Ascension Through Skills-Chapter 504: 93rd Floor, Demons (3)

[We are noble.]

Amon declared this as if reciting an unshakable truth, a statement imbued with unquestionable value.

[We are the only eternal beings in this world, unchanging and whole. Even those who call themselves transcendents pale in comparison and are destined to fade.]

His eyes gleamed with pride and arrogance.

[We have existed far longer than any of you. It is only natural for you to show us the respect we deserve.]

“Shut up.”

Taesan cut him off, his tone indifferent. He had no patience for meaningless, self-important declarations.

He understood the mindset of the demons.

They had existed since before the creation of this world. In a sense, they were indeed unique and immutable now that the high gods had been exiled.

But they had let this fact intoxicate them, using it as the sole measure of their greatness and nobility.

To Taesan, it was laughable. If their value was rooted only in how they were born, they had no true worth.

Demons were a race that had survived since before the dawn of the universe. If they had lived for so long, they should have attained the wisdom, insight, and enlightenment to match.

Yet, their mentality and values were disappointingly shallow—no different from an average human's.

“You were born strong, weren’t you?”

[Of course. That is the difference between us and weaklings like you. You must painstakingly build your power, but we were perfect from birth.]

Amon spoke proudly. Taesan shook his head.

‘So that’s why.’

Power without qualification. That explained why their minds remained as undeveloped as those of children.

‘If the high gods are like this too, it will be disappointing.’

Taesan glanced at Baal.

As before, Baal made no move to intervene, watching their exchange with quiet amusement.

‘What are you after?’

If Baal had no intention of stepping in, Taesan would act as he wished.

When Taesan didn’t respond, Amon’s expression twisted in irritation, and he pressed him further.

[What are you doing? Show respect—]

“Be quiet.”

[What?]

“You’re noisy. Keep it down.”

Taesan’s tone was utterly disinterested.

Amon’s face trembled with anger.

[You insolent...!]

“Let’s drop the excuses. This isn’t really about me not showing respect, is it? Just get to the point. There’s another reason you’re upset, isn’t there?”

The atmosphere among the demons shifted. The mockery and disdain in the air began to transform into hostility.

Amon’s expression contorted.

[...How dare you? To insult our purity, to speak to us in such a manner?]

“So that’s it.”

Taesan knew why they were so bothered. He had seized Belial’s domain and made it his own.

To beings who prided themselves on their immutable nature as demons, this act was tantamount to desecration.

[I was willing to let it go depending on your attitude, but not anymore. Kneel. Utter our names one by one and offer sincere apologies.]

“And if I refuse?”

[Then we won’t let it slide. You’ll have to face punishment befitting your kind.]

The demons began to stir, their movements slow and deliberate. Their malicious auras crept toward Taesan, suffusing the air with a palpable tension.

“I don’t understand.”

Taesan muttered softly, his power beginning to seep out of him.

Even the faint trace of his energy crushed the approaching demon auras, scattering them like dust.

Taesan was undeniably stronger than the demons—by a wide margin. They knew it as well.

Yet, they didn’t retreat. Instead, they continued to approach, their faces twisted with mockery and ridicule.

[You may be stronger than us, but you cannot destroy us. We are eternal, unchanging. You cannot kill us.]

It wasn’t entirely wrong. High gods and demons couldn’t be killed by mortal beings. Even the transcendents had only been able to exile the high gods.

But Taesan was different.

He could kill them.

The demons connected to him through Lemegeton surely knew this, but they acted as if they didn’t. There was only one explanation:

Baal or the Demon Lord had hidden this truth from them.

Taesan glanced at Baal again.

As before, Baal watched the proceedings with his enigmatic smile, making no move to intervene.

[It seems things are heating up.]

Baal finally spoke, his voice cutting through the tension.

The demons flinched at his words, even Amon.

But Amon quickly regained his composure and turned to Baal with a bold expression.

[This is a matter between us demons. Normally, we would not intervene in the affairs of mortals. But now that he holds a demon's domain, this is an internal issue. Even you cannot interfere. That was the agreement, wasn’t it?]

[Indeed. I cannot meddle in your affairs. Nor can I harm you directly. It’s a tiresome contract.]

Baal smiled.

[So, let me make a proposal.]

[A proposal?]

[Fighting like this would take ages. You cannot die, but you also cannot overpower Taesan. It will only drag on.]

Taesan now understood. Baal knew that Taesan could kill them but was deliberately hiding the fact from the demons.

[So, why not settle this with a duel?]

[A duel...?]

Amon hesitated. He knew full well that he couldn’t defeat Taesan alone.

But Baal’s next words were too tempting to resist.

[The duel will be between Taesan alone and all of you. Thirty-eight demons, a truly exhausting number.]

“A one-against-many fight?”

[Yes. You don’t mind, do you? The condition for victory is a declaration of defeat. All of you must admit your loss. How does that sound? The loser must obey one command from the winner, no exceptions.]

The demons quickly deliberated.

Amon, twisting his mouth into a smirk, responded.

[Agreed. We accept.]

Taesan was undoubtedly strong, but so were they. Amon was confident that if they all attacked with everything they had, victory would be theirs.

What’s more, the victory condition was merely to force Taesan to admit defeat.

It was laughable.

They were eternal beings. They couldn’t die, nor would their strength ever deplete. There was no reason for them to concede defeat. It was only a matter of time before they triumphed.

‘Baal must not like him either.’

Amon believed Baal intended to use them to put Taesan in his place.

[So, what will you do, human? Are you going to back down now?]

Amon sneered at Taesan.

But Taesan wasn’t even looking at Amon.

His gaze was fixed on Baal.

Baal smiled quietly.

Taesan, after a moment of consideration, nodded.

“All right. I accept.”

Baal clapped his hands with a laugh.

[Excellent.]

Boom!

The building vanished, swept away as if it had never existed.

They now stood on an expansive plain.

[I’ll give you a bit of time to prepare. After that, we begin. Get ready.]

***

[You will regret this, wretched being who dared to steal what is ours.]

Amon sneered as he withdrew, leaving with a mocking expression.

The thirty-some demons gathered in a group, conversing amongst themselves.

Taesan quietly observed them.

[So, you've seen the demons.]

Baal stood beside Taesan, his tone calm.

[What do you think?]

“Disappointing,” Taesan replied without hesitation.

The demons fell far short of his expectations. Their ideology and mentality were as immature as children’s.

[Demons and high gods are immutable, but demons are far inferior to the high gods. They are immutable not only in body and power but in their very minds.]

Baal’s voice dripped with disdain and contempt.

[They are like foolish, ignorant children wielding the power to destroy worlds. Once, billions perished for their petty amusements.]

“You despise them,” Taesan observed.

Baal was an archdemon, the lord of demons. Yet his voice and gaze betrayed an overwhelming hatred for them.

“What is it you seek?”

Baal had likely known that the demons would oppose the gathering, yet he had arranged it regardless. This meant he had orchestrated this clash between Taesan and the demons deliberately.

[When we first met, you asked me what we were. Do you remember my answer?]

“Yes,” Taesan replied.

He had asked Baal what their purpose was, and Baal had answered that they were the original sin—a defiance of the flow of time itself. That was why he had not stopped Belial’s destruction.

[Until now, it was manageable. Contracts prevented us from interfering too much with the world, so it was tolerable. But... that’s no longer the case.]

“Why is that?”

[Because what we’ve held back has begun to stir.]

Taesan fell silent.

There was only one thing the demons had held back.

The high gods.

[I don’t know why they’re stirring already, but before that, we need to clean up these defective products.]

Baal’s voice was low as his gaze shifted to the demons.

The demons’ auras began to settle as they finished preparing. They looked at Taesan with confident expressions, ready for the duel.

[Well, it’s your choice. Do as you see fit.]

Baal clapped his hands, the sound echoing across the domain.

[In the name of Baal, I declare: the duel begins. The fight will not end until one side concedes defeat. The defeated will obey one command from the victor, no exceptions. Do you accept?]

The demons shouted their agreement in unison.

Taesan nodded as well.

[Good.]

With their declarations, Baal’s power solidified the agreement into a binding contract. He smiled as if he had been waiting for this.

[Then let it begin. Kill and be killed.]

Boom!

The first to move was Amon.

Wearing a twisted grin, he charged at Taesan.

[Wretched human! Let me show you my true power!]

Crack!

The space split open, and from the black rift emerged a colossal, pitch-black spike.

Its size was enormous—like a mountain range given form.

‘Amon’s Black Spike.’

It was a form of dark magic that Taesan himself possessed, but its scale was far beyond what he could manifest. This spike carried enough destructive power to annihilate an entire continent.

[This is the power of demons! Kneel, you lowly creature!]

Amon’s voice rang out proudly.

Despite the sheer magnitude of the attack, his energy remained untouched. Demons were immutable, their power inexhaustible.

Amon hurled the spike directly at Taesan and created another one as he charged forward.

Boom!

The massive spike tore through the air, the force ripping the space around it. The other demons began to coordinate their attacks, positioning themselves to cut off Taesan’s escape.

But Taesan didn’t evade.

As the spike neared him, he slowly raised a hand. A faint, ash-gray hue covered his fingertips.

The contrast was absurd. Compared to the colossal spike, his gesture seemed insignificant—like a toothpick against a mountain.

The ash-gray energy touched the spike.

Boom!

The spike shattered.

Like a collapsing cliff face during an earthquake, the spike crumbled into pieces, disintegrating completely. Shards of its remains scattered harmlessly past Taesan.

The demons hesitated, their movements faltering.

Taesan stood motionless, unscathed, not even flinching.

[Wha...?]

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

Amon began to realize something was wrong.

But by then, Taesan had already moved.

In an instant, he vanished, reappearing with his ash-gray energy piercing through Amon’s chest.

“Give it up.”

Taesan’s voice was calm as the power within him surged, devouring Amon whole.