The S-Classes That I Raised - Chapter 570: Mud.
S-Rank Hunter Alan Harrison was at a loss. He hadn’t been this unsure of himself since his awakening. His personal livestream chat was in an uproar.
└ Forfeit! 😀
└ There’s no choice but to forfeit haha
└ lololol he’s gone mad
└ Peace, I love you!!!!!!!
The little familiar before Alan tilted its head. His opponent was none other than Kisungsoo—Peace.
└ You said you wrote it on the survey? What on earth did you write?
└ Embarrassing whether you win or lose
└ 2-month-old S-Rank Hunter fights monster for 6 months and wins
└ Peace is 6 months old?
└ Not stated exactly, but definitely under a year
– Kkiyang!
Peace cried cutely. The chat exploded. As Han Yujin and Han Yuhyun had requested, Peace had also turned on his personal stream.
“No—this is…”
Alan opened his mouth to protest, but stammered, unable to continue.
“I—I definitely didn’t write it on the survey!”
└ Raise your hand if you believe him!
└ If not the survey, then his honest feelings????
└ Wow □□□□□□□□□□□□□
└ Forfeit forfeit forfeit!
Peace spun in place. The chat filled with cheers. Though he couldn’t read or understand the text, Peace knew he was benefiting from his appearance. Even Han Yujin had gone “so cute I’ll die” whenever Peace made some gesture.
Most humans loved their familiars’ animal forms—and were reluctant to harm them.
– Kyaang!
Round golden eyes looked up at Alan. Alan hesitated and stepped back.
└ He’s not going to attack, right?
└ So cute!!!!! Peace is the best!!!!!!!!
└ Cute, right? Huh? He’s cute, Harrison Hunter!
“W-well… he’s c-cute, but.”
Not true. Alan didn’t like the little Kisungsoo before him. Truthfully, it irritated him. He couldn’t fathom what was so cute about that red cat. As an S-Rank Kisungsoo, he should behave accordingly—not shrink himself and act adorable for F-Ranks.
If not for the livestream, Alan would have launched a full assault. But the broadcast was the problem. If he attacked Peace now, his image would crater underground. He sighed heavily.
“Of course I can’t attack…”
└ Anyone human wouldn’t!
└ Just pet Peace once! Peace, kiang!
└ Rub his paws! Show Peace’s paws and I’ll watch the stream until the end!
“Well then…”
Alan knelt on one knee and bent down. He’d already seen Seong Hyunjae win top ratings and earn gold coins. So accommodating viewers couldn’t hurt.
“Come on, Peace.”
– Krheung.
Peace wagged his tail. He didn’t seem dangerous—in fact, he seemed friendly.
“Good boy.”
With a purr, Peace circled Alan. His tail wagged adorably. Objectively, he was cute. The moment Alan fully relaxed—
Crack!
└ Gasp
└ Whoa, mosaic
└ Hunter messed up
└ That’s Peace, police killer
[Peace wins]
With light footsteps, Peace slipped out the door.
A breeze stirred. countless blades of grass bowed together with a rustle. Moon Hyunah swept back her disheveled hair.
“That survey was bogus, right? I wrote down Riete as who I wanted to fight, so why’d someone else pop out?”
“How disappointing.”
Her eyes smiled behind her glasses. Moon Hyunah tapped the floor lightly with her toe.
“I wanted to spar properly—whether human or dragon form. No need to risk lives here.”
Riete would have been a tempting sparring partner for Hyunah’s fighting style. But in reality, Riete’s personality made a match too risky. As Haeyeon Guild Leader, she couldn’t fight recklessly. So despite having a giant dragon nearby, she had to salivate for the taste of combat.
Her gaze floated to the message window.
“The broadcast’s off… I doubt many people will stream now anyway.”
With a swift motion, she drew her greatsword’s chain. Greatsword was impractical against Evelyn.
“Let’s keep this brief.”
“Isn’t that a bit too formal?”
Instead of answering, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Hyunah planted her foot and glared. In her outstretched hand appeared, not the greatsword, but a long slender spear—and Evelyn leapt high. Just before Hyunah charged, Evelyn used an item.
Gurgle.
Wetness bubbled up from the once-dry, grassy ground. Hyunah’s foot sank into the spongy mud. A partial terrain-alteration item: it only made a small swamp, but against someone without flight skills, it was effective.
Evelyn had no flight either. Floating in midair, she produced a tiny glass vial. Eggs inside scattered across the swamp.
Flutter—
Hundreds of butterflies hatched simultaneously—dungeon creatures that emerge upon contact with moisture. Evelyn’s foot trod lightly on the swirling mass. A normal person would have immediately fallen. Yet Evelyn walked on butterflies as if on solid ground.
A special movement skill: as long as her foot had something to touch—even tiny—even fragile—she could walk. A pouch of pheromones dangled at her ankle, swaying.
“Putting me up against a tricky opponent, are you?”
Moon Hyunah muttered as she lifted her foot from the sucking mud. Her movement and attack skills excelled on firm ground. Her main attacks were suited to crushing large, sturdy foes—though slower.
But now the situation was reversed. If she had a teammate to cover her weakness, things would differ. Here, she was alone.
Meanwhile, Evelyn walked higher in the air. The butterfly swarm supported her feet, carrying her out of spear reach. Calmly, she held a bow of white. Hyunah’s brows twitched.
“More aggressive than I expected. Been training, perhaps?”
“Who can say.”
She withdrew an arrow from her inventory and set it on the bowstring.
“One thing’s certain: I still admire you. As I said before.”
“You hated people who fuss over others.”
Evelyn smiled. Creak—the string drew back. Hyunah braced herself.
“Good people, I love them. Why wouldn’t I? They make life better at their own expense.”
“What?”
“Nice folks invest their money, time, and effort to improve the world. Shouldn’t we show some appreciation? ‘Oh, you’re kind, marvelous, admirable.’”
Ping!
The arrow flew. With her feet stuck in mud, Hyunah swung her spear. The thin arrow struck the spear shaft with needle-precise accuracy. Then—clang! She knocked it aside.
Clap clap clap. Applause from Evelyn.
“We must praise them. Sometimes I see people envy or insult those who do good—a foolish act. These people suffer losses for us. Their goodwill costs them nothing. So every society strives to uplift the virtuous.”
A second arrow loosed.
“Because it benefits them. Praise is service and donation.”
Even if I’ve received nothing directly, living in society yields indirect gains. Even picking up trash reduces societal costs.
Peeng—and thwack! The second arrow flew and was knocked away. Hyunah spun her spear. The ground remained soggily soaked. Terrain-alteration items didn’t last long—sometimes minutes to tens of minutes.
“For someone who says that—”
Hyunah’s arm pulled back. Instead of throwing her spear, she raked the swamp fiercely. Whoosh! Mud surged like waves. The earth upended and splashed the butterfly swarms. Evelyn, undaunted, swiftly switched arrow types and fired instantly.
Bang!
The arrow pierced the mud wave, unleashing heat that solidified the slime. Butterflies recoiled in surprise. Evelyn nimbly leapt off the mud and, grabbing a fresh arrow, fired again.
Thud!
The shot struck Hyunah’s spear, sending it flying. While her vision was shrouded by mud, Evelyn had closed in. Hyunah clicked her tongue.
“Quick on the uptake.”
“Moving this fast isn’t easy.”
Evelyn backed up in midair. Butterflies fluttered around her. Hyunah wiped mud from her face.
“A corporate secret.”
“Do you feel slighted between us?”
“What kind of relationship do we have?”
“Let’s call it my unrequited love.”
“Bullshit.”
Evelyn raised her bow again. Hyunah lifted her spear as if to block, then—snap! She swung it like a fishing rod to yank something in. Immediately afterward—
“…!”
Screech! From behind Evelyn flew the spear. A twin-hawk spear. One of the pair had been pre-thrown and returned at Evelyn’s call.
Shick, pat!
The spear cut through the air, shredding butterflies. Evelyn’s body twisted sharply as the blade skimmed her arm. She nearly fell, but cleverly regained balance. Hyunah now stood right beneath her.
Hyunah grinned fiercely. In her hand was the thick greatsword, not the slender spear. Whooosh—a gust swirled around its tip. There was no way to block that. Evelyn’s lips bit themselves. A hum as air vibrated—and at the moment Evelyn leapt off the butterflies—
Vwoooom!
A whirlwind rose. Following the embedded spear, terrifying winds swept the swarm. As the roar subsided—
Flutter, flutter.
Only a few torn wings drifted to the ground. Hundreds of butterflies vanished in an instant. Below, the swamp had been dug into a dry plain. Hyunah’s mud-caked feet rose onto firm earth. At the edge of the broad dry ground, Evelyn landed lightly.
“Now, properly—”
“I forfeit.”
Evelyn raised a hand calmly. Hyunah’s eyes widened, then she scowled as if revolted.
“This is why teaming up is annoying!”
[Moon Hyunah wins]
A door to the outside appeared once the victor was declared. Evelyn smoothed her torn clothes.
“There’s no need to continue a fight I can’t win.”
“Do you glimpse the future?”
Hyunah glared coldly at Evelyn.
“Even if defeat’s certain, there are times when struggling in the mud ’til the end is enough.”
“Not for me.”
“…Even if you say you like it, you don’t want to be involved. Ultimately.”
The spear vanished. Hyunah turned away from Evelyn and flicked mud from her body.
“Fine. Keep clapping from afar, Hunter Miller.”
“Aren’t you upset?”
“Oh, there’s nothing to be upset about. We live in different worlds, after all.”
Hyunah waved her hand and strode outside. Alone, Evelyn gazed at the drying earth.
I love good people. There was no lie in that. But such good people are only beautiful, admirable, and wonderful from a distance. If they’re close—right beside you—and
“and become special, what could be more irritating and grating?”
Those who do good for others must remain unrelated outsiders. To see someone precious degrade themselves for another is a nauseating sight.
Yet at the same time, that’s why they’re dear. Mud-caked though they are. Evelyn smiled slowly. The earth’s final moisture sizzled away; the cracked ground whispered as it dried.
Thud.
On the floor lay Han Yujin. He snapped one knee up and shoved against the body pinning him—Han Yuhyun’s. The first impact was absorbed by Eunhye’s arm. But on the second, lacking force, the blow sent Han Yujin staggering. His hand slipped slightly. Gasping, he searched the floor and gripped the gun.
Bang!
The stray bullet demolished the ceiling light. Glass shards rained down; darkness enveloped all. Han Yujin struggled, trying to free himself. In the dark, Han Yujin’s hand clutched his own, puncturing his throat and pressing down with all its weight.
Han Yujin’s lips twitched. He tried not to look—but a fine, voiceless sound pierced his ear. Even without seeing or hearing, he knew—it was Han Yujin.
Save me.
Source: Webnovel.com, updated by readnovel.co