Ascension Through Skills-Chapter 510: Floor 94, Easy Mode (3)

[Multiplication?]

Bardray contemplated the meaning of the word. While he couldn’t precisely define it, he understood the implications.

[Addition doubled attack power, right?]

It was straightforward: Addition doubled one’s attack power. That was its entire effect.

If so, then Multiplication...

[Wait.]

A possibility crossed Bardray’s mind, and he felt a chill.

[...Is it what I’m thinking?]

“Whatever you’re imagining, it’s probably correct.”

[Wow.]

Bardray couldn’t hold back his astonishment.

[That’s... quite the skill. If it’s multiplication, how much does it multiply?]

“Squaring.”

[Squaring? You mean multiplying your current attack power by itself?]

“Exactly.”

[Hah.]

Bardray let out a disbelieving laugh.

[That’s absurd.]

Bardray had seen countless skills alongside Taesan—Addition, Absolute Judgment, Attack Nullification, Forced Duel, and others.

Each of them had the potential to alter the outcome of a battle, an irregularity in their own right. Every time Taesan acquired such a skill, Bardray had been in awe.

But Multiplication was in a league of its own.

Squaring attack power meant that defense and health would effectively become irrelevant. If an attack landed, it would annihilate any opponent in a single strike.

[Your current attack power is around 30,000, right? So, if you square that...]

“It’s not just base attack power. Buffs from skills and equipment effects can also be multiplied.”

In simpler terms, Taesan could activate Addition to double his attack power and then square that doubled value with Multiplication.

Bardray was left speechless.

[Hold on.]

30,000 multiplied by two through Addition became 60,000.

Using the Blade of Resolve, 60,000 would triple to 180,000.

And with other various buffs stacked on top...

Then squaring that...

[I... I can’t even calculate this.]

Bardray gave up trying to compute the damage. The numbers were meaningless at that point.

[What about this “Skill Reset”?]

“It’s a skill that resets other skills.”

[Ah, a reset. That’s at least something I can understand.]

Bardray thought of it as similar to equipment Taesan already had that could reset skill cooldowns. But Taesan shook his head.

“Designated Skill Reset is different.”

[How so?]

“It can reset skills even while they’re still active.”

Normal cooldown reset effects only applied after a skill’s effect had ended. For instance, one couldn’t activate Blade of Resolve, reset it, and then use it twice on a single attack.

But with Designated Skill Reset, that was possible. It could reset Multiplication, allowing it to be used multiple times on the same attack.

[That’s... incomprehensible.]

Even Bardray couldn’t muster a laugh at this revelation.

This meant Taesan could theoretically use Multiplication twice on a single attack.

But a question lingered in Bardray’s mind.

[Isn’t this a discarded timeline? Can you even bring skills back from here?]

“I discussed that with the Magician already.”

The Magician had stated that as long as Taesan earned something through legitimate effort and fulfilled the conditions himself, he could retain it even when returning to his original timeline.

[You’ve planned everything out, haven’t you?]

Bardray let out a half-amused sigh, but another thought struck him.

[Then... the skill you asked Balbabamba for?]

“That’s part of this.”

Multiplication’s primary limitation was that it merely increased damage. No matter how high the damage was, it would mean nothing if the attack didn’t hit.

However, the skill Taesan had requested from Balbabamba could change that very dynamic.

What results it would yield remained to be seen. But before any of that, Taesan had to acquire Multiplication first.

Crunch!

Taesan dispatched another monster blocking his path and continued downward. He was now deep into the 90th floors.

[I get it now—your goal and the purpose behind all this.]

But one question still lingered in Bardray’s mind.

[Why come all the way here? Are the conditions too difficult to meet in your original timeline?]

“The problem is that I’ve grown too strong.”

The acquisition of a skill depended on the abilities of the adventurer. In his weaker state, Taesan had been able to obtain skills like Survival and Forced Duel relatively easily. But to earn them again now would be exponentially harder.

His base attack power was now 30,000.

At that level, there was no feasible way to meet the conditions to acquire Multiplication.

“I thought about sealing my strength temporarily, but the level I’ve reached can’t be undone that way. It’s no longer possible to acquire skills through normal means.”

This issue was why Taesan hadn’t acquired any new skills recently.

He drove his blade into the neck of another monster.

“And even if that weren’t the case, I might not be able to meet the conditions at all.”

[You’re saying the conditions are that difficult? Can you even fulfill them here?]

The difficulty of obtaining a skill was proportional to its power. The more potent the skill, the harder it was to earn.

For something like Multiplication, the conditions would likely verge on impossible.

Bardray couldn’t help but wonder if such a skill could even be obtained in Easy Mode.

“It’s not impossible,” Taesan replied.

“But it’s not exactly possible, either.”

[What does that even mean?]

“To be honest, I’m not sure myself.”

Even Taesan wasn’t certain he could obtain skills like Designated Skill Reset here. Most such abilities relied more on luck than raw ability.

It would require countless attempts—time he wasn’t sure he had.

“But Multiplication is different. It’s not a skill obtained through conventional means.”

[Not conventional?]

Visit fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm for the best novel reading experi𝒆nce.

Rather than answering, Taesan descended the final staircase.

As the door opened, a fierce wind greeted him.

Whooosh!

The harsh gusts whipped at his hair.

Taesan now stood at the edge of a sharp cliff.

“We’re here.”

This was the 98th floor.

The floor where Taesan had once obtained Multiplication.

***

[A cliff, huh?]

Taesan stood at the edge of the cliff, peering down at the ground far below.

The conditions to clear the 98th floor were deceptively simple: descend the cliff to the ground below. Simple, but not easy.

“It was quite the ordeal.”

The cliff was astoundingly tall. Falling straight down to the bottom would take over ten minutes. Even though the players in Easy Mode had reached superhuman capabilities, the height was enough to threaten their lives.

Descending slowly by clinging to the cliff walls was an option, but monsters would make it difficult.

Ultimately, players had decided on brute force. Gathering in large numbers, they secured themselves with ropes and descended en masse, clearing monsters as they went. It was a coordinated effort to complete the floor.

This was the first time in Easy Mode where a condition involved falling—a unique mechanic. It was also the floor where Taesan had learned Leap and Landing.

Taesan opened his skill window.

[Addition]

[Great Leap]

[Super Acceleration]

[Landing]

[Absolute Judgment]

[Copy]

[Forced Duel]

[First Attack Nullification]

...

Among his vast collection of skills, there was no sign of Multiplication or Designated Skill Reset.

“Well then, let’s go.”

Taesan stepped off the cliff.

His body succumbed to gravity, plummeting toward the ground.

As he glanced downward, tiny dots became visible—monsters waiting below. The dots gradually grew larger as he fell.

[Screeeech!]

The cries of beasts and the tangible sensation of malice reached him.

Taesan gripped his sword tightly.

Slash!

[Screeech!]

[66 damage to Spores.]

A bat-like monster was cut down and disintegrated by his blade.

These were Spores, monsters designed to obstruct descending adventurers.

[Screeeeeee!]

Dozens of Spores charged at Taesan in unison. He swung his sword, cutting a clean path through the horde.

Crunch!

He pierced the head of a Spore, twisting his body midair to dodge others and force them to collide with each other. His footwork and reflexes allowed him to use the momentum of his fall to crush enemies beneath him.

What might have been a tough challenge for most players was trivial for Taesan, who had conquered this floor countless times before. In mere moments, he eliminated all the Spores.

[Whooosh!]

But the onslaught wasn’t over.

More Spores launched themselves from below, soaring to intercept him.

Without any visible change in his expression, Taesan dealt with the incoming waves just as efficiently as before.

Crunch!

It was a floor he had cleared once before—a floor he had conquered millions of times in his repeated challenges. There was no question about his ability to clear it again.

After over ten minutes of falling, the ground drew near. Taesan adjusted his posture.

[You activated Landing.]

Thud.

Taesan’s feet touched the ground.

Waiting for him there were dozens of cannons.

The cannons embedded in the ground on the 98th floor weren’t active once a player landed. Their sole purpose was to fire Spores to harass adventurers mid-descent.

“So, this is the setup.”

It wasn’t bad.

But it wasn’t perfect.

Taesan’s body, weakened in this timeline, wasn’t fully synchronized with his mind. To earn Multiplication, he would need to refine his performance. The Spores needed to be dispatched flawlessly, with precision and efficiency.

He focused on adjusting his body and mind.

[You activated Great Leap.]

His body soared into the air. The cliff he had just descended blurred past him at incredible speed. As he approached the cliff wall, he kicked off it again.

[You activated Great Leap.]

Thud.

Taesan landed atop the cliff once more.

It had only taken two leaps.

[Wow.]

Bardray couldn’t hide his amazement.

What took most players over ten minutes of falling and fighting, Taesan had reversed in moments.

[I didn’t realize Great Leap was this powerful.]

“It’s one of my core skills.”

Although overshadowed by flashier abilities, Great Leap was an exceptional skill. To defy gravity with such meager stats was nothing short of a miracle.

“Well then.”

Once again, Taesan stepped into the void, his body hurtling toward the ground.

[Screeeeeee!]

[Screeech!]

The Spores came again, their cries tearing through the air. Taesan gripped his sword and moved.

Crunch.

He crushed one Spore’s head, sliced another in half, and twisted his body to dodge a third.

This time, his movements were noticeably sharper, more polished than before. Bardray couldn’t help but marvel.

[It’s incredible.]

The Taesan of now was not the godlike being who could tear through worlds. His power had been reduced to that of an extraordinary human. The disconnect between his physical capabilities and his honed mind was akin to an elderly patient undergoing grueling rehabilitation.

Yet Taesan was flawless.

For most players, the Spores would have been a formidable challenge. But for Taesan, they were mere practice. He cleared them without a scratch, landing on the ground once more.

To Bardray, it seemed like perfection. There was no room for improvement.

But Taesan’s expression was one of dissatisfaction.

“Still not good enough.”

[You activated Great Leap.]

Once more, Taesan ascended the cliff.

And once again, he plummeted.

Each time, his movements became more precise, his strikes more efficient.

He climbed, fell, and fought in a relentless cycle, honing himself with each iteration. Slowly but surely, his proficiency improved.

[Can you really get a skill like Multiplication with such ordinary conditions?]

The process seemed mundane.

Descending from a high place to the ground was unusual for Easy Mode but not unheard of. Taesan himself had cleared similar quests in the past.

It didn’t seem like the kind of challenge that would lead to a skill as powerful as Multiplication.

Taesan replied.

“These conditions alone won’t do it. But here, it’s possible.”

[I don’t follow.]

“It’s simple.”

Taesan leaped back to the top of the cliff. Gazing down at the ground below, he smirked.

“Easy Mode is full of bugs.”