Ascension Through Skills-Chapter 489: 91st Floor. Ouroboros (10)

A new power surged through Taesan, filling him completely.

He quietly consolidated it, despite the power resisting as if unwilling to become his. Yet, his Spiritual Elevation unwaveringly assimilated and claimed the Worthless One's authority.

“Whew.”

Taesan exhaled deeply as the elevated state he had reached began to crumble. The effect of Absolute Resistance ended, and the resulting strain crashed down on him.

“Hmm.”

His entire body groaned under the weight, and his consciousness teetered on the brink. His physical form began to falter.

Quickly, Taesan summoned divine energy, spreading it across himself. His broken body and spirit were rapidly restored by the golden light.

“That was close.”

Had he been even a fraction slower, it could have been disastrous. Despite having Essence of Self to support him, the backlash was extraordinary. He would need several days of rest before he could fully recover.

‘This isn’t a power to use lightly.’

Yet, he had won.

Essentia landed gracefully beside him, laughing.

“You’ve truly erased it from this world.”

The Worthless One, which had plagued Ouroboros endlessly, was gone. Not a trace of it remained in the universe.

The death of an Old God, even a mere fragment, was a rarity. Even Essentia, with his countless eons of existence, had never witnessed such a thing.

Murmuring with satisfaction, Essentia looked pleased.

“I thought you could win, but I didn’t expect it to go this smoothly.”

“Neither did I.”

The opponent had been a small fragment of the Worthless One’s power, further weakened by Essentia’s relentless suppression. Even so, it was an Old God fragment, and Taesan had anticipated a more grueling fight.

But he knew why victory had come more easily.

‘Absolute Resistance.’

The skill had elevated him to a level equal to the Worthless One.

Such an overwhelming effect came with severe limitations: its duration was brief, making it a move of last resort. Yet, the duration had been extended significantly, and the strain reduced substantially.

Essentia’s Essence of Self had contributed, but that wasn’t the whole story.

‘Something within me.’

The mysterious presence that Amelia and Haphran had mentioned.

Now, Taesan had seen it for himself.

“You seem lost in thought,” Essentia said, chuckling.

“Well, for now, you should celebrate. You won, and the loser was the Old God.”

“...Understood.”

Essentia’s words reminded him that, for now, he had earned the right to savor his victory. Taesan raised his head.

Rumble.

The world, the very fabric of space, trembled and twisted.

With the foreign entity eradicated, Ouroboros stirred, groaning as it began to move once more.

“Now then,” Essentia said with a faintly uneasy expression, “this is where it gets real.”

His authority manifested, stabilizing the chaotic space. As time and space settled, Ouroboros’s true form appeared before Taesan.

‘...It’s small.’

Taesan stared at the creature in disbelief. It was far smaller than he had imagined, resembling an ordinary snake commonly seen on Earth.

The Ouroboros, with its dull, scale-covered body, wriggled slightly.

As if regaining its senses, it turned its head toward them, locking eyes with Taesan and Essentia.

“Hm.”

For the first time, Essentia’s face, usually adorned with a carefree grin, tightened with tension.

Ouroboros, the Serpent of Cycles, was one of the most significant entities in existence. Should it decide they were foreign contaminants, even Essentia would have to fight for his life.

Slowly, Ouroboros moved toward them.

Its movements lacked hostility, leaving Essentia momentarily stunned.

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

“Huh?”

The serpent stopped in front of Taesan, its small eyes gazing at him intently.

As if expecting something, Ouroboros waited. Taesan extended his hand, and the serpent brushed against it, leaving behind a faint sensation and something in his palm.

Ouroboros floated silently into the air, coiling itself.

The influence it had exerted over the world began to recede.

RUMBLE!

The broken, twisted world started to revert to its original state.

Taesan watched as shattered planets and distorted galaxies rolled back through time, returning to their former selves.

The world was restoring itself to the point before Ouroboros had consumed it.

Essentia marveled at the sight.

“A magnificent display.”

When the restoration was complete, Ouroboros’s power, which had engulfed the universe, vanished entirely.

The small serpent twisted for a moment before disappearing from view.

“It’s returned everything,” Essentia noted. “It seems unable to speak, but it does have some degree of intelligence.”

“It would appear so,” Taesan replied.

Looking down at his hand, he saw what Ouroboros had left him—a piece of its dull scales.

[You have obtained the Scale of Ouroboros.]

“So, it left you a reward for removing the foreign entity. And me? Nothing, despite all my efforts.” Essentia grumbled but wore a faintly amused smile.

“It’s done,” he declared, gazing fondly at the universe.

For the first time in eons, a Transcendent who had been trapped within Ouroboros was free.

“Once again, I thank you, Taesan. Thanks to you, I’ve returned to this world.”

“No need to thank me. I gained much from this as well.”

The struggle alone to understand his essence had been worthwhile. Adding the power of an Old God and the Scale of Ouroboros to that made the quest’s rewards more than sufficient.

Essentia laughed heartily.

“Good. But there’s still something I owe you.”

Taesan’s self-reflection through the Essence of Self—Essentia had promised it was possible. However, his expression turned uncertain.

“To do it properly, we’d need my sanctum and altar. I’m not sure if they still exist or if any mortals remain who worship me. Even my apostles seem to have all perished.”

Essentia’s long imprisonment within Ouroboros had left him forgotten, even by immortals.

“For now, I’ll have much to handle. It will take some time,” Essentia admitted.

“I understand,” Taesan replied without hesitation. He hadn’t expected immediate results.

“As an interim reward, I’ll leave you with this.”

Essentia tapped Taesan’s forehead.

A tiny fragment of something lodged itself within him.

[You have obtained [Self].]

“What is this?”

It didn’t feel like a power or authority. Nothing emanated from it.

“It’s something for you to develop—a vessel to contain who you are. It holds no significance now, but it’ll be quite useful later.”

Essentia smiled enigmatically.

“What did you see in me?” Taesan asked, frowning.

Taesan was aware that Essentia had glimpsed something within him that he himself could not perceive.

Essentia’s smile widened.

“That’s for the future. It’s not something you need to know now.”

“...I see.”

“Don’t take it poorly. It’s for your benefit as well.”

Laughing heartily, Essentia stomped the ground, distorting space as a new dimension opened.

“You called it a labyrinth? I’ll need to learn more about it. Farewell for now, Twisted One! I’ll find you again!”

With those parting words, Essentia leaped into the dimensional rift.

Taesan stood alone in the vast universe.

After a brief moment of silence, he opened a portal of his own, stepping into the expanded space.

“Well done,” a quiet voice echoed—the Wizard’s.

***

[Quest Cleared.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[You have obtained the Flute of Return.]

[You have obtained ???.]

A system window filled Taesan’s vision, announcing his rewards. Through it, he saw the Wizard’s astonished expression.

“I didn’t expect you to resolve it so perfectly,” the Wizard remarked.

Taesan had exceeded the Wizard’s expectations. The Ouroboros, which had consumed the universe, no longer existed in that corrupted state. It had returned to its rightful role and purpose.

“So, tell me—what exactly happened? How did this all play out?”

The Wizard’s curiosity was written all over his face.

Taesan began to explain, detailing the state of Ouroboros’s interior, the reason for its corruption, and the entities he encountered within.

“The Old Gods, huh,” the Wizard murmured, nodding as if it confirmed his suspicions.

“I had a feeling. Nothing else came to mind that could have twisted Ouroboros so thoroughly. But the Worthless One being there... That’s more dangerous than I expected. And Essentia... It’s been a while since I’ve heard that name.”

“You know him?”

“Of course. He’s a Transcendent I once fought alongside.” The Wizard spoke as if it were no big deal.

“I’d assumed he was dead since his concept still lingered but he’d vanished completely. Turns out he was trapped inside Ouroboros all this time. I should pay him a visit someday.”

“He didn’t seem to recognize you.”

“I’m not surprised. I’ve changed a lot since then. Now, I’m the Master of the Labyrinth.”

The Wizard hummed softly, clearly pleased with himself.

“So, in the end, you destroyed the fragment of the Worthless One and restored Ouroboros to its original state. Excellent work. Truly exceptional.”

The Wizard’s approval was evident in his tone, and his gaze toward Taesan radiated goodwill.

“You did well. I didn’t think you’d handle it all by yourself. I’ll have to prepare an even greater reward for you.”

The labyrinth operated on a principle of granting rewards proportional to the adventurer’s accomplishments.

And Taesan had just accomplished something even Transcendents might struggle to achieve. The reward, naturally, had to match the feat.

“So,” Taesan asked, “can I choose my reward?”

“Name it. Most things are within my power to grant,” the Wizard replied confidently.

“That’s good to hear,” Taesan said, opening his hand.

The Wizard, who had been smiling, froze.

In Taesan’s palm was a Dull Scale.

The Wizard’s face stiffened.

[Scale of Ouroboros]

[The scale of the god who governs the cycle of all things. It holds divine power.]

The scale, which Taesan had obtained directly from Ouroboros, didn’t exhibit any particular abilities. In its current form, it held little meaning.

“You... want me to use this material to craft something you desire?” Taesan asked with a sly smile.

The Wizard stared at the scale in stunned silence, his expression a mix of awe and hesitation.