Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

Chapter 63

“What did you just say?” The guildmaster of the Fiend Guild, Lim Taegyu, doubted his ears. “Our hunters have gone missing?”

“Yes, and more are going missing as we speak.”

“Are you sure they’re not just passed out drunk somewhere?”

“I’m sure of it. I think they’ve been kidnapped, somehow.”

“Hunters getting kidnapped? Does that make any sense to you?”

The guild had been unable to reach some of its members, but the possibility of them being kidnapped was laughable. However, Secretary Oh was dead serious.

“I also thought it was impossible, but we just obtained some CCTV footage that suggests otherwise. Taking a look at this might shed some light...”

Lim Taegyu took the USB from him, his face becoming more grim as he inserted the device into his computer.

The fact that they were using a USB instead of sending the video file via email or messenger hinted at the heightened concern for security. There was only one person who warranted such precautions—Lee Minsung, the vice guild master who had turned into a villain on the run.

Thanks to just one individual, the Fiend Guild’s reputation had plummeted to the ground. Despite being genuinely oblivious to Minsung’s actions, the public was reluctant to believe them and dismissed them as excuses. The Hunters Association was also on their backs, insisting there were conspirators within the guild working with Lee Minsung.

“Damn it...” The anger on Taegyu’s face was apparent as he reviewed the video file.

The footage began with a Fiend Guild hunter standing awkwardly in the middle of the street before an unknown figure suddenly swooped in and swiftly snatched him away.

Secretary Oh pressed the spacebar to pause the screen.

The face of the kidnapper became faintly visible, and despite the lacking video quality, Taegyu immediately recognized who it was. Having known Minsung for a long time, a mix of complex emotions swirled around in his heart.

“This is crazy, even for his standards!” Taegyu slammed his fist down on his desk, splitting it into two.

Startled, Secretary Oh hastily stepped back. He had capably aided him for some time now, but he had never seen him in such a state before—the guild master was seething with pure anger.

“Minsung...” Lim Taegyu wearily leaned back into his chair and let out a deep sigh.

The fluorescent lights on the ceiling were flickering anxiously.

“How did it all come to this?”

Regardless of their positions within the guild, or the guild itself, Minsung was his oldest friend. Taegyu considered him a friend to be proud of. He has always been special ever since he was young.

There was a time when he was happy to call him a true friend—before the Great Cataclysm.

Even when Minsung had asked him to become his driver, he had readily accepted his offer because of all the fun they had together.

“Taegyu, you should start driving my car.”

“Really? But why?”

“We hang out every day anyway, and if you become my driver, we can continue having fun even during work.”

“That’s true.How much are you going to pay me?”

“I’ll give you more than my manager.Since I’m always the one buying drinks anyway, you can use that money to save up for a house or something.”

Minsung had offered Taegyu the role of chauffeur rather than manager because he thought that being his manager would leave his friend with no time for fun.

Those were the good old days... Taegyu reminisced.

He spent his days driving Minsung, once the most in-demand movie star, around town. They often went to film sets, where Minsung introduced him to his future wife, an actress. The two were truly inseparable friends.

But when did it start going south? How did it come to this? Who am I kidding... It’s plain as day why.

Taegyu was fooling himself, pretending not to know why their friendship had fizzled out. He vividly remembered the precise moment. It was after the Great Cataclysm had changed the world—the day he awakened as an S-rank hunter.

The first time I ever paid for drinks...

He could never forget his first big paycheck as a hunter. After the enormous sum was deposited into his account, the first thing Taegyu did was to take Minsung, who had always paid for their meals and drinks, out for a celebratory dinner.

“Hey, I already paid for the meal.”

“What?”

“You always pay for everything, and I’m sorry for that. From now on, let me treat you.”

It was the first time Taegyu saw his friend look awkward. To this day, he wasn’t sure what was on Minsung’s mind at the time, but one thing was certain—everything changed from that day forth.

Minsung awakened as an A-rank hunter, and he gradually became a different person. He began developing an inferiority complex that would eventually melt away their once precious friendship, erasing everything as if it had meant nothing.

He still had so much going for him. I still can’t understand... People are truly incomprehensible, Taegyu lamented inwardly.

He had never once considered his awakening as an S-rank hunter to be a gift or a blessing. Luck and misfortune were two sides of the same coin. What was meant to be his luckiest day was anything but.

He was lucky enough to be blessed with mana and power, and he awakened as an S-rank hunter. However, his wife next to him was engulfed by the blue mist and transformed into a mist burn. No longer being his loving wife, the creature then attacked their only son.

On the day of his awakening—a day he wished never happened—Taegyu ultimately had to use his newfound powers to kill what had been his beloved wife. He had lost everything that day, and the only friend he could lean on at the time was Minsung.

“Ha, how did it come to this?” Taegyu pressed his throbbing temple with his thumb.

He looked at the monitor next to this broken desk and stared menacingly at Minsung’s face on the screen. Despite the blurry frames, he recognized his old friend’s demon-like eyes, still devoid of the light they once held.

“Why do you think Minsung kidnapped our guild members?”

Secretary Oh shivered at the coldness of Taegyu’s tone before responding. “Well, maybe revenge? We did renounce all ties with him immediately after the first incident was reported.”

“No. If revenge was the goal, he would have just killed them. There’s no need for kidnapping.”

Minsung had been attacking other hunters outside of the Fiend Guild, but the difference was that the villain had killed them on the spot instead of kidnapping them.

Taegyu looked closer at the screen and saw that Minsung had insect-like wings on his back. He remembered something he heard from a panel of experts about how they bore a striking resemblance to the wings of bees.

“A bee...” Returning to his cool and collected self, he thought about the implications. Bees live in groups... in colonies. “I don’t know why, but I think he might trying to gather troops. Do you think he’s somehow trying to turn the kidnapped hunters into bee-like creatures like himself?”

“Pardon? I’ve never heard of such a skill.” Secretary Oh shook his head in disbelief.

“Who knows? He may have bought a runestone with some new incredible skill. I bet the greedy bastard paid a hefty sum for it...” After gathering his thoughts for a moment, Taegyu suddenly stood up from his seat. “Tell the planning team to narrow their search for dungeons most suitable for bees.”

“D-dungeons?”

“Where else would a high-profile villain hide in such a small country?”

“Yes, I’ll relay that... Wait, where are you going?”

“The armory.” After issuing the command, Taegyu walked straight out of the office, leaving Secretary Oh bewildered by his abrupt exit.

As he headed for the armory, an immense aura emanated from his entire being. The S-rank hunter, consumed by anger, was on the move.

***

Meanwhile, Suho was clenching the neck of the last remaining lancer, gripping tight. The face of the struggling lancer, hanging from his hand, was filled with terror.

“Let me ask you something.” Suho stared directly into the creature’s eyes. “Where is your master?”

Despite thrashing in Suho’s hand, the lancer, gasping for breath, defiantly bared its teeth.

“Wh-when you are fortunate enough to be in my master’s presence... Y-you won’t escape unharmed...”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Where are they?”

“Y-you think I’ll tell you...?!”

“Fine, have it your way.”

Crack!

Suho ruthlessly snapped the creature’s neck.

[Contaminated Lancer has been defeated.]

[Level up!]

Looking at the lifeless body of the fallen lancer on the ground, Suho said, “I’ll ask your shadow instead.” He glanced at the black smoke rising from the corpses of the fallen humanoid insects around him.

[Target is eligible for shadow extraction.]

[Target is eligible for shadow extraction.]

[Target is eligible for shadow extraction.]

After releasing the five shadow mummies on his side of the wall, Suho reached out his hand toward lancers’ shadows. “Arise.”

The anguished screams of the lancers echoed in all directions. Gradually, the shadows boiled and bubbled before the legs of the shadow insects began to crawl out from them, pulling their bodies up from the depths of hell.

[The Shadow Extraction was a success.]

[The Shadow Extraction was a success.]

[The Shadow Extraction was a success.]

.......

“Okay. Welcome to the family.” With a satisfied expression, Suho gazed at the new shadow soldiers standing before him.

[Shadow Lancer – Level 1 - Normal Grade]

[Shadow Lancer – Level 1- Normal Grade]

“Okay, where is your former master?”

The five shadow lancers knelt with extreme precision, and they pointed their spears toward the ground in unison.

“They’re down there? Hiding underground, huh.” A faint smile crossed Suho’s lips.

At that moment, more lancers arrived to meet him and began swarming over his head. The new wave numbered at least a few dozen beasts, forming a staggering legion of dangerous insects.

[Contaminated Lancer] [Contaminated Lancer]

[Contaminated Lancer] [Contaminated Lancer]

“Goodness! Young Monarch, these five must have been mere scouts!” Beru was being needlessly dramatic, but soon, the corners of his mouth rose to form his usual sinister grin.

“The more the merrier, I say,” Suho said with a smirk.

Meanwhile, the new lancers were nothing short of bewildered. Below them were their former comrades but with a strange black vapor emanating from their bodies, guarding the enemy. On top of one their heads was what seemed to be a small ant.

“Come forth, my new underlings.” Beru laughed sinisterly with wicked delight.