Chapter 541
Until now, Taesan had never activated Soul Rank Ascension by his own will.
That was partly because Soul Rank Ascension wasn’t something that belonged solely to Taesan, but also because of the very nature of Soul Rank Ascension itself.
Soul Rank Ascension usurped the rank contained within an enemy when they were defeated. Taesan had no say in it. Whether he wanted it or not, it was taken by force.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t control it at all.
Thanks to the Seed of Life skill, he could control it, if only slightly.
But the only parts he could control were the type and amount of power being usurped. Soul Rank Ascension was still a passive power—something he couldn’t actively wield.
That Soul Rank Ascension had now changed into Soul Rank Usurpation.
(T/N: Should have been Soul Rank Ascension from the start not Spiritual Rank Usurpation.)
In the process, many things changed.
Taesan activated Soul Rank Usurpation by his own will.
The result manifested in the world as a phenomenon.
KWA-AAAAANG!
[Hmm?]
Rakiratas’s expression changed.
The axe was blocked by Taesan’s hand and couldn’t advance.
Taesan’s hand wasn’t wrapped in Boundary, nor in Physical Force. It was, quite literally, an ordinary hand.
Of course, given the rank he had reached, his body itself boasted an unchanging hardness—
But it could never be enough to stop Rakiratas’s attack. With bare flesh, he should’ve been no different from a sheet of paper before an axe.
The instant it touched him, it should’ve been crushed and split apart.
Yet the axe was stopped.
Rakiratas put strength into his grip. Even so, the axe didn’t move forward.
[……Wait.]
The face that had held only confusion hardened—for the first time.
He realized it too late.
KAGAGAGAGAK!
Strife and Death existed solely for Rakiratas.
It was possible to smash things apart with force and rank, or to taint them with the power of the Old gods, but it was impossible to usurp them. Those two concepts were permitted only to Rakiratas.
But now.
In Taesan’s hand, touching the axe, Strife and Death were contained.
As if they belonged to Taesan.
It was such a tiny usurpation of concept that even Rakiratas, the owner himself, hadn’t noticed immediately—but it was usurpation all the same.
[You…]
Rakiratas tried to reclaim the Authority that had been his.
But the Strife and Death wavering in Taesan’s hand did not return.
Strength flowed into Taesan’s hand.
KAAANG!
With a crash, Rakiratas and Taesan were both shoved back.
The Rakiratas of before would’ve charged in at once with a peal of mad laughter.
But he couldn’t.
He stared at Taesan with a rigid face.
[You are…]
It was the moment Rakiratas was about to say something.
[Stop.]
In that instant, an intervention cut in.
—
[That’s enough.]
Kiiiing!
Maria’s Authority activated. The very option of the two opposing each other was erased.
The battle was forcibly ended.
When Taesan came to, more than ten Transcenders stood between them. Their Authorities separated Taesan and Rakiratas.
[This should be enough. Looks like we’ve seen everything we needed to see. There’s no need to go any further.]
Maria spoke to Dersha.
[What do you think, Dersha?]
[…….]
[He proved himself against Rakiratas. Even while dealing with that alien beast, he showed he could control it. And even while facing Rakiratas at full strength, he showed his own power. Unlike what you said, he looks more than capable of being a strength in the war against the Old gods.]
Dersha didn’t argue.
Rakiratas was among the strongest even among Transcenders. Enduring him to this extent meant Taesan could endure against the Old gods as well.
[Fine. I won’t insist anymore.]
Dersha didn’t raise her voice as she stepped back. Maria watched her with a smile.
[Don’t hate her too much. In her own way, she’s acting for the sake of this universe.]
“I don’t particularly care.”
From Dersha’s perspective—an existence from the beginning of creation, maintaining the order called the universe’s death—Taesan was an exceedingly irritating foreign substance.
Taesan didn’t have any particular thoughts about it, either.
Rakiratas, who had been staring at Taesan in silence, reached out into the air. The axe slowly vanished beyond space.
The atmosphere gradually settled.
The Magician spoke to the other Transcenders.
[Looks like Dersha’s acknowledged him. No objections from the rest of you?]
No answer returned.
Only quiet feelings of agreement could be sensed.
[Then it’s settled.]
The Demon God looked at Taesan with a satisfied face.
[I didn’t expect you to endure Rakiratas this far. You’re beyond what I thought.]
[An area transformed into life… I don’t know how something like that came to be.]
［But it follows his control. Then there’s no problem.］
Most of the Transcenders seemed satisfied. After watching them for a moment, Taesan asked,
“Are you sure that’s fine?”
［About what?］
“About my power.”
［And only now you ask.］
Zervand let out a scoffing laugh.
［I already knew you handled an alien power. That it transformed into life is a bit surprising, but…
It follows your control. Then there’s no problem.］
［Even now, I don’t know what level you’ve reached, or what kind of seat it is… but as long as it’s you, there’s no issue.］
Most of the Transcenders spoke as if there was no problem.
But what they were talking about wasn’t the reason Taesan had asked.
‘They didn’t notice?’
Taesan looked at Rakiratas.
Rakiratas, too, wore a subtle expression as he looked at the Transcenders, as if he felt the same.
But instead of pointing it out, he opened his mouth.
[Is the confirmation finished?]
[Yes. You did well.]
[It’s something I wanted, so it’s fine. Then… I suppose I’ll need some rest.]
[Both of you will. Neither you nor Taesan is in a normal state, are you?]
[That’s true.]
Rakiratas had lost quite a lot as well. With time, he would recover little by little, but for now he needed rest.
Rakiratas slowly moved.
[Then I’ll go rest first. The rest of you can talk among yourselves.]
Before leaving, he sent Taesan a look. Rakiratas disappeared.
The Transcenders looked slightly thrown off by the abrupt departure.
But their surprise quickly settled.
“Either way… no one’s going to touch you anymore. Congratulations.”
The Magician smiled faintly.
“You’ve been acknowledged by the universe’s Transcenders. I’ll go and talk to the rest, so for now, get some rest.”
—
Taesan returned to the building the Magician had first guided him to.
There, he rested and replenished the power and rank he’d expended. Bardray shuddered as if getting goosebumps, his iron body rattling as it trembled.
[……I’m not broken, right?]
“You’re not broken. Why worry about that?”
[How could I not worry? It was Rakiratas! Rakiratas! Strife and Death were pounding on me!]
For Bardray, it had been a terrifying experience. Each time the very concept of the universe struck him, it felt like he might break at any moment.
“Your master is me. As long as I don’t break, you won’t break either.”
[I know that, but it doesn’t stop it from being terrifying.]
Bardray grumbled. After calming down a little, he muttered as if it felt strange.
[Still… the atmosphere really changed.]
The countless gazes that had been aimed at Taesan.
Most of the gods who couldn’t rule a complete concept—those who ruled only small concepts—had been sending Taesan gazes filled with hostility and killing intent.
Like Ehilliye, they had treated Taesan as an enemy and felt threatened by him.
But now they were nowhere to be found.
The occasional gazes Taesan still felt were only fear and dread.
The power Taesan had shown in the battle with Rakiratas was something immense—something those who ruled small concepts couldn’t accept. In a single battle, they realized Taesan had reached a realm separate from theirs.
“Not bad.”
He had gained a lot. In the process of staking his life and fighting at full strength, he learned how to handle the Authority he had obtained.
And he learned what level he had reached.
As Taesan rested in silence, he suddenly called out to [Gray].
Grrr.
A beast’s growl answered. Like a puppy clinging to its owner, [Gray] pressed itself against Taesan’s whole body and rumbled quietly.
“What are you?”
A Boundary that had gained a self.
Even Taesan couldn’t properly grasp what it truly was. He could now issue commands to the beast’s self, but he still hadn’t fathomed the bottom of the Boundary.
Taesan focused his mind.
He dove into the inside of the Boundary. He tried to use rank to probe deep within it.
But he couldn’t see it.
It was like the deep sea far below the surface. Dense and dark. He couldn’t reach its bottom.
Taesan raised his soul.
It felt like a power without a bottom.
Even Taesan couldn’t easily sense how to wield it perfectly.
‘…And lastly.’
Soul Rank Usurpation—what had blocked Rakiratas’s attack.
It was the moment Taesan was about to think about it.
Creak.
The door opened, and the Magician entered.
“Resting well?”
“More or less.”
“You did good.”
The Magician gave a light wave, then sat on a conjured chair and spoke.
“It’s over. The Transcenders won’t oppose you anymore. You can go back now.”
“Already?”
“There’s nothing to talk about right now. We still haven’t decided exactly how we’re going to act.”
The start of war. There was a lot to deal with. It wasn’t something that could be settled in a few days.
“But… once things are somewhat organized, we might ask for your help.”
“I know.”
He had no intention of refusing. The Magician grinned.
“You did well. You can get your reward directly from Rakiratas. He said he’d give it himself.”
“…Really?”
Taesan’s eyes sank.
Taesan finished a reasonable amount of recovery. It was time to leave.
Taesan went to find Rakiratas.
Because Rakiratas had promised to give him a reward.
Taesan arrived at Rakiratas’s temple.
“Brutal.”
There were countless spears, swords, and axes.
Innumerable weapons were embedded like decorations.
Each one was close to a sacred relic—things that couldn’t be found in the outside world.
And countless skulls lay strewn around the weapons.
It was a landscape that embodied Strife and Death.
And above it all, Rakiratas stood with lofty presence.
[You’ve come.]
“You said you’d give me a reward.”
[A reward. Right. I should give it.]
Rakiratas wore a strange smile.
[You seem to already have your reward, but still. A reward is a reward.]
If someone else heard it, it would make no sense.
But Taesan understood better than anyone what Rakiratas meant.
“That’s what happened.”
[That’s what happened.]
Rakiratas spoke as if teasing.
[So. Have you been making good use of the concept you usurped from me?]