S-Class Except Me

No matter how many S-Class Awakeners and Hunters were around Haeun, S-Class dungeons were extremely rare.

The grade of the dungeons that usually occurred was usually the middle grade, which was classified as C or D, or a lower grade. Even A-Class and B-Class didn’t occur frequently.

But what do you mean by S-Class!

According to international dungeon classification standards, S-Class, which is classified as the most extreme level of difficulty, was difficult to clear.

S-Class burst out? Then it got to the point where they had to gather all the hunters who were doing well everywhere to create a dream team.

Besides, there was a bigger problem.

「Grandpa!」

「Soyeon-ah, Soyeon-ah!」

Baek Doohan hurriedly picked up Baek Soyeon, who had fallen to the floor, and hugged her.

Baek So-yeon’s body trembled like a branch swaying in the wind. Soon, she made eye contact with Haeun.

「Ugh.」

Baek Soyeon held onto Baek Doohan’s body tightly. Baek Soyeon was on the verge of passing out and could barely keep her mind together. 

She didn’t mean to run into her this way.

“You…!” 

As expected, Baek Doohan also found Haeun’s party.

He looked confused for a moment at the sudden appearance of a person like a bolt out of the blue. But soon, Baek Doohan’s face was distorted like a yaksha.

“What on earth have you done?” 

As soon as Baek Doohan saw Haeun, he concluded that she was the cause of what had happened. It was because Baek Soyeon was frightened and fainted when she saw Haeun. 

He thought it was a coincidence at the time and moved on. However, given the current situation of suddenly falling into the dungeon, it was reasonable to judge that Haeun deliberately harmed Baek Soyeon. 

As he tried approaching Haeun, he stopped because of Baek Soyeon in his arms. He growled as he hugged Baek Soyeon tightly as if protecting her. 

“I won’t say much. Stop acting suspicious right now. Open the door to the outside.”

“Hey.”

Jung Jinho stepped forward, covering Haeun.

“Who are you and are you threatening my daughter?”

A threatening spirit flowed from Jung Jinho. Although he was a production hunter, not a combat type, he was also an S-Class Awakened person. If he had been weak, he would have fainted already.

However, Baek Doohan was also an old man who had gone through all kinds of battles.

“Isn’t your daughter is trying to harm my granddaughter.”

“Be careful with your words. What did my daughter do? And aren’t you rather trapping us? This is a dungeon, but why is it suddenly held at the Expo?”

“That’s something your daughter would know better!”

“You both need to calm down for a moment.”

Seo Dojoon intervened in a flash. Only then did Baek Doohan seem to recognize Seo Dojoon’s existence. 

“You, it’s the same as last time, what are you doing again?”

“It’s not like that, Baek Doohan-ssi. We, too, were caught in an accident. And Haeun-ssi is a non-Awakened person. It means she doesn’t have the strength to do this. Rather, Haeun-ssi tried to stop Baek Doohan-ssi and Baek Soyeon-ssi from crossing the door. Isn’t that right, Haeun-ssi?”

“…That’s right.”

Haeun answered carefully.

It was obvious that it would look suspicious if she were caught noticing an accident in advance, but for now, it was best to agree with Seo Dojoon.

“Something was wrong with the employee in front of the door. That’s why I was just trying to stop it.”

“I can’t believe it!”

“I’m telling you. It’s definitely not that I’m trying to hurt Soyeon. I attended today’s expo because Haniel invited my dad….” 

Haeun glanced at Baek Soyeon, who continued to sob in Baek Doohan’s arms.

[The Constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says no matter how they fall into the dungeon, Baek Soyeon is overly afraid.]

‘Can Soyeon read the system window too?’

[The Constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says it is impossible because she has rejected the Constellation contract.]

If so, she wouldn’t even know that the current dungeon’s grade was S-Class. 

But why is she so scared? Like someone who sees something she shouldn’t see.

“Ah.”

At that moment, a thought struck her like a bolt of lightning.

Soyeon’s ability is prophecy.

The only thing a person who can see into the future has to worry about is the scary future they have seen.

And Baek Soyeon refused her Constellation contract after having a dream in which her grandfather appeared.

…Then, maybe Baek Soyeon dreamed of an ominous prophecy related to her grandfather. 

Perhaps, if the stage of that dream was this dungeon.

Haeun opened her mouth as if possessed.

「Is it today that you had a dream about your grandfather coming out?」

Baek Soyeon was startled and raised her head. A light of agitation flashed across her tear-stained face.

She never told anyone about her grandfather’s dreams. Except for one anonymous person she recently talked to on Outstagram who said she also had a Constellation.

But Haeun was referring to that story.

In Baek Soyeon’s response, Haeun gained confidence. Then Haeun dug harder.

「You told me.」

「I, I….」

“Soyeon-ah?”

「I can help you if you tell me. You know that. My secret.」

“Haeun-ssi? What are you talking about now—” 

「I will not put you in danger.」

For the first time, Haeun and Baek Soyeon’s eyes met properly.

Baek Soyeon’s eyes shook.

So far, Baek Soyeon thought she just had to avoid the situation she saw in her dream.

Even though she knew from past experiences that she couldn’t solve it by running away, she didn’t have the courage to face it.

As such, the prophecy of the death of her family was a daunting task for Baek Soyeon, who was still young, to go through alone. 

She wanted to rely on someone. She thought it would be nice if she could solve the problem for her.

But Haeun was saying she would help. 

「Ukh, Hukh.」 

Baek Soyeon, who exploded with sadness, burst into tears.

Baek Doohan’s expression hardened in an instant, as if he thought Baek Soyeon was scared of her.

“Stop it.”

He looked straight at Haeun and said.

“Stop torturing my granddaughter. Even if you didn’t plan this, you can’t get Soyeon to come to you. Get away right now—”

「G, Grandpa.」

Baek Soyeon pulled Baek Doohan’s arm.

「I’ll go with those people.」

“Soyeon-ah?” 

「I want to go with them.」 

Baek Doohan was taken aback by Baek Soyeon’s sudden change of attitude.

His granddaughter was obviously afraid of Haeun. And that seems to be the case even now.

Baek Doohan comforted Soyeon.

“Soyeon-ah, you don’t have to do that. Is it because you’re afraid of dungeons? Is it because you’re afraid of dungeons? Don’t worry. This Grandpa will protect Soyeon from getting hurt.” 

It was said to reassure Baek Soyeon, but Soyeon’s face turned pale.

「I don’t want to!」 

“Soyeon-ah?”

「Let’s go together. We must go together.」

Baek Soyeon insisted. For Baek Doohan, he couldn’t understand why his granddaughter suddenly changed her attitude.

「I want to go with them.」 

But after being asked again and again, he eventually raised his hand.

“Until we get out of the dungeon.”

However, now Jung Jinho’s side is protesting.

“When did I ever say I would accompany you? I cannot walk with anyone who is hostile toward my daughter.”

“But Hunter Jung Jinho, don’t you know that it’s best to move together for now?”

“That’s right, Dad. Let’s go together.”

Seo Dojoon and Haeun persuaded Jung Jin-ho.

Jung Jinho frowned as if he was displeased. But he was also clearly a Hunter. He knows the priorities, even if they don’t tell him.

Eventually, Jung Jinho, who agreed to move together, glared at Baek Doohan and warned him. 

“Be careful. If you do something bad to my daughter, I won’t stay still.”

“That’s the same for me.”

Even though it feels like it could fall apart at any time, a temporary alliance has been signed anyway. Haeun sighed inwardly.

‘What should I do now?’

Although she managed to negotiate with other people, the fact that they were trapped in a dungeon remains the same.

‘There are too many non-Awakened people compared to the dungeon level.’

Baek Doo-han is an unawakened person, and Baek Soyeon is also in an unawakened state, although she is being courted violently by the Constellation.

Jung Jinho, Haeun’s father, is an S-Class hunter, but it is meaningless to consider his attack power because he was a production worker.

And Haeun—she has never revealed that she is an Awakener until now. She’s in a position where she can’t even step up.

In the end, Hunter Seo Dojoon is the only one who can attack properly.

The situation is not good.

Seo Dojoon, who was having a conversation with Jung Jin-ho with a serious face, looked back at everyone and said.

“I think it would be best to evacuate to a safe place until the rescue team arrive.”

It’s a lie. The rescue team can’t come. 

According to the system, the maximum number of people who could enter this dungeon was 6. And the current member is all filled. 

If the number of people allowed to enter decreases, someone may be able to come in from outside. But that meant someone had to die.

Besides, since it wasn’t a dungeon break, he didn’t even know where this dungeon was.

This was just what Seo Dojoon said to reassure himself, Baek Doohan, and Baek Soyeon.

[The Constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ reminds Haeun that there are only five people in the party.] 

‘I know.’

Perhaps it was the other one who did this.

Whoever you are, you’re dead if you get caught.