Ascension Through Skills

Tottering.

Annetsha walked through the village with a drooping head. The painful feeling of rejection in her heart after Taesan’s understandable reasoning. Her emotional state was a complex mix.

“Have you arrived?”

“Huh?”

Annetsha was taken aback.

All of the demons had gathered and were waiting for her.

“Why are you all here?”

“We have something to ask.”

Atunikia swallowed and asked.

“Have you finished all the drinks?”

It was a very out-of-the-blue question. At least it was not something all the demons needed to ask her together.

Annetsha shook the bottle with a puzzled look on her face.

“Yes, I’ve had them.”

“Phew!”

“That’s a relief.”

The demons noticeably sighed in relief. Just when Annetsha was about to ask what they meant, in her confusion.

Koo-woong…

A loud noise echoed from far away. A shockwave engulfed them, destroying the forest.

“Huh?”

Annetsha’s face hardened.

She could feel a sacred power from that swaying wave of force.

“Harmon…?”

A tracker.

As she closed her mouth, she looked at the demons. The moment she tried to shout and flee, she realized something was off.

The demons were calmly looking at the source of the loud sound.

“He finally came.”

“What, what are you all doing! We need to run!”

“Run? From whom?”

“Who do you think?”

Annetsha, who was about to say it was obviously Harmon, closed her mouth.

Looking at the calm eyes of the demons, she understood.

“You can’t mean that you…”

“Indeed, a god. It hasn’t been a day since we informed him, and he sent his angel right away.”

“….Atunikia!”

Annetsha shouted as Atunikia smiled.

“Princess. We are tired.”

The demons had sided with Harmon.

At that realization, Annetsha gritted her teeth.

“Do you think Harmon will leave you alone? He wants to kill us!”

“That’s fine. We will no longer be demons.”

Hmph.

They were abandoning their demonhood.

Towards Annetsha, who was looking at him with shaky eyes, Atunikia raised his arm.

“Don’t you know? If we expel what’s inside us, we can’t be called demons anymore. How many times has that happened so far?”

“You, you guys…”

Annetsha knew about that as well. Not only her but most of the demons knew about it, too.

But even as they were dying, no one had ever done such a thing.

The reason was one.

To abandon one’s self as a demon meant, in essence, to abandon the Demon God. It was a deed of crushing and trampling their own unchanging haven with their own hands.

“You mean to abandon the Demon God?”

“Abandon?”

Atunikia twisted his lips. He could not contain his anger and raised his voice.

“We prayed to that god! We dedicated everything to that god! But when we were being destroyed, did the Demon God offer us a single word of consolation? When we cried out for her, did she offer any advice? Did she descend and support us?”

Annetsha unknowingly retreated from his emotionally charged words. Atunikia fiercely stretched out his hand.

“Look at this village!”

The houses were falling apart. The village was on the verge of collapse, with not even a fence to keep the beasts away.

“Our once glorious kingdom is gone, and we must live in a place that can’t even stop the rain! Not even fifty left from our brethren that once filled half the world! Warm and historical dishes have changed into roots and bugs, and the beginning of the day starts with despair, not prayers!”

Therefore, Atunikia abandoned the Demon God.

The moment Habenek had brought the princess, he immediately went down the mountain to find the shrine.

Kuwoong…

The ongoing loud sound became quiet, and Atunikia regained his composure.

“It’s over. A mortal cannot win against an angel of God.”

Under the pressure of Atunikia, Annetsha’s face turned pale.

The image of Taesan flashed across her mind.

“No, no way!”

As she was about to run to where the sound came from, Atunikia grabbed her.

“Princess. You will become a sacrifice for us. Please, sacrifice yourself for us.”

Atunikia spoke with a grim face.

He did not feel good. He had to abandon the Demon God he had trusted his whole life and offer Annetsha, who was as dear to him as his own daughter, to the god who killed them. It felt like his heart was collapsing.

But there were still those who believed and followed him. For them, he couldn’t give up.

“Now, princess. With us…

Kuwoong!

The roar echoed once more. Annetsha, who was in despair, quickly lifted her head.

The sounds of battle started to ring out once again from the place where the loud noise had come from.

“He’s alive?”

“Taesan?”

Atunikia was greatly shaken. The roar continued.

Kuwoong!

The golden angel swung his golden sword. It was an abrupt movement, like a runaway train with broken brakes, and it had an equivalent force.

Kagagak!

It was a power far superior to Taesan. The pushed-back Taesan gripped the end of his sword.

[Your Thirst for Battle has activated.]

A skill that provided buffs against everything when facing an enemy that was hard or impossible to defeat.

[You have activated Scorn of the Strong.]

A skill that provided a bonus in all judgments when facing an enemy that was hard or impossible to defeat.

[You have activated Fair Duel.]

On top of that, a skill that increased his stats in a 1:1 situation was also activated.

With the three buff skills, he struck with his sword again.

Kaang!

This time, he wasn’t pushed back easily. But it still wasn’t a match. The angel’s power was clearly superior.

‘Let’s test its defense.’

Taesan charged into the angel’s embrace, negating the harsh attacks with his attack nullification, and swung his sword.

[0 damage to Harmon's angel.]

Buwoong!

The angel struck his sword down harshly. Taesan grimaced and put some distance between them.

“Well, well.”

An opponent that was immune to damage. Taesan unleashed his magic.

[You have activated Confusion.] [Judgment failed!]

“Even mental attacks don’t work.”

This time, he created and fired frost arrows. Fragments of ice struck the golden armor.

[0 damage to Harmon's angel.]

“Is it immune to magical attacks, too?”

Taesan smacked his lips as the angel moved. With wings spread, the angel swung the sword explosively, drawing a line in the air.

Dirt exploded and covered Taesan’s entire body. He activated Counter and deflected the debris, then struck with his sword.

The angel spread its wings. The light that was flowing all over its body became even stronger. The surrounding grass died, unable to withstand the intense light.

[Your Second Attack Nullification has been activated.] [Your Third Attack Nullification has been activated.] [5 damage to you.]

Suddenly, the attack nullification was used up. And then small amounts of damage started to come in continuously.

Taesan pulled back, grimacing.

“Is it divine power?”

The plants exposed to the intense light emanating from the angel were slowly drying up and dying. It showed a strong will that did not permit anything to exist but itself.

One of the few disadvantages of Attack Nullification was that it became meaningless against tiny attacks that couldn’t be blocked. So far, there had been no enemy that managed to reveal this shortcoming.

The angel fluttered its wings and flew into the sky. Then, it accelerated and fell to the ground. Taesan quickly retreated, sensing a sensation like a massive meteor falling.

Kwooong!

The angel’s sword pierced the earth and exploded, creating a huge crater like a meteor had truly fallen.

“That’s a total tank,”

Taesan thought this as he dusted off the dirt.

‘I wonder what would happen if I changed weapons.’

Taesan had a weapon with a fixed attack that ignored all defense. If he switched to that, the damage would go through.

However, Taesan did not change his weapon.

The fixed attack weapon was in the form of a dagger. It was very short, putting him at a disadvantage in terms of reach. The angel before his eyes was not an enemy he could defeat with such a weapon.

Moreover, the angel’s health would not be low. It was not an easy opponent like Jagan, whom he faced in the labyrinth, so the possibility of succeeding through thousands of attacks was practically nonexistent.

If he wasted time, Taesan would be eaten away by divine power and die.

Kwooong!

The angel continued to push. A large clearing appeared in the mountain covered in autumn leaves.

The golden sword grazed Taesan’s neck.

[342 damage to you.]

This much damage just from a graze. Taesan smacked his lips. The damage caused by the divine power has suddenly exceeded a hundred.

An enemy who inflicted continuous damage just by fighting, and hundreds of damage even from a graze.

That was the angel.

‘I wonder about this…’

Pajeek.

A blue aura arose from Taesan’s sword. He activated Acceleration and lunged into the angel’s arms.

[59 damage to Harmon's angel.]

‘Bingo.’

Taesan smiled softly. It was confirmed. The aura had a defense penetration effect.

With this, the first condition was cleared. Taesan dodged here and there, gradually whittling down the angel’s health. Then, the angel’s eyes glowed red.

And a light fell from the sky.

“Crap!”

Despite Taesan quickly retreating from the sudden attack, his hand got buried in the light.

[420 damage to you.]

The flesh burned beyond cooking, parts of it charring and falling off. Taesan hastily gathered himself and gritted his teeth.

“This damn thing.”

The angel charged in with red eyes. Lights fell consecutively from the sky. Taesan had to block both the angel’s and the light’s attacks.

Naturally, his hand was in a whirl, and he was inevitably pushed back.

Harmon’s will to kill him was apparent.

The light descended once again, and the angel violently swung its sword in sync.

Taesan did not dodge the light. He blocked the sword. The moment the light tried to trample Taesan, he activated his skill.

[You have initiated Forced Duel.]

The moment the light touched Taesan, it split. It dissipated haphazardly and spread into the forest.

The angel momentarily wavered, the tip of its sword shaking.

Taesan did not miss this opportunity and swung his sword. He executed more than twenty attacks in an instant.

The angel retaliated belatedly, but Taesan had already created distance.

It was now certain.

Harmon did not know about the skills that originated from inside the labyrinth.

Whether it was because Harmon’s divine hierarchy was low or he hadn’t entered the labyrinth it was unclear. But now, a solution has appeared.

[You have activated Acceleration.]

Taesan charged straight toward the angel. The angel forcefully pulled back its arm and thrust its sword. Taesan tilted his head slightly.

[You have activated Parry.]

The sword grazed Taesan’s cheek.

The proficiency of Parrying had risen decently, so unless it was a critical hit, the damage was greatly reduced or completely nullified. Taesan continued his assault and swung his sword.

Ka-ga-ga-gak!

The damage window appeared in succession.

The angel counterattacked. The sword was swung, and its foot also moved. It was a difficult-to-avoid attack.

[You have activated Counter.]

Taesan’s body moved. Moving his body along a trajectory that did not exist in his mind, he evaded the angel’s attack.

He stabbed the side of the angel with his aura-rippling sword.

[112 damage to Harmon's angel.]

The light descended once again.

Taesan ignored it by utilizing Forced Duel.

The angel swept the ground. Taesan kicked into the air and thrust his sword into the angel’s neck. The angel threw its fist in response. Unable to move in the air, it looked like Taesan would be hit and sent flying.

[You have activated Air Leap.]

Kicking the air, he ascended even higher. The fist aimlessly sliced through empty space.

Taesan pierced the angel’s head with his sword.

He dealt a great amount of damage using powerful and continuous attacks and other attack-related skills.

Ka-ga-ga-gak!

He blocked the swinging sword and counterattacked.

[112 damage to you.]

One could not avoid all attacks.

If he sought a perfect battle, Taesan would die from the damage caused by divine power. Small wounds appeared due to the holy aura and attacks that broke through the counter.

‘I can’t use Solidity.’

Although it was a great skill that halved all damage, it was a one-time use. Considering the ongoing damage from divine power, activating it would only halve the minor damage.

Taesan didn’t dodge everything. He had the Endurance skill anyway, so he had an extra life. Narrowly avoiding attacks, he pierced through the angel.

And finally, he was able to knock down the angel.

“Phew.”

It was definitely strong. His health had dropped to a dangerous level. Even with the Hand of Plunder, which recovered health each time damage was dealt, the damage was this bad.

He was able to knock it down before Endurance was activated, as its health was lower than expected. If it was a bit higher, he was planning to activate Endurance forcibly and fight.

Taesan took a breath and pulled out his sword. The beautiful appearance of the angel gradually disappeared.

The golden aura that was inside was absorbed by Taesan.

[Your level has increased.] [Your level has increased.] [You have won against God's Messenger and acquired a special permanent activation skill, 'Anti-Theology'.] [Your Soul Ascension has been activated. Your strength has permanently increased by 32, agility by 22, and intelligence by 1.] [Your Soul Ascension has been activated.] [You have acquired 'Divine Power'.]