Chapter 375

“Master? What is this…”

Minerva was visibly flustered.

She realized why Kang Taesan felt so distant.

It was simple. Taesan had surpassed her realm by a vast margin.

“Master… don’t tell me… have you transcended—”

“No.”

Taesan denied it.

“Not that far.”

Even he couldn’t fully understand his current state.

An immense [presence] radiated from him in streams, dispersing in all directions.

“O-Ohhh…”

The people watching him trembled. They bowed their heads and praised his name.

But it wasn’t of their own will. It was a natural reaction from being overwhelmed by a being vastly superior to themselves.

If left alone, they would all become zealots, thinking only of worship. Taesan suppressed his presence. Only then did people gasp for breath again.

Even without actively doing anything, his mere presence had a powerful effect on their minds. Taesan decided to move to a place where no people were around.

In an instant, his body vanished.

The moment he imagined a place in his mind, his body appeared there.

[Uh…]

It wasn’t a skill. His body had literally leapt through space at Taesan’s will. Minerva, who arrived belatedly, asked with a stunned expression,

“What level have you even reached…?”

“I don’t know either.”

Taesan narrowed his eyes.

A sense of omnipotence ruled his entire being.

It felt as though he could accomplish anything he desired, as if his limits had disappeared.

What realm have I reached?

He analyzed himself. He observed his own strength and read the level he had reached.

Taesan closed his eyes and immersed himself inward.

The ghost and Minerva quietly observed him. His meditation didn’t end quickly. Only after a full day did Taesan open his eyes.

“…I see now.”

He let out a hollow laugh.

“A limited transcendence, formed by the collective [faith] of the people.”

That was his current state.

“Ah…”

Minerva let out a small gasp.

“Minerva. You said something like this before, didn’t you?”

Reaching transcendence through faith wasn’t impossible. But it required worship from an entire world—essentially making it a near-impossible feat.

Minerva had said that a long time ago. She’d thought it had nothing to do with her, so she forgot about it—but now it had actually been achieved. Minerva groaned.

“The only survivors in this world are the five cities. If all of them worship Master… then maybe it really isn’t impossible.”

Normally, it truly would’ve been impossible. Humans are diverse and full of differing thoughts. It was unthinkable that all of them would worship a single being without doubt.

But here, only a very small number had survived. And they were all exhausted, pushed to their limits.

Under those circumstances, when Taesan saved them with overwhelming power and asked for nothing in return, they naturally worshipped him.

“And there are no gods here. Not even a will of the planet.”

This world was abandoned. Its planetary god had been killed by the [Old gods], and the gods who defeated them had disappeared as well.

Multiple conditions aligned, making it possible for Taesan to be worshipped by the entire world.

That’s why, even if temporarily, Taesan had seemingly transcended mortality.

[Wait—does that mean you actually reached the seat of transcendence?]

The ghost asked in shock. Taesan shook his head.

“Not to that level.”

He looked at his hand. The feeling of omnipotence filled his entire being, but there were still limits.

“There just aren’t enough survivors.”

Only five cities. And they weren’t modern metropolises—they were medieval in scale.

Taesan estimated that even in total, the number didn’t exceed a hundred thousand.

Even if all of them worshipped him alone, the number was far too small to achieve full transcendence.

That’s why it felt unstable. A limited power that could vanish the moment people’s faith wavered.

“If I had to label it, I’m probably closer to an [Immortal] than a [Transcendent].”

Still, he had reached a level far beyond anything he’d experienced before.

As he observed his power, Taesan realized another truth.

“This power is limited to this world.”

It was like Harmon, the local god of Vekeseta. That realm belonged to Harmon. Even though it turned out to be a misunderstanding on the ghost’s part, within his own territory, Harmon wielded power strong enough to deter even demon gods.

Taesan would likely lose this realm the moment he left this world.

“Still, since the world’s [faith] itself remains… it might be possible, at least partially. I’m just not sure.”

Minerva groaned.

Whatever the case, Taesan had reached a realm normally inaccessible.

Which meant there was only one thing to do.

Taesan held the [Crystallized Divine Blood] in his hand.

[Crystallized Divine Blood]
[The divine blood itself has been crystallized and stabilized. If one without proper qualification attempts to control it, it will run rampant.]

Maria once said that reaching the level to wield this was a joy in itself.

Taesan focused his power on the crystal.

Crack.

The crystal began to tremble under Taesan’s will. The power within it leaked outward, spreading into the world.

But it was manageable.

Just as Taesan’s eyes sharpened and he prepared to draw out more power—

Crack.

Suddenly, a fracture appeared in the crystal. Its energy began to run wild.

Craaaack!

The space around him distorted and collapsed. Taesan hurriedly gathered his might and will, declaring:

“Be sealed.”

[You have activated Declaration of Sealing.]

KRRRZZZK!

A powerful force suppressed the rampaging crystal. The damaged portion was sealed.

The [Crystallized Divine Blood] barely regained stability.

Taesan clicked his tongue.

“At my current level, it’s impossible.”

It wasn’t that he lacked power—it was a problem of stability. Taesan’s current state was a rare condition where he had temporarily transcended mortality. As a result, the power was unstable and difficult for even him to control.

At his current level, controlling the [Divine Blood] was impossible.

It was unexpected, but he wasn’t disappointed. In other words, the power contained in the Divine Blood was that immense. He would attain that strength eventually—there was no need to rush.

“…Then I shouldn’t touch the ring either.”

He had acquired a skill during the battle with the Guides that could merge the [Twin Rings] into one.

But he gave up on it. In his current unstable state, a misstep could damage the rings.

Taesan took out the flower ornament Maria had given him.

He could at least analyze this. His meditative gaze turned to the ornament.

Taesan furrowed his brow after reading the power within it.

He had assumed it was a material item for equipment. So he thought he could use it once he grew strong enough.

But the power he read now told a different story.

The flower ornament wasn’t meant for himself—but for someone else.

It was an item that activated its effect when given to another.

But he couldn’t tell who that recipient was.

Even when he tried to reanalyze it, no further information was revealed.

‘What is this…’

Taesan put the ornament away.

He focused his mind.

It was time to do what he could do.

Right now, he was essentially the god of this planet.

That meant he could wield his power like this.

Taesan gathered his will and declared:

“Gather.”

[You have activated Declaration of Convergence.]

The world obeyed Taesan’s command.

All the power scattered throughout the world began to swirl and converge. Minerva stepped back, her face pale.

“Ugh… Even if it’s limited, you’re basically a full-blown transcendent now.”

It was an authority impossible even for her now—a power only one who had touched transcendence could wield.

Whirrrrrr—

With a resonance through space, the forces of the entire world gathered as one.

A colorless sphere floated before Taesan.

[You have obtained the Essence of the World.]

Taesan stored the sphere. As the master of this world, he alone could acquire it—this very world’s essence. He hadn’t yet decided how to use it, but it was undoubtedly valuable.

“Well then.”

He had done everything he could for now.

It was time to carry out his final task.

Suppressing his presence to the limit, Taesan gathered the people. As they bowed their heads before him, he spoke.

“I will soon be leaving.”

Despair instantly spread across their faces.

“No!”

“Please don’t abandon us!”

“Don’t leave us!”

Their cries rang out. Their collective denial surged and washed over Taesan.

“Ugh…”

He let out a quiet groan.

In that moment, his level wavered.

‘So that’s how it is…’

This was a state built solely upon people’s [faith]. So when that faith faltered, his level also trembled.

Suppressing the turbulence of power, Taesan spoke.

“I have no choice. There’s something I must do.”

“Uuuu…”

The people wept, but no longer tried to stop him. Taesan continued.

“But don’t worry. Even if I’m no longer at your side, I will always be watching over you.”

He summoned his power.

The presence he had been suppressing now spread across the world. Taesan gathered his [Divinity] and unleashed it. A golden pillar pierced the heavens. People stared at it with dazed eyes.

[Omnipotence], capable of bending the world to his will, engulfed Taesan.

Controlling the power, he activated a skill.

[You have activated Inner World.]

A skill that expands one’s power and level into a territory—[Inner World].

On paper, it was a useful skill. But ever since learning it, he’d never used it. The area it generated was far too small relative to the energy it consumed.

But now, it was different.

The deployed [Inner World] easily encompassed all five cities.

Taesan unleashed his [Divinity] in full.

He knew the method. He’d seen it in the world of the Ghost—the [Sanctuary] of the God of Regret. And now, Taesan could do it too.

The pillar of light expanded outward. Bathed in its radiant waves, the people shouted and offered prayers.

Taesan gathered their faith and channeled it into the pillar of light.

Whirrrrrr!

His [Inner World] filled with [Divinity], and his [Sanctuary] was established within this world.

[You have created your own Sanctuary. You have acquired the special divine skill [Sanctuary Creation].]

“Huff…”

Taesan exhaled. Though it only lasted a moment, it had consumed a considerable amount of mental energy.

He turned his gaze.

A sphere of light now enveloped the people. Their faith streamed into the light, reinforcing and sustaining it.

“…Good.”

“Ooooooh…”

“This is…”

The people looked around in awe.

The pillar of light gently wrapped around them.

The scorched land began to regain life. The colorless world reclaimed its hues.

Dead roots buried deep within the earth came back to life. Buds sprouted, spreading greenery across the land.

The divine light shone down like the sun, warming them.

It was, in every sense, a miracle of God.

Overcome with emotion, the people cried out toward Taesan. In that moment, overwhelming [faith] beyond what he could handle surged into him.

“As long as you do not forget me, the light that protects you will never fade.”

With those words, Taesan’s form vanished.

But the people continued to offer prayers to him.

“…Whew.”

Taesan returned to the labyrinth.

At the same time, a system window appeared.

[You have acquired the transcendence skill [Eternal and Immortal Faith].]
[77th Floor Cleared.]
[You have obtained the Bloodstained Hammer of the Cruel One.]
[Your secret reward will vary depending on your achievements.]
[Verifying…]
[Complete.]
[Labyrinth Administrator Balbamaba will appear.]

RUMBLE!