Solo Leveling

Chapter 138

Park Jong-soo stood up with a determined look in his face.

Most of the damage in every Dungeon was caused by Boss level monsters. As a means of minimizing the possibilities of casualties, Park Jong-soo would need a hand from Jinwoo to take care of the Dungeon Boss.

‘If it is Jinwoo’s power, the same he showed while taking the ants hive down single handedly, then he should be able to handle the boss by himself.’

Park Jong-soo waited impatiently with his mouth shut for Jinwoo's reply, fearing he would be rejected.

In contrast to Park Jong-soo's face, which became stiffer and harder as the silence grew.

‘Breathe...’

Jinwoo repeatedly raised his hands beneath his chin and frowning covered his mouth to hide his smile.

He wanted to look worried as much as possible.

It was a successful operation.

Unaware of the time passed, Park Jong-soo waited for Jinwoo's decision.

In the end, Jinwoo sighed as if he had no option.

"I see..."

He continued.

"I will do it."

Park Jong-soo clenched his fists under the desk.

‘Finally!’

As soon as Jinwoo gave his consent, all his worries and anxieties disappeared.

Why was he so concerned about this issue?

He just needed to do it right from the start.

Park Jong-soo's face, which had been stiffened since he left Busan, smiled for the first time.

All that remained was to contact the Association and obtain permission to attack. Since Jinwoo decided to join the offensive team, he didn't have to wait for anything else.

"It's been a while since the gate was found, so we have to start tomorrow at the latest."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Ah..."

Park Jong-soo, who was packing his luggage, said quickly.

"I think it would be best if you came with us."

After all, if they had to see each other again tomorrow, wouldn't it be better if they arrive there together instead of making an appointment?

In that sense, Park Jong-soo invited Jinwoo to accompany him.

"We'll take you to a luxury hotel and pay for your accommodation."

However, Jinwoo had no reason to take a long ride. He just needed to put a shadow soldier on Park Jong-soo and that was all.

That was the way to do it, so that he wouldn't have to waste time.

Jinwoo looked at a circular shadow that crawled across the ground and wrapped it around Park Jong-soo's.

"I have some things to do tonight, so it would be hard to accompany you."

"Ah, I see!"

"Don't worry, I will be on time."

‘Unless the Guild Master himself is late.’

Then.

Jung Yoon-tae, Knights Guild’s Deputy Director, who had left the meeting room, shouted as he entered.

"Kyah! Sir!"

Park Jong-soo, ashamed, stood up and turned around.

"W-what!?"

"The shadow just moved! Just from one side to the other!"

Park Jong-soo paused for a moment and then looked immediately at Jung Yoon-tae.

"Yoon-tae, have you been drinking?"

"..."

Finally, reading the atmosphere, Jung Yoon-tae was ashamed and rubbed his nose speechless.

"Are you drunk?"

"I had two cans of beer at the rest stop, sir."

"Didn’t I tell you to be careful while conducting business?" "I'm sorry, sir."

Jeong Yun-tae, bowed to Park Jong-soo, and then to Jinwoo. "I'm Sorry, Mr. Jinwoo."

Park Jong-soo bowed as he pressed Jeong's head.

"He's a good guy, and sometimes he talks nonsense when he drinks. I apologize for his impoliteness."

"No, it's okay, sometimes shadows move, I guess."

The conversation was about to end in such a friendly atmosphere when Jinwoo's cell phone, which he had left on the table, rang.

Kokeriko~

‘Who is it?’

He checked the caller, but it was a number he had never seen before. "I'll take a call for a minute."

"Yes. Of course."

When Jinwoo, who kindly asked for permission to leave the meeting room, left, Jung Yoon-tae, who caused a stir, and Park Jong-soo, breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.

Then Jung Yoon-tae lowered his head and muttered.

"Oh, the shadow moved again..."

"Don't...!"

Park Jong-soo looked at him, then Jung Yoon-tae closed his mouth immediately.

After a short break.

Jung Yoon-tae was curious to know the outcome of the negotiations and opened his mouth.

"Sir, how did it go?"

"How did it go? We agreed to do it together."

"That's great."

Jung Yoon-tae's tense face brightened and smiling, asked again.

"But, have you asked him to join our Guild?"

"Don't be ridiculous, he's going to make his own Guild."

Like Jinwoo did before, Park Jong-soo also showed the file ​[List of applicants for Guild Members]​to him.

Jung Yoon-tae chuckled.

"With the countless Guilds, how difficult would it be to create one now? We would treat him like a king if he joined us. He's definitely gonna have a hard time finding

his path."

"I guess so."

Park Jong-soo tried to put the file back in place, but the application slipped out. His face hardened as he rushed to pick up the application.

"What?"

A familiar photo of a woman was attached on an application form. "Fuck!"

Jung Yoon-tae's face also stiffened. "Wait, isn't she...?"

Park Jong-soo, who couldn't believe it, nodded to Jung Yoon-tae. "Right. Hunters’ Deputy Director."

Jung Yoon-tae, speechless, stared at the picture of Cha Hea-in, then glanced at Park Jong-soo's face.

"Sir, do you think it's a merger or an acquisition?" Then Park Jong-soo's brow creased.

"This kid is really..."

After leaving his office, Jinwoo pressed the call button.

A familiar woman’s voice came out of the receiver.

-Son...

After hearing her voice, Jinwoo felt conflicted. He was both relieved and slightly saddened.

"Did you buy a cellphone?"

-Yeah. I called to hear your voice as soon as I got my new cellphone. Are you busy?

Jinwoo looked at the office where the two men from Knights Guild were waiting for him, and then laughed.

"Not at all."

-Thanks god. I don't know if I've got a good phone. I'm not used to this kind of stuff.

"Did you go to the agency alone? Didn't you take Jinah?" -She's busy studying.

Sometimes he wished his mother would think of herself more than her children. Jinwoo finished talking to his mother and sighed quietly.

But…

-Why would it disappointed him to learn that the caller was his mother? ‘What did I expect?’

Jinwoo laughed and put his phone in his pocket, then looked up. His eyes were lively.

Thanks to Knights Guild then, he could taste the air of the dungeon the next day.

‘An A-Class Gate close enough to an S-Class.’

It had been too long for him, since the last time he untied himself.

Had it been about a week since he came back from Jeju Island’s raid?

So far, he had only been on the B-Class Red Gate once and hadn't have anymore activities.

Pounding, pounding!~

Feeling his heart beat faster and faster, Jinwoo was excited for tomorrow’s raid.

The best Hunters of Knights Guild gathered.

They were filled with strange anticipation and excitement.

They had to.

It was a raid that threatened to take their lives.

Especially if it turned into a Red Gate, then death would become imminent.

However, Hunter Sung Jinwoo said he would join the raid.

“Kyaaaag!”

Jung Yae-rim exclaimed in joy when she heard the news of Sung Jinwoo's participation.

The other hunters were equally delighted to find that there was a strong safeguard.

Only one person here was nervous.

It was Park Jong-soo, the Guild Master, who was still waiting for Jinwoo’s arrival. ‘Fuck, I should’ve tried harder to bring him with me yesterday.'

Park Jong-soo checked his watch. 10:55am

As scheduled, the raid should start in five minutes.

However, the person who should have arrived earlier was nowhere to be seen. Without Jinwoo, he could not start the raid.

As soon as Sung Jinwoo announced that he had joined the offensive team, the Association immediately granted the permission they were waiting for.

Sung Jinwoo’s name alone had power. -Could they start the raid without him? ‘And secondly…’

Park looked around at the faces of the raiders.

Their eyes filled with anticipation.

Even with the consent from the Association, it might be impossible to start with the opposition from the Guild members.

'Now the remaining time is three minutes.’

Park Jong-soo, who nervously took out his cell phone again, put it down with superhuman patience.

It was not polite to call back to the person who, 10 minutes ago, said it would be there soon.

However, there was no sign of anyone with a strong aura, approaching, and Jinwoo had not contacted him.

Park Jong-soo asked for a cigarette and looked for a lighter. ‘Where the hell are you, Hunter Sung Jinwoo...!?’

At that time, Jinwoo was leaving his apartment. Sneakers and light clothes to freely move his body

He looked at the clock: one minute till eleven.

He stepped out, then looked up towards the stark sky. ‘Had Jinah taken her umbrella…?’

He saved that thought for later. ‘Let's go.’

A smile formed on Jinwoo's mouth, who was wearing a hoodie.

“For now… ​‘[Stealth]’​And...

‘[Shadow exchange]’ ”

He immediately switched with the shadow soldier.

At Jinah's high school.

The faces of the three boys who were taking the art teacher's errand on, were full of complaints.

"Isn't this a complete exploitation?"

"Right..."

“Why does he want us to do his work?”

While grunting, the boys opened the lock of the second art room, which was now used as a warehouse.

"Ah..! Dust!"

"Yuck!"

The dust that piled up since the warehouse was not used for a long time, greeted the boys.

There were old art tools around them, abandoned paintings and plaster statues used in the sketches.

“How many plaster pieces did he ask us to bring?”

“All six. The fucking six of them.”

"Huh, we'll have to come one more time to take two."

"Then we can take four."

The boys rolled up their sleeves to move the plaster statue.

However, a boy who was trying to pick up a statue in the corner, found something behind.

"Uh?"

The other two guys came nest to him when they heard the incredulous tone of his voice.

"Uh, what's this?"

-A big black hole floating on the wall. It was a damn big Gate.

One of them, the biggest boy, looked at the Gate and laughed.

"What are you panicking at?"

The boy put his hand on the surface of the Gate and said...

“The Gate is closed and secure. One can not get in or out of it, except for the Hunters.”

At that moment...

Crack~

When the Gate's surface cracked, a hand protruding from it, grabbed the boy’s head.

"Oh?"

The boy struggled, but the hand holding his head did not budge.

And...

Kwajig!~

The sound of the bark of a hard fruit breaking, exploded and spurts of blood scattered all over the place.

"A-aaah!"

"Jung Seok-ah!"

With the screams of the boys soaked in blood, the black curtains that had been blocking the Gate were shattered like crystal, and the monsters inside poured out.