Ascension Through Skills

Boom!

The Guardians knelt in unison, and the ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.

Taesan silently observed them.

“Wow...”

“They’re incredible...”

The crowd murmured among themselves. With over a billion people present, even the softest whispers turned into a roaring noise.

One of the kneeling Guardians scowled.

“How unpleasant. For such pitiful creatures to watch us like jesters...”

“Silence.”

Akrasian immediately reprimanded the man.

“We are in the presence of the Great One. Show respect.”

“My apologies.”

Though his words seemed formal, his tone was far from genuine. It was more a courtesy born of Taesan’s presence than heartfelt sincerity.

“This place doesn’t seem suitable for a discussion. May I suggest moving to a better location?”

“There’s no need.”

Taesan snapped his fingers.

The ground shifted.

Like rails, it pushed everyone aside, leaving only Taesan and the Guardians in place. Enormous walls rose around them.

Rumble!

In an instant, a vast space materialized, enclosing Taesan and the Guardians.

The Guardians’ pupils dilated. Taesan clapped his hands, and they suddenly felt an invisible force suppressing them.

Thud.

Earthen chairs formed beneath each Guardian, forcing them to sit regardless of their will.

The entire sequence of events unfolded naturally, as if the world itself bent to Taesan’s will.

And in truth, it did. Taesan was, after all, the god of this Earth.

“Your legs must be tired. Sit down.”

“...Yes, of course.”

Akrasian’s voice wavered. His gaze at Taesan revealed a mix of awe, unease, and curiosity.

“So,” Taesan began, his tone calm and steady, “who are you?”

“We are the Guardians.”

“And what do you guard?”

“The universe.”

Akrasian’s reply was bold and filled with pride.

“We are a group dedicated to protecting the universe from the threats posed by the Old Gods.”

Taesan silently examined them.

They were not weak.

Each one wielded considerable power, and Akrasian, in particular, stood out as the strongest among them.

“The Great One...”

“Kang Taesan.”

“Thank you for allowing me to address you by name. Surely you are aware that the Old Gods are invading countless worlds. It seems your world is among their targets.”

Over 200 worlds had already fallen to the Old Gods, a number that might now exceed 300.

“When the Old Gods invade, even the Great Ones cannot intervene recklessly.”

Direct intervention by Transcendents would disrupt the balance, creating openings for the Old Gods to retaliate.

This was why Transcendents used Taesan as their proxy, sending him to numerous worlds.

Taesan now understood what the Guardians were.

“You’re proxies.”

“Yes. We are honored to have been chosen by the Great Ones. Following their will, we protect and defend worlds under siege by the Old Gods.”

Akrasian’s expression was filled with pride.

“Under their guidance, we have traveled to countless worlds and safeguarded many of them.”

“And now, this world is your next mission.”

“Yes.”

Akrasian nodded.

“We have come here to seal the rift in the sky and save this world, Great One.”

These were the allies the Magician had mentioned.

Taesan grasped the situation but couldn’t help raising a question.

“You intend to seal the rift in the sky?”

“Of course, we cannot do it alone. But the Transcendents have provided us with assistance.”

Akrasian murmured an incantation, and a portal opened.

Kiiiiing.

A small disc emerged from the portal, covered in intricate, geometric patterns. The object radiated the unmistakable energy of a Transcendent.

It was powerful—so powerful that even Taesan couldn’t analyze it immediately. Akrasian stored the disc and explained.

“The Transcendents cannot intervene directly, but they can act indirectly through relics such as this. By placing four of these discs beneath the rift and performing a ritual for a set duration, the rift can be sealed.”

“And how long will the seal last?”

“As long as the Transcendent who granted this relic exists, it will be eternal.”

Akrasian’s voice was calm and assured.

The accursed rift could be closed.

Earth could finally be free of the monsters’ menace.

“...Is that so?”

It was undeniably good news. If this return succeeded, Earth would be liberated. Taesan’s long-cherished goal could finally be realized.

Yet, something nagged at him.

Like a foreign object stuck in his throat, an inexplicable discomfort lingered. A faint intuition tugged at the edge of his mind.

Noticing Taesan’s silence, Akrasian seemed to misinterpret it. Puffing out his chest, he spoke with unwavering confidence.

“You need not worry, Great One. We are the Guardians.”

His voice brimmed with unshakable pride.

“We have protected countless worlds. You, Great One, are far mightier than we are. But forgive my arrogance—when it comes to this, we are the experts.”

Conviction.

And arrogance.

“With just a little assistance from you, Great One, we can save this world without difficulty.”

Taesan, who had been watching Akrasian intently, finally spoke.

“How much do you know about this world?”

“Pardon?”

“Do you understand what this place is? What it truly represents?”

“This world is being destroyed by the Old Gods, is it not?”

His expression suggested he couldn’t fathom what more there was to know.

Taesan understood what kind of beings the Guardians were. He didn’t even need to scout them further.

There was no point, no need, to explain anything to them.

Taesan smiled faintly.

“Do your best.”

***

[Guardians, huh. They didn’t come when my world was being destroyed.] @@novelbin@@

Bardray’s musings were met with a quiet response from Diana.

“The universe is vast,” she said.

“The number of worlds destroyed by the Old Gods is staggering. And the number of worlds currently under siege is even higher. Even with all their power, the Guardians are just a group of a few hundred. They can’t protect every world.”

“They’re not exactly likable,” Beldenkia muttered, her expression darkening as she glanced at the Guardians. Hostility flickered in her eyes.

[You seem to know something.]

“Yes.”

Diana nodded, her tone calm but tinged with bitterness.

“They came to our world once.”

[Your world wasn’t destroyed by the Old Gods, though.]

“That’s correct. Ours was lost due to inexplicable environmental changes. Yet... perhaps due to a lack of understanding, the Guardians visited us.”

[But your world...]

Diana’s world, like Beldenkia’s, had perished after indulging in decadence and hedonism.

Diana gave a melancholy smile.

“I can’t bring myself to like them. They are, without a doubt, righteous. But that doesn’t make them virtuous.”

The Guardians stood at the center of a vast crowd, drawing murmurs of admiration and curiosity.

“Wow...”

“They’re amazing...”

Despite Diana and Beldenkia being aliens themselves, the sheer presence of a group like the Guardians felt vastly different.

These were saviors—beings who had reportedly rescued countless worlds. Most of the gathered players already knew this thanks to the information Taesan had shared with Kim Hwiyeon.

Curiosity and goodwill emanated from the crowd as people gazed at the Guardians.

One person, summoning their courage, stepped forward.

“Uh... Hello?”

The timid voice rang out amidst the group of Guardians.

“...”

No response.

The Guardians continued speaking among themselves, ignoring the greeting entirely. The person’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“Excuse me?” they tried again.

Still, no answer. It wasn’t a matter of language—they understood the Guardians' words, and the Guardians surely understood theirs. It was deliberate. A calculated, pointed disregard.

Eventually, the person retreated, unable to break the ice.

This pattern repeated several times. Those who approached were met with the same silent dismissal. The Guardians acted as if these people simply didn’t exist.

“I don’t like them,” Amelia said, frowning.

“What’s with that attitude? Are they trying to say they’re too good to talk to us? Do they think they’re nobility or something?”

“Well...” Kim Hwiyeon tried to mediate. “They’re here to help us. We should at least try to maintain a good relationship. They’re Guardians, after all. With their strength, they’ll surely be of great help.”

It was true. They were beings who had protected countless worlds, wielding immense power. Kim Hwiyeon muttered these reassurances to herself.

But Amelia’s reaction was less optimistic.

“Help? Sure, they’ll be helpful... maybe. But I don’t trust them.”

She grumbled softly.

“Well, having them here can’t hurt, I suppose.”

Kim Hwiyeon worked tirelessly to calm the crowd, suppressing their confusion and unease while organizing them for the upcoming quest. Yet, even as she did so, a new system message appeared.

[Special Quest Initiated.]

[All players must move beneath the rift in the sky. Eliminate the appearing monsters, advance, and proceed to the rift’s location.]

[Condition: All players and Guardians must arrive at the rift.]

[Reward: Differentiated rewards upon return to the labyrinth based on performance.]

The objective was clear: they needed to move directly beneath the rift.

Kim Hwiyeon quickly began issuing orders.

“Where is the rift located?”

“Greenland.”

“Greenland...”

It wasn’t too far. At least, it wasn’t on the opposite side of the planet. Kim Hwiyeon finalized the plans, arranging the formation and preparing to lead the players forward.

That’s when it happened.

“What are you doing?”

Akrasian’s voice interrupted her.

Kim Hwiyeon froze. She had approached Akrasian once before to coordinate, given her role as a leader. But he hadn’t responded at all, leaving her to return empty-handed.

Now, however, he had chosen to speak. Kim Hwiyeon quickly recovered from her surprise.

“We’re organizing the formation to move toward the rift. If you could coordinate with us, it would—”

“No.”

Akrasian cut her off.

“We have no need for your opinions.”

“...Excuse me?”

“Your role is to follow our orders. That is all.”

The coldness in his voice sent a chill through her. Akrasian’s tone carried a hint of disdain, and Kim Hwiyeon struggled to compose herself as she replied.

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean...”

“We have saved dozens of worlds from the grip of the Old Gods. Meanwhile, your feeble world can’t even save itself. You’re scrambling to survive, even with the Great One here.”

His words were steeped in contempt. Kim Hwiyeon couldn’t argue—after all, it was true. Taesan had been the one to resolve every crisis thus far. They hadn’t contributed much to his efforts.

“We have protected countless worlds.”

Akrasian’s voice was proud, brimming with unshakable confidence.

“Your experience and advice mean nothing to us. To us, it’s like the ramblings of a three-year-old child. Your only task is to follow us. That is all.”

His declaration was filled with the certainty of one who had achieved great things. Yet, it was also heavy with arrogance.

The crowd fell silent. The weight of his words crushed any dissent.

“I’ve been wondering about something since the moment we met.”

Amelia’s voice broke the silence.

“You said you’ve saved countless worlds from the Old Gods?”

“Yes.”

Akrasian affirmed without hesitation. But Amelia’s doubt deepened.

“And you expect us to believe that? You?”

Her tone dripped with disbelief and challenge.