Solo Leveling- Ragnarok-Chapter 309 - 307

At this point, it was necessary to briefly look back on Greed's, no, Hwang Dongsoo's past.

Before the Cataclysm, Hwang Dongsoo was a third-rate criminal, living a life at the bottom of society with his older brother, Hwang Dongsuk, they were called 'The Scammer Brothers' For over twenty years, It was a life of going in and out of police stations and prisons, but he thought it was fun...

Until his brother abandoned him.

– Get lost. – Until Hwang Dongsuk suddenly awakened and kicked him out for being powerless.

– You useless bastard.

...Hwang Dongsoo, dumped by his only family, was devastated. He was lost. What should he do now, how should he live? Until then, all he had to do was follow his brother's lead. He drowned his sorrows in alcohol for a while. But that didn't last long. As Hwang Dongsuk gained notoriety as a villain, Hwang Dongsoo, who was tied to him as part of 'The Scammer Brothers', also became a target of the police. But there's always a way to survive, even if the sky falls, isn't there? Hwang Dongsoo miraculously awakened while surrounded by the police. A true revival. But what happened...? He awakened, but the police chasing him weren't ordinary guys.

– What the hell. Why is Choi Jong-In here?!

It was absurd. As if he knew that he would awaken, Choi Jong-In suddenly blocked Hwang Dongsoo's path. He was the strongest Hunter of the newly formed Hunter Association. His nickname was the Ultimate Weapon, a terrifying S-rank Hunter. Since it was impossible to run away from someone like that, he fought. Because there was no other choice. But surprisingly,

– ...This might be doable?

The battle between Hwang Dongsoo and Choi Jong-In was a close one. Thanks to that, Hwang Dongsoo realized that the power he awakened to was S-rank. A power incomparably stronger than Hwang Dongsuk, who abandoned him. Courage surged within him. If they fought one-on-one, he might not only be able to escape, but even win? Of course, Choi Jong-In wasn't alone. As if he came fully prepared, he had A-rank and B-rank Hunters with him. But they were useless.

– Kyahaha! Get lost before you get caught in the crossfire!

Hwang Dongsoo laughed loudly and showed off his power to the Association Hunters. Two S-ranks were fighting, how dare the underlings intervene? They would only be captured as hostages and hold him back! In fact, that was why Hwang Dongsoo himself was dumped by Hwang Dongsuk.

Crash! Bang! Bang—!

It was truly earth-shattering. Even in the midst of his breathless battle with Choi Jong-In, Hwang Dongsoo looked for an opportunity to take the other small fry as hostages. But then, he realized that there was someone extraordinary among those small fry.

– Haha! This is an honor! Did even the famous Woo Jinchul come to catch me?

– Mr. Hwang Dongsoo, please surrender obediently. You are still a petty criminal...

– Petty criminal! A damned petty criminal?

Hwang Dongsoo charged towards Woo Jinchul, who appeared in a suit. And when he reached out to grab him by the collar,

Whoosh—

Even in the face of that sharp attack which tore through the air at terrifying speed, Woo Jinchul calmly loosened his tie with one hand and reached out the other towards Hwang Dongsoo.

– Speed reduction.

– Sense reduction.

– Vision disruption.

– Attack power reduction.

– ...?!

At that moment, Hwang Dongsoo realized. That something was wrong. Why the A-rank Woo Jinchul could order around the S-rank Choi Jong-In.

Grab

Woo Jinchul's hand finally grabbed Hwang Dongsoo's noticeably slower fist.

– Chains of Suppression.

Whoosh—

– Wh-what! – Hwang Dongsoo was shocked.

Chains of magic power suddenly flew from all directions and bound his limbs. Of course, they were only A-rank. He unleashed his magic power and tore off the Chains of Suppression. He began to dispel the debuff skills that were binding him one by one. But the problem was that there were too many. And on top of that, Choi Jong-In was still attacking him.

– Hmm, is that all?

– ...Y-you coward!

He was furious. Woo Jinchul's appearance, calmly casting petty skills one by one with an S-rank villain right in front of him, was truly annoying. Perhaps that was why. Even with Choi Jong-In's terrifying flames flying towards him from behind, Hwang Dongsoo tried to attack Woo Jinchul first. But...

– Defense negation.

– ...?!

BOOM!

Woo Jinchul's debuff, cast at the perfect timing. And Choi Jong-In's fire skill that exploded from behind him the moment his defense weakened.

– Kuhk...! – Hwang Dongsoo, hit by the truly perfect joint attack, desperately fled.

Fortunately, Since Choi Jong-In, who was also S-rank, was a magic-type Hunter, there was no one who could catch up to Hwang Dongsoo's speed once he decided to run. Ah, except for one...

– Speed reduction. Chains of Suppression.

– Ah, please stop...!

In the end, because of Woo Jinchul's tenacious debuffs, Hwang Dongsoo barely managed to escape while being helplessly hit by all of Choi Jong-In's attacks. He was completely battered. And to heal from that day's injuries, he had to hide for a long time. Completely concealing his identity, he focused on healing his wounds by searching for freelance Healers in the shadows, out of the Association's sight. Although he wanted to leave Korea right away, it was impossible until his body fully recovered.

Then he encountered the 'Outer Gods Cult'. At first, Hwang Dongsoo didn't even know their name, let alone what kind of group they were. He wasn't interested in the first place. But he couldn't help but keep running into them. Because the Outer Gods Cult was also hiding in the shadows, avoiding the Association's eyes, just like him. And that was how Hwang Dongsoo's connection with them began.

– ...You're saying you'll send a Healer to treat my wounds?

– Yes. A B-rank Healer, no less. In return, could we ask you for a small favor? Ah, of course, we're not forcing you.

The Outer Gods Cult approached Hwang Dongsoo very carefully and cautiously. Since they were still small at that time, the power of the S-rank villain was very useful. But Hwang Dongsoo was also cautious.

– No crimes. If I get caught by the Association in this state...

– Don't worry about that. We won't ask you to do anything that noticeable. Just raid a Gate that hasn't been discovered by the Association yet.

– That much is fine.

Just like that, Hwang Dongsoo began to fulfill the Outer Gods Cult's 'small' requests. Even if he was injured, his S-rank power didn't disappear. And whenever he raided the Gates they requested without the Association's knowledge, the Healer they sent would come, treat his wounds until his magic power was completely drained, and then leave.

But that was only a temporary measure. It would take too long for his body to fully recover this way. Instead of providing a decent Healer, the Outer Gods Cult rewarded Hwang Dongsoo in a different way. A hideout. They prepared suitable hideouts for him to avoid the Association's eyes. Those hideouts were like rain in a drought for Hwang Dongsoo, who couldn't stay in one place for long because of that damn Woo Jinchul's nationwide manhunt. And then one day...

– Go to Yangpyeong.

The Outer Gods Cult requested a new deal with Hwang Dongsoo, who was almost fully recovered and about to leave this damn South Korea. They whispered to him, who no longer needed a Healer, that they knew who killed his brother, Hwang Dongsuk, and Hwang Dongsoo eventually accepted their offer. It wasn't a difficult request anyway. It was just to take care of a certain Gate in Yangpyeong, as usual. Since he was about to leave Korea anyway, Hwang Dongsoo went to Yangpyeong without a word, saying this was the last time. And there, a human who was a priest of the Outer Gods Cult greeted him with a bright smile.

– I've heard a lot about you. My name is Kim Chul.

– Hmm.

– Why are you looking at me like that?

– ...Have we met somewhere before? You look familiar.

– Oh! I was just thinking the same thing, I guess we have a connection. Haha.

– I don't think we're childhood friends, did we meet in prison?

– Oh my, prison? I've always lived a good life, so I've never been near such a scary place. We must have had some connection in a past life. Hahaha.

– Past life, my foot. You're not from the Association, are you?

– Oh, how did you know? I recently quit. It wasn't rewarding or fun.

– ...?

Kim Chul's attitude, joking in front of Hwang Dongsoo, who hated the Association, was quite strange. Kim Chul himself also felt strangely familiar with the infamous S-rank villain Hwang Dongsoo.

– Anyway, I'll be counting on you for this Gate. And here's a little something for you.

– A necklace? What's this?

– It's a sacred object sent from our headquarters. I heard you're planning to leave Korea soon? Since we have a connection, it's only right to give you a proper item.

– Item? What's its function?

– It's a top-grade Stardust necklace that increases recovery speed and amplifies magic power. It will be of great help when you're wandering through other countries alone.

– Hmm. Not bad.

Was it because of the strange sense of familiarity he felt from Kim Chul? Hwang Dongsoo accepted the necklace handed to him without any suspicion and put it on. Kim Chul himself was also wearing the same one. Just like that, Hwang Dongsoo entered the Gate under his guidance. And the moment he stepped into the temple of the Outer Gods Cult...

His memory ended there.

And a long time later,

– ...Itarim.

When he opened his eyes again, A blue light flickered in Hwang Dongsoo's gaze. And he instinctively realized who he was.

– I am... the High Priest who serves the great gods, Itarim... Ugh.

At that moment, He felt a strange incongruity deep within his soul, almost making him nauseous. But that feeling soon disappeared with a throbbing headache.

– Have you awakened, High Priest?

Priest Kim Chul stood before him with an extremely respectful attitude. Hwang Dongsoo looked at him and asked,

– ...I feel a strange incongruity in my body. What is this?

– I only received some information from headquarters, so I don't know much. Just that it's a process of a great and noble experiment.

– Experiment? For what?

– Evolution and creation.

– Evolution and creation...?

Kim Chul, who became a priest a long time ago, answered with mad eyes at Hwang Dongsoo's question,

– Yes. Headquarters said that evolution at its peak is not much different from creation. I heard it's a great experiment for that.

– ...Evolution at its peak. Truly great.

* * *

[Fucking Great!]

Greed shuddered and gritted his teeth viciously as he recalled that moment of dark history.

The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёnovelkiss.com.

[How dare they turn me into a damn minion of Outer Gods!]

"Wh-who...!"

"Not us...!"

BOOM—!

A tremendous force swept over them like a tsunami. An overwhelming power that overturned the earth and seemed to fold the sky in half. There was no point in listening to their answers. Greed just wanted to get rid of these guys who reminded him of his past self. And there was another shadow that subtly rose beside him.

[I'll join as well! How dare they... to the glorious soldiers of the Master!]

That was none other than Priest Kim Chul, no, 'Iron', who returned as a shadow soldier...

Grab—!

[...Huh?] Iron's vision suddenly flipped upside down,

Greed, grabbing his ankle, swung him like a club and struck the villains.

Come to think of it, it was all Iron's fault.