WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ The S-Classes That I Raised ◈

Chapter 91: Custom Mount (?)

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I deactivated the Teacher skill and looked around.

The floor was cratered and cracked as if a meteor had struck, while the wall had been cleanly punched through and collapsed. What an absurd sight. How long had it even been since that mess in the rooftop garden? At this rate, building repairs would drain all my money.

The little golden dragon lay curled up where the wall had broken down, rolling its eyes as though it did not know what to do.

"You even used a skill to stop me. Aren't you being too protective?"

Yoohyun approached, sticking out his face with a dissatisfied expression.

"Protective, my ass."

"Come on. That guy was the one who hurt you first. And didn't you care quite a bit about Hunter Park Yerim?"

"I told you not to kill him because Yerim got hurt. I never said not to hit people."

Besides, I had brought it on myself.

"And no matter who it is, who would welcome their family running wild saying they were going to kill someone? Usually, they would be horrified. Even in a bare-knuckle fight, their first reaction would be to tell them not to do it."

That was how ordinary people reacted. And despite being Awakened, I was only F-Class in stats, with barely any mental strength stat bonus, and I had only cleared dungeons while being protected like some precious relic. Saying you wanted to kill someone right in front of me should disgust me. That was a normal reaction.

At my words, Yoohyun looked like he had just realized something.

"...Sorry. Just because you aren't scared doesn't mean it's fine. You seemed so used to Hunters that I forgot."

"Well, I'm not quite at the level of a non-Awakened person. And I acted in a way that made it easy to forget."

Come to think of it, Song Taewon was the only high-grade Hunter who had noticed that something was a little strange about me. More precisely, the only one who had noticed and cared. I doubted Seong Hyeonje was unaware, but he probably would not care, while Moon Hyuna would probably just think it was good that I was fearless.

Yoohyun and Yerim were still too young to pay such close attention to things like that.

"Anyway, I think this is enough. Don't you?"

He had burns, torn wings, and had been beaten badly. Yoohyun nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"If I could be sure he won't try to hurt you again."

"Today was the opposite, though."

"That was weird too."

"Noah saw his older sister in you."

It was hard to explain that he had charged at me thinking I was Riette because, without the Keyword's effect, it honestly just made him sound insane. But combined with my relationship with Yoohyun, it was at least somewhat explainable.

I told him that Noah had originally been an A-Class Hunter and how terrified he had been just from hearing Riette's voice. I had taken off my translation item because it felt wrong to air someone's painful personal circumstances in front of them. Noah had a translation item too, but perhaps it had fallen off when he transformed into a dragon, because he did not seem to understand us now.

"So I think hearing that I was weak made him see himself in me. He was probably also anxious because he had ruined his sister's request."

"I welcome him coming at me, so I don't mind."

Yoohyun shrugged as he spoke. Was that really something to welcome? Between dungeons and everything else, were S-Classes just chronically frustrated? If ranking matches did not happen soon, they might start causing trouble.

"Anyway, there are circumstances involved, and he's around your age, so I can't help worrying about him. When you get down to it, he's a kid who was abused. I won't tell you to be nice to him, but don't provoke him like you did earlier."

I put the translation item back on and turned to Noah.

"Mr. Noah."

The dragon's limp head moved slightly, and he blinked.

"First of all, Yoohyun is not like Ms. Riette. He has never treated me badly."

- Grrr.

He muttered something, but I could not understand it.

"Try thinking that you're creating words. Like when you use a skill."

When he was fully transformed into a beast, he could not speak normally. Noah hesitated before making another sound.

- I'm still weak after all...

His voice was utterly dejected. It made me want to walk over and pat his head.

"You aren't weak at all. How is an S-Class Hunter weak? My stats are only F-Class. You're much stronger than me, to a degree that can't even be compared."

The moment I finished speaking, his round silver-gray eyes filled with tears. Then miserable tears began rolling down in heavy drops.

Huh? Why was he crying? Did I say something wrong?

"Mr. Noah?"

I almost approached him without thinking, then barely stopped myself. I should not do that.

- That's why I'm even weaker. Mr. Han Yujin is fine... Even though you're much weaker than me, there is no problem. Just like my sister said, there must be something wrong with me.

"No, there isn't! The one in the wrong is Riette!"

Just because Yoohyun and I got along did not mean every S-Class Hunter and their weaker family members got along too.

"Everyone is different. That is true even for ordinary families, not just Hunters. Even with the same family makeup and environment, they might get along badly or well. And even if they get along well, things can turn bad. If they get along badly, things can become good."

It was not as if we had never had conflicts either. Just a little while ago, I had been grumbling about how terribly he listened.

"A relationship can be one person's fault or both people's fault, but from what I saw, it did not seem to be Mr. Noah's fault. Of course, I do not know the two of you that well, but there was something I felt for certain. Riette does not listen to you. Her opinion came first, and her thoughts were absolute. When the other person has shut their ears and is far stronger than you, how are you supposed to deal with them?"

It was the attitude of, I am strong, I am great, and I am your custodian, so follow me no matter what. Whether it was through water, fire, or thorns.

"So you are not weak, Mr. Noah. If anything, it is the opposite. You have endured so well. You did not give up. You even made your own guild, and you wanted to help me too. It would have been easier to simply let go, but you did not. You are strong enough, Mr. Noah. You have endured wonderfully."

- ...Mr. Han Yujin.

Stop crying already. Why was comforting him not helping at all?

- Could you come closer...?

At his tearful words, I looked at Yoohyun.

"...Use that skill again. Come to think of it, what was its name?"

"Teacher."

I left off the first part. Ferocious Kindergarten Teacher was not funny at all. Though it had certainly been ferocious until just now.

I used the skill on Noah and Yoohyun again. Noah accepted it without any resistance this time too. After connecting Noah's senses to Yoohyun one-sidedly, I approached the crouching dragon.

Up close, he looked even smaller than he had from a distance. His total length was perhaps around five meters. His body itself was not that large. His dense, smooth scales had a golden hue, but whenever the light faded, they looked nearly white. He was a pretty dragon with a sleek body.

Judging by the size of his wings and the shape of his body, he should be able to fly at a considerable speed once he got used to it. Cursed poison dragons often did not have wings, so this was unusual. On top of that, he had an S-Class poison skill and gave off poisonous energy, so for Hunters with high Poison Resistance, he would make a truly excellent mount... No, he was a person.

'His healing skill and Stat Lending are probably support skills. He likely has other support skills too.'

He was a person, but no matter how I looked at him, he really, truly felt like an excellent mount. He had originally been S-Class, and he had fully transformed into a beast, so he would be durable too.

The only Hunter I knew with high Poison Resistance was Riette. There definitely was not anyone in Korea, though there had to be some overseas. Judging by how Yoohyun had to cut away his poisoned wound, ordinary items probably could not stop it either. Before that, though, he was a person.

- Do you really think so, Mr. Han Yujin...?

His tears had mostly stopped, but whenever he blinked, the moisture gathered in his eyes rolled down in drops. Against his glittering scales, they shone like jewels. He was needlessly pretty, seriously.

"Of course. I don't think anyone who thinks of others is weak."

- Even though I'm still afraid of my sister?

"If I were you, Mr. Noah, I would be afraid too. And I guarantee there are countless people besides you who are afraid of Riette. Without a doubt."

There had to be at least hundreds around the world.

Noah watched me quietly, then stretched his head slightly toward me. Keeping an eye on Yoohyun, standing firmly beside me, and Peace, who stood close on the other side looking deeply displeased, I reached out my hand.

I had expected him to be cold because he was a reptile, but surprisingly, warmth lingered in him. His scales were far tougher than Comet's, even though Comet was still young. Would Kang Soyoung receive the Dragon Rider skill's effect if she rode Noah?

- Until I'm no longer afraid of my sister, I want to stay by your side.

"No."

Yoohyun cut him off flatly. Noah's wings, which had lifted slightly, drooped again at how firm he sounded.

"Why not? Isn't it fine? He's an S-Class Hunter, after all. This place is not ideal, of course, so I would prefer if he stayed by the building next door. Since we need compensation for the damage, we can have him stand guard for free. What do you think, Mr. Noah?"

- I'd like that.

Yoohyun did not object further at the mention of the other building. I had wanted to bring in an S-Class monster or Hunter somehow anyway, so I was grateful if one rolled in on his own.

"Mr. Noah, can you use your healing skill on other people too?"

- Yes. It is B-Class.

"Really? That's amazing."

- I don't have any other healer-type skills.

"That alone is enough!"

Even basic healing was valuable. He was also an S-Class Hunter. He would not need to worry about his own safety, making him perfect in an emergency.

"If you don't mind, could you tell me about your other skills too? Of course, you do not have to. It is normal to keep skills hidden."

- Well...

Noah glanced at Yoohyun.

"Yoohyun, could you take off your translation item for a moment?"

He would still understand me, but he would not understand Noah. Yoohyun obediently removed his translation item. Then Noah spoke again.

- Most of them are support skills. Before I obtained poison and beast transformation through the Dio Valshecis’s Twin title, I had no proper attack skills, so I could not grow my guild much. I was not enough to clear S-Class dungeons...

That made sense. If he was an S-Class support type, it would have been difficult to gather good A-Class Hunters. His guild must have been small for one led by an S-Class Hunter.

Noah disclosed his skills so readily that it was almost alarming, but my ears perked up at the explanation for Stat Lending.

He could lend out as much as half of a designated stat.

"Half, really?"

- Yes. I can borrow stats as well, but the other person must agree. It lasts thirty minutes and can be used once a day.

Thirty minutes was not very long, but it was half the stats of an S-Class Hunter. As a support type, his mental strength was probably high too. Even if I scraped together and equipped every S-Class item with flat stat increases possible, I would not reach even a quarter of Noah's stats. This would be good for other Hunters too, but would it not be a total jackpot for me? Since Noah would be using the skill on me, I regrettably would not receive Raucitas’s Natural Enemy skill's doubled effect.

'...Wait, would the doubled effect apply through sharing a skill title too?'

Then Veteran F-Class's attack-skill enhancement effect would become four times as strong... Right, that was a title. Still, I wanted to try it just in case. If an S-Class poison skill became four times as strong, even a first-class dragon species would melt without Poison Resistance. The sharing skill would definitely double, right? Would two be shared at once, or would the cooldown be cut in half?

My heart was beating a little faster. It would be difficult to use, but would that My Kid whatever also add up to 200% to skills and stats? It was a shame it was not a multiplier too, or it could have gone up to four times. My Kid's growth speed would be doubled as well.

The same would probably apply to Riette, but I had not the slightest intention of applying a Keyword to that woman.

'Wait, poison skills do not work on me, so couldn't he transform into a dragon, surround himself with poisonous energy, and carry me? If the attack skill's doubled effect applies, I don't think even A-Class or S-Class flying monsters could get close. Not that I would enter an S-Class dungeon...'

I would not, but I had just thought of a truly excellent use for his skill. If this worked, it would be a complete jackpot. Seriously.

"Mr. Noah, you are the best."

- ...Pardon?

Noah looked flustered and lightly swayed the tip of his tail.

- They aren't that useful...

"No, they are all really good."

- Um, and besides my title skill, I do have one S-Class attack skill. It transfers twice the pain of my injuries to the other person.

"...What?"

Was that the Silent Scream skill? I had thought the skill name sounded ferocious, but the effect did not seem normal either.

"I don't think you used it earlier."

- Ah, people do not have wings. The injured body part must be the same. It also has limited uses, so it felt wasteful to use it on something minor. But as far as I know, this cannot be defended against.

...Yoohyun, it turned out you had been in some danger. But if the scream skill was shared and doubled too, it would be four times as strong. The problem was that Noah had to be hurt first, but it was still incredible. If I joined a dungeon clear with Noah as support... It was not like I was in a position to go clearing dungeons, but I wanted to try it at least once.

Anyway, I showered him with praise again, telling him how amazing he was, while Yoohyun looked at me with obvious displeasure.

"Are that person's skills really that good?"

"They are good. Are you jealous? No matter how good they are, you're still the best."

Yoohyun was satisfied, while Noah became gloomy. Honestly. At least Peace could not understand us, which was fortunate.

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