The S-Classes That I Raised – Chapter 221

Chapter 221: The King Trapped in the Tower (2)

I reflexively pulled out my weapon. Not that it mattered—it was just a short sword, not even a high-grade one. Even if I had an S-Class weapon in my hand, my stats wouldn’t allow me to use it properly.

At least my earrings had a shield skill, but it was only B-Class. The range wasn’t wide either, so at best, I could shield one or two people by hugging them. As for Grace—how much could I even protect them with my own body?

Knowing that whoever dragged us here was beyond my ability to stop, I still positioned myself between Yuhyun and Yerim.

“Honey!”

A voice called out again. If they were calling me ‘Honey,’ there was a high chance it was one of the Dungeon Managers. That would be a relief, at least.

“You’re safe! I managed to block it for now!”

From the empty air, a small human figure slowly appeared. The first thing that caught my eye was their curly beige hair. Two long, drooping ears hung down on either side of their head. They swayed lightly, fluttering—almost like a puppy. A Cocker Spaniel, to be exact. They looked exactly like that kind of dog.

Their eyes were entirely red, with no visible whites, making them resemble a rabbit with drooping ears. With a round face and short stature, they seemed around fifteen or sixteen years old. Their body was covered in something resembling layered white lily petals. The petal-like fins, which looked like part of their outfit, extended and waved gently as they floated slightly above the ground. While their legs weren’t visible, they did seem to have two normal arms. Their long sleeves, resembling fins, hung down, covering their hands.

Either way, they were clearly not a normal human.

Staying on guard, I used my Promising Talent skill on them. Instead of a pop-up window, the information transmitted directly into my mind.

The King Trapped in the Tower.

That was all I could read. A king, huh. The Mermaid Queen and the King of Harmless came to mind. An Unfilial Child and a Filial Duty Addicts—seemed like they were from that crowd. The phrase “trapped in the tower” was a bit peculiar, though.

“Honey!”

“Get to the point.”

“Huh?”

The puppy tilted their head, then went, “Ah!” and opened their mouth in an exaggerated ‘O’ shape. Their pointless cuteness was making me lose focus.

“I’m Newbie! Wilson! Volleyball!”

“…What? You’re Newbie?”

“Yes! It’s me!”

They responded brightly, waving one arm. Their fin-like appendages fluttered as if dancing. A newbie, huh. Was that true? As I remained doubtful, the puppy’s expression drooped.

“I was the one who made the dungeon for you, Honey. I’m also the owner of the Toy Soldiers. And I was the very first to find you and cause the system error.”

Toy Soldiers. The contractor’s name had exactly five letters. The King Trapped in the Tower. They had indeed been the first to find me and trigger an error. They eagerly continued listing past events, and nothing they said was incorrect.

“…What about my brother? And the others? Are they safe?”

“They’re safe! I acted quickly!”

“Explain properly.”

At my cold response, the newbie deflated. Seeing that, I felt just a tiny bit guilty. They hesitated for a moment before speaking again in a calmer tone.

“The Filial Duty Addicts interfered. In the dungeon you entered, Honey.”

“You said it would be fine.”

“I—I swear, the Jellyfish doesn’t have this kind of ability! It must have been another Filial Duty Addicts joining in. This kind of thing is really rare!”

“But it happened.”

“…Yeah.”

The newbie slumped their shoulders. Still, they had claimed to have blocked it.

“So, what happens now?”

When I relaxed my tense expression and asked, they brightened up and answered.

“The Filial Duty Addicts tried to interfere with the dungeon and take control of the system. It must have been a Filial Duty Addict skilled in handling the system, but only a few can do that. Among them, there’s only one who’s close to the Jellyfish, so this won’t happen again. It required a lot of power, so they’ll need to rest for about four or five years in your world’s time.”

In four or five years, the world would either be saved or destroyed. So, as they said, this wouldn’t happen again.

“Anyway, they tried to take over the system of the Black Ox’s Forest dungeon to harm you and your group. But I quickly injected the system I had prepared! I completely replaced the Black Ox’s Forest dungeon with a different dungeon system.”

So, they basically threw out a virus-infected file and replaced it with a new one.

“You acted fast.”

“This is our job. Besides, I already had a dungeon prepared for you, Honey, so it was easy. It’s a dungeon system where you can obtain items and skills.”

“This place? Then why isn’t anyone waking up?”

I glanced around as I asked. The room looked completely empty.

“The system I prepared—it’s a virtual reality system.”

“Virtual reality?”

“Yes! Think of it like a virtual reality game. It’s a system more common in a future beyond Honey’s world. The physical body stays behind while only the mind enters the game—the dungeon. Unlike the dungeons in Honey’s world, there are NPCs and real interactions. You know computer games, right? This is like actually stepping into a game! I designed it so players can complete quests to earn points and exchange them for desired items and skills. Since only the mind enters, it’s completely safe!”

Hearing this, it actually sounded pretty great. Above all, the fact that it was safe was the most appealing part.

“…Couldn’t you have used this virtual reality system instead of a dungeon from the start?”

“Honey’s world has a lower level of technological advancement. Also, this system is based on virtual reality games created by humans, so it’s much less secure than the one I made. In some ways, it can be even more dangerous than a dungeon system. Anyway, Honey’s party is currently inside the virtual reality dungeon. They’ve become people of that world. Their bodies are still here, so it’s a kind of possession.”

The newbie hesitated, looking troubled.

“But Honey couldn’t enter the system with just your mind.”

“Why? …Is it because my stats are too low?”

“No, it’s the opposite. It’s because of that magic stone of yours.”

The newbie’s fin-like sleeve pointed at my chest.

“It’s powerful. More than expected. Even though the Lizard’s magic stone was incomplete, I assumed it would be at most SS-Class, or maybe SSS-Class at its peak. But right now, it feels at least L-Class.”

“L-Class?”

“…At the minimum. I’m not sure. Once it fully forms, I’ll be able to confirm it for sure, but this is completely beyond expectations, Honey. That’s why I couldn’t interfere with you properly. When I tried to separate just your mind, the magic stone’s influence blocked me.”

At least L-Class? Without thinking, I placed my hand over the scar on my chest. If it was that strong, would I be okay? Could I control it? If it surpassed the rank of my Perfect Nurturer title, wouldn’t it become uncontrollable? The thought worried me, but there was nothing I could do about it for now.

“So, Honey has to enter that world directly.”

“Directly? I can’t just leave the dungeon immediately?”

“I had to rush to modify a system that wasn’t fully completed, and in doing so, I lost control over it! So, um… you have to clear it!”

“…The promised time has already passed, and you still couldn’t finish making it?”

“W-Well, I did tell you it would take longer! You’re the one who wanted this, Honey!”

That was true. It was in exchange for checking out the dungeon Yerim had entered. I didn’t expect it to come back around like this.

“I originally planned to set the background in a relatively peaceful medieval era. But now, even I don’t know what kind of world it is. Since it’s inside a dungeon…”

“It’s one of the worlds that has already perished, isn’t it?”

“Yes. A world reconstructed from the remnants of a vanished civilization and the past information of the people who once lived there.”

My heart pounded slightly. This wasn’t just a dungeon that only left traces behind. It was a world where people and their past circumstances still remained intact. A world that had fallen before ours.

The newbie rolled up their long sleeve and pulled out a hand. It looked normal. But then, from the back of their hand and wrist, dozens of thin tendrils extended—ugh.

“…Why do you have tentacles?”

“These are really convenient! You should recommend them to your blacksmith, too. They’re practically essential for creators. They allow for delicate work to be done simultaneously.”

Recommend them, my ass. As someone who had once used tentacles myself, I could agree they were handy, but they definitely didn’t look great.

The tentacles quickly searched through the empty air. I couldn’t see anything, but it seemed like the newbie was manipulating something. Their movements grew faster and faster until they became impossible to track with the eye. Then, after a moment—

Thunk, thud.

Round, flat discs appeared in the air and fell. They were small, black, metallic disks about 5 to 6 centimeters in diameter. The tentacles picked them up and handed them to me.

“Please place these in specific locations within the dungeon. That will allow me to interfere. I’ll provide the installation sites through the quest window. All you have to do is press down on the center.”

“What about clearing the dungeon?”

“That depends on the dungeon itself. Once you finish placing them, I’ll check the dungeon information and send you a message. Also, Honey, you have five lives.”

“Lives?”

“Yes. Your party members are in there too, but you don’t know when you’ll meet them. Depending on the situation, it might be difficult to regroup. Honestly, I don’t want to send you in because it seems dangerous, but…”

The newbie turned their head and looked at the unconscious people lying around.

“I can’t deliver these to anyone else. I’ve connected to Honey’s system window multiple times before, so it’s easy to access. But I can’t do the same for the others. The most I could do was send them status messages. If I could have sent only your consciousness safely, it would have been ideal…”

They hesitated before looking back at me.

“If it’s just Honey alone, I can pull you out without needing to clear the dungeon. But… you wouldn’t leave alone, would you?”

“Of course not. No way.”

I answered without hesitation. If I was the only one who could deliver information on clearing the dungeon, there was no way I’d leave by myself.

“I just need to meet up with the others before I die five times. If I die, I don’t resurrect immediately, right?”

“Huh? No, you revive instantly.”

“Hey, that’s not good. With my stats, I’d just keep dying over and over again. If I don’t have a delay, I’ll respawn right in front of whatever killed me.”

“Oh, you’re right! Then…”

The tentacles started moving busily again, and the newbie’s red eyes spun in thought.

“One hour. You can stay in a dead state for up to one hour. You can also use that time to assess the situation.”

“Great, thanks. That should make it manageable. I’ve got Grace too.”

At my words, the newbie made a troubled expression. Now what?

“About your items… You won’t be able to use anything that doesn’t exist in that world.”

“…What?”

“If there were similar items, I could modify them, but something like Grace definitely doesn’t exist in that world. Also, your skills will likely be slightly adjusted to fit that world.”

“Skills are one thing, but not being able to use Grace is a huge problem!”

My stats were F-Class. Even if I layered on all the equipment I had, I’d only be at about Level 1 C-Class—realistically, I’d be on par with a well-trained E-Class Hunter. If this world had dungeons like ours, I could just avoid entering them. But if it didn’t have dungeons and monsters just roamed freely, I’d be dead in no time.

I shot the newbie a look that practically screamed ‘Figure something out’. They hesitated, tapping Grace with the tip of a tentacle before finally speaking.

“Well, um… Giving you the exact same ability is impossible. But I can temporarily convert it into stats or other abilities through equipment.”

“What’s the grade?”

“Stats can go up to C-Class, roughly around Level 30. Equipment-wise, I can provide S-Class weapons and armor.”

Stats and equipment, huh. But even with S-Class weapons and armor, my stats needed to be high enough to use them properly.

“Give me the stats. And loan me the equipment.”

“Huh?”

“I said loan me the equipment. You have weapons lying around, don’t you? Can’t you just lend me one? I promise I’ll return it.”

“But…”

“Honestly, the only reason I didn’t bring a decent weapon is because I wasn’t expecting this situation. But S-Class gear? I can get as much of that as I want. You know how close I am with my blacksmith. I’m not even asking for much—just one S-Class weapon. Maybe some armor too. I relied on Grace, so I didn’t bring any.”

After hesitating, the newbie finally pulled a weapon and a long cardigan-like piece of armor from the air. The weapon was a sword—well, sort of.

“A main-gauche.”

It was a short dagger with a protective guard for parrying. Daggers weren’t my weapon of choice, and to make things worse, I couldn’t check their options.

“Once you enter the dungeon, the items will be adjusted to fit that world. You’ll be able to see their options then. But both are S-Class.”

“Thanks. Is there a time limit?”

“There’s plenty of time! Virtual reality games usually run at about five times the speed of reality. I can adjust it from outside, too.”

That was a relief. With this setup, I could probably hold out until I found someone. Just before asking them to send me in, I had one more question.

“The requirement to gather 50 Perfect Nurturer keyword holders—tell me the real reason behind it.”

The newbie pressed their lips together before shaking their head.

“I can’t tell you yet.”

“I can’t just blindly follow orders without knowing the reason or the method. To be honest, I don’t fully trust you guys.”

Their red eyes blinked wide, looking a little surprised. Was it because I said I didn’t trust them? But how could I? They kept hiding things from me.

“It’s to save your world, Honey. I swear it!”

“How? What exactly do you plan to do with those 50 people? What if there’s even the slightest chance they could be harmed—”

“The keyword holders will not be harmed! I promise! I swear on my name!”

The newbie practically jumped as they shouted. The keyword holders will not be harmed, huh?

“Are you absolutely sure?”

“I’m absolutely sure! No matter what!”

“What about me?”

“Honey…”

Their drooping ears twitched slightly before sagging down again.

“We’ll do everything possible to minimize harm to you. We’re preparing for that. In a year, maybe two, everything will be ready. I’ll tell you then, Honey.”

We’ll do everything possible to minimize harm. The lack of certainty actually reassured me in a way. It meant the keyword holders were truly safe.

“So basically, you told me to gather 50 people before you even had a solid plan?”

“That’s why I said you could take your time. And I can’t tell you everything right now—it’s also for your safety. Please, believe me. I mean it. And when the time comes, we’ll respect your decision. We won’t force you. We can’t force you.”

I still wasn’t completely convinced, but the newbie’s expression and voice felt genuine. And honestly, they had helped me a lot. Watching their pleading eyes, I unconsciously reached out and patted their head.

…Damn, with those eyes, they really did seem like a puppy.

The newbie’s eyes widened, and then they suddenly grabbed my hand.

“Uh, sorry if that was uncomfortable.”

“No, Honey…”

They rubbed my hand, their warmth noticeable. They were surprisingly warm. Their fur was soft too.

“Be careful, Honey.”

They let go of my hand. Just like when I arrived here, my vision turned completely black. And then, after a brief moment, light returned.

No, it was still dim. I was in a dark alleyway, wedged between tall buildings.

‘…This looks like a modern city.’

It was hard to see clearly in the darkness, but I could tell the buildings were painted. The long cardigan I had received from the newbie had already transformed into a leather jacket. Just as I was about to check its options—

-Grrrr.

A menacing growl echoed.

I quickly turned toward the sound. At the end of the alley, a monster resembling a leopard emerged. Above its head—

‘…What the hell?’

[C-Class Gamoea
HP: 1,370/1,370
MP: 155/155]

Its rank, name, and HP and MP were all displayed. What was this? Was this part of the virtual reality game system? Or maybe…

Promising Talent.

Apparently, skills were supposed to be adjusted to fit this world. I quickly activated Promising Talent, but nothing popped up. So, was that status window appearing automatically the altered effect of my skill?

-Krrgh!

There was no time to ponder—the monster lunged at me. They said my stats were boosted to C-Class. If we were both C-Class, this should be doable. Plus, I had an S-Class weapon! I quickly opened my inventory and pulled out the S-Class main-gauche the newbie had given me—

“…It’s a gun?!”

Not a bow, but a gun?! Wait a second, this looks like a pistol. It resembles a Glock, but does it have a separate safety? Can I just pull the trigger? Is it already loaded? What the hell is this?!

While I was panicking, the blue-tinged leopard had already closed the distance. Its sharp fangs gleamed ominously just inches away.

With a powerful kick, the monster leaped straight at me, aiming precisely for my head. In a split second, I dropped low, bending my knees and arching my back almost to the ground. As the beast’s body skimmed over me, I swiftly pointed the gun at its exposed lower jaw and pulled the trigger with all my strength.

I felt a sharp drain on my mana.

Pfft.

The bullet fired with an almost silenced whisper. But despite the quiet shot, the leopard’s head exploded instantly, its body flung backward, tumbling far away. At the same time, I couldn’t handle the recoil and crashed onto the ground.

“…Ugh, my back.”

What kind of world was this? Seeing how I was suddenly handed a gun, it definitely seemed more modern.

At that moment, a message window blinked in front of me.

A quest.