WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈

Chapter 76: Kindergarten Teacher (3)

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“Be careful, hyung.”

Yoohyun pulled me back by the arm. Small flames flickered in front of my feet. Peace stamped them out with a forepaw. Stomp.

The undead army melted under Yoohyun’s flames. Fire really was best against undead. Moon Hyuna smashed the black golems with fire resistance.

Did it take about ten minutes to wipe them out? Since they had been gathered together, it ended even faster. An A-Class team would have needed to scatter the army first to avoid a chaotic melee, but numbers meant nothing before overwhelming firepower.

“What do you think this statue was?”

I nudged the statue, which had only its pedestal left, with my foot. The inscription had been damaged beyond recognition too.

The gate to the second floor had appeared, but debt-ridden Yerim needed time to collect mana stones. We also needed to clear the surrounding area beforehand so it would be safe before I went up to the second floor.

Moon Hyuna and Seong Hyeonje went up first, while I entered the castle with the remaining three. I had some time, and I wanted to take a proper look around.

“There really isn’t anything we can make out.”

The castle’s exterior was relatively intact, but it was empty inside. Only faint traces remained of the murals, ceiling decorations, and various sculptures.

“I told you there was nothing to see.”

“Are all the other places like this too?”

“Every place I’ve been.”

I had hoped otherwise, but the answer was what I expected. If there had been anything here, people would have talked about it sometime during the five years before my return.

‘Between what the system people said and Myeongu’s predecessor, it’s clear that other worlds exist.’

Broken cities inside dungeons that had nothing to do with our world. I had never given them much thought before. But now they felt ominous.

‘Someone related to the dungeons who has to hide my information.’

Surely our world would not end up like this if I failed to stop that unknown person.

‘Do I really just need to gather fifty S-Classes? Can I really trust you, system people?’

Waterdrop and the tree had been all right, at least, but the others, especially the deer... Still, there was nothing else I could do right now. I had no choice but to trust them and follow along.

I had to trust them and follow along, but reality suddenly hit me.

...No, I had only wanted to return and live comfortably. Why was I now in an A-Class dungeon crawling with S-Classes? If I had just said yes when Yoohyun told me to stay locked up for three years, then... would it have been the world-ending route five years later?

Was there no one else who could do this in my place? I should have asked. It would be awkward to ask now, so I could go into a suitable F-Class dungeon with Peace and ask then. Surely I was not the only one.

“Hyung, what’s wrong?”

“Are you tired?”

Yoohyun and Kim Seonghan asked worriedly as I stared blankly at a badly damaged mural for a while.

“No, just a little... Well, I am a little tired.”

Where was my life even heading? Would I be able to take it easy after gathering all fifty S-Classes? Once the system disappeared in ten years, I could wash my hands of special skill awakenings too.

Right. I just had to endure for ten years. I only had to keep grinding for ten years.

“You do not look well. Can you walk?”

“Stop looking around and come rest outside. Get on Peace. No, should I carry you?”

Grrr.

What was he talking about? My stats might be F-Class, but I was not someone on death’s door.

“I’m fine. Really, I can walk out.”

I looked up at the impossibly high ceiling one last time.

The decorations that must have hung there were gone, leaving only rusty chains that occasionally wailed in the wind. Had there been stained glass in that wide, round empty space? Or perhaps something unique that I could not even imagine had been installed there.

And someday, someone else might look at square buildings and damaged outdoor billboards and have thoughts similar to mine.

...Enough pointless fantasies.

“I got it all!”

When we came outside, Yerim shouted excitedly. Soot smeared not only her hands but her face. She looked so pitiful that she reminded me of a young girl supporting a household through day labor to pay off debt.

In reality, she was pulling in hundreds of millions of won in side income.

“Do you have a handkerchief or something?”

“Why would I bring that? There are plenty of times when even a whole box of towels would not be enough after going through a dungeon.”

That was true, but still. Maybe I should have brought wet wipes.

We passed through the gate and entered the second floor. Beneath the darkening sky stood a desolate city about twice as large as the first floor, surrounded by barren land. Unlike the first floor, the city walls and buildings here were relatively intact. Golems swarmed outside the walls, while undead filled the city. Under normal circumstances, it would have involved urban combat as well.

‘They wrecked everything.’

One side of the tall, sturdy wall had collapsed like a sandcastle. Beyond it were traces of monsters being shoved aside along with entire buildings.

“The collection crew is heading out!”

Yerim raised one hand high and flew away as though bouncing.

Moon Hyuna and Seong Hyeonje, who had gone up to the second floor first, walked toward us. I could not help sighing as they came closer.

‘Those two already had a round.’

Those damned people. The clothes around Moon Hyuna’s left arm were burnt black. Seong Hyeonje’s hair was roughly disheveled too.

Neither of them could have even been grazed by ordinary monsters in a lower A-Class dungeon. They had definitely fought each other. Yoohyun must have realized it too, because his eyes narrowed. His fingertips twitched unconsciously, as though he wanted to pick a fight himself.

“Ms. Moon Hyuna, your clothes are burnt.”

When I asked as if I did not know, Moon Hyuna rubbed her exposed arm.

“It was an accident.”

Like hell it was.

“I did not think there would be a monster here capable of damaging the Breaker Guildmaster’s clothes, but it seems I was wrong. Please be careful. You came here at my request, so I would feel terrible if you got hurt.”

At the implication that she had been attacked by an A-Class monster, Moon Hyuna’s eyebrows slanted.

“You’re being too harsh, hyung. Would some lousy A-Class burn my clothes? That bastard did it. That bastard.”

I put on my most incredulous expression at her sudden confession.

“You were picking fights even before we entered the dungeon, and you ended up actually fighting? You came as part of the same raid team. Fighting is hardly something to be proud of. You are not children, so please behave like adults.”

“Hyung, listen. You do not understand because your stats are low, but...”

“It has nothing to do with stats. If you want to test your strength, arrange a separate time. Everyone gathered today because I asked.”

Let us finish quickly and go home without any trouble, all right?

Moon Hyuna glared at Seong Hyeonje as if she had been wronged, but Seong Hyeonje acted innocent as he fixed his disheveled hair.

“Hyung, don’t you hate only me too much?”

“Of course not. You must be mistaken. I like you very much, Ms. Moon Hyuna. I love you, Ms. Moon Hyuna.”

“You sure talk well! Say something to that bastard Seong Hyeonje too!”

“Ah, yes. I love you too, Mr. Seong Hyeonje.”

“Not that!”

“Mister, me too!”

“You already collected all the mana stones? Fine. I love you too, Yerim. Our Yoohyun too, and Mr. Seonghan. Of course I love Peace as well.”

Yerim clung to my arm and gave me a mischievous look.

“Then who do you love the most?”

Look at this brat.

“Someone who does not cause trouble and listens well.”

“I think I was good today!”

Good children did not pick fights with others. And Yoohyun, why were you looking at me so expectantly? The ones who had caused the least trouble and listened best today were Peace and Kim Seonghan.

* * *

The sun set. We had not even cleared a quarter of the vast city.

Of course, it was still incredibly fast for an A-Class dungeon. We would probably finish by tomorrow, meaning it would take less than two days. If all the S-Classes here had mounts, they might have cleared it in a single day.

Fwoosh.

A flame the size of a human head flared up. It was not a campfire, nor was it gas or electric light. It was one of the minor dungeon items. Openly lighting a bright fire during a dungeon raid was taboo because it made you an easy target for monsters, but with this group, we could blast music from huge speakers, turn on spotlights and a disco ball, and set off fireworks without any problem.

They even took out and set up a tent. It was made from dungeon byproducts and could be stored in an inventory. Hunters did not use them often, though. Tents blocked the senses and made it inconvenient to escape quickly, so unless the environment was harsh, they only used sleeping bags.

“You must be tired, so go sleep inside.”

Yoohyun said this as he placed the shrunken Peace in my arms.

“That’s right, mister. Go to sleep already.”

“Please do not concern yourself with matters outside and rest well.”

No, I did not need to sleep.

“I can stay up for one night. I stayed up all night when I trained Peace too, so why would I suddenly lie down and sleep in a dungeon? It would be better to finish quickly and get out.”

“We’ll continue the raid. We plan to take turns hunting, two at a time.”

Considering the travel distance, it would be better if I simply went along. And why two at a time, of all things? I did not think these people would obediently hunt only monsters.

“Still, it would be faster if I went with you.”

“It’s dangerous because it’s dark. Just rest comfortably, okay?”

Yoohyun spoke with an excessively gentle tone and expression. Beside him, Yerim’s eyes gleamed as she fiddled with her Ice Tree Spear. Moon Hyuna had already changed out of her damaged shirt, and Seong Hyeonje was wearing different gloves.

They had made up their minds.

Honestly, it was strange enough that they were this conscious of me. Yoohyun and Yerim were one thing, but the other two had probably lived since awakening without caring about anyone’s gaze. It was impressive that such lone wolves acted so well-behaved, at least in front of me.

Still.

“Fine, I’ll sleep. But listen.”

I had not wanted to use this method.

“Only hunt monsters. Do not do anything else. That includes you, Yerim. The other two are the same. If I see evidence that team members fought each other.”

I swallowed a sigh before continuing.

“I will tell Hunter Yu Myeongu. I will say that I told you not to fight until my tongue wore out, but you ignored me, so I was too stressed to sleep, my stomach hurt, and I felt like crying. I will clutch my forehead and lament that you drove me sick with rage, that you are going to kill me. Then you will get nothing at all. You watched the broadcast, right? You heard about what happened in the waiting room too.”

At first, they looked like they thought I was joking, but their expressions gradually stiffened. The mounts had already been contracted, but Myeongu was different. Sorry, Myeongu. Let me throw my weight around using your name for a moment.

“But, mister, I do not even have proper equipment yet. I only have one spear.”

“Then do not fight. Get along with your teammates.”

“We would only spar lightly. It would not even turn into a fight.”

“There are no exceptions because you are my little brother.”

Lightly, my ass. It was not like I had watched only one or two ranking matches. S-Classes were the kind of people who, nine times out of ten, were desperate to take things all the way. Their clothes had already burned after leaving the two of them alone for ten minutes. My head hurt just imagining how far they would go if they went off far away from me.

“Oh, and I will show goodwill to any well-meaning informant too. Enough to satisfy you.”

They might coordinate and destroy the evidence, so I added that before entering the tent.

Grrr.

“Yes, yes, Peace. Let’s sleep together for the first time in a while.”

Our Peace really was the best-behaved.

* * *

When I woke after sleeping more soundly than expected,

[SS-Class skill, ‘Ferocious Kindergarten Teacher,’ acquired! >_<]

A message window floated before me.

What was this... Wait, this was...

‘That little deer bastard.’

Please do not let that deer bastard name titles or skills.

* * *

Cheep.

□□□□□□□ gave a quiet cry. Dad had been gone for a long time. It was really only the second day, but to □□□’s young senses, it felt terribly long.

Shriek! Shriek!

“Blue, no! Be good, come here!”

An A-Class Hunter from Haeyeon Guild reached toward the young griffin hanging from the ceiling lampshade. The Hunter had received an Owner’s Token from Han Yujin, but perhaps because Blue was still young, no amount of coaxing could make the griffin stay still.

The Hunter forcibly pulled Blue down from the ceiling and turned toward the dejected ball of fluff.

“Little one, what’s wrong? Are you hungry?”

Cheep.

□□□ flapped down from the sofa. With tiny, slow steps, they headed straight for Han Yujin’s bedroom.

Cheep, cheep!

“Should I open the door for you?”

□□□ entered through the open door and tilted their small head to look up at the bed. When they fluttered and jumped, the Hunter lifted □□□ and set them on top of it.

“Dad isn’t here. He’ll be back around tomorrow.”

Cheep.

□□□ flopped down on the empty bed. The Hunter looked at the baby bird pitifully before leaving the room. The shrieking started up loudly again.

Cheep, cheep.

Dad was not here.

Cheep!

Dad was not here. No matter how they called, he did not come. □□□ flapped and got back up. If Dad was not here, then it would look for him.

Cheep!

“Dad!” □□□ cried energetically.

Then it tried to draw out its insufficient power. If Han Yujin had checked □□□’s status window at that moment, he would have seen an astonishing change.

‘□□□□□□: Acquired after growth’

changed into

‘Ruler of Space (L) acquired.’

Cheeep!!

And then,

...Cheep.

It failed. It was still too weak. It was hungry too. Very hungry.

Cheep... cheep, cheep, cheep!!

The status window returned to normal, and □□□ began to cry sorrowfully.

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