Solo Leveling- Ragnarok-Chapter 360

“Today, I will teach you about the World Tree.”

At times, Antares, the King of Dragons, would sit Suho down and tell him stories from a time long past. It felt almost like watching a grandfather share ancient tales with his grandson, though each story was also a piece of forward-looking advice for the long war Suho would eventually have to fight.

It was also, in a way, for Antares himself—who had returned to life through a bit of trickery by Sung Jinwoo. Of course, he no longer possessed the primordial darkness and was no longer a Monarch, but that hardly mattered. Losing the title didn’t mean he couldn’t fight. He was the flame born of darkness, the eternal warrior, the first Monarch and the strongest, the symbol of terror and destruction, and the King of Dragons. Dragons lived for ages, and he would grow stronger with time. It didn’t matter that Ragna’s body, in which he was reborn, was young and fragile. Time would take care of that. It was already established as fact that one day, he would become the strongest being in existence.

In this new life, he had set a new goal—to battle Jinwoo with all his might when the time came, defeating the human who had given him the taste of defeat in the past. He would humiliate the current Monarch of Shadows. However, as he followed Suho and observed the state of the world, he realized there was a serious problem.

“There are some things that you must know.”

That was likely the moment he began teaching Suho what he himself had learned, bit by bit. He couldn’t allow the universe to vanish before he had the chance to face Jinwoo again.

“A long, long time ago, back when the universe had just come into being... all souls went to the World Tree when they died.”

The story began with the World Tree, a colossal plant that stood in the center of the Sea of the Afterlife, a divine construct into which the Itarim, the world’s creators, had poured their greatest efforts. The World Tree accepted every soul, purified them, and allowed them to be reborn into new life. It was the core of the reincarnation cycle.

“But that was not all there was to it. The tree had another, even more important function.”

The World Tree’s divine role didn’t end there.

“The World Tree was both cradle and grave. For both sides.”

The splendid fruit that bloomed from its high branches were where the messengers of the gods, the soldiers of the Rulers, were born. These so-called “angels,” warriors from above infused with a holy light, bore fruit without end, carrying out divine commands and guarded the entire dimension.

“But that alone was not enough to create balance. The World Tree’s role was to provide balance and harmony, after all.”

Antares then revealed a startling truth. The World Tree did not give birth to only heavenly soldiers. At the same time, from the depths of its roots, beings of the opposite nature came into existence.

“That’s us. More precisely, all the races of the chaotic world that we rule.”

Indeed, the angels born from celestial light, and the beings of darkness born from the roots of the World Tree, each came into existence from the top and bottom of the same tree, with the dead souls as raw material.

“The roots and branches of the World Tree look exactly the same. The only difference is the direction they face. That is balance.”

Balance was the essence of the tree. Just as the branches stretched across all dimensions and bore the fruit of angels, so too did its countless roots below give rise to the warriors on land. The kings who led all these races were the Monarchs who carried the primordial darkness.

“And so light and dark, heaven and earth, soldiers of the sky and those of the ground... born from the same World Tree but with different goals, warred for the longest time.”

As for the reason behind the war, there wasn’t much need for explanation. They had simply been born into conflict, created for the very purpose of opposing one another.

“The Rulers were given the duty of serving their god and protecting the world he had created. Meanwhile, we Monarchs were driven by an instinct to destroy. We despised that god and wished to obliterate all he had built. It was only natural the two sides would clash.”

However, that long and brutal war had already come to an end. It was over when the god’s own servants turned and slew the very being who had created them. Yet that was not the true catastrophe—the real disaster came after, and it was something no one had foreseen. Even the betrayal of the creator’s servants had been unimaginable. What followed was even more so, for both Rulers and Monarchs alike.

“After the creator vanished, the World Tree came to a standstill. That’s when the problems began.”

Though the tree was dead, souls continued to gather there, awaiting purification and their next rebirth. Only it no longer happened. There was no next life. Even the soldiers of the Rulers ceased to be born. The universe itself had come to a halt.

“This universe will produce no more new life. Ragna, the body I inhabit, might be the last. And even that was only possible because the egg was laid long before the World Tree died. But that doesn’t concern me. What matters is the primordial darkness.”

With no new Monarchs being born, the primordial darkness had remained unified within Nidhogg, and Nidhogg shared the same nature of that darkness—a purpose, instilled by the creator, to annihilate all things. That was why Nidhogg clung to the World Tree, endlessly gnawing away at its roots. This was the point Antares was trying to make. It was only natural for the massive serpent to want to harm the World Tree. If left alone, Nidhogg would eventually completely devour even the remnants of the World Tree, which had managed to retain some form despite already being damaged. By that point, any possibility of repairing the tree would vanish.

“If it comes to that, there will be no future for this universe. The world will be well and truly over.”

Antares was certain that not even the Monarch of Shadows could restore a world that had already stopped. Creation, after all, was the realm of the gods. For that reason, Antares had subtly helped Suho weaken Nidhogg’s strength. In doing so, he had entrusted his primordial darkness to Suho, a decision made purely out of necessity. If he let things run their course and the universe collapsed, everything would be over. His dream of raising Ragna’s strength and challenging Jinwoo again would never come to pass.

“And you did an excellent job of destroying Nidhogg. At the very least, you stopped the World Tree from being damaged any further.”

Recently, after Suho had helped each Monarch come to power and had split Nidhogg back into the individual fragments of primordial darkness again, Antares had praised Suho for the first time.

“Well done. However...”

He hadn’t forgotten to offer a warning as well.

“This does not mean the fundamental issue which plagues this world has been resolved.”

The World Tree was already gone. Bringing it back to life was something only a god could achieve. Not even Antares could help with that, nor could he offer any guidance. He was born for destruction, not for repair. Still, there remained at least one possible lead.

“As far as I can tell, you’re the only one with a chance. Suho, you’ve become the Protector of the World Tree... Perhaps you can do something.”

Something within Suho had changed since his encounter with the World Tree’s Shadow. It was hard to say exactly what, but Antares had seen this kind of transformation once before—in Suho’s father, Jinwoo. This was not unlike the time Jinwoo became one with Ashborn and became reborn as the true Monarch of Shadows.

“So I want you to think. Think well and hard. I know you can do this.” Antares continued to offer his support and encouragement. “If you come to some kind of decision, I will aid you with all I have.”

Suho felt quite odd, to say the least, to have the genuine, heartfelt support of someone who had once been his father’s enemy.

“So when you meet your father one of these days, be sure to tell him we’ve formed an alliance... for now.”

Suho burst into laughter at those words. Antares tilted his head in confusion. Suho couldn’t bring himself to say that despite Antares’ serious tone and expression, Ragna, the body he inhabited, was adorably round and cute.

So, as Antares had said, Suho was now one with the World Tree’s Shadow, just as Jinwoo had combined with Ashborn. The moment he did, knowledge began to surface instinctively, such as the knowledge of the powers he had been granted, and the many ingredients which lay dormant inside of him.

The plan is ready, and all the ingredients are gathered.

Now, all he had to do was press the start button, so to speak. Then, he would awaken every ounce of potential inside him.

“Arise, Shadow Nidhogg,” Suho said.

At his command, the primordial darkness, which had been repressed so far, exploded from inside the Monarchs, beginning with Thomas Andre, the Monarch of Domination. Gray, the Monarch of the Hunt, let out a guttural growl as the fierce darkness burst from him as well, while a chilling darkness rose from Sirka, the Monarch of Nightmare. A heavy, suffocating gloom poured from Ammut, the Monarch of Tribulation, and a void-laced dimness from Arsha, the Monarch of the Void. Esil, the Monarch of Gluttony, gave off a greedy, intense darkness that spread outward with hunger.

As soon as Suho finished speaking, all that darkness poured out toward him. This darkness, however, was anything but friendly toward him. Each and every fragment of that darkness transformed into one of Nidhogg’s heads, baring its fangs at Suho.

[Nidhogg, the Serpent that Feeds on the World Tree]

“Bring it on,” Suho said, grinning broadly.

Nidhogg was no different from before. Even after being split like this, it still hungered to devour Suho, the World Tree’s Shadow and guardian. Suho spread his arms wide toward the six Nidhoggs and brought out the final primordial darkness that squirmed inside of him, the one inherited from Antares. At once, all seven of Nidhogg’s heads surged forward, competing to devour him.

“What a dangerous move,” came Antares’ laughing voice at Suho’s ear. “But color me impressed. Is this your power as the Protector of the World Tree?”

“No. This is just me applying my knowledge,” Suho replied. He wrapped each head in pale shadow, then fused them all together. “Aren’t snakes technically a kind of dragon?” Suho asked.

“Ha!” Antares barked incredulously.

Even in a moment as tense as this, Suho’s playful tone reminded him of his father. Of course, it wasn’t entirely pleasant. Jinwoo had once turned the tide in a similarly dire situation using Dragon’s Fear, a skill belonging to the dragons.

Suho let out a mighty roar, just as Jinwoo had on that day.

[Skill: “Dragon’s Fear” has been activated.]

The Heart of the King of Dragons, given to Suho by Antares, unleashed the full majesty and power of the true King of Dragons, engulfing the Nidhoggs in its wake. The effect was nothing short of astonishing.

[Effect: “Fear” has been activated.]

[Nidhogg is terrified of you.]

Not even such a powerful snake could withstand the Fear of the King of Dragons. Antares had been the first Monarch, and the strongest, and now, his heart beat inside Suho. Everything was the fruit of Suho’s efforts, a foundation for what was yet to come.

Suho grinned.

“That makes me the boss, you snakes,” he said.

Then, he devoured them instead.

Suho remembered the day he saw Nidhogg for the first time—a colossal creature with seven heads coiled around the World Tree. It had been terrifying, a cosmic catastrophe given form. Yet now, that very creature, blazing with pure-white shadow, rose as one with Suho, ascending into the sky. It flew toward the gods of the outer universes, those who had crossed the great expanse to invade, and unleashed a thunderous, drawn-out roar.

As Antares had said time and time again, there was something fundamental about the primordial darkness he must never forget.

“It’s a power always meant to defy the gods!” Suho shouted.

Beru shrieked, “Kieeeeek! You’ve finally done it, Young Monarch!”

Shrunken once more, Beru clung to Suho’s head and roared joyfully as Suho soared in the form of Nidhogg.