The S-Rank Character Is My Alt

Chapter 12: Welcome to the Sacred Battlefield (1)

“Luu~ude~!”

“Alright, stop calling me already.”

A few nights later. From across the streetlight, Ihyun ran toward Lude with his arms spread wide.

He ran hard, then stopped with a gasp, stomping his feet like a puppy that badly needed to go. Lude sighed and spoke.

“What now? What is it this time.”

“I-I want to hug you and share this joy. Can I?!”

“No.”

Ihyun lowered his head with a whimper. Somehow it felt like drooping puppy ears and tail were hanging behind him… Lude fell into thought for a moment.

Normally he would firmly push something like this away… But today, he was the one asking for a favor. Thinking that far, Lude sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

“Sigh… Fine... Do whatever. Just once.”

“Let’s go!! Thank you!!”

Before he had even finished speaking, Ihyun hugged him tightly. Warmth and the scent of fabric softener surrounded him. Ihyun bounced on his feet a few times, laughing happily, not caring that Lude was standing there stiff as a board.

“I’m so happy… I can’t believe you’re joining the Sanctuary...”

“It’s a contract. Just one year. Not permanent.”

“Even so… after a year, if you like it, maybe you might stay longer. I’ll serve you well. I’ll do everything I can to make sure you stay here for a long, long time!”

Letting go of the hug, Ihyun pressed his hands together as if in prayer and looked down at Lude. His blue eyes sparkled. His cheeks were flushed, perhaps from the cold.

‘Why does this guy like me this much…’

Since the day after Lude had agreed to be friends, Ihyun had sent him messages every single day. He looked like a social butterfly, but maybe he actually had no friends. Or maybe that was just how social people acted, messaging everyone constantly…

“Here! These are the first items to help you!”

Ihyun pulled a tablet from his eco bag. Lude glanced at the tablet, then back at him. After a few back-and-forths, Lude took it with both hands and asked.

“Is it a welcome gift?”

“No, of course not! This is mine!”

“Then what is it?”

Lude looked up at him as if asking what this had to do with joining the guild, and Ihyun replied with a bright smile.

“A list of predicted interview questions for the Sanctuary!”

“…Eh?”

* * *

“Hey. Let’s just talk for a moment....”

“Y-Yes…”

In a 24-hour café, Lude buried his face in his hands and let out a deep sigh. Lifting his head slightly, he looked at Ihyun.

“So I actually have to take an interview?”

“Yes… Since you’re coming in through the recommendation program, your documents are automatically passed. You only need to prepare for the second interview and the third mock battle and…”

“No, wait. But I’m rank one! You’re the one bringing me in! So then why do I need to interview at all?!”

“Well… the Sanctuary is still a business. High rank and connections don’t mean you just walk in.”

You still had to go through interviews and internal tests. Ihyun patted Lude’s shoulder encouragingly.

Lude had thought he could enter one of the Four Great Guilds on a free pass, rake in money for a year, and leave. Instead, he had unwillingly become a job seeker. Realizing once again that the world wasn’t easy, he sighed again.

[Let’s see… Last year the Sanctuary recruited 250 hunters for the spring intake... Rounding up, 198,700 applied. The Lord of Chaos shows you a statistics file.]

[Nari, getting a free pass for round one is already amazing. The Lord of Chaos shrugs.]

‘Of course I passed the first round. I’m rank one... Do they expect me to write a resume too?!’

Burying his face in his hands, Lude groaned and spoke.

“I thought they would scout me on the spot, so I even told the convenience store I was quitting today. That’s why I’m wearing the avatar.”

“O-Oh no! Did I not mention it? But even with scout offers, they usually still do interviews. I thought you knew… I’m sorry.”

“Still! I’m rank one! Like hello? And you’re rank two! Did you have to do an interview too?!”

“I came in through the internship-to-hire program… I wrote a resume, interviewed, and did mock battles…”

“Damn… you worked really hard huh.”

Ihyun’s face darkened perhaps because he was remembering those hard times. Seeing that, Lude groaned again.

‘A guild famous for sweeping up holy hunters even made an Archangel’s incarnation start as an intern.’

It looked like he really would have to interview. It would be his second interview ever, the first being for a part-time job. With a serious face, he suddenly stood.

“Forget it. I won’t do it.”

“Agh! No, please, Lude! Come join our guild please… I’ll help you with everything!”

[Nuh uh uh. If you already agreed, you have to do it, Nari. A promise is a promise. The Lord of Chaos folds his arms.]

Ihyun clung desperately to his waist. The Lord of Chaos scolded Nari through his indirect message too. Lude reluctantly sat back down and rubbed his face.

“I know. I get it… but it’s an interview. I, I seriously can’t do interviews… I’m terrible with people…”

Nari’s status ailment was social avoidance. It was a curse she had placed on herself. It affected not just battles but every part of life.

Nari was still afraid of people. Especially interviews, with their cold and businesslike stares that judged her... She could never endure it.

Even while wearing Lude’s avatar, it was the same. Just imagining the interview made him want to flee the café right now.

“Thanks for trying to help, but I really can’t. I can’t stand being evaluated by others…”

“Why not? I think you’d do well.”

“That’s what you think. You’re not me, are you? I know myself best. I can’t do it.”

The words came out cold and sharp. But Ihyun grabbed Lude’s hand firmly. Lude raised his head. Their eyes met, and Ihyun smiled brightly, nodding.

“Don’t worry, Lude. You’ll be fine! I’ll help you!”

“I don’t know what makes you so reckless... I told you I can’t.”

Still holding his hand, Ihyun gave it a couple of firm shakes and laughed.

“Then trust me!”

“Trust you?”

“Yes! I’m very good at judging people. I know you’ll do well!”

Lude sighed heavily. He had never seen anyone this certain. Scratching his head, he sighed again.

“…Then.”

“Yeah!”

Looking at his beaming smile, Lude glanced aside. His ears reddened slightly. He spoke in a small voice.

“If… if I get hurt, you have to take responsibility. G-Got it…? Don’t abandon me or anything like that... Y-You better not.”

“Kmph…”

The arrogant and prickly strongest hunter, showing such timid uncertainty and shy expression struck Ihyun like a lightning bolt. He sank into his chair.

“H-Hey! You’re the one dragging me into this against my will. That means you’re responsible! I… I know I look pathetic, but still… I…”

Thinking he was being laughed at, Lude blurted excuses. Ihyun sighed and muttered softly.

“I… Every time you’re like this… I feel like dopamine explodes in my brain.”

“H…Huh?”

The words made Lude’s mind go blank.

‘What did he mean by that? Does that mean he likes it? Or does he think I’m weird?’

[It means he likes it very much... The Lord of Chaos now stares at Kang Ihyun with the eyes of a person evaluating a potential brother-in-law.]

‘H-He really is strange.’

What had he even done to cause such a reaction? Lude thought Ihyun was the strangest person he had ever met. With that thought, he continued to stare at Ihyun who still had his head down.

‘...But it doesn’t seem like he dislikes me.’

His large frame hunched into the chair, breathing deeply. In ten years, Lude had never met anyone this open and active. He gave a short, awkward laugh.

“You really are strange.”

At that, Ihyun peeked at him between his fingers. Seeing Lude’s smile, he covered his eyes again and muttered weakly.

“Heh. It’s not me. You’re the one who was born that way.”

“What.”

“A-Anyway!”

Slapping his cheeks a couple of times, Ihyun shook his head and calmed himself. He then straightened and pointed a confident finger.

“Anyway, don’t worry about the interview. I’ll help you!”

He kept pointing at Lude. It clearly meant for him to touch. With a doubtful look, Lude raised his own finger and pressed it against Ihyun’s.

Ding. A golden system window appeared before Lude.

[Awakener ‘Kang Ihyun’ has proposed temporary sharing of a personal trait.

Shared Trait – Max Level Social Skills (Passive)

Sharing Duration: 30 minutes

Do you accept?]

[Y/N]

* * *

“Alright, Lude. Let’s start with self-introduction, shall we?”

“World rank one, King of Madness, the only solo-capable illusionist, the miracle of zero casualties… need I say more…? W-Wait, how am I saying this…”

In the café, the mock interview began. Lude was stunned at how smoothly confident answers poured from his mouth. Ihyun grinned across from him.

“See? If you’re afraid of being judged, then you can flip the roles. Judge them instead. You have the specs for it, don’t you?”

It was pretty convincing. His arrogant manner suited the title of rank one… But in fact, it felt like the interviewers would be the ones under pressure because of that.  

“How about it! It’s pretty helpful, right?”

“You had this kind of broken skill all along?”

“Haha… I trained so hard at socializing and I got it one day… It seemed like it turned into a passive skill.”

Everyone liked Kang Ihyun. Now Lude understood why. It was obvious with ‘Max Level Social Skills’ as a passive.

“Still, you can’t use skills in the actual interview, so remember this feeling and it’ll work out! Until then, let’s meet once a day for special training!”

If practice could really make things easier, maybe this would help. Lude hesitated for a moment. But if he got used to it, answering might actually be easy.

“T-Thanks.”

If he trained hard, maybe it’ll work out. Ihyun in front was smiling brightly. He was that eager to help, so backing out now felt impossible.

“F-Fine. Just once… I’ll try it once.” Lude made up his mind, then asked.

“But are you even allowed to do this?”

“It’s fine. I’m not from HR.”

And so their interview training began.