One. Two. Three. Four.

A total of eight Guides of Sin stood before Taesan.

---

**[Well, well, look who’s here.]**

---

The specter murmured, and the Guides turned to look at him.

“Hello,” one woman said.

“Champion,” the other added.

The two women looked identical except for the contrasting colors of their hair and eyes—one black, the other white.

---

**[The Black and White Twins. Cliff… and quite a few others.]**

---

The specter scanned the group, his voice turning flat.

---

**[Societte isn’t here.]**

---

“She refused.”

A young man with platinum blond hair stepped forward confidently, seeming to represent the others.

“She chose to pursue her own path.”

---

**[Helia, are you the one leading this group?]**

---

“I couldn’t stand watching this lowly creature cause such a ruckus any longer.”

Helia shot Taesan a look of contempt.

“To think, you, once of noble blood, have fallen so far. Clinging to some unknown man in a desperate pursuit of revenge.”

---

**[So, no Societte, no Ambresia, no Lion King… none of the ones I was interested in. Well, Taesan, they’re all yours.]**

---

The specter spoke without a care, ignoring Helia’s remarks.

Helia frowned and was about to say something when a muscular man stepped forward.

“That’s enough. He’s already dead, as he said. There’s no need to dwell on it.”

“Hmph,” Helia replied, regaining her composure as she turned back to Taesan.

“Then die, you wretched creature.”

With a glance from Helia, the Guides moved swiftly, surrounding Taesan in a tight formation, cutting off all escape routes.

The muscular man, Altiar the Fist Saint, spoke.

“Gods are fickle beings. Don’t take it too hard. I, too, once experienced their whims. To the gods, mortals are little more than playthings.”

Taesan quickly understood.

The Guides of Sin believed the Dark God had abandoned him.

It wasn’t hard to figure out why. Altiar looked at him with a face that feigned sympathy, yet held none.

“A restriction on healing through leveling up… Honestly, it feels excessive.”

The Dark God had approached them, and when she announced her restriction—that Taesan wouldn’t recover health or stamina upon leveling up during their fight—they had been shocked.

They couldn’t understand.

In any battle among adventurers, especially one against multiple opponents, leveling up was crucial.

The usual strategy was to defeat one opponent, level up to regain full strength, and then move on to the next. Without this, victory was nearly impossible.

And yet, the Dark God had blocked even this path for Taesan.

In that moment, the Guides were certain—the Dark God had abandoned him.

There could be no other reason for such a restriction.

Their faces filled with confidence.

They believed they could surely defeat Taesan.

“Don’t blame us. If you must, blame the Dark God.”

With that, the diverse powers of the Guides converged upon him.

---

“I blame no one,” Taesan murmured.

“Because there’s no point.”

---

The forces arrayed against him were formidable, even difficult for Taesan to withstand. In a direct confrontation, his chances of winning were slim.

But for Taesan, it didn’t matter.

As the attacks surged toward him, he raised his sword.

---

**[You have activated Forced Duel. For the next 12 seconds, only Floria can deal damage to you.]**

---

The instant the powers reached Taesan, they vanished.

“What…?”

“Huh?”

The Guides, who had anticipated Taesan’s movements and prepared to counter, froze in confusion.

Their powers were nullified.

Taesan only dealt with one attack—Floria’s.

“A forced duel?” one of them muttered.

“Bring it on,” Taesan replied.

---

**[You have activated Apostle Form: Darkness and Chaos.]**

**[You have activated Avatar of Nature.]**

**[You have activated King’s Vessel.]**

**[You have activated Enemy of Those Who Tread Deep Within.]**

---

Taesan stepped forward, and the Guides recoiled in alarm.

---

* * *

---

“You… you!”

Floria, a tall man with blue hair, darted back, accelerating quickly to put distance between himself and Taesan.

But Taesan followed him relentlessly.

Floria was fast, but not fast enough to lose Taesan.

---

**[You have activated Power Strike.]**

---

Clang!

“Urgh!”

Their swords clashed, and Floria grunted under the force, feeling the overwhelming weight of Taesan’s strike.

Floria shouted desperately.

“Do something!”

“Oh, I will!”

The other Guides were also fighting frantically.

Their combined powers filled the 76th floor.

But none could reach Taesan.

---

**[You have activated Forced Duel. For the next 12 seconds, only Floria can deal damage to you.]**

---

Once again, Forced Duel activated, nullifying the other Guides’ attacks. Only Floria’s strikes could connect with Taesan.

“What kind of ridiculous skill is that?!”

Altiar shouted in disbelief. The Forced Duel effect appeared in a system message, so they could understand what was happening.

“This is impossible! How does he have a skill like that?!”

The Guides were aware of Taesan’s unreasonable abilities—nullification, absolute judgment, endurance. But they hadn’t anticipated the Forced Duel. This skill rendered their numerical advantage meaningless.

Altiar swung his fist in denial, sending a powerful gust toward Taesan, an attack that even he would need to block.

But as it reached Taesan, the attack dissipated instantly.

Altiar let out a bitter laugh.

“I see.”

Helia, having regained her composure, twisted her expression.

“The Dark God didn’t abandon him.”

The Dark God had imposed the healing restriction because, with Forced Duel, Taesan could still win without it.

They had planned to overpower Taesan with their numbers.

But the Forced Duel had derailed their entire strategy.

“We need a new plan,” Helia quickly decided.

These were deep-level adventurers, individuals who had overcome countless challenges and impossibilities. Even in the face of unexpected adversity, they could find a solution.

“Attacking him all at once won’t work. Fight him one by one and stall for as long as possible.”

“Stall?”

“Force him to expend resources.”

The other Guides understood.

In combat, Taesan couldn’t replenish his strength.

They wouldn’t give him a chance to drink potions.

If they continued to press him, they could deplete his health, mana, or skills with cooldowns.

By making him use up his resources, the next person in line would have a better chance of winning.

Though they recognized this strategy, none of them were pleased by it.

“This is so… humiliating.”

Altiar laughed bitterly.

They had come together, abandoning their pride, with eight Guides united to kill Taesan.

And yet, despite this, they were forced to discard their pride and resign themselves to stalling.

Their deep-level pride was shattered.

Helia sneered.

“Victory is more important than pride. You don’t have to listen to me. Fight however you wish.”

While they reached their decision, Taesan and Floria continued their duel.

“Damn it!”

Floria realized that none of the other Guides could intervene. He clenched his dagger tightly, grinding his teeth.

“Don’t underestimate me!”

Taesan was indeed powerful.

But Floria was also a deep-level adventurer.

He had survived countless impossible battles to reach this floor.

A system message appeared before Floria’s eyes.

---

**[Your opponent is an invincible foe.]**

**[Your Honorable Duel has been activated.]**

**[Your Battle Lust has been activated.]**

**[Your Indomitable Spirit has been activated.]**

---

Skills recognizing the formidable opponent triggered, accelerating Floria’s body.

He pressed his hand to the floor. Just as Taesan accelerated, aiming his sword at Floria’s neck—

---

**[Floria has activated Designated Mark Acceleration.]**

---

Floria’s form vanished.

Without any trace of power or activation, he appeared behind Taesan, aiming to stab him.

---

**[Your First Strike Immunity has been activated.]**

---

Taesan quickly spun and swung his sword, but Floria was already gone.

---

**[Floria has activated Designated Mark Acceleration.]**

---

Floria appeared behind Taesan again.

But this time, Taesan was prepared. He twisted his body, swinging his sword at Floria as he thrust with his dagger.

Floria’s form shimmered like an afterimage.

---

**[Floria has activated Erased Shadow.]**

---

The sword passed through the illusion.

Floria’s dagger pierced Taesan.

---

**[Your Second Strike Immunity has been activated.]**

---

**[Floria has activated Designated Mark Acceleration.]**

---

But eventually, Taesan allowed a hit.

Floria stepped back, baring his teeth in a grin.

“You’re strong, but… strength alone doesn’t guarantee victory.”

Floria had knowledge of Taesan’s abilities. Taesan had no such knowledge of Floria’s.

That advantage was crucial. Every deep-level adventurer had unique skills, so even Taesan couldn’t perfectly counter all of them.

But that was all it was—an advantage.

Taesan moved forward, and Floria gritted his teeth, readying himself.

Clang!

Floria barely managed to block the sweeping sword.

He was slower than Taesan.

With their difference in stats, this was expected. However, Floria

 didn’t back down easily.

---

**[Floria has activated Designated Mark Acceleration.]**

---

Floria’s body shifted to the far side of the room. Taesan lunged, soaring through the air, and Floria reappeared directly beneath him.

---

**[Your Third Strike Immunity has been activated.]**

---

Floria swiftly retreated, gaining distance.

‘Good!’

Taesan had exhausted his attack immunities. He wasn’t fully aware of his own power.

Victory was within reach.

Floria’s confidence swelled.

“I understand now.”

But Taesan hadn’t mindlessly used his attack immunities. He had been analyzing Floria’s Designated Mark Acceleration.

‘It’s not true teleportation.’

There was no cooldown, and it didn’t seem to consume much energy.

Intermediate teleportation spells had cooldowns of at least ten minutes, highlighting how difficult spatial movement was. Using it as freely as Floria did was unlikely.

And Floria only moved along the ground. Even when Taesan was airborne, he relocated to a spot directly beneath him.

Blocking Floria’s next charge, Taesan continued his analysis.

---

**[You have activated Focused Detection.]**

**[You have activated Reconnaissance.]**

---

The detection skill spread out, revealing that markings were inscribed on the labyrinth floor.

‘A fixed location.’

Floria could only move to predetermined spots.

Taesan gathered dark mana.

---

**[You have activated Dekarabia’s Twisted Vegetation.]**

---

Boom!

Roots burst forth, filling the space and limiting the available positions for movement.

Floria’s face stiffened. Taesan closed in instantly.

---

Clang!

“Argh!”

Floria couldn’t escape using Designated Mark Acceleration.

‘As I thought.’

The skill allowed rapid movement between designated spots, but it wasn’t true teleportation. By filling the area, Taesan could restrict his movements.

Clang!

Floria was quickly overwhelmed.

Taesan had anticipated the Guides’ strategy—to wear him down by forcing him to exhaust his skills.

So he analyzed his opponents’ abilities quickly, neutralizing them to win with minimal resource usage.

Taesan had plenty of cards to play. Whatever his opponents used, he could find a way to counter.

There was no need to worry.

Taesan pressed down with his sword, sending Floria flying across the room.