Ascension Through Skills

Kuuung!

To block Taesan’s approach, the monster fiercely slammed down its tentacles.

But the disappearing pitch-black wave clung greedily to the tentacles, creating an opening for Taesan.

[You have activated Vital Point Designation.] [You have activated the White Rune Shield.]

Targeting the vital point on the tentacles. The white shield once again floated around Taesan, blocking the incoming spines.

Taesan thrusts his sword.

[2405 damage to the monster???]

Kwajik.

The sword was stuck in the tentacle.

Taesan then exerted force.

Kwadeuk!

The tentacle was crushed and severed.

At the same time, the white shields shattered.

The tentacles flew at him, but Taesan did not dodge and directly thrust his sword into another tentacle.

[Your First Attack Nullification has been activated.]

The spines that were stuck returned. In that gap, Taesan also cut off another tentacle.

Though he managed to cut off two tentacles at once, there were still dozens of tentacles remaining on the monster’s body.

Taesan moved calmly.

Kwagagagak!

Thousands of spines were stuck. As it was impossible to dodge all attacks, First Attack Nullification was activated again.

But Taesan was not flustered.

He slowly figured out the monster’s weakness, and during the process, Taesan realized one thing.

‘This thing relies on sight.’

Whenever Taesan’s body was obscured by the debris from the floor and walls or by dust from the battle, the monster’s attacks showed a bit of a gap.

After experimenting a few more times, Taesan realized that the tentacles had eyes somewhere.

If he could just block the view, the attack would become easier. Realizing this, Taesan immediately activated a skill.

[You have activated Decarabia's Twisted Vegetation.]

Kugugugung!

Roots burst out, consuming the space. The monster began to break the roots by shooting spines.

Before the roots were completely destroyed, Taesan also activated the Deer Walking on the Wind Path along with a small spark.

Flames spread through the wind, burning the roots.

Thick smoke spread out, obscuring the view with the burning roots.

The tentacles stopped shooting spines and hesitated, and Taesan seized this opportunity. With his enhanced senses and Eyes of Harmony, such obstacles were no hindrance to him.

Kwajik.

Taesan dropped another tentacle. The spines were shot too late.

[You have activated Random Blink.]

The spines split the air.

Taesan, who had already marked another spot, dropped another tentacle.

As time passed, the number of tentacles decreased. And with that, the number of shooting spines also decreased.

Taesan continued to move.

The monster was certainly strong.

The movements of the tentacles were faster and stronger, and the bursting spines were too numerous to dodge completely.

But finding its weakness, it wasn’t a level Taesan couldn’t attack.

After the battle, Taesan was able to drop almost all the tentacles.

The remaining tentacles shot spines. Taesan lifted his shield with a bored expression. The spines fell away.

“That was closer than I thought.”

Only one attack nullification was left. Almost all of his magic power was consumed, and the duration of his rage mode was also running out.

It might have been dangerous for Taesan if it had lasted a bit longer, but he managed to secure victory within the time limit.

“It’s over.”

Taesan approached the monster and thrust his sword into it. The monster’s body shook violently.

Taesan pulled out his sword.

The sphere’s body split in half, spilling black liquid.

Slowly, power began to drain from the monster’s tentacles.

Sensing the end, Taesan turned his back on the monster and stepped outside the sealed area.

And then, he felt a huge power behind him. Taesan quickly distanced himself from the monster.

A rift in space appeared above the monster, and, as before, a deep and dense power poured out from there.

[Eh?]

“This is…”

Taesan groaned. The monster’s body, empowered, trembled.

The body, torn like rags, began to return to its original state.

The torn-off tentacles grew back.

In a matter of seconds, the monster had returned to its original state.

[...What is this?]

The tentacles moved again. They rose to the sky like lifting arms, and thousands of spines were shot at once.

Taesan hastily stamped his foot.

Outside, the situation was not much different.

The giants fought for their lives, defeating the monsters. Grade A monsters were tough for them to handle, but with the great warriors, they managed to win little by little.

“Truly strong.”

Umberak murmured in awe.

Each time a great warrior attacked, a monster difficult for them to handle was taken down. It was a power worthy of awe.

Just as the giants were looking forward to victory.

Wooung.

The waves spread out again.

Monsters poured out from the crack in the sky.

“Again?”

The giants were taken aback, not expecting the monsters to appear three times. It wasn’t just them; even the great warriors were shaken by the current scene.

Dozens of Grade A monsters appeared again.

And behind them, a monster resembling a slime wriggling on the ground was also seen.

“……That is.”

The watching giant king frowned.

“This is too much.”

Wooung!

The slime-like monster trembled.

Then, the mucus making up its body was shot out like bullets.

The giants quickly took up weapons and shields, but it was no use.

Kwadeuk!

“Ugh!”

“Ugh!”

The mucus shattered all their defenses and pierced through their bodies.

Numerous giants fell without being able to resist at all.

A great warrior quickly flew forward. He waved his hand, dropping a pillar of light.

Kuuuung!

The light struck the mucus monster directly. It was an attack that had obliterated any monster it faced until now.

However, the monster seemed unharmed and flung mucus at the great warrior.

The great warrior created a barrier for defense, but the mucus penetrated even that barrier, grazing his forearm.

“Ah!”

For the first time, the great warrior groaned.

A small hole was punctured in his forearm.

“This is dangerous.”

Having healed the wound with magic, the great warrior looked at the monster through magical sight.

It was significantly stronger than any monster that had appeared until now.

He turned his gaze to the other great warriors. Four of them surrounded the mucous monster, raising their hands.

Kuuuung!

A massive magic force pressed down on the monster.

It was a kind of sealing magic that restrained movement and inflicted continuous damage. The four great warriors combined their strength to suppress the monster, but it did not comply easily.

Burr!

The monster trembled, and mucus poured out again. When the mucus collided with the seal, cracks appeared in it. The great warriors hastily drew more power to strengthen the seal further.

While the four great warriors barely managed to restrain one mucous monster, the situation for the giants, who couldn’t receive the great warriors’ aid, was getting worse. Grade A monsters began to trample the giants one by one.

Pabababak!

Spines were thrust.

Taesan flew to dodge. The last attack nullification had already been used up.

The monster shot spines at Taesan again.

Quickly, Taesan raised his shield. He felt a strong impact beyond the shield.

“Uh.”

Taesan swallowed a groan.

The monster had become faster and stronger than before.

[This...]

The ghost constantly thought about how to defeat this monster and came up with a despairing answer.

[Isn't it impossible to defeat this with normal methods?]

Despite being defeated several times, the monster kept regenerating. It was clearly strange.

Based on the ghost’s experience, there were a few solutions for this type of enemy.

Find a weakness that couldn’t be solved by physical means.

Or it’s something that literally can’t be defeated, like some kind of law.

[Just enduring or finding another weakness seems to be the answer.]

A mysterious enemy that keeps regenerating.

In the ghost’s view, fighting any longer was a waste of time. Moreover, much had been expended in two battles already. Regrouping and fighting again later seemed like the best decision based on the ghost’s experience.

“Well.”

But Taesan did not back down.

He dodged the shooting spines, advancing little by little.

Taesan, like the ghost, recalled his experiences one by one.

An enemy that wouldn’t fall.

And at the foundation of this was the power that poured out from that crack in space every time the monster was in crisis.

Taesan had faced thousands, if not tens of thousands, of monsters. Among them, there were those that regenerated, and some seemed truly indestructible.

However, a monster that regenerated by receiving power from an external source like that did not exist.

This meant that the regeneration of the monster involved direct intervention by a higher being.

‘But can they continue to use this?’

Taesan thought.

While higher beings were responsible for sending monsters to Earth, they could not send ones above a certain level. The moment they crossed the line to kill Taesan, the labyrinth gods too gained the right to intervene on Earth, rewarding Taesan.

The Demon God had once said during his previous return, ‘Excessive interference is impossible. It goes against the laws.’

And he was here now on a request from the god of magic.

Taesan made a decision.

He charged at the monster.

Through his movements, the ghost realized. Taesan aimed to take down the monster.

The ghost said nothing and kept his mouth shut.

It was Taesan’s decision to make. If he had made a judgment, then the ghost had no right or reason to intervene.

And he believed. That Taesan’s judgment was better than his own.

Spines were thrusting.

Taesan stamped on the ground.

[You have activated Leap.]

Pabababak!

Spines were thrust into the ground. Though he succeeded in dodging the attack, it meant little. Thousands of spines flew towards Taesan in the air.

He dodged the attack again with an aerial leap.

And once more, he dodged the following attack with a landing and approached the monster.

But he had yet to reach the monster. The spines began to surge towards Taesan again.

Taesan did not dodge.

He focused more, pushing forward.

Kkudeuk.

The aura of the apostle wrapping around Taesan twisted. The aura itself came under Taesan’s control.

At the same time, Taesan felt a strong pressure on him.

Twisting the surrounding Soul Energy artificially, it felt as if the blood throughout his body was boiling. A massive depletion of energy and fatigue enveloped him.

He gritted his teeth and pressed on.

Pabababak!

The spines pierced Taesan’s flesh.

But they did not penetrate. It was as if they were blocked by an invisible barrier, merely touching Taesan.

That was…

The ability of a higher being gained as a reward for defeating a Grade A monster, Twisted Soul Harmony.

Ironically, the ability of a higher being provided a weakness to their own minions.

Taesan, having reached the monster’s core, took a breath.

[You have activated Mental Acceleration.]

Senses sharpened.

He felt thousands of spines flying towards his back.

Concentrating all his mind on one point, Taesan thrust his sword deep into the monster’s body.