Ascension Through Skills

Chapter 334

The four prophecies had been fulfilled.

Only one remained. Bradley looked around the burning forest.

“Elves. Such an ancient race, yet such boring creatures.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Bradley turned away with a bored expression.

“Let’s go back.”

They left. The elves’ resentment and hatred could be heard from behind them, but they didn’t care.

Back at the imperial city, the ghost spoke softly to Taesan. His emotions had calmed down somewhat, possibly because he had already vented his anger.

[ I begged them, risking everything, asking them to concede. But the elves refused. They mocked me and blocked my approach. ]

“Did you fail to fulfill the prophecy because of the elves?”

[ No. In the end, we used the full force of the empire to flatten the entire forest. The sacrifices were great, but the prophecy was fulfilled. However, because so much time had passed, the plan that followed was completely derailed. ]

The ghost had cleared the fourth prophecy. But the last prophecy remained unfulfilled.

It wasn’t long before Bradley came to see them.

“Only the last prophecy remains. It’s progressing faster than I thought.”

Bradley had expected it to take at least a few months.

But in just two days, the fourth prophecy had been completed. Bradley marveled at the speed.

“You remember what the final prophecy is, don’t you?”

“To retrieve the fragment of the god from the Sacred Place.”

“Correct.”

Bradley nodded.

“The God of Regret. The religion that worships Rigrit. Their Sacred Place holds a relic of the god. You need to retrieve it.”

Taesan fell silent at Bradley’s words.

Soon, he spoke.

“The God of Regret?”

“Yes. It’s a very old religion. I’ve already sent word. Naturally, they haven’t even responded.”

Bradley said this without a hint of surprise. The relic needed to fulfill the prophecy was a sacred object fiercely protected by the religion.

Though it was for the salvation of the world, they wouldn’t hand it over easily.

“I’ve heard it’s a religion with many fanatics. It could take quite some time.”

Bradley pointed at Taesan.

“This time, you must go alone. I wish I could see the Sacred Place myself, but I’m afraid I can’t.”

“I understand.”

Bradley was extremely busy. With the Demon King’s invasion imminent, he had to train the soldiers and knights to prepare.

With that, Bradley left.

Left alone again, Taesan spoke.

“Is this why you seemed uneasy about the God of Regret?”

[ Yes. I never saw the God of Regret in the labyrinth. The 72nd floor I cleared was different. But I did encounter him outside the labyrinth. ]

The target of the fifth trial: the God of Regret, the religion of Rigrit.

And the ghost had failed to pass the trial.

[ It’s such bad taste, really. ]

The ghost muttered bitterly.

The next day, Taesan set out for the Sacred Place of the God of Regret.

The Sacred Place was far away, located in the exact opposite direction of the Calvert Empire.

And the ghost made a request of Taesan.

[ On the way to the Sacred Place, can you stop by the place I mention? ]

“A place?”

[ Yes. There’s someone I’d like to see. ]

It was rare for the ghost to ask Taesan for something. Taesan agreed.

Taesan spread his wings and flew toward the Sacred Place.

At the end of his journey, he arrived at a towering mountain.

So tall that its peak was hidden in the clouds.

[ Here. ]

The ghost said. Taesan flew to the top of the mountain.

At the summit above the clouds, there was a small hut.

There was someone inside.

“Who’s there?”

A sharp voice rang out. An old man, gripping a sword, emerged from the hut.

The old man was incredibly strong.

In Taesan’s eyes, the old man’s power surpassed those who claimed to have reached the peak of the world.

[ Master. ]

The ghost murmured.

The old man squinted at Taesan.

“…A descendant of Kariat? I don’t know why you’re here, but get lost.”

The old man moved swiftly, throwing a punch at Taesan’s abdomen.

Taesan moved his hand and caught the punch. The old man then kicked at Taesan’s temple.

Twisting his head, Taesan dodged and swung his clenched fist. The old man’s body flew through the air.

The old man landed quickly, his face shocked. He lowered his stance and drew his sword.

As the sword swung, Taesan responded.

Kagakak!

The swords clashed. While blocking the old man’s attacks, Taesan noticed something.

The sword technique the old man used was similar to the ghost’s.

Kakak!

The swords rebounded.

The old man steadied his breath and glared at Taesan.

“…Who are you?”

“I am one who has received the qualification of a hero.”

The old man’s pupils widened. Taesan lowered his sword.

“Are you Bradley’s master?”

“Listen.”

The old man handed Taesan a cracked teacup. Inside, there was nothing but ordinary water.

“Did you think this decrepit hut would have tea?”

The old man drank the water in large gulps, then slammed the cup down and looked at Taesan with interest.

“What’s your relationship with that guy?”

Taesan pondered for a moment, wondering how to explain his relationship with the ghost.

“We’re friends.”

“The prince and a descendant of Kariat, friends? What a strange combination.”

The old man tilted his head and spoke.

“I could see my swordsmanship in your movements. I’ve only taught that technique to one person. So your words aren’t lies.”

Taesan’s swordsmanship was based on the Stormscar Swordsmanship that the ghost had possessed.

And from the old man whom the ghost called Master, there was a similar movement.

“Has that brat already reached the level where he can teach someone?”

“A lot has happened. Did you teach swordsmanship to Bradley?”

“Something like that.”

The old man replied bluntly.

“The young rascal climbed all the way here and asked me to teach him swordsmanship. Although the empire has its own swordsmanship, he said it wasn’t enough. No matter how much I beat him or ignored him, he wouldn’t leave. In the end, I had no choice but to teach him. Ever since then, he stuck to me, calling me Master. Annoying brat.”

The old man grumbled.

The Stormscar Sword was the swordsmanship of the empire. It wasn’t considered exceptional swordsmanship, something any knight of the empire could learn.

But the ghost’s Stormscar Sword was refined enough to be recognized as high-level swordsmanship within the labyrinth.

It meant that the ghost had met countless people and continuously improved the swordsmanship.

The old man before him seemed to be one of those people.

“If you’ve taken on a disciple of sorts, you should’ve told me. Ungrateful brat.”

There was a hint of sadness in the old man’s voice.

Taesan asked.

“How long were you with Bradley?”

“About… three years. He left when he couldn’t get permission for more.”

Three years.

It was more than enough time to grow attached to someone. The old man patted his back and continued to grumble.

“He left this old man up here in the mountains while he enjoys all the riches of the empire. I ought to give him a good scolding.”

[ Even though you said you wouldn’t go when invited, you like it here. ]

The ghost chuckled softly.

They shared small stories after that. The old man, curious about Bradley’s current situation, asked various questions, and the ghost answered. Taesan served as the intermediary, conveying the ghost’s words.

“Maybe I should go down once.”

The old man muttered, seemingly satisfied with the conversation.

As the conversation came to a close, Taesan prepared to leave. The old man, who had been quietly watching, asked.

“Has Bradley ever spoken of me?”

“No.”

“…I figured as much. I wasn’t a good teacher to him. I was never good at taking care of others. I always hit him, didn’t even feed him properly. When the young brat secretly cried out of loneliness, I couldn’t comfort him.”

The old man spoke with a bitter smile.

“He wouldn’t be wrong to resent me. He’s probably holding a grudge. To be honest… I’m afraid to see him again.”

[ Master… ]

For the first time, Bradley’s voice wavered, hearing his master’s vulnerability.

“You said you were Bradley’s friend. Then I ask you a favor. My disciple is a delicate one. He easily gets swept up in emotions and isn’t good at doubting others. Someday, that could get him into big trouble.”

The old man grasped Taesan’s hand with his thin fingers, his face full of affection and concern.

“So please, look after him.”

The ghost remained silent.

After leaving the mountain, Taesan continued toward the Sacred Place.

On his way, he spotted a small lake.

The ghost, who had been silent all this time, began to speak.

[ When I had lived with my master for about a month, he took me to that lake. Back then, I didn’t understand why… but now I know. He was looking out for me. ]

“Did you see him again after that?”

[ No. After the Demon King appeared, I went to find him, but he had already passed away long ago. ]

The ghost fell silent once more.

Taesan continued walking and eventually arrived at the Sacred Place.

He could feel a faint divine power spreading throughout the Sacred Place.

And within it, the priests of the God of Regret, who gazed at him with hostile eyes.

“A vile unbeliever has come.”

In front of them stood a man with a plump figure. Compared to the other priests, his attire was far more extravagant, indicating that he was the leader here.

“I am the Pope of the great God of Regret, Lord Rigrit.”

The pope’s face twisted in anger.

“How dare you! How dare a vile unbeliever like you covet the sacred relic of the great Lord Rigrit! Your arrogance knows no bounds!”

He continued to denounce Taesan’s blasphemy.

He also preached about who the God of Regret was, why they worshiped him, how omnipotent he was, and why all humans must follow the God of Regret.

Taesan paid him no mind.

There was something he needed to confirm.

The faint divine power surrounding the Sacred Place.

The power of the god that blocked external enemies and protected those within.

And the faith emanating from the people living inside the Sacred Place was seeping into the divine power that enveloped it.

That faith strengthened the divine power.

By the time he reached his destination, he had figured it out to some extent.

‘I can make something like this too.’

It was enough. The God of Regret had set this up long ago, and the people maintained it with their faith. Taesan could easily replicate it.

Taesan placed his hand on the divine barrier surrounding the Sacred Place.

A fierce resistance tried to push him away.

Though crude, it was still the power of a god. Without the permission of those inside, even with overwhelming power, it seemed nearly impossible to break through.

Taesan finally lifted his head and looked at the pope.

The pope continued to recite the teachings of the God of Regret. Taesan asked him.

“If you refuse me, the world will be destroyed.”

“That would be better!”

The pope bared his teeth.

“It would be right for this vile world to be destroyed and return to the arms of God, rather than have the sacred relic of our god tainted by human hands!”

What filled him was the blind stubbornness and twisted madness of a fanatic.

Seeing that reasoning would not work with him, Taesan ignored the pope once again.

“This is where you got stuck.”

[ This is the realm of the god. I tried to break through in every way I could, but the divine power never wavered. That guy told me that I was guilty of coveting the god’s sacred relic and that I should watch the world perish in front of the Sacred Place. ]

The pope’s words came true.

The ghost did not give up. He tried every possible method to break through Rigrit’s Sacred Place.

But before he could, the Demon King descended.

[ When I returned to the empire later, my family, my lover, they were all dead. The empire had fallen. Everything I wanted to protect... I was stuck here, watching it all collapse. It’s… a sad story. ]

A sorrowful voice echoed. Taesan raised his hand.

“Since this is a trial you gave, I doubt you’d have complaints if I broke it.”

Taesan manifested divine power. A golden aura flowed from him.

“Huh?”

The priests were startled. They felt an immense presence from Taesan that they could not fathom.

Taesan’s divine power began to clash with the divine power Rigrit had spread.

Cracks began to form in the divine barrier surrounding the Sacred Place. The pope’s face, which had been twisted in a smile, began to falter.

The god’s power that protected them was crumbling. With a distinct cracking sound, the divine power shattered, and the pope gasped in horror.

“H-How!”

What surrounded their Sacred Place was the power of a god.

Humans could not resist. The pope hastily shouted.

“Priests! Show more faith! Display your devotion to the god!”

The priests began singing hymns at the top of their lungs. The divine aura became slightly stronger.

But that was all.

It was the faith of mere mortals, numbering only in the hundreds. Taesan gathered divine power and manifested it in the world. His mighty divine power crushed the divine aura surrounding the Sacred Place and engulfed them.

Ka-chang!

“Ugh!”

“Kuh-huh!”

The priests vomited blood and collapsed. The pope was no exception. He was buried under the overwhelming divine power, his head pressed to the ground.

“Kuh, kuh-huh!”

As he barely managed to rise, his eyes widened.

“A… Ah…”

The divine power of Rigrit that had been felt from the Sacred Place was gone.

In its place was Taesan’s divine power.

“As expected, it’s possible.”

“W-What is this?”

Taesan ignored the stammering pope.

He moved toward the source of the powerful energy that he felt from within the Sacred Place.

Inside a small building, there was a small stone fragment.

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary stone one might find on the roadside, but the power contained within it was undeniably that of a god.

Taesan grasped the stone fragment. The power within it began to seep into his sword.

[ You have retrieved the fragment of Rigrit. ]

[ The various powers contained within your sword are being solidified as the prophecy is fulfilled, and they are beginning to take form. ]

The Relic of Calvert began to change. Something akin to a law started to dwell within it.

‘This is…’

Taesan was amazed.

The power being imbued into the sword was far greater than anything he had imagined.

At the same time, the world began to distort.

From the far edge of the world, something was descending upon it.

Taesan glanced briefly in that direction and then left the small building.

He felt dozens of gazes upon him.

Shock, anger, but above all, fear.

They contained many emotions, but none dared approach Taesan.

“W-Who are you…”

The pope, his face pale, asked Taesan. The divine power that Taesan had manifested now covered the entire area.

He was no longer seen as human.

The pope mistook Taesan for a being closer to a deity.

He hesitated and began to bow his head.

Taesan left without answering.

When Taesan returned to the empire, Bradley, who had been commanding the knights, greeted him.

“Did you fulfill the prophecy?”

Taesan nodded. Bradley let out a cheer.

“It’s truly been fulfilled… The world can escape destruction.”

He clenched his fist and shouted to the knights.

“Listen! Knights of the empire! The Demon King will appear! A being who seeks to destroy the world! Rise and fight to protect our empire!”

A roar of cheers echoed.

What followed were incredibly busy days. With grim faces, people prepared for war, and Bradley was also busy negotiating with other kingdoms.

Taesan, on the other hand, had little to do.

The Demon King would take some time to appear, as if even he needed preparation. So Taesan watched the people’s movements.

[ It's different. ]

The ghost muttered as he observed them.

[ They're all passionate... and they have hope. It's so different from my time. ]

The ghost was witnessing a scene that he had failed to protect, a vision he had not been able to bring to fruition.

[ Is this what the God of Regret wanted to show me? ]

This was the scene he could not achieve.

This was the result he failed to accomplish because of your shortcomings.

It must have been why the ghost was chosen as the target of the quest. Taesan asked the ghost.

“Do you regret it?”

[ I do. ]

The ghost answered bitterly.

[ I wish I could turn back time. I haven’t accepted it yet. But... I’m already dead. ]

The ghost was a dead being. He could no longer influence the world.

[ I failed. Twice, even. ]

He could have been more cautious and bold, fulfilling the prophecy.

He could have cleared the labyrinth without letting his guard down and turned back time.

But the ghost had not done any of that.

For someone who had already missed their opportunity, to hope for another would only be disgraceful.

[ It's all over. Everything. ]

The ghost barely managed to conclude.

Time passed, and Levancia came to visit Taesan.

“The great hero has arrived.”

“Lady Levancia. What brings you here?”

“Well, he’s busy. He doesn’t spend time with me, so I’ve been a bit bored.”

Levancia smiled faintly.

The ghost, though slightly shaken at the sight of her, did not waver as much as before, likely because he had come to terms with his feelings.

Levancia looked at Taesan in awe.

“You truly are incredible. To fulfill the prophecy in such a short time… I suppose it’s because of your heroic lineage?”

“It wasn’t too difficult.”

“Such humility. He told me, you know. If it weren’t for you, the prophecy might not have been fulfilled.”

Levancia spoke of Bradley, her face filled with affection.

Taesan asked her.

“Do you love him?”

“Yes.”

Levancia answered immediately, her face unwavering.

“I love him. I want to spend my whole life with him.”

As she spoke, Levancia gently stroked her belly.

It was as if something precious was inside, her movements soft and warm.

[ Ah. ]

The ghost was so shocked that his ethereal form distorted for a moment. Even without facial expressions, his emotions were clear.

Levancia, with a bashful expression, said softly.

“This is a secret, okay?”