Solo Leveling: Ragnarok Chapter 24

Sooho instantly pulled out two swords from his inventory and blocked the attacker’s strike. The eyes behind the crow-masked man and Sooho’s met mid-air for a brief moment.

 

‘What incredible strength.’

 

‘Is this even possible?’

 

Sooho’s current Strength stat was 39. Since he had distributed his skill points mainly toward Strength stat, he was more confident in his strength than his other stats.

 

But the crow-masked man’s power was just as strong with one arm.

 

Swish!

 

As if they had made an unspoken agreement, the two simultaneously backed away and sprang toward each other at an even faster speed.

 

Flash!

 

Clang!

 

Sooho’s dual swords swung with tremendous momentum. The crow-masked man’s massive arms swatted the attacks away, causing the wall and floor to explode.

 

All of this happened in just two seconds.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Thanks to Sooho, the raid captain who managed to escape the crisis immediately backed away.

 

‘What happened? How could that Summoner…’

 

Although momentarily distracted by Sooho’s tremendous combat power, the captain did not forget his duty.

 

The most important ability as a captain was the ability to assess the level of magic beasts. In other words, it was the ability to detect danger.

 

“It’s a D-rank beast! All-out attack!” he quickly assessed the crow-masked man’s magic power level and shouted to everyone.

 

“D-rank?”

 

The Hunters quickly regained their senses and assumed attack positions at his words.

 

“Then there’s no problem!”

 

“Kill him!”

 

Thunk, thunk!

 

The Hunters’ skills were concentrated and fired at the crow-masked man fighting Sooho. However, the crow-masked man easily dodged all the attacks and jumped back.

 

“D-rank?” He smirked, clinging to the tunnel wall like a spider. “You’re making such a meaningless assessment in front of people?” Then he put his other hand, not the massive one, into his robe.

 

Swoosh.

 

A small potion came out of his bosom.

 

“What is that!?”

 

Assistant Professor Im was the first to identify that blue liquid sparkling with brilliant starlight. “Stardust! It’s Stardust! Stop him from drinking it!”

 

The Hunters’ eyes widened at Assistant Professor Im’s urgent shout.

 

“Stardust?”

 

“That power-enhancing drug?”

 

A rumor had been spreading among Hunters that there was a power-enhancing drug called Stardust.

 

According to the rumor, it was a drug that, when ingested, increased one’s mana for about a week without any side effects.

 

Of course, it was expensive, but the price wasn’t a problem considering the amount of money that could be earned by going into higher-level dungeons and hunting with the amplified mana.

 

As a result, Stardust was always in short supply; even if someone wanted to buy it, they couldn’t.

 

“Correct.” The crow-masked man chuckled and drank the potion from under his mask.

 

“Stop him!”

 

Gulp.

 

When the Hunters rushed at him, it was already too late.

 

Sizzle!

 

After swallowing Stardust, his body began to swell rapidly as if balancing his already enlarged arm.

 

“Grraaah!” he roared ferociously and bounced off the wall.

 

Bang! Following that, two huge arms swept the Hunters’ bodies instantly.

 

“Aaack!”

 

The Hunters were thrown in all directions like bowling pins.

 

“Nonsense.” The captain’s pupils shook uncontrollably at that sight. Judging the crow-masked man as D-rank was a mistake. “He became…a C-rank magic beast!”

 

It was totally unexpected. Who would have thought that Stardust was such a powerful mana amplification potion!?

 

“Everyone, run! We can’t handle him alone!”

 

[Oh, well. You won’t know until you try.]

 

“…!”

 

Beru, who had come to the raid captain’s side, smiled wickedly.

 

[My little king has now been activated.]

 

“…!”

 

There was no need to ask whom Beru was referring to. Sooho and the shadow soldiers were already hunting down the enemy.

 

“Shadow Goblin, use your skills!”

 

[Krrhok, krrhok!]

 

Currently, the seven shadow soldiers led by Sooho consisted of five Goblin Chiefs and two Goblin Commanders. And as the leaders who led the ordinary goblins, each had their own skills.

 

[Kyrakulra!]

 

 

[Shadow Goblin uses ‘Skill: Ice Arrow’.]

 

 

Sssh! An ice arrow flew and froze the legs of the crow-masked man.

 

Jjeok! At that moment, the tremendous power and size of the enemy that had been pressuring Sooho temporarily came to a halt.

 

[Kyrakulra!]

 

Scwhaa! A wicked red aura settled into the man’s body.

 

[Shadow Goblin uses ‘Skill: Curse of Blood’.]

 

[The target will receive 15% more physical damage for 1 minute.]

 

“…!”

 

The eyes of the crow-masked man widened suddenly as he was cursed with decreased mobility and increased damage.

 

[Krrhok!]

 

The Shadow Goblins rushed at him with their butchering daggers and saws, striking it mercilessly.

 

“Hah! Such petty tricks…!”

 

Clang!

 

The crow-masked man shook off his frozen legs and tore the Shadow Goblins to shreds.

 

But.

 

[Krrhok!]

 

The Shadow Goblins laughed even more wickedly, and their bodies, which had been cut in half, were reattached on the spot. Then, with bizarre movements, they relentlessly plunged their daggers into the massive crow-masked man’s body, causing irreparable damage.

 

“Ugh! Wh-what is this…!?”

 

For the first time, confusion crossed the man’s face.

 

The weapons held by the seven goblins were nothing more than a kitchen knife and saw used to dismantle carcasses. Even with the curse that amplifies damage by 15%, it could not deal significant damage. However, when the madness of the infinitely regenerating goblins was added, the synergy was by no means negligible.

 

[Khehek! Khehehek!]

 

Puck, puck, puck, puck!

 

[Krrhok! Krrhohok!]

 

Puck, puck! Chwack, chuk, chuk!

 

[Kiihehehk!]

 

“These leeches!” The crow-masked man, covered in black blood in an instant, continued to tear and beat the creatures clinging to his body in anger.

 

But the goblins tenaciously regenerated.

 

“What on earth is that…?”

 

The Hunters who watched the dreadful and gruesome battle were pale.

 

“How could a Summoner…?”

 

The skill of Summoner they were familiar with was not like that. At most, they might summon a few sleep-inducing or exploding bugs.

 

Of course, some Hunters used useful summons occasionally, but they were never magic beasts that could endlessly regenerate and annoy their opponents like that.

 

Unfortunately, Sooho’s mana was not infinite.

 

‘Mana is consumed when I regenerate a shadow soldier. The more tI delay, the more I’ll lose.’

 

Slash!

 

Rakan’s Fang and Vulcan’s Horn cut through the magic beast’s massive body again and again.

 

Chakchakchakchakchak!

 

It went faster and faster.

 

 

[Effect ‘Deadly Strike’: Has a 15% chance to deal more than double damage.]

 

 

The skill of Rakan’s Fang shone.

 

“Kraaaa! You bastaaard-” The crow-masked man was furious and glared at Sooho, the mastermind behind all this.

 

And, snap!

 

“…!”

 

Ignoring the attacks of the petty goblins, he gripped Sooho’s sword with his massive hands.

 

“Ha. Finally caught you, you bastard.”

 

Blood burst from his hand as he gripped the sword, but he didn’t mind. He grinned wickedly and hit Sooho’s side with his other hand.

 

Puk-! It was loud, like a drum being struck.

 

However.

 

[‘Skill: Resilience’ reduces damage.]

 

 

Sooho just glared at him provocatively. “Give it your best shot.”

 

 

[Skill: Resilience Lv.2]

 

Passive skill.

 

No mana required.

 

You possess indomitable resilience.

 

Physical defense is increased by 40%.

 

 

“This bastard!”

 

Bang! He lifted Sooho’s body with his sword and slammed him onto the ground.

 

“Cough!”

 

The impact made Sooho vomit blood and drop the sword.

 

“Oh, no!”

 

“Sooho!”

 

His ears rang. The voice of Assistant Professor Im felt far away.

 

“Tsk. Even a mere Summoner is so cocky.”

 

He heard the voice of the crow-masked figure mocking himself.

 

“Now, let me use this sword.” He seemed to like the sword that had covered him in blood during the fight against Sooho.

 

But Sooho felt the same way.

 

– What are you?

 

“Huh?”

 

At that moment, Sooho’s mouth twitched up from where he lay on the ground.

 

– Who dares covet the sword of the Beast Monarch!?

 

“…!”

 

Shwaaack!

 

Suddenly, the red blood vessels on the crow-masked figure’s arm holding ‘Rakan’s Fang’ swelled as if they were about to burst.

 

“Wh-what is this…!?” He panicked as Rakan’s Fang clung to his hand and began to corrode his body.

 

– You dare to take me? Offer your soul and body to me and die!

 

“This crazy sword!”

 

The crow-masked man gathered his strength to prevent corrosion. Then the suppressed energy deep within him pushed back against the energy of Rakan’s Fang.

 

– Ho? What’s this? You had a spirit?

 

Rakan’s Fang laughed as if it found it amusing.

 

– You bastard, you were already possessed by a demon.

 

“Kraaaa!” the crow-masked man roared like a beast and barely managed to shake Rakan’s Fang from his hand.

 

But at that moment.

 

 

Swoosh-

 

 

Sooho had approached and pierced his heart with Vulcan’s Horn.

 

“Cough…” The man gasped for breath with bulging eyes.

 

“Checkmate.” Sooho split his body in two, using Vulcan’s Horn.

 

Scwak! Black blood sprinkled like rain.

 

Thump. The crow’s mask fell off the man’s face as he tumbled across the floor. Then, from within it, a grotesquely distorted face appeared that could not be called human.

 

“Grr!”

 

He breathed his last breath and bared his teeth to Sooho.

 

“Don’t be too happy just because you killed one.”

 

“What?”

 

“Sooner or later, you will all die anyway.” He left a curse-like will. “… just like House Radiru had perished.”

 

Then the light in his eyes vanished.

 

At that moment.

 

Shwaak!

 

 

[Vulcan’s Horn devours the demon’s soul.]

 

 

Vulcan’s Horn absorbed the evil energy from the man’s body.

 

 

[Devoured demon soul: 1]

 

[Effect ‘Destructive Urge’: Increases physical damage by [31%]

 

 

“Demon?” Sooho’s eyes flashed with realization. As expected, the reason why the Cursed Random Box gave Vulcan’s Horn was because of this.

 

[Level up!]

 

Flash!

 

Sooho’s whole body was enveloped in a soft blue light, and all his wounds were completely healed.

 

Sooho recalled what the man had last said.

 

“… House Radiru? What does that mean?”

 

[House Radiru perished?]

 

Beru approached Sooho, whose head was tilted in confusion.

 

“Do you know what that means?”

 

[Yes. House Radiru is a demon noble family. Of course, they had been the weakest among the top 20 demon noble families, but…]

 

Beru glared at the corpse of the lower demon with narrow eyes.

 

[They became the top in the hierarchy because my liege wiped out the 1st to 19th ranks long ago.]