A powerful force engulfed the space, as swirling mana took shape, imposing itself on the surroundings.

The energy was overwhelming, and even Taesan couldn’t be certain of victory against such might.

He studied the magic circles drawn on the walls and ceiling.

These formations were the source of Shayen's immense power.

Crack!

Solidified mana manifested and assaulted the world around him. Taesan’s invisible aura flared to protect him from the damage, a constant safeguard from his *Absolute Blessing* skill. Watching Taesan remain unharmed, Shayen frowned.

“…I suspected as much from your fight with the Spirit King. Truly immune to persistent damage… how could you possess such a skill?”

Shayen clicked his tongue, gripping his staff as mana gathered around him.

“Die.”

[Shayen activates Frozen World.]

[Frozen World activates.]

Crack, crack!

Frost surged between them. Shards of ice tore through the space, destroying all in their path.

Taesan’s *Frozen World,* though recently enhanced, couldn’t withstand the force, as it was pushed back like a weak flame caught in a blizzard.

He pushed off the ground, grateful for the vastness of the 73rd floor, allowing him room to maneuver and dodge.

Shayen swung his staff, conjuring a gathering storm of mana.

[Shayen activates Trembling Firestorm.]

As space twisted, sparks of fire appeared, scattering in every direction, consuming the area.

Taesan tracked the paths, trajectories, and speeds of each spark, weaving between them with precision.

He watched Shayen, who remained rooted in place, unmovingly wielding his magic.

The God of Destruction had warned him: from now on, the guides of sin could monitor his battles in real-time for a fair fight.

Thus, Shayen likely knew of the abilities Taesan had used in his previous battle with the Fire Spirit King.

Knowing this, Taesan had refrained from revealing his hand too soon. However, he had been forced to use nearly all his skills against the formidable Spirit King.

Up until now, Taesan had been the one studying and analyzing his enemies. Now, it was his turn to be studied.

How much, then, had Shayen prepared to counter him?

[You activate Apostle Transformation (Darkness and Chaos).]

Buffs and enhancements filled Taesan. He triggered *Avatar of Nature, King’s Vessel,* and even the deep skills exclusive to labyrinth adventurers, grasping his sword tighter.

[You activate Fluid Movement.]

He disrupted the path of the scattering flames.

Moving his dual swords, he forged a path toward Shayen.

He planted his feet firmly and pushed off.

[You activate Acceleration.]

[You activate Skill Acceleration.]

Whoosh!

Taesan closed in on Shayen swiftly. With his already high stats boosted further, his speed would be difficult for even a commander to counter.

Even Shayen seemed mildly impressed.

“Impressive. But… that’s all.”

Shayen tapped his staff on the ground lightly.

[Shayen activates Distortion.]

In an instant, space itself twisted.

Taesan, who had been charging toward Shayen, suddenly found himself moving in the opposite direction due to the spatial distortion.

Clicking his tongue, Taesan quickly adjusted his stance, redirecting himself toward Shayen. Yet, as he rushed forward, Shayen activated Distortion once again.

“Damn.”

Taesan’s trajectory shifted again, veering him to the left.

A warped zone surrounded Shayen, bending space around him.

“No matter how fast you are, your movement is still bound by physical limits. By distorting space itself, you cannot reach me.”

Murmuring to himself, Shayen lifted his staff.

“You are undoubtedly strong. Your power is rare even in the history of the Labyrinth. But I am a mage.”

The magic circles lining the floor emitted a fierce glow.

“I am the eternal master of the Grand Tower. I have prepared and crafted countless spells solely to kill you in this place.”

This floor was not just a battleground; it was Shayen’s sanctuary, his fortress.

“Surrender to the overwhelming power of magic.”

[Shayen activates Magic Amplification.]

---

[Shayen activates Frozen World.]

[Shayen activates Starfall Arrow.]

[Shayen activates Trembling Resonant Wave.]

Three spells activated simultaneously.

But instead of attacking, the magic concentrated, condensing atop Shayen’s staff.

[Shayen activates Magic Release.]

The gathered magic burst forth, merging the three intermediate-level spells into a single, overwhelming force, hurtling toward Taesan.

The icy energy shimmered and filled the space, leaving him no escape.

Taesan swiftly made his decision.

[You activate Destructive Greed.]

The force within his bracelet surged, colliding with the combined magic.

Though *Destructive Greed* was eventually overwhelmed, it devoured enough of the spell to allow Taesan to deflect the rest with his sword, pushing forward toward Shayen.

He reached into his inventory, pulling out a flute.

[You activate the Silence-Bringing Flute. For ten minutes, all magic within range is forbidden.]

[Due to the Free-Flowing Mana Circle, the magical flow cannot be stopped. The Silence-Bringing Flute has been forcibly canceled.]

Taesan swiftly returned the flute to his inventory and gripped his sword. He hadn’t expected such an old tool to fully stop a guide of sin, but he’d tried it to test Shayen’s defenses.

[You activate Marbas’s Dark Wave.]

A wave of darkness surged around him, shrouding Taesan from Shayen’s sight.

[You activate Concealment.]

For a brief second, Taesan disappeared from all senses, preparing to exploit an opening. However, Shayen quickly countered.

[Shayen activates All-Seeing Synchronization.]

Mana spread across the room, extending Shayen’s perception. Taesan’s concealment was forcefully broken.

“A skill that hides your presence by obscuring vision. Simple enough to counter.”

[Shayen activates Magic Amplification.]

Magic exploded once more.

The entire area resonated with an intense force. The attack range was too broad to block or dodge, and with the three intermediate spells stacked, Taesan faced substantial risk.

The only viable option was to take the damage, which would trigger *Nullify Attack.*

Taesan realized Shayen’s plan: he intended to exhaust Taesan’s *Attack Nullification.*

[You summon Minerva, Spirit King of Wind.]

[You summon Varcaza, Shield of Many Colors.]

The summoned Minerva and Varcaza immediately unleashed their power. A storm cloaked in rainbow hues countered the oncoming magic.

“Master, you’re quite busy!” Minerva exclaimed, while Shayen calmly struck his staff against the floor. A previously dormant magic circle began to spin.

[Shayen activates Forbidden Nature’s Exclusion.]

Thoom.

“Ugh!”

Minerva groaned, as the natural energy surrounding her wavered.

“Annoying as they are, Spirit Kings are easy to counter if you know their attributes and prepare.”

Shayen cast another spell.

Minerva’s power wavered, significantly weakened compared to her usual strength.

Taesan made a quick decision, opting to strike while he had the chance.

“Minerva, clear a path.”

“Understood!”

Minerva whipped up a gale, scattering the mana filling the space.

[You activate Acceleration.]

[You activate Skill Acceleration.]

Taesan rushed forward again, prompting Shayen to activate *Distortion.* Space around him warped once more.

Taesan leaped.

[You activate Limited Blink.]

He teleported directly in front of Shayen.

Limited Blink, a skill he had acquired after his fight with the Fire Spirit King, was unknown to Shayen. For a moment, shock crossed Shayen’s face.

But the surprise was fleeting.

[Shayen activates Limited Blink.]

As Taesan’s sword descended, Shayen’s body flickered, moving elsewhere.

Limited Blink was an intermediate spell, one that a high-level mage like Shayen was almost certain to have.

Taesan had expected this.

[You activate Perfect Fairy Wings.]

[You activate Acceleration.]

[You activate Skill Acceleration.]

[You activate Forced Descent.]

Taesan accelerated, while Shayen’s movements slowed.

Using Limited Blink to catch Shayen off guard, he immediately deployed another set of skills to create an opening before Shayen could react.

The strategy worked. Shayen failed to activate *Distortion* as Taesan closed the gap, his blade poised to pierce Shayen’s body.

Shayen’s staff glowed.

[Shayen activates Frozen World.]

Frost gathered around Shayen.

Taesan intended to ignore Shayen’s attack, relying on *Attack Nullification* if necessary, so long as he could land a hit.

[Shayen activates Forced Magic Modulation.]

But instead of attacking, the *Frozen World* spell formed a barrier around Shayen.

Rather than detonating, the ice condensed around him, forming a shield.

[You activate Absolute Judgment.]

Crack!

Yet *Frozen World* was an attack spell. Shayen had simply modulated it to act as a shield, placing it outside *Absolute Judgment’s* domain.

The ice cracked but held.

Focused on breaking through the barrier, Taesan’s response lagged, allowing Shayen’s counter to strike.

[Your first instance of Attack Nullification has activated.]

[Shayen activates Distortion.]

The spatial distortion forced Taesan and Shayen apart.

In the end, Taesan failed to land a hit, losing one instance of *Attack Nullification* instead.

Shayen sneered, looking down at Taesan.

“This is my domain. You cannot touch me here.”

The magic circles flared again, and Taesan moved as another

 spell surged toward him.

---

Closing the distance was nearly impossible. Shayen would activate *Distortion* if Taesan approached, and even if Taesan broke through, the barrage of spells left him at a disadvantage.

Taesan ultimately had no choice but to retreat, focusing on deflecting the onslaught of magic.

‘Impressive.’

Taesan couldn’t help but admire Shayen’s preparation.

Every tool he had prepared to counter Shayen was being neutralized.

He disrupted *Concealment,* bombarded Taesan to exhaust *Attack Nullification,* blocked his accelerated charges with spatial distortion, and used offensive magic as a shield to bypass *Absolute Judgment.*

Even Minerva, the Wind Spirit King, was weakened by magic circles that hindered natural energies.

Shayen had anticipated everything.

No ordinary mage could wield magic this way. This level of preparation was the result of a lifetime devoted to the craft, a mastery that only the most dedicated could achieve.

He had likely even prepared counters for partial world-altering effects.

The flow of mana between the magic circles meant that Shayen’s resources were seemingly infinite; he showed no signs of exhaustion despite casting multiple intermediate spells.

Taesan was up against the full weight of an archmage’s expertise.

‘But.’

Even so, Taesan wasn’t about to concede.

Shayen was still basing his strategy on the Taesan of the 70th floor, the one who had fought the Spirit King.

But now, Taesan stood on the 73rd floor.