Leveling Up With Skills - Chapter 260: The Saint of the Ancient God (1)

“W-What do you want?”

“The thorn. And the location of the saint guarding it. Tell me.”

The demon babbled hurriedly, sharing all the information he knew. Taesan listened carefully, committing the details to memory, then let go of the demon.

“Gah! Cough, cough!”

“Get lost.”

“…R-Really?”

“I said I’d let you live. Or do you want me to kill you?”

“N-No!”

The demon shook his head furiously and ran off without looking back.

“Good.”

Taesan now knew the location: to the north, roughly a month’s journey by the demons’ pace. For Taesan, however, it wouldn’t take nearly that long.

Before setting out for the thorn, Taesan opened the system window he had hidden earlier.

[Your Soul Rank Enhancement has been activated.]
[The proficiency of Twisted Spirit Coordination has increased by 8%.]
[You have acquired the passive skill: **Cradle Nestled in the Abyss**.]

Though the increase in proficiency wasn’t enormous, taking down multiple opponents had made meaningful progress—and he had gained a new skill in the process.

—

**Passive Skill: Cradle Nestled in the Abyss**
– **Proficiency**: 1%
– **Effect**: Those who dwell in the dark abyss recognize it as their sanctuary, receiving power from it. When within a domain influenced by the ancient god, you can draw upon its strength. However, excessive use may affect your mental state.

—

The demons here had lived in the abandoned land for countless years. Over time, their lifespans had withered, and their souls had become bound to the land itself. This new skill seemed to allow Taesan to tap into that power.

As an experiment, Taesan tried drawing on the energy spread throughout the land. Immediately, he felt the power seep into him.

*Grrrrk…*

His body began to twist, and a strange sensation crept into the depths of his mind, as if something within him was starting to change.

“This isn’t going to be easy to use.”

If he overused it, he could end up like the twisted demons—completely ruined. However, if wielded carefully, it could significantly enhance his strength. It wasn’t a bad skill, but it required caution.

“Found him!”

*Crunch.*

Taesan crushed the head of an excited demon with a quick stomp.

[You have activated Perfect Fairy Wings.]
Wings unfolded behind him.

[You have activated Deer Walking the Wind.]
The wind wrapped around his body.

The journey to the thorn would take at least a day, even at full speed. Taesan planned to conserve his energy as much as possible along the way.

“Minerva, follow me.”

With a quiet murmur, Taesan soared toward the location the demon had mentioned. He could sense Minerva flying swiftly behind him.

The landscape blurred as they sped through it. Demons who spotted Taesan shouted in alarm, only to be left in stunned silence as he flew past them. Those who tried to chase after him found the distance between them increasing rapidly.

Behind him, Minerva clicked her tongue in frustration.

“You’re too fast. Even I’m struggling to keep up.”

“Hi-hic!”

In Minerva’s arms, Annetsha clung tightly, her face pale with fear.

Minerva’s speed was like a storm—weak demons were torn apart just by the force of her passing. Even so, she couldn’t catch up to Taesan. As a spirit king, she was holding back to avoid being forcibly unsummoned, but it was still frustrating.

“As a king, I can’t afford to complain.”

With a determined expression, Minerva pushed herself harder.

Meanwhile, Taesan continued his relentless pace.

Though demons tried to intercept him, it was futile. Every time the wind wrapped around him, they exploded on contact, unable to withstand his power.

There were still five Fingers unaccounted for, but they hadn’t shown themselves. Taesan had a good idea of what they were planning.

A week passed.

Finally, Taesan reached his destination.

“It really is a thorn.”

Before him stood a massive black thorn embedded deep into the earth. It was as tall as a mountain, radiating a palpable aura of power.

‘…It’s similar to the rift in Earth’s sky.’

Though the rift on Earth was far stronger, the feeling emanating from this thorn was oddly familiar.

“Whew. Master.”

Minerva arrived shortly after, taking a moment to catch her breath. Annetsha stumbled to the ground, struggling to steady herself.

“Ugh…”

“Are you okay?”

“N-No…”

Annetsha curled up, trying to gather her strength.

Varkaza, who arrived last, grumbled in annoyance.

[You’re too fast. If the king hadn’t lent me power, I’d still be far behind.]

“I did slow down for your sake, you know.”

If Taesan had gone at full speed, Minerva would have been unsummoned by now.

Varkaza snorted.

[You’re a monster.]

“So, what’s the plan now?”

“First… we move closer. And we’ll deal with whatever’s waiting ahead.”

In front of the thorn, a large group of demons awaited them.

Among them, five particularly strong demons stood out. One of them grinned triumphantly as he spotted Taesan.

“See? I told you he’d come this way. There was no need to run all over the place.”

“Hmm… You were right. I wasn’t sure, but it looks like you called it,” a woman with a rapier said, stepping forward with a sly smile.

“I am the Second Finger, proud servant of the great god. Did you meet the other Fingers along the way?”

Taesan gave a small nod.

The woman’s smile widened.

“So you’ve defeated them all to make it here? Wonderful. This means I’ll become the First Finger now.”

She giggled, her laughter full of excitement.

“Now the great god will take notice of me!”

“Is that so?”

Taesan calmly unsheathed his sword.

The woman twirled her rapier playfully.
“You must be strong if you beat the other Fingers. But they weren’t weak either.”

Her eyes narrowed as she studied Taesan.

“You used up a lot of energy fighting them, didn’t you? And you burned even more rushing here to avoid the other demons.”

Taesan realized what these demons had been waiting for—they had planned this ambush.

The woman stomped her foot gleefully.

“I gambled, and it paid off!”

The other Fingers had targeted Taesan, only for him to defeat them. Now, weakened from the battles and the journey, he was vulnerable.

“Hyenas.”

Every demon here had gathered in hopes of exploiting this opportunity.

The demons that weren’t Fingers were likely betting on the possibility that the Fingers might fail. And when Taesan was weakened, they would strike.

“Call it whatever you like. The only thing that matters is victory.”

The woman grinned, baring her teeth.

“Then die!”

She lunged, her movements frantic, as if terrified someone else might steal her chance.

*Whizz!*

Her rapier aimed straight for Taesan’s head.

Taesan calmly raised his hand.

*Bang!*

A gust of wind exploded, slamming into the woman’s face and throwing her off balance.

“Huh?”

Her rapier was caught between Taesan’s fingers.

“It wasn’t a bad move. You aimed well.”

But her premise was flawed.

Taesan hadn’t weakened to the point of sustaining injuries from fighting the Fingers.

*Crunch.*

“Urgh…”

His sword pierced her chest. Blood spilled from her mouth as she staggered back.

“W-Wait!”

“I don’t have time to waste.”

[You have activated Frozen World.]
[You have activated Starlight Arrow.]

The freezing wind howled around them, and the woman recoiled in panic.

*Crack-crack-crack!*

She narrowly avoided being enveloped by the frost, but others nearby weren’t as fortunate—they were frozen solid.

Taesan swiftly released an arrow of light from his hand.

A blinding flash illuminated the space between them.

“Aaaah!”

The woman’s body ignited, flames consuming her. The other Fingers fared no better—their abilities were inadequate to withstand the attack.

With the enemies disoriented in the blinding light, Taesan closed the distance.

His sword pierced a heart.

“Ugh…”

One by one, the Fingers fell, unable to react in time. They had assumed Taesan was weakened, which only made it easier for him to cut them down.

“Hyenas are all the same.”

Having dispatched them all swiftly, Taesan turned his gaze toward the thorn.

The thorn was enclosed in a massive black wall that exuded a powerful energy. Waves of force radiated outward, spreading the influence of the ancient god’s domain.

And beside the thorn, Taesan sensed someone.

“Take care of the twisted demons heading this way.”

“Understood.”
[Understood, Master.]
“I’ll do my best.”

Leaving his companions to handle the approaching demons, Taesan approached the black wall.

He placed his hand against it and pushed. With a deafening crash, the wall crumbled, shards scattering toward the thorn.

And then, darkness stirred.

The shards flying toward the thorn were swallowed instantly, disappearing without a trace.

“You’re quite the reckless one.”

A soft voice echoed—gentle, and strangely soothing, as if it had nothing to do with the violence surrounding them.

“This thorn was left to us by our god as his final gift. I cannot allow anything to touch it.”

A man clad in black appeared.

His long hair trailed down to the back of his neck, and his face looked so delicate that it seemed he couldn’t harm a fly.

He smiled at Taesan, smoothing out his clothes.

“Greetings, powerful one.”

Bowing slightly, he introduced himself in a soft voice.

“I am Ilraine, though weak in body, I bear the title of saint bestowed upon me by the great one.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Taesan unsheathed his sword. His stance made it clear he was ready to strike at any moment, but Ilraine calmly raised a hand.

“I don’t intend to deny your actions. We are destined to fight, after all. But before that, would you indulge me in a brief conversation?”

Taesan studied Ilraine’s face.

There was no malice in the saint’s expression.

However, anyone who had followed the ancient god for countless years couldn’t possibly be sane. Taesan knew not to trust appearances, but for now, he lowered his sword.

The saint of the ancient god wished to talk.

And Taesan had his own questions.

Ilraine smiled gently.

“Thank you.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

“It’s a simple matter—quite straightforward, really.”

Looking Taesan in the eye, Ilraine asked,

“When you set foot in this land, our great one directed a particular emotion toward you. Do you know what it was?”

“Greed.”

The ancient god had shown Taesan greed.

Ilraine nodded.

“Indeed, and that is quite strange.”

The ancient gods were beings of perfection from birth. Their power neither diminished nor faded, and their might was unparalleled.

Even the transcendent beings struggled to oppose them, a testament to their overwhelming strength.

Yet, such a being had displayed greed toward a mere mortal like Taesan.

“Though you are strong, you are still far from a transcendent or an immortal. At best, your strength lies in potential, not in realization.”

“So it wasn’t my strength that attracted him.”

Ilraine’s smile deepened.

“What do you think the great one desires from you? Why do you think he hasn’t tried to kill you?”

He lowered his voice to a near whisper.

“You already know the answer.”

Taesan didn’t need to think for long.

What could the ancient god desire from him?

It wasn’t simple power.

There was only one thing he possessed that could catch the eye of a god.

**Soul Rank Enhancement.**

The ancient god coveted the power Taesan had obtained by absorbing his essence.

And more than that—the **boundary** forged by fusing divine power with the ancient god’s essence.