Ascension Through Skills

“Who are you!”

The man who had spotted Taesan shouted, his face contorted with anger.

“Is there no need to ask? An adventurer?”

His expression quickly morphed into one of laughter, a visage brimming with joy that swiftly turned to sorrow.

A myriad of emotions danced across the man’s face. Observing this, the ghost opened its mouth.

[As always. Valencia.]

“……Hero.”

Valencia, the man, spoke in a somber tone.

“Have you died?”

[That's why I'm here.]

“It’s regrettable. I couldn’t fulfill my wish, but I believed that if anyone could, it would be you, reaching the end of the Labyrinth.”

[A lot has happened. Are you still the same?]

“I haven’t achieved it yet.”

Madness was apparent in Valencia’s expression.

“So, I am here.”

[Do you really think it's possible? Your wish?]

“Nothing is impossible. Though weak, I am beginning to see some results.”

Confidence radiated from Valencia’s face.

While Taesan pondered the rapid shifts in Valencia’s expressions, suddenly, Valencia’s gaze fell upon him.

“You are an adventurer descending into the Labyrinth. What do you seek from me?”

A bitter smile crept across Valencia’s face.

“No, it’s obvious. You’re here seeking the key to conquer this place, like all those before you.”

Exhaustion pervaded Valencia’s gaze as he looked at Taesan.

“Will you be the one to fulfill my wish? I doubt it. You, too, will likely just pass through.”

Valencia’s voice was tinged with gloom.

“The beings here are of the mind. To kill them, a special skill is required. Go to the room on the far right and perform the Ritual of Rage. Bring me the core, and I will grant you the skill.”

[Sub-quest start] [The Madman Seeking the Great Spirit. Valencia seeks something from you. Even if it's not fulfilling his wish, he promises a worthy reward.] [Condition: Core of Rage.] [Reward: A skill that allows you to attack spiritual bodies.]

This quest was reminiscent of that given by the crazed spirit. Taesan nodded in acknowledgment.

[Sub-quest accepted.]

“Then go. My expectations aren’t high, but let’s trust you this once.”

Valencia waved his hand, his expression full of annoyance.

Taesan left him behind.

“What does he want?”

The crazed spirit had a clear goal: revenge against the Spirit King who had made him this way. This was much like how Lilis wanted to learn magic.

But finding such clarity in Valencia was difficult.

The only evident thing in him was madness.

The ghost responded.

[A complete spirit. He seeks the spirit of an existence beyond mortality. For that purpose, he made a contract with the wizard and entered the Labyrinth.]

The spirit of an existence beyond mortality.

Taesan grimaced as he pondered the meaning.

“Do you mean he wants to achieve that artificially? Is that even possible?”

Immortals or transcendent beings.

Their power could destroy stars and create life. To become such an existence artificially seemed absolutely impossible to Taesan.

The ghost corrected Taesan’s words.

[Exactly, it's not about their power but their spirit. He desires a spirit that is whole, alone, and close to immortality.]

“It seems the same to me.”

[That's right. It's impossible. But he believes he can achieve it. That's why he entered the Labyrinth. In a way, he's similar to Lilis.]

The ghost clicked its tongue.

[Valencia lacks the talent to transcend mortality. However, he wishes to become a being greater than any other. If he cannot have their power, he at least wants their spirit. So, he swallowed thousands of emotions. That's the result you see.]

“Can’t he control his emotions either?”

[Correct. He's becoming more damaged in his pursuit of perfection. That's why he's still there. Normally, only those that are damaged would make a contract with a wizard, but he's exceptional.]

As Taesan listened to the ghost, he made his way through the room. Along the way, the spirits of rage touched his emotions, but they had no effect on him.

Then, Taesan arrived at the room Valencia had mentioned.

[A grudge filled with rage was found.]

In the center of the room floated a small pillar.

And there, Taesan could recognize the terrible emotions lingering inside.

Taesan had already heard about what this was from Lee Taeyeon.

The pillar touched the essential parts of human emotions.

Lee Taeyeon also touched a pillar to pass through the 40th floor. And she was swallowed by the emotion of rage.

The numerous rage-filled posts she left in the community at that time were practically her dark history.

[Give it a try.]

Taesan placed his hand on the pillar.

At the same time, emotions rushed over him.

The emotions when monsters suddenly descended on Earth and threw him into the Labyrinth.

The emotions when he had to watch people around him die.

The rage when he was weak and fragile and couldn’t resist even the tyranny of Hard Mode.

And the emotions when he was the only one to survive.

All those emotions rose up. As if they had just happened, they began to envelop Taesan physically.

“Hmm.”

Taesan tightened his grip on the pillar with an expressionless face.

The emotions burst like a balloon and disappeared.

“Quite unique.”

Taesan muttered without much emotion. A mental trial, not a physical one. It was a fresh experience.

From Taesan, emotions surged out, and the pillar began to form a core.

The core shone white, and no speck could be found on it.

[You have obtained pure rage.] [As expected, it was easy for you.]

The ghost hadn’t passed so easily. It struggled with boiling rage and had to calm its emotions here for a full two days.

In contrast, Taesan was unaffected by any emotion.

As this was somewhat expected, the ghost spoke calmly.

[Now, let's return.]

Taesan stored the core and went back to Valencia.

Seeing Taesan return so quickly, Valencia was taken aback.

“Back already?”

He had expected it to take at least a week. Because that was how long it usually took to control one’s emotions. Valencia couldn’t hide his bewilderment as his face cooled down.

“……You’ve given up and come back. Are you asking for a way to conquer it?”

He assumed Taesan had returned without interacting with the mysterious pillar, seeking a solution. This was a common occurrence, so Valencia presumed Taesan was following suit.

“Get lost. The only thing I can give you is……”

“Would this do?”

Taesan presented the white core.

Mid-sentence, Valencia halted, visibly irritated.

Staring at the white core, Valencia was momentarily at a loss.

“Wa, wait a moment. Let me see that.”

Intending to give it away from the start, Taesan handed over the core. Valencia quickly grabbed it and gently caressed the core.

“Pure emotion? Could it be?”

He whispered to himself. After a moment of shock, he clenched the core tightly.

Crack.

The core shattered.

The power within engulfed Valencia.

“Oooooh……”

His eyes sparkled intensely. A vast wave of emotion surged through him, visibly affecting him.

Regaining his composure after some time, he inhaled deeply, his eyes ablaze with undeniable excitement.

Struggling to calm down, he shifted his focus.

“How did you come by this?”

“What is it?”

“……The emotion of purity. A core filled solely with untainted rage. Many adventurers have tried and failed, yet you’ve managed to bring this core……

“I don’t know. I just did.”

Valencia’s eyes flickered, evidently taken aback by Taesan’s casual reply.

Then, he burst into laughter.

It was a laugh tinged with madness.

“You might just be the one.”

“Do what?”

“Make me great.”

His eyes gleamed with avarice.

“Take this.”

Valencia tossed a key.

[Key of Emotion] [A key Valencia received upon making his contract. It is given to others when he truly desires.]

“Go to the 42nd floor. To the room at the very end on the left. There, you’ll find a closed door. Use this key, and like before, you’ll encounter a pillar. Touch the pillar and retrieve the core.”

[Sub-quest start] [Impressed by your acquisition of the pure emotion, Valencia wishes to entrust you with the key he holds. Heed his request and accept the emotions from each floor.] [Condition: Core of each floor.] [Reward: The Great Spirit.]

The watching ghost spoke.

[Was it supposed to be connected like this? Back in my time, I only got a skill thrown at me with a disappointed face.]

“You’ve brought me something worthless.”

Valencia laughed, showing his teeth.

“It was better than the others, but it wasn’t at the level I wanted. However, this one is different. This one has reached the level I desired.”

[As if you had a choice.]

The ghost snickered.

Valencia looked at Taesan with blazing eyes.

“Are you going to refuse?”

The way he said it, it was as if he would devour Taesan if he refused. Taesan nodded.

“I’ll take it.”

Regardless of what happened, it was a quest.

And completing a quest meant receiving a reward. There was no reason to refuse.

Valencia visibly brightened.

“Good. Very good. Then first, take this.”

[You have acquired the Special Continuous Activation Skill [Synchronization of Mind and Body].]

“Every time you clear a floor and gain a core, come back to me. Then, I will inform you of your next destination.”

Taesan accepted and left him.

Passing through the corridor, the ghost muttered.

[You better be careful. Most beings bound in the Labyrinth are friendly towards adventurers, but... there are those who aren't. There are those who would do anything to fulfill their own desires.]

Taesan broke through the Labyrinth.

When he swung his sword at the spirits he couldn’t touch before, they split with a terrible sound.

[1987 damage to a spirit left only with rage.]

An effective strike that was previously impossible became possible. It was thanks to the skill Valencia gave at the end.

[Special Continuous Activation Skill: Synchronization of Mind and Body] [The mind and body are synchronized, allowing attacks on opponents that exist as spirits only.]

Taesan continued forward.

The spirits that appeared continued to stimulate Taesan’s mind, but he felt no thrill.

[It's not supposed to be this easy to get through.]

For the ghost, who had struggled with the conquest of the floor, the feeling was peculiar. As Taesan cleared the spirits, he asked,

“Is it going to feel like this from the 41st to the 50th floor?”

[Since there's a theme of hierarchy, you can assume so.]

“Then it’ll end quickly.”

They were practically sandbags. Unless there was some trial from a god, it seemed he could pass through without any resistance until the 50th floor.

However, the ghost contradicted Taesan’s thoughts.

[That might be difficult. It might even take longer than the 3rd room.]

“Is there something?”

[If there is, there is, and if there isn't, there isn't. You can ignore it if you choose to... but that might be difficult.]

The statement was vague. Taesan attempted to probe for a clearer explanation, but the ghost shifted the topic.

[I can't say more. There's a limit to what I, not being an adventurer, can interfere with. You'll understand once you see it for yourself.]

For the moment, it seemed like there was nothing.

So, he just had to continue moving forward through the Labyrinth.

Taesan pressed on.

And he managed to conquer the 41st floor faster than any floor he had traversed before.