Solo Leveling- Ragnarok-Chapter 323 - 321

[Sea of The Afterlife]

A pitch-black expanse. Everyone was speechless at the sight of the overwhelming scenery.

– This is a kind of insurance. – Ammut finally understood what Sung Jinwoo meant by insurance, and who it was for.

A hollow laugh escaped him. [Hah! So it was a precaution in case your son couldn't find the Sea of The Afterlife on his own?]

'You truly are...'

– If you wish, you can now become a shadow soldier.

– It has nothing to do with you, so don't worry about it.

Sung Jinwoo's words came to mind one by one.

Debuff: 'Death'

The moment they entered the Sea of The Afterlife, the horrifying energy dominating this place started draining Arsha's and Gray's life force bit by bit.

Of course, Ammut was no exception. He was a being who became immortal through a contract with Kandiaru. A creature that could live forever, transcending its lifespan. However, only within that wretched pyramid, now called the Iron Body Training Ground! Ammut was a test subject created by The Great Spellcaster Kandiaru while researching the shadow power. He was in a similar state to the 'Demon King Baran' that Sung Jinwoo faced long ago, dead but not gone, a remnant of the soul. Therefore, the situation was a little different for him compared to Arsha and Gray, who were living beings. For Ammut, this Sea of The Afterlife was simply comfortable. It was so comfortable and languid that he was bewildered. A gentle feeling that this moment, floating in the black sea, would last forever... that his soul would completely melt into this abyssal darkness overwhelmed him...

[This is terrifying.] It was a truly fatal temptation. His 'soul', which had been resisting death for so long, was now longing for rest itself.

[So that's what he meant.]

Ammut gritted his teeth and forcibly resisted that sweet, languid temptation, recalling the expression of Sung Jinwoo's illusion when it appeared before him.

[...I can become a shadow soldier whenever I want.]

'What a devious bastard.' His 'death' was whispering to him. How wonderful it would be for the soul to be reborn as shadow soldiers. How fantastic! He was already looking forward to it!

[I'm simply amazed.]

Ammut was truly astonished. Sung Jinwoo. Even though he appeared as just an illusion without a shred of magic power, he... had he truly foreseen this far ahead in that short time and prepared for all this?

Smirk—

Ammut grinned and gritted his teeth at the thought of him.

[You're a sly one, Sung Jinwoo. You said it had nothing to do with me, and yet you played such a prank?]

What an absurd guy. Did Sung Jinwoo really think this far ahead that day? Did he know that he wouldn't listen to him and come here himself? There was no denying it when the choices were clearly laid out before him. Who was he! The strongest, the most vicious crocodile. The one who taught Tarnak, the King of Monstrous Humanoids and the Monarch of the Iron Body, the art of the Iron Body itself! But now... he was a mere ghost who died long ago, a remnant of a soul reduced to a slave bound by the magic of the demonic spirits. But the moment he arrived here, at the Sea of The Afterlife, Ammut was finally able to choose, with his own free will between 'two options'

'Obedience'

One was the quick and easy path. To comfortably melt into the seawater and wait to become Suho's shadow soldier. There was no sweeter choice than this. He would become an immortal soul and pursue endless strength forever.

'Humiliation'

The other option was problematic. The difficult and long path. Ammut couldn't help but laugh when he realized what that choice would mean.

[What a devious bastard. To make me choose between obedience and humiliation.]

Sung Jinwoo's intentions were outrageous. But he knew it was also a consideration for him, so he didn't feel too bad. And looking at the situation, it didn't seem like he needed to make a hasty decision.

[Ah, Lord Ammuttt...!]

[Krrrr! Kwng...!]

Hearing the screams beside him, Ammut turned his gaze towards them. Arsha and Gray were floundering in the black sea. Unlike him, those two were losing their life force in real time. This was the harsh Sea of The Afterlife, unforgiving to living beings.

[...I'll save those guys first and then decide.] Ammut decided to first evacuate the fools who followed him.

Grab! Grab!

Ammut's giant hands grabbed Arsha and Gray by the scruff of their necks. And as expected of the strongest crocodile, he skillfully began to swim through the black currents of the Sea of The Afterlife. But then, abyssal monsters, smelling the scent of life, rushed towards them...

Kyaaa—!

Kihihihi—!

[Out of my way.] He nonchalantly struck them.

BOOM—!

The black sea exploded. Rough waves rose on the calm, until now water. Everything that stood in his way was torn apart in that black vortex.

'Iron Body'

Although Ammut was torturing, no wait, 'training' Suho with Iron Body every day, The true purpose of the technique wasn't just strengthening the muscles. It was to endlessly break, shatter, and reconnect the body, eventually strengthening even the soul within.

That ignorant training method, which took the human saying 'A sound mind in a sound body' to the extreme, was the ultimate purpose of Iron Body. In that sense, Ammut here was closer to that unachievable goal than anyone in history.

[Get lost.]

BOOM—!

...No one could block his path. Not the residents of the gap who grew by devouring the scraps of souls, Nor the tenacious and vicious weeds of the afterlife.

Rumble—!

Just like that, Ammut was freely roaming the Sea of The Afterlife as if it were his own home. But...

[Krrrr...]

[Snifle...]

Ammut heard Gray's whimpering from his back and quickly scanned the surroundings. At this rate, it was all meaningless if he couldn't find a way to escape the debuff 'Death'. He had to find a safe place before these guys lost all their life force... But was there even such a place? And... even if there was, could he find it in this absurdly vast sea?

[Whimper...]

Gray's tail, which was always wagging energetically, gradually drooped. Arsha, who was much weaker, was even worse. Although the pain inside the black pillar on the way here was much more severe, their souls were now naturally approaching 'death' without any suffering in this Sea of The Afterlife.

This was 'obedience.'

Kyaaaaa—!

And the more they neared death, the more fiercely the abyssal monsters flocked, opening their mouths wide like crocodiles. Daring to, before the strongest...

[Just hold on a little longer!]

Ammut pushed through all those beasts and quickly crossed the black seawater. Carrying the two dying burdens. As long as it takes to find something... Then, Arsha's weak voice reached his ears.

[Cold... You have to find a cold place...]

[I know. I'm looking.]

No matter how busy Suho was outside, he visited Ammut regularly because of the daily quest. So the fact that Sirka recently became the King of the Snow Folk, and thanks to that, the fact that a harsh winter had come to this sea where one couldn't find even a small island, let alone a place to step on, was naturally shared with Ammut.

So he had been struggling to find the cold wind that weakened the effect of the debuff 'Death'. Which in the end, meant that he had to find the World Tree alone in this vast sea of souls, this absurdly wide abyss. And as quickly as possible, before Arsha and Gray died...

Since it was such a daunting task, Ammut quickly moved forward, destroying everything that blocked his path. This was something no one could help him with. Even if Gray sniffed around, there was no scent, And even if Arsha squeezed her strength and created a few worker bees to scout...

Thud.

...Arsha's worker bees would just die instantly before the debuff 'Death'.

[I'm sorry. My worker bee died again...]

[Don't waste your energy on useless things.]

'How much time had passed?'

'How long had they wandered the Sea of The Afterlife?'

In a situation where hoping for a miracle was hopeless...

Whoosh.

'Is this an illusion?' A glimmer of hope emerged as a gentle breeze unexpectedly swept through.

[Krrk! Where did it come from?]

Ammut glared in the direction he thought the wind came from. But unfortunately, the 'coldness' they were desperately searching for wasn't there. However, something completely different appeared. Far away, at the end of the vast sea, he spotted a faint silhouette approaching them.

[...!]

The moment they saw that, Arsha and Gray, who were on the verge of death, gasped and their eyes regained focus. Ammut's lips also stretched into a wide grin.

[You're terribly slow, aren't you?]

There was no time to waste. Ammut swam towards 'them' with all his might. And that small silhouette quickly grew larger and closer.

[...Found them!]

[Waaaaaaaaaa!] Cheers erupted.

Not from Ammut, but from the ones who found him. Their identity was none other than...

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'The demons' fleet, their ships made out of elvenwood...' Having heard the news through Antares, they were searching every corner of the Sea of The Afterlife for Ammut and his party.

[They don't look good!]

[Pull them up quickly!]

Urgent shouts could be heard as the shadow spiders spread their webs like a net and pulled Ammut and his party up.

Splash—! Splash—!

In the meantime, the demons blocked the abyssal monsters' attacks.

[They've become quite strong.]

Ammut, seeing that, was slightly impressed. The demons were pathetically weak creatures when he first saw them... It was only natural. They were the remnants who survived after most of their brethren died in the war. Nevertheless they had become unrecognizably stronger while wandering the Sea of The Afterlife under Suho's command. And he could immediately tell why.

[Lady Arsha! Please have this!]

[Lord Gray! Quickly chew and swallow this leaf!]

It was the 'leaves of the World Tree'! The demons began to hurriedly feed them to Arsha and Gray, whose life force was almost depleted. The leaves of the World Tree were the main ingredient for the 'potions' that Suho bought from the shop.

Munch Munch!

It was only natural that Arsha's and Gray's eyes quickly regained vitality as they ate them. However, the quantity surprised him greatly,

[Suho said they found the World Tree...]

Ammut, sitting on the deck and watching the scene, laughed in disbelief. The demons were... holding a handful of those precious World Tree leaves.

[When did they...]

He was simply amazed, Ammut clearly remembered the demons' ship, setting off on the Sea of The Afterlife as a small raft made by roughly cutting Elvenwood, a temporary measure... It had now become such a huge warship. And there wasn't just one.

[Contact everyone! Tell them we found Ammut!]

[Gather around!]

[We're returning to the World Tree!]

The demon fleet, under the command of Esil, the King of Demons and Monarch of Gluttony, communicated through Blood Crystals and began to assemble. Their combined power was immense, even the gap's residents, who constantly observed the demons in the Sea of The Afterlife, and the weeds, which roamed the sea craving living beings, dared not approach the massive fleet. Any who recklessly drew near would be devoured by the roots of the Elvenwoods that served as the ships' keels. And as all the fleet converged...

Flash—!

A giant Gate opened before them.

[All demons! Gather before me!]

Ammut grinned at the familiar voice from beyond.

'Skill, Hell's Army'

The King of Demons was here, and wherever the king went, was the demon world. They scattered to search the sea, but since they had already found their target, there was no need to cross this vast expanse on their way back.

Flash—!

All the demons' ships, carrying Ammut and his party, passed through the portal that the King of Demons personally created. And at that moment...

Whoosh—!

A harsh winter struck, the World Tree, covered in white frost, revealed its majestic form before them. The Sea of The Afterlife, which was considered a mere legend, The World Tree, which was said to exist somewhere... appeared before them so easily. And at its center, Esil Radiru, the King of Demons, the Monarch of Gluttony...

[Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!]

[...!]

...Was engaged in a fierce battle against the giant snake that descended from the World Tree, Nidhögg with five heads! Seeing that, the demons ignited their fighting spirit.

[Nidhögg has appeared again!]

[The King is fighting!]

[Fire the magic cannons!]

[We'll make sure it never comes down again!]

Rumble—!

Yes... All the demons under the command of Esil found the World Tree. But that didn't mean they completely conquered it.

[Nidhögg, the serpent that gnaws at the roots of the World Tree]

Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Kyaaaaaaaaa—!

Nidhögg, who came down to the roots whenever it had the chance, lived here. Every time it moved its giant body, the leaves of the World Tree fluttered and fell, but... To collect those leaves and return safely, the demons had to avoid being eaten.

[Heh. Damn it. When did those weaklings become so...]

Ammut couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Looking at the demons who dared to fight against that absurdly huge abyssal monster, Nidhögg. He couldn't help but feel... competitive.

[Damn it. My body itches when I see things like this.]

He finally had to admit it. The second option Sung Jinwoo's illusion presented to him. The difficult and long path. 'Humiliation' It definitely wasn't easy, but thanks to that Suho guy, it didn't take them long to get here...

[Alright! I'll gladly accept humiliation!]

Thud—!

He finally kicked off the deck and jumped high, towards Nidhögg, who was fighting the demons. No... towards the Primordial Darkness, where the Iron Body Monarch's energy was strongly felt.

[Kyahahaha! How humiliating!]

Thud—!

The master of Iron Body, Ammut, struck the giant jaw of Nidhögg, which possessed the Primordial Darkness.