Chapter 33

Level Up Alone: Ragnarok Chapter 32

- Prove your worth to become the king.

“……!”

Rustle.

Suddenly, Suho's senses detected an unusual occurrence in the forest.

The forest was stirring.

Suho stopped walking and looked at Rakan's fang, asking, "Did you just say that?"

- It wasn't me.

“The voice sounds exactly the same.”

- It has to be. The one who spoke is the same as me, existing in this sanctuary.

Suho tilted his head.

“You mean the same as you?”

- Yes. Another fang. Surely you didn't think Rakan, the king of beasts, had only one fang, did you?

“True. Normally, there would be four.”

- Two.

“……”

- Ahem. To be precise, there are two fangs made as relics.

As Suho stared intently, Rakan's fang hurriedly explained, - I might not have mentioned it, but I am Rakan's 'milk tooth.'

Milk tooth, also known as deciduous teeth, refers to the teeth that fall out during the growth period.

- When Rakan grew, his fallen teeth were taken by the lower tribes and made into relics. That's why there are two fangs.

At that moment, a voice pierced Suho's mind again.

- Prove your worth to become the king!

Suho asked again, "Then what is this voice? What does it mean by 'prove your worth to become the king'?"

- At the time, the lower tribes created me, hoping that a future king would be born among them. Now that Rakan is dead, it's time to choose a new king. The so-called 'king's test' has begun.

“Ah.”

Hearing this, Suho asked curiously, “So, if I pass this test, does that mean I can become the king of fangs?”

- Of course, it's possible. If you want to become a beast.

“Beast?”

- Since it's a test to choose the king of beasts, you need to be prepared to become a beast, don't you?

“I don't really like that idea.”

Seeing Suho's disgusted expression, Rakan's fang chuckled and continued, - So, you're not qualified from the start. And that voice isn't talking to you. It's just a public announcement to the entire sanctuary.

[Young master.]

At that moment, Berg, who had been scouting the area, returned to Suho.

[There are other hunters moving around this field besides us. But their appearances are...]

Snap! Snap! Snap!

As Berg spoke, Suho stepped on a branch and leaped high.

From a high vantage point, he looked down in the direction of the commotion.

There, an interesting scene unfolded before his eyes.

Suho's eyes sparkled.

‘They said they're choosing the king of beasts.’

[...They are all using the Beast Transformation skill.]

That must be what they meant.

Kyaoo-!

Kwoooer!

Kuwaang! Bang! Kwaang!

Throughout the forest, hunters with martial arts skills were fighting, with parts or all of their bodies transformed into beasts.

One had wings like an eagle on his back.

Another had become a large, furry bear.

The variety was truly diverse.

- Prove your worth to become the king!

And they were fighting the entire forest, which was filled with madness, to prove their worth.

- It seems that the relics here have gathered all the beasts worthy of becoming king.

At that moment,

Squeeeek-!

Rustle.

Suddenly, Suho felt a presence beneath his feet and immediately leaped off the branch.

Swish!

To his surprise, the attack came from the tree itself.

‘Tree branches?’

Even as he leaped to the ground, numerous tree branches attacked him like whips.

‘The power of the ruler!’

The current power of the ruler wasn't enough to lift Suho's weight, but it allowed him to perform a double jump by stepping on the air.

Paf! Paf! Paf!

Suho somersaulted in the air, dodging the whip-like vines, and landed safely on the ground.

Then the battle began in earnest.

Squeeeek! Swish! Swish!

Plant-type demons began attacking Suho from all directions.

Suho immediately grabbed Rakan's fang and Volcan's horn in both hands and started slashing at them.

- Prove your worth to become the king!

The voice continued to echo amidst the battle.

Suho felt wronged.

“Why am I being tested when I don't even have the qualifications?”

- It's a matter of timing. You just happened to enter the sanctuary during this period, so you got caught up in the king's trial. Or maybe the trial just started because I, the relic, entered this place.

“So, the problem is the relic from the start.”

Suho decided to think simply.

“Whatever it is, we'll find the examiners first.”

[Let's find them and take them down. Who do they think they are, testing us?]

Berg's eyes gleamed maliciously.

- The direction is this way.

The direction Rakan's fang had been pointing all along was where the examiners were located.

Suho continued to cut down plant-type demons as he ran toward the location of the relics.

* * *

The deeper into the jungle, the denser the blue mist became.

While it gave a dreamlike feeling at first, it soon turned into the beginning of a nightmare.

Hiiii-

“The ghosts are coming.”

The hunters being tested for the king's worth quickly became alert.

A chilling wind blew from all directions.

In fact, plant-type demons aren't particularly strong when considered individually.

However, when viewed as a whole, the forest becomes dangerous.

Whether they are E-class or S-class, hunters are ultimately made of flesh and blood.

A sharp tree branch could suddenly fly and pierce their neck or heart, ending their lives in an instant.

And this forest was filled with such terrifying assassins.

Now, ghosts were added to the mix.

“This is why this field isn't popular.”

“Exactly. It's only dangerous with no rewards.”

Until last year, a large city stood here.

Many people lived here, and a considerable business district had formed, boasting a huge population.

One day, a gate suddenly opened, and a great disaster unfolded.

Many people died, and those who survived by luck lost their homes.

And the ghosts of those who died then still wander this land.

Haaaaa-!

“Damn it! It's a banshee!”

“Everyone, cover your ears!”

The banshee, a ghost-type demon.

The banshee's wail disorients the sense of direction.

For hunters already wandering the jungle, this was the worst possible scenario.

Moreover, the hunters here were using the Beast Transformation skill, which enhanced their hearing.

“Ugh.”

Some even began to vomit.

- Prove your worth to become the king!

Even at this moment, the voice continued to spur them on.

As their vision and hearing were temporarily lost, the voice pierced their minds, and the hunters finally realized the nature of the test.

‘I get it.’

Smell.

There was a smell calling to them from somewhere.

This was a magical smell that could only be sensed by maximizing their wild nature.

“Yes! It was the smell!”

The hunters focused all their senses on their sense of smell.

But the tree branches slipped through the gaps!

Squeeeek-!

“Cough!”

Even as they tore the vines from their thighs, their eyes burned with wildness.

‘I will find it.’

‘I will find it and become the king!’

Without knowing what the king truly was, they were blindly taking the test as if under a spell.

“...Something feels off.”

Suddenly, Baek Miho, who had been tracking the smell and fighting the ghosts, stopped.

The Baekho Guild hunters following her looked at her with puzzled expressions.

“Vice President, why did you suddenly stop?”

Baek Miho had an unsatisfied look on her face.

Even in this chaotic situation, her 'Beast's Eye' was focused on a distant point.

Baek Miho already knew that there were quite a few other hunters wandering this forest.

And they, like her, were using the Beast Transformation skill to move competitively toward the same place.

Baek Miho's wild nature was the same.

Since she stopped walking, a sense of urgency had risen.

And this touched on Baek Miho's pride.

“I feel like I'm being played by someone. I don't like it.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“From this moment on, the Baekho Guild will withdraw from this mysterious test.”

“...!”

Baek Miho's sudden declaration of giving up greatly shocked the Baekho Guild members.

When they entered this forest yesterday, they couldn't understand why the vice president had come here.

But after the king's test began, their doubts disappeared.

Whatever awaited at the end of the test, the word 'king' had fueled their desires.

However, Baek Miho suddenly hit the brakes and stopped amidst all the psychological momentum.

“This kind of unknown desire feels dirty. It's like being a dog in heat, driven by pheromones.”

Baek Miho clicked her tongue and even released her Beast's Eye.

“Then are we going back now?”

“No.”

She didn't want to get into a brawl with others without knowing the purpose.

But she wanted to see who would be the ultimate winner.

“We will move to a high ground with a clear view.”

“Yes, understood.”

The subordinates followed Baek Miho's decision without a word.

But then,

“Grrr?”

A group of werewolves appeared in front of the Baekho Guild, pushing through the bushes.

“Hmm?”

Baek Miho's eyes changed as she recognized them.

The Baekho Guild was the most famous guild in Korea for the Beast Transformation skill.

As a result, they had a list of hunters from other guilds who possessed the Beast Transformation skill, with the purpose of recruiting them someday.

So, she knew the identities of the werewolves she encountered now.

“They are the remnants of the Hyena Guild.”

There were still some who hadn't been caught by the police, and it seemed they were also lured by the king's test and entered this forest.

The problem was that their nature was evil, and having served Broki for a long time, they understood the king's test better than anyone else.

‘There can only be one king!’

Grrr!

The moment they accidentally met the Baekho Guild, the werewolves bared their teeth and emitted a killing intent without hesitation.

And they launched an attack.

“Kill them!”

“Crack!”

The Baekho Guild was the most likely candidate to become the king.

If they didn't kill them now, they might lose the throne.

But their overt killing intent awakened the wildness that Baek Miho had barely suppressed.

“...Tsk.”

Baek Miho clicked her tongue with a displeased expression.

‘Puppies who don't know their place.’

Snap.

At that moment, the ribbon tying her hair back broke.

Whoosh!

Baek Miho's hair, like a lion's mane, turned white.

‘Beast Transformation!’

Half-human, half-beast.

The true power of Baek Miho, revealed, tore the heart of the leading werewolf to shreds.

At that moment,

- Prove your worth to become the king!

“...Huh?”

A voice that seemed to rejoice at Baek Miho's slaughter echoed.

- Kill and kill again!

- The one who survives to the end is truly the strongest!

“Is this what it is?”

Baek Miho realized what the voice truly wanted.

“A battle royale.”

It really doesn't sit well with her.

Forcing people to kill each other.

Moreover, thanks to the heightened senses from the Beast Transformation skill, the screams of people killing each other could be heard from all over the forest.

A battle royale was already taking place in other areas.

“Really, it doesn't sit well with me.”

Even as she fought the Hyena Guild members, Baek Miho gnashed her teeth with a displeased expression.

Then, she suddenly noticed someone walking far away with her Beast's Eye.

He was walking calmly with two swords in his hands, a completely different presence.

‘Why is he alone?’

Could he have killed all his companions and survived alone?

If so, he was truly the worst person.

Blinded by the power of the king, he even killed his companions!

...But.

Sniff. Sniff.

‘There's no smell of blood.’

He hasn't killed anyone? Then why is he alone?

Even as she fought the Hyena Guild, Baek Miho kept glancing at him.

She continued to watch until he was out of sight.