Chapter 4
I Alone Level-up: Chapter 4
-4 . The Three Commandments-
Jinwoo shouted towards the other Hunters .
“Everyone!”
They turned their heads toward his voice .
“You have to bow before the Statue of God!”
The Hunters tilted their heads in confusion .
“Bow…?”
“Bow to that thing?”
The Hunters who were looking at each other started cursing at Jinwoo,
“Fuck… What the hell are you saying?!”
“Is this a situation where you could say something like that?!”
“Have you gone crazy, Sung Jinwoo?!”
Mr . Kim flared his nostrils .
“Looks like I judged you wrong! If I could get up from this spot, I’d sock you right in the nose!”
Jinwoo bit his lips . After all, 6 of their comrades had fallen to the Statue of God . To think that he’d ask the others to bow before it understandably invited their ire .
‘More importantly…’
There was no solid proof to his guesses . Only a gut feeling . One could not easily explain or put to words what they felt through instinct .
While he was lost for words, someone spoke up: “I’ll do it . ”
The voice came from behind Jinwoo . The Hunters’ eyes turned toward the Raid leader who had spoken .
“Mr . Song…?”
“You’re going to bow before that goddamn statue?”
As the Hunters spoke out in confusion, Mr . Song turned and met Jinwoo’s eyes .
“What have you discovered?”
Jinwoo shook his head .
“Just a gut feeling?”
“…Yes, for now . ”
“I see . ”
Jinwoo’s instincts resulted in 11 of them being still alive, well, 10 after Mr . Joo’s death . As such, was it not worth it to try and put some faith in him? This was what Mr . Song believed . As the Raid leader bowed before the Statue of God, the mood in the air became somber .
“You’re really going to do it?”
Taking advantage of the opportunity Mr . Song had provided, Jinwoo spoke up,
“Please! Bow before the Statue of God . This might be our only way to leave here alive!”!”
Alive .
To leave here alive .
That phrase reached the others’ ears with a great weight .
‘Leave here alive?’
‘We can get out of here?’
‘Just by bowing before that thing?’
One by one, the hesitant Hunters started bowing before the Statue, imitating a scene of worship . Eventually, even the angry Mr . Kim also took his place bowing before the Statue . However, there was no response from the Statue of God . Its two eyes still glowed with the terrifying crimson light . Jinwoo felt his heart sinking to his stomach .
‘Was I wrong?’
And his gaze turned to Juhee at his side . Lying completely prone on the ground with her hands covering her head, it was hard to say that she was in a position of bowing before the Statue .
‘Ah…’
Jinwoo gently grabbed Juhee’s wrists . Startled, Juhee looked up at him like a terrified prey . He wordlessly nodded at her, then released his hand . Slowly, Jinwoo helped Juhee assumed the position of worship before the Statue of God .
‘This should do it . ’
And then there was one . Himself .
Jinwoo faced the Statue, kneeling, then put his hands on the ground and slowly bowed his head .
And a change occurred .
“Oh, ooh?”
The Hunters who noticed started making noise .
“The Statue of God? Everyone, look at the Statue of God!”
“Its eyes!”
The crimson light that adorned the Statue’s eyes were fading away .
“What? You mean this really is working?”
And just like that, the lights completely disappeared from the Statue’s eyes .
The Hunters cheered in unison .
“The light disappeared!”
“We’re alive!”
The excited Hunters rose from their spots and cheered, but the Statue of God did not react . Jinwoo, who followed suit, sighed with relief ..
“Phew-“
As he had guessed . This room was operating accordingly to a set of rules and conditions, just like a game .
‘If that’s true,’
The game was not over yet . There were two more Commandments .
Second: Praise the Lord; Third: Prove your Faith
Suddenly, with a deep rumbling, the entire room started to shake . Jinwoo’s expression hardened .
‘As I thought…’
His guesses were correct . This was not over .
The Statue of God’s enormous body was slowly rising from its seat .
“Eh, eh?!”
The Hunters who were celebrating together with tears of joy froze .
“W-what?! Wasn’t it all over?!”
“No, it can’t be!”
Frozen in fear, the Hunters could not say much more . Their faces were filled with terror and despair .
“No… no…”
The Statue of God assumed a standing position . It looked around, taking in the surrounding, then started walking towards the Hunters .
BOOM!
With each step it took, the Statue of God shook the earth .
BOOM!
Its massive figure was such that its head almost reached the ceiling .
BOOM!
As its sheer size put pressure on the Hunters, it slowly closed the gap between it and them .
“Hey, Mr . Sung! Mr . Sung Jinwoo!”
“What should we do?!”
The Hunters who were cursing Jinwoo only moments ago now looked towards him for hope .
“Is there anything else we have to do?!”
“Say something!”
Even as grown adults, the Hunters’ faces were on the verge of breaking down in tears . Yet they looked at Jinwoo as their only remaining hope . Jinwoo carefully helped Juhee, frozen in fear, to her feet, and he explained the Second Commandment .
“It said, ‘Praise the Lord’, that’s our clue . ”
“Ah, that’s!” Mr . Kim spoke knowingly, “It was written on the tablet, right?”
“That’s right, ‘Praise the Lord’, ‘Prove your Faith’, we have to fulfill all three Commandments . ”
Jinwoo’s words were filled with urgency .
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BOOM~!
With one last step, the Statue of God had already arrived before their group . Its massive shadows covered the Hunters, whose faces became pale ..
“I, I’ll try . ”
One of the Hunters, normally a shy, youthful man, stepped forward .
“Hey! What are you going to try?!”
“I’m part of my church’s choir . If it’s ‘praise’, I’m confident in it . ”
The young man answered Mr . Kim and walked towards the Statue of God . As he neared the Statue, he took a deep breath and started singing,
“ ~As I walk to the Lord~ ” His youthful voice rang throughout the room .
“ ~Please renew me and provide me with your blessing . ~ ”
The Statue of God stopped before him .
The Hunters gasped in surprise and awe . As if it was satisfied by the song, the Statue of God stood motionless . All other sounds of the room disappeared, only the youth’s voice was heard in the room . Gaining courage from the apparent result, the Hunter strengthened his voice and continued to sing,
“ ~All my weaknesses will be washed away by the grace of my Lord~ ”
Amidst the hopeful Hunters, Jinwoo could not shake the feeling of uneasiness . The feeling that they were missing something .
‘No… this is all wrong . ’
He kept repeating the thought to himself . This room had its own set of rules . Right now, the youthful Hunter was following the rule of Christianity, not this room . But thankfully, the Statue of God was not moving . Maybe this was enough to satisfy the conditions?
Jinwoo tilted his head . The reason why he had not stopped the singing was because he could not think of any other way to stop the Statue of God .
Suddenly,
BOOM!
A loud crash broke through the singing, followed by a scream,
“Kiyaaaaaaah!”
As the Statue of God raised its foot again, the mangled remains of the singing Hunter fell from its sole .
The other Hunters started screaming as well .
“Ahhhh!”
“Uwaaaaak!”
The previously emotionless face of the Statue of God was now filled with an incredible rage .
“It’s angry!”
“R-run!”
The Hunters quickly ran away from the Statue .
“Kiyaaaaah!!!”
Having lost all thought and reason after seeing the youthful man be crushed beneath the Statue of God’s foot, a female Hunter simply stood in place and screamed .
‘Shit…!’
Jinwoo, who was running with Juhee in his arms, quickly turned to try and help her . But he was blocked by Mr . Song .
“Ahjussi…?”
“It’s too late!”
Like swatting a fly, the Statue of God slammed its hand on top of the female Hunter .
BANG!
Jinwoo turned away . It was a gruesome scene which he could not bear to witness .
“We can’t dilly dally here! Are you trying to get that young lady killed as well?!”
At Mr . Song’s rebuke, Jinwoo snapped back to attention . Mr . Song was right .
BOOM!
“Uwaaaak!”
BOOM!
BOOM!
“Help me!”
No longer walking, the Statue of God ran from Hunter to Hunter, crushing them beneath his feet . With each step, he shook the entire temple ..
BOOM!
BOOM!
Jinwoo ran with his teeth clenched . With her eyes closed, Juhee held on to Jinwoo as they ran .
“Let’s split apart!”
“Okay!”
Knowing that running together made them a better target, Jinwoo and Mr . Song separated away from each other . Trying to maintain the largest distance between himself and the Statue of God, Jinwoo ran towards a spot at the walls . He saw that Mr . Park was already there, having ran with all his might, knowing there was more on the line to him than just his own life . The image of his family reflected over his teary eyes .
His son, who looked just like his father . His wife, with his second child . Mr . Park could not afford to die in a place like this . Pulling forth every ounce of his strength, Mr . Park was able to reach the walls faster than the other Hunters .
“Huff… Huff…”
Suddenly, Mr . Kim, who was friends with the man, shouted at the panting Mr . Park .
“Mr . Park!”
At the familiar voice, Mr . Park turned towards Mr . Kim,
“Hmm?”
Mr . Kim gestured towards Mr . Park’s back and yelled,
“Turn! Turn around!”
And something sharp flashed from behind Mr . Park .
“Huh…?”
slash-
Mr . Park was split cleanly from the top of his head to the base of his crotch . The evenly separated sides of his body fell in different directions on to the ground .
“MR . PARK!!!”
The statue that had cleaved Mr . Park in twain with its sword simply returned and assumed its position on the walls, as if nothing had happened .
Mr . Kim held back tears as he witnessed the death of his friend .
“These fucking pieces of-!”
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
Behind him, the giant Statue of God was going from Hunter to Hunter, crushing them with his feet . Those that fled to the walls were attacked by the statues .
“Ahhhhh!”
“My arm! My arm!”
The interior of the temple had turned into a scene of terror and carnage .
Jinwoo panted wildly as he ran, his forehead dripping with cold sweat . His legs getting heavier and heavier; his breath getting shallower and shallower . But his head was filled with a single thought, repeated over and over again:
‘Praise the Lord . Praise the Lord . Praise the Lord . ’
The Second Commandment that swam through his head . The key to solving the meaning of the Commandments must be hidden in this room .
‘There must be something in here that we’re supposed to use!’
But when the Hunters initially entered the temple and looked around, they found no tools or mechanisms .
‘The only thing here are those damned statues . ’
‘Wait . ’
A thought appeared in Jinwoo’s head .
‘The only thing that’s here are those statues?’
Jinwoo’s eyes widened .
“Why didn’t I think of that?!”
If the statues were the only thing in this room . Then the statues must be the key to solving the mystery . The statues only moved when someone entered their proximity; this must have been the key to using them somehow .
‘If that’s correct…!’
Gathering what energy he had left, Jinwoo screamed through his panting breath,
“EVERYONE, HEAD TO THE STATUES WITH INSTRUMENTS!”
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Solo leveling - chapter 3
Chapter 3
I Alone Level-up: Chapter 3
Her pale face shocked Jinwoo .
“What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”
“Over… over there . ”
Jinwoo followed Juhee’s pointing fingers to the Statue of God . The enormous statue . She was pointing at its face . Not seeing any difference from the first time he saw it, Jinwoo tilted his head .
“?”
With a shaking voice, Juhee spoke,
“H-his eyes… The Statue’s eyes just looked at us . ”
“What?”
No matter how long he stared, the results were the same . The Statue sat still, unmoving .
“Hmm… You must’ve imagined it . ”
But his words fell on deaf ears . Casting her gaze to the ground, Juhee simply held on to his arms and trembled .
‘Wait . ’
A sense of dread washed over Jinwoo .
‘ . . . Where did the sound go?’
The crackling sound from the torches’ fires suddenly became silent .
“First . ”
Meanwhile, Mr . Song’s reading of the tablet continued .
“Worship the Lord . Second, Praise the Lord . Third, Prove your Faith to the Lord . Those who do not follow these commands will not leave alive . ”
It was in that moment,
creak~
At the sudden sound, all the Hunters jumped in surprise .
“What’s happening?!”
The first person to notice was Jinwoo . Having focused on his hearing because of the torches, he was able to immediately notice what was happening .
“The door! The door is closing!”
At his words, the entire party turned towards the door, only to watch it close with a bang .
“Dammit! I can’t do this anymore!”
The Hunter who first voted “no” to enter the Double Dungeon swore and headed towards the door .
“I’m leaving now . You guys can have all the bosses and treasures you want . ”
Glaring rebelliously at Mr . Song, the man turned and grabbed the door’s handles .
Suddenly .
Mr . Song’s eyes widened .
“No, don’t!”
Crunch!
A sickening sound of ‘something’ striking ‘something’ rang throughout the temple .
With it, the man’s head had disappeared from sight . Having lost its head, his body naturally fell backwards onto the ground ..
thud-
The Hunters started screaming .
Having obliterated the man’s head with its mace, the statue returned and assumed its position next to the door as if nothing had happened .
“That- that thing just moved!”
“What? Does that mean all the statues here can move?”
“We’re supposed to fight those?!”
“I didn’t even see him swing that mace!”
It was at this point Jinwoo replayed Juhee’s words in his mind .
“H-his eyes… The Statue’s eyes just looked at us . ”
‘If that’s true…’
He shuddered . Making an effort to move his terrified body, he turned and looked at the Statue of God .
And found the Statue of God looking back at him .
“Ah…”
Jinwoo realized . This was just the beginning .
-3 . Start of the Attack-
The Statue of God’s eyes were lit with a crimson light .
Was it a Hunter’s instinct? No, it was the survival instincts of a living being . “Something” was coming . “Something” that could not be stopped .
Jinwoo turned and shouted on top of his lungs .
“GET DOWN!”
Right as his mouth opened, a crimson ray of light shot out from the Statue’s eyes .
Jinwoo threw himself at Juhee and pulled her to the ground .
BEAM~!
The ray of light passed through where Jinwoo was standing moments before .
1 tenth of a second .
No, 1 hundredth of a second .
If the timing of his actions were off by just an infinitesimal amount…
The other Hunters were not as lucky .
“Uwaaaaaaah!”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
The screams did not come from the Hunters who were struck by the light . After all, the ones who were struck disintegrated instantly, leaving only a trace of ash and burnt stone in their wake . No, the screams were coming from the Hunters who survived .
“What the hell is this!”
“Waaaaah!”
“How could this…”
The Hunters were in shock .
11 remaining alive out of 16 .
They had never seen an attack like this before .
‘I barely dodged after hearing Jinwoo . ’
‘If Mr . Sung didn’t shout just now…’
The Hunters looked at Jinwoo and gulped . Their lives’ savior . If it was not for him, they knew that they would be counted among the fallen .
“ . . . ”
With his entire body bowed on the ground, Jinwoo turned his head and peaked at the Statue . Its eyes were still lit with crimson glow but did not continue its attack .
‘Is… is it done attacking?’
Jinwoo turned his head towards the ground again . Juhee lay below him, shaking in fear . Although she was a B-Rank Hunter, this was the reason she Hunted in simple Raids under the Association and not an advanced Raid under a large Guild .
Her breathing became more and more irregular . He couldn’t just leave her like this . Thinking he had to do something to help her, Jinwoo began to get-up when a strong hand forced him back down .
“Don’t stand up . ”
It was Mr . Song .
Although surprised, Jinwoo sternly listened to his words .
Mr . Song shouted at the other Hunters, as well .
“Everyone stay where you are! Don't move from your position!”
After taking a quick look across the party, Mr . Song turned to Jinwoo again .
“The ones who were moving got hit . Those that listened to you and got down survived . ”
“I see . . . ”
Mr . Song tilted his head in confusion .
“Did you not shout after figuring something out?”
“I just felt something dangerous was coming, that’s all…”
Mr . Song’s eyes looked at him with bright eyes .
‘His instincts are good . I heard he was an E-Rank? If only his abilities were a little higher…’
His gaze turned into one of pity as he continued to stare at Jinwoo . Meanwhile, Jinwoo got a better look at the man staring at him . What caught his eyes shocked him .
“Ah-ahjussi[1]… your arm…”
“It’s alright, I can endure this much . ”
“But…”
Jinwoo gulped . Mr . Song’s right arm was draped over Jinwoo’s shoulder, and his other arm… His other arm was gone .
“ . . . ”
While silently looking at Juhee, Mr . Song wordlessly wrapped the remnants of his shirt around the stump where his arm was, gritting his teeth through the pain .
“Can you tie the end here? Hard to do with just one hand . ”
As Jinwoo nodded and completed what could barely be called first-aid, Mr . Song let out a long sigh . It was a sigh filled with the experience of 10-years of Hunting . Looking around, he took in the surroundings and the status of their situation . Just because the Statue of God had stopped its attack didn’t mean their adversity was over .
Time passed as the Hunters lay on the ground .
“Uwaaaah-”
“Why did this happen to us…”
Some of the Hunters started crying again .
“We can’t stay like this forever!”
The patience of the survivors was slowly reaching its limits .
Jinwoo felt the same .
‘We can’t stay like this forever . ’
But what could they do? If Mr . Song’s guess was correct, they would be attacked the moment they started moving . And even if they managed to dodge the Statue of God’s attack, they still had to go through the statues guarding the door . And therein lied the other problem . The movement of the one guarding the door was so fast that it could barely be seen by the naked eye .
How could they get past something like that? It was an impossible situation . The Hunters’ annihilation was simply a matter of time .
‘Wait… a matter of time?’
As the thought appeared in his head, an uncomfortable thought followed .
Something that no one else had noticed .
‘There’s… there’s something we missed . ’
Perhaps the answer was there .
It was in that moment .
“Don’t move!”
Mr . Song yelled at Mr . Joo, who responded by baring his teeth .
“Shut up! We don’t know when that thing will attack again! You just want us to wait until that time?!”
Mr . Joo was a Fighter-class Hunter . As beings who threw their bodies into the middle of combat, a Fighter-class Hunter’s physical abilities were much greater than an ordinary human . On top of that, Mr . Joo was someone whose skills were acknowledged by a large Guild, who had offered him a contract .
“I can’t die like this . ”
With his body still lowered to the ground, Mr . Joo flexed the muscles in his legs .
The goal is the door .
With an explosive start, Mr . Joo ran towards the door . Watching the man’s attempt, Jinwoo turned away and looked back at the Statue of God . As if waiting, the Statue was looking at Mr . Joo . A ray of light exploded from its eyes .
BEAM~!
The ray covered Mr . Joo’s back .
“Kiyaaaaaah!”
One of the female Hunters screamed . Unable to control her fear, a yellow puddle slowly appeared from the ground she was collapsed on .
The other Hunter’s faces hardened .
“Oh my god…”
No trace of Mr . Joo could be found where he stood . Save for two feet on the ground, ending just above the ankles .
The sound of a man retching reached Jinwoo’s ears, and he furrowed his brows .
As expected, this ‘thing’ was more than capable of annihilating all the Hunters in an instant . To it, it was easier than stepping on an insect .
‘So why… why isn’t it?’
It could kill them all, yet it did not .
Compared to the magic beasts that always threw themselves at the Hunters, these things were different . Attacking someone only when they moved . Attacking someone only when they neared the door . There was a pattern and condition to their aggression . Like a game with rules .
‘Perhaps… There are rules to this room?’
In that moment, Jinwoo found a piece of the puzzle in his head . It was the tablet that Mr . Song was reading earlier .
‘Commandments of the Cartenon Temple’
A commandment was a rule, and rules must be followed .
If there was a way out of this place, away from these things, the key was written on that tablet .
“ . . . Worship the Lord”
Jinwoo spoke the first commandment out loud .
“Hmm? Did you say something?” Mr . Song asked, facing Jinwoo .
Instead of answering, Jinwoo put a finger to his lips .
‘If I’m correct…”
Slowly, Jinwoo got up . Mr . Song frantically tried to stop him, but Jinwoo shook his head at him with a determined face .
‘ . . . That’s not a face that’s given up on living . ’
Mr . Song nodded at Jinwoo .
Without looking away from the Statue of God, Jinwoo slowly rose and raised his body gradually higher and higher . Suddenly, the Statue of God’s gaze fell upon him .
BEAM~!
If he hesitated even for a split second on getting back to the ground, Jinwoo would’ve lost a lot more than few strands of hair on his head .
Back on the ground, Jinwoo panted heavily .
He had almost died just now . When his eyes met the Statue of God’s, he knew he had looked at death right in the eyes . Having dodged the attack by a hair (literally), Jinwoo’s legs could not stop shaking .
‘But…’
It was not for naught .
‘He’s not attacking someone who’s moving . ’
Having his body lowered to the ground, no amount of movement caused a reaction from the Statue of God .
‘No, his attacks are towards someone who rises above a certain height . ’
To confirm, he had just put his life on the line . And now, he had that confirmation .
The meaning of the First Commandment!
Translator’s Notes:
[1]: “ahjussi” (아저씨; ah-juh-ssi): Korean noun to refer to or describe a middle-aged man . Japanese equivalent = ojisan .
I Alone Level-up: Chapter 3
Her pale face shocked Jinwoo .
“What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”
“Over… over there . ”
Jinwoo followed Juhee’s pointing fingers to the Statue of God . The enormous statue . She was pointing at its face . Not seeing any difference from the first time he saw it, Jinwoo tilted his head .
“?”
With a shaking voice, Juhee spoke,
“H-his eyes… The Statue’s eyes just looked at us . ”
“What?”
No matter how long he stared, the results were the same . The Statue sat still, unmoving .
“Hmm… You must’ve imagined it . ”
But his words fell on deaf ears . Casting her gaze to the ground, Juhee simply held on to his arms and trembled .
‘Wait . ’
A sense of dread washed over Jinwoo .
‘ . . . Where did the sound go?’
The crackling sound from the torches’ fires suddenly became silent .
“First . ”
Meanwhile, Mr . Song’s reading of the tablet continued .
“Worship the Lord . Second, Praise the Lord . Third, Prove your Faith to the Lord . Those who do not follow these commands will not leave alive . ”
It was in that moment,
creak~
At the sudden sound, all the Hunters jumped in surprise .
“What’s happening?!”
The first person to notice was Jinwoo . Having focused on his hearing because of the torches, he was able to immediately notice what was happening .
“The door! The door is closing!”
At his words, the entire party turned towards the door, only to watch it close with a bang .
“Dammit! I can’t do this anymore!”
The Hunter who first voted “no” to enter the Double Dungeon swore and headed towards the door .
“I’m leaving now . You guys can have all the bosses and treasures you want . ”
Glaring rebelliously at Mr . Song, the man turned and grabbed the door’s handles .
Suddenly .
Mr . Song’s eyes widened .
“No, don’t!”
Crunch!
A sickening sound of ‘something’ striking ‘something’ rang throughout the temple .
With it, the man’s head had disappeared from sight . Having lost its head, his body naturally fell backwards onto the ground ..
thud-
The Hunters started screaming .
Having obliterated the man’s head with its mace, the statue returned and assumed its position next to the door as if nothing had happened .
“That- that thing just moved!”
“What? Does that mean all the statues here can move?”
“We’re supposed to fight those?!”
“I didn’t even see him swing that mace!”
It was at this point Jinwoo replayed Juhee’s words in his mind .
“H-his eyes… The Statue’s eyes just looked at us . ”
‘If that’s true…’
He shuddered . Making an effort to move his terrified body, he turned and looked at the Statue of God .
And found the Statue of God looking back at him .
“Ah…”
Jinwoo realized . This was just the beginning .
-3 . Start of the Attack-
The Statue of God’s eyes were lit with a crimson light .
Was it a Hunter’s instinct? No, it was the survival instincts of a living being . “Something” was coming . “Something” that could not be stopped .
Jinwoo turned and shouted on top of his lungs .
“GET DOWN!”
Right as his mouth opened, a crimson ray of light shot out from the Statue’s eyes .
Jinwoo threw himself at Juhee and pulled her to the ground .
BEAM~!
The ray of light passed through where Jinwoo was standing moments before .
1 tenth of a second .
No, 1 hundredth of a second .
If the timing of his actions were off by just an infinitesimal amount…
The other Hunters were not as lucky .
“Uwaaaaaaah!”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
The screams did not come from the Hunters who were struck by the light . After all, the ones who were struck disintegrated instantly, leaving only a trace of ash and burnt stone in their wake . No, the screams were coming from the Hunters who survived .
“What the hell is this!”
“Waaaaah!”
“How could this…”
The Hunters were in shock .
11 remaining alive out of 16 .
They had never seen an attack like this before .
‘I barely dodged after hearing Jinwoo . ’
‘If Mr . Sung didn’t shout just now…’
The Hunters looked at Jinwoo and gulped . Their lives’ savior . If it was not for him, they knew that they would be counted among the fallen .
“ . . . ”
With his entire body bowed on the ground, Jinwoo turned his head and peaked at the Statue . Its eyes were still lit with crimson glow but did not continue its attack .
‘Is… is it done attacking?’
Jinwoo turned his head towards the ground again . Juhee lay below him, shaking in fear . Although she was a B-Rank Hunter, this was the reason she Hunted in simple Raids under the Association and not an advanced Raid under a large Guild .
Her breathing became more and more irregular . He couldn’t just leave her like this . Thinking he had to do something to help her, Jinwoo began to get-up when a strong hand forced him back down .
“Don’t stand up . ”
It was Mr . Song .
Although surprised, Jinwoo sternly listened to his words .
Mr . Song shouted at the other Hunters, as well .
“Everyone stay where you are! Don't move from your position!”
After taking a quick look across the party, Mr . Song turned to Jinwoo again .
“The ones who were moving got hit . Those that listened to you and got down survived . ”
“I see . . . ”
Mr . Song tilted his head in confusion .
“Did you not shout after figuring something out?”
“I just felt something dangerous was coming, that’s all…”
Mr . Song’s eyes looked at him with bright eyes .
‘His instincts are good . I heard he was an E-Rank? If only his abilities were a little higher…’
His gaze turned into one of pity as he continued to stare at Jinwoo . Meanwhile, Jinwoo got a better look at the man staring at him . What caught his eyes shocked him .
“Ah-ahjussi[1]… your arm…”
“It’s alright, I can endure this much . ”
“But…”
Jinwoo gulped . Mr . Song’s right arm was draped over Jinwoo’s shoulder, and his other arm… His other arm was gone .
“ . . . ”
While silently looking at Juhee, Mr . Song wordlessly wrapped the remnants of his shirt around the stump where his arm was, gritting his teeth through the pain .
“Can you tie the end here? Hard to do with just one hand . ”
As Jinwoo nodded and completed what could barely be called first-aid, Mr . Song let out a long sigh . It was a sigh filled with the experience of 10-years of Hunting . Looking around, he took in the surroundings and the status of their situation . Just because the Statue of God had stopped its attack didn’t mean their adversity was over .
Time passed as the Hunters lay on the ground .
“Uwaaaah-”
“Why did this happen to us…”
Some of the Hunters started crying again .
“We can’t stay like this forever!”
The patience of the survivors was slowly reaching its limits .
Jinwoo felt the same .
‘We can’t stay like this forever . ’
But what could they do? If Mr . Song’s guess was correct, they would be attacked the moment they started moving . And even if they managed to dodge the Statue of God’s attack, they still had to go through the statues guarding the door . And therein lied the other problem . The movement of the one guarding the door was so fast that it could barely be seen by the naked eye .
How could they get past something like that? It was an impossible situation . The Hunters’ annihilation was simply a matter of time .
‘Wait… a matter of time?’
As the thought appeared in his head, an uncomfortable thought followed .
Something that no one else had noticed .
‘There’s… there’s something we missed . ’
Perhaps the answer was there .
It was in that moment .
“Don’t move!”
Mr . Song yelled at Mr . Joo, who responded by baring his teeth .
“Shut up! We don’t know when that thing will attack again! You just want us to wait until that time?!”
Mr . Joo was a Fighter-class Hunter . As beings who threw their bodies into the middle of combat, a Fighter-class Hunter’s physical abilities were much greater than an ordinary human . On top of that, Mr . Joo was someone whose skills were acknowledged by a large Guild, who had offered him a contract .
“I can’t die like this . ”
With his body still lowered to the ground, Mr . Joo flexed the muscles in his legs .
The goal is the door .
With an explosive start, Mr . Joo ran towards the door . Watching the man’s attempt, Jinwoo turned away and looked back at the Statue of God . As if waiting, the Statue was looking at Mr . Joo . A ray of light exploded from its eyes .
BEAM~!
The ray covered Mr . Joo’s back .
“Kiyaaaaaah!”
One of the female Hunters screamed . Unable to control her fear, a yellow puddle slowly appeared from the ground she was collapsed on .
The other Hunter’s faces hardened .
“Oh my god…”
No trace of Mr . Joo could be found where he stood . Save for two feet on the ground, ending just above the ankles .
The sound of a man retching reached Jinwoo’s ears, and he furrowed his brows .
As expected, this ‘thing’ was more than capable of annihilating all the Hunters in an instant . To it, it was easier than stepping on an insect .
‘So why… why isn’t it?’
It could kill them all, yet it did not .
Compared to the magic beasts that always threw themselves at the Hunters, these things were different . Attacking someone only when they moved . Attacking someone only when they neared the door . There was a pattern and condition to their aggression . Like a game with rules .
‘Perhaps… There are rules to this room?’
In that moment, Jinwoo found a piece of the puzzle in his head . It was the tablet that Mr . Song was reading earlier .
‘Commandments of the Cartenon Temple’
A commandment was a rule, and rules must be followed .
If there was a way out of this place, away from these things, the key was written on that tablet .
“ . . . Worship the Lord”
Jinwoo spoke the first commandment out loud .
“Hmm? Did you say something?” Mr . Song asked, facing Jinwoo .
Instead of answering, Jinwoo put a finger to his lips .
‘If I’m correct…”
Slowly, Jinwoo got up . Mr . Song frantically tried to stop him, but Jinwoo shook his head at him with a determined face .
‘ . . . That’s not a face that’s given up on living . ’
Mr . Song nodded at Jinwoo .
Without looking away from the Statue of God, Jinwoo slowly rose and raised his body gradually higher and higher . Suddenly, the Statue of God’s gaze fell upon him .
BEAM~!
If he hesitated even for a split second on getting back to the ground, Jinwoo would’ve lost a lot more than few strands of hair on his head .
Back on the ground, Jinwoo panted heavily .
He had almost died just now . When his eyes met the Statue of God’s, he knew he had looked at death right in the eyes . Having dodged the attack by a hair (literally), Jinwoo’s legs could not stop shaking .
‘But…’
It was not for naught .
‘He’s not attacking someone who’s moving . ’
Having his body lowered to the ground, no amount of movement caused a reaction from the Statue of God .
‘No, his attacks are towards someone who rises above a certain height . ’
To confirm, he had just put his life on the line . And now, he had that confirmation .
The meaning of the First Commandment!
Translator’s Notes:
[1]: “ahjussi” (아저씨; ah-juh-ssi): Korean noun to refer to or describe a middle-aged man . Japanese equivalent = ojisan .
Solo leveling -chapter 2
Chapter 2
I Alone Level-up: Chapter 2
The final decision depended on him . He fidgeted again with the E-Rank magic core in his hands, then looked to his side . Juhee shook her head at his eyes . She had a bad feeling about this . Well, even Jinwoo felt the same way . Under any other circumstance, he would not have dared to jump into danger . After all, he lacked the skills and courage to do so . But Jinwoo had a little sister, who was preparing for college .
‘I don’t have anything saved up for that…’
He was 24 years old, but he had to give up on college due to their poverty . He didn’t want that poverty to hinder his sister’s life as well .
Their lives were counting on every penny that came and went . Mr . Park wasn’t the only one who needed money .
Jinwoo raised his hand .
“I’ll also go . ”
At his side, Juhee let out a small sigh disappointedly .
-2 . Double Dungeon-
The tunnel went on and on and on . At the vanguard stood Mr . Song and other veteran Hunters . Led by the light from the fireball in Mr . Song’s hand, the party walked through the dimly lit tunnel .
Mr . Kim spoke up from the party, “Isn’t this going in a little too deep? Maybe we should think about turning back . ”
“How long have we been walking?”
Mr . Kim checked his watch, “About… 40 minutes . ”
“When we take down the boss, we’ll have 1 hour before the Gate closes . Taking into account the time for the return trip, we still have a breathing room of 20 minutes, right?”
“Then if we don’t come across the boss after 20 more minutes of walking, we should leave, right?”
“I suppose so . ”
Nodding, Mr . Song pointed towards his back with his thumb .
“Hey Mr . Kim, it’s dark ahead of me, so fall back a little bit . ”
Mr . Kim looked at Mr . Song’s fireball, then took out his cellphone and turned on its flashlight function . The light from the phone brightly illuminated their path .
“ . . . ”
Looking back and forth between his fireball and the phone’s light, Mr . Song quietly searched pockets for his phone ..
At the rear of the party walked Jinwoo, who was injured, and Juhee, who had no fighting skills . Jinwoo scratched his head .
“I’m… sorry . ”
“For what?”
“Dragging you along like this . ”
“I’m fine . You don’t have to worry about me . ”
Jinwoo discretely read her expression . It was not a face without worry . Tilting his head, Jinwoo carefully asked,
“Are you sure?”
Juhee abruptly turned to face him,
“Of course I’m not okay! Are you in your right mind?! Earlier, if the place you were stabbed in was just a bit higher, it would’ve pierced your heart! And what about the injuries on your wrist and thigh?! I barely healed all those, and you’re already jumping into another Dungeon? Especially when you don’t know anything about it?”
At her rant, Jinwoo felt himself becoming light-headed . But she was not wrong . Juhee was a Healer-class Hunter, and more than that, a B-Rank Hunter . A rare sight in the Association . If it was not for her healing, Jinwoo would’ve probably succumbed to injuries that would’ve put his normal life out of commission, much less being a Hunter .
‘I really owe her a lot…’
A Healer-class Hunter .
Not only that, a B-Rank Healer-class Hunter .
Whenever a Gate appeared, the Association would request her as a healer, and of course, Jinwoo would always find himself sitting or lying down next to her in treatment in their Raids .
“You’re hurting, right? Please hang in there . ”
“You look familiar… are you from that time…?”
“You got hurt again?”
“Seems like I see you again and again . ”
“You said your name was Jinwoo? Are you… alright?”
“Do you ever think maybe the Hunter-life isn’t for you…?”
“ . . . You’re here again . ”
“Hold out your arm . No, not there, you can mend that with just bandages, the other arm . ”
Surpassing his gratitude, he now felt apologetic to her .
“ . . . ”
Seeing his silent face, Juhee felt bad about her rant and calmed down .
“Are you really sorry?”
“Of course . ”
After some thought, Juhee looked at Jinwoo at her side, with corners of her mouth rising ever so slightly,
“Well… maybe you could treat me to a meal sometime . ”
It was not a response he expected . Shocked, Jinwoo looked at Juhee’s face, now showing a mischievous smile . ‘A girl…’ He remembered Juhee was 20 going on 21 . If she had cut her long hair into a proper length and put on a school uniform, she’d be a fitting image of a student . Imagining her in a uniform, his face blushed .
Seeing his delayed response, Juhee blew air into her cheeks and pouted .
“Do you… not want to eat with me?”
It was then .
Suddenly, a commotion rose from the vanguard of the party .
“This is it!”
“The boss room!”
Jinwoo and Juhee turned their gazes forward .
There stood a giant door signaling the end of the tunnel . The Hunters gathered before the door .
“To think there was a door at the end of the tunnel . ”
“Do you think this was always here?”
“First time I’m seeing something like this… . ”
“Do . . . do you think it’s dangerous?”
As they quietly whispered back and forth, the Hunters became uneasy . After all, their lives were on the line; they had to be careful . But too much care may impede progress, Mr . Song thought .
“So you guys want to turn back after all that? To go back empty handed?”
He placed his hand on the door .
“You’re free to go back . I’ll go alone . ”
Mr . Song was a C-Rank Hunter with 10 years of experience . If it wasn’t for the fact that he was past 60 years old, he could’ve probably raided under a large Guild ..
So when such a veteran Hunter spoke with confidence, the uneasiness of the other Hunters slowly disappeared .
“Now that I think about it,” One of the Hunters spoke of a rumor regarding Double Dungeons, “I heard that Double Dungeons have some crazy treasures . ”
“Yeah, I heard some mid-level Guild once found a Double Dungeon and shot straight to a large Guild status!”
“And wherever magic beasts may appears in a Dungeon, they should all be the same level generally…”
And so the Hunters thought, what if this Double Dungeon contained a phenomenal treasure? And what if the magic beasts beyond this door were the same level as before?
‘Can’t let that old man take all the treasures by himself . ’
‘Mm, of course . ’
‘Forget just postnatal, I could probably pay for a big private school, pay for the mortgage…’
And just like that, the Hunters’ understandings became one . Even Jinwoo renewed his determination .
‘I can’t just return with a E-Rank magic core . At the very least, a D-Rank, no, just even one more E-Rank is good enough . ’
It didn’t have to be a magic beast either .
‘If we find treasure beyond that door…’
It was a standard agreement that any treasures or artifacts found in a Dungeon would be divided evenly amongst party members . This was different than the case where magic core from magic beasts would only go to the members who helped take a target down .
‘If I can score big right here, I can rest easy for a bit…’
Seeing his determined face, Juhee asked from his side,
“Is that really the face of someone who Hunts as a ‘hobby’?”
Jinwoo shrugged,
“Who would risk their lives for work these days? But for a hobby, that’s another story . ”
“ . . . What?”
As Juhee put on an incredulous expression on her face, Mr . Song started pushing the door open .
creak~
Through some unknown mechanism, the giant door opened easily as the 60-year old man pushed .
Bang
The wide open door revealed a large interior, and the Hunters entered pushing past each other .
“We should go too . ”
Not wanting to fall behind, Jinwoo took Juhee’s wrist and went forward .
“Ah…”
With redness creeping onto her face, Juhee followed him .
As the Hunters’ first steps fell onto the ground, the numerous torches that filled the walls of the area lit up, brightly illuminating the interior .
“Hmm? The light went on?”
“First time I’m seeing that . ”
“Something’s… different . ”
The Hunters surveilled their surroundings . It felt like the interior of a large temple . Like an ominous temple that would be hidden away deep underground, the floors, the walls and even the ceiling was covered in moss . Some Hunters shuddered and noted,
“Something feels wrong . ”
“Doesn’t it feel like we’re being watched?”
The more fearful Hunters fell to the rear, while the stronger Hunters headed deeper into the room .
“Tsk . Don’t say such things . ”
“Let’s just finish up here and go back . ”
The interior was incredibly large . A wide area in a dome shape . It was comparable to multiple olympic fields being put together . No, perhaps bigger . At the same time, it paradoxically felt cramped . The reason was simple ..
“That . . that thing…”
“That’s not the boss, is it?”
At the end of the room, something whose size surpassed reason and logic sat upon a grand and enormous seat . It could only described as a massive Statue of God[1] .
“My god[2] . . . ”
“Whoa…”
They could not help but be amazed .
Jinwoo himself compared the statue’s size to America’s Statue of Liberty[3] . ‘If the Statue of Liberty sat down, it would probably look like that . ’ Although the Statue of Liberty is female, and this one was clearly male . ‘No… This thing’s bigger…’
The Hunters gathered before the statue could not help but gulp repeatedly . They stood in fear, wondering if the Statue of God was the boss of this Dungeon .
“ . . . ”
But the Statue did not move .
“Phew~”
Mr . Song also sighed in relief .
“Alright, let’s spread out . ”
With renewed confidence, the Hunters spread out, investigating the giant room .
“I don’t see any magic beasts . ”
“Right?”
“Forget magic beasts, I don’t even see a single bug . ”
Compared to its well-lit interiors and enormous size, the room of the Statue of God was rather plain . Adorning its walls were countless torches, illuminating the room . In front of the torches stood statues slightly larger than the average man, forming equidistant points of a circle .
“Beautiful . ”
“It’s like a work of art . ”
Each statue held something different in its hands . Some held weapons, some books, others held instruments or torches .
“It’s like…” Mr . Kim started describing,
“Decorations in a temple . ” Mr . Song finished his sentence .
“Hmm?”
Mr . Song found something at his feet .
“This is… a magic circle[4]?”
At the center of the temple room, there was a magic circle that he had never seen before in his life .
“Mr . Song, there’s something written here . Can you come take a look at this?”
A Hunter called out to the Raid’s leader, finding a statue that stood out from the rest . Leaving his observation of the magic circle, Mr . Song headed towards the Hunter . One by one, all the Hunters in the room gathered before the strange statue as well .
Of all the statues in the room, this one was the only one with wings . It was holding a stone tablet . What caught the Hunters’ eyes were the words written on the stone tablet .
“It’s Runic[5] . ” Mr . Song spoke after analyzing the tablet .
Runes . A form of text that could be found in Dungeons, it was something that could not be found elsewhere on Earth . Only the Hunters who Awakened[6] as Mage-class could interpret them .
Mr . Song read the first line of the tablet:
“ ‘Commandments of the Cartenon Temple’[7] ”
Jinwoo listened to Mr . Song’s reading of the tablet with a serious expression . But then suddenly, someone grabbed his arm .
Turning around, he saw Juhee looking at him with a pale, fear-stricken face .
Translator’s Notes:
[1]: “Statue of God” (신상 [神像]; Shin-Sang): “God” Shin + “Statue” Sang
[2]: “my god…”: Just an “omg”, not specifically saying that the statue was his god .
[3]: “Statue of Liberty”: Heel-to-Head Height: ~111 feet .
[4]: “Magic Circle” (마법진; Ma-Beop-Jin): “Magic” Ma-Beop + “Circle” Jin
[5]: “Runic” (룬 문자; Rune Mun-Ja): Rune (in English) + “Text” Mun-Ja
[6]: “Awakened” (각성; Gak-Sung): Terminology used to describe the phenomenon where humans awaken special powers . Those that awaken obtain specific repertoire of abilities and skills fitting to a certain class (Fighter, Mage, Healer, etc…)
[7]: “Commandments of the Cartenon Temple” (카르테논 신전의 규율): The korean word for “commandments” actually is closer to an uncommon way of saying “rule”, but I’ve translated as “commandment” for a minor story purpose later on . I couldn’t find a direct translation for “Cartenon”, so this is just a pronunciation choice .
I Alone Level-up: Chapter 2
The final decision depended on him . He fidgeted again with the E-Rank magic core in his hands, then looked to his side . Juhee shook her head at his eyes . She had a bad feeling about this . Well, even Jinwoo felt the same way . Under any other circumstance, he would not have dared to jump into danger . After all, he lacked the skills and courage to do so . But Jinwoo had a little sister, who was preparing for college .
‘I don’t have anything saved up for that…’
He was 24 years old, but he had to give up on college due to their poverty . He didn’t want that poverty to hinder his sister’s life as well .
Their lives were counting on every penny that came and went . Mr . Park wasn’t the only one who needed money .
Jinwoo raised his hand .
“I’ll also go . ”
At his side, Juhee let out a small sigh disappointedly .
-2 . Double Dungeon-
The tunnel went on and on and on . At the vanguard stood Mr . Song and other veteran Hunters . Led by the light from the fireball in Mr . Song’s hand, the party walked through the dimly lit tunnel .
Mr . Kim spoke up from the party, “Isn’t this going in a little too deep? Maybe we should think about turning back . ”
“How long have we been walking?”
Mr . Kim checked his watch, “About… 40 minutes . ”
“When we take down the boss, we’ll have 1 hour before the Gate closes . Taking into account the time for the return trip, we still have a breathing room of 20 minutes, right?”
“Then if we don’t come across the boss after 20 more minutes of walking, we should leave, right?”
“I suppose so . ”
Nodding, Mr . Song pointed towards his back with his thumb .
“Hey Mr . Kim, it’s dark ahead of me, so fall back a little bit . ”
Mr . Kim looked at Mr . Song’s fireball, then took out his cellphone and turned on its flashlight function . The light from the phone brightly illuminated their path .
“ . . . ”
Looking back and forth between his fireball and the phone’s light, Mr . Song quietly searched pockets for his phone ..
At the rear of the party walked Jinwoo, who was injured, and Juhee, who had no fighting skills . Jinwoo scratched his head .
“I’m… sorry . ”
“For what?”
“Dragging you along like this . ”
“I’m fine . You don’t have to worry about me . ”
Jinwoo discretely read her expression . It was not a face without worry . Tilting his head, Jinwoo carefully asked,
“Are you sure?”
Juhee abruptly turned to face him,
“Of course I’m not okay! Are you in your right mind?! Earlier, if the place you were stabbed in was just a bit higher, it would’ve pierced your heart! And what about the injuries on your wrist and thigh?! I barely healed all those, and you’re already jumping into another Dungeon? Especially when you don’t know anything about it?”
At her rant, Jinwoo felt himself becoming light-headed . But she was not wrong . Juhee was a Healer-class Hunter, and more than that, a B-Rank Hunter . A rare sight in the Association . If it was not for her healing, Jinwoo would’ve probably succumbed to injuries that would’ve put his normal life out of commission, much less being a Hunter .
‘I really owe her a lot…’
A Healer-class Hunter .
Not only that, a B-Rank Healer-class Hunter .
Whenever a Gate appeared, the Association would request her as a healer, and of course, Jinwoo would always find himself sitting or lying down next to her in treatment in their Raids .
“You’re hurting, right? Please hang in there . ”
“You look familiar… are you from that time…?”
“You got hurt again?”
“Seems like I see you again and again . ”
“You said your name was Jinwoo? Are you… alright?”
“Do you ever think maybe the Hunter-life isn’t for you…?”
“ . . . You’re here again . ”
“Hold out your arm . No, not there, you can mend that with just bandages, the other arm . ”
Surpassing his gratitude, he now felt apologetic to her .
“ . . . ”
Seeing his silent face, Juhee felt bad about her rant and calmed down .
“Are you really sorry?”
“Of course . ”
After some thought, Juhee looked at Jinwoo at her side, with corners of her mouth rising ever so slightly,
“Well… maybe you could treat me to a meal sometime . ”
It was not a response he expected . Shocked, Jinwoo looked at Juhee’s face, now showing a mischievous smile . ‘A girl…’ He remembered Juhee was 20 going on 21 . If she had cut her long hair into a proper length and put on a school uniform, she’d be a fitting image of a student . Imagining her in a uniform, his face blushed .
Seeing his delayed response, Juhee blew air into her cheeks and pouted .
“Do you… not want to eat with me?”
It was then .
Suddenly, a commotion rose from the vanguard of the party .
“This is it!”
“The boss room!”
Jinwoo and Juhee turned their gazes forward .
There stood a giant door signaling the end of the tunnel . The Hunters gathered before the door .
“To think there was a door at the end of the tunnel . ”
“Do you think this was always here?”
“First time I’m seeing something like this… . ”
“Do . . . do you think it’s dangerous?”
As they quietly whispered back and forth, the Hunters became uneasy . After all, their lives were on the line; they had to be careful . But too much care may impede progress, Mr . Song thought .
“So you guys want to turn back after all that? To go back empty handed?”
He placed his hand on the door .
“You’re free to go back . I’ll go alone . ”
Mr . Song was a C-Rank Hunter with 10 years of experience . If it wasn’t for the fact that he was past 60 years old, he could’ve probably raided under a large Guild ..
So when such a veteran Hunter spoke with confidence, the uneasiness of the other Hunters slowly disappeared .
“Now that I think about it,” One of the Hunters spoke of a rumor regarding Double Dungeons, “I heard that Double Dungeons have some crazy treasures . ”
“Yeah, I heard some mid-level Guild once found a Double Dungeon and shot straight to a large Guild status!”
“And wherever magic beasts may appears in a Dungeon, they should all be the same level generally…”
And so the Hunters thought, what if this Double Dungeon contained a phenomenal treasure? And what if the magic beasts beyond this door were the same level as before?
‘Can’t let that old man take all the treasures by himself . ’
‘Mm, of course . ’
‘Forget just postnatal, I could probably pay for a big private school, pay for the mortgage…’
And just like that, the Hunters’ understandings became one . Even Jinwoo renewed his determination .
‘I can’t just return with a E-Rank magic core . At the very least, a D-Rank, no, just even one more E-Rank is good enough . ’
It didn’t have to be a magic beast either .
‘If we find treasure beyond that door…’
It was a standard agreement that any treasures or artifacts found in a Dungeon would be divided evenly amongst party members . This was different than the case where magic core from magic beasts would only go to the members who helped take a target down .
‘If I can score big right here, I can rest easy for a bit…’
Seeing his determined face, Juhee asked from his side,
“Is that really the face of someone who Hunts as a ‘hobby’?”
Jinwoo shrugged,
“Who would risk their lives for work these days? But for a hobby, that’s another story . ”
“ . . . What?”
As Juhee put on an incredulous expression on her face, Mr . Song started pushing the door open .
creak~
Through some unknown mechanism, the giant door opened easily as the 60-year old man pushed .
Bang
The wide open door revealed a large interior, and the Hunters entered pushing past each other .
“We should go too . ”
Not wanting to fall behind, Jinwoo took Juhee’s wrist and went forward .
“Ah…”
With redness creeping onto her face, Juhee followed him .
As the Hunters’ first steps fell onto the ground, the numerous torches that filled the walls of the area lit up, brightly illuminating the interior .
“Hmm? The light went on?”
“First time I’m seeing that . ”
“Something’s… different . ”
The Hunters surveilled their surroundings . It felt like the interior of a large temple . Like an ominous temple that would be hidden away deep underground, the floors, the walls and even the ceiling was covered in moss . Some Hunters shuddered and noted,
“Something feels wrong . ”
“Doesn’t it feel like we’re being watched?”
The more fearful Hunters fell to the rear, while the stronger Hunters headed deeper into the room .
“Tsk . Don’t say such things . ”
“Let’s just finish up here and go back . ”
The interior was incredibly large . A wide area in a dome shape . It was comparable to multiple olympic fields being put together . No, perhaps bigger . At the same time, it paradoxically felt cramped . The reason was simple ..
“That . . that thing…”
“That’s not the boss, is it?”
At the end of the room, something whose size surpassed reason and logic sat upon a grand and enormous seat . It could only described as a massive Statue of God[1] .
“My god[2] . . . ”
“Whoa…”
They could not help but be amazed .
Jinwoo himself compared the statue’s size to America’s Statue of Liberty[3] . ‘If the Statue of Liberty sat down, it would probably look like that . ’ Although the Statue of Liberty is female, and this one was clearly male . ‘No… This thing’s bigger…’
The Hunters gathered before the statue could not help but gulp repeatedly . They stood in fear, wondering if the Statue of God was the boss of this Dungeon .
“ . . . ”
But the Statue did not move .
“Phew~”
Mr . Song also sighed in relief .
“Alright, let’s spread out . ”
With renewed confidence, the Hunters spread out, investigating the giant room .
“I don’t see any magic beasts . ”
“Right?”
“Forget magic beasts, I don’t even see a single bug . ”
Compared to its well-lit interiors and enormous size, the room of the Statue of God was rather plain . Adorning its walls were countless torches, illuminating the room . In front of the torches stood statues slightly larger than the average man, forming equidistant points of a circle .
“Beautiful . ”
“It’s like a work of art . ”
Each statue held something different in its hands . Some held weapons, some books, others held instruments or torches .
“It’s like…” Mr . Kim started describing,
“Decorations in a temple . ” Mr . Song finished his sentence .
“Hmm?”
Mr . Song found something at his feet .
“This is… a magic circle[4]?”
At the center of the temple room, there was a magic circle that he had never seen before in his life .
“Mr . Song, there’s something written here . Can you come take a look at this?”
A Hunter called out to the Raid’s leader, finding a statue that stood out from the rest . Leaving his observation of the magic circle, Mr . Song headed towards the Hunter . One by one, all the Hunters in the room gathered before the strange statue as well .
Of all the statues in the room, this one was the only one with wings . It was holding a stone tablet . What caught the Hunters’ eyes were the words written on the stone tablet .
“It’s Runic[5] . ” Mr . Song spoke after analyzing the tablet .
Runes . A form of text that could be found in Dungeons, it was something that could not be found elsewhere on Earth . Only the Hunters who Awakened[6] as Mage-class could interpret them .
Mr . Song read the first line of the tablet:
“ ‘Commandments of the Cartenon Temple’[7] ”
Jinwoo listened to Mr . Song’s reading of the tablet with a serious expression . But then suddenly, someone grabbed his arm .
Turning around, he saw Juhee looking at him with a pale, fear-stricken face .
Translator’s Notes:
[1]: “Statue of God” (신상 [神像]; Shin-Sang): “God” Shin + “Statue” Sang
[2]: “my god…”: Just an “omg”, not specifically saying that the statue was his god .
[3]: “Statue of Liberty”: Heel-to-Head Height: ~111 feet .
[4]: “Magic Circle” (마법진; Ma-Beop-Jin): “Magic” Ma-Beop + “Circle” Jin
[5]: “Runic” (룬 문자; Rune Mun-Ja): Rune (in English) + “Text” Mun-Ja
[6]: “Awakened” (각성; Gak-Sung): Terminology used to describe the phenomenon where humans awaken special powers . Those that awaken obtain specific repertoire of abilities and skills fitting to a certain class (Fighter, Mage, Healer, etc…)
[7]: “Commandments of the Cartenon Temple” (카르테논 신전의 규율): The korean word for “commandments” actually is closer to an uncommon way of saying “rule”, but I’ve translated as “commandment” for a minor story purpose later on . I couldn’t find a direct translation for “Cartenon”, so this is just a pronunciation choice .
Solo leveling -chapter 1
Chapter 1
-1 . The E-rank Hunter-
“E-rank Hunter” Sung Jinwoo .
It was a title that followed him wherever he went .
Even as a Hunter, his abilities were barely above that of an ordinary person . If it wasn’t for his slightly more durable constitution or his slightly increased healing factor, there was but a little difference between him and a non-Hunter . As such, his Hunting career was riddled with variety of injuries . There were even times where he toed the line between life and death itself .
But he was not a Hunter because he enjoyed the job .
It was dangerous, filled with ridicule, and the pay was disappointing .
No . If it wasn’t for the fact that the Hunter Association provided support for the medical bills of his mother, he was more than ready to give it up and start an ordinary employment as an ordinary person .
But how could he, a man in his 20s with no special talents or background, afford to pay the medical bills that amounted to several million won a month[1]?
You could say he had no choice in the matter .
And so today, with a silent cry in his heart, Jinwoo took part in an Association-supervised Raid, same as any other day .
Hunters who operated in the same area knew each other well . This was due to the collective gathering of all Hunters in the area whenever a Gate opened up . And today, the Hunters who’ve gathered shared a cup of coffee while greeting each other .
“Oy, Mr . Kim, over here . ”
“Ooh, Mr . Park, what are you doing here? I thought you were done with the Hunter business . ”
“Ah that… The wife just got pregnant with number two . ”
“Hahaha, is that so? Well, nothing better than a Raid to fill the pockets of a Hunter!”
Both Mr . Kim and Mr . Park laughed .
“You know, it seems like the Association’s been calling us less and less lately . Wonder if the rate of Gate appearances decreased?”
“Eh, nonsense . It’s because the Guilds have been working harder than the Association lately . Whenever large sums of money’s involved, you just know the Guilds pounce on’em with that fiery look in their eyes . ”
“Well then, I guess this Raid being supervised by the Association means it’ll be pretty safe, right?”
With a slight concern, Mr . Park took a look around the area . A Gate ignored by a Guild meant low pay, and a low paying Gate meant low difficulty . Of course, there was nothing in life that was 100% certain . Similar to Mr . Park, other Hunters in the area shifted their eyes with nervousness .
“Perhaps…”
As he finished the coffee, Mr . Kim suddenly waved to someone he saw approaching in the distance .
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“Oh, wait, look who it is . Mr . Sung! Hey Mr . Sung!”
Other Hunters also looked at the newcomer with familiarity and relief .
“Hello . ”
It was Sung Jinwoo .
Briefly greeting Mr . Kim with a nod, Jinwoo continued his walk . After he passed, Mr . Kim lightly chuckled and loosened his worries .
“So Jinwoo came . Then this place should be safe . ”
With his eyes widened, Mr . Park asked Mr . Kim .
“What? Is Hunter Sung Jinwoo that strong?”
“Ah, Mr . Park wouldn’t know . He started the job a little after you left . There’s no Hunter here who doesn’t know Sung Jinwoo . ”
“That strong? Why is he working under the Association, then? Why not freelance or join a large Guild?”
Chuckling, Mr . Kim’s eyes narrowed .
“You know what that man’s nickname is?”
“How would I know? Come on, spit it out . ”
“Humanity’s Weakest Soldier”
“ . . . Weakest? Not Strongest?”
“Listen to yourself, that kind of title belongs only to the S-rank Hunters . That man over there is the Weakest Soldier . Probably the weakest Hunter in all of Korea . ”
“Eh?”
Mr . Park furrowed his brows . If he was that weak, why would the Hunters look so relieved at his appearance? A fellow Hunter was someone who had to be relied upon in a Raid . He could not understand the other hunter's reaction .
Seeing Mr . Park’s tilted head in contemplation, Mr . Park ribbed him with his elbows while laughing .
“Don’t you get it? If Sung Jinwoo appeared in today’s Raid, it means it’s gotta be an easy one . The Association wouldn’t risk putting him on anything hard . Nobody wants to see someone die pointlessly . ”
And now, Mr . Park’s face brightened .
“Is, is that so?”
Coming back to the Raiding scene after a long break, both he and his wife were ladened with uneasiness and concern . But listening to Mr . Kim’s words, his mood lightened up .
Mr . Kim continued,
“Once, that man got injured in an E-rank Gate and had to be hospitalized for a week . ”
“A Hunter got injured in an E-rank Gate?”
“Yep . Nobody expected someone to actually get hurt in an E-rank Gate . I heard they didn’t even take a Healer-class Hunter . ”
Seeing Mr . Park laugh loudly in response, Mr . Kim shifted his eyes toward Jinwoo .
“Hey, hey, not too loud . He might hear . ”
“Oops, didn’t think about that . ”
Mr . Park shifted his eyes towards Jinwoo and quieted his laughter . Fortunately, Jinwoo appeared some distance away and probably couldn’t hear their conversation .
But he did .
‘I heard everything, you geezers . ’
Doing his best to ignore their laughter, he met their gaze and put on an ignorant smile . At times like this, he cursed his rather keen hearing .
‘Did I come too soon?’
It was some time before the Raid would begin . While waiting, Jinwoo approached an Association Employee for some coffee .
“Could I get a cup as well?”
“Ah, Hunter Sung Jinwoo-nim[2] . . . I’m so sorry, we just ran out…”
“ . . . ”
A cold winter breeze slapped his face . Jinwoo wiped his nose with fingers .
It was a rather sad day where even the coffee ran out just as he got to it . . .
“Why are you so stubborn about this whole Hunter business, Mr . Jinwoo?”
“Sorry . ”
Jinwoo bowed his head .
As she healed him, Lee Juhee’s face was filled with complaint .
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“I’m not trying to get an apology from you . I’m just worried about you, you know? I swear, one of these days, you’re going to get seriously hurt . ”
Once you pass through the Gate, you would be in the Dungeon . The Dungeon this time around was probably D-rank .
Jinwoo looked over Juhee’s shoulders at his fellow Hunters . Ten-something number of Hunters were taking down monsters left and right . They did not appear to be particularly struggling . Yet here he was, injured .
It was the role of the Healer-class Hunters to heal the injured Hunters from the rear . As a man who was hurt in nearly every Raid he participated in, Jinwoo was rather famous among the Healer-class Hunters .
Juhee carefully asked him,
“Do you perhaps have a reason why you can’t quit?”
Jinwoo firmly shook his head . He didn’t like revealing personal details about himself so easily .
“I’m just doing this as a hobby . I’ll probably die of boredom if it wasn’t for this . ”
Juhee pouted in response,
“You’ll end up Raiding in the afterlife because of your ‘hobby’ ”
Not expecting such a response, Jinwoo laughed .
“Hey! Don’t laugh! You’ll open your wounds!”
Jinwoo asked while chuckling,
“Man, where did you hear such a phrase?”
“Where else? Mr . Kim ooover there . ”
“Sigh, that geezer . . . ”
As they laughed and conversed, the healing was completed . But it was too late, the Raid was pretty much over at that point .
Jinwoo grimaced .
‘I only killed one magic beast[3] today…’
And even then, it was only a E-rank monster .
Jinwoo fidgeted with the the E-rank magic core[4] in his hand . Such low level magic core from an E-rank magic beast was barely worth a hundred thousand won[5] . The fact that he put his life on the line to earn it made it seem all the more pathetic .
‘I heard a magic core from a C-rank magic beast is worth at least few ten millions[6]…’
But to Jinwoo, an E-rank Hunter, the thought of taking down a C-rank magic beast was an impossibility .
Suddenly, someone shouted,
“Eh? There’s another entrance here!”
The Hunters swarmed towards the voice .
“You’re right!”
“Really? Another entrance?”
As the first person noted, there indeed was another Dungeon entrance here .
“A Double Dungeon… So they really do exist . ”
A Hunter with 10 years worth of experience, Mr . Song looked at the newly found entrance with wonder . Unable to see far into the dark tunnel, Mr . Song used his specialty, fire magic . The fireball that shot out from his hand flew through the tunnel, illuminating its darkness . However, the tunnel was deeper than expected, and the fireball eventually lost its energy and fell to the ground and quickly extinguished as a spark . Darkness returned before their eyes .
“Hmm… Everyone, please gather around . ”
As the de facto leader of the Raid, Mr . Song gathered the Hunters before him . Juhee and Jinwoo, having completed Jinwoo’s healing, also joined the crowd .
Mr . Song addressed gathered Hunters,
“As you all may know, Gates do not close until the Dungeon’s boss is taken down . Since our Gate is still open, even though we’ve cleared all the mobs in the area, it appears that the real boss in down that tunnel . ”
Mr . Song gestured towards the newly found Dungeon entrance . Looking at each other, the Hunters also nodded in agreement .
“The protocol in situations like this is to exit the Dungeon, contact the Association, and let them handle things going forward… But if we do that, and some other group of Hunters take down the boss, there’s a chance that our income for this Raid will drastically decrease . ”
The gathered Hunters’ expressions hardened . Mr . Park, who came here to support his expecting wife, looked doubly troubled . ‘Postnatal care these days is really expensive…’ If he left now, the efforts he risked his life for would be wasted .
“And so I was thinking . What if we just went ahead and go kill the boss? What do you guys think?”
The Hunters fell in contemplation .
“ . . . ”
“ . . . ”
It was not a decision that could be made easily . Some knew that there was no guarantee that the Double Dungeon would be as safe as the one that they had just cleared . Others came to the conclusion that if the Outer Dungeon was this easy, perhaps the Inner Dungeon would be just as easy . Regardless, it was not a situation where everyone would be in agreement .
“Hmm…”
Mr . Song faked a cough,
“Since there’s 17 of us here, why don’t we take a vote on this? And no complaining after the vote . How about it?”
At Mr . Song’s suggestion, each Hunter nodded in agreement .
Mr . Song’s was the first to raise his hand . “I’ll go . ”
Mr . Park was the first to follow Mr . Song, “I’ll go too . ”
“Me, me too…”
“Same here . ”
“One more vote for ‘yes’ “
Mr . Kim had also joined the “go” group . But there were opposing votes as well,
“Let’s not . ”
“I think we should wait on the Association’s judgment . ”
As the “yes” crowd and the “no” crowd clashed at 8-7, all gazes fell on the two last undecided people .
“Sorry…”
Shaking her head, Juhee voted no, putting the count at 8-8 . Mr . Song turned and asked the last person for his vote .
“Mr . Sung?”
Translator’s Notes:
[1]: “several million won”: ~Several thousand in USD (his mother’s medical bills)
[2]: “-nim”: Korean post-nominal honorific denoting high respect . Falls somewhere between Japanese -san and -sama . Most service employees in Korea refer to customers with “-nim” .
[3]: “magic beast” (마수; Ma-Su); “Magic” Ma + “Beast” Su
[4]: “magic core” (마정석; Ma-Jung-Suk); “Magic” Ma + “Center/Middle” Jung + “Stone” Suk . i . e . - A magic stone at the center/middle of the magic beast > “magic core” .
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