I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 162

162.

“I’ll take a large mango banana shake, please.”

While Kang Su-jeong was showering, Seo-ah sat in the first-floor cafe and ordered in advance.

While Su-jeong was running away from Seo-ah, drenched in sweat, Seo-ah didn’t even break a sweat.

Actually, it wasn’t physically difficult, but rather difficult to control her strength.

It was subtly nerve-wracking to maintain a level of intensity that was threatening to Su-jeong, a D-rank, but not severely harmful.

‘Hunter Yu Ji-an used to train me before. I wonder if that’s how she felt.’

She couldn’t help but feel a sense of profound change. Back then, she was even weaker than Su-jeong.

She smiled, recalling the not-so-distant past. A moment later, the mango banana shake arrived, and soon Kang Su-jeong came up.

“Hehe, sis.”

She looked like she was about to die before going into the shower, but after showering, a broad smile bloomed on her face.

“How is it? Did it improve a bit?”

When Seo-ah asked, Su-jeong moved her chair close to Seo-ah and whispered.

“Um, my strength stat is now 40. The limit for E-rank is 20, so it’s twice as much…”

“Wow, you’ve grown a lot. Good job!”

“Thank you, it’s all thanks to you, sis.”

Su-jeong stuck a straw in her drink and took a sip, grinning, but soon her expression turned dark.

“What’s wrong?”

Seo-ah asked, puzzled by her expression.

“I haven’t been able to do any real combat lately, just training, so I don’t know how much my skills have improved. The stats are definitely going up, though.”

“Hmm, that’s true, I guess.”

The Taeyang Guild did not send underage Hunters to Gates [dungeons]. Even if they did, they were accompanied by an adult Hunter as a guardian and participated in a limited capacity.

Even then, most of them participated from C-rank onwards, so Su-jeong didn’t get a chance.

To really feel that you’re getting stronger, real raids are the best.

‘Should I look for a Gate separately outside?’

“Oh, it’s Noh Yun-ji.”

Su-jeong noticed Noh Yun-ji walking in the lobby and called out to her.

Noh Yun-ji also turned around, and when she saw Seo-ah sitting next to Su-jeong, she flinched.

Noh Yun-ji must have heard the news that Seo-ah had become an S-rank.

“Hi, how have you been?”

Only after Seo-ah greeted her first did Noh Yun-ji approach with a slightly relieved face and greet her.

“Hello.”

Seo-ah could tell at a glance that Noh Yun-ji had grown quite a bit compared to before. The aura and magic power emanating from her had become stronger than before.

Of course, she was able to tell this because Seo-ah had become an S-rank and was more sensitive to magic power.

‘How did such a child end up like that?’

Seo-ah had not forgotten what Yu Ji-an had said about Noh Yun-ji. In Yu Ji-an’s past life, Noh Yun-ji and her father, Noh Hak-yeong, had died.

At the time, she was confused as to whether it was a prophecy or something, but after learning that Yu Ji-an was a regressor [someone who has returned from the future], the puzzle pieces fell into place.

More than that, Noh Yun-ji was so stiff and unable to move, seemingly overwhelmed by Seo-ah’s gaze.

Seo-ah realized this and gestured to Noh Yun-ji.

“You can come over here.”

Only then did Noh Yun-ji exhale and come over to sit in the chair.

Looking at the way Noh Yun-ji and Kang Su-jeong exchanged glances, it seemed that the two had become quite comfortable with each other.

“Where have you been? You don’t look so good.”

When Seo-ah pulled out a chair next to her, Noh Yun-ji sat down, looking around.

“…I’m coming back from seeing my dad.”

“Oh, really?”

Su-jeong asked, but didn’t seem too interested and just sipped her drink.

Seo-ah continued the conversation that had been interrupted earlier.

“Anyway, Su-jeong, I’ll see if there’s a Gate you can go to.”

“Oh, you don’t have to bother. I was just complaining.”

Su-jeong waved her hand, smiling as if she was okay. Then Noh Yun-ji interjected.

“Gate?”

“Ah, a Gate for Su-jeong to go to. She wanted to gain some real combat experience.”

Hearing that, Noh Yun-ji suddenly grabbed Kang Su-jeong’s hand.

“Um… !”

When Kang Su-jeong looked at her with a questioning look, Noh Yun-ji added urgently.

“Do you want to go with me? To a Gate.”

“Gate?”

“There’s one that I’ve reserved to go with my dad. The level is a bit high, though.”

“The level is high? What is it?”

Noh Yun-ji glanced at Kang Su-jeong and Park Seo-ah once each, and then spoke in a smaller voice than before.

“C-rank.”

“Huh? Is there another Hunter involved besides you two?”

“…No.”

“Isn’t Noh Hak-yeong a D-rank? And you’re a C-rank. But how can you two… Ugh!”

Noh Yun-ji covered Kang Su-jeong’s mouth, who was raising her voice. At the same time, she subtly glanced at Seo-ah. She seemed to be seeking Seo-ah’s help.

Seo-ah left Noh Yun-ji alone and pondered.

‘Going to a C-rank Gate with just the two of them is like suicide. Hunter Yu Ji-an said that the two of them died in the past because of excessive greed. Is this because of that?’

“Puhah! Let go!”

Kang Su-jeong shook off Noh Yun-ji’s hand and questioned her.

“Even if you two apply, the association wouldn’t accept it. You guys didn’t trade, did you?”

It was a matter of course, but trading Gates was illegal. But it wasn’t something that never happened.

The method was to gather fake Hunters to match the rank, apply for a Gate, and then hand it over to the desired Hunter in exchange for a fee.

“I don’t know, me neither. Up to the process.”

Noh Yun-ji crossed her arms and slumped down in her chair.

“I know that the two of us can’t do it. That’s why I’m asking you to come with me.”

“Even if I join… Hey, I’m only a D-rank, which you usually ignore so much, you know?”

“…If you come, naturally.”

Noh Yun-ji omitted the last word, but answered with a gaze towards Seo-ah.

“When is the raid?”

“The gate will open tomorrow evening. But… we probably won’t go in right away.”

Seo-ah frowned slightly. Seo-ah recalled Noh Hak-yeong making a fuss in the association lobby before.

He wanted a Gate assignment for his next nomination. That meant he wanted an issue [a high-profile event to gain attention].

However, it would be difficult if the fact that he illegally received the Gate assignment was revealed…

“You’re waiting until right before the Gate Break [when the dungeon collapses and monsters spill out into the real world].”

“…That’s right.”

“Yun-ji, why don’t you try to stop him? It’s not something the two of you can handle.”

Noh Yun-ji clenched her fist and slammed it on the table. It made a loud noise, but fortunately, the table made for Hunters did not break.

“I tried to stop him! That’s why he said he’d go alone! How can I… let him go alone? He’ll really die if I do.”

“Hmm.”

So Noh Hak-yeong is being greedy, and Noh Yun-ji couldn’t stand it and went with him, only to get caught up in it and die.

Seo-ah didn’t like Noh Hak-yeong at all, but she didn’t feel comfortable with Noh Yun-ji dying because of it.

Noh Yun-ji sighed and said.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to. I still have to go. I can’t let my dad die. He’s my only family, even if he’s like that.”

“There’s really no answer.”

Kang Su-jeong barely held back a curse at the word ‘family’ and shook her head.

“…What should I do, sis?”

Su-jeong turned to Seo-ah, and Seo-ah chuckled.

“I’m only going as Su-jeong’s guardian.”

“Oh, sis?”

Su-jeong called out to Seo-ah in surprise, and Seo-ah turned to Su-jeong.

“Anyway, you need a somewhat difficult opponent. If you keep fighting only me, your senses will become dull. You know that I won’t kill you.”

Seo-ah explained [Breakthrough] indirectly, being conscious of Noh Yun-ji.

“That’s true, but… still…”

Kang Su-jeong nodded and trailed off. In fact, Su-jeong seemed to want to go. Su-jeong had already experienced C-rank once in the association’s tutorial Gate.

Noh Yun-ji’s eyes widened as if she didn’t really expect her to agree.

“Really, are you going with us?”

“Yes, only as Su-jeong’s guardian. I won’t step in unless a really dangerous situation arises. Your father will want that too.”

“…Yes, he will.”

“Where is it located?”

“I’ll send it to you in a text message.”

Seo-ah nodded and paused for a moment before opening her mouth.

“I’ll go wearing a mask. Just adjust accordingly.”

Seo-ah didn’t forget that she was now a somewhat well-known figure. Noh Hak-yeong was a politician, and she could get into trouble later if she got involved.

Fortunately, Noh Yun-ji understood well.

“I’ll say you’re a senior I met at the Taeyang Guild. Should I say you’re about B-rank?”

“Yeah, that’s appropriate.”

“And the item distribution is…”

Before Noh Yun-ji could finish speaking, Seo-ah interjected.

“Let’s just take care of our own. I won’t take anything anyway.”

Noh Yun-ji nodded. At the same time, she looked at Seo-ah with strange eyes.

‘Did her personality change as she became an S-rank?’

She used to be kind but weak and indecisive. Now that I see her, it’s amazing that she doesn’t seem like that at all.