A Side Character's Mission ↠ Solo Leveling

Chapter 45: An Unseen Threat

"Byung-gyu!!!" Yoon-Ho's voice echoed through the cave, filled with horror and panic.

Before he could react, the beast lunged forward with lightning speed, impaling the healer's chest with its sharp, deadly hand. The gruesome sight of the hand protruding from Byung-Gyu's chest sent chills down their spines.

"Min Byung-Gyu!!!" Yoon-Ho's voice cracked with grief and disbelief.

Byung-gyu looked at Yoon-Ho before him, his voice weak and feeble as he managed to utter his words. "Hyung... please run."

The beast mercilessly bit down on the healer's head, ending his life in a horrifying manner. Shock and horror washed over their faces.

"ARGHHHH!!!"

Yoon-Ho charged forward in a surge of anger, but his momentum was abruptly halted as the creature swiftly seized his neck with its powerful hand, cutting off his breath and rendering him immobile.

"Yoon-Ho... run. Run away, Yoon-Ho," the ant taunted, mimicking Byung-Gyu's voice mockingly.

"You bastard!!" Yoon-Ho's muffled voice escaped his constricted throat in anger.

The ant chuckled darkly, its voice dripping with malice. "You are all... weak."

The chilling realization struck them. The monster not only can take their lives, but it also absorbs their strength and knowledge by consuming them.

"Our queen... was defeated... killing all your soldiers on your side... won't be enough," the ant hissed, revealing its motive and the extent of its destructive intentions.

The ant's grip tightened around Yoon-Ho's neck, its cold, emotionless voice cutting through the air as it spoke. "Who is your king?"

The S-rank hunters had been wounded terribly, and the surviving A-rank hunter stood petrified, unable to comprehend the unfolding events. Yoon-Ho's eyes locked onto the figure leaning against the cave wall, nonchalantly playing with a lighter. The fact that his sword remained sheathed indicated that he had no intention of joining the fight. Surprisingly, the ant seemed oblivious to his presence.

'Hunter Han? Why is he not helping us?' His mind raced with frustration. The spectator's indifferent stance only caused him to despair.

The S-rank monster suddenly turned its head, its attention drawn to something outside the cave. "Outside... He is outside... a strong presence..." it murmured, its focus shifting momentarily.

The ant abruptly released its tight grip on Yoon-Ho's neck, allowing him to breathe again. It shifted its focus to something outside the cave and swiftly flew away.

"Cough!"

'Outside? Is it going to Goto Ryuji...?' Yoon-Ho's mind raced with thoughts.

'This is not the time. We must escape this place before he returns...!' he thought urgently. His body was covered in blood and his powers were drained.

However, a swarm of ants suddenly invaded the cave, catching them off guard. The S-rank hunters were injured and defenseless and could do little to fend off the monsters. Even the A-rank hunter alone won't be much of a help.

"Fuck! The ants are here now!!!"

Seung-Eun calmly closed the lighter and stepped forward. He locked his gaze onto the approaching ants, his hand unsheathing the sword. As the ants closed in, he gracefully swung his sword in one smooth, horizontal arc, unleashing a powerful energy that disintegrated the insects into a cloud of burnt dust, their remnants falling to the ground.

Yoon-Ho's eyes widened in shock as he witnessed Seung-Eun's display of power. 

"Hunter Han... why didn't you help us sooner?" Yoon-Ho asked, his voice filled with a mix of relief and reproach.