I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 181

181.

Song Jina approached Seoah with a smile.

“That was an interesting sight, Hunter Park Seoah. To raise a C-grade hunter to the level of a B-grade, it’s astonishing no matter how many times I think about it.”

Perhaps if they had a little more time, the C-grade hunter might have won. However, that would have damaged the B-grade hunter’s reputation, so they stopped at an appropriate moment.

Seoah was well aware of that intention.

‘I got too absorbed in it.’

Seeing the B-grade hunter leave after saying goodbye, Song Jina said,

“Now, let me show you other places.”

“Yes, ah… just a moment. I wanted to share what I felt while directly supporting this person. Would that be alright?”

Seoah said, looking at the C-grade hunter who still had a dazed expression. Song Jina looked surprised but readily agreed.

“It’s something that would help our guild member, so of course, it’s fine.”

Seeing Seoah hesitate slightly, Song Jina said she would wait outside.

The C-grade hunter looked at Seoah with nervous eyes.

“Um, Hunter Park Seoah… this is, well, about my stats.”

Of course, he would be surprised. There had never been a case where stats increased permanently, beyond the grade limit, and not just temporarily due to a buff [a temporary increase in stats].

Seoah calmed herself and deliberately approached him with a blank expression. She also slightly amplified her S-grade aura.

Seeing the C-grade hunter flinch, she moved closer and whispered in a voice so quiet that even Song Jina outside couldn’t hear.

“If you reveal this to anyone, the effect will disappear.”

“…Ah.”

Seoah stared intently into the C-grade hunter’s eyes.

“Do you understand what I mean?”

The C-grade hunter nodded vigorously and mimed zipping his mouth shut.

“Good.”

Seoah turned around with a smile. The C-grade hunter said to her back,

“Um, my name is Seong Hyeonjin!”

Seoah paused and looked back, nodding once as if she understood, then continued walking.

‘Actually, it’s not a complete secret…’

The S-grades already knew, and she had used [Breakthrough] in the C-grade gate where [Tarantula] appeared. Back then, she didn’t fully understand the hunter world, so she didn’t specifically keep it a secret.

‘It doesn’t seem like he’s the type to spread rumors, but you never know.’

In any case, now that she had said this, she didn’t think any hunter would give up their hard-earned stats just to reveal it to someone else.

Even if a few people knew, it couldn’t be helped, but she didn’t want it to become common knowledge. Seoah didn’t have the confidence to handle the attention that would come with it.

‘I should use it from time to time in the future.’

Of course, she had also thought about what to do after it spread to some extent.

Coming out of the training room, Song Jina was waiting, leaning against the wall.

“Are you done?”

Seeing Seoah nod, Song Jina didn’t ask further. It was probably her way of being considerate.

“This way are the theory education room and the library. It’s a place to systematically learn strategies for different types of gates [dungeons] and monsters.”

Other guilds also had similar facilities, but the Angel Guild felt more systematic.

It seemed they were compensating for their relatively weak combat power compared to other guilds in this way. And the strategies they researched were sold to other guilds at high prices.

“That’s really impressive.”

Song Jina shrugged at Seoah’s brief admiration.

“We’ve put in a lot of effort. But, there are things that can’t be done even with effort.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hunter Park Seoah, you’re a support type, so you know, we suffer from a chronic lack of mana [magical energy].”

“…Ah.”

Even though it was less so after becoming an S-grade, Seoah had often felt mana shortages.

First of all, passive skills that ran automatically constantly drained mana, and buff skills consumed more mana than regular combat skills.

In particular, Seoah’s buff skills had long durations and large increases, so after casting three types of buffs, her mana would drop from 7,000 to 3,000.

If she didn’t quickly replenish it with potions, it would be difficult to use them continuously. But it wasn’t easy to drink potions during combat.

“Hunter Song Jina, do you also experience that?”

“Of course, it’s a chronic problem for recovery and support types. I’m no exception. Anyway, if only the mana supply were a bit smoother, I and our guild could be more active.”

As soon as Song Jina finished muttering regretfully, a system window appeared in front of Seoah.

[Hunter ‘Song Jina’s’ wish has been received. The skill ‘Genie of the Lamp’ is activated!]

[Hunter ‘Song Jina’s’ wish is “I wish the mana supply were smoother.” Would you like to grant it? Y/N]

Surprised, Seoah focused on managing her expression and looked at Song Jina.

Song Jina shrugged and smiled, facing Seoah.

“Well, what can’t be done can’t be done. So, I’m trying to secure items that increase mana recovery as much as possible, even more prioritized than other weapons. Well, enough of the boring talk… where should we go next? Shall I show you the cafeteria?”

“Hunter Song Jina.”

Seoah called out to Song Jina, who was about to walk ahead, in a low voice, and gently grabbed her wrist.

“This way…”

Then, she led her into a suitably secluded space.

[Hunter ‘Song Jina’s’ wish granted: Skill ‘Mana Battery’]

Song Jina, who had been dragged along by Seoah, looked dumbfounded, as if she was seeing the same system window as Seoah.

“What is this, Hunter Park Seoah?”

“That’s… my repayment.”

She couldn’t gloss over it or hide it like she did with Kang Sujeong or Yang Taewoo.

Seoah gave Song Jina time to understand the situation. Meanwhile, she examined the newly created skill, [Mana Battery].

[Mana Battery: Mana recovery is increased by 3 times. Rapid charging is also possible in emergencies.]

‘Wow, amazing. Save it immediately!’

[Please empty a slot.]

Ah, all three slots are full. What should I discard?

As Seoah was about to check the slots, she flinched at Song Jina’s gaze, which was fixed on her, and faced her.

“Hunter Park Seoah, I think we need a deeper conversation.”

“…….”

This time, Seoah’s arm was grabbed by Song Jina instead.

Song Jina immediately took Seoah up to her office, and Seoah obediently followed.

‘Let’s just tell her some of it… just some of it.’

Thud-

“Hoo… so.”

The door closed. Back in the room, Song Jina tried to calm herself, but it didn’t seem to work.

[Skill ‘Silent Night’ is activated.]

“Please sit down, Guild Leader.”

Seoah led Song Jina to the sofa and sat her down. Seoah sat opposite her.

Song Jina, who had looked dazed for a while, quickly stabilized and leaned back on the sofa, crossing her legs and looking at Seoah.

Seoah became restless under her intense gaze.

“Mana Battery.”

She hadn’t done anything wrong, or rather, she had given a gift, but why did she feel like she was being interrogated? Of course, she had to explain.

“It’s Hunter Park Seoah, isn’t it? The fact that this skill appeared at this timing.”

Seoah nodded slowly.

“It’s a kind of wish-granting skill.”

“…….”

“It doesn’t grant all wishes, but it creates a skill based on the ability that the hunter is lacking.”

“…Now.”

Song Jina’s voice seemed to tremble slightly as she listened to the explanation. Then, she stared at Seoah with eyes that looked as if she was seeing something very desirable.

“Do you know what Hunter Park Seoah said in front of me? Do you trust me?”

Song Jina’s aura surged with greed.

She felt like she wanted to capture and lock Seoah up right away. Until now, she had only thought of pleasing Seoah to gain benefits, and it would be ideal if she could also induce her to join the guild.

But to create skills from wishes…

There was no one like this anywhere. Not items, not people. Not even any other hunter.

If she could capture only Park Seoah, Song Jina and the Angel Guild could become the strongest in Korea, no, the strongest in the world.

Seoah, who directly received Song Jina’s energy, smiled slightly and waved her hand.

“It has nothing to do with trust; the activation conditions are very strict.”

Judging from Seoah’s attitude, she didn’t seem to be worried at all that she might be captured. Well, if that were the case, she wouldn’t have come here alone to repay her.

Song Jina regained her composure when her thoughts reached that point. She took a deep breath and exhaled, gathering her unrefined energy.

Still, she was greedy, so she asked with anticipation.

“What are the activation conditions?”

“Affinity.”

“…Affinity?”

She knew the word ‘affinity,’ but it was unfamiliar as a hunter term.

“It can only be used on someone I’m close to and who I like. Also, that person must have something they clearly desire, and I have to understand it… and lastly.”

Seoah continued, watching Song Jina’s face gradually calm down.

“The recipient must not reveal it to anyone. Then the skill will disappear, and I will never do the same thing again.”

Song Jina opened her mouth slightly and then closed it tightly, and she fell into silent contemplation. Seoah quietly waited for her.

As if she had come to a conclusion, Song Jina laughed humorlessly.