The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 266: The Fourth

Thwack. An A-rank guard, struck hard in a vital spot, lost consciousness and collapsed. The other guards stationed at the Achates Mana Hall met a similar fate. With two S-rank guards attacking, the area was quickly cleared.

“Damn bastards!”

Mindiva, once one of the former Alpha supervisors, kicked the fallen guard. The new Achates Defense Bureau had assumed that the remnants of the former bureau had fled the city. Only two S-rank guards remained, and reclaiming power with just that was thought to be nearly impossible.

But the remnants had hidden within the city, waiting for the right moment. The moment they could access the Mana Hall.

And today, although not SS-rank, a large number of S-rank monsters had appeared, and most S-rank guards were drawn into battle. The remaining S-rank guards were stationed at the temporary defense bureau, not the Mana Hall. With only temporary walls barely erected and reconstruction far from complete, the Mana Hall and the site of the former defense bureau were guarded only by a few A-rank guards. The remaining critical facilities had been moved to the temporary bureau, and the Mana Hall itself served little more purpose than simple mana replenishment.

That’s what the current defense bureau believed.

“I seek a new contract.”

A man who had once been part of the former defense bureau leadership—Panuz—stood in front of the Mana Hall and spoke. The mana around them stirred violently. Panuz and his group felt a chilling gaze and instinctively froze. It was like being a mouse standing before a snake.

“The, the offering shall be… these two S-rank awakeners…”

Trained and brainwashed for a long time, the S-rank guards who still believed Panuz’s orders to be righteous in protecting the city stepped forward. A low voice responded to their display.

[I have no taste for human sacrifice.]

“…What? No, what are you suddenly saying!”

Panuz shouted in confusion. The Filial Duty Addict with whom he was contracted had always accepted S-rank or higher guards, or awakeners with special skills, as offerings. He had also been behind the kidnapping of guards from Medsang. Because depleting Achates’ strength was too wasteful, he had sometimes sent Alpha to abduct S-rank guards from other cities.

“We even agreed on a contract to provide continuous aid so Achates could build the strength to conquer other cities!”

[You expect a rotten seed to bloom with water?]

“W-What was that?”

[Be polite.]

As the words fell, Panuz’s knees gave out with a snap. A cold voice pressed down on his head as he knelt on the ground.

[You should beg. If you have nothing that piques my interest, then at least plead.]

“N-No, I, I just…”

[And to think, I even hold a bit of a grudge against you.]

“M-Mmph!”

A wave of overwhelming pressure surged out all at once. Like his throat was being squeezed, Panuz struggled to breathe, and even the S-rank guards turned pale and gasped for air.

[My dear partner suffered quite a bit because of you.]

“W-What are you talking about…?”

[This isn’t some petty revenge. That’s for my partner to decide. I’m simply irritated. Displeased.]

How should I get rid of this foul mood?

At the whisper-like final words, Panuz trembled uncontrollably. He completely forgot the fact that the other party couldn’t easily exert direct power here without a contract. Irrational fear gripped him—he was certain he’d be crushed like a worthless bug at any moment. He bowed his head.

“I-I sincerely apologize! I just wanted to restore Achates to how it used to be…!”

[So. What is it you want?]

Since a contract is a contract, he would at least listen—Panuz quickly lifted his head and replied.

“A new SS-rank guard—no, please make me stronger than an SS-rank combat-type awakener!”

Even Alpha, who Panuz believed he had perfectly tamed, had gone berserk and left. So, he didn’t trust others. The one who had suppressed combat-type guards was now asking to become stronger himself—cold eyes looked down at him.

[That’s a big ask for just two S-rank guards.]

“Anything else as compensation as well…”

Flash. A contract appeared in a white light. It offered Panuz power beyond SS-rank in exchange for the voluntary sacrifice of two S-rank guards and his submission to the ‘White Tail.’ It also stated that the White Tail would bear minimal responsibility for those under its dominion.

Panuz quickly rose and signed the contract. The two S-rank guards also signed, and immediately afterward, their bodies dissolved and vanished.

And then—

A figure emerged from beyond the Mana Hall. A tall man with white hair and golden eyes reminiscent of a reptile or feline predator slowly curled his lips into a smile. Gloved hands took the contract, and his gaze turned to Panuz.

“As per the contract.”

Mana surged. A powerful magic wrapped around Panuz’s body and burrowed into him. Feeling the surging strength, Panuz beamed.

“Now, Achates shall once more—”

His voice cut off.

Instead of human speech, a growl escaped, and Panuz’s body began to change. His frame swelled, and reddish-brown fur matching his hair color sprouted across his entire body. Pointed ears, a long tail, then membranous wings spread wide, and horns and spikes emerged along his head and neck.

— Kyaaah!

“Gah!”

Mindiva, who had been standing in a daze, was struck by the monster’s swinging tail and slammed into the temporary wall. The monster, resembling a mix of dragon and leopard, bared its fangs and growled. Seeing this, the golden eyes curved slightly.

“A SSS-rank monster. It turned out quite well. The contract is complete.”

There had been no stipulation that it must remain human. In the first place, the price offered was nowhere near enough to evolve someone to SS-rank in their original form. But transforming them into a monster that belonged to him—that was not difficult. It was even possible to raise their rank beyond what was written in the contract.

When the white-haired man reached out his hand, the monster obediently lowered its head.

“This way, it won’t draw attention easily.”

He took out a ball of bright pink yarn and tied the thread to one of the monster’s horns. Using just one hand, he tied a neat knot and then lightly tapped the monster’s head. At the command, the monster soared into the sky. As he watched it rise, the man’s body rapidly became faint and, unable to hold on much longer, soon vanished.

Between the thick woods, a small lake came into view. To avoid being attacked by the monster that would appear after the disc was installed, the airship had stopped a little distance away.

— Kyang!

Peace, who had climbed up to the flight deck of the ship, leapt excitedly from my arms. Then, he grew in size and spread his wings.

— Grrrrng.

At his gesture to hurry up and get on, I glanced at Noah and climbed aboard. Since his body was different here, it should be okay that he couldn’t transform into a dragon. While other skills might be possible, exclusive transformations that completely altered one’s race were said to be difficult to use. On top of that, Noah’s current body wasn’t even purely human, making skill application even harder.

Yuhyun got on Peace’s back with me, and since Yerim had a flying skill, only the rest of the group boarded the small airship.

“Is it really okay to make Medsang the last stop?”

I murmured quietly while looking at the disc I took out. Once the final disc was installed, there would surely be an even greater danger than before. The Rookie, the Jellyfish, and other Transcendents were highly likely to get involved.

So I suggested going to Medsang first, but surprisingly, Noah was against it. He said it would be better to install the last disc in a location that was even slightly more favorable. And that once we left, this world would probably not remain safe anyway.

“You said all the citizens will be evacuated. And Medsang has two cities, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

The reason Medsang had two SS-rank guards was because it had merged with a neighboring city. Rarely, two mana halls had appeared close together, and at first, separate cities had been established. But as the gap between Medsang and the former Nepos City grew, Nepos was eventually absorbed into Medsang.

Even so, the distance between them was two to three hours by car, so as long as the citizens were evacuated, it wouldn’t result in a huge catastrophe. And if Noah opened a portal, the evacuation would be over in no time.

“Still, I worry about Noah. He said it was okay too easily.”

“He probably thinks your safety is more important than Medsang City’s. Especially since the Filial Duty Addict is targeting you.”

“…If it were Yerim or Hyunah, they’d probably be more conflicted.”

It was a bit different since there was another city available for evacuation, but still, it bothered me. Myu was definitely loved too.

“I can’t take full responsibility for Hunter Noah. It was his own decision, too.”

That was true. From the beginning, accepting everything about Noah had been impossible for me. It wasn’t just Noah I had to care for. Yuhyun would always come first, and after him, there was Yerim, who was even younger.

I helped Noah break away from Liette and did what I could in various ways, but maybe the reason he still seemed unstable was because of that. I hadn’t heard much about Noah’s childhood. But since Liette was his sister, it probably hadn’t been a happy time.

Maybe I’m just not enough to fill that long-standing emptiness. That thought crossed my mind, but still, I wanted to help even a little. Noah liked me, and he helped me too.

“I just want Noah to be even a little happier than he is now. Not perfectly happy—just a little. Would it be wrong to ask him to live with me?”

“If that’s what you want. But he might feel even more deprived. Hunter Noah and Park Yerim are different.”

“…I see.”

It’s hard, really. At first, I just thought of him as a kind, gentle person who had been hurt and struggled. I figured he’d be okay once he was free of Liette’s influence. But each person’s wounds are different, and they heal at different paces. It’s obvious, but still. I could never say something like, “Why are you still like this when others have moved on?”

Peace folded his wings and landed by the lakeshore. He was better at flying than expected, and even comfortable to ride. I petted him thoroughly as he swayed his tail as if asking how he did. Our Peace—how is he so good at everything?

“Mister, don’t worry and press the button! A lake is more than enough!”

Yerim said confidently as she approached.

“There’s more water than I thought—huh? There’s one here too. Hello!”

I wondered why she suddenly waved her hand—then saw a horse’s head suddenly pop up from the lake surface. There was also a turtle. They were spirits.

The white foal and blue turtle emerged from the lake and approached Yerim. Perhaps because they were young or still weak, they seemed unable to speak yet. They nuzzled their heads against Yerim’s feet as if showing affection.

“It’s safer to head for the sea. This place will soon become dangerous, so stay out of the way for a while. You see the ship over there? You’ll be fine if you go inside. Noah oppa, could you get in touch?”

“Yes. Head toward the water tank section.”

Hesitating like they didn’t want to leave, the spirits finally flew toward the ship after Yerim urged them. Once the spirits had completely disappeared, I took out the disc.

I glanced around to confirm Yuhyun, Yerim, Noah, and also Hyunah and Sigma—and Peace. Then I pressed the button. Unless something as big as the Unfilial Children or the Filial Duty Addict popped out, I felt confident we’d be fine. Seriously, everyone’s so reliable.

The space trembled. A tingling sensation spread along my back. I was still wearing the mana sensitivity suppression item, but I could clearly feel it. The ripple was bigger than the third time.

I used the Teacher skill. Yuhyun and Yerim moved in front of me protectively. Peace also pressed close to my side. Noah activated support skills, and Geochang appeared in Moon Hyunah’s hand, chains forming around Sigma.

— Grrrrrr.

A fierce growl from an SS-rank monster echoed just in front of us, but it only felt like a cat purring. It wasn’t just because of fear resistance. My people were just too incredible for me to be scared.

Five SS-rank monsters. No greater threat than that. The lake water surged upward first. Chains bound the monster on the right, and as if she’d been waiting, Moon Hyunah charged. As Geochang ripped a deep gash into the monster’s side, lightning struck. Even though the Teacher skill didn’t apply to Sigma, they moved in perfect sync. Perhaps it was thanks to Moon Hyunah’s skill traits and experience working in coordination.

The two of them quickly took one monster down, and the one caught by Yerim was also slammed into the lake. Yuhyun didn’t just watch, either. He didn’t rush in immediately but waited to confirm I was safe, then set the nearest monster’s head ablaze. When it didn’t die instantly and lunged, he sliced off its front leg with a blade and leapt up in one motion to plunge a blazing spear deep into its crown.

Meanwhile, Moon Hyunah and Sigma finished off another monster, and just as Yuhyun and Yerim were about to race toward the last one like it was a competition—

“Hyung!”

“Mister! It’s dangerous!”

Suddenly, the two abandoned the monster and rushed back to me. Peace also bristled his fur. I, too, belatedly sensed something ominous.

“Our darling moon is so popular~”

“If you’re jealous, I’ll give him to you.”

Moon Hyunah whistled, and Sigma jabbed an electric-charged chain at the last remaining monster. With a loud crackle, light burst out, and as the whitewashed vision cleared, I saw a monster flying straight toward us.

A beast with dragon wings and horns, covered in reddish-brown fur.

“Yujiin, I’ll move you and Peace to the ship.”

Noah suggested it would be better to retreat. But if I went to the ship, the Teacher skill would wear off. As I reached for a mini-mini cookie to eat, something familiar fluttered from one of the beast’s horns as it drew nearer.

“Wait, that! Isn’t that yarn?”

At my words, everyone turned to look at the fluttering hot pink yarn.

“Oh, it looks exactly like the one Mister gave to Guild Leader Seoseong!”

“It does, right? Don’t tell me…”

…Don’t tell me that monster is Seong Hyunjae. No, it doesn’t have to be in human form. The place we met was inside the system, practically a mental realm, so he could’ve changed his appearance. He was yarn at first, after all.

For now, we held back from attacking and simply stayed alert. The monster landed on the opposite side of the lake. It definitely didn’t seem hostile. It even swayed its tail.

“Um… Seong Hyunjae…? Are you my partner?”

— Grrrrng.

The monster growled at my words. Was that a reply? Is it Seong Hyunjae?

“Why the hell are you in that state?!”

— Grrrr.

“Seriously? Is it really you?”

Oh man, how did he end up like this? Can’t he even speak? As I moved to approach the monster, Yuhyun and Yerim both grabbed me at the same time.

“Careful, hyung.”

“He’s right. We never know for sure.”

“…That’s Seong Hyunjae?”

Sigma muttered in confusion. No, that’s not how he usually looks. But… is it really him? He’s way too docile for Seong Hyunjae. If I walked up and said “hand,” he might actually give me a paw.

“If you’re really Guild Leader Seoseong, raise your right front paw.”

The monster just wagged its tail with a grumble. Hm, maybe not? But then why does he have the yarn? The monster, who had been sitting quietly, slowly flew across the lake and landed in front of me. With Yuhyun and Yerim still on guard, it lowered its big head toward me.

“He’s seriously gentle.”

When I reached out and patted its head, it purred softly. So, it’s not Seong Hyunjae, but it has the yarn, it’s calm, and there’s no hostility.

“…Maybe Seong Hyunjae sent it.”

“A monster?”

“I don’t know why, but that’s what it seems like. Maybe he sent it to help with the fifth disc installation? It looks like an SSS-rank. If so, just send us a short message.”

[□]

Oh, a response came. I couldn’t make out the content, though. Could it be that installing more discs is actually reducing the system’s control? It hasn’t been able to send quests either.

Anyway, an SSS-rank monster? That’s reassuring. Now just one disc remains—the final one.