The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 69

69. Blue (2)

A large cage was slowly moved over. The number of monsters that arrived was three, but there were only two cages. I could see the baby monsters huddled inside the cages.

[Grade 3 Unicorn Species – White Shadow Unicorn (Juvenile)]

Current Stat Grade: E

Potential Stat Grade: A

Optimized Initial Skills:

Shadow Run (A) – Acquired after growth

Powerful Charge (A) – Acquired after growth

Sprint Enhancement (B) – Acquired after growth

※ Can only grow in specific areas

In one cage, two monsters were pressed close together. They were none other than Shadow Unicorns, famous magical beasts known to travel as a black and white pair. The status window of the Black Shadow Unicorn was identical to the white one.

‘Can only grow in specific areas, huh.’ These guys also had fairly strict conditions for reaching adulthood. It would most likely be a region within a dungeon, and finding that place, as well as staying there to raise them, would require a huge amount of manpower and time.

Still, unlike Peace, it wasn’t impossible, so should I reveal the growth conditions later?

“I wondered what they were, but they’re Shadow Unicorns! Their charging power is really good for high-grade monsters! Guild Leader Han Yoohyun, can’t you give me one?”

Moon Hyuna lamented, saying that even though they were high-grade, their stats were perfect for a mount. Indeed, with the Sprint Enhancement buff, they might be better for a grand charge than some mediocre top-grade monsters. Not all top-grade monsters are fast, after all.

In the other cage, a monster the size of a small medium-sized dog was curiously looking around.

[Grade 2 Griffon Species – Golden Griffon (Juvenile)]

Current Stat Grade: C

Potential Stat Grade: A~S

Optimized Initial Skills:

Ruler of the Wind (S) – Acquired after growth

Golden Arrow (A) – Acquired after growth

Wind Resistance (A) – Acquired

Sharp Roar (B) – Acquired after growth

※ Grows when a certain amount of specific monsters are consumed

That ‘specific monster’ is probably a magical beast. If my guess is correct, the growth conditions were easy for a top-grade monster. It would depend on how much is ‘a certain amount’ and the grade of the specific monster.

I should release this guy’s information someday too.

It was a Golden Griffon, but perhaps because it was still a baby, it had soft cream-colored fur. It had a small eagle’s head and a body like a plump cat rather than a lion, with wings that were large for its size. Wind attribute, huh. There was an S-grade Hunter in that field. Although he was a foreigner.

Moon Hyuna probably had wind-related abilities due to her skills too.

“Griffons are good too, but I’m more drawn to charging than a rapid descent.”

Even as she said that, Moon Hyuna’s eyes gleamed with desire as she looked at the Golden Griffon. Griffon species were also strong and possessed outstanding abilities. Especially in aerial combat, they had no match except for dragons. The avian species might be a bit faster, but they couldn’t withstand the Griffon’s sturdiness if they collided head-on.

“Here are the Proofs of Ownership.”

The A-grade Hunter from Haeyeon, who must have suffered for a long time buying and protecting the monsters, took out three Proofs of Ownership from his inventory.

Yoohyun received them and immediately handed them to me.

“Please take good care of them this time too.”

“Leave it to me.”

The black and white unicorns were herbivores and relatively docile, so there wasn’t much to worry about, but the Griffon was the problem. Still, it would be fine with Peace around. As soon as I held the Proofs of Ownership, the monsters simultaneously turned their heads towards me. The unicorns still looked a bit scared, but the Griffon’s gaze was sparkling. Those eyes were really pretty, a deep blue like dark blue jewels.

“The unicorns are a male and female pair, and the Griffon is female, I heard.”

Yoohyun said. Their genders were clear, huh. Our Peace’s gender is still unknown. Same with Bbyak. Should I take Bbyak to a chick sexer? Or a bird expert?

Squeak.

The Griffon’s cage door opened first. The baby Griffon, without any fear, hopped out and shook its body once.

– Kkyahhh!

Then it made a joyful sound.

– Kkyau kkyah!

It seemed happy to be out of the cage, hopping around and stretching its wings wide. The wings, large for its body, fluttered. Then, with its bright blue eyes, it looked back and forth between me and the unicorns, tilting its head. It seemed to be contemplating which one to bother first.

“Don’t attack the unicorns.”

It wouldn’t understand, but I said it anyway. Griffons, even those in dungeons, liked to talk about words like in our world’s myths. As food. There was a high possibility that this one was the same, and there was also a difference in grade, so I should never leave the black and white unicorns and the Griffon together.

As expected, the more baby monsters there were, the more troublesome things became.

– Kkyah!

The baby Griffon turned towards me, wagging its fluffy lion’s tail. Its blue eyes were still sparkling, and its slightly open beak looked like it was smiling. It had been suddenly kidnapped and dragged across the sea for a long distance, but its expression was perfectly innocent.

– Kkyah! Kkyah!

With high-pitched sounds like excited children cheering, the Griffon hopped around. I was thinking, ‘Can’t it fly yet?’ when its two wings, lighter in color than its body, spread wide open.

Flap.

The Griffon lightly soared into the air, aligning its eye level with mine. Then, as with Peace, a message window appeared.

[The title ‘Perfect Nurturer’ enhances the effect of the item ‘Proof of Ownership’.

The tamed target shows affection towards the nurturer.]

“Little one, you’re really cute.”

Its appearance itself was cute, but its playful puppy-like expression was truly lovely. I put the Proof of Ownership into my inventory and spread my arms.

“Come here.”

– Kkyau?

The Griffon tilted its head, spun around once in the air, and then pounced towards me.

“Be careful!”

“Ugh!”

Yoohyun’s hand quickly grabbed the Griffon’s wing, and its hard beak strongly brushed against my chest. Wow, it’s incredibly fast even though it’s still young. Its stats are also C-grade, so if my brother hadn’t caught it, my ribs would have been broken.

“Here, drink this.”

Moon Hyuna opened a potion and held it out.

“It’s not enough to eat a mid-grade potion.”

“I don’t raise low-grade ones.”

Ah, I see. I understand, but it’s still a waste. I should be able to break free from F-grade spending soon, but it’s not working out. Still, it’s free, so I just drank it.

“Hyung, you shouldn’t take care of the Griffon right away.”

Yoohyun said, slightly furrowing his brow.

“Unlike Peace, it seems unskilled at controlling its strength, so you could get seriously hurt if you’re not careful.”

– Kkyah!

The Griffon, with its wings held by my brother, flailed its four legs in the air. Looking at its innocent appearance, it didn’t seem to have any intention of hurting me.

“It’s not that it can’t control its strength. It flew up skillfully, didn’t it? It probably just doesn’t know how weak I am.”

If it was unskilled at handling its body, it wouldn’t have been able to fly around so easily just now. It wasn’t just flying, but also rotation, hovering, and perfect flight.

“Not to mention its own kind, it’s only been dealing with mid-grade or higher Hunters, so it’s understandable that it wouldn’t think I’m weaker than it.”

It didn’t have any malice, and it was tamed, so it would just need to be taught. The only problem was that it was impossible to teach it through conversation.

If words don’t work, I’ll have to do it with my body.

“Do you happen to have any high-grade potions?”

I asked, rolling up my right sleeve. Mid-grade would be enough, but just in case. Yoohyun reacted first to my words.

“Wait a minute, Hyung. What are you trying to do?”

“I’m going to teach the little Griffon how weak I am.”

“That ‘teaching’—”

“Just hold the kid still. It’ll take longer if you interfere.”

Yoohyun’s expression wasn’t good, as if he had guessed what method I was going to use.

“There’s no need to go that far. You can have someone else do it.”

“Why drag in a poor F-grade who has nothing to do with it? It’s my job and my monster.”

Besides, it wouldn’t be easy to teach someone who doesn’t have affection for it. With my title effect, it’ll be over quickly.

“Hyung-nim is right.”

Moon Hyuna said, shaking a high-grade potion she had taken out. As expected of an S-grade, she could easily take out precious high-grade potions. I also have one Yoohyun gave me, but I can’t use it because it’s too precious.

“You’ll have to continue to take care of various monsters in the future, so should you already pass it on to someone else and back down? And Guild Leader Haeyeon, I know you care about Hyung-nim, but Hyung-nim is a Hunter too. Being attacked by monsters is an everyday occurrence for a Hunter. Although he’s in a special position, he’s deeply involved in the Hunter world, so you shouldn’t be so anxious about such things. You’ll end up trying to hide him away completely.”

She was actually trying to do that, wasn’t she? She’s much better now.

Yoohyun didn’t object any further and closed his mouth, as if he had been stabbed. His expression was still not good, so I’ll have to appease him later, or he’ll go astray again.

“Good boy, little one.”

I reached out my hand towards the Griffon, who was looking at me with bright eyes. Even though it was being held by its wings, it quickly smiled and wagged its tail. Its personality seemed really good.

– Kkyah!

The baby Griffon opened its beak wide with a joyful cry. Then, it stretched its neck long,

Snap!

“Ack!”

It suddenly bit my hand. I deliberately screamed loudly, forcibly pulled my hand away, and stepped back. I didn’t make eye contact with the Griffon and looked away.

– Kkyau.

Yoohyun frowned deeply, and Moon Hyuna poured a high-grade potion over the wound where a large piece of flesh had been torn off, exposing the bone. A mid-grade would have been enough for this. Still, the effect was excellent, and the wound healed instantly. As expected, expensive things are good.

“Are you okay?”

Moon Hyuna asked, closing the potion cap. I nodded and turned back around.

The Griffon was staring with wide eyes, looking flustered. Judging by its reaction, it seemed like it would understand the situation soon.

“You can’t bite. It hurts.”

I stroked it and reached out my hand again. The Griffon’s beak reflexively opened, then closed again. Instead, its two front paws grabbed my hand tightly. The exposed claws dug into my flesh.

“It hurts!”

I shouted loudly again this time and turned away.

– Kkyuu.

A noticeably more subdued sound came than last time. I stepped back, treated my hand, and took some time. After ignoring it for about ten minutes, I turned to look at the Griffon. The one that had been drooping perked up its head and wiggled its front legs.

– Kkyah!

I smiled and slowly approached again. When I reached out my hand, it didn’t bite or grab with its feet this time. Good boy, I gently stroked its head and under its beak.

– Kkyah kkyah!

“Yes, yes. Good boy.”

I stroked the tip of its beak and carefully put my finger into the slightly opened space. It cautiously bit my finger, then put in a bit too much force.

“Ugh!”

When I showed that it hurt, the Griffon quickly opened its beak.

– Kkyahwoo.

“Good job. You can’t bite that hard. It hurts.”

When I touched its beak again, it bit my finger lightly, just enough to hold it.

“Now let go.”

Yoohyun released the Griffon’s wings that he was holding. The baby Griffon, which had flown up with a flutter, hesitated instead of rushing at me like before, then gently placed one of its front paws on my chest. It’s also smart.

I reached out my arms and held the Griffon.

– Kkyah! Kkyah!

“Don’t jump around. Put your claws in too. Good. Yoohyun, what’s its name… it wouldn’t have one, would it.”

He was the guy who hadn’t given Peace a name even after having him for a month. There was no way he would have named the new monsters.

What should I call it? When I looked down, it was looking back at me with a ‘kkyah kkyah’ sound. With its bright blue eyes.

“Blue.”

– Kkyau!

How cute. It’s fluffy and warm. The unicorns can be Black and White. Short, simple, and easy to understand. That way, it’ll be easy to call them during battle.

“I look forward to working with you, Blue.”

– Kkyahhh!

I was about to put my cheek against the yellow beak that was rubbing against me when,

Click!

A phone camera sound was heard. It was Moon Hyuna. She was smiling with her phone pointed towards me.

“Don’t take pictures without permission.”

“Hey, don’t be so stingy. I just want to act a little friendly personally. Shall we take one together?”

“No, thank you. Please delete the picture.”

“Why are you only like that with me? What about your brother?”

Why Yoohyun? I turned around, but I couldn’t see even the ‘h’ of a phone. Why are you dragging someone else’s innocent brother into this again?

“Give me the phone.”

“Will you exchange it for my picture?”

I don’t need it. After forcibly deleting the picture, I approached the unicorn cage this time. The two foals were looking up at me, making the same head movements like twins. These kids are also cute. It’s rare for baby animals to not be cute, though.

– Kkyau! Kkyak!

At that moment, Blue suddenly broke free from my arms and flew up. Its two wings spread wide, and the Griffon’s body soared into the air,

Bang!

It crashed violently into the cage with the unicorns.

– Hihing!

– Prrrr!

The cage shook with a loud noise, and the unicorns were frightened and ran to the corner.

“Blue! No!”

– Kkyah kkyah!

Blue clung to the unicorn cage and scratched the bars with its front paws. When it couldn’t break the cage with its own strength, it even turned to look at me as if asking for help. It must feel like the unicorns are a delicious lunch.

“They’re not your prey, you little rascal.”

When I forcibly pulled it away from the cage, it was dissatisfied but obediently snuggled into my arms. This is a problem, I have to be careful with these three.

* * *

For safety, the unicorns were decided to be moved separately. This was because Blue’s gaze towards the foals after that commotion was unusual. It seemed better to manage the unicorns and Griffon separately even after this. It wouldn’t be easy for a baby, not even an adult, to suppress the instinct to crave horse meat.

“Is it really okay to take it home?”

Yoohyun said, looking at Blue, who was clinging to me. When I tried to leave it in the cage a little while ago, it screamed very loudly.

“We can’t keep them separate anyway. I’ll have them get to know Peace at this opportunity.”

I hope the two get along well without any problems. As older brother and younger sister? Or older sister and younger brother?