The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 426



Chapter 426: Morning!


There was a familiar voice in the hazy memory, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I sat in a chair and looked at Seong Hyunjae. I could sense a faint fatigue in his face as he stood on the other side of the wide lobby.


He said that I and Chief Song had been here. Since it was a nightmare dungeon, I probably wouldn’t have witnessed anything pleasant. Or rather, I wouldn’t have heard anything good. Fortunately, it was quiet now.


“It’s just as you’re guessing.”


Seong Hyunjae said.


“Song Taewon and Han Yujin had an effect on my completion, and Song Taewon blocked it.”


“Is that all?”


“If I were to add a bit more, it would be that I tried to enter the dungeon alone.”


I remembered the Seong Hyunjae I had met in this dungeon—the one who had tried to eliminate the current Seong Hyunjae. I unconsciously glanced at the other me sitting in a chair a little further away.


“So you ended up entering with Chief Song.”


“That’s right. To be precise, Song Taewon followed me.”


And Seong Hyunjae accepted Song Taewon’s help. From there, the voice saying it wasn’t Han Yujin’s story lingered in my ears. As an ordinary F-Rank, Han Yujin would have been unable to even enter the dungeon with the two of them.


Whatever relationship I had with those two, I must have had to stay outside.


“My memory…”


“It seems to be a side effect of plunder. Or…”


Seong Hyunjae’s gaze momentarily turned behind him.


“It might have been to protect Han Yujin from Crescent Moon.”


“The memory—so you mean erasing the fact that I was involved with the two of them?”


“Song Taewon must have had an influence. But he died there.”


“And plunder went to Mr. Seong Hyunjae.”


“He gifted it to me.”


Seong Hyunjae, while bound by Crescent Moon, received the plunder skill and escaped the dungeon alone. I thought he would have used plunder to sustain himself, but he might have used it on others.


“Did you use it on me, Mr. Seong Hyunjae? No, but the pre-regression Mr. Seong Hyunjae… come to think of it, he also said his own memory wasn’t perfect.”


He had been surprised that my memory wasn’t intact, but at the same time, he’d said his own memory also had problems.


“Could it be that while using a skill he was unfamiliar with on me, his own memory was also affected?”


“I don’t know. But if it’s not a side effect…”


Seong Hyunjae looked at the pre-regression me. I furrowed my brow and struggled to meet his gaze.


“He would have erased it for you.”


Han Yujin, who had no special ability and would find it difficult to even face an S-Rank who hadn’t suppressed his presence. So I would have had to step back—from my little brother, and from the other two people.


My throat felt a little dry. Being weak wasn’t a sin, but it was sad. Even if it couldn’t be helped, my heart ached. An F-Rank who had some influence on the pre-regression Seong Hyunjae, but that was all. Being told by two people who were the same yet different, “There was nothing you could do,” one after another—a sigh rose in my throat.


But if it were the current me, would I have tried to find a way together without erasing it? The current me.


“It’s not your fault.”


At my words, the other me’s brow furrowed.


“What do you mean, fault? Hey, I’m you anyway.”


“Right. It’s not my fault either. That’s why we’ve come this far. It’s not all resolved yet, but at least we can try something.”


The other me and I looked back at my little brother.


“And we’re together like this.”


“I thought it would all be over if I reconciled with Yuhyun. What the hell is left?”


At my words, a bitter smile naturally formed on my face. That’s what I’m saying. My goal was simple—to be acknowledged by my little brother and return to the way things were. That was all. Though it was simple, it was by no means an easy path.


“In addition, it seems he originally tried to erase the contract with Crescent Moon using plunder.”


“What? No, you should have told me something that important from the beginning!”


Such a method existed! It seems to have failed, though. But the idea of swallowing the contract itself, not Seong Hyunjae, was worth considering again.


“When Crescent Moon’s power came into me, Chief Song Taewon just felt like a threat. It might have been because it was just a fragment of power, not a clear will, but he was simply considered a being that harms the little moon.”


He had led me to agree with Crescent Moon’s intentions. Of course, if it were the pure me, even if Chief Song attacked Seong Hyunjae, I would have thought, “The time has finally come, you’ve been patient for a long time…” But the me at that time had been somewhat sympathetic to Crescent Moon.


A being that seeks to harm the moon she has raised. Since I also had Yuhyun, it was relatively easy to empathize. At the same time, since it was Seong Hyunjae, I think I also had a slight thought of ‘why do I have to go this far?’


“So I was able to suppress it, saying that Chief Song wasn’t that kind of person. But if we can eliminate the contract itself with plunder…”


“It was just an attempt.”


“Is it impossible?”


I looked back at Young Chaos, who was standing slightly askew.


“I don’t know anything about that.”


“Yes. It would be great if I could find out how Crescent Moon, who appeared in the dungeon, reacted!”


Was it just because he was wary of Song Taewon being able to swallow Seong Hyunjae, or was there also the possibility of canceling the contract? Either way, it seemed that Chief Song was an important key.


Though it was something Chief Song would never wish for.


“Is there any way to draw out a little more of Crescent Moon’s memory? Isn’t there anything left in the dungeon?”


“It might have been possible before it disappeared.”


“What? Then beforehand—!”


“If memory had been added to the power with only will remaining, you would have been devoured.”


R-right. But it was a little disappointing. Can’t I draw it out again somehow? Go to the mental world and draw out Crescent Moon’s power again…


“Don’t get any foolish ideas.”


“I won’t.”


Should I try entering the mental world against Seong Hyunjae again? Since there’s also the contract with Crescent Moon, I might be able to discover something more.


“Secondborn, hit the firstborn on the back of the head.”


“Hyung…”


Yuhyun, instead of hitting me on the back of the head, grabbed my shoulder and shook it slightly. The Old Man is so perceptive.


“Anyway, as long as that guy is fine, Crescent Moon won’t rashly intervene. So just think about how to get out of this dungeon.”


“Yes.”


For now, let’s put it on hold. As I got up from my chair, I heard a faint sound from beyond the door on the other side of the lobby. WHOOSH—something flared up.


And then, THUD. It knocked on the glass door once and then went quiet. There were no words. A warm feeling spread through my chest.


“Go up.”


Young Chaos said firmly. Yuhyun grabbed my arm and pulled me. The pre-regression me was also led up by my little brother’s hand.


“Let’s go quickly. It’s late.”


I couldn’t look back at the door and walked away. As expected, I have to escape this dungeon quickly.


“Good morning!”


“Good morning! Kim Seo-bangs!”


As we went down to the hotel lobby, Yerim and Peace greeted us with cheerful voices. The cloths on the glass door had all been removed, and morning sunlight was streaming in. I looked around just in case, but there were no traces outside the door.


When we headed to the restaurant with the kids, we saw Song Taewon and Seong Hyunjae who had already arrived. Young Chaos was also occupying a seat early. Wow, it smells delicious. Did the Rookie prepare breakfast?


“Chief Song, you’ve worked really hard.”


“No.”


Fortunately, Chief Song looked less tired than yesterday. Did Seong Hyunjae tell him about what happened during the night?


“Mr. Yujin.”


I heard Noah’s voice from the kitchen. Why is Mr. Noah in the kitchen… gasp.


“M-Myungwoo?”


Myungwoo, beyond the open kitchen, smiled at me. He doesn’t seem to be angry. Right? And more importantly, was this what free breakfast meant! Rookie!


“Is that Hunter Myungwoo?”


The pre-regression me asked quietly.


“Uh, yeah.”


“He doesn’t seem to be in production.”


“He’s a blacksmith. He has to be strong too.”


After telling Yuhyun and the other me to go to their seats, I approached the kitchen. Hmm, it feels like I haven’t seen him in ages.


“Hi…? So, I was perfectly fine.”


“Yujin.”


“Yeah.”


“You hurt your leg.”


Myungwoo said, still smiling.


“Well, the monster here did it! It must be the dungeon boss, so I have to kill it.”


I unconsciously was about to say that the guy who broke my leg also had his leg cut off, but I quickly changed my words. A monster’s fault is better than being kidnapped and rolling around.


“The mana imprinting.”


“It’s fine! It’s perfectly fine. For real.”


Mr. Seong Hyunjae, Chief Song, you didn’t say anything, right? Don’t tell me Myungwoo was watching the situation in the dungeon… damn it, that can’t be.


“Let me see.”


“Uh, yeah.”


I quickly went around and entered the kitchen. Myungwoo examined the mana imprinting, then looked at Young Chaos.


“I see.”


Huh? What does that mean? Myungwoo’s hand slapped my back, stinging a little.


“Take care of your body.”


What is this… the nagging is unusually short.


“It’s not that I didn’t want to… But how did you end up here?”


“I’m suffering.”


Myungwoo said, opening the lid of a pot. Then he briefly explained his situation.


“You really participated in the creation of the dungeon?”


“I’m an assistant, an assistant. So I can’t properly interfere with the dungeon. Even if he’s a Rookie, it seems he can only check a very limited part of the information in the dungeon.”


“But that’s still amazing. It’s the transcendent beings who manage dungeons!”


Even if it’s just an assistant, it’s incredible. At this rate, won’t Myungwoo become a dungeon administrator? Or become a Rookie, following in the Rookie’s footsteps.


“Tentacles are a no-no.”


“Ah, that.”


Myungwoo tilted his head slightly. Wait a minute, something’s suspicious.


“It looked comfortable, though.”


“Hey, hey. Protect your identity as a human.”


“The Rookie—”


“Don’t listen to the Rookie. He just wants to exploit you more efficiently! You said you’re already tired. He even sent you here to cook. That damn volleyball bastard.”


“I said I would come. He said he was going to make sandwiches and chicken.”


What’s with chicken for breakfast? In addition, he said that Myungwoo’s body now was at the level of a non-Awakened with no skills. It seemed that his grade had dropped significantly, just like Young Chaos.


“Did you hear that from the Rookie?”


I sat down and took out an egg, broke it into a bowl, and asked casually.


“What?”


“That I regressed.”


“I know that this dungeon is a record of the future and the past.”


It seemed that he had been guessing to some extent.


“Yeah. The future that disappeared when I returned to the past.”


SIZZLE—the beaten egg flowed onto the hot pan.


“I wasn’t there, was I?”


“Myungwoo, you are a friend I met completely anew.”


There was a high possibility that Myungwoo had died before the pre-regression me had even awakened. I suddenly looked back at Noah, who was opening the rice cooker. Mr. Noah would be the same. The connections that didn’t exist before the regression. The old people who continue, and the new people.


“Then I’m probably one of the happiest people because you, Yujin, returned to the past.”


Myungwoo said. Why does this kid always say things that touch my heart?


“Me too, Mr. Yujin.”


Noah chimed in, holding the rice scoop. His brightly smiling face looked as if it were sparkling.


“I’m happy that I could change so much.”


“Mr. Noah, you were always amazing.”


“What about you, Yujin?”


The answer came easily to Myungwoo’s question.


“Of course I like now much better too.”


Even though there are mountains of difficult things. Even if a thorn is forever stuck in my heart. But there are so many good people, so I can’t help but say I like it.


Breakfast was, of course, very delicious. Myungwoo, who had even eaten with us, returned to his position as a dungeon administrator with a deep sigh. That damn Rookie, just how much is he making Myungwoo work?


“Then let’s go straight to the Hunter Association.”


We have to finish it before the sun sets again.


“Do you want to rest, Mr. Seong Hyunjae? You must be tired from staying up all night.”


“Wouldn’t it be better to finish it quickly?”


Well, that was true. Anyway, since we just have to wait outside the area, we decided that everyone would move, with no one staying at the hotel.


The Hunter Association, which was in the same Gangnam area, wasn’t far. Perhaps because it was just around rush hour, unlike last time, there were few Hunters outside. A-Rank, in this dungeon, three S-Ranks.


“Yuhyun.”


My little brother quietly stepped forward. Not on the floor, but on the willow leaves, he approached the Hunters silently in an instant. They noticed quickly, as they were S-Rank in stats, but the acceleration skill of his formal wear activated even faster, and—


CRUNCH—


His throat was pierced by the tip of a blade.


“Wha—!”


As one of the remaining two was about to shout, a thick arm wrapped around his neck. CRACK—the sound of a bone breaking was heard, and Yerim, who had teleported with Chief Song, blew a cold breath at the face of the remaining man.


His vision was obscured, his mouth was frozen, and he couldn’t make a sound, and the last one was also quickly subdued.


It would have been fine if Yerim had just stayed there. Anyway, finally—


BOOM—!


A thunderbolt struck the Hunter Association building. Although it’s a fake in a dungeon, it’s so refreshing.



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