Chapter 5

Level Up Alone: Ragnarok Chapter 4

“……!”

Suho was greatly shocked.

The black monster that suddenly appeared was a creature with a black exoskeleton like armor, with black steam boiling off its entire body.

Its form was that of a giant ant with wings.

The black smoke that incessantly billowed from its body was like shadows flickering in the light.

The moment Suho saw it, certain memories flashed through his mind.

‘Could it be the one I saw in my dream…?’

He definitely knew this monster.

It was the leader of the countless ant monsters that appeared in his dream long ago.

That was exactly what it looked like…!

But what was going on?

The ant monster suddenly approached Suho and knelt down with a thud.

[Young Master! It’s me, Berg! Please rest assured!]

“…What?”

Suho’s eyes widened.

No, what was this situation?

The monster was so large that even when it knelt, Suho had to look up at it.

However…

Thud.

Before Suho could respond, the black monster’s demeanor suddenly changed.

It had just noticed Suho’s condition, who was battered and bruised from the giant wolf’s attack.

At that moment, the black monster burst with a storm of killing intent and raised its head.

[This, this filthy dog dares to bite such a precious body?! I will tear your mouth apart!]

A terrifying roar that shook the entire building erupted from its mouth.

[Keearrrrr!]

At that moment.

The world turned into hell.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

[Grumble…!]

The terrifying killing intent that enveloped its body.

At that moment, the giant wolf, which had been trampled by the black monster, struggled to raise its head.

It then bit into the black monster’s leg.

Thud.

The black monster’s head turned to look down.

[How dare you! You filthy thing, where do you think you’re going?!]

At that moment, black steam boiled up.

The black monster kicked the giant wolf with blinding speed and then rammed into its body.

Crash!

[Choke!]

The giant wolf was thrown back with a scream.

But the black monster moved even faster, overtaking the wolf and slamming it to the ground again.

Bang!

It then grabbed the wolf’s two legs with both hands.

Crack!

The wolf’s body was torn in two.

[Crack…!]

With a terrifying scream, black blood splattered in all directions.

This was no longer a battle.

It was one-sided slaughter.

The tyranny of a predator.

[Keearrrrrrr!]

The overwhelming predator trampled the wolf’s corpse and roared again, filled with madness.

The cruel killing intent made the hunters who had just entered the first floor of the museum stiffen in fear.

“What, what is this? This killing intent!”

“A D-rank dungeon, and this is what we get…!”

Shock and fear!

The building was shaking as if it might collapse at any moment.

…But why?

For some reason, Suho wasn’t afraid of the cruel monster at all.

On the contrary, it felt so familiar…

It was stimulating the nostalgic scent of a long-cherished memory.

‘What is it? I feel like I remember something…’

-Cheep… Cheep…!

What is this memory?

From a distant memory, the voice of a baby who loved drawing ants in a sketchbook could be heard.

‘Who…’

Sizzle!

“Gah!”

A sudden, intense headache hit him.

Although he was very confused, at least one thing was certain.

‘Anyway, I guess I’m alive…’

[HP: 1/140]

Thud.

Suho finally collapsed on the floor, all tension released.

[Keek! Young, Young Master? Young Master! Snap out of it…!]

At that moment, Suho thought.

The warmth of the monster’s embrace, which had rushed over to hold him, was so, so comforting…

Even as he fainted, a smile crept onto Suho’s face.

Ding.

[‘Quest: Rescue the Survivors’ completed.]

[Number of survivors rescued: 33]

[Level up!]

* * *

Suho had a dream.

A dream of a baby being carried on the back of an ant.

The baby in the dream was laughing happily.

When the baby laughed, the ant laughed too.

Wherever the baby went, there were always ants.

An ant wearing an apron and feeding the baby a bottle.

An ant helping the baby learn numbers.

An ant tucking the baby into a small blanket and taking a nap with the baby…

If the baby couldn’t see any ants, it would cry.

Then the ants would immediately appear, shaking toys to comfort the baby.

The baby would stop crying as if nothing had happened and smile again.

The ant in the apron approached the baby with teary eyes.

[Young Master, when did you grow so splendidly? I, Berg, am simply overwhelmed with emotion.]

…!

Then the baby had grown into a 22-year-old Suho, standing in front of the ant.

Berg.

Suho repeated the name in his mind.

Berg, the ant, looked at him with pride and wiped away his teary eyes.

[My original purpose for coming was to unseal Young Master. But you’ve already done it by your own will. You are truly our Young Master.]

Sniff, sniff.

Berg was so moved that tears streamed down his face like a faucet.

[Sniff. However, the seal is not completely removed. The most important things are stored here.]

Berg pulled something out of his chest.

Ding.

[‘Item: Key to the Shadow Dungeon’ obtained.]

‘Shadow Dungeon? What is this?’

Suho felt puzzled by the sudden message.

But this was a dream.

Suho’s voice didn’t reach Berg at all.

The ant handed the key to Suho’s hand and said.

[When you are ready, use this key. It contains everything that should have been Young Master’s.]

Saying this, Berg knelt on one knee and grabbed Suho’s shoulders with both hands.

[But remember one thing.]

A solemn tone and a gentle touch.

The conflicting emotions were clearly felt in Berg’s eyes as he looked at Suho.

[Great power requires a great vessel. If a vessel is not prepared and is given a power it cannot handle, the vessel may break under the weight of that power.]

Great power. Great vessel.

Suho pondered these words in his mind.

[In short, you need to level up your vessel.]

Berg’s eyes narrowed, and he smiled mischievously.

Yay.

After finishing his words, Berg stood up and bowed deeply.

[Then, Young Master. My mission ends here. I would like to stay by your side, but my comrades are waiting for me.]

Then he winked.

[Even though I look like this, I’m a very capable healer.]

‘Healer? Healer?’

It was the most absurd thing Suho had heard recently.

[Then I will return. Until we meet again, please…]

Please stay healthy…

Berg’s distant voice echoed.

‘Wait! I still have questions…!’

Suho called out to him urgently, but no sound came out of his mouth.

At that moment, Suho woke up from his dream.

* * *

“Huh! Ant?!”

Suho bolted up and quickly looked around.

White walls and the smell of disinfectant.

A calm atmosphere surrounded him.

“Oh. You’re awake?”

The nurse, who was changing the IV, looked at Suho.

“This is….”

“A hospital. Don’t you remember? A dungeon appeared at school.”

‘…Could it all have been a dream?’

Although he had woken up, Suho remained dazed for a while.

‘What exactly was a dream? The ants? The dungeon? Or even the level up?’

Everything was confusing.

Just then, the news on the TV in the ward was playing.

-Two days ago, the gate that appeared at Korea University is almost completely cleared…

-Despite the dungeon break occurring in the city center, experts are amazed at the miraculously low number of casualties…

‘It’s been two days already?’

It seemed that the events at the museum were not a dream.

‘Then, were the dreams from my childhood real too?’

Suho finally realized.

The memories of playing with large ants in his childhood.

How could he have forgotten those joyful moments all this time?

Thinking of the ant ‘Berg’ from his dream, Suho felt a sense of regret.

‘He left without even having a proper conversation.’

Suho lifted his head.

The texts that had been floating in front of his eyes were waiting for him.

[‘Quest: Rescue the Survivors’ completed.]

[Quest completion rewards have arrived.]

[Do you want to check the rewards?] (Y/N)

‘Check.’

Without hesitation, Suho chose to check.

After nearly dying several times, it was only right to check the rewards first.

[The following rewards are available.]

Reward 1: Ability points +5

Reward 2: Strength stat points +3

‘They’re giving 8 points in stats?’

Suho’s eyes widened at the unexpected rewards.

It seemed that every time he leveled up, all stats increased by 1 point.

So, 8 additional points were a lot more than just one level up.

‘It’s worth it to risk my life and do good deeds.’

Suho immediately checked his status screen.

[Status Screen]

Name: Seong Suho

Level: 3

Job: None

Title: None

HP: 140/140

MP: 14/14

[Stats]

Strength: 15 Health: 12

Agility: 12 Intelligence: 12

Senses: 12

(Available ability points: 5)

[Skills]

Passive skill: None

Active skill: Dominator’s Power Lv.1

Compared to the dream he had in high school, many more functions were added.

Back then, only the level was displayed, and there was no detailed status screen.

‘Hmm. Which stats should I increase?’

The 3 points in strength were automatically applied, and he was pondering where to invest the remaining points.

Suho didn’t rashly invest the remaining points and carefully examined the other stats.

An information window appeared in front of him.

[Information]

Strength: A stat that increases physical power and speed. Attack power increases.

Agility: A stat that increases dynamic vision and physical reaction speed. Reflexes and evasion rate increase.

Health: A stat that increases the maximum HP and recovery speed.

Intelligence: A stat that increases the maximum MP and recovery speed.

Senses: A stat that increases the five senses. Crisis detection ability increases.

Looking at this, all stats seemed important.

‘I need to think more and decide later.’

After closing the status screen, Suho suddenly realized he was thirsty.

Thinking about it, he had been unconscious for two days without drinking any water.

Suho opened the small refrigerator next to the bed to find some water.

Click.

Then he saw it.

“…What?”

Suho’s eyes widened.

Surprisingly, inside was Berg, who had shrunk to the size of a fist, peeling an apple.

“Y-You…!”

[Kehe.]

[Berg] Lv.1

Grunt rank

For some reason, the once majestic body had become very small and cute, and Berg, with an embarrassed expression, offered the apple.

It was shaped like a rabbit.

[My mana ran out, so I couldn’t leave.]

“…”