Episode 20

Novice Hunter Training is the nineteenth episode of The S-Ranks That I Raised webtoon.

Yoojin and the others complete novice Hunter training at Haeyeon Guild, while Yoohyun makes an interesting find during his dungeon raid.

Summary
Yoojin and Myeongwoo are horrified by the oncoming flood of monsters, though Yerim is unmoved; Seok Simyeong explains calmly that they should get used to them faster this way. Yerim reassures the others and moves to attack the monsters, decimating almost the entire pack at once. A shadowed figure acknowledges Yerim's strength, and Seok Simyeong welcomes her, explaining that he isn't worried about the F-ranks since Yerim will handle all the monsters for them.

Down in the arena, one monster unexpectedly reveals itself to have survived, and attacks Myeongwoo, who runs away terrified, dropping his spear. Yoojin knocks him out of the way and scolds him, describing the monster as a Tooth Mole and explaining how to defeat it. Seok Simyeong notes that Yoojin is abnormally experienced, possibly even hiding something, and that he wanted to see how he'd act in this situation. However, Myeongwoo unknowingly alerts Yoojin to his excessive confidence through an innocent compliment, and Yoojin immediately fakes frightened incompetence, leaving Seok Simyeong disappointed. The trio leave the practical exercise room; Yoojin and Myeongwoo are battered and drained, while Yerim is bright with satisfaction.

Outside, they encounter Seok Simyeong, who denounces Yoojin and Myeongwoo as hopeless before informing them that theory classes will begin from the next day. He introduces them to Seok Hayan, who Yoojin recognizes as Doctor White, a renowned authority on dungeon studies. Pleased by his recognition, she notes that she's heard from Seok Simyeong about how knowledgeable he is; Yoojin realizes that the two are uncle and niece. Seok Hayan explains why she's at Haeyeon and tells a flustered Yoojin she looks forward to working with him. Meanwhile, inside the S-rank dungeon that Han Yoohyun is attacking, his team has just defeated the boss monster: a Horned Flame Lion. They approach its body carefully and discover a tiny cub hidden under its paw.

Characters

 * Tooth Moles
 * Han Yoojin
 * Yoo Myeongwoo
 * Bak Yerim
 * Seok Simyeong
 * Seok Hayan
 * Han Yoohyun
 * Kim Sunghan
 * Horned Flame Lion cub

Locations

 * Haeyeon Guild building

Skills

 * Cold Sigh

Battles

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

Novel & webtoon differences

 * Yoohyun is not present at Yoojin, Myeongwoo, and Yerim's practical training exercise; unlike in the novel, he's in the S-rank dungeon from which the Horned Flame Lion cub is retrieved.
 * The practical exercise is overseen by Seok Simyeong himself, rather than a standard instructor as in the novel.
 * In the novel, following standard practical training format, the Tooth Moles are released one at a time for each novice Hunter to fight. Additionally, the Hunters are instructed on how to use magic stone detectors. However, in the webtoon, Seok Simyeong has the entire pack of Moles released at once; both Han Yoojin and Seok Hayan comment on this departure from standard procedure. As a result, the exercise progresses differently than in the novel, occurring as a chaotic group fight rather than a slow, controlled process.
 * Yoojin is the one to save Myeongwoo from the Tooth Mole chasing him, rather than the practical instructor, as in the novel. He also forgets to fake being frightened until reminded by Myeongwoo, unlike in the novel, where he's constantly keeping up the pretense and consciously decides to fail his own match against a Mole.
 * Seok Simyeong acts cold, rude, and somewhat distrustful towards Han Yoojin because of his excessive knowledge and experience, mercilessly throwing him against an excessive number of monsters and later declaring him hopeless to his face. In the novel, however, he is polite and welcoming, attempting to convince him to use said knowledge for Haeyeon's own benefit.
 * Instead of Seok Hayan independently introducing herself, Seok Simyeong is the one to introduce her.
 * In the novel, the Horned Flame Lion is retrieved offscreen in an S-rank dungeon raid three months prior to Yoojin and Yoohyun's reconciliation immediately after regressing. However, in the webtoon, the raid and the cub's retrieval occur a few days after their reconciliation, and are explicitly depicted.