Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 52

[Kihyaaaak!]

The shadow centipede bared its savage fangs at Randolph, who had dared to show killing intent towards its master.

*Crash!*

The massive creature’s body surged forward and struck Randolph hard.

“Argh!”

Randolph was flung through the air and slammed into the wall.

How many times had this happened today?!

However, Randolph still kept in mind that Suho was a summoner.

“This lousy summoning magic! If I just kill the summoner, all of it will…!”

*Crunch!*

But he couldn’t finish his sentence.

* * *

Although Randolph had been dealt with, Suho wore a grim expression.

“How did an A-rank Hunter get injured like this?”

He had only exhibited such strength because he was such a tough guy.

The problem was that something beyond was responsible for putting him in this state.

“What exactly is in there?”

Esil’s face was serious as well.

“It feels ominous. If I were alone, I’d have fled from this place by now.”

As they approached the heart of the labyrinth, Suho’s sense stat fiercely warned him of danger.

But at the same time, he couldn’t shake the strange feeling.

‘I don’t know why, but it feels like something is waiting for me.’

The artificial beasts, the prophecy, and most of all, the high shaman Kandiaru, who had designed the leveling system—what had he been doing in this pyramid?

The answer to all these mysteries surely lay beyond.

Before long, a massive door stood in front of Suho.

Looking up at the door, Suho’s eyes sparkled.

“Let’s go in.”

“W-Wait. Time for a strategy!” Esil hurriedly called out to him.

She pointed at the Vulcan’s Horn in his hand.

“Are you just going to charge in?”

“Why not go in now?”

“S-Should we?”

The first time is always hard, but it gets easier the second time.

Terrified, Esil quickly turned into a spirit form and possessed Suho’s sword.

[Vulcan’s Horn devours the demon’s soul.]

“That sword’s been eating so much lately, I’m worried it might get eating disorder or something.”

After a brief lighthearted comment to clear his mind, Suho finally opened the door.

*Creak!*

What he saw then was a gigantic humanoid crocodile!

[Crocodile of Death, Ammit]

“Grrr!”

‘Ammit? Isn’t that a name from Egyptian mythology?’

Suho remembered.

In Egyptian mythology, Ammit was a monster similar to Cerberus from Greek mythology.

Typically described with the head of a crocodile, the mane of a lion, and the body of a lion with the lower half of a hippopotamus, the creature before him, however, was just a muscular humanoid crocodile.

As soon as Ammit saw Suho, it charged at him.

“Grrahh!”

*Thud, thud, thud, thud!*

Its massive footsteps shook the entire pyramid.

“Everyone, attack!”

At Suho’s command, the shadow soldiers, led by the shadow centipede, began their assault on Ammit.

*Screeech!*

*Screaaaam!*

The shadow centipede coiled around Ammit’s enormous body.

The shadow spider bound Ammit’s arms and legs with webs, immobilizing it.

And in that moment, the shadow mummies launched a coordinated attack.

The sight was truly overwhelming.

But the problem was that Ammit was too powerful.

“Grrr!”

*Boom!*

Ammit’s powerful arm grabbed the shadow centipede’s neck and slammed it into the ground.

Then, with a cruel grin, it began pounding its fists into the centipede’s body.

*Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!*

A display of sheer dominance!

-Suho!

“Yeah, let’s go.”

At Esil’s cry, Suho charged at Ammit.

[Using Skill: Giant’s Armor.]

*Whoosh!*

“Grk?”

Ammit’s eyes widened as Suho’s body suddenly grew twice in size.

But the transformation wasn’t over.

“Spirit Infusion!”

[Spirit of Pet: Gray infuses into the Priest’s body.]

*Whoosh!*

Suho’s hair turned silver, and a divine wind swirled around him.

[Using Skill: Wind of the Plains.]

[Movement speed temporarily increased by 30%.]

[Attack speed temporarily increased by 30%.]

*Whooosh!*

With incredible speed, Suho threw all his might at Ammit.

[Using Skill: Storm Slash.]

*Booom!*

“Grrraah!”

Ammit swung its fist toward the whirlwind of blades that rushed at it.

It was a simple punch, but its power was enough to tear through the wind and threaten Suho beyond it.

[My lord! Danger!]

*Flash!*

Suho quickly changed direction mid-air with the Ruler’s Authority, barely avoiding the attack.

At the same time, he twisted his body and slashed at Ammit with both of his swords.

*Slash, slash, slash, slash, slash!*

“Grrr!”

Ammit, who had been overpowering the shadow centipede, grabbed its head and swung it like a whip toward Suho.

*Boom!*

*Screeee!*

Calling it a whip was an understatement; the centipede’s massive body smashed the marble floor and even broke through the walls with its immense force.

The shadow centipede screamed in agony.

But Suho dodged the ridiculous attack by a hair’s breadth and continued to strike at Ammit’s openings.

At that moment, Suho’s eyes gleamed.

“Shadow centipede, return!”

*Screeech!*

The centipede, which had been held by Ammit, dissipated into black smoke.

“Grrk?!”

Ammit, now empty-handed, looked genuinely surprised for the first time.

“Rise!”

In an instant, the shadow centipede emerged again from Suho’s shadow, wrapping its massive jaws around Ammit’s thick neck and biting down.

*Screeech!*

“Grrraaah!”

A full-scale clash of gigantic beasts.

But as seen before, the difference between the two was clear.

-The shadow centipede is only buying time!

Listening to Esil’s shout, Suho quickly assessed the situation.

‘Its skin is too thick and sturdy. My blades can’t penetrate it.’

Against an opponent like this, blunt force would be more effective than blades.

In other words, overwhelming strength.

Suho quickly checked his mana reserves.

‘I need to land a solid blow.’

If the blow worked, that would be great. If it didn’t, they’d need to retreat and recover their strength as soon as possible.

“Heavy Strike.”

*Whoosh!*

[Using Skill: Heavy Strike.]

At that moment, the Ruler’s Authority enveloped Suho’s fist, forming a giant gauntlet-like weapon.

“Hyaah!”

Without hesitation, Suho drove his fist toward Ammit, who was grappling with the shadow centipede.

*Boom!*

“Grrraaah?!”

Blood spurted from Ammit’s mouth as Suho’s attack finally dealt significant damage.

But then…

“…Grk.”

A faint light returned to Ammit’s previously blood-red eyes.

To Suho’s shock, Ammit’s mouth opened, and words that Suho could understand came out.

“…Kangche-sul? (Body Strengthening Technique?)”

“Huh?”

“Hahaha! It’s been a while! I haven’t been hit by a punch like that in ages!”

Ammit suddenly burst out laughing, leaving Suho bewildered.

“W-What the…?”

[Wha? Lord, that thing…!]

-It’s speaking?

The change in Ammit, who had suddenly started talking, caught everyone off guard, forcing Suho to momentarily pause his attack.

In that gap.

*Rattle.*

[You have purchased a Low-grade Mana Potion.]

‘Better restore my mana first.’

Suho downed the potion and watched the situation unfold.

But it seemed that Ammit no longer had any intention of attacking Suho.

Like a child who had found a new toy, Ammit’s reptilian eyes gleamed as it stared at Suho’s fist.

“Hey.”

Ammit called out to Suho.

“Do that again. Hit me one more time.”

“W-What? Heavy Strike?”

“Heavy Strike? Is that what you call it?”

Despite spitting up blood, Ammit continued to chuckle.

‘If it’s asking to be hit, no reason to refuse.’

Suho quickly checked his mana reserves.

In the past, one Heavy Strike would have drained all his mana, but thanks to the Ring of Horus he had received from Ryo Singh, he still had some left.

[Using Skill: Heavy Strike.]

*Whoosh!*

Suho’s fist turned black again.

But just as he raised it to strike…

“Wait. Hold it right there.”

Ammit’s reptilian eyes twirled as it carefully observed Suho’s fist.

Then it burst out laughing again.

“Haha! Don’t tell me you can only use Kangche-sul (Body Strengthening) on your fist? What a half-wit!”

“What the heck is going on here?”

And what exactly is Kangche-sul?

Suho was starting to lose the will to fight.

What kind of Hunter gets called a half-wit by a dungeon boss?

And at that moment.

A message from a distant, resting world arrived.

[The Beast King, Fang Monarch, chuckles as he watches this situation unfold.]

“Now even you’re laughing?”

[The Beast King, Fang Monarch, informs you that he was the mentor who trained the previous Monarch of Body Strengthening.]

“What mentor?”

[What?! The one who trained the Monarch of Body Strengthening!]

While Suho was confused, Beru was completely shocked.

“Grrr. So you guys knew Tarnarok? I figured as much.”

Ammit, hearing their conversation, smiled and tore the shadow centipede off his neck, throwing it to the ground.

*Screeech!*

The shadow centipede regenerated and lunged at Ammit again, but Suho withdrew it and asked Ammit directly.

“Tarnarok?”

“The King of Entities, Monarch of Body Strengthening, Tarnarok.”

Ammit spat out the black blood in its mouth and chuckled.

“I’m the one who taught him Kangche-sul.”

-I’ve heard about that before.

*Whooosh!*

Right then, Esil emerged from Vulcan’s Horn and continued.

“The previous King of Entities became known as the Monarch of Body Strengthening because of that unique technique he used.”

“Haha, that’s right. I taught him that. But what does it matter? He’s dead now, isn’t he?”

Ammit plopped down on the ground and sat, his gaze still fixed on Suho’s blackened fist.

With a grin.

“Well, this is convenient.”

Ammit looked at Suho and spoke, clearly having thought of something.

“Hey, you’ve got some talent. Now that Tarnarok’s dead, how about you learn it instead?”

“…?”

“Kangche-sul, that is.”

“J-Just like that?”

At that moment, a message appeared before Suho.

[You have received the Daily Quest: Training in Kangche-sul.]