Ascension Through Skills
Chapter 427: 61st Floor, Veldencia’s Wish

“Are you saying they completely left the labyrinth?”

[That’s impossible. The contract between the labyrinth and a transcendent being isn't something that can be resolved so easily. If they left on their own accord, maybe, but expelling them from this side is difficult. Let’s just say we had a deep conversation.]

It seemed that some details were confidential, as Balbabamba skillfully redirected the topic.

[At the very least, they can no longer interfere with the labyrinth through trials. That’s all you need to know.]

“That’s good news.”

Inside the labyrinth, there was no longer any need to worry about the God of Descent. That was a relief for Taesan, who already had plenty of enemies.

That was all the information he could get about the God of Descent. Taesan moved on to another question.

“Then, where did the others go?”

There had been over a thousand people in the Model Garden.

Yet the only one remaining here was Diana. Just her.

[They are no longer adventurers.]

The labyrinth’s administrator declared as if passing judgment.

[Even if the God of Descent intervened, they still failed to clear the trial. Thanks to you, they were freed, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are losers. Just like the ghost standing next to you.]

“The ghost?”

Diana looked around. However, she couldn’t sense the presence of the ghost.

“So you exiled them?”

[They no longer have the right to descend into the labyrinth. I sent them all back to the labyrinth’s entrance. The rest is up to them.]

Balbabamba spoke indifferently.

His tone suggested that he had no interest in what they did or what choices they made.

“That’s unfortunate.”

Reynald had promised to give everything he had if they returned to the labyrinth.

But they were exiled. There would be no reward. As Taesan lamented the situation, Balbabamba spoke again.

[But even though they are failures, they were once adventurers. And not just any adventurers—they were talented individuals. You freed them. As the labyrinth’s administrator, I shall reward you for that.]

[Balbabamba activates #000018.]

[You have obtained 500,000 gold.]

“Oh-ho.”

Five hundred thousand gold.

That was a considerable amount. Combined with the gold Taesan already had, he could now afford some decent equipment.

“Not bad. So why did the princess stay behind?”

The princess, like the others, was also a failure. Balbabamba answered as if it were obvious.

[She is Veldencia’s. His wish. For now, she is allowed to remain in the labyrinth. Once the wish is fulfilled, she must leave.]

“Veldencia…”

Diana murmured quietly.

[That’s all I have to explain for now. I need to start moving as well. You’ll have to figure out the rest on your own.]

“Thanks.”

Without another word, Balbabamba vanished.

Taesan looked at Diana.

“Then, shall we go meet him?”

“…Yes.”

Diana clenched her fist against her chest and nodded.

The floor where Veldencia resided was the 61st floor.

They had quite a few floors to climb.

The first NPC they encountered was a shopkeeper.

“…Princess?”

“Oh my, it’s been a while.”

The shopkeeper looked shocked when he saw Diana.

“You were supposed to have been devoured by the God of Descent and disappeared…”

“That’s how it happened, yes.”

He looked at Diana and Taesan, then nodded as if accepting reality.

“So that’s how it is… That’s quite impressive. To think you actually cleared the Model Garden.”

When the shopkeeper looked at Taesan, his face showed satisfaction.

Before long, he completely ignored Diana.

Diana looked disappointed.

“After all this time, is that how you treat me?”

“I have no interest in failures. You should know that.”

“Still, that’s a little disappointing. You once had high expectations for me.”

“The moment you took the God of Descent’s hand, you became nothing to me. Don’t bother me anymore and get lost.”

The shopkeeper clicked his tongue.

Since he refused to continue the conversation, Taesan and Diana moved on.

“He’s still the same.”

“Did you descend into the labyrinth before?”

“Yes. Back then, he saw potential in me and treated me well. But after the God of Descent intervened, he lost interest. I wonder what it is that he truly desires…”

The next floor they climbed led them to The Library of All Things.

The librarian, Jorge, frowned when he saw Diana.

“How…?”

“It’s been a while, Jorge. Have you been well?”

“…I see. Well, I suppose it was possible. I just didn’t think you’d actually do it.”

“Who do we have here!”

A loud laugh rang out.

The apostle of Levynenoff, Ainzhar, approached Diana with a delighted expression.

“Princess! You have returned!”

“Ainzhar? You remained here as well?”

“Of course! Veldencia’s wish is finally about to be fulfilled! Congratulations!”

“Thank you.”

Diana smiled warmly.

“I hope your wish is fulfilled as well.”

“Thank you for saying that. But don’t worry. The one beside you is already making my wish come true.”

Ainzhar smirked.

“Rescuing the princess means you’ve reached the 83rd floor. Only one more floor remains. I’ll be waiting.”

Taesan nodded.

As they continued climbing, they encountered Hafran.

Like the others, he was surprised to see the princess. But knowing Taesan’s strength, he quickly accepted it.

“Still, to think you actually broke through a transcendent’s domain… Incredible.”

“How’s the weapon crafting going?”

“The basic preparations are complete. Only the final adjustments remain. I’ll summon you when the time comes.”

After finishing their conversation with Hafran, they continued ascending the labyrinth.

“This feels nostalgic.”

Diana murmured with a wistful gaze.

Perhaps, in another reality, she could have stood where Taesan stood now.

She could have fulfilled the NPCs’ wishes, reached the end of the labyrinth, and saved the world.

But she did not regret it. Nor did she despair.

She had now abandoned her grand ambitions and could find contentment in small happiness.

“I’ve done something regrettable to Veldencia. When I see him, I should apologize first.”

Diana murmured quietly.

They climbed and climbed through the labyrinth.

Eventually, they reached the stairs leading to the 61st floor.

Diana ascended the stairs, her face filled with emotion.

“Veldencia! Please!”

“Ah, geez. I told you to stop that!”

“Come on, teach me! I’ll do anything you say!”

“I told you, it doesn’t work like that! How many times do I have to say it?”

What Taesan and Diana saw was Veldencia, looking flustered.

And clinging to his leg was Lilis.

It was an oddly peaceful scene. They looked like they were getting along well.

Diana’s face stiffened.

As Veldencia struggled to shake off Lilis, he belatedly sensed their presence.

“…Princess?”

A reunion between two people who had thought they would never meet again.

It should have been an emotional moment.

Yet Diana’s expression was frozen.

“…You seem to be having fun?”

“Huh? W-What?”

“No, it’s nothing. I was the one who told you to give up in the first place, so I can’t complain. But… still…”

Diana hung her head low.

Her body trembled slightly.

“I endured all this time thinking only of you, but you were here enjoying life with another woman. I’m so heartbroken…”

“N-No! That’s not it!”

Veldencia suddenly shouted and shoved Lilis aside.

“She is a contractor of the God of Magic! She kept clinging to me, asking me to teach her magic! We have no relationship whatsoever!”

Veldencia grabbed Diana’s shoulders.

“I have always been thinking of you, Princess! That is why I stayed here!”

“…Pfft.”

Hearing Veldencia’s desperate words, Diana burst into laughter.

“P-Princess?”

“It was just a joke. Remember how I used to do this often? I didn’t expect such an intense reaction, though.”

When she lifted her head, Diana’s face was full of warmth.

“You remained here for me. How could I possibly resent you for that? …It’s good to see you again, Veldencia. My magician.”

“Princess…”

Tears welled up in Veldencia’s eyes.

“…Taesan, what’s going on here? I can’t follow this at all.”

“Lilis, Veldencia just had his wish fulfilled.”

Taesan answered Lilis’s baffled question.

---

“You said your name was Lilis? I’m sorry for dragging you into this play.”

“N-No, it’s fine. After hearing the story, I understand. I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.”

Lilis composed herself and spoke seriously.

“Congratulations on escaping from the grasp of a god.”

“Thank you.”

Diana smiled gently. She was holding Veldencia’s hand tightly.

“Thank you, Taesan. I gave you the quest, but… I never actually expected you to complete it.”

Veldencia’s eyes were filled with emotion.

The quest had required confronting a transcendent being directly.

Even he had thought it was impossible somewhere in his heart.

But Taesan had done it perfectly.

“I need to give you a fitting reward. Princess, please wait for a moment.”

Veldencia drew a magic circle on the ground.

“What you have done for me… it is quite literally my wish come true. More important than my life itself.”

That was why Veldencia had decided to give everything he had.

“So, I thought about how I should reward you. And this is one of the answers I came up with.”

[Veldencia activates Magic Transfer.]

The magic circle began to activate.

Veldencia spread his mana as he spoke.

“Don’t reject it. Accept it.”

The magic circle, infused with mana, started to function around Taesan.

And power began flowing into him.

Taesan understood what it was immediately.

The power flowing into him now—

It was Veldencia’s own power.

The mana he had accumulated.

His experience with magic.

All of it was being transferred to Taesan.

[Your Mana has permanently increased by 7,800.]

[Your Intelligence has permanently increased by 5,500.]

[Your Magic Proficiency has increased by 4%.]

[You have acquired the Intermediate Magic: "Rippling Poison Mist."]

Kaang!

Unable to withstand the force, the magic circle shattered.

Veldencia wiped the sweat from his forehead and stabilized his mana.

“This is the limit. Only 4%? You must have trained your proficiency quite a bit.”

“…Is it even possible to transfer mana and proficiency to another person?”

Normally, proficiency could only be increased in two ways: by using proficiency-enhancing potions or through continuous combat and repetition.

But Veldencia had just transferred his power to Taesan as if using Soul Ascension.

“I told you, this is magic I developed specifically for you. To be honest, the efficiency is terrible. It permanently consumes my power, yet only a tiny fraction of it actually transfers.”

Indeed, the power Veldencia radiated had noticeably diminished.

He was still strong, but compared to before, there was a significant difference.

“Still, for the reward I wanted to give you, this was the least I could do.”

It was quite the reward.

His mana had increased by 7,800, and his Magic Proficiency, which had been stuck at 81%, had now reached 85%. His intelligence had also risen dramatically.

Considering how difficult it had been to raise proficiency beyond 80%, this was an incredible gain.

And it didn’t end there.

“I’ll also give you all the equipment I used and kept while conquering the labyrinth. They’re all magic-user gear, so they might not be of much use to you. But you could sell them or offer them as tributes.”

Veldencia handed over magic staves and spell tomes.

When Taesan checked their performance, they were not inferior to his current equipment.

With these, he could at least obtain two intermediate magic spells.

“Not bad.”

“I did say I’d give you everything, but this is all I can manage. If there’s anything else you need, just let me know. As long as it doesn’t harm the princess, I’ll do anything.”

Taesan observed them.

The princess was strong. She was right on the edge of a threshold.

Even though Veldencia had consumed much of his power, he still seemed to be at the level of a Guide leader.

Taesan spoke.

“So, where will you go now?”

“Hmm…”

“I’m not sure either.”

Veldencia’s wish had been fulfilled.

He had no more reason to remain in the labyrinth.

And Diana would soon have to leave as well.

But their world had already perished.

In a way, they were like refugees.

“Should we try settling in a new world? That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”

“If you have nowhere to go, why not come with me?”

“What?”

Diana’s eyes widened.

Taesan continued.

“The world I’m in… the High Gods have set their sights on it. It could collapse at any moment, and every day is a fight for survival. Interested?”

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.