Ascension Through Skills
chapter-218

[First Discovery Bonus] [Intelligence has permanently increased by 100. Mana has permanently increased by 60.]

An altar. A passage connecting gods and the labyrinth.

Taesan looked at the altar.

It was an altar with a single pillar erected without any decorations. From there, a subtle aura of nature emanated.

Taesan could guess who the owner of the altar was. And the ghost turned that guess into certainty.

[The primordial spirit god, Beatrice.]

“So, it is as I thought.”

[Not a bad god. But... you wouldn't know.]

Taesan had slaughtered numerous spirits. In the battlefield of gods, when all other gods were rejoicing, only the spirit god responded with silence.

At least, they were not looking at Taesan with any goodwill. In fact, from the altar, a heavy aura slowly emanated.

[What will you do? It wouldn't be bad to not accept and leave... But that's not like you.]

Before the ghost could finish speaking, Taesan approached the altar. The ghost wasn’t surprised, as if expecting it.

Taesan placed his hand on the pillar.

[Sub Quest Start] [Beatrice has a proposal for you for finding her altar. If you accept, trials will come to you. If you overcome them, there will be rewards.] [Reward: Beatrice will decide based on your performance.]

Unlike before, the quest description did not mention any specific trials.

Taesan nodded.

[Beatrice's interference area decreases.] [Beatrice descends.]

The god began to show herself. The entirety of nature seemed to engulf the room with the appearance of Beatrice, different from the gods before. Her form was humanoid, but she had no physical body. She was formed entirely of the wind itself.

[Human.]

A blunt voice resonated as Taesan bowed.

“Greetings, deity.”

Taesan could feel the god’s gaze directed towards the back of his head.

Unlike before, the gaze wasn’t filled with goodwill. However, it wasn’t filled with malice either.

The spirit god spoke.

[This place is where warriors and spirits fight for their lives. Although their deaths are regrettable... I do not intend to blame you for it.]

“Thank you.”

There seemed to be no reprimand for Taesan killing the spirits of the labyrinth.

It was somewhat expected. A god’s pride wouldn’t be so easily hurt.

Still, Taesan, who had been tensing his muscles just in case, relaxed.

[Moreover, if I were to touch you, that young god would throw a tantrum... I couldn't touch you even if I wanted to.]

“What brings you to descend here, then?”

If it were just for a simple trial, she wouldn’t have descended but would have just given a quest and ended it.

But the quest details mentioned that Beatrice had a proposal, which meant, like the gods before, Beatrice too had something she expected from him.

Beatrice answered.

[You have solved various dilemmas for the gods. I, too, have a proposal for you.]

The wind composing Beatrice’s body exploded.

The space itself began to twist. Taesan closed his eyes against the fierce wind.

When the wind subsided and he opened his eyes again, Taesan found himself facing a gigantic star.

[What do you see?]

“It’s colorful.”

The star had a variety of colors.

Blue, green, and brown – all filled the star, making it incredibly beautiful.

[That place is Arulia, where spirits and humans live together.]

Beatrice raised her hand. The world began to distance itself again. In an instant, Taesan was back in the labyrinth.

[Your task is to go to that world.]

“May I ask why you are making such a proposal to a mortal?”

He couldn’t accept a quest without knowing anything about it. Preliminary information was necessary.

The wind composing Beatrice began to coalesce. The wind that came together soon took on a form.

A wind spirit was born.

The newly born wind spirit quickly hid behind Beatrice, seemingly afraid of Taesan.

Beatrice, caressing the spirit, asked:

[What do you think about the Spirit King?]

“I don’t have a very good impression of them.”

There was a Fire Spirit King among the Guides’ leadership. Taesan, who had nearly died at her hands, regarded spirits as enemies.

[Originally, the Spirit King was not such a being. If anything... a dragon. You must have seen one in the world you visited on that young god's quest.]

“Yes.”

The dragon had proclaimed itself the guardian of the world. Despite being overpowered by the Demon God, its power was undeniably transcendent, unreachable by any but the transcendent and the immortal.

[The Spirit King is akin to a dragon. A being that protects the world and shields it from external threats. However, the recent state of Arulia is chaotic and perilous. The world is at risk because the lifespan of the Spirit King, who should protect it, has ended, leaving the position vacant.]

“Spirits have lifespans too?”

[You must have heard from the spirits you annihilated. You could infer as much.]

Taesan remembered.

The spirit residing in the hidden skeleton had mentioned this. Spirits were entities where nature had gained consciousness. Yet, by nature, they were entities without a self.

Thus, inherently unstable, they created spirits that went mad in an attempt to process that emotion.

[The limit of origin. That is the lifespan of a spirit. Those settled in the labyrinth are those trying to live while denying their lifespan. I do not condemn them. Nor do I endorse them.]

“So, only the mad spirits ended up pitiful.”

[I do not interfere in the affairs of spirits.]

Beatrice stated bluntly.

[The affairs of mortals are for mortals. Whether they try to overcome the limit of origin or abandon their duties to flee, I do not care. It is all their own choice.]

“Then why do you need to summon me?”

If the matter of spirits was to be left to spirits, there seemed no reason to involve Taesan.

Beatrice replied:

[Normally, yes. When a Spirit King perishes, a newly born Spirit King will just fill the position. The chaos while settling in is not a problem. But… annoying ones have interfered.]

Displeasure seeped into the spirit god’s tone.

Taesan instinctively realized what Beatrice was referring to.

“The High Gods.”

[Defeated yet meddling in all sorts of places. Should have crushed them so they couldn’t even approach.]

Beatrice clicked her tongue.

[They are burrowing into Arulia. That’s why I propose to you. Go and prevent the High Gods from trying to engulf Arulia.] [Sub Quest Start] [The spirit god, Beatrice, wishes to repel the High Gods trying to engulf Arulia. Enter Arulia and protect it until the newly born Wind Spirit King gains proper power and earns its qualifications.] [Condition: Until the Wind Spirit King is qualified, do not fall or die.] [Reward: Beatrice will decide based on your performance.]

“Can’t the spirit god descend directly?”

[I am also overwhelmed with my efforts to block their direct interference. As the god of magic did, no matter how much we try, we cannot completely block their attacks.]

Beatrice continued.

[A newly born spirit is fragile and its self is not complete. Once the Spirit King is qualified, it will gain full power to protect the world, making it difficult for the High Gods to interfere. Until then, you just need to protect the Spirit King. Will you accept?]

“Yes.”

Taesan nodded.

[Sub Quest Accepted]

As Taesan accepted, the space began to open.

As Taesan was moving to Arulia, Beatrice spoke softly:

[It will not be easy. The beings that will hinder you are the High Gods. Not just one.]

Koo-woong!

Taesan’s body began to be sucked into the gap in space.

[I will move you next to the Spirit King. The rest is up to you.]

At the moment his body was moving to the other side, suddenly, a massive force interfered.

Kwa-jijik.

The space began to twist. Beatrice clicked her tongue and exerted force.

[Annoying ones, really.]

Kwa-ji-ji-jik!

The closing gap of space expanded. Beatrice gestured.

[Go.]

Taesan quickly inserted his body into the space.

And the place he arrived at was in the middle of a dense forest.

“It doesn’t look anywhere near the Spirit King at all.”

[It seems to have gotten messed up due to the High Gods’ interference at the last moment. This has become bothersome.]

Taesan extended his senses to examine his surroundings.

What he felt was the dense aura of nature. Just one. He couldn’t sense anything like the aura of the Spirit King.

His quest was to protect the Spirit King.

First, he needed to find the location of the Spirit King. Taesan left the forest and arrived on a road.

Judging by how well-maintained it was, it seemed to be frequently traveled by people. Taesan ran along the road.

Before long, he saw a carriage.

And near the carriage, several people were fighting desperately.

“It doesn’t seem like a world where spirits and humans live together.”

Their opponents in the fight were spirits. But these were not ordinary spirits. Somehow, the spirits, stained black, were drawing out power and oppressing the people.

The people were also summoning spirits to respond, but they seemed to be struggling in power and were mostly on the defense.

“The strength of this world isn’t much, is it?”

The battling spirits really had only meager power compared to the spirits he faced in the labyrinth.

Yet, they could not easily drive away the spirits.

“Why are the spirits doing this?!”

[Master! Hang in there!]

“Watch your left!”

Taesan, who had been quietly observing their fight, kicked off the ground. To figure out the Spirit King’s location, he first needed information from the locals.

He dashed forward and threw a punch.

Kwa-jik.

A black-stained spirit shattered and flew far away.

The eyes of those desperately fighting widened.

“Huh?”

“Wh-what?”

“Nice to meet you.”

Taesan dusted off his hands, the humans looking at him with dazed eyes.

“Did he just… defeat a spirit with his bare hands?”

Taesan observed the spirits stained black.

He could feel the power of the High Gods emanating from them.

“Is this what they call interference?”

It seemed they were corrupted by directly influencing the spirits themselves.

The black-stained spirits facing Taesan suddenly swelled up.

Faced with their deep and intense malice, Taesan tilted his head.

“What’s this?”

“Wait a second!”

“Why are you doing this!”

Desperate cries from the humans could be heard from behind, and the spirits they seemed to be commanding also swelled up greatly.

They were showing hostility towards Taesan. Unable to contain it, one of the spirits screamed.

[Our enemy!]

Flames engulfed Taesan.

Taesan casually waved his hand to brush them off.

Being attacked by those he intended to protect was perplexing for Taesan.

“Why are they acting like this?”

[Isn’t it because of that title of yours?]

“Title?”

Taesan belatedly recalled a title.

[Title: Antagonist Against Nature] [You have destroyed the world of spirits. This infamy has spread among them.] [Damage to spirits +20%] [The affinity of spirits towards you greatly decreases.]

A significant decrease in affinity. It was fair to see him as an enemy. He hadn’t thought it would apply outside the labyrinth as well.

The black-stained spirits and the spirits enslaved by humans attacked Taesan simultaneously. The humans tried to stop them, but the spirits wouldn’t listen.

“Hey, guys!”

“Really! Listen to me!”

[Master! Run away! This one is dangerous!]

“How troublesome.”

Taesan frowned.

His hand moved.

The spirits burst one after another.