S-Rank is My Side Character (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 3

“There’s really no one here at all. Even if Rude is around, this can’t be okay….”

Kang I Hyeon, clad in white armor, stepped through the gate at Migeum Station one foot at a time, looked around, and flinched in shock.

Right upon entering: a checkered-patterned shelter. Survivors stood inside it with blank, dazed smiles—likely Rude’s creation. Some slumped limply onto the floor, unable to support their own weight.

‘Seeing this in person feels even creepier….’

I Hyeon finally understood why rescue personnel assigned to gates where Rude operated always shuddered at the mere mention of him.

Rude’s signature technique—the key ability that allowed him to work as a solo hunter—was “mentally dominating people trapped in the gate to keep them docile.”

Though this was, admittedly, the most efficient rescue method someone as immensely evil-aligned as Rude could employ… visually, it was chilling, as if the entire group had been drugged. And…

“Oh…! I need to wake them up quickly.”

Rude’s mental domination skill wasn’t good for people’s minds. Even if the effects supposedly healed within a few weeks!

This was the analysis from the nation’s most knowledgeable clergyman regarding evil alignment. Kang I Hyeon gripped the bars of the shelter.

[Trait :: ‘One Who Understands Good and Evil’ activates!] [Holy power gathers around you.] [The spreading aura of evil is neutralized.]

Golden holy power gathered around him like sacred flames. One by one, the people trapped inside the shelter began regaining consciousness.

“Ugh…!”

Several people suddenly clutched their heads, complaining of headaches and nausea. Seeing others still unfocused and disoriented, Kang I Hyeon frowned slightly.

“Ah…? Where…? Ah….”

Golden holy flames, shaped like flickering fire, gently spread through the shelter. People started exhibiting side effects one after another.

“Wh-who are you…? A hunter…? But just a moment ago, it was a forest—wasn’t I dancing with a unicorn…?”

Sighing, Kang I Hyeon pulled a bottle of mineral water from his inventory and added a few drops of his own blood into it.

[Trait :: ‘Unquenchable Flame’ activates!]

The droplets of blood inside the bottle swiftly transformed into golden sacred flames. Watching the holy light softly burn within the water, I Hyeon confirmed it had fully become holy water.

“Please hold onto this, and apply some to the foreheads of anyone suffering side effects. I’m counting on you.”

He handed the bottle to the person who seemed the most coherent and immediately dashed off.

This was a stage-type gate. Given Rude’s tendency to gather survivors in specific zones, there was a high chance the Stage 2 survivors were also grouped elsewhere.

And they, too, were likely under mental domination. Therefore… he had to hurry and awaken them.

[This is the timeline separator] [Na Ri, just now…]

“I know. Someone messed with it, didn’t they?”

Rude answered before the message window even finished loading, his expression turning murderous as his eyes shifted sideways.

While passing through the black forest of Stage 2, Rude sensed that the mental domination he’d applied had been undone. Scowling, he turned around.

‘You’ve got some nerve breaking my skill. Who the hell are you?’

[He’s right behind you, says the Ruler of Chaos.]

Clank, clank—sounds of armor colliding approached from behind. Rude turned sharply, brows furrowed.

“Mr. Rude? You are Mr. Rude, right?”

“Oh. You….”

The man’s melodious voice echoed through the forest. Rude raised an eyebrow in surprise. White armor, golden holy power softly radiating—Kang I Hyeon, the nation’s rank 2, wielder of the Golden Sacred Flame.

The youth in white armor and the youth in a black trench coat locked eyes.

A moment of silence passed as both hesitated over what to say. Finally, Rude spoke first, clearly irritated.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Huh? Ah—! It’s my first time meeting you. I’m Kang I Hyeon, from the Church, and my alias is….”

“No, I know who you are. Who gave you permission to undo all my skills?”

“Ah, no, it’s just… mental domination isn’t good for people.”

“I hate using mental domination myself unless absolutely necessary—it feels awful. But I had a reason to apply it, so why’d you go and cancel it on your own? Do you want to see something worse happen?”

“What? Are you serious right now?”

I Hyeon’s eyes widened in shock. Seeing Rude’s displeasure, he realized his mistake, fidgeted with his fingers, and cautiously explained.

“Well… it’s addictive, isn’t it?”

He glanced up at Rude. Everyone rescued from dungeons Rude had cleared reported severe or mild psychological distress—some within days, others weeks later.

At first, I Hyeon assumed it was just a side effect of mental domination, but he soon realized their symptoms differed from those caused by other forms of mental control.

Rude’s mental domination aftereffects resembled withdrawal symptoms far more than simple skill-related side effects.

Which meant Rude’s mental domination was indeed addictive—and unlucky individuals frequently trapped in gates might eventually become dependent on it….

“So what?”

“…Huh?”

“What exactly are you trying to say? Don’t use mental domination?”

“Yes! Exactly! That’s it! I know this isn’t the best place to say it—inside a dungeon and all—but in conclusion….”

Though time was critical in the dungeon, this matter was equally urgent. If he didn’t say it now, he might never get another chance to speak to Rude about it!

If their addiction worsened, some might even deliberately jump into gates again just to receive Rude’s mental domination.

“Ah. Got it. I’ve heard your naive little speech, young master. Now get lost.”

“No, no, no, no! That’s not what I meant! What I’m saying is—Aaagh!”

Swish—Rude swung his scissors once, and vines erupted from the trees of the black forest, tightly wrapping around Kang I Hyeon.

Looking extremely displeased, Rude scowled and let out a dry laugh before speaking.

“Listen carefully, you naive brat. You know my alignment, right? If it’s not the best option, then the next-worst is fine. Got it? There’s nothing more useless than idealists who keep whining ‘This isn’t okay because of this~ That isn’t okay because of that~.’”

“No, that’s not true! There are better ways! Just let me finish what I was—”

“You really don’t get it… Hey. I’m a hunter, alright? My job? Get people out of dungeons as fast as possible. The clergy and doctors’ job? Heal people from the collateral damage. Honestly, nowadays everything’s my fault, isn’t it? Should the number one guy just give up and emigrate?”

“Mmph!”

The vines had already covered Kang I Hyeon’s mouth. He shook his head vigorously, staring intently at Rude. Rude looked back at him with an utterly unimpressed expression, then turned away.

Ah… Now that this guy undid it, what if civilians see my skill directly? …Meh. They’ll manage somehow.

Worried, Rude promptly resumed walking.

The castle lay just ahead.

After pushing through thickets, hunting monsters along the way, and looting items, Rude arrived at the castle—and was utterly stunned the moment he looked ahead.

“Hwaaaah~! Help me! Save me!”

“Just try stepping inside! This brat’s life is forfeit!”

On the outer walls of the castle, guard monsters held an elementary school student wearing a heavy backpack and issued threats. Rude’s jaw dropped. No—why, why, why…?!

“Why is an elementary school kid here?! It’s past 10 PM! Shouldn’t they be washing their feet and getting ready for bed?!”

[Do you even know how much kids nowadays rotate between cram schools starting from kindergarten? The Ruler of Chaos shakes his head, muttering about how Korea truly is in its end times.]

“What?! Elementary kids are supposed to finish school at 1 PM, eat Pixy Stix and cup ramen at the stationery shop, then head off to taekwondo class!”

[Pixy Stix and cup ramen don’t even exist anymore, sighs the Ruler of Chaos, shaking his head.]

“The world really is ending!”

Appalled that society was no longer child-friendly, Rude looked up.

[Just cast mental domination on that kid too, Na Ri. Survival comes first, doesn’t it? suggests the Ruler of Chaos, looking at you.]

“But they’re so young!”

How could he know what effects it would have…? Regretting his earlier retort to the clergyman, Rude smacked his forehead.

[Well… fine, have it your way. Our dear Na Ri isn’t an idealist, so you’ll figure something out, won’t you? Heh heh teases the Ruler of Chaos, poking you.]

‘Shut up!’

Rude clutched his head, realizing his own words had backfired, and looked upward again.

‘What should I do?’

Using his skill would overwhelm the child.

But using mental domination… would be just as overwhelming. Honestly, if it were a high schooler, maybe he could manage—but an elementary student…?

Rude, who usually operated at night or dawn, rarely encountered young children. He’d never directly applied mental domination to a child before, so he couldn’t gauge the appropriate level.

“The best option isn’t available, so the next-worst must suffice”—but this was a situation that demanded the absolute best. Rude pondered hard, then steeled his resolve and declared:

“I’ll take a gamble.”

[‘Wait, you’re going to use ‘that’?’ asks the Ruler of Chaos, looking at you suspiciously.]

“I have no choice! There’s no other way…!”

[But… even so, the aftereffects won’t be trivial… It’ll probably last months, warns the Ruler of Chaos, staring at you.]

“A few months of aftereffects is worth it to save a child! Ruler of Chaos, lend me your power!”

Rude extended his hand like an anime character. Though the Ruler of Chaos tried to dissuade him via indirect message, Rude’s resolve was unshakable.

There was no other way. This was an extreme measure—and a gamble whose outcome was uncertain!

“Since it’s come to this….”

[Since it’s come to this? repeats the Ruler of Chaos, looking at you.]

“Since it’s come to this… I’ll go with the honey trap!”

‘I’ll make them release the kid voluntarily, then fight them! They’re clearly humanoid-intelligence monsters! Which means their aesthetic standards might be similar to humans’!’

And fortunately, Rude… possessed the avatar of a raven-haired, handsome man with model-like proportions—175 cm tall and 59 kg!

Of course, if he failed, he’d suffer years of aftereffects—under the name “utter humiliation.” But… as an adult, could he really refuse to endure humiliation to save a child?

Hearing Rude’s firm resolve, the Ruler of Chaos sent an indirect message.

[Hmph. Now that’s the avatar our Constellation deserves, chuckles the Ruler of Chaos with a smirk.] [Constellation-exclusive skill of Ruler of Chaos :: Honey Trap]

Swish—Rude’s charm surged like a game character’s buff. Honey Trap—a Constellation skill, not Na Ri’s, and self-applied, so it harmed no one else. The only drawback? If it failed, Rude would be mortifyingly embarrassed.

“Haa….”

Rude sighed and swept his bangs upward. A rose scent diffused with every breath. His bangs fell back onto his forehead like silk. His deep black eyes fixed on the guard monsters.

Thump! The guard monsters’ faces turned red simultaneously. Even the elementary student blushed.

‘Yes! It worked!’

Rude spoke to them in an unnervingly gentle tone.

“That child… won’t you let them go? I’m worried about them.”

Though his tone sounded suspiciously cheesy, the guards’ hearts fluttered wildly.

“Aaah, right! Kid, you’d better go home quickly. This person is worried about you.”

“Yeah… go home quick… Wait, hey! What are you saying?! We must obey our cult leader! How can we just let them go!”

“But still…”

Was that not enough? Rude glanced at them and cleared his throat loudly. The guards’ eyes snapped back to him. Rude tilted his head at a 45-degree angle and said:

“Honey… monsters who threaten innocent children aren’t really my type.”

“Huh…!”

Hearts burst from the guards’ eyes.

Charm had exploded…!