Ascension Through Skills

"A necromancer, huh."

Taesan lunged toward the approaching corpses. He clenched his fist and stepped forward, swinging his arm.

A wind blast exploded. Flesh flew in every direction, and skeletal fragments scattered.

Kugugung!

The corpses kept coming.

Among them were ones Taesan recognized.

Monsters he had defeated in the lower floors of the labyrinth.

Now they moved as tools of Sociét.

And they were far stronger than when he first faced them.

That was Sociét's ability.

Taesan kicked his leg out. Dozens of beast corpses trying to bite him exploded all at once. He followed with a sweeping motion of his hand.

Kwa-deudeudeuk.

He crushed and smashed the corpses. Flesh clung to his fingers.

But more corpses appeared than he destroyed.

In an instant, the room was filled with the dead.

As he swung his fists, Taesan spoke.

"How does it feel? Realizing you knew nothing about someone you thought you were close to."

[Shut up.]

The ghost replied curtly. His shock from earlier had settled somewhat.

[…It's surprising.]

He had known nothing about Sociét.

He had believed her lies. Never once imagined she might have felt anything more than camaraderie toward him.

[And in the end, she killed me. It might make me feel a little sorry… but the fact remains. She killed me.]

The ghost spoke with a calm voice.

[My feelings are settled.]

"I see."

Taesan spread his hand. Toward the hundreds of corpses rushing at him, he activated a spell.

[You have activated Mana Storm.]

Kagagagak!

A massive storm descended inside the chamber.

In an instant, corpses were shredded by the violent wind. Sociét summoned new ones at great speed,

But the storm didn't stop. It devoured the corpses and grew larger and wilder.

"A monster."

Sociét scoffed and pressed her hand to the ground, her expression now serious.

"Come forth."

Kugugugung!

A massive corpse rose from the darkness.

The head of a dog, arms of an orc, lower body of a basilisk—

A chimera assembled from many corpses.

[Kyaaaa!]

The chimera charged into the mana storm with a scream.

The mana storm slowly ground away at its body, but it didn't retreat. It clutched the storm violently.

Kugugugung!

Force clashed against force, and the mana storm, unable to hold, exploded. Blades of wind slashed in every direction.

[Kyaaaa…]

The chimera, struck directly by the blades, collapsed into dozens of pieces.

But Sociét didn't stop.

She once again issued a command toward the spreading darkness.

"Reveal yourself."

Kuung!

A massive arm emerged from the shadows.

It filled the room. Beyond the darkness, Taesan could sense a giant eye.

[A giant's corpse?]

"I acquired it with great difficulty. Try stopping this."

It wasn't an ordinary giant. The power within the corpse surpassed even that of upper leadership.

'Still…'

It wasn't impressive to Taesan.

Not even worth using a buff skill. He drew his sword and stepped forward.

Kwa-deudeudeuk!

He slashed the arm, sending it flying. The giant pressed forward with its full body, but Taesan responded with a light swing.

Kwaaang!

Just that shook the giant's body. Taesan stabbed his sword into the arm reaching out from the shadows.

[You have activated Collapse.]

The power flowing through his sword caused the giant's body to collapse.

The giant flailed in resistance, but before Taesan's overwhelming rank, it meant nothing.

In an instant, the giant was completely annihilated.

Having lost all her cards, Sociét stood alone in the room.

Taesan charged at her. Sociét didn't resist.

Thud.

His sword pierced her chest.

Kuuuuung!

[You dealt 34,123 damage to Sociét.]

[Sociét has activated Necromancy. Her HP is fixed at 0, and her race changes to Undead.]

"I thought so. I still can't stop you. It's your victory."

Sociét spoke with blood at her lips. Taesan pulled out his sword.

She had survived using a skill, but that was all. There was no more power emanating from her.

Taesan didn't finish her off. The ghost stepped forward.

[…Sociét.]

"Bardray."

Sociét smiled.

"He's your blade, isn't he?"

[No. He's not some tool of mine.]

The ghost denied her.

"…That's an interesting thing to say. Do you remember? Back then, you were arrogant. You looked down on everyone. Even though you felt kinship with me, you never saw me as your equal."

Sociét chuckled.

"To think you'd acknowledge someone else. Seems your time with him changed you a lot."

[A long time has passed. I was buried alone in a grave, and I thought a lot. I'm no longer the prince you remember.]

"Is that so? So to you, I've become just a relic of the past. How sad."

[You killed me.]

The ghost's voice was calm.

[No matter what you felt or thought—it doesn't change that. This is goodbye, Sociét.]

She was the ghost's objective.

A long quest was finally drawing to a close.

Sociét smiled faintly.

"Sorry, but I won't let it end like that."

Kuuung!

The labyrinth shook violently.

Taesan swung his sword at once—at a speed no mortal could react to.

Kiiiiing!

But it didn't connect. An opaque barrier protected Sociét.

"He defeated countless leaders on his own. Of course I knew from the start I couldn't win. But do you think I'd fight alone?"

Sociét rose to her feet.

She laughed loudly and stretched her hand toward the sky.

"Descend! O mighty one! For your purpose, come down to this place!"

Kururung!

Space was torn apart. A massive presence settled into the labyrinth.

[God of Lust, Exirea has descended.]

An overwhelming presence filled the space.

Taesan instinctively readied himself against Exirea.

The God of Lust. A Transcendent he'd never seen before. The magician had said many Transcendents desired Taesan's death.

This one could be among them.

Just as Taesan began to gather strength—

[I have not come to kill you, adventurer. I have no interest in such things.]

Exirea's voice echoed.

[I am here to test you.]

"This is my final card. What do you think?"

Sociét smiled gently.

But neither the ghost nor Taesan looked surprised.

The descent of a Transcendent—they had somewhat expected this.

[He's similar to the Lion King.]

The Lion King had also known he couldn't defeat Taesan, so he offered himself to the God of Collapse for assistance.

[But it doesn't matter anymore. You no longer mean much to me.]

The ghost's tone was calm—he had found peace.

Sociét didn't look shocked or angry. She simply smiled.

"I told you, didn't I? That this wouldn't be enough. Did you really think I'd fight you in a normal way?"

She staggered and pressed her hand to the floor.

The thick darkness surrounding her condensed and gathered beneath her palm.

"Bardray. Do you remember your own death?"

[You stabbed me while I was resting with a fixed-damage dagger, right? I know.]

"No. That's what you were told after your death. But you died in your sleep. You never saw it yourself."

Sociét hummed.

"I'm a necromancer. A handler of the dead. Ghost, do you really think your corpse is still buried in that grave?"

[…You?]

The ghost's voice trembled in shock.

Seeing his reaction, Sociét smiled deeply.

"Come out, my prince."

A corpse emerged from the darkness. Taesan frowned.

The corpse had platinum hair.

A balanced body. Except for a small scar on the chest, it was pristine. Even with its blank expression, it exuded nobility.

Taesan had seen that face before.

[Ah…]

The ghost groaned. The system revealed the truth.

[The corpse of Bardray, Prince of the Fallen World, has appeared.] (T/N: Ooooohhhhh.)

* * *

Seeing one's own corpse was not an easy experience. The ghost barely opened his mouth.

[You're insane.]

"I told you—I'd make sure you never forget me."

Sociét beamed.

"Want to know something even more shocking, Bardray? Your corpse… is alive."

It was as she said. The body's heart was beating. Its face showed a faint color only the living had.

"I'm a necromancer. Breathing life into the dead is easy. Without a soul, it can't move… but with a soul, it could awaken and act again."

He could be revived.

But the ghost wasn't pleased.

[You're not going to return me to it, are you?]

"Correct."

Sociét agreed.

"My original plan was to put your soul back and force you two to fight—but you've changed a lot. You're no longer the prince I remember."

She twisted her lips.

"You still want your wish… but you wouldn't kill him. Nor could you let him kill you."

[…]

"But your past self? That version of you looked down on everyone. Saw others as tools for your ambition."

Sociét placed her hand over her heart.

"To move a body, all it needs is a soul. It doesn't have to be yours."

She knelt before Exirea.

"Please. O God of Lust."

[You are worthy. For love and desire, you have given everything. As the God of Lust, I gladly grant your request.]

[Activating for the beloved of Exirea. Exirea's interference range narrows.]

[Perfect timing. You, who exist between god and Old god. This is my trial. Prove your power to me.]

Exirea's voice boomed.

Something left Sociét's body.

Taesan recognized it as a soul.

Her power and rank plummeted rapidly. She fell to the level of an ordinary mortal in an instant.

"Your opponent is your past self."

Even as her soul was torn away and unimaginable pain filled her, Sociét didn't stop smiling.

"You'll never forget me, my prince."

At last, everything of Sociét was absorbed into Exirea.

And at that moment, Exirea's authority descended upon Bardray.

"Haa…"

A moment later, a breath escaped.

Bardray's body opened its eyes. He furrowed his brows.

"…Where is this place?"

[Ha.]

The ghost couldn't help but scoff.

[Prince of the Fallen World, Bardray, has appeared.]

(T/N: So wait, Bardray the Ghost is still there while Bardray the Ressurected is now a different entity? This is really interesting.)