I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 7

7.

Baek Eun-hee tried to win her over with kindness, while Yoo Ji-an appealed to her sense of obligation. He seemed genuinely nonchalant as he spoke.

Seo-ah felt a little awkward, but Yoo Ji-an’s approach worked. She felt obligated to return the favor.

However, she needed to clarify something first.

“But I still don’t know why. Why do you need me?”

Yoo Ji-an’s gaze intensified. Seo-ah felt that chilling sensation again, the same energy she’d felt before opening the door.

As Yoo Ji-an blinked and looked away, the feeling vanished. Seo-ah unconsciously touched the back of her neck.

He paused before speaking.

“You have a special power.”

Fortunately, it was the same reason Baek Eun-hee had given. Seo-ah felt a sense of relief.

Yoo Ji-an’s look suggested there was more to it, but she didn’t want to know. She just had that feeling.

“Do you know what my ability is? I don’t even know.”

“I only know it’s necessary. I can’t know what you don’t know.”

He’s saying the same thing.

The special power they’re talking about must be an S-class Supporter ability. It’s locked, but how did they sense it without knowing what it is?

‘Are S-class Hunters just good at sensing things?’

Baek Eun-hee seemed to gain strength just by touching someone. But the only skill Seo-ah could see for herself was a level 1 recovery skill.

“You seemed strong enough back then. Do you really need me?”

Yoo Ji-an’s gaze fell on the hole in the desk.

“Baek Eun-hee must have shown off her strength.”

“Please answer me.”

Yoo Ji-an met Seo-ah’s gaze, then said something unexpected.

“It’s better to be needed, or else you and I will die.”

“Pardon? What do you mean? Why would we die?”

Yoo Ji-an chuckled at Seo-ah’s flustered stammering, but his eyes weren’t smiling. Seo-ah noticed the subtle dissonance.

“E-class Healer Park Seo-ah, you’ve never participated in a raid. The gate you were swept up in was your first.”

“So?”

“That special ability probably awakened in that gate, the only one you’ve ever entered.”

How did he know? Seo-ah’s eyes wavered; he’d hit a nerve.

“The fact that my observation skill can’t see it means it hasn’t activated yet. But awakenings like that usually have a set period.”

“H-How did you know?”

Seo-ah had to awaken as an S-class Supporter within 99 days, or the system threatened her with death.

“I was the same way.”

Seo-ah’s mouth hung open. Really? Yoo Ji-an?

She’d always assumed Yoo Ji-an was an S-class Hunter from birth. Did that mean he had to go around touching people too? It was hard to imagine.

“Of course, I was an S-class Hunter from the moment I was born, though.”

Yoo Ji-an added firmly as Seo-ah’s dark brown eyes sparkled.

Ah, right. He was drawing a line between himself and a hunter born as an E-class.

“How much time is left?”

“99 days.”

Still, she was glad to meet someone who understood.

“But putting me aside, why are *you* going to die?”

Yoo Ji-an closed his mouth. He wasn’t going to tell her.

“…It’s not like you’re going to die right away, are you?”

Yoo Ji-an nodded, and Seo-ah sighed in relief.

“You scared me! Why would you suddenly say that!”

“Anyway, you’ll choose me. There are plenty of reasons to.”

“But…”

Seo-ah thought for a moment, and Yoo Ji-an watched her calmly.

Soon, she raised her head, as if she’d made up her mind.

“You can come in now.”

At Seo-ah’s words, the door opened as if they’d been waiting.

Everyone returned to their seats.

“First, let’s take turns going on raids with both of you once each.”

Baek Eun-hee looked dazed and glanced at Yoo Ji-an, but he didn’t respond.

Han Seok-hyun spoke up.

“Are you not joining the guild?”

“Not yet. I don’t know what will happen. I might be more useless than I expect.”

Of course, she could join the guild, take the hundreds of millions [of won, Korean currency], and then play dumb if she became useless.

But Seo-ah’s upright personality wouldn’t allow it.

If she unfairly took such a large sum, something would go wrong.

“Ji-an-ah.”

Han Seok-hyun asked Yoo Ji-an’s opinion first. Seo-ah-hyun quickly handed over the contract documents before Baek Eun-hee could answer.

“This is a temporary membership contract. It’s for hunters who go with the guild on a one-time basis.”

Seo-ah, filling out the documents, paused and asked.

“So, my safety is guaranteed, right?”

“In the raids you go on with me, I won’t let you get a single scratch.”

Yoo Ji-an said it. It was a line that would make hearts flutter, but everyone here took it for granted.

Because this was a place to contract as a hunter.

As they were taking a weak E-class hunter, her safety was naturally the responsibility of the high-level hunters.

Around the time they finished drawing up contracts with both sides, Seo-ah’s phone rang.

Ding-

Everyone’s attention was drawn to it. They tried not to look, but Seo-ah naturally looked because of the sound.

‘Gasp.’

It was a reply to the hunter recruitment ad she’d contacted on the bus.

She hadn’t thought it would work out, so she’d sent it without much thought and forgotten about it, but the other party had accepted.

Seo-ah finished the last signature and slid the documents to both sides. Then, with a troubled expression, she spoke.

“Um, could you give me a few days?”

“Honey, it’s not a difficult thing, but why? What’s wrong?”

At Baek Eun-hee’s kind question, Seo-ah hesitated.

“Actually, I contacted a recruitment ad before coming here. I think I’ll have to go on a raid the day after tomorrow.”

Before coming here, Seo-ah had contacted a post on the where a D-class hunter was looking for a low-level healer for their party.

The recruitment postings on the weren’t just simple posts.

If someone saw a post and messaged the party leader, the party leader could immediately accept and send the contract fee. Each ID was connected to an account.

That’s why there was a warning message attached to each post, telling people to be careful when contacting others.

According to the community rules, a user with more than 3 cancellations could no longer view the recruitment board.

“A D-class hunter is the party leader? No, Seo-ah. How can I send you off trusting a mere D-class?”

Baek Eun-hee protested, and Seo-ah-hyun calmly corrected her.

“Ahem, sister. D-class hunters often lead parties in low-level gates. It’s adjusted to the level of the gate.”

“How much is the contract fee? How about we pay you double to contact them and cancel? You’ll get a warning, but you haven’t reached 3 times yet…”

Han Seok-hyun also stepped in.

As Seo-ah-hyun said, low-level hunters raided gates of their respective grades.

Usually, a D-class hunter needed to recruit 8 hunters of a similar grade to get approval for an E-class gate.

But it was still dangerous.

The large number of people meant many disorganized individuals, making it easier to attract aggro [monster aggression].

Above all, if an accident occurred, there would be no one to protect Seo-ah.

“I can’t do that. It’s the day after tomorrow. How much trouble would it cause them if I backed out? When I contacted them, they said it was an almost complete party and they just needed to fill the numbers. Nothing will happen.”

Seo-ah was already worried, so she had asked them about this and that. She asked if it was okay since it was her first time. They told her to stay in the back and use her recovery skill once in a while if she was bored.

“What if something happens after going with those small fries?”

Baek Eun-hee was still not relieved.

She seemed anxious about something happening to her precious item.

“Yoo Ji-an, say something too.”

“If she goes, she goes. What can we do?”

“What? Ji-an-ah, are you serious?”

Han Seok-hyun asked in surprise.

“It’s not bad to have some experience beforehand. We’ll be taking her to high-level dungeons, and there’s nothing an E-class healer can do there. Exploring low-level dungeons beforehand will help her hunter activities.”

As Yoo Ji-an unexpectedly supported her, Seo-ah’s expression brightened.

“Still…”

Baek Eun-hee couldn’t say anything, as Yoo Ji-an had defended her. Seo-ah-hyun grabbed Baek Eun-hee’s hand, and she sat back down.

“Then I’ll book a gate and contact you in a week.”

Seo-ah-hyun said, her face regaining composure.

After promising the future, everyone left the conference room. As they came out, Seo-ah shook hands with Seo-ah-hyun and Han Seok-hyun, increasing her points by 2.

‘Just one more…’

Seo-ah followed Yoo Ji-an, hesitated, and lightly touched the tip of his finger as if brushing against it.

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