Solo Leveling- Ragnarok-Chapter 350

Breaking news continued to pour in. The reports spread quickly across the globe that the great monster invasion, which nearly escalated into a second Great Cataclysm, had been swiftly resolved.

“Ugh! Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic.”

The countless butterfly monsters displayed on the news screen were nothing but a disgrace to look at. Yuri took a long swig from the bottle in his hand, recalling the arrogant face of the Apostle of Domination. He had started with such confidence, only to fall so miserably in defeat. The only emotion visible on Yuri’s face wasn’t disappointment at his plan’s failure, only mockery at the Apostle of Domination’s demise.

This wasn’t unexpected. After all, Yuri had made deals with numerous followers of the Outer Gods over the past few years. It was only possible because he was one of the rare humans aware of their existence—and he viewed the strange power they used, what they called “divine power,” as nothing more than a tool for barter.

At a certain point, he had realized that their real goal was domination of the Earth itself, but that hadn’t bothered him in the least. Hadn’t humanity already been destroying Earth for thousands of years? What difference would a few aliens joining in make? This world was doomed in the end anyway.

Honestly, I wish it had already happened.

As someone who’d spent his entire life as a beggar, that had always been something he’d prayed for. He wanted every person on Earth to have their lives fall apart, for everyone to live more wretchedly, more miserably, than Yuri ever had. Not that such prayers had changed a thing. He was still the only scum, as far as he could tell.

This had guided him to an important realization.

There is no god.

There was no higher power listening to his desperate pleas. There couldn’t be. Yet... There was one. In another world. No, in another universe.

He had never once imagined the Itarim existed—beings from the outer universes who sought this world’s destruction. Yuri had entered into trade with the followers of those gods without hesitation. This didn’t make him a member of the Church of the Outer Gods. His life had been far too filthy for religion. He had never intended to rely on a god of any kind. So he chose to trade—not prayers, but bargains.

In the process, he came to understand one thing. The followers of the Outer Gods were all arrogant to the core. They consistently underestimated humans, viewing them as inferior, little more than livestock. That arrogance was ultimately their downfall, and Yuri thought they deserved every ounce of ridicule. In the end, he was still human, so even though his own plan had failed, part of him found the Apostle’s demise satisfying.

Even so, this defeat of the Apostle of Domination was not great news for someone like Yuri. He had been on the same side, after all. The demise of the Apostle aside, however, this large-scale fiasco he caused had created an opportunity for Russia. Until now, Russia had taken no action regarding the suspicious Elvenwoods. This was in stark contrast to other nations, which had immediately sent out hunters to get rid of them. Politically, this had become an issue. Nations like the United States and the World Hunters Association had been applying pressure from all sides.

“Why hasn’t Russia removed its Elvenwoods?”

“Give us an explanation!”

“If you continue to ignore the issue, we’ll have to assume you’re somehow involved...!”

Such suspicions and rumors had cornered Russia from all directions. Thanks to the trouble the Apostle of Domination had created, however, Russia was no longer under the spotlight. The sudden ambush by the butterflies had nearly sparked a second Great Cataclysm, and the few trees growing in Russia ceased to be a concern. What Yuri had not anticipated was that the butterflies would be wiped out so quickly.

“Tsk. Useless bastard. Couldn’t even buy me some time.”

Soon, the world’s attention would return to Russia. Since the death toll worldwide this time had not been high, the aftermath would be cleaned up quickly.

“I... am running out of time.”

It wouldn’t be long now.

“I have to move quickly.”

A knowing smile crept onto his face. From a national standpoint, it was actually a good thing that the Apostle of Domination was gone.

Yuri swept aside a heavy curtain hanging on the wall, revealing a massive world map. It was a backlit display board, and the vast territory of Russia was lit up in gold. Several red dots glimmered across it. These were “fishbowls” that Yuri had managed himself, refusing to entrust them to other politicians. Most of them were fake, however. They were simply dummies intended to fool the followers of the Outer Gods. Only one truly mattered. He grinned.

“Heh heh. If they only knew, they would’ve made killing me their top priority.”

He bared his teeth in a grin, staring fixedly at one of the red dots. The Apostle of Domination had possessed an especially large number of copies. Evading the gazes of so many copies scattered across the globe while carrying out his plan had been no easy feat, even with all the necessary ingredients already in place. Now, all those obstacles were dead.

“It’s finally time.”

If he missed this window, more followers could emerge elsewhere. He had to act fast. Yuri returned to his desk and picked up a phone with a red button.

“Yes. It’s me. Begin the operation. Effective immediately.”

As the command was issued, one of the red dots on the board gleamed brighter than the rest.

Another crooked smile appeared on his face.

“It’s finally time to begin Project Eternal Fountain.”

***

Suho was home. It wasn’t some grand mansion, but it was cozy, and it was his. The unit where he had grown up felt especially comforting today. When he opened the front door and stepped inside, a familiar warmth greeted him. The scent of rice and side dishes wafted through the air. The entire home was filled with the aroma of the daily life he had longed for.

“You’re back.”

It was his mother’s gentle voice. The moment he heard it, Suho froze on the spot. Even now, the news repeatedly reported the heroic antics of Cha Haein, who called down lightning from the sky and stopped the attacking monsters. She held a ladle in one hand and smiled brightly at him. Despite everything that had happened, she looked exactly the same as always, as though nothing had changed.

“You’ve been through so much, my son,” she said.

It felt like an ordinary day—like Suho had simply come home from school. It was as if Haein hadn’t been missing for years. The moment felt so unfamiliar that Suho got choked up.

“I’m... home...” he managed, unable to say anything more.

It was a natural greeting, but it carried a much deeper meaning. His mother was finally back where she belonged after so many years apart. They had been reunited a while back, but with one incident after another, they’d never had the chance to be together like this at home.

Haein seemed to understand how he felt. She smiled kindly and gestured toward the living room.

“The food is ready. Go and rest a bit. It’s not a holiday, but the whole family is together for once. And wash your hands before you eat!”

At the everyday nagging, Suho nodded quietly. No more words were necessary. All the unease and worry he had carried for the past two years melted away beneath his mother’s smile.

“Oh my, Suho, you’re home!”

From the living room, his grandmother’s delighted voice called out to him. She was old, but she looked as healthy as ever.

“You’ve gotten so skinny, Grandson! Have you been eating properly?”

She fussed over him as always, cupping his cheek.

“My thoughts exactly. You look like you’ve been off fighting a war.”

Behind her, Suho’s grandfather Ilhwan appeared. His tone was teasing, but there was a deep understanding in his warm gaze.

A war...

A true war was only just beginning. Just like Haein, Ilhwan was being hailed in the news as an extraordinary hero who had appeared from nowhere, and his feats were spreading rapidly online through various algorithms. Yet in this moment, he was nothing more than an ordinary grandfather. Next, his aunt and uncle chimed in to greet him.

“Suho! You’re home!”

“Are you all right, Suho? Not hurt anywhere?”

Jinho, ever the doting uncle, scanned Suho carefully for any injuries. Then there was his aunt, Sung Jinah. She was Jinwoo’s younger sister, and she looked far brighter now than the last time Suho had seen her. In truth, given everything that had happened, Jinah was probably the one who had suffered most.

When she was young, her brother had suddenly left home. Even after she grew older, her brother and his wife vanished without a trace, followed by her father, Ilhwan. After that, even her mother, Kyunghye, ended up in danger. As a civilian, she had been powerless to do anything about any of this. All she could do was worry and fret, waiting for her family to return. That was probably why she had matured so quickly. Through everything she’d experienced, she’d made a decision at a young age—she would live every day like it mattered. That was the best she could do.

“Jinah, don’t you worry about a thing. Off you go to school. The adults will handle this.”

Those words from her mother had been enough. Jinah had put on her school uniform and gone to school, pushing down the worry she felt. She applied herself as best she could.

Yes. I’m a student. So I’ll do what students do.

She studied desperately, if only so her parents wouldn’t worry, like they had with her runaway brother. She resolved to become the most cheerful version of herself, and she continued that resolve throughout her life. Her brother and sister-in-law had disappeared, but life still had its demands. She met them—for Suho’s sake, if no one else’s. If she, an adult, showed fear, then Suho would only grow more afraid. So, Jinah forced herself to smile again.

“Suho, don’t you worry about a thing. Off to school you go. The adults have this handled.”

It was exactly how she’d been taught.

“You know how your parents like to travel sometimes. I’ll figure out where they went this time.”

Jinah did her best to set Suho’s mind at ease, desperately so.

“Oh, Suho. You’re becoming more and more like my brother. Come on, smile,” she said playfully, noticing how stiff and awkward he looked as he stood in the living room. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a proper family gathering. Of course, your dad’s busy again, as usual,” she added.

By now, Jinah fully understood what her brother was and what he did. She, too, had been inside the Tower of Tribulation built by Yoo Jinho.

“Let me tell you something, Suho. I’ve gotten so famous lately, it’s honestly a bother. It’s all thanks to that tower,” she grumbled, casting a pointed glare at her husband beside her. “Now the whole world’s messaging me on social media. They’re calling me the ‘nation’s sweetheart’ and asking how I’m doing. I’ve already got over ten million followers.”

“Hm... Maybe I should have blurred that particular memory,” Jinho mumbled. He excused himself by heading into the kitchen to “help out.” Just before entering, he turned and met Suho’s gaze. “Anyway... Good work, Suho.” His eyes were warm and full of affection. “I’m sure your father, Jinwoo, would say the same. That you’re doing great.”

“Right...”

At that single sentence, Suho finally let out the breath he had been holding. A smile broke across his face.

Beru, who had been watching all this with bated breath from inside the shadow, covered his mouth and burst into tears with a familiar shriek. “He is right! I am certain the king would be proud of you, Young Monarch!”

The other shadow soldiers were also weeping openly. In that heartwarming atmosphere, the family shared their first meal together in a very long time.

Then, the doorbell rang.

“Oh, Haein! We’ve got plenty of food already! Did you order more? I’ll get it!” Jinho, seated closest to the front door, stopped Suho from rising and made his way to the entrance.

“Hmm...?”

In an instant, the doting-uncle mode vanished from his eyes. His tone turned cool.

“This isn’t a delivery.”

Beyond the entrance, there were uninvited guests who had come to Suho’s home. Jinho turned to Suho, his expression serious.

“Suho, do you speak any English?”

Some foreigners had crossed an entire ocean just to meet him. One was a face so famous, no one could fail to recognize it. The other was even more famous, but she showed herself in public only rarely.

“Adam White. Ms. Norma Selner.”

Two individuals who almost never left the United States had come to see him.