The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 478: This Time, the Kidnapper (1)

Quietly capture S–rank Hunter Chloe.

Obviously, not easy. Luring her out would already be hard, and the moment she sensed anything off, she’d bolt at full power. Even a small, weak rabbit can flee a predator. If you’ve got similar abilities, running is even easier.

Add the condition to do it quietly without getting caught, and it’s practically impossible. If S–ranks swarm and the quarry dodges, you’ll demolish three or four buildings, easy.

But the method turned out surprisingly simple.

“Send a mid–rank–or–below Hunter.”

The next day, we sent the designated email with a recording of Seong Hyunjae’s voice. A reply came not long after.

“What they want back is a contract with my signature,” Seong Hyunjae said after checking the mail. He couldn’t tell us the details of the contract. Probably NDA about the party, attendance as a partner, guarantee of safety, that sort of thing.

We set the meeting place soon after. Time around midnight, and Seong Hyunjae had to stand somewhere visible from outside—that was the condition. Chloe entered as a BurnCave guild free Hunter alone, but it seemed she still had a few helpers in Korea.

“They’ll likely try to verify where Yuhyun, Yerim, Ms. Hyunah, and Chief Song are, too. So let’s break up like it’s been handled. As for me… should I stagger out?”

Just leaning on Yuhyun’s arm should sell it. I’ll go a bit pale and look shaken.

Late evening, Seong Hyunjae left the hotel first with Chief Song. To be precise, he walked out the front with Chief Song, then took a waiting car back to the guild, while Chief Song declined the ride and headed home on foot. Walking makes tracking easier, but still—at least take a cab.

Then I called Moon Hyunah and filled her in.

[Coincidence—I’m outside right now. Did you make up with Seong Hyunjae?]

“Make up? It wasn’t even much of a fight to begin with…”

I turned aside and lowered my voice.

“But I feel like he’s got some other scheme going.”

[Other scheme? That man always does. Acts like he alone knows how the world works.]

“Right? He’s a pain sometimes.”

[Sometimes—so kind of you, lol.]

Ms. Hyunah laughed.

“Just being polite. Anyway, he’s oddly lukewarm.”

If he’d kept Chloe’s letter from me and pushed me away to get Chatterbox’s invitation, that would fit—but it felt off. He’d told me he hadn’t finished poking at what’s right in front of him, but that was my line. He was hiding something. Something to do with me.

“He kept prodding me to talk, too. I just can’t tell what he’s aiming for.”

[Want a drink and a consult?]

“Nah, not that far…”

[You know even Song Taewon has sighed to me about him. Two years ago, maybe. Right when he was getting it from Seong Hyunjae. More than once, too.]

“I sometimes gripe with Chief Song about him, yeah. Chief says to treat him like a natural disaster.”

[These days you’re the bigger headache, I bet. At least Seong Hyunjae’s sturdy! He’s not gonna keel over somewhere dumb.]

Ouch, my conscience. If I say I want to attend Chatterbox’s party, he’ll sigh deeply again.

[He’s hard to read, sure, but I’ve watched him long enough to say this.]

Her laugh faded; she spoke plainly.

[He genuinely wants to look out for you. The way is dirty sometimes, but.]

“I decline that style of ‘care.’ And I already refused. I said I don’t want one–sided protection.”

[He’s trying to treat you better than his norm, uncharacteristically—but that temperament won’t change without a hard hit. Otherwise he’ll just backpedal halfway.]

“You want me to break his nose? Is that possible.”

[Or poke back. Time’s the answer. Maybe he changes someday. Or toss him out. I recommend that.]

“Toss him where. Got a place to dump him?”

“Nope,” she laughed.

[If there were, poor Song Taewon would’ve done it first! No—he couldn’t with that personality. Anyway, most folks don’t agonize like you—they toss the other first.]

“That’s because…”

I hesitated, then said,

“Because I’m great.”

My voice tightened without meaning to. Even without the skills, I added silently. I expected a teasing laugh through the phone, but—

[Yeah. Because you’re amazing.]

She agreed as if stating a given. Not flattery to please me, not even an evaluative compliment—just fact.

“…You know I like you a lot, right, Ms. Hyunah?”

[Of course. Love you, Hyung.]

“Why are you lowering your voice. Wh–what was that just now!”

What was that! Anyway, I asked her to make sure our movements were visible and hung up quick.

“I told you. If Unni just says okay, it’s 100 percent,” Yerim said, nodding big from a bit away beside Yuhyun. Whatever they’d been discussing, Yuhyun looked a bit sullen.

“What’s up?”

“It’s nothing. Hey, Han Yuhyun. Unni doesn’t seem into that, so relax. Don’t worry.”

“Not worried.”

He answered coolly and moved in tight at my side. Gyeol, with Yerim moments before, climbed onto my shoulder.

“Let’s go home, Hyung.”

“Yeah.”

– Dad, do you really like tall people?

“No, I like you too, Gyeol.”

Were they talking about that confession to Ms. Chloe again. Before stepping outside the hotel, I turned off Fear Resistance. I brushed my pre–regression memories and my mood tanked. With a glum face, wrapped between Yuhyun and Yerim, I went out and got in the car.

We reached the Breeding Facility and went up to the house. Chirp and Belare were quiet—probably asleep—but Peace and Rang came right up to the door. Rang had probably followed Peace.

“Peace, Dad’s going back out for a bit.”

– Hrrm.

When I didn’t take off my shoes, Peace grumbled displeased. Sorry to pop out the moment I got home after days away. Gyeol’s eyes went long and round.

– Gyeol doesn’t have to sleep yet!

“No. It’s too late. I won’t be long—go to sleep first.”

I soothed Gyeol and headed back out to the reception room on the first floor. Seok Gimyeong was already there, waiting.

“They should be departing soon,” he said, pointing to the monitors. “All the night–watch cameras are connected fine.”

They were set up at the rendezvous with Chloe. We’d swapped out building and traffic CCTVs, parked vehicles, and minimized blind spots. Even if she found it suspicious, Chloe had no reason to smash public property. That’d only saddle her with a crime.

“Nothing’s going to go wrong, right.”

I was too anxious to sit still. After a while, a car appeared on the monitor. It stopped, and out stepped a man in his late twenties with glasses. A mid–rank Hunter from Sesung with a special support–type skill. He looked around and leaned on the car.

“Hyung, sit.”

“Yeah, sit and wait.”

I swallowed and let Yuhyun tug me down onto the sofa. It was already past midnight.

“Why isn’t she here yet? Making him stand around!”

“She has to check it’s not a trap.”

“But it’s past the time. Rude!”

Yerim looked at me like it was unexpected.

“So you’re totally over her now? You said you liked her a lot.”

“Even if I like her…”

Not as much as the people at my side. Yerim, go sleep— I can sleep during the day; didn’t you skip school yesterday— and so on. Nearly thirty minutes drifted by.

Just as the nerves started creeping in, Chloe finally appeared. She approached the car slowly and gave a light greeting. The Sesung Hunter spread his arms slightly to show no hostility, then held out a hand. At the handshake gesture, Chloe tilted her head a fraction and reached out obediently.

And—the two vanished from the frame in an instant.

“We got her! Let’s go!”

I sprang up. I asked Seok Gimyeong to keep monitoring and ran out. We piled into the prepped car, headed for the site—and my phone rang from Seok Gimyeong almost at once.

[Two people who appear to be Hunter Chloe’s allies have arrived.]

“They must be shocked. How many?”

[Two—just became three. There were at least five or six checking the positions of each S–rank, so when they’re all here, maybe close to ten.]

“They won’t all come. If a high–rank gets hit, they’ll look out for their own skin first.”

“Mister, it’s Mr. Noah,” Yerim said from the back seat, showing her phone.

“Mr. Noah, three just appeared. Doesn’t look like more will come. If they look mid–rank or below, please subdue them.”

[Okay.]

Mr. Noah had returned to the Breeding Facility building with Myungwoo the day before. The building was under watch too, but the watchers wouldn’t be S–rank—at best A–rank, most likely B–rank and below. With Noah’s stealth skill, slipping out was easy.

Even if they lost track of Noah’s position, they’d think they could handle one S–rank known as a support–type. In any case, Mr. Noah hadn’t planned to approach Hunter Chloe.

“If it gets a little rough, Hyung—stay out of it,” Yuhyun said, turning the wheel. A rough method… could be.

“Shouldn’t you say that to Yerim, not me.”

“Why! I’m a Hunter too!”

“I keep saying—minors should be protected. In a safe world, you shouldn’t even be Hunters.”

Monsters don’t go easy on kids, so you end up fighting to get strong—but in a normal world, no.

“Like me and Han Yuhyun,” Yerim grumbled. Sometimes she seems set on doing anything Yuhyun does. Rivalry? Or family? Both, maybe.

At the destination, Mr. Noah was there with three Hunters trussed in wire.

“Mr. Noah, great work!”

“Not at all. All three seemed C–rank or lower.”

Seong Hyunjae arrived too, and last came Moon Hyunah’s car.

“I picked up Chief Song!” she said. Chief Song got out of the passenger seat. Seong Hyunjae clicked his tongue about being refused. Why would he ride with you—try being decent routinely. He says he’s being nice, but still.

“They’re set to pop back in an hour, so be ready,” I said, checking my phone timer. The S–rank Hunters formed up around the spot where the two vanished. I stood back. Exactly one hour later, figures appeared in the empty air.

Chloe and the Sesung Hunter—bound and unconscious. The Sesung Hunter took off his glasses to reveal a familiar face.

“Myungwoo! You okay? Not hurt?”

I hurried over. He smiled and said he was fine.

“I don’t get hurt inside the forge.”

We used Myungwoo’s forge to quietly capture Chloe. Myungwoo can move a person he’s in contact with—body or item—into the forge. And inside the forge is Ismuar, who can subdue an S–rank Hunter. Add glasses that let you change into someone else, and tricking Chloe wasn’t hard.

Sure, people saw the forge at Seong Hyunjae’s birthday, but who would expect the world’s only S–rank–plus equipment maker to personally step in. With his low stats, they’d assume he’d be kept wrapped and safe.

I’d worried he might get hurt anyway, but thankfully he was fine. Since the other side was a high–rank, he insisted it was safe and that he wanted to go himself… So this is how they feel watching me. Time to reflect.

“I was more worried about you,” he said.

“Huh? Me?”

“You’re a fan. And you’re not the type to switch hearts easily.”

“Ah… well.”

Seeing Chloe lying there did sting a bit.

“But you’re far more precious. And now… I have too many good people.”

I still felt grateful for the comfort I’d gotten, but it couldn’t be the same as back then. It’s cheap to say success dulls old feelings—but.

“Let’s move first. Waking Hunter Chloe in the forge would be best. Is that okay?”

“Yeah. If she ran, that’d be bad, so I agree.”

We took Chloe and the other three Hunters toward the Gyeonggi Breeding Facility, where any ruckus wouldn’t harm civilians. We left the mid–rank Hunters with the on–site high–rank Hunter and Blue, and we went down into Myungwoo’s forge.

“This is the basement?”

Big. The ceiling and floor were a bit scorched—traces of fighting Chloe, maybe. And it felt… off. Stifling air, sort of. The others’ faces tightened bit by bit, too. Maybe just because it was underground.