Ascension Through Skills
Chapter 423: 83rd Floor, Essence The God Of Descent (5)

“Veld… encia?”

Diana repeated the name.

Her voice was filled with an awkwardness, as if she had never imagined she would utter that name.

“He did that for me?”

“He made a contract with the wizard to save you. He settled on the 61st floor and took on the role of testing the adventurers who came to him.”

Taesan opened his inventory.

“He gave me a quest. To rescue his princess. He promised to give me everything he had in return. I accepted that quest.”

From his inventory, he pulled out a music box.

The Mage’s Music Box. A music box created by Veldencia for the princess he had lost.

The music box started to play, and a song filled the air.

A powerful melody, one that heralded the arrival of morning.

Diana’s pupils widened.

“That’s….”

“This is the item Veldencia gave me with the quest. He said it could heal your soul.”

“…So it was true. I never imagined I would hear my homeland’s song again after coming this far.”

Diana let out a small laugh.

“My world was destroyed. The only ones who know that song are me and Veldencia. There is no lie in your words. Ha ha… How absurd. He told me to forget him and live my own life. Yet, in the end, he made a contract with the wizard….”

Though her words carried reproach, her expression betrayed an undeniable joy.

After taking a moment to process her emotions, Diana spoke again.

“If you don’t mind, could you tell me about Veldencia?”

“If you wish.”

Taesan recounted everything he knew about Veldencia.

The trials he administered, his role, and why he had given Taesan the quest.

Diana listened intently, her face lighting up with happiness.

“He hasn’t changed. That’s reassuring.”

She smiled gently.

“Thank you, Kang Taesan. I never imagined I would hear about him again, someone I thought I would never see or hear from ever again.”

Her tone had shifted.

Taesan shook his head.

“You don’t have to be so formal.”

“No. You are the warrior who came here to save me. I must show you the proper respect. I sincerely thank you.”

She rose from the bed and gracefully adjusted her posture.

It was the perfect posture of a princess.

With that, their relationship was clarified.

Diana, now composed, asked,

“So… you weren’t deceived by the God of Descent.”

“I came here of my own will. I did make a deal, though.”

“…I hesitate to ask, but are you truly okay? Many strong individuals are here. Some are even stronger than I am. But none of them have managed to clear the colosseum.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Taesan replied calmly, as if there was no problem at all.

Diana hesitated for a moment before carefully asking,

“I can tell you’re concealing your strength. You must be quite powerful. If possible, could you show me your true power?”

Now that he thought about it, he was still suppressing his Authority.

Taesan released the skill.

“O-.”

At that moment, Diana’s expression froze.

Her face turned pale, and she instinctively reached for the sword beside her bed.

Barely managing to calm herself, she took a deep breath.

“You’re strong.”

Her expression showed clear admiration that she couldn’t hide.

“You’re at a level far beyond me. If it’s you… maybe it’s possible.”

The only way to clear this place was to defeat an Apostle in the colosseum.

The power Taesan had just revealed surpassed that of an Apostle.

If he fought head-on, he could seize victory.

“No.”

But Taesan denied her words.

“It won’t be that easy. It was designed that way from the start.”

“…Are you referring to what you mentioned earlier?”

“You must know as well. The Apostle is designed to be unbeatable. The close battles everyone had were nothing more than false hope. I would be no different.”

He didn’t know the exact mechanics.

But one thing was clear—the Apostle could never lose.

That was a rule set in place.

If Taesan had full access to his power, he could have crushed it with sheer strength.

But his Authority had been sealed.

It was clear that the God of Descent had deliberately reduced him to a mortal level for this very reason.

“So it’s true.”

Diana lowered her head.

She had suspected as much. Everyone here, except for her, had long abandoned any expectations.

The reason was simple.

After hundreds, even thousands of attempts, they had come to understand that it was impossible.

She, too, had been denying it, but deep down, she had always known.

“There’s no other way out, is there?”

“There probably isn’t. Everyone here has tried.”

In the end, the only way to escape was to clear the colosseum.

But winning in the colosseum was impossible.

Now, Taesan understood why the God of Descent was so certain he wouldn’t return.

The only exit had been sealed from the beginning.

“For now, let’s gather information. Your Highness, can you tell me about your battles with the Apostle?”

Diana, with a composed expression, began to speak.

---

“I have opened the colosseum forty-seven times. At first, I was defeated helplessly, but as I gained experience, I gradually improved. By my thirtieth attempt, I was nearly fighting on equal footing. But from that point on, the Apostle kept unveiling new abilities.”

Whether it was martial techniques, special movements, or entirely new skills.

Every time she thought she had grasped its patterns, something new would emerge.

“The spectators thought the Apostle was simply hiding its strength and that I could win next time, but… I had a different opinion.”

Diana bit her lip.

“The abilities the Apostle revealed always felt too perfectly suited for the situation.”

“Suited?”

“My stamina was fine, but when my skills were exhausted, it pulled out an ability that couldn’t be countered. And in the opposite situation, its stamina suddenly recovered.”

It wasn’t an overwhelming change, but it was enough to shift the flow of battle. More than ten fights had all followed the same pattern.

Something felt off.

It was too perfectly timed to be just a display of hidden strength.

“If you’re not the one fighting directly, you wouldn’t notice. But as I kept watching, I started to feel that something was strange. Now that I hear your story, Taesan-nim, I understand. It was designed that way from the start.”

Diana spoke in a bitter tone.

Taesan stroked his chin.

Diana’s words triggered a thought in his mind.

But he had only seen one battle directly, so he couldn’t be certain.

After thinking for a moment, Taesan made a decision.

“If you gather 100 points, anyone can open a Colosseum?”

“Yes. But there aren’t many people strong enough to collect 100 points. That’s why they cooperate with each other.”

“I see.”

‘I should try it myself.’

Taesan left the room.

---

Leaving the village, Taesan ran across the plains.

Before long, he spotted a group of five.

They seemed to be the ones Diana had mentioned—those who cooperated to gather points.

Taesan drew his sword.

They only noticed him when he was already close. But by then, it was far too late.

Crunch!

“Keugh—!”

A scream and a thunderous crash erupted.

It took only a single strike.

All five collapsed in an instant.

Taesan kicked off the ground.

Before long, he found another group—this time, four.

Just as before, he charged in directly and attacked.

The simplicity of his approach left them completely unable to respond.

They fell, unable to block even a single strike.

[As expected, but seriously… you’re a monster.]

The ghost clicked its tongue.

The ones Taesan had just defeated weren’t weak.

The fact that they had been chosen by the God of Descent meant that they had the talent to reach at least the 83rd floor.

And yet, they had fallen in a single blow.

As Taesan moved, he spoke.

“The basic stat difference is just too big.”

Taesan’s stats were the foundation of his confidence.

They were far superior to his opponents’.

In addition, he had superior equipment, and even the fundamental gap in class was overwhelming.

Although his immortal state was diminished, once someone reached that level, they were fundamentally different from mere mortals.

Especially those who hadn’t even reached the boundary.

There was no reason to struggle.

Taesan continued to clear them out.

In less than a day, he had gathered over 40 points.

And soon enough, rumors began to spread.

Those who had been resurrected spoke of their defeat—how they couldn’t even react before losing.

The identity of their attacker spread, and soon, everyone knew the name of the newcomer.

A monster had arrived.

The rumors spread rapidly until everyone knew.

And then, those who had been staying quiet began to move.

“This makes 60 points.”

Taesan checked his total.

By tomorrow, he would be able to open the Colosseum.

Just as he was about to keep moving, he stopped.

Five presences were approaching him.

And they were stronger than anyone he had faced so far.

They were at the level of the princess.

They were at the very boundary.

Surrounding Taesan, they spoke in hushed voices.

“…You’re strong.”

At that moment, Taesan released the seal on his authority.

His power was radiating openly into the world.

“Why are you here?”

“To confirm something.”

They each revealed their power.

A variety of energies pressed down on Taesan.

“You plan to clear the Colosseum. Before that, we want to test your strength.”

“A trial from the losers, huh.”

“I won’t deny it. After all, we’ve already given up.”

A calm voice echoed.

Taesan examined them one by one.

One wielded a sword.

Another held a spear.

The remaining two emanated magic—one with conventional magic, the other with dark magic.

And the last one possessed the power of spirits.

Each of them had a distinct strength.

Taesan quickly organized his thoughts.

“The conditions have been met. This works out well.”

“…Works out well?”

“Just as you want to test me, I have something I want to test too.”

Right now, he was no longer immortal.

If he had to gauge his level, he was at the boundary.

So then, could he still acquire skills while in this weakened state?

“Come at me.”

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