Chapter 70

Alone Leveling: Ragnarok Chapter 69

To perform a full sprint, Suho had to use several buff skills that drained mana in real-time.

While the mana used could be recovered with potions, he couldn’t be sure if he would have the leisure to do so when he arrived at Im Sung.

'I need to conserve as much stamina as possible. I need to be ready to jump into battle as soon as I arrive.'

So, Suho decided to take advantage of Baek Mihwa, who was conveniently nearby.

"…You want me to carry you?"

"Yes."

"You want me, Baek Mihwa, to carry you?"

"Yes. Since we’re going the same way, could you give me a ride?"

"No, wait a minute! Why are you trying to get carried so casually…?!"

As Suho was about to climb onto her back, Baek Mihwa was greatly flustered and asked.

"Are you serious right now?"

"Is this the time to joke around leisurely?"

"Wow."

Baek Mihwa was momentarily stunned by Suho's audacity.

Seeing his serious expression, it seemed he wasn’t joking at all.

Not only was this not the time for jokes, but who in their right mind would dare to make such a request to the vice president of the White Tiger Guild?

Asking for a ride on the way there!

Who does he think she is, a taxi?

"I need to conserve as much stamina as possible before meeting Im Sung."

"Then what about my stamina?!"

"For an A-rank Hunter, carrying me shouldn’t drain your stamina or mana, right?"

"Well, that’s true…"

"Good thing. I’m a C-rank, so my stamina is already low. I can’t just rest and fight when we get there, can I?"

That… makes sense?!

'No! It doesn’t make sense, it definitely doesn’t…'

Baek Mihwa was strangely convinced by Suho’s words.

Of course, the situation was too urgent to argue with him point by point.

But even if it weren’t, there was an indescribable 'intimidation' coming from Suho.

Yes, this feeling was like…

'Why does it feel like I’m facing my father…'

[The King of Beasts, the Fang Lord, chuckles and watches Baek Mihwa.]

Baek Mihwa hadn’t realized it yet.

From a distant place, the greatest King of Beasts was watching her.

The powerful predator’s aura was subtly flowing through Suho, the priest, and pressuring Baek Mihwa.

Baek Mihwa finally closed her eyes and shouted.

"Fine! We don’t have time to argue like this…!"

Whoosh!

"Wow."

[Keeh?]

The explosive beast aura emanating from Baek Mihwa’s entire body made Suho and Ber’s eyes light up.

They realized why Rakkan had been watching her in the Domain of Rest.

'If it weren’t for me, Rakkan’s priest might have been this person?'

Beastification.

A mysterious ability that enhances a human’s physical body to that of a beast.

It was rumored that when the White Tiger Guild’s leader, Baek Yunho, maximized this power, he transformed into a white tiger.

But Baek Mihwa…

"Fox?"

Whoosh.

Surrounded by the beast aura, Baek Mihwa transformed into a sleek fox-like figure, looking down at Suho with a proud gaze.

Her lustrous white hair flowed, and above it, a pure white aura formed into fox-like ears and a tail.

"Great. Then I’ll get on your back?"

Suho’s casual action of climbing onto Baek Mihwa’s back made her eyes waver.

'Not affected by my aura? A C-rank Hunter?'

Among Hunters using the same Beastification skill, there is an instinctive hierarchy.

While it’s possible to suppress or ignore this instinct with human will and perseverance, it’s usually normal to show a reaction like the White Tiger Guild members behind her.

"Ugh! Vice President…!"

The White Tiger Guild members following behind were pale and trembling, as if facing a stronger predator.

But Suho was different.

Clap clap!

"Let’s go! Hurry up!"

"…"

He clung to her back like a cicada on an old tree, chirping calmly.

And on top of that cicada, there was an even smaller, noisier cicada…

[Why don’t you just get moving, you fox!]

"…Hold on tight."

Baek Mihwa gritted her teeth and flashed her eyes.

"I’m going to run at full speed."

Flash!

"…!"

In an instant, Baek Mihwa, carrying Suho, shot forward like a beam of light.

* * *

A Hunter sprinting through the city is not as easy as it seems.

The problem is the pedestrians who move irregularly on the streets. If a Hunter brushes against one of them while running, the civilian will be flung away like a bowling pin.

It’s more dangerous than being hit by a dump truck, and in the worst case, it can result in immediate death or severe injury.

Such accidents were frequent for a while after the Great Cataclysm.

Newly awakened individuals, intoxicated by their newfound power, would run around recklessly and cause major accidents.

But with the establishment of the Hunter Association and the Hunter Law, Hunters rarely sprinted through the streets.

Even if they were confident in their physical abilities, they usually preferred to use transportation.

However, in an emergency like this, it was different.

'Let’s move as much as possible on the rooftops!'

Paf paf paf paf!

Carrying Suho on her back, Baek Mihwa leaped from rooftop to rooftop.

Her speed was so fast that ordinary people couldn’t even see her with their naked eyes.

"Hey, wasn’t that…"

"Huh? What? I don’t see anything."

"…Did I imagine it?"

By the time someone tried to take a photo, she was already gone.

Paf paf paf paf!

Suho was genuinely impressed by Baek Mihwa’s movements.

'She’s definitely fast. This is the level of an A-rank Hunter.'

Watching Baek Mihwa, Suho gauged the level of Im Sung, whom he would face.

[Ho. A rather agile fox. I’ll ride you often in the future.]

"Ber, that’s rude to say."

"…"

Hearing the calm conversation from behind, Baek Mihwa pouted in annoyance.

Both the summoner and the summon were shameless.

"But, if we keep this speed, we’ll arrive in less than 20 minutes, right?"

[That’s right.]

Finally, Baek Mihwa couldn’t hold back and spoke.

"No, really, who do you think I am, a taxi…!"

Then.

"But."

Suho looked at Ber and said.

"The faster, the better."

Ber’s eyes narrowed, and he smiled wickedly.

[As you command.]

Ding!

[Ber uses the skill: Harsh Command.]

…!

The harsh commander Broki, whose evil hyena Ber had eaten, activated the buff skill.

Since this buff only applied to beasts, it could now be used on the 'beast' Suho was riding.

[The skill: Harsh Command increases Baek Mihwa’s stats by 50%.]

[The skill: Harsh Command’s side effect curses Baek Mihwa with madness.]

"…!"

Baek Mihwa’s eyes suddenly changed.

Intense anger boiled up from deep within her chest, rising to the top of her head.

Whether this anger was due to Suho and Ber’s chatter or the mysterious buff skill, it was unclear.

"…Grrr!"

The moment she surrendered to this emotion.

Her body became incredibly fast, as if flying.

Squeee!

"Great!"

[Keehee!]

She was angry.

Really.

* * *

In the end, Suho successfully arrived at the scene in just 10 minutes.

[The skill: Harsh Command is deactivated.]

"Are you okay?"

"…I’m fine."

Baek Mihwa, who had come to her senses, seemed a bit tired, probably from the strain.

But this was a minor issue; the more important matter was the situation here.

"What is this…"

Baek Mihwa looked at the scene before her with a serious expression.

Strange mutants were attacking citizens.

Hunters were frantically trying to stop them, but the problem was that the citizens attacked by the mutants were gradually rotting and transforming into new mutants.

If this wasn’t resolved quickly, the situation would spiral out of control.

"Good heavens. A zombie outbreak in the city center…"

"No, they’re not zombies."

Suho immediately corrected Baek Mihwa.

"They’re ghouls."

Suho could clearly see the name tags above the mutants’ heads.

[Corrupted Ghoul]

[Corrupted Ghoul]

[Corrupted Ghoul]

...

Zombies and ghouls are completely different.

While zombies are walking corpses, ghouls are more like vampires.

Specifically, they are corpse-eating demons. While vampires crave human blood, these creatures crave human flesh.

Most importantly, unlike zombies, ghouls are not mindless corpses.

For some reason, these ghouls were more focused on killing people rather than eating them.

And the victims attacked by these ghouls were gradually rotting and rising as new ghouls, much like zombies.

'Their goal is not simple slaughter.'

The royal jelly used by Queen Arsha to increase her soldiers.

The powerful poison’s aura could be felt from the corrupted ghouls.

'As Arsha said, Im Sung is increasing the number of ghouls to build his own army.'

Suho, who quickly assessed the situation, looked at Ber.

"Ber."

[Yes.]

"Can you find Im Sung?"

[Already found him.]

Ber’s antennae, which had been twitching non-stop, suddenly stopped.

Following the direction they pointed, Suho and Baek Mihwa looked up simultaneously.

Their expressions hardened.

The proverb 'the light under the lamp is the darkest' came to mind.

The 40-story mixed-use apartment building right in front of them.

At the top of the high-rise, a giant beehive had been constructed.

"…Im Sung is at the top, then."

Baek Mihwa, who had heard their conversation, clenched her fists and her eyes flashed with determination.

An overwhelming aura emanated from her body.

"Hunter Suho! From now on, we’ll act separately. I’ll attack the beehive, and you stay here to…"

"The electricity seems to be out. Surely you’re not going to climb all the way to the top by stairs?"

"I’ll handle it. See you later, cough?!"

"Wait a minute."

Suho grabbed the back of Baek Mihwa’s neck as she was about to run into the apartment building.

"What, what is it?!"

Baek Mihwa, flustered and red-faced, turned to Suho, who smiled and said.

"Since you gave me a ride coming here, I’ll give you one this time."

Thump.

"Kyaa?!"

Baek Mihwa was startled and turned around when someone suddenly lifted her.

"…!"

[Shadow Lancer Lv.1]

Common Rank

[Shadow Lancer Lv.1]

Common Rank

Just then, black lancers emerged from Suho’s shadow.

The black, steam-like humanoid soldier had picked up Suho and Baek Mihwa with its two arms from behind.

"We don’t have time, so let’s fly."