Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 11

Su-ho glanced around at his surroundings.

The miners were frozen in terror.

These were the same people who had been laughing and chatting together while working with their pickaxes earlier in the day.

That man over there had handed Su-ho a bottle of water, saying it must be tough for a young guy like him.

And that man over there had personally shown him how to use a pickaxe.

“You’re telling me to run away and leave these people behind?”

[My lord, I don’t care about the lives of these humans. I have a mission to fulfill.]

Beru spoke firmly.

To him, the life of Su-ho, the Shadow Monarch’s son, was more precious than the lives of everyone on Earth combined.

Even if everyone here perished, Beru’s mission was to ensure Su-ho’s survival and safe return.

“This isn’t just about a sense of justice.”

Su-ho scanned the area briefly.

“The escape routes are all blocked anyway.”

Growls echoed around them.

The exit of the dungeon was already swarming with wolves.

The only way out was to fight through them.

“And… I don’t think it’s completely hopeless.”

Su-ho gave a faint smile as he looked at Kim Yong-jun, who was commanding the wolves.

Seeing this, Beru was struck by a strange feeling.

The image of Su-ho, whom he still saw as weak, began to overlap with memories of Sung Jinwoo from long ago.

* * *

The Fang Monarch’s *Wraith* felt elation.

Awakening from a long slumber, it found itself surrounded by nothing but insignificant humans, with its master nowhere in sight.

‘Pathetic. They’re as weak as insects.’

Just a hint of its aura was enough to make them tremble in fear.

‘How pitiful these creatures are.’

The weak should be devoured.

This world has always operated on the logic that the strong take everything while the weak are consumed.

The Wraith, controlling Kim Yong-jun’s body, licked its lips as it looked at the cowering humans.

“Weak insects, you’re not worth living. You’ll be far more valuable as food for the wolves.”

At that moment, Kim Yong-jun’s hand moved on its own, wielding the Wraith’s sword against the humans.

“Die.”

*Shlaaak!*

But the blow never landed.

A shadow goblin suddenly jumped in, taking the hit instead.

[Grrk!]

The goblin’s face twisted in a look of utter injustice, as if it had no choice but to sacrifice itself.

“…What are you?”

The Wraith looked curiously at the goblins that blocked its path.

[Grrk, grrk!]

These pitiful creatures, seemingly unafraid, charged at it.

“They don’t recognize a stronger being? Even beasts have a basic instinct for survival.”

*Shlaaak!*

Without hesitation, the Wraith slashed through the goblins.

But what happened next was unexpected.

The bodies of the fallen goblins quickly regenerated, rising to their feet once more.

[Grrk!]

“What?”

The Wraith’s expression turned to one of annoyance.

Then, its wolves lunged, tearing the goblins apart without mercy.

Ignoring the goblins, the Wraith turned its attention back to the fleeing humans.

“Pathetic. Even these insect-like creatures struggle to survive.”

But unfortunately for them, they were heading deeper into the dungeon, not toward an exit.

“Chase them.”

“Grrr!”

At the Wraith’s command, the wolves pursued the humans.

The Wraith turned its gaze in the opposite direction, toward the gate leading out of the dungeon, back to Earth.

‘What’s beyond that?’

Outside, countless lives were pulsating with energy.

Each one weak, but all the more tempting for it.

‘The weak must be devoured.’

The Wraith looked down at its own body.

The body of the Hunter, Kim Yong-jun.

This human’s body had already died, but now it would be put to great use as its own vessel.

Ah, what an honor for such a lowly creature!

‘I’ll feast on all the life in that world on your behalf.’

The Wraith’s eyes gleamed with greed as it slowly began walking toward the outside.

But then—

*Whizzzz-!*

“Hm?”

A stone axe flew towards the back of the Wraith’s head.

Sensing the attack, the Wraith lazily swung its sword, deflecting it.

“Darn! Almost got it!”

“…Almost?”

The Wraith looked at the human who had thrown the stone axe with disbelief.

And then, another stone axe flew from Su-ho’s hand.

“A desperate struggle of the weak.”

*Clink.*

The Wraith once again deflected the attack with its sword.

But then another axe came flying.

*Whizz!*

“Seriously?”

It deflected that one too.

But then, another one came.

“Hey.”

It deflected it again.

And then another…

“How many axes do you have?!”

Finally, the Wraith snapped in frustration, shouting in anger.

And yet, another axe came flying.

“Kill him! Kill that wretch!”

*Grrr!*

At the Wraith’s command, the wolves that had been heading for the gate turned and charged at Su-ho.

[My lord! Now you must flee!]

“Alright, let’s run!”

“Stop right there, you wretch!”

*Grrr! Howl!*

Su-ho fled back into the cave, dodging the wolves.

But there were too many wolves, and they were too fast. In no time, he was surrounded.

“Tch. This is how the weak get eaten in the end.”

The Wraith sneered at Su-ho, pronouncing his death sentence.

“Kill him. Tear his limbs apart and chew on his bones.”

*Snarl!*

The wolves lunged at Su-ho all at once.

At that moment, Su-ho smirked and inserted a key into his shadow.

*Click!*

[Do you wish to enter the Shadow Dungeon? (Y/N)]

“Enter the Shadow Dungeon!”

[Entering the Shadow Dungeon.]

*Whoooosh!*

Su-ho’s shadow swallowed him whole.

*Gulp!*

“Huh?”

The Wraith, bewildered, looked around.

The prey had vanished without a trace, right before its eyes.

“What? Where did he hide? Find him!”

The wolves began sniffing around, trying to track Su-ho’s scent.

“Grr?”

Of course, they couldn’t find him.

“What? How can he hide without leaving a trace?”

The Wraith wandered around with its wolves, searching for Su-ho’s whereabouts.

And then, quietly—

Beru peeked his head out from the shadow where Su-ho had disappeared, surveying the area.

When the wolves had moved a little farther away, Beru whispered to the shadow.

[…You may come out now.]

*Whoosh!*

[Exiting the Shadow Dungeon.]

Su-ho reappeared from the shadow.

And immediately upon exiting, he hurled another stone axe at the back of the Wraith’s head.

“What the—?!”

The Wraith, startled, barely managed to deflect the axe and turned to glare at Su-ho, who had suddenly reappeared.

“So, you were there all along! You should’ve stayed hidden…!”

*Whizz!*

“Ow! Stop throwing those things!”

The Wraith lost its composure as Su-ho kept hurling stone axes at every opportunity.

“Kill him! Kill that brat!”

*Grrr!*

And so the chase resumed.

But every time Su-ho was cornered, he would retreat into the Shadow Dungeon without fail.

*Whoosh!*

“Where did he go this time, you wretch!”

The Wraith, now thoroughly enraged, was about to explode with fury.

And in that moment of distraction, another stone axe came flying toward the back of its head.

*Whizz-!*

“I said that won’t work on me!”

* * *

Meanwhile, the miners who had been watching Su-ho from afar were at a loss for words.

“What the…”

“What kind of skill is that…?”

They knew Su-ho was an E-rank Hunter.

And they were well aware that E-rank was practically useless in combat.

But what they were witnessing was something else entirely.

“Is he weak or strong? I can’t tell…”

“It’s strange, but…”

“He’s doing really well, isn’t he?”

“I mean, is that even considered fighting?”

At the very least, one thing was clear.

Su-ho’s skill was exceptionally good at aggravating his opponent.

But it wasn’t just his skill.

Despite facing such a terrifying presence, Su-ho wasn’t intimidated at all and continued to provoke it…

“Is it a skill, or is he just naturally fearless?”

“Or maybe he’s just got a nasty personality…”

In this desperate situation, Su-ho was their only hope.

“But wasn’t that new guy supposed to be a summoner?”

“Yeah, he hasn’t used any summoning skills at all in this mess.”

“You saw it earlier. His summons got killed in one bite.”

“See, that’s why summoning skills aren’t good…”

“If he had another combat skill instead…”

The miners, witnessing Su-ho’s potential firsthand, sighed in regret.

With such battle instincts, and considering what he had done during the museum incident a few days ago…

Su-ho had the instincts of a born Hunter.

How many Hunters, despite having high potential, froze in real combat and died?

They genuinely felt it was a shame.

If only Su-ho wasn’t a summoner…

‘He would’ve become an extraordinary Hunter.’

Beru, who had been listening to their conversation from a distance, seethed with anger.

[Scree! The Shadow Power is being so underestimated!]

But it wasn’t time to reveal the Shadow Power’s full potential yet. At Su-ho’s current level, the Shadow Soldiers couldn’t demonstrate their true capabilities. Furthermore, his severely low mana reserves were a significant issue.

The real strength of the Shadow Soldiers lay in their endless revival as an immortal army. But this was only possible when Su-ho’s mana could support them sufficiently. After the earlier battles, Su-ho’s mana was nearly depleted, which is why the Shadow Goblins that had worked so hard with their pickaxes had already dissipated.

[But.]

Beru’s eyes gleamed with a sinister light. Simultaneously, Su-ho grinned and muttered to himself.

“Creating Shadow Soldiers doesn’t consume any mana at all.”

Just then, something unusual happened among the wolves trailing behind the Wraith.

[Shadow Wolf Lv.1]

Common Rank

[Shadow Wolf Lv.1]

Common Rank

[Shadow Wolf Lv.1]

Common Rank

The new soldiers were none other than the wolves Su-ho had just turned into Shadows using their leftover pelts.

Snarl!

“What?!”

The Wraith, too busy deflecting the never-ending barrage of stone axes, was suddenly bitten on the leg by the Shadow Wolves.

Startled, the Wraith quickly slashed at them with its sword.

The cuts revealed the true form of the Shadow Wolves, as the pelt disguises fell away, exposing the flickering black energy that comprised their bodies.

Grrr!

“Damn wretches, how dare you!”

Enraged, the Wraith swung its sword furiously, slicing the Shadow Wolves to shreds in an instant.

With Su-ho’s mana depleted, he couldn’t revive them again.

But.

“Checkmate.”

Su-ho had already closed the distance, and with both hands, he brought down his stone axes without mercy.