Ascension Through Skills

“Huh?”

“To Yongin?”

People realized that there were others, not too far from them, at a place they could reach on foot.

“I…I have friends in the Yongin area!”

“I had family there!”

People who couldn’t meet their acquaintances in the labyrinth due to varying difficulties or circumstances were raising their voices. Hope was embracing them.

But then…

“Do we have to go to Yongin from here?”

At the same time, despair was also crushing them.

They had seen numerous monsters on their way to Anyang City Hall. There were many who barely survived, gathered at the brink of death.

Kim Hwiyeon desperately encouraged the people whose spirits were rapidly darkening.

“Don’t worry! You’ve all become stronger by descending the labyrinth!”

She shouted with a forced bright face.

“And we will protect all of you! Once we arrive at Yongin City Hall, more people will gather. Then we can combine our strengths! We can survive!”

Under her desperate shout, people composed themselves.

Kim Hwiyeon, who barely managed to raise some morale, quickly organized the people. Unnecessary baggage was discarded, food was put into the inventory, and lines were formed.

They then set off, leaving the city hall and heading to Yongin.

“The map…”

“We got it along with the quest. There’s no problem with the route. It’s quite considerate.”

They grumbled and moved carefully.

Next to Taesan, Junggeun laughed bitterly.

“One week. It’s actually ample time.”

Considering a cross-country journey took about 15 days, the distance from Anyang to Yongin was very short.

There were tens of thousands of people, but their physical abilities were extraordinary. Even the weakest, those from Easy Mode, were gradually reaching the limits of humans.

They would have arrived quite comfortably originally, but there were beings blocking them.

[Monster 441623321 has appeared.] [Monster 126887995 has appeared.]

Monsters swarmed them.

“Aaargh!”

“Die!”

People were desperately wielding their weapons. Everyone had worked hard to become stronger after the first return. Even the Easy Mode players could defeat monsters equivalent in strength to them.

But their numbers were overwhelming.

Monsters, double the number of the survivors, charged in. People resisted, but some were inevitably trampled.

“Aaaah!”

“Save me!”

Kim Hwiyeon swung her sword with a desperate face to the screams resonating from all directions.

Swoosh!

Several monsters fell instantly, but their places were taken by others.

“Junggeun!”

“I, I want to help too!”

They were no different from other Hard Mode players, busy dealing with the rushing monsters.

But among them, there were noticeable ones as well.

“Huh!”

Kang Junhyeok, still with a youthful face, swung his sword. All of the monsters that rushed in quick enough to leave afterimages were sliced and tossed aside.

Kang Junhyeok firmly plants his feet. Crushing the monsters’ heads underfoot, he leaped to aid areas where the players had begun to retreat.

“Are you okay?”

“Tha, thank you!”

Lee Taeyeon was similar. She might wail, scream, and make faces in distress, but she knocked down monsters without breaking a sweat.

Even compared to the Hard Mode players, their actions were remarkably noticeable.

But despite their struggle, there were inevitably areas being pushed back. Given the immense numbers, the number of Hard Mode and Solo Mode players was too few.

“Aaargh!”

An Jeonghee, who was at the perimeter of the group, screamed.

A Normal Mode player, she believed in her stamina and blocked the monsters’ attacks from the frontlines.

But having taken more hits than needed, her stamina was now in the single digits.

“No!”

In tears and floundering, she showed unnecessary movements in fear. She got stranded among monsters due to being pushed out of the group.

“Aaaaahhhh!”

The monster raised its massive arm. The woman, with a pale face, tightly closed her eyes.

Then the wind blew.

The sound of something crumbling resounded in the ears of the woman with her eyes closed.

When she gently opened her eyes, her pupils dilated.

All the monsters around her were crushed.

“It’s been a while.”

Seeing the man patting her head, her face brightened.

“Taesan oppa!”

“Step back.”

“Ye, yes.”

She hastily rejoined the group as Taesan faced forward.

Monsters rushed at him.

Countless violent attacks engulfed Taesan. They were isolated, and the other players were unable to help. The onlookers clenched their teeth.

“So annoyingly numerous.”

Taesan frowned, seemingly annoyed, and raised his fist.

In an instant, his fists collided, and an explosion occurred.

The rushing monsters were crushed and vanished. Due to the blast, all the monsters within tens of meters in front were thrown into the sky.

“Huh?”

“Wh, what?”

Ignoring the voices filled with astonishment, Taesan moved.

The whip tied to his wrist came to life. It tore and killed all the approaching monsters.

“About 2 meters and the speed is good too. As expected, it’s useful.”

Taesan murmured as he swung his hand. Several ice arrows were formed, piercing through the monsters.

Hundreds were swept away at once.

And more than that number rushed in again.

Taesan clicked his tongue.

“I want to have one area skill.”

He had something similar. Darkness expanded behind Taesan.

[You have activated Decarabia's Distorted Life.]

Kugukung!

“Aaargh!”

“What, what is this!”

Gigantic roots rose and crushed the monsters. By the time people regained their senses, the roots had blocked the monsters’ approach.

[You have activated Frost Arrows.]

Frost arrows conglomerated in the mid-air. They expanded in size, dispersing chill in every direction.

“Aaaaaaah!”

Even the weak Easy Mode players could feel the gathering of such considerable power.

Soon, a massive icy meteorite formed in the sky.

“Farewell.”

[You have activated Magic Acceleration.]

The meteorite fell, dropping right in the midst of the monsters.

With a loud boom, dust enveloped everyone.

“Wait, what happened!”

Junggeun, who was organizing his area, rushed over hastily. Witnessing the devastation, he swallowed his breath.

“…Hyungnim?”

“Have you arrived? It’s over here.”

Taesan dusted off his hands.

In front of him, a gigantic crater had formed.

Taesan nodded faintly.

“Let’s clean up fast and move.”

Taesan continued to move forward. Crushing and killing the monsters.

During this process, over two thousand people witnessed Taesan’s strength.

And they realized. They understood what level of monster Taesan was.

Everyone knew Taesan was strong, but most hadn’t truly felt it. When he was fighting against Choi Junghyuk’s group, they had been distracted by the reality of humans killing each other. When blocking the wave, it didn’t resonate much, as they confirmed it after Taesan killed all the monsters.

Now, they finally realized Taesan’s strength.

He handled monsters that ten of them could barely suppress with a single blow. Monsters struggling against the flicks of his nimble fingers were blown away, and hundreds were swept away by his extraordinary skills.

Awe.

And fear.

Various emotions were directed towards Taesan.

Taesan indifferently handled the monsters.

After handling all the monsters, they moved again. And night fell.

“Everyone seems tired, let’s rest.”

“We need to find a place. Let’s get into some building.”

After searching here and there, they finally found a building big enough for two thousand people. After assigning spots, Kim Hwiyeon spoke with a tired face.

“Then we need to keep watch. Arrange the turns amongst yourselves…”

“No need for that.”

Taesan stepped outside the building and raised his hand.

[You have activated Decarabia's Distorted Life.]

Kugukung!

Roots rose and enveloped the building.

Taesan continued using magic without stopping. The roots kept growing non-stop, eventually completely enveloping the building.

“It’s sufficient till tomorrow. Ordinary monsters can’t break through, so rest assured and sleep.”

“Ah, yes……”

Kim Hwiyeon nodded with a drained face.

The fearful gaze towards Taesan became even stronger.

Taesan, not minding, stepped outside.

Almost all of his magic was used to wrap the building. It needed to be refilled.

[You have activated Prayer to Magic.]

For a moment, he felt heavy. He opened the status window. All his stats had been halved. If he stayed still for 3 minutes, one magic point recovered.

“It will be all recovered by tomorrow.”

Inside the building, people were finishing their meals and slowly falling asleep.

Taesan was resting, leaning against the wall outside the building.

Then, Kim Hwiyeon approached him.

“Taesan.”

She hesitated and apologized.

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“…You had to stay out here because of the people.”

The people who had witnessed Taesan’s strength were startled every time he approached. When he summoned the roots that wrapped around the entire gigantic building, they looked at him as if they were seeing a horrifying monster.

Being in the same place would make it seem like their breath would stop, so Taesan had no choice but to come out.

“You saved us…”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m used to it.”

It was no different in the previous world. Despite being in Easy Mode, he surpassed Hard Mode players and was avoided and rejected for being different and strange.

Sometimes, he was even attacked, accused of being a spy for the monsters.

Compared to then, it was quite mild now.

“But…”

Kim Hwiyeon bit her lip. Taesan was abnormally strong. But he used that strength to help them, even though he could have reached the destination alone, abandoning everyone.

She thought that they should be thankful to him, not alienate him.

Realizing this from her expression, Taesan faintly smiled.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not like I hold grudges.”

Time would naturally solve it.

“Rather, go and bring Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok.”

“Those two? Okay.”

She obediently went into the building. After a while, she returned with the two.

“Why are you here?”

“I couldn’t sleep, and I was bored. I wanted to talk with Hyungnim.”

Junggeun showed a naive smile. Taesan unsheathed his sword lazily.

“There is no time to talk. Kang Junhyeok, you’re first. Draw your weapon.”

“Phew.”

Lee Taeyeon sighed in relief. Kang Junhyeok’s eyes sparkled.

“…Is it like last time?”

“Is there any time to rest?”

Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok were Solo Mode players. There were no other players there.

Meaning there was no way to get stronger by dueling each other in the labyrinth. The only time was when they returned to Earth.

They wouldn’t waste such precious time. Kang Junhyeok energetically drew his weapon.

“Alright! This time, I won’t lose easily like last time!”

[Duel request. This duel occurs under equal conditions for both parties.] [Duel established.] [Kang Junhyeok and Kang Taesan begin the duel.]

Kang Junhyeok was confident.

He gained more skills as he descended the labyrinth. Not only stats but movement and practical aspects improved greatly after passing the divine trials.

In this duel, the stats of Kang Taesan and Kang Junhyeok were exactly the same. With the will to create different results than before, Kang Junhyeok planted his feet firmly.

And the result was obvious.

“Kaak!”

In just 1 minute, Kang Junhyeok was thrown to the ground. Taesan, without a speck of dust on him, swung his sword.

“Is it over?”

“Why, why?”

“To catch up to me, you have a long way to go. I surpassed the point you are at a very long time ago.”

Even if the stats were equal, the result didn’t change.

“You have improved since before, but you have a habit of neglecting defense when attacking. If you don’t fix that, you’ll get countered and die.”

“Ugh. Yes……”

Kang Junhyeok banged his head. Taesan pointed his sword towards Lee Taeyeon. She shivered.

“You’re next. Come.”

“Heek.”

Lee Taeyeon screamed in fear.