The Ascension : A New Beginning (Solo Leveling x Tower of God) [ON A HIATUS]

Chapter 17 : The Darkness Deep Within

<Test Director's Office>

Yu Hansung was currently pacing around restlessly in his office, seemingly waiting for someone. It was a rather unusual sight to see the usually calm and collected director this concerned. He stopped abruptly when he heard a knock on the door.

"You do know I am rather busy at the moment, right?" The man standing outside asked him, as soon as he opened the door. He had brown hair, brown eyes and a tall, slender build.

"And you do realise I wouldn't call you for iddle chatter, right?" Hansung quipped.

"... Fair enough, I guess." Hansung let the man inside the room and closed the door. "So, what could be so important that you decided to contact little old me?"

"Right. The 'Little old' man who single handedly slaughtered an entire branch of the Ha family." Hansung chuckled. "Are you even listening to yourself, Jinsung?"

"Let's not go there..." He sharply replied. "So, what's the matter?"

"Two new irregulars have appeared in the tower." Jinsung's eyes widened when he heard this. "But the problem is, a couple of R.E.D members have infiltrated the test floor. And one of them used to be a high ranker going by the name 'Graham Lasher'. Ring any bells?"

"... I'd have to be living under a rock to not know about him." Jinsung visibly sighed. "And he's... Not quite right in the head. Looks like you've got quite the troublesome guest in your floor..."

"I figured as much." Hansung replied. "So... If the two of you were to fight, would you be able to beat him?"

"Strictly speaking, I am stronger. And yes, I will be able to defeat him. I'll say he'd be roughly around the level of a top 500 high ranker." Jinsung clarified. "But even then, if his opponent doesn't have any clue regarding his powers, they'll have a tough time with him."

"His powers?"

"Yes. He has a rather... Nettlesome ability. Something that allows him to punch way above his weight class." He explained. "That should already tell you what will happen if he decides to fight regulars that haven't even passed the test floor..."

'They'll get slaughtered.' If Hansung wasn't worried before, he was now.

"In that case, I believe you already know what I'm about to ask you to do, right?" He asked Jinsung.

"... Figured as much." Jinsung calmly replied. "I'll do what I can."

**********

<Underground Cavern>

'What's the meaning of this?' Jinwoo was confused when he checked up on Shibisu. Even though he saw him getting stabbed in the gut by a metal rod, currently there was no external wound on his body. Despite this, Shibisu was still having difficulty in moving his body and couldn't even talk. His body also spasmed occasionally, as if to accentuate this point.

'Looks like I was worried for nothing.' The ranker merely stood there, watching the two. 'Even though he is an irregular, he is still far from...'their' level.'

"Was that metal rod poisoned?" Jinwoo asked the ranker in a cold tone.

"No." He simply replied. "And don't worry. He won't die from something as simple as that. I wasn't lying earlier when I said my only target was you, Sung Jinwoo." He summoned another one of those metal rods and started twirling it with his fingers. "I prefer not involving outsiders in my duties - Both professional, and personal ones."

"That being said..." Jinwoo's eyes widened when the guy seemingly vanished from his spot before reappearing behind him. Luckily, he managed to duck right on time to avoid an attack from piercing his skull.