Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 62

The White Tiger Guild members were genuinely confused.

They had been assigned to this raid to protect against a potential ambush by Lee Minseong.

However, the moment they entered the field, an unexpected chaos began.

“What the hell? Wasn’t this supposed to be a C-rank field?”

“There was nothing about bugs in the intel, was there?”

In a dungeon where anything could happen, the value of information was as important as life itself.

That was one reason hunters preferred large guilds.

And, of course, one of the top-tier guilds like the White Tiger Guild had plenty of data on unexplored dungeons.

Especially with field-type dungeons outside gates, where monsters could freely appear and the environment was open for observation, the guild could accumulate even more detailed information.

The Times Square field was no different.

They knew in advance that the monsters appearing here were woodvines, so they stationed two experienced fire insect summoners in this raid.

Fire insects weren’t particularly powerful summons, but for a C-rank summoner, the sheer number of summoned creatures made them effective against plant-type monsters.

In addition to that, the team included three B-rank hunters.

No one expected they would be struggling like this in a mere C-rank field.

‘If I had known, I would have brought a magic-type hunter…’

If they had someone with fire skills, they wouldn’t be having this much trouble dealing with wasps.

Or perhaps…

*BOOOOM!*

“…Or that kind of skill would do, too.”

Up ahead, the combined attack of Suho’s twin blades and the fire insects was producing extraordinary synergy.

Seeing the wasps reduced to ashes, the White Tiger Guild members were at a loss for words.

“…Who the hell is that guy?”

Wasn’t it too much for someone who hadn’t even been awakened for a month to be this skilled in battle?

Suho was commanding the veteran summoners as if they were his subordinates.

On top of that, he was giving appropriate instructions to the other hunters.

“Leave the wasps to us! Focus on the thorny vines! My mummies will handle the tanking, so dealers, concentrate on attacking! Tanks, stick close to the dealers!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Understood!”

Following Suho’s commands, the hunters quickly regained their formation, which had momentarily been disrupted.

Seeing this, Koo Dongjae, who had been leading the raid, found himself in an awkward position.

Noticing him, Suho’s eyes narrowed.

“What are you doing here? Stop getting in the way and go to the healer to get your arm treated!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

Startled by Suho’s scolding, Koo Dongjae scurried toward the healer.

The White Tiger Guild’s healer, while casting a healing spell on Koo Dongjae, gave Suho a curious glance.

“That was the team I was most worried about…”

But things were running smoother than expected.

Thanks to one rookie hunter named Sung Suho.

The only issue was that the dungeon seemed to have the same thought.

*Swoosh!*

*Rustle!*

Suddenly, the walls and floor were entwined with thorny vines, separating the hunters from each other.

This, too, was not in the White Tiger Guild’s intel.

“Splitting up is dangerous!”

“Hurry! Get over here!”

The hunters scrambled in confusion, trying to move through the thorny walls rising from the ground.

The real problem was Suho.

Since he had been far away from the others from the start, the thorny walls surged up between them, cutting him off completely from the group.

“No…!”

The hunters’ desperate cries grew distant as they were separated from Suho.

—

*Slice!*

Suho’s twin blades slashed through the thorny wall, but the vines slithered back to close the gap in an instant.

Frowning in frustration, Suho muttered under his breath.

“This feels like they’re deliberately trying to isolate me, doesn’t it?”

[Indeed.]

“So, what are they saying?”

When Suho glanced at Beru, the insect-like creature had been twitching its antennae, focusing on the wasps that hovered nearby.

*Flick?*

*Flick-flick.*

[Hooh?]

*Flick?*

*Flick-flick!*

[Interesting.]

As if he had figured something out, Beru gave a satisfied nod.

[They’re cursing at me. Telling me to drop dead.]

“….”

As Suho’s expression hardened, Beru chuckled mischievously.

[But I’ve eavesdropped on everything they’ve been saying.]

Beru’s slitted eyes narrowed toward a specific direction.

[Over there.]

“Let’s go.”

Without hesitation, Suho turned and headed in that direction.

As if waiting for him, the thorny walls parted, revealing a path.

A smirk tugged at Suho’s lips.

“It seems they’ve been waiting for me.”

[Such insolent bugs.]

Beru’s expression was far more ferocious than Suho’s.

Without any hesitation, Suho sprinted down the path.

At the end of the path…

*Step.*

“Well, isn’t this interesting?”

Suho grinned at the creature waiting for him at the end of the labyrinth.

**[Corrupted Spearman]**

A grotesque mix of insect and human.

The humanoid monster was clad in yellow and black armor, resembling an insect’s exoskeleton.

“So, you’re a spearman? That looks more like a stinger to me.”

In place of hands, long, sharp spears extended from the creature’s arms.

“Keerik! That’s right. I serve the glorious Queen as her spearman.”

*Flutter.*

The spearman spread its wings wide and took flight.

Beru murmured with interest.

[How fascinating. A bug that can talk.]

“…?”

[Why are you looking at me like that, my lord?]

Suho gave Beru a silent glance before turning his gaze back to the spearman.

He had much to say but decided to let it slide for now.

He focused on the spearman again and asked, “So, why did you summon me here?”

“Keerik. You were becoming troublesome, so I had to isolate you. Consider it an honor. As the Queen’s spearman, I’ll personally deal with you.”

*Clang!*

The spearman crossed its sharp spear-like arms and glared arrogantly at Suho.

Suho smiled slowly.

“Isolate me? Me?”

His smile deepened, exuding amusement.

Meanwhile, his shadow spread ominously in all directions.

“You’re the one who’s trapped.”

[Kiieek!]

[Kaahhh!]

In an instant, shadow mummies emerged from Suho’s shadow.

Ten went to aid the hunters, while ten remained by Suho’s side.

Even in isolation, Suho managed his forces with precision.

But the spearman, surrounded by mummies, showed no fear.

It even sneered at Suho.

“Keerik. A summoner acting bold. I know the weakness of summoners well—I used to be a hunter myself.”

‘Used to be?’

As Suho pondered the words, the spearman’s wings buzzed, and it disappeared from sight.

‘Here it comes!’

*Swish!*

Fast!

The spearman pierced through the mummies in a straight line toward Suho.

A summoner’s weakness was the summoner himself.

Suho twisted his body slightly, narrowly dodging the spear.

*Boom!*

The spear pierced the thorny wall behind him, leaving a massive hole.

‘At least C-rank. Maybe higher.’

Its aura felt like C-rank, but its speed was on par with B-rank.

And its evolved body made it even more dangerous.

“Keerik! Struggle all you want!”

*Shwshwshwshwsh!*

*Boom!*

The relentless barrage of attacks came at Suho from all angles, too fast to track.

At the center of this hellish assault, Suho silently dodged every strike, studying the creature’s movements.

Then, suddenly—

“You’re an amusing one. A monster with brains.”

Suho chuckled.

“Let me guess. Pretending there’s only one of you makes your enemies drop their guard?”

“Keerik.”

The spearman froze midair, a cruel smile forming on its face.

“Not bad for a rookie.”

But the voice came from another direction.

Five spearmen now surrounded Suho.

Each had a slightly different appearance, but they all shared the same grotesque fusion of insect and human.

“Even if you figured it out, it changes nothing.”

The spearmen charged at Suho simultaneously.

But speed was one of Suho’s strengths as well.

“Possession.”

[‘Pet: Gray’ is now possessing you.]

*Whoosh!*

Suho’s hair turned silver.

*Slice!*

In an instant, Suho vanished and reappeared behind one of the spearmen.

With his twin blades crossed—

*Slash!*

A spearman’s head rolled to the ground.

[You have defeated a Corrupted Spearman.]

“Four left.”

The remaining spearmen stared in shock as their comrade’s head rolled across the ground.

Then—

*Slash!*

Another head hit the floor.

[You have defeated a Corrupted Spearman.]

“Three left.”

The once-confident spearmen’s expressions twisted in fear.

Suho smiled.

“Don’t worry.”

He grinned menacingly.

“I’ll leave one of you alive.”

Whether it’s a king or a queen—

Someone needs to carry the message.