Ascension Through Skills

“Is everyone ready?”

Kim Hwiyeon asked with a calm face. Everyone nodded their heads with resolute expressions.

Kim Hwiyeon bit her lip.

“Then let’s all go. Let’s protect each other as we move forward. Don’t die.”

They started heading towards Seoul.

Lee Taeyeon looked distressed.

“Uh… I haven’t learned it yet.”

She and Kang Jun-hyeok had learned the Ability Sword from Taesan. However, even after a week of intense training, they still couldn’t master it.

“We’ll have to learn as we go. There’s no time to rest for you guys.”

Taesan spoke calmly as he walked.

Not long after leaving Yongin City Hall, monsters burst out.

[Monster 599894 has appeared.]

Numerous E-class monsters and even two D-class monsters appeared. These were the monsters they had risked their lives against during their previous return.

Especially the D-class monsters, which even Hard Mode players had to struggle fiercely to defeat.

But now, it was different.

“Everyone, move!”

The Hard Mode players coordinated and swiftly moved. They dodged the monsters’ attacks and avoided fatal injuries.

Their movements were faster and more precise than before. The Hard Mode players joined forces to defeat the D-class monsters.

“Yap!”

“Haaa!”

Normal and Easy Mode players also fought valiantly. They rushed towards the E-class monsters and began to defeat them one by one.

When they had defeated all the monsters, their expressions were extremely bright.

“We won!”

“Woah!”

Kim Hwiyeon quickly asked the jubilant group.

“Any casualties?”

“None!”

Kim Hwiyeon’s face finally brightened.

The six-digit monsters during the previous return had caused many casualties. Fighting them without any deaths meant they had definitely become stronger.

Taesan’s eyes also shone.

‘Everyone has indeed become stronger.’

Thanks to their talent for struggle and survival, their movements had become faster and more refined. Even recalling his memories, this was a different level compared to his previous life.

They could now effect change in the forthcoming challenges.

Their faces lit with hope as they pressed on. Monsters kept appearing, and they battled for survival.

Taesan focused only on the monsters charging at him, doing nothing more.

The reason was straightforward: the people needed to grow stronger.

Taesan could have taken on all the monsters by himself, but there would be times when he wouldn’t be able to.

That’s why it was crucial to gain experience now while they could confront monsters without facing significant risk.

Still, he intervened when the situation was truly perilous.

Grrrr.

[Monster 122124 has appeared.]

Monsters numbered from the end of five digits to the beginning of six were C-class.

Their power far surpassed that of D-class monsters, representing a wholly different tier. A few reckless individuals, mistaking these beasts for the more common six-digit ones, attacked and were promptly knocked down. It was then that Kim Hwiyeon recognized the disparity in the monster’s rank, and her face paled.

“Everyone, steer clear!”

Luckily, the monster’s initial blow didn’t kill anyone, but it left them all in a critical state, disoriented.

As the beast lifted its arm for a finishing blow, Lee Taeyeon and Kang Jun-hyeok dashed forward. However, Taesan had already reached the monster.

Crash.

Taesan brought his fist down from above, smashing the monster into the earth with a resounding crash.

“Wow!”

The ground quivered as if from an earthquake, causing others fighting nearby to falter.

[Monster 122124 received 1621 damage.]

Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes bulged in amazement.

The monster tried to counter by moving its limbs, yet Taesan deftly blocked and drove his sword in.

[Monster 122124 received 2012 damage.]

After several more attempts to fight back, the monster was steadily overpowered by Taesan, who kept slashing with his blade.

Soon enough, the monster lay defeated.

A bewildered Kang Jun-hyeok inquired,

“What’s that?”

“What?”

“No, the damage…”

Kang Jun-hyeok groaned.

Two thousand damage.

It was an unheard-of amount of damage.

Considering that he couldn’t even deal 40 damage no matter how hard he tried, the difference was more than fiftyfold.

“You’ll be able to do it too if you keep working hard on your descent.”

“It seems difficult…”

Indeed, it wasn’t going to be easy. Without the Airak Weapon Technique, Kang Jun-hyeok had to depend solely on his weapon’s attack power, and it would require a deep descent to deal 2000 damage.

“But not impossible.”

Kang Jun-hyeok was a Solo Mode player as well. He would eventually reach that level if he continued to descend without dying.

Taesan had no intention of letting him die.

The battle of the people had somehow come to an end. As the monsters grew stronger, those who suffered a significant loss of stamina became apparent. Taesan called out to them,

“Those whose health has fallen below half, come this way.”

People hesitated before gathering around Taesan. He then invoked a spell.

[You have activated the Regeneration Field.]

A green sphere enveloped them.

The health of those within the sphere began to recover rapidly, and they burst into exclamations of wonder.

“Wow!”

“My health is increasing!”

Observing their reactions, Taesan murmured,

“The recovery speed isn’t too bad.”

A spell that increased the health and mana of people within a certain area: Regeneration Field.

He had been curious about its efficiency, but judging by their response, it seemed to recover health quite quickly. It appeared it would be useful in many situations.

“Wow…”

“Taesan-nim…”

The people inside the sphere looked at Taesan with eyes filled with admiration.

Taesan brushed off their admiration calmly.

The group continued to advance toward Seoul.

Their pace was at least five times faster than when they had been heading to Anyang City Hall. Their expressions were brighter, as they seemed to be aware that the situation had improved since before.

Then night fell.

The people began to settle down and rest.

“Come and get your rations!”

Thanks to temporary farming, there was no shortage of food. Everyone took as much corn and vegetables as they wanted.

In his previous life, Taesan had experienced a food shortage, clutching his hungry stomach and digging for tree roots to eat. Compared to that, the current situation was significantly better.

Even though others hadn’t experienced it directly, like Taesan, they understood how significant it was not to worry about food.

It was all thanks to Taesan.

The people’s reverence for Taesan grew stronger with each passing day.

Meanwhile, Taesan was training Kang Jun-hyeok and Lee Taeyeon on the outskirts of their shelter.

“Oooh.”

“Still not getting it today.”

Taesan clicked his tongue. Kang Jun-hyeok and Lee Taeyeon were both not making progress in their mastery of the Ability Sword.

“Let’s continue the rest tomorrow.”

He hadn’t expected it to be quick, but at this rate, they might not improve at all, even by the time they reached Seoul.

Lee Taeyeon stood up shakily.

“Can I go rest then?”

“No.”

Taesan shook his head, causing Lee Taeyeon’s face to turn pale.

“What else do I have to do…”

“It’s not about doing something. I just realized I haven’t asked you yet.”

Taesan sat on a nearby rock and asked,

“The Guides of Sin. Did you meet them?”

Both Lee Taeyeon and Kang Jun-hyeok had descended beyond the 10th floor. The Guides of Sin existed from the 10th floor onwards.

Taesan had encountered the Guide of Sin on the 12th floor.

If Lee Taeyeon and Kang Jun-hyeok’s Labyrinths also had the Guides of Sin, they might have already met them.

Lee Taeyeon nodded.

“Yes.”

“I met them too. Damn them. Who do they think they are, giving orders?”

Kang Jun-hyeok grumbled. Taesan stroked his chin at their responses.

The Guides of Sin existed in the Labyrinths of both Lee Taeyeon and Kang Jun-hyeok.

This suggested that there was a high probability they also existed in other Solo Mode players’ Labyrinths.

Taesan gathered his thoughts and asked,

“Did you do as they said?”

What Taesan told them was simple: if they encountered the group, they should not fight but join instead. Lee Taeyeon and Kang Jun-hyeok, though hesitant, agreed.

Lee Taeyeon nodded again.

“Yes. I said I would join the Guides of Sin, as Taesan instructed.”

“It sucks, but we don’t have a choice. We can’t fight them since they don’t take damage.”

“You did well. If you had tried to confront them recklessly, you would surely have been killed.”

Unlike Taesan, they didn’t have the power to confront and defeat the group, nor the aid of untouchable gods at the top.

So, their best option for now was to join the Guides of Sin.

Additionally, joining them came with almost no penalties, unlike other groups.

“What floor did they permit you to reach?”

“The Deep Layer? Up to there.”

“They instructed you to come as far as where they are?”

Taesan nodded.

“That’s good enough.”

Kang Jun-hyeok and Lee Taeyeon were strong.

Of course, they were still weak and lacking in power, but that was just for the moment, not their future selves.

Lee Taeyeon, in particular, had managed to clear the Labyrinth, albeit by a shortcut.

This was an achievement even the leaders had not managed.

If they were the leaders, they would recognize the talent and potential of these two. They would allow them to advance to the Deep Layer for their own purposes. That was Taesan’s prediction, and it turned out to be correct.

“Continue descending the Labyrinth under their protection.”

Reaching the Deep Layer was still a far-off goal. In the meantime, they had to become strong enough not to be easily manipulated by the leaders.

It was the only way to address their immediate problems.

Curious, Kang Jun-hyeok asked during the conversation.

“What about you, Hyung? Did you join them like we did?”

“I killed them.”

“…Really? How?”

To Kang Jun-hyeok, the Guides of Sin he had seen were true monsters.

Even those of the second hierarchy were not ones he could resist. The leaders he had met later were literal monsters.

The moment Kang Jun-hyeok met the leaders, he instinctively sensed death. He felt that no matter how strong he became, he could never overcome the power they possessed.

And Taesan had survived against such monsters?

Kang Jun-hyeok was astonished. Taesan shook his head.

“I’m different from you guys; I have various backers.”

“Backers as in gods?”

“Even they can’t go against the will of the gods.”

“Wow…”

Kang Jun-hyeok was amazed again. He, too, had faced several trials from the gods. He had thought he had done well, but the gods showed little interest in him.

“You’re really amazing, Hyung…”

“It’s not that important. Go rest. You need to rest now to train tomorrow.”

Lee Taeyeon groaned and staggered away. Kang Jun-hyeok followed her.

After they left, Taesan, now alone, murmured,

“Just as I thought.”

[This is fascinating. Does that mean I'm also in that Labyrinth?]

“Probably.”

It was now certain that the Guides of Sin were stationed in all the Labyrinths.

This meant they were also copied during the Labyrinth’s duplication process.

“What could be the reason?”

Was the Labyrinth copied because of the Solo Mode players, or were the Solo Mode players put into an already copied Labyrinth? If so, what had caused the Labyrinth to be copied?

He still knew nothing.

Taesan recalled the words of the Demon God.

Next time, it would be her turn, she had said.

“I’ll just ask when I meet them.”

Taesan muttered.

And the next day, they set off again toward the city hall.

At the same time, Taesan could feel it. The power lodged in the cracks of the sky was unusually writhing.

The high gods were about to unleash something again.

Taesan calmly quickened his steps.