Ascension Through Skills

[Pavsha. He's the God of Self-Proof.

The ghost began to explain.

[He's a god. Prove yourself. Show what you've accumulated. A god who bestows such trials. He used to be in a deeper layer, but now he's moved up here.]

“What kind of trial is it?”

[I never took it.]

It was an unexpected response. Given the ghost’s high confidence in its abilities, Taesan assumed it had taken the trial and asked, “Is it difficult?”

[It's not so much that it is difficult... If you look at the clear rate, it's actually a very easy trial. But it's kind of ambiguous.]

The ghost said in a slightly uncomfortable tone.

[Most of the adventurers I remember took Pavsha's trial. And all of them came out after clearing it.]

This was also unexpected. Taesan frowned,

“Everyone?”

[Even those who were not exceptional, those close to average, all succeeded.]

“That’s… strange.”

It was practically impossible.

Trials bestowed by supremely powerful beings for their own amusement didn’t cater to ordinary adventurers.

While a majority might clear a trial, it was not possible for everyone to do so. That was the nature of the divine trials Taesan had seen thus far.

[That's the peculiar part. And among those who cleared the trial, some of them changed slightly. Their manner of speaking and behavior altered.]

“…Doppelgangers?”

The most common monster that was known for mimicking appearances. If someone changed after clearing a trial, that would be the natural assumption. But the ghost denied it.

[Doppelgangers mimic speech patterns, tone, and even actions perfectly. But those who emerged after breaking the trial gave themselves away. As if to insist that they were the real ones. We looked into these oddities, but we couldn't find anything unusual about them.]

“So, they aren’t doppelgangers?”

[No, they're not doppelgangers. But we referred to these changed individuals as "fakes."]

Meaning they weren’t seen as genuine.

“What happened to these ‘fakes’?”

[It varied. Some went deeper into the labyrinth, some died on their descent, and some became Guides of Sin and stayed within their ranks. Most of them met the end typical of ordinary adventurers.]

It was another puzzling story.

If these fakes were imitating adventurers, they would do everything to survive. Descending into the labyrinth was the goal of the real adventurers they had replaced, not the fakes themselves.

Yet, these fakes, like real adventurers, died during their descent.

“So you didn’t take the trial?”

[It's unknowable. I can't measure it by the success and failure rates, and I can't trust the information from those who survived. I had no intention of risking myself.]

Taesan looked at Pavsha’s altar.

The aura emanating from it conveyed one meaning:

Prove yourself.

“What did the returnees say?”

[Prove yourself. That's all there was to it.]

Taesan pondered.

There was absolutely no information. It was an unknown trial. The ghost had its reasons for refusing it. It was akin to walking on a cliff with an unseen abyss beneath.

But Taesan had one certainty.

‘The gods of this place expects strength of my caliber.’

Then, the trial set by the gods would likely be suitable for Taesan.

Pavsha was not a god of death. It wasn’t like Lakiratas, who would wish for Taesan’s death.

Taesan placed his hand on the altar.

[What now?]

“I have no intention of backing out now.”

[Well... I guess they won't give you a trial that can kill you.]

The ghost seemed to agree, showing no particular emotion.

[Pavsha's Altar] [An altar made by those who serve Pavsha. It's a passage connected to the god. Through this, Pavsha can exert influence.] [Sub-Quest Start] [Pavsha wants to test you, who has come to its altar. If you accept, the trial will come to you. If you overcome it, a reward awaits.] [Reward: Pavsha will decide based on your performance.]

“I accept.”

As he consented, darkness enveloped Taesan.

When his vision returned, he found himself in an empty space of darkness.

It wasn’t very large. Equivalent to the size of three rooms in the labyrinth, he could reach its end in just a second if he moved purposefully.

Darkness began to gather in the center of this space, forming arms and legs and eventually taking on the shape of a face.

“Ugh.”

Taesan grimaced.

“Looks like something similar to a doppelganger.”

A being resembling Taesan appeared before him. Simultaneously, the quest window showed up.

[Prove yourself.]

It wasn’t an enhanced trial. It meant one thing.

The trial was adapted according to the user.

Seeing his own avatar, Taesan calmly drew his weapon.

Fighting and defeating a doppelganger wasn’t a rare plot in Earth’s stories. Out of ten, you’d find it in two or three.

Taesan observed his avatar closely.

The fluttering hair, a face almost devoid of expression.

The ghost watching the scene was impressed.

[It's perfectly identical. Like looking into a mirror, huh?]

“I can’t really tell.”

[It's always like that when you look at yourself. It's completely the same. The face, height, physique, and even the attire.]

To the eye, there was no difference.

Among Taesan’s equipment, many were of good quality. The weapon he currently wielded was the only sword given by the ghost as a reward, and one of his rings was worth tens of thousands of gold.

The avatar also possessed those items. Copying such things would be trivial for a trial set by the gods.

What about skills? Would it possess all the skills he had? Including the black magic bestowed by the devil and the magic granted by the god of magic?

While Taesan was pondering this, the avatar stared at him expressionlessly.

First, he needed to gauge its level.

Taesan swung his sword.

And the avatar moved.

[The avatar activated a powerful strike.]

Clang!

Taesan’s sword was parried. He quickly tried to redirect his sword with the Dance of the Sword.

At that moment, the avatar’s sword also changed, starting to strike at Taesan like a storm.

[What!?]

The first sword, Wolf’s Fang.

The avatar was executing the sword technique taught by the ghost.

“Oh-ho.”

Taesan’s eyes sparkled with interest. His sword began to move, executing the Wolf’s Fang technique, just like the avatar.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The blades collided, creating afterimages and loud sounds. After the final clash, Taesan distanced himself.

“Does it possess skills as well?”

[... This is humiliating. A god's avatar using my sword technique?]

“Don’t take it too personally.”

The avatar bared its teeth, raising its sword.

“I’ll soon become the real one!”

The avatar charged.

Blocking every attack, Taesan slowly retreated. Feeling the upper hand, the avatar laughed uproariously.

“Die! Your soul will be mine!”

The avatar shouted fiercely, moving its sword. Here and there, Frost Arrows targeted Taesan’s entire body.

Taesan deftly maneuvered his twin swords, parrying the avatar’s blade and diverting the trajectory of the Frost Arrows.

With just his swordsmanship, Taesan countered both the magic and sword attacks. Realizing its miscalculation a little too late, the avatar hesitated.

Taesan gazed down at the avatar with indifference.

“Your skill level is nothing special.”

[It's just an average level 22 adventurer.]

Even with identical skills and stats, there was a clear difference based on the user. If Taesan had possessed the stats and skills of someone like Lee Taeyeon, he could have used them more efficiently.

The avatar before him may have his stats and skills, but the way it utilized them was incredibly clumsy. The ghost murmured with apparent interest.

[So killing it and taking its soul makes you the real one? Interesting. That explains the change in attitude. Since the soul is real, there was no way to tell. Quite a test. Should I have taken it too?]

In truth, it wasn’t an easy trial. The term “average level” literally meant the average of the Solo Mode. In terms of skill alone, he might be stronger than Lee Taeyeon of the 22nd floor in his previous world.

However, Taesan was far from the average line. The avatar hesitated and took steps back.

Instead of pursuing, Taesan stared into the fluctuating dark space.

A divine trial had to meet the standard that pleased the god. At least, he felt that the current level wouldn’t be to Pavsha’s liking.

As Taesan predicted, the avatar’s body quivered for a moment.

[Pavsha's power manifests. In return, the area of Pavsha's interference diminishes.] [Pavsha proposes an intensified trial to you.]

It was a proposal in form, unlike the Lakiratas incident. Taesan nodded.

[Pavsha is pleased.] [A separate soul inhabits the avatar's body.]

From the dark space, something spiritual descended onto the avatar. The avatar’s body trembled, and then it took a deep breath.

“Hu!”

The atmosphere shifted. It had Taesan’s face but bore an entirely different expression. Taesan frowned.

“This feels unsettling.”

Someone was wearing his skin. It wasn’t a comforting feeling, even if it was an avatar.

“It’s been a while since I last descended to the labyrinth. Nice to see you, adventurer.”

The avatar grinned, gripping its sword—a peculiar stance where the blade was held in a reverse grip.

[What the...?]

The ghost seemed to recognize something and murmured. The soul that had descended onto the avatar introduced itself.

“I am the apostle of the great Pavsha. One who has treaded the deep layers. Call me Malesten.”

Seeing an adventurer who had accepted the role of a god’s apostle was a first.

If the gods offered the apostle position to those who far surpassed the average, it meant that this being had been significantly powerful in its lifetime. The ghost seemed to recognize him and exclaimed in surprise.

[Where did you go? So, you became an apostle?]

“Ho?”

Malesten, realizing the presence of the ghost belatedly, showed a surprised expression.

“The hero? Are you here?”

Malesten, inspecting the ghost, soon recognized him.

“No, you’re different. You’re dead already, aren’t you? If you couldn’t conquer it, then there’s truly no one left to have expectations for.”

[I didn't die descending the labyrinth. I was killed by other beings.]

“…The Guides of Sin. It was them.”

Malesten frowned.

“That’s insane. If they killed you, they’d ensure they wouldn’t be able to descend either.”

[That's why I'm still complaining. It worked out well.]

The ghost chuckled. Taesan clicked his tongue.

“Don’t just converse amongst yourselves. Explain. Who is he?”

[Sorry. He's someone from around my time, another one who went down the labyrinth. He wasn't affiliated with the Guides of Sin.]

“They weren’t to my liking. They were weak, mentally dead.”

Malesten laughed sarcastically. His words implied he was strong enough that the Guides of Sin wouldn’t dare touch him.

[He's an adventurer who surpassed the 70th floor. Like you, he used twin swords, but one in a reverse grip. He relied more on swordsmanship than skills.]

“Just a slave, albeit an apostle. But I have no regrets. Pavsha is surprisingly kind to her possessions.”

Malesten shrugged, looking at Taesan.

“It seems like you’re bound too, hero? Unexpected. I thought you would have chosen death.”

[I would have, under normal circumstances. But there was an annoying incident.]

“Hmm. I’m curious, but… let’s end our conversation here. Our protagonist seems to be getting bored.”

Malesten’s eyes momentarily glazed over, looking into space as if checking a stats window. After a moment, he frowned.

“…Which floor is this?”

[22nd floor.]

“22nd floor?”

Shock was evident on Malesten’s face.

“The challenger’s level surpasses the 30th floor.”

[This bastard sure is odd.]

“Oh, indeed.”

Malesten looked at Taesan with astonishment. Taesan readied himself.

He began to surmise what Pavsha’s intensified trial might be.

Defeating his own apostle with his stats and skills. That seemed to be the content of the trial.