The S-Classes That I Raised

The road stretched empty before him. Song Taewon turned his head toward the long, twelve-lane avenue. The statues of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and King Sejong the Great, and the towering Gwanghwamun Gate in the distance, came into view.

A ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) familiar street bathed in sunset light. For a moment, he had the illusion that he'd returned to Korea. But the street was far too quiet for such an illusion to last. Not only were there no pedestrians, but there were no protesters either. The red-lettered banner that was always there—"Retract the special treatment for high-rank Awakened!"—was nowhere to be seen.

Song Taewon quietly observed the silent street.

It resembled a world right after its destruction. A world where only humans had been cleanly erased.

He was left alone in such a place.

'...Nightmare on Christmas.'

The system message informed him that this was a dungeon. Song Taewon calmly assessed the situation. The current dungeon was based on Seoul, Korea. Though the letters on most signs had been erased, the buildings remained, along with facilities like street trees, streetlights, and bus stops.

Song Taewon crossed the street and peered inside a coffee shop. The shop's lights were off, but drinks and baked goods were still on display. He'd never encountered a dungeon like this in his life. He'd never even received a report of one.

Song Taewon's hand gripped the closed door's handle. He applied force and CRUNCH—tore the door off, then entered the shop. He picked up a slice of cheesecake from the display case. The refrigerated case still blew cold air.

As he examined the cheesecake, Han Yujin suddenly came to mind. Then, as if it were only natural, Seong Hyunjae followed. Song Taewon carefully took a bite from the edge of the cheesecake. No poison. The taste was ordinary as well.

He didn't particularly enjoy such sweet cakes. Usually they were birthday cakes left on colleagues' desks. Most were fresh cream or mocha. The source of the sweet things Song Taewon remembered—cheese, tiramisu, red velvet—came mostly from Han Yujin and Seong Hyunjae.

In any case, the items here were identical to reality. Song Taewon set the cake down and picked up a cup. If it were a dungeon item, it should go into his inventory, but—

[Error! Cannot put in inventory!]

An error message appeared. Song Taewon stared at the cup for a moment, then squeezed his hand. CRACK. The glass shattered like a thin biscuit and fell to the floor. Ordinary strength, ordinary fragments.

Song Taewon left the cafe and walked along the street. Everything was the same—only the people were missing. It was natural since this was inside a dungeon. Natural, but...

His regular stride, with steps as precise as if measured with a ruler, gradually slowed.

"......"

A long, thin breath unconsciously escaped between his lips.

Song Taewon wasn't someone who should be left at the end. His place was to protect someone and disappear before the end. He'd never even imagined a scene where he was left alone in a world with nothing.

This was a picture of failure—something Song Taewon had tried not to even contemplate.

If the object to be protected disappears, and the object to be stopped also disappears... what remains?

"...!"

Just then, a faint presence caught his senses. Something alive and moving, not a lifeless gray object. It would be a relief if it were a companion, and fine even if it were a monster. Song Taewon abandoned his thoughts and cautiously resumed walking.

This was an abnormal dungeon of unknown grade. He didn't know what kind of situations might occur. Song Taewon drew wire and wrapped it around his arm up to his forearm, holding a throwing dagger in his other hand. His skills, which were mainly for close combat, were unfortunately unsuited for information gathering. The best he could do was move as quietly as possible, utilizing his excellent physical abilities.

Gwanghwamun Gate drew closer, and the Government Complex Seoul building came into view. The presence emanated from right there.

From the location of the Awakened Management Office.

After the Awakened appeared in the world and the Awakened Management Office was newly established, discussion about its location had been quite lengthy. There was talk of moving to Sejong, but ultimately, for various reasons, it was decided to be in the Seoul Government Complex.

He'd received considerable scrutiny for the suddenly created agency. Even now, he sometimes received uncomfortable glances. Work preparations weren't properly done either, so in the beginning, he'd had to go to the Hunter Association as if he worked there. There were many other difficulties, but nevertheless, the Awakened Management Office gradually established itself.

In particular, the Hunters belonging to the Awakened Management Office weren't just team members—they could be said to be mostly Song Taewon's disciples. In order not to lose a single one of the people who had stayed until the end amid difficult conditions, Song Taewon carved time out of his schedule to train them.

The provided equipment was also given to the Awakened Management Office Hunters as much as possible. An S-Rank Hunter's life was rarely in danger. And due to the nature of his own skills, a lack of equipment wasn't a major flaw. So it was more efficient to care for the insufficient manpower so it wouldn't decrease further.

It was neither sacrifice nor consideration. From Song Taewon's perspective, it was simply better and right.

For the past three years. Soon to be four. The Awakened Management Office was a place he'd nurtured that way.

"It's quiet today."

A familiar voice reached his ears. The tone was light, without a hint of tension. Song Taewon's body reflexively hid behind a thick street tree.

"It's been like that since the Sesung Guild Leader disappeared. Hunter Kang Soyeong has become much more composed too. She's like a real guild leader now."

"The last time I got a ticket was more than half a year ago, I think."

Song Taewon held his breath and listened to the voices. The Hunters of the Awakened Management Office were having an unfamiliar conversation. It seemed the Sesung Guild Leader had disappeared and Kang Soyeong had taken his place. It was content that was hard for Song Taewon to accept.

Song Taewon slightly peeked out and surveyed his surroundings. The entrance, where a security guard should have been standing, was empty. The parking lot was also devoid of vehicles. Beyond the wide-open iron gate, two Awakened Management Office Hunters were leisurely chatting with paper coffee cups in their hands. They seemed to feel nothing suspicious about the surrounding scenery.

"...It would have been better if the Sesung Guild Leader had just completely moved overseas early on."

"And changed his nationality."

"If you get caught saying that, you'll get cursed at for the rest of your life."

"He's gone now anyway. If he'd kept his nationality, he would have just suffered more abroad."

"That's true. When he pretended to be in the country, we secretly followed him and cleaned up after him, really. Phew."

"He was criticized by the media for neglecting his duties as head of the Awakened Management Office. It's annoying to think about it again. As if he wanted to leave his post."

The Hunter grumbled and drained the rest of his coffee in one gulp. The paper cup crumpled in his hand.

"I'm craving a cigarette."

"Smoke in secret, in secret. An article will come out saying a public official is smoking expensive Hunter cigarettes."

"I'd quit because it's so disgusting, really. Do you think I'm here because I have no ability?"

"But you can't leave, you bastard."

"If I left now, there are a thousand guilds that would want me, but I can't leave!"

The two of them chuckled. Then, abruptly, the laughter stopped. A short silence fell.

"Should we visit the grave this weekend?"

"The one thing I'm grateful to the Sesung Guild Leader for is that. It's close, so we can visit often."

"...Are you giving the disease and then the medicine? No, it's killing him and then giving compensation."

Song Taewon's body stiffened.

"Watch your mouth. It's not certain."

"What now? If there's nothing suspicious, he wouldn't have disappeared. To be honest, does it make sense that the Chief died in a dungeon? Huh? Even unremarkable S-Ranks haven't had any casualties during clears yet, so how—"

Without even trying to think deeply, Song Taewon's mind easily pieced together the story.

Song Taewon was dead. Officially, he'd died during a dungeon clear, but there were suspicions he'd been murdered by Seong Hyunjae. Seong Hyunjae had built Song Taewon's grave in Seoul and then disappeared.

It was surprising and yet not surprising.

Would he die at Seong Hyunjae's hands someday? He'd had such thoughts. But he hadn't expected that Seong Hyunjae would disappear because he'd murdered him.

He'd expected that Seong Hyunjae would act as if Song Taewon's existence had never been there to begin with, as if nothing had changed.

'...No, in the first place, this is—'

It was just a false future shown by the dungeon. Since it was said to be related to the raiders, it was probably a fantasy created based on Song Taewon's memories. Perhaps a fantasy with a bit of his own wishes mixed in.

A desirable future where he died at Seong Hyunjae's hands, probably while trying to stop him.

Song Taewon looked up at the building reflected between the tree branches. The information about the dungeon had increased, but he didn't have an immediate sense of how he should proceed. A normal dungeon clear meant defeating the monsters inside the dungeon.

But now...

"You guys are free, aren't you?"

The canonical source for this content: M|V|L2EMPYR.

Another voice was heard. As light footsteps approached, Song Taewon's back stiffened slightly. The grade he sensed wasn't low. For a moment, he thought it was the new head of the Awakened Management Office, but that voice was familiar too. At the point in time he knew, he was definitely a B-Rank Hunter. Baek Yeonjun—B-Rank but so outstanding that Song Taewon had expected him to grow into an A-Rank before long.

But now, he felt close to S-Rank.

"Hey now—who are you!"

Baek Yeonjun suddenly shouted sharply. At his shout, a short double-bladed knife flew toward the street tree, spinning in a circle. SCRAPE. The blade rotated and sliced through the thick tree trunk in one go. With a burst of wood chips, the street tree creaked and toppled to the side. Leaves scattered everywhere.

'As expected, are they monsters?'

Song Taewon, who had stepped back before the blade touched the tree, thought bitterly. The original Baek Yeonjun—no, any Awakened Management Office Hunter—would never have acted so recklessly in the city center. Unless it was an emergency where a monster was attacking non-Awakened, there was no way they would throw their weapon first.

"Ch-Chief?"

The Hunters' eyes widened as they saw Song Taewon, whose figure had been revealed as he dodged the attack. A dead man had appeared. But the surprise was brief, and deep hostility soon rose on their faces.

"Damn it, which bastard!"

"A monster? Just say you're a monster!"

"I am."

Not a monster. This place is a dungeon, and you are the monsters. Those words didn't leave Song Taewon's mouth. While Song Taewon hesitated, the Hunters all drew their weapons.

"If you're a monster, we have to catch you, and if you're not a monster, we have to catch you even more! Shit!"

"How dare you show up here with that face?! What's your purpose!"

A voice full of resentment shouted. Song Taewon gritted his teeth. They were monsters. As long as they had to clear the dungeon and escape, they had no choice but to fight and kill them.

'It's just a simple mental skill.'

He tried to think so. But Song Taewon was an S-Rank, and among them, a Hunter with exceptionally keen physical senses. If he'd been duller, it would have been easier to deceive himself. But all his senses were registering the people in front of him as real.

"Jin-ah!"

"Yes!"

The support-type Hunter quickly stepped back and used a skill on Baek Yeonjun. Thinking he had to get the support-type before that happened, Song Taewon couldn't move right away. His feet wouldn't move, as if they were glued to the sidewalk.

"You go in, report the situation, and evacuate! It looks like this won't be easy!"

The remaining one immediately turned around. A monster. A monster was trying to call its companions. He had to stop it.

Song Taewon's fist clenched, and almost habitually, his leg muscles tensed. His body shot forward like a fired arrow.

"It's dangerous!"

Baek Yeonjun threw a short spear. THUD! The arm wrapped in wire deflected the spearhead, and Song Taewon, without a hint of wavering, reached the Hunter who was about to enter the building. The tip of his foot struck down on the Hunter's leg.

"Gasp!"

CRACK. The leg bone broke. Song Taewon's hand grabbed the head of the collapsing body. The blade of the dagger in his other hand sliced through flesh and bone in one motion.

Mechanically precise and efficient—he'd severed the monster's breath.

"Seonghu-ya!"

A sorrowful cry pierced Song Taewon's ears. Dilated pupils met Song Taewon's eyes. His chest was wet with splattered blood.

"Cr-crazy! Jin-ah, back away more! Everyone out now!!"

Familiar faces—one, two, three—appeared in the parking lot. Song Taewon unconsciously wiped the bloodstain that had even splattered on his cheek with the back of his hand. But his hand was even more blood-soaked, so the red stain just spread wider.

"Shit, what's going on!"

"What, is it a m-monster?!"

"He's openly killing people, so would he be a Hunter! Be careful! It seems to be a boss-level monster that can mimic others' appearances!"

A monster. To them, he would certainly be one. Song Taewon, without a single word of excuse, silently took a battle stance.