Ascension Through Skills-Chapter 433: 85th Floor, The Ashen Lady. Societ Gardenia (1)

“Even though the seal banishing the Old Gods is weakening, it will take a long time to completely break. Long enough for a bright star to lose its light. But if the Boundary is used, that changes everything.”

With Taesan’s Boundary, the seal could be forcibly undone.

“That’s something no transcendent in this world could ever achieve. And it’s not just that. You’re aware of the Old Gods’ ultimate goal, aren’t you?”

“The death of all transcendents.”

The grotesque, empty avatar of the Old Gods had stated this, making it clear that it was a condition they would never compromise on. The mage confirmed it with a nod.

“They abhor transcendents. They want to erase our very existence from this world. But their own power isn’t enough to accomplish that. No matter how much they corrupt us, beings like Levinenov can endure.”

Levinenov had suffered the corruption of her domain and her physical body, yet she hadn’t perished. She had withstood the corruption by containing it.

“Moreover, deities as powerful as Lakiratas or Maria might not even allow corruption to take hold in the first place. But... with you in the picture, things could be different.”

The mage gave Taesan a peculiar look.

“Your Boundary denies and dismantles laws. It might even be able to erase the very domains of transcendents from this world.”

“I don’t have that kind of power.”

“Not yet, perhaps. But what if the Old Gods lent you their strength? If the other gods are weakened like Levinenov, do you think it would still be impossible?”

“....”

Taesan didn’t respond. He couldn’t deny the possibility outright.

The mage shrugged.

“To be honest, we don’t fully understand the Boundary. Within the scope of what the laws allow, we know almost everything, but what lies beyond that is a mystery. Maybe the Old Gods know, but they’re not exactly forthcoming with answers.”

A figure flitted through Taesan’s mind.

The Archdemon, Baal.

A being closer to the Old Gods than any other.

‘He called me the Interwoven One.’

Baal seemed to know something about Taesan. Perhaps he held the answers Taesan sought.

But he wouldn’t share them. If he’d been inclined to do so, he would have already. Relying on Baal wasn’t an option.

The mage spoke with a conflicted expression.

“One thing is certain: you have the potential to unravel this world. That’s why so many transcendents want you dead.”

“Quite the obsession,” Taesan remarked.

But he understood. As someone who could undo the banishment of the Old Gods, he was a threat transcendents couldn’t afford to ignore.

The mage smirked mischievously.

“Several beings who govern the universe are trying to kill you. How does that make you feel?”

“Not great.”

Not only did he have to deal with the Old Gods, but now an array of transcendents was also targeting him. A lesser man might have broken under the weight of it all.

“Don’t worry too much. There are those, like me, who favor you and are holding them off. Nothing catastrophic will happen.”

“You’re protecting me?”

“Don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of joining such a foolish endeavor. Those transcendents are too one-dimensional in their thinking.”

The mage’s gaze burned with intense curiosity as he looked at Taesan.

“You have the power to free the Old Gods. You could kill the gods themselves. But you’ve also purified the corruption of a goddess we had no means of saving, and you could destroy an avatar of an Old God—something even we could only banish.”

The Boundary’s capabilities remained largely unknown.

The mage leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with an almost maniacal intensity.

“So, I wonder... Could your power permanently banish them? Could it ensure that they never interfere with this world again?”

His curiosity was nearly mad in its fervor.

“If we harness your strength, could we kill the Old Gods—the very beings we couldn’t destroy before?”

The mage chuckled darkly.

“You are a harbinger of change. Perhaps even the first step toward a new era. And to think, they want to eliminate you as a threat. Their ignorance is laughable.”

He sneered disdainfully, mocking the shortsightedness of the transcendents.

In the end, it all traced back to the Boundary.

And the skill that had allowed Taesan to obtain it: Soul Ascension.

[You have entered a state of Thoughtless Immersion. Your body and mind become one.]

[A miraculous power has been imprinted on your soul. You have acquired the soul skill [Soul Ascension].]

“When I first gained Soul Ascension, this appeared in my status window. What exactly is it?”

A skill that allowed him to steal the powers of the Old Gods and even immortals.

“To be honest, I don’t know much about it either,” the mage admitted.

“All I can say for certain is that you gained Soul Ascension upon reaching a certain pinnacle of power. But even I can’t discern the nature of that pinnacle.”

The mage shook his head.

“To have acquired such a skill, you must have reached a significant level of transcendence. But you didn’t fully retain that state. Whatever you attained has vanished completely, leaving only the skill behind. Were you an immortal? A transcendent? Or something else entirely? I can’t say.”

If the mage was correct, Taesan in his previous life had reached an exalted state, which had resulted in him obtaining Soul Ascension.

But that state no longer existed. Only the skill remained.

“Still, what puzzles me even more is why you were prevented from achieving it fully. What or who could have stopped you? And how?”

The mage’s eyes were filled with unrestrained curiosity.

“You should continue searching for answers yourself. After all, it’s your power. You’re the one most likely to uncover the truth.”

“I will.”

“That’s enough for now. I’ve told you everything I know. What will you do next?”

“Nothing changes.”

Taesan spoke calmly.

He remained an adventurer of the labyrinth.

He would continue descending, growing stronger with each step. The affairs of the gods and Old Gods were insignificant in the grand scheme of his journey.

The mage grinned.

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“I won’t stand in your way. You’re free to continue descending the labyrinth as you see fit. That’s all that matters.”

Rumble!

The space began to collapse, and Taesan’s body returned to the labyrinth.

“Show me. Show me what lies at the end of your path.”

With those parting words, Taesan reappeared in the labyrinth.

[Is it over?]

“More or less.”

[Since I was kicked out, it must have been quite the secret conversation.]

“I won’t deny that.”

Taesan clenched his fist.

Though he’d learned many new truths, the fundamentals of his journey remained unchanged.

And that was enough. He was unwavering.

[What kind of conversation was so important you had to kick me out?]

The Green Witch’s voice echoed in his mind. Taesan shook his head.

“I can’t tell you.”

[Hmm... If the mage deemed it secret, then it must be something significant. It’s a shame, but I’ll continue watching over you.]

Her voice faded again. She had made a pact with him because of his uniqueness. Yet even now, midway through the 80th floor, her desires remained far from realized.

‘I’ll find the answers as I continue descending.’

Clearing his thoughts, Taesan opened his skill window.

[Special Passive Skill: Twisted Soul Tuning]

[Proficiency: 82%]

[Twisted beings can manipulate their own soul energy. You can now control the soul energy imbued within yourself or that you possess. You can also use soul energy to directly influence the world.]

At 80% proficiency, the skill had evolved. Taesan now sensed his soul energy on a completely new level.

He activated his soul energy, no longer limiting it to his body but extending it outward.

Rumble!

His soul energy enveloped the world. Taesan immediately understood what he had done.

“A partial alteration of the world itself.”

[You have activated Frost Arrow [Profane].]

Crack!

Even without invoking a full partial alteration of the world, he could now cast profane magic by forcibly amplifying his control over mana using his soul energy.

This newfound ability allowed him to replicate the effects of partial world alteration within a certain range without consuming materials.

Combining this with the actual partial world alteration skill would significantly amplify his power.

And then there was the Black.

[Transcendence: Black]

[Proficiency: 20%]

[Consumption ???: ???]

[?#$@!! #$!!@# @#@! !@#!!!]

At last, its proficiency had reached 20%. Though the description was still unreadable, Taesan felt a noticeable improvement in his control over it.

He unleashed the Black.

The dark energy spilled onto the labyrinth floor, seeping into the space and saturating it.

[This... looks dangerous.]

The ghost groaned as the Black transformed the area into something unrecognizable. It no longer felt like part of the labyrinth.

This was the domain of the Old Gods.

“So this is how it feels.”

Taesan withdrew the Black. He could now disperse it broadly, not just limit it to his body or weapons.

‘Could I use the Boundary in a similar way?’

So far, he had used the Boundary exclusively as a weapon.

While he had employed its repulsive force to protect his body, it had never extended far beyond his immediate vicinity.

But now that he could spread the Black over a wide area, it seemed plausible to extend the Boundary in a similar manner.

Still, it was too risky to test immediately. If he damaged the labyrinth, Balbabamba might intervene. He decided to wait for the right moment.

‘Even without the Boundary...’

Demons were akin to the Old Gods.

By combining the Black with demonic magic, such as profane spells, he could create new applications. The possibilities were endless.

Organizing his thoughts, Taesan checked another skill.

[Soul Skill: Sword of the World]

[Proficiency: 1%]

[Summon a sword forged from the world itself. Due to the user’s lack of qualifications, the sword requires time to restore after each use.]

This was the colossal sword wielded by the Old God’s avatar, the one that resembled a mountain.

It was a skill of immense value, given the power it promised. Though the sword could only be used once before requiring restoration, that single use was more than enough.

[Weapon’s Engraving]

[An engraving applied to a weapon. Though it lacks any visible markings, it contains undeniable power.]

Taesan embedded the engraving into Carbert’s Relic.

[Carbert’s Relic: A Sword Imbued with the Blood of Ancestors]

[An artifact from a destroyed world. It claimed the lives of countless royals.]

[Attack +1000]

[Attack +150 against all enemies.]

“Well.”

The sword’s attack power had increased by 500—a significant improvement, surpassing most equipment upgrades.

The hidden reward he received, a material for dark magic, was earmarked as a sacrificial offering.

[Special Activation Skill: Purification of the Profane]

[Proficiency: 1%]

[Consumption ???: ???]

[Cleanse the profane elements polluting the world. Currently, only certain types of corruption can be purified.]

This was the skill he had obtained after purifying the goddess’s corruption.

It seemed specifically designed to counter the Old Gods’ taint. Its exact effects would only become clear upon using it on a target.

Having reviewed his skills, Taesan retrieved the fragment of the Old God.

[Fragment of the Old God]

[A piece of an Old God that exists beyond the laws.]

This fragment wasn’t something to handle lightly. He still had the crystallized divine blood sitting dormant in his inventory.

How could he use these two materials?

Pondering the possibilities, Taesan stored the fragment in his inventory.

He began walking toward the 85th floor.

But instead of a quest notification for the 85th floor, a different system window appeared.

“It’s time.”

[Special Quest Activated]

[Return to Earth.]

[In one month, you will return to the land you abandoned. Survive there and return. Rewards will be determined based on your performance.]