S-Classes That I Raised to Devour - Chapter 4

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 4. I Will Not Show Mercy
Cheon Ihwa.
Tall and graceful, with perfect proportions. Her beauty was so flawless you’d suspect she was artificial. And on top of that, her talent as a hunter was extraordinary—a universally acknowledged future S-class.
The Bell Bracelets adorning both her wrists looked as though they’d chime at the slightest movement, yet they made no sound even as she ran, even in the thick of combat.
‘Myeonggyeong Jisui. So she’s been learning an S-class mental discipline from this early on.’
I’d deliberately avoided her gaze to prevent any contact, but here she came anyway.
“It’s not something to discuss in front of others, so would you mind coming with me?”
She smiled and asked politely.
Who could refuse that beautiful smile and kindness?
Me.
Kim Yeoul, who’d scored 2 points on the first test, was busily packing up her belongings.
By the look of it, she was about to give up on the exam altogether. If I didn’t act now, I’d lose her.
“I’m sorry, but I’m busy right now.”
“Then come with me—yes?”
I slipped out before her fans could trap me in their encirclement. Kim Jiwu, following behind me, chattered away.
“Sir, wait a moment. You do know who that was, right? Cheon Ihwa! A disciple of Daehan Jeil Geom!”
“I know.”
Shut up, you fool. I know Cheon Ihwa better than her own parents do.
“She seemed like she wanted you to join her party. If you joined, you’d have a 100 percent chance of passing the exam.”
Too tired to respond, I was walking away when—
Clink.
The bell chimed. Cheon Ihwa had appeared directly in my path.
“Since you’re busy, I’ll say it here. Join our party. And bring your friend as well.”
Exactly as Kim Jiwu had predicted—Cheon Ihwa was proposing a party. And graciously including Kim Jiwu as well.
“I decline.”
My party’s already decided, and I have no intention of adding her to it.
Her followers foamed at the mouth cursing me. What a madman, who does this guy think he is?—but I ignored it all.
“Seriously, sir! What’s the problem?”
“I just don’t like it. If you’re annoyed, you can leave my party.”
“Ha, it’s not that I’m annoyed… but understood, sir.”
Cheon Ihwa stood frozen, clearly stunned by the repeated refusals.
Instead, a swarm of cursed reporters and content creators shoved microphones in my face.
“Chae Mujin, applicant. Why did you refuse Cheon Ihwa’s party offer?”
“Do you think your abilities surpass hers?”
“Is this some form of gender discrimination?”
Unlike Cheon Ihwa, who’d given up after two tries, these leeches were relentless.
“My associate here will answer all your questions.”
I threw Kim Jiwu as bait to the parasites and slipped away.
But Kim Jiwu was an even bigger leech than the reporters.
He’d shaken them off in seconds and caught back up with me, muttering at my side.
“If you partnered with Cheon Ihwa, you’d practically have a free pass on the exam…”
I wanted to tell him the reason.
‘How can I be in a party with my ex-wife?’
In my past life, we were married. We divorced after two years.
It wasn’t a marriage born of love—it was practically forced. But I did try my best to make things work between us.
‘Those were the hardest two years of my life.’
We were married but never consummated the relationship. That should say everything about where we stood.
I harbor no ill will toward her, though. After all, she was forced into the marriage too.
Still, I don’t want to spend time with someone who dislikes me. What do I owe her?
“By the way, sir. Where are you headed now?”
“To find party members.”
“I’m curious to see who you’d choose over Cheon Ihwa.”
Ignoring his habitual sarcasm, I stood before Kim Yeoul.
“You there.”
Kim Yeoul, still packing her bag, didn’t look up or respond.
It wasn’t rudeness—she simply didn’t think I was calling her.
Why would the top scorer of the first test—someone who’d gotten 10 points—talk to a 2-point failure?
“Kim Yeoul. May we talk?”
“Me, really?”
“Yes. You.”
“Did I do something wrong…?”
“Not yet.”
“I… I’m not sure what you mean.”
“To put it plainly, would you consider joining our party?”
Chae Mujin threw the curveball without hesitation.
The onlookers were flabbergasted.
He rejected the 9-point scorer Cheon Ihwa to recruit a mere 2-point mage?
“I… no, thank you. I’m dropping out anyway… good luck.”
Chae Mujin’s eyes widened. A heavy stone seemed to press against his chest.
The feeling of rejection from someone you’d taken for granted would accept.
Now facing the same rejection as Cheon Ihwa, Chae Mujin’s mind raced as he watched Kim Yeoul drift away—
“Wait!”
He bolted forward and grabbed her arm.
“About the party…”
“It’s not about the party.”
Unable to let Kim Yeoul slip away, Chae Mujin made his decision—to use the future knowledge he carried.
“I’m recommending you to join Hunter Management.”
* * *
“Hunter Management…? What’s that? A guild?”
Kim Yeoul asked with curiosity.
She’d definitely never heard of it. Why would she? It won’t exist for another five years.
“It’s not a guild. If you want to compare, it’s more like a talent agency for hunters. Just as an agency manages celebrities, Hunter Management manages hunters.”
“Ah…?”
“For a mage, we’d show you how to reduce casting time, what spells to use in different situations. We’d also handle dungeon surveys, equipment setup, taxes—all the tedious legal stuff—so you can focus purely on hunting.”
“That… sounds really convenient.”
Even timid Kim Yeoul had to admit this system was flawless.
“Kim Yeoul. If you join our Hunter Management right now, I guarantee you’ll pass the Certified Hunter exam.”
“You… you’re guaranteeing I’ll pass? Really?”
“Of course, nothing’s free. You’ll split all future earnings with the company. Seventy-thirty. Naturally, seventy percent goes to you, thirty to the company.”
“Seventy-thirty…”
“Do you think the company’s taking too much? Not at all. If you sustain a critical injury, the company will deploy every resource to revive you. And if you make an enemy, they become our enemy too.”
“Oh, no, it’s not about the ratio. It’s that… I’m not sure I deserve a management company this excellent…”
I shook my head firmly and placed a hand on her shoulder. With subtle, deliberate pressure.
“Kim Yeoul. Look into my eyes. Do these look like the eyes of someone lying? You have the potential to become an S-class hunter. More than enough. Overwhelming, even.”
“Me… S-class?”
“Yes!”
Look at my eyes, Kim Yeoul. Do these clear, bright eyes look like they’re deceiving you?
She’ll become a true S-class, however much of a villain she is. More than a hundred A-class hunters will fall by her hand.
‘I still don’t understand how this gentle woman becomes a Killer Guild executive.’
There’s surely a jade bed at home. A dozen insurance policies, at least. And that bracelet on her wrist—a Germanium Bracelet.
“There’s no cost to join. You can sign the contract later, after you pass the Certified Hunter exam. If you change your mind at any point, I won’t stop you.”
A perfect offer with no downside and all benefit. Even I thought it was a bit excessive.
‘Was I too hasty? I sound like a cult recruiter.’
Kim Yeoul was timid, not stupid. She sensed his proposal was decidedly odd.
But Chae Mujin had scored 10 points on the first test.
As a supporter—the weakest class. He earned a 10 that even Cheon Ihwa didn’t get. Would such an exceptional person lie? Especially to a nobody mage like her? For what purpose?
“Then… then I’ll do it. The party.”
“Welcome, Kim Yeoul.”
“But how did you know my name…?”
“I overheard the proctor announce it. I’m Chae Mujin. Feel free to call me manager.”
Confidence is truth. Kim Yeoul nodded in acceptance.
“Get some rest for now. We can discuss the details later.”
After exchanging phone numbers with the exhausted Kim Yeoul, I let out a long breath.
Improvisation, but mentioning Hunter Management was a smart move.
If I’d just said “I’ll make you S-class,” it would’ve sounded insane.
But “Hunter Management” changes everything. It’s legitimate. It has structure.
‘And having her depend entirely on me—that works perfectly.’
Hunter Management doesn’t exist yet in this era, so there’s no competition.
“Sir, Hunter Management? Never heard of it, but it sounds amazing. Can I join too?”
“You’ll just be the meatshield.”
“But I scored 6 points on the first test?”
“Scores don’t matter. You need promise, and you don’t have it.”
After lunch, I ran into Kim Yeoul and we regrouped.
—We’ll now begin the second test briefing. All applicants must gather at Area 7 by 6:30 PM.
Following the announcement, I arrived at Area 7 to find an enormous Gate looming there.
“Isn’t that a dungeon Gate?”
“It is a dungeon Gate, but this one’s privatized, so it’s safe. No monsters will ever escape from it.”
“I see…”
“The second test has you enter the dungeon, collect Tokens, and bring them out. The monsters you’ll encounter are Goblins. Ever hunted Goblins before?”
“No, never.”
“Goblins are often dismissed—along with Slimes—as the weakest monsters. That’s completely wrong. They’re small but cunning, and they use tactics. They’re Level 10-20 creatures, but hunters in the 50s have died careless against them.”
She wasn’t responding, so I glanced over to find Kim Yeoul watching me with those bright, curious eyes.
“Manager, have you been hunting for a long time?”
I was about to say ten years, then caught myself.
“I only Awakened about a year ago. I just studied a lot online.”
Just then, a proctor stepped up to the podium and took the microphone.
—We will now begin the second test briefing. Please listen carefully, as I will only explain this once.
The proctor launched into a lengthy explanation, but it amounted to what I’d already told her.
Enter the dungeon, find passing Tokens, and get out. Each Token is worth one point, maximum ten points. Time limit: six hours.
This was all straightforward, but what came next was the problem.
—Effective this year, there will be no safety personnel. In other words, should you fall into danger within the dungeon, no one will assist you. If you lack confidence in your abilities, you may withdraw from the exam now. This concludes the briefing. The test will commence at 7:00 PM, in fifteen minutes.
Whispers of panic rippled through the crowd. No safety personnel against Goblins?
No one had expected to die during the exam, so the confusion showed no signs of settling.
“Manager… what do I do? I… I don’t think I can do this. I’m too scared.”
Kim Yeoul was on the verge of tears, as expected. I placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Yeoul. What did the second test ask you to do? To fight Goblins?”
“No… to find Tokens and get out…”
“Exactly. You don’t need to fight Goblins. Find the Tokens and leave. That’s all.”
“Ah…!”
“Of course, you might encounter them. But you don’t have to fight. Just run away.”
This wasn’t just to reassure her. The exam’s actual intent was exactly this.
To test not just ability, but judgment.
“Trust me alone and follow my lead, Yeoul. Do exactly as I instruct, and—”
I paused deliberately. She stared at my lips, desperate with curiosity.
“We’ll both get ten points.”
“…!”
It had been only two hours since we’d met, yet Kim Yeoul found herself trusting his words.
The aura of a ten-year veteran hunter, someone with genuine experience training numerous A-class hunters, was that convincing.
“I’ll… I’ll try!”
Watching Kim Yeoul answer with newfound confidence, Chae Mujin smiled briefly before quickly returning to a stern expression.
‘Get it together, Mujin. Are you going to repeat the past? Never—absolutely never show affection.’
Raising Kim Yeoul is purely to consume her.
No one gets attached to livestock they’re raising.
She’s just something to be sold off eventually. Feed her, house her, protect her—but that’s only because she’s property.
So, no matter what—
I will not show mercy.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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