Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 6

Sung Su-ho at one year old.

The day that adorable baby took his first steps was a day of chaos in the household.

But for Su-ho’s family, it was a bit different.

“Honey! Su-ho! Our Su-ho!”

“What about Su-ho?”

His mother, Cha Hae-in, shouted in disbelief.

“He’s flying around the house!”

“…What?”

“Su-ho is flying around the house!”

Su-ho’s first steps were not on the floor, but in mid-air.

In fact, it was one of the special abilities inherited from his father, Sung Jinwoo, known as the ‘Ruler’s Authority.’

[…I miss those days.]

Even before he could walk, one-year-old Su-ho had learned how to fly.

Beru, wiping his nose, recalled how it felt like witnessing the birth of a mythological hero.

But Earth was a peaceful place back then.

The powers Su-ho inherited were meant to destroy everything, making them useless in a peaceful world.

Not only were they useless, but they could also make normal life impossible.

Thus, Sung Jinwoo decided to seal Su-ho’s powers until he could control them.

[Now that the Apostles of the Outer Gods are invading Earth, it is time for you to unleash the powers that were sealed, young lord!]

[Skill: Ruler’s Authority Lv.1]

Active Skill.

No mana required.

Allows you to exert physical influence on objects without direct contact.

Ignoring Beru’s dramatic proclamation, Su-ho used his invisible hand to send the arrow flying back to its source.

“Here, take it back.”

Swoosh— Thunk!

[Grunt!]

[You have defeated a Goblin Archer.]

The goblin archer fell, the arrow it had fired now embedded in its neck.

Behind it, another goblin, startled, turned and fled.

Squeak!

‘You’re not getting away!’

Su-ho took off in pursuit.

To his surprise, with a single leap, he overtook the fleeing goblin.

Squeak?!

Su-ho and the goblin locked eyes in mid-air, both equally astonished.

[Hehe! Your increased Strength stat also boosts your jumping ability! You’ll get used to it quickly!]

Beru’s giggling explanation from above felt annoyingly smug.

Su-ho brought his axe down on the goblin’s head.

Wham!

[Squeal!]

[You have defeated a Goblin Scout.]

Su-ho quickly dispatched two goblins.

He wiped the goblin blood off his face and surveyed his surroundings.

Only now, after the immediate battle, did he realize that this monochrome world was far from friendly.

He could feel the malicious gazes from all around the ruined city, their killing intent pricking at his Perception stat.

“There are many.”

[Indeed, there are many. This is a land of death, abandoned by its master for a long time. Wild beasts have made this land their nest.]

Beru explained with a wicked grin, which looked almost sinister despite his cute mini-size.

[However, now!]

Swoosh!

Beru spread his short arms wide, proclaiming majestically.

[The true master of this land has returned! Reclaim it, young lord! Take back what the foolish invaders have stolen with your power!]

Ding!

A new quest window appeared before Su-ho.

[Quest: Survival]

The inhabitants of the Shadow Dungeon will not recognize you as their master. Survive for the required time to prove your worth.

Required time: 4 hours

Time remaining: 4 hours 0 minutes 0 seconds

‘Survival?’

Su-ho’s eyebrows twitched as he read the quest.

At that moment.

Buuuu!

Buuuuu-!

[A Goblin Commander uses an item: Horn to summon subordinates.]

[A Goblin Centurion uses an item: Horn to summon subordinates.]

Kikiki!

Squeak, squeak!

Goblin cries echoed as they began to emerge from hiding all around the city.

There were too many of them.

Su-ho’s expression soured.

“Is this a joke? Survive for four hours against this?”

[You don’t need to kill them all. You’re only level 3. Just survive. You’ll level up and grow stronger in the process.]

Beru winked and gave a thumbs up, looking like a proud parent watching his child.

‘…Why is that so annoying?’

But this was no time for other thoughts.

Squeak, squeak!

The goblins were closing in.

Su-ho quickly grabbed a second axe from the goblin he had just killed.

[Item: Goblin’s Stone Axe]

Acquisition Difficulty: E

Type: Axe

Attack Power +5

A hand axe used by goblins.

The item info floated above the axe.

‘Dual-wielding it is.’

With a stone axe in each hand, Su-ho’s eyes gleamed fiercely.

But he still felt uneasy.

The goblins closing in on him were wielding similar weapons.

Su-ho quickly opened his status window and allocated all 5 remaining stat points to Strength.

[Strength: 15 → 20]

Huff!

He felt a surge of power in his hands holding the axes.

Strength increased both power and speed.

With his Strength stat doubling from level 1, he felt much stronger.

‘With this strength…’

He could move faster!

Swoosh!

Using his newfound strength, Su-ho turned and ran to find more favorable terrain for fighting multiple enemies.

[Hehe! Brilliant! Even the weak have their own ways to fight!]

“…”

[It’s like watching an ant larva take its first wobbly steps!]

Wow, so annoying.

As he ran, Su-ho’s previous affection for Beru faded.

He even resolved to burn all his ant paintings when he returned.

‘From now on, I’ll paint anteaters.’

* * *

The effect of the increased Strength stat was evident.

Dual-wielding the stone axes, Su-ho rampaged through the goblins.

Whoosh— Wham!

He blocked one goblin’s axe with his right axe.

Slash!

He beheaded another goblin with his left axe.

Whoosh, whack!

He spun around and struck another goblin’s ankle.

Slash!

He cut off its head.

[You have defeated a Goblin Warrior.]

[You have defeated a Goblin Spearman.]

“Kikik!”

Though he quickly dispatched two goblins, the cost was high.

Axes and spears came at him from all directions.

He dodged half but couldn’t avoid the other half.

Thwack! Thwack-thwack!

“Ugh!”

[HP: 160/190]

It hurt.

As his health dropped, his wounds increased.

But Su-ho gritted his teeth and charged again.

Whoosh— Wham!

Slash!

He took down three goblins this time.

In the process, he took four more hits.

[HP: 118/190]

He beheaded another goblin.

He took three more hits.

[HP: 84/190]

His health had almost halved.

His body was covered in blood.

But then.

Ding!

[You have learned a skill: Toughness Lv.1.]

‘I’ve learned a skill?!’

Su-ho’s eyes widened.

Most hunters lived their entire lives with the skills they awakened with.

To acquire new skills, one needed the rare and expensive ‘Rune Stones.’

Getting a new skill for free in the middle of a battle was unheard of!

[Skill: Toughness Lv.1]

Passive Skill.

No mana required.

You possess unyielding toughness.

Physical defense increased by 20%.

Even before checking the skill description, Su-ho felt its effects.

The pain from his wounds lessened.

[Kikik!]

Realizing Su-ho was no pushover, the goblins scattered, blowing their horns to summon more allies.

Taking this chance, Su-ho hid behind a pillar to catch his breath.

“Wow. This hurts.”

Beru fluttered over, stomping his feet.

[Squeak! Are you in pain, young lord? But pain makes you stronger. You gained the Toughness skill by enduring, how admirable!]

“…”

Pressing down on his bleeding wounds to stop the flow, Su-ho glared at Beru.

[Hehe?]

Beru, the size of a fist, grinned innocently.

“Instead of watching, why don’t you help?”

Beru had been strong enough to tear apart a giant wolf.

He had been reassuring back then.

But now, in his shrunken state, he showed no intention of helping.

Beru had his reasons.

[Of course, I want to help. But I need to conserve my strength to return to the outer universe where the master awaits.]

Beru was restoring his depleted strength on his own, as Sung Jinwoo was too far away to recharge his mana.

[Besides, if I fight, you won’t get the full experience points. Instead of wasting time, why not kill more goblins to level up?]

Beru’s words made sense.

The problem was his smugness.

From above, he chattered annoyingly, seemingly oblivious to the danger.

He wasn’t trying to provoke; he simply lacked human empathy.

Maybe because he wasn’t human.

[Squeak! Young lord! More are coming! Get up and fight! You’re close to leveling up!]

Su-ho gritted his teeth and reached out.

‘Ruler’s Authority.’

An invisible hand grabbed a stone axe from a goblin’s corpse.

He realized during the fight that the Ruler’s Authority could handle about 10 kg.

Enough to lift an infant, or in this case, a stone axe.

Perhaps, in his childhood, this power allowed him to fly.

Su-ho spun the floating stone axe around himself for defense.

Beru’s eyes sparkled.

[Squeak! To use the Ruler’s Authority like this? Necessity breeds invention!]

…That ant was definitely a demon.

* * *

[You have leveled up!]

[You have leveled up!]

Time dragged on painfully slowly.

But after fighting tooth and nail, Su-ho’s level gradually increased.

With each level up, the wounds inflicted by the goblins’ axes healed instantly.

His near-death exhaustion turned into vitality.

Most importantly, he grew stronger with each level.

Finally…

[Time remaining: 0 hours 0 minutes 0 seconds]

[Quest completed.]

[You have leveled up!]

[Level: 7]

Squeak!

[Kerrik!]

[Kerrrrik!]

As the timer ended, the goblins that had been relentlessly pursuing Su-ho scattered into the shadows.

“…Is it over?”

Su-ho remained alert, scanning his surroundings.

The area was littered with goblin corpses.

Silence settled over him like when he first arrived.

[You did well! Truly admirable!]

Beru shattered the silence with his excited clapping.

[Those wretched goblins now acknowledge you, young lord! They’ve realized you’re not as weak as you appear!]

Not as weak as he appeared?

“How do I appear?”

[Still like an ant larva! You’re only level 7, after all!]

“Ant larva… again.”

Was it never going to end?

Why did he even ask?

At that moment.

Ding!

[Quest completion rewards have arrived.]

[Would you like to check your rewards?] (Y/N)

“…Yes.”

The message unfolded instantly.

[The following reward is available.]

Reward: Rune Stone: Shadow Extraction