Solo Leveling - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I Alone Level-up: Chapter 4

-4 . The Three Commandments-

Jinwoo shouted towards the other Hunters .

“Everyone!”

They turned their heads toward his voice .

“You have to bow before the Statue of God!”

The Hunters tilted their heads in confusion .

“Bow…?”

“Bow to that thing?”

The Hunters who were looking at each other started cursing at Jinwoo,

“Fuck… What the hell are you saying?!”

“Is this a situation where you could say something like that?!”

“Have you gone crazy, Sung Jinwoo?!”

Mr . Kim flared his nostrils .

“Looks like I judged you wrong! If I could get up from this spot, I’d sock you right in the nose!”

Jinwoo bit his lips .  After all, 6 of their comrades had fallen to the Statue of God .  To think that he’d ask the others to bow before it understandably invited their ire .

‘More importantly…’

There was no solid proof to his guesses .  Only a gut feeling . One could not easily explain or put to words what they felt through instinct .

While he was lost for words, someone spoke up: “I’ll do it . ”

The voice came from behind Jinwoo .  The Hunters’ eyes turned toward the Raid leader who had spoken .

“Mr . Song…?”

“You’re going to bow before that goddamn statue?”

As the Hunters spoke out in confusion, Mr . Song turned and met Jinwoo’s eyes .

“What have you discovered?”

Jinwoo shook his head .

“Just a gut feeling?”

“…Yes, for now . ”

“I see . ”

Jinwoo’s instincts resulted in 11 of them being still alive, well, 10 after Mr . Joo’s death .  As such, was it not worth it to try and put some faith in him? This was what Mr . Song believed .  As the Raid leader bowed before the Statue of God, the mood in the air became somber .

“You’re really going to do it?”

Taking advantage of the opportunity Mr . Song had provided, Jinwoo spoke up,

“Please! Bow before the Statue of God .  This might be our only way to leave here alive!”

Alive .

To leave here alive .

That phrase reached the others’ ears with a great weight .

‘Leave here alive?’

‘We can get out of here?’

‘Just by bowing before that thing?’

One by one, the hesitant Hunters started bowing before the Statue, imitating a scene of worship .  Eventually, even the angry Mr . Kim also took his place bowing before the Statue . However, there was no response from the Statue of God .  Its two eyes still glowed with the terrifying crimson light . Jinwoo felt his heart sinking to his stomach .

‘Was I wrong?’

And his gaze turned to Juhee at his side .  Lying completely prone on the ground with her hands covering her head, it was hard to say that she was in a position of bowing before the Statue .

‘Ah…’

Jinwoo gently grabbed Juhee’s wrists .  Startled, Juhee looked up at him like a terrified prey .  He wordlessly nodded at her, then released his hand . Slowly, Jinwoo helped Juhee assumed the position of worship before the Statue of God .

‘This should do it . ’

And then there was one .  Himself .

Jinwoo faced the Statue, kneeling, then put his hands on the ground and slowly bowed his head .

And a change occurred .

“Oh, ooh?”

The Hunters who noticed started making noise .

“The Statue of God? Everyone, look at the Statue of God!”

“Its eyes!”

The crimson light that adorned the Statue’s eyes were fading away .

“What? You mean this really is working?”

And just like that, the lights completely disappeared from the Statue’s eyes .

The Hunters cheered in unison .

“The light disappeared!”

“We’re alive!”

The excited Hunters rose from their spots and cheered, but the Statue of God did not react .  Jinwoo, who followed suit, sighed with relief .

“Phew-“

As he had guessed .  This room was operating accordingly to a set of rules and conditions, just like a game .

‘If that’s true,’

The game was not over yet .  There were two more Commandments .

Second: Praise the Lord; Third: Prove your Faith

Suddenly, with a deep rumbling, the entire room started to shake .  Jinwoo’s expression hardened .

‘As I thought…’

His guesses were correct .  This was not over .

The Statue of God’s enormous body was slowly rising from its seat .

“Eh, eh?!”

The Hunters who were celebrating together with tears of joy froze .

“W-what?! Wasn’t it all over?!”

“No, it can’t be!”

Frozen in fear, the Hunters could not say much more .  Their faces were filled with terror and despair .

“No… no…”

The Statue of God assumed a standing position .  It looked around, taking in the surrounding, then started walking towards the Hunters .

BOOM!

With each step it took, the Statue of God shook the earth .

BOOM!

Its massive figure was such that its head almost reached the ceiling .

BOOM!

As its sheer size put pressure on the Hunters, it slowly closed the gap between it and them .

“Hey, Mr . Sung! Mr . Sung Jinwoo!”

“What should we do?!”

The Hunters who were cursing Jinwoo only moments ago now looked towards him for hope .

“Is there anything else we have to do?!”

“Say something!”

Even as grown adults, the Hunters’ faces were on the verge of breaking down in tears .  Yet they looked at Jinwoo as their only remaining hope . Jinwoo carefully helped Juhee, frozen in fear, to her feet, and he explained the Second Commandment .

“It said, ‘Praise the Lord’, that’s our clue . ”

“Ah, that’s!” Mr . Kim spoke knowingly, “It was written on the tablet, right?”

“That’s right, ‘Praise the Lord’, ‘Prove your Faith’, we have to fulfill all three Commandments . ”

Jinwoo’s words were filled with urgency .

BOOM~!

With one last step, the Statue of God had already arrived before their group .  Its massive shadows covered the Hunters, whose faces became pale .

“I, I’ll try . ”

One of the Hunters, normally a shy, youthful man, stepped forward .

“Hey! What are you going to try?!”

“I’m part of my church’s choir .  If it’s ‘praise’, I’m confident in it . ”

The young man answered Mr . Kim and walked towards the Statue of God .  As he neared the Statue, he took a deep breath and started singing,

“ ~As I walk to the Lord~ ” His youthful voice rang throughout the room .

“ ~Please renew me and provide me with your blessing . ~ ”

The Statue of God stopped before him .

The Hunters gasped in surprise and awe .  As if it was satisfied by the song, the Statue of God stood motionless .  All other sounds of the room disappeared, only the youth’s voice was heard in the room .  Gaining courage from the apparent result, the Hunter strengthened his voice and continued to sing,

“ ~All my weaknesses will be washed away by the grace of my Lord~ ”

Amidst the hopeful Hunters, Jinwoo could not shake the feeling of uneasiness .  The feeling that they were missing something .

‘No… this is all wrong . ’

He kept repeating the thought to himself .  This room had its own set of rules . Right now, the youthful Hunter was following the rule of Christianity, not this room .  But thankfully, the Statue of God was not moving . Maybe this was enough to satisfy the conditions?

Jinwoo tilted his head .  The reason why he had not stopped the singing was because he could not think of any other way to stop the Statue of God .

Suddenly,

BOOM!

A loud crash broke through the singing, followed by a scream,

“Kiyaaaaaaah!”

As the Statue of God raised its foot again, the mangled remains of the singing Hunter fell from its sole .

The other Hunters started screaming as well .

“Ahhhh!”

“Uwaaaaak!”

The previously emotionless face of the Statue of God was now filled with an incredible rage .

“It’s angry!”

“R-run!”

The Hunters quickly ran away from the Statue .

“Kiyaaaaah!!!”

Having lost all thought and reason after seeing the youthful man be crushed beneath the Statue of God’s foot, a female Hunter simply stood in place and screamed .

‘Shit…!’

Jinwoo, who was running with Juhee in his arms, quickly turned to try and help her .  But he was blocked by Mr . Song .

“Ahjussi…?”

“It’s too late!”

Like swatting a fly, the Statue of God slammed its hand on top of the female Hunter .

BANG!

Jinwoo turned away .  It was a gruesome scene which he could not bear to witness .

“We can’t dilly dally here!  Are you trying to get that young lady killed as well?!”

At Mr . Song’s rebuke, Jinwoo snapped back to attention .  Mr . Song was right .

BOOM!

“Uwaaaak!”

BOOM!

BOOM!

“Help me!”

No longer walking, the Statue of God ran from Hunter to Hunter, crushing them beneath his feet .  With each step, he shook the entire temple .

BOOM!

BOOM!

Jinwoo ran with his teeth clenched .  With her eyes closed, Juhee held on to Jinwoo as they ran .

“Let’s split apart!”

“Okay!”

Knowing that running together made them a better target, Jinwoo and Mr . Song separated away from each other .  Trying to maintain the largest distance between himself and the Statue of God, Jinwoo ran towards a spot at the walls .  He saw that Mr . Park was already there, having ran with all his might, knowing there was more on the line to him than just his own life .  The image of his family reflected over his teary eyes .

His son, who looked just like his father .  His wife, with his second child . Mr . Park could not afford to die in a place like this .  Pulling forth every ounce of his strength, Mr . Park was able to reach the walls faster than the other Hunters .

“Huff… Huff…”

Suddenly, Mr . Kim, who was friends with the man, shouted at the panting Mr . Park .

“Mr . Park!”

At the familiar voice, Mr . Park turned towards Mr . Kim,

“Hmm?”

Mr . Kim gestured towards Mr . Park’s back and yelled,

“Turn! Turn around!”

And something sharp flashed from behind Mr . Park .

“Huh…?”

slash-

Mr . Park was split cleanly from the top of his head to the base of his crotch .  The evenly separated sides of his body fell in different directions on to the ground .

“MR . PARK!!!”

The statue that had cleaved Mr . Park in twain with its sword simply returned and assumed its position on the walls, as if nothing had happened .

Mr . Kim held back tears as he witnessed the death of his friend .

“These fucking pieces of-!”

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Behind him, the giant Statue of God was going from Hunter to Hunter, crushing them with his feet .  Those that fled to the walls were attacked by the statues .

“Ahhhhh!”

“My arm! My arm!”

The interior of the temple had turned into a scene of terror and carnage .

Jinwoo panted wildly as he ran, his forehead dripping with cold sweat .  His legs getting heavier and heavier; his breath getting shallower and shallower .  But his head was filled with a single thought, repeated over and over again:

‘Praise the Lord .  Praise the Lord . Praise the Lord . ’

The Second Commandment that swam through his head .  The key to solving the meaning of the Commandments must be hidden in this room .

‘There must be something in here that we’re supposed to use!’

But when the Hunters initially entered the temple and looked around, they found no tools or mechanisms .

‘The only thing here are those damned statues . ’

‘Wait . ’

A thought appeared in Jinwoo’s head .

‘The only thing that’s here are those statues?’

Jinwoo’s eyes widened .

“Why didn’t I think of that?!”

If the statues were the only thing in this room .  Then the statues must be the key to solving the mystery .  The statues only moved when someone entered their proximity; this must have been the key to using them somehow .

‘If that’s correct…!’

Gathering what energy he had left, Jinwoo screamed through his panting breath,

“EVERYONE, HEAD TO THE STATUES WITH INSTRUMENTS!”

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