Chapter 320
[Kikikikikik!]
Maniacal laughter filled the air. The maddened spirit that had been sealed within Taesan’s sword emerged.
[Ahhh! You’ve come! I’ve finally met my King!]
The spirit howled alongside its laughter, its voice echoing across the floor. Vishnu frowned deeply.
“…That thing.”
She hadn’t forgotten.
The spirit was one of the tools she had created to protect the spirits’ identities when she brought them into the labyrinth. Nothing more than a disposable tool.
“And it’s made a pact with the magicians of the labyrinth?”
[Ahhh, my King!]
The spirit shouted with a voice full of emotion, shaking the entire space.
Taesan spoke calmly.
“Go and fulfill your desire.”
[Kakak! Thank you! Thank you!]
The maddened spirit shot forward.
[Ahhh! Oh, great King! The King I respect and love! I’ve come to meet you!]
“Begone.”
Vishnu spoke coldly, cutting off the spirit’s cries with a burst of flames. The spirit was weak—even less than a low-ranking spirit. There was no way it could withstand Vishnu’s power.
She sneered.
“Is that your grand trump card? This pitiful creature?”
“That’s right.”
Taesan nodded, unfazed.
Emerging from the flames unscathed, the maddened spirit appeared, completely unharmed.
“What?!”
[You despise me, don’t you? I understand!]
The spirit laughed with a twisted expression.
[Because I feel the same about you!]
It latched onto Vishnu’s body, spreading across her and starting to restrain her.
“Ugh!”
Vishnu groaned as the spirit’s emotions and madness began to intertwine with her own.
The spirit merged with her, intensifying her torment.
Seeing Vishnu in agony, Taesan gripped his sword.
[You have activated Acceleration.]
In an instant, his body accelerated to more than double its normal speed. He closed the gap between them in a heartbeat.
Panicked, Vishnu unleashed another wave of flames to crush him.
The flames surged toward Taesan like a tsunami, but he gathered his Magi.
[You have activated Marbas’s Pitch-black Wave.]
The black wave erupted forth.
Previously, it had been ineffective against Vishnu, dissipating before it could do any harm.
But now, things were different.
The dark wave clashed with the flames, devouring them greedily.
“Grr!”
Grinding her teeth, Vishnu gathered more flames to push back the wave. She managed to suppress it, but Taesan had already closed the distance.
As she tried to transform into flames to escape, the spirit burst into laughter.
[Kikikikik!]
The maddened spirit’s corrupting emotions suppressed her fire, preventing her escape. Left with no options, Vishnu allowed an opening for Taesan.
“Urgh!”
[Vishnu has activated Shoes of Spatial Transference.]
Vishnu’s body vanished.
But Taesan immediately located her new position and pursued her.
Suppressing her dizziness, Vishnu clenched her teeth.
Flames swirled around her as she prepared to once again activate her [King’s Domain].
This power, capable of rewriting the very laws of the world, made her practically invincible within its range. It was only natural that Taesan should crumble and fall instantly under its influence.
‘Boom!’
However, Vishnu’s domain clashed against the world Taesan had created, preventing her from consuming him entirely. The two worlds stood in a tense stalemate.
“How is this possible?!”
Vishnu couldn’t comprehend it.
The power to alter the world’s laws wasn’t something a mortal should possess.
It was a power reserved for her, the Spirit King, who had lived longer than any other spirit and wielded unparalleled dominion over nature.
Even among the labyrinth’s guides who had reached the brink of transcendence, only she had this ability.
Yet Taesan had created his own domain, and it was clashing directly with hers, holding its ground.
Her absolute advantage was gone, and she couldn’t understand why.
But that wasn’t the end of her troubles.
She unleashed a furious explosion of flames, intending to burn everything to ash. But the maddened spirit clinging to her remained unaffected.
‘Fwoosh.’
Flames danced across her body. Normally, fire was a comforting presence to Vishnu, like a cradle, but this time was different.
The flames were now harming her.
Vishnu swung her arm violently, trying to dispel the fire.
The maddened spirit clinging to her was slowly eroding her rank and power.
Even in her own domain, she couldn’t fully transform into fire to escape Taesan’s attacks. This was the reason.
“How can a lowly spirit like this entangle me?”
No matter how much the spirit had sacrificed to take revenge on Vishnu, the gap in their power and rank was undeniable. It shouldn’t have been able to affect her this much.
But then Vishnu read the energy contained within the spirit.
Her eyes trembled.
The power of the Spirit God resided within it.
The Spirit God had imbued the maddened spirit with the power to kill her—a gift to Taesan as a reward for saving Arulia. Vishnu, unaware of this context, was utterly shocked.
During her moment of hesitation, Taesan closed the gap. His sword came slashing down, forcing Vishnu to react frantically.
She waved her hands chaotically, forming shapes with her flames.
“Burn! Flame of the Phoenix!”
[Vishnu has activated Flame Familiar.]
[Keeee!
A massive flaming phoenix lunged at Taesan.
But Taesan didn’t dodge.
[You have activated Embers of Calamity.]
Flames that could incinerate the entire world rose up to meet the phoenix.
[Kieeeeeee!]
The phoenix pushed against the flames, crushing them with its immense power. Taesan’s embers began to wane.
Taesan gathered his aura and fed it to the embers.
[Kiiiiiiik!]
The strengthened embers expanded, swallowing the phoenix whole.
With the phoenix gone, Taesan drove his sword into Vishnu.
“Ugh!”
Flames burst out.
Taesan manifested his magic, slicing through the flames to carve a path. Vishnu was slowly being pushed back.
‘Drip.’
A thin crimson line appeared on her body, and blood began to flow.
“The Spirit King’s blood is the same color as ours,” Taesan muttered as he charged forward.
Vishnu clenched her teeth.
As much as she hated to admit it, the situation wasn’t in her favor. Her domain had been split in two, making it impossible to control fully, and the maddened spirit’s interference restricted her movements.
She had to make a decision. Her eyes turned cold.
She stomped her foot, and waves of fire erupted, filling the space. Taesan, seeing no other choice, shifted to evasive maneuvers to avoid the overwhelming flames.
Using the time she gained, Vishnu gathered all her inner power.
[Ahhhhhh!]
The maddened spirit laughed hysterically as it felt the immense concentration of power directed toward it.
[You want to kill me, don’t you, my King? You want to erase the one you abandoned! I understand! I truly do!]
Rather than fleeing, the maddened spirit poured its turbulent emotions even more violently into Vishnu.
[But in return, you must take all of me!]
The spirit roared.
[Human!]
Taesan immediately activated another skill.
[You have activated Forsaken Blade.]
This was one of the two abilities he had acquired through the maddened spirit bound to his sword.
The chaotic emotions within the spirit surged and intensified, spiraling into Vishnu.
Biting her lip, Vishnu gathered even more power, channeling it into her resistance.
Amid the explosive clash of forces, Taesan raised his sword.
[You have activated Naberius’s Golden Sword.]
[You have activated Addition.]
[You have activated Blade of Resolve.]
[You have activated Absolute Judgment.]
‘Thud.’
Taesan charged forward.
At the moment Vishnu’s condensed power erupted, Taesan’s blade pierced through her.
[Vishnu has activated Mark of Twisted Regeneration.]
[Vishnu has taken 71,040 damage.]
[Vishnu has restored 35,520 health.]
‘Boom!’
Though her regeneration mitigated the damage, the successive explosions that followed knocked Taesan back.
Her domain, the Spirit King’s realm, began to destabilize chaotically.
When the dust settled, Vishnu emerged, her body battered and torn.
One of the rings on her fingers shattered and fell to the ground.
“Deep-layer equipment is such a hassle.”
The damage of over seventy thousand should have been enough to finish her, but she had survived using one of her deep-layer artifacts. Taesan smirked.
“You’re ruthless, killing a spirit that calls out to you.”
“…You bastard.”
Vishnu’s gaze burned with fury as she stared at Taesan.
‘Crack!’
The space shattered.
Unable to sustain itself under the strain, Vishnu’s [King’s Domain] collapsed.
At the same time, Taesan’s [Partial World Alteration] also came to an end. Since the skill required a catalyst to activate, its duration was limited.
‘I’m out of mana.’
His mana reserves were depleted. Though he wanted to use a potion, Vishnu wasn’t giving him any chance.
‘Wrrrr.’
Taesan activated his divinity. A golden light spread around him, perfectly restoring his mana and Magi.
Seeing this, Vishnu let out a hollow laugh.
“I misunderstood you.”
She had thought Taesan was merely a mortal bound by the labyrinth’s system, strong but ultimately limited.
But she was wrong. Taesan wasn’t bound by the system—he was using it to surpass his limits.
He was a monster.
Vishnu’s aura flared even more intensely. Taesan’s expression remained steady.
By using [Partial World Alteration], he had erased her advantage. By employing the maddened spirit, he had inflicted significant damage.
Even with her stats weakened by the [Necklace of Base Corruption] he had obtained from the God of Fall’s quest, Vishnu still hadn’t lost her strength.
This was the true power of one who had stepped into the deep layers.
Vishnu summoned her flames again, but their energy was visibly diminished.
She let out a bitter smile.
It had been so long since she had been pushed this far. Even during her labyrinth conquests, such situations were rare. As the wielder of a [King’s Domain], she had always been a step away from death.
“It’s been a while.”
Vishnu spread her arms, gathering all her remaining flames into her hands.
[Vishnu has activated Agni’s Flame Sword.]
A long blade of fire formed in her grasp.
The flames contained within were everything she had left. The heat dried Taesan’s lips and burned the air itself.
“I acknowledge you. You are stronger than me.”
The proud and mighty Spirit King finally spoke with respect.
“So, as a challenger, I will face you directly.”
“As you wish.”
Taesan planted his foot firmly. Vishnu raised Agni’s Flame Sword in response. Their blades clashed.
The flaming sword exploded on contact, seeking to burn and melt everything it touched.
Taesan twisted his waist, swinging his sword with precision.
‘Clang!’
The weapons collided again.
Taesan activated another skill.
[You have activated Holy Manipulation.]
The trajectory of Vishnu’s blade wavered, revealing an opening. Taesan took the opportunity to drive his sword into her.
Once again, Vishnu activated her artifact.
[Vishnu has activated Shoes of Spatial Transference.]
“How annoying.”
Taesan immediately pursued her, keeping the pressure on. Their swords clashed repeatedly, and Vishnu was gradually pushed back.
“Ugh!”
Despite being a Spirit King, Vishnu wasn’t adept at swordsmanship or close combat. She continued to lose ground against Taesan.
Still, she managed to hold on, primarily thanks to her deep-layer equipment. Most troublesome of all was her [Shoes of Spatial Transference], which allowed her to teleport freely with virtually no delay or cooldown.
Her eyes gleamed with unyielding determination as she endured Taesan’s onslaught, waiting for an opportunity.
But Taesan was just as resolute.
‘Clang!’
The clash continued, neither side willing to back down.
Against an opponent of Vishnu’s caliber, hiding one’s intent perfectly was a given.
But Taesan had been carefully observing her, analyzing her behavioral patterns, the precise timing of her spatial jumps, and her landing positions relative to him.
‘Clang!’
Taesan swung his sword with force, and Vishnu was pushed back. When his blade shot forward, aiming for her chest, Vishnu instinctively activated her spatial transference.
[Vishnu has activated Shoes of Spatial Transference.]
But Taesan had been waiting for that exact moment.
[You have activated Forced Fall.]
“Ah…!”
All of Vishnu’s stats plummeted.
The sudden disruption in her senses startled her, causing her reaction time to falter ever so slightly compared to before.
[You have activated Perfect Fairy Wings.]
[You have activated Acceleration.]
[You have activated Skill Acceleration.]
Taesan’s body moved with blinding speed, leaving behind faint afterimages.
Before Vishnu could fully turn her gaze toward her new position, Taesan was already in front of her.
Her eyes widened in shock as Taesan’s blade pierced through her chest.
