Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

Chapter 58

Suho was taken aback. Baek Miho... Didn’t I run into her at Magok? He had searched her name on Hunter Net after returning from the Magok Field.

“Vice Guild Master Baek Miho wants to see you,” the voice on the phone said.

Miho was an A-class hunter of the White Tiger Guild and was well-known domestically due to her father’s reputation.

Her father was Baek Yoonho, the guild master of the White Tiger Guild and a leading S-class hunter representing South Korea. He was capable of Magic Beast Transformation, a skill superior to Beast Transformation.

Possessing an extremely powerful and rare skill set, not many hunters worldwide could best Baek Yoonho in a direct confrontation. Particularly, his skill—Magic Beast’s Eyes—was a highly valuable ability. Not only did it accurately assess the strength of opponents, but it was also useful in selecting competent recruits for his guild.

His abilities alone were enough to be known as a renowned S-class hunter, but his decision to leave the Fiend Guild to establish his own guild to pursue his ideals earned him enormous respect among hunters.

He founded the White Tiger Guild and took on a completely opposite philosophy from the Fiend Guild. His previous guild’s sole pursuit of increasing income and influence had disillusioned him. He gathered all the hunters capable of Beast Transformation and embarked on a journey to become a true magic beast hunter. The guild systematically completed even the less lucrative dungeons.

“A true hunter must hunt magic beasts!”

Baek Yoonho’s actions gathered admiration and respect from numerous hunters.

His assured daughter was his obvious successor, having inherited her father’s talents and charisma. She wasn’t just an heiress born with a silver spoon, riding on her father’s prestige. She was earning the approval of her fellow guild members by confidently proving her skills.

Why is a person like that looking for me? Suho felt quite uneasy. He remembered meeting eyes with her after emerging from Magok Field with Rakan’s Fang. She must have gained more information from my scent than I’d thought.

Through several experiences channeling the power of the King of Beasts into his body, he learned that using Beast Transformation heightened his senses beyond imagination. He deduced that Miho might have caught a whiff of the scent emanating from his body and sensed something since his clothes were drenched with the blood of Arachne.

I’ve even been given this weird nickname: Beast King Crow. Feeling a slight sting at the thought, Suho swallowed dryly and continued the conversation with the White Tiger Guild staff, “Why does the vice guild master want to see me?”

***

Suho was entering the White Tiger Guild building. So, this is why they called...

Numerous C-rank hunters had gathered at the White Tiger Guild. Most were freelancers like Suho and were not affiliated with any specific guild. The reason the guild had suddenly gathered them was due to the appearance of the A-rank villain, Lee Minsung.

“I heard the Fiend Guild’s vice guild master is hunting hunters now?”

“That’s right. He’s a complete lunatic.”

“If he really is a villain, he should’ve left the country right away. Why harm the innocent?”

Suho calmly surveyed his surroundings, listening to the conversations of hunters nearby. He had become a C-rank hunter just two days ago, so he didn’t recognize a single face.

“A former A-rank hunter has become a villain who hunts hunters. Not to mention he’s the vice guild master of a major guild. Doesn’t he have anything better to do?”

“But what exactly is his reason behind all this?”

Now classified as an A-rank villain, Lee Minsung was likely to be imprisoned for life upon capture, never again to see the light of day. However, the gravity of his crimes had intensified with the latest incident, which meant imprisonment was now off the table. He had been designated as a target to be killed on sight, increasing the severity of this case.

Given this, it was difficult to understand why he hadn’t escaped but decided to engage in such absurd actions.

Something caught Beru’s eyes from the video of Lee Minsung on Suho’s phone. The CCTV footage of the vice guild master during the attack seemed somewhat peculiar.

“Wings?”

Beru noticed the wing-like structures attached to Minsung’s back as he moved.

In response to Beru’s reaction, Suho glanced at him. “Why? Is he your friend?”

“Huh?! Friends with such a lowlife? How absurd!”

“Your wings are similar to his.”

“Those aren’t ant wings.”

“What are they?”

“Hmm... Perhaps bee wings?” Beru carefully examined the low-resolution CCTV footage and said, “The wings aren’t the same, but he seemed to have transformed into a winged insect with a poisonous stinger.”

“If it’s a bee, then you’re practically cousins. Ants and bees are practically the same.”

“What?!”

Suddenly, the noise from the bustling hunters subsided.

Hm? Suho looked up and glanced at Miho, who had just stepped onto the platform.

“Thank you for accepting the sudden invitation. I am Baek Miho.” She skipped the formalities and delved straight into the urgent matter at hand. “As you may have seen in the news, an A-rank villain is hunting down hunters.”

The hunters before her glanced at each other with concern.

“At a time like this, the damage to unaffiliated hunters is most severe.”

The reason was obvious since hunters in a guild mostly moved around in groups of ten or even more than twenty. No matter how high-ranked Lee Minsung was, attacking so many hunters was sheer recklessness.

On the other hand, the freelance hunters who were gathered here, especially the C-rank hunters among them, operated in smaller numbers, making them the most accessible prey.

Most hunters of B-rank or higher are in high demand and are typically affiliated with guilds. On the other hand, those ranked D or E often work in mining teams or as laborers on contracts, resulting in a larger gathering, Suho thought.

In the end, C-rank freelancers were caught in a precarious situation and were the most vulnerable.

“Does this mean that you will accept us into the White Tiger Guild because you’re concerned about us?”

“That’d be amazing! Is this for real?”

The hunters buzzed with anticipation.

But Suho furrowed his brow slightly. This might be more trouble than it’s worth. It would be difficult to hide his growth and level-ups in a guild, which would invite odd looks and unwanted attention.

“Young Monarch, I think this is a terrible idea.” Beru abruptly thrust his face in front of Suho. “Serving someone beneath you when you’re the noble prince of a great king is disgraceful. It will feel like having dirt thrown into my eyes!”

“Oh, please, be quiet.” Suho blocked Beru’s mouth and forcefully shoved him back into the shadows.

The buzz settled down again as Miho continued, “I apologize for not meeting your expectations, but as you may know, our guild only accepts hunters who can transform into beasts as members.”

“Then, why did you call us?” a hunter muttered under his breath.

Miho was able to catch what was said thanks to her extraordinary hearing. She smiled slightly and said, “All of you are currently exposed to danger. So, until Lee Minsung is captured, we intend to protect all of you for the time being.”

What? Suho showed an expression of surprise. The reactions of the others were similar.

“Wow, they’re going to protect us?”

“Does that mean they’ll go hunting with us too?”

“Amazing. The White Tiger Guild really lived up to their reputation.”

Such reactions would have been unthinkable had it been another guild, but the White Tiger guild was different from the likes of the Fiend Guild. The guild had earned the trust of the hunters through their actions over time.

Also, their skills were well-suited for the job at hand. Its members possessed the Beast Transformation skill, which meant that if Lee Minsung was nearby, they could detect him immediately with their exceptional senses.

“Is there any chance you could also enter dungeons with us? If so, how will the earnings be distributed?” a freelance hunter asked.

In response, a White Tiger Guild member standing next to Miho shot him a look of disapproval.

The C-rank hunter was startled by his menacing eyes and flinched, hastily lowering his head.

However, Miho restrained her guild member and responded to the hunter’s question with a smile, “Naturally, the profit distribution will be divided according to the market rate. We won’t be demanding protection fees or anything along those lines.”

The hunters erupted in cheer and admiration in response.

“This is essentially a free lunch...”

“Come on now, it’s not like we’re children. We’re still official C-rank hunters. We don’t need to be babysat.”

“Still, having a stable team for a while is great. Gathering members is always a headache for freelancers.”

“Exactly. Dealing with some weirdo and getting nothing for the trouble is such a pain.”

“Does the White Tiger Guild really have that many members? How will they be able to protect all of us?”

Baek Miho immediately responded to the last question, “It’s true that we don’t have enough personnel to cover you all. So, it would be best if you could form a team with your fellow hunters gathered here. Two hunters from our guild, B-rank or higher, will be assigned to each team.”

The deal was amazing. Having two B-rank hunters would undeniably turn any team into a formidable force. No matter how the A-rank villain was, a team of C-rank hunters joined by two B-rank hunters would be more than capable of holding their own. Of course, victory couldn’t be guaranteed, but at the very least, they could counterattack or escape.

At least we’ll be safe. But they want us to make a team here and now? a hunter thought.

As Miho finished, the hunters began scanning the room with a hint of fear in their eyes, observing their peers.

“Hey, Mr. Kim! It’s been a long time. How about we form a team together?”

“Why not? I can trust you!”

Most of them were experienced freelancers who knew the importance of team members better than anyone. Also, not all C-ranks were equal as their skill levels could vary significantly. On the other hand, a hunter with impressive skills—but with a difficult personality or a lack of compatibility with other skills—could jeopardize the safety of a team.

The hunters formed their groups in the blink of an eye.

“Huh...?”

After the quick round of networking and integration, Suho was left standing alone. He was capable of dealing with powerful attacks from Ammut or a Venomous Sand Centipede, but he found himself without a team.

“I’ve never seen that hunter before. Does anyone know him?” a hunter in a team asked.

“It’s my first time, too. Is he a rookie?” a teammate said.

Suho, who had never felt pressured by any enemy, couldn’t help but feel the weight of the gazes now directed at him.

“Young Monarch... Among the trials you’ve faced so far, this one seems to be the most challenging.”