WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈

Chapter 78: Kindergarten Teacher (5)

──────

“It's a shame phone cameras don't work in dungeons.”

Yerim said as she set me down. Why did she want a phone camera now? Was it because this was the first SS-Class monster to appear and she wanted a picture?

Since she had flown slowly so I could hold on, the other four had already reached Babar's back. Its broad, rocky shell barely moved. It felt as though we had climbed halfway up a real mountain.

“It really isn't reacting at all?”

Moon Hyuna said, tapping the ground with her toe.

“We're like gnats landing on a padded jacket. Still, don't suddenly stab it with your spear.”

Moon Hyuna started to raise her spear at my words, then lowered it again. I really couldn't let my guard down around her.

“Where's Kim Seonghan?”

The toad's back was so wide that it was hard to look down. Yerim floated up slightly, looked around, then answered.

“He's moving away with the bow, so I think he already fired.”

“Is that so? Then...”

Even if it felt a little unnatural, I needed to apply a Keyword to Moon Hyuna.

The Teacher skill said the burden could increase the higher the targets' abilities were. There were five S-Classes here now. It would be safer to reduce the burden by applying Keywords.

“Hyuna, please take good care of Peace. They have no experience as a mount, and this is practically their first dungeon.”

I approached Moon Hyuna and spoke to her. I really was worried. I hadn't expected Peace to face a monster stronger than Peace this soon.

“Don't worry, kid's dad. As long as Peace follows along, there won't be a problem.”

“That's reassuring just to hear.”

I deliberately forced out an obviously fake smile. Just as expected, Moon Hyuna looked displeased.

“If you're worried, just say you're worried. Seriously, big brother, you only ever seem to think I'm unreliable.”

“...Is it that obvious?”

Feeling awkward, I continued.

“Honestly, I am worried. But it's absolutely not because I don't trust you, Hyuna. If anything, you're reassuring, and I'm grateful. I was pretty worried before entering the dungeon. You know, everyone here is someone I couldn't possibly stand against.”

If I had ordinary F-Class stats without Fear Resistance, I might have gotten stress cramps by now.

“I know the Haeyeon Guild members well, so I could relax around them. But with the other two, I couldn't help wondering whether someone like me would be all right. Then you were much kinder than I expected, and you listened to my opinions, so I was able to relax quickly. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable by treating you too casually without realizing it.”

“Hey, it's not like I'd be uncomfortable. Just relax. It's fine.”

Smiling, she reached out and mussed up my hair. If we counted before my regression, I was older than her.

“If you're really grateful, lend me your griffon more often. How about making it my personal mount until I get a top-rank mount?”

“That might be difficult. But I can give you my heart instead. I love you, Moon Hyuna. I look forward to working with you.”

“Just your heart? That's a little disappointing. Still, I'll let it slide since you're big brother.”

Then she made a slightly strange expression.

“Surprisingly, it didn't feel bad when you scolded me. Maybe because you remind me of a senior? You seem a little similar.”

The moment she mentioned a senior, I knew it had worked without even checking my status window. She probably meant a senior from her athlete days, or perhaps from her school sports team. There was a good chance it was a female senior, but that wasn't bad.

At least it wasn't her mother.

Thank you, nameless senior, for taking such good care of Moon Hyuna.

After stroking Peace and asking Peace to work well with Moon Hyuna just this once, I used My Kid's growth buff on Yoohyun. Once we killed an SS-Class monster and got out, he would immediately be running an S-Class dungeon, so now was the perfect time to use it.

“I'm going to use a skill now.”

The instant I spoke, everyone's attention turned to me. Their focus was so intense that it was a little burdensome.

“It's a special command-type skill I gained this morning. I've never used it before, so I don't know the detailed effects yet, but according to the description, it helps those affected by it cooperate closely. Precise and swift coordination between each skill is the most important thing right now, so I think it will help.”

“You got a skill this morning?”

“Yeah. I guess the one I didn't get at Level 20 appeared after I met its conditions. Maybe it has something to do with several S-Class Hunters gathering together.”

More precisely, I thought it was a Level 10 skill, but my Level 10 skill was publicly listed as magical beast rearing, so I called it a Level 20 skill. It wasn't like I had received a Level 20 skill either.

“It looks like you really don't have even a little aptitude for combat, mister.”

Yerim made a cutting remark. Fine. My stats were F-Class anyway. Even if I got a good attack skill, even if its effect was doubled, to the people here, it would at most be like a mouse turning into a cat.

A special skill less affected by stats was better.

After warning them not to resist, I used the skill on Yoohyun first. The instant it took effect, I understood Han Yoohyun's movements.

A step before they happened, even including exactly how much strength he would use.

Han Yoohyun opened his mouth. No, he was about to.

“I don't feel much yet. How about you, hyung?”

Instead of answering, I used the skill on Yerim too. Then I could feel her bright gaze directed at me without even looking. Yoohyun was looking at me too.

Including mine, I could sense three gazes at once.

‘Is this why I need the mental strength stat?’

My head should have been spinning, but perhaps due to the skill's adjustment or the Keyword's adjustment, I was all right so far. If the number increased any further, though, I didn't think I could handle it.

And I could convey this sensation I was feeling to the people affected by the skill.

One-sidedly or both ways.

“I'm going to link the two of you now.”

If this was transmitted directly, would it interfere with battle instead?

“Huh? This is amazing.”

Yerim said with wide eyes. Yoohyun looked surprised too.

“I can feel how the other person is going to move. This really is the best for coordinating with each other.”

“Isn't it distracting? Your senses aren't getting confused or anything?”

“No, not at all. They're stably separated, so there's no risk of them getting mixed up.”

It seemed to work differently for them than for me. Was I acting as some sort of filter? Was this the kind of skill that ground up its user to improve everyone else's coordination?

‘...What an ordinary kindergarten teacher.’

Especially the kind of teacher who got ground down during a school performance season while trying to make the children synchronize their dances. Come to think of it, Yoohyun had been in the Chick Class when he attended kindergarten.

“Use it on me too!”

At Moon Hyuna's request, I used the skill on her, then on Peace. With four targets, I was starting to get mentally tired. I felt a little dizzy too. I couldn't maintain it for long.

“Yerim!”

Clang!

Moon Hyuna's white greatspear collided with Yerim's Ice Tree Spear. Normally, Yerim should have been shoved back at once, but the two spears, clearly different in thickness and length just like their owners' strength, remained pressed together at the midpoint.

They didn't waver an inch.

It meant the two had distributed their strength with chilling precision.

“Wow, it works on the first try.”

“Right? Mister, why don't you just run dungeons with us?”

Were they trying to kill me?

Only Seong Hyeonje remained. He had no Keyword applied, and his abilities were the best out of everyone here. Ah, I really didn't think I could handle it.

‘But I can't leave him out when he's the most important finishing blow.’

Babar would barely react even to Yoohyun. But the instant Moon Hyuna broke its shell, it would definitely activate Regeneration to restore itself.

“Is something wrong?”

Seong Hyeonje had come up behind me without my noticing. He was asking why I hadn't used the skill on him.

“Let me drink a potion first.”

I still had more than half my mana left, but I should refill it just in case. I took out an awful apple-flavored potion and gulped it down. I had asked the Association about custom potion orders, but they said special treatment was impossible. What inflexible people.

Then I used the skill.

‘...I can handle this.’

The burden I felt was definitely greater than with the Keyword-applied targets. Still, maybe one and a half times as much? This wasn't too bad...

“How unusual.”

For an instant, my whole body felt violently shaken, and my vision swam. My legs gave out, but Seong Hyeonje caught my arm and steadied me.

You fucking bastard, Seong Hyeonje...

“I told you not to resist.”

“I only touched it lightly.”

He answered with a shameless expression. If I said not to do it, then don't do it, you bastard. Did the burden of having someone without a Keyword include things like this? Everyone else, even Moon Hyuna, had been cooperative, but this bastard alone had to cause trouble.

“What happened?”

Yoohyun approached, glaring at Seong Hyeonje, specifically at the hand holding my arm. Seriously, that damned Seong Hyeonje. He was the oldest here, yet he was the one causing trouble.

“Nothing happened. I just got a little dizzy because there are more skill targets now.”

“Are you sure you're okay?”

“I'm fine.”

As long as the crooked person beside me stayed quiet, I could endure it. Then Seong Hyeonje took off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.

“It has S-Class Fire Resistance, so wear it. The young master's skill will have the widest range among us. Its defense is decent too.”

“I have the bracelet, so I'll be fine.”

“If I were you, I wouldn't use it until I was certain the hunt would succeed. Am I wrong?”

He was exactly right. Still, he could have said it when Yoohyun wasn't around. Look at him. The corners of his eyes had turned fierce again.

“Hyung?”

“No, I have barrier earrings if necessary, and I can only use the bracelet once... I'll wear the coat.”

I awkwardly slipped my arms into the sleeves. The loose body and sleeves that had covered my hands shrank to fit me perfectly.

‘I want to grab it and run.’

Without this, Yoohyun would have an easier time during the ranking matches later. I couldn't pretend to be crazy and put it in my inventory, could I?

“I'll use the bracelet at the right time, so don't worry.”

My little brother turned away, still looking sulky. I would have to soothe him somehow once we got out of the dungeon. If he kept that up, he might explode again.

Then I felt Yerim spread Shadowless Day.

“Everything's ready!”

Right afterward, Seong Hyeonje picked me up with one arm. There was no helping it since I couldn't hang on during battle with my arm strength, but it still weighed on me.

I was baggage. Just Class A baggage.

“I'm going to share a skill, so don't let go of me.”

I used One More for the Road (S), a skill that shared an S-Class or lower skill title through contact, on Seong Hyeonje. The title I shared was Veteran F-Class (S), which doubled attack skill effects.

Seong Hyeonje took the Noble Seeker's Chain from his inventory. The finger-thick golden chain wriggled through the air like a swimming snake, circling around us. The powerful lightning aura it held occasionally sparked and flashed.

I closed my eyes because I no longer needed my vision. I also wanted to reduce even one piece of incoming information.

Centered around the cliff-like back of Babar's neck, a powerful mana field spread out.

Shadowless Day.

Park Yerim floated above the territory she controlled. As always, she was full of confidence. Even before an opponent she couldn't properly wound with her own strength, she was excited.

The Ice Attribute Enhancement skill of the Ice Tree Spear activated. Powerful cold began to overflow, enough to freeze even a breath that had not yet been exhaled.

If she hadn't raised her level yesterday and acquired Cold Resistance, it would have harmed even the caster.

Ssssh.

Cold Sigh settled like a veil. The fog that had originally been white now shone blue due to the mana raised to its limit and Ice Attribute Enhancement.

Over it,

Whooosh!

Frozen rain poured down.

The range was narrowed as much as possible. The rain, thick as spearheads rather than droplets, spiraled around the icy mist and plunged down.

Crack! Craaack!

The temperature plummeted.

Without having time to check the result she had created, Yerim's body disappeared.

Almost at the same moment, swallowing up the place where Yerim had been,

Kraaaash!

Flames poured out like raging waves.

The frozen rock wall melted in an instant. It glowed red-hot. The flames greedily devouring it rapidly deepened in color.

From dark red-purple, to black-violet, then finally to completely black fire.

Thanks to Fire Resistance, I couldn't feel even a trace of heat, yet the information alone made it hard to breathe from the extreme temperature.

“Isn't now perfect?!”

Even as I sent danger signals that said she couldn't endure it, Moon Hyuna was impatient to charge in. What a temper.

Of course, the shell was at its softest now, but that would be useless if the spear wielder suffered burns and couldn't use her full strength.

Only as much as Moon Hyuna could endure. We could allow for a certain amount of damage. She was tough enough that we didn't need to wait long.

Just a brief moment.

Her charge speed, the distance, the remaining duration of the flames. My stomach felt a little sick. My mind was already a mess.

Right now.

Scrape.

Peace's four legs tensed. Their extended claws scraped against the ground.

The perfectly synchronized rider and mount launched powerfully from the ground. At the same time, I activated the bracelet's skill. Seong Hyeonje also needed to move now if he was going to pour lightning in immediately after Moon Hyuna's spear broke the shell.

There was no need to say it aloud. Seong Hyeonje stepped forward.

Then,

Booom!

A deafening explosion rang out. Scattering fragments, the spearhead bored into Babar's shell like a massive drill without losing any momentum.

Moon Hyuna's clothes burned, and parts of her hands and face were blistered red, but she was smiling. She was having a wonderful time. In contrast,

- Grrr.

The giant toad finally reacted. It moved its body with an echoing sound, as though startled. The half-destroyed castle collapsed completely. It would use Regeneration immediately, but it was already too late.

Its inner flesh was exposed. The fierce spearhead had pierced even a thick blood vessel, and the exposed flesh was covered in dark green fluid.

Moon Hyuna and Peace retreated quickly without hesitation. At the precise moment, Seong Hyeonje finished preparing.

Clatterrattle.

The Seeker's Chain, greedily taking in its master's mana, spread wide.

Thunk! Crunch!

It flew like an arrow and burrowed into Babar's exposed flesh.

Rumble!

Lightning poured onto that perfect lightning rod.

Pale light leaped up and dyed my vision white. The smell of burning meat. Fragments scattered again.

The lightning attack's enormous destructive power poured down like unending rain. Flesh too thick for ordinary physical force to pierce burned and boiled, while everything around it melted into a thick slurry. Bone was briefly exposed in pale flashes, only for even that to blacken and burn away.

The current spread through the enormous body at once, as though it would devour it whole.

- Gwaaaah!

Babar twisted with a scream. The sounds of something collapsing and the ground shaking mixed together. Even the air trembled from the thrashing of its immense body.

But its struggle did not last long.

- Gwoooong!

With a final thunderous roar, the mountain collapsed. The shell firmly attached over Babar's entire body lost its binding strength and fell off in chunks.

It was literally a landslide.

Only after confirming that everyone had safely avoided the rain of rocks did I deactivate the Teacher skill.

The instant my vision went black, I panicked and forced my eyelids open. But I couldn't hold them up for long and closed them again. I thought a reward window had appeared briefly, but I didn't even have the strength to check it.

‘I'm really going to die.’

It felt like my soul had been put in a juicer and squeezed dry.

“...I'm going to catch some sleep, so don't fight.”

Like the oldest among us, please lead the kids and finish clearing the dungeon properly. I was worried, but I fell asleep as if I had fainted.

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried