I Became The Rankers’ Number One Pick [EN]: Chapter 87

87.

“You want me to wear this?”

Seo-ah asked, dumbfounded, and Yoon Ah-jung replied with a bright smile.

“This is the only thing we could find right now. But I bought it specifically for Hunter Park Seo-ah, and it cost a lot!”

“Ah…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say she didn’t like it, especially after hearing how much it cost. Hesitantly, she accepted the dress.

“And here are matching shoes and accessories. It even has some optional pieces!”

Yoon Ah-jung seemed unusually excited.

“Yeah, try it on, try it on!”

Kim Su-hyeok also seemed to agree, and Kang Hae-in and Song Jin-ho didn’t object, so Seo-ah figured it couldn’t be too bad.

“Th-Then. I’ll wear it gratefully.”

“Good, good. Come this way, I’ll help you.”

While the male Hunters turned to look away, Park Seo-ah and Yoon Ah-jung went behind the bushes, rustling around.

After a few minutes, Seo-ah emerged, scratching her head.

“Um…”

“Ooh?”

“Ah.”

Kim Su-hyeok openly admired her with a surprised expression, and Song Jin-ho’s eyes widened slightly.

“It’s not as awkward as I thought?”

Kang Hae-in nodded, scanning Seo-ah from head to toe.

“Right? I told you it would suit you well.”

“But how can I fight in this outfit? It’s hard to even run away…”

Seo-ah lifted the long skirt, hoping they would understand her concerns.

“What kind of fighting would there be in the village? Even if there is, we’ll take care of it, so don’t worry.”

Seo-ah was speechless at Yoon Ah-jung’s confident declaration, punctuated by a clenched fist.

Of course, as an E-class Hunter among A-classes, she wouldn’t have many opportunities to fight, but still…

“Now, now. Let’s treat Hunter Seo-ah like the precious person she is. She is a precious person to begin with, but still, let’s make an effort.”

“Please… don’t say things like that.”

Seo-ah, overwhelmed with embarrassment, looked to Song Jin-ho for help. He nodded, as if to say, ‘Trust me.’

“Don’t worry, Hunter Park Seo-ah. I will serve you flawlessly. Now, this way.”

“……”

“Princess Seo-ah is coming through! Clear the way!”

Kim Su-hyeok went even further, shouting loudly as he walked ahead.

Seo-ah briefly considered running away and finding Yoo Ji-an instead.

At that moment, a loud roar echoed from the volcano.

Everyone was startled and looked towards the source of the sound.

“Hoo, sounds like they’re really going at it. I can feel the vibrations all the way here.”

“Let’s hurry.”

‘Is it really okay?’

Seo-ah glanced at Yoo Ji-an’s direction with a worried expression and walked back towards the village.

As soon as they passed the entrance, they arrived at the plaza, where the group’s expressions immediately hardened.

“This definitely looks like [Ignis]’s influence.”

“Wait a minute, there’s a sign here.”

Almost all languages were understood at any gate, but the writing here was different. Of course, the Hunter Shop sold translation items for this, but they were naturally expensive due to their usefulness.

Kang Hae-in glanced around and took out a long silver necklace. Surprisingly, her appearance seemed to subtly shift and blend in when she put the necklace on. She had used a ‘concealment’ item.

“Let’s see, that’s right. Fire Spirit King [Ignis].”

“Wow…”

“The fact that they even erected a statue means they clearly worshiped Ignis. To have destroyed it like this…”

“The resentment must be enormous, right?”

Yoon Ah-jung shook her head, and Seo-ah muttered in a low voice.

“Then it won’t be easy to find a Fire Spirit User. If the perception is this bad, they’ll hide even more effectively.”

“Heo, that’s right.”

The villagers glanced nervously at the group and hurried past. They seemed concerned by the presence of four outsiders.

Moreover, someone pointed at Seo-ah, who was wearing a rather flashy outfit, and hurried off somewhere.

“Let’s split up and search separately.”

“How?”

“Kim Su-hyeok and I will be one team, and Song Jin-ho, Yoon Ah-jung, and Hunter Park Seo-ah will be another team.”

“Hmm, yeah. It’s too noticeable if we’re all together…”

“Anything is fine. If you find a clue, send a message in the team chat. And let’s meet back in this plaza in an hour.”

Kang Hae-in skillfully instructed the team members.

In fact, while Yoo Ji-an casually came up with the big plans, Kang Hae-in always directed the detailed execution like this.

They split into two teams and began searching the village.

* * *

[Casa]

[Overall Grade: B⁺]

[Intermediate Fire Spirit. It takes the shape of a bird. It is usually quiet, but when King Ignis’s rampage reaches the intermediate stage, it sympathizes and becomes active.

It turns the surroundings into a sea of fire with a single flap of its wings. In particular, the flames coming from its beak are hot enough to melt iron instantly, so be careful.]

[Item: Casa’s Feather]

Kyak-!

The firebird opened its beak with a ferocious cry and spewed out high-temperature flames.

Yoo Ji-an dodged the flames with incredible speed and simultaneously swung Ruin Blade vertically.

The sword flashed, and the sword energy flew out, cutting Casa’s body in half.

Casa split in two.

While Casa faltered, the salamanders scattered around revealed their teeth again.

Whirr-!

Numerous surging flames flew towards Yoo Ji-an.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

However, Yoo Ji-an easily distanced himself from them, then plunged Ruin Blade into the floor.

Almost immediately, a thin ray of light seemed to pierce his sword hilt, and hundreds of salamanders were electrocuted and died on the spot.

It was Yoo Ji-an’s lightning magic.

He was an S-class swordsman, but also an A-class lightning magician.

[Salamander] and [Casa] were both fire spirits, so they were naturally harder to catch than ordinary monsters.

But that was only true for mediocre Hunters.

To Yoo Ji-an, an S-class Hunter, they were just annoying bugs. Of course, that didn’t mean he could let his guard down.

Kyak-!

Casa, its body split in two and smaller than before, attacked Yoo Ji-an from both sides.

One flapped its wings, scattering embers in all directions, and the other aimed at Yoo Ji-an and opened its beak to fire flames again.

Yoo Ji-an lightly twisted his body to avoid the flames, then pierced one with the blade of Ruin Blade.

The pierced Casa flapped its wings weakly and then fell silent. The other Casa, attacking Yoo Ji-an from behind, was caught in his grasp.

Yoo Ji-an grabbed Casa, who was essentially living fire, with his bare hands and immediately killed it with lightning magic.

Only red feathers remained where the surging flames had been. It was [Casa’s Feather].

‘I should give it to Han Seok-hyun.’

[Casa’s Feather] was a useful item for creating fire magic orbs. Yoo Ji-an, after putting it in his inventory, stared blankly at his burning palm.

Of course, it couldn’t be completely unscathed after grabbing high-temperature flames with his bare hands.

The burnt wound was red and swollen, and he felt pain.

Normally, an ordinary Hunter’s hands would have been incinerated just by touching the flames, let alone catching Casa, but he was an S-class Hunter, so it only resulted in a slight burn. It was a wound that would heal quickly, so he wouldn’t have cared normally, but for some reason, it caught his eye now.

He slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

“Even if you’re strong, it doesn’t mean you can’t feel pain. I’m not a robot.”

Then, as if regaining his senses, he raised his head and stepped on a small salamander crawling under his feet.

Yoo Ji-an jumped up and stood on the edge of the crater, looking deep inside. [Ignis] was there.

In the first timeline, he didn’t know anything and joined forces with his teammates to directly subdue [Ignis] and put him into a deep sleep.

Of course, even that was difficult, and Kim Su-hyeok was seriously injured in the process.

He saved the village by putting Ignis to sleep, but he didn’t acquire the [Fire Resistance] attribute.

He realized its necessity in the S-class gate that would be created later.

He had a very hard time dealing with the [Red Dragon] there, and Yoo Ji-an, who used excessive force, eventually went berserk.

At that time, not only the Sun Guild was present, but also S-class Hunters from other countries. All of them witnessed Yoo Ji-an’s rampage.

Yoo Ji-an was only able to stop his rampage after slaughtering the entire Red Dragon family.

His rampage barely cleared the gate, but many Hunters who saw it felt fear and wariness towards him. If that hadn’t happened, the first timeline wouldn’t have gone so wrong.

It was a bitter memory, but it was already in the past. Of course, it was *his* past.

Yoo Ji-an looked down.

“It’s endless.”

Numerous [Salamanders] born from [Ignis] climbed up the wall again. The flames surged as if to burn everything they touched.

In the meantime, 30 minutes had already passed, and the buff skills that Seo-ah had given him had disappeared.

That didn’t mean he was lacking in power, but he felt a slight pang of regret. It wasn’t just because his strength had decreased.

At that time, a team chat notification popped up.

– Hunter Yoo Ji-an, are you okay?

It was as if he could hear her kind and friendly voice.

The goal of the [Salamanders] climbing the wall now was not Yoo Ji-an, but the nearby village. And Seo-ah was there.

“That won’t do.”

Yoo Ji-an’s hand tightened around Ruin Blade.