Ascension Through Skills

[You bastard!]

Dersha resisted.

But it was meaningless. Even the final death explosion was blocked by Taesan's [Boundary Line].

Taesan's [Soul Rank Ascension] activated. He absorbed part of the power that had been in Sociét's body.

[Your Soul Rank Ascension has activated. Your maximum HP will permanently increase…]

[Your Soul Rank Ascension has activated. You have acquired the special activation skill [Necromancy].]

And it didn't stop there.

He began to absorb even the powers Sociét had acquired through someone else's intervention—powers she never possessed originally.

[How dare you try to steal my authority!]

But it was no use.

[Soul Rank Ascension] ignored Dersha's resistance and stole the very [authority] she had granted.

[You…!]

With a final voice filled with rage, Dersha was completely expelled.

Crunch.

Taesan drew his sword. Dersha's [authority] began to settle into him.

[Your Soul Rank Ascension has activated. You have acquired the special activation skill [Cradle of Death].]

Sociét's body completely crumbled. Nothing remained.

Taesan briefly looked down at the ground, then swung his sword.

While Taesan was finishing off Sociét, Bardray was already targeting his back.

Ka-ga-kak!

Their swords collided. Bardray, using near-divine swordsmanship, deflected Taesan's blade.

But Sociét was no longer there.

Taesan's magic and black magic now manifested without interference.

[You have activated Baal's Surge of the Sevenfold Black Space.]

The space swallowed in darkness rushed toward Bardray.

Blocked by the distorted space, Bardray was forced to slide backward.

"…For all your confidence, you weren't much help after all. Gods really aren't worth trusting."

Bardray scowled. Taesan raised his sword and pointed it at him.

"Still planning to continue?"

Most of Bardray's cards had already been seen through by Taesan, and even Sociét had vanished. Victory was nearly impossible.

Yet Bardray lifted his sword with an unwavering face.

"I probably can't defeat you. So what?! If I can't overcome the impossible, I have no right to be called a hero! I reached this place by braving everything they said was impossible!"

His momentum swept across the Labyrinth.

Bardray shouted.

"Turning the impossible into possible is my mission! Come! Adventurer! I will kill you and seize victory!"

The Hero stayed true to his words. Despite having no hope of winning, he continued fighting for victory.

Taesan also charged with the intent to bring Bardray down.

[You have activated Great Collapse.]

Rumble!

A sphere of magic that destroys all things manifested in the Labyrinth. Bardray quickly leapt aside to dodge. Taesan pursued and slashed.

Ka-ga-kak!

Their swords clashed, and Bardray's wrist moved.

At the peak of technique, Bardray lightly pushed down Taesan's sword hand.

He thrust his sword into Taesan's chest—yet Taesan didn't defend.

[Your First Absolute Attack Nullification has activated.] (T/N: Damn. So you mean to say, after all those fighting he just hit him only now?)

Bardray's attack was erased.

His pupils widened. Taesan immediately retaliated with a thrust.

[You have activated Blade of Fighting Spirit.]

[You have activated Addition.]

Crack.

[Bardray received 88977 damage.]

[Bardray's Desperate Awakening has activated.]

[Bardray's Final Battle has activated.]

"Urgh!"

It was a single strike. Though a few passive skills activated, they were meaningless.

An attack finally landed after dozens of tries—but it was pointless.

And with a single mistake, Bardray's battle was over.

Coughing blood, Bardray cried out.

"You win, Adventurer!"

The ghost did not close his eyes. He witnessed his second death to the end.

—

[Your level has increased.]

[Your Soul Rank Ascension has activated. Your maximum HP will permanently increase…]

[Your Soul Rank Ascension has activated. [Ability Sword] proficiency +2%, [Strong Strike] proficiency +1%, [Acceleration] proficiency +2%…]

[Your Soul Rank Ascension has activated. You have acquired the soul skill [Unity with the Divine Sword].]

The ghost was a master of the sword.

All skills related to swordsmanship had gained overall proficiency.

At the same time, the ghost's body disappeared.

[85th Floor Cleared.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[You have acquired the Ferocious Broken Sword.]

[You have acquired ???.]

Sociét's death.

The ghost's quest was over.

[Congratulations on your victory.]

Exirea, who had withdrawn, appeared once more.

[You've passed my trial splendidly, Adventurer.]

"Did you get what you wanted?"

[More than enough.]

Satisfaction laced Exirea's voice.

[I am the God of Lust. I understand the weight of desire better than anyone, especially that of the ghost's wish. Among all the mortals I've seen, his desire ranks among the heaviest.]

Lust refers to affection and desire.

Exirea governed the concept of desire itself. So her words were undoubtedly the truth.

[But while journeying with you, he set aside that desire for your sake. That alone shows what kind of person you are. More importantly, I got to see that annoying Dersha flustered. That alone was worth it.]

"You don't get along with Dersha?"

[She's one of the oldest gods. She's existed since the beginning of the world. Maybe that's why she's always nagging about one thing or another.]

Exirea smirked.

[I've wanted to mess with her at least once, and now I've done it.]

She spoke with amusement.

[You've shown me many things. From now on, I, Exirea, shall aid you.]

"Thank you."

[Thank him instead. The ghost beside you made all the decisions.]

A long, thin laugh echoed.

[For someone with such a heavy desire to abandon it for another… that's a rare sight. I was pleased. So I'll give him a personal reward.]

[Exirea's interference range has decreased.]

A god's power enveloped the ghost.

[Exirea?]

[Your quest goal is complete. Your desire has been fulfilled. The contract with the magician is over.]

Exirea said calmly. Just as she said, Taesan no longer felt the contract with the ghost. The sensation he'd had since the 2nd Floor was completely gone.

[Unlike others, you exist only as a soul. With the contract over, you can't remain in the Labyrinth anymore. Your soul will return where it belongs. But that's too cruel.]

As the ghost's presence began to fade, it slowly returned to normal.

[My power is sustaining your soul. You'll be able to stay at his side for a while.]

[…Thank you.]

[But it won't last long. Make your peace quickly.]

With those words, Exirea disappeared.

[I can stay with you for now. But… it's over.]

The quest ended.

The contract ended.

This place was the ghost's final stop.

* * *

Taesan was about to speak to the ghost. But someone else appeared first.

Rumble!

The Labyrinth's bricks rose.

The Administrator, Balbamaba, appeared.

[It's a bit excessive interference, but still within allowed bounds. Since it ended without issue.]

"What now?"

[The contract has ended. A contract with a being who died, like the ghost, is special. At its conclusion, I must personally handle it.]

Balbamaba looked at the ghost. Sustained by Exirea's power, he no longer belonged to the Labyrinth.

[Like those tricked by the God of Fall, you're no longer permitted in the Labyrinth. Normally, I'd wrap up rewards and expel you…]

[Right.]

[Hmm.]

Balbamaba pondered briefly, then asked the ghost:

[What will you do now?]

[There's nothing to do. It ends here.]

[If you wish, you can form a new contract with the Labyrinth.]

The ghost paused.

[…That's possible?]

[Normally no. But this time is an exception. With a new contract, you can remain in the Labyrinth.]

[Then…]

[You may entrust your wish to the Adventurer. Of course, it's an almost impossible wish, so you may be stuck here for a long time. Maybe until the end of the universe.]

Saving the destroyed world.

Clearing the Labyrinth to fulfill a wish,or turning back time.

Both were near impossible.

[I won't force you. The choice is yours. You're completely free now. You may return to where you belong. I'll give you some time—decide as you wish.]

With that, Balbamaba turned to leave.

"Wait."

But Taesan stopped him.

"Before that, I want to ask— The Labyrinth was duplicated by the Old Gods, right?"

[You mean the Labyrinth created by the Old Gods?]

"Not that one. This one."

[…I see what you mean.]

Players in Solo mode, like Lee Taeyeon, never met each other. Solo mode was duplicated for each individual.

Those who reached the level of [Transcendents] weren't affected by the Old Gods,

but regular Labyrinth NPCs were.

"So in cases like Beldenkia and the ghost, in other Labyrinths, they didn't achieve their wishes?"

If so, that would be deeply unfair.

They achieved their wish—yet elsewhere, they were left with nothing.

[That's something the magician is also pondering. You don't need to worry. He's already found a solution.]

Balbamaba answered bluntly.

[That's all for your questions. Now, Hero. We await your decision.]

As he was disappearing, Balbamaba added:

[And the 86th Floor. I debated long about what to do with it. A standard Labyrinth wouldn't suffice, but there weren't many alternatives. So I kept it simple.]

"Simple?"

[I pulled the Floor up.]

Pulled up.

It meant he brought a lower floor up.

[It might still be unsatisfying for you, but it'll be decently challenging to conquer.]

Balbamaba completely vanished.

The ghost remained silent.

[In any case… it's over.]

Taesan and the ghost were tied through the quest. Now that the quest ended—

It was time to give a reward.

[You've done well. Very well. So I'll give you a reward worthy of that.]

Power flowed from the ghost into Taesan.

As if giving him everything, without hesitation.

[Take it. It's all I have.]

[Cabert's Relic: Blade Filled with Ancestor's Blood has transformed into Cabert's Relic: Final Master.]

[You have acquired the title [Heir of Storm Scar Swordsmanship].]

[You have acquired the Ring Announcing the Succession of a Fallen Empire.]

[You have acquired Bardray's Keepsake.]

(T/N: I thought this the last we will see of the ghost (Bardray). Won't be the same without him, I'm glad its not.)