Chapter 56: Chapter 55

[Skill: Strike Lv.1]

Active skill

Requires 300 mana.

Coats the body with the 'Ruler's Power' to amplify attack power.

→

[Skill: Spiritual Body Manifestation Lv.1]

Active skill

Requires 600 mana.

Strengthens the body with the 'Ruler's Power'.

The attack and defense power of the strengthened area is amplified.

"Oh."

The skill has evolved.

Suho turned his arms covered in black energy and his eyes shone.

Originally, 'Strike' was a skill that only amplified attack power.

However, instead of doubling the required mana, the attribute changed to become an overall enhancement as well as attack power.

'Besides, it's only level 1 now. If I repeat this training every day from now on, my level might continue to rise.'

Perhaps the range of this black armor gradually increases as the level goes up.

Suho's eyes suddenly looked at Ammut.

It reminded him of the overwhelming presence that had taken over the entire space by transforming into a spiritual body earlier.

"Kehehe. Yes, that's right."

Ammut grinned as he noticed the meaning behind Suho's gaze.

"If you master the technique, you will eventually become strong like me. Without any other skills, you can become the strongest with purely physical strength. Now, try hitting me with that power!"

As Ammut spread his arms wide, Suho made a puzzled expression.

"Tsk. Do you really want to get hit?"

"Yes! Giving and receiving each other's strength is the greeting method of Croco! Show me your power!"

Ammut looked vulnerable.

However, looking at the tough crocodile skin that covered his entire body, it seemed that he could endure everything in his power.

"Don't regret this."

Suho resolutely raised his arms and aimed at the center of Ammut's body.

Grumble-!

A huge aftershock raged at the overwhelming force.

Ammut only took a step back.

"Whew! What a nice fist."

Ammut grinned as black blood poured out of his mouth.

"This should be enough to teach you from now on. You passed!"

"Passed?"

"Yeah. This means that I will officially accept you as a disciple. I can stop accepting other challengers now."

He stomped his foot.

The floor shook and a huge magic circle began to spread out in all directions centered on his foot.

Swoosh!

[Young Master!]

As the entire pyramid was covered with magic circles, Beru and Esil hurriedly ran to protect Suho.

[Spellcast!]

"The walls of this dimension are warping!"

Esil, who had already crossed a dimensional wall once, knew very well what that feeling was.

"Don't make a fuss. I have no intention of harming you."

Watching their reactions, Ammut chuckled.

He muttered with eyes reminiscent of past memories.

"A long time ago, Kandiaru came to me and said that he will help me to study Spiritual Body Manifestation to my heart's content. He promised to endlessly replenish the number of challengers who will learn those techniques."

But...

Ammut's mouth was torn open, sharp teeth shining.

"A wicked shaman. From the beginning, the challenger shits were a joke."

He came to realize.

After all, this whole system...

The Spiritual Body Manifestation... was only an arrangement for the small human being in front of him.

Ammut smiled as he looked clearly into Suho's eyes from the center of the magic circle and the pyramid that was swaying like it was about to collapse.

"Actually, I noticed the first time I saw you that you are the descendant of the Shadow Monarch. Wicked spellcaster! Making me mentor the son of the man who killed my first disciple, Tarnak."

What Ammut was looking at now was not Suho's appearance but the light of a great soul felt within him.

'... He must have known that I would have never been able to reject Suho if I saw him right in front of me.'

Alright. You guys won.

'I'll gladly be a fool.'

Even now, having realized that wicked ulterior motive, he had no choice but to let it go.

he was just curious

His own technique developed the lowly goblin Tarnak into a vessel for the King of Monstrous Humanoids.

What if the same strongest power was taught to a human with a great soul?

How far would he be able to transcend the class ranks!

'Kehehehe. Just imagining it makes my heart flutter!'

Ammut chuckled and quietly recited the incantation Kandiaru had taught him.

"Let there be light in the future of the challengers!"

The space shook, and a system message appeared in front of Suho.

Ring!

[Recruit 'Ammut, the Death-Eating Crocodile' as an NPC.]

[Do you want to accept?]

( Y / N )

The message flashed in Suho's eyes.

'An NPC?'

It was a term that anyone who knew about the game could not understand.

The system was always referring to Suho as the 'player'.

On the other hand, NPC (Non-Player Character) is a character who is not a player.

It was like a helper who stayed in one area and helped the smooth progress of the game.

[Y-Young Master?]

Beru was blinking from the side and it seemed that he also did not understand the current situation.

He was just a fighter, and not the designer of the system.

'This is the system my father handed down.'

Suho recalled his father's usual personality then looked at the message again.

[Do you want to accept?]

( Y / N )

His father was asking if he was willing.

It was a suggestion, not a compulsion.

He could feel his father's concern in it.

If he accepted the challenge, he would continue to suffer like today.

But, if he found it hard, he may opt not to accept it instead.

'My mother always said that I looked like my father.'

If he were his father...

What choice would he have made at that moment?

The answer was, of course, fixed.

"Ammut."

Suho happily accepted the offer.

"Good luck in the future."

Ammut's stern eyes narrowed like the crescent moon.

"Come, disciple."

Grumble!

A huge earthquake occurred in the desert.

* * *

"W-What was that?!"

The Asura Guild members who were still in the labyrinth looked at Rio Xing.

"Rio! There's something weird!"

"I think the pyramid is about to collapse!"

"The Scavenger Guild members must have dug through the walls so much that the foundation weakened!"

Rio Xing gritted his teeth.

He decided right there and then.

"Let's get out of here right now! This pyramid can't be our tombs!"

"What about the prophecy?"

"The prophecy... This is just my guess, but maybe 'life born from death' just refers to the mummies here?"

"Ah, that could be true...!"

The guild members nodded.

Actually, it didn't really make sense, but for now, they decided to convince themselves because their priority was to escape from the dangerous pyramid as quickly as possible.

There were still other concerns.

"Rio, will you really be okay? Just thinking about the kind of punishment you will get if you go back empty-handed like this..."

"It's better than dying. Besides, it's not like I don't have a lot of income."

Rio Xing hurriedly helped the injured and smiled meaningfully.

"Today, we made a bad relationship and a good connection."

The former was, of course, the Scavenger Guild.

"As soon as we return, I will formally protest today's incident involving the Scavenger Guild. After that, it will move on to political battles between guilds, so it's not a matter of our concern."

Their guild didn't have a legal representative even when they paid expensive money, but since all the hunters in that village witnessed the atrocities of the Scavenger Guild, they would all take the side of the Asura Guild.

It wouldn't be easy for even a single Scavenger Guild member to ignore all the public opinion.

"If we survive here, there would be countless ways to push the Scavenger Guild for a trial under the International Hunter Act. Even the guild leader won't reprimand us for that much."

That wasn't the only thing Rio Xing was after.

They made another connection today.

Sung Suho.

"Also, I did not give that precious item to that Korean hunter for no reason."

Korean hunter Sung Suho.

'Looking at his extraordinary skills, he must be a member of a very famous guild in Korea.'

Egypt was a distant country that took 20 hours by plane from Korea.

Such a great hunter has been on a business trip that far, but if he goes back empty-handed like them, it must be a very difficult situation for him.

"I was considerate of that part."

"... Ah!"

The members of the Asura Guild opened their eyes wide after realizing what Rio Xing meant.

Rio Xing smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, that's right. Every favor comes with a price. Now he owes a debt to our Asura Guild. Besides, we are colleagues with a common enemy, the Scavenger Guild."

There was a word that neatly defined that connection.

"Let's just say, he's a 'friend'. Hehe."

Rio Xing's eyes sparkle intensely with a meaningful smile.

There was one fact that popped into the minds of the guild members.

"Ah! Come to think of it, our guild leader showed interest in Korea before!"

"Right. I put that into consideration as well. Now, when our guild goes to Korea, we can get Sung Suho's help because we became friends."

No one knew why the guild leader of the Asura Guild was interested in Korea, a small country in the East.

Even if he was interested, it was difficult for a guild from another country to cross the border of another country without any justification under Hunter International Law.

It was because the Hunter Guilds were a tremendous military organization.

In particular, Korea and India have no relation to each other. It would be more convenient to make connections in some other ways.

"Wow. Rio, just how big of a picture are you painting?"

"Pft. Not a big deal."

Rio Xing shrugged as if it was nothing and helped the wounded man.

"Let's throw away our bummed out feelings and escape quickly."

That was how they managed to escape from the pyramid.

"... Goodness."

Looking back, their faces turned white.

A terrible sight was unfolding right in front of them.

Crack!

"T-This is crazy."

"The pyramid...!"

"It's sinking!"

A huge quicksand.

The red sand of the desert swirled like a whirlpool, sucking in everything nearby.

Pyramid of Kandiaru, which was built in the center, was sinking into the depths of the underground.

"Run!"

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"We'll get buried alive if we get caught up in it!"

They became contemplative and started running away with all their might.

Finally, they reached the nearby village of Kamura.

"Damn."

There was nothing left behind them.

The huge pyramid had sunk beneath the red sand without a trace.

In front of a phenomenon that they couldn't handle, all the hunters in Kamura were terrified.

'Will he be okay?'

Suddenly, Rio Xing was worried about Sung Suho.

'I'm sure he got out well. Hopefully?'

By all means, he should have.

No, of course, he would.

Fortunately, the speed at which the pyramid sank was not that fast. Even with their injured selves, they were safe. There was no way that a hunter with that level of power could not have escaped.

However, Suho was nowhere to be seen in that vast desert.

'... I guess I have a reason to go to Korea.'

Even if he didn't see Suho now, if he got out safely, he would definitely return to his home country.

'If I go to Korea later on, I would be able to check on Suho's safety.'

Thinking so, Rio Xing nodded with a stern look on his face and looked back at his subordinates.

"Let's return to our country."