Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 51

[Shadow extraction possible.]

As Suho uttered the command, a black shadow began to writhe out of the corpse of the Poison Fang Sand Centipede.

[Attempting shadow extraction.]

[Extraction in progress…]

Kiaaaah!

The giant centipede’s venomous fangs writhed from the shadow, as if attempting to break free.

However…

*Ting!*

With a metallic clang, a message popped up.

[Shadow extraction failed.]

[You have two more attempts remaining.]

“Failed?”

Suho gritted his teeth.

“Does that mean I’m not strong enough?”

The shadow extraction skill had a failure rate. According to the skill description, the chances of failure increased depending on the target’s strength, and the Poison Fang Sand Centipede had been a much stronger beast than Suho.

‘To be honest, I didn’t even defeat it alone.’

Suho had thrown everything he had at this monster, using all the means at his disposal.

That only made him want to possess this monster even more.

‘Two chances left…’

After taking a deep breath, Suho calmly prepared for a second attempt.

“Arise.”

*Ting!*

[Shadow extraction failed.]

[You have one more attempt remaining.]

“……”

Suho swallowed nervously.

Now he only had one chance left.

Kiaaaah!

The centipede’s body thrashed as it desperately tried to emerge from the swirling black smoke.

‘Do you want to rise too?’

Suho’s gaze softened.

‘Fine, come forth.’

And fight alongside me as my ally.

Suho stood before the centipede’s massive corpse and solemnly extended his hand.

“Arise!”

At that moment—

Crunch!

The centipede let out a deafening roar as one of its front legs tore through the black smoke.

That was just the beginning.

Crunch, crunch, crunch!

More and more legs followed, planting themselves firmly on the ground as the centipede’s body rose.

The black smoke twisted and intertwined, weaving together the unfinished body of the shadow creature.

[Shadow extraction successful.]

“It worked!”

Suho let out a shout of triumph.

[?? Lv.1]

Knight Rank

Before Suho stood the massive, shadowy figure of the Poison Fang Sand Centipede, its black form pulsing with dark energy.

[Kyaaaaah!]

The sheer presence of the creature sent a chill through the air.

Esil, who had just emerged from Vulcan’s Horn, flinched and took a step back in fear.

At the same time, Gray, who had just detached from Suho, hid behind Esil, trembling as well.

Suho couldn’t help but remember his first battle with this fearsome creature, and he swallowed hard.

‘But now, it’s mine.’

*Ding!*

[You can assign a name to soldiers of knight rank or higher.]

[The name will remain until the shadow is destroyed.]

[Please assign a name to your soldier.]

Does the name really matter?

After all, this centipede was just a temporary asset for now.

[Shadow Centipede Lv.1]

Knight Rank

“Let’s go.”

Suho quickly assigned the creature a simple name and climbed onto its back.

“W-wait! Me too!” Esil called out as she rushed to join Suho, clutching Gray in her arms. She leaped onto the Shadow Centipede’s back.

Suho chuckled at her flustered expression.

Then he turned his gaze toward the depths of the labyrinth, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

“Alright. Let’s move.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Randolph was leading a small group of his remaining subordinates deeper into the labyrinth.

“R-Randolph, sir! Huff, huff!”

“The mummies aren’t following us anymore…!”

Thud.

Randolph came to a stop and glanced back after hearing his exhausted subordinates.

“Tch. Weaklings.”

He clicked his tongue at the sight of his lagging companions.

“Well, they’re tough. They’ll catch up eventually. Let’s keep moving!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

They slowed their pace a bit now, proceeding with caution. Randolph scrutinized the seemingly endless corridor around them.

“Why did the mummies stop chasing us?”

“Maybe we’re close to the end of the labyrinth?”

“Hmm.”

A smirk crept onto Randolph’s face.

The inscription found in the pyramid.

‘Let there be light for the challenger’s path.’

“It looks like we’re the only challengers left now.”

Which meant that the treasure would be theirs, no doubt.

“Search everywhere!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Destroy everything suspicious! Something useful will turn up!”

The Scavenger Guild was famous for one thing: their physical resilience.

And that strength shone brightest in harsh environments like this.

“Forget traps—just power through! Break everything, smash it all apart, and find any clues we can!”

Crash! Smash!

Nothing could stop their rampage.

They smashed through walls, obliterated anything suspicious, and slowly but surely made their way to the end of the labyrinth.

And then, finally—

“A door!”

A massive door appeared before them.

“We found it!”

“We did it!”

Their faces lit up with excitement.

And as they boldly pushed the door open—

“……!”

They saw it.

“Oh my god!”

Their eyes widened in shock.

A massive, circular chamber.

At the center of it stood a gigantic humanoid alligator, bound by chains.

‘It’ slowly opened its eyes and gazed at the intruders who had dared to open the door.

Chill!

“……!”

The moment they met its vertically slit reptilian eyes, a primal fear gripped every single Scavenger guild member.

Except for one.

“Hah!”

Randolph was the only one whose face twisted into a savage smile as he unleashed his full power.

“We found it! The boss monster!”

Boom!

Fully armed with all his skills, Randolph charged toward the monster.

“Let’s go!”

His subordinates flinched at the sound of his roar, then turned to gaze at his powerful back.

“Don’t be afraid! Attack together! Remember the prophecy! Once we defeat this monster, the treasure and glory will be ours!”

They remembered the prophecy foretold by the fortune teller.

“Soon, a life born from death will awaken from its seal. And that power will raise the dead.”

A power that could defy even death itself.

The prophecy had been a source of doubt at first, but as they navigated the labyrinth, it had become an absolute certainty in their hearts.

‘The mummies! That power to raise the dead must be hidden in this place!’

And once they defeated this alligator monster, that power would surely belong to them.

Just like in every dungeon they had conquered before!

“Let’s go! All at once, we can win this!”

“Trust Randolph, sir!”

But—

*Splat!*

In an instant, the heads of the charging hunters exploded.

“W-wha…what?!”

*Splat!*

The attack had come from the alligator humanoid’s thick tail.

Even though it was still chained, the monster arrogantly glared down at the pathetic humans charging at it, crushing them as easily as insects.

“Rrrrr….”

A trail of white smoke rose from its mouth as its elongated jaws curled into a terrifying smile.

In mere seconds, ten hunters had their heads severed.

Even the famously tough tanks of the Scavenger Guild.

“S-save me…!”

The surviving hunters, their faces drained of color, began stumbling backward in terror.

Eventually, they turned and fled the way they had come.

“N-no! I have to survive…!”

*Splat.*

Another life was snuffed out.

At that moment, the remaining hunters turned to Randolph in desperation, hoping for salvation.

“Randolph! Randolph will save us…!”

But Randolph was already slammed against the wall from his initial charge, bleeding profusely.

“Ugh…”

Bloodied but determined, Randolph forced himself to his feet.

Yet his eyes still burned with intensity.

“Heh…this is fun. Finally, a worthy opponent.”

With renewed vigor, Randolph threw himself at the monster once again.

*Splat!*

“……!”

What just happened?

No one could tell.

“Arrrrgh!”

Blood gushed like a fountain as Randolph screamed in agony.

His right arm was gone.

“Hi-healer…!”

Clutching the gaping wound on his shoulder, Randolph desperately looked around for a healer.

But his face had already turned pale with despair.

‘I can’t win.’

This wasn’t just a difficult fight.

‘It’s impossible to beat this thing…!’

At that moment, an image of the Scavenger Guild’s guild master flashed through Randolph’s mind.

‘Goliath’ Thomas Andre, the guild master who made people tremble in fear just by looking at him.

Facing this monster, Randolph felt the same overwhelming terror that only someone like Thomas Andre could inspire.

“Retreat…!”

Randolph’s trembling voice finally escaped his lips.

But before he could finish, the alligator beast unleashed a deafening roar, infused with magic.

“Krwoooaaaar!”

“Kuhak!”

The sheer force of the roar sent the remaining Scavenger hunters fleeing in terror.

And then—

*Crunch!*

The chains binding the alligator beast shattered.

In that instant, hell began.

* * *

“Huff! Huff!”

Randolph ran and ran.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d run so desperately in his life.

But his frantic escape had saved him.

“Damn it! Damn it!”

The problem was, Randolph was the only one who had survived.

With all his subordinates dead, Randolph’s face was contorted in a mix of fear and rage, muttering the same words over and over.

“It’s a monster. A real monster!”

There was no way to win.

If the monster had been capable of communication, he would have dropped to his knees and begged for his life.

He couldn’t understand why such a powerful beast had been imprisoned in this place, or how such a monstrous creature had been bound by such fragile chains.

His mind was a mess.

‘What is this place?!’

It was then—

Rumble!

A section of the labyrinth wall collapsed, and Suho appeared in front of Randolph.

“Huh?”

Suho recognized Randolph and widened his eyes in surparise as he stepped through the hole in the wall.

That innocent expression made all of Randolph’s pent-up rage explode.

Crack!

“You…!”

Randolph’s eyes burned with fury as a plan formed in his mind.

‘Yes, I’ll use him as bait! If that alligator monster comes after me, I’ll throw this guy to it…!’

Then I’ll survive!

With a gleeful expression, Randolph lunged at Suho.

Even though he was injured, capturing this summoner would be easy.

After all, Randolph was an A-rank tank from the Scavenger Guild.

As long as he wasn’t up against a boss monster like that alligator, there was no way he’d lose to anyone in a fight.

*Boom!*

A thunderous roar erupted from Randolph’s body as he channeled all his aura into his fists.

He could crush a mere summoner like an insect with his overwhelming strength.

“It’s all your fault! If it wasn’t for you, we could have cleared this place slowly and—!”

*Boom!*

“You were going to clear it?”

But then—

The wall behind Suho crumbled away, revealing the gigantic shadow he had been riding.

“……What?”

Randolph’s face twisted in shock.

What was going on?

[Kyaaaaaah!]

The Poison Fang Sand Centipede.

The massive monster that had claimed the lives of countless hunters in the pyramid of Kamaru now stood there, radiating a fearsome presence.

‘This doesn’t make any sense…!’

How could someone summon such a creature?

As an A-rank hunter, Randolph knew how summoning worked.

No summoner could control a creature of this size and power.

In most cases, the summoner would be devoured by the creature instead.

But now…

“My god….”

The terrifying demon of the red desert had appeared before Randolph’s eyes.

Carrying Suho on its back.