Solo Leveling: Ragnarok Chapter 29

Although there was a small (?) hiccup, the aftermath was handled swiftly.

 

Once the Association Hunters realized Sooho was not a demon, they received his guidance and quickly arrived at the factory.

 

“By the way, where are all the demons?”

 

Upon arriving at the factory, they found only traces of battle, and there was no sign of the demons. As the Hunters looked at Sooho with suspicion, he made an awkward expression.

 

“Haha, yeah. Maybe they all ran away while we were coming?”

 

[Burp.]

 

Beru openly burped next to Sooho, but no one suspected him. They just assumed he was a pet the size of a stuffed animal.

 

“Well, we did come too quickly. We immediately responded to the report.”

 

[Chirp.]

 

Although Beru openly cleaned himself next to Sooho, no one suspected him. Despite his protruding belly, he seemed like a normal stuffed animal.

 

“At least we secured the scene, so that’s fortunate.”

 

In fact, this was a great achievement. They found the factory where Stardust was being produced for the first time. Above all, they revealed the shocking fact that people’s lives were sacrificed in the manufacturing process.

 

“Thank you very much.”

 

After a while, the Association Hunters who came out of the field gathered all the Hunters on the scene, including Sooho and Assistant Professor Im, and expressed their gratitude. “Thanks to your report, we can prevent many crimes in the future. From now on, our association and police Hunters will do our best to investigate.”

 

And they added one thing, “And you will receive a reward for this incident.”

 

It turned out that there was a certain reward for those who reported the crime.

 

‘Well, that’s good. I should buy some meat or food for those short on blood with this money.’

 

Sooho nodded, thinking of the alien races he had left behind in the Shadow Dungeon. Whether they were the last descendants of the canine clan or the surviving demon noble, they were nothing but hungry refugees to Sooho.

 

***

 

… He opened his eyes and found an unfamiliar ceiling.

 

“Ugh.”

 

“Team Leader, are you feeling better?”

 

Team Leader Han Jaehyuk raised his groggy body from the bed.

 

White walls and the smell of disinfectant. It was a hospital.

 

Han Jaehyuk looked at his subordinates with a confused expression. “Why am I here?”

 

“Don’t you remember? You fainted, sir.”

 

“Fainted?”

 

“Yes, someone punched you.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Only then did he remember the fleeting memory.

 

‘That crow mask!’

 

Team Leader Han Jaehyuk hurriedly got up from his bed and shouted, “What about the demon? What happened to the demon!?”

 

“That person wasn’t a demon, sir.”

 

“Huh? What, it wasn’t?”

 

“No, that person was the Hunter we went to find.”

 

“…?”

 

The subordinate sighed deeply as he looked at the bewildered Han Jaehyuk and explained everything that happened while he was unconscious. “So it was all our misunderstanding.”

 

Suddenly, the expression on Team Leader Han Jaehyuk’s face hardened. “What? What did you just say?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Summoner? Who’s the Summoner?”

 

“Who else? The Hunter who knocked you out with one punch, Team Leader.”

 

“What?”

 

It seems like he hadn’t misheard. An expression of disbelief appeared on Han Jaehyuk’s face. “Are you saying that I got knocked out by a Summoner? Me, Han Jaehyuk?”

 

“Yes. So please don’t let your guard down and use your skills more actively from now on.”

 

“I did use my skills!”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I used my skills, dammit!”

 

At this point, even the subordinate looked confused.

 

“Then why did you pass out? You’re a C-rank Tanker, Team Leader.”

 

“That’s what I’m saying!”

 

“But wait, you used your real skills and still got knocked out with one punch? Does that make any sense? He was an E-rank Hunter.”

 

“E-rank? Are you kidding me?” Han Jaehyuk glared at his subordinate with a fierce expression.

 

However, the subordinate just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “Why would I joke around after eating an expensive meal? I even checked the Hunter’s license, and that person was really E-rank. What was their name again? Sung Sooho?”

 

“Sung Sooho?”

 

Upon hearing that name, an image of a face flashed through Team Leader Han Jaehyuk’s mind. Coincidentally, the name of the rookie E-rank Hunter that he had personally measured the mana of not long ago was also Sung Sooho.

 

‘Surely it can’t be.’

 

“Yeah, that person.”

 

“…!”

 

“I’m not trying to poison your mind. I was with you at the time too. It was Sung Sooho, the E-rank hero of the Korea University Dungeon that we personally measured the mana of, who made you pass out, sir.”

 

“R-really? That college student at the time? How on earth?” Team Leader Han Jaehyuk had an expression of disbelief.

 

But the subordinate employee replied sullenly, “It must have been a measurement error. Otherwise, would a Hunter who can make you use your skill and still be knocked out with a punch even exist at E-rank? I would estimate at least C-rank. “

 

“No, who would even… get punched like that.”

 

“Anyway, I apologized on your behalf. I told him to come back to the Association for a re-evaluation later. Well, that concludes the briefing during your unconsciousness.”

 

“…”

 

“Well then, I’ll leave for the day.”

 

“…”

 

His damaged reputation couldn’t be restored.

 

Team Leader Han Jaehyuk, who had passed off all the work to his subordinates and slept soundly, muttered dejectedly at the back of the subordinate who left work as soon as he finished his work, “These days, these kinds of things…”

 

As he did, he suddenly recalled the moment when he had fainted.

 

‘E-rank was a measurement error?’

 

Well, that’s okay.

 

It was a rare accident, but it had happened before.

 

However, one question still remained.

 

‘He was definitely a Summoner…’

 

Judging by the fact that there was also a large summon creature that looked like a hyena right next to him, it was certain that he was a Summoner. So how?

 

‘How did he have such power? Could that power also be some kind of variation of a summoning skill?’

 

Hmm.

 

Team Leader Han Jaehyuk stroked his chin as he recalled the appearance of Sung Sooho he had seen at the hospital.

 

A fairly decent-looking and ordinary college student. He had a tall stature and a moderately muscular physique, but that was about it. He didn’t seem like a Hunter with tremendous power at first glance.

 

‘… Well, I’ll find out someday.’

 

But then, a memory suddenly came to mind. The day when he measured Sung Sooho’s mana and exchanged the customary greetings upon parting.

 

 

– Then, Mr. Sung Sooho, we look forward to your great contributions in the future.

 

 

Like that day, a warm smile formed on Team Leader Han Jaehyuk’s lips.

 

“This is really something to look forward to.”

 

He was excited to see what kind of Hunter Sung Sooho would become.

 

***

 

And at the Fiend Guild.

 

Vice Master Lee Minsung was furious to the core.

 

“What did you say?! The factory was perfectly fine, why did it suddenly disappear?!”

 

“W-well, it was reported by some Hunters and the Association…”

 

Puck!

 

“Agh!”

 

Lee Minsung kicked the stomach of the man making excuses in front of him, causing him to squirm. He then stomped and pounded his body against the wall.

 

“So what? What does the Association have to do with it? Do these guys think I’m some kind of a pushover? If they took the money, they should have brought the goods properly, no matter what!”

 

“Oh my! Vice Master! We are also victims! The demons in the factory disappeared overnight without a trace!”

 

The A-class Hunter’s footwork was too terrible to call it a vent simply. If the man being stepped on wasn’t a Hunter, his heart would have stopped after the first blow.

 

After venting for a while, Lee Minsung finally stopped. He slapped his cheek and grabbed his collar to wake him up.

 

“Haa. So what happened to all the demons?”

 

“Cough. That, that is…” The man quickly spewed out all the information he knew.

 

Lee Minsung narrowed his eyes after hearing all the information. “So the location of the factory was discovered by Hunters who happened to be passing by?”

 

“Yes. I heard they fought the demons and rescued survivors.”

 

“Do you think that makes sense?”

 

“Uh, well…”

 

“Come on.” Lee Minsung’s anger began to boil again as he grabbed the man’s neck. “It wasn’t even a large guild. It was just a team made up of D-ranks and E-ranks collectors captained by a C-rank Healer. That kind of team defeated ten demons?”

 

“Even I…”

 

“Even you what?”

 

“I don’t think it makes sense either!” with Lee Minsung’s intimidation, the man closed his eyes tightly and shouted.

 

Only then did Lee Minsung let go of his collar. As if he had never been angry, he straightened the man’s collar and asked softly, “So what do you think? You have to give a more useful opinion this time if you want to survive.”

 

“… I think it must have been planned by the Association.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“As you know, Vice Master, the Association guys were always chasing the source of Stardust. But somehow they found out the location of the factory this time.”

 

“And?”

 

“But if they blatantly investigate Stardust, which is still not illegal, they will be restricted by guilds who handle Stardust like us, so…”

 

“So, you they up some half-assed guys as scarecrows and pretended to move after receiving a tip-off?”

 

“Yes! That’s exactly it!”

 

“Okay, that makes sense.” Lee Minsung nodded as if convinced. “Right. I’ve seen those demons myself. They’re definitely not opponents that can be dealt with by only lower-ranked Hunters.”

 

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

 

“So?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Of course, there must be a countermeasure, right?” Again, terrifying energy emanated from Lee Minsung and choked the employee.

 

“Y-yes, of course! The factory is not just one. Seoul Station Field was convenient for delivery because of the subway line, but if you look around, the demons may have hidden Stardust factories everywhere.”

 

“Everywhere? Hell Joseon is real then. Why are there so many demons?” Finally, Minsung seemed satisfied and chuckled. However, his eyes looking at the employee were not laughing at all. “Let me say it again, you know that I only helped you guys because of the Stardust, right?”

 

“Well, of course… We’re always grateful to you, Vice Master.”

 

“Then do your job. If you saved a drowning dog, they should repay the favor, right?”

 

“Grrr!” At the same time as he answered, fur started sprouting from the face of the man, who transformed into a werewolf. The man was none other than the remnants of the Hyena Guild that the Association was chasing. However, now he had nowhere else to go, so he had become a loyal dog to Vice Master Lee Minsung, with whom he had been trading.

 

But his true feelings were different.

 

‘Darn it, I’m in big trouble. The power of the blood will completely disappear in a few days.’

 

The ability of the Hyena Guild members to transform into werewolves by drinking the blood of the canine clan lasted only ten days.

 

If they didn’t drink blood periodically once every ten days, not only would their beast transformation skill disappear, but they would also revert back to being ordinary humans.

 

If Vice Master Lee Minsung learned about this fact, he would turn against him mercilessly.

 

‘Before that happens, I have to do something. I have to find the missing wolf cub in Gwanak Mountain, or find traces of other Monarchs similar to it.’

 

It was a pipe dream.

 

Vice Master Lee Minsung and the werewolf facing each other contemplated their own goals.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, Sooho…holding the reward money, entered a butcher shop.

 

“Hello, welcome~” The butcher, who happened to be preparing meat, greeted him with a friendly smile and asked, “What kind of meat can I get for you?”

 

“A pig… Do you sell it as a whole?”

 

“…?!”

 

“No, make it two.”

 

“…!”