WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈

Chapter 124: Cleaning Complete

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The dungeon mainly appeared in places where people lived. But sometimes, it formed in the sea, having missed land entirely.

Naturally, finding a dungeon underwater was nearly impossible. The dungeon would eventually break, and the monsters either sank with it or crawled onto land.

Some of those monsters were aquatic. Monsters that originally lived underwater, in the sea. Once released into the vast ocean, boss monsters in particular became extremely difficult to hunt.

Unlike in dungeons, where they emerged and attacked once the conditions were met, they appeared and vanished whenever they pleased.

“It’s really big.”

A monster as enormous as the hotel was crawling ashore onto the beach at night. Legs covered in countless suckers crushed everything they touched. It was a dark red monstrosity that looked like a mix of an octopus and a squid.

The symbol of Hong Kong’s fall, the Grade 2 Giant Sea Monster Species, Kraken.

It had first been discovered at the end of last year, but it stayed solely underwater, so they had given up on subjugating this S-Class dungeon boss. For roughly another year, Kraken would quietly roam among Hong Kong’s islands. But when everyone on a beach had evacuated because of a dungeon break, and just one building was brightly lit on every floor as temporary lodgings for the Hunters handling it.

The monster crouching beneath the dark surface began to move.

‘Once Kraken began its rampage like that, it went back and forth between land and sea for over half a year, turning Hong Kong’s beaches into a wasteland.’

It would appear out of nowhere, then flee into the sea whenever it was at a disadvantage, so it took a long time to successfully hunt it. It had even grown underwater somehow, becoming an SS-Class monster.

Hong Kong, already precarious, completely fell under Kraken’s threat that lasted half a year.

“Yerim, get ready.”

I borrowed Noah’s headset and contacted Yerim. It would be nice if things like this worked inside dungeons. There still was not any communication equipment that could be used in them.

[Yes, mister!]

“A piece of merchandise with no manners is planning to give orders too. Will you accept them, Mr. Seong Hyeonje?”

[Of course the merchandise on display and my items receive different treatment.]

“It isn’t yours.”

Drop the possessive.

In the meantime, the hotel that had been swallowed by the water emerged once more. All its lights were out, and most of its windows had shattered. Still, the building itself was relatively intact. It had been built sturdy.

“As I already said, the basis of defeating Kraken is to pull it completely onto land.”

Once it went into the sea, there was nothing we could do. Its defense and recovery would both rise, and fighting a monster in the open ocean was difficult even for Hunters accustomed to underwater combat.

We could melt it down in one go with double-strength attack skills, but even so, it was safer to drag it fully onto land and bind it there. It would be a problem if it somehow escaped.

“Then let’s begin.”

To get the timing exactly right, I connected Yerim and Seong Hyeonje’s senses with the teacher skill. Yerim, floating near the hotel, raised the water soaking it into the air. Seong Hyeonje then sent electricity through the rising water.

Each drop sparkled with light. Clusters of light like tiny bulbs began to settle over the drenched building.

The current that should have dispersed swirled inside the droplets. They were orbs of light, wrapped in pure ice outside while retaining seawater within.

“They look like Christmas decorations.”

I took out a blue shawl from my inventory and dried off Peep, who was soaked through, while looking down at the beautifully glowing hotel. Drawn by that light, Kraken began to move.

Kraken was drawn to a single point of light in the darkness.

Hong Kong’s beaches had been filled with countless lights, which was why the monster had stayed quiet for so long. To lure it in for certain, we scattered A-Class mana stones into the water before the hotel and turned off every building’s lights except the hotel’s.

‘Fortunately, the lure worked perfectly. The people who came to buy people will become Kraken’s victims.’

Once we dealt with Kraken, it would all be neatly over. We would take care of the human traffickers, save Hong Kong’s future, and pick up some items. Three birds with one stone.

Light brimming with mana must have been an irresistibly tempting jewel to Kraken. Its long legs stretched toward the hotel. It wrapped around the building and embraced it like a lover reunited after a hundred years.

Creeeak.

Unable to withstand the pressure, the walls warped and cracked with a long groan. Beneath the dreamlike clusters of light, the slippery hide of the mollusk gleamed.

It was a bizarre sight, an odd combination. Christmas decorations and enormous seafood did not really go together.

“Is there anything you want for your birthday?”

Christmas suddenly made me think of it. Yoohyun, who had been watching Kraken with a slight frown, shifted his gaze to me.

“…I’ve never thought about it.”

“If something comes to mind, tell me. Anything.”

Several years had simply passed by.

“When is your birthday, Noah?”

Noah, who had only been listening to our conversation with perked ears, turned his head in surprise. His light gray eyes looked at me, and he answered a little shyly.

- April 5th.

“That’s the same month as Yerim. In Korea, it’s Arbor Day. The day we plant trees.”

[My birthday is August 30th. It’s not far away.]

…Why was this man butting in again? We were talking about the kids’ birthdays. Act your age. So what if it was coming up soon?

“Instead of wasting time talking nonsense, hurry up and collect what you need. We’ll have to get away soon. What should we do with the chain?”

I took the Seeker’s Chain off my neck and asked. Since it was already in my hands, I checked its item window.

[Noble Seeker’s Chain ? Contractor’s Rank +1 (up to Mythic-Class)

A chain forged from the darkest moonlight of a crescent moon. It appears to be metal, but its essence is light.]

‘…A crescent moon.’

That was the unfilial bastard who had contacted Seong Hyeonje. Of course, there was no guarantee they were truly the same person. The Mermaid Queen had also presented herself as Waterdrop among the unfilial bastards.

‘But no matter how I look at it, this crescent moon seems like that Crescent Moon.’

They had called it a chain too. More importantly, it was a weapon one rank above its contractor. Since Seong Hyeonje was S-Class, that practically made it SS-Class. What a scam. God, I think the balance is broken specifically for that guy. Please check for bugs.

[If you throw it roughly, it’ll return on its own.]

“Do you know Crescent Moon by any chance?”

[Crescent Moon? You can’t mean the moon in the sky. No, I don’t.]

So he had not made contact with them yet. Should I hypnotize him and ask if anything about the future came to mind? What on earth had he been doing before my regression?

When I threw the chain downward, it swiftly slid away like a swimming snake. It really was good. That man truly had everything.

I clicked my tongue and turned back to the monster wrapped around the hotel.

By nature, Yerim and Seong Hyeonje were at a disadvantage against Kraken. That slick hide had extremely high defense while wet. Its cold resistance was also high, it was nearly an insulator like rubber, and its soft body did not respond well to physical attacks either.

That was why everyone had struggled so much to turn it into dried seafood during the raid before my regression.

‘I had originally considered using a poison skill.’

S-Class poison, with its effect doubled, would have severe aftereffects. We would need to pour out a considerable amount to deal with something that size, so I was even more reluctant to use it outside a dungeon.

I had been wondering whether we would have to take the long way around despite having an easy method, but Yoohyun had come all the way here.

“Noah, please take Peep.”

- Yes, leave it to me.

- Peep!

I handed Peep over to Noah’s hand, or rather, front paw. Peep chirped in mild dissatisfaction, apparently not pleased about being held by a scale-covered paw. Then why had it come all the way here?

“What about the spirit?”

“Here.”

The fire lizard leaped onto the back of Yoohyun’s hand in a burst of flame. It was still the same size as before, but a small horn had sprouted from its head.

Irin. The Spirit of Fire, which had fussed over it for a long time before finally accepting its name, shone especially red against the night’s darkness.

“This one is the first spirit in our world.”

Ismuar did not belong to our world. That was why it could not come outside.

“It already has purer flames than any other fire-type skill, but now it also has the distinction of being the first. Even if other spirits are born in the future, none of them will be able to match Irin.”

According to the knowledge I had stolen, the first spirit was the beginning and king of all spirits. Of course, our world was not the same as worlds where mana had existed from the start and spirits were born from dense, powerful natural energy. But one thing was certain. Irin would become a special power for Yoohyun.

“So forget your skill for a moment and accept Irin. Skills are only frameworks, anyway.”

I used the teacher skill on Yoohyun. Then I showed him Yerim, who was still controlling the water. Her, controlling ice and water together without a water-type skill.

I wished I could have shared Yerim’s senses with Yoohyun when she used the Ruler of Water skill item. But I had to give up because I really seemed like I would faint immediately. Would another similar opportunity not come along? What a shame.

“Then shall we go?”

Krrrroooom!

As if in answer, the hotel collapsed completely. Its debris stuck all over Kraken’s legs and body.

- Kiiieek!

Kraken twisted its body in panic, but the wet chunks of stone already clinging tightly to it had begun to freeze under Yerim’s touch. If it tried to tear them off by force, it would injure its hide too.

I told Yerim and Seong Hyeonje to get away, then shared senses with Yoohyun just in case. We could not get caught up in it.

“Blue Willow Leaves.”

Blue leaves scattered as Yoohyun wrapped one arm around my waist and jumped from Noah’s back. I heard the crunching sound of building debris being trampled. Beneath the swaying thick tentacles, orbs of light burst one after another.

After sharing the doubled attack skill effect, I used Grace as well. I set the damage nullification rank to SS-Class.

“Irin.”

A spirit’s true power was unleashed when its contractor called its name.

The small flame shaped like a lizard at Yoohyun’s fingertips bloomed into a large flower. Blood-red and vivid, one petal after another floated into the air.

It was an unreal, brilliant red flame.

“I can’t control it very well.”

Stepping across the willow leaves, Yoohyun murmured quietly. A flame he had failed to control fell onto a car that had barely escaped Kraken’s path. The instant a tiny flame, no larger than a thumb and exactly the size of a petal, touched it, the large foreign car burned completely away. Its blackened frame sagged, then crumbled into ash without leaving a shape behind.

…That was a bit excessive. It had just been a stray spark.

“Hey, be careful. Noah, get as far away as you can too!”

Meanwhile, the flames that had gathered only at Yoohyun’s fingertips stretched into a long shape. A sword. No, longer than that. It was closer to a crescent-bladed halberd.

Yoohyun had begun weaponizing flames after his skill rank rose and he acquired Bloodflame. Ordinary fire was difficult to maintain in a fixed shape.

When I glanced upward, both my brother’s eyes had turned red. There was even a faint smile on his face.

Flames that had been difficult to control as anything beyond simple burning once released outside were bowing beneath his touch. He seemed very pleased by that.

- Kiiiee.

Kraken, which had been focused on the remaining lights, looked this way. Its enormous eye, covered by a thin transparent membrane, rolled around as if startled. It seemed frightened, having sensed the power in the flames, but its heavier body prevented it from escaping easily.

Then it shot out its two longest tentacles.

Legs as thick as several utility poles combined cut through the air with terrifying force. Yoohyun lightly swung his flaming crescent blade toward the massive spear-like tentacles.

Shk.

Very smoothly. The flames only lightly split part of the tentacles, but.

- Kieeek!

Kraken’s two legs vanished as though they had melted away. They were like pieces of ice thrown into the sun.

Then the flames transformed into a spear and flew forward. The red spear struck the round body.

- Kyarr.

A tiny lizard appeared at the end of the spear shaft, growling as its black eyes blinked. Immediately afterward, flames spread like a wave. Swallowing even the smell of burning, they devoured the enormous sea monster. The fire lizard fluttered down onto the dark trace that remained.

Irin, having swallowed even the mana stones, licked its lips as if satisfied.

‘…We did not even need to use the doubled skill.’

It was a boss monster that would soon grow to SS-Class. Was it really okay to defeat it so easily?

The spirit approached Yoohyun, who had landed on the ground. It looked small and cute, but it was a terrifying little thing.

“Why don’t you let go of this now?”

When I tapped the arm around my waist, Yoohyun tilted his head slightly.

“I was thinking. How about we use this chance to have you declared missing?”

He did not specify the subject, but I understood. He had not given up yet.

“I’m not hurt.”

“But the opportunity is good.”

“What’s good about it? Yerim, Noah, and Seong Hyeonje are all here. It would be hard to say I got caught in Kraken’s attack.”

“We can silence all three.”

“Do you think that’ll work? The last one especially will not listen even with one ear.”

“I can make him listen now. Or we can get rid of him entirely. Yes, that would be better. Hyung, you think the Sesung Guildmaster is dangerous too, don’t you?”

I looked up at my brother asking for my agreement. His eyes were still red. Irin sat on Yoohyun’s shoulder rather than inside his eye.

And the lizard’s eyes were black.

An instinctive sense that something was wrong struck the back of my head.

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