Leveling Up With Skills - Chapter 271: Floor 61, Trial Grounds (2)

“The weak are unworthy of descending further.”

Beldenkia spoke.

“My trial serves as a baseline. If you can’t surpass it, going further will only lead to your death.”

The Depths.

The first obstacle on the path to that place.

That was the 61st floor.

‘How long did Lee Taeyeon say it took her?’

She had said it took her three months. By the time she barely managed to pass, Beldenkia had looked at her with an incredulous expression.

‘Well, a pass is a pass, but… this is absurd. Is this even a way to pass?’

Beldenkia, who had faced countless adventurers over an unimaginable period, had let out a bitter laugh when he saw her.

Taesan didn’t know what method she used to pass. But it was clear that someone as timid as her wouldn’t have done it in a straightforward way.

“Will you accept it?”

“Yes.”

Taesan replied.

“Then I’ll explain the rules.”

Beldenkia fidgeted with his hat.

“You probably saw it in the system, but you get to choose a single power. It doesn’t matter if it’s something you acquired in the labyrinth or gained yourself outside.”

Beldenkia tapped the floor with his staff. Magic spread from the ground, and a magic circle began to form.

“Swordsmanship. Labyrinth skills. Magic… Choose one of the powers you possess. All the others will be sealed.”

“Win using only one ability?”

“Exactly. The trial tests how you use that ability and how proficient you are with it.”

Numerous geometric patterns engraved themselves onto the magic circle, drawn before Beldenkia.

“You can challenge the trial only once per day, and it has levels. If we talk in terms of stages, it ranges from 1 to 10. Stage 1 is the easiest, and 10 is the hardest.”

“How difficult are they?”

“You’ve encountered those strange beings, the Guides of Sin, on your way here, haven’t you?”

Taesan nodded. Beldenkia continued.

“Stage 1 is at the level of the boss monster from the 60th floor.”

A boss monster of the 60th floor. That wasn’t an easy opponent.

All the adventurers who reached the 61st floor had defeated the 60th-floor boss, but that was when they used everything they had.

Fighting with only one ability? It was a sure loss. Now Taesan understood why it took Lee Taeyeon over three months.

“Can one die during the trial?”

“You might get pushed to the brink, but you won’t die. I told you, this is a trial. Death would defeat the purpose.”

This meant unlimited attempts without fear of death.

“What about Stage 10?”

“Don’t even think about it. It’s not a difficulty level designed to be cleared in the first place. Will you accept it?”

“Yes.”

“Then wait a moment.”

Beldenkia pointed his staff at Taesan.

[Beldenkia has activated the Labyrinth Authority: Identify Subject.]

“This is a skill I gained when I became bound to this place. It lets me determine what kind of power the adventurer possesses. It wouldn’t make sense for an examiner to be clueless, right?”

Beldenkia examined Taesan, his expression twisting shortly afterward.

“What is this?”

“What’s the matter?”

“Magic? Fine. But black magic? How does a human like you possess that?”

“I received it from a demon god.”

“…A demon god?”

Beldenkia seemed utterly confused. He finally managed to speak.

“You can challenge with swordsmanship, magic, black magic, or spirit arts. Alchemy isn’t developed enough, so it’s out of the question.”

After a brief moment of consideration, Taesan spoke.

“Then I’ll start with swordsmanship.”

“Fine.”

Beldenkia casually tapped the completed magic circle with his staff.

The magic circle began to glow.

“If it’s swordsmanship… this guy should be suitable. What difficulty level will you choose?”

“Stage 10, please.”

At Taesan’s words, Beldenkia quietly unleashed his power.

“Facing reality and giving up isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

[Beldenkia has activated Manifestation.]

The magic circle materialized. A knight clad in crimson armor wielding a lance appeared.

Clang.

[All abilities except swordsmanship have been sealed.]

‘This is…’

It was strong.

Its strength was comparable to the Shield of the Spirit King. This was not an opponent that should appear on the 61st floor.

“I told you, it’s impossible to clear.”

Beldenkia raised his staff.

“Sometimes, taking a beating and realizing the truth isn’t a bad thing. Let’s begin.”

Boom.

The knight stomped the ground, sending shockwaves as its lance hurtled toward Taesan’s head.

Taesan stood still, not even attempting to track the knight’s movement.

Beldenkia watched the scene calmly.

Taesan’s choice wasn’t uncommon. Many had risked their lives, overcoming all odds to descend to this point. Such individuals were supremely confident in themselves.

Upon hearing Beldenkia’s explanation, the first thing they usually attempted was clearing Stage 10 of the trial.

The only adventurer who didn’t select Stage 10 and started at Stage 1 in their first attempt was Lee Taeyeon in her previous life.

In other words, every adventurer Beldenkia had ever seen chose Stage 10. And every single one of them was crushed in an instant.

This one would be no different. While he didn’t seem weak—especially with a ghost at his side—Stage 10 exceeded the limits of the 61st floor.

After attempting Stage 10 and being thoroughly defeated, he would lower the difficulty one step at a time. Ultimately, he would barely scrape through Stage 1, exhausted and battered.

Then he would celebrate his meager success and descend further.

It was always the same.

Beldenkia detested their weakness. That they could carry such meager strength yet still possess confidence.

‘When will I ever…’

He no longer had any expectations.

Beldenkia sighed and prepared to heal Taesan, who was surely about to be shattered.

Clang!

The sound of clashing metal echoed. Beldenkia’s pupils widened.

Taesan had deflected the knight’s charge with his sword.

Taesan’s blade moved. As an afterimage traced its path, the knight’s lance shuddered violently.

Clang!

Sparks flew.

Movements faster than sound clashed against each other. Taesan’s sword struck down. The knight swung its lance to deflect it.

Clang!

Taesan retreated, calmly observing the knight.

Beldenkia stared at the scene, dumbfounded.

“What?”

“You’re fast, after all.”

The knight was as strong as the Shield of the Spirit King. Objectively, it surpassed the 70th floor.

However, without the equipment of the Depths, it posed no significant problem for Taesan. His current stats, amplified by spirit ascension, far surpassed that level.

But Beldenkia, unaware of this, couldn’t comprehend what was unfolding before his eyes.

‘…Is he overpowering it?’

Beldenkia was a mage.

A mage seeks to understand the principles and laws of things, to grasp their essence.

Through his descent into the labyrinth, he had observed and comprehended much.

He knew that the knight’s stats at Stage 10 were beyond what anyone could achieve, even with everything from the 60th floor in near perfection. It was entirely out of their league.

In other words, Stage 10 wasn’t designed to be winnable.

The only conceivable path was to challenge it repeatedly, memorizing the knight’s actions to the point of perfection and devising a strategy.

But no one had ever succeeded. It wasn’t an easy task. It required years of commitment. Even then, success wasn’t guaranteed.

As such, most lowered their difficulty after a few attempts.

Yet…

However.

This was different.

*Clang!*

The lance and sword collided, both weapons rebounding.

There was almost no discernible difference in power.

Even Beldenkia, who had overcome countless trials and adversities, could not accept what was unfolding before him—it was an utterly unreasonable spectacle.

And it didn’t end there.

*Thud.*

Taesan stomped the ground.

[You have activated Acceleration.]

“What?”

Beldenkia was even more shocked. This was clearly a swordsmanship trial, yet Taesan was using skills? Beldenkia hastily checked the trial’s status, but everything was proceeding normally.

“What in the world are you?”

For the first time in centuries, Beldenkia felt confusion.

Meanwhile, the battle continued.

Taesan’s rapid charge caught the knight off guard, forcing it to block the attack belatedly. The delayed reaction caused the knight to be pushed back.

[You have activated Strong Strike.]

*Clang!*

The swing of Taesan’s sword carried overwhelming force. The knight’s body was steadily pushed back.

*Boom!*

The knight resisted, bracing itself with its rear foot while thrusting its lance. The lance aimed to pierce Taesan’s head, but Taesan moved his sword.

[You have activated Deflection.]

The trajectory of the lance twisted.

Taesan seized the opportunity, plunging his sword deep into the knight’s exposed body.

The knight struggled violently, whipping its lance around like a flail.

Instead of retreating, Taesan moved closer.

[You have activated Evasion.]

*Boom!*

Taesan parried and dodged every swing of the knight’s lance, slipping underneath it. He followed up with an upward slash.

[You have activated Leap.]

*Crunch.*

The knight’s body was launched into the air.

Taesan stomped the ground again.

It was a one-sided battle. Taesan’s stats had grown even further after clearing the 60th floor. At this point, even a foe at the 70th-floor level could no longer overwhelm him.

Moreover, Taesan wielded the *Ability Sword*, the pinnacle of swordsmanship. With both superior skills and stats, this fight posed no challenge.

Beldenkia could only watch in a daze.

*Crunch.*

Ten minutes later, the knight dissolved into dust, a sword embedded in its chest.

[Ability Sword proficiency has increased by 1%.]

It was decent experience. Lately, Taesan had relied more on other abilities, making less frequent use of the *Ability Sword*. Using it as his main tool like this helped him regain his sense of it.

“Is that it?”

“…Yes.”

Beldenkia slowly nodded.

His gaze toward Taesan was strange.

A mixture of astonishment, disbelief, and anticipation.

After staring at Taesan for a moment, Beldenkia finally spoke.

“Congratulations. You’ve passed the trial.”

He seemed about to ask something, likely about how Taesan managed to use skills during a swordsmanship trial.

Before he could, Taesan answered.

“This is my swordsmanship.”

“A swordsmanship that uses skills?”

“Yes. A style of my own creation, crafted in the labyrinth.”

“…Unique.”

Beldenkia’s face was full of curiosity.

But instead of asking more, he changed the subject.

“Are you going to descend now?”

Clearing the trial allowed access to the 62nd floor. However, Taesan shook his head.

“No. I’ll take every trial I can.”

The more trials he cleared, the greater the rewards. Settling for just this wasn’t an option.

Beldenkia let out a groan.

“Of course. Then there’s a problem. You can’t do anything for the rest of the day.”

“Is it impossible to take another trial immediately?”

“It’s a rule of the labyrinth. And so far, it hasn’t caused any issues.”

The trials weren’t easy. Even at the simplest Stage 1, most adventurers had to fight for hours to barely achieve victory.

Thus, they needed time to recover the stamina and mental fortitude expended in the battles.

Even with Beldenkia’s help, rest was essential unless one leveled up.

That’s why there was a mandatory one-day cooldown.

But for Taesan, that time was unnecessary.

Clearing the swordsmanship trial had cost him only a small amount of mana. Physically and mentally, he was in perfect condition.

As Taesan pondered what to do next, Beldenkia sat down and asked.

“Then, why don’t we talk?”

“Talk?”

“Yes, talk.”

Beldenkia smiled.

“You have to rest for a day anyway. Sitting around doing nothing is a waste, so why not share a conversation?”

Beldenkia continued.

“I’m a being bound to this place, the 61st floor. Adventurers who make it here are extremely rare—maybe one every hundred years. And those Guides of Sin passing through occasionally? They’re fools I have no interest in talking to… So I get lonely.”

A century of solitude.

Beldenkia glanced at the ghost accompanying Taesan.

“What about you, Hero?”

[I only become aware when someone approaches my tomb. I’ve never felt loneliness like you.]

“Damn. Am I the only one who’s miserable?”

Beldenkia grumbled.

“Unlike me, Ainzhar isn’t bound to a single spot. He can move freely. I should’ve made a contract like his.”

Straightening his back, Beldenkia sighed.

“It’s so boring. Living alone in a place like this. So, let’s chat.”

Beldenkia turned his gaze to Taesan.

“Let’s talk about random things. That’s not too much to ask, right?”

[Huh?]

The ghost looked puzzled.

[You didn’t talk to me at all when we met. You just scowled whenever I tried to start a conversation. And now you suddenly want to talk?]

“Hero, shut up.”

Beldenkia laughed as he replied.

“So, what do you think?”

Beldenkia looked at Taesan, his eyes glimmering with a new intensity.

Unlike their first meeting, he now seemed deeply engaged.

It appeared that his interest had sparked after seeing Taesan’s display of strength.

The NPCs of the labyrinth.

Each had their own desires binding them to their floors.

And for most, those desires were beyond their power to resolve.

Taesan nodded.

“That’s fine.”

“Great.”

Beldenkia clapped his hands. He sat down in front of Taesan and asked.

“Then let’s talk, and enjoy it. Let’s share stories about ourselves.”