Chapter 328

[You have activated Frozen World.]

A frigid blast surged forward, its intensity unlike anything before.

Crack! Crackle!

A massive wall of ice erupted, surging forward like towering pillars that froze the shadow in place.

Taesan exhaled, his breath crystallizing in the air before falling to the ground in frozen shards.

Even without Forced Amplification, the power was on a completely different level.

The same applied to his black magic.

[You have activated Marbas’s Pitch-Black Wave.]

A black wave crashed down, more violent and powerful than before.

Boom!

The impact sent violent ripples through the shadow’s entire form.

The previously slow growth in skill proficiency had finally resulted in tangible, overwhelming power.

Marbas’s Pitch-Black Wave had always been one of his core skills. Now, it was even more valuable.

But Taesan wasn’t satisfied yet.

This opponent was the perfect chance to raise his skills. Ideally, he wanted to push them all to 100%.

However, he was running out of time.

The Shadow Maw had grown so massive that it could no longer even support its own weight.

“If I keep going, it’ll collapse on its own.”

Taesan had bombarded it with magic and black magic. Minerva and Varkaza had supported him all the way.

In the end, the Shadow Maw had consumed so much energy that it exceeded its own limits.

If left alone, it would self-destruct.

It was time to finish this.

“A shame, but it can’t be helped.”

A black hue coated Taesan’s sword.

Then, a golden light layered over it.

Black and gold intertwined, creating a force that shimmered in an eerie gray.

Suppressing the power coursing through his blade, Taesan kicked off the ground.

He charged toward the bloated shadow, sword raised.

Boom!

The gray light exploded, engulfing the shadow.

Even in its bloated state, the shadow instinctively tried to devour the light.

Crunch.

But it was impossible.

The shadow couldn’t consume the gray light.

It was as if this power operated on an entirely different plane—something fundamentally beyond its reach.

The Shadow Maw turned its gaze to the small being that had pierced its body.

It had consumed countless energies, surpassing its limits.

It was unstable, yet had reached a height it never thought possible.

And that’s why it understood.

The small being before it was like that one.

The one who had summoned it into this world.

An entity it could never devour.

But there was a difference.

This one was even more alien.

Darker, more profound, fundamentally twisted in a way it couldn’t comprehend.

Too late, the Shadow Maw realized.

No matter how much it devoured, no matter how strong it became, it could never reach this being’s domain.

That was its final thought.

The shadow’s entire body was consumed by the gray light.

The force that distorted fundamental laws swallowed it whole.

BOOM!

[You have defeated the Shadow Maw.]

Taesan sheathed his sword.

He could now use the Boundary Line without excessive risk.

It was still dangerous and unstable, but he no longer had to gamble his life every time he wielded it.

The power the Shadow Maw had amassed flowed into Taesan.

As he quietly observed the transfer of energy, his brow furrowed.

The Shadow Maw had been a monster that devoured and stole power.

In some ways, it was similar to his Soul Rank Ascension.

And because of that—his Soul Rank Ascension activated in an unusual way.

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Soul Rank Ascension has activated. Your maximum HP has permanently increased by 6,211.]

[Soul Rank Ascension has activated. Seed of Life proficiency has increased by 22%.]

[Soul Rank Ascension has activated. You have acquired the Root of Predation.]

At that moment, Taesan felt something shift.

Something fundamental had changed.

He opened his skill window.

[Special Passive Skill: Seed of Life]

[Proficiency: 26%]

[Devours the life force of enemies, absorbing a portion of their strength. Assists in the fine-tuning of Soul Rank Ascension.]

“…Fine-tuning Soul Rank Ascension?”

Even after reading it multiple times, the text remained the same.

“Fine-tuning, huh.”

Taesan dismissed Minerva and Varkaza and silently reread the skill description.

Soul Rank Ascension was his most vital ability.

It allowed him to steal the stats and abilities of his foes, granting him divine power and the essence of black magic.

But at the same time, it was beyond his control.

Even as he descended the labyrinth, accumulating more power and comprehension of Force, Soul Rank Ascension continued to activate on its own terms.

Now, however, he could influence it.

The ghost spoke up, baffled.

[You can control Soul Rank Ascension? Is that even possible?]

From the ghost’s perspective, Soul Rank Ascension was an ability beyond mortals.

Even if Taesan had somehow obtained it, it should have been impossible to manipulate until he reached a certain threshold of power.

Taesan pondered for a moment, then stood up.

He turned and scanned the area.

Before long, he spotted a shadow creeping through the darkness.

Crunch.

Taesan drove his sword into it.

The shadow recoiled, attempting to consume him in retaliation.

But he easily shook it off and crushed it underfoot.

[You have defeated a Starving Shadow.]

The moment he won, a familiar sensation spread through him.

Soul Rank Ascension had activated.

But this time, something was different.

Taesan focused on the energy flow—and realized he could manipulate it.

With newfound precision, he guided the stolen power.

[Soul Rank Ascension has activated. Your maximum HP has permanently increased by 92.]

A direct stat increase.

Previously, defeating shadows had only contributed to increasing his Seed of Life proficiency.

Now, he could direct the stolen power where he needed it most.

Taesan had successfully fine-tuned Soul Rank Ascension, directing its absorption to acquire specific stats.

[…You can actually manipulate it. What the hell.]

The ghost muttered in disbelief.

To confirm, Taesan stomped his foot, scanning the area for more shadows. One by one, he hunted them down.

Through repeated battles, he analyzed the changes in Soul Rank Ascension.

“I can adjust which stat I absorb.”

Whenever he defeated an enemy, Soul Rank Ascension activated, stealing their stats and skills.

Now, he could choose which stat to prioritize.

If he wanted Agility, he would receive more Agility. If he desired Strength, he could focus on Strength. The same applied to Health.

“Not that it makes much of a difference.”

The amount of stats gained was still minimal.

Moreover, since balanced stat growth was ideal, there was no real reason to focus on a single attribute.

However, once Seed of Life reached 20%, this level of control became possible.

So what would happen at 40% or 60%?

Could he steal specific skills at will? Could he trigger Soul Rank Ascension whenever he wanted?

“What kind of skill is this?”

It was his own power, yet even he couldn’t fully comprehend it.

To learn more, Taesan continued eliminating shadows. But eventually, Soul Rank Ascension stopped activating.

He had reached its limit for now.

There was nothing more to do here.

As he searched for the exit, he checked his other skills.

[Intermediate Magic: Frozen World]

[Mana Cost: 30]

[Proficiency: 22%]

[Summons a freezing force that encases everything in ice. A glimpse of its true power can now be unleashed.]

His proficiency in intermediate magic and black magic had reached 20%.

As a result, their damage and effectiveness had increased significantly.

The skills that reached this threshold were:

– Frozen World
– Starlight Arrow
– Decarabia’s Twisted Vegetation
– Marbas’s Pitch-Black Wave

It was a satisfying outcome.

Moreover, he had obtained a new skill.

[Special Passive Skill: Consecutive Casting]

[Proficiency: 1%]

[When casting magic or black magic in succession, the power and casting speed increase progressively. Interrupted if another action is performed.]

A simple yet powerful ability.

With his vast reserves of Mana and Magi, Taesan could now bombard enemies with magic.

This skill would enhance that strategy.

“It’s noticeably faster.”

If this continued, even stagnant skills like Airach Martial Technique and Ability Sword would improve.

Then his gaze shifted to something in his hand.

A flickering shadow.

It radiated an aura of pure hunger—the desire to consume everything.

[Root of Predation]

[The fundamental essence of those born to devour all.]

This was the first time Soul Rank Ascension had extracted a material.

Taesan stored the Root of Predation.

Perhaps Haphran could identify it.

The Shadow Maw had been an unusual opponent in many ways.

Using Domain Detection, Taesan searched for the exit.

Since the Shadow Maw had been defeated, the remaining shadows avoided him rather than attacking.

He reached the passage leading to the 72nd floor.

“No hidden chambers?”

He had searched a vast area using Domain Detection.

After mapping most of the Deep Layer, he found nothing unusual.

It seemed his assumption was correct—there was no hidden area this time.

Still, he had obtained the hidden clear reward.

Just as he was about to check it, a section of the wall crumbled, revealing Balbamaba.

[…You’re a real piece of work.]

Balbamaba stared at him, muttering.

[You just defeated the ruler of this place. It was responsible for managing the number and strength of shadows.]

With its death, this place would soon collapse.

[Now I have to rebuild the entire Deep Layer.]

“Good luck with that.”

[The wizard wanted someone like you, but… this is incredibly annoying. Finding replacements will be a pain.]

Balbamaba sighed and returned to the wall.

Taesan resumed checking his rewards.

[Mythical Anklets]

[Strength +400]
[Agility +400]
[Intelligence +40]
[Defense +40]
[Action Speed +7%]

[Anklets said to have been worn by a mythical hero. Whether the legend is true is unknown, but they contain immense power.]

[Ring Forged from Lightning-Struck Metal]

[Defense +300]
[Electric Resistance +50%]

[Crafted from metal struck by countless lightning bolts since the birth of the stars. Grants absolute resistance to electricity.]

The base stats were significantly higher than any equipment he had found so far.

Moreover, the ring provided a unique resistance effect.

“Electricity-focused gear, huh?”

Not something useful in general, but invaluable in the right situation.

With his rewards sorted, Taesan stepped onto the 72nd floor.

He was descending deeper.

[72nd Floor Quest Initiated.]

[Overcome the Trial of the Gods.]

[Reward: Belt Created by the Tyrant of Space.]

[Hidden Reward: ???]

Upon entering, space itself distorted, and a demon appeared before him.

[The real battle is on the 73rd floor.]

“Understood.”

Taesan nodded.

The demon grinned before disappearing.

The 73rd floor…

It was approaching faster than expected.

Just one more floor, and he would face the Guide again.

Passing by the shopkeeper, Taesan arrived at the 72nd floor’s main area.

There, he found a divine altar.

The oppressive energy lingering around it hinted at the nature of its master.

[You have discovered Rigrit’s Altar.]

[First Discovery Bonus]

[Strength +200, Intelligence +100, Mana +200 permanently increased.]

It wasn’t much, but it was a pleasant surprise.

The ghost muttered quietly.

[Rigrit… The God of Regret.]

The God of Regret.

Taesan gazed at the altar.

The structure had an almost metaphysical presence, as if it denied and excluded everything around it.

[…Of all the gods, it had to be this one.]

“You know this god?”

[I’ve never encountered him in the labyrinth. In the labyrinth, that is.]

There was a deep resentment in the ghost’s voice.

This was the first time he had shown such a strong reaction toward a specific god.

[It’s personal. You don’t need to worry about it. He’s not a good god, but he’s not exactly evil either.]

“So, to clear the 72nd floor, I just need to pass the god’s trial?”

[There are a few floors like that from here on. But the trials will become much harsher. They’ll test you on a level closer to the essence of divinity.]

Taesan studied the altar for a moment before placing his hand on it.

Since this was a required challenge, ignoring it wasn’t an option.

[Sub-Quest Initiated.]

[Rigrit wishes to test the one who has reached his altar. If you accept, the trial will come to you. If you overcome it, you will be rewarded.]

[Reward: Determined by Rigrit based on your performance.]

“I accept.”

As soon as Taesan spoke, power materialized, and the altar’s master began to manifest.

[Rigrit offers you an enhanced trial.]

Taesan nodded. He had expected as much.

A quiet chuckle echoed as the world began to shift.

Within the twisting space, Taesan contemplated.

‘The God of Regret, huh.’

Each god imposed trials reflecting their domain.

The God of Despair had once shown him a vision of a doomed Earth.

So it was likely that the God of Regret would do something similar.

But what would his regret be?

At a glance, his greatest regret was choosing Easy Mode at the very start.

Or perhaps something from his journey through the labyrinth.

Or maybe… something from his past on Earth.

Bracing himself, Taesan strengthened his resolve.

The twisting space began selecting its target.

[Rigrit’s Authority is manifesting. Rigrit’s sphere of influence is shrinking.]

[Rigrit is designating a target for his authority.]

Power flowed from the altar.

Taesan remained still, waiting.

The force approached—

[…Huh?]

But it wasn’t directed at him.

Rigrit’s power was heading toward the ghost.

[Wait.]

The ghost flinched as the power wrapped around him.

And before he could react, the energy erupted, distorting space and time.

[Quest Condition: Defeat the Demon King and save the world of your memories from destruction.]

[Quest Reward: Determined by the emotions of the fallen world’s ruler.]

The world shifted.

Taesan found himself in a small chamber.

He examined his surroundings.

The room was adorned with extravagant decorations—gems and gold covered every surface.

Even for royalty, this level of opulence seemed excessive.

“What is this?”

Taesan turned to look at the ghost.

Since Rigrit had chosen him as the trial’s focus, this place likely came from his memories.

And then, Taesan froze.

A man stood there.

Platinum-blond hair, straight and neatly styled.

Neither delicate nor rugged—a classic example of refined beauty.

He wore an elegant outfit that spoke of noble status.

Taesan had seen this face before.

During the Trial of the Sword, the ghost had momentarily manifested in physical form.

But this version of him looked younger.

Like the ghost before he had entered the labyrinth.

“You?”

“…Who are you?”

The Prince of the Fallen World, Bardray, gazed at Taesan with wary eyes.