Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 118

“A skill that summons human-like creatures?!”

“Such summoning skills exist?”

“I’ve seen B-rank summoners bring out puppets, but…”

“Puppets? That’s a joke! This woman looks like a real person! And the mana I feel from her is at least B-rank or higher!”

“How is this possible? He’s a C-rank summoner, isn’t he? How can a C-rank summon something B-rank?”

The murmurs grew louder.

“…Suho, should I translate for you?”

“No need. Judging by their expressions, I can guess what they’re saying.”

Suho and Esil looked at the massive figures surrounding them and couldn’t help but find it a little amusing.

After all, the primary interests of Hunters, regardless of nationality, were always the same.

‘What’s that item they’re using? Where’d they get it?’

‘What’s that skill? That’s interesting.’

It had only been two years since the Great Cataclysm.

At this stage, information sharing was still lacking. Even elite Hunters from major guilds often had gaps in their knowledge.

Of course, all those curiosities eventually boiled down to the ultimate question: who was stronger? But the summoning skill Suho had demonstrated was intriguing enough to completely absorb the Scavenger guild members’ attention.

The one most affected was Derek Johnson, an A-rank Hunter who had initially assessed Suho’s mana. His expression was hard to describe.

“No matter how generously I measure, his mana level is around B-rank at best. There’s no way someone with such a low mana pool could use a skill like that…”

Derek prided himself on his ability to gauge others’ mana.

No matter how great a skill was, it would be useless without sufficient mana.

Yet Suho’s incredible summoning ability was something no C-rank summoner should be capable of.

In other words…

‘He’s concealing his mana? Just how exceptional is his mana control?!’

Higher-ranking Hunters often concealed their mana. It wasn’t necessarily intentional but rather a result of perfectly controlling their magical energy.

Why?

Because Hunters, like all humans, unconsciously consumed a small amount of mana just by breathing.

The more precisely they controlled their mana, the more they could minimize unnecessary consumption.

“So, if this is him hiding his mana, what’s his real rank? A-rank? S-rank?”

“Hmm. I just introduced Sung Suho as a C-rank summoner,” Laura interjected, reiterating her earlier statement.

“…!”

Derek Johnson’s face twisted with disbelief.

“That’s impossible! Laura must be mistaken! I’d bet my entire fortune that this kid is at least A-rank!”

How could a C-rank summoner summon a B-rank creature?

At that moment, Thomas Andre clapped his hands.

“Alright, enough chatter. Now that everyone’s here, let’s move out.”

With that single command, the mood among the Scavenger guild members shifted entirely.

The lively, chaotic atmosphere from moments ago vanished, replaced by the intense focus and fiery determination of seasoned warriors.

As preparations for the mission began, Laura boarded the jet to return to headquarters, leaving behind a promise to come back once the operation was complete.

“Boss, I’ll brief you on the past three days.”

“I’ve already gotten the gist of it from Laura. Basically, it’s cold, right? And I’ve also got some fresh intel from Korea.”

The intel referred to the information Suho had shared about the Ice Elves.

In exchange for that information, Thomas Andre had promised Suho appropriate compensation after the mission.

After passing the intel to his guild members and ensuring thorough preparations against ranged attackers, Thomas addressed his team with a grin.

“Enough talking. You know how we do things. We’ll figure the rest out as we go.”

“Yes, boss!”

The Scavenger guild members’ battle cries echoed through the icy wind.

—

The moment Suho stepped into the field’s interior, he realized the previous cold was nothing.

An enormous snowstorm laced with blue mist obscured his vision, and the glacial cold was like an ice age descending upon them.

[Debuff: Curse of the Extreme Cold is in effect.]

[Attack speed is reduced by 30%.]

[Movement speed is reduced by 30%.]

However, Suho remained unaffected.

[Kandiaru’s Blessing is in effect.]

[Debuff: Curse of the Extreme Cold has been nullified.]

‘So this is the glacial dungeon.’

True to its name, everything in sight resembled a frozen wasteland.

Collapsed buildings, unable to withstand the weight of the snow, lay in ruins, while cars were buried beneath heaps of white.

High-rise structures like shopping malls and office towers were entirely encased in snow and ice, resembling massive ice castles.

The scene seemed to preserve the tragedy of the Dungeon Break from that fateful day.

“Horrible.”

It felt like the place had been destroyed by the cold rather than the monsters.

As Suho trudged through the blizzard and the frozen city with the Scavenger guild, Beru peeked out from Suho’s shadow, scanning the surroundings.

[There doesn’t seem to be any sign of the Itarim yet, my liege. Are you cold? Perhaps you should wear something warmer?]

Even while surveying the area, Beru didn’t forget to check on Suho’s well-being.

Suho nodded at the suggestion and opened the store window.

While his high mana levels made him resistant to most temperatures, the cold here was beyond imagination.

‘Clink.’

[‘Item: Ice Bear Robe’ has been purchased.]
[‘Item: Ice Bear Robe’ has been purchased.]
[‘Item: Ice Bear Robe’ has been purchased.]

Suho bought three robes adorned with pristine white fur and handed them to Esil and Ryo Singh.

“Put it on.”

Esil accepted the robe naturally and wore it, but Ryo Singh was utterly stunned.

“Suho! Such a magnificent artifact as a gift! I am deeply moved!”

“…I’m just lending it to you.”

‘I need to resell it later to earn some gold.’

Even though Suho made it clear he was only lending it, Ryo Singh couldn’t help but remain impressed and overwhelmed.

—

[Item: Ice Bear Robe]
– Acquisition Difficulty: B-rank
– Type: Robe
– Defense: +50
– Description: A robe made from the fur of the Ice Bear. The leather is durable and sturdy, providing high defense and excellent cold resistance.

‘(Note: If strength is below 80, movement speed will decrease.)’

Effect: ‘Cold Resistance’
– Protects against cold and grants resistance to ice magic.

—

The simple ‘Cold Resistance’ effect of the robe was extraordinary.

The moment they wore the Ice Bear Robes, the glacial cold that had felt like an ice age was instantly blocked.

[An excellent choice, my liege. With the fur of the Ice Bear, the robes should also protect against the Ice Elves’ ice magic. However, beware that ice-imbued arrows could damage the robes…]

While Beru diligently explained the robe’s qualities to Suho, the Scavenger guild members, who had been observing from a distance, were once again wide-eyed.

“What the—! He can summon clothes now?”

“Well, if he can summon people, why not fur robes?”

“Those robes look really warm…”

“Wait! Aren’t those made from Ice Bear leather?”

“What? I want one too!”

“Me too!”

“Shut it, you brats!”

As the guild members swarmed toward Suho, Thomas Andre yelled to restore order. Then, looking a bit embarrassed, he extended his hand toward Suho.

“…?”

“Any chance you’ve got one left?”

“…”

Before Suho could respond, Ryo Singh confidently stepped forward to speak on his behalf.

“Show me the money.”

“…”

Of course, even if Thomas offered to pay, Suho had no intention of opening the store again.

With Thomas Andre’s mana, he could easily withstand the cold, and the other guild members had already been here for days with thick clothing.

‘Whhoooo—’

But as the blizzard intensified, the Scavenger guild members continued stealing envious glances at Suho and his group.

“They’re coming.”

Thomas Andre suddenly raised his head, his expression fierce.

‘Swooosh!’

Arrows carried by the raging snowstorm began flying toward them from an unseen direction.

“Defend!”

At his command, the Scavenger guild members activated their defensive skills, forming barriers around them.

‘Crack!’

The arrows were blocked by transparent magical shields, but a thin layer of frost formed on their surfaces.

The arrows kept coming.

That’s when the real trouble began.

‘Crack! Crackle!’

“Guild Master! The shields are breaking!”

“The ice magic is weakening the shield’s durability…!”

“Damn it!”

As the guild members’ panicked voices rang out, Thomas Andre narrowed his eyes, glaring toward the hidden Ice Elves, obscured by the blizzard.

[Skill: Enhancement.]

A tremendous surge of mana condensed into his arm.

“Haaah!”

With a powerful swing of his fist, a shockwave burst forth, tearing through the blizzard.

‘BOOOOM!’

The arrows flying toward them were obliterated in an instant.

“Battle begins.”

The Scavenger guild officially launched into action.

But Suho’s gaze was fixed elsewhere—on the opposite side.

[Ice Golem]
[Ice Golem]

Beyond the snowstorm, a massive presence loomed.

Though nothing was visible, Suho’s heightened sensory stats warned him of the threat.

‘Those are the real ones.’

Suho immediately drew his bow.

Thomas Andre, sensing the same, was already moving toward the direction of the golems.

“That’s the real target! Everyone, scatter!”

The instincts of an S-rank Hunter were already dominating the battlefield.

But that’s when the unexpected happened.

The Ice Golems weren’t aiming to attack.

Instead, they were targeting below.

‘Grooarrr!’

‘Wait, no way!’

Realizing the danger, Suho’s expression hardened.

“Rise, Quay!”

A black arrow formed from Suho’s shadow just as the Ice Golems clasped their massive hands together and struck the frozen ground.

‘BOOM!’

The impact caused the ground to crack and the roads to collapse.

“Damn it! An earthquake!”

Thomas Andre’s shout of alarm echoed through the chaos.

The ground beneath them gave way, and they all began to plummet.

In the midst of their fall, Esil’s eyes widened in realization as she turned to Suho.

“Suho! It’s a gate! I can feel the dimensional rift below!”

‘Whooooosh!’

Suho had already sensed it.

This relentless blizzard, the glacial apocalypse on this Pacific island, hadn’t started from the sky.

It had originated from the depths of the island itself.

‘Shwwoooo!’

As the frigid storm pulled Suho and the other Hunters into the gate, Suho’s eyes glinted with determination.

‘So they’re inviting us, huh?’

With that thought, Suho nocked an arrow and unleashed Quay just as they passed through the gate.