If your going to apply to top schools they will have a vast majority of students applying who have had 4 years of a language or the equivalent level. Since your 9th grade isn’t that strong it probably won’t help you if you just take 2 years of a core subject. When so many candidates are applying it could be used as a weed out factor. Honestly as much as you don’t seem to want to take more than 2 years, it really is to your benefit. It is more important than say AP Psych which is an elective.