Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 73

‘A priest? Again?’

Suho had a puzzled expression.

The situation was entirely different from the time with *The Beast Monarch* Rakan, yet the result was similar.

Of course, it was due to Gray back then, but Rakan had been friendly from the start.

He willingly appointed Suho as a priest for Gray’s sake.

But this time, it was described as “seizing.”

[*The Beast Monarch* bursts into hearty laughter as he sees Querehsha’s bewildered face.]

[Rakan, you wretch—!]

Querehsha roared in fury at Rakan.

[How dare a dead being interfere with my sacrament!]

Suho finally understood.

Initially, he thought Rakan’s intention was simply the “title: Nemesis of Insects.”

‘But that wasn’t it.’

It turned out that Rakan’s true intention was to forcefully seize the office of “Priest of Insects” from Querehsha.

Suho glanced around at the countless remnants of bugs scattered around him.

All of them were fragments of Querehsha’s soul.

‘A sacrament…’

Sometimes people curse in a fight, saying, “Today is your memorial day.”

But now it seemed…

‘It’s almost as if I held a memorial service for her myself.’

Outside, Queen Bee Arsha and Lee Minseong were sacrificing numerous humans as offerings for Querehsha’s sacrament.

But here, Suho had used Querehsha’s own bugs as the sacrificial offerings for her ceremony.

‘Does this even make sense?’

[*The Beast Monarch* explains that Querehsha’s bugs were originally the grudges of creatures she devoured.]

‘Grudges?’

In other words, Suho had avenged those who had fallen to Querehsha.

‘Ah, so that’s why it’s the Priest of Insects and not Querehsha’s priest.’

Querehsha was one and many.

By offering a sacrament for the bugs, Suho inadvertently became Querehsha’s priest.

[You… have won.]

Eventually, Querehsha admitted defeat.

The quest timer hadn’t even run out yet, but Querehsha looked as if she had aged hundreds of years in an instant.

[Ha. You relentless one. More insect-like than an insect. Just like your father…]

The mass of bugs that made up her colossal body scattered, shrinking down to her human form from when she once fought Sung Jinwoo.

Ding.

[Time remaining: 1 hour, 29 minutes, and 34 seconds]

[You have completed the ‘Urgent Quest: Querehsha’s Plague.’]

[Level up!]

Even though the four hours hadn’t elapsed, the quest was completed.

Querehsha’s will, which had forcefully initiated the quest, had been completely broken.

Querehsha glared at Suho with venomous eyes.

[Do you realize that you have essentially killed me twice?]

‘Let me ask one thing.’

Suho interrupted Querehsha and asked bluntly.

‘Is the catastrophe outside your doing?’

[Ha. Ridiculous.]

Querehsha scoffed.

[I died long ago. All I can do is wander this void world. What could I have possibly orchestrated?]

‘Queen Bee Arsha. And Lee Minseong.’

[Who are they?]

‘You don’t know anyone?’

Suho’s expression turned curious.

Querehsha seemed indifferent, almost apathetic.

[*The Beast Monarch* explains that without a priest, a dead monarch cannot affect the real world.]

Rakan’s statement was true.

A dead monarch could do nothing.

Even Rakan remained in a dormant state in the void world, only awakening when Suho acted in a way connected to him, allowing him to watch the outside world.

Through the “dream” channel, so to speak.

And the same applied to Querehsha.

‘This is absurd.’

Suho’s gaze toward Querehsha shifted slightly.

Outside, Arsha and Lee Minseong were sacrificing countless lives to inherit Querehsha’s power, yet Querehsha herself was oblivious.

[I get the gist of what’s happening.]

Querehsha chuckled dismissively.

Then she gathered the bugs from the ground to form a chair and sat, crossing her legs.

[There have always been those insects that coveted my power. Even after I became a monarch, those struggles were endless.]

Querehsha, now as regal as when she first appeared, recalled the fierce memories of her past life.

[In that relentless struggle, I survived and ruled as the one true monarch. But at the same time, I was always a prey that could be devoured.]

A world of survival of the fittest.

That was the way of insects.

[In other words, any insect that devoured me could become a monarch.]

‘So those outside are performing the sacrament to…?’

[To summon my grudge, even for a moment, and consume it.]

A sly smile curled Querehsha’s lips, though it seemed tired.

[They don’t worship me; they just want to devour me. Just like what you did to me moments ago.]

Feeling awkward, Suho hesitated before responding.

‘It didn’t taste very good.’

[You little…!]

For a moment, Querehsha gripped the armrests of her chair in frustration.

But soon she leaned back with a self-deprecating smile.

[Well… if I must be consumed, it’s fitting that it’s by the one who defeated me. If your father had been an insect, he would have already fully inherited my power.]

The reason this couldn’t happen was that Sung Jinwoo was not an insect but a human.

And that applied to his son, Suho, as well.

[Even though you devoured my bugs here, you can never become the Monarch of Insects. You simply don’t qualify.]

‘So, it’s the priesthood in the end.’

[Hmph. I hadn’t intended to grant even that. Why would I give it to you? But… since you’ve already taken it, I’d appreciate it if you could find a successor for my power.]

‘Why would I do that for you?’

[Aren’t I beautiful enough by human standards?]

Querehsha flaunted her human form at Suho’s retort.

‘Enough jokes. So, what can the Priest of Insects do? For reference, as the Beast’s Priest, I can possess this successor.’

[Grr?]

Suho lifted the small, cute Gray with one hand to show, and Querehsha clicked her tongue.

[Poor Rakan. His successor is a mere helpless pup.]

[*The Beast Monarch* feels an unexpected surge of emotion…]

Ignoring Rakan’s subtle protest, Suho glanced at Gray.

[Gray Lv.14]

*Fang Wolf*

Thanks to today’s relentless bug hunt, Gray’s level had doubled in just one day.

‘Lucky you.’

[Grr?]

Meanwhile, Suho’s level had reached 29.

It was natural that the experience needed for leveling up increased with higher levels.

Considering that, leveling up within this short time frame was impressive.

Especially given that time was paused in the real world, he had grown stronger in less than a second.

Querehsha looked at Gray with both disdain and a hint of envy.

[Still, Rakan is fortunate. He found a successor among his kin. I have no suitable heir, so something like Divine Descent is impossible for me.]

‘So, the Priest of Insects is pretty much useless?’

[But there is something else it can do.]

As Querehsha finished speaking, a message window appeared before Suho.

Ding.

[Quest completion rewards have arrived.]

[The following reward is prepared:]

Reward: ‘Blessing: Plague’s Blessing’

[Blessing: Plague’s Blessing]

The blessing of Querehsha, the Monarch of Plagues.

The Monarch of Plagues, Querehsha, has chosen you as the Shaman of the king.

A shaman can infuse their body with lethal poison.

-Effect ‘Toxic Art’: You can freely manipulate any ingested poison.

‘Oh?’

Suho’s eyes shone with interest.

It was a blessing fitting of the name *Monarch of Plagues*.

Up until now, thanks to Kandiaru’s blessing, he had been immune to all poisons. But now, beyond immunity, he could manipulate poison freely.

[Hehe. Rejoice as much as you want. From now on, you’ll be a walking plague.]

Querehsha crossed her arms confidently and proclaimed to Suho.

[Isn’t that far more useful than possessing some insignificant pup?]

* * *

Meanwhile, at that very moment, as Im Taegyu and Baek Miho ventured deeper into the hive…

Bzzzzz—

The clouds in the sky transformed into a swarm of bees that descended upon them.

“Tsk. Dealing with this kind is always a hassle.”

Baek Miho wore an exasperated expression.

As a martial artist, all she could do against numerous, tiny monsters was endure with her bare body.

Channeling mana to enhance her defensive capabilities.

But Im Taegyu was in an even more difficult position.

No matter how skilled an S-rank hunter, he was an archer.

Most of his skills were related to archery.

Even the expensive skills he purchased using rune stones were mainly for boosting agility and accuracy.

The problem was that Im Taegyu was currently poisoned with royal jelly, making it hard for him to defend himself with mana like Baek Miho.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to rely on you for now.”

“Why did you even come along in the first place?”

“…”

Im Taegyu hid behind Baek Miho’s back, embarrassed by her scolding.

Then, a foreboding sensation crept up his spine.

“Wait. Those bees… don’t tell me…!”

“What?”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“…!”

Suddenly, the bees at the forefront began to explode.

Golden mist enveloped the area as the explosions erupted, prompting Im Taegyu to shout urgently.

“Hold your breath! This mist could be the same type of poison that affected me!”

“…!”

Baek Miho quickly held her breath, covering her nose and mouth with her hand.

If she were poisoned by this mist, she might become unable to use mana, just like Im Taegyu.

‘Wait. Hunter Sung Suho?!’

A sudden thought of Suho crossed Baek Miho’s mind, and she looked back.

In this critical moment, where even she and S-rank Im Taegyu struggled, she was worried about Suho, a C-rank hunter.

But.

‘…What?!’

Baek Miho was shocked.

When she turned around, Suho wasn’t even holding his breath—instead, he was inhaling deeply.

“Huuuup!”

“What the…!”

Baek Miho, almost gasping and breathing in the poisonous mist, held her breath again just in time.

At that moment, a mysterious smile crossed Suho’s lips as a system message appeared before him.

[You have ingested ‘Poison: Lee Minseong’s Royal Jelly.’]

[You can now control ‘Poison: Lee Minseong’s Royal Jelly.’]