The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 557: Nothing’s Impossible (1)

Clang!

The staff and sword collided. Moon Hyunah, standing guard in front of the Magnate, swung her staff like a tennis racket. The cop, unable to withstand the blow, was shoved back as if flung. The Hunter who had failed to attack the cops and the Magnate frowned.

“We have to snatch their gold coins first and block them–!”

“Employment by a Magnate is done with mutual consent.”

Evelyn spoke, giving him a look full of contempt.

“The police can interfere with us, sure. But no one here is going to be coerced into cooperating. It’s not like their real lives are on the line, and this is all being watched by the entire world.”

She slowly swept her gaze over the Magnates and continued.

“Any Hunter pathetic enough to show that kind of disgrace wouldn’t even have made it this far.”

A couple of the Magnates reflexively nodded. After Evelyn said that, the chance of the Magnates being forced, swallowing their pride, and joining hands with us became slim. They were probably thinking it would be better to bow out cleanly instead.

└ For real, this is a total disaster

I agree. Even at this very moment, the Outlaws’ victory was drawing closer. The cops who were summoned by the Police Commissioner wouldn’t be able to hold out very long either. Even if they were a strong S–rank, the penalty of not being allowed to attack first was just too big.

A few cops turned their eyes toward the Thieves. I quickly opened my mouth at the hint of them thinking, Maybe we should just catch the Thieves instead.

“The Thieves have stealth skills! I doubt a single one of them has used all of those up yet. If you make even one pointless move, every Thief here will all vanish at once in the blink of an eye.”

“So what, we’re just supposed to sit on our hands and watch?”

Shiiing, someone drew their weapon. The Magnates also took on a stance that said they wouldn’t just sit there and be pushed around.

“Better to take down at least one person than stand around like idiots.”

“Hey, Magnates. Just try taking out your gold.”

“Are you even cops or just damned thieves.”

“There are real Thief roles here, you know? I’ll just steal everything.”

“You became a Thief because you can’t even catch monsters properly, and all you’ve got left is your mouth.”

└ Even S–ranks are totally ordinary when it’s a war of words

└ Feels like it’s about to devolve into chaos

└ Yeah, let’s smash everything!!! The flower language of group projects is ‘ruin’!!!

At this rate, a chaotic fight was going to break out any moment now. Even if they were non–awakened, this was a crowd of people who’d all try to seize an advantage by watching for an opening in each other. And they were all high–rank Hunters, proud to a fault. Most of them were S–rank Hunters who’d barely ever had to bow their heads to anyone after awakening.

If “Let’s all compromise a little~” worked here, that would be a miracle.

“Catch all the Magnates and chase down the Thieves! Who cares about the Police Commissioner, the weak ones die first.”

One of the cops growled that they didn’t need cooperation or anything. A few others looked like they agreed. Rather than keep this standoff with no common ground, it was better to move even if it was recklessly. At that, Noah quietly approached my side. Looked like, if it came down to it, he planned to get me out. Kang Soyeong also subtly shifted over toward Liette.

Thud!

Just then, Moon Hyunah slammed her staff into the ground again.

“The police should act like police and protect the citizens.”

At her commanding tone, three or four cops scowled.

“Does she think she’s a real cop or something.”

“It’s more embarrassing to be someone who can’t even play the role properly in a game that isn’t real.”

Moon Hyunah curled her lips up and went on.

“Anyone who tries to attack the Magnates, come through me first.”

The cops who had started to step forward hesitated. The cops were giving her looks like, Why is she going this far? but most of the Magnates also looked puzzled.

“You said you’d force cooperation even if you had to use violence.”

Evelyn spoke up. Moon Hyunah answered without turning back, her back to Evelyn.

“Using force to minimize damage and coordinate is also the police’s role. If every problem could be solved through conversation alone, there’d be no need for laws or police. So.”

Standing between the Magnates and the cops, Moon Hyunah’s voice continued.

“Anyone who interferes with a joint victory, I’ll stop.”

At her firm declaration, Evelyn lifted a shoulder slightly. I thought she’d argue more, but for some reason she fell silent. Instead, other Magnates and Thieves voiced their distrust. How were they supposed to believe that?

└ Trust Moon Hyunah–nim!!!

└ And if you trust her and she betrays at the last minute, you’re screwed, the Thieves must be the most nervous

└ If I were a cop I’d kill everyone but one Thief, you only need Magnates to win anyway

└ You only need one Magnate too, that’s why nobody trusts anyone. Best efficiency is killing everyone and leaving one cop, one Magnate, one Thief

└ Outlaws are actually the chillest. While everyone else is cracking skulls and breaking bodies, they can just smash everything lol

└ Please let Han Yujin win, I bet 100,000 won with my friend

Uh, I’ll try, but. Talking about bets made me think of Hwang Rim. I wondered if there was a gambling ring set up around this game right now. If he’d bet on my solo victory, sorry, but it doesn’t look like I can do this alone this time. Under all the suspicious gazes, I stepped forward too.

“I trust Hunter Moon Hyunah. And I also have a slave. Preparations are complete, so why don’t we at least try, regardless of how it turns out.”

Because wasting time here like this was pointless. At my words, Liette shot her hand up high.

“I’m on Hyunah’s side too! Come at us, all of you!”

“Me too, unni!”

“I’ll help as well. I’m on Hunter Moon Hyunah’s team anyway.”

I quickly scanned over the cops, and then the Magnates. Maybe not everyone was here, but for now, the kids and Seong Hyunjae and Chief Song Taewon didn’t seem to be present. If they were, they’d have reacted. Two of those three teams were probably the Police Commissioner or the Outlaws.

“Anyone else who can gather at least four people willing to trust them?”

At my words, the Hunters fell silent. Most of them were guild leaders who all thought of themselves as the best and were in competition with each other. At best, they could probably only trust one of their own teammates.

“In that case, among the people here, Hunter Moon Hyunah is the most reliable. Magnates, what exactly are the victory conditions?”

“Own a slave for one hour. The moment you bring the slave to one of the designated spots, it counts as owning them.”

Evelyn explained. In other words, it was a kind of base–defense.

“Employment is done with mutual consent, and you must pay at least one gold coin. A Magnate cannot enter a spot occupied by another Magnate without permission. If they do get permission, they can be co–owners and share the victory. The designated spots are spread around the south side of Central Park.”

“We’ll move before the Outlaws can win. Liette, help us!”

Rather than splitting up, it would be better to stay bunched together in case something happened. If we scattered now, someone would definitely try to cut down the competition. Liette looked into the air like she was checking her message window.

“They say my identity might get revealed if I use my skill, but I don’t care!”

Well, it was hard to hide Liette’s unique transformation anyway. She transformed soon after.

“No way! Unni!!”

Kang Soyeong screamed. Noah’s eyes widened slightly in surprise too.

– Huh? What’s wrong?

“Uh… you’re a turtle.”

She was a giant land turtle. Compared to regular turtles, she looked a lot more ferocious, and her tail, legs, and head were a lot longer and more stretched out, but she was still a turtle. The turtle tilted her head, lifted her front foot, and stared at it.

– I’m a dragon, though.

“E–even if you’re a turtle, you’re cool! There’s such a thing as a turtle dragon too!”

Kang Soyeong still shouted, Unni is the best! That’s love. Moon Hyunah laughed and swung her staff.

“Alright, everyone get on! Hyungnim, where’s the slave?”

“Nearby. I’ll guide you.”

Even before I could ask, Noah picked me up and set me down on top of the turtle’s head. The other Hunters also climbed onto the wide shell.

“Noah, could you locate the Outlaws for us? And if you can, find out who they are too. If it’s someone we know, we might be able to negotiate.”

“Yes, I’ll be back.”

Noah took off and glanced down at the turtle. Then he gave a tiny laugh. Liette turning into a turtle really didn’t suit her.

“Go straight this way, but the road’s a bit cramped.”

– I knew I should’ve been the Outlaw!

The turtle that destroyed Manhattan. The turtle took a step. The asphalt road cracked with a loud jagged sound and… okay, this wasn’t really a laughing matter. High–rank Hunters were crammed all over the turtle’s back…

└ Liette is insanely cool but I also want to see her as a turtle

└ Bomb King Yujin–ah, I’m a slave too, can you blow up my company for me? Please lololol

└ Yujin–ah the Police Commissioner is □□□□!! The Police Commissioner is □□□□!! Why can’t you say it!!!

└ asdfghjkl

└ Yujin–ah have you ever sold jade health mats?

└ more keyboard smash

└ Omg up up up!

└ Up!!!!!!!!!

Huh? Up? Is there something above us? I only saw the sky. Moon Hyunah, who’d been warning the cops not to try anything stupid, jumped up onto the turtle’s head.

“Thanks for taking my side, hyungnim.”

“It’s just that I don’t think I can win alone. Honestly, if I tried to negotiate with a slave on my own, they’d obviously just steal the slave and that’d be the end of it. But you wouldn’t do that, Hyunah.”

Even if I didn’t have any personal relationship with Moon Hyunah, if I knew her well enough. Then I’d still put my faith in her the same way. In terms of pure trust, person to person, among the people around me it’d be Hyunah and Chief Song.

“I’ve dragged everyone here for now, but it won’t be easy. There’s no way we’ll get through this without conflict.”

Moon Hyunah lowered her voice as she spoke. Even now, the Magnates, Thieves, and cops were all standing apart from one another. The Magnates, unable to attack first, were at least clustered together, while the Thieves and cops were watching out for people in the same role as well.

“We can probably manage to take the slave to the designated spot, but…”

The moment the victory condition was fulfilled, the real competition would begin.

“On top of that, the penalty for the cops killing participants is that they can’t move. Which means as long as they’ve made it into a designated spot, they can ignore the penalty.”

“…It’ll be a mess.”

They’d leave only their employer, the Magnate, alive, and then the Magnates and Thieves, not to mention the cops, would all try to kill each other. And there would be Thieves trying to steal away the slave on top of that. I looked back at the turtle’s shell. It was quiet for now. The people who chose not to ride and were following on foot were also calm.

It was like that lull right before a typhoon hits.

Boom, rumble!

Because of her sheer size, we hadn’t gone far before the street where the twins had been left came into view. It seemed the people here couldn’t properly perceive the giant turtle’s charge. Buildings that collapsed or people who got swept up by the tail or legs turned to smoke and vanished just before they were hurt.

“Right up ahead–”

– Oh.

Liette suddenly halted.

Crack, craaack!

With flying debris, the road split in a long line as if a boundary had been drawn. Beyond that line, in front of Liette, someone descended. Dressed in uniform.

– It’s the Police Commissioner! Ah, I can’t attack first. Come at me!

Liette’s huge body tensed, and Moon Hyunah frowned. The Police Commissioner looked up at us calmly.

“Are you here to interfere? Police Commissioner! Han Yujin is right here!”

Moon Hyunah grabbed me and held me forward as she shouted. Why am I being used as bait…

“Is it Young Master, is it Hyunjae, or Yerim!”

└ Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!□□□□!!!!!!!!!!

└ If Han Yujin guesses the Police Commissioner’s identity, I’ll dance in Dodam’s first floor lobby holding a Peace plushie

└ □□□□□□□□□□□□!!!!

“People say he’s handsome and kind. Maybe he’s Chief Song?”

“No, it might be Yerim.”

Oh, that’s possible too.

└ Yujin–ah if you’re handsome you’re automatically kind!!!!!

└ Yujin–ah, you are never ever allowed to touch stocks

…They’re already ruined anyway. The Police Commissioner flicked his fingers toward Moon Hyunah. She flashed a fierce smile.

“Well now, whoever you are, if you want a fight I won’t say no. If we take down the Police Commissioner here, it’ll be easier to share the win.”

Tap. Using the turtle’s head as a springboard, Moon Hyunah kicked off lightly and leaped down. Whoosh– her staff cut through the air in a sweeping strike aimed at the Police Commissioner. She couldn’t attack first, but she could counter all she wanted. The Hunters on the turtle’s back poured down to watch the show. Liette stomped her feet, not in a cute little shuffle but a heavy thump thump.

– Leave some for me too!

“Who are you? Are you someone I don’t know? If you don’t answer, I’ll bully hyungnim. Soyeong, tickle Chief Han!”

“Why me!”

“Yes!”

“Wait, Soyeong! Soyeong!”

Even Grace can’t protect me from being tickled! Kang Soyeong climbed up onto the turtle’s head. She curled all ten fingers like hooks and grinned at me.

“Soyeong, Comet! Yong! The dragons I’m going to raise from now on!”

“Chief Han, come on, don’t be petty over something like this!”

└ Go, Kang Soyeong!

└ lololololololololol Soyeong go go

└ If war ever breaks out in this world, it’ll be over Han Yujin’s cuteness

└ Oh wait □□□□□□! Police Commissioner private room! □□□□□□!!

– Sweetie!

Grrr, Liette bared her teeth as someone dropped down behind me. Kang Soyeong’s eyes went round, and she quickly jumped back down to the turtle’s shell.

“Police Commissioner!”

“There are two? Twins?”

Before I could even turn around, a uniformed arm reached out and grabbed me. The chat window sped up like it was about to catch fire, and all the Hunters’ gazes focused on me.

“Hi.”

The Police Commissioner’s words cut off abruptly. At the same time, I figured out his identity. Someone whose way of addressing me would count as sensitive information. And who wouldn’t use honorifics.

“…Yuhyun?”

Then that meant the Police Commissioner facing Hyunah down there was…

“…Peace?”

└ lol you’re only figuring it out now? I was dying from frustration

└ Peace–yaaaa Peace–ya give us one little “kki–ang”!!!!!

└ Han Yuhyun I love you!!

“Peace!”

I craned my neck, stretching to look back at Peace. The Police Commissioner tilted his head slightly as he looked at me.

“Mm.”

…Gasp, Peace talked. Peace talked!

“Peace! It’s Dad! Peace! My Peace!”

“He can’t speak properly. His cries are being transformed into something that roughly resembles human speech.”

└ Yeah, just now Peace went ‘kki–ang’!

└ Peace, Auntie loves you so much, show us your paw pads, please

So it wasn’t actual speech after all. Still, Peace… he didn’t look like Peace, but it was Peace!

“Wait, are you wearing a uniform right now? Peace? Are you wearing clothes?”

└ Yessss it’s so cute lololol

└ Peace’s dad, Peace is seriously adorable lololol he even has a little hat

I want to see too! Chatterbox! Wait, then Gyeol as well? If Seong Hyunjae wasn’t the Police Commissioner, that meant he was either an Outlaw or a regular cop, so was Gyeol wearing a uniform right now too? What about Yerim? And Yuhyun behind me right now!

“Peace is cute, I admit that, but, hyungnim.”

Moon Hyunah waved a hand in front of me like she was telling me to calm down.

“We still have to hear what the Police Commissioner wants. If he’s here to help us, that’s great, but.”

Ah. I twisted my head to look at Yuhyun, who was holding me. A strange face, identical to Peace’s, came into view. Yuhyun… did not seem like someone who’d obediently help us.