Solo Leveling- Ragnarok-Chapter 324

Just as Suho had said—he had been extremely busy lately. No, everyone connected to Suho had been busy. Much had happened in the outside world after Ammut and the others had been sucked into the Sea of the Afterlife.

The worker bees under Arsha’s control had been buzzing furiously across battlefields all over the world, where Elvenwoods and hunters were locked in fierce combat, grasping at floating pollen with their three pairs of legs. They had been faithfully carrying out the final command issued to them by the queen bee—to collect the pollen from the Elvenwoods for Suho. The command stood even after she was gone, and so the pollen continued to pour in from across the globe.

As a result, Suho found himself forced to stand atop the roof of the Ahjinsoft building, constantly receiving it all. Swarming around him were countless bees who had traversed the globe through dimensional rifts.

This, of course, had required a great deal of work on Harmakan’s part. In order to spread these bees all over the world, he’d been forced to open and close tiny gates the size of a fingernail repeatedly. No matter how small the rift, managing that volume was tedious and exhausting work. Still, thanks to Harmakan’s relentless effort, the pollen flooded in at an incredible pace.

Simply gathering a massive amount of pollen wasn’t enough, however. Even Harmakan, the Supreme Chief of the demonic spirits, couldn’t take the place of the Apostle of Evolution, who had come from the outer universes. This was where Beru came in.

“There is no need for research!” he cried with a shriek. “We can produce more based on the cells the Outer Artifacts dissolved into!”

Beru began actively applying the knowledge he had absorbed from the Apostle of Evolution and supplemented Harmakan’s spells.

“It looks like the basic structure of it is simpler than I realized,” Harmakan murmured, eyes alight with wicked delight after hearing Beru’s insights.

For demonic spirits, new knowledge was nourishment for the soul. The cells created by the apostle were already near completion, but were ultimately limited by one immutable fact—a soul could not be artificially made. That was why they were considered failures. From Suho’s point of view, however, that was actually better.

“We don’t need to create souls. There’s no reason to. Just make more of them,” Suho said.

“So we are essentially recycling Experiment Forty-Seven? Understood.”

Harmakan nodded and began refining his magic circles. With Beru’s help, he eventually achieved the breakthrough they needed.

“There are some minute differences, but we are now capable of producing beings similar to Experiment Forty-Seven.”

In fact, the process was easier than creating Experiment Forty-Seven herself. What they needed for the Solo Leveling: Ragnarok project were literal avatars—temporary vessels to house human souls. A developed consciousness, like that of Experiment Forty-Seven, wasn’t necessary.

Suho grinned.

“This is more than enough.”

Ironically, the apostle’s discarded failures turned out to be perfectly suited for Suho’s plans. It was Harmakan’s role to use those cells as a base, mass-producing copies using the pollen as raw material, like a factory assembly line. If this succeeded, humanity as a whole would be able to function as combatants in the war against the Outer Gods.

“There is a bit of a problem,” Harmakan said gravely.

It was a serious concern. They had reached the point where they could allow human souls to enter these undying avatars, but would they truly be of use against the Outer Gods in battle? That was the hurdle they faced. Even if they could regenerate from any injury, even death, they wouldn’t be of much use if they couldn’t fight.

“Master, how do you plan to resolve that issue?” Harmakan asked.

To this, Suho responded with a mysterious smile.

Beru, upon hearing the answer, was so moved that he shed tears.

“Ah! You are so clever, Young Monarch! As they say, even the smallest creature can be a teacher!”

“That’s... a compliment, right?”

“Of course! Of the highest degree!”

Suho chuckled under his breath. Ever since he had seen Beru engage in a fight of magnificent proportions against Nidhogg, he had started to think that Beru was justified for all the times he’d mocked—or encouraged, depending on the viewpoint—Suho for his weakness. Seeing that sheer power in person had felt different. That day, Suho had seen for certain that Beru was indeed someone who had fought by his father’s side—a commander of the shadow army. Beru had certainly proven himself worthy of that title. Humility had come naturally to Suho after that. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

I still have a long way to go.

No matter how much stronger he became, there was always someone who was stronger. Suho’s power had already long surpassed the bounds of humanity, but that wasn’t what mattered. The real enemies he faced were not humans, but the invaders of the outer universes.

And in order to fight them... we have to do anything and everything. That’s what war is.

Suho’s eyes hardened as he gazed skyward. Somewhere beyond, his father was out there.

“Suho.”

Jinho, his uncle, walked over as Suho took yet another bundle of pollen from the worker bees clustered on the rooftop. There were so many bees buzzing around Suho that Jinho looked visibly unsettled.

Tiptoeing over, he said, “We’ve improved the game capsules just as you asked. As soon as we confirm the prototype is stable and performing as expected, we’ll send it in for mass production.”

“That’s faster than I expected,” Suho replied.

“All thanks to Harmakan. The demonic spirits had a hand in its development, after all. Harmakan did a bit of work on it, and it was over in no time. I think the avatars probably matter more, though... How do you think things will go on that end?”

“Actually, we have a prototype ready.”

Experiment Forty-Seven now stood in front of them. Thanks to the tireless worker bees, the female construct had been fully restored to her former beauty. However, without a soul or consciousness, her eyes were dull and lifeless.

Jinho hadn’t noticed her earlier because of the swarm, and now he blinked and asked, “So you’re planning to place a soul in that avatar? Whose soul are you using?”

“I happen to have the perfect candidate,” Suho said with a grin.

Long ago, in a timeline that no longer existed, there had been entities on Earth who stole human bodies and controlled them for their own ends—the Monarchs and the Rulers. The Monarchs devoured human souls and seized their bodies to walk the Earth. The Rulers, on the other hand, quietly coexisted within humans, lending their power from within. Suho had heard all about those experiences through Beru, who’d passed down everything his father had gone through.

Now, he was using that knowledge to prepare something much bigger.

***

“A Monarch is the perfect candidate to inhabit a body with no soul,” Suho said.

Arsha, who had just been chosen by Suho for the avatar, stared in disbelief. She was, after all, just a flying insect, a creature who had only ever assumed human form as a disguise to blend in with humans. That mimicry had become second nature, so much so that even as she neared death in the Sea of the Afterlife, she still clung to that form. Even that was growing difficult for her, and the form was slowly disintegrating.

And Suho had just presented her with a new vessel.

“Get in there already. Your worker bees built this hive just for you.”

Nidhogg’s roaring filled the air.

“But before that, this isn’t the time to chit-chat, so I’ll get straight to the point.”

Even now, overhead, a tremendous battle was raging. The Ice Elves were firing volley after volley of frost arrows at the rampaging Nidhogg. The attacks did hardly any damage to the creature, but as far as debuffing was concerned, the arrows were perfectly effective.

First, there were the eyes. Frost had formed over Nidhogg’s eyelids, disrupting its vision, and its movements had noticeably slowed from the cold. Taking advantage of the moment, Suho gently lifted Arsha and brought her closer to the motionless Experiment Forty-Seven.

“Just to be clear, entering this avatar won’t suddenly make you stronger.”

“I am aware. I already know my own limits...” Arsha replied.

She understood perfectly. Suho was right. This vessel was just that, a vessel and a home. If anything, a true Monarch might actually grow weaker upon becoming trapped inside it. That was exactly what had happened to Monarchs long ago.

Experiment Forty-Seven, of course, was far from an ordinary human body. She was the greatest vessel the Apostle of Evolution had been capable of making. Even so, Arsha knew she wouldn’t become miraculously powerful simply by occupying it. This was exactly what Harmakan had worried about, even as he recovered and prepared the avatar himself.

Even if human souls could be transferred into these bodies, would they be able to fight against the invaders from the outer universes? Exchanging vessels did nothing to mitigate the intrinsic limitations. Suho, however, had already accounted for all that when making his suggestion to Arsha.

“So, you’ll be needing this.”

At the sight of what Suho held out, Arsha shuddered as if struck by lightning.

[Item: Seed of Evolution]

[Acquisition Difficulty: ??

Type: Consumable

A seed made by compressing the energies left behind by the Apostle of Evolution.]

It was the essence left behind after the Apostle of Evolution’s death. Beru had gathered the energy scattering after his death and formed it into an item, but not even Beru himself knew what it was to be used for. It was a complete mystery. The energy of the Itarim had been removed entirely from the seed, however, so it couldn’t harm Suho.

“S-Suho... You plan to use something like this on someone as unworthy as me?”

She looked overwhelmed, unable to accept such a gift without protest. She was touched, yes, but this didn’t feel right.

“I can’t accept this! You should be using this sort of thing for yourself...!”

It was only right, considering how valuable it was. The seed, as the name suggested, would allow Suho’s power to “evolve” in some way. It didn’t make sense for a mere insect like her to consume it.

“I don’t need it,” Suho said, shaking his head firmly.

Suho already knew that the ultimate evolution the Apostle of Evolution had wanted had been the Monarch of Shadows himself. Suho was his son. There was no point in using it for himself.

“I don’t want to sully the soul I have inherited from my father with a suspicious item like this,” he added.

“An extremely wise sentiment!”

Beru had appeared beside Suho, nodding with satisfaction. He added a word of advice based on the memories of the apostle he’d devoured.

“It’s energy left behind by the Apostle of Evolution. It would be most efficient to use it on one of his experiments! So shut up and eat it!”

“Take it while you can. In return, you’ll have to swear loyalty to me on your soul,” Suho said.

“I-I swear it!”

A notification popped up.

[Pet: “Queen Bee - Level 99” has been acquired.]

The pet system had activated, just like it had with Gray and Ragna. It was proof that Arsha’s vow was sincere.

“I didn’t know your level was so high. You’re probably the strongest queen bee out there,” Suho remarked, surprised that she was far more powerful than he’d expected.

But this only proved that no matter how high the level, one couldn’t overcome the limits of their species.

All the more reason for her to evolve.

“Go on, eat it,” Suho said.

“Yes, sir...!”

Without hesitation, Arsha took the Seed of Evolution and entered the body of the blank-eyed Experiment Forty-Seven. A radiant light burst from the avatar. The light was too much for the body to withstand. Cracks split across the surface, but the body regenerated itself just as quickly. This process repeated again and again, until finally, Arsha opened her eyes.

Ding!

[Pet: “Queen Bee - Level 99” has evolved into “Void Insect - Level 1.”]

“Void Insect?”

Suho blinked.

Perhaps it was a reflection of the worker bees’ tireless efforts, traveling across dimensions to collect the cells, or maybe this was the evolution Arsha herself had longed for, just as the Apostle of Evolution had sought to become the Apostle of Nightmare and succeeded.

The reason for this change soon became obvious.

A soft sigh of relief escaped from Arsha’s lips, now in her new vessel. Then, with serene eyes, she smiled at Suho. It was a captivating smile. It reminded him of the very first time they met, but this time, there was a sweetness behind her gaze—loyalty, so thick it dripped like honey.

“Thank you, Suho, my liege.”

“You still seem a little on the weak side,” he commented.

“Yes. I am not quite there yet. But my evolution is only beginning,” she said, her gaze drifting upward.

Above, Nidhogg was thrashing violently against the ice elves, but Arsha wasn’t looking at him. Her eyes were fixed far, far above that. Leaves of the World Tree were scattering in every direction, flung by Nidhogg’s rampage, and with them, invisible to any eye but those of worker bees, microscopic specks of pollen. Only her bees could perceive such things.

“Come, my swarm.”

At her command, tiny voids opened near her, the same dimensional rifts Harmakan had created for the bees. Through those holes, the worker bees that had been spread across the earth poured into the Sea of the Afterlife. Arsha extended her energy to them, evolving each and every one into Void Insects. They began to swarm around her, like the bees they had once been.

“My lord, would you give us your orders?”

Smiling gently in the center of it all, Arsha locked eyes with Suho, awaiting his command.

Suho chuckled quietly at the confidence on her face.

“Just as perceptive as usual...” he muttered.

Arsha had constantly been watchful of Suho’s reactions all this time, and thanks to her experience, she had already figured out what he wanted. Now all she needed was his approval.

“You have my permission. Do what you do best.”

Arsha was still too weak to receive the primordial darkness, even after her evolution, but there had only ever been one path to strength for her—to be fruitful and multiply.

Suho lifted his arm high, his index finger pointing straight at the World Tree, and gave the order.

“Create a hive in the World Tree.”

“As you command!”

In that moment, the Void Insects all took flight at once. Ignoring the massive Nidhogg entirely, they surged upward toward the World Tree. Their aim was to build a hive within the tree, the cradle of the universe, and the very heart of the Sea of the Afterlife.