I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 9

“Hunter Kang Su-jeong, since we have the main attack team, don’t push yourself too hard. Come to me immediately if you get hurt.”

Surprisingly, Kang Su-jeong’s sharp demeanor softened.

“…You said you’re a healer, right? Please take care of me. It’s my first raid. I’ll definitely protect you.”

“Thank you.”

Seo-ah smiled brightly at Kang Su-jeong’s spirited words. Su-jeong’s face flushed slightly.

‘Come to think of it, Baek Eun-hee said she had the ability to amplify attack power. I wonder if these people will also be affected by me?’

Dding-

[Mission 1. Touch the Hunter. (6/10)]

‘Ah, it went up.’

“Alright, everyone! Gather around! I’ll make the final announcement.”

Kim Dae-hoon gathered the people with a loud voice.

“That right there is the E-grade gate we’re going to attack today. The association has certified it, so there’s no mistake.”

He pointed towards shimmering, blue waves. “That’s a typical gate.”

The Hunter Association always sensed the flow of mana and announced the creation date and expected grade of gates in advance.

Then, each guild or party would put down a deposit, and the association would conduct a simple review and designate a suitable gate.

The sudden gate that Seo-ah was caught up in last time was one that the association couldn’t detect in advance.

At first, these sudden gates were rare, appearing once every few years, but recently, the cycle was getting shorter, occurring every few months.

“As promised, Team 1 will focus on attacking the boss and will divide the items that come from the boss. Team 2 will receive 1 million won [approximately $800 USD], and you can freely take the miscellaneous items from the mobs. Now, please do your final checks!”

The hunters muttered while looking at the sky. Kang Su-jeong also mumbled something, seeming to contemplate for a moment. Ahn Ji-yu and Seo Hee-eun didn’t do anything.

Hunter Kang Su-jeong looked at Seo-ah with a puzzled expression.

“Sister, what are you doing? You need to buy potions from the store.”

“Store?”

As soon as she said that, the familiar blue window popped up. It was the hunter store.

From various supply-type weapons to potions, everything was available, but Seo-ah couldn’t buy anything. ‘0G’ was displayed in the lower right corner, indicating she had no gold.

When Seo-ah didn’t say anything, Kang Su-jeong clicked her tongue as if she understood.

“Sister, you haven’t exchanged for gold yet, have you?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right. I forgot…”

“You can drop the honorifics; I’m in the 8th grade [typically 14-15 years old in the Korean school system].”

‘It was as she appeared. There must be a story behind why she came here, but I decided not to ask for now.’

“Okay.”

“I can’t help it then, just hide behind me. But you guys don’t even have weapons? And you’re D-grade hunters?”

Ahn Ji-yu took out something like a small wooden stick from somewhere – a beginner’s staff for mages sold at the hunter store.

The way she was holding it didn’t suit her at all; it looked like she had just bought it.

Hunter Kang Su-jeong looked at Ahn Ji-yu with untrustworthy eyes and then turned her gaze to Seo Hee-eun.

Seo Hee-eun waved her arms and legs.

“This is my weapon.”

“The tanker doesn’t even have a shield?”

“I don’t need that kind of thing. My body is stronger.”

Kang Su-jeong turned her head away at Seo Hee-eun’s confident answer.

Seo-ah stared at Ahn Ji-yu and asked for a handshake.

“Please take care of me, Hunter Ahn Ji-yu.”

“…”

Ahn Ji-yu stared at her hand, lightly grabbed it, and let go. Not to be outdone, Seo Hee-eun also shook hands with Park Seo-ah.

“Healer, don’t go to dangerous places.”

“…Ah, yes.”

Seo-ah let go of Seo Hee-eun’s hand and smiled awkwardly. Then, she stared at her empty palm and covered her mouth with it.

Fortunately, Seo Hee-eun had already turned around.

“It seems like everyone is ready. Let’s go in now!”

Kim Dae-hoon shouted loudly. Team 1 stepped into the gate first.

After they disappeared, Team 2 soon entered as well.

With a slight feeling of motion sickness, the surroundings distorted.

The scenery inside the gate was a completely different world: reed fields, wild grasses, and small trees harmoniously arranged on a wide plain. Seo-ah looked around with curious eyes.

“Ah, that’s a relief.”

The main healer in Team 1 spoke.

“It’s a typical plain field. It will be an easier raid than I thought.”

Kim Dae-hoon sighed in relief and shouted spiritedly.

“It doesn’t seem like there will be any difficult tasks! Alright, let’s finish quickly and go!”

Seo-ah decided to freely ask Kang Su-jeong about anything she didn’t know. Fortunately, Kang Su-jeong had a personality that liked to take the lead, so she answered coolly.

“How do you know if it’s easy or difficult?”

“You don’t even know that? Ah, it’s your first raid… This kind of plain area is called a plain field. These fields are often low-level zones. But, if you’re unlucky, it can become very difficult.”

Hunter Kang Su-jeong felt sorry for Seo-ah, who didn’t know anything because it was her first raid, so she taught her in detail.

“Ah, there!”

As soon as she finished speaking, she jumped forward.

Hunter Kang Su-jeong took out her twin swords and threw one of them. A rabbit-like creature made a strange noise and fell.

‘Ah, it was a monster.’

Looking at that figure, it was clear that an E-grade hunter was indeed a hunter.

“Wow, amazing!”

At Seo-ah’s compliment, Kang Su-jeong laughed cheerfully as if she felt good and nonchalantly pulled out the rabbit’s claws.

‘That must be the miscellaneous item that Kim Dae-hoon was talking about.’

“What do you use that for?”

“I’ll put it in my inventory and sell it all at once in the store. I’ll share it with you later, sister.”

Listening to her, it was like a game.

As the world became like this, games with ‘hunters’ as the main characters became the norm. Who knew it would be based on reality.

While Team 1 was going ahead, Team 2 followed, occasionally catching small monsters.

Kang Su-jeong caught almost all of them, and Seo Hee-eun only brushed off monsters that rushed in unexpectedly. She said her body was stronger than a shield, and it seemed like she wasn’t just saying that, as she seemed to be fine without any armor.

Seo-ah glanced at Ahn Ji-yu. Ahn Ji-yu didn’t do anything at all. She didn’t even see her use magic, so she couldn’t even tell if she was a mage.

‘Well, I’m sure she’ll do well on her own.’

“You’re unusually energetic today! You caught a carnivorous deer all by yourself! I almost died from being hit by its horns before!”

Hunter Kang Su-jeong came to Seo-ah, dangling the deer’s horns. When Seo-ah looked closely, her forehead was slightly scratched.

“Su-jeong, come here!”

Seo-ah quickly cast a recovery skill on her. When she touched her forehead with her hand, light gathered mainly in that area.

Hunter Kang Su-jeong blinked with an emotional face.

“I feel like I have my own personal healer.”

“Well, that’s not wrong.”

“I couldn’t even go near the healer when I was hurt before.”

“Really? You said you went four times.”

Hunter Kang Su-jeong waved her hand.

Before she knew it, the scratch on Su-jeong’s forehead had disappeared without a trace. Still, having done it once in a sudden gate, the recovery skill seemed to be a little more familiar.

“Oh, don’t say that. Usually, healers are precious, so they treat high-level hunters first.”

“Really?”

“Yes, it’s sad but that’s right. The high-level hunters have to be fine to catch the boss… It’s good to save the healer’s strength as much as possible. Ah, there’s a horned squirrel!”

Hunter Kang Su-jeong really seemed to be full of energy.

‘It seems like Su-jeong is also affected, just like how Baek Eun-hee’s power got stronger last time.’

‘What is it, the identity of this ability? The supporter hasn’t even been unlocked yet, but this ability is leaking out like this.’

‘It was frustrating because I didn’t know what it was.’

The first team was already far ahead and was entering the forest. The second team followed at a suitable distance.

Kuo-oh-oh-oh-

Suddenly, the roar of a beast echoed from the forest. It was so loud that the trees seemed to vibrate.

“Ugh!”

“Ugh-ugh-ugh!”

The first team screamed.

Team 2, including Park Seo-ah, hurried to approach them.

“What are you doing? Get your act together! Injured people fall back. You’re getting beaten by that ‘Roaring Bear’? Why are you coming forward!”

Seeing Kim Dae-hoon shouting, it seemed like someone was hurt. When Seo-ah got closer, a bear-like monster was showing off its large size and swinging its front paws.

Looking closely, the injured person was the main healer. The healer was backing away and casting a recovery skill on himself. One of his arms was dangling, indicating a significant injury.

In the meantime, the remaining team members were attacking the bear, but their injuries, both large and small, were gradually increasing.

“Team 2! Come this way!”

Kim Dae-hoon, realizing the situation was dire, called Seo-ah’s team.

Seo-ah looked at the members of Team 2. Kang Su-jeong seemed to be hesitating slightly, and Seo Hee-eun and Ahn Ji-yu completely ignored Kim Dae-hoon’s words.

“Damn it, what are you doing! Hurry up and come!”

‘That bear doesn’t seem to be the boss. If they’re struggling with that, how are they going to catch the boss?’

‘Anyway, I couldn’t keep ignoring it,’ Seo-ah thought, approaching little by little. The bear became even angrier at the clumsy attacks of the Team 1 dealers.

Kuo-oh-oh-oh!

The biggest problem with the ‘Roaring Bear’ was that those who heard the roar were momentarily seized with fear, and their movements became sluggish.