Solo Leveling: Ragnarok Chapter 7

Beru was excited. He was curious about Sooho’s reaction to receiving the true ability of the Shadow Monarch, ‘Shadow Extraction’, as a reward.

 

 

– Oh my, jackpot!

 

– They’re giving such an incredible ability as a reward?

 

– Last time, they gave stat points as a reward, and now they’re giving a rune stone that allows you to learn a skill?!

 

– Wow! Can they just give it away like this?

 

 

Then Beru thought of replying like this.

 

‘Khiehe. Didn’t I tell you? This Shadow Dungeon contains everything for you, my little king!’

 

Beru would say that smugly, his lips curling.

 

[Ahem! The leveling-up system was initially designed as a supplementary device for the stable growth of the king. It was improved from the system used by the king in the past in order to fully inherit the power of the great Monarch within the weak body of a human…]

 

Sooho interrupted Beru and opened his mouth, “Hey, what’s this? A summoning skill?”

 

[…!]

 

The expression that appeared on Sooho’s face was clearly a disappointment.

 

Beru was taken aback.

 

What kind of nonsensical reaction is this!?

 

[Wh-what are you saying!? What is that reaction after receiving such incredible power!?]

 

“Well, but summoning skills…” 

 

Sooho explained how summoning skills were treated among Hunters these days.

 

The dungeon beyond the gate was a truly harsh place. Even a moment of carelessness would result in monsters tearing at the Hunters’ throats. The floor and ceiling were filled with dangerous traps.

 

No one could take responsibility for their own life in such a place.

 

Combat-oriented Hunters were fine because their bodies were tough, but magic-oriented Hunters had physical abilities that were not much different from ordinary people. Especially among them, Hunters with summoning skills were even more vulnerable.

 

As much as they relied on their summoned creatures for all their battles, they themselves were nothing more than helpless baggage trailing behind.

 

“That’s not all. The mana consumption is severe, it’s difficult to find summonable creatures worth using, and even if you manage to find them, they’re not as strong as you’d think.”

 

[No way!]

 

Beru stomped his feet in frustration and sorrow, expression full of resentment. Gone was the mocking attitude toward Sooho’s weakened combat prowess, and now Beru himself felt even weaker.

 

Seeing him like that, Sooho felt a little sorry.

 

“Well, I’m sorry, but that’s the reality. Well, having a skill in itself is clearly a good thing.”

 

[No! Don’t comfort me by pretending to be so considerate!]

 

“Huh? Your tone seems to have changed.”

 

[Sniff, sniff.]

 

When Beru’s way of speaking, which had been like a historical drama character, crumbled…

 

“Okay, okay, I got it. Anyway, I accept the reward.”

 

A Rune Stone appeared in Sooho’s hand.

 

 

[Rune Stone: Shadow Extraction]

 

When you break the rune stone, the skill will be absorbed.

 

Sooho broke the Rune Stone without hesitation.

 

 

[You have learned ‘Skill: Shadow Extraction’.]

 

 

 

Shoo-waak! At that moment, shadows surged from under Sooho’s feet, wrapped around his entire body, and disappeared. Poof!

 

A skill window unfolded before his eyes.

 

 

[Skill: Shadow Extraction Lv.1]

 

Shadow manipulation.

 

No mana required.

 

Extracts mana from a deceased body and turns it into a shadow soldier.

 

The probability of extraction failure increases proportionately to the target’s ability level and the elapsed time of the target’s death.

 

Available number of extractable shadows: 0/3

 

 

“… Creating shadow soldiers?” Sooho’s gaze naturally turned toward Beru as he confirmed the contents of the skill.

 

A shadow monster with black steam boiling up all over its body.

 

[That’s correct.]

 

Beru’s mouth stretched into a wide grin.

 

[This is a skill that creates soldiers just like me. Shadow Extraction is truly the essence of the ability that allowed His Majesty Sung Jinwoo to become the Shadow Monarch.]

 

At that moment, Sooho realized.

 

The numerous goblin corpses surrounding him, and the black smoke had been slowly rising from the corpses that he had killed with his own hands over the past four hours.

 

 

[Target is eligible for Shadow Extraction.]

 

[Target is eligible for Shadow Extraction.]

 

[Target is eligible for Shadow Extraction.]

 

 

The same messages kept repeatedly appearing as he stared at the black smoke.

 

”Shadow soldiers… Like some kind of necromancer?’

 

The concept of creating soldiers from corpses was similar to what is commonly seen in games with necromancers.

 

‘It doesn’t look that greatl.’

 

He had seen it before on the internet.

 

There are various types of summoning skills, like taming spirits from nature or taming and riding living beasts.

 

Among them, the worst job was undoubtedly the necromancer.

 

‘Because it has a lot of limitations.’

 

The fact that there must be corpses to begin with was the biggest issue.

 

‘I have to hunt down corpses like I am now. It means I can only control those who are weaker than me.’

 

To know for sure, it seemed like he had to try it out himself.

 

“Shadow Extraction.”

 

As Sooho spoke, the next message appeared.

 

 

[Please specify a command for the Shadow Extraction skill.]

 

 

“Do I have to specify a separate command for the skill? Hm…” Sooho pondered for a moment. But then he noticed that Beru was blinking his eyes and squirming his body beside him.

 

[Ahem. Cough, cough.]

 

“What is it? Do you have something to say?”

 

When Sooho looked at it, Beru pretended to cough awkwardly.

 

[Oh, no. It’s nothing. Cough! Cough, cough!]

 

“…?”

 

Why are you suddenly coughing like that?

 

Sooho eyed him cautiously, and without hesitation, he blurted out a sentence, not knowing what it meant. If it’s a command, something intuitive would be better.

 

“Arise.”

 

[Kiekhehehe!]

 

Beru made a strange noise as he clenched his fist tightly as if saying, “As expected!”

 

And then, something unexpected happened.

 

Khiihihihi-!

 

 

Suddenly, the laughter of the goblins echoed through the air.

 

At the same time, the shadows wriggled from the corpses of the goblins that were lying on the ground as if they were alive!

 

‘Goodness.’

 

Sooho’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked around.

 

Khiik! Krrhok, krrhok-!

 

Laughter like vile rascals echoed from all directions, and black hands reached out from the shadows, extending outside like demons returning from hell.

 

 

[Shadow Extraction succeeded.]

 

 

Swoosh! Swaaak!

 

[Krrhok!]

 

[Krrhok!]

 

Three black goblins whose bodies were made of boiling black steam appeared in front of Sooho.

 

 

[Shadow Goblin Lv.1]

Normal Grade

 

 

The three shadow goblins stood in formation, waiting for Sooho’s command…

 

“They don’t seem very strong after all, huh?”

 

[…]

 

By now, even Beru could start to notice. The difference in level between when Sung Jinwoo, the Shadow Monarch, used the same shadow ability and now was too extreme. When Sung Jinwoo first gained the shadow ability, he was level 50, while Sooho was only level 7.

 

No matter how similar the skills were, if the player’s level was low, the performance would inevitably weaken.

 

[W-well… soldiers who have just had their shadows extracted are slightly weaker than when they were alive.]

 

“And their size has gotten smaller too?”

 

[W-well… yes.]

 

“Obviously their strength has weakened as well?”

 

[V-very slightly?]

 

“And their speed…”

 

[…]

 

Beru muttered in a subdued voice.

 

[The shadow ability is influenced by intelligence stats and level. This is such a great skill, especially as it gets later… It’s really incredibly good… Ah, there’s no way to explain this…]

 

“S-sure.” Sooho looked at the Shadow Goblins, waiting only for his command, and prepared to leave immediately.

 

[Hold on! Isn’t the current atmosphere an atmosphere to command?!]

 

Beru was startled.

 

At that moment, a tremendous sound came from Sooho’s stomach.

 

Rumble-!

 

“I starved for two days,” Sooho said solemnly.

 

Beru was overwhelmed by Sooho’s serious tone.

 

[Yes, of course.]

 

Whether it was a Hunter or a Shadow Monarch, it was all about surviving by eating.

 

[Anyway, you can return here anytime using the Key to the Shadow Dungeon. Take a rest for now]

 

Sooho took out the Key to the Shadow Dungeon from his pocket and inserted it into his shadow, just like when he entered.

 

[Do you want to exit the Shadow Dungeon?] (Y/N)

 

 

“Yes.”

 

Click.

 

The moment he turned the key, the shadow engulfed him whole.

 

Swoosh!

 

 

[You have exited the Shadow Dungeon.]

 

*** 

 

As soon as Sooho returned to the real world hospital, he collapsed onto the bed.

 

Fluffy.

 

‘Haah, I really went through a lot.’

 

Sooho lay on the bed and sighed deeply after a long time. Although only 4 hours had passed, it felt like a whole 4 days had passed.

 

While all his stamina had returned with the level up, mentally, he felt completely drained.

 

At that moment, the door to the hospital room opened, and people dressed in suits entered.

 

“Excuse us. Is this the room where Mr. Sung Sooho is hospitalized?”

 

‘Hmm?’

 

Sooho immediately recognized their identity. Only one group of people would come looking for him in a situation like this.

 

“We came from the Hunter Association.”

 

As expected.

 

The people in suits approached Sooho and bowed their heads. “Mr. Sung Sooho, first of all, we would like to express our gratitude.”

 

“Hmm? What did I do to deserve thanks…?” Sooho looked puzzled.

 

“Thanks to you, many people were saved. We express our gratitude on behalf of those people.”

 

“Well, it’s not like I did anything extraordinary.”

 

“It was an extraordinary deed.”

 

Snap!

 

‘Oh, that startled me.’

 

The man who seemed to be the highest-ranking among them leaned in uncomfortably close to Sooho. Then he put on a gentle smile on his lips. “Mr. Sung Sooho, you are truly impressive. A young man who risks his life to save people in such a harsh world like today! Sob!“

 

“Oh, um, well…”

 

The sight of the big man pulling out a handkerchief and wiping his tears, seemingly overwhelmed with emotion, was quite awkward.

 

“Cough.” The employee next to him patted him on the back as if he was used to it. “Team Leader, stop crying and start working now.”

 

“Oh, right. Haha. These days, tears come easily as you get older. Mr. Sung Sooho, I am Han Jaehyuk, the team leader of the Hunter Association. The purpose of our visit is…”

 

Click.

 

Team Leader Han Jaehyuk smiled as he held a thick mana-measuring device toward Sooho. “We’re here to measure your mana.”

 

There was no doubt that Sooho had awakened. He was found unconscious in the Korea University Museum, which had turned into a field-type dungeon. Moreover, there were fragments of corpses confirmed to be monsters scattered around him.

 

“The reporters keep demanding information to write articles as well,” Han Jaehyuk narrowed his eyes and spoke.

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

Sooho obediently raised his hand over the mana-measuring device, then the magic stone embedded in the center emitted a faint light.

 

After a moment of waiting, the measurement result came out.

 

“Hmm. Oh, this is…” Team Leader Han Jaehyuk rubbed his chin as if surprised by the result.

 

However, Sooho’s expression showed no change, as if he wasn’t curious about the result. It was natural. The status window before him had already told him about his power.

 

“Mana value of 46. You have become an E-rank Awakened.”

 

The employees who were standing by didn’t show any outward reaction, but they were secretly disappointed. They had expected a much higher rank for someone who had shown such great achievements right after awakening.

 

But only E-rank?

 

However, Team Leader Han Jaehyuk was different.

 

“Their rank does not determine the value of a Hunter. It’s even more impressive if someone with an E-rank risked their life to save people.” He gave Sooho a warm smile and patted his shoulder with a thick hand. “Then, Mr. Sung Sooho, we look forward to your great contributions in the future.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

Swish. After completing their errands, the association staff left the hospital room. 

 

Then, as if waiting, Beru peeked out from Sooho’s shadow.

 

[Alright! Then let me explain about the future tasks…]

 

Drrrk!

 

“Sooho!”

 

At that moment, the hospital door opened again, causing Beru to enter back into the gloomy shadows sullenly.