Solo Leveling : Fire

Chapter 39

Choi Jong-In moved swiftly through the battlefield, heading toward the Korean raid team's location when a sudden spike of mana made him freeze in place. His sharp eyes narrowed as he turned his head toward where Sung Il-Hwan was fighting.

"Don't tell me… they're still evolving?" he muttered under his breath, feeling an ominous presence rise from the battlefield. If the ants were continuing to grow stronger even after the queen's defeat, this raid was becoming more dangerous than he had initially anticipated.

Meanwhile, inside the nest, the Korean S-rank raid team was advancing cautiously through the cavernous tunnels, their boots crunching against the exoskeletal remains of the elite ants they had already slain. The team was battle-worn but alert, prepared for the next wave of enemies.

Jinwoo, however, felt an unsettling disturbance. A massive mana presence was radiating throughout the nest, something unnatural. He furrowed his brows, glancing at his teammates, who seemed unaware.

"Don't you guys feel that mana signature?" Jinwoo asked, his voice calm.

The others exchanged glances, confused. While they could feel something strange in the air, it wasn't nearly as overwhelming as Jinwoo was making it sound.

"Are you saying there's something even stronger than what we've already faced?" Chae Hae-In questioned, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly.

Before Jinwoo could respond, they finally reached the massive chamber where the Ant Queen should have been. Instead, what greeted them was a monstrous sight.

A tall, humanoid black ant stood in the center of the chamber, its sharp mandibles grinding together, chewing on what appeared to be the remains of the Ant Queen. Its glowing crimson eyes flickered toward them, exuding an immense aura of malice and hunger.

Ma Dong-Wook recoiled in disgust. "What the hell is that thing?"

Baek Yoon-Ho, unwilling to waste time, stepped forward, his tiger-like eyes gleaming. "Whatever it is, I'll take care of it."

He launched himself at the creature, his massive clawed hands aiming for its torso. But in the blink of an eye, the black ant vanished from sight.

Baek's instincts screamed at him, and at the last second, he leaned backward, barely dodging the ant's razor-sharp claws as they whizzed past his neck. A thin cut appeared on his cheek as he landed a few feet away, stunned.

"What the—?! That thing is fast!" Lim Tae-Gyu exclaimed, gripping his bow tightly.

Baek's heart pounded. If his instincts hadn't kicked in, he might have been dead just now. "No doubt about it. This thing is on a whole different level."

Min Byung-Gu rushed to his side. "Hyung, are you okay?"

Baek nodded, his gaze locked onto the ant. "Yeah… but this thing is........"

Jinwoo, standing at the back, observed the creature with an unreadable expression. 'Is this the real boss of the dungeon? If so, then what is that overwhelming mana presence outside? And… why is my father there, fighting against it?'

Before anyone could react, the black ant let out an ear-piercing shriek, and the mana around them surged wildly.

The next moment, it disappeared.

The team barely had time to register its absence before it reappeared behind Byung-Gu, its claws aiming straight for the healer's throat.

Jinwoo moved.

In an instant, he was beside Byung-Gu, gripping the ant's wrist with a grip. The sheer force of his hold caused the exoskeleton to crack.

"You're fast," Jinwoo murmured before twisting its wrist, snapping it with a sickening crunch, and hurling the monster across the chamber, smashing it into a rock wall.

Silence fell upon the group.

Baek and Chae Hae-In stared, completely shocked. Even with their enhanced senses, they had failed to see the ant's movements. The fact that Jinwoo not only saw it but also reacted so effortlessly left them speechless.

Baek clenched his fists. 'This isn't just talent. This is something else entirely. If Jinwoo hadn't been here… Byung-Gu would have died just now.'

Chae Hae-In thought the same, her grip tightening on her sword.

Byung-Gu, still in shock, exhaled heavily before nodding at Jinwoo. "Mr. Sung… thank you. If it weren't for you, I would've been—"

"Save your thanks for later," Jinwoo interrupted, his eyes locked onto the recovering black ant. "This thing isn't done yet."

Lim Tae-Gyu wiped sweat from his forehead. "So… what's the plan? How do we kill this thing?"

Ma Dong-Wook crossed his arms. "Seems like Mr. Sung is the only one who can keep up with its movements. If even Baek couldn't react to it, then we'd just be a liability."

Baek nodded in agreement. "I hate to admit it, but he's right. We should let Jinwoo handle it."

The rest of the raid team hesitated, but they ultimately agreed. They could do more harm than good if they interfered.

Byung-Gu stepped forward. "Then I'll focus entirely on supporting Mr. Sung. You fight at your full strength—I'll make sure you don't have to worry about injuries."

Jinwoo smirked slightly. "Sounds good."

The moment those words left his mouth, the black ant lunged at him once more, its speed even greater than before.

Jinwoo met it head-on.

The battle had begun.

End of Chapter