I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 211

211.

“Park Gun-hoo, PC bang [Internet cafe] again today?”

Gun-hoo, who was packing his bag, glanced at Min Jung-won, who spoke to him, and shook his head.

“No, I have to go home early today.”

“Why?”

“My sister’s here.”

“Oh, is your sister a Hunter?”

Gun-hoo nodded, and a group of mischievous guys from the same class approached, chuckling. It was Choi Soo-won and Ahn Jung-wan.

They always enjoyed picking fights here and there, but recently, they particularly targeted Park Gun-hoo. It was just for fun, with no other reason, but Gun-hoo’s stoic reaction only egged them on.

“Your sister’s a Hunter? What, E-class? Is she at least D-class?”

Ahn Jung-wan pretended to stop Choi Soo-won, who spoke in a condescending tone.

“Hey, stop it. He’s a poor orphan as it is.”

Then, Min Jung-won, who was next to Gun-hoo, flared up instead.

“What, you little punk?”

“Ah, it’s okay. Let’s go.”

Park Gun-hoo didn’t bother to reveal that his sister was Seo-ah. He felt a little proud inside, but he wasn’t the type to brag, and he was worried it might bother his sister.

The two who were picking on him were offended that Park Gun-hoo ignored them, so they spoke even louder.

“He was an orphan? Hey, Ahn Jung-wan, you should have told me sooner. I almost made a joke about his non-existent mom and dad.”

“Well, desecrating the dead is crossing the line.”

This time, there was a reaction. Gun-hoo turned to look at them with an annoyed expression. Then, they got even more excited.

“Hey, so. Is your sister pretty?”

“What’s it to you, you bastard?”

When Gun-hoo growled, Choi Soo-won suddenly became serious.

“To feed you, she must have had a hard time running a few low-level Gates [dungeons], right? I heard there are many ways for pretty female Hunters to make money besides raids. Wow, look at him wearing Maker clothes in the meantime.”

When Choi Soo-won grabbed and shook Gun-hoo’s hoodie, Gun-hoo forcefully shook off his hand.

“Ah, is this bastard hitting people?”

Choi Soo-won smirked as if he was dumbfounded, then suddenly threw a punch. Gun-hoo barely dodged it, and Choi Soo-won, even more enraged, rushed at him with both arms outstretched.

“You son of a bitch!”

The two instantly became entangled, rolling on the floor and punching each other. The kids in the class flocked around to watch the fight.

“Hey, hey! Stop them!”

As the fight grew more intense, Ahn Jung-wan, who was on Choi Soo-won’s side, shouted in panic. He didn’t expect things to escalate this far.

Park Gun-hoo’s friend, Min Jung-won, also grabbed Gun-hoo’s waist from behind and tried to pull him away.

“Gun-hoo, calm down, calm down!”

After separating the two, who were panting heavily, the outcome was clear.

Gun-hoo’s face and neck had sparse red marks, but Choi Soo-won’s face was much redder. Blood was streaming down his nose.

“Fuck! You’re dead! Do you know who my older brother is?”

“Hey, his brother is a successful Hunter. He’s getting love calls from guilds everywhere these days.”

“You’re dead, you son of a bitch.”

At those words, Gun-hoo quietly raised his middle finger. Choi Soo-won contorted his face in anger but eventually turned away.

“Hey, his brother is really a Hunter. What if he brings him to school?”

Min Jung-won looked at Gun-hoo worriedly, but Gun-hoo nonchalantly replied.

“Let him bring him. Will the Association stand still if a Hunter harms a civilian over something like this?”

“Still…”

“Whatever, I’m leaving first.”

Gun-hoo patted Jung-won on the shoulder and left. As he walked, Gun-hoo stopped when he saw his face reflected in the mirror in the school lobby.

If he went like this, Seo-ah would find out he had been in a fight.

‘Wait, if I spray a potion, it’ll heal right away.’

It was true that potions had a more significant effect on Hunters, but they still worked on civilians. In particular, there was nothing better than a potion for removing visible wounds.

Because of this, potions distributed to civilians were very expensive, and Gun-hoo couldn’t afford them.

“Let’s see…”

After thinking it over, Gun-hoo took out his phone, found the name ‘Han Seok-hyun,’ and pressed the call button.

While Seo-ah was away, the Taeyang Guild [The Sun Guild] and the Royal Guild had taken care of Gun-hoo in many ways, so he couldn’t help but know their contact information.

In fact, Gun-hoo didn’t know that he was one of the few people who could directly contact Han Seok-hyun, the leader of the Taeyang Guild, without going through his secretary.

– Oh, Gun-hoo. What’s wrong?

“Um, Mister. Could you get me a potion?”

– What? Are you hurt? Where’s Hunter Park Seo-ah?

At Seo-ah’s name, Gun-hoo said urgently.

“Ah, please don’t tell my sister! I’m not seriously hurt. I’m just worried she’ll be worried. You don’t have to come yourself; I’ll go pick it up if you give it to me!”

– No, no, there are plenty of people here with nothing to do. I’ll have them bring it to you, so wait in front of the school.”

“Yes, Mister. Thank you!”

– If you’re grateful, please put in a good word for me with your sister later.

“Ah… Yes, I will.”

Gun-hoo hung up and scratched his cheek awkwardly. He was grateful to Han Seok-hyun of the Taeyang Guild this time, but Seo Ah-hyun of the Royal Guild had also given Gun-hoo a rare game item as a gift last week.

It was a really hard-to-get rare item!

“Tch, my sister must have a lot of worries.”

And a little later, a car stopped in front of Gun-hoo.

Gun-hoo was startled by the face visible through the slightly lowered window.

“Yoo….”

“Get in the back.”

Looking closely, there was someone in the passenger seat as well.

Gun-hoo looked around and quickly got into the car.

“Hyung-nim [term for older brother or respected male], what brings you here?”

“Why is your face like that?”

Yoo Ji-an looked at Gun-hoo’s face in the rearview mirror. And the person in the passenger seat turned around and greeted him happily.

“Hello, you must be Hunter Park Seo-ah’s younger brother.”

“Uh… Hunter Song… Jin-ho…?”

“You recognize me.”

Song Jin-ho was the Hunter who was most frequently exposed to the media in the Taeyang Guild, so Gun-hoo couldn’t help but know him.

“I’m asking why your face is like that.”

Yoo Ji-an urged, and Gun-hoo mumbled, trailing off.

“I just, uh, fell.”

“How do you get those kinds of injuries from falling?”

Song Jin-ho got out of the passenger seat and sat in the back seat where Gun-hoo was.

Then, the car started smoothly.

Gun-hoo couldn’t hide his bewildered expression at the situation where he was just trying to get a potion, but two high-ranking Hunters came along.

“I just need a potion….”

“I’ll be better than a potion.”

That was too obvious to argue with.

Song Jin-ho sat next to Gun-hoo and examined his injuries.

“Hmm.”

A faint light seemed to envelop Gun-hoo’s wounds, and they quickly healed.

“The treatment is complete. But this looks like a bruise from being hit?”

“Park Gun-hoo.”

When Yoo Ji-an called his name in a low voice, Gun-hoo flinched once and then opened his mouth as if he couldn’t help it.

“I just fought with a classmate. It’s, it’s nothing.”

“…….”

Yoo Ji-an was silent for a moment. From Gun-hoo’s perspective, that was scarier.

“Why did you fight?”

“He’s always been picking fights, but I usually ignored him….”

Gun-hoo’s voice gradually rose as if he was getting angry again.

“That bastard mentioned my sister first! And he was the one who attacked first.”

“Park Gun-hoo, did you hit him too?”

Gun-hoo hesitated to answer, worried he would be scolded if he said he hit him.

“Gun-hoo.”

He finally opened his mouth when he was called again.

“Yes, I hit him. But he really…!”

“Good job.”

Gun-hoo closed his mouth at the unexpected praise and then spoke again as if he had belatedly remembered something.

“But his brother is a Hunter, and he said he wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“Doesn’t he know that Hunter Park Seo-ah is your sister?”

“No, I didn’t really go around telling people.”

“Hmm.”

Song Jin-ho smiled slightly as if he was surprised.

After the treatment was over and conversations were exchanged, the car driven by Yoo Ji-an stopped in front of R Tower.

After getting out of the car, Gun-hoo repeatedly asked Yoo Ji-an.

“Please don’t tell my sister, okay? Hyung-nim.”

“Call me brother-in-law from now on.”

“Brother-in-law!”

“Okay, I won’t tell her.”