Leveling Up With Skills - Chapter 332
Lee Taeyeon persevered.
She started by organizing the city. She single-handedly eliminated the monsters lurking near their settlement.
Then, she tidied up the interior of the city. She gathered people, selected those with construction experience, and began rebuilding. Until now, they had been too preoccupied with fending off monster attacks, but with Lee Taeyeon there, they finally had the breathing room to secure their shelter.
She also took on the responsibility of managing the growing number of survivors. She gave hope to those who had lost their sanity upon returning to Earth, ensuring they did not succumb to despair. She instilled in them the belief that survival on Earth was possible.
She assigned watch duties to those with keen eyesight and survival-related skills. She also used her own items without hesitation.
“Plant one of these at each boundary of the territory.”
She handed Taesan four small black stakes.
“What are these?”
“They generate a barrier that blocks intruders. If something manages to break through, it’ll send a warning.”
The Abyss was unique. In that place, people sometimes had to survive for months in jungles overrun by monsters.
She had bought these expensive items for such situations. Taesan took the stakes and planted them at the territory’s perimeter.
Weaker monsters were repelled by the stakes’ power, while stronger ones that managed to get through triggered a loud alarm. This allowed people to prepare in advance.
Lee Taeyeon’s strength alone was formidable, but the numerous items she possessed also played a crucial role.
With her return to Earth, many pressing issues were resolved almost instantly.
“Ooooh!”
“Lee Taeyeon-nim!”
“With Taeyeon here—!”
The people’s admiration for her only grew stronger.
Lee Taeyeon barely suppressed the nausea rising in her throat as she spoke to them.
“I will protect you all.”
No.
The truth was, she wished someone would protect her.
She didn’t want to lead these people. She didn’t want to be responsible for their lives.
But she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Instead, she always wore a mask of confidence and a smile.
The only time she could scream at the top of her lungs was when she scouted outside the territory alone.
“Aaaahhh…”
A hollow, dying moan slipped out as she slumped onto a tattered sofa.
Hearing her voice, a monster crashed through the wall.
[Monster 978 has appeared.]
“Get lost.”
Boom!
Still seated on the sofa, she lazily swung her arm. The three-digit-numbered monster that had lunged at her was instantly reduced to pulp.
“No…”
She bit her lip. The monster had already disappeared from her mind.
Her act was reaching its limit. At this rate, sooner or later, the others would see her weakness.
That couldn’t happen.
A symbol of trust must never waver. She always had to appear confident and resolute. Only then would people believe they could win.
As she searched for a way to maintain her facade, her eyes landed on a painting hanging on the wall.
She had entered the remains of a high-rise building—once the home of the wealthy.
That was why some decorations and paintings remained intact.
It looked like something painted by a renowned artist.
She had no real interest in it, but for some reason, she decided to take the painting back to their settlement.
“Taeyeon-ssi, what’s that?”
“It looked pretty. What do you think? Isn’t it nice?”
Lee Taeyeon smiled as she held up the painting.
“This world may be crumbling, but that’s why small hobbies like this matter. They become a ray of hope in a bleak life.”
“Oooh…”
“That’s true!”
The people nodded in agreement.
After that, they started finding their own hobbies—chiseling decorations out of concrete, drawing pictures, and more.
Just as she had said, these small hobbies had a surprisingly positive effect on the people. Their voices calling out to Lee Taeyeon grew even louder.
Everyone revered her.
Everyone trusted her.
They believed, without a doubt, that she would save them.
Only Taesan, watching her quietly, asked,
“Are you okay?”
“What do you mean?”
She smiled.
“This is just what I have to do. It’s not that hard.”
“…Is that so.”
Taesan responded calmly.
Her heart pounded. Had he seen through her? No, she reassured herself—she was good at acting. Everyone else believed in her without question.
He was probably just genuinely concerned. That’s what she convinced herself.
“I’m heading to rest. Call me if you need anything.”
“Alright.”
Taesan replied.
Once she returned to her quarters, Lee Taeyeon buried her face in a pillow.
“Hoo…”
She exhaled deeply and stretched out her body, trying to relieve her accumulated fatigue.
“…I’m exhausted.”
She muttered. Turning onto her back, she stared at the cracks in the ceiling, beyond which she could see the fractured sky.
A chill ran down her spine.
Just looking at it sent shivers through her. The power contained within it was utterly terrifying. She turned her gaze away.
‘No one knows.’
Only she understood that there was no real hope.
The entities beyond that fracture remained motionless for now, but one day, they would move.
And yet—
Lee Taeyeon clenched her fist.
She continued to save people. She continued to wear her mask of confidence.
A year passed.
“Ah, Taeyeon-ssi.”
A man standing before a massive wall greeted her with a bright smile. His complexion was healthy, and his hair was neatly trimmed.
“Are you heading out on patrol? You’ve been going out quite often lately.”
“Yes. I’ll be back later.”
“Alright. Stay safe.”
After being seen off, Lee Taeyeon stepped beyond their territory.
Now alone, she murmured to herself.
“Well… I somehow made it through.”
For an entire year, Lee Taeyeon had done everything she could.
Thanks to her efforts, the survivors’ situation had significantly improved. Their territory expanded, and the number of survivors steadily increased.
Hope was beginning to settle into their faces.
But Lee Taeyeon was growing increasingly anxious.
The energy within the fracture in the sky was becoming more unstable, as if it was ready to burst at any moment.
Something massive was about to descend. Her instincts—honed from clearing the Labyrinth—were screaming at her in warning.
“…I should go check.”
[You have activated Hidden Rat’s Breath.]
[You have activated The Unknown Hidden Tale.]
[You have activated Invisible Shadow.]
Her presence vanished.
Not even the Guide of Sin, not even their highest-ranking members, could detect her in her current state.
With her body concealed, she moved forward.
She eliminated every monster she encountered as she continued her search.
At the end of her path, she arrived directly beneath the fracture.
“…It’s been a while.”
Lee Taeyeon blankly gazed up at the rift.
Now that she was closer, she could confirm it with certainty.
The energy inside was raging uncontrollably.
[You have activated Contemplative Gaze.]
Her vision expanded.
She could now perceive the forces, laws, and structures embedded within everything.
As she stared at the fracture, she froze.
“…What?”
The fracture was expanding.
Something began to fall from within.
Rumble!
The ground shattered with a thunderous crash. Lee Taeyeon swallowed hard.
About ten monsters had emerged from the fracture.
It wasn’t a large number.
For someone who had slain tens of thousands of monsters, it was an almost negligible amount.
But the moment she assessed their strength, her entire body froze.
[Monster 3 has appeared.]
[Monster 9 has appeared.]
[Monster 10 has appeared.]
[Monster 43 has appeared.]
Two single-digit monsters.
Eight double-digit monsters.
She had never encountered monsters of this caliber before.
Gurgle.
A wave of fear swept through the land. Everything around her began to wither and die.
The monsters, perhaps unaware of her presence, passed by without acknowledging her.
Lee Taeyeon did nothing.
Only after the monsters had disappeared beyond the horizon did she finally exhale.
“Hah…!”
Sweat dripped down her face. Her entire body trembled with fear.
“…What the hell was that?”
She barely managed to force the words out.
They were strong.
Especially the single-digit monsters—she wasn’t confident she could defeat even one, even if she risked her life.
This isn’t good.
A deep, suffocating fear of death overtook her.
She was just about to turn and flee in the opposite direction when—
She realized something.
The monsters were heading straight for the survivors’ settlement.
A flood of emotions surged through her mind in an instant.
“…Aaaaaah!”
She clutched her head, her eyes bloodshot, and stomped the ground.
A small gemstone appeared in her hand.
[You have activated Designated Location Spatial Leap.]
“Taeyeon-ssi?! Weren’t you out on reconnaissance?”
The sudden appearance of Lee Taeyeon startled the survivors.
She wiped the shattered remnants of the gemstone from her hands and shook her head.
“…Gather everyone. I have something to say.”
She summoned the survivors and spoke.
Single-digit and double-digit monsters were coming.
Even she couldn’t guarantee victory against them.
They would have to fight with their lives on the line.
After her words, no one could speak. A suffocating silence filled the room.
“…Is this for real, Taeyeon-ssi?”
“Do you think I’d joke about this?”
She snapped back sharply. The man who had cautiously asked flinched and shrank back.
“N-no, sorry…”
Lee Taeyeon pressed a hand to her forehead.
She had no energy left to maintain her usual facade. Her heart was pounding, her breathing was erratic.
She barely managed to suppress her emotions before she continued.
“…I’ll handle as much as I can. But I won’t be able to stop them all. You’ll need to take care of some of the double-digit ones.”
“Damn it. Damn it. Damn it!”
The survivors, who had grown complacent under her protection, cursed under their breath.
Lee Taeyeon turned her gaze.
Amongst the crowd, only Taesan remained calm, looking at her with quiet eyes.
She clenched her fists.
“I can only stop one single-digit monster. Taesan, you’ll have to handle the other.”
“Alright.”
There was no hesitation, no frustration, no anger.
Taesan simply accepted it.
Word of the impending battle spread quickly. The survivors, despite their fear, picked up weapons and prepared for the incoming attack.
Lee Taeyeon was no different.
She forced herself to maintain her confident act, but her fingertips trembled slightly.
To hide it, she spoke to Taesan.
“You’re unexpected.”
“What is?”
“I thought you’d at least complain a little.”
Taesan was playing on easy mode, yet she was asking him to face a monster she herself couldn’t guarantee victory against.
He was undoubtedly strong, but his strength was limited.
If the enemy was too powerful, he could die meaninglessly.
Yet, Taesan simply replied,
“There’s no one else who can do it, right? You’d struggle too. So, I have to.”
He had already come to terms with the fact that this would be a fight for his life.
Lee Taeyeon stared at him in disbelief.
Taesan was strong.
Not just in power, but in sheer mental fortitude.
He was completely different from her.
Rumble…
But before she could dwell on it, a distant explosion rang out.
A suffocating pressure rolled toward them, turning the faces of the survivors deathly pale.
“Hah. They’re here.”
Lee Taeyeon let out a hollow laugh and gripped her sword.
“Then… let’s survive.”
She stomped the ground.
Clenching her fists, she rushed toward the approaching monsters.
[You have activated Veil of Deception.]
The world shifted.
The monsters’ vision distorted, and Lee Taeyeon’s presence magnified in their sights.
Boom!
The monsters charged toward Lee Taeyeon. She licked her dry lips and widened the distance from the settlement.
“I never thought I’d have to use this skill like this.”
Originally, the skill was meant to conceal her presence and disrupt the enemy’s movements.
But this time, she had to be the target. She concealed the city and instead magnified her own presence.
Once she had put enough distance between herself and the settlement, she stopped.
One single-digit monster.
Six double-digit monsters.
She muttered bitterly.
“…What are you?”
Why do you torment me like this?
Why attack Earth?
Why can’t you just leave us alone?
Why can’t you let us die in peace?
Why. Why. Why.
[Instant Death Judgment in Progress…]
[You have activated Negative Judgment Nullification.]
[Judgment Nullified!]
She tightened her grip on her sword.
“If you’re going to keep tormenting me… then just die already.”
She gritted her teeth.
Her mind, worn down by extreme stress, began to focus her fury.
With rough movements, she opened her inventory and pulled out a weapon she had kept treasured for a long time.
A staff. A deep crimson staff with no markings.
At its tip was a glowing red orb.
The moment the staff was revealed, the air burned.
The temperature spiked by several degrees across dozens of kilometers.
Lee Taeyeon raised the staff.
“Burn to death.”
[You have activated Red Giant.]