Ascension Through Skills-Chapter 413: 82nd Floor, Lemegeton (2)

[Why have you crawled in here?]

The Demon Lord looked displeased, his expression different from when he faced other demons. Where he looked down on them, he showed a slight wariness toward the figure before him.

[It sounded like you were having a bit of trouble.]

Baal replied calmly, his gaze resting on Taesan.

[You kept going on and on about him. With all the chatter, how could I not get curious?]

A faint smile played on Baal’s face.

[So, I thought I’d drop by and meet him.]

[You.]

The Demon Lord’s face twisted.

The air grew heavy.

An intangible pressure enveloped Baal, a weight even an immortal would struggle to bear.

[What are you thinking?]

[Some of the others are up to some boring schemes. I’d love to crush them myself, but, as a Grand Demon, I can’t get directly involved. That’s why I need a suitable candidate.]

Baal raised a finger, pointing at Taesan.

[Instead of other demons, I, the Grand Demon Baal, will test this one. That will suffice as this floor’s trial.]

[...]

[Don’t worry, Lucifer. Artificial being. You’ve been wracking your mind trying to find a fitting trial, haven’t you? I won’t set a trial that would concern you. So long as we have our contract, I cannot lie to you.]

[You might not lie, but you can still hide the truth. I’ve been burned by you enough times.]

[Oh, come now. Those were mere pranks. This time, I swear it will be genuine.]

Baal spoke lightly, as if he were an old man pacifying a child.

[Hmph.]

The Demon Lord scoffed.

[Do as you please. I suppose I trust you more than the others.]

[Thank you for that.]

With a faint chuckle, Baal disappeared into the passage once again.

[I’ll be waiting, so come in when you’re ready.]

With that, Baal’s presence faded. The Demon Lord clicked his tongue in irritation.

[A troublesome one has shown up.]

"Who was that?"

The entity had been powerful.

Taesan’s level was far too low to discern the exact extent of his strength, but he could tell that the presence was almost equal to that of the Demon Lord.

More importantly, his power felt... different.

It was closer to that of a transcendent rather than a mere demon.

The Demon Lord responded to Taesan’s question.

[A Grand Demon. The master of all demons.]

"Isn’t that you?"

[Indeed, I forged contracts with the demons, compelling them to lend their black magic to my followers. But demons are incredibly self-serving. Even if I tried to suppress them with sheer force, they wouldn’t listen. The one who helped me manage them was Baal, the Grand Demon.]

The Demon Lord continued.

[Though I don’t know his reasons, he betrayed the Old Demon Lord and sided with me. Through him, I was able to sway the other demons to cooperate with the demonkind and enter into contracts.]

"He betrayed the Old Demon Lord?"

The Old Demon Lord—known now as the ancient gods.

According to what Taesan knew, the demons had cast aside the Old Demon Lord to make the Demon Lord their new god. That was the general sequence of events.

But apparently, the demons had played a role in that process as well.

[I don’t know why he betrayed the Old Demon Lord; he won’t answer when I ask. In any case, Baal sided with me, managed the demons, and facilitated their contracts with my people.]

The Demon Lord scowled.

[He was helpful when I first became the god of the demon realm, but he also pulled plenty of nasty pranks.]

"I see."

Baal’s lighthearted attitude towards the Demon Lord made sense, given this background.

[He’s annoying, but better than the others. If he’s handling the trial, it won’t be something trivial.]

The Demon Lord had granted Baal permission to take over.

It was time to enter the passage. Standing before it, Taesan asked the Demon Lord a question.

“He seems very similar to the ancient gods.”

While the demons’ power was impressive, Baal’s in particular felt nearly indistinguishable from that of the ancient gods. Taesan could hardly tell them apart.

“Is there any difference between them?”

[That’s something you’ll need to discover for yourself. Go forward. Claim what you desire.]

The Demon Lord’s grin accompanied his words.

Taesan nodded and stepped into the passage.

Feeling the gazes of countless demons, he arrived in a vast space.

Above him stretched a blood-red sky.

Below lay a desolate wasteland, littered with ruins. Several figures stood in the middle of it.

‘What’s this?’

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It wasn’t what Taesan expected. Five beings stood among the ruins.

And none of them bore the aura of a demon.

They appeared to be regular humans or demonkind.

---

[Kekeke! Another one’s here! So many of you!]

A piercing voice filled the air, and Taesan turned his gaze. There was a creature with bat-like wings and a large, grotesque eye.

[You pathetic humans! You must have Lemegeton too, don’t you?]

Taesan nodded. This creature was different from those he’d seen among the ruins.

"Are you a demon?"

[Of course! I am a demon, feared by mortals, wielding immense power!]

The demon declared proudly.

[Go over there and wait! Once everyone’s here, we’ll begin the qualification test!]

“What kind of test is this?”

Taesan hadn’t been told anything yet. The demon flared its wings in irritation.

[Silence! Worm! Don’t question me! Just obey my commands!]

“I don’t like that idea.”

[You... you... you insolent—]

The demon’s eye rolled wildly.

[You need to be taught a lesson!]

Before it could finish its words, power surged over Taesan.

A thick, deep darkness. Dark energy swallowed and constricted him entirely.

[I won’t kill you! Just meddle with your mind a bit!]

The darkness invaded Taesan’s mind, attempting to disturb his thoughts and seize control.

It was formidable.

As the demon had claimed, ordinary mortals would have been overwhelmed.

But that was all it was.

Taesan stood within the darkness, unbothered. The demon burst into loud laughter.

[Kakakak! That’s what you get for your arrogance!]

“Shut up.”

[Wha—]

Taesan shook his head, dispersing the darkness as if shattering it.

He grasped the demon by its throat, which quivered in shock.

“I’d appreciate it if you could answer my questions.”

Taesan spoke in a low voice, releasing a fraction of his sealed power. The other figures in the distance couldn’t sense it, but the concentrated force bore down on the demon.

The demon shrieked in terror, crying out desperately.

[Ask me anything! I’ll answer everything!]

“Good. So, you’re a demon too?”

[Yes! Yes! Although I lack a name and domain, I am indeed a demon!]

“You’re rather weak.”

In fairness, the demon possessed a significant amount of power.

It would be a difficult foe for even a borderline transcendent to face.

But that was all it was. It hadn’t surpassed mortality.

The gap between mortality and immortality was insurmountable. To Taesan, it posed no threat.

[W-well, there are stronger ones as well. Those with names and domains are vastly superior to the likes of me.]

“So there are different kinds of demons.”

The Demon Lord had mentioned that only 72 demons held domains. The rest seemed to be of this demon’s level.

With this cleared up, Taesan asked his next question.

“All right. When you say ‘too,’ does that mean those individuals also possess Lemegeton?”

[Yes! Every fool here has Lemegeton just like you!]

Taesan wasn’t the only one with Lemegeton.

Lemegeton was a means to form direct contracts with demons. Six individuals with that power had gathered here.

“What exactly is the purpose of this place?”

[This is the site for undergoing trials to ascend to the rank of a demon!]

“What?”

Taesan’s expression twisted.

“Ascend to the rank of a demon? Is that even possible?”

Demons were beings akin to the ancient gods. To take on their mantle, one would have to surpass mortality.

Yet the people gathered here had not achieved that. They were just shy of that boundary—impressive, but not nearly enough to reach demonic power.

[I... I don’t know the details. All I know is that the demons with domains decreed it, and I was assigned to guide you.]

The nameless demon spoke cautiously. It didn’t seem to know much more.

“That’s enough.”

[Thank you!]

The demon bowed low to Taesan and then quickly flew off into the distance.

Taesan turned away from it and approached the five others.

As he drew near, a man with a pale face and unkempt, nest-like hair stepped forward.

“...”

The man silently scrutinized Taesan before extending a hand.

“...Handshake.”

Taesan looked at the hand for a moment, then grasped it without hesitation.

The man seemed momentarily surprised but slowly shook Taesan’s hand.

Through the handshake, a pulse of energy seeped into Taesan, probing his strength.

However, it was halted by the sheer weight of Taesan’s own power, unable to penetrate him.

“...Huh?”

The man’s face stiffened as he instinct

ively withdrew his hand.

“...You.”

“Fool.”

An elderly man behind him scoffed.

“Hiding one’s power completely is commendable, but letting others touch you so freely? Such a person won’t last here.”

Taesan observed them.

The pale man and the elder were human, while the other three seemed to be demonkind.

And they made no effort to hide their strength.

They were broadcasting their dark energy proudly, almost flaunting it.

“You’re all openly showing your power, then?”

“Why would I hide it? This power defines me. There’s no need or reason to conceal it.”

The old man declared boldly.

“I am Ethan, wielder of black magic through a contract with the mighty demon Dekarabia.”

Dekarabia. Taesan recognized the name.

Beginner-level black magic, Dekarabia’s Twisted Flora. It was the same black magic he’d been using effectively.

‘So that’s how it works?’

They were black mages who wielded black magic by contracting with specific demons. Ethan questioned him indifferently.

“Which demon did you contract with? I doubt a coward who hides his power would answer, but I’m asking out of courtesy.”

“A contract, huh.”

Taesan considered it.

If he had to say, it would be the Demon Lord, but he wasn’t technically a demon. Taesan shook his head.

“I don’t have one.”

“What?”

Ethan’s face twisted.

As he was about to say something, the space around them fractured.

[It appears everyone is here.]

The Grand Demon Baal appeared, his gaze sweeping over the black mages with a leisurely smile.

[I am the Grand Demon, Baal. Pleased to meet you.]

“L-Lord Baal!”

The black mages flinched and bowed their heads.

Every black mage knew the name of the Grand Demon. The primordial master of pure evil, reigning above all demons. None of them had expected such an entity to appear in person. Trembling in fear, they dared not lift their heads.

Only Taesan stared at Baal directly.

Baal spoke languidly.

[To be honest, I’m not fond of you.]

The black mages swallowed hard.

A crushing fear of death enveloped them.

[But even as a Grand Demon, I can’t stifle the desires of other demons. Since both you and they agreed to this, I won’t interfere.]

With a smile, Baal glanced briefly at Taesan, then continued.

[For the six who possess Lemegeton, this is my trial. If you pass, you will ascend to the rank of demon and claim a domain.]

Hearing this, the black mages’ eyes sparkled with intense desire.

[This is my trial. In the forsaken domain of the dead demon, Belial, survive and claim Belial’s throne.]

---

**[Sub-quest initiated.]**

**[The Grand Demon Baal has presented a trial to the holders of Lemegeton. Although Belial, the demon, has perished, his domain remains in a twisted form. Overcome the challenges within and seize the throne in Belial’s castle.]**

**[Reward: The rank of a demon and ownership of a domain.]**