The S-Classes That I Raised - Chapter 679: Life (2)

“Yerim!”

Myeong-woo pulled a heavy bag from his pocket and tossed it to Yerim. Then he handed her the special ammunition rifle as well. Yerim’s martial arts were still unrefined—she’d trained hard, but facing n-year-veteran S-Rank Hunters without skills was too disadvantageous.

“The types are written on the belts inside the bag! Focus on support rounds!”

“Yes!”

Yerim nodded and slung the bag in front of her. Ordinary rounds—even large-caliber—won’t faze an S-Rank. So it was more effective to use special rounds like flashbangs, smoke, or Myeong-woo’s sticky gadgets.

“First target: Hyun-ah!”

The first to hit would be Moon Hyun-ah. Mari seemed inexperienced, and Samir had never cooperated with the other S-Ranks here. Lack of intel. Seong Hyun-jae would be saved for last; of the remaining two, Hyun-ah was easier. Because—

“Brother, that’s so unfair!”

“…Ugh.”

Against Hyun-ah I could use Teacher Skill. She was the only one on the opposing team with a keyword applied. Thanks to that, even the backlash of Teacher Skill she could somewhat withstand. The sensory feedback from Teacher Skill aimed at Moon Hyun-ah was monopolized by our team.

“Noah, stick to support skills and mark Seong Hyun-jae! Yerim, unload the sticky rounds on Mari!”

“Eek! What are these!”

Using most of the stickies on one person would tie her down for a long time—though if you got close you’d stick too and couldn’t touch them. Mari’s movements were slower and less practiced than the others, so stickies would hold her perfectly.

Finally, Seong Hyun-jae was the trickiest. Combat premonition. With combat skills disabled, approaching and touching him was nearly impossible while that remained active. If only his premonition were disabled too, but that was as entrenched as his accumulated time.

“We only need to take down three anyway!”

Better to remove the hardest one completely.

“Noah, Hunter.”

Yuhyun tossed me upward. Noah transformed into humanoid form, spread his wings, caught me, and ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) Yerim swung her wire to release me. Yuhyun, coiling the wire, slashed through the sky. Spinning in midair, he hurled the wire at Moon Hyun-ah.

Moon Hyun-ah couldn’t avoid it easily. But—

“Just take one hit for me~.”

Crack, as Riette smashed through the pavement and charged Moon Hyun-ah. You can’t dodge two coordinated attacks at once! If Riette touched her, she’d be out. As Moon Hyun-ah avoided Riette’s claws, the wire whipped around her arm. At the same time Yuhyun hooked the wire on the protruding lamp-post and landed, weight pulling her in.

Ping–!

Just as the taut wire yanked Moon Hyun-ah’s arm—

Shhhk!

Samir appeared, slashing the wire with his curved blade. His body spun like a dance and he sent the blade hurtling at Yuhyun. Without flinching, Yuhyun pivoted back toward Moon Hyun-ah. Just before the blade would have pierced her—

Thworp!

A special rubber-clay round flew out and deflected the blade.

“Han Yuhyun! I haven’t shot much! Don’t trust me too much!”

Yerim grumbled as she loaded another round, but Yuhyun didn’t even look. Both he and Riette aimed at Moon Hyun-ah per my orders, yet Song Taewon was already blocking her path. Moon Hyun-ah’s movements were fully predicted by Teacher Skill, and Song Taewon stepped in front of her.

Rrrrrr—

Song Taewon’s toe swept the ground in a long arc. The pavement rose in waves, blocking Riette and Yuhyun’s view.

“Director Song! You can’t run!”

Moon Hyun-ah shouted as she backed away.

“Just let me handle one of them! But what’s our team leader doing!”

Hardly had she spoken than sticky rounds shot from Harpoon Launcher into Seong Hyun-jae’s feet. Seong Hyun-jae looked at Noah, who was watching him.

“I bear the Angel’s Blessing.”

“Well, Noah’s skill is tricky.”

The forced blessing—if it hits in close combat, nothing’s more annoying. But the moment Noah looked away, Seong Hyun-jae would move. Both sides’ key skills were now restrained.

Shhhh!

Riette’s claws sliced a utility pole like a straw. Samir rushed in to block the blow, but since they’d never practiced together, their timing soon faltered.

“Riette, isn’t that an attack skill?”

“It’s part of me~ More of a transformation or beauty skill, right? Shiny and pretty!”

“Ugh, Teacher Skill is so annoying!”

Moon Hyun-ah frowned and leapt onto the rubble. Being completely read by the opponent is no fun. I felt a twinge of guilt.

“Watch out!”

Thwack! Song Taewon kicked debris toward Yuhyun as he shouted. Yuhyun slid out of range—his agility held him there briefly, but without confronting Song Taewon, he couldn’t remain entangled.

Using the incoming debris as a springboard, Yuhyun vaulted above Moon Hyun-ah in an instant.

“Ugh!”

A wire coiled around Moon Hyun-ah’s neck. Samir cut it immediately, but in the split second she hesitated, Riette lashed her tail. Just before the tail struck, Moon Hyun-ah kicked off black scales and sprang upward.

Riette’s attack missed. But then—

Thud.

Yuhyun, spinning half a turn in midair, slammed his palm down on Moon Hyun-ah’s shoulder. She was knocked off and hit the ground with a thud.

[Moon Hyun-ah, eliminated!]

A message window popped up. From afar, Mari—grimacing under a barrage of sticky-bomb blasts—shrieked.

“I have to help too! These stickies are so tenacious!”

“Shall we free her first?”

Samir stepped aside toward Song Taewon and asked, glancing at Seong Hyun-jae.

“After a little practice, she’s tricky to hit.”

“Well, with skills disabled, even more so.”

Song Taewon looked calmly at Moon Hyun-ah as she rose.

“To a Hunter beyond their first year, skills are like limbs. Moon Hyun-ah, though eliminated, you can still move.”

Huh? Oh no!

“Move!”

I shouted at Riette. But faster than that—

“Huh?”

“I like dragons too. Not as much as Soyeong, but!”

Moon Hyun-ah wrapped Riette in a tight embrace. Caught off guard by the elimination message, Riette struggled before Song Taewon stomped the ground.

“I said you’re eliminated!”

But elimination doesn’t bar you from helping.

Song Taewon lunged at Riette in an instant. Yuhyun didn’t stand idle—he then…

Thwap!

“Hey!”

He kicked Riette away. Still clinging to Moon Hyun-ah, Riette flew off.

“Hyun-ah, your arms are so strong?!”

“My forearms don’t give in!”

Tumbling across the ground, Moon Hyun-ah laughed heartily. Yuhyun blocked the way to Song Taewon, but Samir remained. Riette, still stuck to Moon Hyun-ah, was finally tapped by Samir’s palm.

[Riette, eliminated!]

One on one. Riette bared her fangs fiercely.

“Now that I’m out, I have nothing to lose!”

If she reverted to her dragon form she’d escape, but as soon as she grew large she’d be eliminated—she must’ve held back, but now had no reason.

“I’ll trample them all!”

Riette growled, and Moon Hyun-ah quickly freed her arms and stepped back. Samir retreated, and Song Taewon… huh?

‘Mari hid too?’

It was odd if it was because of Riette. A premonition rang in my mind—trap. The moment that intuition hit—

“Get o—!”

Bang!

My shout was drowned by an explosion. Crackle— from the cracked earth something surged. A translucent blue liquid. No poison, no threat—but it flowed like groundwater, so even S-Ranks hadn’t noticed.

“Ah, what is this!”

Yerim shouted in disgust. Avoiding a sudden gush of liquid that soared high without teleport was impossible. Then the liquid solidified instantly. Yerim could fly, so no problem—but—

“Yujin-ssi!”

Noah’s wings were frozen; he urgently rotated his body below me. The hardened liquid cracked with crack as it split off his form. I couldn’t move, but the S-Ranks wouldn’t stay bound long. The problem was his wings.

Just before Noah and I plummeted to the ground—

“Checkmate.”

Seong Hyun-jae’s hand touched me. Noah, still clutching me, spun away—but it was too late. Yuhyun sprinted up and checked me.

“Brother, they didn’t swallow you, right?”

Yuhyun and Noah tore the hardened liquid from me. Yerim soon joined. I tested my freed arm and looked at Seong Hyun-jae.

“I thought this place was familiar to you—but you know it better than I expected.”

“In this place it’s used like oil or gas. It solidifies on contact with air, and to flow it needs constant vibration—hence like this.”

Seong Hyun-jae regarded the straight highway. It pierced the city center, with intersections spaced widely so vehicles used it as the main artery—that was the reason. How had he detonated it? Had he secretly embedded chains underground?

“So what’s this world’s name? It can’t be the same.”

“Only fragmentary impression drifts through my mind.”

He smiled as if painting in the air and answered:

“You’ve been nicely trounced.”

Even a strongly hardening liquid isn’t enough to bind S-Ranks. But Noah’s wings were feathers. Once the liquid seeped in and solidified, feathers formed stiff clumps—impossible to shake off and completely preventing flight.

“If I stop Noah’s movement, he’ll come along as well.”

If Noah hadn’t unfurled his wings—or if he had but remained on the ground—there would’ve been room to evade Seong Hyun-jae. But our team has me, and naturally Noah took me outside the danger zone. By causing us to fall, he could get two at once. Our team lost one, then waited for Noah to reach the right position before triggering it.

That’s the advantage of home terrain.

[The winning team rolls the dice first.]

A message window popped up. Dice? Why dice? Two huge white and black dice appeared.

“I haven’t been given any explanation.”

No time to explain. Apparently no one else understood either—except Seong Hyun-jae.

“It’s a kind of life game.”

“…Huh?”

Seong Hyun-jae lifted the black die and continued:

“More like a career or destiny game, perhaps.”

What? A neon-sign message window glowed large:

[Live a splendid life!]

Well, death’s been pretty splendid so far. The flashing message was visible to everyone—Yerim popped up waving her hand.

“It looks like a board game, mister!”

I don’t know. Give me Yut or Hwatu. No go on chess or Go.

[Choose your profession and become the best!]

“I’m already the world’s best.”

No rivals—I’m the only S-Rank Beast Rider. I too picked up the white die and glanced at Seong Hyun-jae. Did he choose this game too? Probably to revive memories of his past world.

[Arriving in a new country, you first need a home.]

[★Good fortune awaits!★

1 ◇ Basement unit

2 ◇ Studio

3 ◇ Small villa

4 ◇ Mid-size apartment

5 ◇ Large apartment

6 ◇ Penthouse]

[Please roll the die!!!

※If you tie the other team’s roll, the winning team chooses who rolls again.]

I skimmed the sparkling text. This is—

“I’m at such a disadvantage! Hey, I’m S-Rank! I can make dice fall how I please!”

Imagine a Yut game where only “ruin” comes up. My protest triggered a message:

[Dice are random—determined by luck!]

“Still… you decide our fate by luck?!”

Our land is at stake. A nation could become refugees overnight by a dice roll? But this is the same Elder who’d swallow a world to add more Transcendents. I frowned at Seong Hyun-jae.

…It’s hard to call anyone lucky—Crescent excepted—his path was unimpeded. Except for one enormous obstacle. He might be fortunate overall. As for me…

‘I’ve tumbled enough that “lucky” feels wrong.’

From others’ perspective I gained much by returning in time. Yet I could never claim “I was lucky to get a Wish Stone” at the start. Better to have lost a tongue than speak of luck.

“Does the team leader have to roll? Surely someone luckier—”

I looked at Yuhyun. Hmm.

“Yuhyun, have you ever scratched a lottery ticket? Ever had luck turn your way?”

“My greatest luck is that you’re my brother.”

He smiled. A kind thought, but comparing before my return… we’re probably similar.

“I’ve had ups and downs. Before the dungeon and now I’m fairly lucky. But I never win raffles.”

For Yerim to have “good fortune” feels off given her parents’ situation. Still, I hoped luck would follow from now on. I glanced at Noah, who smiled ruefully.

“I… yes.”

Noah’s eyes drifted toward Riette, who called out with a big grin:

“I’m lucky! I’m strong and my brother’s cute~”

Ah, yes. Better I roll. If it turns bad, I’ll own it.

“I want to roll!”

Mari raised her hand and shouted. Seong Hyun-jae nodded generously.

“I’d let you—”

[Only the team leader may roll!]

As expected. Seong Hyun-jae lightly cast the black die. It tumbled and settled.

[6!]

“Of course, cheating!”

A single throw and he gets the penthouse! Does destiny follow him only to penthouses? That’d fit him. He took the best house, and now it was my turn.

‘5 would be fine, even 4. There are five of us.’

I hurled the die with all my might. It flew up and rolled—no 5, 6, or 1! It tumbled… 6, 5…

[3!]

“Ah…”

Middling misfortune. If it were one or two people, I’d be grateful—but two rooms? How long must we stay here? Can we move?

“The house… might be a bit cramped.”

“I’d be happy anywhere with you, brother.”

“You dodged 1 or 2—that’s something!”

Yuhyun and Yerim comforted me. True, at least not basement or studio.

“We’ve slept rough in dungeons plenty. We’re fine.”

“Right, sweetie. Or we could rent next door?”

That’d be expropriation, surely. Seong Hyun-jae scooped up the black die. Ominous. I can’t trust my luck.

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