The Shadow of an R-Rank

My brother was R-Rank, so he walked a path entirely different from mine, a mere C-Rank. To follow in his footsteps, I needed a commensurate level of power. Since I couldn’t possess it myself, my only option was to join a strong party.

“It’s too dangerous a path.”

“…I’m sorry. With my abilities, I don’t think I can protect you while searching for Seong-hun at the same time.”

“Seong-hun wouldn’t have wanted you heading into dangerous dungeons, either.”

But, as expected, no one would take a C-Rank. Even those who called themselves my brother’s former comrades shook their heads. After driving me to despair with those kind words, they eventually left me behind, providing only a few pieces of equipment and a small amount of travel funds.

From then on, I had to struggle desperately to survive in this world. No matter how close they were to my brother, I couldn’t keep holding my hand out for the currency used ‘over here.’

“Good work today.”

“Yes, good work.”

And so, I maintained my livelihood by picking off only the weakest monsters in this world. It was impossible at first, but now I could take monster blood or hides back to modern society and sell them.

There are research labs that need such things. I repeated a cycle of spending the money I earned on necessities and returning here.

Since modern firearms and weapons don’t work on monsters, I purchased food and prefabricated housing to set up a base in an area that was essentially a rugged mountain range.

There is a village where people like that gather—a village of C and D-Ranks. Higher-ranked individuals don’t earn money from monsters in the ‘field’ like this; they earn it by clearing ‘dungeons.’

Anyway, after settling in this village, I would often ask for news of my brother or offer to join parties heading into dungeons. Of course, most knew nothing of him, and my offers were always rejected.

Then, one day.

[Kieeeeeeek!]

“Crazy… it’s a Wyvern.”

“It’s impossible for our rank to catch that. Ru-run!”

I don’t know how it happened, but forty Wyverns appeared in a village where, at most, Orcs or Poison Slimes showed up, and they began slaughtering people.

“He-help me!”

“Aaaaah—!”

If you were caught by a Wyvern, it was the end. Even if you somehow broke free, you’d just fall from the sky and your body would be shattered anyway.

Hiding behind a crudely built rampart, I glared at a Wyvern and attempted to use my skill.

“[Darkened Eyes].”

This skill was a debuff that caused momentary blindness. I targeted a Wyvern that had just descended and was aiming for someone else fleeing with their back turned.

However…

[Failed.]

Wyverns were monsters with high magic resistance. My skill failed, and the beast eventually snatched the fleeing person and soared back into the air.

At this rate, we’ll be wiped out…

I had a desperate thought as I watched the blood patter down. Less than half of the survivors remained, yet not a single Wyvern had been killed.

It was right then.

Whir— Snap!

Suddenly, a black whip flew out from somewhere and snapped a Wyvern’s neck. The horrific monster that had been pecking at a human head just moments ago fell helplessly to the ground.

Thud—!

The other Wyverns ceased their hunting and began to watch the direction the whip had come from. I did the same.

And there…

“…Brother?”

Seong-hun was there… standing with a weapon. However, the man merely glanced at me—the one who had called him ‘Brother’—and indifferently swung his whip again.

Just then, a person hiding beside me grabbed me in a tearful embrace and screamed.

“We-we’re saved!”

“What?”

“It’s Yu Se-rim! An R-Rank has arrived!”

“Ah…”

…It wasn’t my brother.

I was certain it was him. The hair color was similar and the build was much the same, so even after hearing the unfamiliar name ‘Yu Se-rim,’ my confusion didn’t fade.

But looking closer now at the man’s words, the vibe was completely different from my brother’s. My brother had a much warmer face, while Yu Se-rim… perhaps because he was mid-battle, had an incredibly cold expression.

Furthermore.

So this is an R-Rank…

Seeing the overwhelming martial prowess that slammed several Wyverns into the ground with a single light gesture, a sense of profound deprivation washed over me along with the relief.

To kill the monsters I couldn’t even land a debuff on so easily…

“Se-rim nim!”

“Thank you, Se-rim nim!”

“Yu Se-rim nim…”

“We survived because of you!”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Moreover, even after killing all the Wyverns in an instant, Yu Se-rim didn’t act arrogant; instead, he approached the people with humility.

His party members were the same. Though they were excessively laconic, they didn’t ignore anyone; they provided great help in restoring the village and recovering the bodies. They even went through the trouble of casting a barrier over the entire village.

That was why, at the time, I made a mistake.

I assumed that Yu Se-rim must have a kind and gentle personality.

Maybe if it’s Yu Se-rim, he won’t refuse…

Feeling the spark of hope that had been extinguished by countless rejections flicker back to life, I hesitantly approached him as he toyed with a bird that appeared to be a pet.

[Ping—!]

“…”

The closer I got, the more I marveled. To the point where I couldn’t understand why I had mistaken him for my brother at first, his appearance was so different up close that I felt bad for the comparison.

The only similarities were their build and their light hair. But while my brother’s hair was a golden blonde like a dog’s coat, Yu Se-rim’s was a silvery-white like silk threads. Additionally, his eyes shone like jewels, a brilliant violet.

Is an R-Rank’s appearance R-Ranked, too?

Looking at him, even such trivial thoughts crossed my mind. Of course, I immediately shook my head to clear the thought of my brother away.

Anyway, that was why I ended up speaking in a stuttering, foolish voice, blushing without even realizing it.

“Ex-excuse me…”

“…?”

Yu Se-rim silently raised his head.

I couldn’t meet his eyes for a moment because of his handsome face seen from the front, but I soon took courage, looked at him again, and spoke.

“I am Han Sol… the younger brother of Han Seong-hun.”

“Ah.”

I mentioned my brother’s name to try and catch even a little bit of his interest. Usually, when I gave my brother’s name, people would show curiosity, saying, “No way, is it that Han Seong-hun?”

But Yu Se-rim was different.

He merely let out a short sound, similar to a sigh, and tilted his head without further word. As if asking if I had any other business.

“…”

At that reaction, my flushed face turned beet red down to my neck. Since stepping foot into this world, I felt intensely ashamed of the times I had hoped for favors from others using my brother’s name.

To make matters worse, someone nudged my shoulder from behind and stepped in between me and Yu Se-rim.

It was a woman with impressive blue, bobbed hair and a deep scar on her face. Seeing as she wore similar clothes to Yu Se-rim, she seemed to be his party member.

I felt a flash of irritation, but I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut at the cold report she gave.

“Se-rim nim. All Wyverns have been dealt with. I checked to see if there were other Wyvern habitats nearby, and fortunately, there are none.”

“Thank you. Could I ask you to handle the treatment of the seriously injured?”

“If it’s your request, Se-rim nim…”

Having said that, she turned her head, scanned me from head to toe, and then left. It was a good thing I moved out of the way quickly, otherwise, I would have been struck in the shoulder again.

What’s with that woman…

I felt unpleasant at her blatant display of hostility, but seeing her move a Wyvern corpse as large as a house to the side of the road with a single gesture, I realized she was an Awakened of at least A-Rank.

“…”

So, I couldn’t say anything. As I’ve said repeatedly… this is a world where the strong prey on the weak.

Even if an A-Rank Awakened harms a C-Rank like me just because they’re in a bad mood, it doesn’t become a crime here. There’s no way to punish it. Thus, ranks naturally became stratified into a hierarchy.

Dammit…

Feeling humiliated for cowering before her in front of Yu Se-rim, I was about to give up and return to where my house used to be.

“Han Sol-ssi… are you hurt anywhere else? You look like you’re in pain.”

“…Yes?”

If Yu Se-rim hadn’t asked me that.