Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

“Suho, you bastard! How long has it been?!“

“We saw each other last month too, Uncle.“

“Ah hehe. Did we?“

Yoo Jinho bursts into laughter as he embraces Suho with a very happy expression.

The hunters who were looking at them could not help but be astonished.

‘Uncle?!‘

They were surprised that Suho called him uncle, but in fact, what surprised them even more was Yoo Jinho, who had changed 180 degrees from usual.

‘Did CEO Yoo Jinho usually smile like that?‘

CEO Yoo Jinho.

He was a figure who left a conglomerate family and founded Ajinsoft, which represents Korea with his own hands. He was a thorough and cold-hearted businessman who received the trust and loyalty of his employees.

However, his usual cold expression went somewhere, and he suddenly turned into a warm-hearted man having a friendly conversation with Suho.

“Hey, boy. If you entered an art school, you should be painting or drawing safely, why are you doing something dangerous? Let‘s see. Are you really okay? Shall I call a healer that I know?“

Yoo Jinho was examining Suho‘s body thoroughly, and at one point, he poked at Suho‘s muscles.

“How could your body look so sore? What muscles look like tires? Did you awaken as a tank?“

“It might be because I‘ve been working too hard at the gym these days.“

Suho‘s expression as he answered seemed a bit sad.

There was always a really nasty gym leader named Ammut lurking beneath his shadow.

“Uncle, what kind of game did you make that the hunters are here?“

“You know FIFA, right?“

“Football? I know.“

In today‘s game, it was possible to play by moving the body directly in virtual reality.

“Similarly, we have been making a virtual reality game featuring hunters since two years ago. System building is almost over, now it‘s time to create characters.“

“Ahh.“

Suho finally understood why the hunter guilds were so eager to visit the game company.

“When this game is released, users will be able to experience being a real hunter in virtual reality, attacking dungeons and hunting monsters.“

The actual hunters who would become the models for those characters were bound to gain worldwide recognition.

“It must be really fun. Any non-awakened person would want to try it.“

“Once it comes out, it would be really great. Of course, there is still a long way to go, and it is a long way from completion.“

Suho was sincerely impressed.

It has only been two years since the cataclysm began.

It was no coincidence that Ajinsoft became the best game company.

“So what is the name of that game?“

Sensing Suho‘s pure curiosity, Yoo Jinho replied with a smirk.

“Solo Leveling.“

“… Solo Leveling?“

When he heard the name of the game, Suho‘s expression became a little awkward.

“Oh. It‘s a solo game, and leveling up is essential to let players experience as many different classes and types of hunters as possible.“

Yoo Jinho had a look on his face believing it was a good title.

“Of course you may feel that way. What‘s so great about leveling up in a game? Aren‘t similar games widely available? In the end, what matters is this. How much a character in a game can excite us!“

The driver who brought Suho let out a small sigh at the sight of Yoo Jinho chatting excitedly, even clenching his fists.

‘He’s at it again.‘

In fact, that was Yoo Jinho‘s true self.

Externally, he is armed with the face of a thorough businessman, but when talks of game begins, he turns into a face like that of an adolescent boy chatting with sparkling eyes.

“But ‘solo leveling‘ is different. We plan to feature hunters who are actually active in the field as characters.“

An ordinary level-up game that anyone could make.

However, there is one thing. The feel of ‘reality’ that could elicit exhilarating excitement from players.

For that very reason, Ajinsoft was trying to collaborate even while offering money to high-paid hunters.

It could be considered as a super-large project that no game company dared to attempt, because a tremendous amount of money must be used to do so.

Suddenly, Suho‘s gaze turned to the hunters of the Hyeonmu Guild standing awkwardly behind Lee Youngho.

He wondered why they were fully armed like that, but it must have been to appeal to Yoo Jinho.

‘… It feels a bit strange.‘

They were really prim and proper.

If it was a coincidence, it does quite match the situation he was in these days.

[Hmm. Hmm…]

There was a gaze intently watching Yoo Jinho in the shadows since a while ago.

[… Maybe it‘s not a coincidence.]

Beru whispered in a voice that only Suho could hear.

‘Maybe it‘s not a coincidence?‘

[Yes. In a time that is now forgotten, this human named ‘Yoo Jinho‘ was a henchman who followed His Majesty closely than anyone else. If the memory of that time remains in his subconscious…]

A monarch‘s memory transcends time.

Sung Jinwoo, the shadow monarch, was a being who exerted a powerful influence on the world simply by existing.

As Beru said, Yoo Jinho was the one who watched Sung Jinwoo‘s battles more than anyone else out of all the humans.

At that time, all those moments captured in Yoo Jinho’s memories must have been the most intense and stimulating in the entire universe.

Also…

[At that time, he had the same expression as now.]

Yoo Jinho, who had been watching Sung Jinwoo‘s wonderful battles, was now explaining the game he was trying to make.

As if all the scenes in the game were already clearly engraved in his head.

[This is really interesting. I don‘t think his memory came back… Trying to express those memories in the way of a game.]

“Ah! I was too talkative. Haha. Anyway, it‘s that kind of a game, Suho.“

Yoo Jinho suddenly came to his senses and smiled.

“Come on, let‘s not do this here, let‘s go inside and talk.“

“Wait, CEO! We‘re not done talking yet…!“

When Yoo Jinho pushed Suho‘s back and tried to enter his office, the section chief urgently called him from behind.

“Ah.“

Realizing that he had forgotten about the hunter, Yoo Jinho stopped walking and looked back.

However, the expression that was smiling brightly at Suho disappeared when he turned his head to the hunters. He looked at them with a cold gaze.

“I have an important schedule, so why don‘t you go back? We will thoroughly review your proposal and contact you later.“

“Ah…“

The hunters had no choice but to keep their mouths shut on the spot at that indisputable order.

Except for one.

Section Chief Lee Youngho of the Hyeonmu Guild was different.

A little while ago, he recognized the face of Suho, who called Yoo Jinho his uncle.

‘It‘s Sung Suho! I never thought I‘d find this guy in a place like this!‘

Section Chief Lee Youngho found out Sung Suho‘s address and sent a subordinate there early this morning.

No matter how desperate he was, he didn‘t have to go out on his own to recruit a C-Class hunter.

Rather, in terms of promoting the guild, it was a much bigger case to collaborate with Ajinsoft than a C-Class hunter.

The meeting with CEO Yoo Jinho, which had been successfully arranged, was suddenly postponed. A while ago as well, his subordinate contacted him saying that he had missed Sung Suho.

‘Nothing worked well today, so it must be God’s plan to have an opportunity like this!‘

Lee Youngho realized at a glance that Sung Suho was CEO Yoo Jinho‘s ‘urgent matter‘, and decided to target Sung Suho rather than Yoo Jinho.

“Ha ha ha. Hunter Sung Suho! How did I get to meet you here like this? I guess it’s fate.“

“Huh?“

When Chief Lee Youngho suddenly spoke to Suho in a friendly way, Yoo Jinho stopped walking again and looked back at him.

“Suho, do you know him?“

When Suho tried to answer, Chief Lee Youngho hurriedly interrupted and handed Suho his business card.

“Haha. Alright, Mr. We’ll probably meet often. Hunter Sung Suho, I am Section Chief Lee Youngho of the Hyeonmu Guild. We will treat you well being the best in the industry, so how about signing a contract with our guild?“

“… Best in the industry? Suho?“

Rather than Suho, it was Yoo Jinho who responded to those words.

Lee Youngho momentarily caught Yoo Jinho‘s lips twitching and let out a joy inside.

‘It worked! This was an effective strategy! Hehe. ‘It’s all on me.‘

‘This is going to be a jackpot.’

He could never have thought that the CEO, Yoo Jinho, was related to Sung Suho!

In addition, the best timing to have a three-way face-to-face meeting at the exact timing when he came to Ajinsoft was so perfect.

‘Hehe. Such a lucky day. If I say ‘best in the industry’, the C-Class hunter cost talk is there. However, it is much more beneficial if I think of it as the opportunity cost of building a friendship with CEO Yoo Jinho .‘

Lee Youngho smiled brightly and strode closer to Suho, emphasizing it in a coy tone.

“Hunter Sung Suho? I heard that you haven‘t been awakened yet. In fact, Hyeonmu Guild doesn‘t hire new hunters without experience. But Hunter Sung Suho is so talented…“

Even in the midst of diligently introducing the guild to Suho, all of Lee Youngho‘s nerves were focused only on the change in Yoo Jinho‘s expression.

He was putting his life on that collaboration.

‘PR is war.‘

In order for the Hunter Guild to grow, after all, many hunters with good skills had to belong to the guild, or would want to belong.

The most important thing to do, ironically, was to promote the guild‘s image well to the general public, not to hunters.

The public was in awe of the hunters, but on the other hand, they were afraid.

For the general public, the existence of a hunter was not much different from a beast that could harm them at any time if they wanted to.

In particular, that fear grew due to the villain named Lee Minseong?

No hunter wanted people to treat them as ‘monsters‘. They wanted recognition and respect.

Hunters were a profession that made a lot of money, and when humans had a lot of money, the next thing they looked for was honor.

‘… So, collaboration is really important.‘

If the hunters of the Hyeonmu Guild appeared in the game, how great would they look to the public?

Even as soon as its popularity spread to the world, it was clear that there would be a rush of requests to conquer the dungeon from abroad.

‘Then, my promotion and annual salary… Hehe.‘

However, there was something that Chief Lee Youngho, who was filled with thrilling dreams just by imagining, did not realize.

The fact that Suho‘s expression after accepting the Hyeonmu Guild‘s business card was rather plain.

“Hyeonmu Guild…“

“Haha. Yes, that‘s our guild name. It is the best in the industry, do you need to worry more? Just wait a little bit and our staff will bring the contract right away. Oh, and I usually don‘t pay a down payment to C-Class hunters, but this time in particular…“

Chief Lee Youngho constantly worked his mouth to keep from giving Suho room for other thoughts.

But then…

“Ah.“

A single word came out of Suho‘s mouth.

“I wondered where I heard it, but it was the guild that spied on my house with drones this morning.“

“Oh my. Haha. Did our staff go that far? I think the enthusiasm was a bit too much. I‘m going to discipline him separately…“

“Did you say drones?“

At that moment, the cold voice he heard made him freeze on the spot.

“Chief Lee Youngho of the Hyunmu Guild. I guess this needs some explanation.“

[To be continued…]