Solo Leveling: Ragnarok - Chapter 301

Gooooo-

Somewhere in outer space, far away from Earth.

In the middle of a battlefield where a foreign war is taking place.

A man wearing pitch-black armor and commanding the battlefield suddenly looked somewhere and muttered.

“… … I wonder if the chief is okay.”

As the war with the Itarims continued, sometimes I would think of those I had left behind on Earth.

Among them, the person who was particularly concerning was none other than Chief Woo Jin-cheol.

[Who are you so worried about?]

One of the rulers who was directing the angels nearby asked him.

[Family or friends?]

“He’s a comrade. The only one who shares my old memories… … He’s a comrade.”

[A human with memories of the past… … If that’s the case, then he would be doing a great job in these chaotic times. What are you so worried about?]

“… … I’m afraid I’ll try too hard.”

[hmm?]

Sung Jin-woo couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the ruler’s question.

“That’s because he’s that kind of person.”

How could I not be worried?

In the past, as comrades, in this world, as coworkers.

Seong Jin-woo, who knew Woo Jin-cheol’s personality well because they had been together for so long, couldn’t help but worry about him.

Woo Jin-cheol.

He was the person on Earth who knew the most about the truth of this world.

It had already been several decades since he recalled memories of the past.

Even though he worked as a police officer alongside Sung Jin-woo, he was also aware of the fact that Sung Jin-woo was sometimes blocking invaders from another dimension whenever he was away.

So, didn’t you make up an appropriate excuse every time, such as leaving work early or taking a half-day off, and then approve it?

To that extent, Woo Jin-cheol was an incredibly trustworthy boss at work, and a colleague whose friends hip grew even stronger during their two lives together.

But… …sometimes knowing too much can be poisonous.

Thanks to that, Woo Jin-cheol has known for a long time.

The fact that in this world, Sung Jin-woo is still fighting off alien invaders.

No, the fact that even in this world, alien invaders are still targeting Earth.

Thanks to Sung Jin-woo, the world wasn’t hit by a cataclysmic change like before.

He was also a man who knew all too well that this peace could be shattered at any moment and that things could return to the way they were then.

That fact caused great anxiety in Woo Jin-cheol’s heart.

That’s PTSD, really.

It was a severe stress symptom experienced by soldiers who returned from war, and in reality, he was a war veteran who still had vivid memories of the end of the world that were much more severe and horrific than the wars between humans.

But fortunately, Sung Jin Woo was always by Woo Jin Chul’s side.

Thanks to that, whenever Woo Jin-cheol had a small talk with Seong Jin-woo, he would joke about what he would do if that kind of world came again.

– Mr. Sung Hunter. If that world ever comes again… … I will do this. No, it might be better to do this. Since Chairman Koh Kun-hee has already passed away, to take his place… … .

Of course, it was really a joke at the time.

Doesn’t everyone live their lives chattering away and imagining things like, ‘What if something happens?’

But Sung Jin-woo already knew.

Every time he made that joke, every time he imagined that, the look in Woo Jin-cheol’s eyes as he said those words was more serious than ever.

And as evidence of this, Woo Jin-cheol had become a bachelor.

However, that doesn’t mean he specifically declared that he would not marry.

But no matter how old he got, he never seemed to think about marriage or children.

When I caught him and asked him about it, Woo Jin-cheol answered like this.

– Mr. Sung Hunter, do you know that? I actually came from an orphanage. I don’t know who my parents are. I don’t have any children. But as I live… … there are many times when this is better than I thought. Do you know what that is?

-Well, what is it?

-That there are no weaknesses.

-… … .

-Not having a family to take hostage. That’s why I was able to become the head of the surveillance depart

ment in the old days. No matter how much I held a grudge against the villains, I didn’t fear the consequences.

Woo Jin-cheol, who was saying those words, brought back old memories with an expression on his face as if he had swallowed a very bitter medicine.

-… … There were often cases where the families of colleagues or subordinates were later retaliated against by villains.

The Hunter Association’s surveillance department.

As he said, the Hunters and the Surveillance Department that managed the bad Hunters were always exposed to danger.

-What if we are awakened? What if we are A-class? All we can do is sneak into their house and take revenge on our powerless family.

Woo Jin-cheol remembered clearly.

The look in the eyes of the villains who were caught and arrested by the surveillance and hunters.

Those venomous eyes weren’t just a warning to be careful on the road at night later.

Villain.

They committed crimes, but before that, they were already superhumans with incredible strength.

In a situation where it would be terrifying if ordinary criminals committed revenge crimes, if villains with superhuman strength took revenge… … it would be truly a tragedy.

Murder of a family?

The villains’ revenge didn’t end there.

There have always been sacrifices made by Association Hunters who suffered retaliation more horribly than one could imagine.

When the Association is looked down upon by villains, truly terrible things happen.

-That’s why we instinctively had no choice but to stop even when the villains made threats with words. Especially colleagues with children. But those threats didn’t work on me at all. I didn’t have a family to begin with, which would be a weakness.

-… … Is that why you’re not having a family this time either? Because you’re a police officer?

-Haha, that’s right. I went around and around and somehow ended up becoming a detective in the violent

crimes division again. The degree may be different, but it’s a similar job where you’re afraid of the aftereffects.

– Don’t do that, Chief. This time, you should date and get married. If you have a family, I will release all the soldiers and protect you without harming even a single particle of dust.

-Haha, just hearing that makes me feel reassured. If the Shadow Legion were to protect me directly, I wouldn’t have to worry about any real troubles. But… … Do you know what?

Then, Woo Jin-cheol glanced around and whispered the hidden truth so that only Sung Jin-woo could hear.

-Actually, I’m just not popular. Whenever I go on blind dates, everyone says my eyes are too scary and downs their coffee in one shot before quickly packing up their bags.

-… … Chief, when was your birthday? I’ll buy you a pair of luxury sunglasses this time.

-Haha. Thanks for this.

Numerous small talk conversations that seemed serious at first but ended up having quite bitter conclusions.

Looking back, the relationship between Sung Jin-woo and Woo Jin-cheol has always been like that.

We’d have fun catching criminals together, then return to the police station and share a cup of mixed coffee.

A coworker with whom I shared small, trivial daily life stories.

Looking back, all those insignificant moments were all memories.

Especially when you are fighting nonstop in the middle of such a vast outer space, such memories sometimes help you breathe easier.

-Anyway, Chief, I mean what I say. If you have a family, I will unconditionally protect you even if I have to deploy all my troops… … This time, make sure you have a family.

-Okay. Then I guess I just receive too much… … Hmm. But what can I do about it?

Woo Jin-cheol couldn’t help but think for a long time at Seong Jin-woo’s sincere words.

Isn’t that right?

Because there was nothing that I, a mere human, could do for Sung Jin-woo, who already had everything.

-Ah! Then let’s do this. I really hope that doesn’t happen, but… … If by any chance, His Excellency the Hunter is away for a long time, I will also protect His Excellency the Hunter’s family.

-Huh? Is that okay? If a police chief uses his subordinates for personal reasons like that, isn’t that disciplinary action?

-Is discipline a problem now? If that day really comes, the world will already be on the verge of ending.

Woo Jin-cheol, who had already experienced a world on the brink of destruction once, was truly disgusted by those words and shuddered.

But as time passed… … .

When this world, which he had only joked about back then, became real, Sung Jin-woo realized Woo Jin-cheol’s true feelings once again.

“… … I think you’re trying too hard.”

This time, Sung Jin-woo, who briefly glimpsed the situation on Earth through illusion, came to know roughly what Woo Jin-cheol has been doing for the past two years.

And surprisingly, he really… …kept every word he said.

Create an association and become its president.

By creating an association with even more powerful power than the one created by Chairman Koh Kun-hee, they succeeded in stabilizing the chaos in South Korea at a very fast pace.

But when he thought about how much he had suffered in the process, Sung Jin-woo couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

Chairman Koh Kun-hee himself was already the head of a large corporation, a S-class hunter, and even possessed immense power to the point of being a ruler.

On the other hand, Sung Jin-woo could tell without even looking what path Woo Jin-cheol, who was only a police chief, had walked to fill that role, or rather, to do it even better than before.

Because I’ve heard it countless times already.

-If… … If I become the president of the association… … When that day comes… … No, it really shouldn’t come… … .

On days when there was a dinner party for the powerful squad, he would get drunk and mutter to himself about his numerous plans… … .

Of course, every time, Sung Jin-woo knew that it would never happen anyway, but he would seriously answer each and every one of his drunken questions.

-No. If your skills increase too much beyond a certain point, the chief’s vessel will eventually be unable to handle it and will break. The concept is a little different, but I’ve already seen my father die like that once.

-I know. Even though Chairman Ko Kun-hee was chosen as the ruler’s vessel, his body was too old and

weak to properly handle the power. But still, still… … When that day really comes, I… … will do my best. Because I never want to experience such despair again.

-… … .

Seong Jin-woo couldn’t say anything as he listened to Woo Jin-cheol’s drunken rant that was repeated over and over again.

And then you realize it again.

Sometimes, knowledge can be poisonous.

Forgetfulness is a blessing given to mankind.

Especially when I remember again the experience of absolute despair and apocalypse… … .

That it meant reviving a terrible trauma that had long been forgotten.

-… … If you sleep well, you will forget it. I will take you home.

-Yes, my lord.

-Master Hunter… … ! Don’t erase my memories like last time! This is an order from my superior… … !

-… … .

Yes, that’s right.

In fact, Sung Jin-woo also tried to erase Woo Jin-cheol’s memories several times for his sake.

But it was no use.

Since I have already developed a deep relationship with Sung Jin-woo.

Because for the human named Woo Jin-cheol, memories of the past were no longer mere fragments of memories.

The memories of Sung Jin-woo, the great shadow lord and the king who rules over death, went beyond the human body and dug deep into his soul… … so they became his ‘memories’.

Seong Jin-woo, who had been worrying while thinking of Woo Jin-cheol, turned his gaze back to the fierce battlefield and muttered.

“Well, I guess it’ll be okay for the time being. I’ve taken some precautions just in case.”

* * *

Flash!

[‘Item: Xavier’s Soulstone’ is activated.]

“huh?”

At that moment, Suho’s inventory in front of Woo Jincheol opened on its own, and one of the items that

Seong Jinwoo had arranged popped out on its own.

And it seeped into Woo Jin-cheol’s body, which was gradually cracking due to his excessive skills.