Chapter 56

Leveling Up Alone: Ragnarok Chapter 55

[Skill: Power Strike Lv.1]

Active Skill

Required Mana: 300.

Amplifies attack power by overlaying the 'Authority of the Ruler' onto the body.

→

[Skill: Body Reinforcement Lv.1]

Active Skill

Required Mana: 600.

Strengthens the body using the 'Authority of the Ruler'.

The attack and defense power of the reinforced parts are amplified.

"Wow."

The skill had evolved.

Shuhuo examined his arm, now covered in a black aura, and his eyes gleamed.

Originally, 'Power Strike' was a skill that only amplified attack power.

However, in exchange for the required mana doubling, its characteristic had changed to provide overall reinforcement.

'And it's only Level 1 now. If I keep repeating this training every day, will the level keep rising?'

Perhaps as the level rises, the range of this black armor will gradually expand.

Eventually...

At this thought, Shuhuo's gaze suddenly turned to Ammut.

He recalled the overwhelming presence that had dominated the entire space when Ammut had materialized.

"Hehe. Yes, that's right."

Ammut grinned, having noticed the meaning in Shuhuo's gaze.

"Mastering Body Reinforcement will ultimately make you as strong as me. You can become the strongest with just the pure power of your body, without any other skills. Come on! Try hitting me with that power!"

Ammut spread his arms wide, and Shuhuo looked puzzled.

"Hit? Really hit?"

"Yes! Exchanging full power blows is our Croker way of greeting! Show me your full power!"

The greeting was indeed brutal.

But looking at the tough crocodile skin covering Ammut's entire body, it seemed he could handle full power.

"Alright then. Hup."

Shuhuo raised his arm resolutely and struck the center of Ammut's body with all his might.

Kwaang-!

The overwhelming force created a tremendous shockwave.

However, Ammut only took a single step back.

"Hehe! What a delicious punch."

Ammut spat out a mouthful of black blood and grinned.

"At this level, you'll be a pleasure to teach. You're qualified!"

"Qualified?"

"Yes. I mean that I will officially take you as my disciple. Now, I can stop accepting other challengers."

He stomped his foot once.

Kuung!

The ground shook, and a massive magic circle began to spread out from his foot.

Paaah!

[Young Lord!]

As the pyramid was covered by the magic circle, Ber and Eshil flew over to protect Shuhuo.

[It's a rune circle!]

"The dimensional barrier in this area is being twisted!"

Eshil, who had once crossed the dimensional barrier, knew exactly what this sensation meant.

"Don't panic. I have no intention of harming you."

Ammut chuckled, savoring their reactions.

He then muttered to himself, his eyes reflecting on past memories.

"Long ago, Kandiaru came to me and said he would help me research Body Reinforcement freely. And he would provide an endless supply of challengers for me to train."

However.

Ammut's mouth stretched into a wide grin, revealing sharp teeth.

"Hehe. That wicked sorcerer. The challengers were just a ruse from the start."

He realized.

Ultimately, this entire system.

His Body Reinforcement research.

Was all arranged for the sake of this small human before him.

Ammut, standing at the center of the magic circle, in the heart of the pyramid that was about to collapse, looked directly at Shuhuo and grinned.

"In fact, I noticed it the moment I saw you. That you are the descendant of the Shadow Lord. Hehe! Wicked sorcerer! To teach the son of the one who killed my first disciple, Tarnak."

However.

What did it matter?

What Ammut saw now was not Shuhuo's appearance.

But the great soul's light he felt within.

'...If I see something like this right before my eyes, I can't possibly refuse, can I?'

Yes. You win.

'I will willingly be deceived.'

Even now, having realized that wicked intention, he could only go along with it.

He was simply curious.

His Body Reinforcement, which had turned the humble goblin Tarnak into a vessel for a new element's king.

If he taught this greatest power to a human with such a great soul,

How far beyond the norm could it go!

'Hehe. Isn't it thrilling just to imagine?'

Ammut chuckled and quietly recited the spell Kandiaru had taught him.

"May light shine upon the challenger's future!"

At that moment,

The space trembled, and a system message appeared before Shuhuo.

Ding!

['Death-Eating Crocodile Ammut' wishes to be recruited as an NPC.]

[Do you accept?] (Y/N)

Shuhuo's eyes sparkled at the message.

'An NPC?'

A term that anyone familiar with games would recognize.

The system had always referred to him as a 'Player'.

In contrast, an NPC (Non-Player Character) was a character not controlled by a player.

In other words, a helper that stayed in one area to facilitate the smooth progression of the game.

[Young, Young Lord?]

Looking at Ber, who was blinking beside him, it was clear that he didn't understand the current situation.

Ber was just a fighter, not the designer of the system.

'This is the system my father left behind.'

Recalling his father's usual personality, Shuhuo looked at the message again.

[Do you accept?] (Y/N)

His father was asking for his opinion.

It was a suggestion, not a demand.

He could feel his father's concern.

That recruiting this crocodile would mean enduring more pain like today.

That it was okay not to do it if it was too difficult.

'Mother always said I was like Father.'

If it were his father, what choice would he have made in this situation?

The answer was already clear.

"Ammut."

Shuhuo willingly accepted the offer.

"Please take care of me from now on."

At that moment,

Ammut's fierce eyes narrowed like a crescent moon.

"Yes, my disciple."

Kuugung!

And.

A massive earthquake occurred in the desert.

* * *

Kuugugu...!

"What, what is it!"

The remaining Asura Guild members in the labyrinth were startled and looked at Rio Singh.

"Rio! Something feels ominous!"

"The pyramid might collapse!"

"Could it be that the Scavenger guys have messed with the walls so much that the foundation is shaking?"

Rio Singh gritted his teeth.

It was a moment of decision.

"We need to escape right now! We can't let this pyramid become our tomb!"

"What about the prophecy?"

"The prophecy... This is just my guess, but 'life born from death' might simply refer to the mummies here."

"Oh, that could be true...!"

At Rio Singh's words, the guild members nodded hurriedly.

While the logic felt a bit lacking, the priority was to escape this dangerous pyramid as quickly as possible.

But there was another concern.

"Rio, but will it be okay? If we return empty-handed, we might face some punishment..."

"At least it's better than dying. Besides, we're not completely empty-handed."

Rio Singh quickly helped the injured and smiled meaningfully.

"Today, we formed one bad connection and one good connection."

The former was obviously the Scavenger Guild.

"I will formally protest to the Scavenger Guild as soon as I return to the guild. From then on, it will turn into a political battle between guilds, which won't be our concern."

The guild didn't hire expensive legal representatives for nothing.

Since all the hunters in the village had witnessed the Scavenger Guild's misdeeds, they would all support the Asura Guild.

Even the Scavengers wouldn't easily ignore all the public opinion.

"If we had died here, it would be different, but now that we're alive, there are countless opportunities to hold the Scavengers accountable under international hunter law. The guild leader won't scold us too harshly for that."

But Rio Singh had more than just that in mind.

The other connection formed today.

Cheng Shuhuo.

"And did I just hand over that valuable item to that Korean hunter for nothing?"

The Korean hunter, Cheng Shuhuo.

From his exceptional skills, it was clear he was a member of a very famous guild in Korea.

Moreover, Egypt was a 20-hour flight from Korea.

For such a great hunter to come all the way here and return empty-handed would be a very difficult situation.

"I considered that aspect."

"…Ah!"

The Asura Guild members, who were a beat late, finally understood what Rio Singh meant and their eyes widened.

Rio Singh smiled and nodded.

"Yes, that's right. Every favor comes with a price. Now, he owes us a debt of gratitude. Plus, we share a common enemy in the Scavengers."

There was a word that neatly defined this connection.

"We've become 'friends.' Hehe."

Rio Singh smiled meaningfully and his eyes gleamed intensely.

At that moment, a fact suddenly came to mind for the guild members.

"Ah! Now that I think about it, the guild leader has shown interest in Korea for a while!"

"Yes. I included that in my calculations. Now, when our guild goes to Korea, we can count on his assistance. We're friends now."

No one knew why the Asura Guild leader was interested in the small Eastern country of Korea.

But even if he was interested, it was difficult for a guild to cross international borders without a valid reason under international hunter law.

Hunters' guilds were essentially powerful military organizations.

Especially, Korea and India had no particular ties. It was convenient to have some connections.

The Asura hunters' eyes widened at Rio Singh's words.

"My goodness. What a grand plan you have, Rio?"

"What, this much? Hehe."

Rio Singh shrugged as if it was nothing and helped the injured.

"Let's put aside any lingering thoughts and escape quickly."

Kuugugu...!

When they finally managed to escape the pyramid,

"…My goodness."

Their faces turned pale as they looked back.

A terrifying scene was unfolding right before their eyes.

Kuugugu...!

"Mad, mad."

"The pyramid...!"

"It's sinking!"

A massive quicksand.

The red sand of the desert swirled like a whirlpool, sucking in everything nearby.

And the pyramid of Kandiaru, standing at the center, was sinking into the deep underground.

"Run!"

"If we get caught, we'll be buried alive!"

They turned pale and started running with all their might.

And when they finally reached the nearby village of Kamura,

"Huh."

There was nothing left behind them.

The massive pyramid had completely sunk beneath the red sand.

Faced with this incomprehensible natural disaster, all the hunters in Kamura were terrified.

'Is he okay?'

Rio Singh suddenly worried about Cheng Shuhuo.

'He must have escaped safely.'

He hoped so.

No, he must have.

Fortunately, the pyramid was sinking at a moderate speed. Even with the injured, they had escaped safely, so a hunter with such physical prowess couldn't have failed to escape.

But there was no sign of Shuhuo anywhere in this vast desert.

'…It seems we have a reason to go to Korea now.'

If he had escaped safely, he would certainly return to his home country.

When they went to Korea later, they could check on his well-being.

With this thought, Rio Singh nodded resolutely and looked at his subordinates.

"We are returning to our home country."