Ascension Through Skills

“I thought so too. But it added more.”

Taesan stared blankly at Levabas. Upon Taesan’s words, Levabas had an epiphany.

“So that’s what happened? Isn’t it so nasty?”

He chuckled, his voice filled with mockery and ridicule.

“If you fell behind, you should just leave. Isn’t it shameful to keep following pathetically?”

[Me?]

The ghost scoffed.

[You\'re messing around. The guy who used to pee himself talks well now. Was the sight of you hiding like a scared rat, seeing me, an act?]

“You!”

Levabas’s face twisted in anger. He, who had shown his emotions for a moment, soon smiled.

“I have no need to waste emotions on the dead.”

The ghost ignored him as if he wasn’t even worth replying to. Levabas spoke to Taesan.

“Nice to meet you. You’re a rookie, right?”

Taesan nodded. Levabas let out an admiring exclamation.

“It’s been a while since we had a rookie. The reason I am scouting is because of this, but I didn’t really think I’d get to see it…”

Muttering, Levabas shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m a member of the Guides of Sin. You know about us, right?”

“I do. You’re the biggest group in this place.”

Lee Taeyeon and the ghost had also spoken about them. Hearing Taesan’s words, Levabas smirked.

“Yes, that’s us. The strongest group.”

“Well…”

His words had a hint of mockery. Taesan’s mumbling was so quiet it seemed as if Levabas didn’t hear it, his eyes gleaming as he opened his mouth.

“Then, the story is…

“Rrrrr.”

“Aargh…”

Zombies burst through the door. The interrupted Levabas furrowed his brows.

“I forgot about these bastards. They’re annoying.”

The zombies didn’t stay in one place but wandered all over.

Watching the zombies with apparent annoyance, Levabas seemed to have a good idea and pulled out a horn from his inventory.

Vvvvvv.

[The Horn of Widespread Sound has been activated. All monsters within range are approaching.]

“I hate being disturbed, so I’ll handle this instead. Is that okay?”

With a smirk, Levabas spoke this while showing no sign of waiting for a response.

Soon, zombies began to appear one by one, filling the room. All the monsters on the 13th floor, except the boss, were present.

Among them, there were some zombies that were stronger than ordinary ones. There were dozens of them in literal terms, but Levabas wore his gauntlet with a confident face.

He struck the face of the zombie at the front.

Crack.

The zombie’s face smashed and flew away. The zombies that were attacked first flailed about, targeting Levabas.

At the sight of the zombies trying to bite his flesh, Levabas scoffed.

“Look at you!”

Levabas moved his hand roughly, and the zombies crumbled and flew away.

A zombie was a monster that relied on numbers, but it was still a monster from the 13th floor. Its grasp could shatter rocks, and its movements were incredibly fast.

Levabas dodged and blocked everything, dealing with them one by one. Trampling on the zombies, Levabas shouted in a roaring voice.

“You can’t defeat me with such weaklings!”

What the heck was this?

Taesan looked at Levabas with a blank stare.

He was strong.

But that was it. It was not something to admire. Rather, it was annoying.

‘What the hell is this guy doing, clearing out other people’s monsters?’

All the zombies that Levabas was killing were the monsters he was supposed to kill. It was a situation where he could only suffer losses in experience points, soul ascension boosts, or proficiency.

Ordinary monsters that were not named would regenerate, but that time wouldn’t be short. There were virtually no ordinary monsters on the 13th floor.

‘Is it done?’

It wasn’t unacceptable if it was for an exchange of information. Maybe he could receive something better. Taesan grabbed his sword.

Clang.

Taesan also joined the fight. However, his movement was slower and weaker than before. He intentionally restrained himself, facing the zombies and dealing with them to some extent.

[You have activated Flow.]

The zombie’s hand twisted. Taesan cut off its neck with a sword. Levabas, who had been sneaking a peek, admired it.

“Oh, you have Flow too? Not bad!”

Levabas spoke while looking down from above. Taesan continued swinging his sword without reacting to the intended comment.

Levabas rushed into the zombies, laughing heartily.

[Levabas has activated a heavy strike.]

Crack.

The zombie’s head was completely smashed. Levabas activated a skill against the zombies’ hands that were rushing in from all directions.

[Levabas has activated a counter.]

He moved again, smashing the zombies. Among the chunks of flesh, Levabas grinned.

“How’s that?”

Even if he asked how it was,

Taesan didn’t know what he wanted him to say.

It would be strange if he struggled on the 13th floor, being at level 42. It felt like watching a middle school student bragging about solving an elementary school student’s problem.

When Taesan looked at him with such emotion, Levabas clicked his tongue.

“You’re no fun. You won’t survive long with that attitude.”

Even though there was a light threat, Taesan only found it amusing.

He started dealing with the zombies again. They had already been reduced by almost half.

[It\'s your choice.]

The ghost said flatly.

[Do as you wish.]

“That’s what I intend to do.”

Muttering, he swung his sword. Thirty minutes later, the battle ended.

“That’s the end. I haven’t sweat like this in a long time.”

Levabas stretched out with a refreshed face. Looking at Taesan, Levabas nodded his head.

“Not bad, huh?”

After watching Taesan’s fight out of the corner of his eye, it wasn’t bad. He survived up to the 13th floor, which was acceptable.

“You might even get permission to go up to the 20th floor.”

His tone suggested it was obvious that Taesan would join them.

Instead of pointing it out, Taesan asked.

“It seems like you have something to say?”

“Sure. This is why I’m bothering to do tedious scouting and moving around. What’s your name?”

“My name is Taesan.”

“Taesan… that’s an unusual name. Which world do you come from?”

Levabas, tilting his head, asked with a serious face.

“Have you considered joining the Guides of Sin?”

In the labyrinth, countless humans from countless worlds enter according to the sorcerer’s whims.

These individuals, known as adventurers, descended into this place for their desires, growing stronger as they went.

When people gathered, groups inevitably formed.

Among them, the Guides of Sin were the largest group of adventurers in Solo Mode.

They were spread from the lower to the deeper levels, and according to Lee Taeyeon, one encountered them quite often.

And there was a phrase that both she and the ghost commonly said.

‘Those who have given up on thinking.’

Those obsessed with self-justification under such a theme.

These individuals did not try to clear the labyrinth. They viewed this place as a complete product and settled down.

Levabas spoke with a fierce tone.

“We can become endlessly strong here. Do you know how great a blessing that is?”

“I’m aware.”

Lilis. She had no talent for magic. However, after coming here, she was able to learn about at least a minimum amount of magic.

Considering her reaction, it must have been something unimaginable in the outside world.

In that regard, Taesan was the same. Without the system of the labyrinth, he would have still been an ordinary person.

Levabas continuously spat out.

“That’s right. We have already received sufficient grace.”

A power that could not be obtained outside could be acquired in the maze.

“And you dare to think about breaking this place, about clearing it? That’s really ignorant. You’re like an ungrateful brat.”

Levabas continued to spit out harsh words, and Taesan looked at him silently.

“So, you’re giving up on clearing?”

“Well, saying ‘giving up’ sounds wrong. ‘Letting go’ would be more accurate. Accepting the grace received from the labyrinth and not expecting anything more.”

Taesan asked Levabas, who spoke confidently.

“Didn’t you come here wishing for something?”

If the labyrinth was conquered, one wish could be granted.

Most adventurers would have come here for that. At that, Levabas flinched.

“I did, but that’s a story from an immature time. It’s a child’s folly.”

Levabas said with a twisted face.

“And this place is not originally a place where you can clear.”

“Why do you think so?”

“You would know if you’ve come this far, right? The damned gods are trying to kill us with trials as a prank. The places hidden here and there only contain things we can’t solve. The one behind you died just like that, too.”

[These killers sure talk a lot.]

“Did we kill you? You have a serious delusion.”

The ghost did not speak, as if he didn’t even want to respond to the teasing comment. Levabas looked at Taesan again with a serious face.

“So the adventurers who came here formed a group. That’s the Guides of Sin.”

“Instead of going down the maze, it’s a group that focuses on becoming stronger.”

“Exactly.”

Levabas nodded heavily.

“We maintain order. We establish and enforce the law here.”

Levabas spoke of law. The law came with penalties for those who broke it.

They might have tried to hide it, but the group’s colors were revealed in every tone.

“I see.”

Taesan tapped on the wall with his finger.

“I’m not forcing you right now, so take your time to think.”

Levabas thought he was contemplating joining the Guides of Sin, but his thoughts were somewhere else entirely.

‘Meeting other adventurers.’

Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyuk. Players in Solo Mode couldn’t meet. They cleared the maze in a different dimension.

This meant someone forcibly isolated them.

Then was it the gods who did this, or that something that invaded Earth?

It wasn’t particularly important, but it piqued his curiosity.

“If you join us, you obviously have to refuse that bastard’s quest.”

Levabas pointed at the ghost.

“That bastard broke the law and attacked us. We can’t take him with us.”

“The law.”

Taesan muttered.

“I have a question. I heard that even getting stronger requires permission from the Guides of Sin. Is that true?”

Levabas spoke with a serious face.

“That’s correct.”

And he quickly added.

“But it’s not what you think. The deeper you go here, the more dangerous it is. So, it’s a minimum measure for safety.”

“Sounds good. But doesn’t that prevent even fair challenges?”

Levabas’s face hardened.

Taesan gave a small smile.

“You spoke of the law. Do you have the right to make that law? The sorcerer and transcendents who designed this place gave us freedom. Yet, you adventurers manage this place?”

“You’re refusing?”

“I can definitely answer that.”

With a hard, rigid voice, Taesan lazily moved his finger.

“I don’t like you guys.”

Those who were complacent.

Those who had given up.

Those who tried to justify themselves despite this.

Those who tried to drag even others down to their level.

Even Lee Taeyeon, even that coward, gritted his teeth and cleared this place. She had achieved it.

But these guys didn’t. They abandoned the challenge and courage they should show here and sought only safety. They tried to suck the marrow and ran away.

“I understand why Maria dislikes you guys.”

The gods settled here to watch the fight and struggle of heroes. The Guides of Sin, broken and tame, must be very repulsive to the gods.

‘It’s similar for me too.’

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about… So you’re refusing?”

Levabas’s voice was cold.

His hand, clenched into a fist, tightened. Taesan laughed brightly.

“Wow.”

“Too bad.”

Along with that answer, Levabas moved.

He had two reasons to scout for new recruits.

One was to draw them into the Guides of Sin.

The other was to kill the potential rebels who refused before they became strong.

With a rush like an explosion, he threw a punch at Taesan’s head.

Thud.

But it was blocked by Taesan’s hand. As his fist was gripped by Taesan’s hand, Levabas’s eyes wavered.

“Huh?”

Levabas was an adventurer who had been granted clearance up to the 20th floor. Naturally, he had power that an adventurer on the 13th floor couldn’t match.

He planned to blow him away with a single strike, but Taesan blocked his attack by just moving his hand.

Grrr.

“Gah!”

When Taesan used force, Levabas felt pressure and pain in his hand.

Levabas jerked his hand away roughly. He stared at Taesan as if he couldn’t believe it.

“You……”

“Those who break the law receive punishment, right? Try it. Punishment. I don’t know if you can do it, though.”

Along with that mockery, Taesan drew his sword.