Summary :
Chapter 115 of the solo leveling titled “The Beginning of the End” picks up where the previous chapter left off, with Sung Jinwoo and his Shadow Legion returning to Korea after defeating a giant monster in Japan. Now hailed as national heroes, Jinwoo and his team are invited to meet with the Korean president. At the meeting, the President informs Jinwoo that he has been appointed as the new leader of the Korean Hunter Association. Jinwoo accepts this position and vows to do everything in his power to protect Korea from the threats of the monster world. Meanwhile, a mysterious organization known as “The Monarchs” begins to stir. The Monarchs are a group of powerful beings intent on conquering the world. Jinwoo and his Shadow Legion are the only ones who can stop the Monarchs, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance. The chapter opens with Sung Jinwoo and his Shadow Legion returning to Korea after defeating a giant monster in Japan. Now hailed as national heroes, Jinwoo and his team are invited to meet with the Korean president. At the meeting, the President informs Jinwoo that he has been appointed as the new leader of the Korean Hunter Association. Jinwoo accepts this position and vows to do everything in his power to protect Korea from the threats of the monster world. Meanwhile, a mysterious organization known as “The Monarchs” begins to stir. The Monarchs are a group of powerful beings intent on conquering the world. Jinwoo and his Shadow Legion are the only ones who can stop the Monarchs, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Chapter 115 is a great start to the final arc of Solo Leveling. The chapter sets the stakes for the upcoming battle against the Monarchs and shows Jinwoo’s determination to protect the world. I was particularly impressed with how the author handled Jinwoo’s character development in this chapter. Jinwoo has come a long way since the beginning of the series and is now a true leader. He is also willing to sacrifice everything to protect the people he cares about. Overall, Chapter 115 is a must read for fans of Solo Leveling. It’s a well-written and exciting chapter that sets the stage for an epic final arc.
The mutated ants located the helicopter’s presence within the air and started flying up one at a time.
Vuuonng….
Vuuonnng…..
perhaps the quantity of specimens that could fly turned into low, because the Hunters should only see seven flying up to satisfy them.
“permit me take care of them.”
the only Mage-type Hunter among the team, Choi Jong-In, improved. His ability, ‘Flame Spear’, became referred to as into motion.
As soon as he changed into executed casting his magic, seven our bodies of floating flames drew long strains within the air to resemble burning spears and slammed accurately into the airborne ants.
Kwa-kwa-increase!!
It became hard to kill a unmarried ant monster with scattered firepower, however it was more than sufficient to burn away their wings.
Kiiieeehk-!!
Kyaahhk-!
With their wings burnt off, the ants fell freely returned to the earth. Choi Jung-In tightly clenched his fist while witnessing the result of his difficult paintings. however, now wasn’t the time to bask within the glow of his victory.
Choi Jong-In became round and requested Mah Dong-Wook.
“What’s happening with the japanese side?”
The ants had noticed their method and began moving now. that means, there has been no greater time for them to take it clean.
Crackle-!
Mah Dong-Wook paid interest to the radio receiver caught in his ear. As a Tanker, he become named because the chief of the Korean facet of the raid group.
“they are saying they’ve landed on the island now….”
Ka-growth!!
simply as he was carried out talking up, there has been a noisy explosion from afar.
increase!!
Kaboom!!!
as though that became the signal, several more explosion started ringing up from all parts of the island as thick, choking smoke plumes rose up. The fourth subjugation operation become now formally underway.
The master the Reapers Guild, Im Tae-Gyu, regarded out of the helicopter’s window, and on the ground a ways underneath, a deep frown forming on his forehead.
lots of ants had been pouring out of the ant tunnel, earlier than splitting up into four smaller swarms to rush towards the 4 cardinal guidelines.
“That’s a few creepy and disgusting thing to take a look at. seriously, man.”
“Doesn’t it appear to be most of them have left the tunnel now?”
“….It does, doesn’t it?”
The as soon as-prolonged traces of ants soon came to an end, leaving at the back of a big gaping hole within the ground. That was the entrance to the ant tunnel.
the size of the ant tunnel need to’ve been instead superb, due to the fact the entrance itself become as huge as the mouth of a tunnel one could see generally at the country wide toll road.
And in the inner most past of the ant tunnel, the ant queen become expecting their arrival.
This raid team simplest had one aim – to put off the ant queen.
“everybody.”
before they spark off to invade the ant tunnel, Mah Dong-Wook gestured and accrued the raid team members around him. He even gestured closer to the hesitant cameraman, too.
anybody collaborating on this operation pressed their heads collectively.
“at some point of masses of simulation runs, jap have been most effective in a position to shop for us one hour, tops. this means that, we want to kill the ant queen inside that hour, no matter what.”
He didn’t trouble to speak about the opportunity of ‘if we fail’. not like the first three subjugation raids, there has been no break out route this time around for them. They would be absolutely reduce off in the ant tunnel.
Mah Dong-Wook studied the faces of every raid participants, and that they returned a nod, a glance of grim willpower surely etched on each one.
‘those are the high-quality man or woman team members conceivable.’
until there was some other tragedy similar to Jeju Island happening within the future, one might never encounter an possibility to hunt collectively with individuals this succesful ever again.
Mah Dong-Wook turned into deeply honoured to be the leader of this team.
They quickly finished reconfirming their resolve, after which…
“let’s pass.”
From the helicopter, seven human beings, the six participants of the raid group and the lone cameraman, jumped out.
***
“How long has it been for the reason that Koreans went inside?”
Goto Ryuji threw out a question.
“keep on.”
Now originally, it was Goto Ryuji’s process to speak with the project control centre. however, as he didn’t experience wearing around bothersome things, some other Hunter became tasked with doing so. It changed into exactly this man or woman that supplied the solution.
“they are saying it has been less than 10 minutes.”
“Ten minutes, is it….”
Time to begin the get away system, then.
earlier than they began taking flight from Jeju Island, although, Goto Ryuji in brief scanned his place. The corpses of the massacred ants have been piled up on high.
The function of the japanese on this raid, at the surface, of route, changed into to draw the attention of the ants. They didn’t even awareness on killing the ants and concentrated on withdrawing in order to buy as a lot time as viable, but they nevertheless controlled to achieve any such feat.
‘The Koreans would possibly find those ants as difficult fighters, but they may be not anything to us, the japanese.’
The unbridled confidence triggered the nook of Goto Ryuji’s lips to arc up. He kicked away an ant corpse hampering his steps to a far away distance and at once issued the order to withdraw.
sooner or later, it become time for them to start shifting toward the genuine goal of the japanese group.
however….
“Excuse me, Goto-san.”
“Mm?”
The Hunter in charge of the communication formed a worried expression.
“i can’t get in touch with group three from a while in the past.”
‘Is it system malfunction…?’
The times of equipment, that had long gone via multiple meticulous exams, malfunctioning proper before an important a part of the mission, or for the duration of the critical component itself, did occur sometimes.
The touchdown point of crew three was in the southern a part of the island. Goto Ryuji’s team 1 landed on the western component and they were continuously transferring south, so their distance shouldn’t be that exceptional.
“what’s the estimated distance among our current function and the final regarded function of group 3 earlier than the communique failure?”
“With our cutting-edge speed, we should be capable of get there inside ten mins.”
As expected, it wasn’t far. At this fee, team three could never get to hear the order to withdraw and get left in the back of inside the island, sooner or later meeting a very awful give up for themselves.
‘……’
whilst he thought approximately the following subjugation operation that might take region regarding handiest the japanese employees, he certainly couldn’t have the funds for to have five rank S Hunters as KIAs.
additionally, due to the fact team 3 become planned to be deployed on the southern part of the island, which changed into the nearest to the ant tunnel, the whole team changed into made of the great of the exceptional amongst Japan’s elite.
losing them here intended that Japan would greatly go through as properly.
‘properly, I’m certain nothing awful has occurred over there….’
certainly, it ought to’ve been a minor blunders. not anything to worry about.
After a brief deliberation, Goto Ryuji decided on the following path of movement.
“we will head over there and take a look.”
***
the instant Jin-Woo stopped his regular every day run, the familiar mechanical beep rang out in his ear.
Tti-ring.
[Total distance ran: 10 km.]
[You’ve completed Running, 10 km.]
absolutely the alternative to while he began doing the every day Quests, Jin-Woo wasn’t even out of breath. He had repeated those each day Quests for see you later, it genuinely felt just like the a part of his daily habitual now.
soon, at the side of the finishing touch message, his rewards figuratively landed on his lap.
‘Stats.’
Out of the three Stat bonus factors he gained as a praise, Jin-Woo spent two on his Agility, at the same time as the closing point turned into spent on his energy.
[Stats]
strength: 219
patience: 2 hundred
Agility: 230
Intelligence: 250
belief: 2 hundred
(to be had points to distribute: zero)
discount inside the physical damage: 46%
Seeing that the majority of his Stats have been now ending with a ‘0’, a satisfied smile crept up on his face.
‘If most effective I had one extra point….’
even though it changed into regretful, he couldn’t manufacture a point out of thin air, so there has been no supporting it. still, looking at his Stat fee that had risen up calmly like this, a smile mechanically bloomed on his lips.
‘fine.’
After he raised Intelligence Stat to 250, he started maintaining a stability of kinds and made certain that no longer one Stat changed into left at the back of.
‘All 5 Stats are quintessential to me.’
That was his final assessment after levelling up and raising his Stats for a long term. no matter which Stat it turned into, with their numerical values continuing to jump better, he hadn’t been dissatisfied once thus far via their usefulness.
‘That’s why….’
He became planning to retain with this Stat balancing act for the foreseeable destiny – so long as there weren’t any surprising occasions forcing him to exchange, of route.
Jin-Woo dismissed the Stat Window with a satisfied grin nonetheless etched on his face. He then took a go searching him. His neighbourhood had constantly been on the quieter aspect, however nowadays, he failed to spot a single soul thus far. He may want to easily bet the purpose why, though.
Jin-Woo pulled his smartphone out and confirmed the modern time.
‘I knew it.’
The Korea-Japan united team’s raid could be in full swing through now. And pretty a whole lot each single citizen ought to be glued to their tv screens, too.
Jin-Woo grew to become around. His daily Quest changed into already over, however the steps main him back home had been a long way extra pressing than standard.
***
The operation become unfolding smoothly thus far.
just as the japanese had anticipated, Mah Dong-Wook’s team didn’t encounter any obstructions as they entered the deeper components of the ant tunnel.
The internal of the tunnel resembled the cave-type dungeons in its layout. however, if there has been one clear distinction to observe, then that would be the lack of illuminating stones. The Hunters needed to offer light themselves to see where they were going.
‘……..’
Gulp.
The cameraman notion that he had plenty of enjoy exploring dungeons earlier than, but nowadays, he simply needed to nervously swallow his saliva.
His present day position became proper in the back of the institution. The crew maintained a formation of Choi Jong-In status right at the the front to mild their way the usage of magic, even as the alternative Hunters had been sticking very near him.
The cameraman also had a flashlight attached to his headgear for the cause of filming.
unluckily, this darkness changed into infused with a heavy amount of magical energy. The flashlight didn’t offer as a great deal assist because the magic from a rank S Mage, and it may simply slightly remove darkness from a bit of area in front of his eyes.
“It’s clearly quiet in right here.”
Choi Jong-In voiced his opinion with out giving it an excessive amount of thought, and Mah Dong-Wook next to him nodded his head to express his agreement.
“Mm.”
As a frontrunner and a Tanker, he changed into obligation-certain to guard the Mage, Choi Jong-In, who must initially be stationed on the some distance returned.
turned into that the purpose why? Mah Dong-Wook persevered to glare on the surroundings with a pair of sharp, focused eyes. His regular, out-going demeanour was nowhere to be seen now.
It was the equal tale with Baek Yun-Ho, as properly. He activated the ‘Eyes of the Beast’ even earlier than getting into the ant tunnel. He hadn’t spoken a unmarried phrase and did his absolute hardest to latch directly to any slight movement or deviation in the go with the flow of the magic power.
each Min Byung-Gu and the cameraman also carried deeply nerve-racking expressions.
handiest Cha Hae-In maintained that expressionless face of hers, silently strolling ahead whilst her hand rested at the hilt of her sword.
It was then.
“appearance, over there….”
He should’ve located something within the distance, because Choi Jong-In raised his voice.
“…Huh.”
“Mm….”
The Hunters all gasped out in nasty shock.
infinite ant eggs had been connected to the partitions and the ceiling of this big chamber with nary an empty area among them.
they might see dark-colored larva wiggling inside the semi-transparent shell of every egg. There ought to best ever be one emotion they felt when facing this nursery region full of gloomy, dreary environment and a severely horrible stench.
that could be ‘sheer disgust’.
“Don’t you observed we should simply burn most of these away?”
Choi Jong-In spoke, his expression crumpling substantially.
For the first time considering the fact that he entered this ant tunnel, Mah Dong-Wook formed a smile.
“I’d like not anything greater than to do exactly that, but since we don’t have a good deal time, let us not.”
even though all of those creatures hatched, they might handiest live for no multiple yr, at maximum. so long as they may kill the mother, they didn’t need to fear about these critters anymore.
“….right here they come.”
Baek Yun-Ho pointed in the direction of the remote darkness and warned the relaxation of the team. Even earlier than he made his caution, though, Cha Hae-In had unsheathed her sword already.
Mah Dong-Wook pulled the protect as large as his body proper as much as his chin and glared at his the front.
Shashashasha….
a set of round ten ants appeared at the same time. as if they have been born on Jeju Island and had gone through a few sort of a mutation, they all didn’t have eyes.
“Are they the queen’s guards?” asked Mah Dong-Wook.
Choi Jong-In shook his head.
“No, they may be now not. looks like they are here to guard the nursery location.”
“if so, this shouldn’t be hard.”
in the event that they had been ordinary monsters, no longer the guards of the boss creature, then there was simply no way those critters could withstand the mixed firepower of a raid group consisting totally of rank S Hunters!
knowing higher than all and sundry else that there wasn’t a number of time, Mah Dong-Wook jumped into the fray first.
“allow’s pass!”
Hunters observed after him. right at the back of them, flames flared out brightly from Choi Jong-In’s hands, and arrows fired through Im Tae-Gyu sliced up the air as they flew to their objectives.
simply as Mah Dong-Woo anticipated, the conflict became concluded quite quick.
Kiiehhk!
the head of the final ant fell to the floor. Cha Hae-In wordlessly shook off the physical fluids clinging onto her sword. meanwhile, Mah Dong-Wook spoke up.
“for the reason that nursery area is proper here, meaning….”
Choi Jong-In supplied the comply with-up.
“….The queen’s lair is close by.”
as the Hunters started out checking their equipment earlier than they rushed into the decisive showdown against the ant queen, the cameraman started looking here and there to capture more footage. but then, he gasped out in pure shock.
“Heok!!”
The gazes of the Hunters have been immediately focused on him.
“I-I’m surely sorry.”
Momentarily forgetting that the camera attached to his head became genuinely broadcasting to the relaxation of the state, the cameraman hurriedly bowed toward the Hunters. Sensing something turned into afoot, Baek Yun-Ho approached the cameraman.
“Did you find something?”
“Ah, properly, it’s simply that…. Over there.”
The cameraman sheepishly smiled and pointed to the nook of the chamber.
“There’s a pile of empty eggshells over there, however like, one of them takes place to be sincerely, genuinely huge, you spot.”
‘.…!!’
Baek Yun-Ho’s eyes grew larger.
It become because the cameraman said. maximum of the eggs containing ordinary ants have been most effective about the scale of a bicycle wheel, but the only mentioned changed into as large as a grown man….
‘No, wait.’
The prolonged and ovoid shape of the egg became large sufficient to say that a fully-grown ant specimen need to’ve emerged from it.
‘That’s additionally an ant egg??’
“….simply what the hell got here out of that egg?”
Min Byung-Gu had walked nearer before all people had observed it; there has been a look of huge surprise on his face as properly. Baek Yun-Ho’s expression become stiff for a short moment, however he fast changed it to a grin as he gently slapped Min Byung-Gu’s again.
“We’re here to kill the queen. permit’s no longer worry approximately something else.”
“…..proper.”
Min Myung-Gu carried an uneasy expression as he grew to become round to walk over to in which the relaxation of the Hunters have been. earlier than he joined the others, Baek Yun-Ho took one remaining have a look at that egg.
‘That’s simply crazy….’
***
‘that is simply loopy….’
Goto Ryuji had to doubt whether his very own eyes have been working properly or not.
“Heok!!”
“Mm…..!!”
different eastern Hunters both convulsed in surprise or muttered lowly beneath their breaths.
Goto Ryuji frowned deeply as he scanned his environment. The Hunters of team 3 were located in the actual region in which their verbal exchange have been cut off. All 5 of them have been here, but without their heads.
The sight in their headless colleagues lying at the floor as corpses left a surprising intellectual imprint on the other Hunters.
‘……’
Goto Ryuji wordlessly massaged his temples, earlier than approaching the bodies to check out their wounds.
‘This wasn’t accomplished with the aid of a blade.’
The necks of the lifeless Hunters were all more or less bitten off.
‘just how a great deal of a biting pressure become it for his or her necks to come to be like this?’
whilst Goto Ryuji was stewing in his astonishment, considered one of his fellow Hunters walked in nearer and angrily spat out.
“How dare these d*mn ants….!!”
Goto speedy shook his head.
“It’s no longer ‘ants’.”
“Pardon?”
“whether or not this changed into the handiwork of an ant or no longer, there was most effective one enemy.”
“B-but, how can that be?!”
Goto Ryuji swallowed his saliva.
regardless of how hard he searched, he couldn’t see any hint of a battle taking location here. If ants pushed on with sheer numbers to annihilate crew three, then he have to’ve discovered corpses of useless ants or some different traces round this area. but, he couldn’t find anything.
also, the wounds on the lifeless Hunters – judging from the vicinity of the assault, it turned into greater than in all likelihood that they have been killed by way of a unmarried assailant.
‘How ought to a crew of the best Hunters from Japan fall to a single monster….?’
If his wager became correct, then handiest a rank S dungeon’s boss could do something like this.
Goto Ryuji fast snatched the verbal exchange device from the Hunter next to him and spoke up.
“It’s Goto.”
– “sure, please speak.”
“wherein is the ant queen? Did it pop out of the tunnel?”
– “let me verify.”
The magic energy detection camera set up on the undercover agent satellite. only the united states, Japan and China possessed such generation in the entire world.
In reality, China needed to hack the people to copy the digital camera system, so one may want to argue that most effective the us and Japan clearly possessed this generation.
The location of the ant queen, as monitored with the aid of the era Japan so proudly boasted to the rest of the sector, quickly came out of the receiver.
– “No, Goto-san. The queen continues to be inner its chamber. Ah, the Korean Hunters are entering the queen’s chamber as we communicate.”
“What turned into that?!”
Goto Ryuji stood right up.
He felt his heart almost soar out of his mouth simply then.
‘The queen didn’t try this?!’
His breathing quickened. He realised that something become going terribly wrong here. Goto Ryuji hurriedly issued a new order.
“difficulty the withdrawal…. tell each single japanese Hunter to escape from this island at once.”
– “sure, sir. Understood.”