Solo Leveling- Ragnarok

Chapter 185:

Suho was guided by the demons and entered the black market gambling area.

As he heard from the outside, the gambling that was being done here wasn't the same kind as hanafuda or poker.

"Ah!"

"Die! die!"

Instead, it was a vast underground arena where blood and sweat vibrated. There, two hunters who took off all their equipment were fighting a desperate battle. Looking at the venom in the eyes and the expression of evil, it was clear to everyone what kind of situation this was.

"Hehe. Doesn't it look really fun? They are all human beings who jumped in to pay off their gambling debts." While the gatekeeper who was guiding Suho kept laughing, Esil's cynical voice was heard.

[How pitiful for all these lower demons to...]

Now that all demon nobles with absolute status have disappeared, the lesser demons living scattered here and there seemed to be eager to imitate the former. 'By the way, the guys in the demon realm last time made the demons fight each other, but here, humans fight each other and also watch themselves.' In an instant, a cool light passed through Suho's eyes.

Suho was also well aware of the Colosseum duel, the culture of demon nobles. hasn't he fought as a gladiator before? But somehow it turned out to be the opposite this time.

After a while, Suho arrived at a place that looked like a terrace with the best view of the underground fighting arena.

"This is the VIP room. This is a space where humans are not allowed to enter, so you should be able to watch the game comfortably. If you would like to join the game, please call us anytime."

"I will."

Suho sat down on the soft sofa and looked around in a relaxed manner. In the VIP room, some demons who were watching the underground arena were sitting. They were almost identical in color, but they covered their faces with a crow mask and wore Stardust necklaces around their necks.

However, from the moment Suho entered the VIP room, their attention was focused on Suho rather than fighting underground.

"Hoo. You're someone I haven't seen."

"Are you a new guest?"

"The horns are really... Oh my."

Vulcan's horns. Their attention was focused solely on the horns of Vulcan growing on Suho's head. Eyes full of curiosity. A servile look mixed with fear. Beyond fear, there were gazes full of awe. Beyond the crow masks covering their faces, complex emotions toward Suho were blatantly felt. However, no one dared to speak to Suho first.

[It's a natural reaction.]

Esil explained.

[Because the horns of Vulcan now are completely different from when you were a gladiator.]

Originally, Vulcan was a clumsy aristocrat who couldn't make Bloodstone, which is a fine meal for demon nobles. That's why he was the demon who preyed on his own people more than any noble. He had been so anxious to devour the souls of other demons even when he had been dead and only had his horns left. So, although it is invisible to the human Suho, it is visible to the eyes of the demons. This vicious and greedy demon's energy blazed from the horns of Vulcan, who had eaten his fill of the demon souls.

'... How terrible.'

'How many people do I have to eat to get this kind of energy?'

'Could it be that he ate all the demons in his factory?'

Even if they didn't say it directly, the thoughts that the demons in the VIP room had while looking at Suho were almost the same. It was then.

"Tsk."

Suho suddenly clicked his tongue and woke them up.

"The spectacle is over there."

The demons, who suddenly came to their senses at those words, turned their eyes away from Suho with embarrassing expressions. But not everyone was like that. "I'm sorry if this was rude in the first meeting. It's because everyone is quite thrilled to see you. I don't know if you know this, but this is also a place to make new friends."

Suddenly, a demon approached Suho and spoke to him in a friendly way. It looked similar to the others, but there was one difference when he looked closer.

'The necklace... He doesn't have one.'

[Could he be the host of this place?]

Suho and Esil exchanged a quick conversation. In the meantime, the demon, who had come closer, opened his mouth again with an awkward smile when Suho just looked at him without replying.

"Haha, you are quite taciturn. So let me introduce myself first. My name is 'Lotto' and I am in charge of running this casino."

[It's not a demonic name. I think it's a demon with no name in the first place, or a rough pseudonym.]

Listening to Esil's explanation, Suho pondered for a while. 'Hmm. What should I do?' This demon named Lotto was now directly demanding his identity. The other person was also using a pseudonym anyway, so it didn't matter if they said anything about names. But then you won't find out anything this way. Wouldn't it just make time go by sluggishly if you avoid it?

"My name is," Suho finally opened his mouth. "Vulcan."

!!!

At that moment. All the demons in the VIP room widened their eyes and looked at Suho with shocked eyes.

[Su– Suho?]

Even Esil called for Suho with a clear tone of embarrassment.

"...As a pseudonym, it seems to be quite a dangerous one to use."

"A pseudonym..." Suho looked straight into Lotto's eyes with a smile as if he had heard something really interesting. Lotto's expression, which had been wearing a friendly smile the whole time, hardened. Suho laughed and asked him instead.

"Why should I use a pseudonym?"

"It is known that there are no demon nobles left in the world."

"That must be for the other demon nobles."

"So you say your name is Vulcan?" While having a short conversation with Suho, Lotto's eyes were getting colder. Similarly, the other demons were also focusing their enormous bloodlust on Suho. However, there were too many strong people that Suho had faced so far to be weighed down by such an unpleasant life. Rather, Suho took a more relaxed attitude, crossed his legs, and leaned back on the sofa.

Then, he raised one hand and reached out to the gatekeeper demon standing next to him, calling out to Esil.

'Esil, can you make a Bloodstone?'

[I don't know what you're thinking, but Vulcan is... Just for now.]

Esil did not know what Suho was up to, but she obediently accepted the request. After all, if it was necessary, they were strong enough to hit and fight all around the place.

Shuaaa!!

"Oh my?!"

Suddenly, following Suho's hand, black blood began to be forcibly extracted from the gatekeeper demon's body. All the demons who witnessed the scene had no choice but to jump up from their seats with faces full of astonishment. The demon's blood that had just been drawn from Suho's hand formed into a ball and began to turn into black Bloodstone.

"A Bloodstone?!"

"It's a Bloodstone!"

"Oh my god! A real demon aristocrat?!"

At that moment, Suho spewed his bloodlust from his entire body at just the right time.

[Use 'Skill: Bloodlust'.]

"... !"

"... !"

Fwooom!

When Suho's life-threatening spirit surpassed the VIP room and filled the entire casino, the demons instinctively had no choice but to lower their bodies or step back. The Bloodstone that appeared in front of them and the tremendous bloodlust that surpassed their own energy. When these two were combined, even Lotto, who confidently appeared in front of Suho, had no choice but to grow pale.

"Oh, this could be...."

"No way, is he the real Vulcan..."

"He looks different..."

"Being possessed by humans...."

'Hmm. This reaction is good.'

Suho and Esil had a conversation to themselves, listening to the demons' mutterings and holding breaths from all sides.

[What do you mean?]

'What do you mean what do I mean? I'm acting like a real noble in front of those who act like nobles.'

[You know. Vulcan was a nobleman who couldn't make Bloodstone. They probably know it too.]

'Yeah. That's why this is even more meaningful.'

Suho smiled faintly and withdrew the killing spree. Then he looked at Lotto again and asked.

"How is it? Was that a little convincing?" At that question, Lotto erased the embarrassed expression on his face and tried to calmly reply to Suho's words.

"I was really surprised to see a real Bloodstone." His eyes were still on the Bloodstone in Suho's hand. He couldn't believe it even when he saw it. But, no matter how you look at it, it's not 'real' real. So it was even more confusing.

"But...Originally, I knew that Lord Vulcan was someone who couldn't make Bloodstone."

"That's true. But once I figured it out, it wasn't that difficult."

"You figured it out?" Lotto's eyes widened at those words.

In a moment, all the eyes of all the demons here were filled with great greed. Suho's words were enough to arouse the demons' desire. What was the reason the demons developed Stardust in the first place? Wasn't it because they wanted to imitate the noble's unique power and create a Bloodstone?

Bloodstone is the proof of true nobility, proof of existence. Only by being able to create Bloodstone, demons could grow their power more efficiently and become nobles. And furthermore, only by becoming a real nobleman could he be qualified to succeed Baran, the White Flames Monarch, the Demon King who is now dead.

By the way, how can you make Bloodstone? 'Vulcan' had once been ignored by the same nobles because he couldn't make Bloodstone for an incredibly long time. So when did this change happen?

It no longer mattered whether Suho was the real Vulcan or not to the demons here.

"Have you taught yourself how to make Bloodstone?"

"Why? Do you want to learn?"

"!!!"

Lotto's eyes widened to the point of popping out. Now, whenever something came out of Suho's mouth, the demons' expressions were changing every moment. Seeing those reactions, Esil muttered as if she was fed up.

[You're really...]

But everyone, no, even demons, when someone tells you what you want to hear, you want to believe it, no? Lotto stuttered and asked Suho.

"You- you can learn it?"

[No, no of course you can't learn to make them! Bloodstones are–]

"There is nothing I can not learn."

[You liar!]

Esil's words flowed into the back of his ears, and Suho held the act as much as possible as he talked to Lotto in a sincere voice. Then all of a sudden...

"But."

Flinch!

'But?'

'But what?'

First came caution, then shock and horror. The demons are now listening to every word Suho says. Suho continued speaking while leaning back on the sofa, enjoying the eyes of the demons that were excessively focused on him.

"Wasn't this a gambling place? If you're here to gamble, let's gamble and have fun."

"Now, wait a minute. Lord Vulcan...!"

Gambling wasn't important right now!

Crack!

At that moment, Suho crushed the Bloodstone he was holding with his finger.

'Ahh!!'

The demons looked anxiously at the sight of the Bloodstone that turned into dust and scattered from Suho's hand.