The S-Classes That I Raised

A familiar voice echoed faintly in the hazy memories. But I couldn't understand what was being said. Sitting in the chair, I stared at Seong Hyunjae. On his face, standing across the wide lobby, there was a faint trace of fatigue.

He said that Director Song and I had come. Since this was the nightmare dungeon, they probably didn't get to see a pleasant sight. Or rather, maybe they didn't hear anything. Fortunately, it was quiet now.

"It's exactly as you guessed."

Seong Hyunjae said.

"Song Taewon and Han Yujin influenced the way I was swelling up, and Song Taewon blocked it."

"Is that all?"

"If I add a little more, it's that I tried to enter the dungeon alone."

I recalled the Seong Hyunjae I had met inside this dungeon. The one who had tried to eliminate the current Seong Hyunjae. He glanced at me sitting quietly in the chair a little apart.

"In the end, you went in together with Director Song."

"That's right. To be precise, Song Taewon followed."

Then Seong Hyunjae accepted Song Taewon's help. From there, the voice that said it wasn't Han Yujin's story lingered in my ears. The ordinary F-rank Han Yujin wouldn't have been able to enter the dungeon with the two of them.

No matter what relationship he had with them, he must have stayed outside.

"...My memories."

"Seems to be a side effect of Plunder. Or maybe..."

Seong Hyunjae's gaze briefly turned behind himself.

"Maybe it was to protect Han Yujin from the Crescent Moon."

"To erase memories, that is, the very fact that you were connected with those two?"

"I only said Song Taewon must have influenced it. He died there."

"And then, Plunder was used on you, Seong Hyunjae."

"It was given as a gift."

Seong Hyunjae, bound by the Crescent Moon, received the Plunder skill and exited the dungeon alone. I thought he used Plunder to sustain himself, but maybe he used it on others.

"You used it on me? Seong Hyunjae? But the Seong Hyunjae before regression... Come to think of it, he also said his memories weren't perfect."

I was puzzled that my memories were incomplete, but at the same time, he said his memories had problems too.

"Could it be that while using a skill unfamiliar to me, it affected his own memories as well?"

"I don't know. But if it's not a side effect—"

Seong Hyunjae looked at me before regression. I narrowed my eyebrows and painfully met his gaze.

"He must have erased them for me."

Han Yujin, without any special ability and an S-rank who never lost momentum, was difficult even to confront. So I should have stepped back. From my brother, from those two.

My throat felt a bit dry. Being weak wasn't a fault, but it was sad. Even if it had to be that way, my heart ached. Although I influenced Seong Hyunjae before regression, I was just an F-rank, nothing more. Hearing that I could do nothing in succession against those two similar but different people made a sigh rise to my throat.

Still, if it were me now, would I have tried to find a way together without erasing? If it were me now.

"It's not your fault."

At my words, I frowned deeply.

"What fault all of a sudden? Hey, I'm you anyway."

"Yeah. It's not my fault either. That's why we got this far. It's not all solved yet, but at least we can try something."

I looked back at my younger brother.

"And we're together like this."

"...I thought everything would be fine once I reconciled with Yuhyun. What else is left?"

A bitter smile involuntarily formed on my lips at my own words. That's right. My goal was simple. To be acknowledged by my brother and to return to the past. That was all. Though simple, it was by no means an easy path.

"By the way, apparently there was an attempt to erase the contract with the Crescent Moon using Plunder originally."

"...What? That important thing should've been said first!"

Though it seems to have failed, such a method—erasing the contract itself swallowed by the Crescent Moon—was worth reconsidering.

"When the Crescent Moon's power entered me, Director Song Taewon felt like just a simple threat. Maybe because it wasn't a clear will, just part of the power, I only thought of it as a being harming the small moon."

I was led to agree with the Crescent Moon's intention. Of course, if I were pure, even if Director Song attacked Seong Hyunjae! I would have thought, finally it's come, you held out long enough... But back then, I somewhat sympathized with the Crescent Moon.

A being threatening the moon she raised. Since I have Yuhyun too, it was relatively easy to sympathize. At the same time, as Seong Hyunjae, I also somewhat wondered why I had to go this far.

"So Director Song was someone who could be suppressed. But if the contract itself could be erased with Plunder......"

"I only tried."

"...Is it impossible?"

I looked at the young Chaos standing a bit askew.

"I don't know."

"Yeah. It would be great if we could find out how the Crescent Moon inside the dungeon reacted!"

Whether it simply guarded against Song Taewon swallowing Seong Hyunjae, or if there was a possibility of contract cancellation, it seemed Director Song was an important key.

...Though not something Director Song himself would want.

"Is there any way to extract even a little more memory from the Crescent Moon? Maybe something remains in the dungeon?"

"It might have been possible before it disappeared."

"What? Then beforehand─!"

"If the will plus the memory remained, you would have been consumed."

I see. Still, it was a bit disappointing. Couldn't it be drawn out again? If I went to the mental world and pulled out the Crescent Moon's power again......

"Don't think foolishly."

"I won't."

Should I try entering the mental world against Seong Hyunjae once more? Since there's the contract with the Crescent Moon, maybe I could find out more.

"Second, hit the first guy on the back of the head."

"...Hyung."

Instead of hitting me on the back of the head, Yuhyun grabbed my shoulder and gently shook me. Elder's intuition is quick.

"As long as the Crescent Moon is intact, it won't intervene rashly. So think about how to escape this dungeon."

"Yes."

Let's put it on hold for now. As I got up from the chair, a faint sound came from beyond the door at the other end of the lobby. Crackle, something was burning.

Then thud. Someone knocked on the glass door once, then silence. No words. I felt my chest warm.

"Go up."

Young Chaos said firmly. Yuhyun grabbed my arm and pulled me. Before regression, I was also led by my brother's hand to stand up.

"Let's hurry. We're late."

Without looking back at the door, I moved forward. I really have to escape this dungeon quickly.

"Good morning, did you sleep well!"

"Good morning! Mr. Kim's!"

As we went down to the hotel lobby, lively voices greeted us—Yerim and Yunyun. The curtains on the glass doors had all been drawn back, and morning sunlight poured in long and bright. I checked outside the door, but there was no trace.

Heading to the dining hall with the kids, I saw Director Song and Seong Hyunjae who had arrived earlier. Young Chaos had also already taken a seat. Wow, the smell was delicious. Did the rookie prepare breakfast?

"Director Song, thank you for your hard work."

"You're welcome."

Luckily, Director Song looked less tired than the day before. Maybe Seong Hyunjae had told him what happened overnight.

"Yujin."

Noah's voice came from the kitchen side. Why was Noah in the kitchen... huh.

"My-Myungwoo?"

Myungwoo beyond the open kitchen smiled at me. Didn't seem angry. Hopefully not? More importantly, was this free breakfast meant to be this? Rookie!

"Is that Myungwoo Hunter?"

Pre-regression me quietly asked.

"Yeah, that's right."

"Doesn't seem like someone from production."

"He's a blacksmith. He needs to be strong."

Yuhyun and I were told to stay seated, while he went toward the kitchen. Hmm, feels like a long time since I last saw him.

"Hi... I mean, I was fine."

"Yujin."

"Yeah."

"You said your leg was injured."

Myungwoo said with a smile.

"It's the monster's fault here! It must be the dungeon boss, so I have to kill it."

I almost said the leg of the one who broke my leg was also cut off, but quickly changed the subject. It was better to blame the monster than being kidnapped and rolled around.

"What about the mana imprint?"

"It's fine! It's intact. Really."

Seong Hyunjae and Director Song probably didn't say anything, right? No way Myungwoo saw everything inside the dungeon... Damn, that can't happen.

"Let me see."

"Yeah."

He quickly circled and entered the kitchen. Myungwoo examined my mana imprint and glanced at Young Chaos.

"I see."

Huh? What was that? Myungwoo slapped my back lightly, almost painful.

"Take care of yourself."

What... The nagging was unusually brief.

"It's not that I don't want to take care of myself... But what about you?"

"Having a hard time."

Myungwoo opened a pot lid and briefly explained his situation.

"...You really participated in dungeon production?"

"I'm just an assistant. So I can't properly get involved with the dungeon. Even as a rookie, it seems only very limited information inside the dungeon is accessible."

"Still, it's insane. The dungeon is managed by transcendent beings!"

Although just an assistant, it was impressive. Could Myungwoo become a dungeon manager eventually? A rookie succeeding a rookie?

"...No tentacles."

"Oh, that."

Myungwoo tilted his head slightly. Wait, something suspicious.

"Looks comfortable."

"Hey, hey. Keep your identity as a human."

"Don't listen to the rookie."

"The rookie just wants to use you more efficiently! He's already struggling. Even sent you to cook. Damn volleyball guy."

"I volunteered. I originally planned to make sandwiches and chicken."

Chicken in the morning? Also, Myungwoo's body now had no skills and was at an unawakened level. Like Young Chaos, his rank dropped sharply.

"Did the rookie say that to you?"

I refused to sit and quietly asked while cracking eggs into a bowl.

"What?"

"That I regressed."

"...I know this dungeon is a record of the past and the future."

He seemed to have some idea.

"Yeah. I came back to the past, the future that disappeared."

Sizzle, the broken egg spilled onto the heated pan.

"I didn't exist?"

"Myungwoo, you're a friend I met completely anew."

Myungwoo probably died before I awakened pre-regression. I glanced at Noah, who was opening the rice cooker. Noah too was probably the same. Old acquaintances and new people continuing.

"Then I must be one of the happiest because you returned to the past, Yujin."

Myungwoo said. ...Why does he always say things that move me?

"Me too, Yujin."

Noah chimed in, holding a rice paddle. His bright smile almost sparkled.

"I'm glad you've changed so much."

"You were amazing even before, Noah."

"How about you, Yujin?"

The answer came easily.

"Of course, I'm much better now."

Though hardships ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) were like mountains, even if a thorn remained forever stuck in my heart, there were so many good people that I couldn't help but say it was good.

Breakfast was, naturally, very delicious. After eating together, Myungwoo sighed deeply and returned to his position as dungeon manager. How much is that rookie making Myungwoo work?

"Then let's head straight to the Hunter Association."

We have to finish before the sun sets again.

"Seong Hyunjae, do you want to rest? You must be tired from staying up all night."

"It's better to finish quickly."

That made sense. Since we could wait outside the area anyway, we decided to move without leaving anyone at the hotel.

The Hunter Association located in Gangnam wasn't far. Maybe because it was just around commuting time, there were few hunters outside, unlike last time. Three S-ranks including inside this dungeon.

"Yuhyun."

My younger brother quietly stepped forward. Not on the floor but stepping on willow leaves, he approached the hunters silently and quickly. Being S-rank, they noticed quickly, but faster still, Ye-rim's acceleration skill activated.

Crack—

The tip of the blade pierced the neck.

"Mu—!"

As one of the two remaining shouted, a thick arm wrapped around his neck. Bone cracking was heard as Ye-rim teleported with Director Song and unleashed a freezing aura at the last man's face.

The last one was subdued instantly, unable to make a sound as his mouth froze.

Ye-rim could have just stayed still, but she went all out for the last one.

Crack-crash—!

Lightning struck toward the Hunter Association building. Fake though it was inside the dungeon, it felt refreshing.