Solo Leveling : Fire

Chapter 40

The battle inside the ant nest raged on. Jinwoo stood firm, his breathing steady as he exchanged blows with the Ant King. The other S-rank hunters present could only watch in shock, struggling to keep up with the sheer speed of their movements.

"Fast..." Chae Hae-In murmured, her eyes narrowing as she tried to follow the relentless exchange of attacks. Even Baek Yoonho and Lim Tae-Gyu, both experienced hunters, found themselves unable to react properly. The clash between Jinwoo and the Ant King was unlike anything they had ever witnessed.

Jinwoo dodged another strike from the Ant King's razor-sharp claws, barely shifting his head to the side to avoid decapitation. In response, he grabbed the monster's arm mid-swing, his fingers digging into the hard exoskeleton. Without hesitation, he summoned a dagger into his free hand and slashed cleanly through the creature's arm, severing it in an instant.

The Ant King screeched, its massive form stumbling back as black blood spurted from its wound. Jinwoo didn't let up; he lunged forward, his fist crashing into the monster's chest, sending it flying into the far wall of the chamber. The impact shook the entire nest, causing debris to rain down.

For a moment, the raid team thought the battle was over—until they saw the Ant King's severed arm twitch.

Baek Yoonho's eyes widened as he muttered, "Regeneration...?"

The Ant King's arm regrew right before their eyes, as if nothing had happened. Jinwoo merely smirked at the sight. "So you can regenerate? That just means I'll have to cut you up faster than you can heal."

The fight continued, Jinwoo unleashing a flurry of attacks, his daggers slicing through the monster's flesh over and over again. Each time he landed a blow, the Ant King shrieked in pain, its body struggling to keep up with the damage. Jinwoo anticipated its every move, countering each strike with brutal efficiency.

Then, in a decisive moment, Jinwoo maneuvered behind the Ant King, grabbing its massive head with both hands. With a single, clean motion, he summoned a dagger and decapitated the creature, its head tumbling onto the ground with a heavy thud.

Meanwhile, outside the nest, Sung Ilhwan stood over the seemingly lifeless body of the mutated ant he had just slain. He let out a breath, convinced the fight was over. However, before he could lower his guard, a massive surge of mana erupted from the corpse.

"No..." Ilhwan's expression darkened as he watched in disbelief. The severed body of the Ant Elite twitched violently, then, as if defying death itself, the creature rose once more.

With an ear-piercing screech, the reborn Ant Elite lunged at Ilhwan, claws aimed directly for his throat.

But Ilhwan was prepared.

Instead of retreating, he met the attack head-on, his fist colliding with the monster's skull. The sheer force of the impact caused the creature's exoskeleton to crack, revealing the raw flesh underneath. Seizing the opportunity, Ilhwan channeled his mana into his sword, the blade glowing with overwhelming energy. In one swift motion, he swung his sword, decapitating the ant once again.

This time, he didn't stop. He grabbed the severed head and slammed it into the ground, shattering it completely. "I can't give it a chance to evolve further... it might become a problem later."

Exhaling sharply, Ilhwan sat on a nearby pile of debris, activating his communication device. "Guildmaster Choi, the hunt is complete. The target has been eliminated."

As he ended the transmission, his gaze shifted toward the nest. There was still something inside giving off an ominous presence. Without hesitation, he rose to his feet and began making his way there.

Back in the depths of the ant nest, Choi Jong-In had finally arrived at the scene where Jinwoo had fought the Ant King. His eyes scanned the battlefield, taking in the destruction left behind. The other S-rank hunters turned toward him, visibly shaken.

Lim Tae-Gyu was the first to speak. "Guildmaster Choi? What are you doing here?"

Choi crossed his arms. "I came to provide support in case things went south... but it looks like that won't be necessary."

He was about to relax when something unexpected happened.

The Ant King's remains suddenly trembled, and a massive surge of mana exploded outward. The severed body parts began to move on their own, reforming into a grotesque shape. The hunters barely had time to react as the monster let out a deafening roar.

But before the revived Ant King could do anything else, Jinwoo was already in front of it.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jinwoo clenched his fist and punched through its body, shattering it completely. The remaining fragments of the creature scattered into dust, its regenerative abilities unable to keep up with the sheer force of destruction.

Silence filled the chamber.

Choi laughed, shaking his head in amazement. "What a monster... and I'm not talking about the ant."

Jinwoo turned to the other hunters, dusting himself off. "Let's wrap this up. We're done here."

As the tension eased, the group exchanged glances. No one dared to question the outcome—Jinwoo had single-handedly taken down an enemy that could have wiped them all out.

And somewhere deep inside, they all knew.

Sung Jinwoo wasn't just an S-rank hunter.

He was something else entirely.

Chapter End