Ascension Through Skills
Chapter 428: 84th Floor, Levynenoff’s World (1)

“You all know about the High Gods, don’t you?”

“We do.”

Veldencia nodded. As they descended the labyrinth, they had gathered a great deal of information. They knew about the High Gods and that they were invading different worlds.

“My world is one of the worlds being invaded by the High Gods.”

“……Then, Sir Taesan, you entered the labyrinth to save your world?”

“No. My case is different. I entered the labyrinth in a slightly different way.”

“A different way?”

“It’s complicated to explain. To put it precisely, at the moment of destruction, the labyrinth invited the people of our world.”

“An invitation?”

Taesan explained slowly. They had been invited into the labyrinth and, at set intervals, were sent back to Earth to fight against the High Gods’ minions.

“We’ve been managing to hold out somehow. But many have died. And many more will die.”

Only a handful would survive in the end.

Taesan intended to save as many as possible, but the limits were clear.

“So, you need our help.”

“You and the princess are strong. If you help my world, the number of deaths will be greatly reduced. What will you do?”

Taesan spoke calmly.

“I won’t force you. In the end, you’ll have to risk your lives to fight. Just let me know if you’re willing.”

“Hmm. I owe you a debt greater than life itself, so of course, I should help, but…”

Veldencia turned to look at Diana.

“In the end, what matters most to me is the princess. I can’t put her in danger again.”

“I understand. I don’t want to use my debt to force you either.”

The princess had been trapped in a model garden for hundreds of years.

She had only just escaped and was finally able to enjoy happiness. Yet now, she was being asked to risk her life against High Gods, beings that even transcendents couldn’t suppress. It was an utterly despairing thought.

Taesan was about to give up and step back.

“It should be fine, Veldencia. Let’s accept it, Sir Taesan.”

Diana spoke as if it were nothing.

“Princess?”

Veldencia was surprised.

“If it weren’t for Sir Taesan, I would never have escaped the model garden. I was practically dead. Veldencia has repaid his debt, but I had nothing to give. This works out well.”

“Princess, are you certain? No one understands the power of transcendental beings better than you.”

“I told you, I was already as good as dead. More importantly, Veldencia, remember why we entered the labyrinth in the first place.”

“…To save our world.”

The princess had led Veldencia into the labyrinth to save their slowly dying world.

“But we failed. Countless lives were lost. We couldn’t save our world. So this time… even if it’s another world, I want to try saving it with my own hands.”

Veldencia was at a loss for words.

Diana gently held Veldencia’s hand.

“There are people in his world who need our help. People we can still save through our will. I don’t want to turn my back on them.”

“…Even if it puts your life in danger?”

“Yes.”

Diana smiled softly.

Faced with her unwavering determination, Veldencia let out a hollow laugh.

“That’s just the kind of person you are, Princess. I had forgotten.”

“Of course, I don’t intend to force you. Your life is—”

“No. My life belongs to you, Princess. Your will is my will, so don’t worry about me.”

“You don’t have to call me ‘Princess.’ Just call me by my name, Veldencia.”

“…Diana.”

“Oh… Ohhh.”

Lilis, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke. She turned her eyes away, her face slightly flushed with embarrassment.

“Kuh.”

“Cough.”

Only then did Veldencia and Diana carefully put some distance between them.

“Alright, Taesan. Diana and I will accept your offer.”

“Thank you.”

Taesan expressed his gratitude. Facing the High Gods required risking their lives. Even though Taesan had saved them, their help was something to be thankful for.

“But what do we do now? Is there a way for us to return with you?”

“If I could summon Minerva and bring along the ghost, then forming a contract should make it possible.”

Taesan summoned Balbabama to discuss the contract.

[Not a bad idea. Veldencia also needed to leave the labyrinth after fulfilling his wish, so this is good. I will mediate the contract.]

Balbabama readily agreed.

Following the labyrinth’s system, a contract was formed between Taesan, Veldencia, and Diana.

[Summoning Contract]

[When Kang Taesan returns to Earth, Veldencia and Diana will also return with him. If he does not return to Earth, they will temporarily reside in the labyrinth.]

[You may stay in the labyrinth for now. I’ll allow that much. However, until then, you must complete the quests on the 61st floor.]

“Understood.”

“Thank you, Balbabama.”

With that, everything was settled. Only Lilis scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“Taesan, what about me?”

“Talk it over with them. See if they’re okay with you staying. Or you can follow me.”

“I don’t really have much of a role now that you’re offering tributes directly to Lord Zelbando instead of through me… Ugh.”

Lilith groaned. It seemed she had her own concerns.

After saying his farewells, Taesan continued his descent through the labyrinth.

He considered buying equipment at the shop, but his gold was still slightly short. He decided to save up a little more before making a decision.

And finally, it was time to check what he had obtained.

The first thing he checked was black magic.

[Black Magic Creation]

[Proficiency: 6%]

[Allows the creation of black magic using a portion of your world’s power through a contract with the Demon God.]

Taesan had created a black magic spell called Domain Liberation, which forcibly opened a domain, materializing the demonic energy within it.

He still hadn’t fully grasped its mechanics, but it seemed highly versatile. Through its use, he realized something significant.

“The Demon’s Domain can be combined with the boundary or negation magic.”

All three were powers related to the High Gods, so it wasn’t surprising. By mixing and fusing these three forces, it was possible to counteract a transcendent’s authority with the limitations of mortality.

How should one handle the domain of demons? A direction was gradually taking shape.

[Special Activation Skill: Law Negation]

[Mana Consumption: 3,000]

[Consumption ???: ???]

[Proficiency: 1%]

[Negates the authority of transcendents, allowing the user to slightly ignore the laws engraved in the world.]

[Such a skill exists…?]

The ghost clicked its tongue. To deny authority itself…

It was a skill that only Taesan had obtained in the labyrinth, something no one could have predicted.

To be honest, even Taesan couldn’t fully grasp the extent of the skill’s capabilities. He knew it was powerful, but it was so high-level that he needed to use it to understand it properly.

Taesan checked the next skill.

[Special Passive Skill: The Immortal]

[Proficiency: 1%]

[The lower your health, the faster your health regeneration rate increases.]

“So this was one of the reasons he could persistently endure.”

The Apostle had healed wounds almost instantly. Taesan, with low proficiency, wouldn’t be able to exhibit such performance, but it was still highly valuable. As long as he didn’t die in one hit, he could endure and rapidly restore his health.

[Boots of the Free One]

[Attack Power +700]

[Defense +400]

[Agility +200]

[Action Speed +20%]

[Movement Speed +20%]

[The boots of one who roamed the world freely, bound by no one.]

[Allows movement as usual under any circumstances.]

The overall stats were decent, and a special effect was attached.

“It doesn’t seem like it outright negates movement restriction skills or conditions. More like it grants freedom from effects that slow speed?”

[That seems likely. Absolute freedom in movement would be too high of a tier.]

Even so, it was a solid effect. It would allow him to move unhindered even in environments like swamps or outer space and render slow debuffs ineffective. It was worth saving thousands of adventurers.

Besides equipment, Taesan had also obtained authority, but he first checked the reward for clearing the 83rd floor.

[Ring of the Bottomless Abyss]

[Attack Power +700]

[Defense -200]

[Strength -100]

[Agility -100]

[Intelligence -100]

[The wearer of this ring gains overwhelming martial power but at the cost of all other attributes.]

It was the first time he had seen an item that decreased stats. However, the attack power boost was significant, and to Taesan, a mere reduction of 100 in stats was negligible. He put on the ring.

[??? has been used.]

[A thick, dark slime buried at the bottom has been obtained.]

[Thick, Dark Slime Buried at the Bottom]

[Slime that wriggled in the lowest depths of the world, untouched by anything.]

The moment Taesan recognized it as a material item, his wrist guard moved. In an instant, it devoured the slime and made it its own.

[Wrist Guard of World Reformation]

[A wrist guard personally imbued with power by a witch. Using specific conditions and catalysts, it gains the power to alter the laws of the world surrounding the equipment.]

[Attack Power +800]

[Defense +800]

[If the wearer has learned the magic of the Green Witch, Partial World Reformation can be used.]

His attack power increased by 200, and his defense by 300. It was a decent boost.

“Well then.”

One last skill remained.

[Special Activation Skill: Descent of All Things]

[For a certain duration, everything within range except for the user will descend. Entities of a higher rank than the user cannot be affected. This skill has a one-week cooldown after use.]

The authority of Essence. Descent of All Things.

From the description, it seemed different from the one the Apostle had used. He needed to verify it, but it was difficult to test alone.

Thus, Taesan headed to the Library of All Things to meet Ainzhar.

“I have a skill that needs verification. Would you be able to help me?”

“If it’s something like that, anytime!”

Ainzhar readily agreed.

Taesan briefly explained the skill. As he listened, Ainzhar’s eyes wavered.

“That… is quite difficult to comprehend. To obtain the authority of a transcendent…”

“I made a deal for it.”

“The God of Descent must have really wanted to deal with you. Divine authority isn’t something that even their own apostles easily receive.”

Ainzhar sighed in amazement.

“So, you need to confirm it? Try using it. I’m curious as well.”

There was no need to hesitate. Taesan activated the skill.

[You have activated Fall of All Things.]

“Ugh—”

“Whoa—”

Groans were heard.

Ainzhar’s eyebrows twitched.

“This is… a strange sensation.”

Ainzhar gathered golden light. Normally, it would manifest with a radiance capable of burning the world, but now, the light was faint. The power he felt inside was clearly weaker compared to usual.

“The power itself is being made to descend.”

Ainzhar, weakened by Descent of All Things, could be blocked and countered even if attacked with full force. The fact that Ainzhar was affected meant that no one short of a transcendent could escape it.

“Oh. It ended. The duration isn’t long.”

Before long, the golden light on Ainzhar’s sword flared like the sun again. He let out a chuckle.

“What an absurd skill.”

There were no restrictions on its use. Unless one was a transcendent, they couldn’t resist. The skill targeted all manifested powers.

It was a skill that shackled an opponent completely.

“So this is the authority of a god… At one time, I, too, wielded such power, but it’s been so long that my memory is hazy.”

Ainzhar gave a bitter smile.

“The next floor is up.”

Taesan spoke.

The 84th floor—the floor Ainzhar had mentioned, where Levynenoff could be saved.

It lay before them. Ainzhar’s eyes flickered.

“…They are waiting. Please, I leave it to you.”

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