I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 157

157.

I hadn’t intended to follow Choi Dal-soo’s suggestion completely, but it did spark some ideas.

As soon as I stepped outside, Team Leader Lee Sang-joon, who had been waiting, approached me anxiously.

“So, is your conversation finished?”

“Yes.”

I wasn’t in the best mood, but I didn’t want to take it out on Lee Sang-joon.

“Let’s go meet Oscar Jackson now.”

“Yes, yes. This way, please.”

Perhaps sensing my low spirits, Lee Sang-joon guided me with even more deference than before.

He led me to a reception room and conference room on the second floor of the official residence.

Team Leader Lee Sang-joon pointed to the door.

“He’s in there.”

As he started to follow me, I raised my hand to stop him.

“I’ll go in alone from here. You can leave.”

“Ah, yes. Then…”

Lee Sang-joon didn’t argue and readily stepped back.

Before meeting Jackson, there was something I needed to do. I summoned the Hunter Store. I wanted to buy a [Translator device].

It wasn’t that I couldn’t speak English at all, but I thought it would be necessary for a more in-depth conversation, not just for now, but for the future as well.

I chose the built-in type over the external one.

‘Like this…? There won’t be any side effects, right?’

After reading the simple instructions, I placed the small, chip-like object on my wrist.

“Ouch, that stings.”

The translator seeped into my skin with a slight stinging sensation. It looked seamless from the outside.

“Okay, is it done?”

With this, I can understand all the languages in the world. That includes not only the languages of Earth but also the languages used by the inhabitants of the Gates [dimensional portals].

As I approached the conference room, the door opened from the inside just before I knocked.

The sudden surge of killing intent made me flinch and look up—it was Jackson.

Even after spotting me, he scanned the hallway left and right before dispelling the murderous aura.

I had felt something similar from Yoo Ji-an once, but this was a bit colder. Is it because he’s an ice-type mage?

Jackson smiled at me.

“Ah, Hunter Park Seo-ah. I thought it was someone else.”

Having just felt his killing intent, I couldn’t hide the stiffness in my expression despite his smiling face.

Anyway, the translator I just bought wasn’t defective; his English was automatically translated for me.

“Why the hostility?”

From now on, I’ll just speak in Korean. I assumed Jackson would have a translator installed as a basic feature.

“I sensed a powerful magical energy lingering at the door and not coming in, so I wondered if it was you.”

So, he’s sensitive because he’s an S-class Hunter. But to emit killing intent? A little annoyed, I calmly replied.

“Ah, I had something to check.”

“I see. Anyway, come in.”

As Jackson stepped aside, I entered the conference room.

Inside, besides Jackson, there was a white man in a suit and sunglasses standing in the corner.

I could sense a faint magical power, so he seemed to be a Hunter.

When I looked at Jackson with a questioning gaze, he shrugged exaggeratedly.

“He’s my bodyguard and personal secretary, so don’t mind him.”

“Bodyguard…?”

Why would an S-class Hunter need a bodyguard? As if sensing my question, Jackson elaborated.

“If I use my hands, there’s a high chance they’ll die. I don’t prefer killing. But I will if I have to.”

He’s crazy.

That one word was enough for me to understand him.

‘Did I come to the wrong place?’

I admitted that I had been a little careless, seeing only the kind S-classes around me lately. Still, he wouldn’t just start throwing ice missiles here if things went wrong, would he?

As I fiddled with my neck, Jackson pulled out a chair and gave me a kind smile.

“Please, sit down.”

I obediently sat in the chair.

I decided to give up on pointless resistance. Even though we’re both S-class, the difference in skill between me and him is vast.

After I sat down, Jackson sat across from me. Finally, I could properly face Oscar Jackson.

‘He definitely is….’

Hair the color of melted honey, clear blue eyes, soft yet defined features, and silver-rimmed glasses.

Jackson gave off the impression of a handsome and kind scholar. Especially when he smiled, he seemed almost angelic, even saintly.

It was definitely different from when I saw him as a ‘monster.’ The ‘monster’ Oscar Jackson had confidence in his strength but seemed somewhat anxious.

‘And he seemed frustrated and resentful.’

Could I use [Emotional Transference] on him? I wondered as I looked at him, but it was still too early.

Without any familiarity and a low understanding of the other person, I might feel a momentary intense emotion, but I couldn’t even notice subtle psychological changes.

‘And the activation conditions aren’t clear yet.’

While I was observing Jackson, he was also observing me in silence.

Eventually, I spoke first.

“Why did you want to see me?”

“I saw an article about you. It was interesting.”

“An article… Is that all?”

Information about me hasn’t been reported in detail through the media yet. Just that I re-awakened from E-class to S-class, and that I’m a support-type Hunter.

The numerical values of my buff skills were all adjusted downward to 1%, and only about two types were revealed.

Of course, even buff skills in the 1% range are rare, but is that enough to attract the attention of the world’s number one ranked player?

Re-awakening cases are special, but even so, my stats are at the very bottom of S-class.

“Actually, when I first read the article, yes, it was just interesting. What really changed my mind was yesterday.”

“Because I was with Hunter Yoo Ji-an.”

“That’s right. Hunter Yoo Ji-an said you weren’t lovers. But he treats you specially and maintains a friendship? That means you’re someone he needs.”

His reason for approaching me was no different from Cha Tae-woon or other S-class Hunters. I replied a little listlessly.

“Couldn’t we just be friends?”

At my words, Jackson’s eyes widened, and he laughed loudly.

“Friends… Hahaha, that’s a funny joke.”

Then, his expression disappeared in an instant, making it a horror scene.

“After that, I went back to my accommodation and did some research.”

I listened quietly to what kind of research he had done.

“You stayed with the Sun Guild for a while, and then with the Royal Guild for a while. Oh, don’t look at me like that. Even the lowest-ranking Hunters in those guilds know that.”

“Yes, well. So?”

I wasn’t hiding there, so it’s a fact that any affiliated Hunter would know. You could ask anyone and they’d know.

“But that period… coincidentally overlapped with the A-class raid periods of each guild.”

“……”

Jackson took my silence as agreement and continued.

“It can’t be a coincidence. You’re not affiliated with either guild. So, it’s related to the raids. Back then, you were only E-class, but I know that both guilds treated you very preciously.”

The conclusion drawn by combining simple facts wasn’t difficult, but it certainly required interest to derive it.

“So, you became interested and wanted to meet me in person, is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes, I thought there was no way they would do that without a reason.”

What’s certain is that he’s only guessing and doesn’t know the real reason.

“So, what do you think? What are your impressions of seeing me in person?”

[Skill ‘Gentle Sunlight’ is activated.]

Huh, now?

I was inwardly flustered but tried to maintain my composure.

“Park Seo-ah, you’re more beautiful in person than in the photos. I felt it when I saw you briefly in the lounge, but you’re quite lovely. But….”

Flirting as soon as Gentle Sunlight is activated. Or is he just this kind of person? I wondered.

“As a Hunter, you feel more ordinary than I expected. That makes me even more curious. What is it that hasn’t been revealed?”

“Am I supposed to satisfy your curiosity here?”

At my question, the corners of Jackson’s lips curved gracefully.

He leaned back in his chair and placed his clasped hands on the desk.

“As the Guild Master of the Heaven Guild, I’ll formally state it here. I would like to invite Hunter Park Seo-ah to join our Heaven Guild as a temporary member.”

“A temporary member of Heaven….”

Oscar Jackson watched me mutter with a confident expression.

The position offered was only a ‘temporary member,’ but he had a face that said he would never be rejected.

And for good reason, the Heaven Guild is the best in America, no, the best in the world.

There were only 20 members, but no one on Earth treated Heaven as a small guild.

Because all the members of Heaven were S-class.