Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 92

Before long, a large and majestic structure appeared before Suho.

It was a colosseum surrounded by tall, grotesque walls that resembled a mix of demons and skulls.

“Enter.”

The overseer handed Suho over to the colosseum guards and immediately returned to the labor camp.

*Clang!*

The sturdy iron gate shut behind him. Suho lifted his head to observe the new demons before him.

[*Demon Guards*]

‘Demon guards, huh…’

The moment Suho saw the new demons, he instinctively assessed their combat power.

The name tags glowed orange, indicating they were fairly strong. However, they didn’t seem unbeatable if it came down to a fight.

Interestingly, the demon guards receiving Suho were assessing him in return.

They scanned Suho up and down, exchanging remarks with each other.

“It’s been a while since someone worthwhile showed up.”

“A shame he’s so small.”

“That’s actually better. Don’t you know even gladiators need a gimmick these days?”

“True, and that single horn is quite unique. It’s a nice touch.”

“Let’s call him ‘One-Horn’ from now on.”

Just like that, Suho was given a nickname without his consent.

[*Khh. One-Horn, huh…*]

Esil’s stifled laughter echoed in Suho’s mind.

[Congratulations, you’ve got a name now. You know, most demons don’t even have names.]

*Clang!*

“Stay put and behave.”

“If you cause trouble, forget the matches—you’ll be killed on the spot.”

The demon guards threw Suho into a solitary cell surrounded by dark, grimy iron bars.

As soon as the guards walked away, Beru’s face suddenly popped out, his fierce gaze glinting.

[*Kieeek! How dare those insolent creatures! My liege, just give the word, and I’ll dismember them immediately—*]

[Shut it, you stupid ant.]

[*What?! How dare you, you lowly bee, call me stupid—*]

[Just read the room. The master probably has a plan. And I’m not a bee, I’m—]

*Squelch. Squelch.*

[*Gurrrgle…*]

Suho stomped on Beru and Quay, who had only poked their faces out to squabble, and shifted his gaze beyond the cell.

Demons already imprisoned here were watching him with curious eyes from the shadows.

“Keehee. A newcomer, huh?”

“Ugly as hell. Only one horn?”

“How long do you think this one will last?”

Eerie voices muttered among themselves about Suho.

But Suho paid them no mind and carefully examined the grimy iron bars confining him.

*Ping.*

He flicked a bar with his finger, feeling an odd, elastic resistance.

‘This isn’t ordinary iron.’

[It’s a prison made of Hellsteel. A metal infused with demonic energy, mainly used to confine demon prisoners.]

‘Demonic energy, you say?’

Suho’s lips curled into a peculiar smile at Esil’s explanation.

If it contained demonic energy, could this possibly work?

Grasping the Hellsteel bars, Suho’s eyes glinted sharply.

Suddenly—

[*‘Title: Demon Slayer’ buff effect activated.*]

*Crunch.*

The bar Suho gripped bent forcibly in his hands.

The Demon Slayer buff, which increased all of his stats by 40% against demons, also applied to the Hellsteel infused with demonic energy.

“What the—?!”

The eyes of the demons in the other cells widened in shock.

Seeing a small, one-horned demon display such abnormal strength left them bewildered.

“How is he bending Hellsteel so easily…?!”

“If he can do that, doesn’t that mean he could escape anytime he wants?!”

“Hey! If you’re escaping, open my cell too!”

The other demons started shouting and clamoring for Suho’s attention.

But not everyone was simply panicking.

“Heh. Pitiful fools. Do you think we’re staying here because we can’t escape? Even if you break out, the guards outside will devour you before you get far.”

A scoffing voice came from a corner cell. Nearby demons glared, baring their teeth.

“What? Who are you calling pitiful?”

“An old geezer on the brink of death dares to run his mouth?”

“You think anyone can bend bars like that? I’ll twist your neck the same way!”

The prison erupted into chaos, curses flying everywhere.

“Pray we don’t meet in the next match!”

“One day, I’ll tear that old man to shreds!”

But the old demon who had scoffed merely picked at his ear, unbothered, and lay back down.

Suho cast a curious glance in his direction.

‘…Was that advice meant for me?’

*Crunch.*

Suho straightened the bent bar back to its original shape.

He had only been experimenting, not planning to escape.

[Wait, you’ve always been this strong? When you fought the mid-level demon earlier, you didn’t seem this powerful…]

Esil’s astonished voice rang in his mind, but Suho only chuckled softly.

‘I’ve confirmed the title effect.’

Perhaps thanks to that, Suho felt no tension even in a demon-infested den like this.

In fact, he regretted leaving the labor camp so quietly.

‘Could’ve gained some experience points if I’d cleared out those demons.’

But it wasn’t time for that yet.

Causing a commotion there would’ve made it harder to get here.

Besides, the low-tier demons in the labor camp wouldn’t have provided much experience anyway.

‘But here, it’s different.’

From the moment Suho stepped into this prison, his heightened sensory stat had been buzzing with warnings.

Not because of the loudmouths around him, though.

The real threat was much further away.

‘Catching one big fish is better than dozens of small fry.’

A faint smile crept across Suho’s lips.

A colosseum… This should be interesting.

But why did he feel this way?

*Thump, thump.*

Suho’s heart had been pounding for a while.

No, he corrected himself.

It wasn’t his heart. It was the faint, trembling sensation coming from the “Horn of Vulcan” attached to his forehead, as if it were alive.

‘What kind of phenomenon is this?’

This place was proving to be more intriguing by the moment.

—

“One-Horn, step out.”

The guards came back for Suho.

The cell door opened, and Suho followed them without resistance.

But as he passed by the old demon’s solitary cell, a voice whispered into his ear.

[If you want to live long, don’t eat the food the guards give you.]

‘Huh?’

Suho turned his head, but the old demon remained lying on his side, back turned.

The warning lingered in Suho’s mind.

‘Don’t eat the food?’

A short while later, the guards presented Suho with a roasted slab of beast meat.

“Eat up. A special meal, just for new colosseum recruits.”

“It might even be your last supper, so don’t leave a bite.”

The guards chuckled ominously.

Suho stared at the steaming beast meat. It didn’t look appetizing, but the smell was enticing.

If he’d been an ordinary slave from the labor camp, the aroma alone would have driven him to devour it greedily.

Just then, someone who had been slumbering in the distant world of rest stirred awake.

[The King of Insects, the Plague Monarch, observes the toxic “Bloodburn Venom” laced in the food with interest.]

‘Bloodburn Venom?’

Suho’s eyes narrowed.

The Plague Monarch, Querehsha, had woken upon sensing the hidden poison.

As the one who had hunted countless of Querehsha’s venomous insects and gained her blessing, Suho saw a message window appear before him.

*Ding!*

[*Poison: Bloodburn Venom*]

A poison that causes the blood to boil, temporarily amplifying strength. However, each use of magic induces intense pain, depletes the blood, and significantly shortens lifespan.

‘Bloodburn Venom… So that’s what the old demon was warning about.’

As Suho hesitated and simply stared at the beast meat, the guards began to urge him.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

“Not hungry because you’re so small?”

“You’ll need the strength later, so eat up.”

Suho’s hand moved nonchalantly, picking up a piece of the meat.

The guards’ eyes glinted slyly at his action.

Ignoring them, Suho bit into the meat without hesitation.

‘It’s not bad.’

Having even consumed Querehsha’s venomous insects before, this was nothing to Suho.

*Ding!*

[You have consumed “Poison: Bloodburn Venom.”]

[Detoxification commencing.]

[Detoxifying…]

Suho’s body heated briefly before cooling rapidly.

[Detoxification complete.]

[You have acquired “Poison: Bloodburn Venom.”]

Suho continued eating the beast meat without concern.

It was obvious why they fed this poison to new colosseum slaves.

‘They don’t care if the slaves’ lifespans shorten, as long as they fight more fiercely.’

But what struck Suho was how similar the Bloodburn Venom was to something he already knew.

‘It’s like Stardust. This can’t be a coincidence.’

Stardust, developed by demons in their factories, also temporarily amplified strength.

Suho directed his thoughts to Querehsha.

‘Querehsha, do you know about Stardust?’

After a moment, her voice echoed in response.

[The King of Insects, the Plague Monarch, scoffs, calling it a crude poison devised by demons.]

Another message window popped up.

[*Poison: Stardust*]

An imperfect poison that compensates for the flaws of Bloodburn Venom.

By offering human pain and death as sacrifices, all side effects of Bloodburn Venom were eliminated.

While it temporarily boosts magic like Bloodburn Venom, it has the disadvantage of a shorter duration.

‘These damned bastards.’

Suho’s expression darkened as he read the message.

He knew exactly how Stardust was made.

Humans were burned alive in Mistborne, a magical fuel, their pain and boiling blood offered as sacrifices to preemptively eliminate the venom’s side effects.

‘Utterly demonic.’

To increase their own strength, the demons had transferred all suffering onto humans.

A quiet rage began to bubble within Suho.

The guards, sensing the ominous energy radiating from him, flinched instinctively.

“W-What’s with him? Why’s the venom working so well?”

“The effect should only activate when he uses magic.”

“Ahem. Anyway, if you’re done eating, get up.”

At their command, Suho stood quietly.

At that moment—

[You activate “Poison: Bloodburn Venom.”]

The venom Suho had absorbed began to spread subtly in all directions.

The invisible poison seeped into the guards’ bodies.

A cold gleam flickered in Suho’s eyes.

‘I’ll return the favor.’

And you’ll die writhing in agony as your blood burns from the inside out.