Solo Leveling : Fire

Chapter 9

The moment Choi Jong In stepped out of the dungeon, the cool night air greeted him like an old friend. His muscles ached, his mana reserves were nearly depleted, and his sleeveless suit was in tatters, but despite it all, a small smirk tugged at his lips.

However, he barely had time to process his exhaustion before the Hunter Association staff rushed toward him.

"Mr. Choi! Are you alright?" One of them, a man in his early forties wearing a dark-blue uniform, called out in concern. Another immediately signaled for a medic.

Choi sighed and waved his hand dismissively. "You guys don't have to worry. This is just a minor scratch."

The staff hesitated, looking at the numerous bruises and cuts on his arms. His exposed shoulders bore signs of burns and deep slashes, yet his posture remained firm.

"Are you sure, Mr. Choi?" one of them asked again, concern evident in their voice.

"Yeah, I'm sure." His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

Just as he was about to move toward his car, blinding flashes erupted around him—the telltale signs of camera lights flickering uncontrollably. Within seconds, a wave of journalists surged forward, microphones in hand, their voices overlapping in a chaotic storm of questions.

"Mr. Choi! How did you manage to clear the dungeon alone?!"

"Did you face a high-tier boss monster?!"

"What was inside the gate?!"

Thankfully, the Hunter Association security quickly stepped in, forming a protective barrier around him. But even as they held back the mob of reporters, one persistent journalist managed to get his voice through the commotion.

"Mr. Choi, sorry if I may sound rude, but what were the monsters you faced inside the gate? Considering that this gate is an almost S-class gate?"

Choi stopped mid-step, his expression shifting slightly. Almost S-class?

The realization sent a jolt through him. He hadn't bothered to check the classification of the gate before entering—he had simply felt the overwhelming mana within and charged in headfirst. But now that he thought about it, the sheer strength of the dragons, especially the three-headed Wind Dragon, made sense.

Turning slightly, he looked at the journalist with a neutral expression. "I faced a three-headed dragon as the final boss."

The entire area fell silent.

For a moment, it was as if the world had frozen. Then, an eruption of shocked gasps and frantic whispers spread among the reporters.

"A three-headed dragon?!"

"That's practically an SS-rank monster!"

"Did he fight it alone?! How is he even standing?!"

Choi ignored the growing noise, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off their shock. "Now then, I'll be going to rest."

Without another word, he walked straight toward his car, leaving behind the chaotic scene of flashing cameras and stunned onlookers.

The moment he shut the door behind him, the sound of the outside world faded, leaving him with much-needed silence.

He exhaled deeply, resting his head against the seat for a brief second before driving off.

As soon as he arrived at his penthouse apartment, Choi barely bothered to turn on the lights before walking toward his bedroom. The soft glow of the cityscape outside bathed the room in a faint silver hue, casting long shadows across the floor.

Without hesitation, he summoned his storage ring and pulled out the dragon's egg.

A soft hum vibrated from within, as if the egg was alive, pulsing with dormant energy.

"Now let's see what this thing really is."

With a flick of his wrist, he activated his Appraisal Skill. A transparent blue window materialized in front of him.

[Item: Dragon's Egg]

Rank: ???

Status: Dormant

Description: A dragon's egg containing an unborn creature of great potential. To hatch, it must be nurtured with mana regularly.

Condition to Hatch: Requires daily mana infusion from a high-rank hunter. The stronger the mana, the faster the incubation period.

"Tch. This seems simple enough."

Considering he was an S-class mage, he figured he could pour a decent amount of mana into it every day without much issue.

He placed his hands on the egg's smooth surface and closed his eyes. Concentrating, he channeled his mana into the shell, allowing his energy to flow steadily into the unborn dragon.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—

A sudden force pulled at his mana like a vortex.

His eyes snapped open in shock as he felt his energy draining far quicker than expected. Within seconds, nearly half of his mana reserves had vanished into the egg.

What the hell?!

He immediately pulled his hands away, breathing heavily. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he steadied himself.

Staring down at the now slightly glowing egg, he let out a dry chuckle. "So... I'll be doing this once a day, huh?"

He hadn't anticipated this much mana consumption, but now he had no choice. If he wanted to see what hatched from this egg, he would have to endure this daily sacrifice.

"Fine, then. Let's see what kind of dragon you are."

And with that, he laid back on his bed, staring at the glowing egg until sleep finally claimed him.