Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

Chapter 35

The relentless onslaught of attacks continued, resulting in a fascinating occurrence.

[Effect: “Fatal Strike” has been activated.]

This was an ability attached to Rakan’s Fang. Suho had triggered a special effect that had a 15 percent chance of dealing more than double the critical damage. This was just the beginning.

[Effect: “Fatal Strike” has been activated.]

[Effect: “Fatal Strike” has been activated.]

As the number of Suho’s attacks accumulated, critical hits continued to occur. Unable to withstand the power, one of the arachnid’s leg joints eventually snapped, and the beast screamed as it staggered.

Suho seized the opportunity. Stepping on the broken leg, he leaped and landed on the spider’s back. Then gripping his two swords in reverse, he thrust them straight into the spider’s tough carapace. More precisely, into the gaps visible between the carapace plates.

Green blood splattered as a piercing screech echoed. The Giant Tomb Spider violently writhed and slammed its body against the walls to dislodge Suho. However, he clung to its back more tenaciously and thrust his swords deeper into the carapace.

[Giant Tomb Spider used Skill: “Puppetry” has activated.]

[Giant Tomb Spider used Skill: “Puppetry” has activated.]

At that moment, Suho instinctively flipped his body and leaped high to evade. Then, a sharp attack cut through the space he left behind. Suho managed to land on the spider’s back again and turned his head to identify the source of the assailants.

“I-I’m sorry!”

“Our bodies... they’re moving on their own!”

The hunters entangled in spider silk were in a frenzy and attacked him.

They’re like puppets. People suspended on the walls and ceilings were forcibly being manipulated by the spider silk. Floating in the air, their movements eerily resembled zombies.

“Beru!” Suho yelled as he struggled on the spider's back, swaying back and forth.

The ant beast appeared promptly. “Yes. Shall we begin?”

Beru had been holding back from the battles until now, fearing that he might steal Suho’s experience points. Contrarily, he had no reason to stay out of the battle as long as he didn’t take away the experience points.

The ant swiftly turned his head and howled fiercely at the hunters attacking the Young Monarch. “How dare these pests dare disturb the Young Monarch’s righteous battle!” Beru’s claws slashed toward the hunters at an astonishing speed.

“Aah!”

“Please spare us...”

The hunters screamed in shock. However...

“Huh?”

They noticed that the spider silk binding them had been severed. At that moment, the hunters who had been suspended in the air flopped to the ground like marionettes with their strings cut.

“Ahh! Ouch...”

The hunters clutched their injured backs, writhing on the ground in agony. They abruptly lifted their heads and tried to track the Crow’s figure as he fought. Their eyes widened.

“Insane.”

They couldn’t believe the absurd spectacle unfolding before them. The masked man was tearing away the spider’s carapace with his bare hands.

If the defense is high, just tear away the shield! Suho exclaimed inwardly.

[Strength: 51]

His biceps swelled as if they were about to burst, and sweat poured down like rain. The more he tore away, the more the spider’s struggles intensified. He desperately withstood her writhing using just his core strength and sheer might. Suddenly, Suho’s eyes flashed with determination. The quest reward! He pulled out the reward he had saved for moments like this.

[The following reward will be given.

Reward 1. Health Restoration (Unchecked)]

Accept reward! At that moment, a refreshing energy swirled around, and his condition was fully restored.

“Perfect!” Suho tightened his grip and exerted more force into it. However, it still wasn’t enough. I need more power! But he instinctively thought of a way to replenish his lacking strength. Ruler’s Authority!

An invisible hand that had been hovering in the air briefly overlapped with Suho’s right arm just like the time he had thrown Han Jaehyuk into a wall. Dark energy seeped into Suho’s arm, and eventually, the largest part of the carapace was torn off like a lid, revealing Arachne’s insides. He directed his fist in a straight line and slammed it down.

[Skill: “Smash - Level 1” has been acquired.]

The spider’s hefty body crumpled in half under the immense pressure.

[Giant Tomb Spider has been defeated.]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

The spider collapsed, unable to even scream. Stepping on its body, Suho’s hand tore out the artifact that had been living within the creature.

[Item: Obtained “Rakan’s Fang-2.”]

A sword identical to Rakan’s Fang appeared in Suho’s hand. It even had a similar personality.

“Who dares to covet the Monarch of Fang’s sword!” A sinister voice pierced Suho’s mind. “I shall devour your flesh!”

Red energy emanated from the sword and enveloped Suho, but shadows rose from under his feet and swallowed the sword. The previously dominant red energy diminished.

“What is this energy? Could it be the Monarch of Shadows...?”

“Is this some kind of catchphrase you guys use?” Suho chuckled and asked the sword he had acquired first.

Suddenly, the two Rakan’s Fangs resonated with each other.

[Item: “Rakan’s Fangs” acknowledge each other.]

[“Sanctuary of Beasts” has been activated.]

Simultaneously, a series of system messages began to appear in front of Suho.

[Passive Skill: “(Unknown)” has been acquired.]

[Passive Skill: “(Unknown)” has been acquired.]

One passive skill was added to the skill information window, which opened automatically.

[Skills: Passive Skill: (Unknown) - Max Level]

What is this...? Just as Suho expressed confusion about this unexpected situation, his shadow extended in all directions as if were about to engulf the entire world, and time came to a standstill.

***

Where am I? In a daze, Suho looked around.

He found himself standing alone at the edge of a desolate horizon, a world of perfect emptiness. The crow mask he had been wearing and the sword in his hand had disappeared and were nowhere to be found.

Beru. Suho tried to call for the ant beast but no words came out of his mouth. Is this a dream?

As he entertained that thought, a sudden voice reached him. “This is not your dream.”

Suho opened his eyes wide and looked ahead. A man was looking at him from the far end of the horizon. He appeared to be well over two meters tall and garbed in what appeared to be fur. The man exuded a wild and untamed aura. In fact, the primal energy he emitted was far more than just an aura—he was the embodiment of wildness.

“Greetings. You are indeed his descendant.” The man bared his sharp fangs and smiled at Suho.

Who are you?

“My name is Rakan. I am the eternal spirit killed by the Monarch of Shadows,” the man answered.

At that moment, the system displayed a message in front of Suho.

[The King of Beasts, the Monarch of Fangs is watching you.]

Suddenly, an enormous presence emanated from the man, and Suho felt the ferociousness of an indomitable predator as his eyes widened. A bear? A lion, a shark, a crocodile, or a venomous snake...? No. A king. He realized that the man before him was Rakan, the true king of the beasts. As the realization dawned on him, the King of Beast’s silhouette grew larger in his line of vision.

Behind the towering human, a tremendously large, pure-white wolf was gazing down at him. “Hm? Do you see my true form? Truly remarkable talent.” The colossal wolf extended his tail as if intrigued. “Naturally, you must possess immense power for you’ve pulled me out of my drifting of a desolate world and called me here.”

I called you? Suho wore a puzzled expression.

“Yes.

Dream?

“That’s right. You are inside my dream,” Rakan chuckled softly and looked around before bursting into a faint, hollow laughter. “There’s nothing here. What else would it be?”

Dreaming was beyond the dead. Therefore, this dream was nothingness itself.

“Quite amusing, isn’t it? The once mighty roar of the Monarch of Fangs, who killed and trampled many beasts in his lifetime, has been reduced to mere words in a dream.”

He turned his gaze back to Suho. The young human who had inherited the powers of the Monarch of Shadows, the small and fragile human child before him, was his only source of stimuli in his dream of emptiness.

“This is it, then.” Rakan’s gaze deepened. “From now on, you will be my only source of amusement.” His lips curled upwards.

A deceased Monarch was bound to eternal rest, a world of emptiness where all sense of self vanished and not even dreams were dreamt. But this was no longer the case.

[The King of Beasts, the Monarch of Fangs is watching you.]

The same message from earlier was repeated.

“Hehe. From now on, I can observe your life through dreams. I’m truly looking forward to it.”

Suho furrowed his brows at Rakan’s words. You can observe me through dreams? How?

“Why are you asking me that? Your powers brought me here in the first place.”

My powers? Suddenly, the new skill he received came to his mind.

Rakan chuckled at his puzzled reaction and continued, “Don’t worry. I can’t see every moment of your life. I can only observe you when you use my power.”

Your power... You mean the Rakan’s Fangs, right?

“Yes. Oh, I can also see you when you’re with my descendant.”

Gray?

“Yes, that’s the name you gave him, right? I’m grateful that you took in my descendant without killing him. It seems that you’ve added enjoyment to my desolate eternal rest,” Rakan said, chuckling as he contemplated something.

Then, a mysterious light radiated from his massive body and descended upon Suho.

[The King of Beasts, Fang Monarch Rakan bestows his blessing upon you.]

Suho looked at his body, puzzled by the light washing over him.

[Blessing: “Rakan’s Aegis” has been activated.]