S-Class Except Me

The man was wearing glasses with very thick lenses as if he had good eyesight. The beard marks remain dark on the chin.

‘What is it?’

Haeun looked at her opponent curiously. Except for Seo Dojoon, Haeun doesn’t know anyone here personally. 

The opponent held out his hand with a smile on his lips.

“Hello.” 

“Yes, hello?”

The person who came to Haeun was Kim Hyunseok. Kim Hyunseok said with a big smile.

“You’re waiting for Dojoonie, right?”

Dojoonie? The Dojoon that person is talking about can’t be another Dojoon. This is Ahyeon Guild, and Seo Dojoon was the guild leader of this guild. 

It seemed like they were very close if they called each other by name. Haeun slowly nodded her head.

“Yes, that’s right. But who…are you?” 

“My name is Kim Hyunseok.”

Kim Hyunseok handed Haeun a business card. The title of Ahyun Guild’s Senior Researcher at the 3rd Institute was written on the business card. Come to think of it, his clothes are also research gowns.

“Ah, that’s because I’ve lived next door to the guild leader since I was a kid. You must have been surprised when I called him by name.” 

[The constellation ‘The Mutant of the Abyss’ says that the kids who approached like that in the drama were con artists.]

“Dojoonie sent me instead because he thought it would take a while. He said it would take about 30 minutes. How about taking a look around the inside of the guild while waiting for him?”

The Constellation showed an uninterested reaction, but it was a rather interesting proposal to Haeun. Korea’s No. 1 Ahyeon guild tour. It wasn’t a chance that happened very often.

Haeun replied quickly.

“Okay! By the way, does Seo Dojoon take a long time to do his business? We were supposed to go eat Korean beef….” 

“Dojoonie will be back soon. He called earlier saying he was going to the restaurant soon.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“I’ll guide you around the guild until Dojoon comes.” 

Haeun, who was less wary, followed Kim Hyunseok without hesitation.

Without even knowing that it was the road to hell leading to the Awakening Examination Room.

* * *

Kim Hyunseok remembered what Seo Dojoon had said.

“Something has changed in the dungeon.”

“What do you mean?”

“Something like a flow…you know Hyung. What is it like inside the dungeon?” 

Seo Dojoon said that the air in the dungeon shook as if someone had thrown a stone onto the water’s calm surface.

Seo Dojoon’s feelings. And suddenly, the core of the monster broke.

Is it all a coincidence?

Kim Hyunseok did not believe in coincidence. Every phenomenon has a reasonable cause.

Of course, so far, many have been skeptical about the hypothesis that genetic factors will affect awakening. Rather, the majority of the opinion saw it as a kind of selection by transcendental power.

But what if there are special qualities that motivate that choice? So what if genetic causes increase the possibility of awakening? 

It was a topic that Kim Hyunseok couldn’t get through without research.

In particular, Kim Hyunseok focused on the fact that the monster’s core was broken in the dungeon. If it was destroyed intentionally, there was a high possibility that it was an Awakened blacksmith with smelting skills or an S-Class like Seo Dojoon.

Kim Hyunseok planned to try to get Haeun to join the Ahyeon guild if she became an awakening person. 

No matter how much the number of awakened people has increased in the world these days, the reality for hunters is that they are still suffering from a chronic shortage of manpower.

‘And if the whole family is in S Class, that alone is a big income.’

It is a well-known story that there’s no one in this industry who doesn’t know that the family cherishes their daughter, the only one who isn’t awakened.

If he made Haeun a member of the Ahyeon Guild, he could carry a huge amount of support on his back! 

‘I should leave a good impression by being as kind as possible!’

Feeling a great sense of responsibility, Kim Hyunseok politely guided Haeun.

“You can see the blue core embedded in the monument here as a symbol of the Ahyeon Guild. It’s a replica of the S-class dungeon boss monster that Dojoonie first attacked. The monster core was rotated 360 degrees to create a two-dimensional projection image and then reassembled in three dimensions. Originally, making a replica like this was impossible because it was difficult to judge the internal structure depending on the type of monster core, but according to a Nature announcement in September of last year, the difference in transmittance according to the characteristics of the boss monster could be used—” 

‘I’m doomed.’

Haeun regretted it inwardly.

Kim Hyunseok seemed a little strange. No, he was more overly enthusiastic than weird.

She was confused about whether she was taking a tour of the Ahyeon Guild or taking a science liberal arts lecture at the university. Even when he was talking, he naturally let go of his words, maybe because he was excited.

“Isn’t it great, Haeun-ah?”

“Yes, that’s great. Whoa, that’s great.”

Haeun clapped indifferently. Kim Hyunseok didn’t seem to understand it, even though she expressed a nuance that she wished he would stop now. Rather, he was more pleased.

“Right?! Oh, this is not the time. There’s a new machine that Ahyeon introduced this time. I don’t usually reveal it to outsiders. Haeun, I’ll show you something special!”

“No, I’m fine—” 

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Who am I? I mean, I’m a senior researcher at Ahyun Guild’s 3rd Institute. You don’t have to worry.” 

Haeun was dragged with force while wanting to cry.

The place where Kim Hyunseok took Haeun was the room of the guild’s awakening measurement center.

“Haeun-ah, have you seen that?”

Kim Hyunseok pointed to a machine in the center room and asked. Haeun sighed.

“No? What is that?” 

“That’s what called an Awakened meter is.” 

Haeun’s body shook slightly. It is because there was a crime committed. Kim Hyunseok, not noticing this, let out a hot snort.

“It’s the newest type, so unlike the old days, results come out in 10 seconds! This is a newly imported machine. It’s no wonder you haven’t seen it before.”

“Ahaha, I see.” 

“Do you want to try Haeun?”

Why does the story stand out so much? Haeun replied with a smile pretending to be innocent.

“I am a non-Awakened person.”

“You got caught up in the dungeon break this time. Sometimes there are cases like that. A case of awakening in a dungeon.”

“Uh… I don’t think it’s me.”

“Don’t be afraid to try it. It’s not hurt, you will be fine. Oh, you there. Can you turn on the machine?”

“No, I’m really fine….” 

“Don’t refuse it. Let’s go.” 

[The constellation ‘The Mutant of the Abyss’  says that Haeun has finally met the right person.] 

‘Don’t stand by like that, help me!’

[The constellation ‘The Mutant of the Abyss’ says that he is very happy because this is the moment he has been waiting for his whole life.]

It was a constellation that really didn’t help much.

Haeun was dragged by Kim Hyunseok’s hand. He looked weak, but he had a lot of strength in his grip. His eyes were shining slightly maniacally. 

Oh, she got caught wrong.

‘Wow, Haeun-ah! You’re EX Class? Oh my! It’s the first in the world!’

‘Oh my! Let’s make a deal right now. Hey, call the guild leader Seo Dojoon!’ 

‘Hunter Jung Jinho’s daughter, Jung Haeun. Turned out to be an EX-class Awakener. Signed an 80-year exclusive contract with the Ahyeon Guild,’

‘Haeun-ah, you have to go to the dungeon, right?’

At the same time, the future as a hot-blooded hunter was pictured in Haeun’s head. 80 years. She has to work until death. If she lived long enough, she might be able to rest for a few years.

‘I have to get out of here quickly!’

Haeun grabbed her stomach.

“Mister, my stomach hurts a little right now

“The test is over in 10 seconds. I’ll finish it soon and send it to you.”

“No…But I think I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

What do you mean okay! It’s not okay at all, don’t you know? 

While arguing, Haeun had already entered the measurement range of the machine. No, my peaceful life. While Haeun’s face was stained with embarrassment, the excited Kim Hyunseok shouted loudly. 

“Haeun-ah, don’t move there. Yeah. Stay still for 10 seconds until the test is over!”

Kim Hyunseok left Haeun and ran out of the screen. Without being able to run away, Haeun could hear the sound of a click and button press.

Beep beep beep—.

[The constellation ‘The Mutant of the Abyss’ congratulates Haeun on her debut in advance!]

The constellation sounded a fanfare in advance.

Tiririk—.

He said it was a new machine. So in an instant, the shutdown sound was heard and the test results came out.

Kim Hyunseok quickly picked up the printed result sheet. Through his thick lens, his eyes flashed.

However, the moment he read the results printed out, he opened his mouth. He blankly looked at the result sheet and then looked at Haeun. And again he blinked his eyes.

“Huh?” 

It was zero. 

Probability of being an Awakener 0. Probability of being Awakened 0. Total 0. 

“Huh? It’s strange. Haha, what’s wrong with this?”

Kim Hyunseok looked embarrassed as he lifted up the result sheet, which was the same as the empty field. He couldn’t believe the results he was seeing.

How many gemstones did Seo Dojoon discover so far?

But Jung Haeun…is completely zero? 

‘How can a number like 0 come out so neatly?’

Even for people with no potential for awakening, it was common for 1 or 2% to come out. 

To think that the machine was broken when it was brought in as the newest type this time.

“Mister…” 

Haeun, who was freed when the machine stopped, walked slowly toward Kim Hyunseok.

Cold sweat dripped down Kim Hyunseok’s back as he felt as if the grim reaper was approaching.