I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 199

199.

Fortunately, they weren’t far away.

As soon as they rounded the building, they spotted a bustling market. Merchants were displaying their wares and haggling with customers.

The group found themselves in the heart of the market.

Jackson, noticing Seo-ah, smirked.

“You’re back sooner than I expected.”

“Yes.”

*Sooner than he expected? What does he think I am?* Seo-ah grumbled inwardly, while discreetly checking on the others. No one appeared injured, but she felt obligated to confirm their safety to maintain the ridiculous pretense of ‘protection’.

Ruben and Mila were captivated by the sights and sounds of the market.

While the market primarily offered food and everyday goods, it also featured stalls selling unusual weapons and intriguing items.

“This is a sturdy belt made of orc leather! You can hang all sorts of things on it, like this,” one merchant exclaimed.

Seo-ah’s attention was drawn to the fascinating display.

“If I buy something like this, can I even take it back with us when we leave?” Mila wondered aloud.

Ruben scoffed at Mila’s question.

“Do you really think so?”

“Maybe not, but I can’t buy it anyway because I don’t have any money here. I wonder if they’d accept an orc tooth as payment?”

“Ah, why are you worrying so much? Just give it a try,” Ruben said dismissively.

Mila clicked her tongue, feigning disappointment, while Ruben swaggered over to a stall and snatched an item.

“Hey…!”

Ruben, employing the swift movements of an S-class Hunter, attempted to pocket the item. He tried to store it in his inventory, but it wouldn’t work, so he simply held it in his hand.

Unsurprisingly, the merchant noticed the theft.

“Y-you… you thief! That’s worth a fortune!”

The merchant lunged forward and grabbed Ruben by the collar.

Other merchants joined in, shouting and calling for the security forces.

“How dare this bastard try to steal from us? He’s not even human!” one yelled.

Ruben didn’t seem to grasp the gravity of the situation, failing to recognize the gate as a real place with consequences. Jackson, belatedly realizing what was happening, frowned.

“Ruben.”

Before Jackson could intervene, Ruben casually shrugged off the merchant, sending him stumbling backward and landing heavily on the ground.

“Oh no, the thief is attacking people!”

“He hit someone!”

“Who is that? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him before,” onlookers exclaimed.

Seo-ah, witnessing the scene unfold, was dumbfounded.

“…Ha.”

She couldn’t fathom how they could brazenly stroll into the middle of the market after sneaking in, or why they would attempt to steal something and get caught so clumsily.

“Stop….”

Just as she was about to step in, several figures in familiar uniforms appeared. It was the security force.

Seo-ah activated her State Checker and quickly scanned them. Two out of the ten were monsters [Security Force Member].

“T-that’s him! And his group looks suspicious too!” the merchant cried, pointing at Ruben.

Jackson scowled at the sight of the security force and grabbed Ruben by the scruff of his neck.

“Get a grip, Ruben. They’re monsters.”

“Monsters? Oh ho, then I have to catch them!”

Ruben seemed thrilled and reached for his weapon, but Jackson stopped him.

“Stay out of it; you can’t handle this cleanly.”

“What?”

“Just watch.”

Jackson didn’t even draw a weapon. He simply snapped his thumb and forefinger together, creating a small, cold, and intensely powerful whirlwind.

Just as it was about to strike the security force, Seo-ah swiftly jumped in front.

“Wait a minute!”

Jackson’s [Blizzard], which had narrowly missed her, dissipated into nothingness.

Jackson narrowed his eyes. He was certain he hadn’t used the skill at full power.

Moreover, he had withdrawn his magic the instant he saw Seo-ah move. Even so, it shouldn’t have vanished so easily.

However, not only the [Blizzard] but even the residual cold air behind Seo-ah was completely extinguished.

“You seem to have learned how to increase the range of your [Cold Resistance].”

Seo-ah didn’t respond to his observation. Instead, she said something else.

“You can’t just kill them, you know what happens if you read the explanation.”

“Even if a hundred people rush me, I can wipe them all out. I don’t need to avoid attacks, even if I don’t want to bother attacking first.”

“If you use that skill, you’ll definitely harm non-monsters too. We haven’t received a mission yet. Will the system really protect the NPCs [Non-Player Characters; characters controlled by the game] separately?”

The surrounding merchants were still chattering, seemingly oblivious to most of Seo-ah and Jackson’s conversation.

She had noticed it before, but it seemed that information about the gate or the system was filtered out for the gate residents.

Seeing Jackson remain silent, Seo-ah continued.

“My role is to ensure you clear this gate safely. I’m just doing my part. What if our mission is to protect these residents? We can subdue them at any time if necessary. Just don’t kill them, not now.”

Of course, Seo-ah knew that the final mission was hunting the ‘Red Dragon,’ but she chose to omit that information. It wouldn’t be wise to appear as if she knew too much.

“Not now? Very well.”

Jackson stepped back, seemingly understanding her reasoning. But unlike Jackson, Ruben wasn’t going to let it go so easily.

“What are you saying, you little Oriental bitch!”

The apparent captain of the security force shouted in a booming voice. This man was not a monster.

“Stop! Identify yourselves! How did you get in here? If you don’t answer, I’ll arrest you immediately.”

The number of approaching security forces was increasing.

Jackson stared at Seo-ah, his expression questioning her next move.

*Will this work?* Seo-ah wondered.

Seo-ah retrieved the [Identification Tag] she had received as a reward for incapacitating the [Security Force Member] earlier and presented it to them.

It was clearly the [Security Force Member]’s tag, but the moment Seo-ah possessed it, it changed to display her name, Park Seo-ah.

“Hmm, the identity is clear. Then who are these people?”

The security captain’s tone softened after confirming the identification tag. It seemed that the identification tag held more significance than he had initially thought.

“They are my acquaintances who are visiting me.”

“I see, but it seems to be true that they tried to steal, so I can’t just let it go. Especially that one; the Lord will pass judgment on him.”

“How dare these bastards….”

Jackson glared coldly at the growling Ruben.

“Ruben, cooperate. Our protector is telling us to cooperate, right? For now.”

Ruben always obeyed Jackson’s commands.

“Alright. But if they act too much like beggars, I’ll do as I please.”

“Okay.”

Among the security force members, there was also a paladin [A warrior fighting for a holy cause]. He stepped forward and chanted, and chains of pure white light materialized, wrapping around Ruben.

“Crazy! What is this!”

That beggar-like moment, in Ruben’s estimation, had arrived immediately. He struggled to break free, but the chains only tightened further.

Looking at the State Checker, the [Paladin] was also a monster. And an A-class one, higher ranked than the average [Security Force Member].

Moreover, those chains seemed impossible to break with brute force.

Just in case, Seo-ah hurriedly added.

“Please don’t hurt him!”

*Because I’ll be the one with a headache,* she thought.

The security captain nodded.

“If you don’t resist, you won’t get hurt.”

Seo-ah turned to Jackson. Since Ruben wouldn’t listen to her anyway, she didn’t even bother looking at him.

“Let’s follow them for now. Since they mentioned a Lord, they might give us the main mission.”

At her words, Jackson nodded to Ruben, and Ruben, wearing a dissatisfied expression, was led away quietly. The rest of the group followed behind him.

They were escorted to the castle where the Lord resided. As soon as they entered, as if it had been prearranged, the Lord was already presiding over the judgment of other criminals.

There were already dozens of prisoners who had been brought in that day. [Paladins] and [Security Force Members] stood guard, preventing any attempts to escape.

Without even glancing at Seo-ah’s group, the Lord mechanically delivered judgments with a bored expression.

“You’re innocent, next.”

“T-thank you! Lord!”

The Lord waved his hand dismissively at the man, who was shedding tears and expressing his gratitude. Then the next person stepped forward.

It was an old woman.

“I-I really didn’t do anything to the food! Really!”

“Our children have been having stomachaches for days after eating the food that old woman made! Lord, please punish that woman!”

“Has this never happened before?” the Lord asked indifferently.

The accuser answered the Lord’s question.

“No, they were very healthy children!”

“Okay, then….”

The Lord paused for a moment before declaring decisively.

“Guilty.”

“Oh no!”

The old woman collapsed and began to cry, and soldiers approached and dragged her to one side.

“Too bad, what can that old woman even do in the subjugation squad?”

“They’ll just use her as bait, tsk,” people waiting for judgment near Seo-ah’s group clicked their tongues and sympathized with the old woman. Seo-ah, overhearing their conversation, quickly turned to the person who had spoken.

“Subjugation squad?”

“Huh? Why are you reacting like you’re hearing it for the first time? If you’re found guilty, you become part of the subjugation squad that hunts the Red Dragon.”