I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 50

50.

Seo-ah closed her eyes briefly, then opened them. She grasped Baek Eun-hee’s hand, which had been waiting for her.

“I’m okay now, let’s go back, Unnie [older sister or close female friend],”

“Okay.”

Baek Eun-hee firmly gripped Seo-ah’s hand and plunged into the vortex.

The time to exit the gate felt a little longer than when entering, though Seo-ah couldn’t quite describe the sensation.

It wasn’t nauseating like the entry, but a strange feeling, like stretching the beginning and end of a short moment.

During that brief eternity, Seo-ah chose her reward for Mission 2-2.

[Silent Night]

[Armor-Clad Pine]

She could only choose one this time. Figuring she could pick the other as a reward during Mission 2-3, Seo-ah chose [Silent Night].

[Silent Night: Calms intense emotions such as provocation, excitement, and fear in people within a certain distance. Stronger effects can be expected upon contact.]

[Silent Night] was a passive skill.

Soon, the hazy mist cleared, and familiar sights came into view.

It was the entrance to Bukhansan National Park, where the gate had appeared. The dusky sunset and the sparkling city lights below suggested it was around evening.

Yang Tae-woo, who emerged behind her, immediately put an invisibility cloak on Seo-ah. Almost simultaneously, camera flashes erupted.

The number of reporters wasn’t as large as when they had departed. Since the gate’s clearing time was uncertain, each media outlet had left only a minimum number of reporters on standby.

Even so, they didn’t want to miss the moment of an A-class gate clearing, so it was still crowded.

Seo Ah-hyun and Seol Jin-ah, who had exited a little earlier, stepped forward to block the view.

“Please look this way!”

“Hunter Baek Eun-hee! You entered on the 22nd and it took three days until the 25th. What kind of gate was this?”

A reporter crossed the photo line and extended the microphone.

“Ugh, I’m tired.”

At Baek Eun-hee’s annoyed reply, the reporter quietly stepped back and diligently pressed the camera shutter.

Unlike Yoo Ji-an, Baek Eun-hee would sometimes put up with this, but today she was testy.

Seo Ah-hyun’s expression was also stiff, while Seol Jin-ah at least smiled and waved to the reporters.

“Let’s talk tomorrow, reporters. We’re too tired right now.”

Meanwhile, Seo-ah headed to the van in the parking lot with Yang Tae-woo. Because she was wearing the invisibility cloak, it looked like Yang Tae-woo was walking alone to those who didn’t know.

Just as they were about to reach the van, an invisible hand suddenly popped out and lightly grabbed Seo-ah’s arm.

“Ah! Hunter Yoo Ji-an?”

She hadn’t expected it, but she wasn’t too surprised. Since the reporters couldn’t see this far anyway, Seo-ah took off the invisibility cloak.

“What brings you here?”

Yoo Ji-an didn’t answer and carefully examined Park Seo-ah’s condition from head to toe.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Ah, I’m not seriously hurt….”

“Hunter Park Seo-ah! I came too.”

Song Jin-ho, who was behind Yoo Ji-an, smiled brightly and waved. Seo-ah was surprised to see a familiar face after so long.

“Even Hunter Song Jin-ho came?”

“I came along in case you collapsed like last time. Let’s see….”

As Song Jin-ho tried to examine Seo-ah familiarly, Yang Tae-woo blocked him with an unpleasant expression.

“I’m taking good care of her, so mind your own business, Hunter Song Jin-ho.”

“Ah, with skills that can’t even catch a single monster alone?”

“A healer’s priority is recovery, what’s more important?”

Sparks flew instantly between the A-class healers of the two major guilds. Yoo Ji-an didn’t even seem to notice, which Seo-ah found a little amusing.

“How was your trip to the Parasitic Desert?”

“Oh, how did you know?”

“Guess.”

Yoo Ji-an carelessly brushed the hair and shoulders of Seo-ah. Every time his hand touched her, grains of sand poured down.

Only then did Seo-ah examine her appearance. Ah, is that how he knew?

The invisible items were fine, but the clothes she wore over them were rags, having been soaked, dried, and rolled around.

Compared to the other members, Yang Tae-woo and her appearance were worse, which was to be expected considering what they had gone through.

Still, it’s amazing that he accurately guessed it was the ‘Parasitic Desert’.

“Did you perhaps know in advance what kind of gate it was?”

“The boss of the Parasitic Desert is tricky but not that strong. Why are you in this state? It seems Baek Eun-hee didn’t protect you properly.”

She asked tentatively, but Yoo Ji-an chuckled and answered very accurately. Seo-ah blinked in surprise.

“Oh… if you knew in advance, you could have given me a hint.”

“Why would I, who would benefit from that?”

“Well….”

“You also need to realize that you can only be perfectly protected by my side.”

“…….”

She was speechless at the outrageous statement.

‘Is this the person who saw the future where I die by his hand? How can he be like this? No matter how much he needs me.’

Yoo Ji-an didn’t leave even after taking his hand away. Because of that, Seo-ah couldn’t get in the van and just stared at him blankly.

“Um, well, okay. If you’ve said everything you wanted to say, I’ll be going….”

As Seo-ah, who was awkward with the silence, tried to get in the van, Yoo Ji-an hurriedly spoke.

“Kang Soo-jung.”

“Soo-jung? Is something wrong?”

Seo-ah reacted immediately when he mentioned Soo-jung. Yoo Ji-an quickly racked his brain.

“Her skills seem to have improved quite a bit. Well, there are limits to E-class, but.”

“Oh, really? That’s great. Then….”

As she was about to turn around again, Yoo Ji-an continued.

“But she seems to be having a hard time. After all, she’s a young student in a place full of hunters. So, wrap up the Royal Guild work appropriately and come back.”

Park Seo-ah looked up at Yoo Ji-an in surprise. She didn’t realize Yoo Ji-an would care about Kang Soo-jung.

“Um, okay, I will.”

“What? Why are you here?”

Baek Eun-hee approached from afar and stood protectively in front of Yoo Ji-an, her voice sharp.

Yoo Ji-an glanced at Baek Eun-hee once, then turned around without a word. Then, he grabbed the back of Song Jin-ho, who was still bickering with Yang Tae-woo, and disappeared.

“What is he?”

“I don’t know, he asked if I was hurt anywhere and left.”

“Really, as if she wouldn’t know on her own, I shouldn’t be the one saying this, but he’s really become a nanny.”

Since Baek Eun-hee, who wouldn’t be second to anyone as a nanny, said that, it must be a rare sight.

“Let’s go, Unnie.”

“Okay, Seo-ah. You must be very tired.”

By the time everyone got in the car, the sun had set and it was dark. As they passed through the congested streets of Seoul, a soft snoring sound echoed in the car.

‘Even A-class hunters feel fatigue.’

A-class was so far beyond her reach that she couldn’t quite grasp it. Seo-ah was tired, but somehow she couldn’t fall asleep, so she leaned her head against the window and looked outside.

Since when did the ordinary streets of Seoul look different?

‘When I heard the news that my parents had passed away.’

The memory of the clear Seoul sky that day feeling particularly distant was still vivid.

And then, was it from the day after being caught up in the sudden gate?

[※If you fail to activate the position ‘Supporter (S-class)’ within the period, you will die! (D-75)]

At first, she was surprised, scared, and dumbfounded. But whether it was because she was getting used to it, she was now quite calm even while watching the days dwindle.

Seo-ah looked at Baek Eun-hee, who was in the front seat. While all the A-class hunters were asleep, Baek Eun-hee was looking at the pad and pondering something.

‘It must be because I have someone like Eun-hee Unnie by my side, and Yoo Ji-an too….’

Seo-ah looked at Baek Eun-hee’s wavy hair visible next to the car seat with blurry eyes, and then fell asleep.

And in her hazy consciousness, she faintly heard the voices of Baek Eun-hee and Yang Tae-woo.

“Is she sick anywhere?”

“No, she’s not. There’s nothing more to recover now. But let’s let her sleep. It’s a miracle that an E-class has lasted this long….”

“Okay, Seo-ah will wake up. Let’s go out.”

Click-

The sound of the door closing was heard, and it became quiet again. Seo-ah thought about how far Bukhansan and the Royal Guild were, and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Blank-

Seo-ah rubbed her still sleepy eyes and tried to look around.

‘Where is this….’

Seo-ah was lying buried in a cozy blanket.

‘It’s the Royal Guild dormitory. When did I arrive? Surely….’

She seemed to have fallen asleep in the car, but did she walk up?

Scratching her messy hair, she got up. Then, she was shocked to find that she was lying on the bed with only her coat and shoes off.

This was impossible considering Seo-ah’s usual neat personality. To get into the blanket without changing clothes!

Seo-ah, who got up in a hurry, stood in front of the mirror with a troubled face.

“Um, should I… take a shower first?”

After a thorough bath, when she returned to the room, the bed sheets and sheets had all been changed.

“When did they come in….”

It wasn’t like a hotel service, and she was still not used to such extreme treatment. And it wasn’t just the bed that had changed.

Bread, milk, cereal, and fruits to fill her stomach were placed on the table. Come to think of it, what time is it now? Why does it seem a bit dark?

“Is it dawn….”

Seo-ah put an apple in her mouth and turned on her phone screen. Looking at it like this, she felt like she hadn’t seen her phone in a while.

Fortunately, no important calls had come.

‘I should go to Gun-hoo’s hospital as soon as the sun rises.’

Thinking that, she looked at the clock and it was exactly 6 o’clock. As Seo-ah was about to put her phone down, she suddenly felt a strange feeling and looked at it again.