The S-Classes That I Raised [EN]: Chapter 99

“The lake before you covers an area of 9.3 square kilometers (3.6 square miles), with a maximum depth of 25 meters (82 feet). It’s a freshwater lake, and its most representative inhabitant is the Abu, a class 3 freshwater salamander. Its sticky, brown skin with red spots might make it look like a venomous dragon, but it’s actually very susceptible to poison. It’s a kind of camouflage,” the tourist guide explained. The lake, surrounded by small mountains, was picturesque. With a reasonably intact castle nearby, it felt more like a European tour than a dungeon.

“To measure the lake’s area and depth so precisely… Sudam must have a lot of free time.”

“I was just giving a rough estimate.”

“And you expect a tip for that?”

“You’re a demanding tourist. Is this the hardship of the service industry?”

“Hearing such nonsense makes me want to be a difficult customer with all my heart. Give me the Seseong customer service number.”

“Connected. Please speak, customer.”

Dealing with a human covered in ‘I’m so great’ tags and exchanging zero-nutrient nonsense. I’ve seen everything in my long life. Though I haven’t lived that long.

“Will anything even appear? You’re showing such obvious openings. Unless they’re complete idiots, they’ll notice.”

I said, looking at the particularly tall tower in the center of the castle. I hoped we wouldn’t end up just sightseeing.

“Of course, they’ve noticed. But they don’t know each other’s hands, so they’ll attack if they think it’s advantageous, or they’ll pass. It’s almost time for the gate to deactivate, so we’ll know soon.”

Seong Hyeon-je took out a pocket watch from his inventory and checked the time. It wasn’t a dungeon item, but a watch specially made from dungeon byproducts to be stored in the inventory. It was Vacheron Constantin’s Hunter Collection, numbered up to 9.

“The bait they’re flaunting is so attractive to hunters that if we’ve come to the right place, they’ll jump in even if it’s a bit risky.”

An attractive bait. If they’re similar to the system creators, could it be a kind of information? Even just knowing how to get good items or titles would make many hunters drool.

“So, did the Seseong Guild Leader receive and consume that bait?”

“There’s no reason to refuse when they offer.”

“It wouldn’t have been free, though.”

“That’s the ambiguous part.”

Seong Hyeon-je tilted his head, looking unusually clueless.

“It seemed like a relationship that would last for about four or five years since I was just taking from them, but suddenly their attitude changed. I was getting tired of it anyway, so it’s not bad… but was I that careless?”

It was vague, but it seemed Seong Hyeon-je was planning to freeload off some cult or something and then ditch them. But he got caught sooner than expected… wait a minute.

‘…The system creators remembered the world before the regression.’

Then the cult might also know future information. The fact that Seong Hyeon-je would betray them. He said the relationship would last about four or five years, so the time he disappeared must be when he betrayed them.

‘So, they want to get rid of Seong Hyeon-je now that he’s returned to the past and changed his attitude?’

I felt a bit sorry. It wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for me. But if the cult hadn’t shown strange signs, Seong Hyeon-je would have kept his mouth shut to me. He would have nonchalantly brushed it off as something he didn’t know.

– Han Yu-jin!

Just then, Noah, who had gone to scout for monsters, flew towards us at high speed. I braced myself for the wind pressure as he dove straight towards me, but he transformed back into a human about 5 meters (16 feet) above the ground and landed lightly. At first, he couldn’t control his body well after transforming, but now the mode change is very natural. I’m so proud.

“People are coming this way.”

“How many? Did you see any familiar faces?”

“Seventeen, and the man we met before entering the dungeon was among them. And the MKC Guild Leader too.”

Yoon Gyeong-soo from Sudam and Choi Seok-won from MKC. That’s two S-ranks. I looked back at Seong Hyeon-je with a ‘what are we going to do’ expression. Seong Hyeon-je met my eyes and smiled.

“It wouldn’t be a proper tour if some peddlers didn’t join in. We only have two S-class natural latex mattresses left.”

“No options. I don’t buy latex.”

“Won’t you get a souvenir for your brother?”

“Our Yu-hyeon doesn’t use tourist trap shopping items of unknown origin.”

Of course, I’ll buy souvenirs if I go on a real trip. Amid the tensionless nonsense, Noah alone looked anxious, alternating his gaze between me and the other side of the field.

“Wouldn’t it be better for Yu-jin to stay out of this?”

“It would be more dangerous to be separated. There might be more than seventeen coming.”

Shallos’s bead only nullifies damage, but it’s still possible to touch me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to use the sharing skill. In other words, if I’m alone, I’m just a gift box packaged for easy carrying.

Besides, I need to be nearby to share the double skill in case of emergency. I wonder if I can use the ‘Our Kid is the Best’ skill on Noah. There are eighteen people besides me and Noah, so that’s an additional 18%. It’s a bit of an ambiguous number to endure the embarrassment for. If a full hundred people came, it would be a fun party with Seong Hyeon-je getting double attack skill and Noah getting everything doubled. But that’s impossible because of the entry limit.

“Still, if it looks like I need to escape, please take care of me, Noah. You can just abandon that old man.”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

Noah nodded and transformed back into a dragon. Then he came right next to me, almost touching me. He’s ready to grab me and run if necessary, rather than carrying me.

“Abandon me, how cruel.”

“That’s how much I trust you. I firmly believe you’ll come back alive even if I roll you into a fire pit with your hands and feet tied. Fighting!”

It’s not a joke; he really is someone who would be fine.

In the meantime, the approaching people came into my sight. As Noah said, there were seventeen of them, with Choi Seok-won and Yoon Gyeong-soo at the front. I wanted to use the Sprout skill.

‘I’m worried about that old man.’

Even in front of other S-ranks, I had a gut feeling that Seong Hyeon-je was especially dangerous. The man in the white coat, who had carefully placed his picnic basket on the ground, was looking at the group of hunters with a slightly bored expression. It was as if he was saying it was less interesting than he had expected.

“Do you find them easy to deal with?”

“I was hoping they might have brought the young master [Yu-hyeon]. Just a little. It would have been really fun then.”

Why would Yu-hyeon come out here?

“Haeyeon is definitely not involved, though.”

“That’s true, but since Han Yu-jin is here, there might have been room to persuade him temporarily. I guess they weren’t capable enough. If this is all they can do, it’s insulting.”

With an annoyingly confident attitude, Seong Hyeon-je took a couple of steps forward. He was standing on a slightly elevated hill while looking at the lake, so his position was higher. Thanks to that, his gaze looking down at the cautiously approaching people seemed even more arrogant.

Stopping about fifty meters away, Choi Seok-won and Yoon Gyeong-soo’s group halted. Then Choi Seok-won took something out of his inventory. At the appearance of a fist-sized blue crystal ball, Noah spread one wing to half-cover me. I couldn’t see well. More than that, Seong Hyeon-je, this guy, wasn’t planning to stop them at all. He’s going to get himself killed if he’s so careless.

Crack!

The crystal ball cracked and shattered. Then, a strange wave spread out quickly and disappeared. It didn’t seem to have any effect on me; what was that?

“An electric attribute sealing item. Did they have something like that?”

Seong Hyeon-je muttered quietly. Electric attribute? He must be talking about electricity. An attribute sealing item; I’d never heard of it either.

“Come down, Seong Hyeon-je! Or are you going to run away?”

Choi Seok-won shouted aggressively.

“Share the skill?”

“You shouldn’t waver in your faith already. Besides, didn’t we decide to be a good adult today? I’ll handle these minor troubles like an adult.”

Seong Hyeon-je turned to me and smiled.

“And, I’ll teach you something even better. Especially for Han Yu-jin.”

“I don’t need it.”

“We’ll see. Once you know, you’ll want to cling to me. Try using that sense sharing skill.”

With a queasy feeling, I used the Teacher skill. Surely he wouldn’t refuse in this situation.

Seong Hyeon-je turned his body towards the hunters who had finished preparing as if they were raiding a boss monster, he took light steps as if he were taking a walk. Even though only one attribute was blocked, the penalty would be quite large, but he was still full of composure.

Clatter.

Unlike before, the elegant chains of the Noble Seeker, containing a dull light, coiled around him like swimming snakes. Shortly after a brief silence.

Thump!

The first to move was Choi Seok-won. His feet strongly kicked off the ground. The body of an already powerful S-class combat hunter received the maximum buff and charged like a tank. It was an incredible speed that I wouldn’t have felt if it weren’t for Seong Hyeon-je’s senses, but…

‘…Crazy.’

I could know for sure. And one step ahead.

How Choi Seok-won would rush in, in which direction, and with what means he would attack.

More clearly than the sense sharing of the Teacher skill.

It was a kind of precognition.

The combat precognition skill that Seong Hyeon-je possessed, which allowed him to sense the opponent’s attack first.

Seong Hyeon-je deliberately dodged the fist containing the sharply honed mana by a hair’s breadth. In the moment when his hair shook slightly from the wind pressure and the ground crushed under Choi Seok-won’s toes rose up. Avoiding everyone’s eyes, the chains of the Seeker dug into the ground.

Kwaaang! Bang!

Attacks containing terrifying power, one after another, poured like a storm towards Seong Hyeon-je. Seong Hyeon-je continued to dodge those attacks by a hair’s breadth. To those who didn’t know, it would have felt like Choi Seok-won was dominant. That Seong Hyeon-je was sealed with his attribute and was too busy running away without being able to counterattack properly.

‘…That bastard with the bad temper, really.’

But in reality, Seong Hyeon-je was playing with Choi Seok-won. He didn’t even create distance while dodging the attacks, tying up the hands of the A-class hunters who had ranged skills. There’s no gap to intervene, no gap.

A precognition skill, is he really crazy? Isn’t that cheating? Moreover, what’s even more amazing is.

‘Sense skill… so. It can be shared with the Teacher skill…….’

It’s possible. Like me now.

Wow, crazy. Really… isn’t he crazy?

The confident voice that said I would want to cling to him echoed in my ears. He’s really amazing, damn it.

‘Seong Hyeon-je was the fixed number 1 in the ranking battle thanks to that skill.’

That it can be shared with other people. A chill ran down my spine for a moment. S-class hunters with perfectly coordinated teamwork and even combat precognition. If even mounts were matched to this, wouldn’t there be no dungeon they couldn’t clear, no matter how high the difficulty? S-class dungeons would be cleared in a day…….

Shibal [Korean slang, similar to ‘damn’], what to do. I like it. God, why does it have to be that human? I want to take the skill and give it to Yu-hyeon.

Bang! Kwaaang!

Under Choi Seok-won’s feet, under the attacks that missed, the ground cracked as if an earthquake had occurred. The shaking was felt all the way here, to the point where I wondered if I should avoid it. Yoon Gyeong-soo, who had been watching me and Noah, raised his long broadsword to join in at that moment.

“Ugh!”

“Keuk!” [Sound of pain]

Screams erupted from the back of the hunter group. The healers and buff support hunters. The chains that pierced their chests scattered blood and disappeared back into the ground.

“What—”

Choi Seok-won panicked as he felt the buffs being released. But before he could even pause, Seong Hyeon-je’s grip grabbed his weakened wrist.

Crack!

Even if the buffs were released, it was still an S-class, and a melee-adapted hunter’s arm. Nevertheless, he lightly twisted and broke it, and with a smooth motion, he kicked Choi Seok-won in the abdomen and sent him flying backward.

“Keuk!” [Sound of pain]

Choi Seok-won, slightly staggering, quickly twisted his dislocated arm back into place. Seong Hyeon-je didn’t continue the attack and turned his head to look at Yoon Gyeong-soo.

“If this is all you’ve got, I’m disappointed.”

Clatter.

The chains of the Seeker that rose from the ground coiled one end around the owner’s wrist. I knew that the chains of the Seeker could move on their own to some extent, but I didn’t know they could exert power from such a distance. They might be weak since they’re healers and support, but even including their equipment, they would have at least B-class stats.

‘Disappointed or whatever, you’re cheating.’

What can I do if the attacks don’t hit? Moreover, since he’s efficiently dodging, there are no gaps created during the evasion. It was a precognition skill that was completely the opposite of close combat types.

…He’ll probably notice and run away from wide-area skills too. Still, if it were Yerim, she could hold Seong Hyeon-je to some extent. If Yerim of the same level had been there instead of Yoon Gyeong-soo, Seong Hyeon-je would have had a hard time, but as it is now, it’s hopeless.

“I don’t recommend you guys ganging up on me. It’s not easy for two S-ranks to coordinate.”

Then he looked up at me. With eyes asking for my impressions as if to say, how is it? I raised my middle finger. Your skill is the best, but it’s annoying.

“I’ve given you this much, you should come over to my side.”

I’m already upset, so shut up. If the Teacher skill could be used from a super long distance even outside the dungeon, crazy, no, let’s not think about it. I haven’t checked, but the range probably isn’t that wide. It’s certain that I have to be able to see it to use it.

Ah, why is that human— oh.

“Noah!”

Seong Hyeon-je shouted, feeling the same thing as me. But it was already too late.

Thud!

The dragon, much larger than a person, received a strong impact and tumbled.

– Krrr!

Noah, who stopped his body by digging his claws into the ground, bared his teeth, but that fierce momentum soon died down. A deep fear settled in his gray eyes.

“Hello, honey~”

The woman who stretched out her arm from behind and wrapped it around my neck greeted me with a cheerful voice.

“…Liete.”

Why are you here? I thought she would be angry because of Noah, but unexpectedly, Liete showed an attitude as if she had completely forgotten about what happened then.

“Seseong Guild Leader, hello, Pebble, hello~”

“I didn’t expect Liete to interfere. This is really unexpected.”

Seong Hyeon-je said, unable to hide his surprise. Really, it’s unexpected.

“What’s going on here? You’re not on the same side as those guys, are you?”

At my question, Liete narrowed her brows slightly. Of course, I couldn’t see it with my eyes. It’s Seong Hyeon-je’s gaze.

“Rather than being on the same side, some unlucky guy ordered me to kill Seong Hyeon-je and kidnap you… I should say I followed without realizing it? But my head cleared up when I hugged you! It’s amazing. You still smell good.”

Liete smiled and rubbed her cheek against my head. An order, and her head cleared up. Was it a curse or brainwashing? But it worked on Liete? I was doubtful, but that’s not important now.

“If you’re okay now, that means you won’t act with those guys, right?”

“Of course, I won’t follow orders!”

Just as I was about to feel relieved,

“But how can I just pass by when such a fun game is set up? Right, honey?”

Liete smiled brightly, and her golden eyes gleamed. Her body swelled up in an instant, and instead of the arm that wrapped around my neck, a huge hand gripped my body. When I turned my head, black scales filled my eyes.

A jet-black dragon with a reddish tinge. Solid four legs, a thick tail, and a large head full of terrifying horns. Moreover, thorns like spears rose along the back line with a grating sound.

There are no wings. But the size was more than several times that of Noah. Her whole body was taking a violent form to the point where it was hard to touch any part of it. It was truly a ferocious, exemplary form of a cursed venom dragon.

“You said they were twins!”

I thought it would just be a color reversal, but they’re completely different species! At the cry filled with injustice, the black dragon, Liete, bared her knife-like teeth and smiled.