[You have activated Frozen World.]
A blizzard raged. The power contained within was of a completely different level from before.
Crack! Creak!
A massive wall of ice surged up ahead. Pillars of ice raced forward, freezing the shadow in place.
Taesan exhaled. The cold air froze instantly and dropped to the ground.
Even without using Forced Amplification, the power he produced was similar.
The black magic was no different.
[You have activated Marbas' Pitch-Black Wave.]
A black wave surged forth. The strength within it was even more intense and fierce than before.
Boom!
The entire body of the shadow quivered as it clashed with the wave.
The growth in Proficiency had been slow, but the resulting change was clear.
It had already been one of his main skills, but its value had now risen further.
Taesan still wasn’t satisfied. This was a rare opponent who could help him easily increase his Proficiency. Ideally, he wanted to bring all his skills to 100%.
However, the limit was approaching.
The Shadow Maw had grown so massive that it could no longer support its own weight.
“If I push it any further, it’ll be dangerous.”
Taesan continued to attack the Shadow Maw with magic and black magic. Minerva and Barkaza assisted him.
The shadow, after endlessly consuming power, had reached its limit.
Left alone, it would self-destruct. It was time to end it.
“It’s a pity, but there’s no choice.”
The blackness on Taesan’s sword thickened, and a golden hue began to overlay it.
The gold and black mixed together, creating a grayish power.
Suppressing the power imbued in his sword, Taesan stomped forward. He charged at the bloated shadow, swinging his sword.
Boom!
The gray light exploded, engulfing the shadow. Even in its overextended state, the shadow instinctively tried to devour the gray light.
Crunch.
But it was impossible.
The shadow couldn’t consume the gray light. It was as if the power belonged to an entirely different dimension, one that it wasn’t allowed to touch.
The shadow stared at the small figure that had driven a sword into its body.
It had devoured countless powers and transcended its limits. It was infinitely unstable, yet at the same time, it had reached a state it had never attained before.
Thus, it could understand.
The small figure before it was like the being that had summoned it to this world. It was an entity it could not consume.
No, to be precise, it was somewhat different.
This being was even more foreign.
It was darker, and something about it was different.
Though it could not be devoured, the essence was fundamentally twisted in some way.
The Shadow Maw finally realized. No matter how much power it consumed and how much stronger it became, it could never reach the level of the small figure before it.
With that realization, the entire body of the shadow was engulfed in the gray light.
The power that twisted the laws of nature swallowed it whole.
Boom!
[You have defeated the Shadow Maw.]
Taesan sheathed his sword.
He could now use the boundary somewhat safely. It was still dangerous and unstable, but unlike the first time, Taesan no longer had to risk his life to use it.
The power that the Shadow Maw had possessed was absorbed by Taesan.
As he silently observed the transfer of power, Taesan’s eyebrow twitched.
The Shadow Maw was a monster that devoured and plundered power. In some ways, it was similar to Soul Ascension.
Perhaps because of that, Soul Ascension had been triggered in a rather peculiar way.
[Your level has increased.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Your Soul Ascension has activated. Your health has permanently increased by 6,211.]
[Your Soul Ascension has activated. The proficiency of Seed of Life has increased by 22%.]
[Your Soul Ascension has activated. You have acquired the Source of Devouring.]
At the same time, Taesan sensed that something had changed.
A more fundamental transformation had taken place.
Taesan opened his skill window.
[Special Continuous Activation Skill: Seed of Life]
[Proficiency: 26%]
[Absorb a portion of the power contained within consumed life. It assists Soul Ascension, allowing for an extremely delicate adjustment.]
sytem_end
“...Adjustment of Soul Ascension?”
No matter how many times he checked, it was certain.
A new phrase had appeared in the description of Seed of Life, stating that it now adjusted Soul Ascension.
“Adjustment, huh?”
Taesan quietly read the description of Seed of Life after sending Minerva and Barkaza away.
Soul Ascension was one of Taesan’s most important skills.
It allowed him to plunder an opponent’s stats and acquire numerous skills, including the divine and black attributes.
However, it was also a power that Taesan could not control. Despite the many powers and skills he had accumulated while descending through the labyrinth, Soul Ascension would activate on its own, as if he wasn’t yet qualified to control it.
But now it could be adjusted. Even the ghost seemed puzzled.
[You can adjust that? Is that really possible?]
From the ghost’s perspective, Soul Ascension was a power not granted to mortals. It didn’t know how Taesan had acquired it, but it seemed to be a skill that couldn’t be controlled until one reached a certain level.
Taesan, who had been staring at the skill window, stood up.
He began searching for shadows in the surroundings.
Soon, he found a wriggling shadow crawling through the darkness.
Crunch.
The stats of the clear rewards were twice as high as any equipment he had obtained so far. Moreover, it had the special effect of resistance.
“Specialized for electricity, huh.”
While it might not have much use generally, it seemed like it could come in handy in specific situations.
After organizing the rewards, Taesan stepped onto the 72nd floor.
He moved deeper into the abyss.
[Quest on the 72nd floor initiated.]
[Pass the Trial of the Gods.]
[Reward: A belt created by the master of the ferocious domain.]
[Secret Reward: ???]
As soon as he entered the 72nd floor, the space split open, and a demon god appeared.
[The next battle will take place on the 73rd floor.]
“Understood.”
Taesan nodded. The demon god, having informed him of the schedule, disappeared with a grin.
The 73rd floor. It was sooner than he expected. Just one more floor, and it would be time to face the guide again.
After passing the shopkeeper, Taesan arrived at the 72nd floor, where there was a divine altar.
The gloomy atmosphere suggested that the altar’s master governed something sinister.
[You have discovered Rigrit’s Altar.]
[First Discovery Bonus]
[Strength permanently increased by 200, Intelligence by 100, Mana by 200.]
It was a small but pleasant bonus for a first discovery.
The ghost muttered quietly.
[Rigrit, the God of Regret.]
The God of Regret.
Taesan gazed at the altar.
The altar had a metaphysical appearance, as if it was rejecting and excluding everything it touched.
[Ugh... of all gods, why this one?]
“Do you know this god?”
[I haven’t met them in the labyrinth. But in the outside world, yes.]
There was a deep aversion in the ghost’s voice when speaking about the God of Regret. It was the first time the ghost had shown such strong rejection towards a particular god.
[It’s personal, so don’t worry about it. Rigrit isn’t a good god, but he’s not particularly bad either.]
“Will clearing the 72nd floor be as simple as passing the god’s trial?”
[From this point onward, there are several floors like that. However, the trials demanded are much harsher. They’re much closer to the essence of the gods.]
After gazing at the altar for a moment, Taesan placed his hand on it. Since it was a clear condition, there was no option to ignore it and move on.
[Subquest started.]
[Rigrit wants to test you after you have come to his altar. If you accept, the trial will begin. Rewards will follow if you succeed.]
[Reward: Determined by Rigrit based on your performance.]
“I accept.”
Taesan spoke.
The power materialized, and the presence of the altar’s master began to manifest.
[Rigrit proposes an enhanced trial.]
Taesan nodded. He had anticipated this, so it wasn’t surprising.
With a quiet chuckle, the world began to shift.
In the twisting space, Taesan thought.
‘The God of Regret, huh.’
The gods each delivered trials that matched their domains.
Considering that the God of Despair had simulated a ruined Earth for him, the God of Regret would likely do something similar.
What would his regret be? If he thought simply, it would be his choice of Easy Mode at the start. Or perhaps it was one of the many events that happened as he descended the labyrinth, or even something from Earth.
Taesan steeled himself for any possibility.
The twisting space began to target its subject.
[Rigrit’s authority manifests. Rigrit’s domain of interference decreases.]
[Rigrit designates the target of his authority.]
The power began to flow from the altar. Taesan waited silently as the power approached.
[......Huh?]
But the power wasn’t headed for Taesan.
Rigrit’s power was aimed at the ghost.
[Wait.]
The ghost panicked as the power surrounded him. However, the unleashed force paid no heed to his confusion, and the space-time distortion exploded.
[Quest condition: Defeat the Demon King and save the collapsing world from a memory.]
[Quest reward: Depends on the emotions of the owner of the collapsing world.]
The world changed.
Taesan found himself in a small room.
He looked around. The room, adorned with various jewels and decorations, was so extravagant that it would seem impossible, even for royalty.
“What is this?”
Taesan turned his head to look at the ghost. Since Rigrit’s power was targeting the ghost, it was likely that this place was within the ghost’s memory.
Then, Taesan froze.
There was a man in the room.
Platinum blonde hair, neither too fine nor too thick. A textbook example of a handsome man.
And clothes that were proof of his noble status.
Taesan had seen that face before. It was the face of the ghost when he appeared during the Trial of the Sword.
But this version looked younger.
As if it was the ghost from before he entered the labyrinth.
“You?”
“...Who are you?”
The Prince of the Destroyed World, Bradley, stared at Taesan with a cautious look.