Episode 21

Horned Flame Lion (1) is the twenty-first episode of The S-Ranks That I Raised webtoon.

The novice Hunters attend their theory class with Seok Hayan, and Yoohyun introduces Yoojin to their newest housemate.

Summary
For the novice Hunter theory class, Seok Hayan summarizes the early days of dungeons, explaining dungeon breaks, Awakening, magic stones, Hunters, and guilds. As she goes on to explain stat and skill ranks, Yoojin finds himself sentimental at the history, but notes that there are errors in her lesson, since they don't have as much experience as the world 5 years later did. Seok Hayan notices his reaction and asks if she said something wrong; a startled Yoojin sheepishly explains the correct workings of Awakening and skill manifestation, phrased as conjecture. Though he tries to smooth over it, Seok Hayan is thrilled at how insightful his comments were, and pleads to talk more with him. Yoojin hastily dodges the question by telling Yerim to ask any questions she has. Yerim asks how much money S-ranks make, and Seok Hayan explains that given the strength and rarity of S-ranks, she can expect to make at least 10 million dollars a year. This largely comes from the byproducts they receive from dungeons, such as magic stones, flora and fauna, and even live monsters.

Back at Yoohyun's house, Yoojin is stunned to find that Yoohyun has retrieved one such live monster—a baby Horned Flame Lion he was hoping to use as a kiseungsu. The Lion cub is particularly spirited, and Yoojin asks if it can't be tamed; Yoohyun reveals that he's contacted tamers and has an Owner's Token for the cub, which allows him to command it to come down from the fridge. However, it isn't perfect, and though the cub obeys, it does so by leaping down and tackling Yoohyun face-on, undeterred by a massive fire-blast Yoohyun releases at it. Annoyed at being scratched up, Yoohyun dumps the baby Lion in his indoor garden, explaining that if it can't be tamed, he'll have to kill it. Disappointed, Yoojin checks the Lion using his skills, and is surprised to realize that his growth skills would work on it, immediately asking Yoohyun if he can try and tame the cub for him.

Characters

 * Various monsters
 * Moving store boss
 * Song Taewon, Sung Hyunjae, and Moon Hyuna (unnamed)
 * Han Yoojin
 * Seok Hayan
 * Bak Yerim
 * Yoo Myeongwoo
 * Choi Yoomi
 * Han Yoohyun
 * Horned Flame Lion cub

Locations

 * Haeyeon Guild building

Skills

 * Black Blood Flames
 * Promising Sprout

Battles

 * Han Yoojin, Yoo Myeongwoo, and Bak Yerim vs. Tooth Moles

Novel & webtoon differences

 * The summary of how the world had changed with the appearance of the dungeons is given by Seok Hayan as part of her lecture, instead of by Han Yoojin in narration, as in the novel.
 * Seok Hayan's introduction and the realization that she's related to Seok Simyeong are omitted from the start of the theory lesson, as they occurred in the previous episode.
 * Seok Hayan's admission that Seok Simyeong has mentioned Yoojin's unexpectedly refined knowledge, as well as all mentions of the Dokkaebi, are entirely omitted.
 * As a result, Seok Hayan does not bribe Yoojin with a meeting with the Dokkaebi in exchange for a private discussion about dungeon and Hunter matters, as she does in the novel.
 * Yoojin doesn't try to dodge the question when Seok Hayan points out that he seems critical of her lecture material., while in the novel, he attempts to reassure her that it was a good lecture.
 * In the novel, Seok Hayan names individual points that Yoojin seemed critical of, and he gives her the actual explanation behind said points. In the webtoon, however, he volunteers his corrections entirely of his own accord.
 * In the webtoon, Yerim asks Seok Hayan about how much S-ranks earn. In the novel, however, Yoojin and Seok Simyeong explain this to her during her Haeyeon contract negotiations.
 * The Horned Flame Lion cub initially has free run of Yoohyun's house, and is only later placed inside his indoor garden, rather than being confined to the indoor garden from the start. As such, the entire fridge-top interaction being original to the webtoon.
 * Yoojin is present when the Horned Flame Lion is first brought to Yoohyun's, rather than it having arrived three months before he did.
 * In the webtoon, Yoojin realizes he might be able to tame the Horned Flame Lion only after Yoohyun's explained what it is and how he might have to kill it, rather than the other way around, as he did in the novel.

Trivia

 * While Seok Hayan is discussing the value of S-rank Hunters across the world, a graphic shows the number of S-ranks in some East/Southeast Asian countries:
 * 8 S-ranks in South Korea
 * 5 in Japan
 * 9 in China
 * 5 in Indonesia
 * This episode contains the first mention of kiseungsu.