I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 190

190.

“Hmm, looks like you spoke first.”

“Yes, so at least… we can move around on equal footing, I guess.”

Even if Seo-ah hadn’t spoken first, Jackson would have taken Park Seo-ah into the gate.

But if it hadn’t been Seo-ah’s own will, like now, he wouldn’t have released her restraints and would have kept her as a hostage, literally.

“Are you sure it’s okay? Are those guys really…”

“It’s okay, at least they promised not to let me die.”

Maker shook his head, watching Seo-ah smile weakly.

“If you get caught up in this even after being known this much, the world will be even more turned upside down when they find out about your real ability.”

That real ability meant [Genie of the Lamp, referring to her wish-granting power].

“Still, it will be known someday, I’m prepared for it.”

Until now, it hadn’t spread because she had only used it on a small number of people who were friendly to Seo-ah. But it won’t be this quiet forever.

She needed the power to protect herself. That power didn’t necessarily mean force alone.

“Anyway, right now I’m just thinking about finishing this gate safely.”

Seo-ah looked towards the window where the sun had fully risen.

‘They must have already arrived.’

They would have gone by plane. They must already be at the port, waiting for them to arrive. It hadn’t been long since they parted, but she already missed them.

‘If I can’t move with them here….’

As soon as she got off, she could tell Yoo Ji-an everything and immediately call Han Seok-hyun to request protection for her younger brother, Geon-hoo.

But then he would have to live his whole life in tension and unfreely. Both Geon-hoo and herself.

After a few hours, the ship finally slowed down and entered the port. Seeing the Japanese flag in the distance, it seemed they had arrived in Japan.

Before the ship reached the dock, Jackson approached Seo-ah.

“The contract starts now. From now until you come out of the gate.”

Seo-ah turned her head sharply and stared at Jackson with a stern expression, and Jackson, who met her eyes, twisted up the corners of his lips.

“Once this raid is over, you will lose all interest in Park Geon-hoo. Don’t forget.”

“Of course, it’s an oath made on the Fragment of the Oath, so it will definitely be kept.”

Jackson promised to protect Seo-ah’s ‘life’ and not to touch Geon-hoo in any way after coming out of the gate. For reference, Jackson bet both of his legs.

As soon as the ship docked and they got off with Jackson and the others, familiar faces appeared. Baek Eun-hee, Yoo Ji-an, Choi Eun-gyeol, and Song Jin-ah were all there.

“Seo-ah!”

As Seo-ah was about to wave and greet them, an ice barrier suddenly appeared in front of her.

And Jackson snatched Seo-ah and made her stand in front of him.

Bang!

With an explosive noise, the ice barrier collapsed powerlessly. Soon, Seo-ah squeezed her eyes shut at the flashing golden light.

Seo-ah now had F-class stats, making it impossible to even avoid it. But the light and noise soon subsided.

“…You.”

Instead, she heard a familiar voice suppressing anger.

When Seo-ah opened her eyes, she saw Yoo Ji-an retracting the Ruin Blade he had been aiming this way.

Jackson had used Seo-ah as a shield and hostage against the Korean hunters.

“…Ah.”

Behind him, Baek Eun-hee and Choi Eun-gyeol were also visible.

“You’re using Seo-ah noona [term for older sister or female friend] as a shield? Wow, that’s really cheap.”

“Just say the word, Seo-ah. We can wipe them all out if you want.”

Everyone was ready to attack at any moment, as if waiting for Seo-ah’s word.

Even in front of the world’s number one ranked hunter and the Heaven Guild, they showed no signs of shrinking back.

Perhaps displeased with that, the air around Jackson grew even colder.

Ruben and Mila, who were bringing Maker out from behind Jackson, stood next to Jackson with their weapons. Among them, Mila avoided the Korean hunters’ gazes and looked elsewhere, as if she was a little embarrassed by Jackson.

In a situation where both sides were in a tense standoff, Jackson spoke calmly from behind Seo-ah in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Hunter Park Seo-ah, I told you earlier. Please take good care of me.”

“…Let me go first.”

Jackson was still holding Seo-ah’s shoulder tightly. He was holding it so tightly that it felt like her shoulder would break.

“A conversation is okay, isn’t it?”

As Seo-ah spoke curtly and twisted her body, Jackson finally let go of her shoulder.

As soon as Seo-ah broke free from Jackson, Yoo Ji-an hugged her tightly and stepped back.

“…Ah.”

“Your body, are you hurt anywhere?”

His suppressed voice leaked out between Yoo Ji-an’s rough breaths. Seo-ah barely nodded, controlling her surging emotions.

“I’m okay, I am.”

Then Baek Eun-hee, Choi Eun-gyeol, and Song Jin-ah approached.

“Seo-ah.”

“Unnie [another term for older sister or female friend].”

After lightly hugging Baek Eun-hee, she met eyes with Song Jin-ah. Song Jin-ah examined Seo-ah’s condition more carefully.

“It’s been eventful.”

Seo-ah smiled faintly. Come to think of it, it was the first time she had met Song Jin-ah since she had cast [Genie of the Lamp] on her.

“It’s okay now. What do you say, should we burn them all down?”

Choi Eun-gyeol created flames in her hand, as if judging that it was safe now that Seo-ah had come to this side.

“No!”

Seo-ah hurriedly blocked Choi Eun-gyeol. When she turned around, Jackson was waving his hand and smiling leisurely.

“Noona?”

“What’s wrong, Seo-ah.”

Choi Eun-gyeol and Baek Eun-hee called Seo-ah in confusion, and Yoo Ji-an glanced at Jackson with serious eyes before looking at her.

“You promised something.”

It was strange that Jackson, who had even kidnapped Seo-ah, would bring her all the way here and release her willingly.

“I agreed to help them while staying with them until this raid is over. And to protect their lives too… on the Fragment of the Oath.”

Baek Eun-hee exclaimed in disbelief, listening to Seo-ah speaking in a gloomy voice.

“No, they asked you to protect them? Seriously, I can’t stand how pathetic they are. If they’re so scared, they should just drop out of the raid, why are they putting you forward?”

“It’s kind of funny. Isn’t risking your life what you’re supposed to do when you go on a raid?”

Choi Eun-gyeol also openly sneered with sunken eyes. Even so, they couldn’t take their worried eyes off Seo-ah.

“What did you bet?”

Yoo Ji-an, who had been listening quietly, asked.

“Maker-nim’s legs and, Geon-hoo’s safety…”

Seo-ah’s face darkened as she answered. Baek Eun-hee clicked her tongue and patted Seo-ah’s shoulder at the conditions that Seo-ah had no choice but to accept.

“Don’t worry, they won’t die even if they try to die.”

“Then should I go over there and help a little? My specialty is keeping people alive.”

As Song Jin-ah casually chimed in, Seo-ah shook her head firmly.

“No, then I’ll be worried about you all and won’t be able to concentrate. There’s a healer over there too.”

“Why are you worrying about us?”

“Why wouldn’t I worry? You’re all people I like.”

Baek Eun-hee sighed and hugged Seo-ah once more. She lightly shook hands with Choi Eun-gyeol.

“Come here anytime if you don’t like it, Noona.”

“Thank you.”

Seo-ah said goodbye to Song Jin-ah and Choi Eun-gyeol, and finally met eyes with Yoo Ji-an.

Seo-ah could tell that he was very conflicted.

“I’m okay, I am.”

Seo-ah held Yoo Ji-an’s hand tightly with both hands. Yoo Ji-an said with a sigh at Seo-ah’s calm eyes.

“Your will was also involved, to some extent.”

Seo-ah hesitated for a moment, then nodded slowly. Jackson had threatened her, but Seo-ah had definitely brought it up first.

“Sorry for making you worry.”

Yoo Ji-an silently took out a thin ring from his inventory and put it on Seo-ah’s finger.

“What is this?”

“It lets me know if you’re alive or not. And I can communicate with you from not too far away. And it also has the function to neutralize attacks. Only once, though.”

“That’s good.”

“All the teams will be together in the final boss fight. We’ll be able to meet again.”

“Then this gate…”

Seo-ah hesitated, about to ask how to clear it.

First of all, the people around her didn’t know that Yoo Ji-an was a regressor, and she also thought that she shouldn’t ask him to tell her this since she was on a different team.

Yoo Ji-an seemed to have understood her intentions, and smiled faintly and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

“Go, be careful.”

It was the first time he had done this in front of everyone, so Seo-ah looked around with a flushed face and approached the American hunters hesitantly. But as soon as she got a little further away, she heard Yoo Ji-an’s voice in her head.

– Don’t interpret the first mission you receive literally, try to resolve it as peacefully as possible.

– Ah, peacefully. Then will I not have to face the Red Dragon?

– No, you’ll end up meeting the Red Dragon no matter what. But the difficulty seems to change. The mission changes every time I go….

Yoo Ji-an’s voice cut off there.