Ascension Through Skills

[I look forward to another enjoyable fight, Taesan. Enter here.]

There was deep goodwill in that voice.

As Lakiratas’ presence faded, a passage appeared on the altar. Taesan spoke hesitantly.

“What’s this?”

Lakiratas’ attitude had changed significantly. Even calling him by name and showing emotions was unusual for a god; the voice was full of goodwill.

The ghost said,

[Perhaps it's because you chose to fight the Guides of Sin. There was also an option to cooperate with them.]

“Why would anyone choose that?”

A fight with the Guides of Sin was inevitable. Coexistence with them was impossible.

[You may think so, but most don't. The adventurers on the 30th floor find them too strong to handle. The uncertainty of reaching their level, the reality of it, makes the choice to join them not so strange.]

The ghost spoke calmly. Opposing the Guides of Sin, who influenced the entire labyrinth, was a risky choice. Forming an alliance with them could seem natural.

[I also thought that wasn't a bad idea, but...]

First, form an alliance. Then, as you descend through the labyrinth, accumulate strength and betray them. That was the cleanest option.

[But you chose to oppose them. Struggle and death. Satisfying both.]

“So, they show favor towards me?”

[From now on, your path will be filled only with struggle and death. No rest or respite, just moving forward.]

“That has always been the case for me.”

He never stopped walking.

[You're heading in a direction more pleasing to Lakiratas. Not bad. This way, those guys really won't be able to do anything.]

“There’s no harm in that.”

The favor of a god always brought benefits.

Taesan stood in front of the passage. As he put his hand in, he felt a slight resistance and a sensation as if being scanned.

[The Passage to the Battlefield of the Gods] [Level Restriction: 75]

“Was there a limit?”

[Ah. So this is why they were looking for qualified people on the 30th floor? Quite sly.]

The ghost chuckled.

[The level limit is ambiguously set at 75. Does it mean they won't accept anyone who's entered the 40th floor? But it's clumsy. There's only a level limit, no restrictions on stats or skills?]

“Don’t they know much about the labyrinth’s system?”

[Probably. This place is entirely different from the outside. Even gods couldn't obtain information about here from the outside. They could try extracting it from adventurers who escaped, but they wouldn't get accurate information from those who gave up.]

“That works well for me.”

Taesan put his hand in. An unpleasant sensation enveloped him, and the space twisted.

When his twisted vision stabilized, Taesan was in a forest.

The first thing he felt was that it wasn’t natural. The vegetation and the earth all seemed artificial.

Taesan looked up at the sky and grimaced.

There was a huge hole in the sky, similar to one that had appeared on Earth.

From there, he felt several unpleasant gazes.

“Are they gods?”

[There will be some kind of rule here, so they can't interfere with you directly.]

In other words, indirect interference was possible.

“Is this a created world?”

[Seems so.] [You have activated Leap.]

Taesan soared into the sky, leaving the trees behind. Far away, he noticed a semi-transparent wall.

It seemed wider than an ordinary city judging by the distance.

Taesan landed on the ground and walked leisurely.

He pushed through the foliage.

“There are several presences.”

Not far away, he sensed many fighting.

His first thought was to head there.

“But this is unpleasant.”

The hole in the sky. Memories of Earth surfaced, souring his mood.

Eventually, he arrived at the site of the battle.

“Die!”

Hundreds clad in red and blue armor were fiercely fighting each other.

It was an intense battle. They smashed each other’s armor, stabbing swords through the gaps. Among them, about five in green leather armor crouched, faces filled with terror.

“Can we escape…?”

“Isn’t it impossible? Unless we get reinforcements, it looks tough.”

“We’re all we have, right?”

Despair darkened their faces.

Taesan approached and sat down near them.

“Hello?”

A man in green leather looked at Taesan, startled.

“Wh-who are you?”

“A stranger?”

“I’m new here. Why are you fighting?”

He needed information first. The purpose here and how to approach it.

“First time?”

The man’s eyes changed momentarily. He asked cautiously,

“Are… are you alone?”

As Taesan nodded, the man’s face broke into a wide grin.

“Then die! Heretic!”

All the people in green clothes rushed at him. With desperate movements, they thrust daggers at Taesan.

Then, they returned to their positions before the attack.

“Huh?”

“What’s this?”

Taesan clenched his fist.

Crack.

All but the man in the front in green clothes were blown away.

“Wh-what?”

“Why attack instead of answering my question?”

He could have dodged, but the attack was not worth it. Taesan smacked the only remaining man on the head.

“Take a nap.”

“Argh!”

The man fell with a short scream.

Taesan stood up and turned around.

The ones in red and blue armor had stopped fighting and were looking at him.

“Shall we continue?”

Taesan leaned against a tree. The man in the most ornate red armor frowned.

“Who are you?”

“Kang Taesan.”

“That’s not what I asked. I asked which god you believe in.”

“I don’t particularly believe in any.”

Neither Lakiratas, nor Lucifer, or even Maria. Taesan’s relationship with them was more transactional.

The man in the ornate armor shouted at Taesan’s response.

“Don’t joke! This is the battlefield for those who believe in gods! Non-believers can’t enter!”

“But I actually did enter.”

Taesan shrugged nonchalantly, causing the man to grit his teeth.

“The followers of the god of green vegetation and foliage… were arrogantly defeated by you! I am a follower of the Sun God, born from the heavens! A high god, different from trivial deities!”

“Pfft! A sun god born from the heavens, a high god? Don’t make me laugh!”

The man in ornate blue armor, seemingly disagreeing, scoffed.

“Our god, born from the earth and the sea, is the true high god!”

“You believe in a god who has lost its roots, and you talk nonsense!”

“Blabbering about a god who can’t even touch the ground!”

The eyes of those in red and blue armor turned fierce.

“Die!”

“Return to your god!”

They resumed fighting, quickly forgetting Taesan’s presence, intent on killing each other. Taesan clicked his tongue.

“There’s no one sane here.”

The greens attacked him, calling him a heretic upon learning he was alone. After a brief conversation, the blues and reds started killing each other again.

[Fanatics are all the same. Normal people wouldn't enter such a place.]

“I need to gather information.”

Taesan eventually slapped the man he had knocked out.

“Wake up.”

“Argh!”

In pain, the green-clothed man immediately got up. He looked around blankly, then yelled at Taesan.

“Heretic! How dare you kill a believer of god! Divine punishment shall be upon you!”

“Really noisy.”

Taesan hit him again, being careful not to kill him.

Even after being beaten, the green man didn’t lose his spirit, continuing to yell.

Taesan frowned.

“Forget it. Do as you please.”

If they wouldn’t listen, he had no intention of resolving this with words.

Taesan stood up and clapped his hands toward the still-fighting reds and blues.

“Die!”

“Ah!”

But his voice was too soft to be heard. Taesan shook his head alone and raised his fist.

“Waaaah!”

Crack.

The head of a man who was shouting with bloodshot eyes was crushed.

Suddenly, silence fell over the battlefield.

“Huh?”

“Wh-what?”

“Would you calm down and listen to me now?”

Taesan spoke with a calmness, hard to believe, given he had just killed someone.

A man in red armor regained his senses and shouted furiously.

“You! How dare you…”

Crack.

The man’s head was crushed, too. Taesan dusted off his hands.

“Just listen to what I have to say.”

“You!”

Crack.

“How dare!”

Crack.

Everyone who opened their mouths was crushed.

After about five were dead, the rest remained silent.

Taesan clapped his hands with satisfaction.

“Alright. Only the one I choose may speak. It’s not hard, right?”

“……What.”

Crack.

“I said, only the one I choose.”

Everyone froze like deer in front of a lion. Taesan pointed a finger.

“Let’s start with you.”

The man in the most ornate red armor twitched.

“Speak. I won’t kill you.”

“…Why?”

“I told you, I’m new here. So I want you to explain everything to me.”

Taesan sat on a rock and gestured to the pale-faced man.

“What is this place? Start from there.”

“What this place is…”

“I’m asking why you are here and what you’re fighting for.”

Taesan had heard the general story from Vargan, but he needed more detailed information.

The man’s face trembled at Taesan’s words.

“Is this really your first time here?”

“Yes. Aren’t you going to answer?”

Taesan raised his fist. The man quickly regained his senses and started talking.

“This is the battlefield of the gods. Followers of various gods gather here to prove the greatness and strength of the gods they worship.”

“So, proving it means killing each other?”

“The easiest way is that. Killing followers of other gods to widely proclaim the greatness of their own.”

The man’s face heated up with excitement as he spoke.

“Only those with exceptional strength among believers are qualified to enter this glorious battlefield. No one would refuse such honor.”

His words were filled with undeniable pride. Taesan eyed the man.

[You have activated Complete Reconnaissance.] [Malakas Halban] [Fanatic]

Although physical attributes or levels were not visible, as he wasn’t from within the labyrinth, it was still possible to gauge his level from his aura.

‘Strange.’

“So, what’s your level here?”

“We are strong,”

Malakas boasted proudly.

“No one can ignore us. We prefer to resolve things through dialogue rather than battle, and no one can block our path.”

Despite the grand statement, not only those in red but also those in blue armor seemed to agree.

Taesan couldn’t help but be puzzled.

“You guys?”