Ascension Through Skills

The fourth week was almost over. Only one day remained until the last wave.

Everyone’s expressions were bright. They believed that the level wouldn’t be as difficult as before.

Taesan went to see Kim Hwiyeon, who was preparing for the next day in his room.

“Ah, Mr. Taesan.”

“You should be careful tomorrow.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have a strange feeling. Don’t let your guard down and give it your best.”

“…You mean there’s something up?”

Kim Hwiyeon, who was relaxed, suddenly tensed up and stood.

“I’ll go inform the others.”

“Alright.”

With a serious face, Kim Hwiyeon left the room.

And that night…

Clang!

“Argh!”

Kang Junhyeok grabbed his arm and fell. He then got up with a determined face.

“It’s not over yet.”

“No, that’s enough.”

Taesan sheathed his sword. The worried face of Lee Taeyeon turned to shock.

“Huh? Is it over already? What happened?”

Even after arriving at the city hall, Taesan continued to train with them, no different than before a wave.

But today, Taesan finished training in just two hours.

“You don’t want to die in actual combat after training, do you? Fight without regrets.”

“…Looks like something big is coming tomorrow.”

Kang Junhyeok said with a composed face.

“Kim Hwiyeon is moving around, arranging the ranks. Was that what you were talking about?”

“Just that tomorrow will be much more difficult.”

Taesan looked at the rift in the sky.

Kang Junhyeok, sensing something ominous, swallowed.

“If you find it challenging… just how hard is it going to be?”

“Don’t die. I’d be quite sad if you guys died.”

“We’ll try our best.”

And then the next day came.

Everyone was in position, preparing for the wave. After receiving a warning from Kim Hwiyeon, their faces were serious.

[The fourth wave has begun.] [Based on your performance, differentiated rewards will be given when returning to the labyrinth.]

Thud.

“Huh?”

“What’s going on?”

This time, unlike before, monsters didn’t rush in.

The space simply tore open.

From the spatial rift, monsters began to emerge one by one.

“This… “

Someone swallowed hard. The number of monsters was around a hundred, much fewer than before.

But it was ominous. They could feel that these hundred monsters possessed strength much greater than the mere number suggested.

Taesan, who had been watching, murmured.

“Grade E.”

And a few of Grade D.

“They’re really going for it.”

Taesan smirked at the monsters, which were stronger than he had anticipated. Even the current Hard Mode players would have a hard time guaranteeing a win against Grade E, let alone Grade D.

The monsters began to move. Kim Hwiyeon gritted her teeth.

“Everyone, get in formation!”

The battle began, and the players realized…

These monsters were on a whole different level.

“Ugh!”

A monster fiercely wagged its tail. The players in Easy and Normal Modes couldn’t even block properly and were sent flying.

“Damn it!”

Seo Jangsan, who barely managed to block, was in shock.

‘So heavy!’

It was a power he struggled to handle. He had experienced this level of strength before.

‘The monster that appeared last during the previous return!’

It was of that caliber of strength.

And there were nearly a hundred of such monsters.

Overwhelmed by despair, Seo Jangsan swung his sword.

Monsters ran amok among the players. A mere hundred monsters dominated a hundred thousand players.

Clang.

And the Grade D monsters were the very embodiment of destruction.

Boom!

“Gah!”

Easy, Normal, and Hard Mode players alike were crushed without distinction. Lee Taeyeon, with a grim face, swung down her sword. Her face might have shown panic, but her movements and trajectory were perfect.

Smash!

Her attack was easily blocked. When she was about to scream due to the monster’s counter-attack,

“What are you just standing there for?”

Crunch.

Taesan stomped on the monster. The overwhelmed monster was slammed into the ground.

Rumble!

The ground cracked, causing a chaotic commotion as if an earthquake had occurred. Lee Taeyeon looked horrified.

“Taesan!”

The smashed monster didn’t stay down but counter-attacked, moving its long chains to bind Taesan.

“Pest.”

With an annoyed expression, Taesan flexed his fist. The chains burst apart, and he slammed his fist down. The monster was crushed into the ground again.

“In just two moves…”

She was awestruck that a monster, which seemed invincible, was downed with just two strikes.

“If only Taesan is here…”

The monsters might be powerful, but Taesan was even more so. As she murmured with hope, Taesan interrupted her.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t be the only one fighting.”

“What?”

As Taesan knocked away a Grade E monster, he narrowed his eyes.

“He’s here.”

Crack.

Space tore open. An arm pierced through the web-like fracturing space.

A black arm. It pulled the space towards it, causing a rough expansion of the rift.

The monster was humanoid.

Four arms. Black legs. A body three times larger than the rest.

The creature with a spherical head faced them.

“Ah.”

[Monster 48881 appears.]

A five-digit monster appeared on the scene.

“Ah, ah…”

Lee Taeyeon’s body shuddered intensely.

Terrifying.

A primal fear engulfed her. More than anything she saw in the labyrinth, this monster scared her the most.

And she wasn’t the only one who felt it. Everyone battling momentarily flinched in the face of the looming terror.

The monster raised its four arms.

Boom

For a moment, they thought a bomb had exploded. That kind of shockwave enveloped them.

“Argh!”

Easy, Normal, and Hard Mode players alike were sent flying, their ranks shattered. And the shockwave was directly targeting Taesan.

Taesan frowned and swung his fist in retaliation.

Crack!

The sound of the air exploding forced people to cover their ears.

Taesan shook off his numb hand.

“It’s damn strong.”

[This one's quite dangerous.]

“Tae, Taesan.”

Kim Hwiyeon, having been blown close by the storm to Taesan, staggered to her feet.

“That thing…”

She gritted her teeth audibly. The sheer aura emanating from the monster felt like it could stop her heart.

“I don’t like it.”

A sneer formed on Taesan’s lips. Simultaneously, an overwhelming energy burst forth from him.

“Ah.”

Kim Hwiyeon involuntarily stepped back. An indomitable aura emanated from Taesan.

The intensity of his power was akin to what radiated from the monster.

“Sorry, but I don’t think I can help here.”

“Taesan!”

Ignoring her call, Taesan took off.

He left the city hall behind. He ran until the city hall was out of sight.

“This should be far enough.”

Here, even if he battled, it wouldn’t affect the city hall. The only concern was whether the monster would follow, but as soon as Taesan moved, the monster was right behind him, eliminating that worry.

“You’re after me, aren’t you?”

Taesan drew his sword.

The giant with four arms silently glared at him.

[It’s strong.]

The ghost moaned.

[At that level, even an adventurer who reached the 40th floor could lose. Why is such a monster appearing so early?]

“The reason is simple, right?”

To kill him. That was the only reason.

“I guess I should be pleased that such high-ups are showing interest?”

Taesan joked, but his eyes were dead serious.

A five-digit monster.

A B-rank monster that could even defeat Hard Mode players who cleared the labyrinth.

[The enemy is invincible.] [Judgment unnecessary.]

The recognition of a formidable opponent succeeds, elevating all abilities. But it’s not over.

［Battle Lust has been activated.］ ［Honorable Duel has been activated.］ ［Despise the Mighty has been activated.］ ［Self-Belief has been activated.］

The system’s window floods with notifications. Feeling the palpable increase in stats, he activates a skill.

［You activated Reconnaissance.］ ［Monster 48881］ ［Specialized Attack Type］

It was not a complete analysis, so health wasn’t shown. Still, the provided information was sufficient.

“Fortunately, it’s a specialized type.”

Monsters came in various kinds: Attack, Support, Defense, and more. And they had further subtypes.

A plain attack type was all-rounded, excelling in speed, strength, and stamina.

But a “specialized” label meant, apart from one ability, the rest were below average.

The challenge was discerning its specialty. Was it attack power? Speed? It was uncertain for now.

“Guess we’ll find out.”

The monster’s spherical head moved. It lacked pupils, but a clear intent to kill was evident.

Rumble.

The monster stomped. Immediately, Taesan realized.

It was a speed-specialized type. In an instant, the monster vanished.

By the time the monster reappeared, it was right in front of Taesan.

[Your First Attack Nullification activated.]

Taesan moved swiftly, aiming for the creature’s neck. As he lunged, the creature vanished. With a gust, the creature had retreated far behind.

“Damn.”

Taesan smirked.

He couldn’t match its speed. He braced himself with a serious gaze.

Flicker.

The creature vanished again.

Simultaneously, Taesan activated his skill.

[You activated Mind Acceleration.] [You activated Path of the Wind Deer.]

Only after employing all his speed-related skills could he barely trace its movements. He moved, facing the monster’s incoming fist.

Taesan’s sword clashed with the creature’s arm.

The creature’s four arms flailed wildly. Taesan, in turn, utilized his First Sword of the Stormscar, Wolf’s Fang.

Clash!

Despite the disparity in speed, Taesan took a hit.

[Your Second Attack Nullification activated.]

But it was anticipated. Taking advantage of the Attack Nullification, he stabbed the creature’s chest, a seamless motion unlike before, leaving the monster unable to dodge.

[You activated Heavy Strike.] [You activated Addition.] [You activated Chain Attack.] [Monster 48881 took 895 damage.] [Monster 48881 took 412 damage.] [This is truly surprising.]

The ghost mumbled, unable to hold back. Even with continuous attacks, the damage doubled. No matter how one looked at it, it was an unimaginable skill.

The monster charged again. This time as well, Taesan couldn’t block it, and the nullification activated. He seized that moment to attack.

Once again, over a thousand damage was inflicted. The monster retreated to gain distance.

“Now then, from this point on…”

All the attack nullifications were used up. There was no chance to exploit any vulnerability when it retreated.

Even though he managed to deal nearly 3000 damage, it could be said that he did enough, but from what he remembered, a B-grade monster had around 20,000 to 30,000 health. He still had to successfully attack it about eight more times.

The monster moved. Taesan swung his sword chasing its afterimage, but only cut through thin air.

[You received 343 damage.]

Because it was speed-specialized, the damage was surprisingly low.

However, it couldn’t be ignored. Taesan’s health, including the shield, was about 4300. Even if he activated ‘sturdiness’, 30 hits would kill him.

Facing a monster whose speed was barely trackable by eyes, where even countering properly was impossible, he had to succeed in attacking eight times out of thirty tries.

It definitely was an enemy deserving of the ‘impossible to win’ judgment.

However.

“You underestimated me too much, didn’t you? This hurts my pride.”

Against specialized types, in his previous life, he had faced thousands.

Taesan grumbled and placed his hand on the ground.

[You activated 'Decarabia’s Twisted Life.']

Twisted roots burst out as if exploding.