Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 3
Infiltration occurs when the blue mist from a gate contaminates the surrounding area.
Areas tainted by the magic of another realm become ideal habitats for monsters.
If the area beyond the gate is called a “dungeon,” then the contaminated area around the gate is called a “field-type dungeon.”
Once an area is contaminated, it effectively becomes a dungeon, and considering that, Korea National University’s art museum is now a death zone.
“That student is probably…”
The hunter trailed off, but everyone could guess the unspoken words.
* * *
Meanwhile, Su-ho…
[Level Up!]
‘Is this… really happening?’
Something unbelievable was happening.
Floating text appeared in the air.
The level-up system he had only seen in his dreams had manifested in reality.
‘My God. Is this another dream?’
No.
This was definitely not a dream!
The vivid sensation of reality proved it.
Moreover, the moment the level-up message appeared, all his accumulated fatigue vanished.
Even the minor burns caused by the Mistborne were completely healed.
But what was this?
[You have completed the conditions for ‘Secret Quest: Courage of the Powerless.’]
[You have unread messages.]
In his dream, the level-up system only displayed levels; there were no messages like this.
It felt more comprehensive.
As Su-ho stared at the message, the mailbox opened automatically.
[You have two unread messages.]
[Welcome to the reality of being a ‘Player.’] (Unconfirmed)
[A quest has been generated.] (Unconfirmed)
‘Reality of being a… Player?’
He decided to check the first message.
[Secret Quest: Courage of the Powerless]
You have proven your worth by gaining experience in an unawakened state.
You have awakened from level 0 to level 1, and the status window is now available.
[Info]
This system supports the growth of the ‘Player.’
This time, it’s not a ‘tutorial mode.’ Remember, in reality, you only have one life.
‘Tutorial mode? Is it referring to those dreams?’
Su-ho instinctively understood.
All the dreams he had during his adolescence were just practice games. Now, this was the real deal.
And just like a real game, new functions that weren’t available in the tutorial were now accessible.
Like the ‘status window.’
[Status Window]
Name: Sung Su-ho
Level: 1
Job: None
Title: None
HP: 100/100
MP: 10/10
[Stats]
Strength: 10 Stamina: 10
Agility: 10 Intelligence: 10
Perception: 10
(Allocatable stat points: 0)
[Skills]
Passive Skills: None
Active Skills: Ruler’s Authority Lv.1
The status window briefly summarized Su-ho’s information.
Just like a game.
Su-ho immediately checked the next message.
[Quest: Rescue the Survivors.]
There are people nearby awaiting your rescue.
Rescue as many as you can.
Rewards will vary based on the number of people rescued.
– Current number of survivors: 52
– Current number rescued: 0
The second message was the quest window.
This quest system was also something he had never experienced in his dreams.
‘Rewards vary based on the number of people rescued?’
This really felt like a game.
But it was undeniably reality.
People were dying in real-time even as he read this.
[Current number of survivors: 52 → 51]
[Current number of survivors: 51 → 50]
Seeing this status board snapped Su-ho back to reality.
Then it happened.
[Graaah!]
‘Damn!’
He had been too engrossed in the status window.
A Mistborne had approached him, ready to attack.
“Damn!”
Su-ho swung his arm reflexively.
Thwack!
Something incredible happened.
[Graaah!]
The Mistborne hit by Su-ho’s punch recoiled in agony.
“…Huh?”
Su-ho, more surprised, stared at his hand.
He had punched the burning blue smoke monster with his bare hand, yet he wasn’t burned.
Another Mistborne lunged at him from behind.
Su-ho punched it without hesitation.
Thwack!
[Graaah!]
Again, the Mistborne was knocked back by Su-ho’s ordinary punch.
[Graaah?]
Now, even the Mistborne seemed confused.
This seemingly ordinary human hurt them too much when he hit.
But Mistborne acted purely on instinct.
[Graaah!]
The Mistborne’s scream rallied all nearby Mistborne to charge at Su-ho.
But Su-ho remained unfazed despite the threatening sight.
He realized now.
These monsters posed no real threat to him anymore.
Now it was time to counterattack.
Su-ho charged at them without hesitation.
Thwack! Thwack, thwack, thwack!
[Graaah!]
[Graaah!]
Unlike a typical raid, where one would strategically assess the monster’s power and coordinate attacks, Su-ho simply used his fists to brawl with the monsters.
But it was effective.
[You have defeated a Mistborne!]
[You have defeated a Mistborne!]
[You have defeated a Mistborne!]
…
Su-ho fought his way through the monsters, continuing to move.
[Current number of survivors: 37 → 36]
Even as he fought, the number of survivors kept decreasing.
That meant the number of Mistborne was increasing.
‘The more of them there are, the faster people will die.’
He had to hurry.
Su-ho scoured the art museum, searching for survivors.
“Get out of here!”
He found people and sent them out of the museum.
[Current number rescued: 12]
* * *
“What’s going on? How are people getting out?”
The hunters outside the museum were baffled.
They were just about to head inside when people started coming out on their own.
“Someone inside saved us.”
“A student saved us!”
The hunters were even more astonished at their words.
“Someone is fighting the monsters inside?”
“Could there already be another hunter inside?”
Assistant Im, hearing this, shook his head.
“That’s unlikely. There are no hunters among the students, and no other hunters have arrived yet.”
Dae-hyun, hopeful, spoke up.
“Could it be Su-ho?”
“Su-ho?”
Assistant Im and the hunters exchanged glances.
The chances of a civilian surviving in a field-type dungeon were extremely sIm. But they couldn’t tell Dae-hyun that his friend was likely dead.
One of the recently rescued survivors recognized Su-ho.
“Yes! Senior Su-ho saved us!”
“What?!”
“Su-ho? How?”
“He was punching the monsters with his bare hands.”
“…With his bare hands?”
The hunters gave sympathetic looks.
The survivors must have been too scared to see clearly.
Fighting Mistborne with bare hands was too dangerous.
‘His hands would burn up.’
‘It’s suicidal.’
Without a hunter’s ability to coat their fists with magic, one needed gauntlets to avoid getting burned.
Still, it seemed true that Su-ho was alive and saving people.
The hunters spoke gravely.
“Perhaps he has awakened as a hunter.”
“Su-ho has awakened?”
Assistant Im’s gaze returned to the museum.
Even now, more survivors were emerging, rescued by Su-ho.
Meanwhile, the hunters finished preparing to enter the museum.
“Captain, we’ve finished measuring the magic levels. It seems to be a D-rank dungeon.”
“Got it. Then we need to hurry.”
The word “D-rank” brought a determined look to the hunters’ faces.
In a D-rank dungeon, there would be monsters much stronger than the Mistborne.
Even if Su-ho had just awakened, no one could guarantee how long a novice with no dungeon experience could survive inside.
* * *
Whoosh…
[You have defeated a Mistborne.]
Breathing heavily, Su-ho looked around at the defeated Mistborne.
‘Almost done.’
He was exhausted, but his mind was clear.
Then.
Ding!
[Level Up!]
A transparent light enveloped Su-ho, filling him with vitality.
‘With this, I can keep going!’
As Su-ho prepared to move on and find more survivors.
Boom!
“…!”
The ceiling above him exploded.
Debris and dust scattered everywhere.
Su-ho rolled on the ground but couldn’t completely avoid it.
Blood trickled down his forehead, freshly healed from leveling up to 2.
But that wasn’t the problem.
A massive wolf descended through the ceiling hole.
[Growl!]
Gulp.
Seeing the imposing figure, Su-ho felt a rush of primal fear.
‘This is unbeatable.’
He realized instantly.
Survival instincts every living being had.
The fear from this creature was on a different level than the Mistborne.
[Growl.]
The giant wolf looked down at Su-ho arrogantly.
The gaze of a predator on a helpless, injured prey.
At the same time, immense pressure bore down on Su-ho.
“Ugh.”
Su-ho gritted his teeth.
He refused to be crushed by fear now.
He would just act to the best of his ability.
‘If I can’t run, I’ll attack first!’
He grabbed a piece of rubble and threw it at the wolf.
But the giant wolf swatted it away with its paw, as if it were nothing.
‘In this gap!’
Su-ho rushed at the wolf.
He threw a punch that had felled dozens of Mistborne.
But it wasn’t enough.
[Growl!]
Crunch!
The wolf’s jaws clamped down on Su-ho’s shoulder.
“Ugh!”
Su-ho gritted his teeth and punched the wolf’s head repeatedly.
But it was useless.
Wham!
Su-ho was thrown to the ground.
The giant wolf’s paw pressed down on him arrogantly.
It was a hopeless fight from the start.
Knowing this, the wolf reveled in its victory.
As it prepared to bite Su-ho’s throat.
That’s when the miracle happened.
[Screeeeech!]
Whoooooosh!
From the distant cosmos.
A streak of black lightning struck down vertically.
Boom!
[…!]
The ceiling exploded, splitting the space between the giant wolf and Su-ho.
Amidst the dust emerged the king of ants, shrouded in black steam.
[Beru Lv. Max]
Marshall Rank
Beru held down the wolf’s jaws with one hand, looking down at Su-ho with a lofty gaze.
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