The S-Classes That I Raised - Chapter 509: The Weapon is Still.

“An empty, spacious room materialized around them. Han Yuhyun and Song Taewon calmly surveyed their surroundings. On one wall, the words Prepare emitted a faint glow. It seemed like some sort of waiting chamber.

Han Yuhyun immediately donned his battle attire and checked his equipment. His demeanor was as cautious as if he were about to face a high-rank dungeon or a powerful monster.

“…Hunter Han Yuhyun.”

“It won’t be easy.”

Han Yuhyun produced an antidote resistance item.

“Brother wouldn’t propose a disadvantageous wager without any preparation.”

“I understand. But under the current conditions, it is nearly impossible for Han Yujin to win.”

Song Taewon also examined his gear. The most useful wire and handcuffs had both been half-forcibly handed to him by Han Yujin. Would it be all right to take them? Should he not return them before departing?

“Right now, Han Yujin’s stats are F-Rank, and Hunter Seong Hyunjae’s have fallen to B-Rank. Even sharing double attack skills, those stats would struggle against just me.”

And there was no changeling to temporarily elevate Han Yuhyun to S-Rank. He had enhancements, item buffs, poison and curse resistances, but that alone could never secure victory over two S-Ranks.

“However, this environment may favor Han Yuhyun.”

Song Taewon stared at the walls, as if seeking an invisible exit.

“If the area is blanketed with S-Rank poisons or curses, simply hiding and dragging things out could suffice.”

“Poison can be burned away.”

Unless a toxin pierced the body, simple poisonous terrain was hard for Han Yuhyun to harm. Swing a flame, burn it all. Most poisons were vulnerable to fire. With Han Yuhyun’s current ability, even SS-Rank or higher threats could be incinerated cleanly.

Song Taewon nodded slightly and donned a flame-resistance item. Seong Hyunjae’s skill level was B-Rank, so he could endure without resistance gear. Still, considering Han Yuhyun’s incendiary bombs, it was prudent to prioritize fire resistance.

“With your stealth skill, plus the jacket and boots, it will be hard to track your location. If you use a decoy cookie as well, even an S-Rank would struggle to notice.”

Han Yuhyun had described how he’d used a cookie and a doppelgänger doll to deceive. Song Taewon stared at him in silence before speaking.

“Hunter Han Yuhyun, you should perhaps play only a supporting role.”

Han Yuhyun regarded him as if he’d spoken nonsense. Song Taewon explained.

“I have no right to say this, but I wish for Han Yujin to be hurt as little as possible. Therefore, Hunter Han Yuhyun, who remains at his side, should refrain from active cooperation.”

“First, brother is strong. Erase the notion that he will obviously win.”

Han Yuhyun said coolly.

“At the same time, brother tends to underestimate himself. If I participate passively and lose, he may blame himself even more.”

If it felt like holding back, losing then would breed harsher self-reproach. So Han Yuhyun judged it better for both S-Ranks to give their all.

“I believe that if you fight a far stronger opponent and lose fairly, your heart will be lighter, even in defeat. Am I wrong?”

His glass-cold eyes fixed on Song Taewon. They were wholly different from when he watched Han Yujin. Han Yuhyun could seem human while beside his brother, yet the contrast also made him feel more inhuman.

“That… may be so. Especially for Han Yujin.”

“And brother accepted me, so this much is fine. Even if I act against human norms, he tries to understand. Of course I strive too.”

He no longer repressed himself entirely, yet adapted to Han Yujin. Park Yerim had been a good model.

Though Park Yerim copied Han Yuhyun’s combat habits and work style, Han Yuhyun also observed and learned from Park Yerim’s more vivid emotions. Above all, sharing the ward role with Han Yujin had helped in many ways.

Han Yuhyun’s lips curved in a gentle line. His puppet-like face blossomed with life. The slight curve of his eyes held the absent brother.

“…Hunter Han Yuhyun.”

Song Taewon swallowed words. Unlike Seong Hyunjae, Han Yuhyun was alien and hard to fathom. Without Han Yujin, he was a simply emotionless S-Rank Hunter. Yet Han Yujin’s presence made him shine.

And Seong Hyunjae, too, had unconsciously tightened his jaw at Han Yujin’s mention. He forcibly ignored the small nestling heart within.

“You care for Han Yujin a great deal.”

At last, he spoke the hackneyed phrase. Han Yuhyun nodded, still smiling.

“Yes. I love him.”

Song Taewon looked away as if burdened. He felt the urge to escape this place.

[10:00]

The glowing Prepare changed to numbers. Counting down by the second—a sign the wait ended in ten minutes.

“We should finish quickly.”

Han Yuhyun inhaled sharply.

“This wager was your idea, brother, but it’s still unexpected. The more time we give, the more disadvantageous it becomes.”

“…Yes.”

Song Taewon strove to shake off lingering thoughts as he coiled the wire around his arm. It would soon be over. He would depart, and Han Yujin would live on. The others around Song Taewon would continue living after a brief mourning.

Faces from the Christmas Nightmare Dungeon surfaced. Now a black lamb would stand among them. And Han Yujin would care for everyone Song Taewon left behind.

That was enough. No more selfishness.

“Song is… no exception.”

Because of the chill, he’d lately tried to sleep on the bed. He liked to perch on the sofa’s backrest. Perhaps his dark fur made him feel safer when concealed in shadows. He didn’t refuse baths but hated rain-soaked fur. He avoided dirty puddles and clung to ask for being held.

“If the lamb tries to nibble Han Yujin’s fingertips, warn him to be careful. He’s used to my touch.”

He must not get hurt, nor cause harm. Five minutes, three minutes, one minute. A few hushed exchanges passed between them. Aside from the lamb, all was about combat strategy.

[00:00]

The blinking timer vanished. A message window appeared before them.

[All Awakened become Unawakened.]

Han Yuhyun’s and Song Taewon’s eyes widened.

“This wasn’t the plan!”

The scene shifted, revealing a sealed room. A waiting chamber. Heaved a long sigh as he looked at Seong Hyunjae.

“Don’t laugh.”

“You’re too much. Doesn’t smiling suit you better?”

Yes, you’re handsome.

“If your rank fell, shouldn’t your face too?”

“Hardly much changed from before awakening. Maybe a bit taller.”

…Yuhyun had been handsome long ago. Age difference changed him only slightly.

“Over 180?”

“Past 190, surely.”

“You’re really good-looking!”

Other S-Ranks over twenty grew less than ten centimeters post-awakening, but teens and early twenties shot up. Yuhyun and Yerim were still growing. Would Noah grow more?

“I’d love to split open that proud skull to see what you’re thinking. All on your own having fun! With that attitude!”

“Calm down.”

“Do I look calm! Woe is me. My neck hurts — sit down! What are you standing there for!”

Seong Hyunjae sat neatly. His knees drawn in made it all the more frustrating. Sitting like that!

“Playing the pity card now?”

“The floor is cold. Stats B-Rank, so I feel a chill.”

“I’ll freeze to death at F-Rank! If stats are that bad, call Evelyn for protection. Why sit alone? Even if you won’t die, what might happen? There are a few S-Ranks on this island!”

“Miller Hunter isn’t exactly kind.”

“Then call Soyeong!”

“Soyeong doesn’t think ahead. She’d just dive in saying let’s fight.”

“Seong Hyunjae’s life has been lived so w—”

“Don’t laugh! Why laugh! Laughing comes easily, huh! Yes, staying alone is the safest in reality. Anyone ignorant of his condition wouldn’t dare approach him. Even in the mess hall they hesitated, accepting only bread crusts. Who’d knock on his door in the lodging?”

He sighed loudly again. How had things come to this?

“At first I hoped to rely a bit on the distinguished Guild Leader Seong. And I did benefit. …Maybe I should just discard him. B-Rank, after all.”

“Yujin…”

“Don’t play the innocent. Your lips are smiling. It’s fun for you, isn’t it? My insides are churning!”

“Apologies for that.”

“Damn, I know I can’t let go!”

He kicked Seong Hyunjae’s leg. His own foot stung, but it must have felt something to that man. A second kick, and Seong Hyunjae produced a handkerchief. He took it, rubbed at his eyes. His eyes stung too.

“I won’t give up. Call me foolish, I won’t relent. Even if it ruins everything and I regret it to death, what must not be cannot be.”

“Yes.”

“‘Yes’ nothing—do you know me? Both Director Song and you are relentless!”

Han Yuhyun… compared to before the Rewind, he’d improved a lot. Just my brother alone turned my insides upside down, but these humans really… planning another inversion to restore order?

“If you’re going to offload on me, at least ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) leave your fortune! Nothing else matters! You know the answer, yet this damned…!”

He pressed his throbbing head and took a deep breath. Calm down. After a year of shouting, calm down first.

“I still have more to say to Director Song, but he isn’t here.”

“My turn is—”

“Not over. Don’t think of running. Your opponents are Yuhyun and Director Song.”

Thinking of them made him despair. Why those two? Seong Hyunjae rose and looked at him.

“Realistically, at most one minute.”

“Just engaging takes less than thirty seconds. No, ten. Ten seconds to reach us.”

If farther, maybe five more seconds to flee. He scanned but saw only walls and ceiling. He didn’t know what lay outside. Only this:

“Empty your inventory.”

It wasn’t entirely hopeless. He began pulling everything from his inventory. Seong Hyunjae did the same.

“You still have that spatula? And that yarn — is it breeding in your bag? What’s that commemorative towel, when did you pack it?”

“There’s even a Peace doll in my inventory.”

“A storage room? Huh? A storage room?”

“That bicycle you gave me. And that basket?”

“It’s for laundry. It’s convenient.”

He dumped firearms — all low-rank except the Lynx rifle.

“You ever fire a gun? Military service?”

“I was Marines, you know.”

“…Really?”

“Who can say.”

Unbelievable. He laughed as if joking. As objects piled on the floor, the timer read ten minutes. He swallowed.

“In ten minutes, we will become Unawakened.”

Seong Hyunjae looked slightly surprised.

“Precisely, we will be replaced by such bodies. Like temporary vessels in Japanese dungeons. Hence the safety. I enticed Chatterbox with the idea of evaluating pure combat ability without skills or stats. Originally, I’d prepared to suppress the S-Ranks invited by Chatterbox.”

Human versus human, without skills or stats.

“Of course, S-Rank physiques are generally superior even pre-awakening. But losing what you have is surprisingly significant. Everyone’s covered in support skills. It’d be harder for them to adapt to Unawakened state than a powerless F-Rank.”

Not only stats vanish but skills become unusable. Combat changes entirely.

“Just as one struggles to control newfound power, one won’t adapt immediately. Normally. Even equipment becomes mundane, and inventory is sealed. We, who can prepare in advance, hold the advantage.”

The problem being—

“Yuhyun and Director Song… differ, I expect. Especially Director Song.”

“Indeed, Song Taewon doesn’t rely on gear or skills.”

“He’ll adapt quickly. So will Yuhyun.”

In the end, it was hard to say we were definitely favored. Time continued to dwindle. He tossed a gun to Seong Hyunjae.

“But if it’s a fight between Unawakened.”

“Then it’s all about guns.”

Yuhyun, I’m sorry. Director Song, today I’m not sorry.

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