NOVPUBTaesan charged forward, cutting through the wind, aiming straight for Vishnu. She swung her arm, summoning flames that obscured his view.
He infused his sword with energy, slashing through the torrent of flames and clearing a path.
Without a moment's hesitation, he pressed forward, prompting Vishnu to swipe violently, her hand unleashing a spear of fire straight at him. Taesan parried, diverting the spear's trajectory with his sword.
*Fwoosh.*
Vishnu continued to release bursts of flame, filling the space with fire that seemed capable of burning the world itself.
Taesan paused his advance, assessing her calmly.
It was a probing match, after all. Both he and Vishnu held hidden cards. Revealing his hand first would give her an advantage, so he waited, hoping she would show her abilities first.
‘She’s an opponent who dominates space through control over fire.’
Yet, the difference in their strength meant her flames were not an insurmountable challenge.
“Apostleship... and the Vessel of the King...” Vishnu muttered, scowling. Taesan’s aura was undoubtedly above hers.
But she only sneered in response.
“I am a Spirit King. Your mere human rank cannot reach me.”
[Vishnu activates Avatar of Nature.]
*Fwoosh.*
Flames ignited across her entire body, consuming her as if she were one with the fire.
With a wave of her hand, flames erupted toward Taesan. He brandished his sword.
*Clang!*
This time, the flames were different. Even Taesan, with his considerable strength, struggled to deflect them.
*Rumble.*
The fire felt heavy, pushing Taesan back. He kicked off the ground to widen the distance, while Vishnu continued drawing power from her flame.
*Whoosh!*
The entire space around them ignited, the inferno forcing even the Broken Man to step back with a grimace as flames covered the arena.
“Can’t you do something like that?” Taesan asked Minerva, who was attempting to push back the fire with winds bolstered by Barkhaza’s support.
“That’s a method of merging one’s being with nature itself, drawing power through resonance with its essence. I’m sorry, but I can’t do that yet—I haven’t lived long enough,” Minerva groaned.
“Spirits grow stronger with age. And the one before us might be one of the oldest spirits I know.”
“Surrender, human.” Vishnu declared with arrogance as her flames surged, trying to consume Taesan.
[You activate Forceful Strike.]
He unleashed powerful sword strikes to hold back the flames, while Minerva’s winds carved a path through the inferno.
Despite their efforts, they were being pushed back. The fire dominated the space, filling his vision with an endless sea of flames.
It felt as though he had fallen into a world made of fire.
In terms of raw power, Taesan was at a disadvantage.
But it was not an impossible challenge.
“Minerva,” he called.
[You activate Frozen World.]
A biting cold erupted around him. Although it quickly melted under the intensity of Vishnu's fire, the repeated casting of Frozen World suppressed some of the heat in the vicinity.
Taking advantage of this, Minerva unleashed a burst of wind, forcefully parting the flames and opening a path to Vishnu.
Taesan charged down the path.
[You activate Acceleration.]
Vishnu released another burst of fire, but this time, Taesan did not halt.
[You activate Frozen World.]
[You activate Magic Concentration.]
*Crack!*
A wave of frost surged forward, slicing through the weakened flames as Taesan swung his sword down toward Vishnu.
Vishnu conjured a shield of fire in response, but Taesan’s sword pressed forward with greater force.
[You activate Absolute Judgment.]
The moment his sword touched her barrier, it vanished instantly.
Vishnu's eyes widened as Taesan’s sword swung toward her head. She disappeared just as he was about to strike.
[Vishnu activates Boots of Spatial Shift.]
“Hmph.”
From a distance, Vishnu fixed him with a cold gaze.
“So that’s why the Shaman lost... you possess a skill that ignores defenses.”
She had expected something along those lines. Given how the Shaman, known for unparalleled defense, was swiftly defeated, it made sense.
But to see her own shield dissipate with no resistance at all was startling.
“How can someone like you, who hasn’t even reached the depths, wield such a skill?”
Vishnu clicked her tongue, flames gathering around her. The red blaze shifted, taking on a new, altered hue.
Seeing no reason to wait, Taesan leaped forward, attempting to thrust his sword into her chest.
[Vishnu activates Boots of Spatial Shift.]
Once again, she vanished, reappearing at a distance. Taesan frowned.
“No cooldown?”
“I’ve gathered enough information. Your power... is not that exceptional.”
Though undeniably formidable, his foundation was tied to the labyrinth’s system, not the personal mastery wielded by Spirit Kings or dragons.
In that case, all she needed to do was overwhelm him with raw power.
“Behold.”
The gathered flames turned a blinding white.
“This is my world, granted to me as a Spirit King.”
The white fire exploded outward, filling the space.
[Vishnu activates King’s Domain.]
Space itself shifted as laws twisted, altering the air around them.
Taesan immediately realized.
This place—Floor 70 of the labyrinth—had transformed into Vishnu’s world.
[The opponent is a foe against whom victory is impossible.]
Vishnu spoke calmly.
“Die.”
Flames surged forward.
---
[Your first Absolute Nullification of an attack activates.]
The Nullification was used up as the flames pushed him back, and Taesan quickly gathered his dark energy.
[You activate Marbas’s Wave of Darkness.]
A surge of dark energy erupted, a wave meant to consume everything in its path as it charged toward the flames. Vishnu flicked her finger, her face filled with disdain.
“You possess quite the array of tricks.”
Her flames devoured the dark wave effortlessly, erasing it in an instant, as if the darkness had never existed.
Then, Vishnu’s body transformed into flame, disappearing. Sensing the threat, Taesan swung his sword sharply to his left.
“Good instincts.”
Vishnu appeared beside him, gripping his sword with fingers made of fire, preventing it from moving.
“But that’s all.”
The flames exploded around Taesan, engulfing him.
[Your second Absolute Nullification of an attack activates.]
“A second one? You have multiple skills of that caliber?” Vishnu’s face twisted in disbelief. Minerva tried to gather the wind to shield Taesan, but Vishnu dispersed it with a mere gesture.
“You’re irrelevant now, young Spirit King.”
Minerva’s form trembled, her body struggling to hold its shape.
“This is my realm of fire. Other beings of nature are powerless here.”
“Eek!” Minerva rolled across the ground, her body cloaked in flames that gradually devoured her wind.
“Surrender, mortal.”
The flames filled the space around them.
“This is the power of a King.”
With the skill *King’s Domain*, Vishnu had become monstrously powerful. Taesan, who had been evenly matched before, was now completely outclassed.
And Taesan understood why.
‘Domain Control.’
The entire space of Floor 70 had become hers.
It was similar to his skill *Partial World Alteration* but taken to a greater extreme, allowing her to impose her world and laws onto the space.
Vishnu was a Spirit King, a being of nature. By forcing her world upon the labyrinth, she had twisted nature itself into her domain.
Taesan gathered his energy to repel the flames attempting to consume him.
Being overwhelmed was natural. This was her realm, where her will and laws dictated everything.
Without the aid of Absolute Grace, his health would have been drained beyond recovery.
Remaining calm, he focused on evasion and defense, planning his next move.
[You activate Mental Acceleration.]
Victory would be impossible unless he disrupted her domain.
The question was, how.
The *King’s Domain*, which overlaid the labyrinth with her world, had to come at a steep cost.
There was likely a time limit, but he didn’t know how long it would last. Relying solely on outlasting her wasn’t a practical solution.
Even if he tried to hide, there was nowhere to escape within her domain.
Using Word Control was also ineffective. That skill excelled at controlling mindless attacks, but it wouldn’t fare well here.
The Boundary skill was his last resort, a card he couldn’t play just yet.
He needed an optimal, efficient way to dismantle her power while keeping his strength intact.
Using Aegis’s Shield, he blocked the surging flames. As soon as its duration ended, he blinked away, only for the flames to rush toward him again.
Gathering his energy, Taesan spoke.
“Minerva.”
“Ugh... Yes?”
Despite being battered by the flames, Minerva and Barkhaza were barely holding on. Taesan turned to her.
“Can you buy me some time?”
“...How much time?”
“A few minutes.”
“A few minutes...”
Minerva let out a resigned smile. As much as she hated to admit it, the Fire Spirit King was undoubtedly stronger than her. An elder spirit, with the ability to wield the Avatar of Nature and control a King’s Domain, was beyond her ability to withstand for long.
But Minerva smirked, looking confident.
“That’s enough. Leave it to me. Barkhaza!”
[As you command, my King.]
Rainbow light and wind exploded.
Vishnu looked at Minerva
, charging toward her with a disinterested gaze.
“A foolish struggle.”
“Even I have my pride as a King. I’m not leaving without making my stand!”
Minerva concentrated all her power into a condensed blast of wind.
Her entire being poured into a forceful gust, which slowly, but surely, pushed back the flames.
In the meantime, Taesan extended his senses.
He analyzed the qualities of Vishnu’s domain, the distorted laws of her world, breaking down each piece of information.
Combining everything he had learned, he readied the catalyst on his wrist guard.
Vishnu, noticing his actions, violently lashed out with her flames.
But Minerva held firm, refusing to be easily driven back.
‘Troublesome.’
Though young, Minerva was still a Spirit King, embodying the essence of wind. When she unleashed her full power, she could still make a mark even in the realm of fire.
And Taesan was proving to be another thorn in her side.
‘Why isn’t he taking damage?’
This was her world, a place where the uninvited should suffer simply by existing within it.
However, Taesan remained unharmed.
The combination of Absolute Grace and distorted spiritual harmonization protected him, though Vishnu didn’t know this and found it vexing.
‘I can’t afford to let him finish whatever he’s doing.’
Though she wasn’t sure what he was preparing, it couldn’t be to her benefit.
With newfound resolve, Vishnu drew in her flames.
Instead of letting them spread, she consolidated them into a storm that closed in from all directions.
“Ugh!”
Minerva coated herself in wind to shield Taesan, releasing a cyclone to scatter the flames around them.
At the same time, Taesan activated another skill.
[You activate Gluttony of Destruction.]
A fierce power surged from the bracelet on Taesan’s arm, devouring the flames.
Although the flames crushed and warped under the strain, they continued to be absorbed.
“...”
Vishnu’s expression hardened.
Despite her considerable effort, both Taesan and Minerva had managed to endure.
“H-haha...”
Minerva collapsed slowly, her form beginning to disintegrate. She could no longer withstand the strain and was returning to her realm. Barkhaza had already disappeared.
“Was that enough...?”
“It was,” Taesan nodded. Minerva gave a weak smile.
“Then, I’m glad. Good luck.”
With those final words, she vanished.
Hovering in the air with a condescending expression, Vishnu looked down at Taesan.
“Are you done with your last desperate attempts?”
Impressive though it was that he held out, she still held the advantage. And now, he was without Minerva’s support.
The situation was overwhelmingly in her favor.
“Then die there.”
Flames roared forward, filling the visible space with crimson fire.
“This is my first time using this, so it took me a while to get it right.”
Watching the incoming fire, Taesan murmured.
He had the knowledge, but using it was another matter. Understanding Vishnu’s domain and adjusting his skill to counter it had taken significant time.
But thanks to Minerva’s efforts, he had finished his preparations.
Roots encased Taesan’s arm as he swung it forward.
[You activate Partial World Alteration.]
Roots sprouted.
The laws that had been under Vishnu’s control began to twist and shift. Vishnu’s face hardened.
“...What is this?”
Her world, the altered laws she imposed, began to recede, overtaken by a new force. The flames flickered, her domain crumbling.
“What... is happening?”
The space she had claimed, her world, was being undone.
“I am a Spirit King! This is my domain!”
“So what?” Taesan replied.
Vishnu unleashed her flames violently. Taesan responded in kind.
[You activate Frozen World.]
*Crack!*
An intense frost swept over the area.
This power was vastly different from anything he’d previously used.
The frost surged forward, freezing the approaching flames, and began to consume the space. The walls of the labyrinth iced over in an instant.
A frigid chill surrounded Vishnu as she desperately cloaked herself in fire, dispersing the frost before it reached her.
But the air was now frozen solid.
The floor of the labyrinth had been split between fire and ice.
Initially, Taesan had to repeatedly cast Frozen World to push back Vishnu’s flames.
But now, the tables had turned.
Vishnu was forced to exert effort to resist the Frozen World’s reach.
“What... is this?”
Taesan lifted his sword. The Spirit King was indeed powerful.
In terms of raw strength, she was above him.
But he wielded a power—though imperfect—of an immortal. His domain exceeded hers in sheer rank.
With a steady voice, Taesan addressed her, noting her bewilderment.
“Plus, I know someone who has a score to settle with you.”
He unleashed the wrath contained within his sword, which had been seething since the moment he encountered the Spirit King.
[You activate the Fury of the Avenged.]
A long-dormant, maddened spirit within the blade awoke, ready to enact vengeance.
