Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 53

Entities.
Monsters.

There were many names to describe them.
The sly and lowly goblins.
The violent hunters, orcs.
The savage giants, ogres.

A world where all sorts of vile creatures competed for dominance—this was the realm of the entities, which had existed since ancient times.

And among them, the lowest of the low.
The goblins.

They were the weakest of the weak, constantly fighting to survive at the very bottom of the ecological pyramid, in that gutter-like pit.

The birth of the King of Entities from these feeble goblins began with a small whim.

The cruel crocodile entity, **Crocor**.

**Ammit**, the Crocor who reigned at the top of the entities’ ecosystem, once took interest in a young goblin he happened upon.

“Huh, look at this one. His eyes are quite something.”

“Grrk!”

The creature was a young goblin born frail from the start.

However, it was precisely because of this that it had survived, by viciously biting and clawing at its fellow goblins to survive.

Even covered in blood and struggling to stay alive, the young goblin did not cower in front of the mightiest entity, Crocor.

No, despite its body trembling in fear, its eyes glared at Ammit with the intent to devour him.

It was that very gaze that stirred a whim inside Ammit.

The smallest and weakest goblin, having survived the brutal world of the entities…

What would happen if Ammit personally trained this miserable creature?

How strong could it become?

‘…This could be fun.’

In the end, Ammit decided not to kill the young goblin.

“From now on, I’ll call you **Tarnarok**.”

“Grrk?”

“Haha. I’ll train your pathetic body until you’re as strong as a Crocor. Let’s see if you can survive.”

Ammit, giving the goblin a name, picked up the trembling creature with one hand and took it back to his nest.

And from that day on…

“Grrrk…!”

The young goblin, Tarnarok, began his harsh training under Ammit, striving to become stronger.

The training was brutal, and he came close to dying countless times.

But Ammit, who viewed Tarnarok as his new toy, had no intention of letting him go.

‘If he dies, that’s that.’

After all, this was an experiment born from a mere whim.

Ammit never believed it would succeed from the start, so he relentlessly pushed Tarnarok.

How much time passed, no one could tell.

Without even understanding why, Tarnarok endured the experiment disguised as training and gradually grew stronger.

And finally…

“Grrk!”

Tarnarok, a goblin by birth, succeeded in defeating an orc, a higher-tier entity, by himself for the first time.

That day, Tarnarok asked Ammit for the first time about the power he was learning.

“What is this?”

“Hm.”

For the first time, Ammit considered what to name it.

A technique that strengthened a goblin’s frail body to become like a Crocor’s…

“**Kangche-sul** (Body Strengthening Technique).”

With a cruel smile, Ammit named the technique on the spot.

“You are learning **Kangche-sul**.”

**Kangche-sul**…!

Tarnarok etched that name into his heart.

And so, the torment of training under the name of **Kangche-sul** continued.

Tarnarok grew stronger, eventually becoming capable of defeating not only orcs but also trolls and ogres by himself.

And much more time passed after that.

When Tarnarok finally surpassed his master, Ammit, the reigning King of Entities passed away.

Tarnarok was chosen as the new vessel for the **Monarch of Body Strengthening**, as the primordial darkness embedded itself in his body.

To fight in the eternal war against the **Rulers**, which had raged for eons.

* * *

“…But in the end, a goblin is just a goblin. Tarnarok eventually met someone stronger and died. No matter how hard he struggled, he was just another common entity. Haha.”

Ammit clicked his tongue, recalling his disciple who had died before him.

He turned his gaze to Suho, who had been listening to his dull story.

At some point, Suho seemed to have shrunk, like a goblin.

Just like when Ammit first found Tarnarok.

A sneer crept across Ammit’s face, his sharp teeth gleaming.

“And then, ‘he’ appeared before me.”

“He?”

“**Kandiaru**, the high shaman.”

Ammit recalled their first meeting.

Around the time when news of Tarnarok’s death in the war of the monarchs had reached Ammit, who had been in hiding, a shaman of the **Phantom Tribe** appeared before him.

The shaman made a curious offer.

– **Ammit**, master of Tarnarok, why don’t you join me in further researching **Kangche-sul**?

– **Oh? How?**

– I will create the perfect place for training in **Kangche-sul** with my sorcery. I’ll keep sending worthy specimens inside. How about it?

Kandiaru’s proposal was tempting to Ammit.

Confident after personally creating the Monarch of Body Strengthening, Ammit captured several goblins afterward to train them as well.

However, all of them died, unable to withstand the harsh training, unlike Tarnarok.

This was a great disappointment to Ammit.

It meant that Tarnarok was the exception, not that **Kangche-sul** itself was an exceptional technique.

That was a blow to Ammit’s pride.

And Kandiaru struck at that very weakness.

– Don’t you want to prove it? Whether it was your **Kangche-sul** that was special or if Tarnarok was just an anomaly?

– You don’t need to provoke me on purpose. I like your offer. But even if I wanted to, I’m running out of time.

At that time, Ammit was dying.

Aging.

Even the strongest Crocor couldn’t escape the inevitable passage of time.

But Kandiaru merely smiled wickedly, as if that were no issue.

– I can solve that problem too.

Kandiaru’s sinister grin widened.

– Coincidentally, I’m researching **eternal life**.

In the end, Ammit took Kandiaru’s hand.

And soon after, he regretted that decision.

*Crunch!*

Ammit’s eyes suddenly reddened with fury.

“After that, Kandiaru sealed me in this damned tomb. Eternal life? Haha. That conniving bastard!”

Ammit’s murderous aura shook the pyramid.

Though Kandiaru hadn’t lied.

As promised, Ammit did not die. He surpassed his lifespan and could live forever.

But only within this pyramid.

[It seems this crocodile has become like the mummies in this place, stuck forever.]

Beru whispered to Suho.

Hearing this, Ammit ceased his fury and began laughing maniacally.

“Haha! That’s right! The bandages that bind those rotting corpses? They’re like this pyramid itself for me!”

[Is he insane?]

“Exactly! I’ve lost my mind! I went mad long ago because I passed the time when I should’ve died!”

[That’s nothing to brag about.]

“But my mission remains crystal clear! By Kandiaru’s contract, I am trapped here, researching **Kangche-sul** forever, waiting for challengers to come learn from me! Hahaha!”

[My lord.]

Beru gave Suho some serious advice.

[Are you really going to train under this crazy crocodile?]

“Well, it’s a quest.”

Finally, Suho understood the meaning behind the inscription Kandiaru had left in the pyramid.

‘May light shine upon the challenger’s path.’
– **High Shaman Kandiaru**

‘So, when he said ‘challenger,’ he meant someone who wanted to learn **Kangche-sul**.’

Interesting.

Suho smirked as he glanced at the message in front of him.

[Daily Quest: **Kangche-sul** Training has arrived.]

Judging by the quest, it wasn’t something that would harm him.

‘And since it’s a daily quest, I’ll probably get rewards for training each day.’

No matter how he looked at it, this was a win-win situation.

“Alright, I’ll learn it. This **Kangche-sul** thing.”

Hearing Suho’s words, Ammit grinned widely, his massive jaw stretching.

“Well said. If you had refused, I would’ve just killed you. But you’ve saved me the trouble!”

“…”

The one who reacted was Esil, standing beside Suho.

Being a demon noble, Esil was more sensitive to Ammit’s presence than Suho was.

Though Ammit had gone mad, the overwhelming aura of the strongest entity still radiated from him.

If Ammit decided to change his mind and reveal his killing intent, they could end up like the scavenger guild members scattered in pieces around them.

Suddenly, Ammit stood up and roared toward Suho.

“Haha! Good! Then let’s begin the training immediately! From now on, your name is **Tartar**!”

“No, my name is Sung Suho…”

“Come on, Tartar! Let’s start your training right now!”

“No, it’s Sung Suho…”

“My second disciple, Tartar! From this moment on, I will strengthen your pathetic body just like a Crocor!”

Ammit completely ignored Suho’s protests and roared with enthusiasm. He seemed to be in a great mood, having found a worthy student after so long.

“Hahaha! You better brace yourself! My training is incredibly harsh and dangerous! Many entities have died because they couldn’t endure it!”

*Gulp.*

Suho swallowed hard. Even he felt uneasy after hearing Ammit’s words.

[The Beast King, **Fang Monarch Rakan**, is listening closely to Ammit’s words.]

Even the Fang Monarch, Rakan, was showing interest in Ammit’s words.

**Kangche-sul** had been a formidable training method that had transformed a weak goblin into the King of Entities, the Monarch of Body Strengthening.

“Tartar, from now on, every day you will…”

“Check.”

Just then, Suho checked the message, and Ammit simultaneously explained the grueling training regimen.

“100 push-ups! 100 sit-ups! 100 squats! And a 10-kilometer run! You’ll do this every day!”

“…Huh?”

*Ding!*

At that moment, the details of the daily quest unfolded before Suho’s eyes.

—

[Daily Quest: **Kangche-sul** Training]

– 100 Push-ups: Incomplete (0/100)
– 100 Sit-ups: Incomplete (0/100)
– 100 Squats: Incomplete (0/100)
– 10km Run: Incomplete (0/10)

※ However, you must carry Ammit while doing it.

—

“And! You must do it while carrying me! Haha!”

“…!”

Suho’s eyes widened in disbelief at the absurd quest requirements.

“Let’s begin right away! Endure it if you can!”

*Flash!*

At that moment, Ammit’s enormous body began to turn transparent and floated into the air.

“Spirit form?!”

Esil recognized the phenomenon and shouted in shock.

In an instant, the now-ghostly Ammit landed on top of Suho’s head.

*Koo-goo-goo-goo…!*

“Urgh?!”

A massive gravitational force pressed down on Suho’s entire body. He had to muster all his strength just to avoid being crushed by the immense weight.

[Haha! Impressive! At this rate, I can even increase the weight a bit more!]

*Whooosh!*

“Guh…!”

Ammit’s weight intensified even further.

Suho’s muscles strained as fibers tore, and his blood vessels burst under the pressure.

“Su-Suho!”

[My lord…!]

Esil and Beru retreated swiftly to avoid the gravitational field, watching with concern as Suho struggled.

[Hahaha! What are you doing?! If you can barely stand, how do you expect to complete push-ups?!]

Listening to Ammit’s taunts, Suho gritted his teeth and barely managed to drop into a push-up position.

*Koo-goo-goo-goo…!*

As soon as he lowered himself, the crushing gravity made it feel as if his body would be squashed flat.

“Grrr! **Ruler’s Authority!**”

*Crack!*

Using the invisible hand of **Ruler’s Authority**, Suho managed to stabilize his body, but just barely.

‘No wonder so many died from this training!’

And so, the hellish push-up training began.

[One! Two! Two! Two!]

“Why is it always ‘two’?!”

[Your form is wrong!]

What is this, a gym?!