Ascension Through Skills

Levabas’s eyes trembled. After some hesitation, he tightly closed his eyes.

“Just promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Kill me.”

Levabas spoke as if he was tired.

“Just don’t do anything else. Just kill me purely. Then I will answer properly.”

“Okay.”

Taesan nodded. He had no particular reason to do anything else. Levabas, who had briefly worn a bitter smile, opened his mouth.

“I suppose so. To them, we are less than dust but still a part of the Guides of Sin. They won’t stand by those who break their rules.”

“So that’s it.”

Taesan, who was someone out of the norm, couldn’t beat a person who cleared the 20th floor just because he had cleared the 10th floor. It didn’t change much even if that number increased.

The leaders had no reason to be interested in the adventurers of the 20th floor.

However, they wouldn’t ignore those who disturbed their order.

“They… they despise us.”

Levabas mumbled with emotion in his voice.

“They see the floor they are on as the absolute standard and rank accordingly. Up to the 20th floor is the 2nd hierarchy. Up to the 30th floor is the 3rd hierarchy. That’s how it is. They see each hierarchy as an absolute rule, so they rarely come up. They think that their dignity falls if they do. It’s even worse for adventurers deeper down.”

“They’re just messing around.”

Taesan ridiculed this mindset. A loss in dignity. He never imagined such words would come up in this place.

[It was like that before too. It revolved around a few strong guys. Although it's a fractious group, no one betrays them. Because if they do, they are killed.]

“Do you know about Ainzhar?”

“Do you mean the one who seeks God?”

“Who else could it be?”

Levabas opened his mouth.

“They don’t care about those bound within the labyrinth. They are irregular beings.”

“You’re saying they have different powers.”

Levabas gave a bitter smile.

“I roughly understand what you want to know.”

If he killed more of them, those who resided below would come up to catch him.

‘I need to prepare some responses.’

It wasn’t that there was no way.

“Even if it’s not them, there are many adventurers of the 2nd rank. No matter how you…”

“I’m not interested in them.”

A languid reply.

Taesan displayed strong confidence. He also had the strength to match.

Levabas looked up at Taesan in disappointment.

He was like that once. When he first stepped into the labyrinth and had just cleared the 5th floor, he thought he was the strongest. No one could stop him. He had no doubt that he would clear the labyrinth.

But he was broken. He faced despair and fell.

And in this way, he would die in a way he could not have imagined then.

‘If only I had refused the offer then…’

Even if he fought till the end, if he had died back then when he still believed in himself, wouldn’t that have been better?

“Then go on.”

A sharp sensation pierced his chest. Levabas gave a bitter laugh.

It was a thing of the past. Regret was worth nothing now.

In the end, Levabas accepted his death.

“Hmm?”

Taesan squinted his eyes. Something from the dying Levabas entered Taesan.

Whether it was a soul or accumulated power, Taesan absorbed that unknown thing.

[Your Soul Ascension has been activated. Your power increases permanently by 23. Agility increases permanently by 20. Intelligence increases permanently by 18. Physical strength increases permanently by 70. Mana increases permanently by 40.] [Your Soul Ascension has been activated. Your proficiency in Heavy Attack increases by 8%.]

Soul Ascension. Its effects were the same as before, but the increase was incomparable.

[Your level has increased.] [Your level has increased.] [You have obtained the Power Gauntlet.] [Kang Taesan [Solo]: How far have the two of you gone?］ [Lee Taeyeon [Solo]: We've cleared the 3rd floor. We're now entering the 4th floor and exploring a little. Junhyeok is doing the same.］ [Kang Taesan [Solo]: Are you okay?］ [Kang Junhyeok [Solo]: Yes, thanks to the points, there's no significant problem.］

Not only Taesan but other players also gained a range of points after returning to Earth.

Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok performed quite well, so they must have received decent points. After returning, Taesan had told them to use the points for stats, and they did. As a result, their stats increased significantly.

The 3rd floor had no significant peculiarities. Although there was a hidden boss room, Taesan had said not to enter even if they found it, so they were able to clear it without any major issues.

[Kang Taesan [Solo]: How about the other modes?］ [Kang Junhyeok [Solo]: As for Easy Mode, well, it's quiet. From the occasional stories, it seems like everyone is struggling.］

Easy Mode, which was oppressed under various restrictions by Choi Junghyuk, became significantly more liberated after he disappeared.

However, at the same time, Easy Mode also had the most deaths.

It was Easy Mode. As long as they were cautious, they wouldn’t die easily. Therefore, they were not used to death. The number of people decreased noticeably after the return to Earth, and it would probably take a while for the atmosphere to settle down.

But it couldn’t be helped. They, too, had to get used to death.

[Kang Taesan [Solo]: How about Normal Mode?] [Kang Junhyeok [Solo]: Nothing much changed there. If anything, people have become more cautious?]

Normal Mode was the most ambiguous place. It wasn’t weak, but it wasn’t strong either. Hence, there was a strong tendency to be swept away.

[Kang Taesan [Solo]: How about Hard Mode?] [Geum Junggeun [Hard]: I'll explain that.]

Junggeun interjected.

[Kang Taesan [Solo]: You're still alive?] [Geum Junggeun [Hard]: I survived because I couldn't die. How about you, hyung?] [Kang Taesan [Solo]: I'm always the same.]

After exchanging a few words, Junggeun began to explain.

[Geum Junggeun [Hard]: We don't have many dead people. Most of those who planned to raid survived, except for those who were just sticking to the first and second floors without descending the maze.] [Kang Taesan [Solo]: I see.]

Just like Solo Mode, surviving in Hard Mode required more than just talent. One needed to know how far they could go and where the dangers lay, sticking strictly to the line.

Monsters on Earth were strong, but most of the players in Hard Mode survived by risking their lives.

[Geum Junggeun [Hard]: We also improved thanks to you and Taeyeon, and Junhyeok.]

Players in Hard Mode believed they were the strongest.

From the beginning, Easy and Normal Modes were excluded. They half-believed that Solo Mode was a lie, and even if it was true, they thought that they couldn’t go deep due to its difficulty level.

But Taesan was a monster.

Both Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok were similar to or even stronger than Kim Hwiyeon and Geum Junggeun, the strongest ones among them. Thus, their subtle confidence was quietly shattered.

[Geum Junggeun [Hard]: I'm also advising other Hard Mode players. They might be much stronger the next time we meet, don't you think?] [Kang Taesan [Solo]: That's great news.]

Taesan could not save everyone. As the four directions were blocked from each other during the previous return to Earth, it becomes apparent that there will consistently be situations where each individual would have to triumph over their own circumstances.

[Kang Taesan [Solo]: Survive, and let's meet again next time.] [Geum Junggeun [Hard]: Sure.] [Kang Junhyeok [Solo]: Ah, hyung, I need to tell you something.]

As the conversation wrapped up, the previously quiet Kang Junhyeok spoke up.

[Kang Junhyeok [Solo]: Upon entering the 4th floor, there was an altar of a God.] [Kang Taesan [Solo]: The God of Victory?] [Kang Junhyeok [Solo]: It's marked as Balthasar. Is that the God of Victory?] [Kang Taesan [Solo]: That's right. That was on the 4th floor, wasn't it?]

As they entered the 4th floor, an altar would welcome them. The Altar of the God of Victory, Balthasar.

[Kang Junhyeok [Solo]: Can I accept it?] [Kang Taesan [Solo]: Have you seriously thought it over?]

Taesan asked.

Kang Junhyeok was very confident. He wanted to try everything and believed he could survive. So Taesan had given him a brief training when they met on Earth.

[Kang Junhyeok [Solo]: Yes, I seriously thought about it. Considering my current state, I think I can do it.]

Upon hearing this serious remark, Taesan stroked his chin.

[Kang Taesan [Solo]: Lee Taeyeon would refuse even if offered, but you're proactive.] [Lee Taeyeon [Solo]: I would also like to try that.]

Upon hearing Lee Taeyeon’s words, Taesan was truly surprised.

[Kang Taesan[Solo]: You want to do it too?] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: As you said, Taesan, I can't keep being a coward.]

Just like Kang Junhyeok, it was a serious statement. Taesan’s face also turned serious.

‘Is it because of me?’

Even if Kang Junhyeok didn’t know of her past, Lee Taeyeon had always run away from trials. This sudden acceptance must be due to Taesan’s words back on Earth.

[Kang Taesan [Solo]: It could work. But I'm not sure. What I received was different from what you guys will receive.]

His trial was a challenge strengthened directly by the god. If one were to think that it was similar to the level of difficulty of the trial before Lakiratas’ enhancement, then it wasn’t impossible for Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok, who also raised their stats with points.

[Kang Taesan [Solo]: I can't stop you guys if you've seriously considered it yourselves. Try it. But don't die.] [Lee Taeyeon [Solo]: Yes. I need to prepare.] [Kang Junhyeok [Solo]: See you alive.]

As Taesan closed the Community window, he asked,

“Have you ever received a trial from the God of Victory?”

[Yes? It's been a while.]

“How was it compared to Lakiratas?”

[Uh... It was easier than that. It was barely manageable?]

Easier than Lakiratas. This meant there was a high possibility that Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok could clear it. They both had the talent for it.

“I hope they don’t die.”

In a way, it could be said that he was the one who pushed them. Even if others didn’t know, those two held a significant meaning for Taesan.

But if they didn’t take on challenges like this, things would become increasingly difficult later, so they had to do it now.

The dice had been thrown. All there was left to do was to wait.

“Anyway.”

A message had come, and he had to stop checking his spoils in the middle. Taesan checked the equipment he had obtained.

[Power Gauntlet.] [Attack Power + 18] [Gauntlet worn by the strong] [The next attack deals five times the base damage. This skill can only be used once a month.]

It was a great piece of equipment. The excitement had faded because Taesan had been acquiring equipment not fitting his level so far, but if he was a regular adventurer, they would be trembling with joy.

After all, it was equipment that could only be obtained from the 13th to the 20th floors, so it was only natural that it was valuable.

Taesan opened his status window.

[Kang Taesan] [Level: 30] [Shield: 97/97] [Health: 1300/1300] [Mana: 332/332] [Strength: 462] [Intelligence: 287] [Agility: 395] [Attack Power + 65] [Defense + 54] [The subject is in the best condition.]

He would soon have a stat that reached 500. By defeating Levabas, his level had increased by 2, and his Soul Ascension had also brought about great improvements, making this level possible.

When he killed Levabas, something had been absorbed from the fallen adventurer. It was likely that Soul Ascension had forcefully taken a portion of the fallen’s strength. It was a sensation he had never felt before.

‘Does it work properly when dealing with other adventurers?’

Soul Ascension was a skill with many unknown factors even to him. He could only infer roughly.

[You defeated Levabas. Although it's the lowest rank, you're now an enemy of the Guides of Sin.]

The ghost spoke impassively.

[Before long, there will be movement. Even if they're not arrogant, those who are nearby will move.]

Adventurers like Levabas.

Taesan said grimly.

“Tell them to come.”