209

Solo Leveling Chapter 209

The biggest gate ever seen on earth had appeared in the United States. It was Karmish.

But the gate in front was more than ten times the size of Karmis.

Do we even need to measure the level of this gate?

But since someone had to do it, the Hunter Association had launched a helicopter. Inside, only Hunters were on board. That’s because the public staff could not withstand the magic emitted by this “extreme gate” and could potentially have their bodies damaged.

*Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta*

The helicopter carried a pilot, a co-pilot and two staff members.

Is this what it feels like to be sucked into a black hole?

“Have you ever seen anything like this, sir?” a staff member inside the helicopter asked as he looked at the giant black circle that was creeping closer.

The sun had already set so the helicopter had to rely on its own light, but the sheer size of the gate couldn’t be missed.

The senior official shook his head.

“No. I don’t think anyone has ever seen a gate this size.”

The whole world had become startled and shocked by the appearance of this gate. It never happened that a gate appeared in the sky. Especially not one of this size.

If the world learned that even Thomas Andre had doubted his own eyes, there would have been no mistakes about seeing such a gate.

*Gulp”

As the two people looking at the gate swallowed nervously simultaneously, the helicopter slowed it’s approach.

“The helicopter will be in danger if it approaches any further!”

The employ who had agreed to measure the rating prepared. When measuring the rating of a gate, it’s common to be directly in front of the gate.

However there was clearly no need for that here.

As soon as the switch for the equipment was turned on, the meter went off without a sound. It was evidence that the measuring device couldn’t handle the magical power coming out of the gate.

This was expected.

“Sir.”

The employee who was operating the instrument stared at his superior. The commanding officer nodded in agreement.

The staff then relied the measurement results to the Association. But at that moment, another staff member looking at the window shouted.

“Be careful!”

A surprised employee quickly turned around.

“What is it?”

“There’s something that just passed by the window.”

“What? Is it already at that stage?”

A gate that was created less than a day ago has magic coming out of it?

One of the senior Hunters replied, “I thought it was impossible, but I saw it.”

He could not blame the others for not catching it.

“Look! There!”

The Hunter pointed outside, gesturing to what he had just seen again.

At this time, a voice came from the headset that was worn by one of the Association employees.

“What’s happening out there? Yoo Sang Won! What happened?” “Yes President! There may be a Magical Beast near the helicopter!” “What!?”

“But ... I don’t think it’s a normal situation. I’m not sure ...”

“How could you not know if you encountered a beast? I didn’t send you up there to investigate the beast. Retreat now!”

“Oh no, President. It’s just that there is also a person outside on the beast.” “What are you talking about? How could a person ride a beast?”

At this time,Woo Jin-chul’s voice paused. Then it continued. “Sangwon … can you see the face of the person riding it?” “Wait. Yes … but it’s blurry.”

“Is it Hunter Sung Jin-woo?”

“ … “

“ … “

“ Yes … “

The employee who was glued to the window to look at the magical beast flying outside, breathed a sigh of relief.

“Um … but sir, how did you know that?”

***

Meanwhile, Jin-woo who was riding Kaiser, came closer to the gate. As he flew to the bottom of the gate what he saw was an obsidian black lake endlessly sweeping the sky.

The size was overwhelming.

Ordinary Hunters couldn’t withstand the enormous magical power of this Gate, but Jin-woo had

been calm until he decided to check it out for himself.

The helicopter that was around quickly returned to the ground as if it sensed danger.

Jin-woo, who looked over to the helicopter for a moment, approached the gate.

Above his head, the gate yawned it’s gaping maw as far as he could see.

As the black curtain of the gate was still present, he could not see what was inside of the gate. “...”

If I touch it, I’ll pass through and be sucked through like the Red Gate … Jin-woo carefully reached out his hand.

Perhaps I can take care of this gate before it breaks open and monsters pour out.

The fingertips touched the gate’s surface in anticipation.

What?

It was the first time he had experienced this since becoming a Hunter.

He couldn’t pass through the gate.

His hand was blocked by a black membrane that was as hard as a wall.

If this was a regular gate barrier, I could break it … but.

The wall did not budge despite Jin-woo pushing his hand as hard he he could.

* Tap tap *

Jin-woo, who tapped on the surface, thought to himself.

This is different. A gate that can’t be passed through by a Hunter. It’s different from any gate I’ve ever seen.

Are the things inside also different? Whatever it is …

Whatever comes out, he knew there were families and friends beneath.

He did not intend to let it go easily.

I have soldiers who will fight with their upgraded stats.

The moment he thought that.

* Wooooooooooo! *

The soldiers that were hiding in the shadows seemed to be shouting into his ear. It was a cross between anxiety and excitement. This was a first.

After Jin-woo had become a Player and gained the power of the System he knew that there must have been a reason for it.

If not for this, then what?

Jin-woo laughed at this thought and laid his hands on the gate.

Then.

A vibration in his pocket brought his attention back. The Caller ID showed someone calling from Japan’s Hunter Association.

Jin-woo quickly answered the phone because it was a call he was expecting.

“Hello, Hunter Sung?”

“Yes, please speak.”

“I can’t hear you well. I’m sorry. Should I call back?”

Jin-woo grinned as he looked down at the tiny buildings beneath his feet. They looked like children’s toys to his height.

“​No that’s not necessary. I’m in a very high place right now. Did you find what I asked you to find?”

“Yes. I scanned all over Japan with a satellite. By the way …”

The employee of Japan’s Hunter Association became unusually reticent.

What is happening in Japan right now?

“Sir, there are no gates in Japan. Not a single gate has appeared.”

“...!”

It was a shock for Jin-woo who had stayed out of Japan since he had hunted the giants there.

“No gates have appeared?”

“Yes that’s right. I thought this was only particular to Japan and then I contained other Hunter management agencies in other countries … “

The staff spoke his next words hesitantly.

“Since the gate appeared above Seoul, all new gates have vanished from all over the world. They’ve completely disappeared.”

The gate had been around for three hours.

What’s the chances that all gates simultaneously stopped appearing all over the world during these three hours?

Jin-woo’s face hardened. He looked at the gate above him with a stoic face.

It’s definitely not a coincidence.

“Sir, I’m afraid that this may be an unnecessary question but why did you ask me to locate the highest ranking gate for you?”

“ … “

The answer was a bit difficult to give.

How can I say that I wanted to try out the 1,500 Attack daggers that were given by Thomas to me before this gate appeared?

Jin-woo wasn’t quite sure what to say.

“Well … since no one knows what needs to happen tomorrow, shouldn’t someone plant apple trees?”

“Oh … okay. Apple trees. I see. That’s nice.”

At this point, Jin-woo tried to hang up the phone because he hoped his vague and misleading answer would not be targeted.

“Actually Hunter Sung …”

“... Yes?”

The staff hesitantly said, “I do not like Korea very much. As you know, the Japanese Hunter Association had been worried about jeju ants in the past few years. And as an Association employee and a Japanese citizen, I hated Koreans.”

Jin-woo listened quickly.

“But Hunter, you changed my mind. Korea has greatly helped us. I thank you for helping us, and I thank Korea, your country.”

As his story went on, his voice began to tremble.

“So please do not let the things that happened to us in Japan happen in Korea.”

People were trampled by giants.

A burning city consumed by an inferno. Screams of desperation echoed throughout fiery plains.

The massacre.

This nightmare not yet old enough to be forgotten.

The staff member knew because he had witnessed this disaster. It was something that should not happen to anyone.

Jin-woo who had listened quickly, replied calmly.

“I will not let it happen.”

It was not a promise. It was a statement of belief in himself.

It was also the reason he had constantly pursued his growth. And he will now show the results of that.

The employee who had heard Jin-woo’s answer laughed.

I did not expect to envy Korea. But now I envy Korea because that is where Hunter Sung is.

The Japanese staff member thanked Jin-woo for giving him the chance to evacuate the atmosphere.

“Then please contact me again.”

“Yes.”

Jin-woo put his phone back into his pocket and stared silently at the eerily calm gate. It felt like the calm before a storm.

There were six days left.

Jin-woo’s eyes glowed in the dark.

“Let’s go down.”

* Kiaak! *

The dragon, carrying Jin-woo, flew down.

***

About a day later, people noticed the changes.

Gates disappeared.

No new gates were created after the ultra-large gate appeared above Seoul.

There was no way to know if this was a good or bad thing, but many welcomed the turn of events.

Woo Jin-chul of the Hunter’s Association made the decision.

“Let’s call all Hunters across the country to Seoul.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“But sir, if a dungeon break occurs at a gate we haven’t managed to detect yet.” “Maybe we should call back half the hunters and leave the rest?”

* BANG! *

In the face of this opposition, Woo Jin-chul slammed the table in the conference room.

Everyone turned to witness the rage of the highest ranking Hunter in the room.

Woo Jin-chul bared his teeth.

“Are we in a situation where we can afford to prepare for invisible threats?”

Everyone was speechless.

Woo Jin-chul pointed outside the conference room.

“We are facing an unprecedented situation. And I don’t know if we can just be careless about that damn thing!”

Woo Jin-chul spoke with a feverish voice. He looked at everyone.

“I’ll take responsibility for any damage that occurs in any other areas in Korea. If you want all of my possessions, I’ll give it. I will fight this with my life.”

There was no further opposition.

If opinions of subordinates diverged when the lives of many were at risk in a dungeon, the leader may kill their subordinates. This is because the wrong judgement of a few could lead to the destruction of the whole.

The same situation was a crime outside of a dungeon, but it was different inside of a dungeon.

A dungeon raid was a war, not a children’s game.

And now.

A war was about to take place in the world, outside of the dungeon.

“Call every hunter in the country to Seoul now. Every man who can fight.”

As a result of Woo Jin-chul’s command, all the Hunters of South Korea started moving towards Seoul.