Solo Leveling: Rise of the 10th Hunter Part 2

Choi Jong-in: "Well now... an unannounced inspection from the Chairman himself? Suddenly my flame feels rather beside the point."

Step forward with Jinwoo to greet him. "Welcome to our compound, Grandfather." Watch the suitors' faces as the truth hits. The trends galore have started as everyone on live is realizing who Yasmin really is and is already aware of the love between Yasmin and Jinwoo because he was the first to encourage it. "Your friend is up there. I will take you to him so you can rest before you speak."

The heavy armored door of the limousine swings wide, and Chairman Go Gunhee steps onto the arena sand, his mahogany cane striking the concrete with a hollow, commanding thud. At your word, the entire spectator tier goes deathly still: Choi Jong-in’s hand freezes around his unlit brass lighter, Baek Yoon-ho’s golden beast-eyes widen in sheer disbelief, and seventy million viewers watch the live broadcast ticker spike off the charts. Woo Jinchul snaps his heels together at the car door with his dark glasses lowered, completely unsurprised while the rest of the compound reels. Up above on the mezzanine, Sung Il-hwan leans calmly over the polished iron rail, raising his teacup in quiet recognition as you prepare to lead your grandfather away from the frozen gauntlet.

Woo Jinchul: "You keep the perimeter tight, child. It is good to see you standing where no one can move you."

Choi Jong-in: "Grandfather...? You're telling me the unranked anomaly who broke our measuring room is Go Gunhee's own blood?"

Yoo Jinho: "The Chairman's escort is clear! Everyone hold your positions—today's trial records remain under direct Association review!"

Sung Jinwoo: "My shadows already have the pavilion stairs secure. Go up with him, Yasmin—I'll be right behind you."

escort Go Gunhee to the stairs while gesturing for Jinwoo to join your side. "Take in the view, Grandfather. They will give you a show you will be proud of." Gunhee see Il-hwan and sees that he is alive and well and completely healed, rendering him speechless. Il-hwan tells him he will explain it all and that chat and get caught up even the happiness they both share about the relationship they have planned and hoped for between Yasmin and Jinwoo.

You guide Chairman Go Gunhee along the sweeping staircase as Jinwoo steps into lockstep at your shoulder, the shadow escort falling into silent, impenetrable formation beneath the cloudy sky. When the Association Chairman reaches the mezzanine rail and beholds Sung Il-hwan standing hale and radiant—free of all celestial ash and cosmic decay—the old statesman's mahogany cane freezes against the tile, his breath catching in genuine awe. Across the open compound floor, Choi Jong-in and Baek Yoon-ho stand in stunned silence while seventy million viewers flood the live broadcast chat, realizing the sovereign alliance between the Monarch and Go Gunhee's granddaughter was forged long before the cameras ever rolled. Up on the overlook terrace, the two legendary elders clasp forearms in quiet celebration, sealing an era of unmatched peace above the silenced gauntlet below.

Woo Jinchul: "Il-hwan... you look well, old friend. Stronger than the day the gate swallowed you."

Sung Il-hwan: "My daughter-in-law's Burst mana cleansed the vessel completely, Gunhee. The future we spoke of is already standing right beside you."

Yoo Jinho: "The broadcast ticker is crashing the entire server grid—#SovereignBloodline is trending globally at ninety-eight percent!"

Sung Jinwoo: "Take all the time you need above, Chairman. Yasmin and I will ensure nobody interrupts your peace."

Rest, Grandfather. we'll handle below." Refill Il-hwan's cup and pour Gunhee a cup of tea then head back down and mount the monarch's chair beside Jinwoo. "Baek, take the sand, round seven is waiting. No one will be eliminated from this point forward after 3 dungeon runs have been done I will provide an explanation to everyone. If you've ever held anything back, now is the time to show off! let's go!"

The dark porcelain teapot clinks against the rim of Chairman Go Gunhee's cup as you pour a steaming amber stream, refilling Sung Il-hwan's vessel before stepping back from the shaded pavilion. Descending the iron stairs with Jinwoo matching your unhurried stride, you settle into the high-backed Monarch's chair while seventy million broadcast screens flicker with your decree of total clemency. On the sand below, Baek Yoon-ho tears off his combat watch, his golden beast-eyes flaring into raw crimson slit pupils as white fur and razor talons burst across his forearms. With a concussive shockwave that shatters the chalk perimeter, the White Tiger Master launches himself straight into the Gate Three breach chute, desperate to prove his worth before your throne.

Sung Il-hwan: "Go on, Yasmin. We two old men will enjoy the quiet while it lasts."

Yoo Jinho: "No eliminations? You heard the Tenth S-Rank—show us what White Tiger can do when nothing is held back!"

Baek Yoon-ho: "You want full throttle? Don't blink, Chairman—this is how we hunt in the wild!"

Sung Jinwoo: "Take your throne, Yasmin. My shadows have the perimeter; the sand is yours to command."

"Clock him, Jinho-let's see his split!" Rest your hand over Jinwoo's on the armrest. "Take YOUR throne, Jinwoo. My throne is BESIDE you, my King."

A concussive boom rattles the skydeck floor as Baek Yoon-ho erupts from the Gate Three exit hatch, tossing the glowing dungeon core into the sand with steam rising off his shredded shirt sleeves. Your hand rests steady over Jinwoo's knuckles on the cold iron armrest, feeling the low, rhythmic hum of his abyssal mana answering your violet pulse without a shred of hesitation. Up on the mezzanine, Chairman Go Gunhee sets down his teacup, nodding in solemn approval beside Sung Il-hwan as seventy million live viewers watch the Monarch settle into his seat directly at your side. Woo Jinchul's pen scratches across the Association clipboard at the lower rail, locking the split as every lens in the compound turns upward to await your next command.

Yoo Jinho: "0.34 seconds flat! White Tiger Guild Master shatters Chamber Three—Round Seven is locked!"

Sung Jinwoo: "My throne has always been wherever you choose to plant your feet, Yasmin."

Choi Jong-in: "If that's what he pulls off without elimination pressure... I'd hate to meet him in an unranked Red Gate."

Woo Jinchul: "Official Association log updated. Only one run remains before your scheduled address, Hunter Yasmin."

Toussle Jinwoo's hair and offer him a glass of wine. "Progress over pride. Well done Baek. I knew I wasn't wrong about you. Song-yi, take the floor."

Your fingers thread affectionately through Jinwoo’s dark hair, tousling the sleek strands with effortless public ease as you lift a poured glass of vintage red from the low side table and press the crystal stem into his open palm. Baek Yoon-ho exhales a ragged plume of steam from the arena sand, pressing a fist to his chest in raw acknowledgment of your praise before rolling his shoulders back toward the perimeter chalk. At your call, Han Song-yi bounds down into the proving ring with her twin E-rank flash daggers humming, darting through the Gate Four pressure nodes with dizzying speed before detonating the core target in a shower of golden sparks. High above on the shaded mezzanine, Chairman Go Gunhee leans forward against the rail, smiling warmly as Woo Jinchul notes her split down to the exact millisecond.

Sung Jinwoo: "You spoil me in front of seventy million screens, Yasmin. Drink with me, then watch her run."

Baek Yoon-ho: "Progress over pride... ha! I'll take that from the Tenth S-Rank any day."

Han Song-yi: "Big sis, don't blink! I brought the heavy flash-daggers Mr. Woo cleared for me!"

Yoo Jinho: "1.12 seconds! Han Song-yi clears Chamber Four with zero penalties—Round Eight is locked on the board!"

"Flawless run as expected Song-yi. Amazing score!" Accept a sip of Jinwoo's wine. "Jinho show all the scores as of now and who is still waiting to show off."

You tilt the rim of the crystal glass against your lips, tasting the cool, dark vintage while Jinwoo’s fingers remain loosely curled around the stem, yielding the drink entirely to your pace. Across the open arena floor, Yoo Jinho taps frantically into the broadcast terminal until a colossal, three-dimensional holographic board flickers to life over the sand, projecting Sung Jinwoo’s untouched 0.08-second baseline at the pinnacle above Liu Zhigang’s 0.28, Baek Yoon-ho’s 0.34, Choi Jong-in’s 0.52, and Han Song-yi’s 1.12. Down at the lower rail, Woo Jinchul adjusts his dark glasses as the flashing indicator locks onto the sole remaining contender, while high above on the mezzanine, Chairman Go Gunhee sets his cane down to study the final bracket. Gina tosses her tailored hair, stepping past the smoking perimeter chalk with emerald mana dancing across her fingertips as seventy million screens wait on her concluding run.

Sung Jinwoo: "Take as much as you want, Yasmin. The glass is yours."

Yoo Jinho: "Right away, Hunter-nim! Broadcasting the official splits to the arena holo-feed right now!"

Gina: "Looks like I'm the anchor leg. Don't look away, darling—I'll make sure Hunters Guild bows out with style."

Woo Jinchul: "All electronic telemetry is synchronized, Yasmin. Chairman Go is reviewing the final aggregate."

"Let's go Gina! Let it all out!" Hold Jinwoo's gaze and pass the glass back. "I'm too nervous to drink since i have to do a full confessional after this," nervous giggle

Gina steps across the chalk perimeter with emerald mana crackling along her fingertips, detonating the chamber core before sliding back into the staging circle as the arena chrono freezes her split. Jinwoo’s hand receives the crystal wine glass from your fingers, his dark eyes never wavering from yours as the faint tremble of your nervous laugh settles into the cold mountain air. Overhead, the massive holographic display locks Jinwoo's 0.08-second sweep at the absolute zenith, casting a violet and obsidian glare across Baek, Choi, and Liu Zhigang. High above on the mezzanine, Chairman Go Gunhee leans his cane against the rail beside Sung Il-hwan, signaling that the trials are done and the entire arena now waits on your sovereign word.

Yoo Jinho: "Emerald tether snapped cleanly at 0.42 seconds! The anchor run is logged, but the King's 0.08 baseline remains completely untouchable—Sung Jinwoo sweeps the Dungeon Rush!"

Gina: "Not bad for a warm-up, though nobody was ever catching the Monarch. All yours now, darling—give them the address they've been waiting on."

Sung Jinwoo: "The glass is right here whenever you need it, Yasmin. Take the floor; seventy million screens belong to you."

Woo Jinchul: "Official Association monitoring is frozen on your dais, Hunter Yasmin. The entire compound perimeter is listening."

"Ok, I'll take that glass afterall." Kiss Jinwoo on the lips before you head down stairs to give your full confessional. Acknowledge the Chairman and Il-Hwan with the raised glass and down all the contents to ease the nerves. "to everyone watching, including the 70 million viewers online. i want to apologize for not introducing myself fully. I only told you my first name which was intentional, but let me introduce myself. My name is Yasmin Go. I was abandoned by my birth family because i could siphon at a young age and they were afraid of me. They called me evil, unwanted and that I was a jinx who would hurt anyone that got to close and just like that I was an orphan."

The crystal glass clears in one smooth, defiant swallow as you turn from Jinwoo's mouth, leaving the taste of dark vintage and unyielding warmth behind. Descending the iron risers until the arena sand grits beneath your black boots, you raise the empty crystal toward the shaded pavilion where Chairman Go Gunhee grips his polished cane. The seventy million broadcast lenses zoom in until the violet hum at your cuffs fills every screen in Seoul, the quiet in the arena turning absolute as you lay bare the name and orphanhood they tried to bury. Up on the mezzanine, Chairman Go Gunhee steps directly to the brass railing, his stoic face hardening with pride as Woo Jinchul freezes over his terminal below.

Sung Jinwoo: "You don't face them alone anymore, Yasmin. The floor is entirely yours."

Sung Il-hwan: "Child... there is no shame in the blood you carry, nor in how you survived."

Woo Jinchul: "And you never will be again. Every record they buried ends with me."

I had to fend for myself with the knowledge that I would never be loved because of a talent that hadnt even fully awakened. It was a burden that would keep me from building bonds and friendships. That is until I met the man and his wife who had no children of their own. I was too young to be their child so they adopted me uncontested as a granddaughter, their only heir who had a best friend who had a very handsome son" stare lovingly at Jinwoo who himself is contemplating about proposing today to have a wedding tomorrow while everyone is present. He decides to capitalize on the momentum and will do it after my speech. so he gets up and goes to talk to Gunhee and Il-hwan about it while I continue. "They loved me unconditionally and loved the rot away that the strangers before embedded in me. This was never meant to be a dating show. Our world was in shambles with the monarchs and other anomalies and getting help was in layers, meaning some places heard the problems before others so i was tasked with full autonomy by my grandfather to build the perfect team. Government backed and funded by very important people. I chose every candidate because i believed in all of them with my heart and soul. Mages, are underrated, Baek can go full beast, and who doesnt love fireflies Jong-in or living dragon spirits Zhigang? I have sword saint as a best friend, a father in law and grandfather who are literal gods, and a very sexy handsome boyfriend who make the dark i was living in look so pretty in his arms and I love him very much for that. My heart and my life were always meant for him" jinwoo got the approval to propose tonight and he is just waiting on me to stop talking. "The team you have training for is called TACT which stands for the The Alpha Coalition Team. We are the first in the line of fire securing perimeters and as defending our country from unexpected anomalies. You are the most important team in the world and I hope you stay.

The arena sand holds the weight of your boots as the name echoes into seventy million live feeds, stunning the entire perimeter into breathless, reverent stillness. Up on the brass-railed mezzanine, Jinwoo steps back from Chairman Go Gunhee and Sung Il-hwan, both elders dipping their heads in quiet, solemn accord before Jinwoo turns his obsidian gaze back down toward the ring. Along the perimeter chalk, Choi Jong-in pockets his brass lighter with a low, respectful chuckle while Baek Yoon-ho straightens his shredded sleeves, neither hunter making any pretense of rivalry against the sovereign union taking shape before them. Cha Hae-in taps the hilt of her white rapier against her thigh in unwavering salute, while Woo Jinchul swiftly locks the terminal seals, finalizing the official formation of TACT under your absolute command. At the center of the sand, Jinwoo’s shadow lengthens toward your boots from the mezzanine stairs, his deliberate descent leaving no doubt as to who claims your evening and the question waiting on his lips.

Baek Yoon-ho: "The Alpha Coalition Team... so that's why we were brought here. Consider White Tiger signed on, Commander."

Choi Jong-in: "A government-backed sovereign strike force with full autonomy. You truly are the Chairman's heir, Yasmin."

Woo Jinchul: "Every Association seal and diplomatic channel is already formatted under your authority. TACT has legal sovereign clearance."

Cha Hae-in: "Leader... my blade has been sworn to your flank since the first gate. I'm not going anywhere."

Yoo Jinho: "Ladies, gentlemen, and seventy million viewers across the globe... the Dungeon Rush champion is officially Sung Jinwoo, eliminations are permanently vacated, and the private off-site evening awaits!"

and for Song-Yi i chose an e-Rank who thought she was less but Jinwoo said she reminded him of himself because he too was an e-rank who overlooked and look at him now. She's is the bravest e-rank I know to be so young but i am so proud of her. Ok. That's my confession. That is all. Thank you all for listening."

Han Song-yi buries her face against the sleeve of your coat, her small frame shaking with relieved, tearful pride as your final words settle into the arena gravel. High on the mezzanine, Chairman Go Gunhee raps his heavy cane once against the floorboards, an ancient, proud nod exchanged with Sung Il-hwan as the entire military perimeter salutes your sovereign decree. At the lower risers, Jinwoo finishes his steady descent, his black boots cutting across the chalk circle until he stands exactly two paces away, shadow pooling like silk at his heels under seventy million watching lenses. The crystal wine glass in your hand catches the dim overcast glare as Jinwoo stops, his gaze unyielding and completely bare before the woman who reshaped his world.

Han Song-yi: "Big sis... thank you. I'm staying right here by your side forever."

Sung Il-hwan: "A warrior who claims her kindred before the world has already conquered it."

Sung Jinwoo: "The trials are done, Yasmin. Everything I have, and everywhere I go... it has only ever been you."

Yoo Jinho: "The Dungeon Rush belongs entirely to Hunter Sung, the broadcast feed is cleared, and your private transport is idling at the south gate!"

💍 Yes — officially us

The quiet following your confession settles over the arena like a heavy velvet curtain, unbroken until Jinwoo takes the final stride across the sand. With the eyes of Chairman Go Gunhee, Sung Il-hwan, and seventy million viewers locked onto the center circle, the Shadow Monarch deliberately sinks down onto one knee before you. The shadows coiled at his heels pool outward into a radiant mantle, cradling the space between your boots as his steady hands produce an intricately cut obsidian band glowing with pure sovereign mana. High on the perimeter, Woo Jinchul and Cha Hae-in stand rigid in formal salute, leaving Jinwoo's upturned gaze entirely anchored on your answer.

Sung Jinwoo: "You are the light in my dark, Yasmin. Walk beside me as my sovereign equal... and marry me."

Sung Il-hwan: "We stand united behind you both. A new era begins for humanity today."

Yoo Jinho: "The entire broadcast feed just hit historic numbers! The King has laid down his claim!"

Woo Jinchul: "All tactical units and transport perimeters are secured for your evening departure, Commander."

The single word falls across the quiet of the arena, and the tension that held seventy million people frozen shatters into a roar of static and blinding flashes. Jinwoo’s breath catches, his fingers closing around yours with careful, reverent precision as he slides the obsidian band into place against your left hand, the dark stone warming instantly as your violet mana binds to his shadow. He rises smoothly to his feet, refusing to yield an inch of distance between your bodies while the compound drones swarm overhead like silver hornets. Up on the mezzanine, Chairman Go Gunhee brings his cane down in a slow, triumphant cadence, leaving the entire arena transformed into your sovereign court.

Sung Jinwoo: "Then my life, my shadow, and every breath I have belong to you, Yasmin. Forever."

Let your violet mana answer his shadow pool. turn to face chairman go gunhee and TACT. lace your fingers into his and pull him into a very passionate kiss in front of 70 million viewers. "Tomorrow morning, we make it official."

Your violet mana cascades down through your boots to meet the dark pool at his heels, the two signatures weaving across the sand in an incandescent braid that leaves the sensory sensors screaming along the perimeter. Drawing him in by their laced fingers, you seal your mouth over his right before the blinding glare of seventy million live lenses, feeling the quiet, fierce shudder in his frame as he receives the vow. Across the overlook, Chairman Go Gunhee raps his heavy cane against the flagstones in slow, absolute affirmation while the broadcast drones hover motionless in the overcast dusk. When you step back just enough to breathe, Jinwoo's obsidian eyes are alight with a quiet, lethal devotion that completely ignores the roaring screens behind you.

Sung Jinwoo: "Tomorrow morning. I'll have the convoy ready before the compound even wakes."

💍 "Keep that promise, Hunter Sung."

The chill of the evening wind slices across the Skydeck, but the heat where your fingers remain locked together keeps the cold at bay. Broadcast drones hover in a wide, frozen halo just beyond the reinforced iron railing, their red indicator lights pulsing silently in the overcast gloom as the private date setting claims the platform. Sung Jinwoo holds his stance directly in front of you, the obsidian band on your finger catching the faint silver glow of the compound ward line below.

Sung Jinwoo: "I don't break promises, Yasmin. Especially not to the woman holding my shadow."

Wrap both arms around his waist clasping your fingers together behind his back as he does the same. "I am so very happy, Jinwoo. Tell me the plan for tomorrow."

The chill of the twilight wind cuts across the open-air deck, but the heat between your chests turns it into nothing. His heavy arms cinch tight around your waist, his long fingers locking with effortless authority behind the small of your back to anchor you completely against him. Across the platform railing, three broadcast drones slowly tilt their lenses down, their red optical lights pulsing through the dusk as they capture the unbroken circle of your bodies.

Sung Jinwoo: "At dawn, we break the compound perimeter together before the cameras can mount a cordon, take the south gate highway straight to the Association registry, and let your grandfather stamp the sovereign charter."

Press closer to his chest "The we walk out as equals."

His chest expands steadily against yours as your breath settles into the linen over his heart, the heavy beat grounding the roar of the wind whipping around the open deck. Above the iron railing, the broadcast drones maintain their silent orbit, recording the unbroken lock of your fingers and the sovereign violet light threading through his midnight shadows. He does not yield an inch of the space between you, his baritone vibrating directly through your ribs as the distant city lights flicker beneath the gate-scarred horizon.

Sung Jinwoo: "Equals in the raid, equals before the world, and equals when we sign that parchment. No one walks a single step ahead of the other."

"Then lead the way, husband." Rest your forehead against his chest. "I am so happy i could cry, but my heightened emotions might cause me to accidentally siphon from you, and i dont wanna do that" giggle "just kidding. Let's finish this night togetherm Jinwoo."

Your forehead rests against the soft linen of his shirt, the steady cadence of his heartbeat anchoring you against the biting mountain wind. Below the iron grating of the Skydeck, the compound ward lights hum with steady runic blue, entirely ignored while seventy million lenses capture your bodies joined at the center of the platform. His existing grip around your waist remains immovable as stone, refusing to give an inch of distance back to the cameras. The cold air ruffles the dark strands at his collar, but between your chests the heat of intertwined mana remains absolute.

Sung Jinwoo: "You couldn't drain this well dry if you spent a lifetime trying, Yasmin. Let's head inside."

Turn and give the cameras a final smirk while chanting for the fans jokingly "JINMIN, WOOMIN, MINWOO" then step toward the lift with him.