The S-Classes That I Raised

"I should mention beforehand – I have no intention of going down quietly. I still don't think I'm a monster."

And above all else.

"Harming someone you've had a conversation with isn't something a child should do."

"I'm a Hunter. I can fight."

"Whether you're Awakened or not, a child is still a child. Even if you were an adult, it wouldn't be right."

It's different from a monster. No, even if it were a monster that couldn't communicate, it was usually difficult to raise a hand against them if there had been an emotional exchange. Because if you've shared emotions, especially positive ones, it means a part of your heart is with the other person.

If you harm someone you've given your heart to, it's only natural that the heart you gave will also be wounded.

"Do you have a gate stone?"

"No, those are incredibly rare."

"They're rare, but they've become quite common now. Can I give you the one I have?"

Park Yerim checked her inventory and frowned.

"There's nothing but basic equipment. Well, monsters don't use potions or items, so... I'm feeling more and more like there's definitely something wrong with me."

'What should I do?' Tang Ye watched the pondering Park Yerim, then suddenly shouted, "Ah!"

"There's a method Mister uses often!"

"Huh?"

"I don't know if it'll work, but – Mr. Volleyball!"

Tang Ye shouted loudly toward the empty air.

"You're watching, right? I know you're watching! Because this dungeon is really strange! Mister will definitely get angry again, so please help a little!"

"What are you doing?"

"There's a volleyball that manages the system. If Mister finds out I had to harm myself, he'll be sad! He'll be really angry too, and he'll never just let it go! So please help a little! Then I'll speak well of you to Mister! I'll take Mr. Volleyball's side!"

"Let's help each other~~" Tang Ye's voice rang out clearly into the sunset sky. There seemed to be no reaction at first, but then–

[Special Clear Quest!]

A system message window appeared. Tang Ye quickly checked the message.

[★A Fair and Square Match☆

When the area boss monster declares defeat, the said area will be automatically cleared! Any kind of bet for the match is OK!

※ Requires the boss monster's consent, and if you fail to get the boss monster's declaration of defeat after accepting the quest, clearing is impossible]

"Look at this! It says any bet is fine."

According to the system message, it meant they could even settle this with simple rock-paper-scissors. The same message window appeared before Park Yerim's eyes. Park Yerim examined the message with curiosity.

"Does a volleyball really manage the dungeon? The Awakened's status window is like a game system, so I've heard theories that there would be a manager, but there really was one."

"It's shaped like a volleyball, but there are other people besides the volleyball."

"What on earth are they, and why did they suddenly create something like this?"

"Uh, that's..."

Tang Ye tilted her head. It was a question she had never thought deeply about, swept up in the power she had gained not long ago and the various events that had followed one after another. M|V|LEM*PYR is the home of this chapter

"We have to stop the dungeons from breaking to save the world, so I think it was probably to help with that. But I don't know why the dungeons appeared in the first place."

"If they can manage dungeons and the Awakened, why can't they just get rid of the dungeons themselves?"

"That's right, isn't it?"

How did the world end up changing like this? What were the identities of the volleyball and the mermaid queen? She had been to a dungeon based on another world that had been destroyed in the past, but Tang Ye – Park Yerim – didn't know much.

"They said the people who manage the dungeons can't directly enter here. So they said we just have to block the dungeons properly. The people outside our world were incredibly strong."

Tang Ye recalled the being that had appeared, cutting through the sky, right after the fifth disc was installed. It was a terrifying pressure. She couldn't move an inch. It felt like she could never win. And at that time, her grade was even higher. Tang Ye's shoulders slumped slightly.

"Ugh, I had forgotten about it, but now I'm losing confidence again."

"Are they that strong?"

"Yeah. But they also said those people have lived for a very long time. So it's only natural that they're stronger than me. Can I ever become that strong? If I become that strong, can I not live in our world? Thinking about it, I think there are too many things I don't know."

"That's not unusual. Most people don't even know about the existence of the dungeon managers. A volleyball – that's really unexpected."

Park Yerim pressed the accept button on the system message window with her finger.

"Okay, I've accepted."

"Then what should we do?"

"What are you asking? It's obvious."

A spear appeared at Park Yerim's fingertips and spun around. Tang Ye also took out a magic staff instead of a bow.

"Let's have a match!"

They shouted in unison, without either one going first.

The transparent hemispherical membrane was spread quite wide, centered on the Water Spout Guild building. Park Yerim first went back to the guild and told them not to worry about any noise they heard and to wait, then she found a suitable location.

"It's a shame Dongmyo Park is in such an awkward location."

Other than that place, everything was packed with buildings. The two of them moved to a spot that was a decent distance from the guild and where they wouldn't get caught in the membrane while fighting, then stood facing each other.

"My Hunter career is much shorter, but I'm an S-Rank, so it won't be easy!"

"Are you really an S-Rank? It feels like there's not much difference between us."

"That's right. But from what I can see, it seems so... could it be that A-Ranks are about S-Rank level here?"

Even if Park Yerim was an outstanding A-Rank, it was right that she should be lacking in many ways compared to an S-Rank. Anyway, if it was an opponent to face properly, not a regular monster, it was more welcome for her to be strengthened to S-Rank level. Park Yerim put on her equipment. Tang Ye also finished arming herself with a shawl and a bracelet.

"Huh? Isn't that by any chance the Wave Mage's Shawl? The color is different, but it looks the same."

"You know it?"

"It came up for auction before. I wanted to buy it, but I didn't have the money then, so I could only look."

"I didn't buy it with money either. Actually, Mister got it for me."

"Really?"

"I also have a spear that's being upgraded right now. Expected to be SS-Rank!"

"I'm so jealous!"

Park Yerim let out a sincere, childlike exclamation of admiration.

"An SS-Rank weapon is something that even an S-Rank Hunter has a hard time getting right now."

"I told you I'm living well."

The two of them giggled and put distance between themselves. Their attributes were similar. The skills they had were also similar. A brief silence fell between the two, and Tang Ye used a skill first. Shadowless Day. The effect of the wide-area skill spread in an instant. Then, ice fragments floated in the air and shot toward Park Yerim's shadow.

The speed reduction effect of Shadowless Day was different from freezing. So it should work on Park Yerim, who had cold resistance.

But Park Yerim used teleportation to dodge the attack. THWACK! The ice fragments embedded themselves in the ground, and this time, Park Yerim released a cold air. Sharp ice spears appeared around her. Even if she had cold resistance, a hard ice spear was a weapon with its own physical force. She wouldn't freeze, but the attack of the spearhead thrusting in was threatening enough.

SWISH! The ice spear cut through the air, and Tang Ye also used a teleportation skill. But like before, Park Yerim immediately followed and thrust her spear.

"How did you–!"

Tang Ye, who had jumped back to dodge the spear, widened her eyes.

"What?!"

Her feet were already covered in ice. And it was ice that was smooth like a mirror, with its surface slightly melted. She had cold resistance, but not slip resistance. And due to the instability of the backward jump, Tang Ye's foot slipped badly.

"Ugh, wait!"

"You didn't learn martial arts properly, did you?"

While Tang Ye was off balance, Park Yerim instantly approached and aimed the tip of her spear. The spearhead lightly touched the nape of Tang Ye's neck, who had managed to stand firm without falling. Tang Ye's cheeks turned slightly red.

"No, I did learn it."

"You probably just learned it halfheartedly, relying on teleportation and flight, and then quit."

"If I had a flight skill, I wouldn't get caught in a trap like this!"

Since the surroundings were covered by a membrane, they had decided not to use the flight skill, which made it easy to escape the domain. At Tang Ye's excuse, Park Yerim clicked her tongue.

"It's a common mistake for rookie long-range Hunters. But a situation where you can't use skills can happen anytime."

"I know that... I'll learn it properly from now on!"

"Right. Do you happen to be on good terms with Chief Song Taewon?"

"Yes."

"Then ask him once. If you're fifteen, then still... anyway, among the domestic Hunters, he's the best. Since there's also Breaker, you're of course on good terms with Hyunah unni, right? Hyunah unni is also good, but she's mainly for long spears, and yours is probably a short spear like mine, so Water Spout Guild's Park Bora unni uses a spear well."

"Uh... I know both of them. I'm close with Hyunah unni, and the Water Spout Guild merged with the Woods Guild."

"They merged? Then my guild– ah, you said you were affiliated with Haeyeon."

"Let's start again," Park Yerim said, retracting her spear. Tang Ye tapped the ground with the heel of her shoe.

"I was flustered because it was so sudden. This will be hard to dodge."

"You try it too."

Tang Ye nodded and readjusted her grip on the spear. Park Yerim planted her feet firmly and rushed toward Tang Ye. As she raised her spear horizontally in a defensive stance, Tang Ye quickly froze the ground beneath Park Yerim's feet. Just like before, a smooth surface, slightly melted, as slippery as possible.

Park Yerim's foot slipped. But unlike Tang Ye, Park Yerim didn't try to stand firm. She slid as she was and lowered her body sharply. At the spearhead thrusting at her ankle, at a much lower position than expected, Tang Ye was startled and used teleportation.

"What!"

"You can slide like this too!"

Park Yerim froze the ground beneath her own feet. She skillfully reduced the cold resistance only on the soles of her shoes and froze them to the ground. Then, her sliding body stopped in an instant. CRACKLE – with the sound of ice breaking, Park Yerim shot out fiercely toward Tang Ye, who had dodged to the side.

KANG!

The spearhead struck down as if to break the spear shaft.

"You can stop by freezing it too!"

"You removed the cold resistance only on your feet?"

"Our magic control ability is amazing, right!"

"Yeah!"

"And the sigh!"

WHOOSH – the mist surrounding the two of them thickened. Park Yerim closed both eyes.

"Practice with your eyes closed. If possible, cover your ears too."

THUD, KANG! Even with her eyes closed, Park Yerim's movements were unhindered. She accurately aimed at Tang Ye and thrust her spear.

"Are you sensing it through the mist of the sigh? Ah, I've tried that before! Mister taught me, but you're incredibly accurate!"

"You have to practice!"

SWISH – Park Yerim stopped, wrapping her spear around in a circle. Small ice beads appeared around her. Tang Ye raised her spear as if to prepare for an attack. The ice beads that Park Yerim had created flew toward Tang Ye. They weren't sharp, just round beads. She was bewildered as to why she was sending beads that wouldn't cause much damage even if they hit her body.

CRACKLE!

The ice beads exploded before they reached Tang Ye's body. And–

"Ack! It stings!"

Electricity sparked. A dozen or so beads exploded simultaneously, pouring out a sparkling, paralyzing current. Tang Ye screamed and dodged.

"You used it before too – what is it? Did you get another attribute skill?"

"No, an item!"

Park Yerim rushed toward Tang Ye. This time, she made herself slide on her feet and lowered her body right in front of Tang Ye. But Tang Ye wasn't fooled by the same trick twice. She immediately thrust her spear vertically to the ground and blocked Park Yerim's attack. Park Yerim used her own spear, which was blocked by Tang Ye's spear, to balance herself, and slid across the ground. Tang Ye, who was hit hard on the ankle by the smoothly flying kick, hopped on one foot.

"Martial arts!"

"I know!"

"The ice I make with my magic is good for containing various attributes. I recommend electricity and poison. These two are the most efficient. They're attribute powers that become strong when concentrated, but if you trap them in ice and send them to the enemy, the power doesn't scatter, so even if it's a relatively weak attribute power created with an item, the effect is good."

"Ugh, I get it."

Tang Ye nodded and jumped onto the sidewalk.

"This time, I'll show you my best too!"

'I'm strong enough too!' At Tang Ye's gesture, WHOOSH! Water shot up from the ground. Not only that, but water also burst out from within the surrounding buildings, and from other roads nearby. At Park Yerim's surprised expression, Tang Ye smiled confidently.

"I'm the strongest when there's water!"

"Really, this is no joke."

Park Yerim tensed slightly and raised her magic. The amount of water that soared up, as if to draw out all the water pipes in the area, continued to increase. The enormous volume of water rushed toward Park Yerim like a wave. Park Yerim emitted a cold air and froze the rushing water.

CRACKLE – the water froze, creating an ice wall. But that was also brief, and the ice wall ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ began to crack from the continuously pounding water.

"How much can you draw out?!"

"I swept away a whole large airport! I think it was bigger than Gimpo Airport."

At those words, Park Yerim's face grew pale. To be honest, she had looked down on her younger self. If their stats were similar, she had thought she could easily overwhelm her with experience, and in reality, it wasn't difficult. But this–

"Honestly, that's amazing! You really are. Seriously!"

CRASH! Park Yerim laughed, looking at the finally breaking ice wall. A wave that could swallow a decent-sized building whole approached her.

"The amazing me is you!"

The wave – SPLASH – scattered. Rain poured down on the two of them.