I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 72

72.

No Yoon-ji’s skill was partly innate, but also the result of her efforts.

Blocking Kang Su-jeong’s attacks wasn’t a problem. However, the pain she felt whenever she blocked with her right arm was subtly uncomfortable.

Just as she was getting bored of constantly dealing with her, Kang Su-jeong attempted a flying kick this time.

No Yoon-ji blocked Kang Su-jeong’s foot with her right arm and simultaneously landed a left-handed punch in Kang Su-jeong’s side.

With a thud, Kang Su-jeong went flying. But No Yoon-ji also frowned at the same time. Her right arm was hurting more and more.

“Su-jeong!”

No Yoon-ji noticed Seo-ah rushing to Su-jeong and casting a recovery skill on her.

No Yoon-ji hesitated, wondering if she should drink a potion too.

The audience’s eyes were on her. If a C-rank was using potions while barely holding her own against two E-ranks, how much would they ridicule her? The match, which should have been overwhelming, was already dragging on, which bothered her.

Moreover, seeing Noh Hak-young’s expectant face, she couldn’t bring herself to show weakness.

‘It’s okay, this is nothing.’

The more time she wasted, the more disadvantageous it would be. Kang Su-jeong’s attacks were nothing special, but the other side had a healer, so they were relatively free from the risk of injury.

“Okay, no more holding back.”

No Yoon-ji gritted her teeth and charged towards Su-jeong this time. Su-jeong nimbly dodged, but No Yoon-ji was faster.

No Yoon-ji cut off Su-jeong’s path, grinned, and landed a series of punches on her abdomen and side.

“Ugh, cough!”

Su-jeong groaned in pain and collapsed backward. Seo-ah immediately cast a recovery skill without delay.

‘It should be happening soon.’

As she watched Su-jeong stagger, she grew a little impatient. Finally, the [Breakthrough] skill was triggered. The conditions were met.

“Huh?”

Kang Su-jeong seemed to feel it too, as she stared at Seo-ah with wide eyes. Seo-ah didn’t hesitate and used the skills [Fighting] and [Love Yourself] on Su-jeong.

‘Hurry.’

After they exchanged glances, Seo-ah nodded, and Kang Su-jeong charged forward. When they clashed again, No Yoon-ji was taken aback.

‘What!’

She was much faster and stronger.

‘Park Seo-ah has buff skills too.’

No Yoon-ji glanced at Park Seo-ah while blocking Kang Su-jeong’s relentless attacks.

Kang Su-jeong had become stronger, but it wasn’t to the point where she couldn’t block her attacks. However, she couldn’t deny that she felt intimidated by her opponent’s sudden surge in power.

That momentary hesitation created a crack in No Yoon-ji’s defense. It became harder to block the attacks.

Realizing this, No Yoon-ji gritted her teeth and pushed Kang Su-jeong away with all her might. Then, she immediately dashed towards Park Seo-ah.

***

Twitch.

Song Jin-ho glanced at Yoo Ji-an’s fist on the armrest of the chair next to him.

No Yoon-ji had been focusing her attacks on Park Seo-ah for a while now. Park Seo-ah managed to dodge some, but she also took a lot of hits.

It wouldn’t be easy for an E-rank to dodge a C-rank’s determined attacks.

It was quite fascinating to see Yoo Ji-an’s fist twitch every time Park Seo-ah was hit by No Yoon-ji’s attacks.

At that moment, No Yoon-ji ruthlessly kicked Park Seo-ah as she was getting up.

Thud-!

‘Ugh, is that broken?’

The attack sounded so violent that Song Jin-ho slightly frowned. Even so, he habitually checked on Yoo Ji-an.

As expected, seeing the expression on his face that he wanted to go down there right away, Song Jin-ho wondered if this was really the Yoo Ji-an he knew.

‘Isn’t his motto that hunters have to grow by getting hit?’

Fortunately, Kang Su-jeong attacked from behind and interfered with No Yoon-ji, so Seo-ah barely managed to get out of No Yoon-ji’s attack range.

As soon as Seo-ah stood on her own two feet, Song Jin-ho unknowingly let out a sigh of relief.

‘Anyway, I should go down there as soon as the match is over. She must be quite injured.’

Song Jin-ho didn’t even realize that he was being strange for thinking this.

Among the hunters who participated in today’s matches, there were countless hunters who were close to Song Jin-ho, and many of them were quite badly injured.

However, he had never thought of going down there himself, leaving the healers who were waiting below, to check on them.

While Song Jin-ho was watching the match with sweaty hands, he heard the voices of A-rank hunters Kang Hae-in, Yoon Ah-jeong, and Kim Su-hyeok behind him.

“Wow, they’re holding out pretty well?”

“I know, right? They’re slightly twisting their bodies to minimize the damage every time they get hit.”

“They figured out that No Yoon-ji’s right arm isn’t in good condition. They keep targeting that side.”

When the A-rank hunters praised Park Seo-ah and Kang Su-jeong from behind, Song Jin-ho smiled slightly. When he looked to the side, Yoo Ji-an’s lips were also slightly raised.

‘Ugh, couldn’t you be a little less obvious?’

Song Jin-ho watched the match without realizing that his own expression was probably similar.

***

Seo-ah staggered as she stood up again, spitting the blood that had pooled in her mouth onto the floor.

She thought her thigh was going to break from that last attack.

“Haa.”

Her whole body was in tatters, but there was no time to use recovery skills or drink potions.

Kang Su-jeong had bought her some time, but No Yoon-ji would attack Seo-ah again as soon as there was a slight opening.

It seemed that No Yoon-ji thought she had to take Seo-ah out first since Kang Su-jeong had suddenly become stronger. It was a smart decision.

After a few exchanges with Kang Su-jeong, Kang Su-jeong retreated before taking a critical hit.

Seo-ah and Su-jeong were both running out of stamina.

‘One hit, just one hit would be enough.’

Seo-ah took out her Bbyong Hammer with a determined look on her face.

“Su-jeong!”

Then, she called out to Kang Su-jeong loudly. Su-jeong looked at Seo-ah, and their eyes met.

At the same time, Seo-ah rushed towards No Yoon-ji first. It was the first time Seo-ah, who had only been on the receiving end of attacks, had attempted to attack first.

However, Seo-ah’s attack direction was very poor.

It was the perfect position for No Yoon-ji to counterattack from the left rear.

But Seo-ah didn’t change her direction even though she knew that. Instead, she gritted her teeth and aimed the Bbyong Hammer at the back of No Yoon-ji’s leg.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

As soon as No Yoon-ji saw Seo-ah behind her, she raised her gauntlet-clad arm high and slammed her elbow down.

It seemed to have landed properly with a cracking sound.

No Yoon-ji was smiling triumphantly when she suddenly saw Kang Su-jeong on her right.

Thwack-!

A dull sound echoed, and No Yoon-ji’s body staggered. Kang Su-jeong had taken advantage of No Yoon-ji’s focus on Seo-ah and landed a punch.

No Yoon-ji was holding her cheek with her hand, looking dazed.

“Yes! How’s the taste of my punch!”

Kang Su-jeong cheered with a very happy face. It was her first effective hit.

“Oh, sis? Sis!”

But her joy was short-lived. Kang Su-jeong quickly discovered Seo-ah grabbing her shoulder and rolling on the ground, and she rushed to her side with a worried expression.

“Ugh, sis, does it hurt a lot? Ugh, she slammed it down so hard! You didn’t have to go this far.”

No Yoon-ji’s gauntlet blade looked menacing, and its power was considerable.

Seo-ah, who hadn’t even flinched at most attacks, was groaning and unable to get up this time. Blood was pouring from the shoulder she was holding.

Seeing that, Kang Su-jeong raised her hand without hesitation.

“We’re done here! We lost!”

The match was only meant to land a single hit anyway. Now that Seo-ah was unable to continue the match, there was no reason for Kang Su-jeong to continue fighting.

However, No Yoon-ji seemed to think differently.

“Who said you could?”

No Yoon-ji glared at them fiercely and drew upon the mana within her body. The gauntlets on No Yoon-ji’s arms gradually turned red.

“Hey, are you crazy! We surrendered, hey, get a grip!”

Kang Su-jeong shouted loudly when she saw that, but it was no use.

The staff member who saw Kang Su-jeong’s surrender signal also rushed over. But No Yoon-ji, who had completely lost it, didn’t seem to notice.

No Yoon-ji’s gauntlets were emitting a crimson color and hissing with steam. That was No Yoon-ji’s ultimate skill, [Hot Punch].

“Ah, crazy!”

Kang Su-jeong hugged Seo-ah, unable to avoid the situation as No Yoon-ji approached with a terrifying momentum, leading with her red gauntlet-clad arm.

It was then.

Bang!

A tremendous explosion was heard, and smoke billowed up.

But it wasn’t No Yoon-ji’s ultimate skill that had been unleashed.

Instead, a Ruin Blade glowing with green light was stuck right in front of her feet.

No Yoon-ji, recognizing what it was, was startled and looked in the direction the sword had come from. It was the VIP seats.

Yoo Ji-an in the VIP seat was looking down with an arrogant gaze from his seat.

He hadn’t even stood up. He had simply thrown the sword into the arena while sitting, and it had landed accurately right in front of No Yoon-ji.

The other matches that were being held at the same time were temporarily suspended due to the loud explosion.

The hunters stared at No Yoon-ji and Seo-ah with dumbfounded faces. Song Jin-ho, who was next to Yoo Ji-an, was the same.

“Seriously… hyung [older brother/male friend], really.”

It was Yoo Ji-an who snapped Song Jin-ho out of his daze.

He looked at Song Jin-ho with a demanding gaze, and Song Jin-ho, realizing his mistake, jumped up and went down below.

No Yoon-ji stopped using her ultimate skill and took a moment to catch her breath.

Even as Seo-ah was being carried away on the staff member’s stretcher and Kang Su-jeong was following her, sobbing, No Yoon-ji stood there stiffly.

The words ‘Team 2 of Group 3, No Yoon-ji Wins’ were displayed largely on the electronic scoreboard. No Hak-young’s voice calling for No Yoon-ji could be heard from afar.

“Um, Hunter No Yoon-ji.”

No Yoon-ji glanced at the staff member calling her and then finally walked out of the arena.

After watching No Yoon-ji leave, Yoo Ji-an slowly got up.