Ascension Through Skills

[Cabert's Relic now fully belongs to you.]

[Cabert's Relic: Final Master]

[Relic of a world now destroyed. It claimed the lives of many royals. You are the final master of this blade. If the owner changes, all stats of the sword will be lost.]

[Attack +1500]

[+500 Attack when facing any enemy]

[Significantly increases proficiency in all swordsmanship skills.]

Attack increased by 850.

On top of that, the special effect dramatically increased the proficiency of swordsmanship skills. It was a major change.

[And now, you are the only one who wields the sword of Storm Scar. Its heir.]

[Attack +500]

[Defense +500]

[The last remaining heir of Storm Scar. You have been acknowledged by the founder of the swordsmanship. If you wish, you may teach Storm Scar Swordsmanship to those qualified.]

[Even if my world is forgotten… if you teach Storm Scar Swordsmanship to others, it can live on in memory.]

The voice was remarkably calm.

As though everything had been let go—like a sage who had transcended worldly concerns.

[The other two are the final remnants of my world. They should be moderately useful.]

[Ring of Succession of the Fallen Empire]

[HP +300]

[Strength +500]

[Attack +300]

[Defense +300]

[A ring that proves you are the heir of the empire. But the empire itself has long perished, rendering its value void.]

[Bardray's Keepsake]

[A small earring never removed since the prince of a fallen world, Bardray, came of age. It contains all of his resentment and emotions.]

The keepsake appeared to be a material item. The rewards were outstanding. Normally, it would've been a cause for satisfaction.

But Taesan's expression didn't show joy.

"You…"

Taesan, about to speak to the ghost, closed his mouth.

The ghost seemed deep in thought. It was clear he needed time to organize his feelings.

Leaving the ghost alone, Taesan began reviewing the rewards.

His level had increased by 3. Since he had defeated two adventurers, his stats and skill proficiency rose significantly thanks to [Soul Rank Ascension].

But what stood out most wasn't the small stat gains.

[Special Activation Skill: Necromancy]

[Proficiency: 1%]

[Mana Cost: 250]

[Revive a corpse with self-awareness and intelligence. However, the race is fixed as undead and is weaker than in life. If it receives significant damage, the spell is canceled. Currently, you can only revive up to three corpses.]

This was the skill used by Sociét to revive the ghost's body and evade her own death. Taesan had acquired [Necromancy].

A resurrection-related skill. While the conditions were strict, it allowed him to summon the dead to the battlefield. It would be helpful for both information gathering and combat during labyrinth conquest. He wanted to test it, but Bardray and Sociét's bodies had already vanished.

Then there was the [authority] of the God of Death, Dersha.

[Special Activation Skill: Cradle of Death]

[Proficiency: 1%]

[Cost ???: ???]

[Allows you to escape anything that drives you to death, except physical damage. Also grants faint control and influence over the dead.]

Death here referred to instant death declarations or mental demise.

But this wasn't particularly meaningful for the current Taesan.

Most instant death declarations no longer affected him. Maybe a [Transcendent]-level foe could still hurt him, but now that he could envelop himself with [Boundary Line], he could fully escape the concept of death.

Still, completely nullifying death declarations from Transcendents or Old Gods was a worthwhile asset.

What mattered more was the next part.

[This is…]

The ghost quietly muttered.

[Cradle of Death] stated that it granted influence over the dead.

And the ghost was, indeed, a dead being.

[What kind of influence does that mean?]

"Hold on a second."

[You have activated Cradle of Death.]

The [authority] of the God of Death, Dersha, activated.

Death approached Taesan. It gently enveloped him like a mother's embrace.

And Taesan was able to perceive something deeper about the ghost.

His power surrounded the ghost. The ghost groaned softly as a strange sensation washed over him.

"…So that's the limit."

Taesan canceled the [authority] and caught his breath.

Even though he'd only used it briefly, the burden was intense. It felt like death was forcibly trying to pull him in.

"But I get the general sense."

The ghost's soul was being pulled somewhere.

Wherever that was, it was likely the place where freed souls from the labyrinth were destined to go.

Something was currently blocking that.

It must've been the power Exirea granted to grant the ghost a reprieve.

Taesan's [Cradle of Death], like Exirea's [authority], could hold the ghost in place.

But the limit was clear. Though it allowed slight influence, he could not keep the ghost by his side forever.

Eventually, the ghost would have to leave him.

Taesan clicked his tongue once and continued his inspection.

[Soul Skill: Unity with the Divine Sword]

[Proficiency: 1%]

[A state where the body and sword become one. So far, you've only glimpsed the edge of that realm. You can wield your sword with exceptional skill.]

Taesan unsheathed his sword and gave it a few swings.

It felt like the sword was part of him in a way it never had before.

'God of the Sword, Ehilliye.'

A god favorable to Taesan. He had even granted divine protection during Taesan's battle against an avatar of an Old God.

That same god had revived Bardray and made him his Apostle—putting him in opposition to Taesan.

Was it to test Taesan? Or did he simply want Bardray's body and soul? That remained unknown.

'Gods really are arbitrary.'

But it turned out to be a good thing for Taesan. He had acquired Ehilliye's [authority]—something he never expected.

He proceeded to check the new equipment.

[Ferocious Broken Sword]

[Strength +500]

[Attack +1250]

[A sword once wielded by an avatar of ferocity. Though it boasted near-absolute cutting power, it broke under the strain of the avatar's power.]

[Used ???]

[You have acquired Ankle Guard of the Slave Who Yearned for Love.]

[Ankle Guard of the Slave Who Yearned for Love]

[Strength +400]

[Agility +400]

[Attack +700]

[Defense +1000]

[An ankle guard obtained by a slave who desperately longed for love and offered himself to the God of Lust. Sadly, the wearer forgot the slave's name.]

[Wearing this gear draws the gaze of the God of Lust.]

Though the stats were high, the vague effect of attracting a god's gaze was attached.

And typically, divine attention wasn't a good thing.

But Taesan didn't mind—he was already being watched anyway.

'And…'

More important than the divine [authority] or the equipment—

He could now envelop his entire body in [Boundary Line].

Its effect was simple. While active, Taesan became immune to the interference of the laws and order of the world.

It wasn't like the unstable [Boundary Recoil] that shattered at the slightest impact. This was a perfect [Boundary Line]. Even physical attacks could be erased and nullified entirely.

And it might not stop at just enveloping his body. As he had speculated before, it was possibly feasible to deploy [Boundary Line] across the world.

The problem was the cost. The more extensively he used black, the more [divinity] was consumed to suppress it. In fact, defending against Dersha's [authority] had completely drained his [divinity].

That problem might be solvable upon returning to Earth.

The next ones he would meet would be the surviving remnants of humanity.

Finishing the checks, Taesan opened his mouth.

"Finished sorting your feelings?"

[More or less.]

"What are you going to do?"

Would the ghost stay in the labyrinth? Or return to where he belonged?

He had to decide eventually.

[I don't know.]

The ghost couldn't give an easy answer.

[I'll think about it a little more.]

"It's your choice."

[…Taesan. Can I leave your side for a while?]

"You can?"

[I'm no longer bound by the contract. I'm free now. No one can stop me from going wherever I want.]

For the first time since dying in the labyrinth, the ghost had gained freedom.

Taesan nodded.

"Do as you like."

[Then I'll return later.]

The ghost left.

Though he had temporarily left before, with intervention from Transcendents or magicians, this was the first time he left entirely.

Feeling a strange emptiness, Taesan headed toward the 86th Floor.

[86th Floor Quest Start.]

[Subjugate the King's Sword in the World of Armaments.]

[Reward: Ego Soul.]

[Secret Reward: ???]

The 86th Floor had begun.

Passing through the corridor, Taesan arrived in a new world.

And what he saw there was a sight he had never witnessed before.

Countless armaments.

Spears, swords, shields, halberds, bows.

Thousands, tens of thousands of armaments were embedded in the earth.

Taesan walked across the land.

From the countless weapons emanated an overwhelming will.

'They said the floor was pulled up.'

This had originally been a floor of the labyrinth.

Its exact level was unknown. Maybe high 80s, maybe from the 90s. Taesan moved forward while pondering.

Rumble.

After walking for a while, one sword embedded in the ground began to tremble.

A fierce will emanated from it.

Fwiing!

The sword shot up, flying toward Taesan.

It aimed to kill him with clear murderous intent.

Taesan moved. With the lightest motion, he evaded the sword's attack.

The sword accelerated.

Taesan's eyes gleamed faintly.

The sword's current speed would've been impossible for a normal adventurer to respond to.

Even the Lee Taeyeon of his past life.

'Looks like this is from the deeper end of the 90s.'

It seemed they had pulled a trial from the latter part of the 90th floor. As Taesan dodged, he reached out his hand.

Grab.

Boom!

The air burst. The sword thrashed wildly, trying to escape his grip.

Taesan calmly applied pressure with his hand.

His rank and will overwhelmed the sword.

Thunk!

The sword trembled violently, then fell limp.

The sword had submitted to Taesan.

Taesan opened the system window.

[Sword with Will]

[A nameless sword born through self-forging. It holds no value as a weapon.]

"A material, then."

Taesan looked around.

Staves, spears, swords, and more.

Various armaments pulsed with will. They were all targeting Taesan.

As if guardians, determined to drive out the intruder who stepped into their realm.

Staring at the armaments briefly, Taesan discarded the sword and continued walking.

In a world where countless weapons lived and breathed, Taesan alone moved forward.