The S-Classes That I Raised – Chapter 185

Chapter 185: Mister Seong’s Birthday (3)

How long will Seong Hyunjae’s memories of his pre-regression remain vague? If they begin to sharpen, how quickly will he recover them?

It was already clear that he was feeling a strong sense of déjà vu. His boredom with the birthday party, his peculiar interest in Song Taewon—it all pointed to that. Perhaps even helping Yerim back in Hong Kong wasn’t solely out of concern for me. Yerim is much different now compared to pre-regression. Maybe his kindness toward her was subconscious.

If Seong Hyunjae fully regains his memories from before the regression…

‘My value will inevitably decrease.’

Much of what was hidden or mysterious will be revealed, and he’ll understand the strange sense of disconnect he’s been feeling. His curiosity about me will wane, and the weight of the information I hold will diminish to a similar level. Depending on his connection with the Crescent Moon, it’s possible that Seong Hyunjae will end up with more advantageous and extensive information than I have.

Of course, my skills will remain the same, and for now, I’m directly linked to the Dungeon Managers, so he won’t cut ties with me outright. But it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious. He’s already overwhelming to deal with, and if he regains his memories, he’ll become even more of a handful.

Thus, I decided: I should use this opportunity to extract as much information about his pre-regression knowledge as I can. At the same time, I should make it clear that I had no intention of keeping everything hidden from him, and I’m on his side—at least to a degree. My plan was to hand over the combat skills I experienced during my time in his mental world as a birthday gift.

Honestly, I would’ve preferred to give it to him after the S-Rank Ranking Battles. …Or, to be frank, I didn’t want to hand it over at all. He’s already absurdly powerful, and the thought of him becoming even stronger is aggravating in many ways.

“Mister!”

Yerim came flying over to me. Her tailcoat was completely soaked, though her shawl fluttered around her shoulders, seemingly water-resistant.

“…They’re not going to make me pay for this, are they?”

She glanced at the gaping hole in the wall, finally beginning to worry. Poor Yerim—she’d only just finished paying off her debts. A cruise ship of this size must cost a fortune. How much would it be? Moon Hyunah, who had approached us without me noticing, chuckled and answered on my behalf.

“They’re not that petty. Don’t worry.”

“Really? Oh, I was trying to hold back, but that lunatic started insulting you, Mister! Saying you’re just an F-Rank being kept around for your skills and acting above your station, like you’re an S-Rank or something. It was so irritating, so I threw him into the ocean!”

“Well done.”

But did I act like an S-Rank? I hadn’t done much in the banquet hall. Was it because I didn’t seem intimidated despite my F-Rank stats? Plus, Yuhyun and Noah had been fetching food for me earlier. That could’ve rubbed him the wrong way.

“When I tried to argue that wasn’t true, he said I was too young to understand and that no matter how useful you are, the stat difference couldn’t be ignored. He even compared you to Myungwoo!”

Yerim fumed, clearly upset. But honestly, that perspective wasn’t uncommon. Even just wealth or authority alone could make people look down on others, and S-Rank Hunters wielded not only those but also raw power. It wasn’t surprising that ordinary people seemed insignificant to them.

South Korea is relatively stable in this regard, but there are plenty of countries where S-Rank Hunters act like kings. Few nations have managed to establish as organized a system as ours.

“Aren’t you angry, Mister?”

Yerim leaned in close, her face right in front of mine. I simply laughed it off. That much? Please. Compared to before the regression, it doesn’t even tickle. I didn’t even feel like I’d been insulted.

“More importantly, why is the Sesung Guild Leader still out there doing whatever he’s doing?”

I glanced toward the swimming pool area, now surrounded by cracked floors and overflowing water. The birthday boy himself stood there, and near him were two people lying on the ground.

“When I threw the guy I was fighting into the ocean, those two came at me. I don’t know if they’re friends or just looking for trouble. Then the Sesung Guild Leader showed up and handled it instead. He said something like, ‘Even without leashes, there should be some basic order.’”

Yerim mimicked Seong Hyunjae’s tone as she repeated his words. It didn’t suit her at all.

So, what’s going to happen now? The ship is large, so there are probably other intact banquet halls. Will they announce that we’re moving? I glanced around and noticed Song Taewon nearby, jotting something down in a notebook. Oh no.

“Chief Song, you’re not about to…”

“Yes.”

He cut me off, confirming my suspicions without hesitation. Ugh. Just like last year at Sesung, Yerim’s likely facing disciplinary action. Will there be a fine too? Fines for S-Rank Hunters are no joke. She only just finished paying off her debts!

“The guy started it! And he insulted me too! Isn’t it automatically worse for an adult to provoke a kid? There’s at least a twenty-year age difference!”

“It’s fifteen years.”

“Wow, a grown adult who’s lived twice as long as Yerim! This deserves leniency. Honestly, it’s 90% that guy’s fault. Yerim should just get a one-day suspension to learn how to control her temper. That seems fair to me.”

I could feel the incredulous stares of those around me, but I ignored them.

[It seems the broadcasting system is still functioning.]

At that moment, Seong Hyunjae’s voice echoed through the hall.

[I’d like to first express my gratitude to everyone who has gathered here today.]

Seong Hyunjae spoke with the elegant tone of an ordinary party host. Never mind the fact that the banquet hall was in ruins, a few guests had been thrown into the ocean, and others were sprawled unconscious on the floor—his demeanor still evoked the image of a high-class social event.

…Then again, technically speaking, all the attendees here were members of the elite. The problem was that along with their wealth, power, and strength came a distinct propensity for violence.

[It seems you are all enjoying yourselves, which, as the host… Ah, but I believe I’ve said this already.]

Seong Hyunjae sighed abruptly.

[I don’t believe it was at the pool, though.]

No one understood what he was rambling about—except me. Most likely, during the pre-regression cruise party, there had also been fights in the banquet hall. Back then, Yerim wasn’t around, so he would’ve delivered that same line inside the hall rather than near the pool deck.

It was clear that both the prepared remarks and the flow of the party were the same as before. Thanks to Yerim, the brief amusement Seong Hyunjae had felt had now soured. But was this really such a big deal? So what if he had to host the same party again? It wasn’t like he’d done this hundreds of times.

[Hunter Han Yujin, I wonder if you remember.]

Suddenly, the attention shifted to me.

[There’s so much water here, wouldn’t you agree?]

His words, though obvious, were spoken with an oddly meaningful tone. Of course there was water—it was a ship floating on the ocean.

‘…Wait a minute.’

Doesn’t seawater produce hydrogen through electrolysis? A chill ran through my entire body, and a fear resistance notification flickered in my mind.

Surely not. Surely he wouldn’t. I didn’t think he’d regained all his memories yet, but if he tried something that insane here, even Seong Hyunjae wouldn’t get out unscathed. This was a ship—if everything exploded, it would be complete self-destruction.

The other attendees still had expressions of mild confusion, as if they were wondering what Seong Hyunjae was rambling about. But inside, I was freezing up.

‘It doesn’t seem like he’s recovered all his pre-regression memories. Maybe only fragments of the combat in the mental world came back.’

That particular event might’ve been easier to recall since it technically happened to the current Seong Hyunjae. Even so, he couldn’t seriously be planning an explosion here… Could he? How strong was it back then? When he burst the river, it had been dangerous even for him, despite his stats being higher than anyone else’s at the time.

‘With magic added to the explosion, there’s hardly anyone among the current S-Rank Hunters who could withstand it. Even if Seong Hyunjae’s magic is weaker than it was in the mental world, the sheer volume of water here and the fact that the ship could magnify the blast’s force make this even riskier.’

If someone focused entirely on defense, they might survive, but still… Surely, he wasn’t actually planning to do something this insane. No matter how bored he is with life, he doesn’t seem like the type to end it with suicide.

“What exactly are you talking about?!”

I decided to ask outright. Seong Hyunjae smiled faintly.

[It’s difficult to hear you.]

As if that were true!

[I’m looking forward to the gift you’ve prepared, Hunter Han Yujin. The one you sent earlier today was delightful as well.]

With that, he pulled out a hot pink ball of yarn from his inventory. It was a neatly knitted scarf, quite large.

“What do we do? It looks like the Sesung Guild Leader knows how to knit.”

Yerim mumbled anxiously. Sorry, Yerim, but the gift you brought is already ruined. It was on a table earlier, but by now, it’s probably been swept out to sea.

[Why not come over and hand me your gift in person?]

I took a short, sharp breath. Just because he mentioned memories and water didn’t necessarily mean he was planning to blow everything up. I didn’t think he’d go that far… but I still needed to prepare, just in case.

Thankfully, I had a contingency plan. After glaring briefly at Seong Hyunjae, I turned and approached Myungwoo.

“Myungwoo, if we go into the forge, external attacks can’t reach us, right?”

“Since it’s a separate space, they usually can’t. Unless someone has the ability to interfere with dimensions. Ismuar mentioned that no one in this world should be capable of that yet.”

“How many people can enter at once?”

“They have to be in physical contact with me, but like when we moved supplies before, we can use a rope to connect everyone. Wait a sec.”

Myungwoo disappeared momentarily, then returned.

“There’s an energy limit to moving people, so with human-sized individuals, about fifty can enter at once. That’s the maximum.”

Fifty should be enough to fit everyone here. For a moment, I worried about the chaos that might break out inside, but upper-ranked Hunters weren’t stupid. If Seong Hyunjae used his skill, they’d quickly grasp the scale of the threat. Dimensional transfer is instantaneous, and given the size of the ship, we’d have more than enough time to escape before the explosion reached us.

I asked Myungwoo to take out a long rope. Passing it to Yuhyun and Yerim in turn, I spoke.

“If, by any chance, Seong Hyunjae uses a dangerous skill, move everyone immediately.”

I then used my Teacher skill on Myungwoo and shared Yuhyun’s sensory skills with him. Yuhyun would be able to detect danger more quickly.

“I’m counting on you.”

“What about you, Yujin?”

Myungwoo’s face hardened, noticing that I was trying to step away. Yuhyun frowned instantly as well.

“You’re not planning to go alone, are you? I’ll go with you.”

Yuhyun grabbed my arm as he spoke. No, you can’t come along either.

“I can teleport, so it’s better if I go!”

Yerim interjected.

Yerim, you can’t go either. While Yerim might have a high chance of avoiding any danger, it’s still better for her to enter the forge and stay safe. As I was trying to calm Noah down as well, Seong Hyunjae decided to add pressure.

[My items seem a bit slow. Perhaps I should have come to retrieve it myself.]

“You’re welcome to come get it now—! No, never mind. Just wait there quietly!”

It was better to keep him away from the kids. If he came too close and, on the off chance, attacked Myungwoo, that would be a disaster.

“I’m just going to hand him the gift and have a quick chat, so don’t worry, Yuhyun. We’re in the middle of the ocean; there’s nowhere else to go. Besides, you know Seong Hyunjae doesn’t have a flight skill. Even if he did, Noah is much faster.”

“Then what’s the point of preparing to escape into the forge?”

“That guy’s been pretty bored lately. He might try something crazy, so we’re just being cautious. It’s purely precautionary—the odds of anything happening are low.”

Yuhyun still looked dissatisfied, but since I’d be in plain sight the whole time, he reluctantly nodded. Knowing him, if things got dangerous, he’d probably let go of the rope and rush over to me. With the sensory link I shared, I could only hope Myungwoo managed the situation well.

I briefly explained the situation to Moon Hyunah and Song Taewon as well. While it was something that might understandably cause alarm, they didn’t seem particularly surprised—likely because they were familiar with Seong Hyunjae. When we tossed the rope to other Hunters, some took it quietly, while others voiced their complaints.

“What’s with this high-handed nonsense without any proper explanation?!”

“If you don’t want to die, just take the damn rope and stop whining.”

“That F-Rank stat guy is so—!”

The man’s words cut off as multiple sharp gazes bore into him. With several S-Ranks glaring at him, he quickly shut his mouth.

The kids were safe now. Turning away, I prepared to descend the stairs… except there were no intact stairs left. Carefully stepping through the debris, I was halfway down when I heard a metallic clinking. Suddenly, golden chains appeared, shimmering. This felt familiar.

“…Hey, wait a second!”

If I get dragged off by these, it’s not going to end with just cleaning floors—my clothes will be in tatters! Despite my protests, the chains wrapped around me and lifted me into the air. …Oh, they can lift me? Impressive strength. Why didn’t they do this last time?

As I dangled mid-air, Seong Hyunjae looked up at me with amusement. I admit, I liked having the higher vantage point, but still.

“Put me down.”

“As you wish.”

He gently set me down, both feet firmly on the ground. Now, then.

“So, why the sudden interest in all the water?”

“I heard you have a seawater allergy. I was concerned.”

…He actually remembered that?

“There’s no other meaning to it?”

“Seems like there’s another meaning for you, Hunter Han Yujin.”

“I’m not a strong swimmer.”

“Don’t worry, I’m an excellent swimmer.”

Was it really meaningless? I tried to read his expression, but all I saw was a polite smile, as if he was genuinely looking forward to the gift.

‘…Should I give it to him or not?’

If he hadn’t regained his memories, it might be better to keep the flow of magic related to electrolysis hidden. After all, Seoul had the Han River… But then again, this man didn’t need something like that to pull off horrifying feats.

“Hold out your hand. And don’t resist the skill.”

Just like earlier in the morning, Seong Hyunjae obediently held out his hand. I took it and activated the Teacher skill.

“I lack the mana to use this properly, so you’ll have to wield it instead.”

Through the skill, I guided him. He wouldn’t be as proficient as his future self five years from now—he’d only be following the faintest hints. Even so, the insight I provided would be an enormous help.

As soon as Seong Hyunjae began drawing mana, it happened.

“…!!”

My vision went black. I thought I heard Yuhyun’s voice faintly, but when I came to, there was a sweet taste lingering in my mouth.

“Are you okay, hyung?”

“You didn’t listen when I told you not to come.”

Yuhyun was half-holding me up, supporting my weight.

“Hunter Myungwoo lent me a damage nullification item. Did you really think I’d just stay put?”

…Myungwoo, thank you so much. Truly, you’re incredibly thoughtful.

“What just happened?”

I straightened myself and directed my question at Seong Hyunjae. He raised an empty mana potion bottle and showed it to me.

“It’s a Swiss-made chocolate-flavored mana potion.”

“That’s not what I’m asking…”

Was I unconscious because all my mana had been drained? Something similar had happened before—back when a mana stone absorbed Seong Hyunjae’s magic, it consumed my mana as well. Now that I was aware of it, I felt a faint tingling in my chest.

“So it is connected to me in some way.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean, hyung?”

…I wanted to ask that damn fragment the same thing. This time, there hadn’t even been any mana nearby, and yet it had consumed me to the point of collapse. Is it really incapable of affecting the mana stone, or is it hiding something?

–TL Notes–
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