Chapter 542

“I wouldn’t call it usurpation. It’s an extremely small portion—so small it couldn’t even be called a fragment. It’ll disappear before long, too.”

[But it is a clear usurpation. My domain, even if only slightly, has unquestionably diminished.]

It wasn’t particularly rare for a Transcender’s domain to diminish permanently.

Even the process of imposing a trial upon mortals and granting them a reward caused a loss of domain.

But that was, at most, something the Transcender chose to do with their own will.

Right now, Taesan had usurped a portion of a Transcender’s domain regardless of that Transcender’s will.

“I don’t know either.”

The last Soul Rank Usurpation. Through some process, he had usurped Rakiratas’s domain and handled it as his own.

Thanks to that, Taesan had been able to block Rakiratas’s attack.

But even Taesan himself didn’t know how he’d done it. It wasn’t like Boundary or Physical Force. With those two, Taesan was still immature and hadn’t seen the bottom yet, but he could still rule them, control them, and handle them.

Soul Rank Usurpation was different.

Rather than him understanding and acting, his body had moved naturally. Something reflexive that dwelled within him.

[So even you don’t know how to wield it.]

“At least for now.”

If he were given similar conditions again, maybe—but at present, he couldn’t freely use Soul Rank Usurpation.

[What a shame. I wanted to test it once more.]

Rakiratas looked genuinely regretful.

Even though “testing” meant his domain would be usurped, he didn’t seem to care about that at all.

[That power of yours usurped my domain. Should I call it usurpation? It’s an entirely different concept from tainting or staining. Even the process was so natural that even the Transcenders couldn’t notice it.]

Even Rakiratas himself, the one being usurped, hadn’t realized in the moment that his Authority was being taken by someone else.

Boundary was certainly powerful—an incomprehensible power to them.

Even so, they could accept and recognize that it was alien and dangerous.

Soul Rank Usurpation wasn’t like that.

That wasn’t alien.

It slipped in among them with astonishing naturalness, like a concept of the world that had existed from the beginning.

［Unlike Physical Force or Boundary, is that a pure aggregation you built up yourself? Interesting. I’m curious.］

Rakiratas leaned back in his chair.

[Well done. That pathetic adventurer from when we first met is nowhere to be found. You’ve grown strong enough to stand against even me.]

“I still have a long way to go.”

Taesan denied the praise. Now that the battle was over, he could tell.

Rakiratas had gone easy on him.

That didn’t mean he’d fought halfheartedly. Throughout the fight, Rakiratas had truly been trying to kill Taesan.

But it hadn’t been his full power.

If he had charged in at full power, he would’ve tried to kill Taesan before Taesan could do anything at all. If he had brought his spirit, flesh, and rank into alignment and then rushed in after making the universe itself his own, Taesan would have had no proper way to respond.

Even without going that far, he could have simply avoided fighting head-on. Taesan still couldn’t handle his Authorities perfectly, so there were openings everywhere. If Rakiratas had simply exploited those openings, he could have defeated Taesan without much trouble.

But Rakiratas insisted on facing him head-on, taking Taesan’s immature attacks.

He only drew out power once it reached a level Taesan could respond to.

In other words, he had matched Taesan’s strength.

[Even so, I was sincere as well. The fact that you faced it is proof of your strength. Who knows what will happen once you grow even more accustomed to your Authorities.]

Rakiratas looked truly pleased.

［I’m curious what you’ll be able to reach. What lies at the end of your strife? And what shape will death take when it comes for you? Watching that will be its own amusement.]

“Thank you.”

［No need. It was enjoyable amusement for me as well. Then I should give you something in return for that amusement.］

The battle between Rakiratas and Taesan had been Rakiratas’s trial.

And Taesan had successfully cleared that trial.

Then Rakiratas had to give a fitting reward.

[I wondered what to give you… but this suits you.]

Rakiratas waved his hand. A portion of his domain was torn away.

[Rakiratas’s interference domain has decreased.]

[You have obtained Death Born of Strife.]

It was a death born from a single strife, a death that sought to kill all things.

Rakiratas had torn off a part of his own Authority and given it to him.

“……Are you sure that’s okay?”

Taesan had received Authorities before. Maria’s Exclusion of Choice, or the Fallen God’s Forced Descent—those were among them.

But those were, at most, permission to use one method of utilizing an Authority.

Rakiratas had given him the Authority itself. The caliber of the reward was different.

He’d expected something like a sacred relic at most—he never imagined Rakiratas would give a portion of his Authority.

［You passed my trial. Magnificently. Then I should give a reward worthy of that.］

Rakiratas chuckled as if it were nothing.

［We will call for you. Because we will need you in the war to come.］

“I know.”

［But that doesn’t mean you have to be with us. You may cooperate temporarily, but you don’t have to become our side.]

You didn’t have to stand on their side. It was hard to believe those were the words of Transcenders who ruled the universe.

Taesan looked at Rakiratas. Rakiratas spoke calmly.

[Walk your path. Don’t be stained by us. Seeker—walk your own path, one different from us and different from them. That is my simple advice to you.]

“Understood.”

Taesan nodded.

Rakiratas smiled in satisfaction.

[Then farewell. It won’t be long before we meet again.]

—

Tap.

Taesan returned to the Labyrinth.

“Hoo.”

He sat down first.

The Magician didn’t appear. He’d said he had things to handle before coming back to the Labyrinth, so it wasn’t surprising.

Until then, there was nothing he particularly needed to do.

Then, suddenly, Taesan’s thoughts went to the community.

Since returning, he hadn’t properly checked it. Taesan opened the community for the first time in a while.

“…Uh?”

And Taesan was momentarily flustered.

He’d thought there would be a lot of talk about the Labyrinth. The return was over, and they needed to descend again, so it was only natural.

But it wasn’t.

The community was filled with talk about Taesan.

［Yoo Youngseok［Easy］: Uh… what am I supposed to do with this? Something showed up.］

［Kang Dongjun［Normal］: When is Taesan-nim going to show up? I have no idea what we’re supposed to do with this.］

［Oliver Khan［Hard］: Calm down for now. We’re confused too. What do we do with this…］

There was confusion and turmoil. But it wasn’t fear or dread, nor confusion toward the unknown. It was more like pure bewilderment.

［Oliver Khan［Hard］: Do you know anything? Amelia. I heard you and Kang Junhyuk are his apostles.］

［Amelia Airin［Solo］: That’s true, but… if Taesan doesn’t say it himself, I can’t really say anything either. Just wait for now.］

“……What happened?”

Taesan frowned.

After watching the community for a moment, Taesan posted.

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: What happened.］

The moment his post went up, the reaction was explosive. In an instant, tens of thousands of posts flooded his view.

Conversation was impossible.

Taesan moved, as always, to the chat room where each country’s core members were gathered.

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: What happened?］

［Amelia Airin［Solo］: Taesan!］

［Daniel Darmon［Hard］: We’ve been looking for you.］

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: What is it.］

［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: A System window appeared.］

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: System?］

［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: Wait a moment.］

After a short while, Lee Taeyeon uploaded a System window.

［The one you serve has reached a solitary, complete realm. Your faith approaches him more directly.］

［In addition, he may permit those who serve him to receive his Authority, allowing him to bestow a portion of that concept.］

［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: There was more, but the important part is basically this.］

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: Now I get why it turned into such a commotion.］

Taesan had stepped away from the seat of a god of faith and ascended to a solitary, complete realm.

And there was no way that fact wouldn’t affect those who served him.

All players on Earth believed in Taesan. It wouldn’t be wrong to call them his followers.

And among the followers of gods Taesan had seen so far, many used a portion of their god’s Authority.

Now, Taesan could do that as well.

“Can you do things like this even if you can’t be called a god?”

After thinking for a moment, Taesan posted.

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: Want me to bestow it?］

［Oliver Khan［Hard］: Huh?］

［Kim Hwiyeon［Hard］: I mean, I’d be grateful if you did, but… seriously?］

People were doubtful. Taesan didn’t particularly care.

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: Wait.］

［Geum Junggeun［Hard］: ……Seriously?］

［Daniel Darmon［Hard］: Wait. I’m not mentally prepared yet.］

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: I’m the one giving it—what do you need to prepare?］

Taesan focused his mind.

Authority gathered—strong, solid.

And that gathered Authority, following its owner’s will, spread out into the world.

Leaving the Labyrinth, it scattered across space and time to the believers who served him.

［Lee San［Easy］: ……Huh?］

The community erupted in an instant. Seeing their reactions, Taesan realized it had worked exactly as he intended.

［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: Huh. Taesan, this is…］

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: You got it too.］

［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: I mean, I do serve you too, so… but this is…］

［Amelia Airin［Solo］: Physical Force Control? What is this?］

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: That’s the name?］

The bestowal of Authority that gods had done for Taesan until now.

Taesan had now bestowed Authority upon every player on Earth.

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: Try it once. I’m curious too.］

Taesan had bestowed it, but even Taesan didn’t know how it would help ordinary players. A brief silence fell over the community.

And in the meantime, Taesan checked his own power.

What he had just bestowed was the Authority of Physical Force.

And when a Transcender bestows Authority upon mortals or imposes a trial, that Authority is permanently consumed.

So how much of Taesan’s Authority had been consumed?

He had bestowed it upon every player on Earth. That number exceeded a hundred million. It was bound to consume a significant amount.

Since he’d done it knowingly, Taesan checked calmly.

“…Huh?”

And he was surprised.

Not because the consumption was huge.

But because it was so small.

It felt like scooping out a pot’s worth of water from the ocean. To an ordinary person, it was by no means a small amount—but compared to the whole sea, it was a trivial level.

If this was all it took to give it to over a hundred million, then for an individual, it wouldn’t even reach the level of a single drop.

“What were they being so stingy about?”

Taesan let out a scoffing laugh. The Transcenders he’d met until now had been extremely reluctant to let their domains be consumed. So unless it was someone they truly acknowledged, they wouldn’t give anything.

That was why he’d expected a noticeable cost—yet it wasn’t even dust.

‘No need to worry.’

He’d expected some degree of loss, but at this level, it was practically nothing. Not bad.

Taesan waited quietly.

And before long, posts began to appear one by one.

［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: Um… Taesan.］

［Kang Taesan［Solo］: What.］

After a brief silence, Lee Taeyeon posted.

［Lee Taeyeon［Solo］: What is this?］