Ascension Through Skills

Chapter 375: 77th Floor, The World on the Brink of Destruction (6)

"Master? What is this?" Minerva was visibly unsettled.

She finally understood the reason Taesan felt so distant.

It was simple—he had far surpassed her realm.

"Master, could it be... transcendence...?"

"No," Taesan denied.

"It's not that far."

Even Taesan couldn’t fully grasp his own condition.

An overwhelming presence was emanating from him in waves.

"Oh, ohhh!" The legs of those watching him trembled. They bowed their heads, chanting Taesan's name.

Yet, this wasn’t out of their conscious will. Instead, they were overwhelmed, instinctively compelled to worship a being far beyond them.

If things continued like this, all of them would become fanatical followers, worshipping him and nothing else. Taesan suppressed his presence, and only then did they let out ragged breaths.

Just by releasing control, he affected their minds. Taesan decided to move away from the people.

In an instant, his body vanished.

The moment he envisioned a place in his mind, his body appeared there.

[Whoa.]

This wasn’t a skill. His body simply traversed space, following his will. Minerva, who had followed belatedly, looked at him in shock.

"What level have you reached now?"

"I don't know," Taesan narrowed his eyes.

A sense of omnipotence filled his entire being.

It felt as if he could achieve anything he desired, as if his limits had vanished.

What level had he attained?

He began to examine himself, contemplating his own power and reading his state.

Taesan closed his eyes and dove deep within.

Minerva and Wraith watched him quietly. His contemplation lasted for a long time. It wasn’t until a full day had passed that Taesan opened his eyes.

"I understand now."

He let out a faint chuckle.

"A limited transcendence, achieved through the collective faith of the people."

That was his current state.

"Ah," Minerva gasped.

"Minerva, you once mentioned this," he said.

Reaching transcendence through worship alone was rare but not impossible. However, it required the faith of an entire world, making it nearly unachievable.

It was something Minerva had mentioned a while ago. Taesan hadn’t thought it relevant to him and had forgotten it, but now he had reached it in an unexpected way. Minerva groaned.

"This world's survivors are limited to the five cities. If all of them worship the master... perhaps it's not impossible."

Ordinarily, this would have been impossible. Humans are diverse, each with their own thoughts and beliefs. For all to worship a single being without distrust was unthinkable.

But here, only a small number had survived, and all of them were on the edge, physically and mentally drained.

In such circumstances, Taesan’s overwhelming strength and his selfless aid had led them to worship him.

"And there's no god here. Not even a planetary spirit."

This world was abandoned. The planetary god had been slain by the ancient gods, and the gods who defeated the ancients had also vanished.

All conditions had aligned, fulfilling the requirements for the world’s faith in Taesan.

Thus, he had temporarily transcended mortality.

[So, does that mean you've truly achieved transcendence?] Wraith asked, stunned. Taesan shook his head.

"Not quite."

He looked at his hand. Though his body was filled with a sense of omnipotence, the limits were clear.

"The number of survivors is too small."

There were only five cities, and they weren’t bustling modern metropolises but medieval settlements.

Taesan estimated that even with everyone worshipping him, the total number of believers wouldn’t surpass one hundred thousand.

It wasn’t nearly enough to support true transcendence.

Thus, his power was unstable, liable to disappear the moment their faith wavered—a limited, fragile strength.

"If I were to categorize it, I’d say I’m closer to an immortal than a transcendent."

Still, this state was beyond anything he had reached before.

As he observed his newfound power, he realized something else.

"This power is confined to this world."

Similar to Begueseta’s local god, Hamon, Begueseta was Hamon’s domain. Though Wraith had mistaken him, Hamon was powerful enough within his territory to be a match for demon lords.

The moment Taesan left this world, he would lose this state.

"Still, with the world’s faith as a foundation... I could probably retain a part of it, though I can’t fully grasp how."

Minerva groaned.

Regardless, Taesan had reached a state he could not normally attain.

"I will soon depart."

A shadow of despair crossed their faces.

“No! Please don’t abandon us!”

“Don’t leave us!”

They cried out, their desperation forming a wave of denial that enveloped him.

“Hm.”

Taesan let out a small groan.

For a moment, his state wavered.

‘So this is how it works.’

A state achieved solely through the faith of others. Hence, when that faith wavered, his power wavered as well.

Suppressing the surging force, he spoke.

“I have no choice. There is something I must do.”

The people wept, but they didn’t stop him. Taesan continued.

“But don’t worry. Even if I am not here, I will always be protecting you.”

He summoned his power.

His repressed presence expanded throughout the world. Taesan drew upon his divinity. A golden pillar of light pierced the sky, and the people gazed upon it in awe.

A sense of absolute power that could command the world itself enveloped him.

Taesan maintained control as he activated a skill.

[You have activated the Inner World.]

The Inner World skill extended his power and presence as a domain. Though it sounded potent, he had never used it due to the small area it covered compared to its power consumption.

But now, things were different.

The domain of the Inner World expanded, encompassing all five cities.

Taesan then unleashed his divinity.

He knew what to do. He had seen the Sanctum of the God of Regret in Wraith’s realm. He could do the same.

The extended pillar of light spread throughout the world. The people cheered,

praying fervently.

Taesan guided their faith into the pillar of light.

HUMMMM!

The domain of the Inner World filled with divinity, establishing Taesan’s sanctuary in this world.

[You have created your own sanctum. Special Divine Skill [Sanctum Creation] acquired.]

“Phew.”

Taesan took a deep breath. Although brief, it had taken a significant toll on him.

He looked around.

Orbs of light surrounded the people, fueled by their faith, which reinforced the sanctum.

“It’s done.”

“Ohhh!”

“What is this...?”

The people marveled at their surroundings.

A pillar of light enveloped them warmly.

The withered land began to flourish. The colorless world regained its vibrancy.

Roots buried deep in the earth sprang to life. Buds emerged, filling the land with greenery.

The divine light shone upon them like a sun, casting warmth over them.

It was truly a miracle.

Overcome with emotion, the people cried out in gratitude. A wave of explosive faith surged toward Taesan, nearly overwhelming him.

“As long as you remember me, this protective light will never disappear.”

With those words, Taesan’s figure faded away.

But the people continued to pray to him.

“Huu.”

Taesan returned to the labyrinth. A system window appeared before him.

[You have acquired the Transcendent Skill [Eternal and Immortal Faith].]

[77th Floor Cleared.]

[Obtained the Bloodstained Hammer of the Cruel One.]

[Secret rewards are determined based on your achievements.]

[Checking...]

[Complete.]

[The Labyrinth Manager, Valvavamba, appears.]

RUMBLE!

The floor of the labyrinth shook as Valvavamba began to manifest.