Ascension Through Skills-Chapter 485: 91st Floor: Ouroboros (6)
The only path was forward—deeper into Ouroboros, into its very abyss.
While teleportation normally had a range limited to atmospheric boundaries, the fusion with Boundary Line allowed Taesan to travel far beyond. He left the planet far behind, moving toward the depths.
But Ouroboros had consumed the entire cosmos.
No matter how many times Taesan teleported, the destination always felt impossibly far.
[You have activated Teleport [Chaos].]
He continued leaping through space, traveling deeper and deeper.
As he progressed, countless planets came into view.
On each of these planets, he sensed the presence of millions of lives.
Ouroboros had not consumed a single world; dozens of planets, teeming with life, had been swallowed and fused into its essence.
Taesan passed these planets without stopping. While he could theoretically free them with Boundary Line, the cost of doing so for so many would be astronomical.
He focused on the root of the problem. Once Ouroboros’s corruption was removed, these worlds would naturally be liberated.
[You have activated Spell Stacking.]
[You have activated Teleport [Chaos].]
He layered the chaotic teleportations, amplifying their effect, and surged forward.
His body leapt through space, diving ever deeper.
After countless leaps, Taesan realized something had changed.
Up until now, the influence of Ouroboros had been faint, limited to the forced rewinding of time.
But here, just existing in this space caused the time within his body to distort chaotically.
Taesan cloaked himself in the Corruption Aura. The creeping influence of Ouroboros was blocked by the swirling gray energy.
“We’re getting close,” he murmured.
As he moved toward the core, the serpent’s power intensified. He was certain he was heading in the right direction.
Taesan activated teleportation once more, pushing further into the depths.
The deeper he went, the stronger the presence of Ouroboros became. Even with the protection of the Corruption Aura, he could feel the immense weight of its power pressing down on him.
‘There’s no trace of life left.’
Occasionally, he saw forms that appeared to have once been alive—some resembling immortals.
These were likely the beings the first immortal had spoken of, those who had ventured deeper in search of Ouroboros.
But all of them had long since been consumed, their essence transformed into something no longer recognizable as life.
Taesan pressed onward, teleporting through the twisted space for days without rest.
Finally, he reached the deepest point.
“Hmm.”
A low hum escaped his lips as the Corruption Aura around him writhed and strained, screaming under the pressure.
Here, even the Corruption Aura was insufficient to shield him.
He switched to Boundary Line, cloaking his entire being in its power, and surveyed his surroundings.
[What the hell is this place?]
Bardray’s voice echoed, incredulous.
Space and time were chaotically distorted, creating a scene that resembled a vivid hallucination.
[This doesn’t seem like a place to linger.]
“I’ll leave once I’ve achieved my objective.”
To do that, he needed to locate Ouroboros.
Taesan began moving cautiously, shielded by his power.
But the serpent didn’t reveal itself. The chaotic space and time interfered with his senses, obscuring his perception.
He realized he needed to clear the interference first.
[You have activated Great Collapse [Chaos].]
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An eruption of chaotic energy surged outward, forcefully dispersing the distortions in space and time like mist blown away by a gale.
His vision cleared.
But there was no sign of Ouroboros.
Instead, he saw something else.
“What is that?”
It was a mass of intangible energy.
It clung to the distorted space and time like barnacles, twisting them further and nullifying the meaning and value within.
Taesan recognized the energy immediately—it carried the unmistakable aura of the Old Gods.
‘So the reason Ouroboros is broken is because of the Old Gods.’
It was unsurprising. Even the Wizard had speculated as much. If something had interfered with Ouroboros, it could only be an Old God.
As Taesan moved closer to investigate, a deafening voice roared through the space.
[HOW DARE YOU!]
The thunderous voice shook the very fabric of reality, and Taesan instinctively raised his sword.
[A WRETCHED SPAWN OF THOSE CREATURES CRAWLS HERE!]
A colossal force descended upon him, carrying the weight of a concept so overwhelming that it rendered all skills and defenses meaningless.
It was an attack designed to kill, containing the very essence of its wielder.
Taesan poured all his energy into Boundary Line, raising it to its absolute limit. He swung his blade with full force to intercept the attack.
BOOOOM!
The clash erupted with a violent explosion, shaking the distorted space.
Taesan frowned. Despite his efforts, Boundary Line failed to completely repel the attack.
‘It’s not because of the power itself.’
The sheer density of the force was too great. It carried the entirety of the attacker’s existence, a weight so immense that even Boundary Line struggled to push it back.
Taesan honed his power further, sharpening Boundary Line to its utmost precision.
Focusing his energy into the tip of his blade, he slashed downward.
The overwhelming force split in half, scattering into the void.
RUMBLE!
“This is absurd,” Taesan muttered, clicking his tongue.
Even that single attack had drained a significant amount of his energy.
[INSOLENT WRETCH!]
A voice filled with fury roared again. Murderous intent became tangible, pressing down on him.
Even an immortal would have been crushed under such pressure.
[DIE.]
A massive, concentrated force descended upon Taesan.
It was a manifestation of raw laws, wielded with mastery only a being who governed concepts could achieve.
This was a direct attack from a being far above Taesan’s level.
[You have activated Chaos Domain.]
The gray aura enveloped Taesan entirely. Channeling it into his blade, he thrust it toward the descending force.
[FOOLISH MORTAL. DO YOU THINK YOUR PITIFUL CORRUPTION CAN TOUCH ME?]
A voice laced with disdain echoed, but Taesan remained silent, focusing entirely on his counterattack.
Crack!
The laws themselves began to shift. The killing intent embedded within the force dissipated.
[WHAT?!]
The voice, now tinged with shock, filled the air. Taesan detonated his domain, erasing the force that had threatened him.
“This is dangerous,” Taesan muttered, steadying his breath.
The being that had attacked him paused, seemingly unsettled. Taesan spoke calmly.
“I am not your enemy, O Great Transcendent.”
The distorted space fell silent. A gaze, heavy with scrutiny, bore down on him.
With a resounding hum, a figure materialized before him.
An old man with a twisted expression stood, his face contorted in both curiosity and frustration.
“You... What are you? I can sense their power on you, yet you don’t seem like one of their slaves.”
“I am not aligned with them. In fact, I am their enemy.”
Taesan’s voice remained composed.
“I was sent here on a mission by the Wizard who created the labyrinth.”
“The labyrinth? What’s that?”
The old man’s question left Taesan momentarily speechless.
It was clear the Transcendent before him knew nothing of the labyrinth.
The man studied Taesan with a puzzled expression.
“Hmm... now that I look closer, I can sense the aura of some familiar ones on you.”
Taesan understood what he meant.
He bore the blessings of certain Transcendents, some of whom had existed for eons. It made sense this figure recognized their presence.
“Well, this is strange, but... I suppose you’re not an enemy. I don’t know who this Wizard is, but he must be a Transcendent. Did he send you here to scout this place?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm. You don’t seem like someone who should be able to survive here. The way you interfered with my laws and wielded that strange gray energy... You’re quite an anomaly. What’s happening outside?”
The man’s tone had lost all hostility, replaced with curiosity. Taesan lowered his guard slightly.
“May I ask your name, O Great One?”
Taesan asked quietly.
The old man’s presence was overwhelming, far beyond anything Taesan had encountered. He belonged to the highest echelon of Transcendents—comparable to the likes of Rakhiratas, Maria, and the Wizard.
The man answered.
“I am the God of Essence. Essentia.”
***
The concept of essence governed by the transcendent before him made it clear to Taesan—this old man was the "Great One" the immortal had spoken of.
Essentia’s sharp, discerning gaze lingered on Taesan for a moment.
“...You’ve reached the realm of transcendence, yet you’re twisted. I can’t read you properly.”
He studied Taesan curiously before speaking again.
“You came here to resolve Ouroboros, didn’t you?”
Taesan nodded silently, and Essentia stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“I don’t know the details, but those things wouldn’t bestow their blessings on someone they couldn’t trust. I suppose that’s enough for me.”
Essentia let out a hearty laugh, clapping Taesan on the back with surprising force.
“Apologies for attacking you earlier! Thought you were one of their lackeys. I’d offer you a reward for the trouble, but in this cursed place, I don’t have much to give.”
“I’m fine, but... by lackeys, do you mean the Old Gods’ minions?”
“They show up here occasionally, causing trouble. I’ve crushed every last one of them, but they never seem to learn.”
Essentia’s tone was dismissive, as though the minions were no more than flies. For someone to infiltrate this deep into Ouroboros, they would have to be at least immortal or stronger. Yet to Essentia, they were barely worth noticing—a testament to his overwhelming power.
“Well, if you’re here to fix things, I suppose that makes us allies. Two heads are better than one, eh?”
Essentia grinned widely, his demeanor light despite the situation.
“Any change in this wretched cycle is a welcome one.”
“May I ask a few questions?” Taesan inquired.
“Go ahead. I’ll answer whatever I can.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Hm.”
Essentia stroked his chin again, his gaze distant as he contemplated.
“I couldn’t tell you exactly. I came here shortly after the Old Gods were driven out of the world. That was an eternity ago, so let’s just say it’s been a very, very long time.”
It matched what Taesan had heard from the Wizard. Essentia’s expression darkened as he continued.
“We defeated them, that’s certain. But those bastards had already scattered their remnants across the world before their downfall. Ouroboros twisting like this? That’s one of their legacies.”
“So, it was the Old Gods after all.”
“Ouroboros wasn’t supposed to move for a long time yet. But the Old Gods intervened directly, breaking it. That’s why I got caught up in this mess and ended up trapped here. Damned nuisances, they are.”
“Do you know which Old God was responsible?”
“Oh, I know.”
Essentia’s expression hardened.
“It was the Worthless One. That bastard.”
The Worthless One. Taesan recognized the name from the Old Gods’ outpost. He muttered under his breath.
“It wasn’t the Usurper, then.”
“The Usurper? You know about him? You must be favored by the gods to know such things.”
Essentia’s tone shifted, tinged with surprise, and Taesan couldn’t hide his own shock at the response.
“You’re familiar with the Usurper?”
“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Essentia glanced at the ring on Taesan’s hand.
“Now that I look closer, that ring of yours has ties to him. What a rotten bastard.”
[What?]
Akasha’s voice rang out, filled with confusion.
Essentia turned and began walking away.
“Come along. Let’s take our time and talk this through.”
“That seems wise.”
Taesan’s eyes gleamed with focus.
Neither the Wizard nor the Demon Lords had any knowledge of the Usurper. It wasn’t that they had forgotten; the Usurper’s power had erased any trace of him from their memories. Taesan had assumed he would never uncover information about the Usurper.
Yet, this transcendent before him remembered.
‘Is it because he’s inside Ouroboros?’
Taesan couldn’t determine the exact reason, but this was a rare opportunity. Unexpectedly, he had found a source of critical information.
