Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

“Are you okay? You were unconscious for two days!”

The person who entered the hospital room was none other than Lim Cho-gyo.

He examined the complexion of Su-ho, who was sitting on the bed, and their eyes met.

“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry for running away alone!”

He apologized out of nowhere.

The truth was, there was nothing an E-rank hunter could do alone in that situation.

E-rank hunters didn’t have physical abilities that were significantly different from ordinary people, so they didn’t fight with all their might even in dungeons.

One of the precautions Lim Cho-gyo learned when he awakened as an E-rank for the first time was “run away with all your might if you see a demon.”

But Su-ho, who was just an ordinary person at the time, was extremely heroic.

“To rescue people until he collapsed in such a dangerous place!”

Thanks to Su-ho’s heroic actions, Lim Cho-gyo felt so ashamed and embarrassed for the first time in his life.

But Su-ho, who received his apology, was indifferent.

“Well, it’s okay. You don’t have to apologize to me, Cho-gyo.”

“No, I really don’t have anything to say.”

As Lim Cho-gyo kept apologizing, he took out a warm porridge from the shopping bag he brought and prepared it in front of Su-ho.

“Come on, are you hungry? Eat the porridge since you’re on an empty stomach. Here, take the spoon.”

“Oh, what a thoughtful gesture!”

As soon as he saw it, Su-ho’s stomach growled.

The porridge had a delicious aroma of sesame oil, and it was made of good quality beef with a great texture and taste.

Without hesitation, Su-ho grabbed the spoon and started to eat the porridge greedily.

The porridge tasted like honey after two days.

“Shall I cut you an apple now that you’ve finished eating?” asked the assistant professor.

No wonder there were apples in the fridge.

It turned out that the assistant professor had been visiting Suho, who had fainted, yesterday and today.

“I’ve received all the sickness and misfortune of the department’s professors since I’ve been alive. I’ve leveled up so much that I don’t feel any pain.”

He was thinking of being discharged today when the assistant professor handed him an apple and asked, “What about the association staff who left the ward a little while ago? Did they say anything?”

“They were measuring magical power when they left.”

“Oh? Did they measure it? Did you really awaken?”

The assistant professor’s eyes lit up.

“How much magical power do you have? They said the dungeon was D-grade, so if you survived there, you must be at least…”

“It’s E-grade.”

“What? Really?”

The assistant professor’s eyes widened.

Suho showed him the results of the magical power test left by the association staff a little while ago.

“Oh, what is this? It really is E-grade? If your magical power is 46, it’s lower than the average E-grade.”

“What’s wrong? Why are you disappointed, professor? What did you expect? Oh, goosebumps. Did you think you could pressure me if I said I awakened as a great hunter? That’s why you treated me so nicely.”

“No way, kid! If you were a great hunter from the beginning, would you have fainted in such a dangerous place? I thought you were at least D-grade.”

“I knew it. You had such expectations.”

The assistant professor jumped up and down, feeling wronged.

Then he comforted Suho, putting his test results down on the table.

“Well, it’s better this way. E-grade is good, kid. It’s much more stable than an average D-grade, you know?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Ha-ha. Of course you wouldn’t know. You just awakened.”

The assistant professor put his arm around Suho’s shoulder, shaking him.

“It was delicious honey that we ate in two days.

“After you finish it all, should I cut an apple for you?” she asked, noticing that there were apples in the fridge.

As it turned out, Assistant Lim had been visiting Suho’s hospital room, where he had been unconscious, both yesterday and today.

“I’ve received all sorts of visits from department colleagues who have fallen ill. I guess I’ve leveled up to the point where I don’t even get sick,” Suho thought to himself.

He was thinking about leaving the hospital today when Assistant Lim handed him an apple and asked, “By the way, do you remember those association staff who were leaving your hospital room earlier? What did they say when they were here?”

“They were measuring my magic power,” Suho replied.

“Oh, really? Did they measure it? Did you really awaken?” Assistant Lim’s eyes widened.

“What’s your magic power level? They said the dungeon was D-class, so if you survived, you’re at least…”

“It’s E-class,” Suho interrupted.

“What? Really?” Assistant Lim’s eyes widened even more.

Suho showed Assistant Lim the magic power results that the association staff had left behind.

“Oh, what the hell. It really is E-class? A magic power score of 46 is low even for E-class,” Assistant Lim said.

“What’s wrong, Assistant? Did you expect something else? Were you going to give me a prize if I told you I became an amazing hunter or something? That’s why you were being so nice to me earlier,” Suho teased.

“No, you idiot! If you were really an amazing hunter, would you have passed out in such a dangerous place? I thought you would be at least D-class,” Assistant Lim said, feeling unjustly disappointed.

“See? I knew you had high expectations.”

Assistant Lim pouted in frustration, then patted Suho’s shoulder as he put the magic power results down.

“Well, it’s still good news. E-class is a good thing, Suho. It’s much more stable than the mediocre D-class, you know?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Suho said.

“Hehe. Of course you wouldn’t. You just awakened, after all.”

Assistant Lim put her hand on Suho’s shoulder and rubbed it.

“From now on, trust only me and follow my lead. As an experienced E-rank hunter, I’ll guide you into the world of E-rank hunters.”

***

Dungeon raids are carried out through strict division of labor.

First, there’s the attack team that raids the dungeon.

Following them is the collection team that gathers the remains of the monsters.

At the very back, there’s the mining team that mines the resources in the dungeon.

Among these teams, the E-rank hunters are responsible for everything except the attack team.

“That means there are more job opportunities for E-rank hunters.”

It was true that Instructor Lim had said that E-rank hunters were much more stable than mediocre D-rank hunters.

D-rank hunters were the weakest among those who could enter the attack team. In a way, they were the most exposed to danger.

On the other hand, E-rank hunters were completely excluded from the combat force, so it was great to be able to earn a day’s wage just by working in a safe place.

“Of course, there are some E-rank hunters who risk their lives and join the attack team because they need money, but it’s not common. Hospital bills are more expensive. Unless you have a close healer, that is.”

The next day, after being discharged from the hospital, Suho arrived at the Korea National Museum of Art while listening to Instructor Lim’s explanation.

“Am I really coming back here again?”

Suho reminisced as he looked up at the museum, which had been destroyed by Vera.

The purpose of coming here today was nothing other than to become a miner.

Except for the Shadow Dungeon, it was Suho’s first time in a real dungeon, so he had agreed to receive Instructor Lim’s help.

“Oh, by the way, all classes in school have been converted to online until the dungeon is completely cleared. Since you’ve become a hunter, you’ll be taking a leave of absence, of course.”

“That’s right. Anyway, the exhibition is over, and this semester is almost over too.”

“Okay. I’ll go to the TA office and apply for Hunter leave separately. Should we start now?”

TA Lim looked at Sooho with a full of enthusiasm.

From his eyes, Sooho felt the force of an experienced senior.

“Hehe. Today, I will teach you about the wise life of E-class hunters! First, let’s talk about miners!”

[He’s complaining about such a trivial thing.]

“Huh?!”

Suddenly, Ver popped out of Sooho’s shadow.

TA Lim was startled and stumbled.

“A, monster?!”

Ver looked down at TA Lim with a trivial gaze and murmured.

“Tsk, you’re so easily scared. Your Highness, I know much better what a hunter is. You should learn from me instead.”

Then, Ver flew out from behind Sooho and spread his short arms wide, shouting grandly.

“A hunter is a born hunter! They slaughter and dominate their enemies, and eat them up! That is the essence of being a hunter. So, kill and kill again to gain all that strength… Huh?”

Sooho’s hand grabbed Ver, who was glowing, like a baseball.

“Why did you come out suddenly?”

“I felt the dungeon’s energy nearby. Right now, Your Highness is weak and vulnerable like a helpless caterpillar. I must stick by your side and protect you.”

Ver’s body stretched and squirmed, and then he slipped out of Sooho’s hand and landed on his shoulder. The mini-Ver on Sooho’s shoulder began to glare fiercely, watching the surroundings.

“But Suho is not fooled anymore.

‘He’s probably just going to stand by and watch when we actually fight.’

At that moment, Assistant Lim regained his senses and cautiously pointed at Beru.

“Suho, is that thing a summoned creature?”

[No.]

Beru replied firmly instead of Suho.

Strictly speaking, Beru was not Suho’s summoned creature, but his father’s.

“If it’s not a summoned creature, then what is it…?”

Even Assistant Lim, who had already been pushed back in the first round of the fight, inadvertently used honorifics.

Beru’s eyes flickered intensely.

[I am a nanny.]

“…a nanny?”

Assistant Lim raised his head in confusion.

[Yes. By human standards… I’m like a kind of uncle.]

“…?”

[Hehe. There were times like that.]

What is this thing saying?

Beru looked at Suho’s face wistfully, murmuring incomprehensible sounds.

Ignoring Beru, Assistant Lim asked Suho directly.

“Did you awaken as a summoning hunter?”

“Yes, I guess so.”

“Hmm. That’s impressive. You’re the first E-rank summoner I’ve seen.”

Assistant Lim stopped talking.

There’s no need to mention how low-ranking Summoning Hunters are.

And to think that an E-rank Hunter would have a summoning skill.

“It’s a minor of a minor.”

Assistant Lim glanced at Beru, who was standing on Suho’s shoulder.

He was just surprised when he suddenly appeared a little while ago, but now that he’s seeing Beru’s cute appearance up close…

‘It’s useless, isn’t it?’

[That look is very disrespectful. Should I pluck them out for you?]”

“….”

Assistant Lim glanced at him slightly.

Still, the summoner seemed to be quick-witted enough to be careful, judging by his swift perception.

Moreover, since he could converse, he might be unexpectedly useful?

“Ahem. There are many E-class hunters without skills, but you’re lucky. By the way, I have a running skill.”

“I see. That’s why you were good at running away.”

“….”

Suho’s innocent remark hurt Lim’s feelings.

It hurt even more because it was true.

***

So Suho became a miner with Lim’s recommendation.

“All right! Let’s work hard today too!”

The mining team, consisting of E-class hunters, was practically a construction site labor atmosphere.

“Hey, newbie! Come get a pickaxe.”

Chuk.

The dungeon pickaxe, now in Suho’s hand.

The uncle who was handing out the pickaxes gave Suho a friendly smile and said,

“If you break it while working, come back and get another one from me. But be careful because the cost of the pickaxe will be deducted from your daily wage. Still, you’re amazing for a young friend. You’re a student at this school?”

“Yeah, he’s that guy.”

Surprisingly, most of the miners recognized Suho and approached him first with friendly greetings.

“It’s because of that news.”

Suho smiled wryly as he recalled the news that had been posted on the internet yesterday and today.

The title was “Korean University’s Hero Becomes an E-Class Hunter.”

It was a vague news that was neither praise nor insult.

It was because if he had become a hero of the art museum as a civilian, he would have received a brave citizen’s award, but since he had awakened in the middle of it and became a mere hunter, that’s what he had become.

However, as a hunter, he received the lowest rank, so it was a somewhat ambiguous situation in the eyes of others.

But even that situation seemed to work in favor of these old men.

“Hehe. What a shame. If I had awakened and got a higher rank or two, my status would have been much different.”

“Don’t be too upset about your low rank~ We’re doing well enough ourselves, right?”

“Right, right. Although our bodies are a bit worn out, if we’re good at digging with a pickaxe, we don’t need any special skills, so how great is that?”

They were all eager to give advice to Suho, who had just joined as a fresh and promising recruit.

And Beruga really didn’t like this heartwarming atmosphere.

“My lord, rather than wasting time chatting with these ignoramuses, why don’t you go level up or something? Time is precious, after all.”

“Oh! Is this a summoned creature?”

“Kya. I’ve never seen a creature like this before.”

“If you bring it around with you, it’ll be cute.”

“It’s too small to be of any use in mining, though.”

The miners gathered in amazement at the sight of Beruga suddenly appearing.

Beruga, on the other hand, growled fiercely and breathed out a warning to them.

“Oh, don’t come any closer, you rude guys! Our lord is weak, and if I hit you, you could die! My lord, don’t worry. I’ll protect you!”

“…?”

Suho looked at Beruga with suspicion.

Was this overprotectiveness, or was he just playing along?

“Hahaha. Your summoned creature is reliable.”

“Well, then let’s go do some work too.”

The miners dispersed, laughing and joking with their picks, surrounding Beruga with their cuteness(?).

At the sight of this, Suho suddenly had a good idea.

“Beruga.”

“Yes, my lord. If you give me orders, I will chop off the necks of those impure scum.”

“…Don’t do that.”

“Then what command do you have for me?”

“Bring out some goblin corpses from the Shadow Dungeon.”