The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 321: Sibling Fight (1)

‘Why does he like this so much? Maybe he’s been secretly building up complaints against me… Even if he had, he’s not the type to resolve things with violence. But still, maybe he did want to punch me at least once. I haven’t exactly made life easy for him. My conscience pricked a little.’

“Hm, hey, Yuhyun. If you’ve got any complaints against your big brother, how about getting them all out today?”

“Complaints? Of course I don’t…”

Han Yuhyun trailed off mid-sentence. Yep, he definitely had some. I patted his shoulder reassuringly, telling him it was okay.

“Go on, tell me. It’s alright. I’ll listen to everything.”

“I don’t like it when you go outside. I hate that you get caught up in dangerous stuff.”

“…Uh, well.”

His answer came out so suddenly that I was taken aback, and Han Yuhyun shook his head slightly as if to say not to worry.

“You asked me to say it, so I did. You didn’t like it when I became a Hunter either. You probably still get anxious when I go out on dungeon raids.”

“Yeah. I mean, if I could help it, I’d want you to only do safe work too. Same for Yerim.”

It’d be even better if they didn’t work and just went to school. We looked at each other and gave small smiles at the same time. It was still something that couldn’t be helped, but it felt different from before. Maybe it was thanks to the peaceful past few days. There was a vague hope that maybe, someday, it could be possible. Yuhyun probably felt the same way.

“And also, start working out.”

“…Huh?”

“Even if you’re not in the best shape, that’s all the more reason to at least do some light stretching. You have to build a habit of regular exercise if you want to stay healthy when you get older.”

Yuhyun shot me a stern look, clearly asking why I hadn’t done any of that. No, it’s not like I didn’t want to. It just, um… kind of happened.

“And stop eating late at night. Eat your meals on time—don’t skip them just because you’re feeling lazy. Park Yerim said she’s not going to let you eat the snacks she buys anymore. The Breaker Guild Leader and Hunter Kang Soyeong also said they won’t bring you food—”

“Hey, Yuhyun! It’s not like I’ve been eating that much…”

“Eating a lot is fine, but skipping meals and only eating snacks isn’t. If you eat all three meals properly, then it’s okay. Oh, and I scheduled a dentist appointment for you tomorrow morning.”

When I’m alone… cooking feels like such a chore. I had no excuse, so I just said I’d take better care of myself from now on. If I got sick once or twice more, I felt like he might actually assign someone to watch over me permanently. Like a trainer who manages my diet every day.

“So the reason you were so happy about being able to use a mental-type skill on me… was it because you planned to whip me into shape? I mean, exercising in there won’t really help much.”

Though I could at least build a habit.

“That’s not it.”

“…Then what?”

“I just like it.”

Yuhyun tilted his head, like he didn’t understand why I was even asking, and continued.

“I’m not really interested in much else. Aside from things related to you, the only thing I can say I actually care about is fighting.”

I knew that. I knew Han Yuhyun had quite a combative nature. Other S-Rank Hunters, especially those with combat-based or offensive skills and stats, tended to be aggressive too.

“Maybe it’s because I get to release everything I’ve been holding back—it feels pretty good. Hunting monsters isn’t bad either, but it’s more fun going up against Hunters.”

“I heard you and Hyunah used to pick fights all the time.”

“We haven’t really been able to do that since dungeon breaks basically stopped happening.”

Yuhyun said with a slight pout.

“Korea has S-Rank Hunters in public office. Unlike overseas, where even if a high-ranking Hunter goes wild, it’s hard to impose legal penalties. And there are lots of restrictions that stop S-Rank Hunters from harming each other.”

“If something goes wrong, the consequences are huge.”

At least fights outside could be spotted and stopped quickly, so they were manageable, but the real issue was inside dungeons. That’s why it was taboo for multiple combat-type S-Rank Hunters—especially those from different guilds—to enter the same dungeon. If someone got killed in there, they could just say a monster did it, and there’d be no way to investigate. Unless there were three or more people, it was strictly forbidden in Korea. Except for Chief Song Taewon, since he was a public official.

Yuhyun and Yerim were in the same guild, so they were fine. Seong Hyunjae and Evelyn probably didn’t face many restrictions either. Though Evelyn might try to stab Seong Hyunjae in the back.

Even aside from that, sending multiple S-Rank Hunters into a dungeon together just for strategy with no real reason was stupid. Dungeon difficulty wasn’t even that high yet, so what a waste of resources that would be. Maybe two or three years from now, but not yet.

“Still, Chief Song Taewon was the most fun to fight. Especially right after I awakened—it was tough going up against him in close combat. I even fought him without using Black Flame on purpose.”

…Chief Song, I’m really, truly sorry. I honestly want to repay you somehow, but you won’t accept anything, and it makes me sad.

“He was easy to call out too, so I ended up fighting him the most. I’m sure the other S-Rank Hunters mostly sparred with Chief Song as well.”

“You’ve really been through a lot—both in Korea and abroad.”

“The Breaker Guild Leader wasn’t bad either. The Sesung Guild Leader was okay too. The rest were boring.”

‘Was Seong Hyunjae worse than Hyunah? So he prefers close-combat types like Chief Song. Well, Yuhyun himself always did prefer dealing with things up close rather than burning them from afar.’

“But still, hyung is the best!”

Han Yuhyun said, eyes full of excitement as he looked at me.

“I like everything we do together, but the fact that we can even fight? I thought that was one thing that’d be impossible.”

“Uh… yeah, I thought so too.”

“Can we use Park Yerim and the Sesung Guild Leader’s skills like that time? Mine too?”

“Yeah, we can. But the proficiency’s way lower than the original user. The trickier the skill, the harder it is to use.”

“But you used them pretty skillfully, didn’t you? What about weapons? Can you bring them in?”

“You can use any item you were holding when the mental-type skill was activated.”

“Then I should prep a bit. Since you’ve got access to so many skills, I’ll pack some cold resistance gear, and do you use poison too?”

“Yeah, I can use Hunter Noah’s skills too.”

“Really? That’s gotta be tricky.”

My little brother said, as giddy as a kid the day before a field trip. In reality, Yuhyun never really liked field trips.

“When are we doing it, hyung?”

“We’re both going to be completely defenseless, so we need to ask Yerim to keep watch. It won’t take long, but just in case, we should clear our schedules.”

Yuhyun grinned brightly and said he’d check his schedule and match up as soon as possible. Was he really that happy?

‘After a good fight, it’ll be easier to talk about the Black Dragon Heart fragment.’

You couldn’t fight without getting at least a few scratches, so he’d probably be less resistant to the idea of cutting into my back. And he wouldn’t see me as so weak anymore either. Even if the mental world and reality are different, once you experience it, your mindset can’t help but shift a little.

After the announcement of the dungeon changes, things got busier, but Yuhyun still made time just two days later. There was plenty to take care of within the guild, but dungeon raids themselves had become more relaxed. Yerim also agreed to come home then to watch over us.

“You’re finally hiring full-time staff for the Breeding Facility.”

Seok Gimyeong, who’d come running despite his busy schedule after my request, said cheerfully.

“For the administrative side, I already have some people in mind.”

Once my vision is fully recovered, I’ll go get them myself. But the ones I know are all lower-ranked Hunters.

“For hiring mid to high-ranking Hunters for security and monster management, I’d appreciate help from Haeyeon’s side.”

“Of course, I’ll help. If you need any other specialists, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”

Seok Gimyeong said he’d search with full dedication. He seemed eager to kick out the other guild-affiliated Hunters from the Breeding Facility as soon as possible. It probably weighed on him more since Yuhyun and Yerim were living there.

Right, he’s someone I should get along with, for the kids’ sake. He’s helpful to me too. And he’s been bullied by Seong Hyunjae.

“The Sesung Guild Leader also said he’d help.”

He hadn’t, but I tossed it out casually. At that, Seok Gimyeong’s expression faltered ever so slightly. It returned to neutral a moment later, but still.

“To be honest, I don’t think he’s someone you should get close to. The Sesung Guild Leader is a dangerous man.”

“He treats me well, though. Once you get to know him, he’s not so bad.”

“Ah… yes. Still, there’s a reason everyone who’s dealt with him advises keeping your distance. Plenty of people have been burned after being fooled by his flashy exterior.”

“Don’t tell me you’re one of them, Team Leader Seok?”

I asked innocently, pretending to know nothing, and Seok Gimyeong cleared his throat awkwardly. If he’s reacting that much, Seong Hyunjae must’ve really given him hell. I felt a bit vindicated and also the tiniest bit sorry, so I changed the subject.

“Since Hunter Noah will be in the building, and the Haeyeon Guild is right next door, please prioritize trustworthy people over just capable Hunters.”

“Of course. I already have a few in mind.”

Being the HR team leader of a major guild, I could trust Seok Gimyeong’s judgment. Most of Haeyeon’s current members had passed through his hands. He’s the one who built the stable guild we see today, so it’d be much better to leave it to him than to go hunting for people myself.

“Oh, and there’s been some debate over the Awakening Center.”

“The Awakening Center? Isn’t it still far from reopening?”

It was still under heavy reconstruction after I had Liette smash it, and it’d take quite some time to finish. Maybe I should’ve only wrecked half of it.

“It’ll take time to rebuild the facility, but the internal systems are already well-researched, so we could temporarily open it in another location. However, with the dungeon situation changing, people say there’s less need to increase the number of Awakened.”

Ah, that’s true—the management of dungeons has gotten way easier now. Still, considering the future rise in the number and difficulty of dungeons, the Awakening Center will definitely be needed. And most of all, the inventory system is so convenient.

“They’re not trying to shut it down completely, are they?”

“No. But they’re suggesting cutting support…”

“Wow, seriously, what kind of bastard says that? I said before to reduce the number of Awakened, not the funding! Strengthening the training is a must!”

‘I should make time to visit the Hunter Association. Or maybe the National Assembly instead? The Association’s at least halfway changed now, but the Assembly is still the same, isn’t it? Are they throwing a tantrum because an S-Rank guild didn’t get established in Yeouido? The spot where the MKC Guild used to be is still empty.’

“We can’t ignore Chief Han’s proposal, so don’t worry too much. For now, please focus on the Breeding Facility.”

Seok Gimyeong tried to reassure me, saying it was just something to keep in mind. He was right—it’d be hard to disregard my opinion at this point. Especially with how closely tied I was to the success of the Japan incident and the research lab breakthroughs. And the stamina potion was coming soon, too.

‘Still, it’s a bit of a burden.’

Seok Gimyeong said he’d sort out the list and send it over within the week, then took his leave. I got up as well to check on the young monsters before heading home.

– Mister!

Suddenly, Iryn popped out. The red lizard wrapped around my wrist in a spiral. What the heck?

“Iryn, what about Yuhyun?”

– Yuhyun’s busy. Iryn said I’d just come out to play for a bit.

“You wander around on your own too?”

– I like being next to Yuhyun best, but sometimes, yeah. I can’t go far! Normally even coming here is hard, but it’s okay if I’m near Mister.

“It’s still tough though, so why bother coming? Want me to take you back?”

– More importantly, Mister!

Iryn wagged his tail and looked up at me.

– You said you were going inside Yuhyun, right?

“Yeah, tomorrow.”

– Are you really strong in there?

If you’re asking whether I’m strong, then yeah, I am. Even without counting my twenty-five-year-old little brother’s abilities.

“I can double the power of my offensive skills, remember? So when it comes to pure attack skills, I’m stronger than Yuhyun.”

– Then you can’t!

Iryn slapped the back of my hand with his front paw.

– Can’t you adjust yourself to be about the same level as Yuhyun? Please? If Mister’s too strong, the fight’ll be over before Yuhyun even gets to move properly.

“I’ll do my best to match him.”

– How about restricting your skills entirely? Yuhyun will notice right away if Mister’s holding back!

That’s true. What to do… Maybe, like how Diarma blocked Grace, I might be able to block part of my own skills too.

“Hmm, I’ll give it a try.”

– Thank you, Mister! You’re the best!

Iryn spun around excitedly. Could it be this guy just doesn’t want to see Yuhyun lose?

“I wanna fight Mister too~”

Yerim said as she flopped onto the sofa.

“I just have to keep watch, right?”

“Yeah. On the outside, we’ll just look like we’re asleep. Yuhyun, are you ready?”

Yuhyun nodded. He looked a little nervous.

‘I just need to block the double attack skill effect.’

And also the doubled stat values from before the regression. What about Black Flame? Using the abilities of twenty-five-year-old Yuhyun wouldn’t seem too strange. After all, that skill wasn’t something I gained from the regression. So Black Flame… maybe I should show it. It might help him.

I closed my eyes and applied the mental-type skill to Yuhyun. The skill was accepted without resistance.

“Mister.”

As my dim vision brightened, I saw Yuhyun standing in the middle of a desolate plain.