Ascension Through Skills

“So?”

The ghost groaned with irritation. It soon began to speak as if there was no choice.

[You're right. I'm a deceased existence. I am a human who has been bound here to give you quests.］

The ghost grumbled.

[However, I can't give them to a weak guy.]

“Then why are you here?”

[Isn't it obvious? Ah, this damn labyrinth. If they're going to confine me, why didn't they put me in the deep layers instead of these high ones?]

Taesan quietly watched the ghost as it complained. This was a new type of NPC.

The ghost waved what seemed to be its hand and appeared to be shooing him away.

[Anyway, leave. If you manage to break through the 30th floor, I'll reconsider.]

At this point, Taesan let out a hollow laugh. He didn’t say anything further and tried to leave the room. He had felt that it would be useless no matter how much he tried to persuade him.

[Farewell, adventurer...... huh?]

The cheerful ghost trailed off in the middle of its farewell.

[Wait a minute. You, that weapon.]

The ghost’s gaze was fixed on the Ritual Knife of Lakiratas.

[That's Lakiratas' weapon. Why do you have it?]

“I defeated him, so I have it.”

[... You've overcome the trial?]

Taesan looked at him as if to ask if there was anything else. The ghost shut its mouth. The white cloth, which had been showing signs of thought, then moved wildly.

[Good! I'll give you a quest!]

“Suddenly?”

[If that capricious one recognized you, you are worth it! Come back! I'll explain the quest to you!]

“I don’t want to hear it.”

[You want to receive it, right? Then listen!］

What on earth was this guy doing?

Taesan couldn’t help but think so, given his attitude and posture. Taesan returned with a sullen face as the ghost started explaining.

[I was an excellent and great hero. I reached the deeper floors faster than anyone else. I was even evaluated to conquer the labyrinth soon.］

“But why are you buried here?”

[Some weakling exploited my weakness］

The ghost said in an outraged voice.

[I was resting after meeting a strong enemy while breaking through the deep layers and was lying on the 10th floor. My stamina was in danger, but since the monsters of the lower layers couldn't penetrate my defense, I just slept deeply.]

This was not necessarily a bad decision if the ghost’s words were true.

If one was able to break through the deep layers, their defense would be thousands. Even if all the monsters of the 10th floor attacked him, they could only inflict one point of damage. He could wake up from the impact immediately and react.

However, the fact that the ghost was dead meant that there was something else.

[The boss of the 10th floor. I don't know where he got it from, but he had a weapon with fixed damage. That bastard killed me. He killed me, who was about to conquer the lower floors!]

Whether he couldn’t control his anger or something else, the ghost yelled out its frustration. The once calm ghost spoke with an angry voice.

[The quest I will give you is simple. Kill the boss of the 10th floor! Then I'll give you a reward.] [Sub-quest started.] [The buried hero of the labyrinth wants you to take revenge.] [Condition: Kill the boss on the 10th floor.] [Reward: The hero decides based on his mood.]

Taesan chuckled at the last sentence. To decide based on his mood. Didn’t that mean he wouldn’t give it if he didn’t feel like it?

[Are you going to accept?]

Taesan nodded. Still, a quest was a quest. The condition was also a boss he had to kill, so there was no reason to refuse.

‘It seems like a linked quest.’

A quest that could only be obtained after passing through Lakiratas’s Trial. Hearing the ghost’s words, that was exactly what came to mind.

As soon as Taesan accepted, the ghost exclaimed satisfactorily.

[Good! I look forward to working with you!]

Then, the ghost clung next to Taesan.

[Now, let's go!]

“… Don’t tell me you’re coming with me?”

[Would I just stay buried in the grave, not knowing whether you can catch him or not? Honestly, I'm sick of being there. Even though it's just to the 10th floor, it'll be fun to get out!]

He had to descend to the 10th floor with such a noisy guy? Taesan felt a headache coming.

[Where on earth did that bastard get a fixed damage weapon? I was careless, but a fixed damage weapon was supposed to be introduced much later. A mere 10th-floor monster shouldn't have obtained it. Do you think you know?]

“Since I don’t know, stop talking.”

Taesan said this in annoyance. The ghost’s mouth never stopped. It squawked in his ear like a parrot, and Taesan felt like he was going to get neurosis.

The ghost said confidently.

[You've accepted the quest, right? Then you have to take responsibility!]

“……Maybe I shouldn’t have accepted.”

The feeling of mental fatigue seemed to be greater than the reward. Taesan, who had sighed lightly, asked.

“Didn’t you say you were a hero? What did you do?”

The quest has already been accepted, and it couldn’t be revoked. The ghost wouldn’t stop talking, so instead of that, Taesan thought to get some information from it by asking questions.

[Hmm, why should I tell you that?]

“If you don’t want to talk, don’t.”

Taesan walked indifferently through the labyrinth. It wasn’t something he desperately needed to know.

[……Alright! I'll tell you, especially if you want to know that much!]

“Didn’t I tell you not to talk if you don’t want to?”

[I was a noble prince of the Calvert Empire!]

The ghost began to chatter alone.

[I was the eldest son, destined to inherit the empire. Not just that! I was excellent! I was unparalleled in the empire in swordsmanship, tactics, and strategy! Ah! Every young lady rushed to see my face whenever I attended a ball! It was a glorious era!]

He felt like a street bum from the way he talked, but he was a prince. He had a higher status than expected.

[But the world was destroyed, and I entered here to save everyone.]

“And you died.”

[…… You're not fun. But you're right.]

The ghost mumbled in a deflated tone.

[In the end, I failed. I couldn't save my world. If I had tried a little harder, I could have conquered the labyrinth, but that one mistake ruined everything. Now that it's like this, I have to kill the one who killed me to ease my anger.]

Listening to the lament of the ghost’s world, Taesan walked through the labyrinth and soon arrived in front of a room.

Looking at the number of rooms he had dealt with so far, this place was probably the last room. Only the boss room and the secret room remained after this.

A full clear of the 2nd floor was in sight, and about ten days had passed. It was about time to start seeing results from the others on the 1st floor.

Instead of opening the door, Taesan opened the Community.

[Park Chanwoong [Solo]: How do I beat the Big Rat?] [Moon Jaeseong [Solo]: You just have to work hard. If you face it hundreds of times, you'll start to see the patterns. That's when you need to aim.] [Park Chanwoong[Solo]: Ugh... How did Taeyeon and Junhyuk catch this thing so quickly?] [Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: Me? I'm nothing compared to the guy in front of me right now.] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: Let's consider that person as an exception.]

“It’s about time.”

[What are you doing?]

“Don’t you know about the Community?”

[What's that?]

“It’s something that exists.”

Taesan responded vaguely to the ghost and continued checking. As he read through the posts, it seemed like there were now a few more who had caught Big Rat. Taesan moved his hand.

[Kang Taesan[Solo]: 1] [Park Chan-woong[Solo]: Huh?] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: Oh, it's Taesan.] [Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: Bro, it's been a while.] [Moon Jae-seong[Solo]: Taesan! I have a question for you!]

Posts quickly filled the screen. Taesan casually replied, and soon the flurry quieted down.

[Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: You've left a post on the Community. What's up?] [Kang Taesan[Solo]: I thought it was time to explain. How is it going now?] [Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: It's so-so]

Kang Junhyuk started to explain slowly.

[Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: Half of the people who've arrived at the Fountain of Life have caught Big Rat. The rest should catch it soon.] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: It seems to work when you keep trying.]

The Big Rat possessed a speed that exceeded human cognitive capabilities, but a pattern became visible as you continued to face it. It required a lot of time, but like Taesan, it could be caught by anticipating its movements in advance.

[Kang Taesan[Solo]: What aboyt you?] [Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: I've seen the boss. My head was spinning after taking a hit.] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: I had a similar experience. Did you really defeat it with strength?] [Kang Taesan[Solo]: Yes.] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: ...How on earth did you do that? I don't think I can, so I'm looking for other ways. It might take a while, but I believe it would be safer.]

Taesan read the posts and confirmed that they had adapted to the labyrinth. There were hardly any posts filled with rage or despair.

Then, it was time to reveal what he had found about what was necessary to break through the labyrinth.

[Kang Taesan[Solo]: The reason I posted today is to inform the Solo Mode players about something.] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: Something to tell us?] [Kang Taesan[Solo]: About how to acquire skills.] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: ...Ah. Ahhh.]

Lee Taeyeon must have two skills by now. Kang Junhyuk also seemed to have realized something as he posted a message out of curiosity.

[Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: Uh. We do need that. But why now?] [Kang Taesan[Solo]: Now is the best time. If I had told you too early, the means would have become the goal.]

The skill was not the goal but a means.

If they were informed about skills while they were still unfamiliar with the nature of the labyrinth, the skill would become their goal.

They would waste time obsessing over gaining skills without even thinking about entering the labyrinth.

He needed to inform them when they had some understanding of the labyrinth and were willing to venture into it.

The only monster on the first floor was the Big Rat. As long as they were careful, they wouldn’t die. Thanks to the Fountain of Life, unlimited recovery was possible, so informing them after some delay was fine.

Taesan’s words convinced Lee Taeyeon.

[Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: That makes sense. If we were told about skills out of the blue, I would have been confused.] [Kang Taesan[Solo]: I'm going to explain from now on, so listen carefully. And tell those who didn't see the community posts.] [Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: Wow. Really? Isn't that super valuable information?] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: Wow... Thank you.] [Moon Jae-seong[Solo]: Taesan...!] [Park Chan-woong[Solo]: Thank you! Thank you!]

Many posts filled with gratitude and excitement were posted. However, Taesan seemed somewhat uneasy.

[Kang Taesan[Solo]: You may want to hold your thanks until after you've heard.]

In his previous world, Taesan had explained about the skills he had acquired. However, it didn’t hold significant meaning for humanity.

After all, they were just ordinary humans who had lived in a gentle world.

Still, given that most of the Solo Mode players had survived, things might be slightly different. With a very faint hope, he posted.

[Kang Taesan[Solo]: How many skills have you all acquired? Excluding the basic ones.] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: I have two. Disease Resistance and Line of Death.] [Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: I also have two. Disease Resistance and Sense Enhancement.]

Two. That was a high number for first-floor players. Others began to chime in, but most had one or none at all.

Kang Junhyuk asked, seemingly curious.

[Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: How many do you have, hyung? Five?] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: Eh. No way. Could you have that many?]

The general consensus in the Community was that he might have up to five. They had tried various things to obtain skills but had gained nothing, so they assumed Taesan would be similar.

Taesan gave the answer.

[Kang Taesan[Solo]: Nineteen.]

The Community froze for a moment.

[Kang Junhyuk[Solo]: ...Really?] [Kang Taesan[Solo]: What would I gain from lying?] [Lee Taeyeon[Solo]: Wow. That's unbelievable. What do you have to do to gain that many?]