim Seungjoon is here, but Park Haeshin isn’t.’

Well, aside from my relationship with Yoohyun, there was no reason for those guys who bothered me as an ordinary F-rank to be of high rank. Even if the restrictions were lowered, the competition for a spot at this kind of event would naturally be high. The previous events were the same, of course. Thanks to that, I hadn’t had a chance to run into them. Like the saying ‘strong against the weak,’ I wasn’t an easy target to mess with now.

What would it be like today?

I gave a brief greeting and sat down in the prepared seat. As I pulled the chair closer to get comfortable, I noticed letters written on the edge of the white tablecloth that had slipped down toward me.

[Don’t push yourself too hard, Hyung. It’s okay.]

[♡Uncle, do your best!♡]

When did they write this? I wondered why they had left early. Yerim had drawn a heart, and Yoohyun must have belatedly followed suit, drawing a heart under his message as well. And Yerim probably decorated the message with stars, and Yoohyun drew more stars. It was obvious without even seeing it.

The image of Yerim grumbling about why he kept copying her and Yoohyun pretending not to hear a thing played out in my mind, and I barely managed to suppress the laughter that was about to escape.

“Is it true that Director Han Yoojin was the first to obtain an invitation to the party?”

A standard question came first.

“In Korea, yes.”

I did snatch Chloe’s, though.

“Guild Leader Breaker announced that he obtained the invitation with the help of Director Han Yoojin. I’ve heard that other S-rank Guild Leaders also received help from Director Han Yoojin.”

“Originally, hunters from Korea, or rather, East Asia, were not invitees.”

That was also true. That Chatterbox guy was a racist. Though he wasn’t even from Earth to begin with.

“Therefore, I personally contacted Mr. Chatterbox and obtained the invitations.”

“There is a foreign S-rank hunter who claims that Director Han Yoojin stole their invitation.”

Well, well, who is it? The reporter asked sharply, saying it was also by unethical means. I widened my eyes slightly in surprise.

“What exactly did they say the method was?”

“They didn’t specify, but they said it was definitely a trap.”

“Ah… I see. An S-rank hunter fell into a trap and had their invitation, which could have been put in their inventory, stolen.”

I put on a troubled expression and continued.

“I’m worried about whether it’s okay to reveal the details in this setting. For their reputation, I’ll pass on this question.”

Several reporters asked me to answer. They must be curious about the story of a stat F-rank snatching an invitation from an S-rank. I looked at the reporters and slightly trailed off, saying, ‘I’m fine with it, but…’ Conveying the sense that if they kept demanding an answer, the S-rank hunter might be too embarrassed and try to retaliate, they soon closed their mouths.

Thanks to Moon Hyuna’s favorable interview, the reaction was definitely milder than immediately after Chatterbox’s party was announced. But that didn’t last long either.

“Currently, seven Korean S-rank hunters are known to have obtained Chatterbox’s invitation. Do you have any intention of yielding the invitations to Guild Leader Park Min-gyu of Hanshin and Hunter Kim Sunghan of Haeyeon? There’s also Hunter Kim Min-yi, who is a quasi-S-rank. And there are many more A-rank hunters than that.”

In short, why was an F-rank interfering? Still, they were being polite and explaining it kindly. If it were before my regression, they would have directly asked if an F-rank even had the ability to participate in an S-rank party.

“Hunter Kim Sunghan of Haeyeon has declined to participate in the party. Although Korea is stabilized, not all S-rank hunters can leave their posts. I plan to contact the Hanshin Guild Leader directly.”

“So you’re going to step down?”

What?

“There are extra invitations. However, I think it’s safer for about two S-rank hunters to remain in Korea.”

Considering what I’ve heard about the Hanshin Guild Leader’s tendencies, there was a high possibility he would refuse. I felt sorry if he got criticized for not participating after I mentioned it, so I put up a shield in advance.

“Hunter Kim Min-yi has also declined to participate due to her unique circumstances.”

“Even so, isn’t she better than Director Han Yoojin?”

Not just S-ranks, but A-ranks, even B-ranks. All the gazes focused on me agreed with that. The people watching on TV beyond the cameras probably felt the same way. There might be a few who thought it was a rude question, but the truth was the truth.

“If there is a hunter better than me.”

I smiled at the camera.

“I will yield.”

“So you’re saying you won’t participate after all?”

“Are you going to prioritize Haeyeon’s hunters?”

“No. The condition for yielding is simple.”

The reporters perked up their ears at the word ‘condition.’ I answered them.

“A hunter who can snatch a party invitation from an S-rank hunter.”

The reporters, who had been waiting for a chance to ask questions, suddenly fell silent.

“A hunter who can fight and win against S-rank hunters. Or, a hunter who can make it seem like they can.”

They said it was a manipulated video. That manipulation, which was easy to say, come out if you can do it.

“It’s not even about being better than me. I’ll gladly yield to anyone who can do as well as I can.”

If I’m not qualified, fine. Then bring someone who’s as good as me. Someone better than the common F-ranks you’re talking about.

But what a pity. The people in Korea who meet the conditions are already on my side. Except for those very few, there’s no one. No one.

“…But, didn’t Director Han Yoojin receive help from S-rank hunters?”

“Didn’t the foreign S-rank hunter say they fell into my trap? Go ask them if I benefited from an S-rank hunter’s help. And if you can get help, you can get help. If someone meets one of the three conditions I mentioned, no matter what method they use, I’ll gladly hand over the invitation.”

Of course, among Koreans. They’d probably think it’s better for me to go than to give it to a foreigner.

The reporters’ embarrassment was palpable. What I said wasn’t wrong. Public opinion had emerged that I should hand over the invitation because I was lacking. So I said I would hand it over to someone better than me, someone at least as capable as me.

It was the right thing to say. There was no reason to hand it over to a hunter who was worse than me.

“So you’re saying you’ll directly participate in Chatterbox’s party?”

“If there’s no one who meets the conditions, of course I’ll participate. And.”

I took a short breath. And continued.

“I am qualified to participate.”

I looked straight at the gazes that were pouring in. That’s right. It was an invitation I obtained myself. The party itself was as good as prepared by me. So who else but me? Even if you compared me to Sung Hyunjae, I was definitely the priority.

Even Chatterbox probably thought of me as the main character.

Yes, I am the main character.

“What do you think about the fact that your stats are F-rank?”

“I have already produced results. And I am confident that I will continue to produce good results in the future.”

It was a little underhanded, but I was likely to hold out until the end. After all, Chatterbox wouldn’t welcome me being eliminated early and going home. He would probably try to help me, even if he had to use some tricks. Then I would take that and say, ‘I’m an F-rank, but I stepped on an S-rank, hahaha.’ That’s what it meant to be able to do.

Even if that wasn’t the case, wouldn’t he at least give me a chance like a loser’s bracket? Conversely, I might be able to get something out of saying, ‘Ah, I can’t do it, I’m just going home.’ I had already created a position where I could do that.

“Aren’t you being too confident? Perhaps you’re trusting the S-rank hunters, especially your younger brother, the Haeyeon Guild Leader—”

“In addition, I will be attending the party alone.”

The information that it was a 2-person team had already leaked out and spread abroad. The reporters were once again taken aback by my words.

“I also obtained a special 1-person invitation.”

My mark on my neck. Chatterbox said he would welcome me even without an invitation. In other words, I had a 1-person invitation.

“What’s the reason for suddenly stepping forward like this?”

A reporter I knew from before my regression asked a question.

“Hasn’t Director Han Yoojin been acting in accordance with his F-rank stats until now? You even signed a contract to be protected by S-rank hunters. So why are you suddenly changing your attitude?”

Their eyes were suspicious. It was completely different from the image I had shown to the public until now.

“As you said, I am a stat F-rank. Strictly speaking, I am no different from an unawakened person.”

Like most of the people here and watching TV.

“When I first entered the dungeon, I was very scared. I trembled, unable to sleep properly for days.”

That was actually the case. I was truly an ordinary F-rank. There were even injured people in the raid. Monsters swarmed, and screams and the thick stench of blood spread. There were several experienced people, so the probability of failure was almost zero, but it was still shocking.

It’s not for nothing that a significant number of low-rank hunters give up being a hunter after their first raid. But I was scared, so I couldn’t give up even more. My brother was doing the same thing.

“And as you all know, there have been many things that have happened.”

There were many that were known.

“I changed, of course. I couldn’t help but change.”

It wasn’t just about half a year. It was about awakening and 5 years.

“Especially recently, it was very difficult. I had to struggle alone among the high-rank hunters to survive. I didn’t reveal it, but I was seriously injured. But I protected my life and returned home.”

A question came in asking if the health checkup was perhaps because of that injury. I nodded lightly.

“I am definitely weak. Statistically. But I am here. Because my stats are F-rank, I was easily targeted. I was regarded as a valuable item without will, to be stolen quietly.”

No one considered my resistance. I used that to my advantage. It might be the same in the future, but Chatterbox had grasped me to some extent and conveyed that to his followers. Hwangrim was the same. Chloe, and some of the hunters who attended the Japanese gathering as well.

“So I’m going to show you. That even an F-rank can wriggle and bite when stepped on. That even an F-rank can change. No, can grow.”

I was criticized because I was an F-rank. At the same time, I could gain sympathy because I was an F-rank. An ordinary person competing with geniuses, and achieving results. Everyone likes that.

“An F-rank enduring among S-ranks. Isn’t that a good opportunity? My stats are definitely F, but if my abilities can be compared to S-ranks, I will naturally become safer. At least, there has never been a case of trying to kidnap an S-rank.”

Even if you’re just an A-rank, the person themselves is usually safe. They just protect the information because they’re worried about their family or acquaintances.

“Conversely, wouldn’t it be more dangerous if the results are poor?”

“Then I’ll have to continue to be quietly protected. Just like before. In other words, it’s a challenge that I have nothing to lose from.”

There’s nothing to lose that would make it more dangerous. I’m already an F-rank. The bottom. The only advantage of being at the bottom is that there’s only a way to go up.

“I know very well that it’s difficult to escape one’s rank. Especially for lower ranks, the stairs are even steeper and more difficult.”

I know that more painfully than anyone else in this world.

“But it’s not impossible to climb.”

It’s not necessarily about having to climb. I, we, are just ordinary. However, it’s completely different if there’s no path at all and if there’s someone who has climbed. Even if it’s smaller than the eye of a needle, the possibility must exist.

“So I’ll try my best to struggle.”

My personal greed is great, but it’s not bad, right? I smiled coolly, asking for support. Even if I cut out all the reasons, an F-rank among S-ranks is fun. It’s more interesting to have an exception among the S-ranks. Of course, if I can hold out well.

Several more questions were asked about the party. But they couldn’t find any more fault with Han Yoojin’s attendance, which was the most important thing. I even said I would hand it over if the conditions were met.

Even if I did this, there would still be complaints. There would be several people who wanted me to fail. But I left the conference hall with a much lighter heart.

At least this time, I got the opportunity.

“Hyung!”

Returning to the waiting room, Yoohyun, who had come out to the door, greeted me. At the same time, sleep poured in. Yoohyun supported me, and Yerim, Ms. Hyuna, Noah, and Sung Hyunjae said something, but I couldn’t hear them properly. I just fell asleep like that.

But it was okay. Because in this place, even if I fell asleep defenselessly, they would protect me.