Ascension Through Skills

Quaned staggered back with a weak groan, his eyes shaking erratically.

“What is this……”

Realizing close combat was ineffective, he created distance to utilize curse magic, believing he had the upper hand in this domain due to his demon race heritage.

But even his black magic was thwarted.

The last strategy he believed in crumbled miserably.

“……”

Quaned bit his lip, grasping at his crumbling spirit amidst the sense of powerlessness.

It’s not over yet.

Quaned moved.

Clash!

Taesan laughed coldly at the sight of Quaned charging in. All the Guides he had faced until now had crumbled mentally and became clumsy in their movements when pushed to this point. However, Quaned showed no such signs.

‘This is what an adventurer is.’

Taesan planned to treat him accordingly.

Clang!

The swords shook as they clashed, creating loud sparks in their attempt to pierce each other.

[You have activated Flow.]

Quaned’s sword, attempting to collide with Taesan’s, shook violently.

Quaned didn’t just take it; he responded.

[Quaned activated Counter.]

Quaned’s body moved naturally, his wavering sword correcting itself to collide with Taesan’s.

Taesan’s response was simple.

Taesan also activated Counter.

Crack.

“Ugh!”

Quaned, who was hit after getting his guard bypassed, clutched his shoulder and created distance.

‘What the heck?’

Normally, Flow was activated only when an attack physically connected with the opponent’s body. However, Taesan’s version activated as soon as an attack touched the sword.

The Counter was also entirely different from the effects he knew.

That’s why he couldn’t respond adequately and had to take damage.

“Uh.”

Quaned groaned as he raised his hand, the aura of will emanating from him changing simultaneously.

Taesan, reading this, activated magic before Quaned could.

[You have activated Grain Diffusion.] [You have activated Tracking.]

The grains flew towards Quaned in a swarm. Attempting to manifest black magic, Quaned failed to hit his target and moved hastily.

Thud!

Quaned was relentlessly pushed back.

But he did not give up. He desperately sought means and strived for victory.

And Taesan trampled over all of it.

“Ha.”

Utterly beaten, Quaned leaned against the wall and let out a hollow laugh.

It was truly dangerous.

Throughout many hardships and trials, he had never been pushed to this extent before.

“This is the end.”

Quaned gathered his strength.

A massive demonic energy descended.

[Quaned activated Belial's Young Beasts.]

Darkness engulfed the entire space in an instant. Quaned, bleeding from the mouth, poured out demonic energy.

His body swayed greatly. Barely holding onto his collapsing body, he muttered.

“If this doesn’t work, then I guess I have to accept it.”

Boom!

From the darkness, numerous beasts appeared. Mutant-like, they bared their claws and teeth towards Taesan.

It was as if hell itself had descended. The beasts that appeared possessed strength that even Taesan could not easily handle.

Dozens of them charged at Taesan all at once.

Taesan grounded himself.

[You have activated Frozen World.]

Cold swept through the darkness. Frost began to form on the bodies of the charging beasts. Ice started to overlay the darkness that had engulfed the space.

Crack!

The beasts howled, struggling not to freeze, but all their resistance was trampled by the cold.

Ice covered the room. The beasts froze in place as they charged. The only ones moving were Taesan and Quaned.

Quaned could barely withstand the cold penetrating his body, unable to counterattack.

“I lost.”

Quaned nodded calmly. Taesan’s sword pierced through him.

“It was enjoyable.”

Taesan muttered towards the fallen Quaned.

A fight where both revealed their pure skills and strategies against each other.

It was a joy of battle he hadn’t felt in a long time. It was a very satisfying fight.

“Is that so? That’s good to hear.”

Quaned also spoke without much change in expression. He showed no will to fight, as if he had given up on the battle.

“You’re not resisting much.”

“I would if I could.”

Quaned lifted his arm, which trembled like that of an old man.

For him, a demon, demonic energy wasn’t just a simple number like mana. When all demonic energy was exhausted, it’s practically a state of collapse.

He had used all his stored demonic energy to summon Belial’s Young Beasts.

And all of that was blocked at once by Taesan’s magic.

Now, even if he wanted to resist, he didn’t have the strength to do so.

Quaned looked up at Taesan with admiration.

“…You’re strong.”

The leadership of the Guides was monstrously strong. All of them had the strength to trample someone like the current Quaned with a single finger.

But Quaned thought that was because they had descended the floors first.

Their talent, their skill wasn’t superior to his. He could tell whenever he encountered them. They weren’t born with much more than him; rather, he believed he had the upper hand.

It was because they went down the floors first and gathered much, that made the difference. He thought that once he reached the deeper levels, he wouldn’t fall behind them.

However, he didn’t feel that way about Taesan.

Even though he was on a higher floor, he overwhelmed him. Every strategy Taesan held was difficult to counter, and his greatest strength was trampled helplessly before Taesan’s power.

“You’re remarkable.”

He sent an envious glance towards Taesan. Taesan shook his head.

“Don’t look at me like that. It makes me feel sorry.”

Quaned was his enemy. He was sent here on a Guide’s mission.

There was no option to spare him and let him live.

“Well… it can’t be helped.”

Quaned gave a bitter smile.

“I’ve lost. I have to sacrifice a lot, but it’s not bad. So this is how it ends.”

He was content.

He had awakened his talent on his own, living a life devoid of meaning, enduring everyone’s persecution and disdain. He broke through the labyrinth, gaining everyone’s recognition.

He regretted not being able to advance further, but he had already acknowledged himself as someone of value.

That was enough.

He closed his eyes. Taesan clicked his tongue at his calm acceptance.

Quaned hadn’t come to fight of his own volition either. Taesan, having received much from the Demon God, also felt uneasy.

But he couldn’t let him live. Taesan raised his sword, and Quaned awaited death.

However, the sword did not come down.

When the anticipated pain did not come,

Quaned slightly opened his eyes. Taesan was looking down at him, sword in hand.

“Why?”

Instead of answering, Taesan looked at Quaned’s head.

An ominous aura was felt there.

‘I didn’t notice it during the fight.’

It was a very faint aura, buried under Quaned’s will, imperceptible until he relinquished all will.

Taesan murmured as he vaguely understood the aura’s intent.

“A contract?”

Quaned’s pupils shook.

Perhaps due to a conceptual skill, Taesan could roughly understand what the aura in Quaned’s head was about.

It was some kind of contract.

“What’s this?”

Taesan carefully read the aura.

And he understood.

The aura carried the power of the immortal.

“What does it look like?”

[This is……]

The ghost groaned.

[Could it be Patricia's contract?]

“What’s that?”

[...A contract scattered throughout the labyrinth by the immortal Patricia. Those who have signed it, their souls and power after death are transferred to the person named in the contract. The soul is bound, unable to escape, and the power accumulated over a lifetime becomes someone else's sacrifice.]

The ghost let out a hollow laugh.

[I knew the contract was found, but to actually use it? And what about you? Why did you receive it?]

The ghost questioned Quaned as if probing. It was something incomprehensible to him.

And Quaned himself did not understand what was being said.

“The only recent contract I made was that if I defeated you, my previous contract would be annulled?”

[Ha. These crazy bastards.]

The ghost gritted its teeth, rarely showing such anger.

[There's a limit to deception. Are they insane to deceive with this? Thinking a contract with the immortal wouldn't backfire on them?]

“What’s that? Explain in detail.”

Taesan asked the ghost. Calming its anger, the ghost explained.

[Patricia's contract. A contract created by the immortal to mock and inflict pain on mortals. And this contract is perfectly overlapped in two layers.]

“Overlapped means……”

[On the front, meaningless false sentences. And on the hidden back, the real contract is written.]

Quaned’s eyes widened in shock.

The ghost continued to explain.

[Why do you think I'm still here even after death?]

“Because you made a contract with the labyrinth’s wizard.”

Thus, the ghost’s soul was bound to the labyrinth.

[Yes. According to the contract, the soul can move even after death. An Apostle's contract is also one of these types. You offer your soul to a god and receive power. The important thing is that a contract involving a soul must have clear conditions.]

“Conditions?”

[The soul is not light. It's about being bound for an eternity close to death. That's why there must be conditions for the one making the contract.]

The ghost continued.

[In my case, I agreed knowing everything, and when my wish was fulfilled, my soul would be released. An Apostle's contract grants great power in exchange for the soul. Such contracts involving souls require the other party to also pay a corresponding price, and only beings with that level of power can make them.]

“It doesn’t seem like the Guides have that kind of power.”

Quaned’s eyes were shaking greatly as he listened to the story.

The ghost clicked its tongue.

[Patricia herself lent out Patricia's contract. In exchange for fulfilling the soul's contract, she collects a significant price. The Guides must have paid a not insignificant price to Patricia.]

Anger and disbelief filled the ghost’s voice.

[So they've decided to side with the immortals after falling out with the gods? They're really something.]

“Taking all the power, huh? I get the gist.”

Taesan twisted the corner of his mouth.

The labyrinth’s system grants a lot when one adventurer defeats another.

But if Patricia’s contract was as the ghost described, even if Taesan killed Quaned, he might not gain anything. The contract already determined the transfer of that power.

That must have been the aim of making the contract.

“How can we screw them over with this?”

Taesan sheathed his sword. Knowing this, killing Quaned now was meaningless. The contract would transfer all his power to the Guides anyway.

Quaned was also confused.

“So what happens to me?”

[What can happen? Your soul will be used as they please and then discarded. Once a contract is made, there's nothing to be done.]

Quaned’s face paled.

[Since the contract with the immortal is already made, even the Demon God can't interfere. That's why she must have been distressed.]

His soul would not return to the Demon God but would be bound to the Guides. It was a regrettable matter for the Demon God, who did not interfere in the affairs of the labyrinth, but there was nothing she could do.

[It's pitiful, but it has to be dealt with.]

The ghost spoke softly. Quaned was already bound by the contract. If he was spared now, he would return to fight again.

But Taesan did not move.

Killing Quaned would be what the Guides wanted. His soul and power would return to them.

Not killing him would also be what they wanted. Then the surviving Quaned would become stronger and benefit them.

The contract of the immortal.

The binding of the soul. And the transfer of power.

And the skill Taesan possessed.

“Could it be possible?”

[What?]

“To screw them over.”

Taesan stood up and pointed his sword at Quaned.