Ascension Through Skills

“Quaned is dead.”

The sound of voices echoed in the place where the leaders of the Guides gathered, filled with groans.

“So he finally died.”

“It’s not an unexpected outcome, but it still hurts.”

Their shock was minimal. Quaned’s power was undeniably immense, yet the power Taesan had shown, even if only vaguely, was formidable as well. They had recognized that the likelihood of defeat was greater than that of victory.

Another reason contributed to their relative calm.

The Spirit King said,

“Still, that power is ours. Then it doesn’t matter.”

According to Patricia’s contract, Quaned’s soul and power would return to them upon his defeat. Their attention then turned to a girl with ash-gray hair.

“You were supposed to receive it, Societ.”

“Yes.”

Societ responded tersely. The Spirit King asked with a smile,

“How does it feel? To receive the power of another.”

This was their first time making a contract for the transfer of a soul and power. They asked out of curiosity, but Societ’s response was still devoid of emotion,

“I don’t know. I didn’t receive anything.”

“What?”

For the first time, the Spirit King’s composure faltered,

“…Wasn’t it stipulated in the contract that you would receive that power?”

“It was.”

Societ’s eyes narrowed.

“But I didn’t receive anything. Not his soul, not his power, nothing at all.”

“What does that mean?”

The atmosphere grew tense.

“Is it confirmed that Quaned is dead?”

“Yes. The gem connected to his life shattered. It signifies that his body has succumbed to death.”

An old man wielding a gnarled wooden staff spoke with clarity. As the Archmage, he was responsible for creating the gems that linked the lives of the Guides across various ranks.

“There is no way to circumvent that…”

“No. Precisely, it’s impossible.”

“What now?”

“Just leave the labyrinth.”

With that, the old man slammed down his gnarled staff.

“The Life Gem only works inside the labyrinth. If you leave the labyrinth, the light of the Life Gem automatically turns off. However, as long as Patricia’s contract exists, it’s impossible to leave the labyrinth.”

“There’s no way to break that…”

An Immortal’s contract. Breaking it was impossible, at least according to their common sense.

“So…”

“Quaned is dead.”

“And his power did not return to us?”

With that conclusion, silence fell.

“We need to check first. Let’s call Patricia. Archmage.”

“Damn. I don’t want to be a scapegoat.”

The Archmage crumpled his face and began to draw lines on the ground with his staff. Eventually, a magic circle was completed, and the Archmage fluttered his robe.

“Everyone, duck down. Unless you want to explode.”

They all flattened themselves against the ground.

The Archmage chanted something as he struck the magic circle with his staff.

And then a powerful force descended.

A vast and terrifyingly strong force. A power so immense that they, who considered themselves the strongest among mortals, would appear as mere insects in comparison.

The Archmage shouted,

“Descend, Patricia! You who have transcended the mortal coil!”

Kwoooong!

Suddenly, a tremendous pressure weighed them down, and silence ensued.

[What is it?]

An irritated voice rang out. The Archmage bowed deeply.

“This lowly being greets the magnificent presence!”

The Archmage swallowed. The Immortal’s mood didn’t seem very good. Displeasing her over something trivial could potentially provoke the Immortal’s wrath, so he had to tread carefully.

He asked with all due respect,

“O Immortal, may I inquire about something?”

[Speak.]

“We offered sacrifices and made a deal with Patricia.”

The sacrifices they offered were not insignificant. Even those entrenched in the depths considered them valuable enough.

“But the power did not return to us. May I ask what happened to the contract?”

[……]

The immortal didn’t answer. The Archmage quietly waited, his head bowed.

After a while, the immortal spoke.

[Going forward, I will not accept contracts related to that person.]

“Excuse me?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected response, the Archmage involuntarily lifted his head. Patricia, wearing an annoyed expression, said,

[Are you questioning my decision?]

“No, not at all.”

[Remember that. If there's anything related to that person in my contracts in the future, be prepared.]

“But, about our sacrifice O..”

[Dare you ask for the sacrifice you offered to me to be returned?]

Rage filled Patricia’s voice. Overwhelmed by the imposing force and power, the Archmage cried out,

“Not at all! The sacrifice belongs to Patricia!”

[Be careful. Insects. I can crush you anytime.]

With those irritated words, Patricia left.

The Archmage stood up, wiping the sweat from his back.

“Damn immortals. So difficult to deal with.”

“…The contract did not come to fruition.”

There was no other reason for the immortal to be so annoyed. In the end, they had given the sacrifice and achieved nothing.

“This is troubling.”

A man who had been silent until now spoke. He was the one who had decided to send Quaned last time.

“What’s certain is that the contract has been broken. And it’s possible that the power has been fully transferred to that person.”

Their contract with Patricia was not only to obtain Quaned’s power but also to ensure Taesan gained nothing.

But all those plans had crumbled.

“Who are in the fifth rank?”

“Uh… nothing much. Just ordinary guys.”

Realizing they wouldn’t be able to stop Taesan, their spirits fell.

The man said,

“Find a way. We must kill him by any means necessary.”

With Quaned dead, they no longer had the luxury of time.

They began to move, their expressions grave.

No matter what they did, Taesan arrived at the 41st floor with a calm demeanor.

The outer walls of the 41st floor were dry and twisted.

It seemed untouched by human hands, with dust piled up thickly. The same was true for the floor, not just the walls; dust rose with every step.

The shopkeeper was there.

“Have you arrived?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to buy something this time?”

Taesan nodded.

The shopkeeper’s lips curled up.

“How much do you have?”

“Close to 300,000.”

By diligently selling the materials he had collected and keeping all the gold, he had amassed about 270,000 gold. The shopkeeper whistled.

“That’s a lot. You haven’t even reached the deep floors, and you have that much? With that, you could buy up to two items.”

“Show me, please.”

As if waiting for those words, the shopkeeper made space and poured out items one by one.

At first glance, the equipment was extraordinary.

“Take your time to check them out. They are quite useful.”

“That’s the plan.”

Taesan began to examine the items with a smile.

[Executioner's Axe] [An axe that has beheaded thousands. Among its victims were great magicians, kings greater than any before, and sages who comprehended everything.] [Attack power + 130] [When facing enemies of noble lineage, attack power + 30] [300,000G]

“Wow.”

The first axe he picked up had unbelievable performance.

Its basic attack power was an impressive 130. The sword he was currently using, the Calvert Sword, paled in comparison.

The only downside was its hefty price.

It was still out of Taesan’s budget.

“Are these items really for sale?”

“Of course not.”

The shopkeeper said as if it were obvious.

“Most of the equipment here cannot be bought by anyone ordinary. It’s kind of a showcase for those who can afford them further down. Otherwise, you would have to do a challenge quest like you did before, but I can’t offer that to you now.”

“That’s a shame.”

If a quest had been possible, he could have bought most of the items. Taesan expressed his disappointment, and the shopkeeper waved it off.

“It’s not like it’s anyone’s loss. Take your time to check.”

The next item Taesan picked up was a magical staff, its tip adorned with a blood-red gem.

[Gem Staff Containing Star Blood] [It contains blood drawn directly from a star.] [Magic + 70] [Allows the use of the special activation skill: [Curse of Blood].] [290,000G] [Mantra's Ring] [A ring once wielded by the great Mantra. Its true nature remains a mystery, but a power beyond mortality faintly lingers within.] [Mana + 400] [Intelligence + 200] [Defense + 80] [250,000G] [Earrings Containing the Voice of Everything] [Earrings that encapsulate the sounds of all creation. Their value is immeasurable.] [Strength + 200] [Agility + 200] [Intelligence + 200] [Allows the activation of the special skill: [Echo of Sound].] [270,000G]

“How do they look?”

The shopkeeper, beaming with pride, inquired of Taesan, who was meticulously examining each item. Taesan nodded in response.

“They’re very good.”

In truth, he was barely concealing his astonishment.

The prices were steep, yet the capabilities of these items justified their cost. Even a single piece could significantly bolster his strength.

‘It’s a tough decision.’

Which item would yield the most benefit?

Weapons were currently of lesser importance, particularly since the ghost had mentioned he could reclaim the weapon he once wielded.

Armor was in the same category. For Taesan at this moment, high defense held little significance.

Accessories, or perhaps an enhancement item focusing on attack power, seemed more appealing.

Or even equipment with a unique effect could prove valuable. It was at this moment that Taesan spotted the item he wished to purchase.

“Let’s go with this for now.” Taesan selected a flute.

[Flute of Silence] [A flute treasured by a minstrel who reveled in silence.] [When played, it prohibits the use of all magic within its range for 10 minutes. This item can be used only once a day.] [70,000G]

He had seen the flute in the shop before. As he descended the floors, he encountered more enemies wielding magic. And occasionally, during the trials of the gods in other worlds, there were always those who wielded magic at least once.

It was an attractive item that would surely prove useful at some point if he acquired it. Previously, he hadn’t been able to afford it due to a lack of funds, but now he planned to make the purchase.

The shopkeeper seemed to approve of Taesan’s choice.

“That’s useful enough. Better to carry something like that to the end than to settle for something mediocre. So, what will you buy next?”

“I’ll think about it a bit more.”

Now with only 200,000 gold remaining, the quality of the equipment he could consider had slightly diminished.

As Taesan examined the items one by one, he shook his head.

“There’s nothing significant enough to warrant a change.”

There was either no significant difference or no urgent need to replace what he already had. The shopkeeper looked at him with a curious expression.

“Nothing? What exactly are you wearing that makes you say that?”

[The equipment he possesses is unbelievable. Having broken through the trials of the gods, understanding all sorts of things, and coming down here, it couldn't be anything but exceptional.]

“Hmm.”

Taesan continued his search but failed to find any more items that caught his eye.

Amidst this, he noticed a simple leather strap.

With no pattern and merely a simple leather strap, it appeared too plain compared to the other items, but the subtly contained energy caught his attention.

[Leather Strap with a Faint Blessing] [A leather strap designed for wrapping around the handle of a sword. Its previous owner and creator are unknown. The only known fact is that it was crafted for a sword destined to bring death.] [Attack power + 20] [The longer the sword equipped with this strap is wielded, and the higher the proficiency with the sword becomes, the more the attack power increases.] [Removes all debuff effects received by wielding the sword.] [This effect can be transferred to another weapon at any time.] [200,000G]

The effect itself was nothing extraordinary. Simply put, an attack power of 20 for the price seemed quite low.

However, it allowed for continuous growth.

Plus, it had the effect of being transferable to any other weapon. After a moment of contemplation, Taesan picked up the band.

“I’ll take this.”

“Not a bad choice at all. A good selection.”

The shopkeeper looked pleased with Taesan’s choice.

With that, Taesan’s business in the shop was complete.

He thanked the shopkeeper and headed towards the passageway. The shopkeeper spoke with an ambiguous expression.

“Now that you’re heading to the 41st floor, you’ll soon see them.”

“Them?”

“Yeah, there’s something. A bit annoying and irritating… but you should have no trouble.”

Those words were meaningful.

Taesan stored them in his mind as he proceeded through the passageway.

[A spirit filled with nothing but rage appeared.]

An opaque sphere appeared.

The sphere trembled, and Taesan could feel an attack heading towards his mind.

[Emotional disturbance judgment in progress...] [Judgment failed!]

Taesan shook his head to clear it.

‘Just like what she told me.’

Lee Taeyeon had said that there were floors in the labyrinth where only spirits appeared. Every encounter with them involved mental interference, making it extremely difficult to break through.

But Taesan was unaffected.

The sphere tried hard to stimulate Taesan’s mind, but to him, it was hardly moving. The ghost spoke indifferently.

[Even the presence and rage of gods have been overcome; there's no way something from the labyrinth's existence could affect you.]

Taesan swung his sword. The sphere split but no damage window appeared.

The split sphere merged again and continued to vigorously stimulate Taesan’s mind.

41st floor.

This place was similar to the floor of spirits he had passed before. Ordinary means couldn’t damage a spirit.

‘Not impossible, though.’

He could use the Apostle Transformation to enhance the spirit strike and could harm even purely spiritual entities. However, this technique was beyond the reach of anyone except Taesan.

Thus, similar to the floor of spirits, there existed an entity here that provided quests.

Taesan disregarded the spirits and navigated through the labyrinth. He overlooked the intense emotions emanating from every spirit he encountered.

[I also struggled to break through this.]

The ghost expressed its admiration in a murmur.

This was the 41st floor. The assaults from such creatures couldn’t be considered weak. The ghost had spent an entire hour just to get through a single room. It was a creature that had a significant impact on the mind.

Yet, Taesan remained incredibly composed.

[The proficiency of Reconnaissance has increased by 1%.]

Taesan surveyed the entire room. His actions appeared strategic, but the ghost didn’t dwell on it too much.

By this point, Taesan had demonstrated too much for such a thing to be surprising.

After exploring, he found a room.

A black door stood out from the rest, not a speck of dust on it.

Taesan opened it.

Inside, a man with unkempt hair was laughing hysterically.

“Hehehe!”

[You have encountered a madman in pursuit of the great spirit.]