HBWnovel Chapter 381: The 78th Floor, The Library of All Things (6)
Chapter 381: The 78th Floor, The Library of All Things (6)
“...What are you saying?”
Ainzhar couldn’t fully grasp Taesan’s words.
“There is no way to save her. I’ve read every book in this place and asked the labyrinth’s administrators.”
He hadn’t just waited idly by. Ainzhar had done everything in his power to restore the goddess. But nothing had worked.
Not even other transcendents could touch the power that had corrupted her.
But Taesan continued, unwavering.
“I might have a way.”@@@@
“...That’s... a cruel jest.”
Ainzhar’s face twisted with anger. He raised his sword reflexively, aiming it at Taesan’s neck.
“Hngh!”
Realizing it was Taesan he was attacking, Ainzhar forced himself to stop, though his hands still trembled.
“That power...?”
It was unmistakably the same twisted energy he’d sensed from the elder god that had consumed his goddess.
Taesan, however, contained that same dark power within himself. He combined it with his divine aura, a strange, greyish energy emerging as they mingled.
*Fwoooom!*
“Ah...”
Ainzhar’s voice wavered. Taesan’s power resembled the corrupted force tainting the goddess but was stable and fully under his control.
Taesan let the aura dissipate, then turned to Ainzhar.
“Now do you believe me?”
Ainzhar stared, speechless, at Taesan.
---
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Ainzhar, now composed, returned to Taesan with a grim expression.
He asked how Taesan had acquired such a power. And Taesan explained.
He told him about Earth.
About the elder god that had invaded his world.
About the faith that powered his abilities.
As the story unfolded, Ainzhar’s expressions shifted from shock to awe. Taesan finished his story with a straightforward statement.
“I possess the power of an elder god. And I also wield divine energy. By combining these forces, I’ve learned to control a hybrid power.”
“...Hah.”
Ainzhar let out a hollow laugh.
“You’ve... gone through more than I could ever have imagined.”
“Do you believe my power can save her?”
“...Yes.”
Ainzhar nodded. The power Taesan had displayed was indeed similar to that afflicting Levienoff. But unlike her twisted state, Taesan’s power was stable and fully within his control.
This meant that, theoretically, her condition might also be brought under control.
They didn’t yet know exactly how, but the possibility was there. Taesan then asked the question that had been on his mind.
“Then... why did the goddess end up in such a state?”
“....”
After a moment of silence, Ainzhar began to speak.
“Let me explain a bit more about myself.”
He drew his golden sword. Powerful energy radiated from him, filling the space around them.
“I am Ainzhar, a devoted follower and loyal servant of the great goddess, Levienoff.”
The force of Ainzhar’s presence confirmed what Taesan had sensed: Ainzhar was a monster, a being far stronger than Taesan could currently match.
Ainzhar’s gaze grew distant, as if looking back through time.
“Our world was once a land of peace, guided by Lady Levienoff’s love. Love flourished there. People didn’t hide their affections; they celebrated them openly. Those who loved were united, and those who were unloved found acceptance. All this was Lady Levienoff’s blessing. But... one day, that all began to warp.”
“An elder god,” Taesan murmured.
Ainzhar nodded, his face hardening.
“Yes. Much like in your world, our realm was invaded by an elder god.”
The goddess of their world fought off the elder god, and Ainzhar fought by her side, destroying the monstrous invaders.
At first, it hadn’t been too difficult. As a transcendent, the goddess held immense power, and Ainzhar was among the strongest of the immortals. Even when powerful enemies descended, they managed to fend them off.
But the attacks never stopped.
The world around them began to wither, its inhabitants succumbing to decay. They managed to repel the elder gods but at a terrible cost—their world was slowly rotting away.
“I’m going to duel him. Could you set up a barrier for us?”
“Ugh, always asking for trouble,” Jorge muttered as he waved a hand. Bookshelves moved aside, creating a large, clear space for them.
Ainzhar unsheathed his sword with a dangerous smile.
“Fight with all your strength. I won’t hold back either
.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
Taesan activated every buff he had, his stats and strength rising to their peak.
Ainzhar’s grin widened as he planted his foot on the ground.
A tremendous explosion followed as Ainzhar lunged forward, his blade slicing through the air toward Taesan’s neck.
Taesan raised his own sword, bracing himself. The clash sent him sliding backward, but he held his ground.
“Hah! Impressive that you could block that!” Ainzhar laughed, launching himself into another attack.
The golden blade swung in seemingly random arcs, yet each slash was a mortal threat.
Taesan gritted his teeth, feeling the immense force behind every blow.
This was the strength of an immortal—a being at the pinnacle of their kind.
*Boom!*
Their blades collided, producing shockwaves that reverberated through the space.
Taesan staggered, but he held firm.
Ainzhar couldn’t hide his admiration.
To withstand even a fraction of his strength... no other adventurer had come this far, not even those who’d reached the higher floors.
“Try stopping this!”
Ainzhar gathered radiant energy, forming a massive, golden blade of light.
As the blade came down, Taesan’s instincts screamed a warning. This was the immortal’s full power—a strike no mortal could survive.
There was only one way to counter it.
**[You have activated the Eternal Faith.]**
A pathway opened, connecting Taesan’s faith with divine energy.
An overwhelming power surged through him. With one swift movement, he deflected the golden blade, sending Ainzhar back.
He had just countered an immortal’s true strength.
Ainzhar’s eyes widened.
“...A full world’s worth of faith?”
He recognized the nature of Taesan’s power immediately.
Ainzhar took a step back, momentarily stunned, then grinned.
“Perhaps... you really can do this.”
He advanced again, his resolve renewed.
Outside the barrier, Jorge grumbled to himself, reinforcing the shield. The force of their clash was enough to shatter it if he relaxed even a moment.
“...Monsters, the both of them.”
It wasn’t clear which of them he meant.
---
In the end, Taesan proved his strength in battle, and Ainzhar was thoroughly convinced.
“If anyone can survive that place... it’s you.”
With that, Ainzhar presented him with a new quest.
**[Subquest Initiated]**
**[Ainzhar, desperate to save his goddess Levienoff, entrusts you with a mission. He sees a glimmer of hope in your power.]**
**[Travel to the remnants of her world, now corrupted by the elder god, and retrieve her sacred relics to restore her essence.]**
**[Conditions: Fully restore the goddess’s state.]**
**[Reward: Ainzhar’s most valued treasures and the goddess’s blessing.]**
“Take your time,” Ainzhar said. “Lady Levienoff’s condition is stable for now, as long as I remain by her side. There’s no need to rush.”
Following his advice, Taesan didn’t hurry to leave.
He spent time on the 78th floor, training with Ainzhar in numerous sparring matches.
As an upper-level immortal, Ainzhar’s guidance sharpened Taesan’s skills, enhancing his proficiency with techniques like the Ailak swordsmanship.
He also continued to explore the Library of All Things, delving deeper into its vast knowledge and discovering additional hidden rooms.
After a month of absorbing what he’d gained and honing his abilities, a new notification appeared before him.
**[Special Quest Initiated]**
**[Return to Earth.]**