The S-Classes That I Raised - Chapter 584: Material Preparation (6)

The map that had dozens of dots flitting about was now dead still. Moon Hyunah vanished, then Seong Hyunjae drew close to Riette—and Riette disappeared in turn. Noah struck at two more hunters before apparently conceding.

‘Riette wasn’t taken out by Seong Hyunjae, was she?’

There was no way Lin would have stood by and watched that happen. And Yerim had spent a long time with Director Song before she, too, disappeared. It seemed she’d persistently requested sparring the way she had when she’d fought Hyunjae last time.

“I never expected you to slot elemental-resistance gear into a trap item—impressive.”

A hunter dangling between two thick trees clicked his tongue. Fast speed, A-rank flame-spear skill, low strength, reliant on sight, sprint, and jump skills; wields bow and spear; heavily dependent on an S-rank detection skill; hard to dodge once targeted; weak in close combat, though he tends to engage melee when facing an easy mark.

He’d scattered mist to mask his senses after laying the trap. The mana in the trap was hidden, but the fog was thin enough that he could just make out my silhouette beyond it. As you can see, he’d been ensnared in thick, web-like strands. I’d attached fire resistance to the trap, so an A-rank flame skill couldn’t burn him free.

The hunter shook his body violently. The ropes swayed, but not enough to touch the ground.

“Can’t get my feet on solid ground, so I can’t add power with my skills. SF, did you plan all this knowing what I’d do? How’d you hide the trap so well?”

Sizzle—black soot began to blister along the ropes as flames licked them. The hunter jabbered on, as if stalling for time. In at most three minutes, he’d break free by force or skill. The trap was good, but not enough to hold an S-rank hunter. If conditions had been otherwise, he’d have slipped out immediately.

“Hunter stats are, of course, classified. Thank you for your effort~”

I pressed the fully charged gun to his forehead. The hunter shrugged. Bang—the shot rang out, and his form vanished. I turned back to the map.

“…Seong Hyunjae.”

He’d taken out multiple hunters, then faced Song Taewon. Taewon quickly disappeared, too. Perhaps he’d been offered the chance to forfeit. I bit my lip unconsciously.

‘Is he planning to eliminate all the other hunters?’

I had no idea what he really wanted. Only one hunter remained besides us. He was moving toward Seong Hyunjae—not especially fast, but like two people randomly meeting on a path. Then blink: the hunter’s marker went dark.

I exhaled slowly. It wasn’t unexpected. In fact, I’d been counting on this scenario.

‘Riette or Hyunjae. They’re the most fitting opponents.’

Assuming I survived to the end. Yuhyun posed a problem as my brother; people would suspect favoritism, claim we’d rigged the outcome. Our chemistry on the broadcast had been too good… Yerim was too fresh an S-rank to look right; Director Song was a civil servant. Hyunah and Noah could be staged, but they paled compared to Riette or Seong Hyunjae.

‘Hyunah would fit the role of the hero who defeats the final boss better than ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) the boss herself.’

In any case, it was Seong Hyunjae. And whatever he was thinking, he intended to leave only me alive. I studied the map. His dot had stopped moving.

My fist clamped shut on its own. My mist-concealment skill had worked well against the other hunters. But even hidden, Hyunjae would sense an approach with his combat-foresight. A sneak attack was impossible. Traps were ruled out for the same reason. I ran through my inventory in my mind.

‘Poisons should work. But he probably has resistance gear and antidotes. He might bring in Silekia.’

I drew out an electric-resistance item and strapped it to my wrist. Even a weak current could disrupt me. He could shatter my potion flask. Yuhyun’s weapon-mark was tempting, but accepting it would draw complaints—it was practically stolen. And without the mark…

‘…he’s gotten so much taller.’

Yuhyun and I were changing, becoming more alike even as we diverged. He might grow further, but there’d be a moment when we were identical.

I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them. Now wasn’t the time for such thoughts. I needed to prepare, however uncertain the outcome. I activated the mist item and drew my staff.

[Red-Mist Tree Branch ? SS (Replica)]

A white staff draped with metallic red vines. A replica of the weapon once wielded by the Harmless King, far weaker in performance. Its crimson vine blade allowed only short-range teleportation, not spatial transport. I suspected it ignored combat-foresight, though.

I thrust the staff into the ground—it would vanish when this event concluded. Hyunjae drew nearer. Through mist up to my ankles, he stepped into view.

“…You’ve changed attire.”

“Blood spatter.”

He fitted his glove, answering. His shirt and pants underneath remained the same—no need to mosaic the broadcast—but he’d at least changed his outer layer. That irked me.

“You’re grotesquely composed.”

“Glad it appears so.”

“Where’d you sell off Silekia?”

“It’d be dishonorable to face someone with a borrowed item.”

His pale eyes narrowed on my white coat. Maybe it conferred high poison resistance. He must have expected me to use poison. Dismissing the coat, he brushed back his faded hair with a black-gloved hand. The stray strands that fell across his brow drew my gaze for a moment.

“What are you thinking?”

“That’s what I’d like to ask.”

He grasped the coat’s lapel and shook it lightly. The bill billowed the fog around us.

“Chatterbox, aren’t you.”

“Yes.”

“Han Yujin wouldn’t have liked this style of fighting.”

“That’s only something complacent types like you say. I use whatever’s at hand. Hesitate, and your head flies off.”

If desperate, I’d throw sand—and I had no cover. He took a step forward as I took one back. Golden eyes glinted amusement. His face could look quite kind, but I knew from experience he wasn’t pleased.

“Does your brother not get angry?”

“What business is that of yours?”

“Even a doting big brother would have shown some restraint.”

“…What are you talking about?”

I spat the words and threw myself to the ground, extending the staff’s vines to block my path.

KAGANG!

Chains and vines tangled. A spark of electricity crackled. I tumbled through the mist and unleashed my Teacher skill on Seong Hyunjae.

“……!”

A powerful repulsion seized me, cutting off my breath. My vision blurred; consciousness threatened. Clinging to the vines, I glimpsed his silhouette. He still stood upright where he’d been. The tangled chains loosened then recoiled, flinging toward me. I tried to dodge, but my body wouldn’t obey.

“Ugh!”

Chains constricted my throat and hauled me upright, our eyes meeting.

“Speak.”

“…You know how infuriating you are every time, right? The world’s just full of braggarts.”

“I won’t claim I’m the only one, but I am better than most, aren’t I?”

His taunt drew a bitter laugh from me. I was about to retort in kind.

“Honestly, I must be crazy worrying about you.”

“But Han Yujin—”

His gloved hand wove through my hair toward my ear, searching for the Grace.

“Even now, you pity me.”

“That’s true! You got dragged into all this. You’re as much a victim—kidnap, assault, theft.”

His hand brushed my neck, severing my translation item with a snap.

“Why do that!”

“I could make it look like another item.”

…Brilliant strategy. He pressed the collar button of my shirt with his fingertip, then tore it off with a flick.

“Or pretend it’s not an item at all.”

“Wow, what a clever tactic. You could’ve just covered my nose and mouth.”

“I like hearing Han Yujin’s voice.”

Goddamn.

“So can you explain—”

“Go to hell?”

“You once threatened to strip my clothes, didn’t you.”

My words caught in my throat. What? Are you insane? I definitely cut the audio feed, right?

“What in the—”

I was about to scream protest when it hit me. Could it be the yarn? The one about unraveling the thread?

“You have no conscience!”

“A small, pink, cute conscience was the first thing I sent away.”

Another button popped off; chains constricted and spun me around. Through the gaps in the chains I saw the sigil on his staff. I intuited what that bastard planned.

“Hey!”

I yanked on the vines. One snapped in a teleport and stabbed into the ground at his feet.

KWAANG!

The bomb exploded. It wouldn’t seriously harm an S-rank hunter, but underground pressure blasting through human flesh was brutal. Hyunjae back-stepped and avoided the debris; I was lifted into the air with the chains.

Whoosh!

At once, dozens of vines teleported toward Seong Hyunjae. Even with foresight, evading a barrage of successive strikes would be impossible. The seeker’s chain abandoned me and clanged to the ground, defending its master.

As chains and vines tangled, I spun and landed. Hyunjae didn’t move. He seemed to be waiting for my explanation. He raised an eyebrow at my staff.

“This style wouldn’t suit Han Yujin.”

“…Who says otherwise. I know that chatterbox’s insane plan to drape me in the Harmless King’s image.”

To refine Ruga Pheya’s legacy closer to the Harmless King’s legend. I’d raised my standing through this match. Ruga Pheya was a confident, proud king.

And this madness was mere ornamentation—dressing me in the Harmless King’s gear to seat me as victor.

“As you know, part of the deal was that you don’t harm those dear to me.”

Hyunjae said nothing. He’d clearly anticipated that. Still—what other terms could manipulate me? Even Ppiyak would’ve guessed this.

“If I defeat these hunters and claim the final victory, Chatterbox can’t touch my loved ones first.”

“You mean Han Yujin transforms into what Chatterbox desires.”

“In effect, yes.”

I exhaled slowly and met his gaze.

“Even without the contract, I’d have struggled to win.”

Independently of Chatterbox.

“For myself.”

The fog quivered. The white staff loomed in my sight. My mouth went bitter.

“…Though I look a wreck now.”

I felt as if Chatterbox’s hand rested against my nape. This wasn’t how it started. For some reason, I grew cold.

[But by your own strength, you will never win.]

He had said that—promising aid per the contract. Indeed, I couldn’t have done this alone.

“I see.”

Hyunjae spoke tersely. His voice was dry. Crackle—electricity arced.

KWA-RRUNG!

“…Ugh!”

White light flooded all around as the shockwave erupted. The vines binding the chains snapped free in an instant. A tinkling clear sound followed. The fleeting relief of my Teacher skill’s resistance surged back. Gritting my teeth, I barely endured.

Whereas I panted for breath, Seong Hyunjae remained unruffled. In the forest’s shadow, chains and lightning stained his tall frame in chaotic splendor. I could only call it dazzling.

“First, let’s clear everything away.”

The things that annoyed him. Chains whipped toward my staff. KAGA-GAGAG, metal friction rang loudly. Regardless of tangled vines, the golden chains coiled fully around the staff. And again—

KWA-GWANG!!

Light burst forth. Cracks spidered across the white staff, splintering and hurling shards into the air.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by readnovel.co