214

Solo Leveling Chapter 214

As soon as he entered cell phone range, his phone rang.

"The Hunter Association?" Jin-woo's face hardened as he saw the caller ID. What had happened while he was away? Jin-woo quickly picked up the phone. “Hello, Hunter?”

"Yes, it’s Sung Jin-woo."

Jin-woo, who could hear an urgency in the association staff’s voice, began to wonder.

“What happened?”

“It’s --- no, the Association President will tell you. I will connect you directly with the President.” It was a matter of enough importance that needed to be handled directly by the President.

As Jin-woo waited silently, Woo Jin-chul’s connected immediately as if he was waiting for the call. His voice was urgent.

“Hunter Sung! Why didn’t you call me earlier?”

"I was out of phone range before."

In an area that had been contaminated by frequent Dungeon Breaks, communication with the outside world was often fragmented and difficult.

But he thought it wouldn’t be too much of a problem since he had put a Shadow Soldier in the shadows of each person he wanted to keep safe.

Did that super-giant gate in the sky open while I was gone?

It shouldn’t be until at least two more days.

Jin-woo, who began to speculate and was about to ask Woo Jin-chul for more information, got what he wanted immediately.

“A monster appeared in the middle of Seoul and it’s on a rampage.”

* BA-BUMP *

Jin-woo, who had been excited to have a rest with Cha Hae-in, felt his chest sink.

“How many monsters are there?”

“There’s only one.”

One?

All the Hunters in Korea had been called to Seoul. They had all been summoned to defend Seoul in the event of the super-gate’s Dungeon Break. The Association had even provided special equipment to the Hunters.

And now everything is being thrown off course because of one Magical Beast?

Woo-jin chul continued explaining to the mystified Jin-woo.

“One of the guilds I sent to stop him was instantly destroyed. It’s not a regular beast.”

“Where is it now?”

“It’s currently near the Grand Hotel in Seoul.”

Was that just a coincidence?

As the name of the hotel came out of Woo Jin-chul’s voice, Jin-woo felt as if something had stuck in his throat.

That was the same luxury hotel where Thomas Andrew was staying.

Sure enough.

The anxiety in Woo Jin-chul’s voice was clear.

“We have gotten word that Thomas Andre is about to confront the monster.”

No.

Thomas had a Shadow Soldier hiding in his shadow. And Jin-woo had given a command tho this soldier.

‘If you feel anything strange in your surroundings, send a signal to me immediately.’

But if a whole guild had fought a monster and been massacred, why had there been no signal? … wait.

Only then did Jin-woo realize something was amiss.

The Shadow Soldier’s connection to him from Seoul felt very weak. Something was interfering with the signal.

What’s going on?

A powerful enemy, a Nation-level Hunter, and something interrupting his connection with his Shadow Soldiers.

Surely it couldn’t be.

A sudden possibility emerged in Jin-woo’s mind.

He asked quickly.

“President, does the monster have a shadow?”

“... what?”

“Tell me immediately if you know whether the monster casts a shadow or not.” Woo Jin-chul’s voice cut off for a moment. Then he came back on the phone.

“Oh my god. Hunter Sung was right. I just checked with the intel we have. The monster does not have a shadow.”

Oh god.

Jin-woo had recalled that there was no Shadow for the <White Walker> that had attacked President Go Gun-hee.

“Don’t let Thomas fight that monster!”

Maybe the monster was looking for Thomas.

“What? But it’s already …”

The situation was an emergency.

He realized there was no more need to hear any additional explanation. Jin-woo immediately tried to exchange shadows with the shadow he had placed on Thomas,

* DING *

A clear message emerged in front of him.

[The specified Shadow Soldier is not found.]

The same message persisted no matter how many times he tried.

* DING DING *

[The specified Shadow Soldier is not found.]

[The specified Shadow Soldier is not found.]

[The specified Shadow Soldier is not found.]

How could this be?!

Jin-woo’s astonished face hardened into stone.

The soldier is … gone?

The Shadow Soldier, which he could use to immediately swap locations with the skill [Shadow Exchange], was gone.

There was no trace of the Shadow Soldier anywhere. It was clear that the line connecting Thomas with the Shadow Soldier had been broken.

The destruction of a Shadow Soldier.

Confusion emerged from Jin-woo’s mouth.

“What’s going on?”

***

Renat Niermann heard a deep voice from behind him.

“Move.”

…

“Thomas Andre!”

A man with a large enough build to tower over him and block the sun.

Renat Niermann’s face lit up as he saw the man behind him.

Thomas Andre walked slowly past Rennat.

Even those who were screaming and running from the monster stopped at once as they began to recognize the power of the Nation-class Hunter.

“That’s the American Hunter …”

“It’s T-t-thomas!”

“Goliath! It’s Goliath!”

“Alas!”

“Thank you, God!”

Even Renat, himself a first-rate Hunter, realized his heart was racing as he looked at Thomas’’ back as he marched towards the monster.

There were even people who fell flat to the floor when the realized that some of the world’s strongest Hunters had come to rescue them.

Thomas shouted at the nearby Hunters who had been overwhelmed by the pressure emitted by “it”.

“Don’t just stand there stupidly! Move the citizens!”

It was the cry of a nation-level Hunter.

It was enough to blow away the pressure of “it”, which had dulled the actions of the Hunters who had been sent to fight “it.”

The Hunters quickly moved way from Thomas as they began to evacuate the citizens.

Renat also quickly followed the lead of these other Hunters and began to help evacuating the citizens.

“It” slowly came towards Thomas. Thomas stood still in the middle of the road, blocking the monster from the fleeing citizens.

Thomas’ eyes narrowed as he took of his sunglasses.

“...”

A beast that was covered in blood.

Although it had a human form, it was clearly not a human.

A tendon rose in Thomas’ brow as he looked at the massacre that had taken place behind the monster. Body parts were strewn about all over the street, testifying to the bloodbath that had taken place.

“I see there’s an animal that doesn’t know it’s place …”

The beast bared his blood-red teeth and revealed a wicked grin.

This monster had to be destroyed.

Thomas’ eyes glowed with rage and power.

“Reinforce!”

Thomas’ muscles transformed into hardened armor. His body, already powerful, began to change it’s physique. This transformation increased Thomas’ power greatly.

How much gap would there be between the beast and Thomas?

Every time Thomas took a step, the streets vibrated with the same force as if a train had been passing through.

The beast, whose sense of the hunt was reawakened, also moved.

In an instant the two giants had crossed the distance between them. Facing each other, both of their eyes met, and soon mana began to pour out of both of their powerful bodies.

The two powers began to clash.

* BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! *

The fists of the two, which could pulverize reinforced concrete as if it was tissue paper, began to collide with each other.

The watching Hunters marveled at the raging battle. The raw power and explosive strength in front of them was stunning.

If they took even one swing of one of any of the strikes, they would have died instantly.

The two fighters were exchanging blows without hesitation and regard for defense.

I can do it.

Thomas was convinced.

* POW *

The beast’s head flew back as Thomas’ fist landed. A heavy blow rang through Thomas’ left hand.

It was working.

Goliath, who had been slightly daunted after his defeat to Jin-woo, was gradually regaining the confidence he had through this onslaught.

* BOOM BOOM BOOM! *

As the beast was pushed back by the flurry of fists that Thomas’ threw, Thomas swung his shoulder back and targeted the beast with one of his most powerful blows.

* KA BOOM! *

The beast flew into the ground, breaking apart the concrete, and didn’t stop flying away until it crashed against one side of a nearby building, nearly destroying it.

The Hunters who were watching the fight clenched their fists in joy. But Thomas did not appear

to be satisfied.

‘No. That wasn’t deep enough.’

In the wreckage of the collapsed building, he could feel the still strong life presence of the beast.

* WOOOOOSH *

Chunks of iron and dirt shot from the place the beast landed and flew towards Thomas.

Thomas used his ‘force’ to push away the missiles that were launched at him, and simultaneously used it to drag out the beast.

* Wrrrrrrrrrrrrr *

As the beast was dragged into Thomas’ range, he used his most powerful skill.

Obliterate.

Thomas’ arms bulged with power and slammed into the ground.

* KRAAAAAAAAAACK *

A terrible shock wave emerged from the ground and flew towards the beast.

* AHHHHHHHHHHHHH *

The screaming beast was thrown into their air and then collapsed on the ground.

Thomas, refusing to miss this chance, immediately leaped on top of the beast and threw multiple fists infused with magical power.

Skill: ‘Pound’!

* Boom. Boom. Ka-boom. *

It was incredible.

The citizens who watched the fight between Goliath and the monster, began to burst into cheers.

There was now a smile on the faces of many of the Hunters as well.

There wasn’t any doubt. It was an overwhelming victory.

So this was the power of a Nation-class Hunter, often called the world’s top Hunter.

But.

Thomas’ forehead began to drip cold sweat even as he threw his flurry of fists into the beast.

‘What?’

The closer he got towards victory, the more anxiety he felt.

Each attack landed perfectly and the beast did not show any sign of defense or resistance.

But.

‘Why am I feeling uneasy even though I have such an overwhelming advantage?’

Then.

Thomas was able to find the source of his anxiety.

The eyes.

It was the eyes.

The beast completely ignored the onslaught of attacks and stared at him with the same unwavering gaze that he had from when the fight began.

Like it wanted Thomas to give it everything he got.

Faster.

The angry Goliath raised both of his hands high. In an instant, the muscles above both shoulders expanded with great power. A huge amount of magical force was centered in all of the muscles that were to send out the terrible blow.

This was the end.

‘Let’s see it keep its eyes open as it takes Obliterate head on!’

With all of his strength.

Thomas smashed his arms down.

Obliterate.

Thomas saw it.

The moment that the beast’s eyes closed briefly, and changed from human pupils to the pupils’ of a beast.

* BOOM *

Thomas, who had struck with all of his might, had his fists blocked by one slightly lifted hand of the beast.

“ … “

Thomas looked at his hands and felt a chill down his spine.

[So it can draw this much power from such a weak puppet.]

The sound took Thomas by surprise.

‘What?’

At that moment.

The beast’s hair turned to white and began to grow. It’s fingernails lengthened. It’s teeth became sharper and white fur covered its entire body.

‘A werewolf?’

There had never been such a beast ever spotted over more than 10 years of Dungeon Raids.

“You … what are you?”

Thomas gasped out his question, astounded by the brutal power he saw lurking in the beast's eyes.

But.

The beast didn’t answer. Instead it swiftly crushed Thomas’ fists which were clenched in his paws.

“AHHHHHHHHHH!”