Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

[Cultivated Minotaur]

“Moooo!“

Huge roaring cow was standing on two legs in the center of the Colosseum.

In front of him stood the small and fragile one-horned demon, Suho.

He looked even more shabby because he was facing such a gigantic beast.

[… Did they just bring the mage beast from the workhouse?]

“I know, right.“

In terms of the human world, it would be a situation in which a cow was brought from a plowing field to a bullfight.

However, the cow was now very muscular and walked on two legs like a human.

If the magic shackles that bound him were freed, he would run at Suho right away at full momentum.

[Would you be okay?]

“Who? Me?“

When Suho smiled and asked, Esil repeatedly emphasized it with a voice of concern.

[No matter how well bred it is, the power of the Minotaur is beyond imagination. Above all, its skin is thick and very tough. If necessary, summon us all out.]

If the shadow soldiers were suddenly summoned there, it would mean the end of Suho’s imitation of demons.

All the demons there would surely attack Suho at once if it was revealed that he was a different race than demons.

Of course, if it was the usual Suho, he could fight while replenishing his strength from the corpses of the enemies he had slain.

However, things were different if his opponent were demons.

[The mana is contaminated and so shadow release is not possible.]

Demons could not be released as Shadow Soldiers.

That meant that if he was attacked by all those demons, he would have to fight single-handedly.

Despite Esil‘s repeated worries, Suho only smiled meaningfully.

“Don‘t worry. I will try to endure as much as I can until the tyrant king crawls out.“

Even if it would be really hard, there was no way it would be worse than Ammut‘s daily quest.

The fact that he had to do another daily quest upon returning to the shadow dungeon made him feel goosebumps.

The demon guards were smiling meaningfully, wondering how the battle would look from a distance.

“Right, it doesn’t matter whether or not he is a noble demon survivor. He looks so weak.“

“Seeing that he has only one horn, his blood must have been sucked profusely by other demons, or he must have undergone a deformed mutation after a few lucky drops of a demon noble’s blood.“

Behind them, the warden was just staring at Suho with a careless gaze.

“First one.“

He gave the order.

“Two in five minutes. And after another five minutes, let the four out.“

“Chief, will he hold out until then?“

“Stupid bastards. That’s why we’re going to use the Minotaur.“

The demon guards nodded.

Minotaurs were thoroughly bred by demons and raised in the workhouse, eating dung, but when they lived in the wild, they were not the same as they were now.

“Minotaurs are inherently terribly cruel and savage. It crushes all the bones of its prey with overwhelming violence, and only then eats its prey until the flesh is mushy.“

Whatever Suho‘s identity was, the demon guards were obliged to stage the execution ceremony in the longest and most brutal way.

“You waited a long time-! The execution ceremony resumes!“

Just in time, with the shout of the host, the shackles that had been holding the Minotaur were released.

“Mooooo!“

The huge monster rushed towards Suho with terrifying momentum.

‘It’s fast!‘

An enormous amount of sand rose up, and in an instant, his big fist slammed into Suho‘s head.

The common notion that it would be as dull as it was large was undoubtedly wrong.

Bang-!

The ground where Suho stood was crushed by the tremendous destructive force.

Starting with that, the Minotaur‘s fists began to swing randomly.

“Mooooo!“

Even the slaves in the stands were stunned by that sight.

They realized anew that the stupid cattle they used to pull carts in the workhouse were originally so terrifying.

‘Yes, this is the reaction we want.‘

Satisfied expressions appeared on the faces of the demon guards at the slaves‘ reactions.

But that was then.

“Mmmmm?!“

The Minotaur, suddenly noticing something, raised his head with his fists in the ground.

On the thick sand dust, Suho was striking his sword high in the sky.

Swoosh-!

The, the Minotaur also swung its arms vertically toward Suho.

Blag-!

The shockwave created by his enormous muscles rips through the wind and soars aiming at Suho.

[Move out..!]

With Esil‘s warning, Suho twisted his body in the air, lightly stepped on the beast’s fist, and jumped high again.

‘Its reaction speed was also amazing.‘

Suho‘s eyes flashed in the air.

Those eyes looked like choosing meat at a butcher shop.

“Oooh!“

“How did he avoid that?!“

Cheers erupted from the audience.

As Suho struggled quite a bit despite the overwhelming difference in size, the slaves were cheering for him.

Slash-!

Just in time, Suho went behind the Minotaur and thrust his sword into the Minotaur‘s shoulder.

The hell iron longsword crumpled unsightly.

“Puhahaha! Look at that!“

The demon jailers burst into laughter.

That worn-out sword could never pierce the Minotaur‘s thick skin.

Wasn‘t he given that weapon in the first place just for such a kind of clowning?

Suho, who had already foreseen all of that, calmly turned the crumpled sword in the opposite direction, and caught the eye of the Minotaur right next to him.

Stab.

“Aaaacckk!“

In the end, the Minotaur struggled and let out a roar mixed with pain.

Swoosh!

It struggled violently to shake off Suho, but Suho managed to cling to it with one hand by its large horn.

Suho raised his other fist and made a meaningful expression.

“It will hurt a little.“

[The ‘Title: Wolf Slayer‘ buff is used.]

Wolf slayer.

A buff that increases all stats by 40% against beast-type monsters was wrapped around Suho’s fist.

He put all that power into the Minotaur’s face.

Slam!

Infamous Scans

“…!“

The Minotaur felt dizzy.

“Nice toughness!“

As the Minotaur endured, Suho slammed his fist again.

Again and again, as if estimating how far the beast would last.

Slam!

“Moo-!“

Overwhelming violence with such endlessly pouring attacks!

Soon after, the face of the Minotaur mercilessly caved in and began to crumble slowly.

“W-What was that…!“

The demon guards jumped up from their seats in astonishment.

The Minotaur was dying without even being able to counterattack properly!

“H-Hurry up and send out two more! No, send out four!“

Clank!

At the order of the warden shouting out in panic, the doors that were imprisoning the beasts were opened all at once.

[Whew.]

The eyes of the little ant looking at them from the shadows were narrowing like the crescent moon.

[Looking at it now, they were special ones. Young Master will be pleased.]

Beru was right.

Suho, who was still holding onto the horns on top of the fallen Minotaur, suddenly raised his head.

Then he grinned at the four beasts that were running this way.

“Great. The more the better.“

At that moment, Suho also began to use his strength.

“Blessing.“

[‘Pet: Gray‘ Blessing is used.]

Swoosh!

At that moment, Suho‘s hair turned silver.

“Oh no! He…!“

“Was he a transforming demon?!“

“This is the first time I‘ve seen a skill in which only the hair color changed…!“

However, the commotion that arose in the audience stopped in an instant.

Suddenly, a huge presence that felt like a halo behind Suho opened his eyes.

[The King of Beasts, Fang Monarch, salivates as he sees his prey jumping at his feet.]

Chills!

“Mooooo?!“

The Minotaurs who were running towards that unknown gaze were seized with an instinctive sense of fear.[‘Effect: Fear‘ is activated.]

[All stats of the targets are reduced by 50% for 1 minute.]

The speed of the Minotaur, who had been rushing madly, noticeably slowed down.

Was it because they had suppressed their wildness for too long and had been bred by demons?

“Mooooo–!“

The Minotaurs didn‘t even notice that their stats had decreased, and they threw their fists at Suho even more desperately in order to forcibly shake off the unpleasant feeling.

Ruthless rampage.

Shockwave created by randomly striking two thick muscular arms.

A hazy dust cloud followed, filling the Colosseum.

The heat in the audience seats grew even hotter.

Swoosh!

Then…

[Use ‘Skill: Strong Body Manifestation‘.]

Bang!

“What?!“

Through the dust, a Minotaur suddenly bounced back.

And…

Bang!

“…!“

Another bounced off and crashed into the wall.

“Moooo-!”

Bang!

The third Minotaur also slammed into the wall and shook his dizzy head.

“What’s in there…“

“What is happening ?!“

While all demons were curious, the dust settled slightly and One Horn- no, Suho‘s gigantic silhouette was revealed.

“W-What is he?!“

The eyes of all demons, slaves and jailers, widened in astonishment.

Before he knew it, Suho even used ‘Skill: Giant‘s Armor‘ and grew to a size similar to that of the Minotaur.

In addition, his two hands covered with black energy were holding the Minotaur.

Damn.

With fierceness, Suho looked straight into the Minotaur‘s eyes and raised the corner of his mouth.

“Are you using your strength?“

“Mooo!“

“But, sorry.“

Suho smiles, showing his white teeth.

That moment.

“Mooooo?!“

As Suho’s power became stronger, the Minotaur was frightened and his knees broke on the spot.

“I‘ve been working too hard at the gym lately.“

Suho raised his fist and crushed the beast’s body.

Blag!

“…!“

A silent scream erupted from the Minotaur‘s mouth.

Suho straightened his back and started turning the beast into a porridge.

No more cheers came from the audience watching that.

Seeing Suho‘s overwhelming and thrilling battle, a long-forgotten entity emerged from an older demon‘s mind.

“V-Vulcan…“

A small voice came out of someone‘s mouth.

That short word started to spread everywhere like wildfire.

“Vulcan?“

“V-Vulcan?!“

Belatedly, astonishment filled the eyes of the startled demons.

“Come to think of it, that one horn…!“

“It looks just like the horns of Vulcan, the demon of greed!“

A giant silhouette passed through the demons‘ minds.

Intimidating size, destructive and tyrannical force.

Vulcan, the demon noble who was greedy more than anyone else!

“Oh my God. It‘s true…“

The demons who had seen Vulcan at least once were shocked to see Suho now.

“That is Vulcan! Mr. Vulcan has returned!“

“No! No, you idiots! Vulcan is dead! He died a long time ago in the War of Outer Gods!“

“Ha, but…!“

“They seem similar but they’re different! Very different! First of all, that guy has only one horn…!“

The demon jailers whacked the distraught slaves to calm them down.

But then.

“Oh God…“

A sigh escaped from the mouth of the warden behind.

“I never thought Vulcan had a hidden son…!“

“…!“

[To be continued…]