I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 210

210.

After finishing their late dinner, they relaxed and chatted. The banquet prepared by the Japanese side was scheduled for the afternoon the next day, so they had free time until then.

Of course, Cha Tae-woon and Noh Hak-young would still be busy working.

Seo-ah leaned back on the sofa, while Yoo Ji-an lay horizontally with his head on her lap.

“So, when will the Legend Gate… open?”

Seo-ah unconsciously stroked Yoo Ji-an’s hair. The feeling of the smooth hair slipping through her fingers was ticklish and pleasant.

Yoo Ji-an replied with his eyes closed, “It won’t be long. Everything is moving a little faster than before.”

“Is it very strong? No, it must be strong.”

Even the SS-class Gate was that dangerous. Anyone could have died. And it was likely to be Seo-ah.

Yoo Ji-an’s eyelids fluttered open, and he looked up at Seo-ah. His gaze made the hand that was stroking his hair freeze.

Instead, Yoo Ji-an’s hand came up and tucked Seo-ah’s stray hair behind her ear.

“You don’t have to go. I don’t want you to be in danger.”

“But Hunter Yoo Ji-an will go, right?”

Seo-ah pouted, and Yoo Ji-an responded with a faint smile.

“Then I’ll go too. If we can’t stop the Legend Gate, everyone will die anyway. And also…”

Seo-ah recalled the warning the system gave her when she fainted in the SS-class Gate. The warning that creating the [Time Stop] skill would bring her closer to the ‘Final Boss.’

“Also?”

“Um, no, just… You said you’ve been to the Final Boss before, right?”

“I went, but I didn’t see its true form. I died before I even encountered it.”

“Ah…”

So, Yoo Ji-an probably doesn’t know much about the Final Boss either.

When Seo-ah didn’t speak, Yoo Ji-an sat up and met her eyes. Seo-ah suddenly became flustered as their faces got closer.

“Why, what’s wrong?”

His dark eyes grew deeper as he carefully examined Seo-ah’s expression.

“You’re hiding something.”

“……”

Yoo Ji-an doesn’t even have [Emotional Transfer], but how is he so perceptive?

Seo-ah looked down and hesitated.

“When I briefly fainted in the SS-class Gate, I saw a system message.”

“What did it say?”

“It said that when the [Time Stop] skill is created, creating it would bring me closer to the ‘Final Boss.’”

“Before…”

“It never happened before.”

“[Time Stop] was the only one that triggered that reaction…”

Yoo Ji-an’s expression turned serious after hearing Seo-ah’s words. Seo-ah waited patiently for him to finish thinking.

“I’m also speculating that my regression is related to the Final Boss.”

“Regression?”

Yoo Ji-an nodded once and then sat next to Seo-ah, gently putting his arm around her shoulder.

Seo-ah naturally leaned her head on his shoulder and listened to his story.

“I felt that way right before I died in the third timeline. I couldn’t grasp the exact clue, but it also reacted to [Time Stop]…”

“What is the system? Does it have a will?”

“To be precise, there is a system administrator.”

“Did you see them?”

Seo-ah asked with wide eyes. Yoo Ji-an replied quietly.

“After the Legend Gate is cleared, some hunters who have been particularly active are moved to the final battlefield. Not physically, but mentally.”

“…The final battlefield.”

“But there’s a place where they stay briefly before being sent to the final battlefield. It seemed like the system administration room. And there-”

Yoo Ji-an paused slightly, choosing his words carefully before continuing.

“There was something there. That was the system administrator. It wasn’t a living being capable of direct communication. No, I don’t know if you could call it a living being.”

Yoo Ji-an stroked his chin and tilted his head diagonally.

“Hmm.”

Seo-ah made a gesture to show she was listening. Yoo Ji-an glanced down at Seo-ah, who was rubbing her face against his shoulder.

“Seo-ah, are you sleepy?”

“Um, a little…?”

“I should get going then. I won’t disturb you, so get plenty of rest until tomorrow.”

Yoo Ji-an was about to get up without hesitation, but Seo-ah quickly grabbed his hand.

“Are you leaving? Are you just going to leave like this?”

Yoo Ji-an’s expression became subtle as he looked at Seo-ah.

“What if I don’t just leave?”

“Um, stay a little longer…”

Yoo Ji-an slowly turned to Seo-ah and gradually lowered his body. Seo-ah stared at Yoo Ji-an, and her pupils wavered for a moment.

She had recalled their earlier conversation.

“Seo-ah, your face is red. Do you have a fever?”

Yoo Ji-an placed his hand on Seo-ah’s forehead. His face moved closer to Seo-ah’s face.

“Oh, no, I’m not sick.”

“Definitely… doesn’t seem like you’re sick.”

As Yoo Ji-an got closer, Seo-ah’s upper body leaned back and eventually ended up lying down.

“…Oh.”

In the face of the suddenly changed atmosphere, Seo-ah’s eyes darted around, unable to grasp the situation. A deep smile appeared on Yoo Ji-an’s lips.

“What were you thinking about?”

“……”

Seo-ah didn’t answer. Instead, she slowly blinked her eyes and closed them. Yoo Ji-an gently kissed her.

Seo-ah accepted his kiss in the same position, lying on the sofa.

As Seo-ah naturally placed her hands on his shoulders, Yoo Ji-an’s hand, which had been supporting himself on the sofa, gently wrapped around Seo-ah’s waist.

The kiss, which had started slowly, gradually became more intense.

Without realizing it, Yoo Ji-an slipped his hand under Seo-ah’s pajama top.

Seo-ah was startled and broke the kiss when she felt his fingers touching her bare waist. Yoo Ji-an also froze in place.

“……”

A moment of silence passed between them.

Yoo Ji-an remained in the same position, neither backing away nor pushing further, silently looking at Seo-ah.

As if asking for her permission.

When Seo-ah didn’t say anything with a flustered look, Yoo Ji-an gave a regretful smile and tried to back away.

The moment his hand was about to pull away, Seo-ah quickly grabbed his collar and pulled him back. Then, she mumbled something in his ear.

“Th-that…”

“Hmm?”

“I mean…”

“It’s okay, Seo-ah.”

Yoo Ji-an tried to comfort Seo-ah instead. Seo-ah bit her lip and muttered in a barely audible voice.

“L-let’s go to the bedroom.”

“……”

This time, he heard her clearly.

Yoo Ji-an’s body seemed to freeze for a moment, then his arms around Seo-ah tightened. He lifted her up and stood up.

“Kya!”

“No take-backs.”

Yoo Ji-an strode into the bedroom and closed the door with his foot.

Thump-

The door didn’t open again until the next morning.

***

Seo-ah and her group took a plane back to Korea immediately after the farewell event in Japan.

As soon as Seo-ah and her group appeared at Incheon Airport, they were swarmed by reporters.

Not only Korean reporters but also various foreign media outlets gathered, creating a huge crowd.

However, this time, Park Seo-ah received particular attention. Shizuka from the Japanese team praised Hunter Park Seo-ah, and the American team also specifically thanked Hunter Park Seo-ah at the end of their interview.

Since they couldn’t just avoid it, Seo-ah briefly responded to the interview under the supervision of the Hunter Association.

“Hunter Park Seo-ah, please tell us your thoughts on attacking the SS-class Gate this time!”

“I was happy and honored to be able to successfully complete the difficult attack with excellent hunters.”

“Is there a reason why you worked with the American team instead of the Korean team this time? There are rumors of kidnapping, is that true?”

They had already discussed this matter in advance. In fact, news about Park Seo-ah’s kidnapping had already spread secretly on the internet.

So, for a while, the hashtag ‘#ProtectHunterParkSeoah’ even ranked high in real-time search rankings on social media.

“It is true that there were communication problems during the initial transfer process. However, from the middle [point], we worked with the American team by agreement.”

She spoke vaguely but did not completely deny it. Still, Seo-ah received quite a few concessions from the American side in exchange for omitting the word ‘kidnapping.’

“We are curious about Hunter Park Seo-ah’s future plans. Which guild are you thinking of joining?”

“That’s…”

Seo-ah paused for a moment at the question. The surroundings became quiet for a moment as they waited for her answer.

“I have something in mind, but I haven’t made a decision yet. I will organize my position and tell you soon.”

“There are pink [romantic] rumors with Hunter Yoo Ji-an…!”

The last question was blocked by Cha Tae-woon, the chairman of the Hunter Association.

“We will end the interview here. Please submit the remaining questions in writing through the Hunter Association, and we will deliver them.”

“Just a moment!”

Association officials made up of lower-level hunters cleared the way through the reporters. Cha Tae-woon took Park Seo-ah to the car.

Since this was a raid that achieved diplomatic results, the Hunter Association, a national institution, is responsible for the hunters who participated in this raid.

The other hunters had already left for their respective destinations. They had already finished talking to them on the plane.

Seo-ah took the car prepared by the association and headed home.