The S-Classes That I Raised-Chapter 776: Looking for My Little Brother (4)

“I almost reflexively looked back but stopped myself. A subordinate? Riette? The feeling of Riette perched back-to-back on the bike suddenly felt unsettling. She’s not the type to willingly subordinate herself to a Transcendent. Could it be a subordinate wearing Riette’s shell? But her manner and tone were unmistakably hers.

“...you’ve been missing all this time. Why didn’t you contact me.”

I asked as calmly as possible while we rode along the tracks. This is Line 4, so if we keep going straight, we’ll reach Sesung Guild in about ten minutes.

“Hard to say in detail. I was somewhere else with Noah.”

“Somewhere else? It’s been more than a day.”

Back then, the Transcendents hadn’t really interfered yet. Well, complete interference wasn’t impossible—there are Puppeteer cases. But that would require a connection to our world. Noah and Riette...

‘Dragon lineage?’

The Cursed Venomous-Dragon lineage. But the Transcendent tied to that line, Diarma, vanished long ago. If not Cursed...

‘Light-Dragon lineage.’

Noah’s title, skills, and items came to mind. Though he was one of the cursed twins, his brother actually carried Light-Dragon blood. I recalled that some items once belonged to Transcendents, like the Mermaid Queen’s earrings. So maybe Noah’s items came from a Light-Dragon Transcendent. What did the item description say...

“Yeah, I stayed there a few days.”

“So when, where, what, how, why?”

“Speak properly!” I thought, exasperated—yet Riette swung her legs casually as if none of this was urgent. Soon we emerged from the dark tunnel into the bright station at Sookdae Entrance.

“Did you meet a Light-Dragon Transcendent?”

“Wow, Honey, I didn’t say that~.”

“You didn’t? Then—”

“Were you silenced? Like a contract banning you from speaking?”

“See, Honey’s so clever.”

So it really was a Light-Dragon Transcendent. If Diarma could control Riette, a Light-Dragon Transcendent could’ve influenced Noah too. They took Noah hostage and bound Riette as a subordinate because of her brother? But Riette isn’t from that lineage. Seriously, these Transcendents love playing with other people’s siblings!

‘Wait—then we can’t bring Riette back like this.’

I slowed the bike a bit. The Light-Dragon’s motives were unknown, but holding Noah hostage spelled trouble.

“Can’t say much, but they were very interested in someone called Honey.”

“...How far has that Honey rumor spread?”

I sent a message as I replied. We’d soon reach Samgakji Station and then—

Thud!

A loud crash and the ground shook. Rumbles followed, as if the underpass would collapse. What the hell!

“They’re chasing us!”

I quickly used Teacher Skill on Riette. Through her eyes I saw something moving in the dark tunnel behind us.

“Oh my god, for real!”

Crack-crack—the ballast, ties, and rails flew up. Chasing us was a colossal, spike-covered mole. Its face hidden among quills, its forepaws bulldozed the earth as it ran. Screeeech—the tunnel walls shrieked under its spikes.

Honey!

A surprisingly gentle, clear voice rang out. Honey my ass! I don’t want to hear Honey from that thing! At least give me a bipedal creature with hair instead of three-meter spikes! One extra eye is fine! Four arms, too!

“I won’t eat you, so stand still!”

“Wow, so fast. Does it have a speed buff underground?”

Riette said casually. Not eating is the standard of mercy? That thing looked built for skewering! We burst through another station—screen doors flew apart in our wake. Thank goodness this is a dream world—or those repair bills would kill me!

“That butterfly brother is insanely strong.”

“That’s pre-Reset Yuhyun. Probably SS-rank!”

I hammered the bike into a sharp turn. We were almost there; the quills were tapering off. Riette drew her sword.

“Other subordinates swarm their sibling for a reason.”

“What did Yuhyun propose?”

“He said he doesn’t care about pseudo-cores.”

Makes sense—the Gardener’s after Sigma, not Seong Hyunjae. Nab Sigma and you’re halfway done. Riette’s blade sliced through quills—ting!—but they regenerated.

“Push too hard and you’d send the bike flying.”

“Stay calm!”

I sent a message.

“Now!”

Immediately, KRAAANG! A deafening blast. Golden light flashed as Ichon Station’s screen doors burst outward. A shadow dropped onto the sunlit tracks ahead, chains snaking forward. I flung the bike aside and leapt at the chains. Clank—they wrapped around me and yanked me toward the station. Manager Song, standing on the rails, charged at the spiked subordinate, but—

“Wait! Truce! Truce!”

Rrraaar—the mole scratched the floor and halted. Then with massive paws it dug a pit and vanished, leaving only a hole ten meters wide. What the—. Manager Song, a bit stunned, stared at the empty tunnel.

“Seems your reconciliation failed.”

Seong Hyunjae said as he deposited me at the station entrance. But more importantly—

“...Isn’t that too quick a transformation?”

Suddenly outnumbered we were at a disadvantage, but the subordinate’s timid stance told me they feared something. Manager Song and Riette climbed up from the tracks.

“He’s here.”

Riette pointed at Seong Hyunjae. Huh?

“The target was the Sesung Guildmaster, right? Shouldn’t we attack him instead?”

“Newer subordinates would rush him.”

“Rush him? What do you mean?”

“They think Sesung Guildmaster will devour pseudo-cores like a real Core.”

I glanced at Seong Hyunjae—he smiled innocently.

“There are many subordinate types, but most here are utterly possessed by their Transcendent. Even if they die, they can be revived.”

“Revived?”

“They entrust their life to their Transcendent. As long as the Transcendent lives, resurrection’s possible.”

I’d heard similar from the elders: to extend lifespan, you subordinate yourself to a being stronger than you.

“Reviving someone isn’t too hard if they died recently and their essence remains intact.”

I remembered the wish stone. I could’ve revived them then. Anyway... subordinates here can resurrect—yet they fled earlier. I looked back at Seong Hyunjae.

“No way.”

Unlike Manager Song and me, Seong Hyunjae—

“If he eats the magic stone, they can’t resurrect?”

“Exactly—if the Sesung Guildmaster eats it. The stone contains essence, but if Peace eats it, he doesn’t absorb the Core. When the stone shatters, the Core departs. Even intact, it naturally separates over time. The soul detaches.”

I recalled Myeong-woo saying that treated stones lose their properties over time, becoming normal energy. So he preserved Star’s stone separately.

“So normally you absorb only mana, but Seong Hyunjae absorbs the Core too? Since it’s a pseudo-core?”

“Like a real Core. Those subordinates never return—they face total death.”

Riette clapped.

“That’s why they gather rather than fight back.”

...No wonder subordinates clustered so easily around Yuhyun. They were renowned fighters in their own worlds—they’d rarely unite otherwise, like our S-ranks. But fearing true death, they held back.

‘Is the newbie’s absence due to subordinate problems?’

Even Transcendents must dread this. They sent subordinates expecting resurrection but risk losing them forever.

“Then subordinates can’t approach Seong Hyunjae recklessly.”

Manager Song, who’d been listening, spoke. Seong Hyunjae sighed.

“This just got more troublesome. Seems no subordinate acts alone now.”

“How about a diet while we wait?”

“That’s harsh.”

Seong Hyunjae feigned injury. Why?

“Are they tired of me? I thought I was Han Yujin-kun’s ideal type.”

Honestly, if I had his body I’d sell my soul—one tenth of it. Lucky him. I’m jealous!

“You’re at best fifth place. Above you: Yuhyun, Manager Song, Hyunah...”

“Honey, what about me?”

“Riette, you’re cool too! But you’re too confident—thinking you’re the best in the world.”

“Am I not?”

Seong Hyunjae smiled brazenly. He’d wiped his memories of me, but not his arrogance. Still, he was impressive—and more annoying for it. I sighed and approached Manager Song.

“Manager Song, you’re still my favorite.”

“...Yes.”

He answered reluctantly under their stares. Anyway, enough.

“Hayul, arrange a car outside the station. Riette, are you targeting Seong Hyunjae?”

“Not my type. I like softer guys.”

“Not that—did the Light-Dragon Transcendent want a pseudo-core? Oh, Manager Song—so...”

As we climbed the stairs, I explained to Seong Hyunjae and Manager Song that Riette had become a subordinate. Mostly conjecture, but—

“They didn’t seem interested in pseudo-cores. Think about it: we went missing.”

“Ah, that was before I... hesitated.”

Riette pounced on my hesitation.

“What did you do?”

“I killed him. Then the Transcendents noticed Seong Hyunjae was a pseudo-core.”

“Sounds fun! I wanted to kill him too!”

Right. The Light-Dragon Transcendent reached out to Noah and Riette before Seong Hyunjae’s identity was revealed. Their aims shifted, but initially it wasn’t Seong Hyunjae.

Outside the station an open sports car waited. Hayul, consider S-rank sizes—they’re huge—and only two seats!

“Park Hayul! Four-seater!”

“It’s stylish! It fits you two!”

What does she think of me?

“We’re S-ranks—just sit in back.”

She wasn’t budging. I took the keys and got in the driver’s seat. Manager Song sat behind me; Seong Hyunjae and Riette climbed onto the trunk. They looked like an ad for the car—suited it. Record sales incoming. I steered toward Dongjak Bridge, stopping before the river with a view of Seoul Station.

“Peace, Hwangrim—come this way.”

Riette hadn’t explained well, but Noah must be with a Transcendent. His help would be welcome.

“Even if Yuhyun gathers subordinates, Yerim’s water can’t be broken. But he might find other methods.”

We mustn’t let our guard down.

“Let’s prepare to meet them.”

And we have to find my siblings—my brother, Riette’s brother, and no more go missing. Hyunah’s brother is pre-awakened and safe at home. Manager Song... Hwangrim has no siblings. Seong Hyunjae—Sigma might be his.

“Uncle!”

Yerim’s message arrived.

“I ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) think Sigma disappeared!”

...One more sibling to find. How did that happen so suddenly?