Ascension Through Skills

Chapter [NaN]: 76th Floor, Guides Of Sin (1)

One. Two. Three. Four.

A total of eight Guides stood before Taesan.

[Well, well. Familiar faces.]

The ghost muttered. The Guides also looked at the ghost.

“Hello.”

“Hero.”

Two women spoke. Apart from the fact that one had black hair and eyes while the other had white, they had perfectly identical faces.

[The black and white twins, Cliff... there are quite a few of them.]

The ghost, observing each one, soon spoke in a chilly tone.

[Societ isn’t here.]

“She refused.”

As if representing the others, a young man with platinum blonde hair stepped forward confidently.

“She said she would find her own path.”

[Helia. Were you the one who led them?]

“I couldn’t stand to watch a lowborn creature running wild any longer.”

Helia cast a disdainful gaze at Taesan.

“Even one with a noble lineage like you has fallen so far. You crave revenge, clinging to someone whose origins are unknown.”

[No Societ, no Ambracia, no Lion King... All the ones I wanted to see aren’t here. Do as you please, Taesan.]

The ghost muttered, not paying much attention to Helia’s words.

Seeing this attitude, Helia frowned and tried to say something, but a muscular man stepped forward.

“It’s enough. As he said, he’s already a dead man. No need to mind him.”

“...Hmph.”

Helia composed himself and looked back at Taesan.

“Then die, lowborn.”

At Helia’s signal, the Guides lunged, surrounding Taesan completely. There was no way out—a perfect encirclement.

The muscular man, Fist Saint Altair, opened his mouth.

“Gods are fickle beings by nature. Don’t be too discouraged. I, too, have experienced this. To the gods, mortals are mere toys.”

Taesan understood.

The Guides of Sin believed that Taesan had been abandoned by the Demon God.

The reason was easy to guess. With an expression not remotely sympathetic, Altair spoke as though he pitied him.

“A restriction on recovery... Honestly, it seems a bit harsh.”

The Demon God appeared to them. At the sudden appearance of the Demon God, they were shocked, thinking she was there to change her decision, but the Demon God’s following words widened their eyes.

The Demon God announced that Taesan would not receive any recovery effects from leveling up, even if he defeated them in battle.

They couldn’t understand.

In battles between adventurers, especially in 1 vs. many battles, leveling up was crucial.

By somehow defeating one, leveling up to restore to peak condition, and then defeating another to level up again—without this method, victory was impossible.

Yet the Demon God had blocked this.

At that moment, they were convinced. The Demon God had abandoned Taesan.

If not, there was no reason to impose such a restriction.

The Guides’ faces were full of confidence.

They were certain they could defeat Taesan.

“Don’t blame us. If you must, blame the Demon God.”

With those words, the various powers of the Guides surged.

“Not blaming anyone.”

Taesan muttered.

“There’s no point.”

The gathered powers were difficult even for Taesan to fend off. A frontal confrontation would most likely end in defeat.

But, of course, it didn’t matter to Taesan.

Watching the surging power, Taesan raised his sword.

[You have activated Forced Duel. For 12 seconds, no one but Floria can deal damage to you.]

As the energy reached Taesan, it vanished.

“...What?”

“Huh?”

The Guides, who had been anticipating and countering Taesan’s movements, paused.

Their powers were erased.

Taesan responded to only one thing—Floria’s attack.

“Forced Duel?”

“Bring it on.”

[You have activated Apostle Transformation [Darkness and Chaos].]

[You have activated Incarnation of Nature.]

[You have activated Vessel of the King.]

[Your Enemy of Those Who Tread Upon Your Depths has been triggered.]

Taesan stomped his foot. The Guides recoiled in terror, leaping back.

“Y-you!”

It was literal—no warning, no indication of power.

Floria reappeared behind Taesan and stabbed at him.

[Your First Attack Nullification has been activated.]

Taesan quickly turned, swinging his sword. But Floria wasn’t there.

[Floria has activated Designated Mark Acceleration.]

Floria moved behind Taesan again.

This time, Taesan didn’t allow it. He twisted his waist, swinging his sword at Floria, who was stabbing with his dagger.

Floria’s body blurred, leaving an afterimage.

[Floria has activated Erased Shadow.]

Taesan’s sword barely grazed Floria.

Floria’s sword pierced Taesan.

[Your Second Attack Nullification has been activated.]

[Floria has activated Designated Mark Acceleration.]

Ultimately, Taesan permitted a hit.

Floria, who had retreated, bared his teeth.

“You are indeed strong, but... strength alone isn’t the answer in a fight.”

Floria knew Taesan’s abilities. Taesan didn’t know Floria’s.

That difference was significant. Against a deep adventurer with unique abilities, it was impossible for Taesan to respond perfectly to him.

But that was all.

Taesan stomped forward. Floria gritted his teeth and responded.

Ka-ka-ka-kang!

Floria barely managed to block the swinging sword.

He was slower than Taesan.

Considering the overwhelming stat difference, this was only natural. Yet, Floria wasn’t easily overpowered.

[Floria has activated Designated Mark Acceleration.]

Floria’s body moved to the edge of the room. Taesan kicked off the ground to follow, soaring through the air, and Floria appeared directly below him.

[Your Third Attack Nullification has been activated.]

Floria quickly widened the distance.

‘Good!’

He had exhausted all of Taesan’s attack nullifications.

Taesan didn’t fully understand his own strength.

He could win.

At that moment, Floria felt a surge of confidence.

“I think I understand.”

Taesan hadn’t mindlessly used up his three attack nullifications. He had been analyzing Floria’s skill, Designated Mark Acceleration.

‘It’s not teleportation.’

There was no cooldown on his movements. The cost didn’t seem significant either.

Even limited blink magic had a cooldown of 10 minutes, indicating that spatial movement was exceedingly difficult. It didn’t seem likely that it could be used so freely.

Moreover, Floria only moved along the ground. Taesan could tell by how Floria had intentionally appeared beneath him, even though Taesan was in midair.

As he continued to fend off Floria’s attacks, Taesan observed closely.

[You have activated Focused Detection.]

[You have activated Reconnaissance.]

The power of detection spread out.

Through it, Taesan realized there was something inscribed on the labyrinth’s floor.

‘Marking for position.’

Movement was possible only to designated locations.

Taesan gathered his dark energy.

[You have activated Decarabia’s Twisted Flora.]

Kuu-gu-gu-gung!

Roots pierced through the space, appearing and restricting the area Floria could move to.

Floria’s face hardened. Taesan closed in on him in an instant.

Kaaang!

“Ugh!”

Floria was unable to escape this time with Designated Mark Acceleration.

‘As expected.’

He moved to designated marks. It wasn’t spatial movement, but a form of physical movement so fast it only looked like teleportation.

Therefore, as long as the space was blocked, restrictions could be placed on him.

Ka-ka-ka-kang!

Floria was quickly pushed back.

Taesan was also predicting the strategy of the Guides: to stall for time and exhaust Taesan’s resources.

Thus, Taesan aimed to quickly analyze his opponent’s hand and counter it, ensuring victory with minimal expenditure.

Taesan had countless cards at his disposal. No matter what his opponents used, he had a card to counter it.

There was no problem.

Taesan infused power into his sword, and Floria was flung far away.