Solo Leveling- Ragnarok

Chapter 154:

...

"Okay, now...."

After giving me the name Kira.

Suho's gaze turned to the side.

Even though the Jisan Prison incident was solved, there was a reason why Su-ho still stayed around.

When-

This guy.

It was because of Arsha, the queen bee, who accidentally found out Suho's identity.

[Suho, my body has already left this place. therefore...Even if you search for me like this, it's all in vain... ...Squeak.]

As Ver squeezed her power into the hand that was holding Arsha, Arsha's doll-sized body was squeezed.

But that was all just an act.

An alter ego is an empty shell made by combining several bees, with only the spirit connected to the main body.

Even if the empty shell was slightly crushed, she would not feel any pain.

[Little Lord, we must find him and kill him anyway. It would be a really big problem if this queen bee were to collude with the apostles of Italim in the future.]

Ber had a serious expression.

When Suho revealed his shadow power while fighting Harmacan with all his might.

Arsha, who was nearby, also noticed Suho's true identity.

So, the moment Suho defeats Harmakan the instance dungeon is terminated.

He immediately released all the shadow soldiers in all directions to search for Arsha's main body.

However, even with the use of both Esil and Gray, who had excellent senses, finding Arsha's true body was not an easy task.

The reason was that this area was entirely made up of dense forests and mountains.

Since there were so many flying insects living in the forest, Pocheon City was the optimal environment for bees to hide.

Tsk.

Suho eventually clicked his tongue and gave up his desire to find Arsha's body.

He didn't give up though.

Catching and killing them would be the best and easiest way, but there was also a second method.

'Maybe this might be better.'

"Arsha."

Suho looked straight into Arsha's small eyes and asked directly.

"Are you doing this because you're curious as to why you can feel Quresha's energy in me right now?"

I flinch.

"She could have run away a long time ago if she had wanted to."

Arsha's small body trembled as those words hit her in the head.

And then he looked up at Suho's face with an awkward expression.

[know...You were there.]

As Su-ho said, Arsha's body could have escaped right now by splitting her body with numerous punishments.

But why is Arsha still languishing here, obediently held in Ver's hands?

"It doesn't matter if she dies because it's her body anyway, but there's no reason for her to take it upon herself to reduce the number of her subordinates."

And Suho guessed the reason from the beginning.

"You're probably curious about my exact relationship with Quresha, right?"

[...] ...Phew. As expected, you are Suho.]

At those words, Arsha finally sighed softly and confessed her true feelings.

[yes. It is like that.]

Arsha's voice was trembling with tension.

She, Arsha, has lived for a very long time to become a descendant of Queresha, the King of Bugs and the Lord of Plague.

But for some reason, she was feeling a slight but strong Quresha energy from Suho, and she was very embarrassed.

Of course, the energy was so weak that it was like a kind of pheromone that would not have been noticed by other insects.

'...It wasn't like this when we first met.'

Arsha recalled the moment she first met Suho.

Until then, only the scent of an animal was emanating from Suho's body.

'So of course I thought they were descendants of the Fang Lord....'

But the problem came after that.

When Suho was fighting his lancer, Lee Min-Seong, he could not only sense the scent of an animal but also different energy.

A poisonous energy was oozing from his entire body.

However, at that time, Arsha did not even think that the identity of the poisonous energy was that of Queresha.

'I thought it was just poison from Lee Min-seong.'

but.

The moment I saw Suho up close when I met him again today.

Arsha was convinced.

[Suho, have you ever...? ....]

"for a moment."

Suho interrupted Arsha's sentence and spoke firmly.

"It's not difficult to satisfy your curiosity. "It's not a big secret."

At those words, Arsha's eyes instantly sparkled with anticipation.

However, Suho, who saw the reaction, continued speaking with a mischievous smile.

"by the way. "Even if I give you an obedient answer, will you believe me?"

[...] ....]

At those words, Arsha closed her mouth with a serious expression.

Based on her own experience, humans were a species that could lie without any hesitation.

The lies were even so clever that they went far beyond the level of mimicry that insects use to deceive their enemies.

"therefore."

Suho smiled meaningfully and added one condition.

"Why don't you take the 'Pledge of Faithfulness' with me?"

[...] ...?!]

Arsha's eyes widened at those words.

[How do you, a human being, know the 'Oath of Faithfulness'?]

A pledge of faithfulness.

It was a covenant that even rulers and monarchs could never deviate from, and that they could never tell lies to each other until the contract was broken.

[That's because this body taught me.]

Ber looked proud and raised the corners of his mouth.

These days, Ber has developed a hobby of telling old stories to Suho at his bedside whenever he lies down to sleep.

This is kind of like an ant's instinct.

Just like ants catch food one by one and spoon-feed the larvae until they become adults.

Since Ver still regarded Suho as a caterpillar that needed to be taken care of, he was anxious to teach him something whenever he had the chance.

[Whoa. All right. If it's for mutual trust... ....]

Arsha eventually accepted Suho's offer.

But there was a problem.

[But how do you intend to take the oath of faithfulness? The oath of faithfulness cannot be used unless you have power equivalent to that of a ruler or monarch... ....]

"That's no problem."

Suho smiled and raised his eyes.

"Right, Quresha?"

Then, as if waiting, an answer came back from a faraway place.

Tiring!

[The King of Bugs, the Lord of Plague, casts 'Oath of Faithfulness (Deal).']

[Once the 'Oath of Faithfulness (Deal)' is accepted, the acceptors cannot tell lies to each other.]

[Do you want to accept the 'Oath of Faithfulness (Deal)'?] (Y/N)

[...] ...!]

At that moment, Arsha was so startled that her body trembled.

She suddenly had the energy of the dead Queresha extend through her guardian, and she gave herself her compulsion!

[Uh, how did this happen... ...! This is Quresha's...? You too!]

In response to her confusion, her guardian forced her to answer with a meaningful look in his eyes.

"Now, swear."

[Everything, I swear.]

Then, Suho also chose to accept.

That moment.

Tiring!

[The 'Oath of Faithfulness (Deal)' has been made.]

[Acceptors cannot tell lies to each other until the contract is terminated by mutual consent.]

[The King of Bugs, the Lord of Plague, looks at this situation with a very satisfied expression.]

Even Queresha, who is not usually pleased with Suho, has no choice but to welcome this situation.

Because it meant that her guardian was determined not to kill Arsha, who was likely to be her descendant.

'Shall we check where only the real truth can be told?'

Suho opened her mouth to confirm the validity of this oath.

"I am... ...."

It worked well.

The moment I was about to tell a lie, my mouth was forcibly shut.

Suho was finally satisfied and asked Arsha.

"Okay then, let's get started. Arsha, what are you curious about me?"

[Suho, have you become Quresha's priest?]

It was Arsa who asked a question as if she had been waiting.

Suho obediently nodded his head.

"right. I became a priest of the king of bugs and the lord of pestilence, and received the protection of Quresha."

[also,!]

At that moment, Arsha asked Suho with her earnest eyes.

[Then please make me one of his...!]

"Okay, now it's my turn."

Seeing Suho's expression as he decisively interrupted Arsha's words, Arsha couldn't help but feel nervous.

"I have so many questions about you."

[...] ...Ask anything. I will answer everything.]

Arsha obediently bowed his head.

The role of the priest is to choose the next king.

He had to look good to Su-ho so that he could inherit the power of Queresha.

"Then I will ask. Arsha, are you an apostle of Itarim, or are you in collusion with Itarim?"

[no. Not.]

"Then do you intend to stand on Itarim's side in the future?"

[no. That will never happen in the future.]

Arsha's tone was firm.

[All I want is to succeed Quresha and become the king of bugs. I can assure you that no one who claims to be a descendant of a monarch like me will stand on the side of foreign media.]

"The reason is that? "Is there any possibility of an exception?"

[of course...I can't speak for all races, but the goal of the foreign gods is to consume all the remaining magical energy in our world. The moment their goal is achieved, we all become just a handful of mana and become their prey.]

And that was something no one wanted.

Suho rubbed his chin and nodded.

"Hmm. That means there is no need for us to be at odds with each other."

[you're right. So please... ....]

"by the way. "The word 'us' doesn't include humans, right?"

[...] ....]

In response to Suho's question, Arsha's mouth was forced to close.

Then she sighed and opened her mouth again.

[That's right. In the future, I plan to kill and use humans whenever necessary.]

"Then I guess I'll have to kill you."

Creepy.

Knowing that Suho's words were sincere, Arsha could not help but feel fear.

The current guardian was a descendant of the Shadow Lord and even possessed the divine protection of Queresha.

If he tried to kill her in earnest, her fate was that she would eventually be caught by him and die.

[Now, wait a minute! From now on, I promise to only kill people who are defined as villains!]

"Then you could frame him as a villain first and then kill him? "Human laws are imperfect."

[...] ...So what should I do then? If you tell me, I will obey whatever you tell me.]

In the end, Arsha completely turned her back on Suho.

Then he looked at Suho with extremely pitiful eyes and earnestly made a request.

[I can be your slave. Even if I inherit Quresha's power, I will serve you forever until I die.]

"..."That's a really interesting thing to say."

Stand tall in those words.

Suddenly, a great deal of murder erupted from Suho.

[Use 'Skill: Living.']

Whoa!

[Sigh...!]

Arsha became melancholy due to his overwhelming killing power, which even contained Queresha's blessing, and let out her scream.

Suho's black eyes, filled with a distant abyss, looked down at Arsha with an arrogant gaze.

"Until you die? Aren't you a colony of numerous bees? "If even one bee dies, that oath will be broken immediately."

[Sorry! sorry! I never intended to do something like that!]

"okay? Then, appear before me in your true form right now."

[Well, that's....]

"why? no?"

Suho asked with a smile on his lips.

"Are you really scared? "Are you afraid I'm going to kill you right away?"

[me...Will you promise not to kill me?]

"No, I plan to kill you at any time."

[...] ....]

"But I promise I won't kill you if you don't go against my wishes."

[Such an unreasonable promise... ....]

"If you don't like it, you will live forever as a mere insect, not a descendant of Quresha."

[...] ....]

Arsha felt deep despair at those words.

in fact...She knew from the beginning.

The fact that this conversation is bound to be against you.

Now, Suho was the absolute best.

Arsha desperately wanted something from Suho, but Suho wanted nothing from Arsha at all.

Rather, if there's anything he wants, it's Arsha's death.

So he had no choice but to suffer this one-sided abuse of power.

Of course, if you obediently follow the abuse, the reward will be certain.

'Because I will be able to become the king of bugs that I have longed for.'

So, Arsha's answer was decided from the beginning.

In the end, Arsha nodded her head, looking even more humiliated and desperate.

[Oh, I understand....]

"hmm?"

[Kiek?]

But that was then.

"...!"

[...] ...!]

sudden!

Suho and Arsha, plus Ber and Harmacan, who was receiving attention.

They all opened their eyes wide at the same time and turned their heads to look in the same direction.

[Little Lord!]

[Someone is coming!]

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Someone with tremendous magical power was running towards us at high speed along the ridge!

But that power... ...!

[S-Class!]

"Could it be Hwang Dong-su?!"

The second reason why Suho remained around here.

It was because of the possibility that Hwang Dong-Sok's younger brother, Hwang Dong-Su, might appear here after hearing the news.

"Let's all go in!"

The moment when all the shadow soldiers disappeared at Suho's command.

Kwaang-!

Finally, 'he' arrived in front of Suho.

But he was not Hwang Dong-su.

"Such a terrible smell of blood!"

As soon as he found Su-ho, he radiated ferocious energy from his whole body and struck Su-ho with his sharp white furry fist.

Kwaaang-!

"...!"

He bared his teeth and roared at Suho, who quickly dodged the attack.

Crumble!

"Avoid this? "You're a villain after all!"

"Uh, isn't it?"

It's Suho.