Chapter 57

I Level Up Alone: Ragnarok Chapter 56

[Entering the Shadow Dungeon.]

Ku-gu-gu-gu!

A world in black and white.

A crack appeared in the air of the Shadow Dungeon, splitting open with a loud noise.

And through the twisted gap in the dimension, a massive pyramid revealed itself.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

[The 'Pyramid: Hardening Technique Training Ground' has been attributed to the Shadow Dungeon.]

[The 'Pyramid: Hardening Technique Training Ground' will automatically repair itself even if destroyed.]

[The 'Crocodile Ammut, Devourer of the Dead' has been designated as an NPC in the Shadow Dungeon.]

[The 'NPC: Ammut' cannot leave the Hardening Technique Training Ground.]

A series of system messages appeared in front of Suho.

Looking around, he noticed that everything in the pyramid, except for Ammut, had turned black and white.

The messages continued.

Ding! Ding!

[You have completed the 'Emergency Quest: Dimensional Rift'.]

[Your level has increased!]

[Completion rewards have arrived.]

[Would you like to check the rewards?] (Y/N)

'A quest completion?'

Suho's eyes widened at the sudden completion message.

The quest required him to eliminate the cause of the dimensional rift.

But how could it be completed when he hadn't done anything yet?

[Kyeek?]

Ber and Eshil looked around in confusion and approached Suho.

[Young Lord, it seems the entire pyramid has transferred into the Shadow Dungeon.]

"I felt it too. We just crossed a dimensional boundary."

Suho nodded at Eshil's words.

'So that's what it was.'

The pyramid causing the dimensional rift on Earth had been the source of the problem.

Now that the pyramid had moved to the Shadow Dungeon and disappeared from Earth, the cause of the dimensional rift on Earth had naturally been eliminated.

While Suho was nodding in understanding, Ammut was looking around the now black-and-white walls and ceiling with a look of interest.

"Kuh. Interesting. Kandiaru, you truly are a master of illusions. I never thought I'd become a resident of the Shadow Lord's world."

In reality, he was already as good as dead.

Perhaps staying in the world of the dead would be fitting.

In fact, whether the pyramid was in the desert or the world of the dead, he was trapped inside and couldn't leave.

'This place is my tomb.'

As this thought crossed Ammut's mind, a bitter expression appeared on his face.

"Well, it's for the best. It'll be easier to come here for daily quests."

Suho, having read all the messages, nodded and turned to Ammut.

"Since it's like this, I hope you'll take good care of me, Master."

"Master?"

"Yes. I'm your disciple, right?"

"Kuh-kuh-kuh. Arrogant brat. You call me Master and speak informally?"

"Ah, is that it? It feels a bit strange to speak formally to a crocodile. Instead, I'll give you a gift as a welcome."

"Hmm. A gift?"

Ammut's eyes narrowed at this.

Suho smiled meaningfully and glanced at one of the messages in front of him.

[The 'Pyramid: Hardening Technique Training Ground' will automatically repair itself even if destroyed.]

'So, it can be destroyed as much as I want?'

Suho suddenly gathered all his power.

Swish!

"Wait, what are you trying to do...?"

Ammut's expression hardened as Suho's body was enveloped in an immense aura.

[Young Lord?]

"Suho! You can't be...?"

Even Ber and Eshil were taken aback by Suho's sudden actions.

"Come in, Eshil."

"Wh-what?"

Suho summoned Eshil to the tip of Rakan's horn and enlarged it along with Rakan's fangs.

He focused all his power and unleashed it at the wall in front of him.

[Using skill: Hardening.]

[Using skill: Storm Slash.]

Ku-ku-ku-ku-ku-kaboom!

Suho's dual swords rained down like shotgun pellets.

He continued to break through the walls of the maze and charge forward.

Ku-ku-ku-ku-kaboom!

Until he reached the outside of the pyramid.

Continuously.

And finally.

"Ah..."

When the sky, now a white void, came into view, Ammut could finally see it.

The white darkness.

The white night.

Although it was a world in black and white, he could see the outside world he had long forgotten.

After so long.

Suho, turning to face Ammut with a grin, greeted him again.

"Welcome to my world, Master."

"Kuh."

"Huh? Are you crying?"

"Who's crying, you arrogant disciple?"

Ammut sniffed and bared his teeth.

It was a truly vicious smile.

Swish.

Suho chuckled and returned to his original form.

He then checked the rewards for the emergency quest and his expression changed.

The rewards were slightly different from usual.

[The following rewards are available.]

Reward: 'Blessing: Great Sorcerer Kandiaru's Blessing'

[Blessing: Great Sorcerer Kandiaru's Blessing]

The Great Sorcerer Kandiaru has gifted you with a special spell. With Kandiaru's blessing, you will always enjoy a healthy and robust life.

"May light shine upon the path of the Challenger."

- Persistent effect 'Longevity': Immune to all diseases, poisons, and debuffs, and regenerative abilities increase explosively during sleep.

Shara-rak.

Divine silver powder descended upon Suho's entire body.

"Longevity, you say?"

Immune to all diseases and poisons, and regenerative abilities increase explosively during sleep?

It was indeed longevity.

"Hmm?"

Ber, sensing Suho's change, approached and his eyes sharpened.

[The pyramid, the tomb of the pharaoh, contains the ancient people's wishes for the afterlife. Life is painful, but may the afterlife be peaceful. And the one who governs the world of the dead is the Shadow Lord.]

Ber, who had enjoyed various media with Seong Jin-woo for a long time, was well-versed in Western history.

Of course, his main interest was historical dramas.

Suho looked intrigued.

"Oh, so that's why I got this reward?"

[No, it was just a guess. I heard that the Lord also received the same blessing in the past.]

"..."

Seeing Suho's expression turn sour, Ber chuckled.

[Hehe. Although it took a long detour, it seems that the Young Lord is now retracing the steps of the Lord. Truly admirable.]

Ber was very excited.

Suho was not retracing the exact steps of Seong Jin-woo.

He was taking a much longer and more arduous path.

The talent he was born with, as the son of the Shadow Lord, he was testing and engraving into his soul and body through his own experiences.

What kind of person Suho would become at the end of this path...

[...Just thinking about it makes my heart race. I can only watch...?]

"Where are you going?!"

"To sleep! I haven't slept for 24 hours!"

He had only gone out to take a magic power re-measurement test, but problems kept arising, leaving him no time to rest.

No matter how much his level had increased and his stamina had been restored, as a human, he naturally wanted to sleep.

Moreover, with the blessing that increased his regenerative abilities explosively during sleep, it was like a tonic!

[Exiting the Shadow Dungeon.]

Swish!

Suho left everyone behind and returned to the outside world.

* * *

Meanwhile.

While Suho was inside the pyramid, a major event was unfolding in Korea.

The battle of Beast King Crow in the city center had made the internet buzz just yesterday.

But in just one day, the fire had shifted to another big news story.

[Breaking News! Im Myung-sung's Risk!]

[Deputy Guild Leader! Secretly established a stardust research facility!]

[Who is the culprit, Deputy Leader Im Myung-sung?]

[Hunter Association, A-rank Hunter Im Myung-sung designated as a villain!]

[A-rank villain Im Myung-sung, wanted!]

Thanks to Suho, Im Myung-sung's stardust research facility was exposed, and an arrest warrant was issued.

The Hunter Association, having secured evidence that Im Myung-sung was behind everything, immediately took action.

"Round up all the hunters who can be mobilized right away!"

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk gathered all the association hunters he could.

"Do you understand? We need to use all our forces to subdue him as quickly as possible!"

"Understood!"

Their extreme tension was justified.

Im Myung-sung was an A-rank hunter, or rather, an A-rank villain.

Theoretically, two A-rank hunters could subdue him, but that was only if there were no civilians nearby.

The power of an A-rank hunter was that of a superhuman.

If his power went berserk in the middle of the city, all the citizens would become his hostages.

"Request support from the military! Evacuate the citizens and block all escape routes!"

Of course, even if the military blocked the escape routes, an A-rank hunter could easily break through.

But they could at least buy enough time for the Hunter Association's reinforcements to arrive.

In other words, their role was essentially to be human shields, but they had to do it to ensure the safety of the citizens.

That was the duty and mission of the military.

"Team Leader! We've located Im Myung-sung!"

An association employee successfully tracked Im Myung-sung's phone to determine his location.

"Great! Let's go!"

The association hunters, fully prepared, launched a surprise attack on Im Myung-sung.

But.

"What, what? Where did he go!"

He was already gone.

Leaving only his phone behind.

'Damn it.'

They had been tricked.

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk, looking extremely flustered, shouted.

"Find him! He can't have gone far! Secure all nearby CCTV and dashcams!"

"Understood!"

The situation became complicated.

It was fortunate that Im Myung-sung hadn't taken any hostages, but by quietly going into hiding, his goal was clear.

To flee the country.

'If Im Myung-sung crosses the border, we won't be able to catch him!'

As a force of violence, the Hunter Association could not exercise power in another country without violating international law.

"Immediately prohibit Im Myung-sung from leaving the country and freeze all his accounts!"

* * *

At that moment.

The place Im Myung-sung arrived at was not an airport or a port, but a VIP room he often frequented.

"Oh my, you've suddenly become a celebrity, haven't you?"

"I'm not in the mood for jokes, madam."

Im Myung-sung gritted his teeth and glared at the madam.

The aura of an A-rank hunter made the chandeliers tremble.

A private room for the wealthy.

[Queenbee]

Although it was too early to open, the madam, the owner of the place, greeted Im Myung-sung with her usual alluring smile.

"Deputy Leader, you're so busy, what brings you here? Do you want to hide?"

"Money."

"Money?"

The madam, looking confused, tilted her head, and Im Myung-sung's face turned red with shame.

"Loan me some money. I need money to use overseas."

"But you have much more money than I do."

"My accounts are frozen. And I'm probably banned from leaving the country."

Becoming a villain meant exactly this.

But even without a plane or a ship, going overseas was no problem.

"How will you leave the country if you're banned?"

"I'll swim."

"Oh my, you still have so much energy."

"Do you want to die? I told you I'm not in the mood for jokes."

Snap!

At the madam's light-hearted joke, Im Myung-sung, already extremely agitated, immediately reached out and tightly gripped her neck.

He looked ready to snap her delicate neck at any moment.

He had no intention of letting any witnesses to his escape live.

But he had to hold back for now.

'I need to get the money first.'

Even in this situation, Im Myung-sung was making a cold and ruthless decision.

But there was something he hadn't noticed.

How could the madam keep receiving the killing aura of an A-rank hunter and still make jokes as usual?

Moreover, even with her neck being choked at this moment.

She was still smiling.

"...What a waste."

"What?"

"You were still useful."

The madam's sudden, incomprehensible words made Im Myung-sung bare his teeth menacingly.

"What nonsense are you spouting...?"

Suddenly.

Poke.

...!

Something sharp pierced his body.

His mind went blank.

Stagger.

'What is this...?'

Im Myung-sung, staggering and hastily retreating, saw his vision spin.

The madam's smile in front of him shone even more alluringly.

"Come here, my little bee."