Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 47

“May light shine upon the challenger’s path.”

– High Shaman Kandiaru

The phrase discovered by the hunters.

It was a record that had never been found in all of Egypt’s history.

The hunters were naturally outraged at this historical discovery.

And so, more and more people began to risk coming to this small city of Kamura.

Meanwhile, Beru, who had been quietly listening to Esil’s words, made a curious expression.

[Kandiaru?]

“Why?”

Suho looked at Beru.

[I know that name.]

Beru rubbed his chin with a genuinely intrigued expression.

[High Shaman Kandiaru. He’s the architect who designed the leveling-up system.]

“The architect? Why would someone like that scribble on a pyramid?”

[That, I don’t know. But isn’t that building very old?]

“You’re right.”

[Kandiaru was a shaman of the Hwan people, who longed for eternal life.]

High Shaman Kandiaru.

Originally, he was a shaman who aimed for transcendence and immortality.

And to achieve that goal, he made a pact with the ‘Rulers’ and designed the leveling-up system.

The being perfected by that system was none other than Suho’s father, the Shadow Monarch, Sung Jinwoo.

“So, what’s he up to now?”

[Since the war of the Monarchs, his whereabouts have been unknown. Whether he truly attained eternal life, or if he died… who knows.]

Beru gazed at the pyramid with a meaningful look.

[It’s possible that traces of Kandiaru still remain in that pyramid.]

Suho nodded.

The content of the urgent quest was to eliminate the source causing the dimensional rift.

If Kandiaru, the one who designed the leveling-up system, were behind it, creating dimensional rifts wouldn’t be too difficult for him.

It felt like pieces of a puzzle were falling into place in Suho’s mind.

He turned his gaze to the pyramid.

“Let’s go in right away.”

“W-wait a second!”

As Suho and Esil began walking toward the pyramid, the guards hurriedly called out to them.

“…?”

When they turned around with a puzzled expression, the guards awkwardly tried to stop them.

“They said you need to be careful if you’re going into the pyramid.”

“Why?”

After a lengthy explanation, Suho glanced at Esil, who quickly translated.

“To summarize, there’s a guild that recently monopolized the pyramid by force.”

“A guild?”

Suho raised an eyebrow in surprise.

* * *

The Scavenger Guild.

One of the major guilds in the United States, founded by S-rank Hunter Thomas Andre.

Before his awakening, Thomas Andre was the UFC heavyweight champion with no equal in the ring, and he never gave up his title until retirement.

Then, in his old age, he suddenly awakened as an S-rank hunter and became one of the strongest hunters in America, a force to be reckoned with even outside the ring.

Given that the guild was established by such a figure, the Scavenger Guild’s reputation was unrivaled in the United States.

The Scavenger’s symbol was power.

Under the guild master’s doctrine that those with power seize everything, they had garnered quite a notorious reputation.

At the same time, however, they were responsible for defeating countless dangerous monsters and ensuring the safety of civilians.

“Still, it doesn’t seem like the entire Scavenger Guild is here. Their numbers are small.”

Esil, acting as a walking translator, quickly relayed the guard’s words.

Naturally, the guards were worried about Suho’s group.

Entering a pyramid monopolized by the Scavenger Guild meant confronting them directly.

However, Suho had no other choice since he needed to complete the quest.

Despite the guards’ objections, Suho and Esil entered the town and headed straight for the pyramid.

[Kkuraaak.]

Shhhh.

Arachne, who had been accompanying them thus far, naturally hid in Suho’s shadow, finally freeing them from the gazes of the townspeople.

‘Hmm. The atmosphere in this town…’

Suho observed the surroundings as they crossed the town.

Hunters of varying strengths were living throughout the area.

At a glance, it seemed like an ordinary village.

But it was clear that everyone’s attention was focused on the pyramid. They looked ready to rush in at any moment.

The reason they couldn’t, however…

“…It’s those guys.”

Men with rough appearances were guarding the entrance to the pyramid.

* * *

Gerald, a B-rank hunter of the Scavenger Guild, was the head of the guards at the entrance.

Ever since he was forcibly dragged to this place a few days ago, his mood had been terrible.

‘What prophecy or superstition is worth dragging people all the way to Egypt for?’

On top of that, they had him guarding the entrance in this scorching heat.

Gerald’s already rough face was made even more sour by the intense sunlight.

“Who the hell are they?”

Then.

He frowned even more as he spotted a man and woman nonchalantly approaching the pyramid.

Gerald turned to the subordinate next to him.

“What? Didn’t we inform all the hunters in town?”

“We did. We told them that approaching the pyramid would be considered an act of hostility against the Scavenger Guild…”

“Then what’s with those idiots? Do they have a death wish?”

There was a reason Gerald was speaking aloud to his subordinate.

Most hunters had excellent hearing.

It was a warning, a threat that approaching would mean death.

And naturally, Suho heard the warning too. Not that he could understand it, as it was in English.

Esil didn’t bother translating those words for him, either.

“They’re still coming up.”

Suho and Esil continued ascending the pyramid’s steps, and as they drew closer…

“Hey.”

At Gerald’s signal, the Scavenger guild members, without any warning, charged at Suho.

“Get lost, you bastards!”

Swoosh!

“Huh?”

Suho tilted his head as he watched them approach.

Attacking so suddenly?

“Well, I guess this works out. We couldn’t communicate anyway.”

Suho grinned as he drew his twin blades.

Sometimes, fists speak louder than words.

“Storm Slash.”

[You have used the skill: Storm Slash.]

KWAANG!

“Urgh?!”

A sudden sandstorm whipped through the air.

The Scavenger guild members, who had been running down the steep pyramid walls, staggered as they were caught in the storm.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the pyramid, a fierce confrontation was taking place.

The interior of the pyramid, eroded by the dungeon, had transformed into a labyrinth.

There were other hunters who had been exploring the maze even before the Scavenger Guild arrived.

The Scavenger Guild’s attitude toward these hunters was oppressive.

“You have two choices: leave, or die.”

“What the hell? We got here first!”

The opposing hunters were red with rage.

Ryo Singh, a B-rank hunter from India’s Asura Guild, had been exploring the labyrinth for a week.

But now these newcomers were trying to forcibly drive them out.

No hunter would back down easily in such a situation.

“Everyone, prepare for battle!”

Clang, clang, clang!

The Asura Guild, true to their name, were no pushovers.

They all wielded twin blades, and the red sword aura radiating from their weapons made them look like mythical Asuras.

As they got into full battle formation, a terrifying killing intent engulfed the area.

Faced with such ferocity, even the Scavenger Guild members, who had initially underestimated them due to their smaller numbers, couldn’t help but tense up.

Ryo Singh raised his twin blades and bared his teeth.

“We’re not leaving here empty-handed. Don’t underestimate us.”

Ryo Singh was a rising star in the Asura Guild.

But in India’s rigid class system, he could never rise to the top without a significant achievement.

This mission had garnered intense interest within the Asura Guild, and Ryo Singh had volunteered, hoping to elevate his status.

‘If I return empty-handed, I’ll be kicked out of the guild.’

“What the… Who are these guys?”

Randolph, who led the Scavenger Guild members, was momentarily taken aback by the Asura Guild’s defiance.

But so what?

He grinned wickedly.

“So, you guys want a bloodbath?”

Randolph’s lips curled into a sinister smile.

“In dungeons, murder isn’t a crime. Kill them all!”

Hwoooosh!

At that moment, the Scavenger Guild members were enveloped in armor made of aura.

While the Asura Guild’s vanguard was centered around damage dealers, the Scavenger Guild’s vanguard was made up of tanks.

‘This is bad.’

Ryo Singh instinctively sensed danger.

The intimidating presence of these well-organized tanks reminded him of giant monsters.

It was a battle of swords and shields.

But in this narrow space, shields held a distinct advantage.

“Take them all down!”

“Open up the space!”

At Ryo Singh’s command, the Asura Guild members swung their twin blades to break through the walls they had been pinned against.

Boom!

With the space now open…

“Attack them all!”

Clang, clang, clang!

Swords and shields clashed fiercely.

“Struggle all you want!”

Randolph pressed his advantage with overwhelming strength.

Though the Asura Guild put up a decent fight, it was clear who would come out on top.

“Your puny blades will never pierce our armor!”

In the end, the battle would be decided by sheer power.

The guild members Randolph had brought with him were notorious even within the Scavenger Guild for their brute strength.

Boom!

“Argh!”

The Asura Guild members were helplessly thrown back by their savage power.

“Go for the armor’s weak points!”

Ryo Singh’s command was effective.

No matter how strong the tanks were, they weren’t invincible, and there were vulnerable gaps in their armor.

But the Scavenger Guild members knew this better than anyone.

They had trained to cover each other’s weaknesses and press their advantage.

“Kahaha! Come at us all you want!”

Randolph laughed loudly as he charged forward, knocking Ryo Singh back like a truck.

Boom!

“Ugh…!”

Ryo Singh was sent flying, crashing hard into the wall behind him.

Blood spurted from his mouth.

‘Is this the end…?’

Just then.

Boom!

The sound of a distant wall collapsing echoed.

And into this fierce battle slipped a man and a woman.

“Huh?”

Suho, who had arrived after breaking through the wall of the labyrinth, locked eyes with Ryo Singh.

Then, he glanced over and made eye contact with Randolph.

Suho nodded quietly and turned around.

“Carry on with your business.”