Solo Leveling- Ragnarok-Chapter 4 - 03

The erosion was a phenomenon where the blue mist flowing from the Gate contaminated the surroundings. The area tainted by the magic power from another dimension transformed into an environment suitable for magical beasts to live in. If the world beyond the Gate was called a 'dungeon', the contaminated area around the Gate was called a 'field-type dungeon.' In any case, a place polluted like this was no different from a dungeon, and considering that, the Hankuk University Art Museum was practically a land of death.

"It seems that student..." The Hunter's voice trailed off.

But everyone could guess what came next.

* * *

Meanwhile, Suho...

[Level Up!]

'This... is that...'

Something unbelievable happened. Letters were floating in the air. The level-up system, which he only saw in his dreams a long time ago, appeared in reality.

'Oh my god. Is this a dream again?'

No. This definitely wasn't a dream! The vivid sensation of reality proved that. Besides, the moment the level-up message appeared, the accumulated fatigue disappeared. Even the minor injuries from the Mist Burns were completely healed. But what was this...?

[You have met the completion conditions for Secret Quest: 'Courage of the Weak'.]

[You have unread messages.]

The level-up system he experienced in his dreams only showed the level, and there were no separate messages like that. This felt more serious. As Suho looked at the notifications, the message box automatically opened.

[You have two unread messages.]

[Congratulations on becoming a 'Player' in reality.] (Unread)

[A quest has appeared.] (Unread)

'Player... in reality?' He checked the first message.

[Secret Quest: Courage of the Weak]

[You have proven your worth by gaining experience points in a non-Awakened state.]

[You advanced from level 0 to level 1, and you can now check your status window.]

[Information:]

[This system supports the 'Player's' growth.]

[This is not 'Tutorial Mode'. Please note that you only have one life in the real world.]

'Tutorial mode? Is it referring to that dream?' Suho instinctively realized that the dreams he had during puberty were all practice matches. The real competition started now. And just like in a real game, features that weren't supported in the tutorial were added. For example, that 'status window'

[Status Window]

[Name: Sung Suho]

[Level: 1]

[Job: None]

[Title: None]

[HP: 100/100]

[MP: 10/10]

[Stats]

[Strength: 10]

[Stamina: 10]

[Agility: 10]

[Intelligence: 10]

[Sense: 10]

(Available stat points: 0)

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

[Skills]

[Passive Skills: None]

[Active Skills: Ruler's Authority Lv.1]

Suho's information was briefly displayed in the status window. Just like in a game. He immediately checked the next message.

[Quest: Rescue the Survivors]

[There are people near you waiting to be rescued.]

[Rescue as many of them as possible.]

[Rewards vary depending on the number of people rescued. - Current number of survivors: 52]

[Number rescued: 0]

'Rewards vary depending on the number of people rescued?' The second one was a quest window. This quest was also a system he had never experienced in his dreams. This really felt like a game...

But this was reality.

People were continuously dying even at this moment.

[Current number of survivors: 52 → 51]

[Current number of survivors: 51 → 50]

Suho suddenly came to his senses as he looked at the status window. It was then...

[Graaaaaaaaah!]

'Ah!'

He was too focused on the status window. A Mist Burn had approached him and was attacking.

"Oh no!" Suho instinctively swung his arm.

Thud—!

And something amazing happened.

[Kraaa!]

The Mist Burn, hit by Suho's fist, groaned and was thrown back.

"...Huh?"

He was greatly surprised as he looked at his own hand. It wasn't hot, even though he punched those blazing blue flames with his bare fist. Just then, another Mist Burn lunged from behind. Suho threw another punch without hesitation.

Thud—!

[Kraaa!]

It was the same this time as well. The Mist Burn was helplessly thrown back by an ordinary attack.

[Graaa?]

The Mist Burn seemed bewildered too. This was clearly an insignificant human, but it hurt so much when it was hit. Nevertheless the monster was a being that moved only on instinct.

[Kraaaaaaaaa!]

At the Mist Burn's scream, all the surrounding monsters flocked towards Suho. But he didn't waver in the slightest at that threatening sight, because he realized that they weren't much of a threat to him now. It was time for a counterattack.

Thud—!

Suho charged towards them without hesitation.

Thud—! Thud Thud Thud—!

[Kraaa!]

[Graaaaaaaaah!]

It was completely different from a typical raid. Originally, hunters should calmly assess the monster's strength, have the tanker block the front, and then have the dealer attack. But Suho ignored all that and just swung his fists, wrestling with the magical beasts. Nevertheless the effect was undeniable.

[Mist Burn has been defeated!]

[Mist Burn has been defeated!]

[Mist Burn has been defeated!]

[...]

Suho continued to move, defeating them one by one.

[Current number of survivors: 37 → 36]

Even as this was happening, the number of survivors continued to decrease. Which meant that the number of Mist Burns was increasing.

'The more their number rises, the faster people will die.' He had to hurry, Suho searched every corner of the art museum and found the survivors.

"Get out of here!"

He sent them out of the building as soon as he discovered them.

[Number rescued: 12]

* * *

"What? How are they all escaping?" The Hunters outside the art museum were surprised. Just as they finished checking their equipment and were about to enter, people were coming out on their own, one by one.

"Someone inside saved us."

"A student saved us!"

The Hunters were even more surprised by that.

"Someone is fighting the magical beasts inside?"

"Is there another Hunter who already went in?"

Teaching Assistant Lim, who heard that, tilted his head. "That can't be. There are no awakened people among the students, and the other Hunters haven't arrived yet."

Dae-hyun, who was listening next to him, said with a hopeful voice, "Could it be Suho?"

"Suho?"

Teaching Assistant Lim and the Hunters exchanged glances. The probability of an ordinary person surviving in a field-type dungeon was extremely low. But they couldn't tell Dae-hyun that his friend was probably dead...

But one of the survivors who had just exited the building knew Suho. "That's right! It was senior Suho who saved us!"

"What?!"

"Suho? How?"

"He was punching the magical beast with his bare hands."

"...Bare hands?"

The Hunters made concerned faces. It seemed like the survivors imagined something unbelievable because of how terrified they were. Fighting a Mist Burn with bare hands was too dangerous.

'His hands would be burned.'

'It's suicide.'

Unless you were a Hunter who could imbue your fists with magic power, you had to at least protect yourself with gauntlets to avoid getting burned. Anyway, it seemed certain that the student named Suho was saving people. The Hunters muttered with serious expressions,

"Perhaps that student... has Awakened."

"Suho Awakened?" Teaching Assistant Lim's gaze turned towards the art museum again. Even now, survivors were continuously coming out. Rescued by Suho...

The Hunters also finished preparing to enter the building.

"Team leader, the magic power measurement is complete. It seems to be a D-rank dungeon."

The Hunters' eyes gleamed with determination at those words. There would be magical beasts much stronger than Mist Burns in a D-rank dungeon. Even if the student named Suho had just Awakened, no one could guarantee how long a newbie without proper experience could last inside.

"Alright. Then we need to hurry."

* * *

Whoosh!

[Mist Burn has been defeated.]

'It's almost over.' Suho, who defeated all the visible Mist Burns, was catching his breath. He was so tired that all he wanted was to lie down and rest, nevertheless his mind was clear. It was then...

Ding!

[Level Up!]

Suho's entire body was enveloped in a transparent light, and he felt revitalized.

'I can keep going with this!'

But just as he was about to move to find the remaining people...

Crash—!

"...!"

The ceiling suddenly exploded above his head, debris and dust scattering in all directions. He was startled and rolled on the floor, but he couldn't avoid them completely. Blood trickled down Suho's forehead, whose wounds had just been healed when he became level 2. But that wasn't the problem. The real danger was the giant wolf that descended from the hole in the ceiling.

[Grrrr!]

Suho's mind cleared at its tremendous presence.

'There's no way I can win against this.' He knew the moment he saw it. The survival instinct that every living being had told him that. He felt a primal fear, different from the Mist Burns.

[Krrr.]

The giant wolf looked down at Suho haughtily. The gaze of a predator looking at its trapped, injured prey. At the same time, a tremendous aura pressed down on him.

"Ugh."

Suho gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to be overwhelmed by fear here. He would just do the best he could.

'If I can't escape, I'll attack first!'

Thud—!

Suho grabbed a nearby rock and threw it at the beast. But the giant wolf simply raised its paw and brushed off the attack as if it was nothing.

'Now's my chance!' Suho lunged at the wolf and swung the fist that had beaten dozens of Mist Burns to death. But it was no use.

[Grrrr!]

Crack—!

The giant wolf's jaw bit into his shoulder.

"Ugh!"

Suho gritted his teeth and punched the wolf's head while still being bitten. That was also useless.

Bang—!

Suho was thrown to the ground and the giant wolf's paw arrogantly pinned him down. It was a fight he couldn't win from the beginning. Knowing that, the wolf simply savored its victory. And just as the ferocious fangs were about to tear into Suho's neck, a miracle happened.

[KIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK—!]

SWOOSH—!

From the distant universe, high above in the sky, a black lightning bolt suddenly struck down.

Kaboom—!

[...!]

The ceiling exploded, and the space between the giant wolf and Suho was split in two. What appeared as the dust settled was the King of Ants, his entire body enveloped in black steam.

[Beru Lv.Max]

[Marshal Rank]

Beru was holding down the wolf's jaw with one hand, looking down at Suho haughtily.