Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 90

“……”
“……”

*Whiing—*

A brief, hollow wind passed by.

What Im Do-Gyun discovered was a totem crafted by the demons.

Esil recognized its significance immediately.

“This is like a signpost that demons use.”

“To avoid getting lost in the jungle themselves?”

“That seems to be the case. And at the end of this path, their hideout is likely located.”

“Wait, hold on. Guys? Guild Master?”

Hearing Esil and Suho’s conversation, Im Do-Gyun’s face turned pale.

The horrific battle with the sudden swarm of demons was still fresh in his mind. Yet here they were, discussing walking straight into the heart of the demons’ lair. To him, it sounded like a death sentence.

“Ah, it might be a bit dangerous for you, hyung. Do you want to hide in my shadow for a bit?”

“H-hold on. Didn’t you say staying in there is bad for my health?”

*[That was also a joke. Following us further would be worse for your health.]*

“Eek…”

Im Do-Gyun froze like a living corpse at Beru’s words.

“Yeah, just stay inside for a while. It won’t take long.”

Suho chuckled as he pulled out the key to the Shadow Dungeon.

*Click.*
*[Entering the Shadow Dungeon.]*

“Huh?!”

Of course, Im Do-Gyun was the only one entering.

Suho’s shadow rose like a curtain and engulfed him entirely.

Suho reassured the startled man, “Don’t worry too much. It’s just like any other place people live in.”

“W-wait a sec—!”

*Swoosh!*

Im Do-Gyun’s vision went pitch black. When he opened his eyes again, before him was—

*[Grk? And what are you supposed to be?]*

A massive crocodile-like humanoid, *Ammit*, looked down at him with a curious expression.

“Hic…”

Im Do-Gyun collapsed, his expression as if he had lost his mind entirely.

But his pitiful and timid demeanor was exactly to Ammit’s liking.

*[Heh heh. You must be the human guild member the master spoke of? You remind me of Taranark when he was younger.]*

The giant crocodile grinned meaningfully and leaned closer, its voice as sinister as a demon’s.

*[Weak human, do you perhaps wish to become stronger?]*

“Nope.”

*[…]*

Im Do-Gyun’s reply was blunt and resolute.

He walked to a corner of the pyramid and sat quietly.

“I’ll just stay here silently.”

*[…]*

A dumbfounded expression spread across Ammit’s face.

—

After sending Im Do-Gyun away, Suho and Esil began retracing the demons’ totem trail in search of the factory.

They encountered a few demons along the way, but they posed no challenge. With Suho’s *Demon Slayer* title, low-rank demons were no longer a threat to him.

Stopping abruptly, Esil examined a new totem with a stiff expression, scanning the surroundings.

“Something feels off.”

“What is it?”

“This totem isn’t a directional signpost. The path ends here.”

“The path ends? Hmm.”

Suho extended his senses, scanning for any traces of demons or monsters nearby.

Nothing. Not even the wind stirred.

The air was unnaturally still, creating an eerie, suffocating atmosphere.

This place, teeming with demons, seemed ready to erupt into chaos at any moment.

*[My Lord.]*

*[Master.]*

Beru and Quay called out to Suho simultaneously, pointing to the ground beneath him.

*[A dimensional rift can be felt directly below.]*

“A gate?”

*[It seems so, Master.]*

Suho glanced downward.

“Beru, find a path leading underground.”

*[Understood.]*

Beru immediately flew off to search.

Instead of moving, Quay scanned the surroundings with cold, calculating eyes.

*[Master, if the demons’ trail disappears here, they may have hidden the entrance with magic or a skill.]*

“That makes sense.”

Nodding, Suho raised his twin swords.

“In that case…”

*[Skill: Storm Slash activated.]*

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

“I’ll just break everything until something shows up.”

Centered on the last totem they found, Suho unleashed relentless sword energy into the empty space.

A shocking sight unfolded.

*Crack! Crack! Crack!*

“……!”

The ground and air fractured, and a dimensional rift began to form before their eyes.

Esil’s eyes widened in shock.

“This energy… it can’t be!”

The aura emanating from beyond the rift was far too familiar to Esil.

“It’s a gate connected to the demon realm!”

“The demon realm? The dimension you escaped from?”

“Yes! This gate must lead to the dimension I fled!”

“That explains it.”

Suho nodded.

The reason Pyeongtaek’s Third Dungeon was classified as a mere D-rank was because the monsters it spawned were few in number and relatively weak.

It turned out that the creatures emerging from this gate weren’t just beasts but actual demons.

‘Intelligent demons. Instead of recklessly attacking humans, they hid in silence, building their strength.’

To protect themselves, they released mid-level beasts and reshaped the area into an impenetrable jungle to deter human intrusion.

“Looks like we were searching for the factory but ended up finding the main base instead.”

“I told you before, didn’t I? Worlds that lose their monarchs in the Monarch War are shattered into fragments and left drifting between dimensions. What lies beyond this gate must be a fragment of the ruined demon realm.”

“A ruin?”

“Yes. The demon nobles who ruled over the demon realm were killed off. What’s left are likely the remnants that survived the war and went into hiding.”

“And those remnants gained strength by drinking the blood of demon nobles?”

“Probably. They’re trying to elevate themselves into new demon nobles by amplifying their powers.”

“What’s so great about becoming a demon noble?”

“That’s…”

Just as Esil was about to explain, a sudden, powerful suction force erupted from within the revealed gate.

What was peculiar was that the force wasn’t targeting Suho—it was exclusively pulling Esil.

“Kyaaa!”

Esil screamed as she was lifted into the air, flailing her arms in panic. Suho immediately grabbed her hand.

The suction pulling Esil dragged Suho along as well, lifting him off the ground.

*[My Lord!]*

*[Master! It’s dangerous!]*

Beru and Quay rushed to grab hold of Suho from behind.

Clinging to Suho’s hand, Esil shouted, “It’s trying to pull me into the demon realm! This happened before too!”

A world that lost its monarch seeks a new one.

The demon realm, sensing Esil Radir—the last surviving demon noble—attempted to forcibly reclaim her.

“Is that what’s happening?”

Suho smirked, his face betraying no fear but rather a mischievous resolve.

“In that case, let’s oblige!”

With that, Suho tightened his grip on Esil’s hand and allowed the gate to swallow them both.

*Swoooosh!*

A ruined demon realm…

‘There’d better be plenty of demons to hunt.’

It was the perfect opportunity to strengthen *Vulcan’s Horn*.

However, as he passed through the gate, Suho’s surroundings drastically changed.

“…What?”

Landing on the ground, Suho blinked as he took in the scene before him.

A massive and imposing mine.

Everywhere he looked, demons wearing shackles worked with pickaxes, hauling ore-laden carts.

“What is this?”

“I was about to ask the same thing.”

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

The loud clatter of pickaxes echoed through the air.

This was nothing like the chaos Suho and Esil had anticipated. Even Esil was taken aback.

*Snap! Crack!*

“Argh!”

From the distance came the chilling sound of a whip, followed by agonized screams.

“You lazy scum! Stop slacking and get back to work! Work!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

A massive demon, clearly a supervisor, brutally whipped and trampled on the enslaved demons.

The enslaved demons screamed in pain, yet somehow managed to pick themselves up to resume dragging their carts, desperate to avoid further punishment.

Suho and Esil instinctively ducked behind a rocky pillar, avoiding the overseer’s gaze.

“A labor camp?”

“…Something’s wrong.”

Esil’s expression grew dark.

“How can there be such order without a demon noble?”

“What’s it supposed to be like?”

“The demon realm is a world of absolute strength and survival of the fittest. But this order can easily collapse. We gain power by devouring one another.”

“By drinking blood?”

“Exactly. No matter how strong you are, ambushes and treachery to consume the strong are common. Without an overwhelmingly powerful demon noble to maintain order, the demon realm descends into utter chaos.”

The demon realm’s essence was a hellscape of cannibalistic survival.

Yet, the scene before them suggested a maintained hierarchy and structure.

“Such a system could only exist if a demon noble were ruling over this place. But I’m supposed to be the only surviving noble.”

“That is strange.”

Suho couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.

The enslaved demons wielding pickaxes looked more than capable of banding together to overthrow and devour their overseers.

Yet, their eyes betrayed only defeat and fear.

“Urrgghhh!”

At that moment, a massive ox-like monster dragged a giant cart loaded with ore past Suho and Esil.

*[Domesticated Minotaur]*

‘A Minotaur?’

True to the name, the massive ox-monster wore thick iron shackles around its neck and legs. Even its back was fitted with a saddle for someone to ride on.

And it wasn’t the only creature pulling carts.

Other strange and monstrous beasts, each chained and bound, were hauling ore-filled wagons.

“…Wait, is that…?”

Esil’s eyes widened as she spotted a sleek, horse-like creature among them.

“You know that one?”

“It’s my servant.”