Chapter 8

Alone Leveling: Ragnarok Chapter 7

Ber expected it.

He was eager to see the Guardian's reaction to receiving the true ability of the Shadow Overlord, "Shadow Extraction."

- Oh my, what a windfall!

- You're giving such an incredible ability as a reward?

- Last time, you gave stat points as a reward for the quest, and now you're giving a rune stone to learn a skill?!

- Wow! Can you really just hand these out like this?!

Ber planned to say something like this:

"Hem. Didn't I tell you? This shadow dungeon contains everything for the young lord!"

Ber smirked and said with a haughty expression.

[Cough! This leveling system is an auxiliary device designed for the young lord's stable growth. It's an improved version of the system the lord used in the past, intended to help a human's frail body fully accept the power of a great ruler...]

Shuhuo interrupted him and spoke.

"Hey, what is it? It's just a summoning skill, right?"

[...!]

The expression on Shuhuo's face was clearly one of disappointment.

Ber was taken aback.

What kind of ridiculous reaction is this?!

[Wh-What do you mean! To receive such an incredible power and react like this!]

"But, summoning skills are...," Shuhuo explained.

He described how summoning skills were treated among hunters these days.

The dungeons beyond the gate were truly perilous places.

A moment's lapse in attention could result in a monster's claws tearing a hunter's throat.

The floor and ceiling were filled with dangerous traps.

In such a place, no one could be responsible for one's life.

Combat-type hunters were fine because their bodies were tough, but magic-type hunters had physical abilities not much different from ordinary people.

Among them, magic-type hunters with summoning skills were particularly vulnerable.

By entrusting all battles to their summoned creatures, they themselves were nothing more than powerless burdens trailing behind.

"That's not all. The mana consumption is high, and finding a useful summon is difficult. Even if you manage to get one, it's not as strong as you'd expect."

[No-!]

Ber stomped his feet in frustration and anger.

All the teasing about Shuhuo's weak combat skills was gone, and now he was the one who was extremely upset.

Seeing this, Shuhuo felt a bit guilty.

"Um, sorry, but that's the reality. But, having a new skill is definitely a good thing."

[No-! Don't pretend to comfort me! This is really a good thing!]

"Huh? Your tone changed a bit, didn't it?"

[Grind, grind.]

It was the moment when Ber's historical drama concept finally broke down.

"Alright, alright. Anyway, I'll accept the reward."

A rune stone appeared in Shuhuo's hand.

[Rune Stone: Shadow Extraction]

Breaking the rune stone will absorb the skill.

Shuhuo broke the rune stone without hesitation.

[You have learned the skill: Shadow Extraction.]

Whoosh!

At that moment, shadows surged from beneath Shuhuo's feet, wrapped around his entire body once, and then disappeared.

Flash!

A skill window appeared before his eyes.

[Skill: Shadow Extraction Lv.1]

Shadow power.

No mana required.

Extracts mana from a dead body to create a shadow soldier.

The failure rate of extraction increases in proportion to the target's stats and the time since death.

Number of extractable shadows: 0 / 3

"Creating shadow soldiers?"

Shuhuo's gaze naturally turned to Ber.

The shadow monster with black steam rising from its body.

[That's right.]

Ber's mouth stretched wide.

[This skill creates soldiers just like me. Shadow Extraction is the essence of the power that made the current Shadow Overlord, Seo Jin-woo.]

At that moment, Shuhuo realized.

The numerous goblin corpses surrounding him.

For the past four hours, black smoke had been rising from the bodies he had killed.

[This is a target for Shadow Extraction.]

[This is a target for Shadow Extraction.]

[This is a target for Shadow Extraction.]

The same message repeatedly appeared whenever he looked at the black smoke.

'Shadow soldiers... like a necromancer?'

The concept of creating soldiers from corpses was similar to necromancers in games.

'Still, it doesn't seem great.'

He had seen it on the internet before.

There are various types of summoning skills.

Summoning and taming spirits from nature.

Taming and controlling living animals.

Among them, the least popular profession was the necromancer.

'Too many restrictions.'

The biggest issue was that you needed a corpse.

'And I have to hunt it first. I can only control creatures weaker than me.'

To understand it better, he needed to try it out.

"Shadow Extraction."

With Shuhuo's words, the next message appeared.

[Please specify a command word for the Shadow Extraction skill.]

"Do I need to set a command word for the skill? Hmm..."

Shuhuo thought for a moment.

But then, Ber, who was standing beside him, suddenly perked up and twisted his body.

[Cough. Cough.]

"Why? Do you have something to say?"

When Shuhuo looked at him, Ber pretended to be indifferent.

[Ah, cough. No, nothing. Cough! Cough!]

"..."

Why is he suddenly coughing like that?

Shuhuo opened his eyes wide in confusion.

Not knowing what was going on, he blurted out a command word without much thought.

A straightforward one would be best.

"Rise."

[Kehehehe!]

Ber clenched his fist as if he had been waiting for it and made a strange sound, "Of course, this is it!"

And then,

Something unexpected happened.

Kehehehe-!

Suddenly, the laughter of goblins echoed through the air.

At the same time, shadows began to stir from the goblin corpses on the ground.

As if they were alive!

'Oh my.'

Shuhuo's eyes widened as he looked around.

Kehe! Kerkerker-!

Vile, mischievous laughter echoed from all sides, and black hands stretched out from the shadows.

The hands touched the ground and began to crawl out of the shadows, like demons returning from hell.

[Shadow Extraction successful.]

Squish! Squish!

[Ker!]

[Kerker!]

Three of them.

Three black goblins, made of boiling black steam, appeared before Shuhuo.

[Shadow Goblin Lv.1]

Common Rank

The three shadow goblins lined up, waiting for Shuhuo's command.

"Still doesn't seem very strong, though."

[...]

By this point, Ber could sense the difference.

Even with the same shadow power, there was a significant gap between when the Shadow Overlord Seo Jin-woo used it and when Shuhuo used it.

After all, Seo Jin-woo was level 50 when he first obtained the shadow power, while Shuhuo was only level 7.

No matter how good the skill, it would be weaker with a lower-level player.

[O-Originally... newly extracted shadow soldiers are slightly weaker than they were in life.]

"They're also smaller, right?"

[Th-That's...]

"And naturally, weaker, right?"

[A little bit?]

"And slower..."

[...]

Ber mumbled in a meek voice.

[Shadow power is influenced by intelligence stats and level. This skill will become incredibly good later... really, incredibly good... I just don't know how to explain it...]

"R-Right."

Shuhuo looked at the shadow goblins waiting for his command and prepared to leave.

[What! Isn't this the moment to give orders?!]

Ber was startled.

At that moment, a loud noise came from Shuhuo's stomach.

Gurgle-!

"I haven't eaten for two days."

Shuhuo said seriously.

Overwhelmed by the solemn atmosphere, Ber couldn't help but be dominated.

[O-Of course.]

Whether a hunter or a Shadow Overlord, they all had to eat to live.

[You can always come back here using the key to the Shadow Dungeon. Take a rest for now.]

Following Ber's words, Shuhuo took out the key to the Shadow Dungeon and inserted it into his shadow.

[Do you want to exit the Shadow Dungeon?] (Y/N)

"I'll exit."

Click.

The moment he turned the key, the shadow enveloped Shuhuo.

Whoosh!

[You have exited the Shadow Dungeon.]

* * *

As soon as Shuhuo returned to the real-world hospital, he collapsed onto the bed.

Plop.

"Phew. That was really tough."

Lying on the bed for the first time in a while, Shuhuo let out a deep sigh.

Although it had only been four hours, it felt like four days had passed.

While his health had been fully restored with the level-up, he was mentally drained.

At that moment, the door to the hospital room opened, and people in suits entered.

"Excuse us. Is this the room where Seo Shuhuo is staying?"

"Hmm?"

Shuhuo immediately recognized who they were. In this situation, there was only one group that would come looking for him.

"We're from the Hunter Association."

Indeed.

The people in suits approached Shuhuo and bowed.

"Seo Shuhuo, first of all, I want to thank you."

"Huh? What did I do that's worth thanking...?"

Shuhuo looked puzzled.

"Thanks to you, many people were saved. I'm here to express my gratitude on their behalf."

"Well, it wasn't that big of a deal."

"It was a big deal."

Suddenly!

"Whoa, you scared me."

The man who looked like the highest-ranking person leaned in with a serious face.

Then he smiled warmly.

"Seo Shuhuo, I'm really proud of you. In this harsh world, a young man who risks his life to save others! Sniff!"

"Um, no, um... sir?"

The large man was so moved that he took out a handkerchief and wiped away his tears, which was very awkward.

"Cough."

A staff member standing beside him patted his back, as if used to it.

"Team Leader, stop crying and get to work."

"Oh, right. Hehe. I guess I've been getting more emotional with age. Seo Shuhuo, I'm Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk from the Hunter Association. The purpose of our visit is..."

Snap.

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk held out a thick mana measuring device and grinned.

"To measure your mana."

There was no doubt that Shuhuo had awakened. He was found unconscious in the Korean National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, which had turned into a field dungeon.

Moreover, there were pieces of corpses, confirmed to be from monsters, scattered around him.

"Journalists are constantly demanding information for their articles."

Han Jae-hyuk winked and continued.

"Ah, yes."

Shuhuo placed his hand on the mana measuring device without hesitation.

The mana crystal in the center emitted a soft light.

After a moment, the results appeared.

"Hmm. Oh, this is..."

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk stroked his chin in surprise after checking the results.

However, Shuhuo's expression didn't change, as if he wasn't interested in the result.

It was natural. The status window in front of him already told him about his mana.

"Mana value 46. You've become an E-rank Awakened."

The staff members beside him, though they didn't show it, were disappointed.

They had expected a much higher rank from a hunter who had just awakened and performed so well.

But just E-rank?

However, Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk was different.

'A hunter's value isn't in their rank. It's more impressive that he risked his life to save people despite being only E-rank.'

Team Leader Han Jae-hyuk smiled warmly and patted Shuhuo's shoulder with his thick hand.

"Seo Shuhuo, we look forward to your future performance."

"Ah, yes."

Click.

With that, the association staff, having finished their business, lightly said their goodbyes and left the room.

As soon as they left, Ber poked his head out of Shuhuo's shadow as if he had been waiting.

[Now! I'll explain. About what to do next...]

Click!

"Shuhuo!"

At that moment, the door to the hospital room opened again.

Ber retreated back into the shadow, looking dejected.