[2] Solo Leveling

Chapter 226

Dawn, when everyone was in a deep sleep.

Jin-Woo travelled back to the sea of trees located in Japan, still remaining as a no-entry, prohibited area, after experiencing the dungeon break of the Giant-type monsters.

He didn't come here to raise his level or to look at the stars in the sky, though. But then again, it must've been the memories of the night before, because when he took a look at the night sky, he naturally remembered Hae-In's face.

Jin-Woo stopped by his family and assured them he was fine and quickly returned to the hotel in Japan. Cha Hae-In had already understood the reason why Jin-Woo had to disappear on her like that, just before they were about to share a meal together.

She knew better than anyone what would've happened if Jin-Woo didn't rush back to Seoul. Her expression as she tried to hide her anxiety remained etched in his memory for some reason, though.

'....Let's get started.'

Jin-Woo took a look around him. Just like before, the stillness of the forest, with not a single living soul in it, greeted him. There was something he had to do in this place.

Jin-Woo sought out a suitable open ground and soon located one. He summoned out a portion of his Shadow Soldiers next.

'Come out.'

Jin-Woo's shadow expanded out greatly and his soldiers appeared on the ground. They were none other than the new additions to his army.

Jin-Woo tasted a mixed bag of emotions as he studied them. For the first time ever, he ended up breaking his own rule yesterday, one that he religiously adhered to since the very beginning.

These new soldiers were, before yesterday, all regular people. No, they were victims who were murdered by the Sovereigns.

Hundreds of soldiers, created from the regular people dying unjustly, as well as Hunters who tried to save them, now stood before their new master. He broke his own rule of never using innocent souls as his Shadow Soldiers.

And that was why Jin-Woo wanted to ask for their cooperation in this place.

'Until this war is over, lend me your strengths, everyone.'

To protect their families, their lovers, their friends and their homes from those b*stards.

'I promise to return you to the eternal rest once the battle is over.'

Although they were the dead beings forced into expressing their absolute loyalty through the Shadow Sovereign's ability, they still retained their individual egos.

Jin-Woo's sincere heart and desire were transmitted to every single one of them. Their eyes under the helms, covered by the darkness of the dawn, contained flames of hatred and rage towards the monsters that made them this way.

They realised this crucial fact – that they were now given a chance to exact revenge on those creatures with their own hands. And the one that gifted them this opportunity was the Shadow Sovereign standing right before them.

'We shall fight alongside our liege!

We shall never let those monsters rape and pillage our land and our families!'

Such desires were being engraved in them now.

The stronger the Shadow Sovereign became, the greater the enhancement to the abilities of the Shadow Soldiers. Unlike in the past when he was borrowing the powers of the Shadow Sovereign through the System, Jin-Woo now inherited it completely and thus, the Shadow Soldiers created by him could not be underestimated at all.