Ascension Through Skills (Light Novel)
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Chapter 342 Table of contents

Shayen was horrified by Taesan’s words.

Mantejac—a name buried long ago, a name even the leadership had forgotten.

And Akisha…

*Could it be…?*

The memory of a contract with the sorcerer who created the labyrinth flickered in his mind.

*You should have just died quietly!*

Grinding his teeth, Shayen began to gather mana, only to realize something was off. The mana that had once flowed into him, allowing him to cast endless spells, was dispersing, breaking apart and scattering around him.

*This…*

Shayen’s instincts told him what was happening. It was Akisha’s revenge, a magic designed solely to disrupt him.

“Well, that’s convenient.”

Taesan nodded, knowing *One-sided Mana Barrier* wouldn’t last long. He had saved it precisely for this moment.

Now, it was time to end things. Taesan drew upon a different power—not mana, but darkness.

[You activate Call of Destruction.]

The dark power of annihilation began to seep into the world, taking form within the shadows.

“Agh…”

Shayen, frozen in shock, shivered as a sense of dread washed over him, a primal fear only those who truly lived could feel.

It was the power of destruction.

With a low rumble, the darkness coalesced, a force that devoured matter and heralded the end, barreling toward Shayen.

He frantically swung his staff, unleashing a wave of flame against the encroaching darkness.

A clash of forces ensued, but the darkness, insatiable and devouring, showed no sign of retreat.

“Damn it!”

Shayen cursed, instinctively recognizing the dark power’s nature.

“How could you wield such power?”

Though weakened, it was pure destruction—not just a fragment, but the core. Unlike Shayen, who relied on tools, Taesan commanded it as part of himself.

Shayen frantically drew more power to counter the darkness, scattering its tendrils outward.

“Hm.”

Taesan grunted, slashing his sword. The darkness was indiscriminate, attempting to consume even him. It was an autonomous force, an unstoppable hunger to devour everything in its path.

Taesan wrapped himself in his aura, grounding his voice.

“Withdraw.”

[You activate Command of Banishment.]

With that incantation, the darkness recoiling toward Taesan was cast away. Lacking will of its own, it responded easily to the command.

“You wretch!”

[Shayen activates Spell Stacking.]

Raw magical power concentrated on Shayen’s staff as he brandished it.

[Shayen activates Magic Release.]

A blast of frost, light, and flame erupted together, flooding the room.

The dark wave of destruction faltered momentarily under the immense pressure, but Taesan gripped his sword tightly.

As he forced the darkness back, he charged forward, closing in on Shayen, who again swung his staff frantically.

[Shayen activates Scattering Remnants of Light.]

Light filled the entire floor, leaving no safe place for Taesan to evade.

*Even so…*

Shayen clenched his teeth.

The Five Arrows of Doom had been expended. His infinite mana flow had been severed. Yet his magic circles persisted, reinforcing him.

The dark power of annihilation was strong, but not invincible. If he could defeat Taesan before his mana ran dry, victory would still be his. At least, that’s what Shayen convinced himself.

Taesan had been at a disadvantage for most of the battle because Shayen had observed Taesan’s fight with the Fire Spirit King and had crafted counters specifically for him.

But now, after a lengthy battle, Taesan had learned enough about Shayen.

The tables had turned.

[You activate Marbas’s Black Wave.]

A surge of darkness rolled forward, engulfing the cascading light, swallowing it whole.

[Shayen activates Frozen World.]

[You activate Frozen World.]

[You activate Forced Amplification.]

The two spells collided, Taesan’s version quickly crumbling under the weight of Shayen’s superior frost magic.

But blocking it wasn’t Taesan’s intention; he only sought to slow its advance.

[You activate Embers of Disaster.]

A fiery inferno spread across the space, consuming everything.

Taesan vanished from sight, activating his stealth. When Shayen attempted to use All-Sync Vision to locate him—

[You activate Acceleration.]

[You activate Skill Acceleration.]

Taesan emerged, cutting through the flames, moving faster than Shayen could react. Shayen brought his staff down desperately.

[Shayen activates Distortion.]

Space twisted, but Taesan countered instantly.

[You activate Perfect Fairy Wings.]

Through his encounters, Taesan had learned the intricacies of Shayen’s Distortion. Now, he not only countered it but used it to close the gap.

Shayen’s pupils dilated as he instinctively activated *Limited Blink.* Taesan mirrored his movement, staying within reach.

“Damn it!”

[Shayen activates Frozen World.]

[Shayen activates Forced Magic Calibration.]

Frost energy coated Shayen, transforming his offense into a protective shield.

But Taesan had already gauged its strength.

[You activate Naberius’s Golden Sword.]

[You activate Amon’s Black Spike.]

[You activate Sabnak’s Black Thread.]

He unleashed all his dark magic in a concentrated assault, shattering Shayen’s icy defense in a cacophony of destruction. Though the dark threads caused Taesan some harm, he pressed forward.

With nothing left to shield Shayen, Taesan thrust his sword.

[You activate Conversion.]

[You activate Additive.]

[You activate the Ring of the Twisted Distortion of Regret.]

[Cooldown for Spirit Blade has reset.]

[You activate Spirit Blade.]

[You activate Absolute Judgement.]

Crunch.

Taesan’s blade pierced Shayen’s chest.

[Shayen takes 112,323 damage.]

“Argh!”

Blood spilled from Shayen’s mouth as his face turned ghostly pale. With his final strength, he grabbed Taesan’s arm.

“We’ll go together!”

[Shayen’s HP has reached zero.]

[Final Flame activates.]

Flames engulfed Taesan as Shayen’s grin twisted into one of sinister satisfaction—until his eyes widened in horror.

[Your Endurance activates.]

[A fatal attack has been nullified.]

[All damage will be reduced to zero for one second.]

---

Taesan withdrew his sword as Shayen collapsed, a bitter smile twisting his face.

“You… you had that saved for the end…”

Shayen had been convinced the battle would be one-sided in his favor. He knew everything about Taesan, while Taesan knew nothing of him. With countless counters prepared, he had believed he could crush Taesan completely.

But halfway through, the tables turned, and Taesan began to break him down instead.

His ultimate weapon was perfectly blocked, and even his final suicidal spell was countered, as though Taesan had anticipated it.

It was a flawless defeat.

“…Damn you, Akisha. You haunted me to the end.”

With a final sigh, Shayen closed his eyes.

“So, this is the fate of a traitor…”

With those words, his spirit began to separate from his body.

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Permanent Stat Increase has activated.]

[Health has permanently increased by 2,481, mana by 2,342, strength by 489, agility by 362, and intelligence by 1,243.]

[The Seed of Life has activated.]

[Health has permanently increased by 366, mana by 743, strength by 258, agility by 103, and intelligence by 677.]

[Permanent Stat Increase has activated.]

[Magic Proficiency has increased by 6%.]

[Frozen World’s...]

[Permanent Stat Increase has activated. You have obtained Forced Magic Calibration.]

[Permanent Stat Increase has activated. You have obtained Intermediate Spell Distortion.]

[Through numerous calculations, you reached the correct answer.]

[You have gained the special, passive skill Swift Judgment.]

A series of rewards appeared, marking the end of the intense battle. Taesan sheathed his sword, letting out a sigh.

“That wasn’t easy.”

He had underestimated Shayen, thinking the fight would be straightforward given his victories over the Shaman and the Fire Spirit King and the strength he had gained since then.

But he was wrong. His previous opponents had failed to counter his unique skills, leaving critical vulnerabilities. Shayen, however, had meticulously prepared, intending to neutralize Taesan’s every move.

This fight reminded Taesan that his advantage lay in the unexpected nature of his abilities. Shayen was powerful enough to kill him.

Ultimately, though, it was Taesan who prevailed. The spirit beside him spoke up.

[You’ve come this far. As Shayen said, the rest of the leadership must be getting worried.]

Shayen had perfectly analyzed Taesan and constructed a battlefield to support him, elevating his strength to unprecedented levels.

Yet he still lost, signaling that the other leaders had little chance of victory now.

[They’ll handle themselves.]

The spirit muttered, seemingly indifferent to its original desire for revenge.

Despite knowing Shayen’s true identity as Mantejac, the spirit had said nothing. To it, the leaders of the organization were no longer worth mentioning.

Taesan had won.

It was time to claim his reward.

A rift tore through the space, revealing the quest’s promised prize.

Standing before Taesan was not a decayed skeleton, but a dignified middle-aged man with silver hair, clad in an intricately embroidered robe and holding an ornately decorated staff.

[...So, the time has come

.]

It was Akisha, the one who had tasked Taesan with defeating Mantejac.

Akisha gazed down at Shayen’s lifeless body, a quiet smile on his face.

[Mantejac. So this is how it ends. The time in the labyrinth is nearly eternal. You might have reached new heights if not for that twisted jealousy of yours. In the end, our fates were sealed by your distorted inferiority complex.]

After a moment of silent reflection, he spoke again.

[I had wanted to confront you one last time, but… I suppose I’ll have to let that go. This… this is enough. Thank you.]

Akisha twirled his staff, his robe billowing as he moved.

[You fulfilled my wish, so it’s only right I give you a fitting reward.]

With the quest for vengeance complete, Akisha’s promised gift—a portion of his greatest magic and his enchanted equipment—descended upon Taesan, engulfing him in radiant light.

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