Ascension Through Skills-Chapter 503: 93rd Floor, Demons (2)

Demons.

Taesan had felt their presence before but had never encountered them directly. However, he understood what they were: beings akin to high gods, each ruling their own domain.

“A gathering, you say?”

[Nothing extravagant. Think of it as a simple tea party. Since I personally host it, every demon with a domain attends. And now that you’re also one of us, I thought it would be good for you to join at least once.]

“That’s all there is to it?”

When Taesan asked if attending this gathering was the entirety of the 93rd-floor quest, Baal responded with a knowing smile. It was clear the meeting wasn’t the endgame—Baal had something more in mind.

Taesan nodded.

“All right.”

He didn’t know what Baal truly sought, but he saw no reason to refuse. The Demon Lord was also involved, so it was unlikely that anything overtly unreasonable would occur.

Baal stood, satisfaction evident on his face.

[Let’s get started. I need to create a space for the gathering.]

With a casual sweep of his arm, thick, black demonic energy began to manifest. The darkness pushed against reality itself, spreading outward to form a new space.

Crackle.

Like unfolding sheets of paper, the darkness expanded rapidly, soaking up space like a sponge absorbs water. In an instant, the dark energy unfolded into an expansive world.

What emerged was a desolate plain.

No mountains, no rocks—just a vast, barren flatland stretching endlessly.

[A bit large, but this should suffice.]

Baal’s voice was casual, almost dismissive, but Taesan could see it for what it was. What Baal had just done wasn’t simple at all.

Baal had created a new domain.

A vast world, stretching beyond sight, had been conjured effortlessly and without strain. Taesan, who could barely maintain his chaotic domain for long, recognized the sheer difference in their power.

For someone like Baal, this was no different than breathing.

If an ordinary being had witnessed this, they wouldn’t have comprehended the magnitude of it. But Taesan had grown strong enough to understand—Baal was a being who rivaled conceptual gods.

[No need to be surprised. One day, you’ll reach this level too. And it may not be far off.]

Baal snapped his fingers.

In response, the domain shifted. The ground rose and, in an instant, a dazzling structure emerged—a building grander than any palace.

[That will be the venue for the gathering.]

Baal brushed off his hands lightly.

[Go inside and rest. The other demons will start arriving soon. My attendants will guide you to your room. It should take about a day for everyone to assemble.]

Taesan walked toward the building.

It was enormous, comparable in size to a mountain.

As he approached, the door opened automatically. Inside, a floating mask awaited him.

[This way, please.]

With a monotone, emotionless voice, the mask led Taesan to his room.

[When everything is ready, I will return to inform you.]

The room was vast and opulent. Taesan ran his hand over the large bed, big enough to fit ten people. The plush, resilient texture of the mattress greeted his touch.

[Demons, huh.]

Bardray, who had been silent until now, muttered to himself.

[So this is a gathering of demons. Never thought I’d witness such a thing.]

“Is it something to be surprised about now?”

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[You’re right. Maybe I’m getting numb to all this.]

Demons were undoubtedly formidable beings. They were the ones who bestowed the power of dark magic upon the demon clans.

But Taesan had already faced high gods and conceptual gods, beings far mightier. Bardray, having witnessed it all at Taesan’s side, found the demons comparatively less imposing.

As Taesan idly passed the time, he felt several presences approaching the building.

“Demons.”

These presences were distorted, alien to this world.

One by one, demons entered the building. Before long, more than ten had gathered, each retreating into what seemed to be their designated rooms.

Taesan could feel all their movements and the power they carried.

And they, too, could undoubtedly sense Taesan.

Numerous gazes fell upon him. Their emotions were not hidden as they observed him.

Taesan spoke curtly.

“Dismiss.”

Crack!

The gazes crumbled and shattered under the weight of his words. The oppressive stares that had been directed at him vanished entirely.

“They’re quite curious.”

[Not exactly friendly, though.]

Every demon in the building had been watching him, and their intent wasn’t particularly kind.

[It’s probably because you consumed Belial’s domain. They might see you as someone who stole the power of one of their own.]

“It doesn’t seem that simple.”

Taesan recalled the gazes that had been directed at him.

There had been little hostility or anger in them.

Instead, there was arrogance—a haughty disdain, as though nobles were looking down on a commoner.

This puzzled Taesan.

“They shouldn’t be able to look at me like that.”

He was curious but decided to let it go for now. He would meet them soon enough. Taesan lay down on the bed.

Baal had suggested he take this time to rest.

So, catching up on some overdue sleep seemed appropriate.

Letting the tension drain from his body, he relaxed his muscles. Sleep descended upon him like a wave.

***

Taesan had not slept in months.

Ever since he acquired divinity, both his body and mind had transcended human limitations. Even during his exploration of over ten planets on previous floors, he had never once needed sleep.

Thus, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Taesan dreamed.

In the dream, he found himself in a strange space.

The space was incomprehensible. Its shape was undefined, its essence unknowable—a broken domain. Within it floated countless forces and concepts.

Some of these concepts were beyond Taesan's current reach, immense and encompassing the entire universe.

It was like a treasure trove filled with things more noble than anything else in existence.

But these treasures lay scattered across the domain like garbage.

At the center of this chaos, something sat.

It was not human. Nor was it a monster. It could not be classified as belonging to this world or any other. It was something caught in between.

Taesan stared at it, and it stared back at him.

For a moment, the being twisted and distorted. Taesan felt its face change, radiating emotions—joy, greed, longing—all at once.

The undefined entity collapsed. Turning into a mist-like form, it surged toward Taesan, enveloping and consuming him, trying to merge with him.

At that moment, Taesan awoke.

[Awake?]

[You have returned to consciousness, my master.]

Voices greeted him. Slowly, Taesan sat up, the soft touch of silk brushing against his fingertips.

"...How long have I been asleep?"

[Quite a while. About eighteen hours.]

"That long?"

Pressing a hand to his forehead, Taesan tried to shake off the lingering sensation of the dream.

The ghost, noticing the unusual shift in his demeanor, asked, [Something happened?]

"Not sure."

He had dreamed.

But it wasn’t a dream.

For someone who had achieved divinity, the concept of dreams no longer existed. What he experienced was something else entirely.

Yet, the memory of it was blurred, as if something was blocking his recollection.

‘What was that?’

Shaking his head, Taesan refocused. His senses sharpened, his awareness extending outward. He noticed the demons gathering one by one in the building’s central hall.

A presence approached his door.

Knock. Knock.

A knocking sound echoed. When Taesan opened the door, he found the floating mask that had guided him earlier.

[The time has come. Please follow me.]

Following the mask, Taesan moved through the colossal building. Before long, he arrived at an enormous door in the center of the structure.

Beyond it, he could feel the presence of dozens of demons.

[They are all waiting for you. Please, enter.]

The mask retreated as Taesan pushed the door open.

Creak.

As the doors parted, dozens of gazes turned to him.

Inside were demons, their appearances varied and strange.

Some took the form of muscular men, others of alluring women. Many were inhuman—warped, amorphous figures, or massive black birds.

The scene resembled more of a lavish party than a simple gathering. Tables were scattered throughout the hall, laden with peculiar items that vaguely resembled food.

[The guest of honor has arrived.]

Seated on the highest chair, Baal raised a goblet filled with a crimson liquid, a mocking smile on his face.

[Now, let the gathering begin. Laugh, drink, talk, and enjoy yourselves. These are the only positive acts you’re capable of.]

Baal’s voice dripped with contempt and scorn, directed at the demons around him.

The gathering commenced. The demons laughed, conversed, and indulged in their strange celebrations.

Taesan observed them silently.

These were the demons who ruled over dark magic, the source of the power he wielded.

It was his first time seeing them directly. Among their number, he could sense familiar energies.

As Taesan watched them, so too did they watch him.

Their gazes carried curiosity, mockery, and disdain.

Yet none of them approached him. They pretended not to care, their body language exaggerated in its indifference, as if to say he was beneath their notice. Their obviousness was almost laughable.

If simply attending this gathering fulfilled the 93rd-floor quest, Taesan thought he might as well let time pass quietly.

But his inaction seemed to irritate one of the demons.

[How rude.]

A grating voice cut through the hall.

Taesan turned his gaze toward the source.

The demon was enormous, at least ten times the size of an average human, his entire body grotesquely bloated. The sight alone was revolting.

Taesan muttered softly, “Amon.”

Amon.

A demon whose dark magic Taesan had partially mastered.

Amon sneered, clearly displeased.

[You should have come to us first and expressed your gratitude. Instead, you remain idle. Such rudeness.]

“You expect me to be thankful?” Taesan asked, baffled by the sudden demand.

Amon clicked his tongue as if annoyed by Taesan’s ignorance.

[You wield our power as your own. That is our grace. Thanks to us, you have reached where you are. It’s only natural to show gratitude.]

“I acquired dark magic through a contract with the Demon Lord. Not directly from you,” Taesan countered, his voice flat.

To him, it had been nothing more than a transaction. But Amon seemed offended by the dismissal.

[Even so, it is through our power that you have grown. Gratitude is the least you owe us.]

“....”

Taesan silently regarded Amon, his gaze unyielding. For a moment, Amon flinched under the weight of it.

[...Well, let’s set that aside. But your lack of decorum cannot be ignored. We are demons.]

Amon’s voice swelled with unmistakable pride.

[We are eternal, immortal beings. None can infringe upon us. No mortal existence in this world can reach us.]

Pointing a finger the size of Taesan’s arm at him, Amon continued.

[The same applies to you. No matter how strong you may be, you are ultimately a being bound to disappear. But we are different. We are eternal, untouched by the universe. We are immortal.]

“And?” Taesan’s voice turned cold.

“So what do you expect me to do about that?”

[Show respect.] Amon answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

[We are eternal beings. We existed long before your kind came into being. Show us the respect we deserve. That is what you should do.]

Laughter echoed throughout the hall.

The other demons chuckled as they observed the scene, their expressions mirroring Amon’s arrogance.

Every demon present shared his attitude, not a single one differing.

Taesan’s eyes grew cold, his expression hardening.

‘Not what I expected.’

He had been curious about the demons.

How they perceived him, their connections to the high gods, their perspectives, and the knowledge they possessed from their long existence.

He had anticipated something worthwhile from this gathering.

But the demons were a disappointment.

They lacked the wisdom or composure one might expect from ancient beings. Instead, they were driven by emotion, overflowing with arrogance and self-importance.

There was no value in interacting with such beings. Taesan didn’t need to be here to realize that.

Turning his gaze, he saw Baal watching the exchange with an enigmatic smile.