The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 516: Hand It Over (2)

It was a desert. In the middle of a desolate sea of sand, two waiting rooms made of transparent walls were positioned. Under the blazing sun, I slightly lifted my sunglasses and looked beyond the wall. The distance between the two waiting rooms was about two hundred meters. Thanks to that, we could clearly see each other’s expressions. Since everyone was S-rank. I’d used Teacher on Yuhyun.

‘Does the environment change each time?’

In the distance, two S-ranks stared back at us. Now then. I opened the box I’d tightly gripped and brought along. The expressions of the S-ranks who’d been watching what I was doing became momentarily subtle.

“…A gun?”

I could hear their voices too. Even though items couldn’t be used, I could understand them. Those S-ranks probably weren’t speaking Korean—was this Chatterbox’s service? Looking at the rifle in my hands, one of the S-ranks sneered.

“Wouldn’t a bow be better?”

“Don’t be too complacent. He was skilled at combat support considering his experience.”

If it were before, they would have just laughed, but having proactively taken down an SS-rank in front of S-ranks had a definite effect. I still wouldn’t be more than support though. Of course, even as support—

‘If it were someone like Noah, the story would be different.’

Suddenly, I thought of Muga from the Japanese dungeon. If it were Noah now, couldn’t he create an organization like Medsang? Of course, it wouldn’t be easy, and there was no need for Noah to take on such a burden.

“It’s bolt-action.”

I handed the rifle to Yuhyun. There were automatics too, but since they weren’t dungeon byproduct-made, I couldn’t be sure if they’d work properly here, so I mainly brought ones Myungwoo made that were manual. Just in case. If they worked properly, next time I’d have to bring a machine gun and spray them down.

“I think Chief Song probably explained it to you.”

Yuhyun briefly shook his head.

“I only know it’s slower than automatic.”

“Really? Well, there are limits to explaining with words.”

I’d thought he would have taught him in preparation for having a gun taken away, but apparently not. I helped Yuhyun hold the gun and take a stance.

“Hold this part like this, yes. Pull it up and back—”

The S-ranks across from us looked at us wondering what the hell we were doing. While they could understand me doing this, their faces showed they couldn’t comprehend teaching the S-rank hunter Yuhyun how to use firearms.

“Do I just aim like this and shoot?”

“Yeah, you’re doing well. Your stance is good too. Reload from this side.”

Besides the rifle, I also prepared a spare handgun and grenades for him. Of course, I made sure to thoroughly teach him how to use the grenades and the precautions. Meanwhile, a ten-minute timer appeared as before, and the S-ranks across from us also began preparing for combat.

Yuhyun also took out a bow and wire from his inventory along with his sword. Having been quite hurt by what happened last time, he equipped as many weapons as possible.

“I don’t think we can rely too much on the inventory.”

“Right. Since we don’t know what might happen. It seems better to at least carry a dagger.”

While the inventory was convenient, if it got blocked, that was the end of it. The ten minutes passed quickly.

[All awakened individuals will be de-awakened.]

A message window appeared. The expressions of the S-ranks who’d been preparing to charge at us became blank.

“What, what…”

They stared at the message window in disbelief, then looked at us with that same dazed gaze. I smiled brightly at them and showed them the gun.

“This is cheating!”

With a cry full of indignation, the wall disappeared. Yuhyun, who’d been aiming early, pulled the trigger. Bang! A gunshot rang out, and the S-rank hunter who’d been hit precisely in the head disappeared on the spot. His skills were good too. He’s good at everything. The remaining one quickly dropped down and crawled along the ground.

“At this level, Yerim should be fine too.”

Even though it was a fake body, I’d been worried since it involved directly killing a person, but the corpse disappeared before we could properly see anything gruesome. With the sunglasses on, it was even easier to watch. If we didn’t drag it out and caused instant death, it would probably be suitable for middle schoolers under parental guidance.

Click, after reloading, Yuhyun aimed the gun. But the S-rank hunter had already hidden behind a sand dune. Quick response.

“You cheaters!”

“Cheaters? How unfair. The conditions were the same.”

“You knew about it!”

“Unfortunately, even if you hadn’t known, the result would be the same. Now, look at this. A rifle for hunters that fits in the inventory! Although the item grade is low, it’s a weapon that can be conveniently used regardless of hunter rank. It’s compatible with both mana bullets and real bullets made from dungeon byproducts—a brand new product~”

“…”

“Mass-produced versions will be sold soon at the Korean Hunter Market! Not just for hunters, but also an attractive product that’ll be a good self-defense item for people who’ve awakened but haven’t obtained hunter qualifications. The factory mass-produced versions are low grade, but the handmade Master of the Golden Forge versions will go up to medium grade! They’ll be hard to get!”

The S-rank fell silent.

“How about it? Should I put you on the reservation list?”

“…That, no, that’s. …Not necessary!”

The S-rank hunter shouted angrily. It seemed they’d been a bit tempted though. Well, for a high-rank hunter, it was still a fairly useless weapon. It was for mid-to-low ranks and ordinary people.

I also picked up an automatic rifle and took a step forward.

“Hyung, be careful. Even in a de-awakened state, the weight class is different.”

“True, he’s got a good build. If I get grabbed, I won’t be able to move.”

Maybe if it were Yuhyun, but I was no match. I could throw in a bomb, but I deliberately approached. Meanwhile, the S-rank had dug out sand to make it like a trench. After firing a warning shot, I spoke.

“Come out obediently.”

“That’s the same as telling me to get shot and die obediently.”

“Should I toss a grenade in? Rather than ending buried in the sand, at least try to fight back before you go.”

After some grumbling sounds flowed out, the S-rank raised both arms and stood up. Still looking aggrieved.

“I thought the contract not to disclose what happened here was to hide combat skills.”

“This is a combat skill too, strictly speaking. What makes something a skill? Setting up the board and luring people in to deal with them is also a skill.”

At my words, the S-rank’s eyes widened slightly, then he chuckled.

“Right, that’s how it originally was. Just a few years ago, simple individual force wasn’t much.”

Now S-rank hunters could sweep through not just mid-to-low ranks but even A-rank dungeons alone. Originally, it would have been group fighting.

“Now it’s become hard to think apart from rank.”

“Because strength is the most intuitive ability.”

Not only in the past, but even in civilized times, most people instinctively shrink before opponents bigger and stronger than themselves and become relaxed before those smaller and weaker. Since it was like a survival instinct, it couldn’t be helped.

“But if you want to live by instinct, you should take off your clothes and return to the wild.”

It was hard to completely change even what you thought inside. Instead, you just had to pretend otherwise on the outside. Even Yuhyun, who was hard to call human, was functioning in society on the surface. Seong Hyunjae also pretended to be gentlemanly externally. At minimum, wear your clothes. If you walked around with even your underwear off, you’d just be unsightly.

The S-rank stared at me intently.

“There might be people like Director Han even among F-ranks.”

“It’s good if you think of it that way. High-rank hunters look down on lower ranks too much. That’s how you get bitten.”

“Like right now.”

The S-rank’s head nodded slightly. To a lion, a mouse would still be a mouse. But if you got bitten hard once, other mice would start to look a little different. What you used to step on without thinking, you’d now avoid just in case.

It was hard for things to suddenly change drastically because of just me. But the hardest part was starting. Maybe that’s why they say starting is half the battle—if even the very edge changed slightly, the possibility arose for the entire rest to change too.

“If you’re thinking of attending the party, contact me, Mr. Lawrence. There’ll be plenty of invitations.”

It would be good if people who didn’t seem likely to side with Chatterbox attended. I lightly pulled the trigger. The automatic rifle worked perfectly fine. But unlike last time, I wasn’t immediately transported to the waiting room. Only Mr. Lawrence disappeared, and a message window appeared instead.

[When both members of the winning team survive, each is given one gold coin. When one member remains, three gold coins are given.]

Oh boy, this couldn’t be— As soon as the thought that we were supposed to kill each other arose, I threw myself down. Just as I sprawled out long on the sand—

Bang!

A gunshot rang out. The bullet that passed through where I’d been standing embedded itself deep in the sand. I could see the sunglasses that had been knocked off rolling around. That brat Yuhyun. I hurriedly raised my upper body and lifted my head to see my brother smiling as he lifted and pulled back the bolt handle.

“Hey, you.”

“Don’t like it?”

“If I said I didn’t like it, would you obediently lower the gun?”

“Yeah, of course. But you don’t dislike it.”

Following what I’d taught him, he pushed the handle back in and lowered it, then my brother pointed the muzzle at me.

“Do you?”

He was asking, but his expression showed he was certain of my answer. Of course—

“I’d have shot too if I were you.”

Three versus two. If you could trust the other person, it was a choice that didn’t even need consideration. Also, since I’d already received mine, it was Yuhyun’s turn this time. My brother knew well that I would reach that conclusion.

My answer fell, and Yuhyun’s finger pulled the trigger without hesitation. Immediately after, everything went dark before my eyes.

A soft bed. No, rather than soft, it felt like I was lying on a squishy water mass that I was sinking into. When I blinked my eyes, I could see a dim space.

‘…Huh?’

It didn’t seem to be the waiting room.

“Yuhyun?”

I tried calling out just in case, but no answer came back. That’s when it happened. A black veil spread out through the darkness as if seeping in. In the center, a pure white mask floated up, and an emaciated body appeared as if squeezing through mud.

Chatterbox.

Ash-like petals pattered down.

“What are you doing?”

My heart beat loudly, but my voice flowed out reasonably calmly. Chatterbox bowed his head toward me. The long body bent like a street lamp.

[As per the contract, I cannot lay a hand on you.]

Chatterbox showed a polite gesture as he spoke. The drawn mouth shape on the mask curved thinly like a crescent moon.

[It’s just that it was a slightly more interesting spectacle than expected. The sight of you struggling desperately.]

“I said no spectators.”

[I neither saw nor heard any meaningful information.]

My □□□□. He whispered in a language I couldn’t understand. With a dirty feeling, I reached out my hand. Chatterbox couldn’t touch even a fingertip to me or anyone participating in this bet, but I was different. My hand touched the white mask.

“Thanks to that struggling, I made it this far. While devouring the Transcendents one by one.”

By digging into Diarma, I learned about the white bird and the snowy tree. I also learned how to make magic beasts. Thanks to that, Changeling was born and Korea became the safest.

Through the King of Harmless’s intervention in the modified dungeon, I obtained my brother’s weapon, Yerim’s spirit, and many things besides the Fountain of Young Mana. Thanks to her magic stone… I could see my brother, if only briefly.

So—

“Chatterbox. If I tear you apart too, won’t I be able to get everything I want?”

My brother back in a safe world, peacefully. I gripped the edge of the mask.

“You said you’d make me a substitute for the King of Harmless. Well, fine. But you hand over everything too.”

A low laugh could be heard. Below the mask faintly stirred, making an unpleasant noise. The tone was one of finding it ridiculous. Yes, if you’d be so relaxed, that’s good for me. What I wanted was in such a high place that I needed a huge footstool.

I put force into my hand and tore off the mask. The laughter grew louder. Nothing was visible. Ink-like darkness scattered, and when I opened my eyes again, I was in the now-opaque waiting room.

“Yuhyun!”

“Yeah, hyung.”

My brother was right next to me. It felt like I’d had a short nightmare. What did that Chatterbox bastard appear for anyway? Just simple harassment? I sat up and looked at Yuhyun.

“What happened?”

“I shot hyung and was immediately transported to the waiting room. Hyung was asleep, and I received three gold coins.”

It was exactly like my time. The exit was open too. I took a long breath. Yuhyun watched my mood, then instead of asking what happened, spread his arms.

“Want a hug?”

A laugh escaped naturally. Sure, I said, and hugged my brother.

“…Did it hurt a lot by any chance?”

“No, I couldn’t even feel it properly. And with all my experience, that much is nothing.”

At the suggestion to leave, Yuhyun grabbed and lifted the handle of the large box. Outside, two S-ranks had come out first and were waiting for us. While Mr. Lawrence had an understanding expression, the other one’s face was full of anger.

“You deceived us!”

The S-rank took a step toward me threateningly, and at the same time Yuhyun moved. At a speed difficult to follow even for a fellow S-rank, his extended foot struck hard below the opponent’s knee. Along with that, the sword still in its sheath extended and tapped the S-rank’s shoulder as if pressing down.

In an instant, the S-rank who’d dropped to his knees tried to resist, but before that, the blade slid out from the sheath pressing on his shoulder. At the cool sensation held against the nape of his neck, the S-rank ground his teeth and stopped moving.

“If you say deceived, I feel a tiny bit sorry. But even if you’d just charged in, the result would’ve been the same.”

At my words saying “it’s like this even now,” the S-rank’s expression crumpled fiercely. Yuhyun was already strong enough to handle most S-ranks, but after receiving lessons from the elder, his movements had become even cleaner. As expected, private tutoring is good.

“Let him go.”

Thwack, the sword that had been about one-third unsheathed went back into the sheath, and Yuhyun stepped back with precise movements to stand beside me. The S-rank glared alternately at me and Yuhyun with frustration.

“…To see Haeyeon Guild Leader acting like a tamed dog.”

Unable to handle it, the S-rank backed away while muttering lowly. When Yuhyun showed no reaction, he raised his voice further.

“Showing your belly so completely—”

“That’s enough.”

Mr. Lawrence grabbed the S-rank’s shoulder and stopped him. Then he bowed his head toward us before trying to leave outside with his colleague. The S-rank pretended to resist, then turned around as if unable to hold out. What a ridiculous guy.

“You’re letting him go like this? He insulted you.”

“If it bothers you, hyung, I’ll catch him.”

“Doesn’t it bother you?”

“Considering the characteristics of dogs and my relationship with hyung, I don’t feel it as an insult. It’s just a simple fact. Though I know he meant it as an insult.”

Well… thinking about it, using dogs as an insult was funny too.

“Of course, as Haeyeon Guild Leader, I respond when I need to respond.”

“But personally you don’t care.”

“Most of it is false and has no effect on me. But I understand that it could affect you, hyung. I was told that people are affected even by complete strangers… You are too, and I’m affected by you, hyung, so…”

“Just do what’s comfortable for you. I have things I haven’t thought of, and so does Haeyeon Guild.”

Even if Yuhyun made a mistake, Seok Gimyeong would smooth it over well. I collected both invitations that had been on the table. While wondering whether to stop here for today or pull out one more team before dinner, I checked my phone and found a text had arrived.

[Would you come to the room.]

The number was Chief Song’s, but the sender seemed to be Seong Hyunjae. Hadn’t he gotten a new phone yet?