Chapter 77

Level Up Alone: Ragnarok Chapter 76

Swoosh!

Countless beams of black light struck Im Myung like thunderbolts.

Boom!

[Choke...!]

Im Myung crashed to the ground with a tremendous roar.

Then, Baek Mihwa's fist, which had followed him down to the ground, plunged vertically into his abdomen.

Thud!

[Choke!]

Im Myung opened his eyes wide and spat out blood.

"Let's fight from down here now."

Baek Mihwa, her eyes burning, swung her hands.

Skill: Beast's Claw.

Thud! Boom!

From that moment on, Baek Mihwa relentlessly pummeled Im Myung.

Even for a moment, if she stopped attacking, she might lose him.

‘I don’t know what’s happening, but I can’t miss this chance!’

Although she was taken aback by the sudden abilities Hae Su displayed, if she missed this opportunity, Im Myung might escape at an incredible speed.

Baek Mihwa intensified her attacks, and Im Myung, suddenly regaining his senses, fought back against her attacks.

While his speed was undoubtedly superior, the countless Shadow Lancers continuously harassed him, narrowing the gap.

Im Myung couldn’t hide his confused expression.

‘How are the Lancers...?’

What’s going on?

How did the Lancers suddenly appear?

What kind of relationship does this guy have with the Queen Bee?

Numerous question marks filled Im Myung’s mind.

And just as he saw Hae Su’s face attacking him from the opposite side of Baek Mihwa, all his complex emotions exploded.

[What kind of relationship do you have with the Queen Bee!]

Boom!

Im Myung’s attack was directed at Hae Su.

Logically, he should have focused on the stronger Baek Mihwa, but Im Myung was no longer rational.

And finally, he realized the true nature of this intense emotion.

It was... jealousy.

[Why did the Queen Bee give the Lancers to someone like you!]

He had always denied it, but there was one unchanging truth.

It was that...

[The Queen Bee’s most favored drone is me, Im Myung! Not someone like you...!]

Boom!

Im Myung’s extremely angry attack, like a bombardment, devastated the surroundings, and Baek Mihwa hurriedly used a defensive skill.

“Ugh...! Mr. Hae Su, hide behind me!”

But Hae Su moved forward instead of retreating.

‘Oh my god.’

Baek Mihwa couldn’t help but doubt her eyes.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

In front of her, Im Myung’s spear and Hae Su’s sword were engaged in a fierce battle.

Im Myung’s speed was clearly far superior to Hae Su’s.

But Hae Su, taking the hits he couldn’t block with his bare body, never stopped attacking.

Baek Mihwa couldn’t help but be amazed by this incredibly tough attack.

‘Is he a tank, not a summoner?’

Now, she didn’t know what was what.

Baek Mihwa had given up on thinking about Hae Su.

But it wasn’t entirely wrong.

[Skill: Toughness has leveled up!]

[Physical Defense +60% → +80%]

‘Good. This way, I can endure longer.’

Hae Su’s mind, fighting with all his might, was extremely rational.

His body was hot, his mind cold.

He checked his HP and MP in the status window at every moment while fighting.

Since Im Myung was such a strong enemy, he couldn’t use skills that continuously drained mana like he usually did.

Increasing his size with the Giant’s Armor against a fast enemy was suicidal.

Even if he possessed Gray to amplify his speed, it was only effective for a few minutes.

Since he was already attacking with mana in all his attacks, he had to conserve mana thoroughly.

‘In the end, it’s only the Body Reinforcement technique...’

Among his skills, the Body Reinforcement technique was the most powerful in terms of destructive power.

However, the Body Reinforcement technique also consumed mana in real-time, and to hit a fast enemy, he needed to immobilize the enemy first.

Hae Su commanded the Shadow Lancers.

“Immobilize him! Tear his wings and attack his legs!”

A truly cruel command!

But it was the Shadow Lancers who were being torn apart.

[These punks!]

[Clank...!]

The necks and chests of the Lancers were severed and pierced by Im Myung’s hands.

But this was not the end, but a new beginning.

[Screech-!]

As Hae Su’s mana decreased, the broken bodies of the Shadow Lancers transformed into black vapor and reconnected.

Im Myung was greatly shocked by this sight.

[This is impossible! Even I can’t do this...!]

A low, jealous feeling rose in his heart as a fellow Lancer.

[Why didn’t the Queen Bee give me this regenerative ability! Could she be afraid that I might become too strong!]

Of course, that wasn’t the case.

But Im Myung’s misunderstanding, fueled by jealousy, grew uncontrollably, and he finally realized one fact.

He remembered that he was originally unable to attack the Lancers sent by the Queen Bee.

But now, for some reason, he could attack them.

What did this mean?

[That’s it! Haha! I have already completely broken free from the Queen Bee! Indeed, gathering my own army was the right choice!]

Im Myung laughed with joy.

And he fearlessly pushed away the Lancers and charged at Hae Su.

But at that moment.

Chill!

[...!]

Im Myung saw it.

Goo-oo-oo-oo-oo-

A towering shadow behind Hae Su.

The illusion of something as massive as Mount Tai looking down on him with a haughty gaze.

[The King of Insects, the Lord of Plague, is watching Im Myung.]

[Ah... Ah...]

In front of that powerful gaze, he had become a tiny, pitiful insect, trembling.

In an instant.

Time, which had stopped, began to flow again.

Im Myung’s mind snapped back to reality, and the massive shadow was nowhere to be seen.

‘Did I see it wrong?’

Not knowing what was what, Im Myung decided to escape immediately.

‘Anyway, I’ve already achieved my goal.’

His gaze turned to Lim Tae-gyu, who was shooting arrows at the ghouls from a distance.

‘I don’t know how the ghouls poisoned him...’

But Lim Tae-gyu was definitely poisoned and struggling.

He was barely suppressing the poison with his mana, but it would eventually reach its limit.

‘Even if I lose all the ghouls I’ve gathered so far, it doesn’t matter. I just need to get Lim Tae-gyu!’

If he could do that, he would have an S-rank Hunter as a drone.

...Or so Im Myung thought.

He had no idea that Secretary Oh had betrayed Lim Tae-gyu, and he mistakenly believed that Lim Tae-gyu was under the influence of his Royal Jelly.

‘Right, let’s escape first! Since no one can cure Lim Tae-gyu’s poison, I just need to hide and wait until he’s fully poisoned!’

Whoosh!

He immediately turned and fled.

“I won’t let you escape!”

Hae Su immediately chased after Im Myung with the Shadow Lancers.

[Got you, you bastard!]

Seizing the momentary gap, Im Myung suddenly turned back to Hae Su.

[Before I go, I’ll take you down...!]

“...!”

Im Myung’s mana exploded towards Hae Su.

“No!”

Baek Mihwa rushed from behind, but it was too late.

Boom!

A highly condensed explosion of mana.

“...Cough.”

“...!”

Hae Su’s eyes widened.

He wasn’t the one attacked.

Lim Tae-gyu, who had suddenly appeared between them, took the hit for Hae Su.

Im Myung was also taken aback by this unexpected situation.

[You, Lim Tae-gyu, you...]

“Yeah, it’s me. You bastard.”

Lim Tae-gyu, looking straight at Im Myung, grinned.

Blood gushed from his mouth.

But even in that pain, his hands firmly gripped the spear that had pierced his abdomen, refusing to let go.

No matter how hard Im Myung tried, he couldn’t pull his spear out.

Even without mana, Lim Tae-gyu still had the physical strength of an S-rank Hunter.

[Lim Tae-gyu!]

Im Myung, with a murderous intent, struggled desperately with Lim Tae-gyu.

[What are you thinking! Are you planning to die with me!]

“...Why, you bastard.”

Lim Tae-gyu, struggling to respond.

“You became this nasty because of me, didn’t you.”

[...!]

Im Myung’s body suddenly froze at those words.

Staring into Im Myung’s bloodshot eyes, Lim Tae-gyu smirked and muttered.

“So you have to take responsibility. After all, we’re friends.”

Lim Tae-gyu was genuinely saddened.

Their relationship had only soured in the past two years.

Before that, they were closer than anyone, childhood friends.

But how did it come to this?

What’s the point of mana.

What’s the point of awakening.

‘Why did a guy who had everything from birth envy someone like me...’

“...So, Myung?”

Whoosh!

The mana that had been suppressed in Lim Tae-gyu suddenly surged with incredible force.

At the same time, the poison from the Royal Jelly tried to invade his brain, but everything would end before that.

“I can’t stand seeing my real friend get beaten to death by others. Just die by my hands.”

[You’re talking nonsense! You’re the one who will die!]

Im Myung roared and attacked Lim Tae-gyu with his other hand.

At that moment.

Swoosh!

Hae Su, like a bolt of lightning, plunged between them.

His twin swords simultaneously cut off Im Myung’s two arms.

[...!]

Im Myung’s eyes widened.

“Too much talk.”

At that very moment.

Hae Su, who had been waiting for the moment Im Myung’s feet were immobilized, revealed all his strength.

[Using skill: Body Reinforcement.]

Body Reinforcement.

The power of Ammut, who had turned a small, insignificant goblin into a master of the body.

The large, dark energy flowed through Hae Su’s arms and transformed into a sword of energy.

Boom!

Hae Su didn’t stop his attack.

Like a giant hand crushing a small insect.

Several times.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Continuously.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

He mercilessly pummeled Im Myung.

‘This can’t be...’

Im Myung, having lost both his arms, couldn’t even scream and had to endure all the attacks.

‘Why am I being beaten by this guy...!’

He couldn’t believe this situation.

If it were the S-rank Hunter Lim Tae-gyu, it would be one thing, but being brutally beaten by an unknown kid next to him was simply unacceptable.

But...

It hurt.

Hae Su’s attacks were excruciatingly painful.

The worst part was...

That Lim Tae-gyu was watching his miserable state right in front of him.

Lim Tae-gyu was looking at him with a complex expression, muttering something.

“...”

But he couldn’t hear anything.

His ears, already battered, couldn’t hear anything.

[Roar!]

At that moment, Im Myung made a final desperate attempt, rising and charging at Hae Su.

Simultaneously, Hae Su’s massive black fist and the attacks of the numerous Shadow Lancers struck Im Myung’s body.

Boom.