Episode 397

A single ring and a material item. As a ring with high pure attack power, its performance was commendable. Though Hafran’s confirmation was needed, the sheer force it radiated proved it was far from a low-value item.

Additionally, an unusual skill was acquired.

This skill could only be obtained by conquering a floor without using force. Likely, no one else had acquired it. It was a unique skill obtained solely by him.

The ghost chuckled softly.

The labyrinth was a place for mortals.

The result of the 80th-floor segment would likely mirror that of the 79th floor. At this point, the significance of each floor had almost vanished.

Balbabamba had gone to meet the wizard for him.

Once a conclusion was reached, they would return.

Taesan moved forward. The beasts bowed their heads silently, seeing him off.

And then, he stepped onto the 80th floor.

After passing the shopkeeper, he arrived at the center, where a pitch-black orb awaited.

The orb radiated an ominous power.

Though Taesan had encountered several divine altars before, this was the first to exude such dense waves. For the unworthy, just being near it could cause their body and mind to collapse.

The ghost’s low voice echoed.

An entity governing the domain of ruin—that was Akyuros.

“Closer than the God of Descent?”

The God of Descent, who treated mortals like toys, was certainly close to being a malevolent god from a human perspective.

“What kind of entity are they?”

The collapse of all concepts and matter.

That seemed to be the modus operandi of the God of Ruin.

The ghost shivered.

“Then it’s natural that they won’t like me either.”

Taesan approached Akyuros’ altar. The swirling power engulfed him.

Without any courtesy, the force seemed intent on crushing him as it made its proposal.

“I accept.”

Taesan nodded.

The condition to clear the floor was to pass Akyuros’ trial. Refusal wasn’t even an option. Power flowed from the altar, eventually forming a shape.

It had gray, lion-like hair. Its muscular body carried a massive greatsword that seemed to epitomize strength.

The ghost’s voice rang in disbelief.

The power slowly subsided, and the shape was complete.

The being that manifested in the labyrinth opened its eyes.

“Oh.”

Taesan murmured. The Lion King. It wasn’t their first encounter. He had seen his face once before when meeting the guides.

“If I recall correctly, you weren’t a servant of Akyuros back then.”

The Lion King looked at Taesan and the ghost before speaking.

“It has been a while, hero.”

The ghost asked incredulously.

“The result is before your eyes. Why do you even ask?”

The Lion King replied calmly. The ghost let out a hollow laugh.

Servants of gods. Taesan had encountered one during Lakiratas’ trial. Now, as an immortal, he could fundamentally understand what such an existence entailed.

“A mere tool.”

Apostles were bound by a contractual relationship.

Mortals offered themselves to a god, and the god, in turn, granted appropriate power and status.

Since it was a mutual agreement, apostles were rare. For instance, Maria didn’t offer the role of apostle to anyone besides Taesan and Lee Taeyeon.

Thus, gods cherished their apostles. They respected their opinions and, at times, even sacrificed their lives, like Levynenoff, to protect them.

Horai might have been an exception, but that was a unique case. Typically, the relationship between an apostle and their god was one of mutual respect.

However, servants of gods were different.

They were merely tools of the god.

Used as the god desired, they could be discarded as pawns at any time. All the strength, values, and experiences they had built up—everything was rendered meaningless.

For that reason, the ghost couldn’t comprehend it.

“Impossible.”

The Lion King denied it lightly.

“Even though I’ve become a servant of Akyuros, I am strong. No matter how divine they may be, I am not disposable.”

The ghost spoke sharply.

The Lion King remained silent.

“Shut up.”

The Lion King gritted his teeth.

His gaze burned with intense fury.

“I cannot! I will not allow it!”

His resounding voice shook the labyrinth.

“He hasn’t even been in the labyrinth for three years, and yet he’s already reached the 80th floor! It’s unacceptable! Someone like that shouldn’t exist! It’s a mistake!”

His face was a storm of rage and hatred.

And beneath it, there lay inferiority and envy.

“An existence like you shouldn’t be in this world! You distort the natural order! I am merely correcting it!”

His voice carried a powerful determination, one that could shrink hearts and shake emotions simply by hearing it.

Taesan responded indifferently.

“In the end, you’re just jealous of me.”

“What… what?”

“Am I wrong? It hasn’t been long since I entered the labyrinth, yet here I am. I’ve reached this place in an instant, somewhere you couldn’t reach despite pooling your efforts over an immeasurable time.”

It was astounding. Even the ghost couldn’t help but marvel at Taesan’s rapid growth.

The Lion King loathed Taesan for it.

“Hero…”

The Lion King’s face twisted.

Most who reached the deeper parts of the labyrinth were the strongest individuals in the outside world.

The Lion King was no exception. He likely descended to the deeper levels without much trouble, carrying immense confidence in his unmatched strength.

But the depths of the labyrinth had not allowed him to proceed further.

They shattered his confidence and crushed his talent completely.

As he suffered from despair and inferiority, others like him began to appear.

These individuals were also highly talented but failed to break through the depths, left to crumble.

The Lion King found solace in this. He wasn’t the only one. Even those incredible talents were stopped in their tracks here. This was simply the limit of mortals.

So, he gathered them together and formed the Guides of Sin.

He was the one who led its creation.

While comforting himself and maintaining his confidence, Taesan appeared.

Despite not possessing extraordinary strength, Taesan conquered the labyrinth at an incomparably faster pace, even bypassing the depths with ease.

The Lion King could not accept it.

“In some ways, it’s impressive.”

Absolute Authority was in effect.

The Lion King’s twisted obstinacy and inferiority allowed him to resist its effects.

“Silence.”

The Lion King spoke harshly.

“You know nothing. I cannot accept him.”

“Sacrificing yourself for your pride. It’s not an uncommon story.”

It was something even Earth had witnessed before.

If someone like the Lion King, whose very identity stemmed from their strength and confidence, faced such a situation, it wasn’t surprising.

It wasn’t shocking at all.

The Lion King grinned, baring his teeth.

“You’re not wrong. I am a tool. But because of that, I have gained power.”

Boom!

The labyrinth trembled.

The Lion King’s power surged. His entire body began to distort as though it was falling apart.

Taesan immediately recognized it.

It was Akyuros’ authority.

The Lion King had reached an elevated state. The barrier of mortality he had hit was forcibly breached.

“O! O! Ooooh!”

The Lion King swung his massive greatsword violently, forcefully aligning his deteriorating mind.

“Hahahaha!”

He burst into maniacal laughter.

A sense of omnipotence he had never felt before dominated his entire being.

Although his body and mind were slowly crumbling, he didn’t care. The sensation itself was too exhilarating.

“This is immortality!”

He had finally reached the place he could only dream of, the one he couldn’t achieve despite dedicating his life to it.

It felt like he could do anything.

The Lion King turned to Taesan, laughing.

“Now! Die, you lowly—”

The words didn’t finish.

“What…?”

“Using your body and mind as sacrifices to surpass limits?”

Taesan calmly looked at him.

It was as if he regarded the Lion King’s newfound immortality as meaningless.

And ironically, the Lion King instinctively realized it too.

When he met Taesan, he knew that Taesan had reached a higher realm.

But he had assumed it was a shaky beginning—a fragile state.

It was natural. Taesan had grown too quickly. For him to have already achieved immortality was logically impossible.

The Lion King had no doubt Taesan had used some underhanded method.

That’s why he believed achieving immortality himself would allow him to overpower Taesan.

But now that he had reached immortality, he understood.

Taesan’s immortality was fundamentally different—stable and solid.

“…Impossible! How! How have you already reached that level?!”

“Enough.”

Taesan dismissed him and drew his sword.

“Let’s end this quickly.”