Solo Leveling: Ragnarok

Chapter 112

This might just work out well, Suho thought. Rio Singh belonged to the Asura Guild, one of India’s most successful guilds. Perhaps they might have some information that the Scavenger Guild didn’t.

“I need information.”

“Information? Which one?”

“Information about a dungeon.” Suho got straight to the point. As Rio anxiously gauged his reaction, he asked, “Do you know about the Glacier Dungeon?”

“‘Glacier?’ What is it?” The word seemed somewhat difficult for Rio. He brought up a translator and looked it up, his face lighting up when he understood what Suho meant. “Ah, Glacier Dungeon! I know there!”

“Really? You do?” Suho’s eyes widened with anticipation. He was surprised that the Indian hunter knew exactly the information he had asked about on a whim.

“Eh?!” Beru was also startled. The shadow ant leaped up and grabbed Rio by his collar fiercely. Even though Beru’s arms were only as thick as fingers, his menacing aura was deadly. “If what you’re saying is true, you may have just saved your own life! But if you dare lie to extend your miserable existence, I’ll tear you limb from limb!”

Rio choked slightly as the ant jerked his shirt collar. “I know, r-really! Asura good! Asura has lot of info!” Even amid his panic, the assault captain managed to promote his guild.

His bragging wasn’t just an exaggeration. The Asura Guild was indeed known for its substantial intelligence capabilities. In contrast, the Scavenger Guild was notably poor at gathering information, despite its size. Most guilds typically bought and sold information from each other as they strived to build their own databases. The Scavenger Guild was also planning on enhancing its intelligence capabilities, a lesson learned from this incident.

Suho, realizing this unexpected gain, was delighted. His eyes sparkled. “You said you were sorry, right? Can you tell me everything you know about the Glacier Dungeon? Even the smallest details.”

“Huh? Why there?”

“I’ve agreed to enter that dungeon soon with Thomas Andre.”

“Wh-what?!” At those words, Rio shivered as if struck by lightning. Did I hear that right? He’s going to the Glacier Dungeon with Thomas Andre? “No! So so dangerous! You go there and you die!”

“Even if it’s dangerous, I have to go. My mother might be in that dungeon.”

Rio flinched, then his face became strained. “M-mother? There? Why?”

“Well... Here’s the situation...” Not my mother, to be exact, but a clue about her.

Suho explained the matter as simply as possible so that Rio could understand. Inadvertently, his brevity made his words more persuasive.

Rio pondered his story with a grave expression. So much new information at once made it difficult to assess the situation.

Sung Suho’s mother is in the Glacier Dungeon? he thought. Isn’t that a place known only to a very few guilds? It seemed Asura’s prior research on Suho was insufficient. Who would have thought that his mother is also a hunter... And one capable of entering the Glacier Dungeon, no less?

No, more importantly... The biggest problem at hand was Thomas Andre. Why would Suho be entering a dungeon with Thomas Andre? Wait... Could it be that his purpose for seeking Suho was not revenge, but recruitment?!

Suddenly, Rio snapped to attention. He felt a dizzying sensation as he whipped his head around, surveying the devastated landscape. The traces of the clash between Suho and Thomas were undoubtedly impressive.

Now I understand. He suddenly realized that if Thomas Andre had exerted the full scope of his power, it wouldn’t have ended just like this. It was an audition! A test of Suho’s strength! A brutal interview, if you will. Considering the American guild master’s usual character, it made perfect sense.

Feeling like he had been overtaken at the last minute, Rio grew anxious. Surely they haven’t already had him sign a contract? From the looks of things, it doesn’t seem that way.

He swallowed dryly and decided to ask Suho directly, “Suho, you join Scavenger Guild?”

“No. Why would I?”

“Oh, I see!” The assault captain’s face instantly brightened. Then he thumped his chest resolutely. “Yes! I tell you about Glacier Dungeon!”

Suho’s eyes sparkled at the hard-won response. Success! Luck was on his side. Information about dungeons was more precious than gold. This was even more true for a place like the Glacier Dungeon, which was not well-known.

The value of the information was immeasurable. If Rio carelessly leaked this information, it could indirectly cause economic damage to his guild. But now wasn’t the time for him to be cautious. I can’t let such talent be snatched away by another guild! he thought.

He quickly looked around to ensure no one else was listening, then he confidently started listing everything he knew to Suho. “Very cold there. Breathe, eat, sleep, walk, all dangerous.”

“Well, that’s because it’s a glacier. What else do you know?”

“Really cold. So cold, you get slow. A debuff area!”

“Debuff area?”

“Young Monarch, that seems to be a wide area cursed with slowing effects.” Beru chiming in indicated just how important this information was.

It appeared that the weather wasn’t the only problem. The dungeon was also cursed with a debuff that directly affected combat.

But it’s of no concern to me. Fortunately, Suho was immune to all curses thanks to Kandiaru’s blessing. However, this blessing only applied to Suho personally. For other hunters with him, it would certainly pose a real risk.

“Okay. And what else?” Suho asked.

“Um...” Rio hesitated for a moment. The information he was about to share was truly crucial. “This is secret. Don’t tell. Promise?”

“Yeah. I promise. Now spill.”

“The Glacier Dungeon, ice elves live there. Lots.”

“What? Ice elves?” A spark of interest appeared in Suho’s eyes. Ice elves were a magic beast seldom seen in dungeons. But what Rio was saying differed significantly from the information about their behavior that was listed on Hunter Net. “I thought they moved in pairs at most? And they only attack by shooting arrows from a distance.”

“Yes. But the Glacier Dungeon is different.” In response to Suho’s question, Rio spoke clearly and deliberately, using a translation app to avoid any misunderstanding. “There’s a tribe of ice elves living there. Known numbers are at least in the hundreds.”

“Hundreds?” This was just the kind of high-quality information that the Asura Guild was known for.

“Yeah. The Glacier Dungeon, the land of the ice elves.”

***

Meanwhile, at that very moment, a group of hunters who had rashly stepped into the Glacier Dungeon were being relentlessly pursued.

Huff! Huff!

They dashed across a pristine white snowfield.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Arrows rained down, soaring on a wind so piercingly cold that it seemed to freeze even breath.

Swish! Thunk, thunk, thunk!

The arrows mercilessly flew at the hunters from all directions, aimed to take their lives.

“Aargh!”

“My leg...!”

Dozens of arrows were already embedded in the backs and legs of those attempting to flee. Yet, even in this dire state, the hunters crawling across the ground had a desperation to survive written on their faces.

Huff, huff.

“Those persistent bastards...”

“They’re determined to wear us out and finally kill us!”

By now, there was no hope left. When they entered the dungeon, the hunters couldn’t have predicted that they’d become the hunted. They looked up in despair to see hundreds of ice elves gazing down on their prey from high above.

With cold and detached eyes, the ice elves aimed their bows at the intruders. Hundreds of bowstrings were poised to be released and send down a brutal shower of arrows.

“It can’t be! Ice elves don’t form groups like this...”

“If I had known this dungeon was like this, I would never have entered!”

It was common knowledge that ice elves were relatively docile magic beasts, encountered only on rare occasions. They were always found in pairs, typically armed with crude bows and wooden arrows, and they always stayed at a distance when they attacked. They were never aggressive unless attacked first. Even when hunters ventured through the dungeon, they would simply hide themselves quietly in the deep recesses and silently observe the hunters until the moment the gate closed.

For this reason, ice elves were nicknamed “Watchers.” They were beasts that simply observed hunters as long as they were unprovoked.

However, those who attempted to hunt them never referred to them by that name. When attacked, the docile ice elves turned into expert marksmen. They moved like shadows as they targeted their enemies. Despite their beautiful, tranquil appearances, they were actually cruel and aggressive by nature.

Thus, ice elves had another nickname: “White Specters.” They were ghostly apparitions in white, elusive and deadly.

Even then, White Specters were considered relatively safe magic beasts. Their archery skills were excellent, but they only traveled in pairs, so they didn’t have the power of numbers. Above all, they only attacked when provoked.

But that information was now worthless—at least in the Glacier Dungeon, the land belonging to hundreds of vicious sharpshooters. Still, even if the hunters had known everything there was to know about the ice elves, they had no chance of leaving unscathed.

“Stop! Stay back!” A man desperately inched across the snowy ground, arrows sticking out of his legs and back.

A chilling shadow fell over his pale, terrified face. “You’re the last one.”

The trembling man looked up at the ice elf who had spoken. He could barely make out the figure as his vision began to fade from blood loss. She had white hair and skin, silver eyes, and pointed ears. She appeared to be a small girl, barely ten years old by human standards.

“You who have invaded our land... I am Sirka, the guardian of the Baruka Tribe.” The elven girl, who wore a fur hat, introduced herself with an icy gaze.

But the man did not respond. Of course, he couldn’t. It was impossible for a human to understand the language of a magic beast.

But Sirka continued as if it didn’t matter. “I will ask you one question. If you wish to live, you must give a good answer.” She took a short breath before asking in clear, deliberate words, “Do you know the Monarch of Shadows?”

“I can’t understand you!” the dying man screamed in frustration, faced with the killer girl speaking an incomprehensible language.

“I will ask you one last time. Do you know Sung Jinwoo?”

“Damn it, just kill me! Kill me already!”

“If you don’t know, then die.”

Swish!