Ascension Through Skills-Chapter 445: 87th Floor, The Demonic Battlefield (2)
Vishnu’s gaze toward Lee Taeyeon brimmed with intense displeasure and fury.
“How dare you...”
Lee Taeyeon had once been associated with the Pathfinders.
Recognizing her talent, the leadership allowed her to descend to the deeper levels of the labyrinth, expecting her presence to significantly aid their clears.
True to their expectations, Lee Taeyeon swiftly navigated the labyrinth, meeting their high hopes.
But at some point, she changed.
Her demeanor shifted drastically, becoming proactive and assertive as she began blazing through the labyrinth at an extraordinary speed, far surpassing even the Pathfinder leadership.
Alarmed by this sudden transformation, the leadership conducted an investigation but found nothing amiss.
Her contract with Maria, the Goddess of Choice, was one for the future. For now, Lee Taeyeon remained a mortal receiving Maria’s occasional attention.
Deeming her simply a blossoming talent, the leadership welcomed her contributions and continued to rely on her abilities.
But by the time they reached the 70th floor, things had changed.
When the leadership sought her cooperation, Lee Taeyeon refused outright, declaring she would act independently.
Vishnu spoke coldly.
“You think you can run rampant because a god is watching over you.”
The leadership resolved to punish her for her defiance.
But when they gathered to deal with her, they realized something monumental.
Maria descended quietly and addressed them with a simple declaration.
[This child is mine.]
The words left them powerless. Vishnu, recalling the moment, clenched her teeth in frustration.
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“You’re a cunning little rat. A filthy traitor.”
“I told you, I’m not a traitor. Are you hard of hearing?”
Lee Taeyeon muttered dismissively, showing no fear despite standing before Vishnu. Her composure was unnerving.
Vishnu scowled, remembering their earlier encounters. Taeyeon, who once trembled and shrank from their mere words, now stood tall and unyielding.
The leadership believed her transformation was due to Maria’s support.
But seeing her now, Vishnu knew the truth. It wasn’t just support. Taeyeon had fundamentally changed, even her personality.
“Doesn’t matter.”
Fwoosh.
Fire flickered along Vishnu’s arm as she murmured. The air in the labyrinth grew searingly hot.
Vishnu’s lips curled into a seductive smile.
“Your god won’t save you now. You’ll meet your end.”
Maria had offered a compromise to the leadership.
[It wouldn’t align with the labyrinth’s purpose to simply let her walk away.]
The labyrinth existed to witness mortals risking their lives in battle.
[So here’s my proposal. One of you may face my child in combat.]
Vishnu had been chosen.
Fire began to dominate the room, Vishnu’s confidence unshaken.
Though she had yet to clear the 74th floor, her prolonged stay in the depths had honed her strength significantly. Taeyeon, newly arrived in the deep labyrinth, was little more than a novice by comparison.
Confident in her victory, Vishnu sneered.
“Now, die, traitor.”
“I’m not a traitor, jeez,” Taeyeon muttered, gripping her sword with a serious expression.
[Vishnu activates Nature’s Incarnation.]
Vishnu moved first.
Flames exploded, surging toward Taeyeon like a tidal wave.
Realizing she couldn’t block it entirely, Taeyeon dodged, her movements swift and deliberate.
Vishnu manipulated the flames, sending them after Taeyeon like living entities, blocking her path and relentlessly pursuing her. The rising heat sapped her strength and made breathing difficult.
The world seemed to be consumed by fire.
‘She’s strong, no doubt.’
Taeyeon clicked her tongue, her expression weary.
In her previous life, she had avoided direct conflict with the leadership, feigning cooperation while secretly clearing floors and fleeing. She had never gauged their true strength.
Now, she understood.
The leadership were monsters.
But so was she.
Taeyeon’s eyes sharpened, her demeanor shifting.
[Your Indomitable Will has activated.]
[Your Determination in Weakness has activated.]
Facing the oncoming flames, Taeyeon raised her sword.
[You activate Deflection.]
Fwoosh!
The flames twisted as they touched her blade. Vishnu’s eyes widened in shock.
“...You?”
“Let’s do this properly,” Taeyeon said, her tone unwavering.
[Lee Taeyeon activates Foras’s Transparent Darkness.]
A translucent aura enveloped Taeyeon.
“Black magic!” Vishnu exclaimed, startled.
Humans had gained access to dark mana after Taesan’s Earth quest was cleared. However, Vishnu was unaware of this, and the sight left her deeply unsettled.
Still, she remained confident.
A few basic dark magic spells wouldn’t significantly alter the battle. Taeyeon’s position remained clear, easily pinpointed.
Taeyeon knew this too.
So, she waited for an opening.
Boom!
Flames erupted, distorting the air and disorienting both vision and perception.
‘Now.’
[You activate Hidden Shadow.]
[You activate the Breath of the Concealed Rat.]
Vishnu’s gaze faltered.
In an instant, she completely lost track of Taeyeon’s presence, as though she had vanished.
Thud!
“Argh!”
Vishnu let out a pained cry as Taeyeon’s blade pierced her chest.
Vishnu retaliated with a burst of flames, forcing Taeyeon to retreat. Taeyeon stepped back willingly, her expression calm.
The battle resumed.
As she deflected Vishnu’s attacks, Taeyeon opened her inventory.
[Lee Taeyeon activates Rainbow Disorienting Powder.]
A sparkling powder, purchased from a merchant, scattered into the air, warping Vishnu’s vision. Scowling, Vishnu unleashed flames to disperse the powder.
And Taeyeon struck again.
[You activate Hidden Shadow.]
[You activate the Breath of the Concealed Rat.]
Vishnu, unable to track her, found Taeyeon’s blade stabbing into her abdomen once more.
“Damn it!”
Vishnu roared, unleashing a chaotic explosion of fire. But Taeyeon had already retreated to a safe distance.
The Breath of the Concealed Rat.
One of Taeyeon’s main skills.
It had been difficult to obtain in her current life, requiring a life-or-death struggle on the 71st floor. While her mastery wasn’t as refined as in her previous life, it was still effective enough.
“...You’re a true rat,” Vishnu spat venomously.
“Scurrying in the shadows, exploiting every opening. Do you think you can conquer the deep floors with such cowardly tactics?”
“Yes.”
Taeyeon’s reply was firm, her gaze unwavering, as though she had already seen the future.
The certainty in her eyes left Vishnu briefly shaken.
“...Ridiculous!”
Vishnu snarled, flames gathering around her, turning white as they concentrated.
“Behold! This is the world granted to me, the Spirit King!”
[Vishnu activates King’s Domain.]
The space transformed. The laws of the labyrinth bent and twisted, and Taeyeon realized she now stood within Vishnu’s world.
“Hide all you want, rat. I’ll burn this entire world to ashes!”
“...Wow.”
Taeyeon clicked her tongue.
“So Taesan defeated this head-on? How?”
Vishnu’s King’s Domain was overwhelming.
In this state, Vishnu was unbeatable. The gap between them was insurmountable.
“This is amazing,” Taeyeon muttered, genuinely impressed.
“Die, rat!” Vishnu roared, engulfing the world in flames.
[Lee Taeyeon activates Choice Exclusion.]
The flames consuming the world were extinguished.
Vishnu’s King’s Domain collapsed, erased without resistance.
“...Huh?”
Vishnu stood dumbfounded.
Her King’s Domain had been powerful, but it was still a mortal skill. Against divine authority, it was powerless.
“This should do it,” Taeyeon murmured.
[You activate Hundred Possibilities.]
The skill calculated a hundred possible outcomes.
The result: 100 losses.
“Even without the King’s Domain, I still lose? The gap is that wide.”
[You activate Hundred Exclusions.]
[You activate Hundred Possibilities.]
[You activate Hundred Exclusions.]
The skill repeated, over ten times.
“...What is that skill?” Vishnu asked, trembling.
Taeyeon smiled.
“A skill that even Taesan doesn’t have. My own.”
“Taesan?”
Vishnu didn’t know who Taesan was. Taeyeon shrugged.
“A monster. And for now, this drains too much mana and mental strength to use often.”
After exhausting Vishnu’s strongest move, Taeyeon had found her answer.
Out of 2,324 possibilities:
1,242 defeats.
1,081 stalemates.
1 victory.
Opening her inventory, Taeyeon retrieved a gray powder.
“Shall we continue, Spirit King?”
She charged at Vishnu.
***
[You have activated Magic Stacking.]
[You have activated Great Collapse.]
[You have activated Great Collapse.]
[You have activated Great Collapse.]
[You have activated Magic Release.]
The stacked magic unleashed its full force.
Condensed spheres of power swept across the battlefield, erasing thousands of monsters in an instant.
[Your level has increased.]
But the vacant spaces were immediately filled with new monsters.
Taesan, his face grim with fatigue, gathered more mana.
[You have activated Baal’s Rushing Abyss.]
The blackened void surged across the battlefield, wiping out the monsters once more.
For ten days, Taesan had relentlessly fought his way through the 87th floor.
The result? He had cleared out the majority of the monsters.
And yet, the end was not in sight. Even Taesan felt a sense of weariness.
‘No valuable skills to gain, either.’
The battlefield was vast and monotonous. Most of the monsters relied solely on brute strength and lacked any unique traits or abilities.
Taesan had already acquired most of the skills available under such basic conditions.
Still, the sheer number of monsters allowed him to refine his coordination with Bardray and improve their combined movements. Bardray’s attack power also continued to increase.
[Prince of a Fallen World: Bardray]
The prince of Cavert’s empire, reborn with a sword as his body.
[Attack Power +2596]
The rate of increase appeared to depend on the strength of his opponents. Despite defeating countless monsters, the growth in attack power was modest, rising by nearly 100 points. Still, it was a satisfying improvement.
There wasn’t much left to do.
At that moment, Taesan received a messenger bird.
“This is...”
It was a message from Haphran.
The content was simple: the preparations were complete, and Taesan was to come.
This meant that Haphran was ready to modify the ring Taesan had commissioned.
There was no need to delay any further.
Taesan quickly pushed through the remainder of the 87th floor.
[87th Floor Cleared.]
[You have obtained the Coiled Serpent Statue of Darkness.]
[You have obtained ???.]
[Coiled Serpent Statue of Darkness]
A sculpture of a serpent nestled deep in the abyss. Neither the identity of its creator nor the material used is known. Despite being a mere sculpture, it exudes an intimidating power that inspires fear even in those who dare to gaze upon it.
[You have used ???.]
[You have obtained the Golden Ring of Deep Slumber.]
[Golden Ring of Deep Slumber]
Health +3000
Mana +500
Strength +500
Agility +500
Attack Power +300
Defense +300
A ring that once shone as brightly as the sun, now submerged in darkness. The power within it has been tainted, mingled with the shadows into a murky state.
After confirming his rewards, Taesan ascended to the next floor.
His pace was faster than usual.
Taesan soon arrived at Haphran’s forge.
Waiting there was Haphran, visibly exhausted but with a glint of excitement in his eyes.
“You’ve come. The preparations are complete. Let’s begin immediately.”
