Read Daily Updated Light Novel, Web Novel, Chinese Novel, Japanese And Korean Novel Online.
Solo Leveling: Ragnarok (Web Novel) - Chapter 358
Chapter 358
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
A hellscape unfolded beyond the atmosphere. It was as if the entire sky enveloping the Earth had become a single, massive Gate."Wh-what... is that...?"
Between the forest of buildings in Seoul. Beyond Times Square in New York. Amidst the skyscrapers of Dubai. All of humanity across the globe simultaneously looked up at the sky in astonishment. The peaceful sky was cracking like glass. And through the fissures, the landscape of another world, mixed with the colors of blood and toxic purple, was visible.
Groooaaar
Kiiieeeeeee...!
There, unimaginably horrific monsters writhed. And the apostles who had once invaded Earth were teeming like common soldiers. The sight was sufficient to awaken the primal fear dormant in the deepest parts of humanity. The cities instantly descended into chaos.
"The police! No, call the Hunters!"
"We need to find out what that is immediately...!"
"What on earth is happening! What is the government doing!"
But the strangest thing was...
[This is breaking news!]
[Currently, no abnormal phenomena are being detected by any observation equipment worldwide! The sky is still blue....]
"What is this...?"
An unbelievable thing was happening. On TV and smartphone screens, weathercasters and reporters, with voices full of confusion, were repeating the same words.
In reality, nothing is happening.
What on earth did that mean? This bizarre and hideous hellscape, visible just by lifting ones head...
[No electronic device on Earth can detect it!]
[It is only identifiable by the naked eye...!]
It was exactly as the anchors said. Cell phones. Cameras. Even satellites. They could not capture the scene so clearly visible right before peoples eyes. The only ones who could see that landscape existing far beyond the sky, in a distant universe, were the living beings on Earth.
"Is it a mass hallucination...?"
Someone murmured. But to dismiss it as a mere hallucination, the scale was too large. A hallucination affecting all of humanity simultaneously? At this point, wasnt that sufficiently real?
Fear imprinted directly onto the soul, not affecting technology.
That was the true nature of the authority that had now engulfed the entire Earth. Then, instinctively, the gazes of all living beings on Earth were forced to meet the gaze of the absolute being who had perpetrated this act. At the center of the cracked sky loomed what seemed to be the source of all this disaster...
A colossal eye.
That ominous and overwhelming gaze was not merely an image floating in the sky. It was the eye of an absolute being, observing this world from far beyond the dimensional plane. The moment they met that gaze, all life on Earth, before any rational judgment could be made, instinctively realized the truth.
That is a god.
"Ah... Aaaah..."
And simultaneously, the horrific truth that this god was by no means a being on their side was also engraved upon everyones souls.
"Is the world... ending..."
Sighs of despair flowed from peoples mouths.
The Apocalypse.
Indeed, the true end had come. Even the first Cataclysm hadnt been to this extent. Though it had caused large-scale chaos then, at least it hadnt engulfed the world in such absolute terror all at once. But if everything beyond that sky were to pour down onto Earth simultaneously... it would truly be the end. An overwhelming fear, as if ones very soul was wearing away just by looking descended. Even the Hunters, who had always bravely defended the front lines against magical beasts, could do nothing in a situation like this. Everyone could sense that the gaze looking down upon them was an existence capable of shattering the sky and turning this land into hell whenever it pleased. Before that inevitable fate, humanity could do nothing. Nothing but helplessly await the end. As this instinctive despair spread like a plague across all humanity...
"Huh?"
"There... in front of it..."
Without anyone needing to point it out, people began to notice. The sight of people standing, blocking the path of that absolute and overwhelming entity, the eye of god! Recognizing that fact, an astonishing scene unfolded before them.
Fwaaaaaaah
"...?!"
As if the eye of the god itself had become a giant screen, the desperate struggle taking place in the secret Arctic base began to unfold vividly across the tattered sky, transcending the dimensional wall. A man, blazing with pitch-black energy. Before him, a giant, ant-shaped beast with unfurled wings. And even a queen bee, in the form of a beautiful woman, leading a countless swarm of insects. Like a scene from a myth, they stood, daring to face the eye of the god. And the face of the man standing at the center... crossed the torn dimensional wall and entered the vision of all humanity living across the globe. Like the silhouette of a massive mountain range stretching far in the distance. And then, from someone who recognized that mans face, a trembling voice flowed out.
"Sung... Suho?"
That single phrase was the catalyst. The eyes of the people, who had been sunk in despair, began to fill with astonishment one by one. From all over the world where his face was recognized, the same name spread like a wave across the entire planet.
"Sung Suho...!"
"Its Hunter Sung Suho!"
The shouts of those who belatedly recognized his identity echoed towards the heavens. Hope, which had been suppressed by fear, a dying ember, began to burn again amidst the ashes of despair.
Sung Suho.
He was now, on behalf of humanity, confronting a god!
***
Thus, while all of humanity watched the situation unfolding in the Arctic base...
[I shall block it.]
Beru, standing before Sung Suho, revealed his full power.
Fwaaaaaaah!
Since arriving on Earth Beru had consumed countless Essence Stones to recover his depleted original strength. But it wasnt enough. No matter how much he ate, it was hopelessly insufficient. Beru was, no matter what anyone said, Sung Jinwoos closest aide. One of the strongest Marshals in the Shadow Legion. To recharge that immense power, he had to eat an innumerable number of Essence Stones. Even then, the moment he used that power, he would have to recharge an equivalent amount again. So he couldnt just use the power he had painstakingly gathered at any time. So he waited, and waited. Prepared for the right moment to use his power. And at the same time, he wished and hoped that such a moment would never come. But...
Right now.
That time had finally come. To think the Outer God Itarim would directly invade Earth like this...!
[Young Master, thank you. Thanks to you feeding me a large amount of the Essence Stones they had gathered before coming here...]
Thats right. Suho, through Adam White, had extorted all the Essence Stones the US Hunter Bureau had collected until now. No... he had politely requested them. Having learned of the possibility of encountering Itarim through Norma Selner, how could he come here empty-handed without any preparation? War, naturally, required much preparation, and Suho had come to this place having prepared as much as possible, by any means necessary. That preparation, of course, included restoring Berus original power... Because Beru was his fathers most powerful weapon. A force stronger than any other...
he result was right before him.
Flash!
He shone.
[Beru Lv.Max]
[Marshal Rank]
The moment the humble name tag, which had once been of the lowest Grade, instantly regained its original qualification. Berus entire body exploded with immense mana.
Kwaaaaaaaang!
All the power he had suppressed until now burst forth at once. Berus stature swelled to its fullest. Berus wings spread wide. Berus eyes, wide open and white, met the eye of the Outer God.
[The one who dares to touch our Young Master...]
Berus voice had completely changed. Entirely different from the polite yet fussy tone he used when dealing with Suho, the voice of a battle-hardened veteran who had experienced countless battlefields, filled with killing intent, gritted its teeth towards the Outer God.
[I shall personally tear you limb from limb!]
Simultaneously, the Outer God Itarims full-scale attack began. And countless gazes began to pour down from the giant eye.
[Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!]
Leaving Suho behind, Beru leaped towards those attacks.
Shweeeeeeeeeeeek!
Though the Outer Gods main body hadnt crossed over directly, its gaze alone was sufficient. The gaze of the Outer God, capable of piercing through the entire Earth with just a small hole, materialized into sharp blade tips.
Fwoosh! Flash! Shweeeek!
Hundreds, thousands of transparent, deadly blades flew towards Beru simultaneously. Those gazes were by no means straight lines. As vast as to contain the entire planet Earth in a single glance. The trajectories of those gazes also poured down from thousands, tens of thousands of angles and directions. Each of those attacks contained the Outer Gods authority to see through all things, rendering any defense meaningless.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Space itself split wherever the Outer Gods gaze passed. Unseen, but following that trajectory, the air was torn, and the Arctic base was devastated. Not content with that, the very continent of the North Pole seemed on the verge of shattering. But... Beru, who had leaped into the center of all those attacks, never retreated.
Evade? He had no such thought. If he dodged, Sung Suho was behind him!
[Young Master, watch my movements closely from behind.]
Suddenly, Beru called out to Suho.
[This is my final lesson.]
...!
A peculiar emotion was mixed in Berus voice now. As if somewhat excited. The feeling of a master wishing to impart a final teaching to his disciple. Therefore, for the first time, Beru firmly rebuked Suho.
[The Young Masters Slaughter skill is a fake.]
"...What?"
At those words, Suho was bewildered. His Slaughter, a fake all of a sudden? What did he mean by that in this situation?
Swish-swish-swish-swish-swish!
Beru, firmly blocking Suhos path, parried the numerous attacks flying from all directions and calmly opened his mouth.
[The true Slaughter that the King completed... begins with striking the vital points.]
[Skill: Vital Strike Lv.1]
Looking back, Sung Jinwoos primary skill, Slaughter, began from here. In contrast, Suho had learned the Slaughter skill through a rune stone provided by Yoo Jinho. The results were the same, but the gap in the process was significant. And Beru was, no matter what anyone said, Sung Jinwoos loyal subject. The Marshal who had watched all of Sung Jinwoos battles for the longest time, and at the same time...
[Though the foundation of my strength is Predation, it is not as if I have grown my power solely through that.]
Sung Jinwoos longest-standing training partner. Beru was the one who had honed his combat skills by sparring with Sung Jinwoo countless times as his training partner. Therefore... Beru could confidently assert. That among all the Shadow Soldiers, he was the one most intimately familiar with Sung Jinwoos fighting style!
Grin
[Therefore, from now on.]
Beru grinned widely, a proud smile on his face.
[I shall show you the true Slaughter, which I myself have mastered by taking blows with my own body!]
At that moment. Each of Berus sharp claws became a dagger. And the trajectories of those daggers precisely mimicked Sung Jinwoos Slaughter.
Swish-swish-swish-swish-swish-swish-swish!
He began to mercilessly shred the countless attacks of the Outer God flying from all directions. Numerous gazes of the Outer God were cut apart.
[A mere creature performs tricks.]
The Outer God merely sneered at Berus desperate struggle. From the start, the Itarim looked down on all created beings. No matter how much they tried, there was an immense gap between the creator Itarim and the created beings.
[Struggle some more, insect.]
Fwaaaaaaah!
Suddenly, the Outer Gods eye began to rapidly expand. Then, its image visible through the dimensional hole grew larger and clearer.
Kwaaaaaaaang!
At that moment, the power of the Outer Gods attack also grew exponentially stronger. No longer mere spears or swords, but a force that could be called lightning without any exaggeration.
Ruuuumble!
A greatsword of gaze descended with the force to cleave a radius of several dozen kilometers. Space was torn along the blades trajectory, and the dimension itself screamed. But... Even so, Beru was still smiling.
Fwaaaaaaah!
And still facing the Outer Gods eye head-on, he spoke.
[Insect, you say. Remember this. My name is Beru.]
He spoke his own name, proudly.
[I am Beru, the Marshal who roamed the battlefields alongside the great Shadow Monarch, on the very front lines of the fierce war in outer space.]
