< Hatchling Class Teacher (2) >
There wasn’t much left for the time between S-Rank dungeon managing for both Haeyeon and Breaker Guild, so for the S-Ranks’ schedules, we were going to go into the A-Rank dungeon straight away the next day.
At any rate, there wasn’t anything big to prepare. The attack time was to be within 3 days, ending in two if it was fast, for a low grade dungeon that had complete information.
We arrived at the gate management building of the low grade A-Rank dungeon, aka ‘Black Golem’s City’. As soon as I got out of the car holding Peace, a sleek red sportscar appeared and parked perfectly in place as if measured with a ruler. It was an adept skill that seemed like they had done only parking for ten years.
The person who got out of the sportscar was none other than Breaker’s guild leader, Moon Hyuna. She was wearing a tight racing outfit with a workbelt that you could put simple possessions into. The backpack that was hanging sideways on one shoulder wan’t that big.
Those clothes, belt, and backpack should all be dungeon items or made from dungeon byproducts. It was a long sleeves and long pants outfit that didn’t suit the weather, but the temperature inside the dungeon was different anyways.
Even just speaking of Yoohyun, he was wearing a coat. I remembered that it was an S-Rank item, but what was it called again?
“Hey, hyung-nim!”
Slamming the car door closed with her foot, Moon Hyuna waved one of her arms. It should be an expensive car, but a scratch would form. She treated it too carelessly.
“I’m thinking of it as going around a dungeon holding a glass bead, so even if it’s an A-Rank, there’s a little excitement. Don’t break.”
“You are not going around holding it. If you leave it quietly in a safe place, there is no need for it to break.”
“Ah, how boring. Yerim, you too, hi!”
“Hello, unni!”
The two of them hugged tight, friendily. Or no, Yerim grabbed Moon Hyuna’s arm and twisted it, and Moon Hyuna leisurely broke free and pulled Yerim into a headlock.
“Oho, your strength increased a bit?”
“Ah, ah, I yield!”
They got along well. Yerim was yelling, ‘I love you, unni! Spare me!’. It must be nice for it to be easy to say ‘I love you’. I had to say the keyword to Moon Hyuna, too.
“What are you looking at so piercingly? Jealous?”
Yoohyun said nonsense. My neck bones were weak.
In the meantime, another car arrived. The person who came out was none other than the Seseong Guild Leader Sung Hyunjae. As expected, with an unseasonal coat hanging grandly, he didn’t seem like a Hunter but a young businessman.
I remembered that dark red coat. It was a first attack reward for the S-Rank dungeon ‘Raining Volcano’, the SS-Rank equipment Fire Dragon Sillekia’s Wings. The other options were good too, but it especially had an S-Rank fire resistance, so during the ranking competitions, Yoohyun had a hard time.
‘But how are dungeon reward items made?’
Could it possibly be the system people manually making them? There were things like armor, but the higher rank the item, the more there was a considerable number of modern objects, so I wondered if they were matching our world while giving them. And things like that were more expensive even if the abilities were the same. A coat or a vest really was better than a cloak or armor.
“Am I the latest person?”
Sung Hyunjae came closer, with a smile around his eyes. You did not need to come, though.
An A-Rank dungeon that was perfect for the condition was under Seseong Guild’s management, so we contacted them, and they gave permission for the attack, but a useless freebie came along with it.
Korea’s S-Ranks sure had a lot of free time.
“Hyung-nim, lend me Peace for a bit. To try fighting with that person.”
Moon Hyuna said, staring at Sung Hyunjae with eyes filled with fighting spirit.
“The experienced people should play with experienced people. Please do not think of dragging in my still less capable kid.”
“Even if he’s less capable, he’s an S-Rank.”
“No thank you.”
It wasn’t a dungeon attack, and you guys should figure our your own business. I held Peace closer, and Sung Hyunjae strode over to me. The gaze looking down was full of interest.
“I heard that there was quite a fun matter that happened while I was gone.”
“That was-.”
“Please directly contact Hunter Yoo Myeongwoo. It wouldn’t be that you do not know his contact information.”
Yoohyun cut in through my words. Yoohyun should also know that Myeongwoo was keeping his cell phone off lately. Then again, it wouldn’t be good for Haeyeon if Myeongwoo became close to Seseong.
Sung Hyunjae shifted his eyes and looked at Yoohyun next to me.
“Lately, when I see young master, I’m quite surprised. How did you hold back for three years? With that disposition.”
“Please do not pay attention to others’ household matters.”
“Rather than it being others’ household matters, isn’t it that both the brothers aren’t normal?”
Haha, they were really going around fighting with each other. Was it Yerim’s turn next? I slipped back and turned to look at Kim Sunghan, who was taking care of the luggage. He also had quite a troubled gleam in his eyes.
Was this why S-Ranks didn’t make teams together? Even after the level of difficulty for dungeons went up, the reason why S-Ranks maintained a minimum number within a team might not have been because the number of Hunters was lacking.
“Yoohyun, let’s start to go in. Seseong Guild Leader should also leave it at that.”
“It’s okay to call me casually, though.”
What did you want me to do? Should I call you ahjussi, like Yerim?
This attack team didn’t have an A-Rank besides Kim Sunghan. Not only was it combat power that was more than enough to attack a low grade A-Rank dungeon, I would feel sorry dragging an innocent A-Rank Hunter over.
Just think, it was three guild leaders. Between our CEO, the neighboring CEO, and the CEO from over there gathered together, would employees short on abilities be more than a tactful handyman? Even just a while ago, Moon Hyuna tried to dump her bag on Kim Sunghan, and was chased away, being told to take care of her own luggage.
A normal A-Rank couldn’t like me, so it was a lot better for them to not come. They could needlessly be victims of a fight between bigshots[1], too.
The S-Ranks passed through the gate first, and I waited about 10 minutes and went into the dungeon with Peace and Kim Sunghan.
[ђ|!!]
Ah, yes.
In the slightly cool air inside, which was different from the weather outside, I saw a ruined city. It wasn’t a modern city. The collapsed city wall, houses with only the frames remaining, and that castle far away engulfed in fog resembled those of Europe’s Middle Ages. But I heard that you couldn’t find completely same styles to any time period from the past.
‘…Would they be traces of a different world?’
You could only see these kinds of traces of civilization in high rank dungeons. Mid ranks and lower were usually natural environments.
‘And what’s that?’
Between the wreckage of the buildings, there was a large track that seemed like a giant hydraulic shovel had dug a long hole. There were as many as five around twenty-to-thirty-meter-long tracks, and they were spread out like the ribs of a fan. It seemed like a giant mountain-like beast had clawed the ground.
In the surroundings, there were remains of monsters strewn about. They were cut into pieces like they were put into a blender, so it was hard to guess their original forms.
“Hyung-nim, hyung-nim!”
Moon Hyuna, who should be the owner of those remains of destruction, came over to me with a refreshed expression. While holding a giant pure white spear in one hand. The size was like she had plucked out a telephone pole.
“It’s not for fighting with that Sung Hyunjae, but let me borrow Peace!”
“…What now.”
“I haven’t ever used a kiseungsu to my heart’s content in a high rank dungeon. The mid rank ones can’t endure my strength. Without waiting for Blue to grow up, let’s finish the payment today. Hm?”
It wasn’t something bad. And Peace would build up experience while here at an A-Rank dungeon. But.
“Peace is affiliated to Haeyeon. The one you should be asking is me, so please do not grab the wrong person and act bothersome.”
Yoohyun said, cutting in with a smiling face. Like he said, the person she should be getting permission from wasn’t me.
Moon Hyuna, who was obstructed, sulkily puffed out her cheeks like a child. But the gleam in her eyes wasn’t that of a child, but of a soldier who had gone out into a battlefield for several years.
“Asking a bastard that words don’t get through to-.”
“Let us start now.”
I cut through Moon Hyuna’s words and broke out of between those two. She sure did speak nicely. Our Yerim’s words were rough already, so while being friendly with that woman, wouldn’t she get even more rough?
“Peace.”
-Kkiang!
Without speaking in length, Peace, who had jumped down from my arms, grew in size. It wasn’t the completely big appearance, but a build that was about midway between the adult and adolescent forms. Looking at the status window, the stats had gone up to S.
If he was too big, it would be easy to become a target, so for this situation, that size should be about right. Our Peace was smart.
At Peace’s bigger appearance, Moon Hyuna stopped the growling, and her eyes shone. Sung Hyunjae also came over, showing interest.
“He’s smaller than what I’d heard. Can he adjust his build as he wants?”
“Yes. As you can see.”
I took out a saddle for kiseungsu from my inventory and hung it over Peace’s back. As an A-Rank kiseungsu equipment, it had options for decreasing weight and increasing speed. Suiting a dungeon item, the size also automatically adjusted.
Taking the luggage and hanging it on the back of the saddle left a bitter taste in my mouth. Of course, as a highest rank combat-use kiseungsu, normally he wouldn’t have much cause to carry luggage.
“Unni! I can really take all the magic stones, right?”
Yerim yelled, suddenly flying over. I was wondering what she was doing near the remains of the massacred monsters; so she was picking up magic stones.
“That’s right, you take all the ones that come out.”
At the readily given permission, Yerim smiled brightly. If she picked up and sold all the A-Rank magic stones, her debt would decrease considerably.
The nearby monsters were completely taken care of within 10 minutes, so we started moving right away. With my lacking stats, I was indebted to Peace.
The Black Golem’s City was a 2-story dungeon with the main appearing monsters being golems and undead. They were durable and tough, but they were on the slower side with only about the level of throwing boulders as long-range attacks, so it was perfect for our situation.
Rarely, low rank liches popped out, but they were poison and curse specialties, so there really wasn’t a problem.
The 1st story attack was done once you massacred the undead army that appeared after disposing a certain amount of monsters.
“These guys are so slow!”
Landing lightly on top of the head of a roughly 3-meter-tall golem, Yerim burst out laughing. She didn’t have even a little bit of tension or fear. She seemed like she had come to a field trip.
The thing floating around her was Cold Sigh. The white fog that froze the enemies had received the Ice Wood Spear’s attribute buff, and made dozens of golems unable to move a single inch.
When she flew around binding the golem group like she said, between them,
Kwagwagwagwang!!
Moon Hyuna’s giant spear burst through.
As the ground was split up and a whirlwind was whipped up, hard golem fragments flew around like dead leaves. It was like breaking eggs with a boulder, so it was to the point of feeling sorry for the monsters.
“Even without a kiseungsu, Moon Hyuna-ssi is no joke.”
I said, taking my eyes off the telescope. If a high rank kiseungsu with a good rushing power was added to that, there wouldn’t be anyone who could block her path. If it was the current level of difficulty for dungeons, wouldn’t a normal S-Rank boss go flying with one blow?
“There shouldn’t be many people who can follow the destructive power focused on the end of the spear.”
Yoohyun, who was riding behind me, said. I knew that the back was the most defenseless, but it should be okay even if he didn’t stick close this much. Anyways it was excessive protection.
“But the course is obvious, so it’s easy to avoid. Though I haven’t fought her before.”
“Moon Hyuna is simple in various ways. So, the combination of those two is quite fitting. There wouldn’t be easier target for Moon Hyuna than those that can’t avoid.”
Sung Hyunjae, who was walking slightly apart, also spoke.
With the added attribute reinforcement, Yerim’s skill in binding opponents was exceptional. It was that level with just the sighing[2], so if Shadowless Day was added, it would be no joke.
Just look even now. She lightly froze the undead that were weaker than the golems and,
Sswaaa-!
Without Moon Hyuna having to go over, she shot down Pale Rain and shattered them into pieces. The scattering ice pieces received sunlight and shone glaringly.
She took out a magic stone detector and quickly collected the magic stones, before lightly flying around and binding the next golem group. She was having a lot of fun, huh.
“Facing off against the young master should be more enjoyable than Moon Hyuna.”
Sung Hyunjae suddenly tossed out, while we were watching the monsters be swept away.
“Please come after taking off that coat. I will let you face off against me.”
Why was that Yoohyun taking that up? I was wondering if it would become peaceful for a while because we were far from Moon Hyuna, who was picking fights with Sung Hyunjae, and Yerim, who quibbled with Yoohyun, but now the remaining two were staring each other down.
Fuck, Sung Hyunjae, you ahjussi, don’t open up your coat.
“A golem group is moving in the northwest. If the Seseong Guild Leader also has not come to play, then please take some action.”
“I told you to call me casually.”
“I am asking this of you, Sung Hyunjae-ssi. I do not have enough stamina, and there are kids waiting for me at home, to stay long in a dungeon, so I would like to end this quickly. Please cooperate.”
I didn’t really have too little stamina, so please do not put on a tearful face, Kim Sunghan-ssi.
“Since our Han Yoojin-gun is asking, I can’t not listen.”
Sung Hyunjae smiled, pretending to be a good person, and turned around. That’s right, get lost. Though he would probably come back soon.
“Hey, and why are you taking up somebody picking a fight? What are you going to do, fighting here? Do you want to see innocent me get hurt?”
“Of course we’ll fight after Bak Yerim and Moon Hyuna come back and we’ve gone a safe distance away.”
Just look at him speak. He didn’t say that he wouldn’t fight. Then again, S-Rank guys didn’t take it easy like this, so that was probably why the ranking competition was such a success. Were the belligerent ones S-Ranks, and cooperative ones F-Ranks?
“There’s not even a healer here. Don’t. No, even if there is a saint supporting, I don’t want to see you get hurt doing something useless, okay?”
“…Okay. But Sung Hyunjae would probably keep on picking a fight.”
“Can’t that ahjussi act his age; why’s he like this?”
I grumbled, after checking to make sure Sung Hyunjae had gone far enough away. Yoohyun was still young, so you could say he could be like that. If you’re twenty, wasn’t it an age where you should be high-spirited, and would want to try out your own strength, and easily loose your patience?
But why was an ahjussi who was sufficiently old enough like that?
“Since there’s no reason for S-Ranks to gather in a dungeon like this. It’s a perfect situation to measure each other’s abilities. It’s an A-Rank dungeon, so there’s not much to see against monsters, and we want to go up against each other at least casually. Not just Sung Hyunjae, but Moon Hyuna and me too.”
“Still, hold back. Do things like that when I’m not here.”
We should’ve left out that person, Sung Hyunjae, at least. Whew, Peace was the most good-hearted.
Even after that, those S-Ranks guys were busy circling each other. On top of that, even Yerim, who fell short relatively, put herself forward, saying she was confident if a penalty according to the difference in stats was given.
Stuck in between them, what other option was there but to separate them?
“Yerim, there’s a group of undead scattered in the east. It’s a bit far, but you’re the fastest, so can you go?”
“Between the city walls, golems are gathered in a way that is perfect to hit. It would be perfect if Hyuna-ssi would go.”
“Yerim and Hyuna-ssi have caught a lot of them, so you go this time, Yoohyun.”
“Sung Hyunjae-ssi, you look bored, so please take a light walk. I think there is something moving behind those collapsed buildings. Ah, yes, Hyunjae-ssi. That is fine, right?”
While I was diligently chattering like this, before I knew it, the fog that was covering the old castle in the middle of the city disappeared.
-Oowuhhh
Along with a gloomy cry, the castle door opened wide and the undead army poured out. There were also black golems that were about twice as big as the golems that had come out until now, placed here and there.
It was an incredible number that seemed overbearing, but I wasn’t nervous at all. Obviously.
Who should I send this time?
[1] lit. ‘a shrimp’s back bursts in a whale fight’
[2] yj uses a word that means ‘a sigh of regret, bemoaning’ here instead of the ‘sigh’ in cold sigh, so I was confused, but I think he’s referring to the skill instead of saying it’s a regret? In the following sentence, he uses it again, in an example that is more clear that it’s referring to the skill. Anyways, he’s not using a word that’s actually part of the skill name, so I didn’t capitalize it