As their group finally completed, Jake felt a knot of worry tighten in his stomach. While Da-Sol appeared to be the only one he could slightly trust, the rest of the team left him with lingering doubts.
Each of them seems to have their own issues, Jake mused, trying not to form judgments based on first impressions. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that this first dungeon dive wouldn't be as simple as everyone hoped.
Jae-Sung, with his overconfidence and smug demeanor, was a type of person Jake had never encountered in either of his lives. Great, just what I need—a show-off in our group, Jake thought, rolling his eyes inwardly. He couldn't help but wonder how Jae-Sung would react when things got tough—if he would remain arrogant or crumble under pressure.
Then there was Yoon-Ji. Quiet and nonchalant, she seemed like she could be a strong archer, but her aloofness made it difficult for the team to gauge her skills. Can we really rely on her in a pinch? he pondered, wishing he could read her thoughts.
His gaze shifted to Choi Eun-Bi, who was meek and introverted, and Jake felt a wave of sympathy. He hoped her spells wouldn't consume too much mana. With her being an E-plus rank, it was clear she had a low mana pool compared to others. If her spells drain her too quickly, we could be in serious trouble, Jake worried, remembering how crucial mana management could be in a dungeon setting.
With so much uncertainty weighing on his mind, Jake couldn't help but think, This is going to be a challenge. I just hope we can work together and keep each other safe.
Just as Jake was about to take a breath and calm his nerves, Yoon-Ji, who had been silently analyzing everyone, finally spoke up. "Miss Joo-Hee, right? If it's not a bother, could you tell us your rank? You're the only one who hasn't mentioned it yet."
Jake flinched at the unexpected question, a rush of anxiety coursing through him. Should I lie and say I'm C-ranked? But before he could decide, Da-Sol jumped in, a proud grin plastered on his face as he placed his hands on his hips. "Unnie is a B-ranked hunter! I can assure you of that."
Jake's head snapped toward Da-Sol, disbelief flooding his thoughts. Are you kidding me? He felt his veins threaten to pop as he clenched his fists behind his back. How could he reveal that information so easily? I don't even know you, why would you tell them that? I take my gratitude back. This man is a pure menace—a blabbermouth at that. Jake's mind raced as he felt like crying inside.
Maintaining a humble facade, Jake forced a laugh and bowed slightly. "Haha, Da-Sol seems a bit overly excited for today. I might be a B-rank, but I specialize in support. So, I can't really contribute much to attacking." He bowed slightly again, a gesture of humility and camaraderie. "So, please take care of me when we go inside the dungeon."
He could feel the weight of their gazes, the mixture of respect and scrutiny from his team. Great. Just great. Now everyone expects me to be some sort of hero when all I want is to make it through this dive without any drama.
Jake smiled as he wrapped up his introduction. The revelation left everyone in his group taken aback, especially Jae-Sung, who had been strutting around with an air of arrogance earlier. Being a B-rank hunter was no small feat; not many could achieve that level in their lifetime.
Jae-Sung let out a nervous laugh, his demeanor shifting as he scratched the back of his head. "I, uh, apologize for earlier. Guess I underestimated you." The change in his tone was palpable, and even the porter seemed delighted by the news, his posture more relaxed now that he was part of a group with a higher-ranked member.
Choi Eun-Bi's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Waah, I didn't realize I was in the presence of a high-ranked hunter!" she exclaimed, her meekness momentarily forgotten.
But Jake's smile didn't reach his eyes. Great, now they all think I'm some kind of superhero. What's next? Are they going to ask me to be the leader of this team? He felt a twinge of anxiety tightening in his chest. I mean, how can I fight or assist in a dungeon when Joo-Hee's instinctive fear of dungeons and monsters holds me back? also, this is my first time seeing a monster up close for goodness's sake! He forced a light laugh, trying to keep the mood up. "Well, let's not get too ahead of ourselves. I'm still figuring things out, just like all of you. We'll do our best together!"
He hoped his lightheartedness would keep the team from feeling too burdened by the weight of expectations. If they only knew the truth, I wonder how they would react. Best to keep that under wraps for now.
However, unbeknownst to him and his team, whispers started rippling through the crowd after eavesdropping on Jake's little revelation. The nearby hunters had overheard that their group had a B-rank healer. Jealousy and curiosity spread like wildfire.
"Did you hear? There's a B-rank healer in that group," one hunter muttered, eyeing Jake's team with envy.
"Pfft, so what? She's a healer," another scoffed. "No offense, but all they do is stand at the back and cast healing spells. No big deal."
Despite the dismissive tone, some couldn't hide their envy, especially knowing how rare high-rank healers were. A good healer could be the difference between life and death in a dangerous dungeon.
But the guy from Team 7, the one with the competitive spirit, had also caught wind of the chatter. He crossed his arms, his sharp gaze locked onto Jake. "So, she's a B-rank, huh? And a healer on top of that...wait, a healer? But how does she have such precise control over mana? That girl is rather suspicious." His eyes shifted to the glowing number four floating above Jake's head, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
What he didn't know—what no one knew—was that Jake had an advantage no other hunter in this world had. It wasn't just talent or some special training; it was because Jake had a personal system that he earned after transmigration into this world, one that could directly feed him information and guide his actions. The Sage Enlightenment System. The same kind of power Sung Jin-Woo had, though Jake's version was a bit more subtle and rather vain. It allowed him to manipulate mana in ways no average hunter could.
Still, Jake kept his face neutral, pretending to ignore the attention. Let them wonder, he thought. No one here knows the truth—not even Jin-Woo. That secret was his alone, a wild card he'd use only when absolutely necessary. For now, they could all stay curious.
As the clock struck 9, Kang Ho's voice boomed across the room, "Alright, everyone, get ready! The transport gate will be created shortly by Association Mage Han Ji-Hoon. Stay steady and prepare your gear."
Jake's heart gave a small leap at the announcement. Here we go... no turning back now, he thought, glancing at his teammates, each of them doing their final checks. Even the usually smug Jae-Sung was tightening the straps of his sword with a more serious expression.
Meanwhile, across the room, Han Ji-Hoon, the B-plus ranked space mage responsible for creating the transport gate, was preparing himself for the task.
As he began the ritual, his mind wandered back to the strange sight he had seen earlier—Lee Joo-Hee. Or rather, what Jake had done while controlling mana. The stable, perfectly formed number four that floated above Jake's head during group formation had left Han Ji-Hoon puzzled.
That level of precision, Ji-Hoon mused, should only be possible for a mage who's at least C-plus rank or above... and someone who's trained for years in mana control. But Kang Ho said she's a healer?
The suspicion gnawed at him. A healer, pulling off that kind of feat? It didn't add up. Han Ji-Hoon knew of false rankers, hunters who would deceive others about their real rank for various reasons, including sabotaging dungeons meant for lower-ranked teams.
And now, here he was, seeing what could be a case of someone hiding their true abilities. His gut told him something wasn't right.
Could this be another one of those rank falsifiers? Ji-Hoon's expression darkened slightly. He decided to keep a closer watch on her. After all, it wasn't unheard of for hunters to fake their rank to cause chaos in dungeons where they didn't belong. He would have to report this to the Association.
Without knowing it, Jake had drawn attention to himself—just like Sung Jin-Woo had back in the day. Han Ji-Hoon's suspicions might just make Jake's already complicated situation even more precarious. The system within him that helped him pull off his tricks was supposed to be a secret, but it seemed the world of Solo Leveling had more eyes watching than Jake realized.
And so, as the blue light of the transport gate flickered into existence in front of the hunters, Jake remained unaware that one of the Association's mages had already flagged him as a potential problem.