Ascension Through Skills-Chapter 495: 92nd Floor. Faith (6)

Taesan arrived at the white star.

The star was incredibly small, about the size of the moon. Roiling energies were bursting out in all directions, much like solar flares.

‘...This place.’

The white light illuminated the world brightly.

It was a brightness akin to the sun. A strange sensation was transmitted through his feet.

As a result, Taesan realized one thing.

‘This is not matter.’

The extremely compressed force had acquired physical properties, but it was not matter. As Taesan quietly observed the white star, he came to the realization.

The condensed white force was, in fact, divinity.

What should have been golden was compressed to such an extreme that it appeared white.

‘So this is...’

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Divinity had gathered and compacted to form a size similar to that of the moon.

“You’ve gathered quite a lot.”

Taesan chuckled. The total amount of divinity rivaled the size of the moon. Even Taesan, who received the faith of nearly ten planets, could never reach this level.

The shopkeeper had been in the labyrinth long before Bardray.

Remidaos had been accumulating faith for all that time.

Taesan walked on the divinity-formed star.

Soon, Taesan saw the owner of the faith.

It was floating, alone and dignified, above the divinity as large as a star.

[You’ve come.] [You have encountered Remidaos.] His appearance was identical to Taesan’s. Even the tiny patterns on his clothing matched perfectly.

Remidaos quietly opened his eyes and stared at Taesan.

[It’s strange seeing someone else who looks like me.] A quiet voice echoed. Taesan responded and canceled the activation of his transformation.

[Thank you.] Remidaos responded calmly. There was no particular emotion visible on his face.

[So, you’re Kang Taesan. I’ve heard a lot about you. A very peculiar and twisted existence, I see it for myself now.] Remidaos nodded.

[You have the qualification.] “What do you want?”

Remidaos didn’t stop him.

Even when Taesan impersonated him to steal faith and killed his followers, Remidaos just watched silently without intervening.

It was as if he wanted Taesan to do it.

[What I desire is simple. A position of greatness.] Remidaos slowly descended. His feet stepped on the divinity-formed star.

[I’ve always wanted that.] “It doesn’t seem that desperate for you.”

[...] Remidaos gazed at Taesan silently. His eyes, like stars, were fixed on Taesan.

[You are receiving the faith I once received. You should understand. A vast and powerful faith. I’ve been collecting it for an incredibly long time.] Remidaos spread his hand. Golden divinity quickly manifested on his palm.

[Though it’s a bit embarrassing to say this myself, I think I’ve done a pretty good job.] “I’ll give you that.”

On the surface, the Immortals forced faith upon others, and Remidaos appeared in dreams to gain the true faith of those suffering under oppression. Had there been no external interference like Taesan, Remidaos would have continued to accumulate faith.

[They believed in me deeply. That faith is certainly genuine.] Remidaos waved his palm, and the divinity vanished like a flame.

[But... it’s not enough.] Remidaos’ eyes flickered.

What was contained in them was greed.

[I am certainly powerful. No being of the light can touch me. But that’s all. I am ultimately a transcendent attained through faith.] No matter how much iron you smelt and forge, it’s still iron. It can never become something else. Faith is the same. No matter how much faith you accumulate, it remains faith. Its rank doesn’t change.

[I will not be satisfied with this level. I will rise to a greater position.] The voice was thick with desire. Taesan quietly asked.

“So what are you planning to do?”

[I've thought about it for a long time.] Remidaos smiled.

[They believed in me truly, but ultimately, it’s still just ordinary faith. Faith can never reach beyond. What if their feelings were no longer faith?] His lips curled into a grin. It was an expression beyond human capacity, like a ghost.

[What if their feelings turned to fear?] Taesan furrowed his brow.

[They fear me, fear me so much that their minds shatter just from imagining me, fainting at the mere thought of me. What if I became so ingrained in their minds that they could never forget me, and worshiped me in their extreme fear? Could I surpass this?] “You speak like a false god.”

[I’ve thought this way for a long time. But it’s always been a dilemma.] Divinity slowly spread out. But the goal of this divinity wasn’t Taesan. The divinity flowed out to the planets.

[I’ve considered crushing the Immortals with my own hands, but their power is still within the scope that mortals can imagine. It’s not fitting, nor would it be suitable to display. The faith I can gather that way is only ordinary faith.] Twisted emotions turned toward Taesan.

[But you, you can do it. You are the one capable of changing the emotions of the mortals!] Divinity exploded. Remidaos waved his arm.

[Look! Mortals!] Ki-i-ing!

The divinity that spread to the planets drove itself into the minds of the people.

Those who had been praying to Taesan were now startled. A massive voice rang out across the ten planets.

[I am Remidaos!] “Ahhh!”

“What is this!”

People screamed as they collapsed.

As they barely regained their senses, something began to form in their minds.

Inside their minds, both Taesan and Remidaos appeared. Remidaos smiled and raised his finger.

[The one who appeared before you claiming to be Remidaos! This imposter! He is trying to deceive you and steal your faith!] “Ah...”

“Ugh.”

The massive voice that echoed through the entire planet pressed down on their souls, oppressing them. People gasped for breath. Their faces turned pale.

[I will kill the one who dares impersonate me!] A voice filled with rage.

Unable to bear it any longer, the people plugged their ears. They didn’t want to hear it.

[What you must believe in is me! I, Remidaos!] But Remidaos’ voice penetrated even their blocked ears.

Remidaos’ face twisted grotesquely. It was as though he had become something that shouldn’t exist in this world. People instinctively felt fear.

They closed their eyes. They didn’t want to see it.

But Remidaos’ face was still visible in their minds.

They couldn’t close their eyes or block their ears.

[You must worship me! I am your god!] “Ugh... Ah...”

Even the strongest ones couldn’t hold it in, tears and snot flowing. The transcendent's true wrath. Mortals couldn’t bear it. The weaker ones fainted.

But even the unconscious ones saw Remidaos’ face in their minds.

“Is this really the method you’re using?”

Why had Remidaos stayed silent, watching Taesan steal faith and kill the Immortals?

It was because he wasn’t after faith anymore.

He wanted something beyond faith. His goal was to reach a greater transcendent state.

So, while Taesan was stealing faith, Remidaos quietly observed.

As mortals believed Taesan was Remidaos and watched his followers die, Remidaos waited.

And when Taesan met him face to face, he revealed to all the mortals:

The one you served was a fake.

I am the real Remidaos.

What you should believe in is me.

That rage seemed justified. It stirred their emotions, making it seem as though they were the ones who had done wrong.

The feelings toward Remidaos twisted and shattered.

Not a god, but something twisted.

[Not bad.] Remidaos grinned. The twisted emotions of the people gathered inside him.

[Though I’m not sure what the result will be, it’s worth trying. What do you think? It’s a pretty useful method, isn’t it?] Remidaos spoke languidly.

[When you first appeared in my domain, I thought about it. But after thinking it over, it’s a good opportunity.] What Remidaos desired was to break through the barrier.

For that, change was necessary. And Taesan was the one who could bring that change.

[What’s surprising is how much stronger you are than I expected, but that’s actually a good thing. With you, I can show my true power. You can demonstrate a power that goes beyond the understanding of mortals.] “The Immortals will sadly be your pawns.”

[They were just tools. I intended to deal with them from the start. You just helped me out.] “I don’t mind, but there’s one thing missing.”

Taesan drew his sword.

“In the end, it’s all about defeating me to achieve your goal.”

[I have the qualification. I know you possess twisted strength, but there is still an unbridgeable gap between you and me.] Remidaos arrogantly declared.

[So become my offering.] The divinity in the shape of a star crumbled.

***

The collapsed divinity gathered around Remidaos and began to take shape. It compacted and compacted until it finally began to form a figure.

It was a human form made of gold.

However, it didn’t appear entirely human—it seemed more like a twisted monster. The divinity at the edges of its form fell away like mud.

And its size also followed a different trajectory.

Remidaos had grown to the size of the moon.

‘It’s huge.’

At this point, it seemed even more colossal than the World Breaker. What was more important was that all of it was divinity, compressed to such an extent.

While Taesan had accumulated a substantial amount of faith, it paled in comparison to the faith of Remidaos—like the sun compared to a firefly.

Kuuuuuuung!

Remidaos raised his arm. The impact sent shockwaves through the space around them. The divinity rained down like meteors.

For hundreds, thousands of years, or perhaps even longer.

The faith accumulated over such long periods was beyond comprehension.

Wuuuung!

Remidaos swung his arm toward Taesan.

Taesan quickly planted his feet.

The arm struck the universe.

Kaaaang!

The shockwave swept across the universe.

The distant planets felt the aftershocks. Trees were uprooted, buildings trembled. People’s bodies were violently thrown, and screams echoed everywhere.

“Aaahhh!”

“Please! Please! Forgive us!”

People cried out, prostrating themselves. Their emotions toward Remidaos twisted further.

[You cannot defeat me.] A voice echoed. Remidaos was exerting his will. Thousands of divine spears formed from the divinity.

Each spear was the size of a typical meteor, all shooting directly at Taesan.

The divine spears filled the space, and Taesan raised a boundary line.

Kaaaang!

The spears shattered.

But not all of them could be destroyed. The amount of divinity in each spear exceeded the total amount Taesan could wield.

Even a typical Faith God would need to use all their power to stop one spear.

Thousands of such spears filled the space.

Taesan’s gaze sharpened. He analyzed their trajectories. He calculated the optimal force and method, moving accordingly. The surrounding time had slowed down due to his time manipulation.

Kaaaang!

But still, he couldn’t fully negate them. More spears than he could break through surged through the space, scratching Taesan’s entire body.

Screeeech!

The self-preservation shield surrounding Taesan trembled.

A direct confrontation was impossible. Taesan quickly made a decision. Trusting the self-preservation shield wrapped around him, he opened a portal of ashen space.

[You activated Teleportation [Chaos].] Zat.

Taesan moved to the other side of space.

The spears filled the space so completely that even with Blink’s limited range, Taesan had no choice but to use Teleportation to escape.

‘In terms of raw power alone, this is the greatest I’ve ever seen.’

Taesan shook off the remnants of divinity that clung to his body.

Compared to the likes of Goshin or other transcendents, Remidaos' sheer raw power was far superior, ignoring the rank and difference in transcendent abilities.

That was a monster.

‘But.’

Taesan knew he could win.

Taesan adjusted his full power and muttered.

“You know about me, don’t you?”

It wasn’t just hearsay. Remidaos definitely seemed to have heard something about Taesan’s power and what kind of being he was, from the way he spoke.

“We’ll talk about that part slowly, too.”