Solo Leveling : Fire

Chapter 41

As the hunters who participated in the Jeju Island raid began their evacuation, the atmosphere was heavy with exhaustion and relief. The mission had been a success. Helicopters circled the island, their blades cutting through the salty sea breeze as the hunters boarded transport vessels waiting offshore. The media and government officials eagerly awaited their return to the mainland, ready to report on the historic event.

Among the retreating forces, two figures stood apart from the rest—Choi Jong-In, the Guild Master of the Dragon Knight Guild, and Sung Il-Hwan. Unlike the others, their mission was not yet over. As the rest of the hunters withdrew, Choi and Il-Hwan set their sights on a different direction—the open sea.

Choi, riding atop his massive flame dragon Ignel, turned his gaze towards the Philippine Sea. A faint but unmistakable presence lurked beyond the horizon. Several ants had survived the slaughter and were now attempting to escape across the waters.

"Tch," Choi clicked his tongue in irritation. "They think they can just run away?"

Il-Hwan, seated behind him, watched carefully as Choi raised his hand. With a simple flick of his finger, a tiny spark ignited at his fingertips. But as soon as he swung his arm forward, that spark erupted into an inferno. A massive wave of fire surged forward, engulfing the fleeing ants in an instant. The sea itself hissed and steamed where the flames met water, and in mere moments, nothing remained of the escaping creatures.

Il-Hwan, having witnessed countless battles, couldn't help but feel astonished. He had already seen how powerful Choi was during the time they first meet, but this level of control and raw destruction was beyond what he had expected.

'Just how strong is this guy?' Il-Hwan thought to himself.

Unable to hold back his curiosity, he asked, "Mr. Choi… are you a Fragment Holder?"

For a moment, Choi didn't respond. His eyes twitched, an almost imperceptible reaction, but Il-Hwan caught it immediately.

"Are you?" Il-Hwan pressed.

Choi finally spoke, his voice calm. "I'm not a Fragment Holder, Il-Hwan-nim. But… what exactly is a Fragment Holder?"

Il-Hwan was taken aback by the response. "You don't know?" He had assumed someone as strong as Choi would have at least some knowledge of the divine fragments and their purpose. Seeing Choi's composed demeanor, Il-Hwan hesitated for a moment before explaining.

"Back when I was trapped in the gate, I was saved by a being known as a Ruler. In exchange for my survival, I was granted a portion of their power—what we call a Fragment of Luminosity. This power was given to me under one condition: that I fight in the war against the Monarchs when the time comes."

Choi crossed his arms and looked out at the vast ocean. His expression remained neutral, but internally, he was deep in thought. He already knew about the war that was coming. He knew about the Rulers and the Monarchs because of his past life. But he couldn't reveal that. Instead, he asked another question.

"So… that means there are more Fragment Holders out there?"

Il-Hwan nodded. "Yes. There are several others like me, each chosen by the Rulers."

Choi remained silent for a moment before asking, "Do you know when this war is supposed to happen?"

Il-Hwan shook his head. "The exact timing is unclear. But I can feel it… something is stirring. The pieces are moving into place."

Choi smirked. He already knew the war was approaching fast. He remembered how the events unfolded in his previous life. There wasn't much time left before the Monarchs started making their move. And speaking of Monarchs…

'Christopher Reed will be targeted soon,' Choi thought to himself. 'If I remember correctly, three Monarchs will attack him after the Jeju Island raid. If we go to America now, we might be able to prevent his death.'

Choi turned his head slightly and asked, "Il-Hwan-nim, do you want to take a trip to America?"

Il-Hwan raised an eyebrow. "America? Why?"

"I want to visit a friend. And… I have a strong feeling that he might be a Fragment Holder like you."

Il-Hwan's eyes widened in surprise. "How can you be so sure?"

Choi smirked. "Because you guys have a similar aura. Actually, I know of four Fragment Holders—one from Korea, one from China, and two more in America, besides you."

Il-Hwan was even more shocked. "Who's the one from Korea?"

Choi's gaze hardened slightly. "Chairman Go Gun-Hee."

Il-Hwan's expression turned serious. "Chairman Go Gun-Hee… that old man is a Fragment Holder too? That explains a lot."

Choi simply nodded. The more allies they had, the better prepared they would be for the war to come.

Il-Hwan seemed to think for a moment before finally nodding. "Alright. Let's meet this friend of yours."

Choi grinned. "Good choice."

Chapter 41

Taking out his phone, Choi dialed a number. As the call connected, he spoke in a casual tone, "Hey, I'll be visiting you soon. Be ready."

The voice on the other end hesitated for a moment before responding, "...Got it. I'll be waiting."

As Ignel soared through the sky, carrying Choi and Il-Hwan toward Korea, the flames of destiny burned brighter than ever. The war was approaching, and the time for preparations was running out. But Choi Jong-In was ready. This time, he wouldn't let history repeat itself.

Chapter End.