I tamed the First Rank Chapter 94

***

Outside the window, there was a red flame. The heat that seemed to melt flesh was transmitted through the walls. Yoo-shin stopped in his tracks at the scenery that had changed during the brief time he spent in the bathroom. What could it be? Why was it like this? Am I dreaming?

<Save me……! It’s hot aaaaaugh!>

A creepy, human-sounding, non-human voice vibrated the window. It was as if dozens of people were speaking in one voice. He looked up, startled, and saw black-skinned men in long, wide-brimmed robes burning outside the window.

<Yoo-shin-ah!>

Looking at that sight, it seemed even more unrealistic, so he stared blankly, but then his father hurriedly hugged Yoo-shin and rolled onto the floor.

Crack! Almost simultaneously, the glass window, unable to withstand the rising heat, shattered into pieces. The sizzling flames spread rapidly along with the rushing air.

As the sun was setting, the two babies and the cage that had been left by the window were consumed by the flames. Before he could feel the horror of seeing them reduced to a pile of ashes in an instant, his father ran with Yoo-shin in his arms.

I couldn't quite remember what happened after that. My small brain, faced with an unbearable horror, blocked the absorption of memories to protect itself. The fragmented scenes that flashed by were of a pension engulfed in flames, people trapped and isolated unable to escape, suffocating hot air, acrid smoke scraping down my throat, fire, fire, fire... and monsters.

<Yoo-shin-ah, I know it's frustrating, but please do this.>

His father put an oxygen mask on his face while coughing. Although his ability was weak, he, an Awakener, had enough inventory space to provide emergency treatment to just one person.

He put the oxygen mask he had taken out from the subspace on his son without hesitation and smiled with an exaggerated expression.

<Dad, I'll be back soon. Can our Yoo-shin wait quietly?>

And then blackout again. Fragmentary scenes. Monster. Monster. Monster. Dad.

When Dad returned, his whole body was covered in blood, and the bottom of his right arm was missing. He was breathing heavily and his face was distorted in pain, but he tried to smile brightly.

<Yoo-shin-ah, I can't hold our son because I have to hold a weapon in my hand. Can you follow along?>

In his father’s healthy hands, he held a kitchen knife and a crude spear made from broken broomsticks. Flames and monsters constantly disturbed his senses. Before he could even walk a few meters down the hallway of the pension where fierce flames were raging, his wounds continued to grow.

Yoo-shin thought as he was in his father's arms, who had finally abandoned his flimsy weapon and was running away with difficulty. Was this a dream? Was this a dream? It was scary. I wanted to wake up quickly.

From the gaping mouth of the monster, sticky saliva mixed with human blood flowed out. At the same time, the ceiling, unable to withstand the flames, collapsed and covered the monster. The danger of the approaching monster was eliminated, but the only escape route was also taken over by the fire.

Dad laughed though.

<Yoo-shin-ah, it's okay.>

He desperately moved his facial muscles so that his son would not feel anxious. Yoo-shin-ah. Yoo-shin-ah. The father affectionately called Yoo-shin and held him in his arms. In order to delay the moment when the flames would reach the child’s body, he tightly wrapped his small body in his wide arms and lay down.

<The fire isn't hot at all just like Dad says. You saw it last time, didn't you?>

Dad laughed, his voice trembling from the pain of his skin burning. Yoo-shin asked with difficulty through the oxygen mask.

<Dad……. Is this a dream? I wish I could wake up soon.>

<……Yeah. when you wake up from the dream, Mom will be grilling the sausages our Yoo-shin likes and also making tteokbokki, and waiting for you.>

<I wonder if grandma will be here too?>

<Sure. It was a secret, but Grandma bought a toy for Yoo-shin. You know that dinosaur from the cartoon you saw with Mom and Dad last time? That toy.>

<Wow, really? I want to play together with my dad, mom, and grandma. And with my 2-se!>

<When you wake up from your dream, let's have fun all night long.>

<Can I sleep late?>

<Since we came out to play somewhere far away, it's okay to sleep late today. Dad will get scolded by Mom instead [of you].>

Still, sweat was pouring down his body, and it was hot enough to make his chest feel stuffy, the oxygen mask was also stuffy, and the sound of flames burning and the cries of monsters were spreading far away, but Yoo-shin smiled brightly. It was a dream. When I woke up, I would be able to see my mom, dad, grandma, and 2-se again. My dad would be okay, and 2-se would be running on the wheel as usual.

Darkness. Darkness again.

The father's body, which was lying face down holding Yoo-shin in his arms, suddenly became heavy.

<Dad. It's heavy.>

He tapped his shoulder with his bare hand, but Dad didn't answer. His arm fell off and fell to the floor. His dilated eyes were no longer smiling.

<Dad. Dad……>

Yoo-shin just shook his father and called him. They had planned to wake up from the dream together, but his father woke up alone.

<I want to go too. I want to go with Dad…… Take Yoo-shin too. Dad.>

His eyes were blurry. His nose was stinging and his heart felt like it was being squeezed. Tears fell down his cheeks, which were flushed with heat.

There is a heavy sound of something approaching. It is a monster. The monster's cries come closer as it cuts through the flames.

Yoo-shin cried and clung to his father's arms, who was still. I want to wake up from this scary dream as soon as possible.

<Kim Jeong-hoon-ssi?>

At that time.

The boy's voice, which felt strangely refreshing compared to the fiercely blazing fire, cut through the flames and reached Yoo-shin.

The last remaining researcher in the direct team quickly grasped the situation when he heard about the disaster at the research center and prepared to flee overseas. Dealing with him was easy. Dealing with Chairman Min of Yangsa required some preparation, but it was also easy.

Chairman Min's successors are his nephew and two great-nephews. The second of the great-nephews was a notorious scoundrel. It was also easy to get rid of him, as he was secretly hanging around the club on the day of Chairman Min's funeral.

After the laboratory disaster, two more family members died in succession, and Chairman Min’s nephew also noticed something was wrong. Furthermore, the person who suddenly disappeared after the laboratory incident was a Class A Hunter. He brought out Min Geut-nyeo, who Chairman Min had given birth to when he was over 50 years old, but was treated as a non-existent person within the company, and brought her to the forefront.

Hyeon Gyu-ha had expected that the entire family of the owner of the Yangsa Group would be resentful, so he used Min Geut-nyeo as a bullet shield. While hiding behind the scenes, he was thoroughly protecting the family with hunters from the guild under the Yangsa Group, when the bad news of his eldest son was delivered.

The eldest son, who lied about going on a business trip abroad and was protected at the villa, begged the messenger who came to kill him. He said it was all his father's fault and that it wasn't his fault. He and his deceased great-uncle had done all the experiments.

There was no difference between the nephew who put Min Geut-nyeo forward to survive and the eldest son who shifted the responsibility to his father. Hyeon Gyu-ha mechanically dealt with the eldest son as if he was doing his job and went to the nephew hidden in a safe house in Paju.

The guild under the Yangsa Group, which had reached the S-class, was almost completely destroyed by Hyeon Gyu-ha that day. His injuries were by no means light, but he was the last one to survive, and he dealt with all the people who knew the secret.

'……What do I do now?'

Hyeon Gyu-ha, who still hadn't bought waterproof clothes, thought blankly. I'll go through dungeons again, hunt, get the hidden boss's crystal, and get the key to Iad. Like that, go through dungeons again, hunt....... Alone. Like that. For the rest of my life.

Ah, I see. I'm alone.

Hyeon Gyu-ha slowly accepted the new realization. It was natural. He had been abandoned by his mother and betrayed by the person he had considered his real father. He could not help but be alone.

<What's wrong with being alone?>

I tried to say it out loud. With my abilities, I could hunt dungeons alone. If I revealed my secret, I would be treated as a lunatic. Humans were not trustworthy beings anyway. If I depended on them, they would abandon me and betray me.

Hyeon Gyu-ha walked slowly along the valley. When he returned to Seoul, he would apply for a promotion at the Department of Supernatural affairs. Yes, I had to buy clothes quickly. Clothes with good waterproofing properties that wouldn’t stain even if blood splattered.

Next, you'll have to find a suitable legal guardian, either by threatening or buying them out. The fact that being a minor is a huge hassle.

It seemed that the Yangsa Group, whose owner's family had been massacred, would not stay still. Dealing with them seemed like a bigger hassle than dealing with being a minor... But...

I don't know. It'll work out somehow. I guess I can kill them all.

Hyeon Gyu-ha laughed and laughed. Until a few months ago, I had never imagined killing someone, but now the thought of murder comes to mind very naturally. Well, what do you think? Is there anyone worth living for?

People are the ones who, out of greed, abandon their bloodline, betray, use others as cannon fodder, and shift responsibility.

And myself, I probably won't be worth much.

A worthless world inhabited by worthless people. A disgusting, dirty lump of garbage filled with nothing but water.

Hyeon Gyu-ha was chewing on the thought, 'Should I just kill everyone I meet?' for the 192nd time when he witnessed the flames.

------

Credits:

Translator: Hoshi Miya

Editor/Proofreader:

If you wanna become a translator, editor or proofreader, please use the discord link given below and follow the instructions in the recruit channel.

We made a discord server! please join us!

Previous

Table of Contents

Next