Chapter 3

Leveling Up Alone: Ragnarok - Chapter 2 (3/176)

Leveling Up Alone: Ragnarok Chapter 2

“Screeech!”

The situation was dire.

Screams of terror echoed from all directions.

Emergency evacuation alarms blared incessantly.

The Mist Beasts, which had rapidly multiplied, continued to create new victims.

“If we don’t do something, we’ll all end up like them!”

Assistant Lim screamed.

The Mist Beasts were far beyond her level to handle.

Moreover, the Mist Beasts were precisely the creatures that triggered her deepest trauma.

Thud!

“Huh? Assistant Lim! Where are you going!”

Suhwo was taken aback.

Assistant Lim, the only Hunter here, was fleeing!

She narrowly avoided the Mist Beasts' attacks and escaped the exhibition hall alone.

Should he follow her?

After a moment's hesitation, Suhwo moved, but in the opposite direction.

Thud!

Suhwo ran to a corner of the exhibition hall and grabbed a fire extinguisher.

‘This might not work, but...’

He couldn’t just leave the others behind.

With the fire extinguisher in hand, Suhwo ran toward the Mist Beasts.

Whoosh!

White powder sprayed out, covering the Mist Beasts.

Of course, an attack without magical power wouldn’t deal significant damage.

But it was enough to temporarily suppress their firepower.

‘That’s a start.’

Relieved that the fire extinguisher was effective, Suhwo continued to spray it at other Mist Beasts.

Whoosh!

He took a moment to look around.

Suhwo found a fallen friend and helped him up.

“Are you okay?”

“Gulp.”

His friend’s face was a mess of tears and snot.

“Hey, snap out of it!”

Suhwo shook his friend, but his eyes remained unfocused.

Slap! Slap!

He slapped his friend to force him to regain consciousness.

“Suhwo?”

His friend’s eyes finally focused.

Suhwo glanced down.

‘He must have twisted his ankle.’

“Let’s get out of here first.”

Suhwo lifted his friend and carried him.

Thanks to the fire extinguisher, the Mist Beasts’ movements had weakened.

This was the only chance to escape.

“Huh. What about Assistant Lim?”

His friend, carried on Suhwo’s back, asked tearfully.

Everyone in the art department knew that Assistant Lim was a Hunter.

But she was nowhere to be seen in this emergency.

“She said she was requesting backup from the Hunter Association.”

There was no need to mention that she had fled.

‘He’s already scared enough.’

Suhwo’s words brought a sigh of relief from his friend.

* * *

They made it out of the exhibition hall.

But the danger didn’t end there.

Outside was even more chaotic.

Whoosh!

‘They’re not just in the exhibition hall.’

Suhwo bit his lip.

It seemed the Mist Beasts had spread throughout the entire museum.

‘They said they were a breeding type. They really are relentless.’

He had thought they only needed to escape the exhibition hall.

“Screeech!”

“S-Save us...!”

“When are the Hunters coming!”

People were huddled together, trembling in fear.

The art museum building had clear escape routes.

The stairs and elevators.

But Mist Beasts were swirling at every exit.

‘If we stay like this, people will be in danger.’

Suhwo quickly assessed the situation.

All the escape routes were blocked, and the monsters were multiplying.

Panic-stricken people might do anything.

Jumping out of windows or rushing out recklessly would only turn them into more monsters, worsening the situation.

‘If I can give them a way to defend themselves, it might help.’

Suhwo lifted the fire extinguisher he had brought and shouted.

“Everyone! Pay attention!”

A few of the terrified people looked at him.

“There’s a way to deal with the monsters!”

“...!”

More people turned to look. They noticed the fire extinguisher in Suhwo’s hand.

“R-Right!”

“Yeah! Fire extinguishers...!”

“We can kill the monsters!”

The people’s eyes lit up with hope.

Suhwo felt a bit awkward.

‘Ah, they can’t actually kill them, but... it doesn’t matter, right?’

The important thing was that he had given them hope.

People scattered to find fire extinguishers.

“I found one!”

“Me too!”

Those who found fire extinguishers cheered.

Those who didn’t find any turned pale.

There weren’t that many fire extinguishers on one floor.

But it was enough.

Suhwo shouted to them.

“You don’t all need to hold fire extinguishers! Those with fire extinguishers, follow me!”

“H-Huh.”

The faces of those holding fire extinguishers showed reluctance.

They realized they would have to lead the fight.

Suhwo aimed the fire extinguisher at the Mist Beasts.

Whoosh!

Now it was time for action.

The Mist Beasts’ firepower noticeably weakened.

The people’s faces brightened at the sight.

“It’s working!”

“Great! Me too!”

Whoosh!

Their confidence grew, and they started using the fire extinguishers.

“Great! Let’s push through!”

Suhwo led the charge, pushing back the Mist Beasts.

Behind him, people carefully followed, descending the stairs.

Then it happened.

Mist Beasts were also attacking from behind.

“Screeech!”

“They’re behind us too!”

People who had just begun to calm down fell into panic again.

Thud!

Terrified, they rushed down the stairs.

Suhwo gritted his teeth.

‘We’re almost there.’

If they continued like this, they would all collapse on the stairs.

Suhwo set down his friend and said,

“Can you make it on your own now?”

“Huh? What about you?”

His friend looked at Suhwo with a panicked expression.

With a determined look, Suhwo shouted to those holding fire extinguishers,

“I’ll cover the rear. Those in front, clear the way!”

“R-Right!”

Suhwo turned and climbed back up the stairs.

‘I don’t even know what I’m doing.’

An unawakened person was suddenly acting like a Hunter.

But he had no choice.

His body moved on its own.

Whoosh!

Suhwo’s fire extinguisher attacked the Mist Beasts from behind.

Then, it stopped.

“...Huh?”

The powder that had been spraying out suddenly cut off.

At the same time, Suhwo’s eyes met the Mist Beasts’ in mid-air.

“Huh.”

Suhwo laughed bitterly.

“I’m done for.”

The Mist Beasts lunged at him.

Whoosh!

Blue smoke enveloped Suhwo.

And he too became a new Mist Beast...

Then it happened.

Whoosh!

At that moment,

The Mist Beasts encountered the deep, dark abyss within Suhwo.

* * *

The Mist Beasts, born from the remnants of magic, were weak creatures driven by instinct.

At the same time, they were troublesome monsters that could grow stronger and endlessly multiply as long as they had enough fuel.

What was the best fuel?

Living beings.

Especially humans, with their abundant life force, were like dry kindling, burning well.

In that sense, Suhwo was the perfect prey for the Mist Beasts.

But.

Whoosh!

The moment the Mist Beasts enveloped Suhwo,

They were swallowed by the pitch-black abyss within him.

The confused Mist Beasts looked around.

Endless darkness in every direction.

From the deepest part of the abyss, someone was watching them.

The Mist Beasts raised their blue smoke and growled fiercely.

But no matter how much they growled, only an empty echo returned.

Then the Mist Beasts realized.

Not just the person in the abyss, but the entire vast abyss was watching them.

And it was salivating, as if looking at a delicious meal.

The abyss opened its mouth wide.

Gulp.

* * *

Puff.

“...Huh?”

Suhwo’s expression turned puzzled.

The Mist Beasts that had enveloped him suddenly dispersed into the air.

Crackle.

The human body that had been their core collapsed into ashes.

Then,

“...What?”

A message suddenly appeared before Suhwo’s eyes, making his eyes widen.

Flash!

A blinding light enveloped Suhwo’s entire body.

* * *

Suhwo’s friend, Kim Daehyun, managed to escape the museum.

Thud.

His legs, which had been limping, gave out as soon as he stepped outside.

Daehyun, who had collapsed in front of the museum, instinctively searched for Suhwo.

“Suhwo? Have you seen Suhwo?”

“Who? Oh, that guy?”

People remembered the student who had led the fight with the fire extinguisher.

But there was no sign of Suhwo.

Someone hesitated before speaking.

“He said he would cover the rear and went back up?”

“Y-You don’t think...”

“He hasn’t come out yet?”

People murmured.

Someone said hopefully,

“But he’s a Hunter, right? He should be okay.”

“Suhwo is not a Hunter!”

Daehyun shouted urgently.

This was even more shocking.

“What? Not a Hunter?”

“How could he...!”

Their eyes turned to the museum.

Suhwo... was still trapped inside.

Just then, Hunters arrived in response to the report.

“Over here!”

It was Assistant Lim who had led the Hunters.

She sighed in relief upon seeing the people who had escaped the museum.

‘Thank goodness. They all managed to get out somehow.’

She convinced herself that she had made the best decision as a D-rank Hunter, but seeing the survivors made her feel guilty for her cowardice.

“But how did you all get out?”

The Hunters who had arrived with Assistant Lim looked at the people in surprise.

How could so many people have survived in such an isolated space with Mist Beasts?

It was fortunate, but they were curious about the circumstances.

“More importantly, there’s still someone inside!”

Daehyun shouted urgently.

“Suhwo is still...!”

“Suhwo? Suhwo is still inside?”

Assistant Lim was taken aback and turned to the museum.

“If it weren’t for Suhwo, we would all be dead!”

Daehyun’s words, tinged with tears, made everyone’s faces turn somber.

The Hunters asked curiously,

“Is Suhwo a Hunter? What rank?”

“...A civilian.”

“Huh? How could a civilian...?”

Just as the Hunters were about to ask for more details,

Rumble!

A ominous sound came from the museum building.

“...!”

Everyone’s heads turned in that direction.

A sinister magical aura was rising from the building.

“Oh no. The corruption has started.”