S-Classes That I Raised to Devour - Chapter 47

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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 47. There Are No Bad Yakshas in This World (5)
The locked 10th Floor was a chamber crammed with test tubes. The first held the letter A, the next B, and so on until it reached Z, then began again with AA.
“…This is beyond imagination.”
The test tubes grew steadily larger, and from the 500s onward—from SF—they reached three meters in height.
The giant-class Golem SQ we’d faced was the 511th. The chilling part was that it wasn’t the last. Seven hundred and two. The test tubes went all the way to ZZ.
‘There are 192 more of them stronger than SQ?’
Even with our victory, SQ had been far from a pushover. Hundreds of Hunters had died, and Yasha had died and come back to life.
“We didn’t accidentally wake something by touching it…did we?”
Inside the sealed test tubes, Golems of all kinds lay dormant. Then Yeoul suddenly caressed one of the tubes.
“Yeoul. Don’t just go around touching things like that.”
“They’re all dead.”
“How would you know? There’s no sign of it from the outside.”
“I don’t feel any souls from these things.”
“Souls?”
If she’d said they lacked power cores, I’d have understood. But souls in Golems, like machines?
Yeoul moved on, touching each of the following test tubes one by one.
I pressed my palm against one as well, following her lead. All I felt was the lukewarm, smooth touch of glass. But if souls truly dwelled even in this cold, hard metal, would that soul be warm?
“Manager! I think you need to see this right away.”
Yeoul called out so urgently that I rushed over.
“…It’s open?”
Test tube 691, ZO, stood wide open.
“This one’s open too.”
The last test tube, number 702, ZZ, was also open.
“Was it always like this?”
“Yes.”
I worried that the 10th Floor opening might have broken ZO and ZZ, but touching the insides of the tubes proved otherwise.
“There’s dust accumulated. These were opened long ago.”
“Long ago? Isn’t that strange?”
“Strange indeed. ZO and ZZ, which awakened before SQ, are nowhere to be seen.”
Monsters cannot leave a Dungeon. Not until the Dungeon collapses.
Now that I thought about it, there was one more oddity: from YP, the 666th onward, there was nothing inside any of the test tubes. Which meant I had no idea what ZO and ZZ looked like.
“Whatever they looked like, they would have left some trace.”
Everything was a mystery. What in the world had happened here?
Then, a notification appeared.
[You have uncovered the secret of ‘Alchemist Terimoor’s Laboratory’!]
[Dungeon Complete Clear achieved. Subjugation Settlement commencing.]
[Settlement for ‘Alchemist Terimoor’s Laboratory’ Complete Clear completed.]
[1st Place: Chae Mujin—Clear Share 45.68%]
[2nd Place: Yeoul—Clear Share 28.40%]
[3rd Place: Kim Bongshik—Clear Share 25.92%]
[Settlement Error: Player Kim Bongshik has withdrawn from the Dungeon. Clear Share forfeited.]
[Settlement Result: Player Chae Mujin may prioritize selection of three out of five rewards. Subsequently, Player Yeoul selects the remaining two.]
[First Clear! Reward tier increased by one rank!]
[Subjugation achieved with four or fewer participants. Bonus experience acquired: 1,000%!]
[Reward Grade: A+]
[Player Chae Mujin, ranking 1st in Clear Share for ‘Alchemist Terimoor’s Laboratory,’ receives the trait: Ether Detection.]
「Trait―Ether Detection (Unique)」
• You may now sense unattributed energy, Ether.
「Equipment―Leap Ring (C)」
「Item―Ether Heart」
「Item―High-Grade Mana Stone x2」
「Item―Amantir Ore x8」
「Item―Amantir Ingot x1」
I picked the three best rewards without hesitation.
「Equipment―Leap Ring」
Rarity: Magic
Quality: F
• Increases jump power two to threefold. (Charge: 1/1)
「Item―Amantir Ingot」
• A highly refined Amantir Ingot. Can be used for equipment crafting.
「Item―Ether Heart (A)」
• The power source for Angel, the autonomous Golem developed by Alchemist Terimoor. It resembles a jewel on the surface, but harbors energy approaching infinity within.
The Leap Ring sells for forty million won; the Amantir Ingot for three hundred million.
The Ether Heart was something I’d never seen before.
‘What I don’t know, I keep.’
My parents always grumble about me hoarding junk, asking if I’m some kind of beaver.
‘Someday I might need it, right?’
Like the fire extinguisher stowed in the car trunk or the first-aid kit in the closet—items I’ve never actually used but feel reassured to have.
With that in mind, I decided not to sell the Ether Heart but to keep it safe.
The remaining two rewards naturally went to Yeoul.
“Your first Boss Raid—how was it? Must’ve leveled up crazy, right?”
“Yes, yes. It doesn’t feel real.”
“I finally hit Level 99 with one level up.”
“I reached Level 82.”
“Beyond levels, congratulations on your first real earnings. You made 600 million won.”
“600 million? Ah, ahaha. You’re joking, right?”
“High-Grade Mana Stones go for 100 million each. Amantir Ore sells for 50 million. After taxes at 20 percent and the auction house fee of 3.3 percent, then splitting 70-30 with our management contract… your net income should be around 320 million.”
“320 million…?”
Kim Yeoul stood with her mouth open, eyes blinking.
“Shocked that 600 million got cut in half? Korea actually taxes Hunters less generously. Japan takes 50 percent, China takes 70. And the management fee is 30 percent of net profit, not the gross, so don’t get confused.”
“Ah, no. It’s not that the amount is small… it’s just that such a huge sum appeared all at once… It feels like a dream.”
In dramas and movies, 100 million is portrayed as pocket change, but for ordinary people, it’s a fortune hard to accumulate.
Even I’d lived normally before my awakening, so I understood Yeoul’s sentiment.
“You’ll earn far more ahead. It’s the bare minimum compensation owed to Hunters who risk their lives in battle.”
“Manager…!”
“And on such an auspicious day, we absolutely must have beef.”
“I love beef!”
Yeoul’s pure enthusiasm was genuine.
Right. All you need to do is keep fighting hard and growing.
I’ll figure out the troubling matters—where ZO and ZZ vanished to—on my own.
* * *
Kim Bongshik waited for Chae Mujin outside the Dungeon, but unintentionally failed to keep his promise.
“The Eunpyeong District Sword Master brought down a Boss Monster?!”
“It’s exclusive news!”
As Chae Mujin headed to the 10th Floor, Kim Bongshik announced that he’d felled the Boss Monster.
What was meant simply to encourage escape had tremendous repercussions.
Rumors distorted until it seemed Kim Bongshik alone had defeated the Boss Monster.
“Everyone, step aside! I’m waiting for someone!”
“Thank you for saving us! You’re our lifesaver! Could we get your contact information?”
“When will you release the body camera footage?”
All Public Hunters wear a body camera in their breast pocket—a specialized action camera that works even inside Dungeons.
Kim Bongshik certainly had one clipped to his chest.
The high-definition footage captured everything with sound: the battle with SQ, conversations with Chae Mujin, and even Yasha’s form.
Kim Bongshik endured the barrage of gratitude and questions without wavering. For Chae Mujin to return.
But after waiting an hour with no sign of him, he shook his head.
‘Did he fail to stop Yasha? Or did they both perish?’
Either both Chae Mujin and Yasha should have emerged together, or one of them. But neither appeared, no matter how long he waited.
“Senior. You must leave now.”
Moreover, the Hunter Bureau itself had sent a junior to tell him to return and report immediately.
“Sigh…. Just a moment longer.”
Normally, Public Hunters cannot publicly disclose raid results without their superior’s permission.
Kim Bongshik had been especially strict in adhering to Public Hunter regulations, but this time he couldn’t follow that rule.
“Before I leave, I have something to say.”
At Kim Bongshik’s words, the crowd fell silent, wondering what he’d announce.
“Contrary to survivor testimony, the Boss Raid was not accomplished by me alone.”
Since all the actual witnesses from the 1st Floor had perished, no one immediately contradicted him.
“It was possible because of Chae Mujin and Yasha. These two people made it happen.”
“Chae Mujin…?”
“Yasha?”
“Where have I heard the name Chae Mujin before?”
“I think I heard it from Hwahrang Hotel survivors.”
“Ah! Chae Mujin! He’s the one Cheon Ihwa mentioned! The Supporter who was instrumental in catching the villain!”
Cheon Ihwa, the major shareholder and Public Hunter of Hwahrang Hotel, had held a press conference.
Chae Mujin’s name was mentioned then. He’d greatly contributed to capturing the villain Do Minwoo in the Hwahrang Hotel Dungeon Drop. Without him, they wouldn’t have caught him. She’d praised him explicitly, acknowledging his merit.
Those who knew of Chae Mujin weren’t limited to her.
“Where did I hear the name Chae Mujin before? Oh—he’s registered as a clear member for the Temple of Light!”
“The Temple of Light at Youngjongdo? That’s a Grade 2 Contamination Zone the nation abandoned. I thought the Bastard Guild cleared it solo, but Chae Mujin was part of the clear party?”
This was news to Kim Bongshik as well, but he continued calmly.
“Without these two Hunters, Chae Mujin and Yasha, I could not have assured victory myself. I believed it was right to share the glory of this raid with them.”
“Who is this Hunter Yasha? I’ve never heard of such a nom de guerre!”
“Neither have I. But he is at minimum a B-Rank Hunter, and it would be no surprise if he became an A-Rank Hunter soon.”
Kim Bongshik’s declaration of the birth of a new A-Rank Hunter sent shockwaves through the crowd.
The prestige of an A-Rank Hunter carries such weight; their very existence rivals strategic weaponry.
“Then would you say this Chae Mujin is also a potential A-Rank Hunter?”
Kim Bongshik did not answer that question. How could he?
‘Not A-Rank. Possibly S-Rank.’
He barely swallowed those words.
‘Chae Mujin. If you’d wanted recognition, you’d have revealed that power to everyone.’
A Supporter capable of maintaining buffs beyond imagination not just briefly but for extended periods. No Supporter in Korea or anywhere globally could achieve such power.
Chae Mujin had shown it only to him, trusting him alone. He could not betray that trust and reveal it to the world.
Not even if the Hunter Bureau itself demanded it.
Kim Bongshik took his leave without answering further questions from the crowd. Later, when he arrived at the Hunter Bureau Seoul Headquarters―
“The body camera broke?”
The bureau director’s expression turned regretful.
“It was damaged during the Boss Raid.”
“Did you recover the remains?”
“Yes, I did retrieve them.”
“Hand them over. The President needs materials to see, after all.”
To protect Chae Mujin’s identity, Kim Bongshik had destroyed the body camera.
He’d brought the remains out of necessity, but not before ensuring they were thoroughly damaged beyond repair.
“It’s completely shattered.”
“I’m fortunate it survived at all.”
“To my eye, it looks like a person destroyed it.”
“…….”
“Lighten up—it was a joke. You’re not the type to smash a camera worth hundreds of millions of won. Haha!”
Kim Bongshik answered with silence, and the director pressed no further.
There was no need.
The moment Kim Bongshik left the room, the director issued orders.
“Put everything else on hold. Start recovering Kim Bongshik’s body camera. Three months? Get it done in one month, and I’ll throw in a bonus and a week of paid leave.”
The director did not trust Kim Bongshik.
* * *
Cheon Mujong, the Hunter Association Chairman, was leisurely enjoying golf.
Just as he was about to swing the club.
Ding-ding. Ding-ding.
At the ringtone, he set down his club momentarily and excused himself to the person beside him.
“I beg your pardon, sir.”
“Didn’t I tell you not to call me that?”
“You hate ‘First Sword of Korea,’ and you hate ‘Director.’ What am I supposed to call you?”
“Like you used to?”
“Act your age, will you?”
“Everyone but you takes me for a man in his twenties. Why not just call me Hyerin, like the others do?”
Public Hunters belong to the Hunter Bureau, an independent agency like the police or fire departments, headed by Lim Hyerin, the First Sword of Korea.
Yet something was strange. Cheon Mujong, from the same generation as her grandfather, appeared as a vibrant young man in his early twenties.
Cheon Mujong ignored her and answered the call.
The ringing phone had to be answered—it was too important.
“What is it? Oh, mm-hmm. That fellow again? Heh heh.”
Lim Hyerin eavesdropped, lingering nearby. The moment the call ended, she spoke up.
“Chae Mujin pulled off another big one, didn’t he?”
“That boy’s remarkable. Humble too.”
“Since you brag about him so much, I looked into him. He applied to be a Public Hunter, didn’t he? But why’d he suddenly cancel at the last moment?”
That wasn’t a question—it was an interrogation. She’d discovered he’d met Chae Mujin during the final interview test.
She was pointedly suspecting he’d pressured Chae Mujin into not becoming a Public Hunter.
Cheon Mujong chuckled in rebuttal.
“If someone does what I tell them, they’re a dime a dozen. Why would I favor such a person? It was his own decision.”
“That makes even less sense. If that’s true, why did he apply in the first place?”
“That’s between the two of us.”
“So you won’t tell? Just ask him directly, I suppose.”
“Leave it alone. That boy dislikes attention. If the Hunter Bureau Director and First Sword of Korea came calling, he’d disappear entirely.”
“The more you tell me not to, the more I want to.”
“I’ve got my eye on him, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t meddle.”
Cheon Mujong spoke with genuine seriousness, setting the golf club aside.
Normally, Lim Hyerin would’ve laughed it off as a joke and backed away, but not this time.
“It’s not about recruiting him as a Public Hunter. It’s because of Ihwa, isn’t it?”
“Ihwa? What’s she got to do with it?”
“You know how Ihwa was in a slump, right? But then one day she broke through and started growing. I figured out the secret.”
“Surely not…”
“Right. Chae Mujin. Of course, he’d never admit it, but women’s intuition, you know? I can tell. Ihwa’s conscious of him.”
“Hmm.”
“I thought you’d make a fuss, but you look pleased?”
Now it was Lim Hyerin’s turn to be surprised. Cheon Mujong was famous for doting on his daughter.
Though the public euphemistically called it being overprotective, the truth was he interfered to such a degree that murder wouldn’t be beneath him.
‘He’s rating a mere Supporter this highly?’
She knew he had the unique trait of being able to boost physical attack power tremendously.
But to her eye, that was only part of it. Otherwise, there was no way Cheon Mujong would praise him so greatly.
‘Could it be? Not just physical attack power, but he can greatly enhance magical attack power too?’
That level of ability would justify Cheon Mujong’s high regard.
“How about this idea?”
“What is?”
“I’ll set up an opportunity for you two to meet.”
“You’d arrange a meeting with Chae Mujin? You just said not to?”
“I wouldn’t if it were as the Hunter Bureau Director. But as Ihwa’s teacher, I think I have the right to meet him.”
“How brazen. So you want me to check if he’s the right guy for Ihwa, is that it?”
“No matter what else, you’ve got a good eye for men.”
“But how would you approach Chae Mujin? You said he dislikes attention. Won’t he hate it if you call?”
“Don’t worry about that.”
Cheon Mujong picked up his phone and made a call, smiling slyly.
“Chae Mujin and I are sworn friends.”

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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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