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dbgdbw · 2 months

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615.Birthday Present

생일 선물

툭–listlessly, Han Yoojin’s head lolled against the self-proclaimed ‘fake’ Han Yoohyun’s chest. Blood-smeared hands, soaked down to his elbows, caught the body as it slid down. Reverently, as though handling something priceless, he carefully gathered it to himself. Arms and legs dangled down, unmoving, as blood steadily soaked into the floorboards.

Though the wound that flayed open the back of his hand was shallow, it stung as though it had been run through with a red-hot poker; Han Yoohyun raggedly panted for breath. His ears only registered the sound of the pair of them breathing. A sedate, almost negligible intake of breath, juxtaposed against a desperate gasping that seemed to tether on its last.

Han Yoohyun’s eyes fluttered in a slow blink. Hyung was dead. After sustaining a fatal injury, he had expired. His fine-tuned senses, every minute sensation his body was experiencing–they were all clearly transmitting Han Yoojin’s passing to him. But even then, Han Yoohyun found himself unable to come to terms with it.

“...you, re.”

The one who had killed his hyung, was a doppelgänger of himself. The cognitive dissonance of being confronted by what appeared to be an identical being, triggered in him an sickening sense of revulsion. Nor was it merely the visage: everything–the gentleness of his touch, the eyes that looked on with affection devoted towards just one, single person–was reminiscent of Han Yoohyun himself. They all belonged to Han Yoohyun, who would never raise his hand against Han Yoojin.

Han Yoohyun was incapable of killing Han Yoojin. There was no outcome where Han Yoohyun would emerge unscathed, after killing Han Yoojin.

“...give him back .”

It only stood to reason, then, that Han Yoojin was still alive. Or, barring that, that he was capable of being revived. Han Yoohyun ripped out the blade that had been pinning his leg down. Briefly lowering the flame resistance of the area around the wound, in a flash, he cauterized it. All of these actions were carried out in the span of a moment—and, almost instantaneously, Han Yoohyun burst forward towards the being who resembled himself.

Unnervingly sedate, fathomless black eyes regarded the identical, but far younger being. While cradling Hyung’s corpse in his arms, he turned sideways to avoid Han Yoohyun’s attack, then swiveled to strike out with a long leg. It hardly seemed as though any strength had gone into it. Han Yoojin’s unresponding body barely even swayed with the movement. And on the receiving end of that easy kick.

퍼억!

Having failed to pull himself out of the way, Han Yoohyun’s body tumbled across the floor as the blow connected. Before Han Yoohyun could even stagger upright, the other was already standing before him. The blade, having returned to the his hand at some point, slid cruelly through Han Yoohyun’s remaining leg before, 콱, his heel mercilessly pinned down his shoulder. The floorboards splintered beneath them. Jagged pieces of timber, jutting upwards, began to catch alight, before flaring into ash that became swept away.

The yawning gap in physical ability between them was clear. No matter the S-rank Hunter, even including the born S-ranks Han Yoohyun knew–none of them could hope to be a match for the Han Yoohyun who stood before him. Consequently, when he moved to call upon Irin’s strength–

“...Irin?”

Visibly flustered, the Fire Elemental appeared bewildered as to how to proceed. And in the meanwhile, Han Yoohyun’s body became subject to another savage kick. Defenselessly, his body hurtled through the air and crashed through the wall on the far side of the room. A crack appeared in the stone facade as the entire house trembled. In spite of having been specially reinforced during its construction as a consequence of its status as Liette’s villa, the simple impact caused by that act was enough to cause the entire building to sway.

“Irin.”

At the low call, Irin circled fretfully in place before the Han Yoohyun who was sprawled on the floor. 쿨럭, coughing up blood, Han Yoohyun struggled to pull himself upright. As the other observed his actions, an arctic voice cut through the silence.

“The Fire Elemental likely recognizes myself as the more worthy contract holder.”

“Wh, at…….”

“As the being of more potent and ‘pure’ Fire.”

it was hard to believe that the gaze directed down at him was through the eyes of a being looking at something identical to itself, dispassionate as it was. Nor was there any trace of the agitation or repulsion that would've been garnered by laying eyes on a threat of such a nature.

“You’re undisciplined.”

Irin, who had been circling around in place, hesitated before slinking back towards his original owner. Yet, apparently discomfited by the prospect of taking any one side, he melted into his skin and slipped into slumber. Han Yoohyun spat out blood, once again. A faintly venomous quality laced the blood. As he felt his body start to become affected by paralysis, Han Yoohyun’s fingers clawed against the ground.

“Give, Hyung back.”

“To the point that you remained oblivious to Hyung’s life trickling away.”

Dark eyes, tinged crimson, startled wide.

“All because your focus strayed from Hyung.”

“...’s not true.”

Something like that had never occurred, and would never occur.

“Even if everyone aside from Hyung were to disappear, it wouldn’t matter. Since I’ve only ever devoted myself to my one person.”

Han Yoojin was Han Yoohyun’s World. That he could even conceive of any interest or emotions towards another at all, was only made possible through Han Yoojin to begin with. So, how could he look at another who was not Han Yoojin. When emotions, for Han Yoohyun, indicated those ‘feelings’ that had been born of Han Yoojin in even their very foundations.

“If, you’re me as well. You should already know this, so…!”

Flames blazed into being. But the dark blue flames originating from Han Yoohyun were overpowered, and swallowed up by the black flames that had been born by consuming his blood. Poison was weak to Fire. Yet, lacking a means to defend against a poison that had been born from fire, Han Yoohyun’s body was slowly succumbing to its steadily advancing effects. 쿨럭, the blood that spilled as a cough wrenched out gleamed darker still.

“To me, Hyung is the only…….”

“Han Yoohyun.”

Footsteps moved towards Han Yoohyun, coming to a stop before him.

“The you, who wished to receive Hyung’s love.”

The fingers that had been clawing against the ground clenched into a tight fist. Dark eyes scanned his surroundings. The sofa had been smashed to smithereens, but the table remained yet intact. The food and Christmas cake left arranged on its surface, too.

“We should have given Hyung up completely.”

He said, voice rasping and hollow.

“This, is the consequence of that failure. Not to mention, you’ve only been pushing yourself more and more to the fore, no. How could you ever think to allow Hyung to be paraded around before other Hunters, I wonder?”

“...I…….”

“Because you want to stay at Hyung’s side. Because that’s what Hyung wanted. And.”

퍽. Han Yoohyun, who had just barely managed to prop up his body, was sent crumpling over with another swift kick.

“Because Hyung might hate it. Hate me. Because you didn’t want to be spurned, but loved instead.”

“.......”

Han Yoohyun’s teeth ground together. The young Chaos’s proposition haunted his mind, like an ill portend. He had been unable to give up his place at Hyung’s side. He’d been unable to suppress his own selfish desires, and had tearfully clung to him.

“Han Yoohyun changes as a result of his submission to Hyung–and by withdrawing from Hyung, Han Yoohyun consequently becomes forgotten.”

That was what the process of giving up on his World would have entailed.

“However–here you are, still doggedly clinging onto Hyung. To sate your personal greed. As you’ve said yourself, everything else is inconsequential. Except when it comes to you yourself, it seems. In the end, you’ve allowed the ‘you’ that should have been thrown away to become reinstated, giving yourself precedence above Hyung.”

“...that’s not true!”

He would never have done that. He couldn’t ever have done that. Han Yoohyun struggled to raise himself back up, with all the strength that he possessed. Yet, the leg that had been wounded didn’t so much as twitch, apparently completely paralyzed.

“I’ve, always put Hyung–”

“Then you should have hidden him away by force, if necessary. You should’ve safeguarded him, regardless of the methods you’d have to resort to. Before letting Hyung’s body deteriorate piece by piece to this point, until he has scarcely even a month left to live.”

“......!!”

A month. For a beat, Han Yoohyun’s breath caught in his throat. It was only after a long moment that an exhale came; what finally managed to break through, at long last, came mixed with the sound of a stifled sob. The events that had transpired after Han Yoojin had returned to his side flickered across his mind. After being held by Hyung, he’d entered into an oddly excited state. Yet, even at that point, he’d still attempted to keep Hyung hidden away, but.

Hyung wasn’t weak. There were times when he proved to be far stronger himself, in fact. He’d always made sure to return to his side and show him loving acceptance, even when it came to the matter of his true, base nature. Han Yoohyun–who had contorted himself into a tiny ball, on the assumption that his World was a small, round fish bowl–had come to register what actually felt to be a vast lake, or ocean instead, laying beyond.

But even though that had been the case; even though that may have been true.

“...I was, wrong.”

In the end.

“I, was wrong…….”

Tears dripped down, mixing with blood. Without knowing what he was to do, Han Yoohyun crawled on the ground. The only thing he could do, was desperately beg to have Hyung returned to him. But then–was that something he even deserved, still. Memories of the past came crashing down, burying Han Yoohyun beneath. His entire body felt weighed by the immensity, and his heart faltered in his chest.

“Shut up and listen.”

A cold voice fell. Han Yoohyun strained to lift his head with great effort, raising his eyes. His sight blurred, everything reduced to a haze.

“There were three lives remaining, inside of the System that’s been tied to Hyung. Not the System that was instated for this place, but an impression from the past–the System that was being used the very moment Hyung perished, a connection was established to that. And it seems his body’s reverted back to that state, too.”

The Japanese Dungeon. Han Yoohyun’s tearstained eyes wavered.

“The Mana Seal and the Magic Stone yet remain, but the other wounds he’s sustained since then have all disappeared. Not from simply being healed, but from being reset.”

“...then.”

“But there won’t be a second time.”

The arm cradling Han Yoojin like a precious thing tightened its grip incrementally.

“The three lives have been used up, nor will I be able to induce the same outcome again. Since it was something that had only been made possible, during that very moment.”

The moment it became possible for the ‘Han Yoohyun’ who had been completely severed from the System’s influence to fully enter into this world. The sole day the denizens of the world became capable of registering the twenty-five year old Han Yoohyun who did not exist; on the day that celebrated his birth.

As a being of both past and future, for a brief moment, it became possible for him to approach Han Yoojin by ‘rewinding’ the System’s time. But now, the System had become aware of his existence, and registered him thusly. It would be impossible to produce the same ‘bug’ a second time.

“So get your act together.”

In order to avoid losing him ever again.

“Hyung will be unable to remember what transpired now.”

Han Yoojin’s body was carefully placed down on the one-person couch that had been left intact. As his back was turned to him, his face remained hidden, but Han Yoohyun was able to keenly deduce the expression he wore. A face of unmatched, unending devotion, immense longing, and profound sadness. A gaze imbued with the deepest emotions Han Yoohyun was capable of extracting.

“It’s for the better, that he doesn’t remember.”

Withdrawing from Han Yoojin, he stepped back.

“This is how it should’ve been, to begin with.”

And yet–because, contrary to the actions and words that blamed Han Yoohyun, he’d been unable to let go completely, too.

“Though it may already be late, let go of your own greed.”

Without a single backwards glance at Han Yoohyun, his form faded away. And at that very moment–the faint sound of breathing could be heard. Barely perceptible, but even, stable breathing.

“...Hyung!”

Dragging behind legs that refused to work, Han Yoohyun moved towards Han Yoojin. He could hear his breathing, and feel his gentle warmth, too. Swallowing a sob, Han Yoohyun squeezed Hyung tight. His heart was racing wildly, feeling fit to burst. As the Poison Resistance began to take effect, his paralyzed body finally became capable of moving once more.

“...흐윽, 욱.”

A staggering, overwhelming sense of relief, and a feverish joy that nearly burnt him through. Amidst the emotions crashed down on him like a waterfall, Han Yoohyun hiccuped for breath. It wasn’t merely happiness that enveloped him. Regret, anger, despair, sorrow. As a myriad of emotions mixed together, bleeding into each other, they threatened to tear him apart as well.

Han Yoohyun’s eyes lingered on Han Yoojin’s unconscious face, drinking in the sight of him. Even as he rejoiced, anguish plagued him in equal measure.

“...Hyung.”

The vivid sensations he never would’ve been capable of experiencing, had it not been for Han Yoojin. Had he never come to know Han Yoojin’s love, Han Yoohyun would never have experienced this heartache as well. The moment he’d come to know the warmth of his hand, the coldness that lay beyond it had also swept in, invading his senses.

The most chilling feeling in the world.

Had he remained encased in the depths of the sea, silence would have been all that he’d known.(1) But now, he could never go back. Though an alien atmosphere tore at his lungs; though frigid and blistering winds serrated his body; though his skin split from the jutting bedrock and wood. To arduously, laboriously clamber up to the top of that gentle sunny hill, until he could bury his face into the soft grassy field there and finally breathe his last–barring that.

“...Hyung, I.”

He didn’t know what he was supposed to do, but one thing was for certain. The Han Yoohyun now–he would never be able to give him up. The Hyung who had sought him out once more; had drawn him into his embrace; had accepted every part of him. Even if it ended with him crawling over the ground once more with a prayer of lament on his tongue, he couldn’t let him slip away again.

Body wracked by miserable tremors, Han Yoohyun moved. Burning away the bloodstains, he changed Han Yoojin’s clothes. The wound Han Yoojin had previously sustained had disappeared without a trace. It was only after he had finished carefully laying Han Yoojin down in the bedroom upstairs, that he took out a potion to finish tending to his own wounds.

And then, he spent a long time observing Han Yoojin. After standing rooted in place and watching him for a while, he gingerly approached his side and laid down. As though his tear ducts were broken, his face stayed continually drenched.

“...Yoohyun-ah.”

A faint voice rang out through the vigil of soundless tears. Han Yoojin looked up with bleary eyes at the Han Yoohyun who had snapped to attention, immediately straightening to a sitting position. Though his mind was still trying to focus, seeing the dongsaeng crying in front of him, he schooled his face into a concerned expression.

“...it’s alright.”

What could it have been. Han Yoojin struggled to recall what had transpired, groping around in his memory. Could he have ended up collapsing, while they were about to have some of the birthday cake. He must’ve been fairly shocked, by that turn of events.

“It’s alright.”

“...no. It’s not, alright.”

“It’ll be alright, so–here.”

Telling him to come lay down, Han Yoojin stretched out an arm towards him. Han Yoohyun laid back down at Hyung’s side. Han Yoojin’s hand petted him consolingly.

“...hyung, I’m sorry.”

“And what would you be sorry for, huh.”

Consciousness drifting, Han Yoojin’s eyes made a slow blink. And then, the ends of his lips quirked up into a tender smile.

“Yoohyunie, you. Lately, I’ve been feeling quite enamoured of you.”

“...hyung?”

“Mh, yeah. I like you. I… So, that’s to say–even if you’re different, it’s alright.”

Han Yoojin’s eyes blinked once more.

“Only liking hyung, that’s alright too. Though other people might view it as strange… If that’s how Yoohyunie is, if that’s your real, honest self, then that’s enough. I like that kind of dongsaeng, too. But…….”

Even though that’s the case. His brows trailing down slightly, Han Yoojin went on.

“Just, one person. Yoohyunie, yourself–I hope you’ll come to like yourself a lot. I hope that you’ll be able to like yourself even more than hyung, even. Or, at least, as much as you like hyung.”

“...hyung, I.”

“So that’s why, lately, I’d been feeling quite taken. Like how you expressed wanting to monopolize hyung today, too. Well, I guess I can’t actually qualify that as just your own want, so…….”

Han Yoojin’s hand affectionately stroked his dongsaeng’s head. His eyes had almost drifted closed. The volume of his voice, too, had dropped down to a barely audible level.

“Yoohyun-ah, if there's something you really, truly want. You don’t have to pay so much mind to hyung. It’s alright. There’s, no reason you need to be a good dongsaeng.”

Faint laughter floated over.

“Santa, doesn’t bring presents for naughty boys. But hyung will, okay. Always, no matter what.”

“...me too–as long as it’s from hyung, then.”

“Yeah. It’s alright to be stubborn. It’s okay to misbehave on occasion. Since, up until now, you’ve been, …too good a dongsaeng.”

Han Yoojin’s eyes slid completely shut. With hyung’s hand leading him, Han Yoohyun closed his eyes as well. He couldn’t give him up, after all. Even if he’d be forced to face the blame placed on him by himself; he couldn’t–not this time.

* * *

Han Yoohyun opened his eyes. An endless garden stretched out before him. Smoothly, without a trace of hesitation, he drew his sword and angled the naked edge of the blade against his own throat. The instant before the tip of his sword ran his neck through–.

[ I’m afraid that’s not allowed, quite yet. ]

A kaleidoscope of butterflies descended, coalescing around the blade. As the sword disappeared, melting away into nothing, one of the butterflies broke free from the swarm to flutter around Han Yoohyun’s figure.

[ You were able to extend Han Yoojin’s lifespan, just as you’d wished, no. So now, it’s time for you to bring me what I desire. ]

Han Yoohyun watched the butterfly impassively.

“I will cease to exist shortly, in any case.”

[ It won’t be a long wait. Since, as the White Bird said, it should be forced out soon enough. So tarry in sleep a while longer till then. ]

Han Yoohyun’s eyes fluttered shut, as he toppled onto the soft grass. The swarm of butterflies swayed in the air as if dancing for another moment, before dissipating.

-----

(1)

> Ys Piano Collection 2 - The Great Forest of Celceta (Ys IV) > Celceta, the Sea of Trees

한 / Han

한이 담긴 우리의 도시, 서울 : 타블로(Tablo) & Joey Bada$$(조이 배드애스) - Hood [가사해석]

Han (cultural)

What's the meaning behind "Han" (한)?

Why Anyone Who Cares About Korea Should Watch “The Host”: Monster of Han, from the Han

Misc:

"Taemyung" or Korean fetus/belly baby names

Matchy sibsets and honour names-- cultural differences

Understanding Korean naming customs.

Korean generation name order.

‘a few days ago, i got rly curious abt whether sclass’s sung hyunjae’s name had a hanja meaning or suchlike, so i ended up asking the author-nim abt it… author-nim responded that they didn’t recall how his name had come about (crying sounds)ㅠ…….. ah but more importantly, sung hyunjae, so you were a character included in the starting lineup, huh!!’ ‘the names are sometimes taken from words, or names i’ve encountered around myself. consequently, for the most part, they don’t tend to have a hanja root word or particular meaning attached to them ^^; in the case of sung hyunjae-ssi…. i feel as though there was a reason for the direction i took in naming him, but i’m afraid my memory regarding the matter is quite hazyㅠㅠ as he was one of the initial cast members, alongside the protagonist and han yoohyun, he received a name and had a backstory drawn up roughly a month prior to the other characters, but as i hadn’t intended on sitting down and making it into a full-blown series at that point, i hadn't left behind any notes on itㅠㅠ i wish you pleasant days, and happy new year's~^^

the author, looking up from their detailed explanation of ‘해연’: uhhh yeah, i didn’t really put much stock into shj bc he’s my deus ex machina dispenser and not han yoojin or han yoohyun, who the story is about,

24 notes · View notes

dbgdbw · 4 months

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499.So Then, You Assholes Hand It Over (6)

그러니 댁들이 내놔 (6)

The hall, with the main character having taken his leave, was silent. Devoid of any occupants, only the aftermath of the party remained. The glow of the setting sun, streaming in from beyond the caved-in wall, diffused rays across tables splattered with stains. As Sung Hyunjae stood on the stairs, the long trail of a veil laid trampled at his feet, entangling around his shoes.

He would have always been the last one left. After having acquired more than any could ever hope to possess, delivered as surely as though it were his birthright, it would’ve all trickled through his fingers like grains of sand. Countless times, endlessly. At the precise moment before everything would be submerged into darkness, standing on that twilight precipice. But without ever being allowed to merge into the shadow himself.(1)

Then, into the place where the sunset spilled into, stepped his shadow. Leaning his arms against the railing, Sung Hyunjae smiled. Squinting slightly, Song Taewon peered up at him. Looking down, Sung Hyunjae met those dark eyes with great pleasure.

“Please refrain from moving on your own, where possible.”

“Had my age regressed to a single digit whilst I was unaware, perhaps.”

“I believe a child would prove easier to mind, comparatively.”

Song Taewon strode forward, cutting across the floor of the hall. Sung Hyunjae, too, leisurely began to descend the stairs. The languid quality of his movements meant that, before he’d even reached the halfway point, Song Taewon had managed to reach the foot of the stairs. Song Taewon’s eyes caught against the faint wounds that had appeared on Sung Hyunjae’s hand. A network of scars ran under the cuff of his sleeve, extending down beyond his wrist.

“Has something transpired.”

“I received a visitor. Nothing of import, I’m afraid.”

“The fact that those marks remain, after you’ve already applied a potion–would it have been a curse-type, in that case.”

Stretching out a hand, Song Taewon sought his consent.

“As Han Yoojin-ssi is unavailable at the moment, I will conduct an examination instead.”

Due to ‘Pervading Pillaging’ being capable of negating another’s Skill, it could be used to nullify Skill-based poison or curse-type effects as well. Had the Skill already been ‘seen through’ to its conclusion, such as in the loss of a body part, nothing could be done; but if it was the sort of thing that inhibited one’s healing, for example, its effects could be temporarily disabled.

“As this is only a stopgap measure, Han Yoojin-ssi’s assistance will become necessary—however, it appears feasible to treat it right away.”

Only a partial detoxification. With the curse still left in place, recalling ‘Pervading Plundering’ would result in the same inhibited healing, if he were to become injured in the area again. However.

“...swallowing the curse itself, may be able to produce a different result.”

Utilizing the true strength the Pillaging held. As Song Taewon’s expression darkened slightly, Sung Hyunjae spoke up teasingly.

“Shall I be your little experiment, then.”(2)

“I have no plans to pursue such at the moment.”

Responding stiffly, Song Taewon laid his hand on top of Sung Hyunjae’s wounds. A dark, shadow-esque aura began to gather over his hand, and then,

파직!

Sparks flew, and the resulting flickering gouged the shadow deep into the back of Sung Hyunjae’s hand. Hastily recalling his Skill, Song Taewon jerked himself back. His stunned gaze remained caught on the hand that had become instantly drenched with blood.

“Just now…….”

“That’s right. Now that I recall, it did feel somewhat familiar.”

Nonchalantly, Sung Hyunjae brought out a potion and poured it over the back of his hand. As the wound knit itself closed, the blood was washed away by the potion. Sung Hyunjae flicked the residual wetness off his hand with a light shake.

“You needn’t mind it.”

“If you’d, please explain.”

“I believe I’d already mentioned it was nothing of import.”

As he made to descend the stairs once more, Song Taewon caught his shoulder. When Sung Hyunjae moved to turn his head in his direction, Song Taewon’s hand immediately fell away. Golden eyes curved, amused, gazing up towards Song Taewon as though entertained.

“You’re feeling concerned. Not merely regarding the incidents perpetuated by myself, but about my own person as well.”

“...pardon?”

“Young Han Yoojin has rubbed off on you greatly, in that brief interval.”

Unwitting influence from Han Yoojin, who instinctively treated Sung Hyunjae as human.

“Whether long ago, when there was nary a lamppost in sight, or now, when the city bustles with lights. Night remains night, indeed.”

“Please–if you would only disclose what’s going on. Is it perhaps, that… ‘Accumulation’ has been causing complications for you, once again.”(3)

“No need to fret over that. The elder taught me a sufficient method to address it, you see.”

“The young Chaos-nim, I presume.”

“I’ll not be burdening the two of you, this time.”

Song Taewon looked at the gently smiling Sung Hyunjae without saying anything. If it had been the young Chaos–that Transcendent—who had helped him, then it was probably safe to let the matter go. But for some reason, he still felt oddly anxious.

“More importantly–you should take care, that you do not allow your guard drop too far.”

Pivoting his body all the way, Sung Hyunjae took a step forward, advancing up a stair.

“You, better than anyone, should be aware that my interest hardly only follows a positive trajectory.”

You should be more concerned about young Han Yoojin’s well-being. At the low murmur, Song Taewon’s eyebrows twitched upwards.

“More and more as of late, I’ve been entertaining the thought of killing either the young master or the little lady, you see.”

“...you’d promised that you wouldn’t–”

“Do reminisce, regarding the Dungeon in China.”

It had been enjoyable, in truth, hadn’t it. And thrilling, besides. The mischievous smile spread across Sung Hyunjae’s lips deepened further.

“The sort of reaction Han Yoojin would show, if the dongsaeng he valued as much as his own life were to be killed. Does it not excite you, simply to imagine.”

“Not, in the least.”

Taking a step backwards, Song Taewon retreated up a stair. Though he wanted to pull further back, his other foot remained rooted to the spot.

“And it would be my obligation to stop you, should you attempt to carry out such an act.”

“You may rest easy. Regrettably, I’ve already given my word. That I would refrain from raising my hand against young Han Yoojin’s dongsaeng, that is. And there is only one Han Yoojin, alas.”

Sung Hyunjae let out a short sigh.

“Besides–it’s a delightful sight, watching him struggle so desperately to clutch onto his dongsaeng any which way he can, and heartwarming to witness. Such a thing allows me the occasional display of jealousy, to needle him as to whether he might not be far too consumed with his dongsaeng.”

“...’feigned jealousy’, you mean.”

“It may be for the best, that the Han Yoojin originating from the Dungeon was unable to come outside. If it had indeed managed to emerge, it would have proven difficult to restrain myself.”

As it would've been the appearance of a kind of ‘spare’ copy, it might’ve resulted in a regrettable lapse in his self-control. Remarking that they’re correct to say that two copies of a person shouldn’t exist, after all, Sung Hyunjae turned back around, then lightly jumped the rest of the way down to the bottom of the landing.(4) Song Taewon dazedly watched him go for a moment, before suddenly coming to himself and hastily calling out after him.

“Please do not leave unattended! And I’ve yet to properly assess your wounds as well.”

An uneasy feeling passed over his chest; but at present, chasing after Sung Hyunjae took precedence. Swiftly making his way down the stairs, Song Taewon exited the hall.

* * *

“Dammiiiiiit!”

With an enraged yell, the Hunter sailed through the air for a far distance before plummeting into the sea. Splash! With a sound that would’ve been refreshing during the summer, water sprayed upwards.

“That team’s gotten rolled too, huh.”

Let’s see, that would’ve been the third team in line. But yet, the turtle’s shell was still in completely pristine condition. Spotless as anything, it remained as smooth as glass.

[ Grade 1 Giant Magic Shelled Beastkin - Sunken Sea-’Shell’

Current Stat SS Rank

Max Potential Stat S~SS Rank

Optimized Initial Skill

Sea’s Blessing (SS) Obtained

Wet Water Armour(SS) Obtained

GulpGulp(S) Obtained

Wave Whip(S) Obtained ]

Even from just the name alone, it was evident that it was sturdily built, and its Skills only seemed to reinforce that fact. Luckily, its attack Skill capabilities were on the poorer side; but the problem was that no one on our side seemed to have been able to make a crack in it, as with the toad from before. An SS-rank monster was nothing to sneeze at, after all. But.

‘Surprisingly, it might be easier to take down than I’d thought.’

After looking at its Skills, I could give a solid guess as to how we should go about taking it down.

“Yerim-ah.”

“Yessir, ahjussi.”

“Could you take a look around the area for me?”

They might be busily applying themselves to the raid at the moment, but with all due respect, the chances of that lot being able to take down the turtle was close to zero. If I wanted to sweep this up within thirty minutes or so, I’d have to plan my route out ahead of time, in accordance. After a short period, Yerimie returned to report back on the intel I’d asked her to gather. It seemed like things would work out perfectly, in that case.

“Very good. Yoohyun-ah, d’you think you’d be able to pierce through that shell? Without my buffs, or the Blade’s Predator.”

At my query, Yoohyunie gave a brief shake of his head.

“The shell is thick enough to contend with on its own, and I think it’ll be difficult to accomplish that while it’s in a hydro-infused state. Plus, I won’t be able to make use of the Last Door, either.”

“That’s the case after all, huh?”

“Yeah–sorry.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it–that works out better for me, actually.”

If an SS-rank Water-attribute Stone came out of this, then I’d be able to use it to have Yerimie’s weapon made. Perfect. Though I hadn’t even been able to see its face yet, the goodwill I felt towards this turtle immediately shot up. Thanks to you, I’d been able to reap in a huge haul, on top of the magic stone I was projected to pick up–what an upstanding little guy you were.

쏴아아–!

“Ghk!”

“Ugh!”

Whitewater torrents began to pick up around the turtle, sweeping away the Hunters in its vicinity. Slapped to and fro by the waves, the Hunters were flung a distance away before splashing into the water one by one. We should’ve held this in the middle of summer, after all. And turn it into a live broadcasted event, while we were at it.

In any case, it didn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary would come up.

“Shall we slowly start making our way back, then. Since Hyuna-ssi is keeping watch, we should just be able to ask her to recap the Hunters’ abilities later.”

“I’ll follow suit after watching for a bit longer, ahjussi. Since it’s water-based combat, I think it’ll be good for me to observe!”

“Alright, just make sure not to get back too late.”

It was a pity that the turtle showed very little movement, but it would still be useful for her to be able to observe the Hunters as they fought. As for myself, I’d already watched plenty enough on TV. It would’ve been nice, if I could’ve somehow shown Yerimie, too.

As most of the Hunters had flocked to the beach, the mansion was mostly abandoned. Through the gap that had been left in the wall, I spied Sung Hyunjae and Song Taewon standing together. Apparently having actually returned to wash up, Sung Hyunjae was dressed simply, in just a shirt and pants. Was he a little kid or something, going around with his hair wet like that? He was going to drip water all over his shir… Hold on. Why was the sleeve rolled up. And the atmosphere seemed a bit strange.

“Yoohyun-ah, how’s Section Chief Song-nim’s expression looking?”

“Stiff.”

Though it was true that it was also his default state. Folding his wings, Peace touched down, skimming over the top of the ornamental plants. Dismounting from Peace’s back, I went to approach the two.

“Has something happened, sir.”

Since there might been others still milling about, I spoke as obliquely as possible. Section Chief Song-nim, who had been tending to Sung Hyunjae’s arm, turned to look at me as he answered.

“...a surprise assault, reportedly.”

“An ambush, sir?”

Who… Just, who…….would, to Sung Hyunjae…….. Well, actually, wouldn’t the number of suspects easily surpass the number of digits on one hand. It seemed that Section Chief Song-nim was of the same mind, too.

“As they had only employed their Skill from afar, he’s disclosed that he is unable to assign a face to the perpetrator.”

“Is that so? Well, being the host of this event, I do find myself obliged to ask–are you faring quite alright, sir?”

Sung Hyunjae lifted his arms, showing off both. Faint scars criss-crossed across his limbs.

“Just a few light scratches, is all.”

“A few scratches… I see…….”

It was definitely suspicious. Even if he had only sustained some light wounds, that he would be inclined to let his opponent slip away so easily? No matter how far a distance they’d casted the Skill from, he would’ve still been capable of tracking them down. …was his condition far worse than we’d guessed at, perhaps. And there was the fact that he’d recognized Chatterbox’s Mark as well, which rankled at me.

“Since it appears you’ve applied a potion, but those marks still remain–is it a type of curse, then, sir?”

“Though it’s none too much of a bother–if you desire to hold me regardless, I do welcome it gladly.”

“...never mind.”

It wasn’t like there weren’t prying eyes still about, so the hell did he think he was doing. Had he already called it quits on acting. Even so, in a low voice, I instructed him to send word if a problem arose.

“Is there someone you perhaps suspect, sir.”

“I wonder. Though, apropos of nothing, my enemies seem to be many, I daresay there should hardly be any who would possess the gall to make such an attempt on my life, save for, well.”

Sung Hyunjae looked at me wordlessly. Wait, what were you staring at me for.

“...I do possess an alibi, sir. And a slew of witnesses, besides.”

“A pity.”

So he still had the energy to spew nonsense, huh. I’d felt worried for nothing.

“Forget them, and let’s go turn in.”

Don’t you feel tired, Yoohyunie asked coaxingly. Yeah–since it was that asshole, of all people, there was no point in getting worked up over it anyway. It was probably just one of the numerous Hunters who had a gear to grind with Sung Hyunjae, who’d taken advantage of an opportunity to try their luck. But even as I dismissed it as inconsequential, it left a bad taste in my mouth regardless.

“As I wonder whether the Seseung Guild Leader-nim might not end up stabbed in the night, could I entrust matters to you, sir.”

“Please do not be concerned. I will make sure to watch over him.”

Section Chief Song-nim answered, immensely dependably. And when he’d had to come such a far way too–I felt a bit sorry. But as expected, even without my prompting, he’d volunteered to attend to Sung Hyunjae–..well, it was likely closer to keep an eye on, probably. Sparing a fleeting glance at Sung Hyunjae, I walked away.

Darting out ahead of us, Peace flounced down the stairs. Even if it was a facility primarily utilized by high-rank Hunters, to think that there weren’t any elevators. It seemed that I wouldn’t have to worry about exercising for as long as we were here, at least.

“Aigo(6)~ You’ve all been toiling hard, everyone~”

Entering a room that had its walls plastered with an assortment of monitors, I dipped my head into a greeting. One of the Hunters who had been scrubbing through the recorded footage broke away to come approach me.

“Here's the initial list of names, sir.”

It was a list containing the names of the Hunters who had been pegged as individuals attending on Chatterbox’s invitation. In order to analyze those high-ranked Hunters’ movements in close detail–as well as for safety reasons, first and foremost–all of the people gathered were A-ranks. These personnel had been recruited from not only Haeyeon, but Breaker as well. Even without being privy to the full details of the situation, they'd all thrown themselves into the task at hand, truly going above and beyond.

“Thank you. And the ones who’ve been contacted?”

“So far, there have been five in total. Among them, two made inquiries regarding mounts, while the remaining three indicated they were seeking information regarding the mark on Director Han-nim’s neck.”

“Then we’ll plan to meet with all five, for the time being.”

Since the mention of mounts may have been a misdirection, after all. As I started to scan my eyes over the contact information of the five listed on the sheet, Yoohyunie plucked it out of my hand.

“Tomorrow. Since they’re all at the beach right now, anyway.”

“Alright, alright.”

“We still need to wash up and change, besides.”

He was unhappy with how much I’d been preoccupied with work lately, it seemed. Gyeolie nodded his head in assent, and Peace let out a 끼앙 noise as well, in apparent agreement. Since tomorrow was slated to be hectic too, maybe I should turn in early today, after all. The moment we stepped through the threshold to our private quarters, Gyeolie immediately let out an aggrieved screech.

- Really! Can’t! Stand! Him!

Though the subject of the sentence had been omitted, it was easy enough to guess who he meant.

“What’s wrong–appa ended up pouring more, anyway.”

- That part, I approved of.

“And honestly, it was sort of fun, wasn’t it.”

Who else would be afforded such an opportunity to dump wine on Sung Hyunjae’s head, after all, if not myself. And even if it hadn’t been that exact scenario.

‘Clashing with Sung Hyunjae feels… pretty cathartic, all told.’

Rather than being limited to just dumping some wine on his head, I wanted to try grabbing him by the hair, and beat the tar out of him at least once, too. Though it probably wouldn’t be doable with my strength alone. Shedding my outer coat, I sent a text from the phone I’d left behind in the room.

[ So, the mark on my throat–what does it signify, then, sir? ]

But even by the time I’d finished my shower, and thereafter–no answer came.

- - - - -

(1) leaving a footnote on this one bc it’s particularly poetic language + heavy symbolism referencing shj/stw’s light/shadow relationship dynamic, since i had to embellish ‘night’ to ‘shadow’ in this instance to make it understandable for eng only readers, but ‘night’ remains a recurring theme in the ch:

‘그러나 그 자신은 결국 밤을 맞이하지 못한 채로. 그리고 노을이 비쳐드는 곳으로 그의 밤이 들어섰다.’ ‘however / he himself / ultimately / night / without having been able to / greet (it) then / the place where the sunset streamed in / 'his' Night / stepped inside’ → ‘however, without ever being allowed to ‘greet’ the ‘night’ himself / and then; to the place where the sunset spilled into, 'his' Night stepped inside.’

bc stw is the only person who can offer him the ‘reprieve’ that ‘Night(death)’ would otherwise bring him, etc:

there’s also a fun thing going on in general with the writing style in this first section of the chapter, where it’s written in a ‘play-esque’ manner: the scene setting for shj’s (internal) aside, the meta mention of the ‘main character(주인공)’ having already left, the fashion in which shj and stw are said to ‘enter’ and ‘exit’ the hall(stage)...

(2) “실험대상이 되는 건가.” “지금은 그럴 생각이 없습니다.” → supposed to sound like shj is asking if stw is going to be using him(shj) as ‘his little experiment’ to ‘figure himself out’......

(3) “무슨 일이 있는 건지 말씀하십시오. 설마 또 그… 쌓였다는 것이 문제가 된 겁니까.” → ostensibly, song taewon is asking sung hyunjae if the ‘waxing’ effect caused by crescent moon’s machinations is beginning to affect him negatively again, as in chapter 425. what it actually ends up sounding like, is as though stw is asking shj if he’s feeling ‘backed up’ (read:sexually frustrated) again, and if he should… y’know… maybe help out, in that case,,

(4) you know how there’s that trope about how meeting your doppelganger means one of you will die? yeah, korea also has its superstitions abt that, which is what shj is referencing (though he’s also calling back to actual events in the novel (e.g. the ‘other han yoojin’ from cn dungeon, him and sigma, etc.))

(5) [ 1급 거대마갑종 - 가라앉은 해갑

현재 스탯 등급 SS

각성 가능 스탯 등급 S~SS

최적화 초기스킬

바다의 축복(SS) 획득

젖어든 물의 갑옷(SS) 획득

꿀꺽꿀꺽(S) 획득

파도 채찍(S) 획득 ]

(6) 아이고 → re:yoojin's ‘ahjussi’ cred

stw: please stop trying to traumatize the young man we agreed to adopt protect for your own amusement

shj: no^^

hyj: (off in the distance)

i already mentioned in ch296’s footnotes how shj’s use of 하게채 evokes differing responses from stw and hyj via application, and now i want to clarify a bit further on why yoojin tends to be so abrasive in his replies. it’s because shj is generally massively overstepping in his familiarity with yj, in the way described in a ss i’ve included previously:

because shj does this straight off the bat:

to put it into perspective, yoojin recoils from all of shj’s offers to ‘let him hold him’ because it’s the equivalent of that one creepy older uncle at family gatherings coming up to you and going ‘and where’s my hug, hmm :)’ in terms of comfort level. that’s why yj’s internal response tends to be ‘who tf does he think he is? yoohyunie/yerimie?’, because they fall under ‘appropriate people who can ask that of him’, essentially. i feel like a lot of readers forget that yj spends most of his time with the dodam/haeyeon crew in his day-to-day, and he interacts sparingly with sung hyunjae in-verse, by virtue of their respective positions; yoojin being called ‘-goon’ by shj can be thought of as patronizing/infantilizing, since he’s essentially going ‘my boy’/’lad’ when he does so at this juncture. it's not until later in the novel that its application becomes more of an 'endearment' than 'debasement', when mutual respect exists between them to allow for genuine applications of familiarity.

but for now, these kinds of interactions are also the reason why yj keeps referring to shj as ‘that (pervert) voyeur’ who’s too interested in his relationship w yoohyunie:

that's also why the text clarifies that shj isn't 'interested in kids', because his predatory behavior patterns (i.e. grooming tendencies) might imply otherwise:

but the age gap/power imbalance built into the tenets of their relationship is a feature and not a bug, and another type of dynamic that shj and hyj ‘play out’ (other than ‘long-suffering minimum wage worker vs the entitled rich person stalking them at their workplace’) is a ‘mother-in-law vs daughter-in-law’ dynamic, which plays on their differences in life experience(s); their ‘interpersonal’ conflicts typically manifest as verbal spars that rely primarily on psychological damage (because shj would snap yj like a twig in a physical altercation, like the scene in ch209 where he simply threatens to break his wrist if yj refuses to comply, and in ch224, where sigma casually beats him black and blue on their first encounter). there’s a lot of subtle social navigation going on in those scenes (e.g. how shj switches between ‘-goon/-ssi’ for yj depending on context (typically optics) to be derisive), which seems to fly over most western readers’ heads without that context.

for example: a notable instance of them ‘acting out’ that ‘older in-law vs younger in-law’ dynamic in two different ways can be seen in ch 216, in both the ‘payoff’ scene and the ‘offer’ scene. the ‘payoff’ scene with the expired credit card is a straightforward enactment of the trope mentioned in footnote 3, where the young female lead will either stand her ground, or give in (martyr route) against the overbearing MIL character. meanwhile, the ‘offer’ scene touches on a different ‘older vs younger’ dynamic, primarily to illustrate how ‘independent/adult’ yoojin has become. yoojin mentions in the next ch that ‘not even his parents had said anything of the sort to him’ in regards to how ‘foreign/extravagant’ the offer shj made comes off–because yj was largely neglected by his parents as a consequence of choosing yoohyunie over them, and the scene with sung hyunjae offering to ‘look after’ him is written as a direct parallel to the scene where yoojin asks yerimie for her permission to ‘take care of her’ earlier in the series (to show how yoojin hasn’t decided to ‘look after’ himself yet, despite extending the same care to others).

in these kinds of scenes, sung hyunjae tends to act as both the author’s voice (‘adult or child, they’re both only human’), in addition to ‘modeling’ for yoojin what a ‘proper adult’ should be like, as the character who is designed to be a manifestation of yoojin’s ‘ideal self’; a lot of yoojin’s self-reproach during his interactions with sung hyunjae stem from being confronted by this ‘ideal(shj)’ which he is yet unable to ‘reach’, hence the repeated declarations that he’ll 'eventually climb up to stand on the same level’ as shj. that’s why something like the cigarette-lighting (맞담배) scene in ch474 holds social significance, too; it’s a symbolic gesture that shows them growing closer together as people, via an gesture that highlights the dissolution of social stations in a context of commiseration:

like with some european countries, a good amount of koreans will ‘learn’ how to drink safely at home with their parents for the first time as a harm reduction practice. shj is essentially ‘chaperoning’ yoojin the same way there for substance use, which is why he doesn’t bother to take a drag on his own cigarette (even though it’s lit), and then cuts yoojin off from smoking more when he deems him to have had ‘enough’. shj acts as the older ‘voice of reason’ tempering the ‘negative’ impulse yoojin has (relapsing into drinking/smoking), noting he considers the encounter an ‘unpleasant, but constructively spent time’. shj being both ambiguously foreign (non-korean) and objectifying yoojin as ‘property’ at the onset of their relationship also harkens to a bigger ‘issue’ than is acknowledged by individuals unfamiliar with korea’s history as an ex-colonized nation; that’s why the text (and yoojin, by extension) emphasizes what a ‘good boy’ yoohyunie is in juxtaposition, because yh embodies a large amount of traits that are considered positive from a korean pov (e.g. because smoking is so rampant in korea, particularly among delinquent youth, noah and yoohyunie being the only two characters who haven’t ever smoked stand out as a plus in their ‘pureness’ columns, as does their ‘politeness’).

that’s why the revelation that han yoohyun made the decision to adopt han yoojin’s teaching, despite it going against his own instincts and very nature, is so important–and this is also why yoohyunie’s nickname (‘도련님’) is such a significant component in understanding him as a character, and how the other characters in the novel view him:

*the type of fighting yj alludes to wanting to engage in at the end of the ch is this kind (‘아주 머리채 잡고 드잡이질’ → grabbing a fistful of hair+raising hell, i.e. catfight), which is foreshadowing for how he tries to scalp shj (for a profit!) in chapter 644

*the wine pouring scene (ch496) that’s mentioned at the end of the chapter is likely a nod to this well-known kdrama scene (1.3M views, just for this one vid!) that would've aired and gone viral roughly six months prior to ch499 being published (20.06.09)

#499화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 5 months

Text

498.So Then, You Assholes Hand It Over (5)

그러니 댁들이 내놔 (5)

With the opponent in question being a monster estimated to be about SS-rank or so, the Hunters who had managed to secure a queue slot began soliciting the other S-rank Hunters to form an alliance. These were people who had probably never even gone on a Dungeon raid with another S-rank Hunter before. It wouldn’t be a bad thing, to have them give cooperating a go at this juncture. If only to serve as preparation for the events that lay ahead too, in any case.

“You’re telling me to be the support? I’ll have you know that I’ve never had to play lackey for anyone, ever!”

“Please be advised that I shall only be using a portion of my Skills. I have no intention of revealing all the cards I hold, on a stage where so many eyes are watching.”

“Two pieces of S-rank equipment. That should be the bare minimum, wouldn’t you say. Take it or leave it.”

Quarrels seemed to be breaking out among the majority, for the most part. Yeah, that seemed about right. I wondered how many groups would be able to scrape together a usable team comp for their attempt, in the end. One? Perhaps two?

“Let’s go have dinner.”

Yoohyunie said, demeanor showing complete indifference towards the S-ranks brawling it out amongst themselves.

“Not yet. I’ll need to supervise, at least until nighttime.”

I didn’t have any plans to stay up all night, but I should at least stick around for the results of the first round, I figured. Hearing my words, my dongsaeng assumed a displeased expression.

“Then I’ll go and bring back a simple lunchbox, at least. Stay next to Bak Yerim.”

“Just bring some of whatever they have prepared, ‘kay. Most of it’s gonna be things that can be reheated or eaten as-is, anyway.”

Since we couldn’t retain a chef on the premises, most of our dining options were preassembled in nature. There were additional ingredients available on hand as well, but we could just eat what had already been put together. Saying that he would collect Peace on his way as well, Yoohyunie left his post.

“Gyeol-ah, do you want to turn in first?”

At my query, Gyeolie shook his head vigorously. But he couldn’t even talk while like this, and he was probably starting to grow bored. When Yoohyunie got back, I’d at least have to make sure he got something to eat.

“I hear you’re close to my dongsaeng?”

Meanwhile, Liette had approached Myungwoo from the side. Whether it was because she didn’t possess a major need for equipment–having access to the large-scale dragon transformation, unlike Noah, in addition to Kang Soyoung’s Skill–or if it was because of her personality, unlike the other Hunters, she didn’t show any hesitance to engage with him. At the slightly aggressive cast to her words, Myungwoo’s eyes narrowed slightly. However, the one who showed a bigger reaction was surprisingly Noah.

“It is not something that warrants noonim’s concern.”

“I’m trying to be friendly-like too, y’know.”

At Liette’s words, Noah’s expression filled with skepticism. Then, without further ado, he began urging Myungwoo inside.

“Yoojin-ssi, we’ll be turning in first, then. Let’s get going.”

“I’m alright, though.”

But despite Myungwoo’s protest, his hackles still raised towards Liette, Noah half-dragged, half-pulled Myungwoo towards the inside of the building. Left standing by herself, Liette’s lips jutted out in a slight pout.

“It didn’t work.”

“You have to make your approach a touch softer, unnie!”

Kang Soyoung exclaimed, appearing to latch onto Liette’s side.

“My oppas too, they were suuuper nice to my friends. Barring the boys, I mean. And you have to be good at knowing when to make your exit, besides. Dropping in to cover the bill for the food, then slipping right back out!”

Could that exchange, possibly have been Liette trying to make reparations in her relationship with Noah-ssi? In consultation with Soyoung-ssi’s advice? I wasn’t sure if it had been Soyoungj-ssi who had convinced her, or if Liette had come to make the decision on her own volition–but I supposed even Liette was capable of change, after all.

“Before that, why don’t you try complimenting Noah-ssi more?”

At my interjection, Liette turned to look at me.

“But I tell him he’s cute all the time.”

“I’m talking about the things that require effort. Noah-ssi’s proficient at a lot of things, right.”

Liette gave a slow blink. Hey, it can’t be that you really don’t think he excels at anything, right.

“He’s better at cooking than I am.”

“Without judging him by your criteria!”

“That's right, unnie. Please bring the baseline down to ordinary standards!”

Liette’s expression seemed to ask why in the world she’d be expected to do that.

“But he’s my dongsaeng? So of course it should be by my parameters.”

…wasn’t the problem with Liette, not that she held her dongsaeng in low esteem, but rather the opposite. Drawling unnie, that’s not iiiit~, Kang Soyoung hauled Liette away.

“It does seem like Liette holds Noah-ssi near and dear. I suppose there are cases where one’s expectations rise, the more precious they hold someone.”

“Why not–there’re those parents that go to the extreme when it comes to studies, after all, right. The ones that’re like, if it’s our kid, then they should be able to achieve this much as a minimum.”(1)

Yerimie said, nodding her head. And if the parent possessed exceptional ability themself, much like Liette, then the backlash probably would’ve been even worse, huh. Since, even if the child were to simply turn out to be ‘ordinary’, they would still feel as though they’d fallen short regardless. The child should only be judged by their own ‘standards’, but such a thing wouldn’t be easy. People ultimately tended to gravitate towards their own standards, even subconsciously, and parents were people before they were parents, first and foremost.

Additionally, being the adult, it fell to the person who was acting as the guardian to put forth a greater amount of effort, as the adult. Sometimes ignorance was inevitable, and you could make mistakes, but a wrong was a wrong. And even if Noah-ssi were to bounce back completely, it still remained that Liette needed to change.

“Yerim-ah, you, and Yoohyunie too–sometimes I worry because you’re too well-behaved. Whether you might just be going along with what I want, even though you’re opposed to it.”

“Isn’t it the opposite, though? Ahjussi is way too accepting when it comes to Han Yoohy–Guild Leader-nim, I mean.”

“Ehh, if I’d actually given into everything Yoohyunie wanted, I…….”

Probably wouldn’t be here now, huh. Hmm. Well, since Yoohyunie was a special case. The reason he’d lived this far, like a human, was because of me, after all; and the reason he was living now, was owing to me as well. So shouldn’t it only follow, then, that I should concede to my dongsaeng.

Since Yoohyunie had given me everything first. To the point that he’d even balked at it, without leaving any piece of himself behind, all of him.

…thinking about it from that perspective, if he really couldn’t bear it, I could probably easily part with a measly arm, if it came to it.

“Yerim-ah, I hope you’ll always put yourself first. First place should always be reserved for ‘Bak Yerim’.”

“I will, of course.”

Yerimie was quiet for a moment, before continuing.

“Since I’d been the last one left. If I stopped existing, then the people I hold precious would disappear with me as well, I was told. But that, so long as I remembered them, they wouldn’t fade away.”

“...who told you that?”

“My sunsaeng-nim. While I was an elementary schooler.”

“...they were a good person, huh. Let’s have a hug, shall we.”

“Here, ahjussi.”

Yerimie threw her arms open wide. Hugging me back, she clung on tightly. Gyeolie had also latched onto my neck. Though the Hunters around us threw odd looks in our direction, what did I care. For Yerimie, as well as Yoohyunie. I really needed to make sure I’d be able to live on for a long while yet.

“Feels like the kind of atmosphere where you shouldn’t attempt to approach them, doesn’t it.”

Just then, I heard Huanglim’s voice. Even Song Taewon, who had been monitoring the Hunters preparing for their raid from a spot a little ways away, had drawn close by at some point. Loosening the arm I’d wrapped around Yerimie, I turned my head.

“Since I hadn’t spotted hair nor hide of you, I’d ventured to guess that you’d ended up in the belly a monster, and yet.”

“The little Hunter-nim barred my entry on the grounds that my name didn’t match, y’see.”

“But it’s true, isn’t it.”

Yerimie glowered at Huanglim, brows furrowed.

“And you’re dressed improperly, on top of that.”

“Seeing as there was no mention of a dress code on the invitation card, it would hardly be my fault, no.”

Honestly though, what was up with that getup. The Hawaiian shirt and shorts combo, okay–but why was he going around barefoot, too.

“All of your military discipline’s gone to hell since you made a cock-up of things and deserted, I see.(2) And just what exactly did you do with your shoes. I thought cigarettes were the only thing you peddled, but was it that you’d go so far as to sell everything on your person?”

Huanglim, the bastard, made a show of flapping the hem of his half-dry shirt.

“For our Jinie, a mere hundred bucks.”

“No thank you. Piss off.”

“The pants, a thousand dollars.”

“The hell’s it so expensive for? Is it actually a luxury brand, despite its look.”

“The lower half costs more than the top half, don’t y’know.”

The fuck was he saying. As that Huanglim bastard took a step towards me, Section Chief Song-nim’s eyes narrowed. Yerimie, too, her lips pressed tightly together, snatched up my wrist as though preparing to teleport us away at a moment’s notice. Seeing all of that, Huanglim laughed, spreading his hands wide.

“I really am here to sell wares.”

“Does it look like I was born yesterday.”

“Truly, I feel quite wronged–”

Huanglim quickly jumped backwards. In the same instant, a flash of fire struck down on the spot he’d been standing in, charring it black.

- 끼앙!

As Peace appeared, rubbing up against my ankles, Yoohyunie touched down on the scorched patch of blackened earth.

“Is it fine to kill him now?”

“Not while in front of Section Chief Song-nim.”

Huanglim, who had retreated to a position far away, let out a soundless laugh in my direction. Since there was no way he was actually here to just sell cigarettes. Just what was that bastard really up to.

“...let’s go check out the monster instead for now. Section Chief Song-nim, would you like to accompany us as well?”

“I will opt to remain stationed here, at this juncture.”

There were several Hunters still milling about, true–and more importantly, Sung Hyunjae for him to still consider. Peace grew to his full size. Yoohyunie settled in behind me on his back, and Yerimie floated up to hover alongside us as well.

“It’s huge.”

About a hundred meters from shore, the rounded form of a monster could be seen looming above the sea’s surface. It appeared to be a turtle-esque type, after all, and the exposed portion of the monster resembled a massive shell. Glinting tarnished gold below the rays of the setting sun, it certainly looked to be a formidable foe.

“Are all of you ready!”

Moon Hyuna roared, having been the first one to arrive on the beach. A stopwatch was held in her hand. As an S-rank Hunter who was sitting out of the raid attempts, she had been asked to help track the run times for the event.

The first team, a raid team comprising two S-rank Hunters and five A-rank Hunters, all took hold of their respective weapons.

“Without using your Skills yet, line up at the start line! And–go!”

쿵! As Moon Hyuna slammed the end of her spear into the ground, the raid party surged forward towards the monster. Instead of using a flying Skill–촤아악, disk-like constructs floated up above the water’s surface. As they quickly hopped across on the path of disks, the supports began to cast all of their Skills as well. Yoohyunie opened the lid of the lunchbox he had brought over.

“I’ll warm it up for you.”

“Me too, Han Yoohyun, do mine too. I’ll trade you ice for drinks, yeah?”

“No. It’s cold out.”

“Even if it’s chilly, sodas definitely need ice.”

“Hyung can have milk.”

But, I’d wanted something carbonated too....... Just then, the S-rank Hunter who’d managed to reach the monster first, swung their hammer in a powerful arc. The battle hammer, cloaked in a Skill, slammed into the shell of the monster and–

텅!

“Ugh!I”

The Hunter was sent flying high, alongside their hammer. Hmm, significant resilience properties. Most likely a Skill. Tricky, very tricky.

* * *

The sound of running water stopped. Pulling on a dressing gown, Sung Hyunjae stepped out of the bathroom. His hair was still soaked through with water. This kind of approach proved more effective on Han Yoojin, after all. He preferred the ones that showed a gap in their armor, who hinted at needing to be taken care of. Whether the one in question was a human, a monster, or an entity that resembled neither altogether.

“I don’t recall calling for a bath attendant.”

In the center of the living room in his private quarters, stood a figure. Though it had taken on a humanoid form, the feeling it gave off was far from being so. To be precise, it was something reminiscent of a Skill or an Item.

[ Why associate with them. ]

It asked him. Sung Hyunjae approached the thing with measured steps.

“A guest should offer up their name first, no.”

[ When you despise impasse, and rage at impotence. Those lowly things do not suit you. ]

Sung Hyunjae’s hand shot out and seized the thing’s neck. As it squirmed in his grip as though it meant to escape, razor-sharp magical energy tore at the hand squeezing its throat. First hand, then wrist, and then down to his elbow; shallow cuts littered his skin in long, scrawling lines. But even as crimson drops of blood dripped down his arm, Sung Hyunjae fixed the thing clenched in his fist with an unwavering stare.

“Not Chatterbox’s, it seems.”

Sung Hyunjae’s magical energy bore into the ensnared thing. Golden sparks crackled as he made to examine the thing in depth, surgical in his dissection.

“...nor Crescent Moon.”

But Crescent Moon was said to have retained several children. And so, there remained the possibility that it was one of them.

“There are already enough troublesome matters to deal with at hand here, you see.”

Sung Hyunjae mused, lifting his other hand to press against the thing’s head. His finger crooked; it drilled through the skull, into its head. Rather than blood, a black viscous fluid leaked out. And then–지이익, increasing the strength of his grip, he began to tear it to pieces.

[ Why shield them. ]

The thing, as it was slowly ripped apart, continued speaking.

[ An entity, such as yourself. Who would keep those things you deem insignificant beneath your heel. To act on your whims, regardless of the situation at hand. ]

“It appears that you hold some misconceptions.”

찌이익, the strips of what had been torn away collected at his feet. As its struggles increased, the blood that soaked his arms ran down to pool down by his feet as well.

“Pray tell–why should I feel opposed to experiencing rage, frustration, and dissatisfaction, exactly.”

Sung Hyunjae asked, sing-song, as though humming a small tune.

“It is simply what being alive entails, no. To only ever experience enjoyment, would surely be psychotic.”

Could a human being only capable of experiencing a singular emotion, truly be called ‘normal’. Surely, it only followed that what he was experiencing was a slow descent into madness. Or perhaps he had already even passed that threshold, long ago.

“It may be that some persons–or, perhaps, even the majority–wish for me to maintain my lofty position at the top, as an unwavering force.”

Acquiring, eliminating, then reamassing. The countless multitudes that had interacted with him in those many worlds. They were absent from his memories now, but that was how things would have turned out.

“But I’m quite pleased with every aspect of myself, you see.”

Though it might not suit some others’ purposes, it was of no consequence to Sung Hyunjae himself. It enabled for him a vibrant existence.

And so, even if he were to fall down to hit rock bottom, so long as it was something he himself had intended upon. Even that situation would be something he enjoyed to the fullest extent. So long as he still remained ‘Sung Hyunjae’, in whatever form that might entail.

찌이익, the last remaining piece was shredded into two long, tattered strips. The collected pool of disemboweled parts rippled lightly, like a small tar pit.

[ The more you do. ]

[ The faster you will decline. ]

[ So come, and find me. ]

The thing began to grow faint, before soon disappearing altogether. 파직, the small marble that had been left behind let off a spark. The shattered fragments of the marble had been scorched a deep black.

“So many pests, even in this sort of climate.”

Sung Hyunjae murmured, pouring a potion over the arm dripping blood. To wash up once more, or to simply head outside as he was. Both Han Yoojin, as well as Song Taewon, would likely provide him with an entertaining response.

Han Yoojin was likely to fret over him, in particular. Sung Hyunjae let out a long sigh. That Han Yoojin was an F-rank was both unfortunate, as well as a relief. If he had been even a bit stronger, it might’ve proved difficult for him to graciously hold himself in check, as he was doing now.

He intended to squeeze out the full spectrum of experiences Han Yoojin could offer, after all. Not simply the positives, of course, but all of the negatives as well.

“So, do survive a while longer yet.”

Placing a piece of the magical energy he’d just ripped away into the magic stone he’d long maintained, Sung Hyunjae smiled. Whether for Han Yoojin or himself–there was precious little time left.

- - - - -

(1) Student jumps off building on college entrance exam day

Nearly 40,000 Koreans die by suicide over past 3 years: data

Korea's top 30 ranked universities

Thousands of S Korean teachers rally for protection from abusive parents

'I’m a precious daughter': High school video fans public furor

Why the Korean job market is so inhumanly competitive when Korea has become one of the biggest economies in the past decade?

(2) refer to footnote 3 in ch 509 for why what yj said is a grave insult directed towards hl’s integrity as a man etc.

liette -> everyone | informal casual

noah -> liette | formal polite

myungwoo -> noah | informal casual

noah -> myungwoo | informal polite

yerimie -> yoojin | informal polite

yerimie ↔ yoohyunie | impolite casual

yoojin ↔ liette | impolite casual

yoojin -> yerimie | informal casual

yoojin ↔ yoohyunie | intimate casual

Using Korean: A Guide to Contemporary Usage

+ (Q&A)

Q) does water have a ‘fate’ that follows with its attribute too? i became curious after reading in the afterword that yerimie had the potential to grow to become akin to ‘pure’ water A) as fire is not a ‘characteristic’ compatible with living beings, initially, there were no corresponding ‘races’(species) that ‘embodied’ it; and even when they had emerged, they were considered exceedingly rare. however, though they don't present nearly to the extent that it does in ‘fire’, the other attributes have ‘traits’ characteristic of themselves as well. ‘water’, while capable of being ‘vast(open)’(넓게 퍼지며) and ‘enveloping(enfolding)’ many within its embrace (감싸 안지만), simultaneously ‘crushes(pressurizes)’(내리누르기) as well. and the more powerful the water attribute, the greater the instinct to dominate(subjugate)(지배적인 성향) becomes. in addition, as they accumulate more strength, there are cases where they become agitated when confined to more enclosed spaces. there’s a high likelihood that a more grown bak yerim will look to move towards wider pastures^^

+ (Q&A)

Q) yerimie’s initial-stage optimized Skill, ‘White Corpse’–what aspect or characteristic of yerimie was the Skill a manifestation of? A) it was a combination of bak yerim’s own original attributes and the memories of the past that she clung onto–where her parents were still alive–instead of the present, that gave rise to the mentioned outcome. because the bak yerim who existed pre-regression had already made the decision to stand alone by the time she had Awakened at an older age, she never ended up gaining a Skill similar to the ‘White Corpse’.

+ (Q&A)

Q) in the novel, it’s mentioned that, as far as ‘teas kept in the house that’s been boiled then cooled to drink’, yoojinie prefers barley tea, yoohyunie prefers barley tea too (because hyung does), and that yerimie likes brown rice tea; then, i was curious as to what teas the gyeol, seol, and byeol babies might prefer too, respectively! A) all three still prefer either Dungeon-sourced spring water, or the ‘clean’ water that bak yerim summons for them. in particular, han seol is less concerned with the taste associated with any form of sustenance, than its mana content; his sense of taste tends to be fairly dull^^

+ (Q&A)

Q) did yerimie want to be a Hunter even before awakening, or did she have a different future occupation in mind? A) most teenagers long to turn out to be an A-rank or higher Awakened^^ when bak yerim discussed Hunter-related matters with her peers, she would make mention of wanting to Awaken so I can become emancipated~. only, as becoming said A-rank or higher Hunter held odds equivalent to winning the lottery, it wasn’t ever a serious ‘future dream job’ in her mind. in bak yerim’s case, she was less concerned with a ‘dream job’, than she was preoccupied with her desire to escape from her living situation at home.

+ (Q&A)

Q) is Huanglim actually younger than section chief song-nim in age? is he in his 20s? A) he is younger than song taewon, and yes, in his 20s^^ specifically, as he’s unable to accurately pin down his own age (owing to the gap in knowledge re:himself), he considers himself to be somewhere between 20 to 30 years old.

+ (Q&A)

Q) are huanglim’s 18+ jokes and adult references born from experience, or is he just the type to bluster despite being inexperienced? personally, i’m partial to characters like huanglim who are sleazy but refreshing and also kind of empty(hollow)(?), so i was curious–is huanglim a character who has a lot of relationship(sexual) experience? A) re:his premise, the length of time he’s been able to experience things as himself has been brief, but the number of encounters tends to run on the higher side^^ because he couldn’t be certain how long his existence would go on for, he didn’t really restrain himself when it came to anything.

+ (Q&A)

Q) how strong is huanglim among the s-classes? i’m very curious, since there wasn’t a point in the novel where the Skills he holds were shown in full, nor did we see the top equipment in his possession, or a scene with a fight where his life hung in the balance! whether he’s the type to have stats that are min-maxed or more balanced, and how strong of a dps he would be if he'd had the opportunity to study his opponent in advance, and tailor his approach accordingly by ‘renting’ the appropriate counter-Skills etc! since he has a laid-back air that suggests he’s unconcerned about losing his life in a match-up against even a born s-rank, it made me feel even more curious! A) huanglim is akin to a specialist-defense type^^ as the Gardener is a defense-type, both huanglim and song taewon, who have received His influence, possess high defense-type specs. however, as song taewon also holds the Eclipse That Which Swallows All, his close-combat ability charts higher; huanglim’s specialist trait, too, is a product of the environment he’d been brought up in. as a powerful defense-type, huanglim possesses high physical stats. unlike song taewon, who was stunted from reaching his full growth by his self-suppressive tendencies, he’s quite tall, and built as well. but despite being hardy and possessing remarkable recovery abilities, like the Gardener, his offensive capabilities are fairly poor. however, he’s able to gain roundabout access to attack Skills via his copy Skill, and there are several Skills he’s managed to master after repeated practice in his arsenal. as huanglim has done this with many of the Skills belonging to the Hunters he’s allied with, so long as he prepares diligently in advance, he would probably place close to the top of the rankings for s-ranks who are well-balanced in both offense and defense capabilities. particularly, as–once a few conditions are met–he’s able to switch between defense and offense configurations, as well as heal, then switch to using support Skills too, he makes for a particularly difficult opponent.

+ (Q&A)

A) sung hyunjae tends to keep a regular sleep schedule of five hours at minimum, to eight plus hours of sleep per day. while some of this can be attributed to how things are at least less tedious when he’s asleep, his physical state plays a greater hand in it. by dint of the subconscious instinct to ‘defrag’ his accumulated experiences, when he does sleep, he’s a sound sleeper. he is capable of experiencing dreams as well.

#498화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 6 months

Text

494.So Then, You Assholes Hand It Over (1)

그러니 댁들이 내놔 (1)

The main hall was considerably vast, dotted with rounded tables that seated four people each sprawled about in deliberately spaced intervals. Many of them congregating in one place was sure to invite a fight breaking out, and there were individuals with sour relations who would end up bristling simply from a chance encounter with the other as well. As a result, each table held what had been deemed to be relatively harmonious pairings, as far as seating was concerned. While there wasn’t a rule that mandated they stay tethered to their assigned seat, per se, having a designation saying this is your spot, here would at least subconsciously encourage a passive inclination to stay put.

“Though Section Chief Song-nim being seated at Sung Hyunjae’s side is, of course, to be expected–why’ve I been thrown in with this lot too, huh.”

Moon Hyuna groused lightly. The table was another four-seater, but there were only three names written: ‘Sung Hyunjae’, ‘Song Taewon’, and ‘Moon Hyuna’. Pulling out a chair for Sung Hyunjae, Moon Hyuna dropped into a polite bow from her waist.

“Please–do take a seat, Princess-nim.”

“How so very chivalric of you. Will the Breaker Guild Leader be stepping into the role of my Prince, today.”

“Nowadays, the trend is for princess-nims to be self-sufficient, if you didn’t know. Now–for our hardworking second-in-line Princess-nim too.”

As Moon Hyuna spoke, taking the initiative pulling out the chair for him as well, Song Taewon hung back, struggling to articulate a response. Even having spent several years fraternizing with the two already, he still found it difficult to play along with their strange jokes. In particular–as he was unable to simply ignore her outright the way he could with Sung Hyunjae, he found dealing with her to be especially precarious.

“...I appreciate the offer, however, remaining standing will enable myself to carry out a more thorough surveillance of the hall.”

“This is all the Firstborn’s fault, you know. Because the Firstborn’s so willful, the Second’s even more uptight.”

“What an outrageous accusation. When I love and cherish the Secondborn Princess-nim so dearly.”

“Your glib tongue hasn’t gone anywhere, I see. Section Chief Song-nim, fancy another drink?”

“I’m afraid I will have to decline.”

“Aw, don’t be like that, why don’t you have another glass. Honestly, Section Chief Song-nim, you should be getting appropriately plastered on occasion. So long as you remain sober as usual, you’ll be unable to call forth those things you keep inside, right.”

Saying that, while excessive drinking might be harmful, people needed to let loose at least once or so, Moon Hyuna poured out a full glass of wine. That leaving things to just fester, would only cause regular functioning to deteriorate into a toxic state.

“...for today, I will have to decline.”

“One of these days, I’m going to arrange a night with something especially potent brewed up in store.”

“That being said, just where might our youngest Princess-nim be.”

Sung Hyunjae asked idly, flicking his name card with the tip of a finger. Picking up her glass, Moon Hyuna took a brief sip to moisten her lips before answering.

“Now, the Seseung Guild Leader-nim should hardly be concerning himself with such matters. No matter how adorable you might find our youngest Princess-nim. Kindly butt out of it.”

“Isn’t it only natural, that the Firstborn should love the Youngest so.”

“...don’t say that kind of shit, you’ll put me off my wine. ‘Love’, what a farce. Though, if Director Han-nim was my dongsaeng, he might seem pretty cute, I admit. No, wait–if he really were my dongsaeng, then most likely he’d probably earn himself a slap on the back at least once or twice a day.”

Moon Hyuna grimaced, backtracking quickly. Swiveling her head, she scanned her eyes around the hall.

“It looks like our Yerimie is quite popular.”

Just as Moon Hyuna had said, there were numerous Hunters indicating interest in Bak Yerim. The clip of a young, recently-Awakened Hunter easily rebuffing a vastly more experienced S-rank Hunter had already made the rounds worldwide, by that point. In addition, Bak Yerim was also the first S-rank Hunter to be affiliated with a private guild, rather than a corporate entity holding some special purpose. Due to that arrangement, certain individuals were jockeying to win her over with the promise of more favorable conditions.

“Ah, I don’t really know English very well~.”

Of course, Bak Yerim brushed off every single one of their attempts with nary a flinch.

“We would provide you with an Interpretation Item, of course.”

“But that wouldn’t work with written text, right, sir. Feel free to give me a call once you’ve changed your national language over to Korean, then, please. I only know how to write in Korean.”

Saying that she had no plans to learn English going forward either, she shook her head in dissent. As she took off far up into the air to make an exit from the conversation, numerous sets of eyes followed Bak Yerim. Counted among them were ones who were simply watching her with a purely doting gaze, too. Though most high-ranked Hunters–and S-rank Hunters in particular–tended to be on the younger side, typically their twenties, the ones in their teens were rare, after all. And among the S-rank Hunters, Bak Yerim was the youngest as well.

“The Blacksmith won’t be attending, then?”

“Since he might be a high-ranking Hunter, but he’s not a combat type. If only because the situation might turn risky, they wouldn’t send him here.”

“But the Rearing Facility Director’s Stats are low, too.”

There were some who were looking for Yoo Myungwoo, too. Though countless Hunters had sent their regards after he’d managed to produce an S-rank weapon, he tended to avoid accepting commissions that originated from overseas. And as he only created equipment when the urge struck him when it came to domestic Hunters as well, there were throngs of individuals looking to forge some sort of connection with him, in any way possible.

It wasn’t that there wasn’t dissatisfaction around Yoo Myungwoo’s attitude, but it was true that any outcome would’ve still fallen short of expectations regardless. As a result, even when confronted by a cold reception, it would be hand-waved away as eccentric conduct that was par for the course for a master craftsman.

However, as the Rearing Facility Director was the host of the gathering taking place that day, there were many who were waiting on Han Yoojin’s entrance as well. This was primarily because rumor had already spread among the Hunters that there was a method to raise a high-rank mount, without any specialized Skill involved. Thanks to that, the already exorbitant price baby monsters had fetched had taken another steep increase. In fact, there had even been Hunter teams formed with the sole purpose of capturing baby monsters as of late.

“Shouldn’t he’ve shown his face by now.”

“He might not end up dropping in at all, honestly. His Stats are F-rank, right.”

Perhaps he would simply appear via recording or livestream to communicate with them, a few Hunters murmured amongst themselves. Though he might be surrounded by numerous S-rank Hunters, it would still be a difficult feat for an F-rank to appear before a crowd of unfamiliar high-ranked Awakened. For lower-ranked Awakened and un-Awakened, the fear they felt towards a high-ranked Hunter could be largely dispelled through prolonged and repeated exposure to the individual. This meant, however, that an unfamiliar high-ranked Hunter would inevitably bypass whatever immunity had been built up till that point. Since, even if you feel unafraid of your own family’s large-breed dog–who could only ever be adorable in your eyes–it didn’t mean that you’d feel the same when confronted with an unfamiliar large dog growling in your direction. Consequently, it wouldn’t have been undue to expect to see him show a cowed appearance, or to forgo making an appearance altogether.

As the mutterings prevailed, discontent gradually started to pervade their words. If it hadn’t been for the detour necessary at the wharf, there probably would’ve been open callouts of how they’d been made to wait long enough already being issued forth.

As the atmosphere began to buzz with a restless quality, 끼이이익. A door slowly creaked open. It was the door at the top of the twin staircases that split to ascend down from either side in a steep curve, to the center of the hall. As the ornate door–perfectly positioned to draw the viewers’ eyes–swung wide open, a figure walked out.

스르륵– The fluttering tip of a long veil trailed down, grazing against the floor. A black veil, about three to four meters long and decorated with white roses, and a white mask that covered the bottom half of their face. A black suit, accompanied by a white jabot. A crimson flower was nestled in the breast pocket, and branches of ferns dangled from their white glove-clad hands.

For the majority, ‘what a peculiar getup’ was the extent of their interest in the matter. Yet, here and there, there were responses from a few that differed starkly.

“It’s not a bad choice to’ve elected to conceal his expression, but.”

“What’s with the veil.”

The Hunters who were clueless regarding the ensemble’s significance murmured amongst themselves. The general consensus seemed to be that, while it was an appearance that belied expectations, it wasn’t one that was viewed as being too outlandish a choice. Particularly since Hunters who followed a set ‘concept’(1) weren’t too far in between, and there were cases where one’s signature weapon made one stand out, despite wishing for a mundane life, after all.

“Hyung-nim was real embarrassed about that, y’know?”

Moon Hyuna whispered in a faint voice. At her query on whether it didn’t suit him better than you’d expect, Song Taewon nodded accommodatingly, replying yes, it seems so; yet, his expression hard, Sung Hyunjae gave no response.

Chatterbox.

Why Han Yoojin might have shown up while wearing Chatterbox’s appearance–that much was easy enough to ascertain. It would’ve been to root out those individuals who were acquainted with that appearance. If someone bearing the same appearance as Chatterbox were to suddenly appear, then even unconsciously, one would be likely to betray a reaction different from the others around them.

But even as he knew that, it didn’t lessen the summoned feeling of loathing.

“...hardly, in my eyes.”

“How unexpected, you rating hyung-nim so low. Or is it that the Seseung Guild Leader’s preference actually lies with hot pink yarn?”

Wouldn’t it be funny, if that really got spread around and some people actually started showing up dressed up in hot pink, snickered Moon Hyuna, grinning; but unlike his usual self, Sung Hyunjae didn’t provide any retort. And then, the subject of his revulsion.

“How do you do, everyone.”

The mask fell away, and Han Yoojin’s face was revealed. From the tips of the fingertips the mask dangled from, to the bow his head dipped into as the mask was taken away. Every little movement was imbued with an elegant quality that departed from his normal conduct. A smile drew across the even paler visage revealed behind the white mask.

“First, I’d like to convey my thanks that you’d come all the way out here.”

Moving towards the staircase with leisurely steps, Han Yoojin hooked a finger under the jabot. 툭, the large flower-like tie was discarded by his feet, and the buttons along the collar of his shirt was loosened one by one. 탁, 탁. Undone with unerring precision to the time of his steps, he came to a stop at the top of the landing; a gloved hand stroked up the column of his throat.

After a gentle press under the lobes of his ears, his fingers swept back down. Simultaneously–사르륵, a crimson pattern thrummed into view. The stark lines that appeared, extending down below his nape, commanded the absolute attention of everyone in the room.

The high-ranked Hunters–particularly the S-rank Hunters–watched Han Yoojin unblinkingly, transfixed as though they’d even forgotten to breathe. All of them felt the same unnerving sensation of dread. It was akin to the experience of having come face-to-face with a powerful monster–but at the same time, not. There was the anticipation that wracked the body, and the goosebumps that followed; but unlike a monster, it didn’t feel like they could lift a finger against the one before them.

It was the sensation of being a mouse that had known nothing but the turning of the wheel in its cage, one day becoming conscious of the giant eye peering down in observation.

And the disgust Sung Hyunjae felt.

“.......”

Reached its pinnacle. Unlike the other Hunters, what grated at him wasn’t merely the energy emitted by that particular mark. No; it carried its own loathsome feeling, but among those assembled there, Sung Hyunjae alone was aware of its significance–what that crimson mark meant.

This knowledge was something that didn’t exist in his–Sung Hyunjae’s–memories. But for some reason, he was able to comprehend it. The mark that was carved onto Han Yoojin.

The Sorcerer’s Sacrifice(2).

The moment he realized, his insides began to burn. He drew a hand over his mouth to cover the sneering expression that rose, spurred by both from the disgust evoked by a memory that didn’t exist, as well as the situation at hand. The heat in his chest felt far away, as though it was happening to a stranger.

“...the hell’s with that.”

Moon Hyuna mumbled, unable to tear her eyes away from Han Yoojin. Her brows had drawn taut in a dark scowl as well. Song Taewon, too, was focused on Han Yoojin–to such an extent, that he’d yet to take note of Sung Hyunjae’s condition. Song Taewon’s hand, resting on the top of the table, had clenched into a tight fist at some point. His lips were pressed grimly together, the faint grinding of teeth audible.

The two had already been informed of everything in advance. And yet, it remained a struggle to restrain themselves, still.

Under that heavy atmosphere, Sung Hyunjae let out a shallow breath. Unbidden, Hwanglim’s words rose to the fore of his mind. Sung Hyunjae’s lips twisted in a crooked smile.

‘I’d also been quite excessively…….’

Indolent. Though it may have been absent from his memories, the existence called Sung Hyunjae could, in a way, be said to have been continually robbed. Of everything.

He had no memories. His Skills and Titles, because of recursion, would be taken away, leaving behind only a scant few. The chain that wove around his person, too, was something that had been bequeathed from that pilferer.

And even now. His life and death in the present had already been lost to him once, before being returned.

The crooked slant of his lips transitioned into an easy smile. With what might be construed as a gentle look in his eyes, Sung Hyunjae gazed up at Han Yoojin.

* * *

‘Seems real effective.’

Despite being an incredibly humiliating and mortifying ordeal, that was to say. Chatterbox, you bastard, that it was formal wear was fine. A frilly necktie, well, it might be overbearing, but since it was formal wear after all. The mask, well… But even if I was able to get past that hurdle, what was with the fucking veil, huh, the veil. And on top of that, it was a rose-patterned veil. I’d never imagined that I’d ever come into the possession of a rose veil, much less be settling it over my own head, not even in my wildest dreams. Goddamn Chatterbox asshole, why were his preferences like this?

It hadn’t been my intention to go undercover as Chatterbox myself, at the beginning. I’d planned on using a doll, or a substitute instead. Since, when it came to myself, there was my height to consider, and even if there was a corset involved, my body was hardly skeletal enough to be comparable anyway. But with the Mark that Chatterbox had left taken into account, it had worked out so that the plan would prove most effective with me being the one going undercover.

‘That should’ve rooted most of them out.’

Maintaining a smile on my face, I looked down upon the crowd, beyond the balcony rails. All around the hall, cameras had been installed to face in every orientation. Once that footage had been combed through, it would be a simple matter to pinpoint the ones that had been approached by Chatterbox.

Firstly, the ones who had shown a reaction just upon sighting Chatterbox’s apparel would be the ones who had met with him in person. Then, the ones who responded to the Mark would be the ones who had received an invitation, and then contracted with him. Even from my current position overlooking the room, it was easy to spy a few attendees who were reacting differently from those around them.

‘...though I might’ve gone a bit overboard, emphasizing the Mark with Chatterbox’s power like that.’

I’d repressed as much of my magical energy as possible around the area of the Mark and, with Noah-ssi’s help, amplified the traces of Chatterbox’s presence that had been left behind. Noah-ssi had regarded me with a dubious expression as he’d retreated from me, and the other Hunters were also showing reactions that went beyond my expectations.

Because it seemed like the atmosphere was beginning to flow in a direction that might end up with a few people even drawing weapons out against me, I swiftly called forth my own magical power. The moment Chatterbox’s Mark was blotted out, the tension in the air immediately released. Surveying the Hunters below, who appeared faintly apprehensive yet, I breathed ou…– ugh, my waist felt way too tight. Letting out a breath, I resumed my footsteps, advancing alongside the railing.

“It appears I’ve managed to startle everyone somewhat. Of course–this much is probably nothing for high-ranked Awakened, such as yourselves.”

Like Chatterbox would be the only one. Outside, it was teeming with all sorts of Transcendents. It was just that Chatterbox happened to be the one that pissed me off the most, out of the handful I had met. There was a subtly off-putting quality about him that rankled at my subconscious.

Before I stepped onto the first stair, I discarded the veil. That very moment, with a flourish of viridian willow leaves, Yoohyunie lept into the air; and with light steps, landed beyond the railings, at my back. Catching the discarded veil as it fluttered down and utilizing the window of opportunity afforded under its cover, he used the brief moment the fabric hid us from sight to discreetly slip a hand inside my clothes from behind, slitting my corset open. As I felt the corset loosen, instantly, its presence disappeared without a trace. Irin had stolen inside as well, to swallow it whole.

I could finally feel comfortable. Well, then. Who among those assembled here, might be our invitation holders.

- - - - -

(1)

(2)

mha → shj, stw | informal casual

shj → mha | informal casual

stw → mha | polite formal (respectful)

yj → crowd | polite formal

history of feminism radicalization in Korea

the real reason south koreans aren't having babies

why so many South Korean women are refusing to date, marry or have kids

young South Korean man arrested after assaulting a female clerk. he regarded her as a feminist because of her short haircut (Nov 2023)

Shillim park attack (Aug 2023)

Gangnam murder (2016)

the connotation 'corset' carries as symbolism seems to be pretty mainstream, enough so that it's even utilized in ITZY's song RINGO (lyric vid linked in title for the usual easter egg), despite being a jp release (or maybe because it's a non-domestic market, where the reference wouldn't be picked up as easily..):

‘Parasite’ Star Lee Sun-kyun Removed From Upcoming Movie ‘No Way Out’ Amid Police Probe Over Suspected Drug Use

Is it better to feign not being able to speak Korean? If so, when? If not, when?

What is dating like today for females in their late 20's to 30's?

Project Moon's answers to the brought up issues by the KR community and the notice on firing the concerned illustrator

Press conference article from the Gyeonggi Youth Union on the PM situation

ZEROBASEONE’s Kim Gyu Vin Apologizes For His Choice Of Words In Recent Posts

Is there a term/phrase that's similar to "crazy cat lady" in Korean?

‘Absurd how Korea treats its people’: English signage fad alienates older Koreans

Korean language states the obvious?

I’m confused with Korean titles so I have a question (호칭)

#494화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 6 months

Text

RIDI Checkout Guide

resurrecting for a day bc i forgot that the site isn't in eng... scraped this together for now, will be followed by a cleaner guide posted by my silly rabbit once he's got more time

Account Creation

highlighted is new acct registration, login button is to the right:

clicking it will take you to this page:

use the last option to register an account using email address, and fill out the form that appears using this handy reference:

Buying Chapters

once your acct is set up, you can go ahead and search for the series listing like so:

by typing '내가 키운 S급들' into the search field. (alternatively: click here.) the [e북] option will have the chs bundled into volumes, while the second option will let you select individual chs to checkout with:

just hit the '선택 소장' button when you're ready. that'll take you to the sale preview page, where you can select your payment method (which, unless you live in korea, is going to be '해외 발행 신용카드'):

press '결제하기' (after checking the box) to move to the payment page. they'll ask you for the card number:

exp date:

and then CVV2:

+ there's a 'Ridi point 2x' event that happens monthly from the 1st - 3rd (a little '캐시충전(x2)' badge will show up at the top right corner, as in the search bar ss above), so you can also 'charge' points there to get more value for your money:

13 notes · View notes

dbgdbw · 7 months

Text

509.The Weapon Of Choice Has To Be

무기는 역시

In a large, empty room, two people appeared. Han Yoohyun and Song Taewon calmly proceeded to survey their surroundings. On one wall, there was a line of text–’Please stand by’–that pulsed with a faint light. It appeared to be a waiting room, of sorts.

Briskly donning his Coat, Han Yoohyun began taking stock of his equipment. His demeanor was as though he were about to face off against a high-level Dungeon or monster, with painstaking attention being applied.

“...Hunter Han Yoohyun.”

“It will not be an easy feat.”

Han Yoohyun replied, taking out an Item with poison-resistance properties.

“Since there’s no way Hyung would have proposed such a disadvantageous bet, without a contingency.”

“I will concede that as well. However, considering the parameters at present, it will be close to impossible for Han Yoojin-ssi to pull off a victory.”

Song Taewon began looking over his own equipment as well. The most useful objects seemed to be a wire, and a pair of handcuffs–both of which had been very nearly forced on him by Han Yoojin. Would it be fine to take these two with him, for this. Wouldn’t he have to return them to him before he departed.

“At present, Han Yoojin-ssi possesses F-rank Stats, while Hunter Sung Hyunjae has dropped to a B-rank. Even if he were to make use of the DPS Skill doubling ability, they would be hard-pressed to rebuff just myself in an altercation.”

On top of that, Han Yoojin presently lacked the Changeling that could buff him to the level of an S-rank. Eunhae, as well as other Items, and his poison-curse resistance would still be accessible, but it would be effectively impossible to snatch victory away from two S-ranks with only those in his repertoire.

“Only, there is the possibility that the environment here will prove to be advantageous to Han Yoojin-ssi.”

Song Taewon gazed towards one of the room’s walls, as though searching for an entryway that didn’t exist.

“If it should turn out that this area is one that has been overrun with poisons and curses at S-rank or higher, then simply waiting us out while remaining hidden would prove to be sufficient.”

“Poison can be incinerated.”

Had it been a venom that infiltrated the body proper through a wound, the outcome may have been uncertain; however, simple poisons would hardly be capable of harming Han Yoohyun. Wielding his fire, he could simply incinerate all of its traces. As poison tended to be weak to fire besides, with Han Yoohyun’s current power level, he would be capable of calling forth an SS-rank or higher flame to burn everything away.

Giving a small nod, Song Taewon took out a flame-resistance Item and equipped it. If Sung Hyunjae’s Skill level had also been dropped to B-rank, then it would be possible to withstand his attacks even without an Item with resistance properties equipped. Therefore, with Han Yoohyun–and not to mention, Han Yoojin’s bombs–taken into account, it would be advisable to favor the flame-resistance at this juncture.

“When Hyung’s jacket and shoes combine with his camouflaging Skill, it becomes increasingly difficult to triangulate his position. If he were to utilize the Cookie as well, even an S-rank would struggle to notice his approach.”

As Han Yoohyun recounted how he had utilized the Cookie and the Doppelganger Doll prior to pull off a feint, Song Taewon watched him silently for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Would you, Hunter Han Yoohyun, not be better off simply providing support in this situation.”

When met with an incredulous look, Song Taewon elaborated.

“Though it may hardly be my place to be saying such, it is my desire that Han Yoojin-ssi experience the least amount of harm possible. Therefore, I would opine also that Hunter Han Yoohyun, as the one who will remain by his side, should be refraining from taking a proactive stance during this engagement.”

“First, Hyung is formidable. Please discard any notion that this will be a certain victory.”

Han Yoohyun replied bluntly.

“At the same time, Hyung holds a tendency towards self-deprecation. Were I to limit my participation in this endeavor, there is a likelihood that it will, in fact, increase the difficulty involved.”

If he sensed that he wasn’t being taken seriously, if he lost in that kind of situation; the self-reproach he experienced would only worsen. As a result, Han Yoohyun had judged that the two S-ranks putting forth their full effort, would be the better alternative.

“Even when up against an opponent vastly stronger than oneself, so long as the fight is a fair match, even a loss will conclude in one’s heart feeling less burdened–is what I had been told. Is that not the case?”

Eyes like glass, devoid of any emotion, regarded Song Taewon. A completely different set of eyes, than when he was beside Han Yoojin. In Han Yoojin’s presence, Han Yoohyun was capable of passing as a ‘normal’ person; but at the same time, it was that very juxtaposition which also made him feel far less human.

“That… is feasible, certainly. Particularly so where Han Yoojin-ssi is concerned, perhaps.”

“And as Hyung has accepted me, this much should be permissible. Because even if I behave in a way contrary to human standards, he’ll still try to understand me. Of course, I’m putting in my fair share of work as well.”

Without having to perpetually repress himself as he had done in the past, fulfilling Han Yoojin’s wants as well simultaneously. Bak Yerim in particular was proving to be an ideal surveillance subject.

As Bak Yerim had been picking up Han Yoohyun’s combat style and workplace conduct, Han Yoohyun had also been observing with keen eyes the robustly sentimental lifestyle Bak Yerim led, so unlike his own. More than anything, that she was another blood-tied Nurtured at the same level, who also lived with Han Yoojin, was proving helpful in a number of ways.

Han Yoohyun’s lips pulled into a soft smile. The lifeless, doll-like visage bloomed with vitality. Contained within his gently curved eyes was Hyung, out of view from this place.

“...Hunter Han Yoohyun, you.”

Song Taewon bit back words. In a different way than Sung Hyunjae, Han Yoohyun too felt alien, and difficult to comprehend. Without Han Yoojin, all he became was an emotionless S-rank Hunter. However, by virtue of Han Yoojin’s existence, he became suffused with a brilliant light.

And then–with ‘Sung Hyunjae’ and ‘Han Yoojin’ brought to mind, Song Taewon’s teeth clenched unconsciously once more. Deliberately, he forced himself to turn away from the emotion curled in on itself, within the deep recess of his heart.

“Like Han Yoojin-ssi very much, I see.”

Ultimately, he glossed it over with banal words. A smile still gracing his face, Han Yoohyun nodded.

“Yes. I’m in love with him.”(1)

Song Taewon turned his head away, as though burdened. The urge to flee from this situation came over him.

[ 10:00 ]

Just then, the letters indicating that they should prepare themselves shifted into numbers. As it had changed to include markers for seconds, it appeared that it was indicating the waiting period would be over in ten minutes’ time.

“It will be advisable to attempt to conclude this quickly.”

Han Yoohyun said, sucking in a short breath.

“Hyung may have been the one to make the bet, but it is still an aberration that lies outside of our established plans. The longer this is drawn out, the more likely it is to prove to be disadvantageous further on.”

“...Yes.”

Resolutely attempting to cast off those thoughts, Song Taewon began winding the wire around his arm. It would all be over soon enough, at any rate. He would be departing, and Han Yoojin would live on. And after a brief memorial, those around Song Taewon would also move on as well.

The familiar faces they had encountered in the Christmas Nightmare Dungeon came to his mind. Now, there should be a solitary black sheep counted among them as well. And Han Yoojin would be the one to conscientiously care for the ones he'd left behind.

That would have to be enough. He couldn't afford to be any greedier than that.

“Songie, he–... No, it’s nothing.”

Was it because the weather had turned cold recently. Lately, he had been trying to climb up onto the bed to sleep. He liked to trot along the top of the back of the sofa, too. Maybe because his wool was black, it seemed like he felt more secure when snugly cloistered by other black-colored objects. He didn’t mind taking baths, but disliked getting his wool wet in the rain. He’d either make a big loop around a muddy puddle, or come begging to be picked up instead.

“Concerning the young lamb, please pass along to Han Yoojin-ssi that he should exercise caution if it attempts to nibble at his fingers. It is accustomed to my own.”

Because he couldn’t allow him to come to harm, or let him cause harm, he mustered the words. 5 minutes, then 3 minutes, then 1 minute. The two exchanged words in a low conversation. Barring the topic of the little lamb, it was solely focused on combat strategy, and their plan of action.

[ 00:00 ]

The blinking timer vanished. And then, a message window appeared in front of the two.

[ All Awakened will hereby be turned into non-Awakened. ]

Han Yoohyun and Song Taewon’s eyes grew wide.

* * *

“This wasn’t what I’d had in mind!”

The environment before us shifted, and a room enclosed by walls on all sides took shape. It was a waiting room. Letting out a deep sigh, I turned back to look at Sung Hyunjae.

“Don’t laugh.”

“How cruel. And besides, a smiling face is more pleasing to look upon, no.”

Yeah, you’re good-looking, whatever.

“If your rank’s dropped, shouldn’t your visuals(2) have plummeted correspondingly as well, sir?”

“There was little that changed post-Awakening, you see. Aside from a slight growth spurt.”

…though Yoohyunie had been handsome to begin with too, so. Even if there were slight differences that could be attributed to the age difference.

“180s?”

“Over 190 at least, naturally.”

“Good-for-fucking-you!”

Of course, other S-ranks didn’t tend to grow more than 10 centimeters or so either, so long as they’d Awakened past their mid-twenties, but the younger kids in their teens or early twenties tended to shoot up in stature still. Yoohyunie and Yerimie were both steadily growing, too. Would Noah-ssi grow a bit more as well, maybe?

“I would so dearly love to crack open that preeminent skull of yours, sir, to see what kind of mental calculations might be in there. Look at you, having a grand ol’ time! Even though you’re in that kind of shabby state!”

“Do calm yourself.”

“You really think I’m gonna calm down right now! My poor future. You’re straining my neck, so sit down, sir! The hell are you brainlessly standing around for!”

Sung Hyunjae docilely took a seat on the ground. Watching him sit while hugging his knees, I felt my frustration boiling over. The fuck did he need to sit like that for.

“Are you attempting to appear pitiful right now, sir?”

“The floor is so very cold. With these B-rank Stats, the chill creeps steadily in.”

“So F-ranks should just freeze to death then, I guess! Hell, if your Stats are in that kind of shape, then you could’ve called Evelyn-ssi and asked her to protect you or something. Why on earth were you stupidly sitting there by yourself, sir? Even if you can’t be killed, do you have any idea what might’ve befallen on you still? When there are so many S-ranks on this island!”

“Hunter Miller’s bedside manners are frankly nonexistent, you see.”

“Then Soyoung-ssi at least, sir!”

“Soyoungie possesses less foresight than one might expect, and would likely opt to engage in combat.”

“What a series of gre~at life decisions you’ve made till now, huh, Sung Hyunjae!”

Don’t fucking laugh! Why were you laughing! How could you even laugh in this sort of situation! Yeah, alright, so proceeding himself had probably been the safest option available after all. Since unless they knew about Sung Hyunjae’s condition, they were unlikely to be able to muster the courage to approach him in the first place anyway. When working up the nerve to approach him in a cafeteria even resulted in bread crusts being dropped into your hands, how many people would be capable of going up to his office to knock on the door.

I let out a series of heartfelt sighs. How had things ended up in this state, honestly.

“Initially, I’d hoped to gain some advantage from the esteemed Seseung guild leader. Well, I suppose I did reap my fair share of perks, with that being said, sir, but. …maybe I should just throw you away here. You’re only a B-rank, right.”

“Yoojin-ah…….”

“Oh, don’t bother pretending to be pathetic. I can clearly see you grinning. This is fun for you, huh? Huh? When other people are going through a crisis!”

“That, I shall extend an apology for.”

“Fuck, even though you know I can’t just let go!”

I gave Sung Hyunjae’s leg a hard kick. Of course, it only ended up hurting my foot more, but he should at least feel some kind of sensation too, right. As I kicked him again, Sung Hyunjae took out a handkerchief. Taking the offered object, I roughly scrubbed my eyes. The area around my eyes stung, and my chest felt tight, too.

“I can’t give up on this, sir. Even if I’m labeled as idiotic, and get subject to abuse. That we’ll all be doomed like this, and some things are just impossible, no matter how much I might regret it to death.”

“Of course.”

“Don’t ‘of course’ me! Is this the behavior of someone who’s self-aware? While Section Chief Song-nim might’ve gone too far too, you’re not any better than him, either!”

But Yoohyunie… When compared to pre-regression, he was doing loads better. In any case, when I was already flipping out because of my dongsaeng, these assholes just had to go and… Were they hoping to make me flip out again so I’d end up right-side-back-up, I wondered.

“If you’re going to push anything off to me, it should be an inheritance! I don’t need anything other than that! This damn bastard, when you already know very well……!”

Massaging my aching temples, I took deliberate, measured breaths. Let’s calm down. Since even a year’s worth of yelling still wouldn’t be enough, let’s calm down for now.

“I do have more to say to Section Chief Song-nim, too, but since he’s not here at the moment.”

“Then, my turn–”

“Isn’t over yet, sir. Throw out any thoughts you have of turning tail, as we’ll be going up against Yoohyunie and Section Chief Song-nim.”

As I was reminded of this myself, I felt overcome with bleak helplessness yet again. Why did it have to be those two, of all people. Rising from his seat, Sung Hyunjae looked towards me.

“It should hardly draw out any longer than a minute, I imagine.”

“If it’s a straight fight, probably under 30 seconds. No, 10 seconds. It’ll take 10 seconds to approach us.”

If there was a significant enough distance between us, we might be able to flee for 5 seconds more. I took a look at our surroundings, but the only things that came into view were the walls and the ceiling. I didn’t know how the outside of the room might look, either. Just.

“Go ahead and thoroughly empty out your inventory, sir.”

That there was still a fighting chance. I began to take out everything in my inventory, for starters. Sung Hyunjae, too, began to take this and that out.

“You’re still holding onto that spatula, sir? Is that goddamn ball of yarn multiplying in your inventory, or what. The hell’s with this commemorative towel, when did you even grab this.”

“There’s a Peace doll that’s capable of entering inventories, as well.”

“Is this a rent-a-locker? Huh? A warehouse?”

“The bike I’d gifted, I see. And what might that basket be.”

“It’s a laundry basket, sir–very handy.”

I said, dropping down an armful of firearms. Aside from the Leopard Cat Gun, the assembled firearms were all low-rank equipment.

“Do you have experience operating a firearm, sir? Have you served?”

“Though I might look like this, I was in the marine corps, mind.”

“...for real, sir?”

“I wonder.”

I couldn’t believe it. Considering that he was laughing, it seemed like it’d been in jest–so did you finish your military service, or not.(3) As assorted items came to be littered across the floor, a 10-minute countdown had appeared on the wall. Unconsciously, I swallowed, my throat dry.

“Once 10 minutes have passed, sir, we’ll become non-Awakened.”

Sung Hyunjae showed a faintly startled expression.

“To be precise, we’ll be swapped into bodies that match the parameters. Reminiscent of the Dungeon in Japan, it’s a kind of artificial avatar-body system. That’s why it’s safe, too, sir. I wheedled Chatterbox into it by selling it as a no-Skill, no-Stat, pure combat-ability matchup. Initially, I’d planned on using it to suppress the S-ranks that had been invited here by Chatterbox.”

Without Skills or Stats, just simple man versus man.

“Of course, S-ranks tend to have been in outstanding physical condition even prior to Awakening. However–having something you’d taken for granted suddenly taken away has a bigger impact than you’d expect, as it turns out, sir. And they all tend to be juiced up with buffing Skills, too. They should have a more difficult time adjusting to becoming non-Awakened than an unremarkable F-rank, for example.”

Stats were one thing, yes; but they’d no longer be able to use their Skills, either. It meant that the battle parameters they’d been acclimated to up till this point would undergo a complete transformation.

“Just like how it’s difficult to restrain one’s strength immediately after Awakening, they should struggle to adjust to the change, sir. If things work out normally, I mean. On top of that, equipment will turn into ordinary items, and the inventory will be blocked off too. Compared to us, who were able to prepare beforehand, sir, they’ll be at a definite disadvantage.”

The issue was.

“But Yoohyunie and Section Chief Song-nim… are kind of outliers, huh, sir. Particularly Section Chief Song-nim.”

“As Song Taewon is hardly predisposed to rely on equipment or Skills from the onset, indeed.”

“He’ll probably acclimate quickly, too, sir. Yoohyunie as well, of course.”

In the end, it was difficult to say that we would hold an advantage still. And during that span, the time had trickled away even more. I tossed a gun towards Sung Hyunjae.

“At any rate, when it comes to a fight between non-Awakened.”

“Guns are the answer, of course.”

Yoohyun-ah, hyung is sorry. Section Chief Song-nim–this time, I’m not sorry.

- - - - -

(1) “예. 사랑하고 있습니다.”

this particular phrasing (‘사랑하고 있습니다’) also gets used when you’re disclosing to someone that you’re pining after x/involved with x (depending on context)

(2) konglish ‘visuals’

(3) kr’s mandatory military service, another hot-button social issue that requires more extensive bg knowledge to understand its significance in the brief context it’s being mentioned in.. as a reductive explanation, military service for kr men basically acts as the ‘divide’ from boy/man, and draft dodgers/men who skip out on military service are viewed as scum of society/not treated as equals/people (in business, personal matters, etc) (also see: steve yoo). as an anecdote, someone i know who’s a kr-american moved to kr to take over his father’s business after getting hitched to a native korean, and one of the main roadblocks he’s been encountering is how other kr men won’t do dealings with him because he’s not a ‘real’ man to them, as he never enlisted after forfeiting his kr citizenship prior. that’s also why the checkbox of ‘served in military’ is directly linked to ‘upstanding adult male citizen’ in the shj military q&a below, and why it’s clarified that yj’s already done his service at the beginning of the novel too; shj wants to keep yj from finding out that he’s a non-군필 because it’ll make yj’s low view of his character plummet even further. (and before you ask: yoohyunie wouldn’t be under the same scrutiny, despite the exemptions s-class get as well for ‘serving the country’, because the standards would be different for him vs men who were past enlistment age prior to the appearance of the Dungeons (which is why sigma wanted to be be younger, ‘bc moon hyuna said it’s a bad look’). this attitude re:exemptions for persons who have ‘served the country’ via achievements is reflective of real life sentiments btw, as seen in this thread discussing Faker’s potential exemption, which skews largely positive) of course, times are changing, and following the brutal killing of Private Yoon, the 2014 shooting, and other such incidents making the news, it’s been said that conditions in the military have improved a significant bit–but the issue of mandatory conscription has also seen a recent flare-up in regards to gender/feminist issues in korea (which isn’t to say it wasn’t already relevant even back in, say, 2009), which is a whole ‘nother animal to tackle in footnotes for a different ch…

hyj&shj try-not-to-brag-abt-or-mention-yh&stw-even-while-separated challenge level: impossible

happy chuseok~ ( ˇ͈ᵕˇ͈ ) ¨̮♡⃛

relevant language notes for the ch (+ old doc):

+ (Q&A)

Q) has sung hyunjae completed his military service? i’d been curious about whether he was someone who’d finished his mandatory service, but since i didn’t have a place to ask, i’d only wondered about it on my own till now A) as the time period where sung hyunjae started to gain a foothold and become active was past his mid-twenties, he never went to the military. however, as crescent moon’s parameters were set up in such a way that he would be perceived as a ‘model male adult citizen’ of whichever nation he was dropped in, not only sung hyunjae himself, but also those around him, perceive him as someone who had already completed his military service in his early twenties. in the present timeline, sung hyunjae is aware that he never enlisted, though as he’d held tenure in various armies over the course of his long life, he considers himself to be an ex-serviceman regardless. in particular, he has no intention of letting han yoojin discover this fact. the place sigma had been installed was akin to a military environment, as well. additionally: sigma petitioned to the puppeteer that he be registered as a juvenile, as moon hyuna had mentioned that an adult non-serviceman gives a derogatory impression, but was rejected. as, if he were to be put on record as sung hyunjae’s relative, he would’ve needed to be under 20 y.o. by the time the Dungeons had appeared in korea, there’s a good chance that he was registered as being in his late twenties^^

steve yoo:

+ (Q&A)

Q) i’m curious about han yoojin’s ideal type. is it only ‘almost 2m height’ for han yoojin’s ideal type, and not particularly anything else besides? A) as han yoojin lacked that kind of support when he was young, he prefers a dependable older partner. his liking for ‘tall height + strapping size’ stems from that as well. he feels a desire to be protected, but because he has his dongsaeng and the kids, he thinks that he needs to be a protector, and so tends to repress and distance himself from that desire. if you get involved with the wrong older partner, the likelihood you might end up divested of everything from your liver to your gallbladder as you get swept up and used, is fairly high. because his expectations(criteria) for an older partner, a model adult, is excessively high, unless it’s an exceptionally outstanding person, he’s at least not likely to be easily swayed. at the conclusion of the novel, marissa is probably the most dangerous ^^ on the flip side, because he tries to become a protector as the model adult with a younger partner, it may run contrary to his ideal type, but being with a younger partner will probably be safer for him. of course, during the novel, the circumstances make it difficult to date.

+ (Q&A)

A) when han yoohyun returned to a human body from his state as a ‘flame,’ he became 198cm. it was han yoojin’s usual view that, while 2 meters was too tall, 198cm would be just right, that influenced the outcome. his body growing even bigger was because of to han yoojin’s influence, as expected ^^ the s-ranks who were there picked up on the difference, and was able to estimate that ‘ah, han yoojin made him like that’ and ‘ah, han yoohyun lined himself up with his hyung’s tastes’ was roughly what had happened. due to overexertion, han yoojin did not grow as much as from his level-up. if he takes good care of his body, he might still grow a bit more. bak yerim is speeding towards mid-170 or so. since her growth rate is more accelerated than han yoojin had initially predicted, if it keeps up, she might be able to hit 180cm before entering high school.

+ (Q&A)

Q) then, would it be possible now for han yoojin to surpass 180cm in height? with everyone around him being 180~190cm, he’s the only smol one… (dainty..) since the puppeteer was able to surpass 180 too, would yoojinie be able to do grow over 180 as well? is it impossible? how many years would it take for him to finish growing all the way..? A) if he takes good care of his health while honing his abilities, it would be possible to see physical growth once he leveled up in rank. if, for example, the young chaos sticks to his side to personally oversee his training, he would probably be able to clear 180 easily within a year. if han yoojin is left to his own devices, and nothing out of the ordinary happens, saying that he’s busy enough raising the kids, he'd probably remain at the same point even after 10 or 20 years. at the very least, han yoohyun or bak yerim will force him to take care of his body. irin, who wishes to increase han yoojin’s lifespan for han yoohyun’s sake, will likely come to stick close to him so as to chaperone his condition

+ (Q&A)

Q) i would like to know the ideal type(s) of the sclass cast A) han yoojin’s has been answered in a comment further up. because han yoohyun is completely disinterested in interpersonal relations with anyone other than han yoojin, his ideal type as well, in every sense, is han yoojin

#509화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 7 months

Text

644.My Story

내 이야기

Whether I seized his lapels and rattled him about, or went to yank his hair out by the roots–as though it was a foregone conclusion that all of it would be futile, he appeared completely at ease. And that was the truth, I supposed. When he’d already been someone you’d be hard pressed to shake, that trait was probably even worse at present. Maybe I should’ve said I’d buzz his hair down to the scalp to make him a baldie, instead of going for the throat. At least then, no matter how high and mighty he might act, he should want to avoid that outcome a little. I could get the locks I sheared off certified by Seseung Guild, then put it up for auction. If it was that guy’s hair, then it would probably sell for a high price. Get your just-plucked Sung Hyunjae hair, freshly ripped out. No pesticides, organically-grown, free-range–well, alright, cross out that last bit, on account of the forcible detention by Crescent Moon.

Debating whether I should pull a fake-out while pretending to grab him by the neck, and go for the head instead to give it a good shake, I made to approach Sung Hyunjae. But before I could do so.

“Hyung, hold on.”

Yoohyunie pulled me back, and Section Chief Song-nim moved to stand in front of Sung Hyunjae.

“Please do not recklessly approach him.”

“Section Chief Song-nim?”

“He is not the usual Seseung guild leader, is he not.”

As though the sense-sharing had allowed him to verify it, Song Taewon spoke heavily.

“Initially, it was my assumption that a mishap may have occurred where it comes to his memory, as Hunter Sung Hyunjae’s attitude towards Han Yoojin-ssi seemed to correspond with his attitude from half a year ago.”

He glanced briefly back at Sung Hyunjae.

“He is able to interpret my movements even more accurately than he does at present. At the same time, it is my impression that his appraisal of my abilities appears to find me somewhat lacking.”

“I see Song Taewon-ssi is still the same as ever.”

The corners of Sung Hyunjae’s lips turned up into a smile. Song Taewon’s brows slanted, pensively furrowed together.

“…would you be Hunter Sung Hyunjae pre-regression, perhaps.”

“This calls for a round of applause, no. To think you’d be able to pinpoint me so readily, it does make me so overjoyed.”

It sounded sardonic, but at the same time, seemed to be genuine as well. Joy… He would feel joyful, I supposed. To this Sung Hyunjae, it would’ve been as though someone who had died had come back to life, with Song Taewon. Sung Hyunjae’s gaze on Song Taewon looked inextricably fond.

“You seem to be healthier than the last I saw you, with none unaccounted for. Perhaps a feeling that you’ve become touch softer–Song Taewon-ssi, could it be that you’re embroiled in a relationship, hm?”

“It is not the case.”

“Is it too soon after regressing, perhaps. Song Taewon-ssi’s wedding, was quite enjoyable.”

“Section Chief Song-nim, you’re married?!”

Oh my god, with who? Who had he gotten married to? Was it someone I knew, or was it one of his fellow Hunter coworkers? Considering Section Chief Song-nim’s personality, it didn’t seem like he would’ve been okay marrying a non-Awakened, or a low-rank Hunter, so–was it perhaps Hyuna-ssi? Letting out a short sigh, Section Chief Song-nim looked over at me.

“It is not the case, Han Yoojin-ssi.”

“…eh? I mean–I wasn’t thinking of anything at all, sir.”

“It was patently in jest. As with Hunter Moon Hyuna.”

O-of course I’d known that was the case! Song Taewon fixed Sung Hyunjae with a hard look once again.

“Please name your objective.”

“I wished to impart a final farewell to those that I had lost.”

In contrast to Song Taewon, Sung Hyunjae spoke in a gentle tone. Whereas he would’ve been able to send me a postcard, he wouldn’t have been able to give Section Chief Song-nim’s gravesite a single proper visit. Reluctantly, I felt bad for–.

“Please name your objective.”

Section Chief Song-nim frostily repeated the question, as though warning him against any scheming. Ah, that’s… Sung Hyunjae wouldn’t actually show up like this just to say farewell, true. Most definitely not through possession, instead of his original body. And even if the Sung Hyunjae of the present had offered him the opportunity to begin with, wouldn’t he have turned it down, on account of finding the whole thing unpleasant. Though it seemed like he might be open to taking the spot by force, on the other hand.

“My, how callous. I see the Haeyeon guild leader also looks to be faring well. The last time we’d come across one another, the circumstances had been quite similar. Had it been about a fortnight before Song Taewon-ssi’s demise, perhaps. While concealing your inebriated hyung away, you warned me not to meddle any further.”

“…Yoohyunie had, sir? In person?”

“There are precious few people capable of barring the Seseung guild leader’s way, no. Back then, your hand as it steadied Han Yoojin-ssi had seemed considerably unsure and hesitant.”

Sung Hyunjae’s eyes curved mirthfully as he looked towards Yoohyunie and myself.

“It’s become exceedingly natural now, I see.”

Unconsciously, I turned to look at Yoohyunie. A shadow seemed to have stolen over his face. Hearing about the events from pre-regression had to be discomfiting for him, after all.

“Was it really true that you never came back, once you left Korea after Section Chief Song-nim’s passing, sir? …did you really have to leave all by yourself, too?”

Leaving Seseung Guild behind, on top of Section Chief Song-nim’s grave. Even if he was someone who would flourish well enough on his own, he wouldn’t have been devoid of any affection towards his guild. It shouldn’t have been that he’d really had no regrets left at all, right.

“Though it might not’ve been the case for me, the Seseung Guild members followed you around loyally enough, didn’t they, sir. And Soyoung-ssi seemed to like Sung Hyunjae-ssi in her own way, too. Not to mention Vantis-ssi, as well as Evelyn-ssi…….”

“The Hunter Miller of now, you’re saying that she harbors affections for me?”

Sung Hyunjae said, as though quite startled. Ah, um.

“Of course, sir. She’s residing in Korea at the moment, like I’ve said.”

Coming all the way to Korea just to take him as her boss, it should mean that she likely harbored positive feelings towards him, right. At any rate, Soyoung-ssi had also mentioned her preference for his face, so Evelyn-ssi might be in the same camp as well. At the very least, she’d be drawn to the salary or Items provided by said guild leader, probably.

“Despite all that, setting out on your lonesome. Couldn’t you’ve just holed yourself up inside your house instead, sir.”

Foolhardily leaving home to go herd some sheep or some bullshit, while sending that damnable postcard. I felt my emotions surging up again. Erasing someone else’s memory, then scuttling away to Switzerland? How did that even seem remotely okay. No matter how many times I thought about it, it pissed me off.

“It was in order to unwrap the gift I’d been bequeathed from Song Taewon-ssi, you see.”

약탈 [掠奪]. There was no way Sung Hyunjae would’ve simply left that power be.

“As it was a power designed to ‘swallow’ me, a mere slip could’ve resulted in collateral damage. I could hardly let such a painstakingly crafted gravesite be desecrated in such a way. Though it might be an empty grave, as it were.”

“…in order to assure the safety of those in the vicinity?”

“In addition to those things that I had cultivated.”

For a moment, golden eyes flashed with a cold light. A sharp edge glinted within them as they curved laughingly.

“I had observed my fill of those being crushed underfoot, should I say.”

The tip of a finger tapped lightly against his own temple.

“As the memories may have been erased, but the emotions yet linger.”

The one who had crushed Sung Hyunjae–as well as the things Sung Hyunjae had built to that point–underfoot.

“Would it be Crescent Moon, sir.”

“For there was little chance that she would leave me, as I sought my independence, to my devices. Whether it entailed the tearing away of the contract, or of becoming consumed by that Shadow.”

“…the latter prospect really seems ill-suited to Sung Hyunjae-ssi, sir.��

Sung Hyunjae's taking on of the 약탈 [掠奪], in the end, was no different from choosing suicide. Instead of replying, Sung Hyunjae inclined his neck slightly. No matter what circumstances he might be subjected to, he would never be one to forfeit his own life. That much was clear, even based on mere observation of him up till now. But the moment he had ‘waxed’ into a Full Moon through Crescent Moon’s hands, he had changed into something not himself.

For someone who loved himself dearly, could there exist a more abhorrent fate.

“Hold on a moment, sir–perhaps.”

Sung Hyunjae had been searching for the traces of his pre-regressed self. And then had been possessed. The wedding venue was set to take place in the Alps, and the place Sung Hyunjae had retreated to pre-regression was, coincidentally, also in the Alps. Normally, it would be out of the question to expect traces of pre-regression events to remain, but.

“Did Crescent Moon really appear then, sir? That’s to say, in Switzerland, I mean!”

“By utilizing a Dungeon Break to intervene. Owing to that incident, I am able to stand here before you.”

“Did something happen? Sir?”

Touching his hand to the collar of his shirt, Sung Hyunjae replied.

“Han Yoojin-ssi, I believe that the recompense for winning was a throttling, and not intel.”

…what a cheapskate! Fine, if only because I felt wronged, I’d give you a throttling alright!

“Yoohyun-ah, let go.”

“But hyung. The Seseung guild leader right now’s dangerous.”

“It’s alright, that jackass is someone who still keeps his promises. Section Chief Song-nim, please don’t worry and let me pass for a moment, if you would.”

Pushing Yoohyunie’s hands off me, I advanced with measured steps. After hesitating for a moment, Section Chief Song-nim cooperatively moved aside. 저벅저벅, I plodded up to Sung Hyunjae. Sung Hyunjae leaned forward again at his waist. For someone who was offering up his neck outright, he appeared as relaxed as ever. Even if I leave myself this defenseless in front of you, you won’t be able to inflict any harm on me–that kind of blasé confidence.

You must think of me as real pathetic, huh, asshole. With no plans of refusing, I seized him by his collar. Though I yanked back with all of my strength, he didn’t budge an inch from where he’d bent down. He was making it clear–that it would only go as far as he himself allowed, and no further. That even if it seemed like I’d been able to push the boundary, in reality, it was only with his tacit approval that it had been permissible.

“Sung Hyunjae-ssi.”

My voice low, I opened my mouth.

“As you’ve said, yeah. It might not’ve been my story, after all.”

I might’ve just been a bystander, who’d only been able to look in from the outside. I hadn’t been aware of anything in detail, and my memories had been erased in the end. A minor character that only made a brief cameo, I probably would’ve only been something like that.

“But this is my story now.”

Now, no matter what anyone said.

“A story where I can even subjugate and throttle the asshole who thinks his station allows him to wipe others’ memories.”

Golden eyes laughed.

“Of course, it’s Han Yoojin-ssi’s story.”

He soothed, as though in praise. It felt like a swear was about to leave my mouth.

“Shall I extend my apologies, then, for having erased your memories.”

“Only through words?”

“What might you be after, then.”

“Nothing much, just something about the level of throttling.”

“If it merely amounts to such, well, I don't see why not.”

Oh? I let go of his collar. And immediately launched my body at Sung Hyunjae’s head. Even if you had your battle foresight, you wouldn’t have been able to predict that I’d do this!

“You goddamn bastard! I’ll rip all of the hairs from your head!”

“Hyung!”

Get a load of that fucking attitude! The rest of us were just pitiful worms, huh! With a fistful of washed-out locks clenched in each hand, I grimly dangled from his head. Damn S-rank, even the roots of his hair were reinforced. Yoohyunie was taken aback, of course, and Section Chief Song-nim seemed shocked as well. Even Sung Hyunjae, actually. I could faintly hear Myungwoo’s ‘Yoojin-ah…’’ from somewhere yonder.

“Wait–”

“‘Wait’, yeah right! You’re staying like this until it comes out, even if it takes all night!”

Damn, these hairs were strong as hell! How had not even one strand come out yet!

“Listen here! ‘It’s not Han Yoojin’s story’, huh? Huh? What I said about that being a possibility, I take it back! It was my story back then, and it’s my story now, and it’s still going!”

If just regressing would’ve been enough to wipe the slate clean, then I wouldn’t be here doing this to begin with! It was only because back then had happened, that the present had been made possible.

“Hyung! You might get injured like that! I’ll cut it for you, okay?”

“Han Yoojin-ssi, your fingers may become damaged by the strands. Please employ a weapon instead!”

“Yoojin-ah, should I forge a pair of scissors for you that’ll work on S-rank hair too? To make it easier to cut the locks.”

“Just you stay put, alright! I’m going to pull out exactly one strand!”

Bracing the soles of my feet on Sung Hyunjae’s shoulder and chest, I jerked his hair with all of my strength. Sung Hyunjae caught hold of my waist, but perhaps because he’d made that promise, didn’t attempt to forcibly pry me off.

“If it’s someone else’s story, then why do I have to suffer like this, huh! From beginning to end, this is my story! It might be your story, but it’s also my story at the same time! Do you think you live all alone in this world, huh? Huh? It’s mine, and I’m not going to have it taken from me anymore! No–what I mean is, give it back!”

“If you’ll, calm down–for Han Yoojin-ssi to manage to pull one out, appears too tall of an order.”

“So who told you to Awaken as an S-rank, then! If you were an F-rank, I would’ve finished tearing all of it out from the get-go!”

“Hyung! Your fingers are bleeding!”

Because I’d wrapped them around my fingers to get a good grip, I’d ended up getting cut up a bit after all. How disgustingly reinforced! Then again, if it wasn’t so strong, then it seemed likely that a slip-up during a Dungeon raid could end up with all of it being sheared off by a monster, or some other unfortunate outcome.

“I’m only letting you off the hook because the others are worried about me, sir!”

Releasing his hair, I dropped down to the floor. I did feel a little bit better, at least. Yoohyunie quickly scanned over my palms.

“The wound on your palm’s gotten worse now!”

“That’s, well. Since I wasn’t able to pull any out, this time doesn’t count! I still have one more attempt, sir!”

“I shall bear that in mind.”

Sung Hyunjae answered, vaguely carding his disheveled locks back into place. Even after being yanked around like that, it didn’t look bad on him, with that damnable face. He went on to lightly flex the hand he’d used to support my middle.

“I see you’ve gotten a bit smaller, and your muscle volume has decreased as well.”

“… that’s because he’d worked as a Hunter for longer than I have, sir.”

The hell did you get off comparing us!

“You seem to have reduced in weight overall, and grown a touch softer around your middle–”

“Piss off about my body, sir!”

It wasn’t like I didn’t have any, okay! I’d been diligently running around for over half a year since regressing too! Did you think muscles just grew overnight, huh? This is why I just can’t with S-ranks!

“To be frank, hyung, it’s true that you’ve gotten thinner than you’d been pre-regression.”

Yoohyunie said worriedly, as he healed my hand.

“Since you had a good foundation then, and hyung’s body isn’t on the feeble side to begin with.”

“It was merely the presence of several high-ranked Hunters in his vicinity that had made his own frame seem smaller in juxtaposition, as I recall that he registered above average in stature still.”

Even Section Chief Song-nim chimed in with something. In case Myungwoo decided to join them as well, I hurried to provide an explanation.

“No-o, even then, my intercostal muscles should be better, probably……? It’s just that I haven’t been following a stringent regiment, d’you know how much exercise just watching the kids ends up being!”

“Yoojin-ah.”

In the end, even Myungwoo opened his mouth to speak.

“For one’s health, it’s said that structured lifestyle habits are what’s necessary. Recently, have you made it at least a week while making sure to eat all three meals on time?”

“That’s, the time difference! It’s because of the time difference! We’re in France, right! Not to mention, it’s completely different from Korea, down to even the water!”

While busily running my mouth, I shot Sung Hyunjae a baleful look. Just, why did you have to go and bring up something useless!

“We’ve still not heard your objective.”

Section Chief Song-nim spoke to Sung Hyunjae. Using his finger, Sung Hyunjae beckoned to indicate that he should come closer. Then, he whispered something to him in his ear. When I turned back to look at Yoohyunie, he shook his head. He’d spoken at a volume even an S-rank wouldn’t be able to overhear, it seemed.

Section Chief Song-nim’s expression soon turned stiff. After stoically listening to what he had to say, he let out a sigh.

“Understood, for the time being.”

“What did he say, sir?”

Sung Hyunjae glanced at me and laughed soundlessly.

“If Han Yoojin-ssi will accept my message, then I shall divulge it as well.”

“No thanks.”

Not saying unless we were on the same team, what a cop-out.

[ The practice round has concluded. ]

The message arrived, belatedly. So now what did we need to do, then. Did we need to call up our crews to have a good ol’ fashioned brawl, or something.

- - - - -

geunseo: goes out of their way to describe stw as good-looking, soft (esp his inner monologue), and smol (for an s-rank, by emphatically mentioning how he’s ‘the runt of the litter and that’s why he’s small for how big he should be’); notes that he’s ‘repressed but wants shj to push him down and dominate him’; has him refer to shj in a way that it can be construed as calling him ‘dear’, the way you would to your husband; emphasizes how he’s smaller in stature than shj, and discloses shj’s weight by drawing comparisons w stw in particular; makes stw the one person shj’s personally possessive over; talks abt how foreign hunters would bring him courting gifts and bouquets while he’s on his world-hopping trips w shj; how they have a secret code only they understand bc it’s based on their privately shared experiences; repeatedly tells the audience that shj+mha+hyj all find him ‘cute/adorable’; that stw is the Shadow to shj's Light, and was literally created to takemade for him—

webtoon: goes out of its way to make him blocky and ugly to justify not pairing him w shj by forcing a ‘rival’ dynamic :)))

bc like tbh this type of coupling is fairly popular among sclass’s primary demographic, aka korean women in their mid 20s~early 30s (hence yj(the protagonist)’s age, bc it’s working-age folks who have the disposable income to invest in their hobbies/interests (which is webnovel chs, in this case), not students)… along w the ‘연하남(younger male)’ type(=yh)…

geunseo afterword excerpt:

for example: when sung hyunjae’s chains slide over his body while retaining an electrical charge, because of the strobing light effect it illuminates him with, the shadows on his face are constantly shifting. this creates quite the striking image, particularly at night. not only his face, but his entire body, as well as the opponent he’s fighting, become cast in a perpetual dance of light and shadow–but there wasn’t a way to effectively illustrate this with words. since describing one by one the refraction of the light playing off of them and how the shadows were cast so on and so forth, couldn’t be penned down. although a visual medium(영상) would have been able to showcase things immediately, considering. * the very first topic was that of ‘regression’. as, even if you were to turn back time, the memories of the time lived would still exist, it becomes impossible to re-invoke the same experience. as ‘regression’ entails the ‘regrets of one’s own life’ and the longing to ‘make things go back’, the main character’s overarching character development manifests as ‘an ability to accept the past while also seeing himself as he is in the present’. han yoohyun was designed to be han yoojin’s destination(목표), as the lingering regret of his life(삶의 미련), while sung hyunjae was developed to be the path(과정) to that goal, as a self-assured embodiment of han yoojin's ‘ideal self’. without even names assigned then, that was their foundational framework. * ...eventually, in a different city, they also encounter a Light(빛) that wishes to be free. ‘while i’ve been given no choice but to live on in perpetuity, i’ve heard word of a Shadow(그림자) somewhere that can swallow Light’...

+(Q&A)

Q) i was wondering what circumstances or thoughts might’ve influenced you during the creation of the character called sung hyunjae A) some elements of sung hyunjae’s character originated from something i briefly entertained, far before i began writing the novel^^ at the time, while reading fantasy novels–primarily modern fantasy–it occurred to me that ‘these protagonists really do nothing but work, couldn’t they have someone else take care of some things and play around a bit’. without the intention to turn it into a novel, it went along the lines of ‘what would be necessary to allow the protagonist to be able to play around’, ‘the protagonist usually ends up making enemies with a prestigious guild’, ‘wouldn’t [playing around] be feasible, if they could boss around a really capable guild leader’. while fantasizing, i ended up envisioning a guild leader that was a similar type to sung hyunjae and evelyn. since they’d be doing the work of the protagonist for them, they’d have to be immensely capable. from there, ‘then, how do i have that renowned guild leader help the protagonist without requiring payment, lacking any reasonable cause‘ ‘would something like a curse, that makes the protagonist feel like one’s deceased parents or lover, work?’ was something that was repurposed to be the keyword application effect, and also involved in ‘progression’. however, if someone else does all the work for the protagonist, then they no longer end up being the protagonist, so it only ended as a foolish notion. and so, han yoojin ended up working diligently ^^ when ‘the s-rank that i raised’ novel was in its beginning storyboarding stages, one of sung hyunjae’s first keywords was ‘a character who does the things that a protagonist might do from beside the protagonist, and therefore ended up a main character’. by taking a being who held the potential to become a protagonist in whichever world, and then having him go through many worlds in practice–but also providing him with a strong enough ego(self-identity) to endure through the process–the current sung hyunjae ended up coming into being. ‘the main character who stands at the top’ and ‘his relationship with crescent moon’ gave rise to his traits such as light(빛), chains(사슬), the lightning(번개) and name(복성) that complement him, et cetera. even so, as he’s not the protagonist within the novel, i invested a lot of attention towards this and that to ensure han yoojin wouldn’t end up overshadowed.

+(Q&A)

Q) i’m curious how the character ‘song taewon’ was born A) as mentioned in the novel, song taewon ‘originated’ from the Eclipse(월식), in order to impede(block) sung hyunjae. the Shadow whose purpose is to swallow the Moon was born as a human, and by growing in accordance with the environment around him, ‘song taewon’ was made. if that environment had been different–if the events with his dongsaeng hadn’t transpired–then song taewon’s personality probably would’ve been somewhat altered. it might’ve been the case that, even before the novel could begin, he’d awaken as the Eclipse, preventing the story from coming to pass altogether. because of that, song taewon’s disposition(성향) of repressing himself coming to be born was an indispensable element.

+(Q&A)

Q) in order to clasp a leash on song taewon, who is a high-ranking government official, i imagine that plenty of marriage interview requests would’ve come in from political and commercial circles; was song taewon the type to just show his face an adequate amount at those kinds of events, or was he the type to straightforwardly refuse? if he did happen to participate in such an event, i’m curious if he’s a wallflower, or if he’s the type to engage in conversation casually ㅎㅎ A) as he had no intentions of establishing a family in any form, they were generally resolutely refused. however, rather than for political relations, for a lead to a case, he has attended a matchmaking meeting before. pre-regression, while overseas, with undercover infiltration as their objective, he and Sung Hyunjae attended a high-rank Hunter award ceremony-esque event together as well^^ for sung hyunjae, it was an immensely enjoyable time. he’s not quite to the extent of being a wallflower, but he is the taciturn and terse type.

+(Q&A)

Q) you’d previously mentioned that sung hyunjae and song taewon share a cryptograph that only the two of them know, could we know what kind of thing it is? A) it wasn’t fleshed out in detail, but apart from basic encryptions, they also utilized difficult-to-parse signals that would prove challenging for anyone that wasn’t an s-rank Awakened to catch. additionally, they would improvise with details that were shared solely between the two of them as well.

+(Q&A)

Q) i’m soso curious about section chief song-nim’s info, section chief song-nimㅜㅜ he was probably super popular before Awakening, as well as after, right? whether he’s dated before!! if, at least when he was younger, he was able to have a heart-pounding youthful romance, i hope! A) owing to song taewon’s nature(특성), he did not maintain close relations with people outside of work relations. pre-regression, the only person he kept close was sung hyunjae, the one he is meant to swallow, owing to an unconscious, instinctual draw. with everyone else–particularly the lower their rank–he established a clear line(boundary). post-regression, and especially so by the epilogue, that line has become much fainter^^

+(Q&A) (this was a troll-y question that geunseo answered at face value)

Q) when section chief song-nim is overseas and a foreign Hunter asks him <are you mister song?>, then will he really answer like \"yea.\"??? A) if he’s in the middle of carrying out official government duties, he will clearly state both his title and name. however, if he’s there in secret because of sung hyunjae, he will not answer^^

+(Q&A)

Q) in the novel, on the topic of confession stories, song taewon answered that he’d had sufficient experience with them; has song taewon had a lot of relationship experience? A) he was popular both before awakening and after, but as indicated in an earlier answer, he established a firm boundary. even when he was overseas because of sung hyunjae, he received not only confessions, but bouquets and similar gifts as well every so often ^^

+(Q&A)

Q) when sung hyunjae broke his finger while fighting with section chief song-nim, was that perhaps something sung hyunjae did on purpose?? A) generally, it’s sung hyunjae only pretending to have made a mistake. when song taewon or han yoojin are involved, while acting on impulse(improvising), he does occasionally slip up and make a genuine mistake, but regarding the finger injury, a certain measure of intent had gone into it. of course, song taewon is in the dark about this.

+(Q&A)

Q) when section chief song-nim was driving around a compact car, how did he drive? A) he picked the car with the highest clearance and longest seat rails out of the selection of compact cars that were available, but even then, it was cramped after all. however, as song taewon felt a kind of reassurance(comfort) from that stifling condition, he paid no mind to the physical discomfort it caused. it’s because sung hyunjae was aware that song taewon’s compact car was one of the methods he utilized to repress himself, that it irked him all the more ^^

+(Q&A)

Q) have any of the respective heads of organizations acted as chief mourner in a funeral for a subordinate who lost their family to a Dungeon break? A) song taewon and moon hyuna have done so in the past. han yoohyun has not, but even if the occasion had come up, he wouldn’t want to participate in the capacity of chief mourner, which is typically filled by family. pre-regression, han yoohyun’s family comprised only one person, han yoojin–and even as a temporary arrangement, he has no intention of letting another step into a position that’s reserved for family only. in the case of sung hyunjae, the sole person he’d considered to hold a relationship with himself that would merit his involvement as such pre-regression, was song taewon. at present, with song taewon of course being a given, he’s also considering taking up the position of chief mourner for han yoojin’s funeral, as han yoohyun would have already perished alongside him, if it turns out that bak yerim struggles to do so.

+(Q&A)

A) when sung hyunjae needed a pick-me-up pre-regression, he went to tease song taewon. following song taewon’s death, even when he was somewhere with splendid scenery and fresh air, all he felt was endless tedium. post-regression, with han yoojin being added alongside song taewon, the candidates in his selection pool for ‘healing(relaxing)’ increased to two.

+(Q&A)

Q) what are shj’s height & weight measurements? A) in the case of sung hyunjae, as he had nearly reached the zenith of his ‘waxing’ phase, the power that had not been able to be completely encased within ended up affecting his physiology as well, which meant that his body became imbued with that magical energy. that process is also what caused the faded quality of his hair color in part as well. as a result, while he still retains a human vessel, his weight is lower than it should be when his height and mass is taken into account. he is lighter than song taewon. however, it is only in comparison to how much he should weigh–he’s still very solid^^

+(Q&A)

Q) when sung hyunjae becomes planted, do the people near him not experience a repelling feeling? A) aside from his parents, he came across as an existence that had always belonged there. the repulsion they experienced came from the fact that he was a born s-rank.

+(Q&A)

Q) how did sung hyunjae end up falling for crescent moon’s scam contract? was it that he was gullible? A) the first contract wasn’t as frightful as the one during the course of the novel. it was a standard contract, and didn’t contain anything sung hyunjae felt much opposed to. however, every time he was planted over, addendums were made to the contract and it grew in strength. as one of the earlier incarnations of sung hyunjae, sigma wasn’t tied down as strongly, which was why he was able to escape crescent moon’s contract, while sung hyunjae couldn’t. the original sung hyunjae may not have been gullible, but the pitfall was that he inevitably lacked outer-world knowledge ^^

+(Q&A)

Q) when yoojinie needs to trim his bangs, does he go to a salon or a barber shop? or does he trim it himself at home? A) pre-regression, because money was tight and he didn’t want to be recognized by anyone, he trimmed it himself. when his agoraphobic tendencies were particularly severe, there was a point at which it nearly resembled a bob cut. prior to the dungeon break happening, he cut his hair at home if possible, and he and han yoohyun would take turns cutting each other’s hair as well. at present, he goes to haeyeon’s guild-member-use salon, and will just trim it himself at home if he can’t be bothered to go ^^ once, after carefully singeing off part of his fringe with controlled magic, han yoohyun requested that han yoojin cut his hair for him like he’d done in the past; but owing to the amount of force required to accomplish the task, they gave up after that once. as an alternative, they go to the salon together.

#644화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 8 months

Text

273+274.Even Upon Review (1&2)

- I blocked the path.

The Changeling said. The Innocuous King, who had been leeching mist into the surroundings, looked balefully at us with hostile eyes. Incapable of taking the initiative to attack, she only watched us with the caged agitation of an injured animal.

“And what could that dragon possibly be, hm? To block a path that had already been created–it’s impossible. A hole that’s been torn open can only continue to increase, it shouldn’t be capable of being sealed!”

- ‘S why I created a new barrier. Now, you can’t leave. You’re trapped. The surrounding area’s been locked down too. This place is my domain now.

“You put up a new one, you said?”

- Mhn.

As though asking didn’t I do a good job?, the Changeling rubbed its round, tiny horned head against my shoulder. The Innocuous King’s body shook with tightly restrained tremors. The immensely bewildered, uncertain expression had only lasted for a moment; in a cold voice, she issued a threat.

“I may have expended a substantial amount of energy to fashion a path, but I’m certainly not weak, Nurturer. I’ll extend my congratulations, in that you’ve delayed the end for your World. However, making an enemy of me at this juncture will only bode ill for us bo–”

“Shut your mouth.”

Using the tip of my finger, I stroked the silver dragon’s head. Its eyes glittering, the Changeling whispered to me that things were alright, in a tiny voice. Its tail was even wagging, too. Using a voice that only I could hear, it communicated.

[ I might not have any combat abilities, but I’m capable of ‘realizing’ <illusions>. If appa’s abilities from the mental realm are ‘realized’, then winning should be easy. Since I still have a bit of strength leftover, even after putting up the barrier, it should be sustainable for an hour. ]

Alright.

“My dongsaeng’s memory, hand it over. Now.”

If you weren’t willing to comply, then I’d gladly start by mincing up those damn tentacles into 0.1mm pieces, until I managed to clear my way to jackpot. At my words, the Innocuous King began backing away slowly, eyes narrowed into slits.

“Such a fuss, over a measly watch.”

“So you do have it, after all.”

“It’s safe for now. But I can dissolve it and swallow it down any time I please. Your dongsaeng’s small and inconsequential memory–how precious is it to you?”

A small marble appeared, held between the Innocuous King’s tentacles. It was a pure white orb, maybe the size of half a thumbnail. As though she had seized hold of my weakness, the jellyfish bastard beamed.

“It’s the first proper gift he’s prepared for the hyung he loves so much. It looks like he wrapped it up himself, how adorable. He wasn’t able to gift you anything significant before, huh, on account of his age. And since you’d banned him from doing part-time jobs, too. He’s feeling elated. And aflutter, besides.”

“...I told you to hand it over, you spineless jelly piece of shit.”

My teeth reflexively ground together. Though I couldn’t attack hastily, like hell I was gonna let that fucker get away.

“Let’s draw up a contract that stipulates we won’t interfere with the other. Hmm? You in regards to me, and me in regards to your dongsaeng. As soon as I’m released from here, I’ll ask Chatterbox to quietly take me away.”

It seemed that, though it might take a considerable amount of power for an otherworldly being to enter, leaving wasn’t nearly so trying. After all, she had mentioned even the S-ranks that verged closer to SS-rank could still be extracted. But since she’d also framed it as ‘submitting a request’, it seemed one’s own strength still wouldn’t be enough. Like how someone who’d fallen into a well would struggle to pull themselves out, but it would be easy enough with someone helping them from the outside–was it like that, perhaps.

“And why should I, exactly.”

“If you want to retrieve your precious dongsaeng’s memory, you’ll do it.”

“I’ll be taking it back, of course, but I don’t feel inclined to let your ass off the hook, either. ‘That we won’t interfere with the other’? As-fucking-if. If you were going to give up so easily, you wouldn’t have put yourself in this kind of situation, with those kinds of stakes, someone like you. I can already see you coaxing the other Transcendents over to your side the moment you get out.”

Most importantly, I couldn’t let that bastard go around blabbing about me. The Newcomer hadn’t been able to scry into the artificial World, but the Innocuous King had been different. Since she’d even gone to the extent of personally contracting with that horse-head, she would’ve been able to get her hands on significantly more intel.

If it got out that my ‘value’ outweighed the potential risks, then not just myself, but the people around me would also come to be endangered by association. So I absolutely couldn’t let the Innocuous King just walk away from this.

“...so you’re giving up on your dongsaeng? How heartless.”

“Get a load of this thief spouting off victim-blaming bullshit. I thought it was just a spine that you were missing, but it seems like you lost your brain somewhere along the way too. Ah, is that why you go around stealing others’ memories. Since there’s nothing rattling around in that empty skull of yours.”

“Nurturer-ssi, the way you talk is kind of aggravating.”

Curling in on itself slightly, the silver dragon spread its wings wide. Even with my mana seal placed under stasis, I could still faintly sense the flare of mana. The Innocuous King backed away even further, but was unable to escape from the premises.

“Preserving my dongsaeng’s memory at any cost is going to be the only prayer you have at a reprieve. Since I won’t be able to let any harm come to it from my hand. So cling tightly to it and flounder as best you can. But even if I’m unable to get it back.”

Even then.

“What’s to come is more important. Since, if the world stays safe, then I can offer even more, even better, happier memories to my dongsaeng.”

I didn’t want to lose Yoohyunie’s memory. But I couldn’t exchange the present–the future– just for that. I’d be the one to gift him a watch. Even if I couldn’t have the watch from him, we would continue to give and receive other things from each other.

The Innocuous King showed a thin smile.

“Acting like you’re fine, hmm.”

“Though I’m not just pretending, and really am fine.”

“Oh? When you look like a total wreck, in my eyes. In any case–then, I’ll ‘flounder’ as you’ve said...!”

화악, a thick wave of mist suddenly billowed outwards. I’d already taken the prerogative to activate Eunhae. The Changeling’s magical energy wrapped itself around me, and I could feel the stats that had been waning suddenly spike.

While the <Lauchitas’ Natural Enemy> wouldn’t apply, I still had <2X> my dongsaeng’s abilities from pre-regression; Alpha, Delta, Mu, and Lambda’s Skills; as well as the <Veteran F-Rank> Title. What was unexpected was.

‘So Yoohyunie’s Stats pre-regression were a bit higher than an SS-rank Guard’s.’

That’s to say, his pure output values, without factoring in the effects of the doubling buff. But since the grade of ‘S-Rank’ was supposed to encompass the maximum ability threshold of each given World’s race, it may just have been that, despite being the same ‘human beings,’ the overall ability potential of our world was higher on average.

As for his attack Skill potential, it easily surpassed SSS-rank. Perhaps as a result of my Stats going up, the stasis lock on my mana seal released, and I became able to sense the flow of mana moving around me crystal-clear. Senses that had become greatly reinforced, compared to being at F-rank, suffered no repercussions.

Due to the fog obscuring my sight and senses, I couldn’t pinpoint where that jellyfish bastard might be, but just like the Changeling had said, I was the one with the upper hand. Despite that, I didn’t have any intentions of moving hastily.

I needed to recover my dongsaeng’s memory. Since that bastard couldn’t run from here, anyway, I could save forfeiting as a last resort.

‘Though it wouldn’t be difficult to steal it back, if I could only use Mu’s spatial traversal Skill properly.’

But the spatial traversal Skill was far more finicky than Yerimie’s teleportation Skill. If I dumped the entire hour I had into that spatial movement Skill… Pondering that line of thought, I drew a fingertip through the air. The line of dark red flames that blossomed forth burned up the fog, and.

“Take your hands off, I said! Hey!”

“An actual monster, you say? Not a cat? While a Dungeon Break has yet to be reported in that vicinity, regardless, I’m afraid that you should be contacting the Specialized Dungeon Affairs Division, and not a police line.”

“I’m afraid we can’t help you here–however, the interim Hunter Association’s number is… Hello?”

A police station, bustling even in the dead of night, came into view. ‘Specialized Dungeon Affairs Division’, ‘Interim Hunter Association’. It was half a year after the Dungeons had appeared. In a world where monsters had begun to emerge, the drunks who had been dragged in after still brazenly wandering around inebriated–displaced from that crowd, a young man, his face bleached pale, walked in, pushing open the glass doors.

It was me.

Brimming with anxiety, I grabbed hold of an officer and opened my mouth. The voice that came out was hoarse, and shaken.

“Please, sir, my dongsaeng still hasn’t returned home.”

'This hasn’t ever happened before,' and 'he's never been gone this late without saying anything'; when I said as much, the police officer asked for details. but his expression turned abruptly disinterested when he heard that it was a highschool-aged boy. He only became more apathetic when he heard that parents weren’t in the picture.

“As it hasn’t even been a day since, please wait a bit longer before reporting him as a runaway. Do make sure to bring documentation with proof of familial status when you do, as well.”

“He’s not a runaway! He’s never once been late without sending word ahead, Yoohyunie…!”

“It’s a common situation. He may have made the wrong friends–you may as well attempt to contact his school, once business hours are open.”

I shrunk down under eyes that seemed to ask whether it wasn't only to be expected of someone with his home life. As I was asked whether I knew any of my dongsaeng’s friends’ contact information, my shoulders hunched in further and further.

“E-even then, if maybe, he happened to run into a monster…….”

“As most incidents are handled fairly quickly and the results promptly announced, so long as there were no relevant postings, then he is most likely safe.”

In a curt voice, he went on to mention that, otherwise, I could attempt to verify things by checking the list of unclaimed casualties on the Specialized Dungeon Affairs Division’s homepage. Confronted with an attitude that suggested the conversation was over and done with, I hesitated for a moment before helplessly turning away. Mumbling under my breath that it can’t be, that’s not true, there’s no way Yoohyunie would.

“...what’s with this.”

Disbelieving laughter leaked out.

“You said, she wouldn’t be able to rifle through my memories.”

- This is a scenario that’s been generated from appa. Ordinarily, it’d be easy to slip out of it with appa’s abilities being what they are at present, but her Skill combining with my power’s intensified its effects..

It’d been a bad match-up, the Changeling said. That the Innocuous King’s fog, which inflicted agonizing memories on its targets, had entangled with its power to ‘realize’ illusions. But with that being said, I couldn’t retract the Changeling’s power now, either.

I tried spreading out a wide berth of flames, calling down lightning, and bringing forth a flood; but the mirage still remained intact.

“Cut the shit and get your ass out here right now!”

[ And why should I? ]

The jellyfish bastard’s voice drifted over faintly, from somewhere very far away.

[ Don’t fret. It’s not a Skill that can go on for too long. If you struggle, it should conclude even faster. So, shall we make a contract? If you quietly sit through all of it, then I’ll return your dongsaeng’s memory to you. Without a single scratch. ]

Since it’ll be difficult for me to win through brute force, she said, and I nodded. If it was right after I’d regressed–. No, if it had even been a month earlier, it would’ve been difficult for me to confront the past again, but. That it would be a immensely trying feat was unchanged, even now, but I at least had the confidence that I could somehow manage to withstand it.

I signed off on the contract that appeared. And then, the environment changed.

“Hyung.”

A young–even younger than he was now–Yoohyunie looked at me. A youthful face, from when he had just yet Awakened.

되짚어도 (2)

“W-what’re you saying, that’s…….”

I was trembling. Frightened.

“Even if, you’d Awakened… Yoohyunie, you, why would you need to become a Hunter. You’re still so young, not even a legal adult yet…….”

‘Han Yoojin-ssi, your dongsaeng is an S-rank Awakened’. It was a period when that phrase had yet to penetrate even the shell of my consciousness. Following the events of the initial Dungeon Shock incident, Awakened had begun to appear and a tentative infrastructure had started to take hold; but where the mundane population were concerned, it had only registered as ‘a calamity’, more or less.

‘Dungeons’ and ‘monsters’ were hitherto simply ‘unknown threats’. To myself, as well.

“Don’t pointlessly wander about, and stay in the house.”

I instructed my dongsaeng in a lowered voice. At least up till then, Yoohyunie had still shown his worry over me. If, back then, I’d only been obedient and gone along with my dongsaeng’s decision… No, I shouldn’t dwell on useless thoughts. That lizard bastard would’ve approached Yoohyunie sooner or later, and then we would’ve–.

“Yoohyun-ah! Han Yoohyun!”

My dongsaeng left my side. I–left standing in place, dumbstruck–had been unable to come to terms with it. Overcome by the need to return things to the way they’d been before–whatever it took–I thrashed impotently against the change. Though the world had already become irrevocably changed.

“Yoohyun-ah, please…….”

I was begging, pleading desperately while clutching onto my cellphone. The wallpaper still showed our old home. My face looked gaunt, cheeks sunken in. When I’d been unable to eat, or sleep at all–a recollection of that time returned.

“Don’t pursue something like being a Hunter, hm? It’s dangerous, right. They say that, if something happens in a Dungeon, there’s not even a body left behind. Not even a corpse……. So when it’s a place like that, why would you go in there, Yoohyun-ah…….”

S-rank Hunter. It was a rank that scarcely merited a need for concern from others, particularly when the Dungeon difficulty rates back then had been on the lower end. But that sort of detail had hardly registered with the me of that time. Back then, grotesque rumors had run abound, and TV broadcasts continually droned on about the dangers ‘Dungeons’ and ‘monsters’ posed.

Since gear was in short supply, Hunters were scarce, and experience even harder to come by, it had been an era where mid- to low-ranked Hunters were given to dying even in low-difficulty Dungeons. ‘Failed Dungeon raid’, ‘Awakened…did not return’, ‘injury’, ‘death’, ‘missing in action’.

I grew more and more wan with each passing day. Living in fear of the off chance that that familiar name might appear on the list of those injured, killed, or missing. Frequently, nightmares plagued me as well.

“Hyung will do better by you. So that I won’t fall short, I’ll try harder, so…….”

It was silent on the other end of the line. Rather than my state now, rather than my memory of this time, that fact made my heart ache even more. What would he have been thinking, while listening to my words. He wouldn’t have been unaware of the state I’d been in, so, what kind of emotions had he been–.

I was sobbing.

“...please don’t go into the Dungeons.”

Yoohyun-ah.

I hadn’t been able to understand, and my dongsaeng hadn’t been able to back down. In the face of the abrupt changes brought about by the chaos, both of us had been too young and inexperienced.

The money Yoohyunie had sent over, in a far cry from being put to use, had been sent back with gnashed teeth. To myself back then, that money had been nothing but a loathsome reminder; that which had been exchanged for my dongsaeng’s tender young life. Yoohyunie must have wished for me to lead a life of security with the living expenses he’d provided for me, but that hadn’t been something I could bring myself to accept. Rather, it had only served to increase my sense of helplessness. It felt as though there wasn’t anything I could offer. All I could do was ineffectually kick my feet. It was to the point that my conscription into the army had likely worked out for the better; I’d only been sinking deeper and deeper into heartbreak, until it felt like my breath might stop altogether.

The unit I ended up being placed in had been assigned to Dungeon-related support activities. Now that I looked back on it, it seemed likely that Yoohyunie had had a hand in how things had shaken out there, too. So as to procure protection for myself, who had been prowling outside of Dungeons in order to dissuade my dongsaeng, while simultaneously teaching me about the changes the world had undergone.

Working a variety of menial tasks that posed little danger, I naturally grew to be more knowledgeable about Dungeons and Hunters. And how incredible S-rank Hunters were considered.

Over the course of that year, the world adjusted to the existence of Dungeons, too. Industries that capitalized on their presence began to crop up; Hunters’ social standings increased; the amount of Dungeon Breaks decreased, and they became common fare. At the same time, high-rank Hunters came to be revered figures. After witnessing my dongsaeng establish his own guild and shoot up through the rankings, the people around me would express their envy. Sometimes, they would even speak in such a way that implied that they thought I’d won the lottery.

Fucking assholes.

“...no one’s here, huh.”

I mumbled to myself, gazing into the empty house I’d returned to, one year later. What was so ‘great’ and ‘to be congratulated’. When I didn’t have anything left. I didn’t know how they’d found out, but I’d been inundated with calls from all over. Saying that they had heard, about my dongsaeng.

I ran away, that day. Leaving behind not only the house, but all of my dongsaeng’s possessions as well. It was then, that I’d also told Yoohyunie to never contact me again. I didn’t want to have obtained anything from my dongsaeng. It felt as though if I accepted even a single thing, no matter how small, the tittering of the people around me would turn into ‘truth’.

‘So it was worth raising him, after all’. ‘You should be able to coast by on your dongsaeng’s coattails, then.’ ‘You must be rolling in the dough now.’ ‘Not a worry in the world anymore, huh.’

I didn’t want any of it. It didn’t make me feel glad at all.

But despite having fled like that, I couldn’t completely abandon trying to get my dongsaeng back.

[ MKC Guild has just successfully concluded the nation’s third S-rank Dungeon raid. A number of casualties have been reported, with MKC’s guild leader Choi Seokwon having sustained a major injury as well……. ]

[ There have been discussions about whether the acceptance of Haeyeon Guild’s bid for an S-rank Dungeon might not be too premature. ]

[ Regarding Soodam Guild’s leader, Hunter Yoon Kyungsoo’s mysterious hospitalization……. ]

It wasn’t as though S-rank Hunters never got injured. As the youngest S-rank Hunter–not only domestically, but internationally–there were many worrying gazes fixed on Yoohyunie. And if any of the Dungeon raids ever happened to go over the projected completion time, a slew of negative articles would come flooding out.

Having been forced to stand witness to all of those things as though I were a complete outsider, it was no wonder that the following sequence of things saw me clinging onto any desperate hope at Awakening. Since it had felt like the only viable option I had, back then.

If I could only Awaken. If I could perhaps become an S-rank Hunter, then everything would be able to go back to the way it had been before.

“It’s bearable, at any rate.”

My guts did feel like they were twisted into knots, but since things were alright now, at least, I would be okay.

- You can’t lower your guard.

The Changeling lifted a foreleg and pressed its paw against my cheek. The pad of its foot, with its tiny clawtips, felt faintly squishy.

“I haven’t relaxed.”

I knew very well that this was only the beginning. Since it was my own life. So long as it entailed only ‘spectating’ like this, though, it seemed doable after all. Since there were still those people waiting for me, outside. As long as I didn’t lose sight of that, then.

Unlike how things were right now, the Awakening Centers had only just opened. Unlike how things were right now, I’d gone to the Awakening Center and Awakened. Support class Hunter, F-rank. Would things have been easier, if I’d just given up then. But then the present that existed now, would have disappeared. Instead–together with Yoohyunie, who’d been unable to leave me, we would’ve been, till the very end of the world–.

‘...don’t think about that.’

Don’t get caught up in it.

“Just asking nicely never goes over well, huh!”

퍽, with a dull sound, a foot slammed into my stomach. My body went airborne for a moment, before being sent tumbling across the ground. As a numbing pain spread across my body, I blinked my eyes. Eh, hold on a sec.

“When the only thing you have going for you is that label of ‘Han Yoohyun’s hyung’, you shouldn’t think you’re such hot shit.”

Clicking his tongue, the man who squatted down next to me shoved my head into the ground.

I’d definitely been just a simple spectator a moment ago, but now I’d suddenly ended up inside of the illusion. Wow, what a perfectly immersive 4D experience.

‘How far does ‘quietly sit through all of it’ apply, anyway.’

Since ‘will not resist the effects of the currently activated Skill’ had been what was written on the contract, did that mean I had to keep on bearing with it. I could feel the pain, but it didn’t seem like there were any actual effects on my body. It was a kind of ‘phantom pain’. In the first place, it had been written in the contract that the Innocuous King’s Skill was incapable of inflicting physical harm. If it hadn’t been for that disclaimer, I wouldn’t have signed it to begin with.

It threw me off somewhat, but I was alright for the time being. Making it to this point had been too easy, in fact. Considering it had been something the jellyfish had felt confident enough to gamble stakes on, it seemed like there was a fat chance it would just end with a recap of my life events.

“Even if you’ve been abandoned by that oh-so-illustrious dongsaeng of yours, if you throw yourself at his feet, then he should still throw a scrap or two your way, if only to keep up appearances. Hmm?”

“...sorry, but who’re you again.”

“What?”

“It’s not like there were only one or two of you pathetic assholes, so I can’t quite place all of you lot, see. I can hardly be expected to remember the name of every passing villain extra, after all.”

I gave the contents of my inventory a cursory skim. Seeing how it was completely cleared out, it seemed I only had access to my possessions from back then. And I would’ve still been an F-rank, with no outstanding Stats to speak of.

“The ‘resisting’ I’m doing now with this body isn’t a violation of the contract, alright. Since it’s not my current body or abilities, and it said that I’m capable of responding differently in the presented situation.”

“The hell kind of bullshit are you–kuh!”

As I just so happened to have a suitable dagger for the occasion in my inventory, I neatly slotted it into the neck of the bastard in front of me. With a flick of my wrist, I twisted the hand holding the dagger to confirm the kill, then glanced around at my surroundings. Of course, there wouldn’t have been only just the one.

“S-shit!”

“Get him!”

I shoved the corpse in the direction of the one who was at least the fastest to respond. As the still-cooling body flew in his direction, spraying blood in its wake, he scrambled to get out of the way, horrified. The way he was scrabbling about, he was completely defenseless. That kind of lapse was obviously the kind of golden opportunity which a kidnapping-slash-blackmail victim shouldn’t just pass up.

Dropping my body below his line of sight, I closed the gap between us in a blink and hooked my leg around his own. Having already been knocked off-balance, he went down without a fight; this time, too, I slit the neck with unerring precision.

“F-fuck! He’s murdered them!”

Proving exceptionally lively for an illusion, the straggler promptly made a break for it. I took aim at the back of his head, and let the blade fly. Yet with my insufficient strength, it only clattered to the ground without being able to close the distance. It probably would’ve landed artfully dead-center, if it’d been Yoohyunie.

“Hey, you might not be able to hear me, but my dongsaeng never threw me away, got it.”

Not once.

Just as I was reflecting on how, rather than being torturous, the experience was actually starting to feel cathartic.

“Ngh, ghk!”

A searing pain bore into my arm. I swallowed my scream out of reflex. Letting out any shrieks in a Dungeon because of a measly scrape was tantamount to suicide. You might as well be advertising here’s some vulnerable prey! to the monsters hanging around.

Clenching my teeth, I blinked through my blurring sight. There was a knife embedded into my arm, which hung limp at my side. Even at a glance, it was obvious that it was a high-quality Item. It most certainly wasn’t low-level gear.

“Shit, huff, you’re, fucking–ugh–dead!”

The blade was savagely ripped out. When had this been. In any case–it seemed like they weren’t someone an F-rank Hunter should have gotten uppity with, even factoring in some additional experience.

“Don’t feel too resentful about this. Even if that Haeyeon guild leader bastard might not give a shit about his hyung, you’ve still reaped some perks thanks to him, hmm. There must be several things you’ve benefited from by selling out his name, right? So just think of this as karmic retribution.”

The sound of laughter fell over my body. I could hear them cursing Haeyeon, too. They were a rabble that had suffered the consequences of crossing Yoohyunie, it seemed.

After it was revealed that Yoohyunie and I had fallen out with each other, unsavory characters looking to vent their grievances on me after a dispute with Haeyeon had begun to appear. Only, it hadn’t lasted for very long. Haeyeon had stepped in, framing it as ‘a matter of inconvenience’ that I would be used as a punching bag because of an ostensible connection drawn between Han Yoohyun and myself, and rounded all of them up.

That I was a burden on my dongsaeng for going around and letting myself get beat up and used like that, too; I’d heard that in public as well.

“...all of you are dea–ack!”

“Why, did Han Yoohyun tell you he’d come along to rescue you, huh.”

“That bastard’s a piece of work, too. Cutting off the hyung who raised him in the place of his parents, without sparing a glance back. Is that even human.”

My temper skyrocketed. Hearing that nonsense, a belated memory of the incident rose clear in my head. At that time, I had.

“Fuck, it’s because I’m lacking, alright!”

Because I’d only been an F-rank, went around causing problems, then got caught up in unnecessary conflicts. Like this, right now.

“So you’ll still stick up for that fucker ‘cause he’s your dongsaeng, is that it?”

“It’s, ngh, the truth, so what! As if it’d be a burden for the Haeyeon Guild Leader, to have to put up with a mooch. I was abandoned because I deserved it!”

That’s what I’d said. And continued to say, thereafter. Yeah, because that, at least, was more comforting.

Because it felt like I really would die, if there hadn’t been a reason. Since as long as it was because of something I’d done wrong, it was understandable. The more blame everyone threw on me, the more blameless Yoohyunie became; becoming too greedy with my desire had caused things to go awry; it was me who’d ruined things.

As long as I did well, as long as I succeeded, it seemed like things would be able to go back to the way they’d been before.

I might have been a little bit out of my mind. Staying sane under those circumstances would’ve been difficult, in any case.

“...it’s not Yoohyunie’s fault.”

It turned into my fault, then. Just like the people around me claimed. That I was someone who’d recklessly boasted about becoming a Hunter because I suffered from an inferiority complex in regards to my dongsaeng, and only went on to go around stirring up more trouble after presenting as an F-rank. Since Han Yoohyun had merely discarded that kind of trash, as long as I became redeemed again, then he’d return to being the dongsaeng I’d known.

That was, probably my last hope… And at the same time, was something I was petrified of working towards. Because if I became ‘acceptable’ again, but Yoohyunie still remained icy and distant–then.

“It does sting some.”

The longer it was placed under review, the more it became apparent exactly how futile a life I’d been leading.

Brief recollections of past violence flashed by. Even then, it only amounted to a registration of how I’d really been through all sorts of things, huh. When it came to pure brutality, that bastard Diarma definitely took the cake. And since I couldn’t die, he’d been able to get fairly creative with it, too, with no holds barred.

And then, blood spewed out once more.

“R, un away……!”

A familiar face toppled over. A man, in his mid-thirties.

- 캬르륵!

As I stood there in a daze, a monster lunged towards me. The monster, which resembled a giant bipedal canid, swung its claws, and I reflexively dodged. My body felt light. My opponent was an E-rank monster, and I–I had been granted an E-rank Hunter’s Stats, severalfold.

I spun the lance gripped in my hand. Smashing the body of the lance into the dripping maw of the monster to force it aside, I buried the blade into the column of its neck as it became exposed. Heaving the corpse aloft while still pierced on the blade, I used it to block the others that had begun to fall upon me.

퍽, 콰득, the moment claws and teeth sunk into the body of their packmate, I tightened my grip on the body of the lance before launching my body upwards. As though I were pole vaulting, I soared over the backs of the monster to land on the other side, and drew out a knife. Abruptly, enlightenment of the abilities the deceased man’s Skill held came over me.

Taking out the spare jungle machete too, I began wielding both knives in tandem, with the finesse of an ambidextrous user. As acumen fortified the blade’s edge, two caenid heads were decapitated with ease. Immediately after, I hurled the knife held in my right hand with the brunt of my strength. 콱! The blade embedded itself in the skull of a monster that had been about to gore a Hunter.

“Y-Yoojin-ssi!”

The Hunter who had been saved through my intervention looked at me with astonished eyes. Originally, I wouldn’t have been capable of saving anyone. Even if I’d been given the strength, I’d lacked the experience to move impassively, nor had I held the resolve to do as much. All I’d been able to do was wildly swing my blade as I sobbed.

And the person I so desperately wanted to save still, he was.

“...alive.”

Though the revival process through regression might’ve been imperfect. He lived. So even this, now, too, was all right.

“No matter how many of these you show me, the end result will be the same, so you might as well give up.”

Whether she agreed with my words, this time, it ended at just the once. Then instead, something that wasn’t from my memories.

“Hyung.”

Appeared before my eyes. It was Yoohyunie, at twenty-five. In the old house, in the house we’d lived in together, Yoohyunie was standing there. He was wearing a faint smile. This sort of thing, definitely hadn’t existed in my memories.

“I’m sorry.”

Eyes of the deepest black seemed to hold an immense grief.

- - - -

time for yj's parallel arc to yh's han yoohyun's world...

someone who’s a 제작진 would be like, a part of the production crew for a broadcasting station… so maybe some foreshadowing for the (world-stakes) livestreaming arc that happens in late game-ish territory. colloquial 제작자 = producer, like in the entertainment industry sense. but would also apply for architects/inventors, for example, because they 'build(make/create/produce)'

+ the particular significance swiss watches hold

“Such a fuss, over a measly watch.” “So you do have it, after all.”

“What’s to come is more important. Since, if the world stays safe, then I can offer even more, even better, happier memories to my dongsaeng.” I didn’t want to lose Yoohyunie’s memory. But I couldn’t exchange the present–the future– just for that. I’d be the one to gift him a watch. Even if I couldn’t have the watch from him, we would continue to give and receive other things from each other.

-ch190

+ Is the korean word for orphan 고아 an insult?

+ some questions that came in..✧*。

re: the one asking abt 25yh– i haven’t come across that particular scene in the handful of times i’ve skipped ahead a bit yet, but i can leave a mention of it in end of ch notes if i come across it somewhere ^^

re: 615– i ended up doing 614 as an off-schedule ch bc of yoohyunie’s bday, since i wanted to leave the christmas footnote somewhere; so that’s why it was done as a standalone then~^^ 615 is in the list of chs i’d planned to do eventually (there’s a method to my madness, it's just probably impossible to find the tweet w the list), and i do entertain requests if the ch appeals to me personally, so maybe it’ll go up as the christmas ch for this yr if i’m still around by then? kinda got depressed w talking into a void, then the dept i oversee had its workload doubled recently, so i don’t rly have much resources to put towards tling of late.. came back for a bit bc the friend i’d originally started doing the tls for is looking into the series again ;v;)b

+(Q&A)

Q) i’m curious about yoojinie’s family, from before yoohyunie was born!! additionally, if the brothers’ parents were able to provide steady financial support to the brothers while also traveling abroad, it seems that their pocketbook(?) status was quite well off; did the brothers not get to inherit anything?? A) because both worked jobs and even proactively worked overtime in order to avoid being at home, they were able to live quite comfortably. because there were a lot of corresponding expenses, they weren’t able to put away very much, but they owned the house, and had insurance besides. however, even if they were able to retain the house despite having the inheritance ripped away piece by piece, because of some remaining loans, han yoojin decided to work^^ han yoojin’s homeroom teacher petitioned that he at least finish high school, as his status as a minor would afford him assistance; but han yoojin turned them down, on the grounds that the house being held as collateral would mean that their living situation would become precarious as soon as he became a legal adult. since he would be considered an adult very soon, he aimed to amass work experience and build up savings in preparation for when the time would pass where he would be forced to stand on his own two feet.

+(Q&A)

Q) also, in chapter 20, it’s mentioned that yoojinie had lived in a two-person one-room residence in the past; was this before the Dungeons had appeared, or pre-Regression–or, was it a dormitory for haeyeon's ordinary employees / A-rank and under Hunter-use dorm? A) it was a residence that belonged to a mid-rank guild, that he stayed at after Awakening pre-Regression. as this was while he was in a region outside of seoul in accordance with the dungeon raid schedule at the time, because he wasn’t an official guild member, han yoojin resided in there for a brief amount of time. han yoojin was essentially there as a pack mule, but as he moved deftly due to his considerable experience, the guild members held him in positive regard. saying that the seoul guilds wouldn’t bother to give him the time of day, they urged him to consider joining their guild instead, as the countryside had few Hunters to begin with; however, as han yoojin refused to leave seoul, where his dongsaeng was—and after learning about what had transpired, han yoohyun threatened them in secret—it end up falling through^^ even haeyeon's private residences for its ordinary employees, too, are fairly high quality.

Now that I looked back on it, it seemed likely that Yoohyunie had had a hand in how things had shaken out there, too. So as to procure protection for myself, who had been prowling outside of Dungeons in order to dissuade my dongsaeng, while simultaneously teaching me about the changes the world had undergone. [...] After it was revealed that Yoohyunie and I had fallen out with each other, unsavory characters looking to vent their grievances on me after a dispute with Haeyeon had begun to appear. Only, it hadn’t lasted for very long. Haeyeon had stepped in, framing it as ‘a matter of inconvenience’ that I would be used as a punching bag because of an ostensible connection drawn between Han Yoohyun and myself, and rounded all of them up. That I was a burden on my dongsaeng for going around and letting myself get beat up and used like that, too; I’d heard that in public as well.

-ch388

“…all of you are dea–ack!” “Why, did Han Yoohyun tell you he’d come along to rescue you.” [...]

-ch183

“Listen, you might not be able to hear me, but my dongsaeng never threw me away, got it.” Not once.

-ch387

I hadn’t been able to understand, and my dongsaeng hadn’t been able to back down.

-ch239

-ch246

#273화 #274화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 10 months

Text

272.Changeling (2)

체인질링 (2)

That ‘hi’ meant it should be the Jellyfish bastard, but the hell was with ‘appa’.

Could it be, that one of our kids had made it here. …but since that wasn’t likely, I assumed it was probably that Jellyfish asshole messing around in my memories, when the fog suddenly began to pick up around me. It raged, as though it was just about to swallow me whole; yet, as though held back back by an invisible barrier, it only circled around my vicinity. And then, the magical energy in my body began to be sucked away. Towards my chest. To where the chest wound was.

Ordinarily, I would’ve passed out long ago, but for some reason I was alright. Though I wasn’t certain where it might be coming from, an endless supply of mana–wait, hold on.

‘Eunhae.’

I recalled Eunhae’s power, that had been used to restore my body. Just in case, I took a look at Eunhae’s Item description window.

[ Yoo Eunhae - L-rank

A sword born from the magic stone of the Great General Dragon Lord Shalos. A young Wellspring of Mana (access limited to contract holder).

Contract Holder - Han Yoojin ]

Wellspring of Mana(1). A description that had definitely been absent at first had appeared. Myungwoo had mentioned that it was an evolution-capable Item, but did it mean that it could develop abilities the way it had here, then. It seemed that it had swallowed a portion of the Mana Hole’s strength.

It was probably impossible, normally, but well, since Eunhae had been born from Shalos, who had been a Maker. Then, did that mean that I’d no longer have to worry about running out of mana.

Even throughout all this, the magic stone in my chest continued to siphon away more mana. As though it had long been holding back until now, relentlessly. And then.

“...this place is.”

The surrounding environment shifted. A familiar ceiling and walls, sofa, table–those things came into sight. It was the residence at the rearing facility. Of course, it couldn’t be the real thing, but even the long scratch gouged into the wall had been perfectly replicated in full. There were an assortment of other touches besides that, too. Though it was a place that could still be considered a ‘new house’, with so many inhabitants, it did appear to be lived-in about three or so years, at a passing glance.

Though the majority of the marks had been left by the monsters, there were ones that Yoohyunie and Yerimie had been responsible for, too. When I pulled open the drawers to check just in case, I was greeted with a pile of new cellphones that hadn’t even been removed from their packaging. The top one was dedicated to Yoohyunie, while the bottom one was for Yerimie. Because Yerimie had preemptively mentioned disliking ‘the prospect of using the same phone as Han Yoohyun’, and then Yoohyunie had agreed, the back-up phones were different models each.

‘It sure does feel realistic.’

Was it a dreamscape, conjured up by the fog. Then, inspecting things more closely would probably only result in the illusion’s hold strengthening. Closing the drawers, I scanned my surroundings.

“It’s been a long while, so let’s do this with a chat, shall we. Not using Yoohyunie’s appearance again, though. Same goes for the others. Since we’re inside a Dungeon, besides, the restrictions should be loosened, right.”

Let’s get a good look at your face for once. Back then, all I’d been able to glimpse had been a form that resembled a strange jellyfish.

“Appa.”

“What d’you mean, ‘ap–’... W-who’re you?”

It was a little kid. A small child that looked to be about four years old, with pink-tinged silvery locks and golden eyes, had come to stand before me at some point. Could it be, that that was the Jellyfish’s original form. It was unnecessarily cute. Had it intentionally utilized that form, after ascertaining that I held a softness for children…….

“D-don’t call me appa!”

Didn’t you have a conscience! Even though you’d likely lived hundreds, or maybe even thousands of years more than I had. The child canted its head in an inquisitive gesture. It was cute, like a fairy, but I couldn’t let myself get caught up by that.

“Then, Yoojin-goon.”

“It’s completely out of place!”

“Yoojin-ah.”

“...don’t pretend like you’re close to me.”

“Yoojin-ssi.”

“Why don’t you just shift into an adult, huh?”

Having a little kid refer to me like that, regardless of what the original goods might’ve been, it felt unsettling after all.

“Then, Master?”

Abruptly, goosebumps broke out over my flesh. I felt like a heinous criminal, the likes of which being beaten to death would be too good for. After internally shrieking are you crazy!, I schooled my face into a sneer.

“Don’t say that kind of shit with that form! Why don’t you use a shape that suits your age, Innocuous King.”

“I’m not the Innocuous King, though.”

“...what?”

You weren’t? Hastily, I used the Sapling Skill. The silver-locked child’s status window popped up before my eyes.

[ Illusory Fairy Dragon - Changeling

Current Stat Rank ?

Maximum Stat Rank Possible ?

Optimized Initial Skill

As You Wish(?) Obtained ](2)

…what was all this. ‘Fairy Dragon’, ‘Changeling’? Not just the rank, but even the Skill had a question mark attached to it. And what was ‘As You Wish’ supposed to be. Why had this guy suddenly appeared.

Now that I thought about it, the magic stone in my chest didn’t seem to be absorbing any more mana, either. I settled a hand over the area where the wound lay. Could it be.

“You, perhaps.”

The little kid, Changeling, beamed.

“Wait, hold on. It’s a dragonkin, yeah, but… Isn’t it too different, still!”

When two Curse-Poison type dragonkin had been synthesized together, how did that result in a Fairy Dragon. It didn’t resemble neither Diarma nor either of the dragonoids, not even a little bit. And though a fragment of Sung Hyunjae had gone into it as well… Hold on. Didn’t it resemble that asshole, kind of? Hadn’t you said that the fragment shouldn’t have any influence on it!

“I was developed the way Master desired of me.”

“I told you not to call me that! The ‘way I desired’, I…….”

I couldn’t finish the thought. I’d, my objective. Dammit, in any case, if it was a Fairy Dragon, that meant that the <Lauchitas’ Natural Enemy> wouldn’t affect it. And its Stats were still question marks, besides.

“To be able to retrieve Han Yoohyun.”

My heart fell.

“Re, trie…ve?”

“Mhn.”

“H-how, w-would I.”

The inside of my throat felt arid. It was way too jarring. To the point that it felt frightening, how much pure joy those words inspired.

“Since you’d grown it to achieve that goal. Me, I mean.”

“I’d, all I did was use Diarma’s Skill, to combine the magic stones.”

“But appa’s a Nurturer. A Nurturer, who holds the ability to ‘raise’. To change the trajectory of their growth in the way you desire.”

“...then, so long as I wish for it.”

“It’s not unconditional. You can’t change the foundational essence. The growth of a fish could be influenced, for example, to have its fins evolve into wings, but you wouldn’t be able to turn it into a real bird. But, since I inherited a ‘changeling’ nature.”

The young child’s form shifted. Growing to tower above me in height, a familiar appearance materialized. Only the hair color alone was different; it was Sung Hyunjae.

“A ‘nature’ that had been processed through countless worlds, covertly planted into those worlds as though he were its denizen. And as I hadn’t been born with a determined form, but had rather been raised from a magic stone, I’m able to transform as my Nurturer wishes.”

The Changeling shifted back into the form of a young child. Attempting to calm my racing heart, I tossed out a random question as a diversion.

“Your appearance, is that also something I wished for? But I’d wanted something closer to Diarma or a dragonoid’s form.”

That had definitely been the case. Since, that would make what I had to do easier to carry out.

“I can take on that form too. But appa doesn’t like it, right. I don’t want to be disliked. I’ll grant your wish, so don’t hate me.”

“...I don’t hate you.”

I’d wanted to keep from liking you, is all. I took in a deep breath. That <Perfect Nurturer> Title.

“That, I could do something like that–I had no clue.”

“Since it would’ve been dangerous, if you’d known. The reason why the Reprobates won’t explain in depth about Titles and Skills, is probably ‘cause of that too. Since if it gets discovered by a Transcendent with a memory-reading Skill and gets out, then everyone’ll be after appa for certain.”

“Then having that knowledge like this is dangerous too!”

When that Jellyfish bastard was still after me, even now–the prospect of their ranks increasing sparked dread, just to imagine. They might lay their sights on those around me, to use them as leverage. Would I have to erase my memories, however possible.

“Since I’ve woken now, it’s alright. They can’t interpose.”

“Ah, now that I’m thinking about it, the Newcomer was forced to send me into the virtual reality World using my real body because of you, too. …will it be fine as long as the Reprobates keep their mouths shut, then.”

“The Reprobates probably aren’t aware of the finer details either, to begin with.”

Gently floating into the air, the Changeling drifted to my side. A semi-translucent wing of sorts seemed to flutter behind its back, too.

“Go ahead and pull up the Title.”

As the Changeling had bid, I opened up the status window.

[ Perfect Nurturer(L)

Proof of being a Nurturer who has raised a powerful entity of unparallelled prowess the world over. As their past ability threshold surpassed the blood-tie Nurtured’s current abilities+100%, made all the more perfect by that virtue. ](3)

“The description you see at first on a Title or Skill is whatever the Reprobates assume and write down, right. This is the same, too.”

“...you, can you see my status window?”

“Mhn. Appa’s, I can see. We’d kept looking at it together, right.”

“Huh? Then, the keyword too!”

“I’m already affiliated with appa, now, so it’s okay. Though I probably can’t be buffed.”

Saying that there was no need to worry, since it would definitely keep mum, it pointed at the Title description with a finger.

“I can’t intervene completely either, so I’ll just bring the true essence forth for this. It should be possible, since it’s appa’s, and a Title that’s imparted a direct influence on my development.”

As the Changeling finished speaking, the Nurturer status page turned indistinct for a moment before coming back into sharp relief.

[ Perfect Nurturer(L)

A Nurturer, whom a born S-rank Awakened loved; enough to knowingly sacrifice his own life. ]

My eyes ran over that short description again and again, continuously. The status window blurred once more. I blinked my eyes hard–once, twice.

“Bringing, him back is a viable option then. But, I’d been told that, as an existence that had already been cut off… That it would be impossible…….”

“Since it means that any connection he’d had to this world had been lost, ordinarily, it would be impossible to bring him back safely because of the resistance it would encounter. But that just means that the process needs to be reinforced by a power greater than that exerted by the resistance.”

A greater power. I couldn’t even quite fathom how immense it would have to be. Even for the Transcendents, if they attempted to enter a different World without preparation, it’d been said that the majority of their power would be taken away. So that meant that, at minimum, it would require a power great enough to contest them to safeguard Yoohyunie, to keep him protected.

If that was possible,. To bring him back whole.

“T-then, right now, at once–!”

“But, appa.”

Golden eyes looked straight into my own.

“It can protect this world, too.”

My racing heart slowed, settling. I’d been trying to avoid thinking about it. The fact that, if it was a strength great enough to bring back my dongsaeng, that it should be capable of comparable feats as well.

“Chatterbox is raising a ruckus in the System, and the Innocuous King is carrying out a methodical destruction of the Dungeons. Left this way, it’s only a matter of time before appa’s World starts feeling the repercussions, too. Since every World possesses the power to rebuff invasion, but there’s a limit to that. Once the Innocuous King chips away at enough of it to cause the protective strength to weaken, the other Transcendents will find it easier to interfere.”

“...alright.”

The Changeling’s voice flitted through my ears without properly registering, but I still nodded my head perfunctorily.

“I’ve got to stop it, is what you’re saying.”

“There’s no reason for appa to have to be the one taking responsibility.”

“Since it’s me that they’re after. It’s because of me. Why are they even going so far. The Jellyfish bastard. Shouldn’t it be paying a price.”

“It’s nearly guaranteed she’ll end up paying a very hefty one. It seems that she’s caught on, most likely. Since Sigma becoming ‘real’ was made possible by the Nurturer’s strength.”

“...what? Since I, who’d entered with my real body, had acknowledged him, because of that.”

The Changeling shook its head.

“The recognition does have an influence to an extent, yes. But even if it’s to a lesser degree than me, Sigma also has ‘a changeling’s nature’. Appa ‘raising’ him in that respect, held the bigger impact. Enough to enable him to change into becoming ‘actualized’. Though she probably hasn’t pinpointed the exact reason why, the Innocuous King has likely picked up on the fact that appa’s very special.”

It was because of that, that she was still forging ahead even with the prospect of falling asleep for several hundred years or losing a non-insignificant portion of her strength looming over her, the Changeling said.

“...so, in the end, it’s because of me. You should’ve just told me to save the world from the start, in that case.”

Resentment seeped out, despite myself. A small hand touched my cheek. Though it was faintly chilly, it still felt soft.

“It’s okay to end things after doing what appa wants, too. It’s a World that would have fallen to ruin. You don’t need to burden yourself over it any further.”

Having recovered my dongsaeng, and brought him into my arms. That it would be fine to end like that. Yeah–originally, that’s how it should have ended. Having returned to Yoohyunie’s side, without ever having been able to leave the Dungeon.

Just like that.

“...because there’s, too many people waiting.”

Though there shouldn’t have been anything. Though I wouldn’t have had anything to regret, if it’d been pre-regression.

“You’re aware too, right. There’s a person who’s promised me he wouldn’t change. He’ll spurn it this time, too. Since he’s someone who’ll at least keep his promises.”

He should continue to wait, right. As promised.

“Noah-ssi, too. Even if I can’t do much for him, at the very least, I don’t want to be the one to leave him first. I want to continue to support him from behind.”

He, who was still young, still fledgling–how he might change, I didn’t know either. But when he had to venture out after a respite, even if he misstepped or made the wrong choice, I wanted to at least become a base to where he could return. To reassure him that it was still alright, that he could do what he wished to do.

“Yerimie’s still immature, too. And I’d promised to raise the elemental for her, besides. When she’s only just started to enjoy coming into her own, as of late.”

I didn’t want to let things come to an end here. When she was only going to continue soaring higher, going forward, to heights I couldn’t even conceive.

“Myungwoo should be fine, but he’d be worried about me. Doing nothing but continuing to make him worry, that’s not okay, right. When he’s probably waiting outside. With Chirpie and Velare, too. As well as the other humans, and magical beasts.”

I’d have to show him how Eunhae had evolved. And in addition to that, when the Reprobates weren’t even that trustworthy, I felt reluctant to leave Myungwoo to them.

“Peace, too. He’s always trailing after me, as loyal as anything, y’know. If he’d been captured and brought over on the basis of his usability as a mount, at the very least, shouldn’t I take responsibility. Isn’t that proper. And, not to mention.”

Above all else.

“...Yoohyunie’s, my dongsaeng too.”

A dongsaeng who’d confided how happy he was, that he could live together with me like before. And he smiled so freely, nowadays. With that face, that I’d been unable to look upon for so many years. Just barely twenty, and before, only twenty-five.

And then.

“...it’s been, more gratifying.”

For myself as well, in the present. Even though I’d already dug a grave in my heart. Even then. Even then, I’d started to want to live a little bit more.

So, as I’d wanted.

“As you wish.”

The Changeling said. A small silvery dragon with fairy wings took form before me.

The place where I wished to return to. My house in the present disappeared. To somewhere unknown, beyond the thick roiling fog.

“I’d been waiting!”

The Innocuous King beamed.

- - - - -

(1) (어린) 마나의 샘

(2) [ 환상 요정용종 - 체인질링 현재 스탯 등급 ? 성장 가능 스탯 등급 ? 최적화 초기 스킬 당신이 바라는 대로(?) 획득 ]

(3) [완벽한 양육자(L) 세계적으로 뛰어난 강자를 키워낸 양육자의 증명. 그 자신의 과거 능력치가 피양육자의 현재 능력치+100% 이상이기에 더더욱 완벽하다.]

‘i wish people would stop calling any <beautiful and pure love> as ‘순애’ without cause… the ‘순’ in ‘순애’ is ‘death(순)’...it’s when you die because of love, that it’s called ‘순애’..... a 순애보 is a story where you lose your life for the sake of love……’

‘ah…so, the word ‘순애’ appears to registered with two definitions to begin with. 순애(殉愛): sacrificing(offering up) everything for [the sake of one’s] love 순애(純愛): a pure and innocent love source 표준국어대사전’

- 240화, Han Yoohyun’s World (3)

‘...han yoohyun has a particularly pure Fire ki, you see...’

- geunseo-nim’s afterword, han yoohyun excerpts

+(Q&A)

Q) if, in the first half of the novel, as yoojinie had imagined–if yoojinie had used the Wish Stone to wish for ‘Awakened’ and ‘Dungeons’ to disappear, would it really have come true?

A) as the Wish Stone is an Item that is tied to the System, it is unable to overcome the ‘hurdle’ of the System^^ in addition, it is impossible to block off the influences of a Source from a World. if he’d asked for a wish that entailed ‘Awakened and Dungeons disappearing’, he would have received either a notification message that it’s impossible, or it would’ve been only the ‘Awakening’ system and Dungeons interface that would’ve disappeared. for Hunters, their information windows would no longer be accessible, and instead of being confined to the Dungeons, monsters would’ve begun popping out directly [into the world]. turning back time, too, only applied to the World in which han yoojin existed, and did not extend to affect the ‘time’ of the Cosmos.

+(Q&A)

Q) excluding han yoojin, who do the gyeol-seol-byeol babies like the most?

A) han gyeol’s is love-hate, but he cares for sung hyunjae despite himself. han seol and han byeol like each other ^^

+(Q&A)

Q) if han yoojin’s kids who were born from magic stones underwent genetic testing enabled by modern science&technology, would the results show yoojinie as a biological relative?

A) as the species are different, straightforward genetic testing results would be difficult to obtain ^^ as han yoojin’s blood is mixed in, if you were able to separate only the human portion out and test that, then they would in fact appear as his children. for han seol’s case, the results would indicate that he takes after han yoohyun as well. yet, as the human portion is a mere fraction of the whole, at present, it would take very careful and thorough testing to show a distant relation between [han yoojin and the children].

+(Q&A)

Q) would it be possible to hear a bit more in-depth about the circumstances that allowed han yoojin be able to use diarma’s Skills, such as the magical mount synthesis, mind dimension Skill etc.?

A) diarma's ability is akin to a subtype of the ‘perfect nurturer’. it possessed the ability to rear new dragonoid beings via synthesis. because the dragonfolk-synthesis Skill was something diarma possessed prior to becoming a Transcendent, it was simply a case of the Skill having evolved alongside its owner; its original Skill grade ranked below that of the ‘perfect nurturer’. additionally, the title that han yoojin gained from defeating the lauchitas–which allows him to suppress curse-poison type dragons–worked in tandem with the ‘perfect nurturer’ title, which is how he was able to acquire diarma's ability. regarding the possible combinations: with the buff provided by the ‘perfect nurturer’ title, it came to transcend the limits of race as well. it would have been impossible under normal circumstances, but you could say that the circumstances were serendipitous ^^

+(Q&A)

Q) the optimized Skill(?) picked up on by the sapling Skill the main character uses, can it be hereditary? for example, if one of the parents has a talent for agriculture cultivation, and they happen to Awaken and develop a Skill related to that, I was wondering if their child may Awaken to possess something similar

A) as innate proclivities and temperment, etc., do affect Skill development, there is a chance that such a thing could be passed down. though the humans in the novel don’t really have a particular ‘characteristic’ for their race(human), in the case of the dokkaebi, ‘flying’ and ‘transformation’ are akin to ‘basic skills’ innate to their race. if it’s a household that has a particular proclivity for x, then their offspring will probably have a high chance of displaying a corresponding or identical Skill^^ however, unless one Awakened fairly early, as what carries a greater influence is ‘life experience’ rather than ‘innate(born) disposition’, there are many cases of one acquiring a Skill with completely different properties than their parents’.

+(Q&A)

Q) is there a plot-related reason that yoojinie is unable to use the sapling Skill to look at his own stat window?

A) as a supporting aspect of the Caregiver title, the sapling Skill can only be used on others who hold the potential to become a candidate for ‘caregiving’. to be precise, it is a limit imposed by the System; and, should Han Yoojin make the decision to protect and look after himself as well, he would be able to overcome the bounds of the System and use it on himself, too.

+(Q&A)

Q) lastly, in the game that you released before, there were lines of dialogue from sung hyunjae and moon hyuna that mentioned han yoojin’s comfortably smiling face being a rare sight, and that witnessing him smile/laugh so easily was nice to see; in the main story, is yoojinie’s happily smiling face being a scarcely-seen occurrence something that’s an established detail..??

A) right when he had regressed, he was still able to smile and laugh easily, but after finding about the twenty-five y.o. han yoohyun, a shadow couldn’t help but fall over him. at first, sung hyunjae and moon hyuna assumed it was because of the kidnapping, transcendents, and everything else that had been going on, but later realized there was something additional going on behind the scenes.

+(Q&A)

Q) if they were to sketch a family portrait, i was wondering who gyeol, seol, and byeol might end up drawing, in that case.

A) all three of them would include dongsaeng, hyung, oppa, han yoojin and han yoohyun, bak yerim, peace and chirpie, velare, irin, sanho etc.–the people and animals that they live with–in their drawings. even walnut^^ in han gyeol’s case, he might cram a small sung hyunjae in a corner after much deliberation. aside from those, noah, moon hyuna, kang soyoung etc. might show up, depending on their interactions. han byeol in particular is the type to just draw a bunch at once as they come to mind. when it comes to the things that they like, han gyeol’s is han yoojin; han seol’s is han byeol; and han byeol would have appa, hyung, oppa, uncle, auntie, peace, and a bunch more others in the drawing besides.

+(Q&A)

Q) as you’d replied before that sung hyunjae and his parents would occasionally do check-ins via phone calls, which party tends to be the one who calls first? when they call… what sort of things do they talk about?? and when was the last time sung hyunjae met with his parents face-to-face? does hyunjae go out of his way to make sure to do something for his parents’ birthdays as well? i also wondered if they’d ever been kidnapped or threatened for being sung hyunjae’s parents!

A) typically three times a year, usually on the new year and on birthdays, he’ll give them a call. sung hyunjae’s parents are almost never the ones to initiate contact. the three only communicate at the bare minimum necessary to maintain basic politeness^^ the amount of times they’ve met up in person can be counted on one hand, in accordance with the parents’ wishes. on his parents’ birthdays, sung hyunjae will only make the wellness check call, and vantis is the one who prepares the gifts. the sole person whose birthday sung hyunjae would make sure to personally attend to year after year, was song taewon’s. pre-regression, he’d sent a present to han yoojin as a birthday obligation as well, but it never reached him. aside from that, due to feeling sympathetic about her birthday being overshadowed by his own birthday celebration, he’s seen to a gift for kang soyoung once, before letting vantis or the secretarial office take over thereafter. as they’d been securely sequestered away, there was no danger posed to them. because sung hyunjae had already maintained a distance from them pre-Awakening, and the parents had ended up thoroughly hidden somewhere far overseas, they are nearly impossible to track down.

+(Q&A)

Q) hello author-nim! pre-regression, why did sung hyunjae end up leaving for switzerland, specifically? it seemed as though he’d traversed through various countries before deciding on switzerland; i was curious why, out of countless countries, he ended up choosing switzerland! additionally, would it be alright to ask approximately how many times sung hyunjae had been re-planted…??

A) song taewon’s influence was fairly significant. having taken custody of song taewon’s miscarried Plundering(掠奪), he(shj) sought a place that would suit song taewon and be a place he(stw) could live peacefully+was far away from korea. it was also the backdrop of the postcard he would send han yoojin, too. however, he wasn’t set on switzerland from the beginning, and so long as it was an idyllic location somewhere in the Alps, he wouldn’t have cared where they ended up living. aside from the fact that it’s in the triple digits, i’ll leave the exact number to your imagination ^^

+(Q&A)

Q) is august 30th the day the current world’s sung hyunjae was ‘planted’ there, or is it the original sung hyunjae’s actual birth date?? i’m also curious about why sung hyunjae places so much importance on birthday (parties), and if there are any other details you paid special attention to re:the characters’ birthdays!

A) the birthday that appears in the novel is the date he was ‘planted’. because the original world had a different planetary size, rotation, and orbital speed, the method used to calculate days was also different. however, crescent moon endeavors to plant sung hyunjae at a similar window of time to his original birthday. this is because fulfilling the ‘conditions’ as closely as possible also helps facilitate the planting process. proportionate to how strong sung hyunjae’s amour propre runs, he thinks that the day of his birth must absolutely be celebrated. as a result, even when he feels as apathetic as could be, he endeavors not to miss the occasion. for a similar reason, he’s pretty good about remembering the birthdays of those around him and doing something for them too, if only compulsorily^^ because of this, he feels sorry about kang soyoung’s birthday situation. as kang soyoung is aware of this, she’ll push her luck with things that she wouldn’t ordinarily be able to get away with on the day after her birthday.

+(Q&A)

Q) i wanted to ask if my understanding of what happens when sung hyunjae gets planted(?) is correct! sung hyunjae mentioned that the method crescent moon seemed to utilize was to extract an individual with a similar ‘(existential) value’ from the world, and then to swap him, as ‘an existence outside of the world’, with them; just like yoojinie had wondered, i’m curious who that person who was found worthy of ‘exchange’ with sung hyunjae might have been, and what had happened to that individual! additionally: if the ‘swap’ is made via the method of ‘granting a wish’–then, for sung hyunjae’s parents, who had wished for a child, when sung hyunjae was suddenly ‘planted’ on earth in a fully-grown state, were they forcibly reprogrammed to register him as a child they had raised from the beginning?

A) by erasing sung hyunjae’s memories and concealing his accumulated power, crescent moon was able to disguise sung hyunjae’s existential value(존재 가치) as being low-ranked. ordinarily, this wouldn’t be possible, and it’s extremely delicate work besides; but as an artificial Source who had amassed a considerable amount of strength, since there were no existences who could serve as an ‘equivalent’ to sung hyunjae, this was her only recourse. because his existential value was in a lowered state, sung hyunjae was able to be ‘planted’ through exchange via the wishes made to crescent moon. the wishes differed from world to world, and aside from wishes for a child, there were wishes for a hero in a time of war, someone with particular talents, an exquisite beauty, a leader of the herd, etc. as well. their wishes did come true, but they usually didn’t play out in the way they’d hoped for ^^ re:sung hyunjae’s parents, it was a case of a child who previously hadn’t existed suddenly appearing, where they were nevertheless compelled to believe that they had raised him to begin with. but because of the repugnance they experience due to his ‘other-ness’ + the repulsion caused by a born s-rank, the dissonance caused them to spiral into disarray.

+(Q&A)

Q) was sung hyunjae’s household well-off to begin with? if so, how wealthy are they?

A) they were well-off enough that they could afford to send their son overseas to study, in addition to hiring a highly competent butler^^ as, around the time that sung hyunjae began to gain a proper foothold and become more active, they had already relinquished to him his designated inheritance, seeing him live well, they were able to relieve themselves of the guilt associated with abandoning a child. though they still want to maintain a personal distance from him, as they are able to think of him somewhat as ‘their son’ with the physical distance in place, they have a relationship where they occasionally exchange calls asking after the other. they currently live overseas, and hope that sung hyunjae will continue to live well, without occasion to turn his attention towards them.

+(Q&A)

Q) in ch588 by munpia standards, could i ask where yoojinie ended up hiding eunhae?

A) at that time, it was worn on his bicep. he switches up the place he conceals eunhae a little each time^^

#272화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 11 months

Text

262.Water Elemental (1)

물의 정령 (1)

By the conclusion of clean-up, my personal stash of points numbered close to ten million. The amount I’d picked up next to Yerimie comprised around a third, and the rest was thanks to Sigma. It was because, so long as any of the monsters Sigma had taken care of had sustained any amount of damage from a bomb, I’d been able to monopolize all the points awarded.

“I got over a hundred million, naturally!”

Yerimie preened proudly. Seeing as she’d had the point doubling buff applied, and each SS-rank monster returned about a hundred thousand points, that she’d surpassed a hundred million was certainly believable. Though S-rank monsters were worth below a hundred thousand each, a hundred of those would count for ten million, and since a couple hundred of them would’ve appeared in succession, well.

I hadn’t realized there were so many monsters teeming in the ocean. It was enough to make me feel slightly concerned about the situation on our end, too.

It seemed that there hadn’t been any problems outside of the water, either. More than anything, that Noah—who was, in addition to the mana recharging, capable of stacking buffs, as well as healing, and teleportation—had been holding the back lines, had played a big part. Owing to the depth of my dive into the sea, the Teacher Skill had released upon departing the effective range; but since the remaining monsters had all been under SS-rank, taking them down in single combat had been possible. Though it likely would’ve gone over more smoothly, had coordination with others been possible.

“So, what ended up happening, then?”

At Yerimie’s query, I reflexively looked towards Sigma. The very moment I considered that it might be difficult to discuss everything with Sigma listening in, Moon Hyuna stepped forward.

“I’ll survey the surrounding area with our Moonie. You said that the bait has a wide range, right. There might be some monsters that were late in arriving.”

You’ll accompany noona, right, Moon-ah, said Moon Hyuna, slinging an arm around Sigma’s neck. He should’ve been able to avoid it, so it seemed like he wasn’t so opposed to the prospect of being dragged along, after all. Then again, when would he have ever been treated in such a manner, all things considered. It might be that he was finding it quite gratifying.

“Yerim-ah, I entered this place with my real body.”

“…huh?”

Startling, Yerimie carefully examined me.

“But you definitely seem to be a higher rank? That’s ahjussi’s genuine, original body?”

“Yeah, ‘cause I couldn’t bring Eunhae here, instead my rank—“

“Ahjussi!”

Hearing the sudden shout, with her voice seemingly heightened in anger, I unconsciously shrank in on myself.

“My fear resistance is at S-rank right now, Yerim-ah.”

“Then, without even Eunhae, and in your real body, you told me that this dangerous place was okay, huh!”

“In return, I’ve got five lives as well. And besides, compared to being separated, it would be way safer to stick next to you guys, even in the middle of a battlefield.”

At my words, even as she furrowed her brows, Yerimie nodded her head.

“That’s true, of course, but. Still, it’s a relief that Han Yoohyun was there. Since he wouldn’t have let ahjussi get into any danger.”

“Uh, yeah. That’s right.”

It’d be better not to tell her about what had happened in Achates City, after all. When Yoohyunie was already having a difficult time of things, I felt reluctant to bring up what had happened back then again anyway, and Yerimie might worry unnecessarily as well. …how should I explain that I had three lives left. Instead of telling her I had five, maybe I should’ve led off with three instead.

“Though Sigma’s a denizen of this world, when I–having entered with my real body–acknowledged Sigma as being ‘real’, it appears some kind of glitch occurred in the System.”

Prefacing that I didn’t know the details either, I explained to her what I knew. Including the detail about Sung Hyunjae being System-side.

“So there’s two disks left to install, and ahjussi has five lives left–does that about sum it up?”

“That’s–”

“It’s three.”

Yoohyunie suddenly interjected.

“What d’you mean, ‘three’?”

“Yoohyun-ah.”

“Bak Yerim has earned the right to hear this.”

Saying that, Yoohyunie turned his gaze towards Yerimie.

“Hyung died once, while trying to rescue me.”

“Ahjussi did?”

“That’s, to be honest, it was because I’d let my guard down, and Yoohyunie’s–”

“But ahjussi always takes the blame on himself, when it’s something that involves us.”

“It’s true this time!”

I made an attempt at an appeal, but Yerimie remained skeptical. Saying that, at least when it came to this matter, what I said couldn’t be trusted, she pressed Yoohyunie for an explanation. Yoohyunie summarized what had happened in Achates for Yerimie.

That, as a result of Alpha’s memories, he’d ended up Overloading, then became imprisoned, and how I’d come to free him from that state. How I, in the process of staging his rescue, had been shot.

“I wasn’t able to guard hyung.”

Yoohyunie was calm, but I found myself warily watching for Yerimie’s reaction. It wouldn’t be that she blamed Yoohyunie, right. But the two of them did seem to feel some contention over assuring my protection… A few harsh words flying out seemed likely. Yerimie, after staring unabashedly at Yoohyunie for a moment, soon let out a deep sigh.

“Ah, honestly.”

It was a voice that clearly betrayed upset.

“That’s, Yerim-ah.”

“It really is true, this time.”

“...huh?”

“I’m saying, that it really was ahjussi who was at fault this time.”

“T, that’s r-ight…?

“Hyung didn’t do anything wrong.”

“What do you mean, ‘nothing wrong’! Why would you go there on your own, ahjussi? Wasn’t Hyuna unnie’s city right next door? And Noah oppa would’ve helped you too, if only he’d been contacted! Isn’t that so?”

“Of course.”

Noah nodded his head. Adding and I would’ve, too!, Yerimie gestured towards herself. Yeah, I didn’t have anything to say to that.

“...sorry.”

“It shouldn’t be me you’re saying sorry to, ahjussi, but Han Yoohyun instead.”

“I’m sorry, Yoohyun-ah.”

“That’s alright, hyung. Hyung’s already apologized to me earlier, Bak Yerim.”

“Hey, Han Yoohyun.”

Her expression solemn, Yerimie went on speaking.

“You suffered a lot.”

“.......”

“It probably hurt a whole lot, too.”

“...it, did hurt.”

“I know a bit about that kind of feeling too; like you suddenly stop being able to breathe.”

After a moment of hesitation, Yoohyunie opened his mouth.

“For me, too…….”

“Ahjussi, should I block your ears?”

“...I couldn’t breathe. I thought I would die.”

“Everything hurts, though you can’t pinpoint where the pain is, while the inside of your mind feels numb. Like that, right.”

Yoohyunie nodded his head, and Yerimie smiled.

“You went through a lot(1), Han Yoohyun. Here, an embrace.”

Wow, our Yerimie was going to, with Yoohyunie…….

“What’re you doing, ahjussi. Instead of going to hold your dongsaeng.”

“Huh? Me?”

“Of course, ahjussi. What kind of commiseration would it be if I hugged him? That would just be a punishment game. For the both of us, at that.”

Was it really so bad. Yoohyunie wore an expression of agreement, as expected, but even Noah seemed to be in accord. But the atmosphere just now had been so nice. It would’ve been just the right timing for the two of them to hug.

“Alright, Yoohyun-ah. C’mere.”

Though I didn’t have any qualms about holding him regardless, in any case. After embracing my dongsaeng in my arms and patting his back, I motioned with my hand towards Yerimie as well.

“Yerimie, you c’mere too.”

As though she’d been waiting, Yerimie zipped over. It might not’ve been real, but she’d really grown a lot. She should be this big in a couple of years too, in real life.

“Our Yerimie went through a lot as well.”

“I was just fine though, ahjussi.”

She grinned, saying that she would give me a tour of the city. This time, I turned to look at Noah, who was standing slightly away from the group. The moment we locked eyes, he attempted to discreetly look away.

“Noah-ssi.”

“Yes.”

“Hurry on over.”

As though we’d leave you out. Our Noah-ssi had gone through a lot, too. And he’d worked hard as well. Coincidentally, Moon Hyuna and Sigma returned just then. It appeared they’d gotten into an altercation, as fresh monster blood appeared to be flecking the hem of their clothes.

“Hyuna-ssi, should I give you a hug as well?”

“Hm? A ‘free hug’ kind of thing, is it? Then, well, Director Han-nim!”

Moon Hyuna spread her arms wide. My goodness, you really are quite statuesque, ma’am.

“Hyuna-ssi went through a lot as well.”

“And we’ll have a lot to get through ahead of us, too. I’m the kind that prefers having something to do, in any case.”

Responding that it was no hardship, she grinned. Then, her eyes turned towards Sigma. Simultaneously, both Moon Hyuna and I extended an arm to him with a smile.

“Our Moon-nim.”

“Moon-ah, come over here.”

“...though I haven’t the slightest idea why you’ve suddenly decided to do this now.”

“You’ve been through a lot as well, Sigma-ssi, sir.”

“He’s far cuter than some sleazebag I could mention! When juxtaposed with that Sung Hyunjae guy, he’s really quite adorable, isn’t he.”

When compared with Sung Hyunjae, he definitely did feel especially young. I pulled Sigma, who was wearing a skeptical look, into a hug.

“That’s right–if ahjussi’s entered in his real body, that means you’re twenty-five now, right ahjussi?”

Her face eager, Yerimie turned to look at Yoohyunie.

“Han Yoohyun, age?”

“Then what about you, Bak Yerim.”

“Me? I’m actually a whole year older than ahjussi!”

So she was twenty-six then, huh. With an expression that said what do you think about that, the corners of Yerimie’s lips went up.

“I’m a noona to ahjussi, and therefore, noona to you too, Han Yoohyun!”

“I’m twenty-six as well.”

“What? Ah, why did it have to be the same age of all things! But even then, my birthday’s faster than yours, right. I’m April 11th, while you’re December 25th–since it’s over a half-year difference, that makes me the noona!”(2)

Yoohyunie neatly ignored Yerimie, who was shouting for him to call me noona, Han Yoohyun! Consequently, the arrow was spun around to point in my direction instead.

“Ahjussi, right now, I’m the noona.”

“Yerim-ah, I’m Yoohyunie’s hyung. And technically speaking, at five years older than my dongsaeng, I’m thirty-o–”

“What kind of logic is that, ahjussi, of course you’re twenty-five. Right now, ahjussi is Han Yoohyun’s dongsaeng.”

“That’s right, Director Han-nim sure does have an twisted way of calculating things. Since your body’s age stayed just the same, obviously that makes you twenty-five.”

“But you were on my side before, Hyuna-ssi!”

“Well, back then, I was just keeping my mouth closed ‘cause it made things more entertaining–I never took up any sides, ‘s far as I can recall?”

As Moon Hyuna laughed, saying Director Han’s the maknae, huh!, Sigma fixed a meaningful gaze on me from behind her.

“So it was a deception, C-rank.”

“No, that’s. More importantly, when Noah-ssi’s here too, how does that make me the maknae, then!”

Noah-ssi looks young too, doesn’t he. Though he might not be in his teens, like in his original body, it didn’t seem like there’d be much of a difference between us. His eyes growing round at the gazes that suddenly slid towards him, Noah spoke.

“I’m, Mu is thirty-five years old, Yoojin-ssi.”

…how the hell. His youthful face(3) would even set Sung Hyunjae to weeping.

* * *

I was worried that something like the situation in Achates might happen again, if Sigma were to enter the City, but Yerimie reassured me that it would be alright. Most importantly, Drosia’s Mana Hole was located underwater. Upon Yerimie’s assertion that it would be easier to take on the monsters if they happened to spawn in the ocean, anyway, we headed towards Drosia City.

“It’s warm inside the city. The elementals help maintain the temperature, y’see.”

And just as she’d said, the moment we crossed the boundary wall, the air shifted completely. Both the temperature and humidity were set to comfortable ambient levels that made for ideal living parameters. So if you had a lot of elementals, you could even pull off something like this, huh.

- Rinie can do it too, once he’s bigger!

Irin said, half-hidden in Yoohyunie’s sleeve.

“Since you’re a fire elemental, isn’t increasing heat the only thing you can do?”

- Hyung, Rinie’s capable of controlling ‘temperature’(4) itself when he’s bigger. If I sap away the ‘temperature’ from the vicinity, then that’ll make everything cold too!

So did it work that way as well. Then again, since it’d been mentioned that this place’s water and ice elementals, too, had raised the interior temperature by absorbing the cold emanating from the outside.

- It’s a real fire elemental!

- Bring him out, bring him out.

- I saw him turn gigantic earlier too!

- I want to’ve seen it too!

As the water and ice elementals crowded around while chattering, swarming, Rinie retreated beneath Yoohyunie’s clothes. Yerimie waved her hands in the direction of the elementals in a shoo-ing gesture.

“Don’t bully him, and go away.”

- We’re not bullying him!

- It’s because he’s so interesting..

- We want to form contracts too!

They began clamoring anew, this time over how envious they felt of the fire elemental. Though it’d be nice if Yerimie could contract with the elementals and bring them outside with her, I wasn’t sure if that would be possible.

The hat and scarf, gloves, and cardigan–I shed all of them and put them in my inventory. The others shed their outer layers as well. As for Yoohyunie, well–he probably didn’t feel the heat, but since it would’ve seemed a bit out of place to be wearing winter clothes by himself, surrounded by everyone else in spring getup.

Drosia City resembled a southern resort. Outside, frigid storms raged over acres of frozen ground, but the city itself flourished with vibrant colors. Throngs of beautiful houses with vivid blue roofs lined either side of the wide river that ran down the center, and flowers bloomed in abundance.

“Not very many monsters appear near here, y’see.”

Since they primarily spawned near the ocean, she said, in comparison to other cities, they were able to pay more attention towards the architecture. When generally, sustaining damage every night was typical, there was probably little incentive to invest time and effort into decorating home or community.

After traveling along the road by car, Drosia’s Defense Association building finally appeared.

“...a lake, huh.”

“The waterfall’s impressive.”

Could that really be called a waterfall. At the center of the massive lake, water was cascading down. From mid-air. Elementals slipped down the ‘waterfall’ that started in thin air like a slide, and beyond it lay the Defense Association building. Unlike other regions, a plethora of windows and the incorporation of open air elements here and there lent themselves to a design that possessed a naturalistic feel, in perfect coexistence with the surrounding environment.

- Bridge!

The elementals cried out, and a bridge made of ice formed down the lake, extending all the way to the Defense Association building. There was a plain bridge on the other side too, though. Once we crossed the ice bridge, the Drosia Guards, as well as the Medsang and Lanchaea Guards that had arrived first, greeted us.

And then, the morning after we had eaten heartily, and rested well.

“Peace-yah!”

- 끼앙!

From a far distance in the sky, Peace arrived, flying over. Aigo, my baby, I’d been worrying about how to track you down, but you’d already found me on your own. What a darling boy! His wings and tail pumping enthusiastically, Peace dove straight into my arms.

“Our Peace, you’ve even grown wings! Did you end up in a monster that had wings attached? You’re not hurt anywhere?”

- 끄아웅! 꺄앙!

“Yes, yes. You’ve been through a lot. Papa’s sorry he couldn’t go looking for you.”

With that, the entire party had been assembled–was what I would say, but there was still one person left. Not that I hadn’t been updated on his status, but we hadn’t been able to meet up in person yet. Not once, as of yet.

‘The Seseung Guild Leader, does he have to continue remaining System-side.’

Since yesterday, no more quests had arrived, either. He should be fine, right. Stroking Peace, I turned to look at our party.

“Let’s go finish installing the disks, then.”

The remaining two, once they were installed as well, wouldn’t we be able to hear a bit more specifics, whether from the Newcomer or otherwise. Just then, Yerimie raised her hand, her expression troubled.

“Ahjussi, it might be a bit difficult for me to go along with you.”

- - - - -

(1) 고생했다 the first of two recurring phrases this ch.. variations of 고생하셨어요 acknowledge the ‘hardship/adversity(고생)’ one faced, i.e. ‘you worked hard’

힘들었겠다 the second phrase is an acknowledgement of the effort expended towards an endeavor, ‘you must’ve been tired/worn out (from x)’

(2) see footnote #5,

(3) what yj actually says is 성현제 뺨치는 동안이었다, i.e. ‘he was [enough of] a 동안 (→someone who looks young for their age/is baby-faced) that [it] slapped sung hyunjae’s face’ → (뺨치는=lit. slap on the face(cheek), fig. ‘far surpass’)

(4) 열기 [熱氣]1 [뜨거운 공기] heat; hotness; hot air.

speech levels

bak yerim → hyj | casual, polite

bak yerim → hyh | casual, informal

hyj → mha | casual, formal

hyj → sigma | polite, formal/informal

mha → sigma | casual, intimate/informal

discussion re:why context matters when it comes to nuanced translations

+ bonus

+(Q&A)

Q) ideal type(s) of the sclass cast?

A) moon hyuna also endeavors to look more inwardly than towards others, but likes the cute type that seems to be the complete opposite from herself. [...] moon hyuna’s preference is for someone younger, who has a cute side. to be honest, han yoojin qualified fairly high in terms of personality and looks, but because he’s physically smaller and she sees him more as a dongsaeng than not, it happened to fall out of bounds ^^ out of the other characters that are around, han yoohyun is younger but isn’t cute; sung hyunjae isn’t younger, nor is he cute; song taewon isn’t younger but is still pretty cute, so if she really had to choose one, wouldn’t it be song taewon–thinks moon hyuna. out of everyone that’s appeared in sclass, sigma is probably the closest to her ideal type.

+(Q&A)

Q) [...] also, i was curious whether we would be able to glimpse a bit of sigma and moon hyuna’s story, which was mentioned in the afterword, in the extras that will be published

A) since it’s uncertain whether sigma will be able to wake during the extras, it’s a mystery for now ^^

+ what geunseo-nim seems to be doing in vr arc...

reminder that geunseo-nim’s already given us a ‘what-if’ yhyj age-swap AU in the afterword for the novel...

#262화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 1 year

Text

246.Alpha’s Recollection (2)

알파의 기억 (2)

The rooftop area, used as a heliport, was expansive. But finding Yoohyunie wasn’t difficult. It was because as soon as I’d stepped foot on the rooftop, Irinie popped out from behind me, from somewhere around my nape. Lifting a foreleg and waving it at me as though greeting me hi, he jumped down below and began crawling forward to lead the way.

That dongsaeng was standing at the opposite ledge of the rooftop. The morning sunlight, dappled against his dark locks, suffused him with a soft halo. A face that was similar to Yoohyunie’s, but slightly different. He appeared to be a bit older, too. Since he was twenty six.

Of all the versions of my dongsaeng that I’d seen, he was the oldest… It was a relief that Alpha’s appearance had been mixed in with his. It might’ve been too difficult, otherwise.

“Why’re you all the way out here. And without saying anything, too.”

I drew near to Yoohyunie’s side. Beyond the railings, the city sprawled out below. Recollections of what had transpired the night before, amongst those far buildings, flitted through my head. The people who lived here had probably been startled, too. Since the Defense Association had been overhauled from its previous state, overnight. There were likely people who were glad for the change, as well as those who found it disconcerting.

“Hyung.”

“Hm?”

“I think that, lately, I’ve gotten too complacent.”

Irinie, crawling up Yoohyunie’s body, settled in at the column of his neck. That dongsaeng sedately continued.

“I’m thinking about returning to the residence at the Guild. Since there’s Peace and Bak Yerim at hyung’s side, and Hunter Noah’s residing there besides. There probably shouldn’t be any need for worry. And it’s the building right over, anyway, too.”

“Hey, what’re you suddenly saying. Complacent, what complacency. No, and even if you were, so what. Being too aloof is a hard way for someone to live too, y’know. Moderation is what’s key.”

It was true that, lately, Yoohyunie had become a touch lax. But when compared to before–and pre-regression, particularly–his state right now was much more preferred. …a whole lot more.

“It might be different, if it was that you’d grown to dislike living together, but that’s not it, is it.”

“Yeah. It’s not. I like how things are now. I like it so much that, sometimes I wonder if it might not all just be a dream.”

“So then, why’re you trying to leave.”

There was no answer. So there really was something, after all. I felt that kind of conviction. Was it perhaps, because I’d almost died while attempting to save him. No–he’d already spoken honestly with me on the matter. That, if something similar were to ever happen, he would wait for as long as it took, and that I should come accompanied with others to safely rescue him.

My dongsaeng hadn’t told me to give up on him. Rather, he’d asked that I come and save him. He must’ve been incredibly shocked, afraid, and exhausted, but he hadn’t spurned my hand. And so, it shouldn’t be that he’d be trying to leave my side now, as a result of what had happened back then.

In that case.

‘...is it because of Alpha’s memories.’

Even if he’d suddenly been placed in someone else’s body, the environment had changed, and he’d ended up arriving somewhere alone; that it had resulted in escalating to an Overload was strange, all told. Moon Hyuna, for example, had easily taken to the role of Lambda without a hitch. And on top of that, according to what she’d told me, Achates was the only location where abnormal conditions for an SS-rank Guard had been reported. Though exchange between the cities was scarce, seeing that we hadn’t heard news of any incidents akin to Alpha’s Overload, it seemed that Yerimie and Noah had adapted well enough too, after all. Peace, we’d have to figure out later.

Ultimately, the only one who’d had a problem crop up was Yoohyunie.

‘And he’d asked after this world before we fell asleep, too.’

But what kind of memory could it be, to end up like.

“Yoohyun-ah, you–”

Lightly, with silent footsteps, Yoohyunie stood up on the railing.

“Is it because of Alpha? Where’re you going!”

As if he intended to flee, that dongsaeng began walking along the railing. I attempted to follow behind him, but found my path forward blocked before long. Though it would’ve been risky when I’d been an F-rank, well, since I was at C-rank stats now, and I had the boots too. I climbed up onto the railing as well.

The railing, about the thickness of two fingers’ width, ended shortly, and a steel panel–ostensibly installed as a safety feature–that was raised a bit higher, continued onwards. The amount of space where you could step fell short of even a centimeter, rendering it a more precarious feat than even tightrope walking; but his footing was stable, as though he were standing on solid ground instead. It wasn’t anything I couldn’t do at the moment too, though.

“It’s dangerous, hyung!”

The moment I stepped foot onto the steel panel, Yoohyunie shouted. Dangerous, as if. The ground, visible off to the side, might’ve been nauseatingly far, but I would hardly fall.

“Didn’t we promise not to hide anything from each other, huh. Spill.”

“...but hyung doesn’t tell me everything either.”

“Everything I’m capable of talking about, I’ve already confessed them to you. I’d told you about everything here, too, didn’t I. That it’s my real body, and even that I have four lives. I’d wanted to hide it, in case you’d worry, but I told you truthfully.”

I took a step forward. Yoohyunie’s eyes locked onto my foot. As though he was readying himself to rush forward, if it seemed like I might fall, he unconsciously tensed his legs.

“In life, things that you need to hide from others–yeah, of course they exist. I don’t have any intentions of prying into your personal affairs, either. Though if there’s someone your eyes keep straying to, or someone you want to date, or if you’re carrying on a secret relationship, I’d like it if you told me about it.”

“There isn’t–I won’t.”

You should, though.

“But that you’re acting like this, it most definitely has something to do with me again, I’m assuming. Right?”

Yoohyunie pressed his lips together. Yeah, I thought so.

“Then shouldn’t I know about it too, Yoohyun-ah. If I were struggling with something involving you and just let it fester inside without saying anything, you’d dislike it as well. Isn’t that so? If, for example, I’d hidden the fact that this is my real body right now because you’d be worried, how would you have felt. You wouldn’t like it, right?”

“...wouldn't like it. But, hyung.”

Hesitating, my dongsaeng seemed unable to find the words. What could it possibly be. I couldn’t think of anything that might fit the bill.

“Since, I’m with hyung. Because of that……”

Yoohyunie’s gaze, fixed on my foot, refused to travel up. Since it seemed as though he might suddenly bolt at a pace that would make catching up impossible, if I approached any further, I held myself back.

“It feels like I only bring you harm. No, that’s how it really is. So, it’d be better if I disappeared–”

“Hey! Han Yoohyun!”

With a flinch, Yoohyunie’s head snapped up. This brat, there were things you could say, and some lines you didn’t cross.

“And what kind of horseshit is that!”

“But, Alpha’s–!”

What about Alpha! As Yoohyunie’s voice abruptly cut off, viridian willow leaves materialized. This brat really was actually trying to make a break for it, after all! Gritting my teeth, I leaned my body over to the side. To the outside of the building, towards the ground below. Forget about an F-rank, it was a height that even a C-rank absolutely couldn’t survive falling from.

“Hyung!”

Naturally, my dongsaeng rushed over. His hand stretched out towards me. My body tilted, becoming completely parallel with the ground. Though ordinarily, I should’ve plummeted downwards, with the soles of my boots placed at a perpendicular angle, I stood on the steel panel as if I were on flat terrain. While standing secured on the panel, I took out a wire. Being an A-rank Item, it was sturdy, and came with an auto-capture feature available.

As I wound the wire around my wrist, simultaneously, I bound my dongsaeng’s body with it as well.

“If you struggle, it’ll amputate my wrist.”

“What–hyung!”

Even if it was an A-rank Item, how could it possibly hope to stand up against an SS-rank. So I’d deliberately rigged it to extend to my wrist as well. In a way that would draw it tighter around my wrist, if the wire was pulled on. Since this body was only C-rank, once it tightened, it should cut into the skin, until it managed to sever the limb altogether.

Unable to even attempt to free himself from the wire wrapped around his torso, Yoohyunie froze in place. Moving to stand on top of the panel again, I tugged my dongsaeng back towards the building. Helpless to resist in case I got hurt, Yoohyunie’s body toppled over onto the rooftop.

Pressing my dongsaeng down, in order to prevent him from making any rash moves, I climbed on top to straddle him. Irin crawled outside and meandered around the vicinity of the wire, as though he meant to cut it.

“Rinie, you stay put.”

Blinking his eyes, Rinie wavered for a moment before returning to my dongsaeng’s neck. That’s right, good boy.

“...that's cruel. Using hyung as hostage.”

Yoohyunie voiced his dissent, at once forlorn and reproachful.

“Yeah, sorry for that.”

Even if I couldn’t hope to restrain my distinguished dongsaeng in terms of strength, resorting to this sort of method still wasn’t right. But when that dongsaeng was lacerating himself with knives, I couldn’t just send him away like that.

“And why exactly do you ‘bring me harm’.”

“.......”

“Han Yoohyun.”

I waited. As if I’d resolved myself to wait just like this, for however long it took. After a prolonged moment, Yoohyunie opened his mouth.

“...Alpha had a Nurturer, too.”

My dongsaeng told me that there had been someone with the Title. For a moment, I thought that it might’ve been the same Title as mine, but this place wouldn’t have been located in the Fifth Source(1). Since I’d been informed that, the only place where the ‘Nurturer Who Raised A Born S-Rank’ Title had appeared was in the World that belonged to the realm of the Fifth Source. It appeared that Alpha hadn’t been a born S-rank, then.

“And, they were killed.”

“Yoohyun-ah, I really do get what you might be worried about, but it’s fairly common that the person possessing the Nurturer Title ends up killed off. That’s why you’d distanced yourself from me, right. Though it was hard for a while, now, things are alright and–”

“By a Filiality Addict.”

“...what?”

Yoohyunie’s face twisted, his eyes fraught with anguish. Gritting his teeth, as though it pained him to recall the memory, he continued.

“This place, Achates, has some sort of connection with this World’s Filiality Addict. Though I can’t recall the exact details, whether because the memories I received are incomplete, or because it’s been redacted. He said that there’s someone he’d contracted with.”

“So you don’t know who that might be?”

Yoohyunie jerked his head in a short ‘no’. The chances of it being a Defense Association member was likely high. They might’ve gotten caught up in yesterday’s events and died as a result, or fled; but perhaps I should interrogate the ones we’d arrested.

“That guy… The bastard that killed Alpha’s Nurturer–like what hyung just said, they said that it’s commonplace for the person holding the Title of Nurturer to be eliminated. By the Reprobates.”

“...then.”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words. The Reprobates, he’d said–now hold on.

“...they could’ve been lying.”

“Alpha was only listening in on that bastard and the person they’d contracted with from the sidelines, and there was a clause in the contract that false intelligence couldn’t be passed on, too. And it was something that got brought up while discussing Alpha and the other cities’ SS-rank Guards, so. It shouldn’t be a lie…….”

Bringing Alpha along even when they went to meet the Filiality Addict, meant that he would’ve been deemed to be at a ‘trustworthy’ condition. Something like brainwashing… would they have used that sort of method. The Nurturer’s murder might have been a part of that process, too. Then, there was a high likelihood that the bastard that had contracted with the Filiality Addict had been one of his handlers.

“They said that the Reprobates strove to deal with the pesky obstacles that lay in the way of smooth monster hunting for S-rank Awakened, particularly when it came to the born S-rank Awakened individuals. Since, if they remain sequestered away in order to protect their Nurturer, it renders them ineffective. Even if the Nurturer disappears, typically, the S-ranks are capable of recovering fairly easily, and if it can be staged so that it looks like they’d ended up killed by a monster, they end up trying to defend the World even more zealously, so…….”

My heart was pounding. Suppressing the nausea I felt, I attempted to organize the information I’d received as calmly as possible. So, that was to say, in order to protect the world a bit more efficiently, the Nurturer would be eliminated, was it. At the Reprobates’ hands.

…so they hadn’t lied to me, after all. When they’d told me that they typically end up killed. It was just that they’d omitted who the ones doing the killing were, but it was the truth. Those fucking bastards.

“And it seems like I’m that born S-rank, hyung.”

Yoohyunie said, apprehension clouding his face.

“I’ve been able to sense it, that I’m different from the other S-rank Hunters. And that the Seseung guild leader and Hunter Liette, they felt similar. A born S-rank’s Nurturer is exceedingly rare, and the Reprobates, they’d, almost always, get rid of them……. And being registered in the System, it can’t be hidden away, either…….”

“Yoohyun-ah.”

“Thinking about how, as soon as hyung had Awakened, you could’ve been killed because of me…….”

“And how would that be because of you! It would be the Reprobate bastards’ fault!”

“But if, I’d kept maintaining my distance from hyung, then you might’ve… been able to stay safe…….”

The Reprobates’ objective was to block the advancement of the Dungeons, to save the World. And so, if he’d kept his distance from me while concentrating on expanding the guild and his influence, then they might not’ve gone so far as to involve hyung–hearing Yoohyunie say that, my heart seized up.

No.

Could it be, that Yoohyunie had also known about this.

“Yoo, hyun-ah.”

My voice shook faintly.

“That’s to say, you were… going to continue staying away from me? Even after several years had passed?”

“...no. Since when I’d Awakened, I was still young and, hyung had been so anxious. Once the Guild had established a foothold and hyung had, and other people had, gotten used to the Dungeons, I’d planned on reaching out to you. Even if things couldn’t go back to the way they were before… Even then.”

Yoohyunie replied, saying that he was sorry. Though there wasn’t anything that he needed to be sorry about, my head was spinning. I felt queasy. In order to hide my expression, I dropped my head.

“...hyung?”

“It’s nothing, I just have something to think about.”

I hoped he hadn’t known. He shouldn’t, couldn’t have known. Please. If Yoohyunie had, thought of his existence itself as being dangerous to me. Dammit.

A recollection of his smiling face. My insides ached. Why had he smiled then. For what reason. When he lay dying, as though he felt so relieved.

“Yoohyun-ah, it’s not your fault. You haven’t done anything wrong at all.”

It wasn’t just something I was saying to console my dongsaeng. It was in earnest.

“It was simply, it was just that you’d loved me, and that I’d accepted you too. No one did anything wrong. It was just a case of misfortune, like a freak disaster. No one’s in the wrong. No, it’s those Reprobate bastards that are at fault.”

I got that those bastards had an obligation to save the world, but the hell did I care about that.

“And it’s alright now. You saw too, right. The way the Reprobates were falling over themselves in front of me. They can’t touch me. Rather, they’re trying to protect me. That’s…….”

That was, all of it was, thanks to you. You’d made this possible. I had to keep suppressing the burning bundle of emotion that threatened to come back up. It was difficult to swallow it back down, but it wasn’t impossible. Somehow, I was able to muster a smile.

“Don’t worry, Yoohyun-ah. Everything will be fine. You said that you were happy that we got to live together, right? It’ll be like that going forward, too. Continually. For as long as you want.”

My dongsaeng gave a tiny nod.

“Sorry, hyung, for trying to keep it from you.”

“It’s alright. Make sure to tell me from now on, and just remember very clearly that it’s not your fault.”

스르륵, releasing the wire, I pulled myself up. I held out a hand towards my dongsaeng.

“And most importantly–I was the one that approached you first, Yoohyun-ah. What would a newborn infant have known, huh. It was because I was the one to like you first, that you’d followed my lead. And so, you really are even more faultless in this.”

Clasping my hand, my dongsaeng lifted his body.

“But, to hyung, I’m really very sorry.”

“I told you that it’s my choice. If you keep feeling remorseful, then that means I ended up making the wrong choice, doesn’t it. So don’t feel sorry and, hmm, feel thankful instead.”

Instead of ‘sorry’, ‘thanks’ was definitely better. His face visibly lit up, Yoohyunie gave a bright smile. His smiling expression was much better, too, after all.

“Thank you, hyung. Even so, if hyung ends up getting married or the like, I’ll make myself scarce. I shouldn’t be coming looking for you too often, right.”

“...what? What’re you saying all of a sudden? Hold on, I’m not even seeing anyone!”

“Hyung’s always telling me that I should–”

“Hey, that’s just because I’m supposed to be like your guardian or something! And what do you mean, making yourself scarce. Anyone that doesn’t like you, I wouldn’t like either.”

“But most wouldn’t like it, is what I was told. And that it’d be good to keep that in mind, in advance.”

And just what bastard had seen fit to say that kind of useless crap to him?

“I told you, didn’t I, that I’d despise that kind of person? Don’t pay any mind to that! There’s no reason for you to leave home.”

To begin with, something like marriage, well, I’d already dismissed the prospect. Even if it weren’t for Yoohyunie, there were monsters teeming everywhere and, above all, it was dangerous. Since there wasn’t anyone who would accept all of that, and even if there were, I’d feel too apologetic to allow it.

On top of that, right now, the kids came first too… With this kind of mindset, how could I even think of seeing anyone. It would only end up with both parties hurting each other.

“Then, we can really keep living together?”

“Of course. Even if you might change your mind, I won’t change. If you ever decide to pursue your independence(2), I’ll even deign to feel regretful.”

“As long as it’s okay with hyung, I most definitely won’t do anything like look for independence. I like how things are now.”

“Yes, yes.”

In the first place, at twenty, unless you’d moved out for school, it was typical to be living with your family at that age, anyway. Even if he was a guild leader and an S-rank Hunter, he was still young.

“There wasn’t anything else that looked like it might be useful among Alpha’s memories, then?”

“Since I didn’t receive all his memories, and he was just in the position of taking orders, there wasn’t much. Hunter Moon Hyuna might actually be the one who knows more.”

Even then, that the Achates Defense Association had ties with the Filiality Addicts, was useful intel. Perhaps after the interview session with Sigma, I should go looking for that Filiality Addict contract holder.

[ Morning Exercise, Conducted On The Rooftop! ]

As I tried to leave the rooftop, the quest window twinkled at me. Ah, come on.

“Hyung, what’re you suddenly doing?”

“Aerobics(3), for the voyeur. They say that light exercise in the morning is good for your health.”

Not just because of the reward. But since I could use the points, ahem.

- - - - -

(1) 다섯 번째 근원

(2) 독립, 獨立

1. 남의 도움이나 속박을 받지 않고 혼자의 힘으로 일을 해 나가는 상태가 되는 것. 자립(自立). "∼심(心)" 3. 개인이 한 집안을 이루고 완전히 사권(私權)을 행사하는 상태가 되는 것.

so what they’re asserting here is their intention to stay a part of the same ‘household’ indefinitely

(3) 맨손체조

+(Q&A)

Q) re: sclass’s worldbuilding, the Sources number five total,

First Source: the tallest mountain (가장 높은 산) Second Source: endlessly soaring wings (끝없이 흐르는 날개) Third Source: the deepest spring (가장 깊은 샘) Fourth Source: jewel of every color (모든 색의 보석) Fifth Source: the tree where it snows (눈이 내리는 나무)

divided like so; is there a reason for or a meaning behind the Sources being named the way they are? also, i was curious why the Sources might have been divided into five in number!

A) 수(水)금(金)지(土)화(火)목(木)–from the five elements(오행), after omitting fire(화), which cannot become a living entity, and including wind(풍), it ended up being five. beginning from the first, the order goes earth>wind>water>metal>wood. ‘metal(금(gold))’ is ‘light’, as well; and the darkness that is immune [to its effect] is imbued with the Origin’s cosmos(태초의 우주). those basic properties was what it was devised from^^

#246화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

51 notes · View notes

dbgdbw · 1 year

Text

296.Waver(ing)

흔들림

The soles of his shoes padded lightly against the smoothly paved runway. Sung Hyunjae languidly turned his head to survey his surroundings.

It was quiet. Aside from the flight crew disembarking from the airplane, no other living presence could be sensed. The airport was likely in a similar state. Possibly, someone might have been left in the control tower. Even so–by this time, they had likely managed to evacuate the premises as well.

“It seems that the outcome will remain the same, regardless of what I might say.”

“Will you be forthcoming with an explanation, then.”

“No.”

Sung Hyunjae smiled, as though delighted by the turn of events. Without ever moving his eyes from him, Song Taewon verified that the crew members had made their escape via the runway.

“When you’ve gone to such lengths for an engagement with me, it would be remiss of me to turn away Section Chief Song Taewon-nim’s show of sincerity.”

“If you have no intentions of causing a disturbance, a verbal confirmation that you are capable of exercising control in your present state is all that will be required.”

“A single word is all that’s needed, is it.”

“Yes.”

Song Taewon answered calmly. However, he held no expectations that Sung Hyunjae would indeed comply with the utterance. When it was clear that he’d already been roused, the chances that he would say that nothing’s amiss, of his own volition, was nil. Approaching with his head bowed in such a way, was unsuited to him.

An S-rank Hunter displaying erratic behavior couldn’t be summarily dismissed without ado. However, this wasn’t someone who could be dissuaded by words, either. Ultimately, the most favorable outcome he could hope for was to attempt to de-escalate him here, however much possible.

“You opted not to travel back with Han Yoojin-ssi–why?”

Song Taewon finally opened his mouth, once the flight crew had disappeared into the airport.

“I’d no idea that young Han Yoojin was of an age that yet required a chaperone. He’d assured me that he was twenty-five, you see, and so I’d been soundly hoodwinked.”

“Is he in stable condition?”

Golden eyes, curved slightly in a smile, turned faintly chilling. As Sung Hyunjae remained silent, Song Taewon regarded him quietly in turn.

He’d heard, in broad strokes, what had happened from Moon Hyuna. There was nothing amiss with Han Yoojin. However, something had–at least, between him and Sung Hyunjae–likely transpired.

Without that being the case, there wasn’t a reason why Sung Hyunjae would have reentered the country first.

If it was simply that he’d lost interest, it would be a relief. But when he was showing an aberrant response, like now; what should he think.

It was unfamiliar. Enough that he felt reluctant to delve any deeper into the matter. There was another reason for this, as well. He was the Section Chief of the Awakened Persons Management Division, Song Taewon. More than anything, that fact took precedence.

“Hunter Sung Hyunjae, please provide an answer regarding the matter of your present state.”

“And if I choose to exercise my right to silence, what will you do.”

“The response protocol will be the same as for the procedure for post-Dungeon raid conditions.”

“Though it hardly bears comparison to that sort of thing. Very well.”

Sung Hyunjae’s magical energy shifted, lightly, easily. As natural as breathing, a faint electrical current trickled outwards.

Song Taewon’s hands tensed. Rather than a complicated conversation, this method was preferable. All the more so, as assorted revelations tended to follow on the heels of conversation.

Dress shoes ground against the floor. The runway was sturdy, built to withstand the impact of a plane taking off and landing. With the appearance of a faint crack in the reinforced pavement, Sung Hyunjae’s form vanished from its spot.

콰드득!

A thunderous clap rang out as fist met with palm. Song Taewon blocked the straight jab, thrown his way without any trace of a feint.

Squarely meeting the fist that had been hurled at full force, Song Taewon shot Sung Hyunjae a wary look.

“...what do you mean by this.”

Just a plain swing of his fist, without any Skill or finesse involved. It was nearly enough to cause him to be taken aback.

“Weren’t you proposing to let me use you, to at least vent my frustration.”(1)

끼익, with the squeal of shoes as the tip of his foot pressed into the ground, he moved into a kick. This time as well, there was a distinct lack of an electric current jumping out, or the metallic clatter of chains.

Song Taewon blocked the kick aimed straight for his forearm. Seeing the way he didn’t budge an inch, even when pressed with his entire body weight, Sung Hyunjae gave a crooked smile as he retreated with a light jump.

“What a stiff sandbag.”

“Why...!”

“To think I'd end up conscripted into aiding a public servant find his release, and in broad daylight no less.”(2)

What a tragic state of affairs, Sung Hyunjae said, affecting an exaggeratedly saddened expression.

“My dear Section Chief Song Taewon-nim, do flash your teeth properly.”

Raising his arm to glance at the time, Sung Hyunjae went on.

“The next plane should be arriving within the day, I imagine. In three or four hours’ time, likely. You should endeavor to clear the area of hazards before then, no.”

“...given the situation at present, precaution should be taken to ensure that no S-rank Hunter sustains significant harm. The chances of an incident breaking out between Korea and Japan is–.”

“How self-assured. How should I put this–that I do cherish young Han Yoojin, is true.”

Sung Hyunjae said, lightly pressing a curled finger to his chin. Outwardly, he appeared to be enclosed deep in tranquil thought.

“A rare one-of-a-kind value, and entertaining to boot. Enough that I wonder if there might ever be something I consider worth treasuring more, in the past as well as future. Though it might require a significant investment of resources, I entertained the notion of protecting it, and seeing to most things it might need. Since it’s valuable enough to warrant doing so.”

Without lowering his guard, Song Taewon regarded Sung Hyunjae.

Song Taewon was well aware of this, too. If it was something that caught his attention, something that he deemed to be of value, Sung Hyunjae became magnanimous. He didn’t shy away from the effort it took, carving out the time to pay meticulous attention to the quality of care given.

Only, when it came to Han Yoojin, it occasionally felt as though it turned particularly overzealous.

“...have you tired of him, now that it’s come to this.”

“It might’ve been more convenient, were that the case.”

차르륵, a whisper of chains sounded.

“As, even if my interest had waned, the value would remain the same–and so, simply cherishing him as I’d done before would have been sufficient.”

But now, it had become difficult to do even just that.

“I confess I feel, somewhat conflicted.”

Sung Hyunjae’s gaze fixed directly on Song Taewon.

“On how to proceed.”

Unconsciously, Song Taewon grit his teeth together. Just why.

Unbidden, Han Yoohyun’s image came to him. A vision he’d never before witnessed, nor thought he’d ever be privy to. Smiling brightly, with innocent delight; showing genuine concern for another; approaching him first, with warm, mundane affection.

“Section Chief Song Taewon.”

“...hadn’t you always behaved willfully, to begin with.”

“And if I’ve become unable to, what will you do.”

Sung Hyunjae said, as though in provocation. No–it was most certainly a provocation. Akin to fluttering a red flag, in front of a bull.

“No matter how much something might appeal to me, ‘I’ will always come foremost. Being ‘my property’, ‘something that I cherish’--at its core, it still returns back to ‘me’.”

“I am aware.”

Song Taewon shifted his stance slightly. His feet braced against the ground. He didn’t want to listen any further.

But even then, he was unable to urge himself onwards. Because when it came to his own desires–continually repressing and enduring things, was the proper stance to take regarding such impurities.

“You asked why I returned early, alone? Why, it was in avoidance.”

Isn’t it funny, Sung Hyunjae said.

“As it seemed as though I would be unable to keep myself from desisting any longer, and lay my hands on it regardless.”

“You(3) mean to say, you would.”

“That’s right. So, Song Taewon–go ahead and bite.”

Before I maul your tender lamb to shreds.

Like a command had fallen, Song Taewon lunged. As though the leash pulled taut had snapped, he fell upon his foe. There was no need for deeper contemplation. Han Yoojin was weak, and therefore an entity he was bound to protect. And Sung Hyunjae had professed an intention for violence.

He could act–assuredly, simply.

피지지직! Electric currents leapt up. As if they intended to sear through Song Taewon’s flesh, to char even his bones, they blitzed towards him.

Though he did possess an electricity-resistance Item, when viewed in light of his adversary’s rank, it fell abysmally short. However–so long as he could avoid a mortal blow with it, it would be sufficient.

Using the black shadow that allowed him to nullify his opponent’s Skill to block the concentrated electrical current aimed at his vitals, he swung the knife he’d taken out at some juncture towards Sung Hyunjae’s neck.

카랑! However, the knife was deflected by golden chains that quickly fanned out into existence, the two crashing together. When it came to pure strength, the knife, with the weight of momentum behind it, was superior; however, the difference in equipment was clear.

As the blade of the knife shattered, the flat of Sung Hyunjae’s hand shot out towards Song Taewon’s body to land a blow. Quickly twisting his body to dodge, Song Taewon jerked his knee up into Sung Hyunjae’s arm, to knock it away.

If they had collided as-is, the one who would have been injured was Sung Hyunjae. As someone who was capable of increasing density–and therefore weight–with his Skill, at the same rank, without a defensive Skill, rebuffing Song Taewon’s close-range attack was a difficult task. In addition, it was too late to retreat his hand. Instead of attempting to dodge, Sung Hyunjae turned his palm towards the ground.

콰드득, putting enough strength into his feet to cause the sturdy pavement underfoot to crack, Sung Hyunjae’s body soared upwards. Without resisting the kinetic force exerted by the surging attack, gently placing the palm of his hand on Song Taewon’s knee like a springboard, he’d used the inertia to complete a flip midair instead.

But Song Taewon wasn’t one to just watch as Sung Hyunjae nimbly sailed overhead, as though he’d escaped gravity. As he brought his folded knee back down, simultaneously, a sharp object flew from his hand. 파바박, as the sound of something digging through flesh was heard, the chains rammed down towards Song Taewon like an incensed snake.

콰각!

The floor shattered under the end of the chain. Then, 콰득, 콱!, it continued thrusting in pursuit of Song Taewon, as he attempted to move out of the way. Unable to retaliate with his own weapon, having cloaked one side with Plundering(掠奪), Song Taewon seized the golden chain in his hand and wound it around his arm.

The chain was pulled taut between the two people. Though electricity skittered up the chain, it was consumed by the black shadow and dwindled.

“A monster’s spine, is it.”

One arm still occupied with holding the chain, Sung Hyunjae lifted his other arm. Four barbs were embedded in his wrist.

Closing his mouth around the end of a spine, he drew it out, never taking his gaze away from Song Taewon. The barbs, slowly eased out from his body, 툭툭, dropped to the floor one by one. Blood soaked through his sleeve in an instant.

“Though the paralyzing agent remains still, it appears weak.”

Song Taewon took a deep breath. Shifting his weight to both feet, he heaved the chain towards himself. Unable to beat him in a contest of strength, it seemed as though Sung Hyunjae was being pulled forward, when 투두둑, the segments of the chain suddenly broke apart.

The dismantled links, shooting out towards the direction in which they’d been pulled.

쾅! 콰광!

Bore into the innocent body of the plane.

Though the force it exerted was tantamount to a bomb going off, without so much as a flinch, Song Taewon steadily deflected the links as he sprinted towards Sung Hyunjae. But obstructing his way was a dreadful electrical energy.

쿠르르릉!

Blinding light burst outwards. With a tremendous roar, the energy with incredible destructive power enshrouded Song Taewon completely. Struggling against the dreadful pressure exerted by that light, Song Taewon narrowly managed to slam his foot into the ground. The specially reinforced concrete, forced upwards, deflected the wildly dancing electrical current.

At the same time.

“Kuh!”

Having materialized behind Song Taewon, Sung Hyunjae connected a powerful kick with his back. As his body smashed into the raised wall of concrete, a concussive sound was heard.

Unable to open his eyes properly due to the strength of the light, Song Taewon flung himself away on instinct and into a roll to move out of the way. 차르르, the chain drove down at the space where Song Taewon had been, reminiscent of a lance.

“......!”

Suddenly changing directions, it speared through Song Taewon’s arm. His opponent was someone whose was someone whose attacks could only just be avoided, to begin with. There was a high possibility that even letting himself be hit with the paralyzing spines, had been an intentional allowance.

The chain, which had speared through his arm like a cast fishing line, made a half-loop and pulled. Song Taewon’s body, flung away, smashed through the plane and tumbled through the resulting debris. Lightning struck from above, in the very same spot. Swallowing back the blood seeping between his teeth, Song Taewon dodged. Accompanied by the blackened smell of burning, flames danced.

Beyond the wafting smoke, a man standing tall could be seen. Upon witnessing his state–immaculate, but for a slight redness at his sleeve–Song Taewon found himself reassured, rather. Splashing a potion over his body, he stood up.

“That Partner of mine most certainly would’ve harped on, had he witnessed this state.”

The stroke of his fingers against the end of the chain that had returned to him was elegant without measure. Even the locks that had become disheveled by their rough movements, seemed like it had been done in a calculated gambit. He was a sight completely removed from the disarrayed rubble scattered around them.

“Do not go near Han Yoojin-ssi.”

Debris from the plane crunched underfoot as Song Taewon walked forward.

Sung Hyunjae watched him with assessing eyes. He took in the fervidly heated gaze fixed upon him, at odds with the implacably stony expression he wore.

“The two of you, are more alike than you realize.”

“What you’re suggesting.”

“What you desire from me, as well as that repressed inner self.”

Song Taewon’s expression pinched slightly. 우지직, the sound of something crashing to the ground, rang out from behind.

“As I was able to find a measure of release, thanks to you, I’ll extend my gratitude for that, at least.”

“W, ait!”

“I’m standing here, as you can see.”

His fist, his legs tensed. But Song Taewon was unable to resume attacking. If he had been sated, then that was that. Seeing the way he hesitated, Sung Hyunjae lifted the end of a brow minutely before turning away.

* * *

“So, it wasn’t a notable injury?”

“Yes–the Seseung guild leader has retired to his residence, and Section Chief Song Taewon is in sound condition as well.”

I heard the news when I reached the airport lounge. Sung Hyunjae had arrived at the airport and gotten into a scrap with Song Taewon, who had been waiting for him. That was the extent of what I could pry out of them. With a complicated heart, I stroked Peace, who was sitting in my lap.

‘Though it’s a relief that the two of them are okay.’

There was no way Section Chief Song would’ve been the one to throw the first punch, so. Sung Hyunjae-ssi, just what did you think you were doing. To calm my irate feelings, I chugged down the drink set beside me.

“That we would have to still go through a reception, after everything!”

“Yerim-ah, it’s been three days.”

Though it felt like a long time had passed for me, too.

At my words, Yerimie, who was currently caught in the coordinator’s firm grip, sulkily puffed out her cheeks. Though we’d wanted to return home immediately, saying that there was a need to prepare in anticipation of a reception celebrating our win in the friendly match with Japan, we’d been detained like so. Something about an even more jovial celebration being called for, in order to improve the atmosphere following the sudden infestation of monsters.

Turning my head, I could see Yoohyunie and Hyuna-ssi, both of them deeply preoccupied with the work reports that had accumulated in the meanwhile. Though there hadn’t been any significant problems at Haeyeon, Hyuna-ssi was grimacing at the incidents Liette had stirred up.

“Makes me feel sorry towards Soyoungie.”

But perhaps because of the impending events, too, there wasn’t anything said about Breaker Guild taking responsibility as well, too. Celebration, or whatever–I just wanted to get it over with, and go home.

- - - - -

(1) ‘화풀이나 하라고 대주는 것 아니었나’

‘PG’ reading:

‘so it’s not you offering yourself up as an outlet for my temper?’

‘alternative’ reading:

‘대주(기)’ = lit. to ‘put something to (something)’, with both the connotation of ‘offering up’ and ‘leaning/pressing against’; used as innuendo for someone on the receiving end ‘offering up’ their body + ‘화풀이’ = ‘venting one’s emotions on smth’ → ‘so it’s not you offering to let me use(fuck) you to at least blow off steam?’

(2) ‘대낮부터 공직자의 자기 위로나 돕는 신세라니’

‘자위’ is the slang/shortened ver. of ‘자기(self-) 위로(consolation/comfort)’, i.e. masturbation.. the full implication being that shj is going to ‘help work’ stw to completion ‘in broad daylight’ while he(stw)’s on duty

‘PG’ reading:

‘to think, i’d end up in the position of having to help a government employee console himself, and from so early on in the day’

(3) though shj(38) uses 하게체 with both hyj(25/30) and stw(34) (while he doesn’t with mha(27), for example), when he speaks to hyj, it’s in the way you’d speak to a younger person of a different generation, whereas the way he speaks to stw is how you’d speak to a contemporary/peer. the way stw speaks to shj is polite-formal, but in a way that’s also the way some more traditional/’respectful’ adult couples speak to each other, particularly because of the ‘you(당신)’ used:

it’s the discrepancy in honorific level with regards to their interpersonal dynamics that renders hyj’s occasional use of ‘당신’ rude/aggressive, while stw’s consistent references to shj as ‘당신’ get read w/ the ‘acceptable/intimate’ use. since pronoun-dropping in kr means that the ‘you’ can be skipped altogether in a sentence, geunseo-nim deliberately including an instance of it in the text, is done so to inform the reader on the dynamic that exists between the characters.

other examples of intentional manners of address in speech dynamics being significant story-wise can be seen in ch557, for example, where hyj is able to pinpoint that the person calling out to him is hyh simply because of the way he addresses him:

“안녕.” 경찰청장의 말이 뚝 끊어졌다. 그와 동시에 정체를 알 수 있었다. 나를 부르는 호칭이 차단될 만한 정 보인 사람. 그리고 존댓말도 아닌. “...유현아?”

“Hey.” The police chief’s words abruptly dropped off. Simultaneously, I was able to ascertain their identity. Someone who was close enough, that they held the right to drop identifiers(호칭*) for me altogether. Nor using honorifics, either. “...Yoohyun-ah?”

this level of intimacy/familiarity is reserved for family/lovers(w/ younger couples, in contrast to hjtw’s ‘older married couple’ dynamic), the conflation being since, ostensibly, your significant other is on the track to becoming family.

*호칭 would be the title/tie/relationship to x/name mentioned below:

novel hjtw

+(Q&A)

Q) are hunters typically big eaters?

[...] conversely, as song taewon must keep repressing the power of the Lunar Eclipse that continually compels him to swallow things down, even with outstanding control over his magical energy, the amount he eats is sizeable. [...] sung hyunjae has outstanding control, but due to his status as a Waxing Moon, his body demands more energy–something that he ignores.

+(Q&A)

Q) when section chief song-nim was driving around a compact car, how did he drive?

A) he picked the car with the highest clearance and longest seat rails out of the selection of compact cars that were available, but even then, it was cramped after all. however, as song taewon felt a kind of reassurance(comfort) from that stifling condition, he paid no mind to the physical discomfort it caused. it’s because sung hyunjae was aware that song taewon’s compact car was one of the methods he utilized to repress himself, that it irked him all the more ^^

+(Q&A)

Q) have any of the respective heads of organizations acted as chief mourner in a funeral for a subordinate who lost their family to a Dungeon break?

A) song taewon and moon hyuna have done so in the past. han yoohyun has not, but even if the occasion had come up, he wouldn’t want to participate in the capacity of chief mourner, which is typically filled by family. pre-regression, han yoohyun’s family comprised only one person, han yoojin–and even as a temporary arrangement, he has no intention of letting another step into a position that’s reserved for family only. in the case of sung hyunjae, the sole person he’d considered to hold a relationship with himself that would warrant doing such pre-regression, was song taewon. at present, with song taewon of course being a given, he’s also considering taking up the position of chief mourner for han yoojin’s funeral, as han yoohyun would have perished alongside him, if it turns out that bak yerim struggles to do so.

+(Q&A)

Q) 성현제가 힐링할 때 주로 뭘 하는지 궁금합니다

+(Q&A)

A) song taewon’s influence played a significant role. having been bequeathed song taewon’s miscarried Plundering(掠奪), he(shj) sought a place that would suit song taewon and be a place he(stw) could live peacefully+was far away from korea. it was also the background of the postcard he would send han yoojin, too. however, he wasn’t set on switzerland from the beginning, and so long as it was an idyllic location somewhere in the Alps, he wouldn’t have cared where it ended up being. other than that it’s in the triple digits, i’ll leave the exact number your imagination ^^

#296화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 1 year

Text

245.Alpha’s Recollection (1)

알파의 기억 (1)

The helicopter touched down at a location far removed from us, rather than coming near our vicinity. It appeared that, having witnessed the aftereffects of the battle, drawing closer had been deemed too dangerous. It wasn’t a scene that I’d necessarily want to approach, either.

“Yoohyun-ah, are you okay?

After going to the pains of dressing him with a potion, he’d gotten wounded again. He hadn’t sustained any significant injury, but he was unable to conceal his fatigued state. Since he’d ended up trading blows with an SS-rank Guard immediately after his release, much less after resting deeply for a few days, it would’ve been stranger if he’d been okay.

“If it’d gone on for a little longer, I could’ve taken him down for sure.”

Yoohyunie said in a faintly petulant tone, even as he obediently submitted himself to my care.

“Since he’d been poisoned, it’s true that you’d’ve gained the upper hand as time went by, but you’re not in great condition, either, you know. With a slip, you could’ve gotten seriously injured, too.”

“That’s true, but after clashing up close a few times.”

Lowering his voice, Yoohyunie resumed speaking.

“Looks like he’s got little combat experience. He’s easier than the Seseung guild leader.”

“Huh? Experience? But Sigma should’ve Awakened far earlier?”

He’d said that he’d been instated as Solemnis’s Sigma five years ago, too.

“You’re talking about person-to-person combat, right?”

Moon Hyuna suddenly cut in.

“Since, logistically, there’s little to no reason he would’ve fought with high-rank Guards, and a fellow SS-rank one at that, especially. It would’ve just been monsters, that he’d be used to fighting. Though he seems fairly capable, considering.”

That was likely owing to his battle foresight. In a number of ways, it really was a scam of a Skill. Upon learning about his inexperience, it felt as though the gap between Sigma and Sung Hyunjae as individuals had widened even further. They really were different people, then.

“And now that I think about it, the young master wouldn’t have been able to gather many points, huh. I, for one, managed to stockpile a decent amount. There’s a lot of nice options in the reward store, it looked like.”

Moon Hyuna said, her expression eager. If there weren't any pressing matters outside, it would’ve been nice to be able to take our time installing the disks and making our way out, she mentioned. That, while the opportunity was present, she’d like to snag at least one piece of SS-rank equipment or so.

“Since you’d managed to eliminate two whole SS-rank monsters a moment ago, you would’ve surpassed two million points, I imagine.”

“Hm? Nah. Since it gives around fifty to sixty thousand per SS-rank, it’d be around one million.”

“...come again?”

But I’d gotten over a million? But then, Yoohyunie mentioned that he’d only received around four hundred thousand or so for eliminating the serpent as well. How could this be, when that time I’d had to team up with Sigma, I’d still gotten over a million each and… ah.

‘The Miracle Rookie title!’

It was a title that doubled the Item rewards received from a Dungeon. But over here, Dungeons didn’t exist, and the monsters popped out directly–so it seemed, as a result, it had been altered to give double the amount of points instead. Then, it meant that the original amount of points you got for hunting an SS-rank monster was about five to six hundred thousand.

‘Since I have the doubled drop rate effect applied, and since Sigma’s a denizen of this world who’s unable to receive points, and that means that, because all of the points would go to me, then…….’

A million per head. Was that how it was! With twofold the points received, and with the vast array of selection my Point Store offered……. Wow, this, this–.

‘Going hunting with Sigma would mean that I could claim a monopoly on twice the amount of points!’

My heart felt slightly aflutter. It’d been said that there were loads of monsters outside of the cities, and I wanted to sweep them clear with dear Mister Sigma. If I were to just toss in a bomb to make a scratch or so, and Sigma took care of the rest, then the points would balloon up like a bag of popcorn.

“Sigma-ssi, are you quite alright!”

No need for any more or less, couldn’t you just grant me an allowance of three days’ time. I even had that lure Item, on top of that. If I could draw in all of the monsters from the surroundings, and then we took them all out in one go… Ah, the corners of my mouth kept creeping up. I could gather around a hundred million points within three days, and issue all the kids an SS-rank piece of equipment each! And Skills! As well as useful miscellaneous Items!

“Would you like my assistance with detoxification, sir? As you’re aware, my poison resis–”

“Hyung, what’re you doing.”

As I made to approach Sigma, Yoohyunie caught hold of me. Yoohyun-ah, hyung is doing all of this for your sake.

“Since it’d be a shame to waste a detox Item, we should pacify him and finish out that contract.”

“Can’t we just kill him? Hunter Moon Hyuna’s here, too.”

“He’s not that bad of a person.”

Even when I reassured him that it was alright, my dongsaeng didn’t appear to be convinced. Considering how he’d attacked him without prelude–while demanding my corpse, no less–it was certainly reasonable, but, well. Even then, dongsaeng-ah, that guy still holds a lot of potential use for us.

“Goodness, you’re looking quite unwell, sir. A healer from Lanchaea should be along shortly. Until then, would you like me to at least hold your hand, sir?”

Sigma, who had been treating the burns littered on his person with a potion, looked down at me with a cold gaze. The equipment he was wearing looked like they would’ve been of good quality, but now they were largely ruined. In particular, enough of the top he was wearing had been burned away that I worried over its salvageability. If it happened to be SS-grade, it would be a real shame.

“And what new ploy might this be, then?”

“‘Ploy’, how uncharitable. And just when have I ever treated you badly, sir? Compared to your treatment, from start to finish, I’ve been the embodiment of hospitality itself. Let’s do this the easy way, alright, with just a tiny tweak to the contract, sir.”

“I don’t see why any modifications would be necessary. You can see it through here, can’t you.”

“It’s a sensitive matter, sir, as I’d said. I’d like to take the time to resolve Sigma-ssi’s curiosity off to the side, discreetly. Don’t scowl at me, sir. Are you upset, perhaps? Seeing as how you’re only days away from forty, you shouldn’t behave so narrow-mindedly, sir.”

At my words, Sigma’s expression became further disgruntled.

“Do I really look so old, truly.”

“That’s, at least your exteri… Hold on.”

Now that I thought about it, this guy, how old was he. I’d offhandedly assumed that he’d be the same age as Sung Hyunjae, but just like Moon Hyuna had mentioned, he did seem to be a bit younger, maybe. It was just that his default expression was so stiff–if it loosened up like a certain nugu-ssi, it seemed like he might look fairly young, after all.

“...that’s, you’re over thirty at least, right, sir?”

There was no answer. Wait, just hold the fuck up. There was no way.

“...twenties? For real?”

“That’s what most assume, typically.”

Sigma said, as though I was the outlier for being so surprised. Uh, that’s, of course he had a smooth, young-looking face, but. Wow, fucking–twenties. Was this for real.

“That means I’m the hyung!”

“...what?”

“I’m in my thirties!”

Hardly possible, Sigma mumbled. Yoohyunie, who had been draped against my side, looked at me with rounded eyes.

“Hyung’s age is.”

“Yoohyun-ah, how many years older is hyung than you?”

“Five years.”

“And how old are you right now?”

“Twenty–”

“Twenty-five, right. So, I’m currently thirty-one(1). Refer to me as ‘hyung’, Sigma.”

Pfft, Moon Hyuna, who had been engaged in the proceedings with great amusement, was unable to contain herself and eventually burst out laughing. Conversely, both Sigma and Yoohyunie’s expressions had dropped into deep scowls. Ah, whatever, don’t do it if you don’t want to. Though I really was in my thirties, on the inside. That this guy who wore Sung Hyunjae’s face was younger than me, wasn’t such a bad feeling.

Yeah, since the environment was like this, it wasn’t too shocking that this brat had grown up to be a bit rough around the edges.

“We should begin by modifying the contract, sir. Let’s see, since we’ll each need a period of respite, how’s about meeting up separately sometime tomorrow afternoon to talk. That’s fine, isn’t it? You have to listen properly, without running away like earlier–and in exchange for answering three additional questions on top of the intelligence, Alpha gets completely removed from the conditions. Since you ought to have a lot you'd like to ask after, just go along with it, Sigma-ssi, sir.”(2)

If things went smoothly enough, I could possibly sucker him into doing some monster hunting, too, while I was at it. My beloved Point Mule-nim(3). I’ll treat you nicely enough, so give me just three days of your time.

After staring at me for a moment, Sigma agreed to the amendment of the terms of the contract. It was at that time Lanchaea’s Healer and Guards arrived, in addition to Solemnis’s Guards. Eyeing us warily, the Solemnis Guards collected their own numbers. The gazes shot my way were particularly hostile.

I might’ve caused a handful of problems, but I’m not a bad guy, really.

By the time we’d returned to the Achates Defense Administration building, a lot of the chaotic atmosphere had already been seen to.

Most of the high-ranking officials and Guards of the Defense Administration had been taken into custody. Of the five S-ranked Guards, Vitera’s unnie had been captured after sustaining a serious injury in the fight with her dongsaeng. One of the remaining four had been caught by Lanchaea’s Guards, but the whereabouts of the other three were unknown. Though an arrest warrant would likely be issued, once day broke, it was highly likely that they had already fled outside of the city.

“As our S-rank Guards number higher, they shouldn’t be able to try anything lightly.”

Vitera said, smiling. It seemed that she’d been unaware of Gnosi’s intentions to kill me. Gnosi, as well as the Guards that had accompanied him, had yet to regain consciousness. We’d have to resolve that misunderstanding, once they were awake.

“We’d only been intending to monitor the situation, due to Alpha’s presence, so it was quite unexpected to have things worked out this well.”

As many as four S-rank Guards numbered among the resistance force members that had ended up finding asylum in Lanchaea. Including Vitera, it made five. Though it was no small number, it was only half of what made up the Defence Administration’s ranks, and with the SS-rank Alpha to consider as well, it had been impossible to do anything other than extricate the children, until now.

The possibility of a child with the potential of an SS-rank appearing some day–saying that they’d been pinning all their hopes on something like that happening, she expressed her thanks to me. Confronted with those words, I felt an unavoidable sense of frustration. In reality, this world had… Trying not to dwell too deeply on it, I provided an adequate response and left.

It seemed as though Moon Hyuna had something to tell me as well, but using tiredness as an excuse, I headed up towards the private living quarters with Yoohyunie. And I really was tired, in truth. Since I hadn’t been able to rest properly, all the while.

“Don’t think about anything and just rest, Yoohyun-ah.”

Blithely ignoring the pointed glares the Lanchaean Guards shot at me, I took occupancy of one of the only two rooms on the uppermost floor. Ah, so what. Our Yoohyunie is an SS-rank Guard, you know. And this is Achates, here. Shouldnt the person who deserved to receive the best treatment be my dongsaeng, all things considered. I wanted to take the Achates Defense Association to court, honestly.

“You should have something to eat, first. Wait just a bit, I’ll tell them to prepare a meal right away.”

“...don’t feel like eating.”

“Hm? Why? You’re not hungry?”

It occurred to me, as the words were leaving my mouth. Since the ordinary personnel, including the kitchen staff, would have still remained the same, he might be feeling trepidation, due to that. Since it would cause complications to let the Defense Association grind to a complete stop, it wasn’t possible to do a complete overhaul of the staff at once. But, even so, I still needed to feed him.

“It seemed as though there’s a kitchen here. Even if it’s something simple, hyung will make you some rice porridge at least. Go wash up. Should I at least come shampoo your hair for you, since it’s been a while?”

“Hyung’s probably tired too.”

“Thanks to gaining those C-rank stats, even if I’m a little tired, it’s still leaps and bounds better than me in good condition at F-rank. Ah, it’d be nice if I could maintain these stats even when we go back.”

With a smile, I ushered my dongsaeng into the washroom. If I really could return with my stats intact, it’d be real nice. Even C-rank was plenty enough of an upgrade. It’d make raising the kids easier by far, too.

The refrigerator of the expansive kitchen was stocked with a variety of ingredients. But now that I was actually about to start cooking, even the process of ingredient selection seemed daunting. Rice porridge… or something like a soup, or stew seemed to be a good option, but what should I use, and how.

[★Let’s Try Cooking Together☆]

“What, you even know how to make dishes from this world as well, sir?”

Since he was offering to help, I gladly opened the quest window I’d received.

[ Please fill the pot hanging from the right-side wall to about ⅓ full~ And take out the meat located in the second drawer inside of the fridge as well. It seems like there’s veggies in the first drawer, too. Once you’ve minced the meat to begin, the first mission will be complete! ＾▽＾

Reward: Cooking Ingredients Handbook That Has Pictures Thoughtfully Included, An Apron For My Partner ]

How so very thoughtful of him. But thinking of him monitoring me, it did make me feel kind of awkward. As I’d been instructed, I minced the meat and received the reward. The cooking ingredients handbook was convenient, but, the apron… Why was it hot pink. Was this revenge. I attempted to get out of wearing it, but the conditions to engage in the next quest that would teach me how to cook, had wearing the apron listed. That damned Sung Hyunjae bastard. It had to be revenge for lobbing the hot pink yarn at him as his birthday present, for sure. He really did nurse a long grudge.

Under directives given by a certain nugu-ssi–who seemed to be right behind me in presence, at least–a passable-looking stew came together. Why was he proficient at making dishes in this world, too.

[ Please enjoy!

Looking after family is important. But, one must cherish oneself as well! With a spoonful of Partner’s love, let’s clear at least a whole serving♡

Reward: 10,000P, Hot Pink Handmade Mittens ]

Why did the quest window message have to change to be so cringeworthy. I wanted to know who was responsible for the System in place here. And what was with the ‘hot pink handmade mittens’. Give me just the points.

After setting the table, I called over my dongsaeng, who had emerged after washing up. Thankfully, Yoohyunie finished an entire bowl of the stew. Once my stomach was full, a yawn slipped out on its own. Now that my dongsaeng was safe, I could finally relax; drowsiness pulled over me like a blanket.

“Would I be able to learn Alpha’s Skills before leaving here, d’you think? Though the number of Skills is few, compared to his rank, it seemed like there were a couple of useful ones.”

Yoohyunie said, as we laid down next to each other on the bed.

“It won’t be easy. Even so, if you can retain a good impression of it, it shouldn’t be impossible. Were there any pieces of equipment or Skills that you liked in the Point Shop?”

“There’s a lot of nice options, but since I don’t have the points.”

“We can always gather the points, so don’t worry about that and just pick out the ones you like.”

Hyung will buy them for you, even if it means that I have to squeeze dry that ball of yarn in the System, in addition to Sigma.

“First, we should try to locate Yerimie and Peace, and Noah-ssi. Fortunately, Hyuna-ssi mentioned that she might know where the two of them might be. We’ll finish installing the disk, and once the Newcomer lets us know the parameters for the raid, we can start racking up points while taking stock of the situation.”

After reestablishing contact with the Newcomer, it was my intention to inquire after how much time had passed already, and then ask to have the flow of time inside this place slowed as much as possible. Since there shouldn’t be much happening outside, after all. Since we’d already mentioned that we were planning to appraise the conditions of the monsters we would be raising, even if the raid took a few days longer, it shouldn’t rouse any suspicion.

“...hyung.”

“Hm?”

“This world, you’d said that it was a world that used to actually exist, right?”

“Yeah. Though I’m not sure how long ago it might’ve been, I was told that it was a world that had been destroyed in the past.”

“And the events that occurred here, were all things that had really happened?”

“That’s true, but don’t worry about it too much. Us, we’ll be fine.”

Yoohyunie shut his mouth without answering. Though this dongsaeng was someone who had known that our world was headed towards its demise, far before I had, now that he was confronted with a world that had actually been destroyed, it seemed his feelings had become complicated. Would Yerimie and Noah-ssi be alright.

‘I’ll have to learn as much as I can with this opportunity, after all.’

Partner-ssi, I’ll leave it in your capable hands, then, sir. Please make sure to thoroughly scour the System.

As sleep had already been looming over me, my eyes presently closed, and my consciousness grew dim. After I woke up from a restful sleep.

“...Yoohyun-ah?”

My dongsaeng had disappeared, and was nowhere to be seen. There was only the faint impression left, at the spot where he’d been laying. Since the bastards that had been linked to his Mark had all been taken care of, and his body had recovered as well, it shouldn’t be anything dangerous; but where had he gone, without even saying a word.

When I hurriedly climbed out of the bed, as though it’d been waiting for me, a quest message blinked into existence.

[ Morning Exercise, Conducted On The Rooftop! ]

So he hadn’t gone far, thankfully. If it was the roof, then it should be within a hundred meter distance, so it seemed Sung Hyunjae had been able to spot him. He really was a help, after all. Carelessly throwing on some clothes, I headed towards the rooftop.

- - - - -

(1) yj is using ‘korean age’(만) to count, which is why 25+5=31. detailed explanation found in footnote #5 here

(2) and once he realizes that he’s the ‘elder’ in age hierarchy, yj switches to a half-formal, half-informal style where he’s talking down to sigma in a very 'mom-ordering-kid-around’ style (‘that’s fine, isn’t it?’) while he steamrolls him into compliance

(3) yj says ‘포인트 셔틀님’ → ‘point shuttle-nim’; someone who’s a ‘shuttle’ is essentially a ‘whipping boy’, the way it gets used in slang. e.g. a group of bullies at school forcing the bullied kid to go and buy bread from the school’s convenience store for them (with the kid’s own money) would call the bullied kid as a ‘빵 셔틀’ (‘bread shuttle’), for example. not to be confused with ‘bus’, which is more for being carried in games (‘i rode a bus to get carried up to plat rank’). so yes, that ‘-nim’ being added to ‘point shuttle’ is used ironically/mockingly

wasn’t gonna work on this, except that it’s wei’s anni present 🙃 go say thanks to wei if u read👌

Q) 헌터들은 보통 대식가인가요?

+(Q&A)

Q) are hunters typically big eaters?

A) the higher the rank, the more efficient their digestive abilities become–but as the amount of energy they consume increases proportionately as well, they tend to be big eaters, for the most part. but notably, high-ranked Hunters are capable of ‘absorbing energy’ via their magical energy as well. accordingly, the more advanced their control over magical energy, the less they need to eat. in addition, their idiosyncrasies vary depending on their respective ‘properties’. in han yoohyun’s case, by burning up something with fire, he is able to absorb the ‘energy’ imparted from it and is capable of forgoing eating altogether. had it not been for han yoojin, he would not have continued to consume any food following his Awakening. conversely, as song taewon must keep repressing the power of the Lunar Eclipse that continually compels him to swallow things down, even with outstanding control over his magical energy, the amount he eats is considerable. bak yerim possesses outstanding control as well, but as she enjoys the act of eating in itself, she eats heartily. that she had been unable to eat what she wanted, as much as she wanted, while living as an ‘imposition’ (at her relatives’) has a hand in this, in part. moon hyuna is of the opinion that, with remarkable digestive abilities and a full coinpurse, there’s no reason not to enjoy eating, and as kang soyoung enjoys eating as well, the three will gather to drink and dine together from time to time. liette isn’t picky about what she eats, but falls close to the aforementioned three. as for noah, he has outstanding control as well, but due to the trauma(shock) he received from liette’s cooking when he was younger, tends to be a light eater. sung hyunjae possesses outstanding control; but, owing to his status as a waxing moon, his body demands more energy–something he deliberately ignores.

Q) 아주 어릴때부터 유진이는 유현이를 돌봐오면서 요리를 해줬다는데 유현이에게 나쁜것 하나 안먹이면서 키운 유진이를 보면 생각나는 것이 있습니다. 유진이는 보통 식단으로 어떤것을 만들어 줬나요?

Q) 각 인물 별로 본인이 만들 수 있는 요리 중 가장 자신 있는? 요리가 뭔지 궁금합니다!

Q) 한유진도 아이들과 함께 요리라거나 제과제빵을 할까요? 만든 요리의 양은 한정적일텐데 누구누구에게 나눠줄지 궁금합니다

Q) 성현제가 지내온 수많은 삶 중에 특별한 에피소드가 있었을까요? 성현제야 기억하지 못하겠지만 유독 애착을 품은 삶이 있었다든가.. 지나온 삶이 궁금합니다~

#245화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 1 year

Text

244.Lanchaea’s Lambda (2)

란체아의 람다 (2)

철컥, the moment he realized Lambda’s identity, Yoohyunie quickly swung the barrel of the rifle in the other direction, and then, slinging it onto his shoulder, fired. The bullet, shot carelessly without proper sighting, ricocheted off of Sigma’s chain with a concussive sound.

Mana bullets that needed no reloading sprayed out in succession. Maybe owing to the rapid rate at which they fired, the overall firepower was relatively low–but as a means of pinning one’s opponent into place for a short period of time, it was plenty. I didn’t just spectate, either; taking a bomb out of my inventory, I lightly tossed it into the air. Without need for an explanation, twisting his body in a half-turn, Yoohyunie whirled around and caught the bomb with the tip of his outstretched foot, kicking it forward.

At terrifying speed, the bomb hurtled through the glowing hail of bullets. And, just when it was about to come into contact with the outstretched end of the chain,

콰아앙!

It went off in an explosion of light and smoke. Rather than destructive force, it was a bomb whose mainstay a poisonous fog. He wouldn’t have been able to avoid a poisonous fog that settled over the area in an instant, and it should have worsened the affliction from his previous poisonings as well.

As that was happening, the Guards that had come with Lambda–Moon Hyuna–began to move.

- 쿠으으.

As though it had sensed the impending danger, the last remaining armor-scaled monster curled its body into a ball. Belying its heavyset appearance, its movements were astonishingly agile. Five sets of bikes sped towards the one that looked to be the most finicky of the three SS-rank monsters, with scales that seemed difficult to even pierce.

Engines revving loudly, the bikes streaked unflinchingly across the messy pavement, without slowing down for a moment. When they entered the monster’s vicinity, simultaneously, each of them fired off a pitch-black cable. The sturdy steel cords tangled together, around the top half of the monster’s body, then.

카가가각!

Swiftly, the bikes drifted around the monster’s perimeter, interweaving the lines together, and in a flash, the armored monster’s body had been tightly bound. Holding onto the ends of the cords, the S-rank Guards jumped off from their bikes and firmly braced themselves on the ground with both feet planted.

- 캬아우!

Though the monster began to struggle, even with SS-rank stats, it couldn’t hope to win against the concurrent force exerted by several S-rank Guards in unison. Once the S-rank Guards–who moved together with a degree of unerring accuracy that seemed to speak to having overcome countless trials together–had managed to restrict the monster’s movement, Moon Hyuna moved.

파파팍, everything caught in the path of the massive bike’s tires were either crushed, or scattered. Moon Hyuna, having arrived at the vicinity of the monster, kicked off her bike and vaulted into the air. In an instant, her body soared up to an incredible height. Being suspended in the air would have made her into a prime target, but right now, the monster was unable to budge at all. Thrashing, it attempted to shoot spine-like projectiles at Moon Hyuna, but the S-rank Guards nullified the attacks immediately.

The giant lance, glowing silver, was aimed downwards. Perhaps because of a Skill, both the lance and Moon Hyuna’s body became enveloped in some kind of white fog.

And then, just like that, an abrupt descent.

Tearing through the air, a blinding white light accelerated straight down.

콰과광–!!

The monster’s armored scales splattered apart, like so much tofu smashed with a hammer. As the mass that was the equivalent in size to five or six large trucks was unresistingly pummeled down, it flattened, becoming smeared into the ground. The resulting shockwave reached even the S-rank Guards, who had quickly made their retreat.

The ground shook and 우르릉, the buildings in the vicinity that had already been half-destroyed ended up collapsing completely. With light steps, Moon Hyuna alighted above the lip of the crater that had been created by the pressure of the impact. Putting the lance away into her inventory, she began to move towards her bike.

‘Hyuna-ssi’s really no joke.’

Two SS-rank monsters had been dismantled in a flash. After a brief moment of silence that settled over the area, the Achates Guards moved to approach Moon Hyuna.

“You’ve arrived exceedingly quickly, sir!”

“Yeah, I’d already departed before the missives arrived.”

“What serendipitous timing, sir. Please assist us in subduing Alpha!”

At the Achates Guard’s words, Moon Hyuna hiked up a brow, as though asking what nonsense they were spouting.

“And why would I?”

“...pardon, sir?”

“And when I’d already sent the rejection, too. Perhaps you hadn’t heard.”

The Achates Guard watched in a stupor as she mounted her bike, before coming back to himself and re-imploring her.

“But–Alpha, right now, isn’t he renegade in front of our very eyes! Though Sigma-nim is preventing his advancement, at the very least, for the safety of Achates’ citizens–”

“What a crock of horseshit. It’s obvious at a glance that those two are romping around happily enough together, so what ‘safety of the citizens’. That’s quite enough–guys!”

At Moon Hyuna’s call, Lanchaea’s S-rank Guards drew near.

“Go ahead and take in these Achates Defense Association guys with your own hands. This isn’t something I should be taking the lead on, after all. Since it’s your home territory, right.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Please leave it to us!”

Four of the S-rank Guards, and the A~B-rank Guards that had been deployed from Lanchaea’s helicopters began to move in unison. It seemed like they were, those kids that had been extricated from Achates. The Achaetes Guards, who had already expended a significant amount of energy during battle, were all subdued without significant opposition. The helicopters that had been stopped loaded up the people, and began heading towards the Achaetes Defense Association.

I was watching the helicopter moving away with the distant sound of propellers, when Yoohyunie turned and approached Moon Hyuna.

“What, not gonna finish the fight?”

Moon Hyuna asked with a chuckle. Like Yoohyunie, her appearance was slightly changed, too. In particular, her height and overall size had definitely grown. At present, she appeared to stand at nearly two meters or so.

“You are Hunter Moon Hyuna, correct?”

“‘Course that’s right, young master. Though, what about hyung-nim? If he ended up separated, that’s gonna be dangerous.”

“I’m over here, please.”

As I hopped outside of the pocket, waving my hand, Moon Hyuna’s eyes grew round.

“Oho, and why’ve you been shrunken down. All cute like, huh.”

As her hand suddenly shot out, Yoohyunie stepped back to dodge her reach.

“It isn’t as though a bit of handling will wear him out. And in any case, he’ll probably be safer staying with me. That guy doesn’t seem like he’s feeling keen on backing off, so isn’t that why you came over here? Hmm, young master?”

Yoohyunie’s expression turned petulant. Ah, so he’d come over here to pass me over for safekeeping. Though he really didn’t need to.

“More importantly–Hyuna-ssi, please assist us in taking down that Sigma bastard as well. To end things quickly.”

“Ehh? Why? Wasn’t it Sung Hyunjae and the young master finally getting a fight in, after such a long time? Since it isn’t their real bodies, I thought they’d decided to go at it with that for peace of mind.”

“That over there isn’t Sung Hyunjae.”

Surprised, Moon Hyuna looked back and forth between Sung Hyunjae standing on the far side, and myself.

“But it’s ‘Ctrl C, Ctrl V’? Just the hair color seems slightly different, and… Hmm, that guy does seem to come off a bit younger, but you’re really telling me that that’s a different guy? With that face?”

“For starters. It really is a different person, and nor does he possess any memories. The moment he saw me, that fucker hauled off and kicked me right in my stomach. I was nearly dragged away by my scalp and… Yoohyun-ah?”

까드득, the sound of teeth grinding together was heard. Damn, I shouldn’t have said so much. Since I was in front of Hyuna-ssi, I’d accidentally let my guard down. Since, whenever she came by the rearing facility, we’d fallen into the habit of talking shit about others together, primarily where the Association was concerned…….

“Hyung, stay here.”

“Hey, Yoohyun-ah! Hold on! I’d said that you’re hardly in decent physical condition right now, hadn’t I? At least take these potions with you!”

Plucking me outside, Yoohyunie handed me over to Moon Hyuna. When I hurriedly dumped out my stash of mana potions, that dongsaeng took them before immediately turning back around. Honestly, we could just work with Hyuna-ssi to take him down together!

“Don’t worry! I brought a healer along, too.”

“Even then, would it be possible for you to give that Sigma bastard a good punch in the back of the head? That son of a bitch tried to Mark me by force, against my will.”

“Really? Though, Director Han, what’s the deal with that? Looks identical to the other guy, doesn’t he.”

I provided a quick overview of my current situation to Moon Hyuna. Beginning from how the disks would need to be installed, all the way to the fact that Sung Hyunjae had ended up System-side as a fluke, somehow or another.

“I see. As far as where Yerimie and Hunter Noah might’ve ended up goes, I can hazard a guess, but no clue for Peace. It might be that he’d been taken out.”

“...surely not.”

In the span it’d taken me to explain the situation, Yoohyunie and Sigma had re-engaged in combat. Having closed the gap in an instant to appear in front of Sigma, Yoohyunie pulled the rifle’s trigger. It was a point-blank shot, made at a distance an ordinary person could never hope to dodge–but Sigma had, of course, not only managed to anticipate Yoohyunie’s movements to dodge in advance, but also launched a counterattack.

Electricity crackled from Sigma’s body. Light flashed sharply, used to obscure sight, rather than as an assault. The chain, crawling along the ground like a snake, struck at his ankle at the same time, when the barrel of the pistol that had appeared in Sigma’s hand at some point came into contact with Yoohyunie’s side.

탕! A gunshot rang out. Yoohyunie’s clothes sustained a tear, but it hadn’t drawn any blood. As though friction had disappeared altogether, the point of Han Yoohyun’s foot had slipped along the top of the chain that had struck at his ankle instead; and, lithely twisting his body, had allowed him to avoid the gunshot.

‘Would it be Alpha’s Skill?’

Yoohyunie didn’t have an evasive Skill of the sort. And in fact, when the chain that had given chase to Yoohyunie managed to reach his ankle, without being able to find proper purchase, it ended up merely glancing off of him instead. It seemed to be a type of Skill that would decrease the traction in a limited area, near the vicinity of his feet.

As Han Yoohyun and Sigma’s positions reversed in tandem, gunfire flashed from the muzzles of their respective firearms. An outstretched chain completely deflected Yoohyunie’s bullet. Sigma’s attack, too, ricocheted off the flat of a blade, leaving a faint scratch.

Though flames and electricity tangled together here and there, neither of the two attempted to deploy any large-scale Skills that required a substantial amount of mana use. It would’ve been a given for Sigma, but Yoohyunie also had reason himself to conserve his mana. Though I had passed along the mana potions, when he was engaged in close-quarters combat, there would’ve hardly been the opportunity for him to sit down and drink them.

카가강, the sword swung, and the chains wound tightly around the blade. With a powerful heave, Yoohyunie jerked the sword back and, having wrapped the chains around further, leapt into the air. Alighting on willow leaves that had been arrayed in a tight formation, he drew his arm back before hurling the sword straight at the floor. 차라락–with the chains dragged along to the ground by the sword, Yoohyunie, having pulled out another longsword, shot towards Sigma.

Though his primary weapon had been detained by the sword, Sigma didn’t appear to be flustered. At the same time as the corner of his lips quirking upwards,

피잉–!

With a pinging noise, the chain dismantled into individual links, then shot towards Yoohyunie like so many bullets. Almost like a golden shower of rain, hanging suspended. Backed into a situation where dodging seemed a near impossible feat, the crimson iryong jumped out to cloak itself around Yoohyunie’s body.

- 크르륵!

Wreathed in flames, Irin used his own body to take on the hail of chains before returning to the form of a salamander.

In that space, Yoohyunie had lunged forward with the point of his sword aimed at Sigma’s chest. Twisting his body to the side, Sigma dodged the sword, a shortsword spinning in the palm of his hand. The dagger–which was made entirely out of metal, even to the handle–floated upwards on its own, and then, without even the need for propulsion, shot towards Yoohyunie of its own volition.

Lacking any preparatory movements, it was, of course, an attack that was difficult to anticipate at all. Rather than attempt to dodge or deflect the dagger, manifesting a concentrated flame for an instant, Han Yoohyun melted it down immediately before it reached his body. Though molten iron splattered, it wasn’t able to affect Yoohyunie in the least.

However–in the brief moment his attention had been caught by the dagger, Sigma had burrowed through his guard to swing his leg through on a kick.

“Kuh!”

The chain, joined together once more, wrapped itself around one of Han Yoohyun’s arms. Swiftly scaling the chains up to the halfway point, Irin bit down on it with superheated fangs to break it; but Sigma’s hard onslaught didn’t falter in the slightest.

A bullet was fired before he even withdrew his foot, aimed at the bound arm; this time, there was a clear draw of blood. Though dark blue flames blossomed forth, golden currents of electricity spread out to meet it head-on in tandem.

So long as he had the battle foresight, a close-quarters engagement that precluded the use of Skills definitely put us at a disadvantage. And on top of that, the difference in stamina use was stark.

“Hyuna-ssi! Are you really only going to keep watching?”

At my urgent shout, Moon Hyuna shrugged her shoulders.

“Since it’s not that Hyunjae guy anyway, perhaps I should get a good hit in for Director Han.”

“Yes, please! Consider it revenge on my behalf, if you will! Do you know how much that bastard tormented me!”

Of course, I didn’t mention the things I had ripped off from him. To be quite honest, as compensation for damages rendered, it was still lacking. Laughing out loud, from inside her inventory, Moon Hyuna pulled out.

“...and what is that, exactly.”

What appeared to be an anti-tank rocket launcher. No, it was far bigger than an ordinary anti-tank rocket launcher. Just from sight, it seemed to be over double the size.

“I’d wanted to try it out at least once, y’see.”

“H-hold on, please. It’s not dangerous, right?”

“Of course it’s dangerous! Director Han, make sure you hang on real tight inside that pocket.”

Placing me inside of her jacket pocket, Moon Hyuna aimed the rocket launcher in the direction of Yoohyunie and Sigma. 우우웅, with a low hum, the rocket launcher began to take in mana. And kept taking it in.

“...the charge time seems to be stretching far too long, are you certain that this won’t end up with a certain someone’s dongsaeng getting caught in the crossfire?!”

“No sweat, the young master’s flame resistance is real fire!”

“Wait, no, even then!”

It wasn’t an ordinary object. It was dangerous.

“Hyuna-ssi, its rank!”

“SS! And in the upper range, at that!”

What? And if it had sucked in that much mana, too–hey! Moon Hyuna! Before I could stop her, not that I probably would’ve been able to stop her to begin with,

구오오오–

Accompanied by the heavy hum of energy dischargement, the rocket launcher fired. Even though the one using the weapon was automatically granted immunity to its effects, the light and heat given off was scorching. 콰과과과, an enormous mass of mana, a veritable vortex whirling together, shot outwards, destroying all in its vicinity and sweeping everything away.

The pressure in my ears increased to a deafening level, and the air rang as.

콰아아앙!!!

An explosion containing incredible force went off. Fucking hell, Yoohyun-ah!

“Aigo, my dongsaeng!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine!”

Though I was able to confirm that he was okay because we were connected through the Teacher Skill! That had most definitely been overkill!

“Yoohyun-ah!”

As it so happened, because the effects of the Cookie had almost worn off as well, I threw myself out of the pocket. When I immediately attempted to run to him, Moon Hyuna plucked me up.

“You’ll get hurt like that, y’know. Said you were a C-rank, didn’t you. I’ll go with you.”

With the clouds of dust that had been kicked up as a result of the detonation having scattered in the interim, a giant crater had come into view. Inside of the pit, here and there, pockets of melted land abounded. The earth at the center, where flames still flickered, yet bubbled. Though Yoohyunie was far better off, comparatively speaking, that wasn’t the case for Sigma, whose flame resistance would’ve been weak or nonexistent, and seemed to have sustained significant damage as a result.

“Hey! Sigma! I’ll grant you the use of a healer, so why don’t you quietly give up!”

At Moon Hyuna’s shout, Sigma lifted his shoulders in a shrug. Though he didn’t answer, it seemed his desire to fight had settled. It was true that continuing on like this would fail to yield chances of winning, in any case.

Though Yoohyunie’s expression spoke of wanting to break Sigma’s neck still, he withdrew for the time being and, after drinking a mana potion, turned to look back at us as we approached. Moon Hyuna contacted somewhere, and in short order, a Lanchaean helicopter arrived.

-----

^^♡

#242화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 1 year

Text

243.Lanchaea’s Lambda (1)

란체아의 람다 (1)

“Hyung, that thing, it’s Sung Hyunjae?”

Yoohyunie, who was held in my arms, suddenly asked.

“Hm?”

“Seeing how he’s taking useless interest in hyung, it seems to be the case.”

…instead of by his face, was that how you’d ended up recognizing him.

“For starters, he’s not.”

But even as I was saying as much, it was difficult to disguise my discomfort. They were different, but also similar. Could this really just be chalked up to coincidence. Honestly, it was a bit much, wasn’t it. Even if you looked past the similarity in appearance, their Skills and weapons were completely identical as well. Their personalities seemed to differ a bit, at least, but it wasn’t as though they were dissimilar.

“‘Sung Hyunjae’ again, is it.”

Sigma, who had caught Yoohyunie’s words, murmured.

“It’s a person who resembles y-, no, someone that you happen to resemble, sir. My ‘Partner’, you see.”

Figuring that I should go ahead and complete the quest as well, while I was at it, I decided to press on.

“While this isn’t my personal opinion–so, completely objectively speaking–he’s quite good-looking and disgustingly accomplished, but at the moment, stuck just watching through a monitor while cooped up in a room as a hot-pink bunch of yarn.”

Why wasn’t the ‘Completed Quest’ notification showing up. Did I have to push it a bit further? Exactly how much was this thing expecting from me, anyway.

“It seems he’s taken up knitting as a hobby as of late, and the scarf did turn out well, at least. He appears to be good at making cocktails too. He’s good at cooking, won’t eat bread crusts, but will unexpectedly the eat shrimp tail ends, and according to Soyoung-ssi, he’s good at origami too. There’s a massive aquarium in his home. Though it got smashed open, it’s been re-filled with water since, I’ve been told. He’d asked before whether I wouldn’t like go fishing together as, apparently, there’s a good location to personally fish for new stock.”

“Fishing?”

“Yeah, d’you wanna come with? You haven’t gone fishing before, right?”

At this point in time, I hadn’t gone before, either. Before regressing, I’d done so on occasion inside of Dungeons. If you managed to catch the relatively knackless fish that lived inside of Dungeons in alive condition, depending on the variety, they could be sold at a fairly hefty markup for ornamental purposes. For some F-rank Dungeons, rather than monster hunting, it was the fishing that would rake in bigger profits.

After barely scrounging up a few more useless tidbits of personal information, the quest finally got marked as complete. That damn Sung Hyunjae, honestly.

“...in any case, there’s some asshole like that. As you can clearly see, the situation seems to have reversed–you should be going right along and turning tail, no, sir?”

Yoohyunie was brimming with mana, while Sigma would have burned through at least half of his own reserves. Even if he were to attempt anything, the outcome was already decided. To be honest, that he’d bothered to chase Yoohyunie all the way here in the first place was unexpected. I hadn’t thought him to be the type that would knowingly enter into a losing fight.

“I’ll concede that the situation is disadvantageous to myself.”

탁, with a light footstep, Sigma retreated. Having leapt to the top of the crumbling ruins of the wall, he looked down at us.

“Alpha–no, ‘Han Yoohyun’, was it. First… An apology, then.”

For some inexplicable reason, Sigma humbly bowed his head. Just when I was wondering what he was up to, since he was hardly the sort to behave that way.

“I’d assumed that C-rank was a renegade non-affiliated unAwakened and had him Marked, you see.”

He just had to open his fat mouth and spew a bunch of useless shit. Apparently informed about how Marks worked, Yoohyunie’s eyes narrowed at the reply.

“Hyung?”

“Well, the procedure had started when–”

Without listening to the rest of my explanation, Yoohyunie pulled down my scarf and scanned the back of my neck. There was the faint sound of teeth grinding together.

“The marking procedure was interrupted before it was completed, though? …did it leave a trace?”

“...a little.”

It didn’t feel any different, so I hadn’t realized, but that goddamned bastard! This is my real body, you hear! I wanted to know what it looked like, but if it was my nape, it wasn’t like I could see it with my own eyes. Ah–the Teacher Skill. When I quickly used it on Yoohyunie, I could see a slight design imprinted on the back of my neck. It looked like the faint stamp of a seal, that had run out of ink during the process.

The nearly extinguished flames suddenly came roaring back alive, blazing up high. Quirking the corners of his lips, this time, that Sigma bastard took out the contract.

“And perhaps owing to your resurrection, it seems that the contract remains in place, still. So it’s now my turn to collect what I’m owed, C-rank.”

The bastard spoke, using the tip of his finger to underline a part of the contract in a long stroke as he continued.

“In the case that Alpha is granted his freedom, within twenty-four hours, the other party will be compensated with intelligence that he deems satisfactory recompense.’ Is what it says, no.”

“I’ll spill the info, so get your ass down here right now!”

“What would happen if the twenty four hours were to pass without my hearing the intelligence, I wonder.”

“...what?”

“‘Waiting’ is something I can do as well, C-rank.”

That’s, this son of a bitch! That Sigma would possibly refuse to receive his compensation, was something I hadn’t anticipated. I should’ve been a bit more judicious with my wording on those conditions!

“Even if you were to wait, do you think that I’ll simply tell you what it was after the contract defaults into being nullified! You’ll never hear what it was, for the rest of your life!”

“Then I should be able to acquire the C-rank and Alpha both. That’s not bad, either.”

…fucking hell, I should’ve left my dongsaeng out of the compensation talks. No, if I could get ahold of the SS-rank detox Item from the Point Store first, then that was that. Since it was single use, it shouldn’t be that expensive, right.

콰르릉!

Just then, the lower part of the rubble Sigma was standing atop of began to melt. As the heap of boulders collapsed, Sigma leapt further backwards with light footsteps. His gaze cold, Yoohyunie watched him with narrowed eyes.

“Feeling sore, I see. Even so–I’ll allow you at least a day to tarry in Achates City.”

Saying so, Sigma’s form disappeared altogether. Yoohyunie set himself down from my hold.

“Hyung should stay here and–, no, here might be too dangerous too.”

“And just who are you trying to go after! That’s just what that bastard wants. The further you get from the Mana Hole, the more disadvantaged you’ll be. That bastard came here with a reservoir tank full of his own faction’s mana in tow, along with a retinue of several S-rank Guards. Not to mention that, right now, you’re in a deeply fatigued state, too.”

He had been continually locked away. Even with SS-rank stats, his physical condition couldn’t be called ‘good’. Had he been an ordinary person, he would’ve already wasted away to the point that it would’ve been difficult for him to stand, as it was.

“We can just buy the detox Item from the Point Store and use that. So.”

“I really can’t go after him?”

- With Rinie here too, Hyung!

As one, both of them turned pleading looks on me. Ah, um, well.

“...well, then again. Since it seems like he wants to capture you alive, it shouldn’t be too dangerous, I suppose. Ah, that’s right, did you happen to see the message the Newcomer sent?”

Yoohyunie shook his head. So he hadn’t even had the time to look at the message, huh. The contents of the message Yoohyunie had received was identical to the one Sung Hyunjae had gotten.

“Then, does that mean I can come back to life the way hyung did a bit ago, even if I die?”

“Uh, that’s not…….”

After debating whether I should tell him for a moment, I decided to speak honestly. Since, so long as it could be helped, we’d decided not to hide anything from each other.

“I entered this world with my real body.”

“What? T-then hyung’s–!”

“In exchange, the number of lives I have is five. Since I’ve used one up, I have four left still, now.”

I told him about the disks too. And how, somehow or another, Sung Hyunjae seemed to have ended up inside of the System as well. Even as he frowned slightly, Yoohyunie nodded his head.

“...I’ll just stay by hyung’s side. Even if there’s four left, you never know what might happen. I can’t just leave hyung behind. And without Eunhae, going together would only end up being more dangerous.”

“No need to worry about that. Though, it does have a thirty minute time limit.”

I bought a MiniMini Cookie from the Point Shop and ate it. Soon after, my body shrunk to a tiny size. After his initial surprise, Yoohyunie carefully wrapped his hands around me to pick me up. Having scuttling down the length of Yoohyunie’s arm to approach, Rinie made circles around me.

- Hyung! Hyung! So cute! Like Rinie!

“At about this size, it should be easy to protect me, even without going out of your way. And your flame resistance should be conveyed perfectly well, too. And with my stats at C-rank, plus the S-rank equipment, it shouldn’t be like when I’m an F-rank, where even a glancing blow could be life-threatening.”

- Rinie wants to hold Hyung! Let Rinie hold you please!

Saying that he would do a very good job of protecting me, Rinie squeezed me in a tight hug with his forelegs. But then, if you’re doing that, you won’t be able to help Yoohyunie, you know. As it turned out, because there happened to be a shirt with a chest pocket in Yoohyunie’s–no, Alpha’s inventory, he changed into it and I went into the pocket. Unwilling to give up hope, Irin circled around me.

“Let’s quickly track and take him down!”

From the Point Shop, I bought ‘Hunting Hound(C)’(1). When I activated the single-use Item that would let me track something down within a 3km radius, after setting it on top of the contract with Sigma, soon enough, something that resembled a firefly popped out and, as though signaling for us to follow, flitted meaningfully in place. 텅, with the sound of feet kicking off pavement, Yoohyunie’s body soared into the air.

By scattering viridian willow leaves a short distance ahead and stepping on the leaves, he leapt forward in consecutive movements to climb to the top of a building shrouded in darkness. Nearly the very instant the tips of his feet touched down on the building, 훅–, his body launched forward once more. Several buildings passed by underfoot, in the span of seconds.

“My Point Shop seems to be different from hyung’s reward store.”

“Huh?”

“My reward store is only showing Skills and weapons.”

Yoohyunie, who had been skimming his status and quest windows as he raced on, spoke. Though there was a large selection available, there was nothing like a ‘Universal Key’, ‘MiniCookie’, or tracking Item available, he said. In fact, the Skills and weapons were priced far higher when compared with my reward shop, too.

“...did the Newcomer actually show me some thoughtfulness?”

Or, it might’ve been that Sung Hyunjae had tampered with it, too. In any case, I’d gotten some good profit margins as a result.

- 크르르르르

In the distance, the snarls of monsters could be heard. That Sigma bastard, had he headed towards the location of the SS-rank monsters. If he could rope in the Achates City Guards as well, then it would likely improve his odds. What a cop-out.

“Yoohyun-ah, don’t worry about mana.”

“But this world’s–”

“Hyung has a ton of mana potions. I can buy them from the Point Shop, too. So go all out on using your Skills.”

Hyung will generously pour all of the mana potions I’d so assiduously saved out for you. I’d like it if I could cast the Attack Skill 2x Share on you too, but regrettably, I’d used it on that damned guy already.

Another building passed by below. As he stopped on top of a desolate half-crumbling building, the grotesque figure of a monster came into full view.

A monster with scales tantamount to SS-grade armor covering its body. Not far away, what looked to be monsters resembling a gigantic serpent and bear were surrounded by Achates Guards as well. All three seemed to have sustained little to no damage. It seemed that, as Guards below S-rank, the most they could do was throw themselves at the problem in the hopes of buying some time.

And over on the far side, on a building located near the serpent, that Sigma bastard was standing. As though telling us to draw closer, he showed us a smile. That it resembled a certain nugu-ssi(2) only made my mood worsen further.

“Be careful, hyung.”

“Hold on a sec, Yoohyun-ah.”

Stopping Yoohyunie, who had been about to rush forward towards Sigma, I took out an Item. ‘Over Here(SS)’.

“Let’s start things off with a bang, first.”

Cleaning up the Achates and Solemnis Guards hanging around would make things go smoother later. I aimed the pistol that was approximately double my current body at the place where that Sigma bastard was. 반짝, the muzzle of the gun twinkled briefly. It wasn’t that anything had been fired from the gun. With that signal, having designated the location, a brief moment later.

구그긍–

Something appeared from above, in the sky above Sigma and the giant serpent monster. The round object, which had plummeted to the ground in a blink.

콰아아앙–!!

Exploded. Light, as blinding as the rays of the dawning sun, burst outwards, spiking as both a tremendous roar of sound, as well as firepower. Everything in the surroundings was wiped clear in an instant. A faint breeze and a sense of heat reached even where we were, despite the considerable distance.

An Item that would drop an SS-grade bomb at the indicated location, up to three uses.

- 샤아아!

- 쿠워어어!

The monsters howled raucously. The snake, its body mottled with burns from having been bombarded dead-on, writhed violently. Each time it did so, spurts of venom, as well as a miasmic aura, spilled into its surroundings. Even before the heat from the detonation had settled, Yoohyunie leapt into the air. It was an element that was incapable of harming even a hair on my dongsaeng’s head, to begin with.

“My poison resistance did drop in grade, but it’s still S-rank! We can just buy an antidote, too!”

As it so happened, the pocket was located right next to his heart. If the venom tried to permeate through, it should be filtered through my resistance first, and subsequently be purified. Since he had SS-rank stats, too, he should be able to hold up to the poison all the better; even with only S-rank poison resistance, an SS-rank serpent’s venom would still be manageable.

But not for Sigma.

Stepping on viridian willow leaves, Yoohyunie’s body breached Sigma’s proximity in a blink. 화르륵, dark blue flames surged. By assimilating the residual heat from the detonation, even with the application of a small amount of mana, they surged and raged wildly.

Neither did Sigma stay still. Apparently having replenished his mana in the meanwhile, golden currents of electricity enveloped him in a spectacular display. As his chain wove around him in a long slithering movement.

“Irin!”

As Yoohyunie’s command fell, an enormous crimson mass lurched forward from behind Sigma. Irin, having taken the form of an imugi, while cloaked in blue flames, stretched fangs and talons towards Sigma.

카가각, immediately after the chains moved to rebuffed the horned dragon’s attack–without letting the window of opportunity slip by, Yoohyunie lunged at Sigma’s back.

The blade held in Yoohyunie’s hand swung in an arc. Lightning and fire mixed together, devouring the other. Clothes tearing in a long line, Sigma extricated his body through a barely discernible lapse in guard between Irin and Yoohyunie. But that was where the serpent happened to be. An SS-rank monster that’d had its body partly melted away, brimming with poison.

- 시이익!

Flicking its crimson tongue, the serpent stretched its jaws wide open. Sigma, who had been caught up in the miasma, grimaced slightly; the other end of the chain that was blocking Irin shot out, and.

콰득!

Pierced through the serpent’s head. In a smooth movement, by treading on the chain, Sigma vaulted up to the top of the serpent’s head. As though he’d been anticipating Yoohyunie’s pursuit, by jerking on the chain, he impelled the serpent to spit its venom at him.

- 키익!

Mad with pain, the serpent sprayed a particularly viscous batch of poison. Before it could come in contact with Yoohyunie’s body, Irin opened his mouth, sending a billow of flames forth.

콰과과과, burning through the venom in a instant, the Breath of blue flames swallowed up the serpent’s head. Subject to flames that bore infernally high temperatures, the serpent perished without being able to make a sound. As the serpent’s head–burnt to an indistinguishable, charred state–toppled to the ground, a bundle of points blinked into existence.

“Yoohyun-ah, grab the Points!”

The Points I saw were of a far lower number than with the SS-rank monsters from before. A nod towards the acknowledgement of the hardships I’d gone to to pull off the bombings, then.

Sigma had already retreated further without even a single scrap of cloth catching fire, however. Tch, how agile. That guy must have the battle foresight too, after all. But even so, seemingly having been affected by the miasma, his coloring had turned slightly pale.

Apparently having used up a significant amount of his strength, Irin returned to the form of a crimson salamander and approached my side. Just when he was about to launch another attack on Sigma.

타다다다다–!

The sounds of a helicopter could be heard. Was it one of Solemnis’ helicopters? Wasn’t going so far as to mobilize even a helicopter cheating!

“Yoohyun-ah, be careful! There are some larger weapons that use up a lot of mana, that are capable of producing S-rank attacks or higher!”

Nodding his head, Yoohyunie used the hand not holding onto his sword to draw a sniper rifle out of his inventory. Thinking to use a sniper rifle to take on a military-use helicopter was a preposterous notion–but when it was an Item in the hands of an SS-rank Guard that was in question, that was a different story. The rifle was leveled at the helicopter, and.

덜컹.

The side of the hulking helicopter slid open. I was wondering whether a weapon would be pointed outside, but what revealed itself ended up being.

부와아앙–

A giant motorbike, roaring noisily. Three sets of bikes dropped out of the helicopter. The bike that was at the fore amongst them had a lance protruding in front. Crimson strands of hair streamed through the air under the moonlight.

“Ho, you bastards! Lanchaea’s Lambda has arrived!”

Upon touching down on the ground, along with a boisterous roar, the bike accelerated in an instant. Reaching an incredible speed through what was most certainly the work of a Skill, the bike collided with the bear-shaped monster. The moment the tip of the lance came into contact, the hide that had been as durable as steel plates crumpled alongside the spearpoint, shredding as though reduced to so much tissue paper.

And soon thereafter–with the sound of a sack of water bursting open, the bear’s body quite literally shattered into infinitesimal fragments.

끼이익, with a long screech of tires against pavement, the bike came to a stop; Lambda, who had eliminated the SS-rank monster in a flash, hefted the lance upright. Displaying a smile, she waved her hand in our direction.

“Hi there, young master!”

It hardly needed lengthy deliberation. It was Moon Hyuna.

-----

(1) 꼬리 무는 개 lit. ‘dog who bites [the] tail’ where tail→trace/trail→dog ‘on the hunt/chasing trail’

(2) 누구(nugu) = ‘who?’ → ‘a certain someone-ssi’

tumblr finally got around to un-shadowbanning the blog, so moving things back here )b

+(Q&A)

Q) i’m a big fan of the willow leaves Skill, and because i don’t think i recall seeing an instance of a physical attack that uses only the willow leaves: is it that, typically, its true form lacks substance, like a hologram, or is it that it does have a physical presence, but is unable to achieve significant force?

A) the usual form is similar to a hologram. expending a minimal amount of mana, it’s merely shaped into the ‘framework’ that resembles willow leaves. as a result, even when countless willow leaves are created, the amount of mana consumed is on the lower end. it’s typically used only to obscure sight, but as that mana is han yoohyun’s, han yoohyun is capable of traversing across them. this is achieved by reinforcing just the willow leaves being stepped on by han yoohyun with an increased amount of mana, the very instant he steps on them; exceptional mana control is required to sustain the flow, lest it be interrupted. it can be used in a variety of different ways, but as the willow leaves are numerous in count, it can be difficult to find an opportunity to use it in the first place^^ lifting another person or an object with them should be feasible as well, but it would require a far greater amount of mana and magical energy in return; and should a clash with the other’s magical energy occur, unable to provide continued support, they may end up being dropped as a consequence.

+(Q&A)

Q) you’d mentioned before that sung hyunjae would occasionally go fishing, and that song taewon, han yoojin, and kang soyoung had accompanied him prior; did those three enjoy fishing with sung hyunjae as well, though?? and why did sung hyunjae want to go fishing with these individuals in particular?

A) kang soyoung shuddered in revulsion. with her boss, she’d rather not do anything other than Dungeon raids^^ meanwhile, for song taewon, fishing is an activity well-suited to him. to be precise, what he enjoys is quietly casting the fishing line while hoping that none of the fish will bite. if the occasion ever arose where he could go on a casual fishing trip with han yoojin, he would probably take well to fishing too. he’d likely complain upon seeing sung hyunjae doing well, or run interference to entertain himself. when he fails to catch very many fish, he’ll probably joke at sung hyunjae to try zapping them with a bit of electricity. electrofishing is illegal, everyone^^ in kang soyoung’s case, she happened to get caught up in things as a casualty, while in han yoojin and song taewon’s case, it’s because sung hyunjae wished to share his hobby with them. with those two people, he wishes to be able to do an assortment of activities together.

+(Q&A)

Q) i was curious whether the reason sung hyunjae doesn’t eat bread crusts is because it’s a metaphor as it relates to sung hyunjae’s narrative, or if it’s simply a trait indicative of sung hyunjae’s pickiness!

A) typically, the trait goes hand-in-hand with the intended metaphor. it’s a longstanding habit of his ^^

※

+(Q&A)

Q) the small yoojinie that sung hyunjae took with him in the epilogue, how does his culinary preferences pan out? in contrast to the yoojinie who refused to acknowledge his preference for sweets, will he come to like sugary/sweet foods as well? or, does he end up taking after sung hyunjae and/or the elder’s food preferences? does he eat bread crusts? if he happens to show signs of 편식(picky eating), how would the elder and sung hyunjae respond??

A) he’s still in his early years yet, and possesses an ordinary preference for snacks ^^ considering his state as a child, there should be a high possibility that he will learn to like the kinds of foods that he becomes exposed to in his environment. it may be that he comes to like some foods that don’t even exist on earth. from the perspective of a young child, sung hyunjae would likely come off as an immensely cool and strong adult. when he sees that kind of grownup avoiding eating bread crusts, wouldn’t he end up thinking so you shouldn’t eat that part, huh. it might be that he ends up assuming that cutting off the bread crusts is a grown-up thing to do. assuming the young chaos doesn’t intervene, that is. both of them veer towards thinking if i don’t eat the things i don’t like, so what. as the young chaos had lived according to his whims as well, he’s the type to just leave things be so long as there’s no outstanding problems, and sung hyunjae would probably either locate or create various ingredients and foods with a similar enough nutritional value. but, of course, since there’s no substitute [for one’s diet], if it began to affect his health, then they would endeavor to address his picky eating.

#243화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

42 notes · View notes

dbgdbw · 1 year

Text

242.Designated Administrator-ssi (2)

전용 관리자 씨 (2)

“To begin, how did this happen, sir? At first, I assumed that Sigma was Sung Hyunjae-ssi–”

좌라락, once again, the events that had transpired after I’d entered this world rapidly flickered across my mind. Reflexively, I snatched up the woolen bundle rolling around in my vicinity and vigorously shook it back and forth in a hard grip.

“From what point did you start watching!”

[ If you insist on shaking me so, it does make me a tad dizzy. ]

“If you don’t answer honestly, sir, I'll unravel this completely.”

I threatened, holding onto the end of the skein. 도로록, as I pulled a single loop of thread from its place, the emoticon that had been displayed over the lump of yarn changed into ‘ㅠㅠ’.

[ I’ve been threatened in various ways over the years, but this is the first time someone’s proposed to use stripping as– ]

“The hell are you saying! Why would this be your clothes, sir?!”

[ Then what else would it be. ]

…well, even if you asked me that. For starters, he was a ball of yarn, so was there something like a core inside? Then, that would be his body, and the yarn itself… I felt slightly revulsed. Let’s not imagine it. I decided to pretend the events from just now had never happened.

[ The first moment I became able to observe young Han Yoojin was immediately prior to the initial shake-up. I’d merely lightly tinkered with the System, prior to that point. ]

By the ‘initial shake-up’, did he mean following the installation of the Disk. Then, at the very least, it meant that he hadn’t been able to see my status window. …though he would’ve been able to see everything afterwards. I wanted to hurl the mass of yarn clutched in my hand away from me at maximum strength. If I struck him in the back of the head, shouldn’t he lose at least some of his memory.

When I asked him directly about the status window, just in case, the answer that returned to me was that it was unviewable.

[ Neither is operating the quest window an easy feat. Having entered in his original body, young Han Yoojin is imbued with a strong level of outside interference; as such, even I was able to approach, but others would be unable to pinpoint my location altogether. ]

That was why, until now, when I had called out to Sung Hyunjae, this liminal space hadn’t existed; he mentioned that the messages to Yoohyunie had only been made possible through myself, as well.

[ The view I am privy to is about a hundred meters or so, around young Han Yoojin? It appears that is the limit. ]

“To say that, though, hadn’t you conveyed a plethora of this and that info via quests, sir.”

[ That was because I ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐– Ah-, so it doesn’t work, after all. ]

Sung Hyunjae shook his head to and fr…o. The ball of yarn rocked side to side, was what it was closer to, but, well.

[ This location, here, is ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐ and so, ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐. ]

^^; the mass of yarn showed what appeared to be a troubled expression. So there wasn’t much that he could speak freely about, huh.

[ Even so–thanks to the second shake-up, it became possible for me to approach you like this, Han Yoojin, lad. The disks are something you’ll need to continue installing, then? ]

“There are three still remaining, sir. I was informed that, once all of them were installed, Newcomer would then convey the conditions needed to complete the raid. Are you able to communicate with Newcomer–the volleyball–perhaps, sir?”

[ Not at all. The notification I received informed me that ‘this current body and world are not real, and that, through quests and hunts, points could be collected, whereupon they are able to be redeemed at the prize store’, and left it at that. ]

Newcomer, do your job right.

[ Once all the disks have been installed, I should be able to divulge more information to you as well. Though, at present, I’m quite soundly incapacitated. ]

I’d have to hurry and install the rest of the disks, I supposed. At least now that I wasn’t alone, it should be finished quickly. Rather than the amount of time spent installing the disks, it was probably the travel time between cities that would become more of an issue. What if, instead of two days, it took longer than a week each even by car. Could I possibly extort a helicopter from Sigma.

At present, there wasn’t much information I could glean from Sung Hyunjae. When I tried to delve in a bit further, I would be met with ‘☐’s floating around. Even so, that he was currently integrated with this world’s System was certain.

‘Is it that installing all the disks will confer info about the System as well.’

This should be something even Newcomer shouldn’t have been able to anticipate. Since, if things had proceeded as normal, in the world of his choosing, Sung Hyunjae would’ve been put into the body of a target he’d chosen. At least in this respect, I felt thankful towards the Filiality Addict that had interfered with the Dungeon. It was enough to make me feel motivated.

“Don’t lose your memories again or whatever, please, and keep a good hold of them.”

[ ☐☐☐☐☐☐ doing ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐. ]

What was he going on about. Cupping the mass of yarn in both hands, I turned my gaze back to the screen. At some point, the top levels of the building had been obliterated. Dark blue flames lapped across the night sky like waves. With the lights of the Defense Association building having gone dark, under the pure white glow of moonlight, flames that had grown a deeper cerulean in hue surged up high.

Beautiful. Even as I admired the sight, simultaneously, I felt embittered.

The fire which bloomed for Han Yoohyun, within my memories, was a noxious black–blackened to the point of having become suffused with the festering miasma that pervaded it; it was that kind of thing. From the scattered drops of blood, had blossomed forth a 'black-blood flame'. It had received admiration, certainly. It was even capable of slowing his opponent’s recovery, while simultaneously being an attack Skill of unparalleled destructive potential.

“...the bluish light that’s mixed in, sir, that should be because of Alpha’s Skill, correct?”

[ No–it should become clear immediately, after verification upon returning, but that the flames wielded by Alpha was an ordinary one ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐. ]

“...come again?”

[ Though the flesh may be different, as the one acting as a conduit for the mana is still Han Yoohyun. That strength is the young master’s own. ]

The tenuous hope that I’d had, became resolutely dashed with Sung Hyunjae’s response. The back of my throat prickled.

…how should I explain it, this feeling. That, with Yoohyunie… That Yoohyunie, was changing, was something I’d realized. I hadn’t been given a choice in that, in some respects. Since, when so much around him was changing, remaining just as he was by himself was an impossibility.

Because of that, I knew, but.

“Before, there was a time that you’d mentioned that Yoohyunie was acting in a way unsuited to his original nature, sir.”

That it was fascinating to see him gathering people together, establish a guild, and lead it. That, originally, he would’ve wrought even more wanton violence than Liette with his temperament.

“That’s, for my dongsaeng… was it a bad thing, do you think, sir. Was it, perhaps, the wrong thing to do, to tell him to get along with people.”

[ That would depend on one’s perspective. ]

The hot pink ball of yarn twirled around in my hands.

[ When viewed in light of ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐, had it not been for Han Yoojin, Han Yoohyun would have continued to remain alone. Without the ability to approach anyone, nor the desire to, burning alone to the end until he finally burns himself up, too, at the last. ]

“‘Himself’ as well?”

[ Just so; no matter how outstanding one might be, it’s a difficult world to survive in on one’s own, is it not. Despite the lack of a guild, or dedicated team, even Liette will forgo attacking an S-rank Dungeon on her lonesome. She brings with her either temporary teammates, or her dongsaeng. However–Han Yoohyun would have remained on his own to the end; and had he reached the limits of his abilities, he would have met his end alone in a Dungeon. Without retreating, or evading. ]

That kind of temperament, Sung Hyunjae said.

[ ‘A life that burns brief but brilliant, as the spray of fireworks(1) do’, as it’s oft referred. And Han Yoohyun would have burned all the more intensely. Although he would have gained accolades for his single-handed undertakings of such great dangers, he would toppled before long. ]

Unable to formulate words, I looked down at the yarn. My insides prickled. When a sigh inadvertently slipped out, ＾▽＾, the ball of yarn smiled. I wanted to kick the shit out of him once.

[ He would have been free, certainly. Because he would have been able to live as he wished, he wouldn’t have had regrets. And as such, there are people who may consider that to have been the preferred outcome. Then, on the other hand, there would be those who believe, despite the self-repression involved, living in accordance with people to be the better choice. And, as for myself. ]

…’myself’? Suddenly, he fell silent. The smiling expression had disappeared as well.

“Sung Hyunjae-ssi?”

The hell, did the connection get cut or something. Just as I was about to call out for him again, a hand shot out from behind my shoulder. The hand grabbed the ball of yarn in a fist. Just when I’d been wondering, whether he’d used the overcoat and gloves to create a ‘body’ again.

“You brought him up well.”

A voice sounded. Reflexively, I turned around. My sight climbed up the hand that held the lump of yarn, to a body clad in a suit, along a neck that went up to a head. The face, irritatingly welcome, smiled at me.

“It is my opinion that Han Yoojin performed admirably, bringing up Han Yoohyun.”

“...because it’s ended up being more fun for you, as a result?”

“Because the transformation had only been made possible due to his being ‘Han Yoohyun, who was raised by Han Yoojin’.”

Sung Hyunjae lightly tossed the yarn into the air and caught it again.

“His temperament is not one that would have him stay his hand, merely because he was instructed to. Were he such a simple mark, I would have hardly felt such a level of interest towards him. However, Han Yoohyun accepted Han Yoojin. A prospective weaker than himself, and lacking besides. For the strong to convince the weak is an easy feat, but the opposite proves difficult.”

My heart pounded. It felt like I was a bit aflutter, too. Like I was a small child, waiting to be praised.

“So, you’ve brought him up well. Diligently, too. Had it not been for you, Han Yoojin, my boy, it would have been an impossible transformation. Though I cannot profess that it was perfect, I will express admiration. Truth be told–there’s no such thing as perfection, when it comes to raising an individual. All one can put forth is one’s utmost, and it is my view that this requisite, at least, was certainly met.”

My face burned crimson. Even as I felt embarrassed, at the same time, I felt pleased as well. Something warm spread throughout my chest, bringing a lump to my throat.

“...thank you, sir.”

“Rather than being the one expressing thanks, it’s my view that young Han Yoojin should be the one receiving it.”

“Even so. At least as far as this time is concerned–genuinely, thank you, sir.”

And I did feel glad, in truth. The fact that it was none other than Sung Hyunjae telling me so, made it more touching.

I didn’t think of myself as having been perfect, either. The end Yoohyunie had met, was something that could never be labeled a desired outcome. But even so–and though Sung Hyunjae had no way of knowing what had happened pre-regression, even then–the words telling me that I had done my best, and raised him well, felt comforting to me.

I felt thankful that he had given acknowledgement of it.

“It seems about time for you to slowly awaken.”

“Yes, sir–I’ll quickly install the rest of the disks, so we can conduct a proper discussion outsi–”

Just then, the detail I had overlooked registered in my eyes. The side that wasn’t holding onto the yarn–one of Sung Hyunjae’s arms was missing. There was only cloth, draped over the empty space.

“A-arm, what happened to your arm, sir?!”

“To intervene to this extent in person, for there to be no backlash is unlikely. Even so, as this body belongs to another, as an admission fee, it’s quite a bargain.”

“That’s, even if it’s not the real body!”

“If you would oblige to look upon my eye as well, in that case. Now, then.”

Before I could say anything else, my vision bled to black. When I opened my eyes again, the bluish glow from the vast expanse of the Hole filled my entire field of view. Hurriedly, I examined my surroundings. Yoohyunie, holding my body in his arms, was close by.

[ Would you like to resurrect? ]

Along with the message, the remaining respawn time appeared. After immediately opting to resurrect, 스윽, I was pulled back into my body. Just like an actual video game character resurrecting, the body that I was returned to was in pristine condition, without anything injured. What method had I been revived with, I wondered.

“...Yoohyun-ah.”

“...hyung?”

- Hyung!

Yoohyunie and Irinie cried out simultaneously.

“H-hyung. Are you okay…?”

“I’m okay. Honestly. I’m perfectly alright.”

Upon being told that he could set me down, the flames that had been surrounding Yoohyunie’s vicinity retreated. But, immediately after he’d set me down from his arms, this time, Yoohyunie suddenly crumpled down to the floor from where he’d been standing.

“Yoohyun-ah!”

- Yoohyun-ah!

“Are you perhaps hur… Of course you’re hurt, shit! Hold on, a potion–”

“It’s not, hic, it’s not like that, hyung–”

뚝뚝, as tears that had ceased resumed once more, Yoohyunie stumbled for words.

“J-just suddenly, my legs couldn’t… I-I can’t, remember how, to even stand… so…….”

“Yoohyun-ah–”

Taking out a potion first, I treated the wounds that remained on his shoulder and back. As I was doing so, my dongsaeng, who had been quietly hiccuping the whole while, reached out his arms to pull me into a tight hug.

“...hyung.”

“Yeah.”

“Me too–I can wait, too.”

Swallowing back tears, Yoohyunie continued on.

“I can trust in hyung too, and wait if I need to. Because I can wait for as long as it takes. So, don’t come on your own. Arrive together with Peace, or Bak Yerim. Without rushing, come and collect me safely. I’ll wait for you until then.”

“...yeah, sorry. I’m sorry, Yoohyun-ah.”

Because I’d felt so panicked. After telling my dongsaeng not to rush, I’d gone and made the very mistake myself.

“You’re not hurt anywhere else? Is your body alright? Damn bastards probably didn’t even bother feeding you properly.”

Even just thinking about it was enough to piss me off. For now, I brought out the water bottle and dried fruit I’d kept in my inventory and fed them to him. I should’ve packed some more things to eat to bring with me. Since the building that contained the cafeteria hadn’t been destroyed yet, should we head in that direction. No, since the dormitories had both a fridge and basic foods stocked, too, if we took the best room… Was there a way I could evict Sigma.

I picked up my dongsaeng, who was still trembling faintly. Flustered, Yoohyunie hastily clutched at me.

“Hyung! But I’m heavy!”

“I’m a C-rank right now, ‘kay. You’re not heavy at all. And I could pick you up before, too.”

Probably. Crossing over to me to clamber up my arm, Irin circled around on top of my shoulder.

- Hyung, Hyung! Should Rinie show you how I can transform?

“I saw. You were amazing.”

- Right?

“But how did that happen? And you’re talking, too.”

- That blue thingy. Near the Blue Hole, Rinie can talk too! Since there’s a whooole lot of mana! And it meshes really well with Rinie, too!

Was it due to the Mana Hole’s power. Maybe when it came to elemental spirits, even without a Mark, they were capable of quickly absorbing the Mana Hole’s mana. As Irin was chattering on, for some reason, Yoohyunie was looking at him with a reproachful expression.

“Why are you calling him hyung, when he’s my hyung.”

- Because he’s Yoohyunie’s Hyung!

At Rinie’s response, Yoohyunie’s expression shifted into one that seemed to convey a sort of acceptance. Hmmm, I wasn’t sure what was going on, but it seemed like they had come to a tacit understanding.

“Is this the time for applause, then?”

Just then, Sigma’s voice rang out. I turned back to look at the man who stood surrounded by the remnants of dying flames.

“Then do see yourself right out, sir, once you've had your fill of applauding.”

“I’d planned to call out for an encore.”

“If you’ll surrender your personal chambers, it’ll be brought under consideration. Or a room of similar quality, really. My dongsaeng requires rest, you see.”

“A dongsaeng, you say.”

Sigma’s gaze flicked back and forth between me and Yoohyunie, with the look of someone who was finding the proceedings to be immensely entertaining.

“Alpha certainly never had a male sibling. It doesn’t appear to be the work of a cognition-modifying Skill, so, what could have transpired, I wonder.”

“I’ll make a formal introduction, sir. This is my one and only dongsaeng, Han Yoohyun. Who I most definitely warned you not to touch. When I told you to quietly sit back and watch while shoving some tteok powder in your mouth or whatever, why the fuck did you think you could wade in here and make a mess of shit, huh.”

Was it because this place didn’t have rice cakes, that he hadn’t understood.

“The terms of the contract merely extended to the point ‘until Alpha is released’.”

“Contract, schmontract–how dare you lay your hands on someone else’s dongsaeng, you son of a bitch.”

[ ◑▽◑ Let’s introduce your Partner as well! ]

…and you could just stay out of it. Someone take Sung Hyunjae’s ability to assign quests away from him. But apparently neither Sigma, nor Sung Hyunjae, had any intention of meekly complying.

-----

(1) 불꽃(fireworks); the kr word for fireworks comprise of 불(fire) + 꽃(flower), which evokes the ‘blooming/blossoming’ effect firework displays have. yoohyunie gets a lot of fire and flower motifs, and this is a good example of how they can ‘naturally’ flow/entwine together in kr.

大人's proofreader here! there are plenty of instances of this blooming/flowering/blossoming language being used in regard to yoohyunie’s skills—”black flames, which bloom forth from blood”, “Han Yoohyun called forth an endless wave of blossoming flames”, “the flames that bloomed”, and so forth. rather than just straightforwardly burning by itself, then, this fire unfurls from its source; it blossoms into being ^^ speculatively, it’s also a testament to his strength and nature—not limited by its fuel, continuously growing, and a flame which consumes everything, even itself in the end—but that’s late-game content ;) ! of course the visual impact is also different, then: gently flowering, but not without heat or force.

there are other ways to describe fire in kr which aren’t quite so poetic, so these are meant to adhere to the flower symbolism that geunseo’s attached to yoohyunie; don’t forget, too, the plum blossoms which bloom from winter leading into spring—from yoohyunie to yoojin.

irin ↔ yh | informal casual

irin → yj | informal polite

yj → irin | informal casual

+(Q&A)

Q) is there a plot-related reason that yoojinie is unable to use the seedling Skill to look at his own stat window?

A) as a supporting aspect of the Caregiver title, the seedling Skill can only be used on others who hold the potential to become a candidate for ‘caregiving’. to be precise, it is a limit imposed by the System; and, should Han Yoojin make the decision to protect and look after himself as well, he would be able to overcome the bounds of the System and use it on himself, too.

+(Q&A)

Q) considering that, aside from han yoojin, seok shimyoung was at han yoohyun’s side for a very long time–then, does he have an understanding re:han yoohyun’s original nature, to an extent?

A) seok shimyoung considers han yoohyun to be an incomprehensible entity. from when they had first met, he’d quickly picked up on the fact that han yoohyun’s social sensibilities were less ‘human’, and closer to being a different ‘kind’ altogether; and having judged that, rather than attempting to teach and change han yoohyun, it would be more efficient to leverage that point instead, he structured haeyeon guild to follow after its guild leader. though he does not understand han yoohyun’s true nature, he registers him as a being with the prerogative to move differently from ordinary humans. of course, had han yoohyun attempted to incinerate everything the way his original nature had dictated, then seok shimyoung, too, would have rejected him, and viewed him as a threat; but, as han yoohyun was able to at least mimic basic social conventions through han yoojin’s influence, seok shimyoung thought that that much would suffice. as he’s the kind of person who puts little stock in the true nature of humans, even–rather than a human who would make a blunder of things, it’s his opinion that the intelligent monster who knows how to pretend to be human is the better alternative ^^ only, due to this, he misjudged the weight of the value that han yoojin’s existence holds to han yoohyun. if seok shimyoung had been able to understand han yoohyun a little better, then things would probably have been considerably different, whether for good or ill.

+(Q&A)

Q) i was curious whether the reason sung hyunjae doesn’t eat bread crusts is because it’s a metaphor as it relates to sung hyunjae’s narrative, or if it’s simply a trait of sung hyunjae’s pickiness!

A) typically, the trait goes hand-in-hand with the intended metaphor. it’s a longstanding habit of his ^^

> geunseo’s afterword - han yoohyun excerpts

‘...to briefly touch on the story of the novel, the ending was formulated alongside the first half of the series in a synopsis, before writing ever started. ‘if, as he develops, han yoojin becomes able to accept han yoohyun as he is, and, as his relationship with sung hyunjae evolves into a reciprocal ‘caretaker’ relationship, he is finally able to come to terms with himself, it will in turn facilitates a happy ending where, even as he must send off the 25-y.o. han yoohyun, he is simultaneously able to reunite with him’, is how it went. and they happen to save the world as a bonus ^^

[...]

han yoohyun was designed to be han yoojin’s destination(목표), as the lingering regret of his life(삶의 미련), while sung hyunjae was developed to be the path(과정) to that goal, as a self-assured embodiment of [han yoojin’s] ‘ideal self’. without even names assigned back then, that was their foundational framework…’

(full Q&A entry in footnotes here)

‘...when ‘the s-ranks that i raised’ novel was in its beginning storyboarding stages, one of sung hyunjae’s first keywords was ‘a character who does the things that a protagonist might do from beside the protagonist, and therefore ended up a main character’. by taking a being who held the potential to become a protagonist in whichever world, and then having him go through many worlds in practice–but also providing him with a strong enough ego(self-identity) to endure through the process–the current sung hyunjae ended up coming into being...’

#242화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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dbgdbw · 1 year

Text

241.Designated Administrator-ssi (1)

전용 관리자 씨 (1)

“So it seems he’s yet to truly perish, after all.”

Golden eyes narrowed into slits. Han Yoohyun’s ki had transformed entirely. That he was exhausted and afflicted with wounds hadn’t changed; but his gaze, which had been wavering like something swept out to sea, had settled into tranquil stillness.

If Alpha had also managed to catch on to the fact Han Yoojin hadn’t died yet–how might he have known, then. Sigma smiled. While pretending to have perished, what might he be up to.

“Surely you’re aware that you stand no odds of winning. I suggest that you surrender quietly.”

His chain, scattering fine tendrils of electricity, wove lazily through the air like a snake, completely blocking off the runway. Despite having recovered some mana, owing to the meager amount that was restored, attempting to flee by breaking through the walls would prove too strenuous a task in Han Yoohyun’s current condition. It wouldn’t have been impossible, but it would require a significant amount of time, and it wasn’t likely that Sigma would sit back and watch while it happened.

With that being said–attempting to fight him head-on would be nothing but a waste of the scant amount of mana he’d been able to recover.

“If you continue wasting time like this, you’ll simply end up chained down by Achates once more, Alpha.”

As Alpha seemed to be oblivious to the current state of affairs in the Achates Defense Administration, Sigma wove into his approach a threat and an invitation both. If possible, he wanted to collect the two in pristine condition. So long as Alpha obediently followed along, he could stage it as an accidental kill that had happened, while trying to subdue him after he’d been released by the Resistance.

If he was able to tie Alpha down with a suitable contract, what would the C-rank’s response be. When he realized that the one he’d been endeavoring so to save, had fallen into Sigma’s hands.

He was certain that, this time as well, things would prove entertaining beyond expectation.

“If you should contract with me, I’ll ensure both of you will be safely protected. I suggest you accept these terms before those handlers who are linked with your Mark return. I can promise treatment far better than the Achates Defense Association, at least.”

One wrong move, and that corpse you’re cradling with such care, too, will be hard-pressed to stay safe. At Sigma’s entreatment to make the wise choice, Han Yoohyun’s eyes narrowed slightly. It was true that the amount of mana he’d managed to recover was small in volume. Just as that man had said, there was no way for him to escape from this place on his own.

That is, if he’d been on his own.

Han Yoohyun concentrated on the tugging sensation he’d felt, ever since his mana had recovered. He had been wondering, where it had gone off to. And then, in lieu of an answer to Sigma’s offer.

“Irin.”

He summoned his elemental spirit. With a flicker of fire-sparks, a small crimson salamander appeared, suspended in the air. As its body expanded in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a small dragon–no, an imugi(1) that had spurned ascension into transcendence. The hornless dragon(2), cobalt blossoms of fire clutched in its four claws, twisted its body around its owner in a long motion, as though in protection–then.

콰앙!

With the end of a tail wreathed in flickering flames, brought it crashing down against the wall. It wasn’t that it had been broken through. It had been melted down. In the blink of an eye, an opening with plenty of room for two people to squeeze through appeared in the wall, which had stood durable beyond comparison.

At nearly the same instant Han Yoohyun pulled his body through the hole.

쿠르르릉!

Alongside the chains that surged forward, golden streaks of lightning flashed. The torrential flow of electricity struck down at the place where Han Yoohyun had stood, and spilled through beyond the wall. As though all of his attacks up to now had merely been child’s play, the floor on both sides was scorched black; a yawning crack split one side of the wall until, finally, 와르르, it crumbled down in a pile.

Though the destructive force of light had relentlessly pushed forward in an effort to pin down Han Yoohyun, seemingly going so far as to stop only just shy of killing him, enough to leave a long trail of devastation in its wake down the corridor.

“Blast.”

All Sigma’s attack had accomplished was the futile destruction of the corridor and wall. He gazed out towards the hole that had appeared in the ceiling, right outside the wall.

He’d assumed that he would immediately follow the corridor down towards the location of the Mana Hole, as a given. However, instead of rushing forward, Han Yoohyun had moved to the floor above. As his battle foresight was limited to instances of direct combat, to an extent, it was ineffectual when it came to predicting the movements of someone who fled, while refusing to engage in combat to begin with. If he’d been capable of anticipating such, then rather than being something related to battle, it would be closer to simple divination.

In any case, it had been a mistake. And an irreversible one, at that.

‘What shall I do.’

Alpha would have already breached the perimeter of the Mana Hole. The results of a fight between a Guard with their Mana Hole right behind them, against a Guard of equal rank, affiliated to an outside Mana Hole, were as good as already decided, but.

Without prolonged deliberation, Sigma began walking. At the very least, he intended to witness the scene of the C-rank’s resurrection with his own two eyes.

터엉, the door that had been sealed closed splintered open, folding outwards, creating a wide opening. In front of the bluish glow of the Hole, stood Han Yoohyun. The hornless dragon had reverted back to a small salamander and perched on top of his shoulder. With his hyung still firmly nestled in his arms, Han Yoohyun met Sigma’s gaze with his own.

“Didn’t think you’d follow me all the way here.”

“I have something I’m still owed from that party, you see.”

As Sigma indicated Han Yoojin, Han Yoohyun’s gaze on him narrowed. Suddenly, the thought occurred to him, that the other seemed to bear a resemblance to Sung Hyunjae.

“You’ll never lay a finger on him, you bastard, so don’t even dream of it.”

As accompaniment to cold words, tongues of flame surged forth. Fire–a combination of charcoal and navy–filled the surroundings in an instant. With the Mana Hole right behind him, freed from the shackles of mana depletion, Han Yoohyun called forth an endless wave of blossoming flames.

Simultaneously–a bolt of thunder came crashing down. Rather than resorting to flimsy defensive or evasive maneuvers, they clashed together in a head-on contest of strength. Sweeping through like a tornado, blue-black flames twisted around golden currents of electricity.

쿠그그그–!

The surroundings trembled, and the ceiling and floor both burst open in tandem. As it was set aflame, melted, and shattered–even the reinforced structure, which held access to the endless power of the Mana Hole, began to warp out of place.

투두둑, the ceiling, located at the furthest point from the Mana Hole in relation to the floor, began to crumble altogether. Immediately afterwards, the twister of flames and lightning surged outwards and above. With the space overhead already punched open, shockwaves began to spread throughout the entire building.

“It seems set to collapse soon.”

Sigma, having stepped onto his chains in order to avoid the melting floor, spoke with a smile. And just as he’d said; the Achates Defense Administration building proved unable to withstand the continual string of destructive impact. The twenty-something floor structure rapidly began to sink. Like this, they would end up being buried alive without any recourse–but.

- I’ll clean that up!

With a chipper cry, Irin took to the form of a crimson hornless dragon once more, and surged heavenwards. As he flew up in a straight path through the center of the building, blue lights(3) flitted into existence before detonating. The upper levels of the building–in what surpassed ‘melting’, into ‘evaporation’–were dispersed into fine rubble, and scattered into the atmosphere like rain.

Outside of the underground levels, the building itself had disappeared altogether. The crowd that had escaped during the initial bomb threats, as well as the ones who had panicked and fled when the building began to shake, stood intermingled and spectated the sight with dumbfounded eyes.

Beneath the exposed night sky, dark blue flames pressed onwards in expansion of its territory without flagging in momentum. Lightning leapt upwards once more, but the limitations of the mana that comprised it was clear. Between Han Yoohyun, who had the Mana Hole behind him, and Sigma, who lacked the same, existed a yawning chasm that could be compared to the difference between the fathomless ocean and a restricted lake.

화르륵!

Finally, Sigma was forced to retreat as the flames began to lick at even his soles. Before such overwhelming firepower(4), none of the Skills he possessed, nor his experience, amounted to anything. It was precisely as he’d envisioned; still, the smile that played on Sigma’s face exuded faint bitterness.

It was at that moment. From the body nestled in Han Yoohyun’s arms, a faint exhale issued, and.

“...Yoohyun-ah.”

“...Hyung?”

- Hyung!

Han Yoojin opened his eyes.

***

When my eyes opened, what came into view was a dark and unfamiliar space. Following the fleeting sense of bemusement that stemmed from being confronted with an empty room, devoid of anything, my heart abruptly dropped in my chest.

“Yoohyun-ah!”

Even before my mind could process the situation, my hands had begun to tremble violently. And shortly thereafter, as though I’d had ice water poured over me, my entire body became wracked by chills as well.

What the hell. While I’d requested for a delay, that had been so that I’d be allowed to choose my respawn time myself. So why didn’t I see anything like an option menu, and why had I ended up isolated in this sort of place.

Perhaps–could it be that, outside, the flow of time was still moving. And Yoohyunie was.

“Goddammit–Newcomer! Volleyball! Willson!”

I’d planned on reviving immediately. As soon as I died, without missing a beat. Quickly enough that, instead of thinking I’d died, Yoohyunie would be able to mistake it as a brief loss of consciousness.

Though I hadn’t planned on dying in front of my dongsaeng in the first place–and, even if Yoohyunie had known about my multiple lives, I would’ve tried to avoid dying right in front of him to the best of my abilities; I’d assumed it would be alright, since even if things went sideways, I’d be able to resurrect myself immediately.

But then, this had, for some reason.

“I’m telling you to revive me! Right now!”

I shouted, my voice hoarse; but there was no reply. Anxiety festered, charcoal black, in my heart. My breath caught. Please–this place had to have its time stopped, or at least significantly slowed. How Yoohyunie might be faring, what kind of emotional condition he might be in–it terrified me to imagine.

But he should still know that this wasn’t a real world, right? …if he happened to be unaware. If, because he’d overloaded as soon as he’d landed here, he hadn’t even been able to receive the System’s message as he should have. Shit, but he needed that info. Newcomer-ah, please.

“Isn’t anyone there?! Someone, come on!”

Whether myself, or my dongsaeng, please. Hoping for anything to appear, I searched my surroundings. Even though there was nothing, I fumbled through the empty air. The longer futile minutes ticked by, the greater my anxiousness grew. I hadn’t realized it, but at one point, tears had begun dripping from my eyes.

I should’ve just asked them to let me revive immediately, instead of wanting something like a delayed timer. No–I should’ve taken greater care to watch my surroundings to begin with, while saving my dongsaeng. The moment the alert window had popped up, I should’ve at least used a defensive Skill to–…the alert window.

‘...Sung Hyunjae.’

I’d briefly forgotten about him. It wasn’t the Newcomer, right now. The person currently managing the System was.

“Sung Hyunjae!”

Immediately following the shout.

탁

A screen blinked on. Inside the glow of the screen, Yoohyunie had appeared. This dongsaeng, who clutched my corpse close. A face streaked with tears, and a wounded shoulder. While wearing an expression that seemed as though he were verging on death himself, struggling to keep me from slipping away till the end–that Han Yoohyun.

My head was devoid of any thoughts. There was only the disconcerting sensation, of blood draining away from me; and as all of my strength fled, simultaneously, someone caught hold of me as my body began to collapse.

[ You must center yourself. ]

“...right, ughk, n, -ow.”

The words, to have him send me back, wouldn’t come out properly. For a moment, all I could do was desperately gasp for breath. I felt the sensation of a hand patting my back.

[ The young master is holding on, still. As I cannot interfere, it’ll be up to you, Han Yoojin, lad, to do something. Come now, hurry. ]

Another window appeared before my eyes. There was even a keyboard, to compose a message. I forced my trembling hands into motion. My dongsaeng, Yoohyun-ah.

- Yoohyun-ah.

The message was sent; inside the screen, my dongsaeng’s eyes grew wide. In dark, tear-stained eyes, light returned. My heart, which had been crushed, finally regained vitality as well.

- Hyung’s here.

My hands’ movements grew a bit faster. The tremors began to subside. He was alright. My dongsaeng was okay. He was going to be fine. After quickly sending another message, right on the heels of the last.

“Quests, how do I send quests?! He needs to be able to recover his mana at least a little bit in order to hold out! A mana potion–no, since he won’t have the time to drink it, if it’s just awarded like that, instant auto-recovery as the reward!”

[ If you opt to send a quest, it’s likely that you’ll be prevented from sending any further messages. It’s akin to a monthly quota, you see. ]

“That’s fine, so quickly, please!”

Even if no more messages came from myself, Yoohyunie would be able to wait. I was certain, having seen the way my dongsaeng’s expression had become reanimated. He was alright, he was okay. It seemed like he was doing better than I was, even. Genuinely, it seemed.

A hand clad a white glove stretched out from behind me. After tapping on something for a moment, a quest window appeared.

[ Write out the quest title–keep the general contents succinct, but quantify the reward in detail. ]

“No time to spare on a lengthy transcription, anyway, sir.”

With the retort, I quickly sent the quest. Inside the screen, a quest window popped up.

[ Please Protect Me

Until Han Yoojin is able to resurrect, let’s try to stay safe and sound! With a formidable foe as your opponent, please guard Han Yoojin’s body for five minutes＾▽＾

Reward: Minimal mana auto-recovery ]

“...what’s with the emoticon, sir. I don’t recall putting down anything of the sort.”

[ It’s a beginner’s setting, you see. ]

The hell was he saying. On top of that, the tone of the contents had changed, too.

[ With greater familiarity, it becomes possible to employ different approaches. It appears the young master has successfully recovered. You have my congratulations. ]

Inside the screen, Yoohyunie had stood up. The flames that bloomed to block Sigma’s way wer… Huh? The color of the flames shifted. What had been black grew clearer in hue, until a cerulean gleam streamed through. …was it because he was in Alpha’s body? Sigma, that bastard, had begun smooth-talking Yoohyunie. Though, considering the situation at hand, it did seem like choosing to cooperate would be the better option.

“But, when will I be able to revive?”

[ You are currently endeavoring to recover your consciousness, first. ]

“My consciousness?”

[ At present, young Han Yoojin has been rendered unconscious from the shock of sustaining a mortal wound. In order to revive, you would have to press the confirmation button–an impossible feat, so long as you remain comatose. ]

“You’ve a very thorough comprehension, sir.”

[ ...I only realized a moment ago as well, after investigation. ]

For some reason, he almost sounded despondent. In the interim, Yoohyunie had summoned Irin. The crimson salamander suddenly grew in size, and… What was that.

“...Rin-ah?”

T-that, too, was that the result of being dropped onto a different world? Had Irin inhabited the body of a dragon, or something… Yoohyunie, that guy, how was he so unfazed. Weren’t you shocked. With Rinie’s help, Yoohyunie managed to safely escape, and arrived at the Mana Hole. Now, I could finally afford to relax. Within proximity of the Mana Hole, there was no way he would lose to Sigma.

“In any case, thank you for your assistance, Sung Hyunjae-ssi sir. That Newcomer, he should’ve mentioned this kind of thing in advance……. But, how did this end up happening, sir? How are you able to use the syste–”

I turned around. A familiar overcoat came into view. And then, a face–.

“Aack!”

Hot pink yarn! In the place where the head should have been, a giant lump of yarn was floating instead. Horrified, I shoved the body away on reflex. As the overcoat and gloves flopped lifelessly down to the floor, the ball of yarn rolled away for a distance before 퉁, bouncing back up.

[ How uncalled for. ]

“W-w-what’s! Up with that appearance, sir!”

[ As it’s not my true body, there’s no need for concern. ]

“I’ll have you know that I’ve zero concern for you, though, sir?”

^^ –the ball of yarn smiled. Was there a rule that the System Administrators needed to take on the shape of a round object, or something. Don’t wave the end of your skein at me. Don’t try to act cute, in your state.

-----

(1) 이무기 (imugi)

https://namu.wiki/w/이무기

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_dragon

https://korean.dict.naver.com/koendict/#/entry/koen/d56db2f35d6b4d2099876f49bb674592

(2) 이룡 (螭龍): 뿔없는 용 이

전설상의 동물로 뿔이 없는 용. 어떤 저주에 의하여 용이 되지 못하고 물속에 산다는, 여러 해 묵은 큰 구렁이를 이른다.

(3) 린(燐): 도깨비불 린 → ignis fatuus, aka ‘wills-’o-the-wisp’

(4) 화력 (火力), lit. ‘fire’+’strength/force/power’; 불이 탈 때에 내는 열의 힘

return of foster dad shj + parallels b/w irin being an imugi ‘that had spurned ascension’, and yh’s ‘but han yoohyun held fast against that last opportunity to return to his original nature’... :’)

#241화 #the s classes that i raised #tsctir #sctir

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