Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

Chapter 56

[You have entered the Shadow Dungeon.]

A world of black and white. A rift crackled and split the void of the Shadow Dungeon to reveal a massive pyramid through the distorted dimension.

[“Pyramid: Iron Body Technique Training Ground” belongs to the Shadow Dungeon.]

[“Pyramid: Iron Body Technique Training Ground” automatically restores itself even if destroyed.]

[“Death Devouring Crocodile Ammut” is designated as an NPC in the Shadow Dungeon.]

[NPC: “Ammut” cannot leave the Iron Body Technique Training Ground.]

Several system messages appeared consecutively in front of Suho.

Ammut looked around and saw that everything but the pyramid and itself was in black and white.

The messages continued.

[Emergency Quest: “Dimensional Breach” has been completed.]

[Level up!]

[A completion reward has arrived.]

[Would you like to confirm the reward?] (Y/N)

The quest is completed? Suho’s eyes widened at the sudden completion message. The quest’s objective had been to eliminate the cause of the dimensional breach. But I haven’t done anything yet?

Both Beru and Esil wore perplexed expressions as they approached Suho.

“Young Monarch, it seems like the entire pyramid has been transferred to the Shadow Dungeon.”

“I know this feeling. We’ve just crossed the dimensional barrier.”

Suho nodded. So, that’s what happened.

The pyramid had been causing a dimensional breach on Earth, but now it had been fully moved to the Shadow Dungeon. Thus, the cause of the dimensional breach had vanished from the planet.

Meanwhile, Ammut was examining the dungeon’s black-and-white world. “Interesting. Kandiaru is indeed worthy of the title of Grand Spellcaster. I never thought that I’d come to live in the world of the Monarch of Shadows.”

The creature was effectively dead as things stood, so it seemed fitting that its new home was a world for the dead. Whether it be the desert or the Shadow Dungeon, the creature was confined to the pyramid and couldn’t leave.

After all, this is my grave, Ammut thought with a bitter taste in its jaws.

“This is very convenient. It’ll be easy to come here for daily quests,” Suho said and turned to Ammut, greeting it with a smile. “Well, thanks in advance, Teach!”

“Teach?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you say I was your apprentice?”

“You’re an arrogant little human. I’m your teacher, yet you speak informally.”

“Right. It does feel weird to call a crocodile my teacher. Then, as a gesture of goodwill, I’ll give you a gift.”

“Oh? A gift?”Ammut’s eyes twitched.

Suho flashed a meaningful smile and glanced at one of the messages in front of him.

[“Pyramid: Iron Body Technique Training Ground” automatically restores itself even if destroyed.]

The fact that it automatically restores implies that it’s allowed to be destroyed as much as one wants, doesn’t it? Suho suddenly gathered all of his power, which began to gradually envelop his body.

“Wait, what are you trying to do...?” Ammut’s expression stiffened.

“Young Monarch...?”

“Suho! You’re not doing what I think you’re doing, right?”

Even Beru and Esil were bewildered by Suho’s abrupt actions.

“Esil, get in the sword.”

“Huh?!”

Suho called Esil into Vulcan’s Horn. Together with Rakan’s Fang, Suho enlarged both and then concentrated all of his power into a single point in the distance. The resulting blast exploded the wall blocking the way.

[Skill: “Iron Body” has activated.]

[Skill: “Storm Slash” has activated.]

The storm of swords sprayed out like a shotgun shot. Suho broke through the labyrinth, wall after wall, and continued running forward until he was out of the pyramid—revealing the open sky.

What Ammut saw beyond the wreckage was a white darkness. Everything was in black and white, but the creature was astounded to find the outside world it had forgotten for so long.

Coming down from the white sky, Suho greeted Ammut once again, “Welcome to my world, Teacher.”

Ammut wiped its nose, holding back its tears.

“Huh? Are you crying?”

“Who’s crying? You’re one insolent student!” Ammut sniffled slightly before revealing its fangs. It was a truly terrifying smile.

Suho chuckled and returned to his original state. He then checked the reward for the emergency quest, which made him tilt his head in confusion as the quest reward was a bit different from usual.

[The following reward will be given.]

[Reward: “Blessing: Grand Spellcaster Kandiaru’s Blessing”]

[Blessing: Grand Spellcaster Kandiaru’s Blessing]

[Grand Spellcaster Kandiaru has gifted you a special spell. With Kandiaru’s blessing, you will always enjoy a robust and healthy life.

“The challenger’s future will be shone with a brilliant light!”

[Passive Effect—Blissful Longevity: Immunity to all diseases, toxins, and abnormal effects, with a significant increase in regenerative abilities during sleep.]

Ethereal silver dust descended upon Suho’s entire body. “Blissful Longevity?”

The new effect gave Suho immunity to all diseases and toxins and a significant increase in regenerative abilities during sleep. It seemed like Blissful Longevity was a fitting name for such a skill.

Sensing Soho’s transformation, Beru approached with his eyes flashing sharply. “Pyramids were tombs for pharaohs and embodied the ancients’ wish for the afterlife. I hope they found eternal rest after the pain of mortal life. But in this land of the dead, the Monarch of Shadows rules supreme.”

Having spent a long time with Sung Jinwoo and enjoying various television shows, Beru was well-versed in ancient history. Of course, his main interest was historical dramas.

Suho’s face lit up, looking pleased. “Oh, is this why I received this reward?”

“No. I just wanted to sound cool. I heard that the Monarch of Shadows received the same blessing in the past.” Seeing Suho’s expression turn stiff, Beru chuckled with amusement. “It’s taken a long time to get here, but the Young Monarch is finally following in the footsteps of the Monarch of Shadows, step by step. It’s truly admirable.”

Beru was eagerly looking forward to Suho’s growth. The path he was on was more winding and arduous than the one his father had taken. But he had been born with a special talent, and as the son of the Monarch of Shadows, he was now breaking his body and soul, day by day, to prove his worth.

Beru wondered what kind of power Suho would have at the end of his journey. “Just imagining it fills my heart with excitement. I’ll be watching him from... Huh? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to sleep! I haven’t slept for twenty-four hours now!”

He had started the day wanting a simple mana reassessment but ended up in a series of demanding challenges with no time to rest. His stamina and condition were recharged with every level-up, but it was only human to want to sleep. Furthermore, with the blessing giving him significantly increased regenerative abilities during rest, sleep had truly become a remedy.

[You have exited the Shadow Dungeon.]

Suho returned to the outside world, leaving everyone behind.

***

While Suho was away inside the pyramid, a significant event was unfolding back home. People online had been buzzing about Beast King Crow and the battle that unfolded right in the middle of the city. However, in just one day, the spotlight had shifted to another story.

—Breaking news! Lee Minsung faces controversy!

—Fiend Guild’s Vice Guild Master secretly established a Stardust research center!

—Lee Minsung—Who is He?

—Hunter Association labels A-Rank hunter Lee Minsung as a villain!

—A-Rank villain Lee Minsung is a wanted man!

Thanks to Suho, Minsung’s Stardust facility had been exposed, making the issuance of an arrest warrant the natural course of action. The Hunters Association was now armed with a mountain of evidence that linked the recent slew of incidents to Lee Minsung.

“Gather everyone who can jump in right away!” Han Jaehyuk quickly gathered all available hunters for deployment. “We all know what’s at stake. We need to use all our resources and suppress them as quickly as possible!”

“Yes, sir!”

The urgency and tension were only natural as Minsung was an A-rank hunter turned villain. In theory, having two A-rank hunters would be sufficient to subdue him but only if there were no civilians nearby.

The power of an A-rank hunter was truly superhuman. If such power was allowed to run rampant in the heart of the city, every citizen in the city would become Minsung’s hostage.

“Request support from the military! Hurry, evacuate the citizens, and block the escape routes!” Jaehyuk ordered.

Of course, even if the military were to block the escape routes, there was no guarantee that an A-rank hunter couldn’t break through. However, they could easily hold them off until the reinforcements from the Hunters Association arrived.

In essence, their role was nothing more than being human shields, but even so, it was a way of taking responsibility for the safety of the citizens. That was the duty and mission of a soldier.

“Team Leader! Lee Minsung’s location has been secured!”

The association’s intelligence had successfully traced Minsung’s phone to determine his location.

“Great! Let’s go!”

Fully prepared, the association’s hunters launched an ambush on Minsung.

“Wh-what?! Where did he go!”

But once they arrived on the scene, he had already disappeared, leaving only his phone behind. They had been tricked.

With great surprise, Jaehyuk exclaimed, “Find him! He couldn’t have gone far! Secure all nearby CCTV and black box footage!”

“Yes, sir!”

The situation was now more complicated. Thankfully, Minsung hadn’t taken any civilian hostage, but his surreptitious disappearance had revealed his next move—fleeing the country.

Once Lee Minsung crosses the border, we won’t be able to catch him at all! Jaehyuk said inwardly.

As the Hunter Association was a paramilitary organization, exerting power in another country would violate international law.

“Immediately impose a travel ban on Lee Minsung and freeze all of his accounts!”

***

Minsung hadn’t arrived at an airport or a harbor. Instead, he was in the VIP room of the salon he frequented.

“Oh my. You’re the name on everyone’s lips.”

“I’m not in the mood for jokes right now, madame.”

Minsung bit down on his irritation, eyeing the madame of the salon. Due to the eerie presence emitted by the A-rank hunter, the ornate chandelier rattled inside the private room for the affluent.

—Queen Bee

It was before their opening hours, but the madame greeted Minsung with her perennially seductive smile. “Why would such a terribly busy man be paying me a visit? Do you want me to hide you?”

“I need money.”

“Money?” The madamee tilted her head with a puzzled expression, causing Minsung’s face to turn red with embarrassment.

“I need to borrow some money to use overseas.”

“But you have so much more than me.”

“My accounts are frozen. There might be a travel ban too.”

That was the price of becoming a villain. However, fleeing overseas posed no problem for him even without a boat or plane.

“If there’s a travel ban, how do you plan on going abroad?”

“Swim.”

“Oh my. You still have a lot of energy left.”

“Do you want to die? Didn’t I say I’m not in the mood for jokes right now?”

In response to the madame’s light-hearted joke, an already highly agitated Minsung reached out and firmly gripped her throat. He seemed ready to snap her fragile neck right away. From the very beginning, he had no intention of sparing this witness who had seen him fleeing. But for now, he had to endure.

Get the money and then kill. Despite his situation, Minsung was still capable of making ruthless judgments.

However, there was something major he had overlooked. How could a madame of a salon continuously make jokes in the face of an A-rank hunter’s threatening aura without batting an eyelid? Despite being choked, she still had a smile on her face.

“What a waste,” the madame lamented.

“What?”

“You still had plenty of use.”

The madame’s words made no sense to him, and he responded with a fierce snarl. “What nonsense are you talking about—”

In an instant, something sharp pierced his body. His mind became dizzy. What is this...

Minsung staggered backward, his body contorting. His vision spun. The madame’s smile was shining even more alluringly in front of him.

“Come on in, my worker bee.”