WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈

Chapter 2: Regression (2)

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I slashed my forearm without hesitation with the tip of my dagger. The blood that spilled out gathered into a long, dark-red spear. Flames flowed from the spearhead, wrapping around the shaft as they burned a dazzling black.

Kyaaargh!

The Raucitas that had looked down on and dismissed me raised all three heads at once. At the sight of the spear that had taken its eyes, the ridges along its back rose with a rattling shiver, as if it were on guard. Its gaping mouths were full of sawlike teeth.

Normally, I would have collapsed from the pressure before I could even meet its eyes.

But now, I did not feel even a trace of tension.

I was certain.

That thing was weaker than me.

“Come at me, you mangy lizard bastard.”

Roooar!

As if answering, it roared. The cavern shook from the killing intent packed into that cry. With a heavy tremor, the three-headed dragon raised its enormous red body completely upright. It had no wings. Instead, it had the sleek body of a leopard, wreathed in vicious curses. Its long, spotted tail whipped through the air, raising its spikes.

Boom!

Its four feet kicked off the ground. Sharp claws carved long scars into the floor as its massive body charged at me. With a single leap, it crossed half the vast cavern. Before, I would not have even been able to register that terrifying movement.

But now?

“Why don’t you crawl while you’re at it?”

It felt like a puppy trotting toward me.

My younger brother ranked third in speed among the world's strongest, the top ten rankers. If he had been alone, he would not have let that three-headed lizard bastard land an attack so easily.

Yet at this moment, I was faster than him.

I leaped into the air with a twisted sneer.

Craaaash!

Its claws savagely tore through where I had been standing. Chunks of rock flew up and lightly tapped against my shield.

Kyaaargh.

Four narrowed eyes glared at me. Looking down at it, I used one of the countless skills filling my status window.

“Blue Willow Leaves.”

Leaves visible only to the caster scattered through the air. The willow leaves swayed gently, looking strangely relaxed and beautiful.

Lightly stepping on one slender blue leaf, I rose higher again.

Kyaaa!

Furious, Raucitas leaped after me, but I easily avoided its claws. Curses shot toward me like poisoned needles and struck my shield helplessly.

Boom!

The lizard bastard landed without touching even a strand of my clothes and growled. If it was so unfair, it should grow wings and come after me!

My brother did not have a flight skill. But using these Blue Willow Leaves, he would dance in the air as though his feet were planted on solid ground.

That bastard had been able to do everything.

“No, that’s not right. You couldn’t cut loose your useless older brother.”

Muttering, I held the spear at my side. Pitch-black flame wound around its blade and climbed to the end of its shaft. The flames enveloped my hand and forearm, but I felt no heat at all.

Instead, they felt cool. Cold.

I pulled my arm back as far as I could, then threw the spear at Raucitas.

Whoosh!

Roooar!

Crunch.

The hurled spear pierced Raucitas’s left head. Black flames surged up, swallowing and melting its head. Driven mad by pain, the lizard thrashed wildly, swinging claws and teeth at me.

But it was too slow.

Boom! Boom!

It kept jumping and striking the ground like an eel dragged onto land.

What a ridiculous sight.

That bastard looked ridiculous, but so did I.

Blood trickled down my arm again. The blood pooled at my fingertips turned black and formed another spear.

Crunch!

Urgh! Aaargh!

After the left head, I crushed its right one as well. Its only remaining middle head had already lost its eyes.

Those were wounds my younger brother had left behind.

Having finally lost all of its sight, it stopped leaping. As if terrified, it raised the scales all over its body and curled up.

“...This is too easy.”

It was so easy that I could have cried.

You little bastard, tucking your tail between your legs this quickly.

Even a dragon species with tremendous vitality would not endure if I burned its last remaining head. But instead of its head, I aimed for its legs. Like a fish helplessly drying out on hot sand, it could do nothing as I cut off its limbs one by one.

Slowly.

Bit by bit.

Its shrieks became screams, then groans, then the ragged gasps of something dying.

The floor was slick like a swamp made of blood, but Raucitas was still alive. I squatted on top of its limp, massive body with my tongue hanging out.

[Duration: 00:07]

There was barely any time left.

Once the skill ended, even the poisonous energy leaking from Raucitas’s corpse would kill me.

I really was useless.

“But what would I even do if I got out alive?”

If it became known that Yoohyun had died because of me, would I be publicly executed? If they tied me up in a plaza, people would probably come from all over the world to throw stones at me.

“I’d end up in history books and textbooks. I’ve already been cursed at plenty, but now my family line would be rich in insults for generations. Ha ha.”

Not that I had anyone to pass it on to.

So why did you die in my place, you stupid little brother? It was completely pointless. Ah, fuck. I should have died when my leg was broken back then instead of being rescued. Then I would have seen less of this filthy world, and Yoohyun would not have died.

Who the hell had saved me for no reason?

I lightly tapped the scales of Raucitas, which was drawing its final breaths, with my palm.

“I don’t think I’ll be alive much longer either, so don’t feel too cheated. Why did you have to show up in a D-rank dungeon? Or did those administrator bastards get the numbers wrong?”

Either way, it was no longer my problem. Before the skill effect disappeared, I lay sprawled on my back, too exhausted to run.

“Maybe I should have just lived quietly, waving a light stick behind Yoohyun.”

I should have let my amazing little brother protect me and enjoyed the easy life. What was so important about that inferiority complex?

Then, as Raucitas finally died, a reward window appeared.

[Impossible achievement! You have hunted a dragon singlehandedly!]

Yoohyun had landed a hit too, so why was it singlehanded? Was it because there had been too much time between our attacks? Or because he was already dead?

[Legendary title ‘Dragon Slayer’ granted!]

Dragon Slayer. It sounded like a title with incredible stats, but I did not even check. What did it matter? A pumpkin was still a pumpkin even if you drew stripes on it.

My level rose, and items appeared one after another.

[Gate Stone x10]

[Grade 1 Imbuement Fluid x5]

[Red Dragon’s Greatsword]

[Wish Stone]

Huh? Wish Stone?

I was casually looking through my inventory when the Wish Stone caught my eye.

I had never seen this item before.

“Judging by the name, it sounds like it grants wishes.”

No way. There was no way it was some scam item like that.

Even as I thought it was impossible, I jumped to my feet. When I opened my inventory, I saw a red orb slightly smaller than my fist.

Swallowing dryly, I took out the orb and checked its information.

[Wish Stone: Mythical-grade

Grants the user one wish of their choosing.]

Was that true?

“Then my brother...!”

[※ However, the resurrection of the dead is impossible.]

“...What the hell?!”

Only then did I notice the final warning. What kind of Mythical-grade item could not bring back one dead person? If it was divine, it should at least be able to decide life and death freely!

“Damn it, then what can it do? It can do anything except save someone? I, I just...!”

I clenched the Wish Stone so tightly it might shatter.

For an instant, my mind filled with all the things I could do with it.

If it granted anything, I could become stronger than Yoohyun. I could maintain my current state permanently.

Then I would not have to be cursed at anymore. People quickly forgot the heroes of the past and praised new ones.

I could take the place I had envied so much.

I could rise higher than anyone else, to a far more glorious position.

Lost in those fantasies, my eyes wandered before I let out a long breath.

“...Yoohyun. You really are screwing me over until the very end.”

I might regret this.

No, I definitely would.

Then I would regret it. So what?

I had already layered regret over regret until it was practically coated. What difference would one more make?

“Hey, Wish Stone. Can you turn back time?”

As if responding to my words, the red orb began to glow. It could not revive the dead, but it could do this? Turning back time seemed much more incredible. How ridiculous.

“Then take me back to before I entered here. No, just take me back five years. Let me keep my memories. I’ll live quietly this time.”

If I did not step forward, I would not get cursed at. My leg would be fine. Yoohyun would not have to worry himself sick over me.

Everything sounded good.

I would just live as a useless unemployed man, enjoying the easy life my amazing little brother provided.

[Would you like to turn back time?]

“Yeah.”

The orb’s light grew brighter and brighter. My vision was dyed red, then flickered into white.

And then.

When my vision returned, I found myself in an unfamiliar room.

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