Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 18

“Pet?”

Su-ho stared at the sudden message in confusion.

[Pet?]

Beru was just as puzzled.

Slurp, slurp.

The wolf pup, which was still licking up the seaweed soup, now had a nameplate floating above its head.

[?? Lv.1]

Fang Wolf

Right on cue, the system sent another message.

Ding.

[You can assign a name to your pet.]

[Please name your pet.]

“They want me to give it a name?”

When Su-ho looked over at Beru, he was deep in thought.

[Hmm? There wasn’t anything like this back in the day.]

“What wasn’t there? Pets?”

[Yes. During the time when the King was leveling up, there was no such function.]

Beru explained.

The leveling system that Su-ho was currently using was inherited from the original Shadow Monarch, Sung Jinwoo.

Of course, it had been refined to some extent since then, mainly to remove the “malice” embedded in the system.

“Malice?”

[Yes.]

Back then, the system’s purpose was to forcibly grow the human known as Sung Jinwoo and turn him into a vessel for the Shadow Monarch. Once that goal was achieved, Sung Jinwoo’s human soul was supposed to be erased.

[But, due to a series of events, Sung Jinwoo defied the system’s purpose and became the Shadow Monarch of his own volition. He became a being who no longer needed to level up.]

And that system had now been passed on to Su-ho.

“But why does the system have a pet function now if it didn’t exist before?”

[Hmm. It’s possible that the feature was always there, but just wasn’t needed before.]

Beru narrowed his eyes, stroking his chin.

[After all, the original designer of the leveling system wasn’t us but the sorcerer of the Transcendent Realm, who sought immortality.]

“The sorcerer of the Transcendent Realm?”

[Yes. Only he would know the full extent of the system’s capabilities.]

Long ago, the sorcerer of the Transcendent Realm wished to escape the fate of finite beings and become an eternal entity.

To achieve this, he made a pact with the angels of God, resulting in the creation of the leveling system.

[But back then, the system’s sole purpose was to perfect the vessel for the Shadow Monarch. Pets were unnecessary. Everything could simply be killed and turned into shadow soldiers. However, the purpose of the system you have now is completely different.]

Su-ho looked puzzled.

“The system’s purpose isn’t to turn me into the Shadow Monarch?”

[Correct. You cannot become the Shadow Monarch anyway.]

Beru spoke definitively.

[In this world, there can only be one Shadow Monarch.]

In other words, the only way Su-ho could become the Monarch would be if Sung Jinwoo died and left the throne vacant.

But Sung Jinwoo was the ruler of death.

There would never come a time when he would die.

[In fact, he is the truly immortal one.]

“I get that my father is amazing.”

Su-ho was curious.

“Then what’s the purpose of my system?”

In response to his question, Beru gave Su-ho a faint smile as he looked into his eyes.

Sung Su-ho, a being born from the union of the Shadow Monarch and a normal human, was an unprecedented existence across all dimensions.

Even the designer of the system couldn’t predict what kind of being Su-ho would become.

Would he continue to live as the young lord who inherited the Shadow Monarch’s skills?

Or, like his father before him, would he break free from his predetermined fate and find his own path?

[The system is merely a guide to help you, no matter which path you choose. If a new function has appeared, it’s undoubtedly something that will benefit you.]

As Beru spoke, he couldn’t help but see in Su-ho the face of a man who once walked a lonely and difficult path, battling the world alone.

That man had survived by constantly struggling, even in the face of death.

In the end, he had conquered death itself with his own power.

The current peace on Earth was built upon his noble sacrifice.

But now, that peace was once again under threat.

This time, by the gods of the Outer Universe.

“Status window.”

Taking in Beru’s words, Su-ho suddenly opened his status window.

[Status Window]

**Name:** Sung Su-ho
**Level:** 16
**Class:** None
**Title:** Wolf Slayer
**HP:** 2,350/2,350
**MP:** 235/235

[Stats]

– **Strength:** 35
– **Stamina:** 25
– **Agility:** 25
– **Intelligence:** 25
– **Perception:** 25

(Available Stat Points: 0)

[Skills]

– **Passive Skills:** Toughness Lv.2, Dual-Wielding Lv.1
– **Active Skills:** Ruler’s Authority Lv.1, Shadow Extraction Lv.1, Whirlwind Slash Lv.1

After hearing Beru’s explanation, Su-ho understood why his class was still listed as ‘None.’

It was likely that the title of ‘Shadow Monarch’ would never appear in that slot.

Su-ho focused more on the other numbers listed below.

‘This is where I stand now.’

Compared to when he was being chased around by the Mistborne at level 1, his stats had increased significantly.

He also had a lot more useful skills now.

But still.

‘I’m still weak.’

Su-ho never overestimated his own strength.

It wasn’t humility; it was a fact.

He had already reached level 99 several times in his dreams during adolescence.

Compared to that, his current power was insignificant.

Even in the recent battle, if it weren’t for the timely acquisition of the Wolf Slayer title, he wouldn’t have fared as well against Brocky.

Su-ho also checked the new skill he had acquired during the fight.

[Skill: Dual-Wielding Lv.1]

**Passive Skill.**
**Mana Requirement:** None.
**Description:** You can use dual-wielding more skillfully. When using two swords, additional damage of 33% is applied. (This effect also applies to other types of weapons.)

‘Dual-wielding, huh…’

Come to think of it, Su-ho had been fighting with weapons in both hands for a while now.

First with axes, and now with swords.

This skill must have developed from his combat style so far.

“So, if I want to get stronger, I should keep using dual-wielding.”

-…?

Su-ho’s gaze settled on Rakhan’s Fang.

From his experience in the previous battle, he was satisfied with the weapon’s power.

It had decapitated the beasts of Gwanaksan with ease.

To balance his dual-wielding, he would need another sword of a similar caliber to Rakhan’s Fang.

‘I’ll need to make some money. Hunter weapons are incredibly expensive.’

His eyes then shifted downward.

“And this little guy…”

“*Whimper…*”

The wolf pup, now with a bloated belly after finishing the seaweed soup, was lying on the floor, too exhausted to even crawl.

“I’ll have to raise it a lot before it becomes useful in battle.”

[Please name your pet.]

The system message had been urging Su-ho to name the wolf pup for a while.

Without much thought, Su-ho decided on a name.

“Since it’s got gray fur, I’ll call it Gray.”

[Will you name it ‘Gray’?]

“Yes.”

As soon as Su-ho confirmed the name, the question marks above the wolf pup’s head disappeared, and the new name was displayed.

[Gray Lv.1]

Fang Wolf

“*Whimper…*”

Gray, now officially Su-ho’s pet, lifted its head weakly, sniffing the air as if to catch Su-ho’s scent.

Su-ho gently tapped the tip of Gray’s nose with his finger and then asked Rakhan’s Fang a question.

“Hey, let me ask you something.”

– What is it?

“How do I raise it to be useful?”

– Raising a child isn’t complicated. Feed it well, let it sleep well, and let it play.

“Don’t give me that obvious stuff. There must be something special, considering it’s a descendant of the Fang Tribe.”

– What it eats is crucial. The reason this child is so weak is that Brocky feared its growth and kept it starved.

Rakhan’s Fang seethed with anger as he recalled Brocky’s actions.

If the Fang Tribe’s child had grown properly, it wouldn’t have remained Brocky’s prisoner for so long.

– So feed it. Feed it plenty, let it sleep, and let it run wild. It will grow into a predator far stronger than Brocky.

“Really? What should I feed it?”

– Naturally, magical beasts. Even better if it hunts them on its own. The children of the Fang Tribe begin hunting for fun as soon as they are born.

“Hunting games, huh. Interesting.”

It seemed like a tall order.

Expecting a pup that could barely walk to suddenly start hunting.

[Oh my. They’re even more ruthless than us ants. At least we leave our larvae alone until they’re grown.]

At Beru’s remark, Su-ho had a sudden idea.

Who had been responsible for raising Su-ho when he was just a child?

“Beru, I’m leaving this guy in your care.”

[All of a sudden?]

“Yeah. You’re the best caretaker I know.”

[Kihehe. I’m honored to receive such praise from the Young Lord.]

Beru squirmed with embarrassment.

“So, I’m heading out.”

[Kieek? Where are you suddenly going?]

Beru was bewildered.

Su-ho picked up the wolf pup Gray by the scruff of its neck and inserted the Shadow Dungeon key into his shadow.

[Would you like to enter the Shadow Dungeon?]

“Where else? Here.”

Click.

[Entering the Shadow Dungeon.]

Whoooosh!

* * *

Upon entering the Shadow Dungeon, Su-ho promptly placed Beru on Gray’s back.

“From now on, you two are a team.”

[Kieek?]

Even though Gray was small, it was still twice the size of Beru.

Of course, even combined, they were only about the size of a handful.

– Could this place be…?

Rakhan’s Fang, who had inadvertently followed them, sensed something familiar about the Shadow Dungeon.

– Is this the world of the Shadow Monarch?

[Technically, it’s the world inherited by the Young Lord. Of course, it’s been neglected for so long that wild beasts have taken refuge in it.]

Beru quickly realized why Su-ho had brought them here and his eyes gleamed.

All around the dungeon, hostile gazes were locked on them.

[Wild goblins, huh? They’re perfect for training a pet.]

Beru grinned mischievously and gave Gray’s hindquarters a little slap.

[Come on! Rise, descendant of the Fang Lord! Show those fools your ferocity!]

“Grrrr…”

Thud.

[Hmm?]

But Gray didn’t seem willing to fight at all.

In fact, it curled up even tighter on the ground, showing no desire to move.

Rakhan’s Fang was deeply frustrated by the sight.

– Grr! It’s lost its natural combat instincts due to its life in captivity! What are we to do?

“What do we do?”

[Indeed.]

However, Su-ho and Beru remained calm.

Beru’s skill was Devour.

He could absorb some of the strength and memories of the beasts he consumed.

[Rise, young warrior.]

The best caretaker Su-ho knew, Beru, gave Gray’s hindquarters another firm pat.

Ruthlessly.

[Beru has activated ‘Skill: Ruthless Command.’]

[‘Skill: Ruthless Command’ increases Gray’s stats by 50%.]

[As a side effect of ‘Ruthless Command,’ Gray is now afflicted with the Curse of Madness.]

“…Grr!”

In that instant, Gray’s previously listless eyes took on a fierce glint.

Beru grinned wickedly and continued to pat Gray’s rear.

[Good! Now let’s get going, Grumble!]

“Grrrr!”