Ascension Through Skills

Everything around began to vanish: the deep layers of the labyrinth, the highest level equipment that could be obtained at the end of it.

The overwhelming force spared no one. Lee Taeyeon, too, felt suffocated by the searing heat.

But it didn’t matter.

[You have activated Immortal Shadow.]

Lee Taeyeon’s body was enveloped in shadows.

Even in the light and heat that scorched the world, the shadow surrounding her did not disappear.

It was a part of the shadow that symbolized the darkness existing since the dawn of the world. It couldn’t be erased with mere power.

The monsters’ exoskeletons crumbled under the overwhelming heat. Their entire bodies collapsed and fell apart.

Kuwoooong!

Had it continued, all the monsters would have been burned to ashes, but three double-digit monsters leapt toward the red giant.

Warak!

The bodies of two monsters expanded. Their enlarged and swollen forms absorbed the heat pouring out from the red giant.

Jjejejeok!

As they absorbed the full force of the red giant, the monsters’ bodies turned to sand in an instant.

Then, a single-digit monster seized the moment and twisted its body.

Gathering its amorphous form into one place, it emitted a violet beam that pierced through the world.

The violet power collided with the red giant.

Kuuuuuuung…

The red giant, which had been unleashing power that seemed capable of burning the Earth, slowly sank.

Lee Taeyeon, retrieving the shadow, scowled.

“Only managed to wipe out three?”

The three double-digit monsters that blocked the red giant with their bodies vanished without even leaving dust behind.

But the remaining four monsters, though visibly damaged, hadn’t fallen.

Three monsters had blocked the attack with their bodies, and the single-digit monster had neutralized the red giant with its beam.

“Damn it. That was my trump card.”

She stashed away the staff that had turned black as coal.

The red giant’s staff could only be used once. Moreover, activating the Immortal Shadow meant it would be unusable for a long time. She had intended to take down at least four, but only managed three.

The remaining enemies were three double-digit monsters.

And one single-digit monster.

“Seriously, they’re giving me a hard time.”

She clicked her tongue and quickly made a decision.

She couldn’t fight all four at once.

First, she needed to reduce their numbers.

[You have activated the Breath of the Hiding Rat.]

[You have activated the Hidden Story Unknown to Anyone.]

[You have activated Invisible Shadow.]

She vanished without leaving a trace—no presence, no hint of existence.

The vigilant monsters hesitated.

Lee Taeyeon quietly approached one of the double-digit monsters.

In her hand was a black gem.

“I’ll see you later.”

[You have activated Forced Sealing of the Twisted Space.]

Kiing!

The gem glowed, engulfing one of the double-digit monsters.

Lee Taeyeon swiftly caught the falling gem.

Forced Sealing of the Twisted Space.

It seals beings below a certain level for a period of time. She would have liked to use it on the single-digit monster, but a being of such power couldn’t be sealed.

Now there were three left. Lee Taeyeon quickly took out another item from her inventory.

She grasped a handful of items and scattered them into the air.

[You have used the Relics of the Saint Who Cried for Peace.]

The scattered powder enveloped the single-digit monster, forming a monochromatic prison. The monster moved, but the powder prison showed no signs of wavering.

Relics of the Saint Who Cried for Peace. An item that forcibly excluded the designated target from combat.

Each piece of that powder cost over ten thousand gold.

Now that she was out of the labyrinth, she could no longer obtain this item, so her heart ached, but if it could exclude the single-digit monster, it was worth the expense.

“It would’ve been so convenient if there were a Forced Duel.”

Now there were two double-digit monsters left.

She steadied her breathing. The equipment covering her entire body began to glow.

[You have activated Attack Power Amplification.]

[You have activated Shoes That Run Through Time.]

[You have activated Forced Mental Serenity.]

[You have activated Conversion of Negative Emotions into Attack Power.]

[You have… ]

She activated numerous pieces of equipment and skills she possessed.

Lee Taeyeon dashed forward. Holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, she moved faster than usual.

Tad.

She stomped her foot.

In an instant, she moved above the monster’s head and struck down with her sword.

[You have activated Critical Spot Designation.]

[You have activated Addition.]

Kwoooong!

With a loud noise, the monster’s body trembled.

[32,421 damage dealt to Monster 43.]

Kaak! Kakak!

She continued to swing her sword. The giant monster kept getting pushed back by Lee Taeyeon, who seemed like a speck compared to it.

The other monster did not stay idle and pressured Lee Taeyeon, swinging numerous arms to strike her down.

Tad.

Lee Taeyeon stomped her foot and raised her shield.

Kaaaang!

The monster was repelled by the recoil. Lee Taeyeon pushed off her feet and drove her sword into the chest of the flying monster.

The two double-digit monsters were foes she could take down alone. She drew out her staff and aimed it at the monster on the ground.

[You have activated the Remnants of Countless Falling Stars.]

Light began pouring down on the monster like a waterfall.

The monster’s entire body shook violently under the impact. Though it wasn’t on the level of the red giant, it was still a superior staff with considerable power.

Lee Taeyeon swiftly disposed of one of the monsters.

She then raised her shield towards the remaining monster, charging at it like a tank.

Kaaaang!

“Ugh!”

She let out a small groan as a heavy force pressed against her from beyond the shield.

But it wasn’t enough to push her back. She steadied herself, reinforcing her stance, and pushed the shield forward.

Kuwoong!

The monster was repelled.

It was a shield she had bought on the 100th floor. If the attack could be withstood by physical strength, it had the effect of bouncing it off without any damage.

She stomped her foot and rushed toward the repelled monster, pressuring it.

Kwaak.

A long gash was drawn across the monster’s chest. It was the moment she was about to deliver the finishing blow.

[Your Line of Death has been activated.]

Chill.

For a moment, her instincts warned her.

If she moved now, she would die.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

She clenched her teeth as the ring on her left hand shone.

[You have activated Limited Spatial Movement.]

Lee Taeyeon teleported behind the monster, and at that instant, light burst forth.

The prison made of the saint’s relics shattered as a violet beam surged out.

Kwaadeudeuk!

The monster, hit by the beam, was pierced and disappeared.

She hurriedly raised her shield against the monster that couldn’t even serve as a shield.

Kaaang!

The violet beam clashed with the shield, and her pupils widened.

The shield was melting away in an instant.

“Damn!”

She hastily opened her inventory. Twisting the shield, she threw a piece of distorted space towards the beam.

[You have activated Fragment of Distorted Space.]

The space twisted, distorting the light.

The Fragment of Distorted Space was an item that twisted the very fabric of space to perfectly block an opponent’s attack. It was a reliable item that had never failed her before.

But a sudden chill ran down her spine, and she quickly activated her skill.

[You have activated Fortification.]

[You have activated First Attack Weakening.]

Kiiing!

The beam split into dozens of rays, collapsing everything around.

Her pupils widened.

The distorted space was being destroyed by the violet beam.

[32,421 damage dealt to you.]

“Ugh!”

She groaned, barely managing to stay on her feet.

“…Ha.”

A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

The Fragment of Distorted Space had been breached.

Even with Fortification and First Attack Weakening activated, it still inflicted 32,000 damage.

If she had taken the hit directly, it would have been enough to kill her several times over.

“Haa.”

She sighed deeply and looked at the single-digit monster.

An opponent she wasn’t sure she could defeat.

The only relief was that all the other monsters had been dealt with, leaving a 1:1 situation.

[You have activated Ten Thousand Possibilities.]

The simulation began. Scenarios unfolded in Lee Taeyeon’s mind, one by one.

Countless possibilities were calculated in an instant, leading to a conclusion.

This was her unique skill, one that even Taesan did not possess. A skill that calculated and predicted the future, determining ten thousand possibilities, opening the path to victory.

The first scenario: relying on the staff’s magic. The result was her death.

The second scenario: using up all of the Fragments of Distorted Space. The result was her death.

The third scenario: using the various potions she had on hand. The result was her death.

The 7,822nd scenario: concealing herself and continually targeting the monster’s openings, fighting for an extended period.

The result was her victory.

The answer was clear.

“No.”

But she erased the answer.

Her stealth skills were undetectable even by the monster. From previous experiences, she knew this well.

If she concealed herself and kept harassing the monster, slowly chipping away at its strength, she could win.

But then the monster would turn its attention to others instead of Lee Taeyeon.

There was no way anyone other than Taesan could stop a single-digit monster.

So, she would face it head-on, without retreating.

With that condition set, she activated Ten Thousand Possibilities once more.

Ten thousand simulations. All results led to her death.

[You have activated Ten Thousand Exclusions.]

[You have activated Ten Thousand Possibilities.]

Once again, she ran the simulations, excluding all previously failed scenarios. The result remained unchanged. Only her death awaited.

She didn’t stop.

She activated Ten Thousand Possibilities dozens of times in an instant. The process didn’t even take two seconds.

[You have activated Ten Thousand Possibilities.]

Another ten thousand simulations.

The result was 9,999 deaths.

And one victory.

“Let’s go.”

She took a step forward. There was no time to hesitate. To reach that one possibility out of hundreds of thousands, she could not waver.

Without hesitation, forward.

Tad.

She charged toward the monster. Opening her inventory, she scattered powder.

[You have activated Countless Intricately Embroidered Pieces.]

The powder spread out, encompassing the monster. At the same time, her senses synchronized with it.

Every place the powder spread expanded her sensory range.

The amorphous monster rippled. There were no visible signs, but Lee Taeyeon, who had scattered the intricately embroidered pieces, knew what the monster was aiming for.

Tat.

Lee Taeyeon twisted her body.

Simultaneously, dozens of violet beams pierced through the ground, spreading out in all directions.

Kuguguguung!

Each one of them held enough power to kill her the moment they touched. She suppressed the chilling sensation and rushed toward the monster.

The monster’s beams were near-instantaneous, without any indication, but her expanded senses allowed her to predict even that.

She dodged the beams and closed the distance to the monster.

The monster’s attack was a linear violet beam. Once she was close, avoiding it became easier.

She gritted her teeth.

Kiiing!

The beam fired again. Lee Taeyeon, having read its movements, narrowly avoided it.

“Got it!”

Lee Taeyeon, now close enough, raised her staff.

[You have activated Sure-Hit Thunderbolt.]

Kureureung!

A bolt of lightning struck down, piercing the monster.

The monster’s movements momentarily froze.

Sure-Hit Thunderbolt: it always hit its target and temporarily paralyzed the struck opponent. Although highly effective, its range was short, so one must get close to the enemy.

Up to this point, everything was perfect. She immediately closed the distance to the paralyzed monster, drawing her sword and driving it into the creature.

Kwaak.

The sword pierced the monster.

The amorphous being gathered its strength. Lee Taeyeon, reading its movements, quickly stepped aside.

[You have activated Step of Time.]

For a moment, everything seemed to slow down as if time had stopped. Lee Taeyeon swiftly moved behind the monster.

Time resumed its flow and a unified beam turned the direction she had been in to dust.

She plunged her sword deep into the monster’s body and threw a potion there.

Chiiiiiik!

A corrosive sound was heard as the amorphous entity began to burn away.

A smile crept onto her lips.

The potion she used was the Saint’s Divine Blood. It burns the body and soul of beings rejected by divinity.

It worked on the monster. The creature, now visibly in pain, slowed down.

She kept driving her sword into it.

The monster continued to release beams, but Lee Taeyeon, who could read its movements, dodged them all.

“I can win!”

She gripped her sword tightly.

With her heart racing, she continued her assault on the monster.

There were moments of danger. When she couldn’t avoid the torrent of beams and was hit, she endured using the effects of the equipment covering her body.

Countless wounds began to form on the amorphous body. She narrowly avoided the onslaught, gradually accumulating damage.

And then, the end came.

She instinctively realized it. If she delivered this one final blow, she could defeat it.

Kiiing!

She dodged the incoming light and raised her sword.

At that moment, when her mind was filled with the thought of victory,

Grab.

“Huh?”

Her arm was suddenly grabbed by someone.

When she turned her gaze, she saw that one of the monsters had caught her arm.

“Oh.”

It was the monster she had sealed using the Forced Sealing of the Twisted Space gem. After an hour, it had broken free from the seal.

Ten Thousand Possibilities ran its simulations based on her assumptions.

External interference was not calculated.

Kiiing.

The amorphous monster began to prepare to emit light. She tried to move her body hastily, but her reaction was too slow.

Before she could dodge, the light was unleashed.

All the equipment she had to save her life was already used up.

She was going to die.

That thought filled her mind.

[Kang Taesan has activated Temporary Time Stop.]

[Time within 100 meters of you will stop for 2 minutes.]

The monster that was about to emit light came to a halt.

“Huh?”

Lee Taeyeon twisted her arm, crushing and throwing away the double-digit monster that had grabbed her.

“That was close.”

Lee Taeyeon looked blankly in the direction of the voice.

There stood Taesan.

“Taesan…”

“Temporary Time Stop doesn’t distinguish between friend or foe. I was a bit late trying to gauge the distance. Sorry.”

Taesan approached, his face weary.

“Finish it.”

“Ah, okay.”

Lee Taeyeon plunged her sword into the frozen monster.

The amorphous entity burst, scattering its energy in all directions.

One of the double-digit monsters charged at them, but with Taesan and Lee Taeyeon moving together, it was defeated in an instant.

“Did we win?”

“We won, that’s why I’m here. The others were victories too.”

“…I see.”

They had won.

They had survived. Lee Taeyeon finally felt a sense of relief settle in her chest. Seeing her collapse from exhaustion, Taesan’s expression turned bitter.

“It’s unfortunate… but it doesn’t seem like we can afford to celebrate.”

Only then did Lee Taeyeon realize the number of presences she sensed had noticeably decreased.

They had indeed won this battle.

But that didn’t mean everyone survived.

“Still, a victory is a victory, so we can at least celebrate for now. Let’s head back.”

Taesan turned around. Lee Taeyeon, staring blankly at his back, staggered as she stood up.

The result of the battle.

The defeat of all the monsters.

And the death of nearly half of the remaining survivors.

The complete destruction of the city that she and the others had worked so hard to build.

They had achieved a Pyrrhic victory.