Chapter 1

The S-Rankers I Raised - ⓒ Geunseo

F-Rank Hunter.

A useless and despicable F-Rank older brother who only holds back his well-performing S-Rank younger brother.

The title given to me after living a messed-up life and ultimately consuming my younger brother's life to regress:

'Perfect Caregiver'.

Yeah, I thought, this time I'll keep quiet and just support the talented ones.

But the S-Rankers are a bit strange.

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< Regression (1) >

“...Bro, are you okay?”

He asked. Despite his side being torn open, exposing his internal organs, he asked if I was okay.

I was frustrated by his calm face, even as he was dying. I sat on the ground, looking up at my younger brother without a word.

He was the one who always interfered with my affairs. He was so talented that I constantly heard him telling me to stay out of his way. In the end, I broke his leg so badly that he couldn't walk properly for the rest of his life. He wasn't wrong.

But still.

“...Why are you here?”

A brusque voice slipped out of my mouth, despite being saved.

Why did you come to find me and make this mess? We never got along; every time we met, it was like a cold wind. When my leg was shattered to pieces, he never visited me in the hospital. When I begged for help to fix my leg, which left me limping for life, he coldly rejected me and had me thrown out. Since that day, when he told me to just take the money and leave, we hadn't even spoken properly.

He laughed bitterly at my question.

“Why am I here, damn it.”

I thought he was being arrogant, but the curse words still slipped out. How much did he expect from me, to risk his life for a useless blood relation? You're crazy.

When did we ever get so close? If you die and make the news, I'll just curse a few times and forget about it.

But why did you save me?

I was angry. Not at him, but at my own pitiful state, which made my anger and frustration boil over.

Yeah, I'm always the useless older brother. In this situation, I'm filled with inferiority and childish complaints.

So why did you come to find me in the corner of the dungeon and save me?

“Listen, bro.”

He ignored my question and said.

“Lauchitas falls asleep every five hours. If you hide for just one hour, he'll be asleep. Then you can escape through the entrance. I've taken care of the minor monsters, so as long as you don't touch Lauchitas, you'll be fine.”

He then handed me a small blue stone. It was a Gate Stone, which creates an escape route from a closed dungeon. It can only be used near the entrance and is a very rare item, being single-use and for one person.

I didn't take the Gate Stone and pretended to be indifferent.

“Nah, you use it.”

He laughed at my words.

“I have one too. I probably won't need it, though.”

...Being one of the strongest hunters in Korea, I guess he carries a few of those rare Gate Stones. I reluctantly took the Gate Stone.

He finally turned his gaze from me to his wounds. Without his skills, he would have collapsed and died long ago from such severe injuries.

“...Do you have any elixirs, at least?”

“No, I don't. I have some minor potions, but they won't do much. Lauchitas' claws are cursed.”

He laughed again. I don't understand how he can laugh.

But his calm facade soon reached its limit. His knees bent, and his body fell forward. I instinctively caught his upper body.

The smell of blood, which I thought I had grown used to from wandering the dungeon, hit me hard. It was overwhelming.

I felt the urge to throw his body away and run.

“...Hey.”

His breathing was almost inaudible.

No response.

No laughter.

“...Are you dead?”

My voice was trembling. It's none of my business whether this guy lives or dies.

“Han Yuhyeon. Are you dead?”

Damn, you stupid kid. If I survive alone, I'll just get cursed and die. There will be plenty of people who will want to burn me for eating my talented younger brother.

“Are you going to make me eat shit until the end?”

I muttered, feeling defeated.

You've been interfering with me all this time. Now I have to hide. You're a mess, really.

[The effect of the title 'Caregiver' is activated.

Caregiver Additional Skill ? Final Repayment

The skills and stats of the Awakened 'Han Yuhyeon' are transferred to you with double efficiency.

Duration ? 01:00]

A notification window confirming his death appeared. One of the additional skills of my title allows me to transfer the skills and stats of someone I've buffed, for one hour, when they die.

And it's doubled.

Power surged through my body, and some of his memories were also transferred to me.

'My older brother is an F-Rank Awakened.'

This kid, even at the end-.

'So I shouldn't get involved with him.'

Yuhyeon was talking to someone, sounding a bit sad.

'Our relationship is already strained, but I need to stay even further away. Awakened hunters don't get the same legal protection as regular people.'

'If my brother becomes my weakness, they will definitely target him.'

...Who are these people?

'Damn it, take care of all of them!'

It was when my leg was broken. He was angry and sad.

'No. Healing support is impossible... Tell them. It's better this way. Kick them out... But as family, I have to help... somehow...'

'Bro, I'm sorry.'

'Sorry... Please don't enter the dungeon.'

'Bro.'

My younger brother's memories tightened around my throat. The surroundings were quiet, but his calls of "bro" hurt my ears. The body I held was cold and stiff.

I felt like I was going to go mad.

Sure enough, this kid made me eat shit until the end. Who do you think you are to protect me? I'm the older brother. I'm the one who dropped out of school early to take care of my young brother after losing our parents.

“Damn you. Do you think I'll regret this?”

It's your fault for not saying a word.

I gently laid my brother's cold body on the ground. His face looked peaceful. He left without a care.

“I won't cry for you.”

Why should I cry for someone who acted so recklessly until the end? It would be a waste of tears.

I stood up. My status window showed a plethora of skills, all top-tier and with a double buff.

A laugh escaped me.

Just one hour. For one hour, I became stronger than anyone in the world, in exchange for my brother's life.

“Damn, what can I do with just one hour?”

It would be better if Han Yuhyeon lived for forty or fifty more years. Even if he became a bent old man, he would still be several times stronger than me. How can a one-time, one-hour buff compare?

“Stupid kid. Damn stupid kid.”

Tears welled up in my eyes at my brother's stupidity. The title of genius is a waste. The most stupid kid in the world.

“Giant Shield.”

A faint golden light enveloped my body as I used the skill. Originally, the shield couldn't block Lauchitas' claws, but with the double buff, it would withstand a direct bite.

“This is all yours. So I'll take revenge for you.”

I slowly stepped out from the crevice where I was hiding. The massive monster lurking at the far end of the vast cavern came into view.

Lauchitas. A 1st Tier Dragon. The Dragon King of Poison and Curses. It has only appeared twice, and both times it was handled by stalling until the dungeon door closed, making it an unkillable monster.

The three-headed red dragon looked at me. The middle head was missing both eyes, burned away. Despite Lauchitas' incredible regenerative abilities, the injuries from Yuhyeon's blood flames couldn't heal in a short time.

Yeah, my brother is great. And I'm twice as great as him.

Damn. You're dead.

< Regression (1) > End

ⓒ Geunseo

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