Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

Chapter 29

A minor misunderstanding had taken place, but fortunately, it was swiftly dealt with. The association hunters realized that Suho was not a demon and immediately followed directions to the factory.

“So, where are all the demons?”

They arrived on the scene to discover clear signs of a fierce battle but were surprised there wasn’t a single trace of demonkind to be found.

The hunters’ puzzled eyes focused on Suho, who awkwardly shrugged and said, “Haha. I’d like to know too. I wonder if they ran away somehow?”

Belch.

Beru was openly belching beside him, but nobody suspected anything. The summoned beast was the size of a stuffed doll, after all.

“Hm... It seems like they knew we were coming and evacuated.”

“Well, we did arrive rather quickly. We got here as soon as we could once the report came in.”

Belch.

The ant beast’s loud belches drew no suspicions. His stomach was bulging, but the hunters just assumed it always was.

“Still, it’s fortunate that we secured the scene.”

Securing the area was a tremendous achievement in itself. The team had successfully located the factory used to manufacture Stardust for the first time. Furthermore, they uncovered the shocking truth behind the manufacturing process—human sacrifice.

“Thank you very much,” one of the hunters thanked.

After they returned to the surface, the association hunters gathered together to express their gratitude to everyone present at the scene including Suho and Dogyoon.

“Thanks to your report, we’ll be able to prevent many future crimes. The association and the police will continue to do our best in the investigation,” an association hunter announced, “also, you’ll all be rewarded for your contributions to this investigation.”

Suho was chuffed to find out that they gave rewards for reporting crimes. Great. With this money, I can buy some meat for those guys short on blood.

Suho thought about the extraterrestrial beings he had left behind in the Shadow Dungeon. Whether they were the last descendants of the Fang Clan or the sole surviving demon noble, they were simply hungry refugees to him.

***

Jaehyuk opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling.

“Ugh...”

“Sir, are you coming to your senses?”

Han Jaehyuk groggily sat up from the bed. He was surrounded by white walls and the smell of antiseptic lingered in the air. It was a hospital. He looked at his subordinate with a bewildered expression. “Why am I here?”

“You don’t remember? You fainted.”

“I fainted?”

“Yes. A single punch knocked you out.”

“I see...”

The mention of a punch brought back the fleeting memory. That crow mask! Jaehyuk quickly rose from his bed and shouted, “That demon! What happened to the demon?!”

“He wasn’t a demon.”

“Huh? He wasn’t?”

“That’s right. He was the hunter we went down to find.” the subordinate exhaled deeply and continued, “It was a clear mistake on our part.” He then proceeded to explain everything that had happened while the team leader was unconscious.

Han Jaehyuk’s expression suddenly stiffened. “What did you just say?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You said there was a summoner? Who’s the summoner?”

“Who else could it be? The hunter who knocked you out, of course.”

“What?” He couldn’t believe his ears as his face wrinkled with confusion. “Are you saying that some summoner kids knocked me out? Me, Han Jaehyuk?”

“That’s the truth. You shouldn’t let your guard down next time. And would it hurt to use your trademark skill right away? ”

“But I did use it right away...”

“You did? When?”

“I definitely used my skill!”

It was the subordinate’s turn to be confused. “Then how did you faint? You’re a C-rank tanker.”

“You’re telling me!”

“Sir, did you really faint after using your skill? That doesn’t make any sense. That guy is an E-rank hunter.”

“E-rank? Are you kidding me right now?” Han Jaehyuk glared at his team member with a stern expression.

“Why would I risk making a joke right now? I checked his hunter license, he’s definitely an E-rank. His name was... Sung Suho.”

“Sung Suho?” A face suddenly flashed through Han Jaehyuk’s mind that matched the name. Coincidentally, it belonged to the new E-rank hunter he had measured for mana recently. Surely, it couldn’t be?

“You’re right. It’s him. Look, I’m not trying to be difficult. I was there with you when we measured him, remember? He was the kid from the Hanguk University Dungeon. E-rank hero Sung Suho.”

“I can’t believe it... That college kid? How on earth is this possible?” Han Jaehyuk exclaimed with disbelief.

But his team member responded flatly, “There must have been a measurement error. How else would an E-rank hunter make you unconscious with a single punch? You even used your trademark skill. I assume he’s at least a C-rank.”

“You really know how to rub it in, don’t you?”

“Anyway, I apologized on your behalf. I also suggested that he visit the association later for a reevaluation. Well, that just about sums everything up. It’s time for me to clock out.”

A man’s pride was a difficult thing to restore. Han Jaehyuk, who usually would have delegated all the work to his subordinates and napped comfortably, sighed in frustration as he watched his subordinate clock out on the dot.

“Kids these days!”

An E-rank due to a measurement error? It was a rare but acceptable mistake. Mismeasurements were an unfortunate occurrence from time to time.

As he found himself alone, he tried to recall the moment he fainted to answer the bigger question on his mind. Clearly, he was a summoner... Given the presence of a large summon that resembled a hyena right next to him, it was undeniable that he was a summoner. But how? How did he possess such extraordinary power? Could that strength be some variation of a summoning skill? Hm...

Han Jaehyuk stroked his chin and remembered his first encounter with the young man at the hospital. He looked like a fairly decent-looking, ordinary college student. He was tall and with a decent build, fairly nondescript. His first impression of him didn’t scream “hunter with extraordinary power.”

Well, we’ll find out more as we go...

He suddenly remembered giving Suho the same typical farewell he gave to everyone after their mana measurement.

“Sung Suho, we look forward to seeing your great contributions in the future.”

A warm smile spread across Han Jaehyuk’s face. “This is really something to look forward to.”

The potential of the college kid and his future filled him with anticipation.

***

Meanwhile, Lee Minsung was fuming with anger at the Fiend Guild’s headquarters.

“What did you say?! How could it just disappear? The factory was functioning perfectly fine!”

“A hunter reported the location to the associations and...”

Thump!

Lee Minsung kicked the man who was trying his best to find the right words in his stomach. He continuously kicked him against the wall and screamed at the top of his lungs, “So what? Screw the association! Do you think I’m someone you can mess with? You took my money, so I want my sh*t delivered to me, right now!”

“Sir, we’re victims too! The demons at the factory disappeared overnight without a trace!”

The rage behind the A-rank hunter’s furious stomping was too violent to be considered a simple angry outburst. The man being kicked mercilessly wouldn’t have even survived the first blow if he wasn’t a hunter.

After venting his anger for a while, the vice guild master of the Fiend Guild realized that the hunter was losing consciousness, so he slapped his cheek to wake him up and lifted him by the collar. “So, tell me what happened to all the demons.”

The man gulped. “Well, um...” Despite his initial hesitation, he hastily told him everything he knew.

Minsung’s brow furrowed as he absorbed the information. “So, the factory was discovered by some hunters who happened to be passing by?”

“Yes. It seems that they fought off the demons and rescued the survivors.”

“Does that make any sense to you?”

“Well, um...”

“The idiots that I have to deal with...”Minsung’s anger flared up again as pulled the man’s collar toward him. “It wasn’t a large guild but a team led by a mere C-rank healer? An assault team like that successfully fought off ten demons? The leader was only C-rank for crying out loud. What makes it worse is that the other nine were comprised of D-rank and E-rank hunters and collectors!”

“I also...”

“You what?” Minsung barked.

“I also think none of this makes any sense!” the man closed his eyes tightly and shouted at him.

To his surprise, Minsung released his collar and tidied it up as if he had been calm from the beginning. He then asked him with a gentle tone, “Then tell me what makes sense to you. I suggest that you come up with something a little more useful this time. If you want to live, that is.”

“I have a feeling that the association might have meddled in this from the start.”

“Hm?”

“As you know, the association has been relentlessly searching for the source of Stardust. It seems like they somehow made a breakthrough and raided the place.”

“Go on.”

“But openly investigating a substance that isn’t illegal would inevitably lead to blowback from guilds like ours that accept Stardust. So...”

“So, you think they set up some amateurs as a decoy and pretended to act after receiving a tip-off?”

“Yes! Exactly!”

“Not bad. That does make more sense.” Lee Minsung nodded. “Very well. I’ve seen those demons with my own eyes. There is no chance that they were taken out by low-ranked hunters.”

“Absolutely, sir...”

“What now?”

“Pardon?”

“Do I have to spell everything out for you? Don’t tell me you don’t have a backup plan?” A terrifying aura emanated from Minsung once again, overwhelming the man.

“O-of course! There is more than one factory! The Seoul Station Field was convenient for deliveries due to the subway lines. There are many demons out there hidden all over the place operating Stardust factories.”

“All over the place? It’s true what the kids say, South Korea really is hell on earth. You’re telling me there are that many demons around?” Lee Minsung burst into a sinister laugh and then grinned heartily. “I’ll only remind you of this once. The only reason I chose to save your dirty group is solely because of Stardust. Got that?”

“Well, o-of course... We’re always g-grateful to you, Vice Guild Master,” the man stammered.

“Then do your jobs properly! A drowning dog that was rescued should know how to repay the favor.”

Suddenly, hair started sprouting from the man’s face, and he transformed into a werewolf. He was a surviving member of the Hyena Guild who was on the run from the association. With nowhere else to go, he offered himself to Minsung, who he had been conducting business with this whole time.

However, a more significant problem was brewing beneath the surface.

Darn it, this is bad. I have only a few days left before the power of blood completely vanishes.

Hyena Guild members could turn into werewolves after consuming the blood of the Fang Clan, but the effect only lasted ten days. If they didn’t consume blood every ten days, they would not only fail to maintain their beastly transformation skill but also turn back into ordinary humans. The man thought it was best to keep this a secret from Minsung since he wouldn’t spare him if he found out.

I need to do whatever it takes before my powers vanish. I need to either find that missing young wolf from Gwanaksan or discover another descendant of the Fang Clan.

The two men worked together but they each had their own goals. Minsung and the werewolf faced each other, each contemplating their objectives.

***

Suho entered the butcher shop with the reward money he received from the Hunters Association.

“Hello, welcome!”

The butcher happened to be in the middle of preparing a cut of meat as Suho came in and smiled warmly “What kind of meat are you after?”

“Pork, please. Actually, a whole pig if possible.”

The butcher looked shocked.

“No. Make that two whole pigs.”