Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

Chapter 08

“How are you feeling? You’ve been unconscious for two days!”
The person who entered the hospital room was none other than Assistant Professor Lim.
He checked the complexion of Suho sitting on the bed, and met the student’s gaze.
“I’m so sorry! I’m sorry for running away alone!”
He apologized immediately.
To be fair, there was nothing a single E-Class hunter could do in the same situation at that time.
The first thing that Professor Lim learned after awakening as an E-Class hunter was to run away as far as he can if he meets a monster.”
However, Suho, who was just an ordinary person at the time, was extremely heroic.
‘He rescued people from such a dangerous place risking his life!’
Professor Lim was greatly embarrassed of himself thinking how cowardly he was as compared to Suho.
Suho felt resolved with the professor’s apology.
“It’s alright, Sir. A professor is in no place to apologize to someone like me.”
“No. Even if I had ten mouths, I still have no excuses.”
After repeatedly apologizing, Professor Lim took out the hot porridge from the shopping bag he was carrying and served it in front of Suho.
“Alright. You’re hungry, aren’t you? You must eat porridge if you have an empty stomach. Here, the spoon.”
“Oh. So quick witted.”

Rumble-!

As soon as Suho saw the food, his stomach made a loud noise.
It smelled like sesame oil. It’s a beef porridge that looks and tastes good.
Suho grabbed the spoon and started scooping up the porridge.
Having starved for two days, the food tasted marvelous.
“After you finish that, would you like some apples?”
Somehow, there were apples in the fridge.
It turns out that Assistant Professor Lim had been visiting the hospital since the day Suho passed out.
‘Professor had been taking care of me all throughout my life. But, after leveling up, I don’t feel sick at all.’
Suho was thinking of getting discharged today when Professor Lim asked something.
“Those guys who just left seemed to be members of the Hunters Association. What did they tell you?”
“They measure my mana power level.”
“Huh? Measure? Did they confirm that you have really awakened?”
Professor Lim’s eyes widened.
“What was your mana level? They said the dungeon was D-Class so, you must be…”
“E-Class, according to them.”
“Eh? Really?”
The older one couldn’t believe it.
Suho unfolded the mana level result sheet left by the association member a while ago.
“Oh, what? It’s true. With mana level at 46, it’s even on the lower range among E-Class.”
“Why do you look so disappointed? Were you expecting something? Wow, goosebumps. Were you really thinking I was going to say that I am a superb class hunter? No wonder you were being so kind.”
“No, you rascal! If you were such a great hunter, you wouldn’t have fainted in that dangerous place to begin with. I just thought you were at least D-class.”
“See? You were expecting something else.”
Professor Lim felt so wronged that he even stood up.
He put down the result sheet and tried to appease Suho.
“Hey, it’s rather better. E-Class is great, you punk. Don’t you know that being an E-Class hunter gives more stability than D-Class?”
“No.”
“Hehe. Of course, you wouldn’t. You also just gained your consciousness.”
“From now on, trust and follow me. As an E-Class old man, I will lead you to the world of E-Class hunters.”

* * *

Dungeon raids are conducted with thorough division of labor.
Raiders are the first to attack.
The Collectors follow from behind to retrieve the bodies of demons or monsters.
The Miners dig dungeon resources in the backline.
Among those, E-Class hunters take on any job except as raiders.
“In other words, E-Class hunters are the most flexible in covering a task.”
It’s true that they have more stability than half of D-Class ones.
D-class hunters are the weakest among the hunters who can enter the dungeon raid.
In a way, they can be considered as the ones most exposed to risk.
Meanwhile, E-Class hunters are excluded in all combat activities, so they can earn their wages and at the same time, be safe while doing so.
“Of course, some of them need urgent money, so they take risks and volunteer for the raider squad, but it is not common. Their hospital fees get more expensive. Maybe if they have an acquaintance who is a Healer, or so.”
The next day, Suho was discharged from the hospital.
He arrived at the Korea University Art Museum.
‘…I never thought I’d come here again.’
Suho looked up at the art museum, which was horribly half-destroyed ‘because of Beru’, and self- reflected.
He went there today to work as a miner.
Except for the Shadow Dungeon, it’s the first real-world dungeon he went to just because Professor Lim offered to assist him.
“Oh, for your information, all classes are temporarily non-face-to-face until the dungeon is completely raided. Suho, you’re going to take a leave of absence since you are now a hunter, right?”
“Of course, Sir. Besides, the exhibit is now over as well as the semester.”
“Okay. I’ll stop by the assistant’s office later and apply for a Hunter leave of absence, too. Should we start now?”
Assistant professor Lim’s eyes glimmered as he looked at Suho with full motivation.
His stance posed a senior figure.
“Hehe. Today I will give you a quick guide on the life of a wise E-Class hunter! First of all, miners!”
[Showing off too much like a know-it-all.]
“EHH?!”
Beru muttered as he jumped out of Suho’s shadow.
Professor Lim was so startled he fell on his butt.

“M-Monster?!”

Beru looked at the professor with a condescending gaze.
[Tsk. Scaredy cat. Professor, I know more about hunters way better than you do. Better learn from me instead.]
He then jumped in front of Suho and spoke loudly with its arms spread wide.
[Hunters are described by their name itself, they hunt! Their goal is to slaughter, overcome, and devour the enemies! So they must kill again and again in order for their power to be…Ehh?]
Suho’s grabbed Beru like a ball.
“Why did you suddenly come out?”
[Kuhm. I felt the energy of the dungeon nearby. Right now, Young Master is as weak as a larva, so I’d be relieved if I could stay close and protect you.]
Swook-!
Beru’s body stretched out and escaped from Suho’s hand.
He jumped on Suho’s shoulder and flashed a pitiful look on his face
Suho could no longer be deceived.
‘If I let this pass again, he’d never stop talking.’
Professor Lim who finally collected himself carefully pointed at Beru and asked.
“Suho, Is that a summoner?”
[No.]
Beru answered sternly in place of Suho.
To be accurate, Beru was his father’s summoned monster and not his.
“If you are not a summoner, then what are you…sir?”
Professor Lim seemed to be very intimidated that he started speaking with honorifics.
Beru glared at him.
[I’m a guardian.]
“…Guardian?”
The professor tilted his head.
[That’s right. In human terms, should I say…Uncle?]
“…?”
[Hehe. Well, I had those moments.]
The professor didn’t understand what Beru was talking about.
Beru muttered an incomprehensible sound and glanced at Suho’s face.
Professor Lim ignored Beru and asked Suho directly.
“Did you awaken as a hunter with summoning skills?”
“Well, yeah. I guess that’s how it went.”
“Hmm. Interesting. I have never seen an E-Class hunter with that skill before.”
Professor Lim was lost for words.
He didn’t bother to talk about that skill being the most irrelevant anymore.
Not to mention Suho is an E-Class on top of that.
‘Minor among the most minors.’
The professor turned his gaze to Beru who was on Suho’s shoulder.
He was just simply surprised at Beru’s sudden appearance, but looking at him now…
‘He didn’t look useful though?’
[Those gazes of yours are very offensive. Do you want me to pluck those eyes?]
“…”
Professor Lim lowered his gaze.
He seemed to be very observant seeing how he’s very sensitive with his surroundings.
Surprisingly, he can also talk. That’s pretty useful.
“Hmm. Not all E-Class hunters have that skill. You are still considered lucky. Just to share with you, my skill is escaping.”
“Ohh. So that’s why you’re good at running away.”
“…”
Professor Lim felt hurt by Suho’s remarks.
It hurted because it was true.

* * *

Suho became a miner through Professor Lim’s recommendation.
“Alright! Let’s work hard!”
Miners consist mostly of E-Class hunters who looked like they were working at a construction site.
“Newbie! Come and take your pickaxe.”
Grab.
Suho held the dungeon pickaxe with his hand.
The man handing out the pickaxes smiled at him.
“If it breaks while you’re working, you can come back and get another one. But, we would need to deduct the cost from your daily wage, so be careful. You’re very young but already very commendable. I heard you’re still a student.”
“Hey, do you know this student?”
Surprisingly, most of the miners recognized him.
‘Most likely because of the news.’
Suho smiled bitterly as he recalled the news that was posted on the Internet yesterday and today.
Was the headline something like ‘Hero of Korea University, Become an E-Class Hunter’?
It was vague so he didn’t know if that was a compliment or not.
If he had become a hero of the art museum as an ordinary person, he would have won a brave citizen award. But, he awakened midway, so he was just recognized as a hunter.
On top of that, he turned out to be part of the lowest hunter class.
That kind of situation seemed to turn out well for these uncles though.
“Haha. What a shame. If only I had awakened a class or two higher, my situation must be completely different.”
“Don’t be too sad because your class is low~ We also eat and live well, don’t we?”
“Right. Right. It’s quite hard physically but at least we don’t need special skills aside from being good at using the pickaxe.”
Everyone was eager to give Suho words of advice as it has been so long since there was a newcomer.
Beru didn’t like the warm atmosphere.
[Young Master, go and level up instead of dealing with these idiots. Don’t waste your time.]
“Oh! Is that a summoner?”
“Kyaaah. It’s my first time seeing something like this.”
“It would be cute having him around.”
“But, it’s too small to be useful for mining.”
Miners gathered in awe at the sudden appearance of Beru.
Beru was too cynical and ferocious.
[Hey! Don’t come near me, you rude creatures! Young Master is very weak, and he could die if he gets hurt! Young Master, rest assured. I will protect you!]
“…?”
Suho stared blankly at Beru.
He didn’t know if Beru was just being protective or sarcastic.
“Wahaha. This summoner is reliable.”
“Might as well try to work, too.”
Beru’s cuteness(?) made the miners chuckle as they move away in 2s or 3s holding their pickaxe.
Suho got a brilliant idea.
“Beru.”
[Yep. Just give me your orders and I will slit the throats of those blasphemous bastards.]
“…Don’t do that.”
[What can I do for you then?]
“Take the goblin corpses out of the shadow dungeon and bring them here.”