Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

Chapter 14

The field-type dungeon was a contaminated area that was created when the dungeon break was not completely blocked.
This mainly happened because of the uniqueness of the terrain rather than the strength of the monsters that appeared. China and Russia were the pioneers of this.
Because the land is so wide, it is difficult for the hunters to search for the monsters individually when the gate is open, so they end up being neglected.
In addition, it was difficult to find the location of the gate where the disintegration started, so it took several times longer to attack.
For a similar reason, Korea has a lot of rugged mountains instead of a narrow land, so field-type dungeons tend to appear quite often.

[Gwanaksan Field]
※ Only Hyena Guild Allowed

The entrance to Gwanaksan Mountain is thoroughly blocked from entering and leaving the area with barbed wire.
Gwanaksan Field was a field-type dungeon occupied by the Hyena Guild for a year already.
Suho was watching Gwanak Mountain from afar, covering his face with a hood and mask.
[This is the right place.]
Beru licked his lips as he was standing on top of Suho’s shoulder.
He could feel the energy of the sanctuary that Rakan’s Sword told them about.
However, even Rakan’s Sword didn’t know what was inside the sanctuary.
[We’re already here yet you still don’t know?]
-No matter how many times you ask, my answer is the same. I’m just a sword that was stuck on the floor. It is possible to detect the energy of the sanctuary, but what’s in it is not known exactly.
The Rakan’s Sword said feeling wronged.
In response, Beru chewed on the mana stone and gave it a threatening look.
[I hope that’s not a lie. Otherwise, I’ll chew you down from the tip to the handle. Very, very slowly…]
-Can you stop threatening me?
[Why so?]
-You’re scaring me.
[…]
Rakan’s Sword was straightforward.
There was no pretense, perhaps because it was a sword.
The sun was setting just in time.
Suho, who had been waiting for this moment, glanced up at the sky and his eyes lit up.
“Great. Now, let’s go inside.”
Suho pulled his hood and slowly walked towards the barbed wire.
Maybe it was because his senses stat went up, his vision was clear to some extent even in the dark. At this level, it seemed that there would be no major obstacle to fighting.
Rather, it was better because it was dark.
’The priority is not to be caught by the Hyena Guild.’
It was illegal for an unauthorized hunter to enter a dungeon occupied by another guild.
However, he was not going to make money from someone else’s business. He was only going to quietly go in and get the relics of the Beast Monarch, so there was no problem as long as he didn’t get caught.
If the Beast Monarch’s artifact fell into the hands of an ordinary awakener, that hunter could have been taken away and turned into a Berserker, just like Rakan’s Sword.
‘Is that CCTV and barbed wire?’
Suho’s gaze looked around calmly.
It was impossible for people to guard each and every corner of the vast field-type dungeons.
The only thing guarding this place were barbed wire and CCTV cameras standing in the middle.
’Ruler’s Power.’
Swoosh.
Suho slowly lifted the black plastic bag he had brought into the air.
Then, it moved naturally as if blown by the wind, covering the entire camera.
’Now.’
Thud.
Suho jumped over the barbed wire in one leap.
It was the moment when the strength stats he had put up so far mattered most.
Thunk.
Landing lightly inside the field, Suho immediately searched the surroundings.
There was a thick blue mist hovering all over Gwanaksan Mountain.
In fact, it was this mist, not the barbed wire, that separated the fields.
[This blue mist is the magic of outer space. It is used to forcibly penetrate the dimensional wall and cause cracks in the world.]
-Right. Because of this mist, the sanctuary I was in also wandered through the dimensional rift and connected to Earth.
[After all, what the outer creatures want is to spread the mist all over Earth and cause a great rift. They’re trying to drill a hole big enough for their army to cross the dimension.]
“Shh.“
Suho held his breath for a moment and squinted his eyes.
’There’s something.’
Less than a minute after he set foot on the field, there were already more and more red eyes staring at him.

Monster monkeys appeared one by one under the cold moonlight.
Now, Even Suho knows.
The level up system showed different colors of names above the head according to the strength of the beast.
White is relatively weak.
Orange is equal or stronger.
Red is much stronger.
And those monkeys were ’orange’.
[We are surrounded by weak monkeys. Still, Young Master is weaker, so please be careful.]
“Your support is so annoying.”
Suho smiled faintly at Beru’s support(?) and grabbed Rakan’s Sword.
Considering the difficulty and number of them, it’s a bit risky.
’This is enough.’
Rather, it’s good.
If he only caught easy ones, he would get less experience.
Suho blinked and moved.
Now it’s time to level up.
Monkeys started to fall from the trees.
Their blade-like long claws flew into Suho’s body trying to tear it apart.
In response, Rakan’s Sword in Suho’s hand cut through the cold night air.
Slaaash!

“Kiiik! Kiiiiik!”
Like that, Suho continued to move forward, trampling on the corpses of the monsters that attacked endlessly.
He had no intention of wandering aimlessly this late at night.
“Guide the way. Which way is the gate?”
-…Amazing. Are you familiar with this kind of mess?
Rakan’s Sword was genuinely surprised.
The situation was obviously the worst.
If you kill one, two will come running.
Kill two and five will fall from above your head.
Those mean monkeys climbed the trees and the darkness confused Suho.
Slash-!
There were even ones throwing rocks from the trees and giggling.
“Kyak! Kyak! Kyak!”
However, Suho showed no signs of panic at all as he ran back and forth in that hectic mess.
-Even considering that he is the Shadow Monarch’s offspring, isn’t he too skilled in combat compared to the power he possesses? What mess have you been through so far?
“Give me directions.”
Suho who smiled wryly at those words.
What was too special about it?, he thought. It was all because of a dream he had when he was a teenager.
In order to wake up from the dream, those terrible experiences where he somehow had to survive and reach the final boss were deeply engraved in his body.
If he died in the middle, he had to start all over again.
‘The tutorial was too hard.’
No matter how bad this situation was, it was heaven compared to that time.
[Khm. Kkkm. Hooot. Hoot.]
It was just that Beru, who kept shrugging his shoulders with a proud expression on his side, hated to look at him.
The tip of Rakan’s Sword in Suho’s hand moved by itself and pointed in one direction.
-For now, this way. But, the path to sanctuary will be hell. It looks like you’re quite familiar with this kind of mess. Even so, it would be hard for you to get there by yourself…
“Who said I am alone?”
-What?
Suho smiled and looked around.
Just in time, black smoke started creeping up from the corpses of the monkeys who had died miserably on the floor.

Suho stretched out his hand toward the shadows.
“Arise.”

Kiik kiik kiik-

The giggles echeod through the cool night air.
Along with them, pitch-black hands began to stretch out from the shadows of the dead monkeys on the floor.
Kwadeuk Kwadeuk!
The hands were on the ground, crawling out of the shadows and arising themselves.

[Wookiikiik!]
[Wookikik!]
There were 5 in total.
Black monkeys oozing black steam appeared in front of Suho.

Seeing that, Beru gave a round of applause.
[Ohh. There’s 5! As much as the intellect stat has risen, the number of shadow soldiers has also increased! But compared to the tens of millions of legions of the Shadow Monarch…Ehh?]
“You’re too noisy.”
Suho caught Beru and threw it to the beasts.
[Kehehe. This much isn’t overwhelming.]
Beru spread his sharp claws as he flew.
He tore all the monsters in one move…!
Thud!
[Hmm?]
Jump.
“Kkikkikki!”
The monkeys who kicked Bere down attacked Suho again.
However, in the gap, the shadow monkeys approached from behind and thrust bladed claws into their necks.
“…Kkk.”

Suho’s body was filled with vitality.
Shadow monkeys trampling on the other monkey corpses and giggling meanly.
’Now that I think they’re on our side, I think they’re a bit cute.’
“Let’s keep going.”
It was like breaking up before getting to know each other.
The steeper the mountain slope, the stronger the monsters blocked the front.

Shashak!
A stealthy assassin hiding in the dark.
Red-eyed beasts resembling black panthers mercilessly bit the shadow monkeys’ necks.
[Squeak!]
The shadow monkeys died helplessly.
The difference in power was very prominent.
“Phew.”
However, Suho felt more exhilirated.
’They are mine too.’
Swish!
At that moment, something emerged from Rakan’s Sword.

“…!”
Black Shadow Razan’s body instantly became heavy.

However, Rakan’s Sword ’Contempt for the Weak’ was a skill that only worked well against weaker opponents than Suho.
“Kyaoooooo!”

Black Shadow Razan’s name is in color orange.
Since they were equal to or slightly stronger than Suho, the fear effect was removed just by a strong roar.
But that brief break was enough.
In an instant, Suho’s appearance disappeared from their sight.
Then.
Slash!
“Kyaaaagh!”
A black panther was decapitated, spurting black blood.

Swoosh!
The others then quickly hid in the darkness, but this one was enough.
Suho stretched out his hand towards the corpse.
“Arise!”

One of the shadow monkeys disappeared, and the shadow of Razan, the black shadow, rose up instead.
[Kyaoooooh!]

Suho smiled contentedly.
“Great. It’s a new family member.”
[Khhmm.]
The guy who had been trying to bite Suho’s neck just a moment ago, rubbed his body against Suho’s leg with his tail drooping as if he had always done that.
Then he turned its head and bared its teeth at its own kind, who glared Suho’s way in the darkness of the forest.
“Are you lonely? Go and bring your friends too.”
Suho said.
[Kyaaaaaagh!]
At that, the shadow leopard immediately ran out to hunt its own kind.
Suho moved forward while upgrading the shadow soldiers one by one to stronger ones.
-…This is why we lost the war. Damn guys.
Rakan’s Shadow murmured dejectedly.

* * *

After a while.
“Everyone, stop.”
[Krrrrk.]
At Suho’s command, the shadow leopards held their breath and fell flat on the spot.
-That’s right. The one in front.
Rakan’s Sword didn’t even need to say it.
The Hyena Guild members’ outposts were built there.