Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 33
“There are more people with beast transformation skills than I thought.”
Su-ho was making his way through the jungle, far from the other hunters.
Of course, along the way, countless wraiths appeared, attacking him from every direction.
The corrupted tree branches relentlessly tried to end his life, while a Banshee’s wail echoed through the air.
*Hwaaaahhh!*
[Banshee has used the skill: Wail.]
[You will lose your sense of direction for 10 minutes.]
A ghostly Banshee screeched overhead, trying to disorient Su-ho’s mind.
‘Ruler’s Authority!’
*Crack!*
Su-ho’s invisible hand extended and snapped the Banshee’s neck.
[You have defeated a Banshee.]
[Skill: Wail has been canceled.]
“You shouldn’t cry. Santa Claus won’t give you any presents.”
With a sly grin, Su-ho dispatched each Banshee that appeared.
He spun his dual swords like a whirlwind, cutting down the wraiths that swarmed around him.
[Skill: Tempest Slash has been activated.]
*KABOOM!*
[You have defeated a Wraith.]
[You have defeated a Wraith.]
[You have defeated a Wraith.]
…
Tempest Slash was highly effective against multiple enemies.
However, despite the large number of wraiths he defeated, there was no sign of a level-up.
‘Then I’ll just have to hunt more!’
After all, to advance, he needed to wipe out every enemy in his path.
[Skill: Tempest Slash has been activated.]
[Skill: Tempest Slash has been activated.]
*KABOOM!*
[You have defeated a Wraith.]
[You have defeated a Wraith.]
…
There was a time when a single Tempest Slash would drain his mana completely, but those days were long gone. Now, his mana pool allowed him to use the skill up to eight times in a row.
But something was off.
‘I’ve killed this many, and I still haven’t leveled up?’
It felt like he wasn’t gaining any experience at all.
‘Could it be… they have a core?’
Su-ho’s eyes gleamed as he surveyed his surroundings. Thanks to his heightened sensory stats, he could now sense danger as keenly as the beast hunters.
‘I’ve found it.’
In an instant, Su-ho located the most ominous presence in the complicated jungle.
Without hesitation, he altered his course and sprinted toward the source of the disturbance.
*Rakhan’s Fang* chimed in.
*Where are you going?*
“I’m making a quick stop.”
Though the destination wasn’t exactly on the way to the relic, it wasn’t too far off, so Su-ho decided to check it out.
And soon after…
“What is this?”
Su-ho discovered a bizarre-looking tree.
[Wraith Tree.]
“A Wraith Tree?”
*It’s a sacred tree that guards this sanctuary.*
Rakhan’s Fang identified it.
“A sacred tree? This thing?”
Su-ho looked up at the Wraith Tree, which resembled a haunted shrine more than something sacred.
And it truly was haunted.
*Hwaaaahhh!*
*Heeheehee…!*
Wraiths were sprouting from its twisted branches like fruit, growing constantly.
Beru’s eyes gleamed as he explained.
[It seems to be a ghost tree, feeding on the corpses of those who died here.]
“Of course it has a core.”
No wonder he hadn’t been leveling up despite killing so many wraiths.
Su-ho grinned and floated *Rakhan’s Fang* into the air with *Ruler’s Authority*. Then, wielding *Volcan’s Horn* in both hands, he began hacking at the Wraith Tree with the force of a lumberjack.
*KABOOM!*
A thunderous crash rang out, but the Wraith Tree remained standing.
‘Its defense is tough.’
A battle of endurance, then.
With a determined grin, Su-ho continued striking the Wraith Tree relentlessly.
*BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!*
Suddenly—
*GRAAAHHH!*
A chill ran down Su-ho’s spine as several dark red shadows charged at him.
Su-ho quickly dodged back and parried their claws with his sword.
[Dungeon Jackal.]
[Dungeon Jackal.]
“Grrrr…”
A pack of dungeon jackals landed on the ground, surrounding Su-ho from all sides to prevent his escape.
Their eyes gleamed as they regarded him as nothing more than prey.
Guardians of the sacred tree, they were far more formidable than regular dungeon jackals.
But this only made Su-ho more excited.
“Good. You guys seem promising.”
Licking his lips, Su-ho unleashed a burst of energy from his body.
*WHOOOSH!*
[Title: Wolf Slayer has activated its buff effect.]
[All stats increase by 40% when facing beast-type monsters.]
“Grrr?!”
The jackals instinctively lowered their bodies and bared their teeth.
Moments ago, their prey had suddenly transformed into a predator, exuding an overwhelming aura of power.
*Grrrr…*
Su-ho swung his sword at the jackals, who lunged at him from all sides.
* * *
[Shadow Jackal Lv. 1.]
Normal Rank.
[Shadow Jackal Lv. 1.]
Normal Rank.
*Grrr!*
The newly summoned shadow beasts glowed with a dark aura, their heads held high in servitude.
Perched on one of their backs, Beru nodded with satisfaction.
[Keh-heh. Yes, serve as loyal hounds for the Young Lord from now on.]
*No wonder we lost the war…*
Rakhan’s Fang sighed in the background, but Su-ho ignored it. He was focused on hacking away at the Wraith Tree’s trunk.
*BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!*
*SKREEEECH!*
Wraiths tried to stop him, but the shadow jackals held them at bay, guarding Su-ho from all sides.
Suddenly, a voice rang out angrily.
*Hey! Why aren’t you protecting the Wraith Tree? Why are you helping the intruder?!*
[Silence, fool! Whose side are you on?]
*That wasn’t me talking.*
[Hmm?]
It seemed the other Fang was observing Su-ho’s actions from afar.
Finally—
*CRACK!*
“Ah, it’s done.”
With a resounding crash, the towering Wraith Tree fell backward.
[You have destroyed the Wraith Tree.]
[The surrounding wraiths have disappeared.]
*Shhhh.*
The wraiths that had been swarming Su-ho faded away.
[You have leveled up!]
“Instant level-up, huh?”
Su-ho’s eyes widened in surprise.
Just cutting down one tree had resulted in a level-up!
He quickly scanned the area, his gaze darting to nearby trees. With a leap, he climbed up to get a better vantage point.
In the distance, wraiths still roamed, attacking other hunters.
‘So, there’s more than one Wraith Tree.’
Su-ho’s eyes lit up.
The fastest way to find the trees would be through those who knew the land best.
“Lead the way!”
[Roar!]
At Su-ho’s command, the shadow jackals bounded ahead, guiding him to the next Wraith Tree.
* * *
*KABOOM!*
Somewhere in the distance, something collapsed with a deafening roar.
“…What was that?”
Baek Mi-ho, who had just finished dealing with the remnants of the Hyena Guild, turned her head toward the sound.
‘That’s where that man went earlier.’
She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but it felt like there were fewer wraiths around her now.
‘No, it’s not just my imagination.’
The number of wraiths had definitely decreased—by about a third.
Things were calming down.
Baek Mi-ho turned to one of the surviving Hyena Guild members, who had been captured and restrained. He was covered in blood but still alive.
Looking him in the eye with her beast-like pupils, she asked, “Do you want to live?”
“Y-Yes, I want to live!”
The werewolf answered desperately.
“Then prove it. Show me why I should let you live.”
“H-Huh?”
“Tell me everything you know.”
“Ah…!”
*Grrrr…*
Baek Mi-ho bared her fangs, making the werewolf feel like prey cornered by a predator.
A moment later, the werewolf started talking.
“…A king?”
Baek Mi-ho’s expression turned thoughtful.
She hadn’t expected the information he gave her to be this valuable.
“You’re saying there was a king who ruled over the monsters?”
“Y-Yes! But that king has been dead for a long time, and the throne is vacant!”
“So now they’re holding this trial to select a new king?”
“Y-Yes. When we started hearing the voice, we rushed here immediately.”
Desperate to stay alive, the werewolf spilled everything he knew.
At first, the Hyena Guild members had believed the voice was meant only for them, thinking their consumption of the Fang Tribe’s blood made them worthy of becoming the next king.
But when they arrived, they realized they weren’t the only ones chosen.
Any hunter with the power of beasts could qualify, and they were all here, fighting for the crown.
“Hmph.”
A king…
Baek Mi-ho pondered for a moment.
Of course, she was tempted. The voice urging her to prove her worth had been gnawing at her mind this entire time.
*Prove you are worthy to be king!*
‘…But this still feels off.’
No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t believe that monsters would approach humans with good intentions.
And the idea that they would choose a human to be their king?
‘Ridiculous.’
Baek Mi-ho scoffed, crossing her arms.
Staying out of this mess was definitely the right call.
Still, she was curious to see how this trial would end.
In truth, she was scared—scared of what the monsters were truly plotting under the guise of this King’s Trial.
‘If only Father weren’t away at a time like this.’
Baek Mi-ho sighed, thinking of her father, Baek Yoon-ho.
If there were anyone truly worthy of becoming the king of beasts among humans, it was the S-rank hunter, Baek Yoon-ho.
But Baek Mi-ho was sure of one thing.
‘Even if Father were here, he would have made the same decision as me.’
*Prove you are worthy to be king!*
“Ugh, this voice is really getting on my nerves.”
Even now, the voice continued to nag her, tempting her with power.
*Kill, and kill again!*
But just then—
*KABOOM!*
Another loud crash echoed through the jungle.
And then, something strange happened.
*The one who survives until the end… Ah! No, stop! Please, don’t destroy that! It’s the last one!*
“Huh?”
What was going on?
The voice, which had been endlessly repeating itself, suddenly shouted in panic.
All the hunters in the forest, including Baek Mi-ho, paused in confusion.
Even the captured werewolf, who had been begging for his life, perked up his ears, puzzled.
The voice that had been constantly filling their minds suddenly fell silent.
At the same time, the number of wraiths decreased by half.
‘What’s going on? Did the King’s Trial end…?’
Of course not.
A moment later, the voice resumed as if nothing had happened.
*Prove you are worthy to be—Ahh! No, please! There’s only one tree left!*
“…Huh?”
What on earth was happening?