S-Class Except Me

“…First of all, this could just be something I’ve experienced, so it’s absolutely not accurate. So why can’t you just listen to me and draw conclusions?” 

“All right.”

“Do you remember the system window that popped up when you first awakened?”

“Hmm, it was quite a while ago, but I do remember. There has never been a moment as intense as that.”

“Are you talking about recognition phrases, Noona?” 

“That’s right.” 

Anyone who is awakened receives a system window saying ‘someone recognizes you’ and awakens.

“I saw that phrase properly. So, it came to me that ‘Constellation’ was what recognized me.”

Hwang Soomin and Jung Sehyun looked surprised at Haeun’s remarks.

No one knew about the hidden opponent in the system. Although numerous studies have been conducted, it is still in the early stages when it comes to the source of its abilities.

However, Haeun was the first to mention what that existence was.

Of course, Haeun could have been wrong. However, since the person who said that was Jung Haeun, who was currently EX-Class, and the boss monster in the dungeon also mentioned the same existence, it seemed more likely to be true. 

Hwang Soomin trembled at the rushing shudder. 

“Do you mean that the existence that gives power to the awakening is called Constellation?” 

“Yes. Of course, I said it before, but it seems like I’m the only one who pops up like that, so it could just be an error….” 

“There’s no way that Miss Haeun would do that. Rather, it should be said that the information was disclosed only to Haeun. Then, what kind of existence is a ‘Constellation’? Is it similar to a monotheistic God, as religious believers say? Or another name for the system?”

“I don’t know that much either. I just saw the names that popped up in the system window.”

In reality, she talks to the constellation and watches the drama together but omits all the details. 

Hwang Soomin visibly felt regret for Haeun’s answer. The information about the source of power he learned at best has been cut off here. Desiring to get more information somehow, he asked something else.

“Then, can you tell me what you were trying to ask Nebiros?” 

“Noodle.” 

At Haeun’s call, Noodle that remained as a bracelet on her left wrist changed shape. 

Everything Haeun says and sees is interesting. Hwang Soomin’s eyes twinkled. 

“If you were listening to everything at that time, then you would have heard that the Constellation gave Noodle, right?”

“Yes~, I heard.”

“Noodle has been feeling unwell for a while. But Noodle are not an item, nor a monster. Nebiros must have known the identity, so I was trying to ask why Noodles was sick.” 

Haeun lied fluently without putting saliva in her mouth.

Of course, she was worried about Noodle, but Haeun’s real goal was to find out about the Constellation and uncover the truth about the system. 

“So, can you summon Nebiros right now?”

She asked right away because she was told to take out the iron horn while it was hot. However, Hwang Soomin shook his head.

“I want to do that as well, but unfortunately, I can’t right now.”

“Why?” 

“As I said before, boss monsters consume a lot of mana. It’s a bit difficult right now.”

“Then when is it possible?”

“Maybe in three months?”

“What?”

Haeun widened her eyes. Three months later? The reset cycle for <The Mansion of Nebiros> was about 50 days, but three months was longer than that.

If that were the case, she would have just waited for the dungeon to reset! Haeun, who was angry, raised her voice. 

“You didn’t say anything like that back then!”

“Of course, I can summon it right now. But then, my magic power completely runs out, and I can no longer work. What should I do?”

“That’s the guild leader’s business.”

“Ah, you’re so cold.”

Hwang Soomin shuddered. He’s really cheeky. 

He smiled brightly and quietly suggested a suggestion.

“Then how about this? Before, I asked Miss Haeun to do a favor in exchange for being able to talk to Nebiros.”

“Yes.”

“If Miss Haeun does what I have to do for me, won’t I be able to summon Nebiros with the remaining mana?”

Haeun glanced at Hwang Soomin. A very reasonable doubt came to Haeun’s mind. 

“So the reason you suggest that about Nebiros is to make me do this.” 

“Well, I can’t deny that, but Miss Haeun is also to blame.”

“Why me?”

“Miss Haeun seemed to know very well about the things I was investigating~.”

At Hwang Soomin’s words, Jung Sehyun turned his head. Jung Sehyun’s eyes are filled with emotions that say, “No way.” 

“There are a lot of people who are reawakening with a high level these days.”

It was the subject of a meeting held at the Hunter Association before meeting Haeun.

“But reawakening is usually close to impossible. It is highly likely that it was an illegal forced awakening, but the success rate was surprisingly high, so we were investigating.”

Haeun raised her eyebrows. It seems that there are people like brokers who used to be R or L in Korea.

“But after hearing about the Constellation from Miss Haeun, I felt like I was headed in the wrong direction.”

“Don’t beat around the bush, so what’s your request?”

“There is a guild that is suspected of conducting an illegal awakening, so can you bring the data from there? I think if it’s Miss Haeun, you’ll be able to find things I can’t find.”

[The Constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ is delighted that Haeun has finally received her first request as a hunter.]

‘Is this a request?’

She will pass it. Haeun frowned disapprovingly.

“It’s good for me to find the right person, and Miss Ha-eun can ask questions to Nebiros, so wouldn’t it be a good result for both of us?”

“Ha.” 

“By the way, they are very obedient children. I educated them hard. They will answer Miss Haeun’s questions sincerely.”

“You’re not trying to play with words again, are you?”

“I promise you I won’t. Shall we write the contract?”

Hwang Soomin smiled brightly. Haeun reluctantly agreed.

“All right.”

“Thank you~.”

“Where are you going just to move on? Write a contract. Do you have an S-Class contract?”

Haeun relaxed her expression only after signing the contract. There is no penalty for the S-Class contract for Haeun, who is an EX-Class anyway, so only Hwang Soomin will be tied down. 

Of course, it still looked disagreeable. It is evident from his expression that he doesn’t want to do it.

Jung Sehyun, who was watching, quietly spoke.

“Guild leader, then I will go with my sister.”

“I feel more relieved if Sehyeon goes with you~. Then please.”

Damn it. She got into trouble. 

* * *

Ahn Jin-hwan is an independent E-Class hunter.

Yes, he was still an independent. As for the cause, it would be fundamentally because of his insignificant ability, and additionally, it would be because of a lawsuit he was involved in recently.

“That person definitely said he was a C-Class hunter! But he’s in E-Class?! This is a scam!”

“You lied and incited people! Can’t you see that I got hurt following him around? My legs hurt every time I walk! How are you going to compensate for this?”

The people who were caught up in the rift together filed a lawsuit for damages, arguing that he had cheated on his Hunter rank.

When an accident such as a crack or a dungeon break occurred, even if the hunter saved a civilian, there were cases where he was sued instead.

In that case, the Hunter Association provided lawyers to Hunter, who was sued, but unfortunately, Ahn Jinhwan didn’t receive any of these benefits.

Jung Jinho and Lee Yoonkyung found out that Ahn Jinhwan threatened Haeun by demanding an escape stone in the dungeon. 

Jung Jinho and Lee Yoonkyung, who had quite strong connections in Hunter society, even if not as much as Lee Hyeonok, the head of the Daehan Guild, blocked Ahn Jinhwan from all the support the Hunter Association could provide that day.

As someone with family members who were not awakened, it was a strong move because the two people thought hunters should first protect citizens. 

It was possible because, at that time, everyone considered Haeun a civilian. Thanks to that, the more the results of the trial came out, the more his situation fell into a quagmire.

Ahn Jinhwan threw his burnt cigarette on the ground.

“What did I do so wrong?”

Without him, these people would not have survived until the rescue team arrived. But how can they sue and hit the back of his head like this? 

Ahn Jinhwan couldn’t hold back his anger, which was boiling again. What’s more heated is that he can’t even find a job to get money right away. 

“What the hell have you been doing… Tsk tsk. Anyway, I have nothing to give you, so go.”

If they cross one bridge, most of them are hunters who know each other. As if rumors had spread that Ahn Jinhwan had been taken by an important member of the Hunter Association, the people who wanted to give him a job had disappeared. 

If he has a part-time job like non-awakened people, he can immediately eat it, but it hurts his pride as a hunter. 

Then an advertisement text message arrived to him.

★Re/Awa/kened☞ rank/guaran/teed ★ Up to grade A$$$ Dungeon Management and Safety Department Official Certification@@Safe System☜☜ Free insurance subscription for all participants♬Access Now☞☞http://hunter.upgrade/tmvoa/ko /

It was a spam message that he wouldn’t normally look at, but he was recently in a state of resentment related to his rank. 

“…Can I really reawaken?”

He glanced at the same text several times. Even though he knew that it was spam leaking personal information, he couldn’t help but keep his eyes on it.

Ahn Jinhwan soon went around various communities to find posts about re-awakening. Most of what they wrote was about how they were broke and miserable because of their awakening failures, but all he could see were bright examples of success. 

In fact, since he couldn’t take his eyes off the spam, the answer Ahn Jinhwan wanted was already decided.

Reawakening is possible with a higher grade.

The act of finding a post was just to attach a reason for one’s choice to follow.

“Anyway, it’s now or never.” 

Nothing could get worse here. If he can’t come up with a settlement, he’ll end up in debt, and then it’s only a matter of time before he hits bottom. 

In the end, Ahn Jinhwan, who contacted the phone number in the text message, promised to meet the person in charge soon.

And that evening.

Bbang—.

Ahn Jinhwan turned his head toward the sound. A black car was parked on the shoulder of the road. 

As he approached, the dark-tinted window rolled down, and a light-haired foreigner appeared.