The S-Classes That I Raised

Chapter 575: Dream Within a Dream (3)

“More importantly, did you find anything out? Like who Mr. Han Yujin ran into.”

Walking slowly up to the table, Seong Hyunjae asked.

There had been an odd number of participants. Yet no one had raised any questions. And there was no Hunter claiming they had beaten Han Yujin. Above all, it was hard to imagine that a fight with an ordinary Hunter would leave Han Yujin that blanked out.

He had never backed down, not even in front of S–rank Hunters, not even before Transcendents. Han Yujin himself was never truly strong. He only dug in and endured because he had something he wanted to protect – but that resolve to protect was astonishingly strong. Strong enough that an average S–rank Hunter could never break it.

Yet despite that, who on earth had he surrendered to?

“I wondered if it might be the little brother he lost before the regression, but I doubt he’d let a fake shake him that badly. No matter how convincing it looked, he’d have gotten angry instead.”

He would have gotten sad for a moment, then gone straight for Chatterbox’s throat. Saying that this time he had no real guesses, Seong Hyunjae drew a disapproving lift of the eyebrow from young Chaos.

“That’s not the question you should be worrying about.”

“Believe it or not, I’m fairly popular. I’ve dealt with stalkers more times than I care to count. If you dug through even the memories I’ve forgotten, the number would be beyond counting.”

Other than the fact that the opponent was a Transcendent, it was nothing new or exciting.

“Even if it’s someone you can’t handle?”

“I’m not the one who’d be upset about that.”

A bright smile spread over Seong Hyunjae’s lips. With his fingertips, he lightly pressed his own chest.

“It’d be the people who have to protect me and work to claim me.”

So he wouldn’t be damaged before he was safely complete, so he wouldn’t be stolen away.

“So obviously, instead of worrying about the side that wants me, I should worry about the side I want.”

“No wonder the first one finds you obnoxious.”

“That feels a little unfair.”

He wasn’t bragging or showing off. He was simply stating facts.

“As you said, Crescent Moon won’t want to lose you. You’re something she doesn’t know if she can ever make again.”

Red eyes stared at Seong Hyunjae – at the power crouching inside him. Power that even Transcendents wouldn’t notice, hidden with exquisite care. On the surface, all you saw were the memories of this world, but what was packed inside was the erased yet identical existence that had been there before. Because it was the same existence, it could be concealed perfectly, and to anyone else, only the surface would ever be visible.

Young Chaos had followed and piled up only the pure essence of power and could feel the most fundamental flows. To him, the hazy outline of what lay inside was visible.

“They said there was an awakened one in this world they wanted to raise into a Transcendent. Pulling out a promising awakener is nothing unusual, but nine times out of ten, that line was about you.”

Crescent Moon had long served as a cradle raising multiple Transcendents. So it wasn’t suspicious behavior.

“So that was the excuse for the way she watched me back then. Did Chatterbox accept it too?”

“Crescent Moon is aligned with the Unfilial Children, but she influences both factions. A few of the Transcendents she raised ended up with the Filial Duty Addicts instead. So a simple request to peek in on things for a bit wouldn’t be something Chatterbox refused.”

“Can you even move between factions?”

“If you’re not confined.”

Seong Hyunjae sent him a curious look, but Chaos didn’t explain any further.

“Crescent Moon probably wants to sneak you off to a safer world. There’s that suffocating little brat here too. What’s with the state of these kids. The third’s the best of the lot.”

“If I disappear, that would ease Mr. Han Yujin’s burden, wouldn’t it.”

“If they tried to pull someone out of a proper world, they’d need mutual consent, so they might dangle terms that help the first one, too.”

The moment Chaos finished speaking, Seong Hyunjae’s body gave a tiny jerk, instinctively trying to retreat. But something moved even faster.

Swish–

The belt that had appeared in Chaos’s hand at some point wrapped around Seong Hyunjae’s neck. Even his combat foresight couldn’t dodge it. The belt tightened and yanked forward. As his body was pulled toward the table, one of his legs reflexively bent to brace himself. Just before his bent knee could hit the glass tabletop, Chaos’s toes pressed against it, holding it up. Then, as softly as if there were no weight at all, he set the leg down.

Through all those quiet movements, Han Yujin slept on.

“Now that I know, I can’t just leave you alone.”

Lowering the leg he’d raised, Chaos drew the belt tighter toward himself. Seong Hyunjae’s only hand braced on the table. With one knee bent on the floor, his eye level came almost even with Chaos, who sat pulling his neck down.

“If, by some chance, you decide to go make some noble sacrifice. If you follow Crescent Moon out of this world.”

Red eyes sank, completely indifferent. A gaze stripped of mercy or pity for the thing in front of him.

“I’ll remove you.”

Before the power built up inside could hatch and become too much even for young Chaos to handle.

Seong Hyunjae sucked in a short breath. Under the heavy, controlled pressure pushing down over his whole body, a chill ran down his spine. And yet his eyes only curved gently, smiling.

“Didn’t you say Transcendents should intervene as little as possible?”

“If you hadn’t been made artificially, that would be true.”

“That’s still me.”

Even if Crescent Moon laid the same hand on another, even if she perfectly replicated each step and made them walk through the same world, not everyone would become this Seong Hyunjae. Environment mattered – but even in the same environment, people didn’t change in identical ways.

So many different birds flew in the sky, so many different beasts ran across the plains.

“Not until you lose yourself. That’s the only reason I’m going this easy on you.”

The belt dug faintly into his skin but didn’t tighten further. Bound by restrictions, he couldn’t use his full power as a Transcendent, but crushing an S–rank Hunter was trivial. He could have pushed past warnings into threats, or outright coercion, and forced him to accept some contract.

But the man in front of him was still human.

“What a shame.”

In the golden eyes meeting Chaos’s stare, a faint hunger flickered.

“That the one you’re eyeing to slit their throat isn’t me. It’d be fun.”

“You can’t even handle what’s already piled up and you’re looking to pick a fight. Besides, you’re the type to think Transcendents are boring anyway.”

“As if.”

Seong Hyunjae’s lips curved into a smooth line. It was like hearing a whisper: I’m a liar.

“If you interfered enough to completely take me out, what would happen to you?”

“What else. That’d be the end. Even if I blow up before I’m fully finished, I’d hit Transcendent level.”

If young Chaos attacked someone on equal standing first, he had to pay the price. What he was doing now – strangling Seong Hyunjae’s neck – was barely on the level of kicking a random stone in the road. It didn’t count. But attacking another Transcendent was another matter.

Even if he somehow lived through it, more than one Transcendent would be waiting to go for his weakened throat. Crescent Moon wouldn’t quietly sit it out either.

“Now, now. Aren’t you the one in charge of the first source world? You can’t just retire on us.”

“It’ll be fine. Do you think Transcendents started out as Transcendents? They can all disappear. The damage would be severe at first, sure. But eventually a new savior appears and grows into a Transcendent.”

Even in this world, new sprouts were already pushing up. If the System hadn’t interfered, the chaos would have lasted longer and the damage would have been on another scale entirely, but they still would have survived.

The System was a support. Young Chaos was as well. That was why he couldn’t help resenting Crescent Moon’s methods. Using world after world as a stepping stone to raise a mindless monster without a will of its own.

Chaos’s gaze softened slightly.

“You’re a victim too, though.”

“So they say.”

“You’re not going to pity yourself, so I don’t feel sorry for you either.”

“Should I at least pretend to be pitiful?”

The belt choking his neck loosened slightly, and Chaos’s eyebrow twitched up. Maybe he should smack him once. As if he’d sensed that thought, Seong Hyunjae hunched his remaining shoulder in exaggerated fear.

“…Wait a second!”

Han Yujin’s eyes flew open. He sucked in a huge breath and glanced around, his face going pale.

“What… was that.”

He couldn’t remember. He was sure he’d just had a really important dream, but it was hazy, like it was wrapped in thick fog.

“Something, like… uh… what was it…?”

As he turned his head, his eyes landed on Seong Hyunjae – neck looped in some kind of cord, bent half–over in an awkward posture. Han Yujin’s eyes went round.

“…Mr. Seong Hyunjae? What the – wait, were you in my dream too?”

If someone like young Chaos or Rookie, who could step in and out of dreams, showed up, that was one thing. But if someone who couldn’t use that kind of ability had appeared, maybe this was actually part of their dream too. At Han Yujin’s question, Seong Hyunjae smiled as if everything were perfectly natural.

“It’s a dream.”

“…Why are you in it, though. This isn’t even my couch. If it were a dryer, at least that’d make sense.”

It wasn’t like someone you knew and saw all the time couldn’t pop up in a dream. Han Yujin turned instead to young Chaos, who was still holding the belt around Seong Hyunjae’s neck.

“Sir, why are you… Did my dream do something wrong? Or did the real you die and… you’re both dreams now?”

“Not a dream.”

Chaos flicked his hand, dropping the belt. Han Yujin swayed a little as he pushed himself up from the sofa.

“Sir, don’t be so rough on Mr. Seong Hyunjae. It’s just a dream anyway. He’s actually kind of pitia – wait a sec!”

Noticing only then that one of Seong Hyunjae’s arms was missing, Han Yujin’s expression instantly darkened.

“Seriously, what did you do to your arm this time!”

“There were some circumstances.”

“You’re forever hacking off your arm and now you show up like this even in my dreams! Pretty soon I’m going to be more used to you without it! Hey, Hyunjae!”

“…Yes?”

“Why’re you so surprised, it’s my dream, I can drop the honorifics if I want. Why’s a guy who’s got everything going for him always like this? Huh? I pretend I’m not worried most of the time, but it actually really gets to me, you know?”

“My apologies.”

Han Yujin smacked him on the back with a thump and yelped, grabbing his own hand.

“Still hurts in dreams, huh. Don’t bully Chief Song, and – right, why did you beat Yerim? You’ve been a Hunter way longer than her, and you’ve lived more than twenty years longer! Don’t you have any conscience?!”

“I did spar with her five times.”

“Oh, you did? That’s good – wait. This is a dream, isn’t it? I never heard that.”

“How was it for you, Mr. Han Yujin.”

Seizing the chance to change the subject, Seong Hyunjae’s voice turned gentle, coaxing.

“It must have been very rough. If you want, I can help.”

No matter who the opponent had been. At his words, Han Yujin let out a short, hollow laugh.

“I’m fine. I think I’ve calmed down a bit now and… you’re exactly the same in my dreams too, huh, Mr. Seong. Sir, see? He’s actually a decent guy. It’s my dream, but I’m not exaggerating him. He really is like this.”

“Looks to me like he’s just buttering up a kid to get what he wants.”

Young Chaos said sourly. He’d let it slide because he also wanted Han Yujin to open up, but pretending it was just a dream and sweet–talking him was a bit much.

“Aw, don’t be so hard on him. Hyunjae, show Sir some charm.”

Seong Hyunjae gave a slightly awkward smile, and young Chaos waved a hand as if shooing a bug.

“Creepy.”

“But he’s handsome. You are too, Sir, of course. Maybe that’s it – do good–looking people just stop being impressed by other good–looking people? Yuhyun doesn’t care either. Still, try to see him in a good light.”

“Mr. Han Yujin is kind as well.”

Seong Hyunjae rested his one remaining arm over Han Yujin’s shoulders. Then he put on a gloomy expression.

“Lately I’ve been feeling like I’m the only one being left out.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Chief Song Taewon has been stolen away by that young lady, and young Mr. Seong Gyeol only nags at me… the Sesung guild members are happier without a boss hovering over them. And with you, too, keeping your distance lately, there’s no one left who approaches me comfortably.”

Han Yujin blinked in confusion. Was that how it was?

“Stolen what, no… Chief Song is still keeping a very close eye on you, you know? And Ms. Soyeong and Ms. Evelyn – well, it’s awkward for anyone dealing with their boss. I’ll talk to Gyeol, since he’s technically on my team right now. But… this is my dream, you know.”

Han Yujin tilted his head.

“In real life, you’re doing fine. You said you enjoyed watching the video of Yerim and Chief Song too.”

“Maybe unconsciously you think I look lonely. Deep down you want to take better care of me–”

Thud! Young Chaos kicked the table as he yanked Han Yujin away from Seong Hyunjae at the same time. The heavy table spun away like a leaf caught in a whirlwind. Seong Hyunjae sprang back in a hurry, then took one more step to the side. An instant later, the table crashed down into the spot he’d just vacated.

“Enough.”

“You’re so harsh, Sir!”

“You, first one, worry about yourself.”

“Well, the thing is…”

Looking sheepish, Han Yujin opened his mouth.

“You said I won’t remember much once I wake up, right? To be honest… I’m not confident I can look after myself. Honestly, I don’t even like myself that much.”

Young Chaos let out a short sigh.

“That’s just how it is. It’s easy to look after other people. Look now – he went and lost an arm again, so I didn’t have time to worry about myself, and I’m already feeling better. Though maybe the good sleep helped too.”

“So you’re too busy worrying about others to take care of you, is that it.”

“Anyway. Still…”

Han Yujin weighed his words. It was hard to figure out how to say it.

“Still, um, sometimes I do think maybe it won’t always be like this. That maybe someday I’ll live the way I want. Like, because I want to, not just for the kids’ sake.”

Even then, he’d have to avoid wasting money. Han Yujin glanced at Seong Hyunjae. He didn’t really feel any urge to buy the kind of designer clothes on department store mannequins. It was probably a custom suit, but that thought just popped into his head.

“For now… that’s where I am.”

Even if it was just a dream, he swallowed back the words I hate myself. Young Chaos ran a hand over his head with a sigh. His face said he had a lot he could say but wouldn’t.

“Thank you for coming, Sir. And Mr. Seong, even if it’s a dream, keep track of your arm. And I like both of you, so don’t fight too much, okay?”

“…The second one’s probably worried. Time to wake up.”

“Huh? Yuhyun is?”

Instead of answering, Chaos covered both of Han Yujin’s eyes with his palm.

Han Yujin’s eyes snapped open.