Chapter 8

Solo Leveling: Ragnarok - Chapter 7 (8/176)

Solo Leveling: Ragnarok Chapter 7

Ber expected it.

The reaction of Suho, who was about to receive the true ability of the Shadow Overlord, 'Shadow Extraction.'

- Oh my, what a surprise!

- 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 give out things like this?

Ber was about to say this.

"Hem. Didn't I tell you? This Shadow Dungeon has everything for the young lord!"

Ber smirked, his lips curling up, and he spoke with a haughty expression.

Suho cut him off and spoke.

"Come on, what is it? A summoning skill?"

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

Ber was taken aback.

What kind of ridiculous reaction is this!

"But, but a summoning skill is..."

Suho explained.

How summoning skills were treated among hunters these days.

The dungeons beyond the gate were truly brutal places.

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

The floors and ceilings were filled with dangerous traps.

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

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

Especially among magic-type hunters with summoning skills, they were even more vulnerable.

By relying on their summoned creatures for all battles, they themselves were nothing more than powerless burdens trailing behind.

"It's not just that. The mana consumption is high, and it's difficult to find useful summoned creatures, and even if you manage to get one, it's not as strong as you'd expect."

Ber stomped his foot, his face a mix of frustration and sorrow.

All the teasing about Suho's weak combat skills was gone, and now he was the one who was more agitated.

Seeing this, Suho felt a bit guilty.

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

"Huh? Your tone seems different?"

It was the moment when Ber's concept of always speaking in a dramatic tone was breaking down.

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

A rune stone appeared in Suho's hand.

Breaking the rune stone will absorb the skill.

Suho broke the rune stone without hesitation.

Swish!

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

Puff!

A skill window appeared before his eyes.

Shadow Authority.

No mana required.

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

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

Number of extractable shadows: 0 / 3

"Creating shadow soldiers?"

After confirming the content, Suho's gaze naturally turned to Ber.

A shadow monster with black steam rising from its body.

Ber's mouth stretched wide.

At that moment, Suho realized.

The numerous goblin corpses surrounding him.

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

Every time he looked at the black smoke, the same messages kept appearing.

'So, shadow soldiers... like a necromancer?'

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

'Still, it doesn't seem good.'

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 worst job was the necromancer.

'Too many restrictions.'

First, you need a corpse.

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

To know exactly, he needed to try it out.

"Shadow Extraction."

With Suho's words, the next message appeared.

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

Suho thought for a moment.

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

"Why? Do you have something to say?"

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

"..."

Why is he suddenly coughing like that?

Suho opened his eyes wide.

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

A straightforward one would be better.

"Rise."

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

And then,

Something unexpected happened.

Keeheehee-!

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 God.'

Suho's eyes widened as he looked around.

Keehit! 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.

Swish! Swish!

Three of them.

Three black goblins, made of black steam, appeared before Suho.

Normal grade.

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

"Still doesn't seem very strong, huh?"

By this point, Ber could tell.

Even with the same Shadow Authority, there was a huge difference compared to when Shadow Overlord Seong Jin-woo used it.

After all, Seong Jin-woo was level 50 when he first got the Shadow Authority, while Suho was only level 7.

No matter how good the skill, the player's level being low would inevitably weaken its performance.

"They're also smaller, right?"

"Of course, they're weaker, right?"

"Speed is also..."

Ber muttered in a low voice.

"Y-Yeah."

Suho looked at the shadow goblins waiting for his command.

Then he prepared to leave.

Ber was startled.

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

Gurgle!

"I haven't eaten for two days."

Suho said seriously.

Overwhelmed by the solemn atmosphere, Ber was speechless.

Whether a hunter or a Shadow Overlord, they all did it to survive.

With Ber's words, Suho took out the key to the Shadow Dungeon and inserted it into his shadow, just as he did when he entered.

"I'm leaving."

Click.

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

Swish!

* * *

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

Soft.

"Phew. It was really tough."

Lying on the bed, Suho let out a deep sigh.

Although it was only four hours in reality, it felt like four days had passed.

Although all his health points had been restored with the level-up, he was completely drained mentally.

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

"Excuse us. Is this the room where Seong Suho is staying?"

"Hmm?"

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

"We're from the Hunter's Association."

Sure enough.

The people in suits approached Suho and bowed.

"Seong Suho, first of all, I want to thank you."

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

Suho 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.

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

"U-Uh, no... Excuse me?"

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

"Ahem."

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

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

"Ah, right. Haha. I guess I'm getting old and emotional. Seong Suho, I'm Han Jae-hyuk, team leader of the Hunter's Association. The purpose of our visit is..."

He held out a thick mana measuring device and smiled.

"To measure your mana."

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

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

"Journalists are also demanding information for their articles."

Han Jae-hyuk added with a wink.

"Ah, yes."

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

The mana crystal in the center emitted a faint light.

After a moment, the results came in.

"Hmm. Oh, this..."

Team leader Han Jae-hyuk stroked his chin, surprised by the result.

However, Suho's expression didn't change, as if he wasn't curious about the result at all.

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

"Mana level 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, even at E-rank.'

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

"Seong Suho, we look forward to your future contributions."

"Ah, yes."

Click.

With that, the association staff left the room after a light bow.

As soon as they left, Ber poked his head out of Suho's shadow.

Click!

"Suho!"

At that moment, the door opened again.

Ber retreated back into the shadow, looking dejected.