Solo Leveling : Ragnarok - Chapter 95

*Swoosh!*

Numerous bloodstones, condensed in the air, flowed into the horn of Suho, the One-Horned Demon.

The sight struck fear and astonishment into the hearts of all demons watching.

“This… this doesn’t make sense.”

“Bloodstones can only be created by demon nobles, right?”

Even the demon guards stared at Suho with wide eyes, shocked beyond words.

They were correct—bloodstones were a privilege exclusive to demon nobles.

While bloodstones were considered an elegant way for nobles to feed, their significance extended far beyond mere sustenance. Bloodstones were the foundation that allowed noble families to pass down their power through generations, ensuring their lineage’s strength.

The ability to create and absorb bloodstones represented the pinnacle of demonic power, the most efficient method of harnessing and transferring strength.

This was why demons had been relentlessly researching ways to replicate the process.

The development of Bloodburn Venom and Stardust had all been attempts to mimic the power of bloodstones, though imperfectly.

‘We’ve gotten closer recently… but it’s still just an imitation.’

This made it all the more evident: what Suho had just created was undeniably a real bloodstone.

But how could this be?

“Weren’t all demon nobles wiped out during the Monarchs’ War?”

“The last of the Radir family was destroyed, wasn’t it?”

“Then what the hell is that guy?!”

While these questions swirled among the demons, Suho continued his hunt with overwhelming dominance.

His title, *Demon Slayer*, boosted all his stats by 40%.

The Horn of Vulcan devoured the souls of demons.

On top of that, Esil’s abilities allowed him to drain his opponent’s power in real-time during battle.

The synergy of these factors was incomprehensible.

[*Kieeek! Truly magnificent, my liege! You are the very nemesis of demons!*]

[*Master! I’m so proud to be your first knight!*]

Beru and Quay cheered from within the shadows.

Though summoning his shadow soldiers would have ended the battle much faster, Suho refrained. Victory wasn’t the point here.

Suho’s goal was to draw out the Tyrant King.

To lure that coward out, Suho needed to act as “demonic” as possible and capture his attention.

*Boom!*

[*You have defeated a mid-level Bloodburn Beast.*]
[*The Horn of Vulcan has consumed the demon’s soul.*]

The fight was over, but none of the onlookers focused on the outcome.

“Could he really be a noble?”

“Then what happens to us now?”

Every demon in the audience stared at Suho, dumbfounded and unsure of what to do.

In the tense silence, the announcer hesitantly stepped forward.

“…The victory goes to the One-Horn!”

At the same time, the demon guards ground their teeth in frustration.

“This can’t be possible.”

“All the nobles are dead.”

The guards had seen Suho up close. They weren’t so dull as to mistake a noble demon standing right before them.

“Then what is he?”

“What the hell is going on?”

Their gazes turned toward the head guard standing behind them.

The head guard stared coldly at Suho in the center of the colosseum.

“Tsk. There’s no way that thing is a noble.”

If the One-Horn were truly a demon noble, he wouldn’t have allowed himself to be captured and sent to the execution trial so easily.

‘Something’s going on here.’

Whatever it was, one thing was certain.

“A troublesome creature must be dealt with.”

The head guard’s eyes gleamed as he barked orders to his subordinates.

“Prepare the Minotaur!”

“…!”

The demon guards’ eyes widened in shock.

“Are you planning to kill the One-Horn outright?”

“What if he really is a noble?”

“And so what if he is? Just kill him!”

“…!”

The head guard’s words left the demons stunned.

Raising a weapon against a noble was something ordinary demons wouldn’t even dare to imagine.

“This isn’t the demon realm of the past! So what if he’s a noble? Are we supposed to kneel before him?”

Dark energy radiated from the head guard’s eyes as he continued.

“Never forget—we are now servants of the Tyrant King! That thing is nothing more than a prisoner in an execution trial! If he survives, we’ll follow the rules and send out a stronger opponent next time! Now, prepare the beasts immediately!”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

At the head guard’s command, the guards scrambled to carry out his orders.

—

The execution trial was temporarily paused.

The announcer declared that the next opponent for the One-Horn would be beasts from the labor camp, causing the audience to erupt in confusion.

“Minotaurs? Are you serious?!”

“Have they ever unleashed beasts this early in an execution trial before?”

“Are the guards insane? How can they treat someone who might be a noble like this?”

Normally, even the cruelest guards wielded their whips carefully in front of the slaves. But here in the colosseum, where the slaves sat as spectators, they had the rare freedom to jeer and ridicule the guards openly.

The mere possibility that Suho could be a demon noble only fueled their excitement.

An execution trial for a noble demon?

To witness such a taboo, such blasphemy, was electrifying.

And this chaos was precisely what the head guard desired.

‘Yes, sometimes you have to let them blow off steam to prevent rebellion. The Tyrant King’s governance is flawless.’

No matter how strong the guards were, if the slaves in the colosseum united against them, the rigid hierarchy could crumble in an instant.

Among demons without noble authority, it was always a matter of devouring one another.

With the widespread use of Bloodburn Venom, lower-ranking demons often went berserk and consumed stronger demons to grow more powerful.

‘That’s why we need these execution trials.’

Whether or not the One-Horn was a noble, it didn’t matter if his execution trial could stir up such a frenzy.

The more brutally the standout demons were executed, the more fear the slaves would feel, ensuring their obedience.

‘If he’s strong, we’ll just send out even stronger opponents!’

Having observed Suho’s fighting style, the head guard decided the Minotaur was the perfect match.

“The One-Horn relies on agility in combat. Against him, we need an opponent with thick defenses for a prolonged fight.”

“As expected of you, sir.”

“Still, it wouldn’t be fair if there’s no balance. Take the One-Horn to the armory.”

“Ooh, as expected…!”

At the head guard’s command, the demon guards grinned wickedly.

While the Minotaur was being prepared, the guards dragged Suho to the armory.

“Pick any weapon you like.”

“…”

Suho silently examined the various weapons laid out before him.

The armory was filled with an array of brutal instruments—swords, sabers, hammers, axes, gauntlets, and more.

Of course, if Suho truly needed a weapon, he could have simply pulled one out of his inventory.

But—

‘It’d be rude to turn down a free gift.’

With a faint smile, Suho began leisurely inspecting the weapons, taking his time.

“What’s taking so long?”

“Has he never seen weapons this good before? Is he overwhelmed?”

The guards, growing impatient with Suho’s deliberate pace, started grumbling.

Still, they didn’t rush him or force a weapon into his hands.

“Fine, fine. It’s nice to see you being so cautious.”

“If you can’t decide, just take a few. You’ve only got one horn, so you should at least have more weapons to even things out. Heh heh.”

The guards mocked Suho as he fiddled with the weapons.

“We’ll wait outside. Let us know when you’re done.”

Cackling, the guards left Suho alone in the armory.

Once the room was empty, Suho’s expression hardened.

“These weapons seem to be made of the same material as those iron bars that held me.”

[Good observation. All of these are crafted from refined Hellsteel.]

Esil spoke in admiration of Suho’s sharp eye.

Indeed, most of the weapons here were forged from ores mined in the labor camps.

[Hellsteel isn’t just durable—it also enhances magical energy, which makes it ideal for crafting weapons.]

Suho chuckled.

“Yet, these weapons look like garbage.”

[You’re right. None of them are particularly good.]

Beru, grinding his teeth, agreed.

The weapons were poorly maintained, with dull edges and rust covering many of them.

[It’s clear they don’t care about quality. As long as they’re sturdy enough, that’s all that matters.]

Nodding, Suho could guess the demons’ intentions.

[They want you to flail around helplessly with these blunt weapons, struggling until your death, while the audience laughs at the spectacle.]

“Well, free is free,” Suho said with a grin as he surveyed the weapons.

Though the weapons were weak, there were plenty of them. Examining each one would take forever.

So, he decided on a different approach.

“Gray, come out for a moment.”

*Swoosh.*

From Suho’s shadow emerged a small wolf pup.

“Grrr!”

Gray looked around menacingly, ready to pounce and tear into any threat.

But—

“What are you doing? Start picking up everything you see.”

“Huh?”

Gray tilted his head, puzzled, as Suho began grabbing weapons and dumping them into his inventory one by one.

Or rather, skipping the inventory entirely and selling them directly to the shop interface.

*Clink! Clink!*

“This one’s worth 130 gold? This one’s 100 gold? A little adds up to a lot.”

“Woof?”

Gray, confused, soon followed Suho’s lead and started picking up weapons with his tiny mouth.

*Ding! Ding!*

[*Item: Hellsteel Longsword discovered. Would you like to acquire it?*]
[*Item: Hellsteel Axe discovered. Would you like to acquire it?*]

“Good job. Accept all. Sell all.”

The pet system allowed Suho to collect items remotely through Gray.

With Beru and Quay also joining in, Suho thoroughly cleaned out the armory, leaving it entirely bare.

“Made a nice bit of gold this time,” Suho said with satisfaction.

[Wait a second. What are you going to do if you get caught?]

Esil panicked at Suho’s reckless actions.

But Suho shrugged.

“We’ll deal with that when it happens. Besides, if I don’t take these now, they’ll just end up in the hands of demons trying to kill me later.”

[Fair point.]

Since there was no chance of friendly relations with the demons in the future, weakening their forces now was a smart move.

Moreover, the guards who’d notice first were already addicted to Bloodburn Venom. If they got angry later, it’d only hasten their demise.

After finishing his “perfectly planned” operation, Suho finally stepped out of the armory.

The guards frowned at his choices.

“That’s it? Those measly weapons?”

“You spent all that time pretending to be thorough, and you come out with just a pair of gauntlets and two swords? How underwhelming.”

“Man, you’re not going to last long. Guess I lost the bet.”

“No take-backs! A deal’s a deal!”

The guards laughed amongst themselves, mocking Suho.

Suho simply shrugged and strode toward the arena.

“What’s the rush? Eager to die that quickly?”

As the guards jeered behind him, Esil murmured quietly.

[You’re walking fast to avoid suspicion, aren’t you?]

“…”

Suho said nothing and quickened his pace.