Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 108

“Korean taxis are too small.”

“Thomas, taxis in America aren’t any bigger.”

“Ah, is that so? Come to think of it, I’ve never actually ridden in one before.”

Squeezed into the cramped back seat of the taxi, Thomas Andre conversed with Laura, who sat comfortably in the front.

“So, is the hotel still far away?”

“We still have a ways to go. You’re the one who insisted on staying at the best hotel in Korea.”

“I didn’t think it would be this far.”

The taxi driver, silently breaking into a cold sweat as he overheard their conversation, deeply regretted picking them up.

‘This is terrifying. I shouldn’t have taken this fare.’

Who would have thought that this foreigner was the infamous Thomas Andre?

It was no exaggeration to say that even the slightest stretch of his body could crumple the taxi like a sheet of paper.

“Ugh, this is so uncomfortable. I should’ve waited a little longer and gotten a bigger car.”

‘Oh no…! Why is there so much traffic today? Hurry up! Hurry!’

Every time he heard Thomas shift his massive frame in the back seat, the taxi driver felt like his soul was about to leave his body.

“…So, Laura.”

Thomas’s expression suddenly turned serious as he brought up the real reason he had traveled all the way to Korea.

“Have you found Sung Suho’s current location yet?”

“We’re still looking, but it won’t take long.”

Even as she sat in the taxi, Laura had been intently working on her tablet PC, scanning through the information sent by their team in the U.S.

“Korea makes it relatively easy to track down Hunters. The country is so small that there’s a saying: ‘If you fall over, your nose will touch them.’”

“‘If you fall over, your nose will touch them.’ That’s a funny expression.”

The saying was hardly an exaggeration.

For Hunters with enhanced physical abilities—especially someone with a physique like Thomas Andre—it really wouldn’t take much effort to cross the entirety of Korea in no time.

“By the way, Thomas, are you sure Sung Suho is the one mentioned in the prophecy?”

“I’m certain. That old lady may be ancient, but she’s not senile.”

“I’m not doubting her, of course. But isn’t this prophecy unusually specific compared to her others?”

“Heh, you’re right. Maybe her abilities improved with age? You know how fortune tellers look more mystical the older they get?”

Thomas smirked as he recalled the face of the prophet who had sent him here: Norma Selner.

“She’s really something else, isn’t she? Who would’ve thought she’d awaken and extend her life just when she was on the brink of death?”

“It’s fortunate, though. After all, she’s your one and only friend, Thomas. She almost died.”

“Wasn’t Laura my friend?”

“Regrettably, no. This is strictly business.”

Despite Laura’s curt reply, Thomas chuckled heartily as if he found her response amusing.

Suddenly, Laura’s eyes stopped on a specific piece of information on her tablet.

“I’ve found him. Hunter Sung Suho.”

“Oh? Really? What’s he like?”

“Well, according to the information…”

Thomas’s eyes gleamed as if he had found a delicious prey.

However, Laura furrowed her brow as she continued.

“A C-rank Summoner… apparently.”

“What? A Summoner? And only C-rank? That can’t be right.”

“The data is recent, so there’s almost no margin for error. And you know how accurate Korea’s magic measurement tools are.”

“Could it be a different Hunter with the same name?”

“It’s possible. After all, it’s not like names are unique.”

“We’ll know for sure when we meet. If it’s the wrong person, I’ll just give him a little knock and head back.”

Thomas grinned mischievously, as though he were planning a trip to a delightful restaurant.

“But he’d better be the right one. If he made me come all the way here for nothing, that little knock is going to hurt a lot more.”

Though his journey to Korea had been spontaneous, it was of great importance to him.

‘The Glacier Dungeon.’

According to Norma Selner’s prophecy, Sung Suho’s help was essential for conquering the dungeon.

And unlike her usual cryptic metaphors and riddles, this time Norma Selner had explicitly named “Sung Suho.”

This was not something Thomas Andre could ignore, especially since he’d been her friend for decades.

‘Korea, huh.’

Thomas gazed out at the passing scenery, lost in thought.

This was his first time visiting Korea.

Yet he spoke fluent Korean with ease, thanks to something Norma Selner had said to him long ago.

“Thomas, now that you’re retired, you look quite bored. Why don’t you learn Korean in your spare time?”

“Korean? What’s that?”

“There’s a country in East Asia called Korea. That’s their language.”

“Why should I bother learning that now?”

“You never know when it might come in handy.”

“Damn it, old lady. When you say stuff like that, it feels like something bad will happen if I don’t.”

That was how it all started.

Without knowing why, he began studying Korean.

Even before her awakening, Norma Selner was a renowned prophet.

Though she had once declared that her foresight had faded and officially retired, influential figures from various fields still sought her advice on important matters.

When someone like her said, “Learn Korean!” without context, ignoring it wasn’t an option.

‘And later, I got completely hooked on Korean dramas.’

Thomas couldn’t help but wonder.

‘Maybe the old lady just thought I looked bored and wanted me to watch dramas after retiring.’

“Maybe she foresaw my obsession with Korean dramas instead.”

Up until recently, Thomas had thought of Korea as nothing more than that—a country associated with a random skill he had picked up for leisure.

But now, as he found himself traveling to Korea in search of Hunter Sung Suho, he began to wonder if this was the true future Norma Selner had seen all along.

“Hmmm. Korea, huh…”

No, this wouldn’t do. His body was itching for action.

Thomas Andre’s expression suddenly shifted.

“Laura, I’m really sorry, but let’s meet that guy before heading to the hotel.”

“Well, if that’s what you want.”

“Oh? You’re okay with it? Not tired?”

“Of course I’m tired. But asking just for courtesy’s sake is quite gentlemanly of you.”

“Kuh! To think I’d receive such praise from you, Laura!”

“That was sarcasm. Anyway, I’ve already found Sung Suho’s address, so let’s head there immediately.”

—

[My liege…]

Beru looked more tense than ever.

Suho, on the other hand, was simply dumbfounded.

“Do I seriously have to move? Now even foreigners are showing up at my house?”

[With all due respect, it appears that your personal information has become public property.]

Rumble…!

As Suho sat at home trying to relax, a massive energy rushed toward him in a straight line from the distance.

At first, he thought it was a dungeon break.

Or perhaps a Minotaur-class magical beast was charging his way.

But it turned out to be a person.

And not just any person—a foreigner.

Specifically, the famous S-rank Hunter he had seen on the news earlier that day was heading straight for him with blatant purpose.

Crash! Crash!

Each time Thomas Andre’s feet hit the ground, the pavement shattered beneath him, creating massive disturbances.

Suho sighed and stepped outside to meet him.

Given the overwhelming energy Thomas was emitting, there was no doubt who his target was.

“Oh, what’s this? You came out to greet me?”

Thomas Andre stopped right in front of Suho.

“…”

Suho tilted his head and looked up at him with a curious expression.

How could an old man with white hair have such an absurdly muscular body?

Standing at least two heads taller than Suho, Thomas’s enormous frame seemed to radiate sheer physical dominance.

‘This guy could probably take down a Minotaur barehanded even without mana.’

Suho momentarily reflected.

He had been feeling quite powerful after leveling up recently, but as Beru often said, perhaps he was still no more than a larval ant.

Thomas Andre gently placed his middle-aged secretary, Laura, on the ground before turning directly to Suho and asking bluntly:

“Are you Sung Suho?”

“…”

Wow, this foreign old man speaks Korean fluently.

If Ammit had been human, this was probably how it would’ve felt.

“What’s the matter? Too scared to speak? Most people are.”

When Suho didn’t respond and merely stared at him blankly, Thomas smirked and showed his teeth.

Whoosh!

At that moment, a suffocating aura exploded from Thomas’s body, bearing down on Suho.

“You’d better squeeze out an answer if you don’t want to die.”

What the hell? Was this guy serious?

What kind of rude old man storms into someone’s home in the middle of the night like this?

Suho raised an eyebrow and responded flatly.

“Yes, I’m Sung Suho. What brings you to my humble home at this hour, sir?”

“…What? Sir?”

Thomas’s expression twisted at Suho’s choice of words.

Thanks to his mastery of Korean, he instantly understood the meaning.

“Sir.”

“Old man.”

“Kuh-ha-ha! Did you hear that, Laura? This cheeky kid just called me a washed-up old man!”

“Ah…”

Wait, that’s how he interpreted it?

Suho was genuinely taken aback.

But then again, no one had ever dared to address Goliath, Thomas Andre, as “old man.”

“Fine. I’ll personally confirm whether you’re really the Sung Suho from the prophecy.”

Thomas unleashed an even more terrifying aura, completely dominating the surrounding area.

Rumble…!

Crash! Crash!

The ground beneath them began to crack and crumble as if an earthquake had struck.

Laura, who had wisely stepped back earlier, shook her head as if she were used to this.

Meanwhile, within this catastrophic pressure…

Rumble…!

“Hm?”

Thomas Andre suddenly felt a chill.

How could a mere C-rank Hunter…

Withstand his energy field without flinching?