S-Class Except Me

The salty wind tickled Haeun’s cheeks.

Haeun quickly opened her eyes.

“Whoaa.”

Her entire body ached. She doesn’t know when she fell asleep. As she kept closing her eyes and pretending to faint, she got bored and fell asleep.

“I have Noodle, rings, but… I don’t have my phone. Did they take it away?”

As soon as she opened her eyes, Haeun checked her belongings and frowned. She patted her stiff shoulder and looked around.

“Where am I?”

It was a small solitary cell. The door was tightly closed in the empty room. There was a wall-high window, but it was all blocked with iron bars. The interior somehow reminds her of a prison.

No way, it’s not a real prison, right?

Click. She tried to turn the doorknob, but it’s locked as expected.

“Sehyun-ah? Jung Sehyun?”

She called her brother’s name on the wall just in case, but there was no answer back.

Fortunately, the Constellation informed Jung Sehyun’s whereabouts. 

[The Constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says that she and Jung Sehyun parted ways a long time ago.]

“Really? Where are we?”

[The Constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ replies that Haeun has been on a boat for about three hours, but doesn’t know the exact name of the place.]

“Hmm.”

Haeun’s eyes, which were wandering around in place, turned to the window near the ceiling. When she saw light coming in, she thought she could see outside through that window.

Haeun, who was stretching her ankles, jumped up the wall.

Tak.

She lightly jumped up and grabbed the iron bar with her hand by using a bounce. She supported it underneath with her feet and raised her head.

Soon, Haeun opened her eyes wide when she saw what was outside the bars.

“What?”

There is a vast expanse of sea over the window. There was nothing else.

Originally, the place where Zenith Guild was located was a quiet beach without buildings, but this was a raw sea that was completely out of human reach.

“Is it an island?”

It seems like that’s the same as asking if there’s a ship.

Tak. Haeun, who came down to the floor again, swept her hair. Getting out of this building won’t be difficult, but the next thing is the problem.

How does she get back to land? Will there be a ship?

“I need to find Sehyun first.”

Fortunately, the communication ring was not taken away. She can contact registrants within the same dungeon or within a 10km radius. 

She set the recipient as Jung Sehyun and started to call him. A call follows. However, the other person didn’t receive a call.

Haeun shook off her ringed hand.

“Why isn’t he answering? Did something dangerous happen?”

Haeun’s face darkened.

Of course, Jung Sehyun was an S-Class hunter. He is also a veteran among veterans who has awakened at the youngest age in her family and has already been active as a hunter for over 10 years. But still, she couldn’t help but worry.

As an older sister, wouldn’t it be reasonable for her to worry about her good younger brother who listens well? Of course, if the opponent was Jung Eunwoo there is no need to consider it.

Haeun looked at the window frame.

“As expected, I should get out of here.”

A small noise was heard for a short time, and the window frame that separated the room from the outside was broken. And Haeun, who was confined to solitary confinement, disappeared before they knew it. 

*****

Drrt—.

Jung Sehyun ignored the vibration that echoed from his fingertips. Rather, he took out the ring and put it under the sole of his foot in his shoes in case he was caught by the sound. The buzzing vibration was felt from the soles of the feet, but fortunately, the sound disappeared.

“Hey. Aren’t you coming soon? What are you doing? Aren’t you moving the luggage?”

“Yes, I’m going!”

Jung Sehyun smiled brightly and answered lively. The man ordered Jung Sehyun, who approached him.

“These dungeon by-products, put them in the warehouse on the west side of the lab.”

“Yes!” 

“Handle it carefully. Because it is more expensive than your ransom.”

“I understand!” 

The appearance of Kim Cheolsu, an F-class hunter with a sad story, has disappeared. Currently, there are only young male employees with tattoos on their forearms and legs.

As soon as the men picked him up and moved him to the ship and stopped watching him, Jung Sehyun erased his existing hallucinations and changed into the appearance of one of the Zenith Guild’s workers. He put the man to sleep and tied him to the bottom of the ship after taking away the appearance of him.

Originally, Jung Sehyun planned to move with Haeun. However, Haeun fell asleep as the boat departed, so he couldn’t move with her.

It would be more difficult for someone to hurt Haeun anyway, so he decided to visit her later. Still, considering that she contacted him now, it seemed that she had woken up.

Jung Sehyun looked around.

It’s a small island. There’s a building, and there’s a pretty deep mountain. Those who appear to be researchers are stationed, and A-Class or at least B-Class Hunters are under surveillance.

It smells more like crime than illegal awakening.

According to the information obtained from conversations with other workers on ship, the ship seemed to procure what it needed by traveling between the island and inland every month or so. The procurement included groceries, dungeon byproducts, and humans.

Jung Sehyun kept a close eye on the people while moving the delivery package.

His goal today is to figure out the overall structure and make eye contact with all the humans here.

Jung Sehyun, who specializes in mental magic like hallucinations and brainwashing, could only confuse his opponent if he had made eye contact with the person he wanted to cast magic on at least once.

After that, he will find his sister.

Drrrt. The communication tools continued to vibrate.

‘I’m sorry, Noona.’

He’ll be right back.

However, Jung Sehyun didn’t know.

While he ignored Haeun’s call, Haeun, who thought Sehyun was in danger, had already left the solitary cell and ran outside.

****

Haeun, who escaped the solitary cell, now runs on the roof of the building.

She tried to look around the building, but when she saw the hunters standing guard right below, she gave up. Instead, she decided to climb up to the top of the building and move on the roof. It was fortunate that it was a low building, only about seven stories high.

She started moving, paying attention to the surveillance cameras installed throughout the building.

Despite running at high speed, there was no loud noise. Using the sea breeze as a momentum, she ran lightly and cheerfully.

Haeun, who had been running for a while, tilted her head curiously as she looked at the buildings, people passing by, and the mountains.

It’s a strange island.

There were quite a few people. In addition, ethnicity was also diverse. Most of them were Koreans, but there were also foreigners. The building is large, and luggage with danger signs can be seen everywhere.

Is this a dimension that only small and medium-sized guilds can operate? She thought it would never be.

“And that mountain is strange, too.”

[The Constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says there is a gate in the mountain.]

“I know right?”

It would be nice to get closer and check, but there were hunters at the entrance to the mountain. She hadn’t even found his brother yet, so she couldn’t make a fuss.

Tak.

Haeun reached the west side of the building and stopped. She can see the pier where the boat is docked. People came and went on a fairly large ship and were carrying luggage. Next to it is an empty motorboat. 

Haeun’s eyes sparkled.

“I think I can escape by riding on that…”

It is hard to know where Jung Sehyun, who has to go out together, is.

Perhaps, just like Haeun was confined to solitary cells, Sehyun is now confined to solitary cells.

If so, she has to re-enter the building.

Just then, she saw an open window on the 7th floor directly below. Haeun grabbed the railing and jumped lightly. She slipped through the open window, lowered herself, and watched her surroundings.

Fortunately, there was no one in the room.

“Phew.”

Haeun sighed and raised herself.

It seemed to be a place where someone stayed. There was a bed, a desk, and a small closet.

She searched the desk to see if there was something she could contact, such as a cell phone or laptop, but unfortunately she couldn’t find it.

She opened the last remaining closet.

“…Huh?”

Haeun saw colorful shirts with flower patterns hanging neatly.

Haeun tilted her head at the fashion, which somehow gave her a sense of déjà vu.

Then she felt a presence outside the door. Surprised, Haeun hid in the closet.

As soon as the closet was closed, the opponent opened the door and came in. Haeun held her breath.

She heard the sound of trudging footsteps. The other person, who seemed to be approaching the closet, approached the window and closed the window. Then he went back and sat down on the bed.

「Ah, I’m tired.」

Haeun raised her eyebrows in confusion.

The voice heard in the closet was somehow very familiar.

「Should I even do chores like this.」

Where did I hear this voice?

「All the best awakening brokers in the world are dead.」

Oh, right!

Rick or Nick, that guy!

It was the voice of the awakening broker who screwed Haeun in America.

“Hey!”

Unable to hold back, Haeun suddenly opened the closet door and jumped out.

Rick opened his eyes wide, surprised by Haeun’s sudden appearance. Soon, he also recognized Haeun’s face.

Rick jumped up from his spot, his face turning pale.

“You, we met very well.”

“H, how do you get here?”

“Why would you know that?”

Haeun looked at Rick. Blonde hair in a half ponytail. A colorful shirt that stands out. Even the sly face reminiscent of a cat is definitely Rick.

“You must have survived without dying at that time. What else are you trying to do here?”

“I, I haven’t done anything yet?”

“Yeah, I don’t believe it.”

They say enemies meet on a single wooden bridge.

Haeun’s expression as she approached Rick resembled that of the grim reaper.