Leveling Up With Skills - Chapter 291: Projection of Will (2)

Of course, it wasn’t a proper reward.

Although there was a time limit to scattering the will, and the star’s direct attacks could be evaded, the star was aware of Taesan’s presence.

If he stayed longer than a certain period, it would overturn the planet itself to kill him. Thus, the materials he could gather were at the level of what he had obtained before.

It was a reward that could be understood in its own way.

Still, it was an unchangeable fact that it was a reward he wouldn’t normally have been able to get.

Taesan collected all the materials worth taking from the ruins. As he exited, the world was violently shaking.

The ripples of power carried a sense of annoyance and anger, growing more intense.

“It’s about time to wrap this up.”

Even without that, his headache was getting worse. It was time to end this.

When annoyance toward an insect reaches its peak, it’s natural to want to tear apart the entire house to kill it.

This was the limit.

Taesan moved. He headed to the destination of the quest. Descending to the deepest part of the world, he found a spring filled with a transparent liquid.

[Pure Water]

[Water that has existed since the beginning of the star. This liquid, which existed alongside its birth, is complete in itself.]

Taesan collected the water.

The quest condition was fulfilled. However, he didn’t leave immediately.

Taesan looked at the ground. The ghost asked.

[What are you doing?]

“You don’t feel it either, huh?”

The immense will that had been present since he first stepped into Haphran’s ruined world.

It was something he hadn’t felt during his previous visit, but now, with his conceptual skill mastery at 60%, he could perceive it.

It was so strong that it could be felt from far away. The will emanating from it enveloped the entire world.

And it was coming from directly below.

“If it’s the owner of the will encasing the entire world, it must be the star itself.”

[That… seems likely.]

The ghost trailed off. After a moment of thought, Taesan made his decision.

[You have activated Earthquake.]

The cave floor collapsed.

Everything crumbled, and Taesan’s body began to fall. Beneath the collapsed cave, there was nothing—only a deep, bottomless abyss.

[You have activated Landing.]

How far did he fall? After a few minutes of free fall, Taesan finally reached the ground.

It was a pitch-black corridor.

Even for Taesan, who had transcended the limits of humanity, it was darkness so thick that he couldn’t see an inch ahead.

[You have activated Scorching Sphere.]

He used magic for light, but the corridor remained dark. The darkness seemed to have existed even before light, swallowing light whole.

At the end of the corridor, he sensed something massive.

[Uh… this feels dangerous.]

The ghost swallowed nervously, finally sensing it too.

[What are you going to do? I’d recommend heading back immediately if you’re asking me.]

“I’ve come this far.”

Since he was already here, he had to at least take a look.

Taesan walked through the corridor of darkness.

At the end of the corridor, he found a vast plaza.

There was a pure white sphere.

A sphere emitting light akin to the sun. The will and power emanating from it engulfed the entire planet.

This was the core of the star that had destroyed Haphran’s world and was trying to kill Taesan.

[You have encountered the World.]

[This is…]

The ghost let out a groan.

As soon as Taesan reached the plaza, a massive killing intent was directed at him.

Unlike before, this was a gaze that clearly recognized Taesan.

It wasn’t sensing him through willpower—it was directly observing him.

The gaze carried extreme hatred. Anger. And hostility.

– How dare you.

It spoke—not in language but in pure will that pierced into Taesan’s mind.

– How dare you enter my domain.

The star declared.

– Die.

A declaration filled with will echoed.

[Instant death judgment in progress…]

[Judgment failed!]

[The declaration of death descends.]

It was a death declaration that rejected judgment itself, akin to that of a god.

[Aah…]

The ghost gasped in horror. Death itself brushed against Taesan’s nape.

[You have activated Mental Acceleration.]

Taesan focused his will. Gathering the scattered will, he wrapped it around his entire body and declared:

“Get lost.”

It was a declaration of denial.

An absolute will, equal to the world’s own declaration, influencing reality itself.

[Denial Declaration activated.]

[The declaration of instant death disappears.]

[You have influenced the world through your own will. You have obtained the special passive skill Word of Command.]

The death brushing against his neck vanished. Taesan drew his sword.

[The opponent is an undefeatable enemy.]

An undefeatable enemy. It was the world itself, so it was to be expected. Taesan wasn’t bothered.

However, what happened next was unexpected.

The system window began to distort slowly.

[The opponent is @##[system protected] @#!.]

The system window collapsed.

It was the first time since he fought the Apostle of the Old Gods.

[You have activated Apostle Transformation: Darkness and Chaos.]

[You have activated King’s Vessel.]

[Battle Lust activated.]

[You have activated Contempt for the Strong.]

[Anti-Divine Theory activated.]

[Giant Killer activated.]

[Defiance Against a Colossal Will activated.]

The gaze directed at Taesan grew more irritated.

The power contained in the sphere began to converge.

The power that had been spread across the world was now concentrating.

– Die.

With the declaration, white power was unleashed toward Taesan.

It was the power of the star itself. Until now, the power targeting Taesan had only been localized, a minuscule fraction of the world’s full power. That was why he had been able to withstand it.

But this was the source of the world’s power in its entirety.

With just its manifestation, everything around it distorted and began to lose form.

Creak.

[Your First Absolute Attack Nullification activated.]

[Your Second Absolute Attack Nullification activated.]

[Your Third Absolute Attack Nullification is Activated.]

[You take 1230 damage.]
[You take 1101 damage.]
[You take 1023 damage.]

Even with an absolute blessing that resists formless power, it was useless. The absolute blessing was a skill that blocked attacks proportionate to Taesan’s stats. The enemy in front of him possessed power far beyond what his stats could withstand.

Boom!

The world itself was attempting to crush Taesan.

Even with endurance skills, Taesan briefly prepared for death.

Time slowed, and his mind accelerated.

Could he block this?

Magic was out of the question. Intermediate magic, while powerful, was ultimately meant for mortals. This was power beyond that scope. It wouldn’t even buy time.

Black magic wasn’t much different. Using all of his Magi to open a passage might buy him some time, but that was its limit.

Additionally, opening a passage required time, and the enormous power would likely overwhelm him before black magic could activate.

Swordsmanship was also ineffective. This wasn’t a force that could be countered with something like a Holy Strike.

The power overwhelming Taesan now was the power of the world itself.

A power beyond mortals—closer to transcendence than anything else. Such an entity was unleashing its might to kill Taesan.

Thus, what was needed was a force beyond the mortal realm, a power of an even higher order.

Light enveloped Taesan’s hand. It was divinity.

And then it was shrouded in black. That was the power of the Old God.

The mingled forces created something gray.

Taesan gripped it and swung.

The white power clashed with the gray.

Rumble…

Space collapsed. Everything distorted and lost its form.

Only an ashen gray swallowed everything around them.

And Taesan lay within the collapsed space.

[You take 49,532 damage.]
[You have blocked a strike from @!##[system protected]. You have obtained the special passive skill Last Opportunity.]
[You have acquired a Fragment of Will.]

The attack inflicted damage sufficient to bring Taesan to the brink of death.

But Taesan smiled.

The world’s attack wasn’t simple damage—it was essentially an instant-death attack.

And yet, with arrogance alone, Taesan had reduced it to damage he could endure without even activating his endurance skills.

“Not bad.”

Taesan withstood the shock and rose.

The white sphere remained in its lofty position, just as it had at the start.

However, a minuscule portion of the sphere—so small it was nearly imperceptible—had turned gray.

No damage notification appeared. This meant it wasn’t even a meaningful wound.

But his power, transcending mortal limits, had left a tiny mark. That alone was satisfying.

And the world seemed deeply displeased with this. Its anger grew more intense.

Manifested emotions began to affect reality. As if to say that such attacks were easy, power equal to what had struck Taesan earlier began to gather.

“See you next time.”

Muttering, Taesan took out a sphere.

As the force surged toward him, Taesan’s body disappeared into the labyrinth.

“I made it back safely… or at least, I’d like to say that, but not quite.”

Haphran’s face was filled with astonishment and disbelief.

“What was that just now?”

It seemed Haphran had sensed the power from beyond the space. Taesan drank a potion and spoke.

“It’s the core of the world. Did you know about it?”

Taesan explained. The deepest part Haphran had requested he explore in the quest—beneath it, there was a space. When he fell into it, he saw a massive sphere embodying the world’s will.

Haphran’s eyes widened.

“Such a thing… exists?”

“Looks like you didn’t know either.”

“I didn’t. I knew the world wanted to kill us, but I didn’t expect something like a consolidated will to exist… Not me, nor anyone from my world knew of it.”

It wasn’t surprising. If Taesan’s conceptual skill mastery hadn’t improved, he wouldn’t have noticed it either.

Haphran’s gaze toward Taesan was filled with astonishment.

“So, you confronted the world itself and returned?”

“That’s how it went.”

“How?”

It was a question filled with disbelief.

“How did you survive?”

It wasn’t the most polite question to ask someone who had just returned alive, but it was reasonable.

Taesan was certainly strong. However, his power was still within the realm of mortals.

Even though he had abilities that exceeded his station, that fact remained unchanged.

And the opponent was the world itself.

A transcendent entity beyond mortals.

There was an insurmountable gap—just a glance from such an existence was enough to ensure defeat.

Yet Taesan had returned alive, unharmed.

“There’s one card even a guy like that can’t ignore.”

The gray power. Coveted by the Old God and viewed as alien even by transcendent beings.

It was with this assurance that Taesan had dared to approach the world.

After a moment, Haphran, having calmed down, looked intrigued.

“Well, it all worked out. You brought the Pure Water, didn’t you? Let me see it. I’ll make what you desire.”

“Here.”

Taesan handed over the Pure Water and opened his inventory.

Materials from the ruined world poured out in a cascade.

Haphran’s eyes froze at the sight of more than ten materials.

“What is this?”

“With these materials, what level of equipment can you create?” Taesan asked.

“…Hah.”

Haphran, staring at the materials in a daze, let out a dry laugh. He then turned to Taesan with an amused expression.

“I didn’t ask you to bring these materials as part of the quest.”

“I picked them up along the way.”

“Interesting. Not bad at all…”

Haphran muttered to himself, his eyes glinting.

“With these, I can create something far more useful.”

After deliberating, he made a decision.

“I’ll use the Giant King’s materials you gave me and combine them with all of these to create a single piece of equipment. Sound good?”

Taesan nodded. They were nearing the Deep Layers. Creating multiple items would be pointless.

Haphran cheerfully gathered the materials.

“Great. Come back later. I’ll make you something truly exceptional.”

“Before that, I have a question. You said you could create higher-level equipment from items of that world?”

“That’s right. I was once a resident of that world. I can handle the items born and raised there better than anyone.”

Haphran said confidently. Taesan opened his inventory.

There was still one material he hadn’t handed over.

[Fragment of Will]
[A fragment of the world’s will. A minuscule remnant.]

A white shimmering haze.

Haphran froze.

He stared blankly at the haze, then chuckled.

“You never cease to surprise me.”

“Can you handle it?”

Even Taesan was unsure about this. Haphran was impressive—it was evident from the pair of rings he had crafted.

But what Taesan was now presenting was the world’s will itself. A power beyond mortal bounds. Even Haphran’s capabilities might not suffice.

Haphran shook his head.

“That’s beyond me. When I made your rings, the materials were extraordinary but still within my reach. Even the Light of Origin was just a material without a will.”

Haphran looked at the Fragment of Will and said:

“But this is different. This is a transcendent entity. It has a will of its own. If I tried to handle it, its remaining will would devour me.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

It was useless, then. Taesan was considering offering it as a trade to the gods when Haphran spoke.

“But I know someone who can handle it.”

With a complicated expression, he continued.

“A blacksmith at the entrance to the Deep Layers. A lunatic dwarf pursuing the transcendent while still in a mortal body. Kosrun. He should be able to manage what you’ve got.”