Chapter 86
In an ashen desert, a colorless world of sand stretched endlessly, revealing nothing.
Taesan stepped into this place.
The moment his foot touched the desert, his skin dried up. With each step, the sand beneath him sunk like a swamp, and the already scarce oxygen thinned further.
Without his resistance skills, it would have been quite difficult. Taesan reduced his breathing even more and wrapped his entire body with his robe.
‘How much further?’
Checking the map, he was halfway there.
Taesan moved slowly.
He couldn’t run, only breathe and move forward. The stars remained inactive, adding a touch of monotony. It made Taesan curious about something he’d been wondering for a while.
“What’s the difference between adventurers and you guys?”
[You mean the contractors?] “Probably that.”
NPCs within the labyrinth, they referred to themselves as contractors.
Contractors and adventurers.
Similar, yet different.
[You’re not guessing? The bound and the unbound.] The ghost spoke.
[Adventurers like you can leave this place, they have freedom. But contractors can’t. They’ve made deals with the mage and are bound within the labyrinth.] Contractors reside within the labyrinth, offering quests and aid to adventurers.
[It’s a kind of contract. I get a chance to fulfill my wish, and in return, I’m bound to the labyrinth.] “Wish?”
[I was backstabbed and killed by the Ogre Sage. I made a contract for my revenge. Liris contracted to pursue the path of magic. The old man seeking his god contracted to find his deity.] Everyone had something they intensely desired.
[The dwarf managing the shop probably has his desires too. Halfran is no different. He desires something, which is why he’s taken on the role of a blacksmith.] That wish was presumably here, in this place Taesan was visiting.
“So, quests?”
[Since they can’t leave the labyrinth themselves, they ask adventurers like you to do things on their behalf.] If they could withstand the pressure from the Path of Sin, they’d be stronger than the current Taesan. However, instead of returning to their doomed world, they tasked Taesan with quests under the guise of contracts. That cleared up some confusion.
‘I get it now.’
The labyrinth is deep and challenging. Every layer descended introduces various monsters intent on killing, gods are cruel and indifferent, and most adventurers encountered are likely foes.
In a situation with no place to rest or allies, even the most iron-willed would find it tough to endure.
Hence, a being that doesn’t oppose, that shows goodwill, would be a boon. Especially if bound by mutual interests, ensuring they can never betray.
A being that offers rewards upon completing suitable challenges would be a tremendous support.
This was likely why the mage created the concept of contractors.
[Whether it’s mercy or something else, it wasn’t a bad deal for me. Better than dying, anyway.] The ghost murmured with a hint of discomfort.
Taesan asked,
“What happens to the contractors?”
[It varies. The mage came to me directly. Accept, and you become a contractor; refuse, and you don’t.] “Who is this mage?”
The creator of the labyrinth. Though they received help from gods, the scale of this space suggested they might be more powerful than the transcended beings.
After a moment of silence, the ghost said,
[I can’t answer that.] “A secret?”
[Something like that. You’ll naturally find out as you go deeper.] Since it wasn’t urgent, Taesan didn’t press further.
When he was about halfway through the desert, a wind suddenly appeared before him.
The wind gathered the sands, growing in size, eventually forming a massive sandstorm.
‘Is it finally trying to kill me?’
CRACK!
Though he thought to avoid it, it was too large. A mountain-sized sandstorm engulfed Taesan at a rapid pace.
The fierce wind tried to blow his body away, while the sands pelted him.
[You’ve activated Slip.] [You’ve activated Solidity.] Using skills had no effect. Most activated skills were effective against single attacks. Against countless attacks like a sandstorm, they were meaningless.
“It’s not passing.”
Even after enduring for quite a while, the sandstorm still enveloped Taesan.
[Since it’s meant only to kill you, it sees no need to move elsewhere.] In the end, he had to escape or dispel the sandstorm himself. Taesan launched frost arrows toward the center of the sandstorm, but nothing appeared.
Swinging his sword only hit sand, causing no significant effect.
“Can’t kill it?”
Though it was a natural phenomenon, given its special nature, he thought it might be alive, but that wasn’t the case.
Then, escape was the only option. Taesan activated a spell.
[You’ve activated Slow.] The speed of the sandstorm slowed slightly.
‘So, target skills work.’
CRACK.
Taesan stomped his foot.
[You’ve activated Acceleration.] He charged against the wind. Acceleration required a target to activate. This time, the target was the sandstorm itself.
With Slow slightly reducing the storm’s speed and Acceleration boosting his own, Taesan surged forward.
He touched the ground again.
[You’ve activated Acceleration.] His body sped out of the sandstorm. The sandstorm attempted to follow Taesan too late; he had already escaped its grasp.
“Phew.”
After escaping to a safe distance, Taesan shook off the sand clinging to his body. The sandstorm, unsure of what to do, swayed aimlessly.
Having created a significant gap, it was impossible for the sandstorm to pursue him immediately. It had managed to engulf him because it appeared right in front of him; the speed difference was clear. After a moment of indecision, the sandstorm made a choice.
“Is it disappearing?”
[Since it failed its purpose, it deems itself worthless.] The power of the sandstorm gradually waned. Eventually, only the scattered sands remained, and it vanished.
Then, something entered Taesan.
[Huh?] [Your Spirit Ascension has activated. You’ve acquired the conceptual skill [???].] Taesan muttered in confusion at the sudden system notification.
“What’s this?”
“Why did this activate?”
Spirit Ascension. A skill that allowed him to take power from those he killed, as described and activated. Thus, Taesan thought Spirit Ascension only activated against living beings.
But the current activation contradicted his previous understanding.
[Hmm.] The ghost seemed puzzled.
[The sandstorm was meant to kill you, and since it failed, you’ve won in a way… but why Spirit Ascension?] “I have no idea.”
Taesan was equally baffled.
“What’s this skill?”
[Conceptual Skill: ???] [Proficiency: 3%] [???] The system displayed only ???, providing no information except that it was a conceptual skill.
“What’s a conceptual skill?”
[I’ve never seen this type before either.] The ghost didn’t know the skill. Given that even the ghost, who had descended deep into the labyrinth, was unaware, it was likely unknown to most adventurers within.
Pondering, the ghost groaned.
[Could it be…?] “Do you have an idea?”
[Maybe, but…] The ghost shook its head.
[I’m not sure yet. I’ll tell you more once I have it figured out.] There was no certainty. Though the situation was unexpected, looking at it calmly, it was an easy acquisition of a new skill. Not bad for Taesan.
Taesan continued forward. Without further issues, he exited the desert, crossed a plain, and then came across a massive cliff.
CRUNCH.
The cliff crumbled. The falling debris, escaping gravity’s influence, shot towards Taesan like cannonballs.
‘What an experience.’
To be attacked by a collapsing cliff. It would be a story to remember.
[You’ve activated Mental Acceleration.] Taesan focused and swung his sword. He deflected the incoming rocks and let them pass.
Mixing the Dance of the Entertainer and Wolf’s Fang, he cleared them one by one. Despite the entire cliff collapsing like rain, his calm, Mental Acceleration, and swordsmanship allowed him to fend them off.
Though he managed without much trouble, there were simply too many. His fingertips began to tingle. Taesan frowned and swung his hand.
CRACK.
A boulder as big as a house shattered into pieces. A slight scratch appeared on his hand.
It wasn’t just any rock. Perhaps due to the world’s will, it even pierced Taesan’s defense.
Clicking his tongue, Taesan continued to fend off when something caught his eye.
“What’s that?”
Within the collapsed cliff, there was a circular ashen energy.
[Huh? What is it?] “Over there, in the cliff.”
[I don’t see anything?] It seemed only Taesan could see it.
‘Is it because of the skill?’
Maybe the ??? skill he obtained after the sandstorm disappeared allowed him to see it.
After a brief thought, Taesan exerted force on his legs.
“You’ve accelerated.” He dashed towards the raining rocks, swinging his sword to deflect them and kicking when necessary. He dodged the unavoidable and took hits where evasion was impossible, quickly approaching the cliff.
The rocks continued to pour out fiercely, but it was already too late.
Taesan stabbed the ashen energy with his sword.
The intent-filled rocks, influenced by gravity, fell apart. Simultaneously, the energy was absorbed by Taesan.
[Oh?] [Your Spirit Ascension has activated. ???’s proficiency has increased by 2%.] It was certain. The ashen energy had been attacking Taesan.
Probably something related to the star. Given that the ghost couldn’t see it, it was likely the inhabitants of this place were also unaware.
“What exactly is this skill?”
[Conceptual Skill: ???] [Proficiency: 3%] [Will of ???] Though a word was added, it remained incomprehensible. Taesan nonchalantly closed the skill window, and the ghost internally sighed.
‘Will…?’
The ghost had an inkling but didn’t see the ashen energy. Halfran’s world had been doomed because the star itself sought the world’s end.
The sandstorm and cliff collapse that attempted to kill Taesan were extensions of that.
The will of the star that does not permit life.
Against such will, Taesan had prevailed. In some sense, it was fair to consider it a victory. Thus, defeating an enemy and plundering its power wasn’t entirely nonsensical.
‘But…’
The ghost was perturbed.
‘Is this power permitted for mortals?’
Spirit Ascension was shocking when discovered. To gain stats with each enemy defeated, and even plunder skills from defeated adventurers, was no minor matter. Skills were hard-earned through immense effort and talent. Spirit Ascension allowed for the indiscriminate theft of such skills.
For instance, if Taesan defeated someone who had learned the Ilock Martial Technique, he could potentially acquire it.
However, there was a limit to killing. Thus, the ghost had thought Spirit Ascension was a skill to steal from a being, whether physical or spiritual, that had something within. Viewed that way, it was a clear-cut skill.
‘But… It’s more high-dimensional.’
The sandstorm and cliff collapse were, in a way, the star’s will itself, the world itself.
Taesan had triumphed over the world’s will.
Thus, Spirit Ascension had plundered the world’s power.
Not just from a physical being, but also from a concept, it stole.
And a theft skill is ineffective if its rank is lower.
Meaning, Spirit Ascension held a higher rank than the will of the star itself.
‘This isn’t a power granted to mortals but rather…’
To something higher.
Perhaps allowed only to transcended beings…
“Is it there?”
[Huh?] “Is that the destination? It looks just like it.”
Taesan looked at the map. A small, colorless forest was visible.
Regaining focus, the ghost replied,
[Yes. I’ve obtained roots from a place like that too.] The ghost discarded its thoughts. If it truly had reached that level, it wouldn’t still be trapped in a mortal body.
‘Maybe it’s just below that level? Now, I’m even more curious about the past.’
While the ghost pondered alone, Taesan entered deeper into the forest. The colorless trees creaked menacingly, and Taesan paid them no mind.
“Is that it?”
About halfway in, there was a gigantic tree. So large, it hardly seemed like a tree.
Uniquely, the tree’s roots were exposed outside, arranged in a disorganized manner.
It was immediately obvious.
Those were the roots of chaos.