Solo Leveling: Banishment of the Anomaly

Near the dungeon entrance, the silhouette of a running man became increasingly vivid.

It was Kim Sang-Shik.

His legs burned as he sprinted toward the entrance, the sound of snapping roots and rustling greenery echoing ominously behind him.

With pure exhaustion, he finally exited the dungeon.

The once-serene blue glow of the dungeon's gate now pulsed with an ominous intensity, its mana surging far beyond what was natural for its rank.

Gasping for air, Sang-Shik stumbled forward and collapsed onto the ground just outside the dungeon, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.

Nearby, a female dungeon attendant noticed and rushed toward him, her expression a mixture of worry and alarm while seeing the gate phenomenon.

"Mr. Kim! Where are the others? What happened in there? " she asked urgently, her eyes darting between Sang-Shik and the pulsating dungeon behind him.

Sang-Shik waved a trembling hand, trying to steady his breathing.

"C-call the... a-association now!" he stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Joo-Hee is... reawakening!"

The attendant froze for a moment, her eyes widening in shock.

'Someone is reawakening inside the dungeon?!'

She turned to look at the dungeon, the ominous aura radiating from its entrance sending a shiver down her spine.

Without wasting another second, she pulled out her phone and dialed the association for backup, her voice sharp and efficient as she relayed the dire situation.

She then handed Sang-Shik a health potion, urging him to drink it.

He took it shakily, tilting his head back to down the liquid as he tried to calm his erratic breathing.

'Old Song… Jeon-Ho…' Sang-Shik thought as his vision blurred.

'You two better stay safe in there. The association will be here soon. And Jin-Woo… you must survive. I still need to apologize to you…'

His body gave out from exhaustion, his eyes fluttering shut as he collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.

...

Despite the commotion outside the dungeon, the inside was far from peaceful.

In the middle cave intersection, the air crackled with tense stillness.

Both Joo-Hee and Jin-Woo stood at a distance from each other, neither daring to move.

Stepping back as if burned, Joo-Hee's face was a mask of calm, her expression unreadable.

Yet behind her closed eyes, a storm raged within her mind, thoughts racing chaotically.

'Thank god I stopped myself before it got worse. But… how did Jin-Woo even come to that conclusion?'

'I'm sure I didn't slip up in the past few weeks. Wait... don't tell me... is it because of my system again?!'

Keeping a careful distance, her face hardened as she decided to turn the tables despite knowing the truth about Jin-Woo.

With a firm tone, she asked, "Jin-Woo... how do you know about them—the existence of systems? Don't tell me… you have one too?!"

Her words were like a blade, cutting through the tense silence.

Jin-Woo visibly flinched, a shiver running down his spine as he instinctively took a step back.

His eyes darted away for a moment before he reluctantly answered.

"U-Uhm… I awakened one… at the hospital," he said slowly, his voice stuttering.

"I-I just didn't expect you to have one too."

Joo-Hee raised an eyebrow, her suspicion momentarily replaced with surprise.

'Well, that was rather unexpected,' she thought.

'I assumed he'd try to lie his way out of this.'

Jin-Woo scratched the back of his neck, his nervous habit betraying his discomfort.

"I'm sorry for asking you so suddenly," he continued.

"I just... needed some answers about what happened earlier. And I couldn't shake the feeling that you might be just like me."

"Earlier?" Joo-Hee echoed, tilting her head in feigned confusion.

Jin-Woo's eyes narrowed slightly.

'As I thought… she really doesn't remember anything from back then,' he concluded silently.

They began talking, their words cautious but slowly becoming more candid as the conversation deepened.

Jin-Woo shared his observations about Joo-Hee's rampage, the eerie echoed voice she had uttered, and the overwhelming power she had displayed—power that no healer or newly awakened mage should possess.

Joo-Hee, meanwhile, carefully spun a half-truth, weaving a narrative about her system while omitting the most critical detail, that the real Joo-Hee was long gone.

As the pieces fell into place, Joo-Hee's suspicions about her system's interference solidified.

It had possessed her during her enhancement process, using her body like a puppet to unleash devastating power.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she shook her head in frustration.

'Just great,' she thought bitterly.

'Now I have to clean up after the mess it made.'

'But… at least Jin-Woo's suspicions are cleared now. I'm sure he'll conclude that all my changes are related to my system.'

Her gaze softened slightly as she looked at Jin-Woo, who was still processing everything.

A faint smile curved her lips as she decided to take control of the situation.

"Jin-Woo," she said quietly, her voice steady but laced with an undertone of resignation.

"When we get out of here, I want you to tell them that I was the one who killed Kang Tae-Shik and that you and the others only helped."

Jin-Woo's eyes widened in shock.

"What?! No! I can't let you—"

"No buts," Joo-Hee cut him off firmly, turning her back to him to hide the conflict in her eyes.

"You know better than I do that this is the best way. If they think I killed him, their attention will be on me. And you can focus on getting stronger without their eyes on you."

Joo-Hee offered a reassuring smile, trying to ease the tension in the air.

"And I doubt they'll imprison me for it," she said, her voice steady despite the storm within.

"After all, having a reawakened hunter is much better than a murderer."

"And you know it deep down, Jin-Woo. Even if you take responsibility, they will surely label you as a false ranker. So... please, hold back until we're strong enough—stronger than an S-Rank hunter."

Her words struck Jin-Woo like a hammer.

His fists clenched tightly as he lowered his gaze, a bitter laugh escaping his lips.

'How laughable,' he thought.

'Even now… even though we both have systems, Joo-Hee is still the one protecting me. I've come so far, and yet…'

His chest tightened as frustration gnawed at him.

Joo-Hee can only watch him silently, understanding the turmoil within him.

She could see the budding strength in Jin-Woo, the determination to grow—but also the weight of the challenges he must face.

'In the novel, it was Mr. Song who took the responsibility for this incident,' she thought grimly.

'But now… Mr. Song isn't capable of doing it. Sigh... I have no choice but to take his place.'

"Cheer up, will you? Don't feel too bad about it," she said gently.

"Someone has to take responsibility, and it can't be you. Mr. Song and Jeonho... they can't do it either—they collapsed after all. It's the least I can do for now."

She turned to leave, ready to shoulder the burden alone, but before she could take a single step, Jin-Woo's hand shot out, grabbing hers firmly.

She stopped, startled, and turned to look at him.

His eyes locked onto hers, brimming with concern and vulnerability.

"Why?!" Jin-Woo's voice cracked as he spoke, raw and desperate.

"Why do you have to do this?! Is it really worth the risk—to protect me?! How can you… how can you be so selfless, you fool..."

His words hung in the air, trembling with emotion.

His grip on her hand was firm yet gentle, as though he was afraid she'd slip away.

For a moment, Joo-Hee didn't speak.

She simply stared at him and saw it—the weight of his guilt, the storm of worry in his eyes, the ache in his heart. 

In this moment, Jin-Woo wasn't the rising, unshakable hunter, nor the future Shadow Monarch.

He was just an ordinary guy, worried about a certain girl who had stepped into his life and changed everything.

Joo-Hee's chest tightened as her thoughts raced.

'It's all because of you and Joo-Hee... that I'm willing to do this. After all, I owe both of you so much. If not for her, I wouldn't have had the chance to experience this life...'

Finally, she spoke, her voice soft and steady, her eyes meeting his with a gentle warmth.

"Yeah, it's worth the risk, Jin-Woo," she said.

"Because we're friends. And I'm pretty sure you'd do the same for me if the time ever came—but not today. So, how about you just consider this… a favor?"

Her lips curved into a faint smile, tinged with bittersweet emotion.

Jin-Woo's grip loosened slightly, though his eyes never left hers.

Joo-Hee's smile grew softer as she gave his hand a small squeeze.

Her voice lowered, carrying a tenderness that pierced through the tension.

"And Jin-Woo... when that time comes, could you at least promise me one thing?"

His breath hitched as he waited, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Promise me," she said, her gaze searching his, "that... you'll listen and believe in me. No matter how ridiculous my excuse might be..."

Her words lingered, the weight of her request settling like a solemn, 'final' vow.