NOVPUB[Laughter rings out as the deranged spirit manifests, its chaotic voice filling the chamber.]
[Ahh! I’ve come! I’ve finally met my king!]
The deranged spirit shrieked with excitement, and Vishnu's face twisted in disgust.
“...That thing.”
She remembered. It was a spirit she had once created, merely a tool, meant to protect the other spirits as they ventured into the labyrinth—a weak spirit that should’ve never posed any real threat.
“Did that thing make a pact with the labyrinth’s mage as well?”
[Oh, my king!] the spirit cried, its voice echoing with pure emotion, reaching every corner of the floor.
Taesan gave it a nod. “Go. Fulfill your desire.”
[Hah! Thank you! Thank you!]
The spirit darted forward, rushing toward Vishnu with frenzied joy.
[Oh, magnificent king! My cherished, revered king! I’ve come to meet you!]
“Get lost,” Vishnu spat icily, sending a blazing torrent of fire to consume the spirit.
It was a weakling, barely a spirit at all. There was no way it could withstand the flames of the Fire Spirit King herself. Vishnu sneered.
“Is this your supposed ace in the hole?”
“That’s right.” Taesan nodded.
When the flames parted, the deranged spirit was still there, unharmed, its form completely untouched by the fire.
“What?!”
[You despise me, don’t you? I understand!]
The spirit’s distorted face twisted further as it laughed.
[Because I despise you too!]
The spirit lunged, clinging to Vishnu, its chaotic emotions intertwining with hers, forcing her to writhe under its influence.
“Argh!” Vishnu groaned as the spirit's crazed emotions took root, her body entangled with the spirit’s corrupting energy.
Seeing his opportunity, Taesan gripped his sword tightly.
[You activate Acceleration.]
With a burst of speed, he closed the distance to Vishnu in a flash, catching her off guard as she frantically tried to summon more flames.
A wall of fire surged toward Taesan, intent on reducing him to ashes. But he gathered his dark energy in response.
[You activate Marbas’s Wave of Darkness.]
A pitch-black wave surged forth, clashing with the flames and hungrily consuming them.
“Damn it!” Vishnu grit her teeth, intensifying her flames to overpower the dark wave. She barely managed to repel it, but in that brief moment, Taesan was already upon her.
As Vishnu tried to escape by shifting into flames, the deranged spirit cackled, surging with a twisted power that restricted her movement.
[You activate Forced Fall.]
Vishnu was unable to escape, leaving herself open to Taesan’s attack.
“Ugh!”
[Vishnu activates Boots of Spatial Shift.]
Vishnu’s form disappeared, teleporting her to another location.
But Taesan had already locked onto her new position, pursuing her relentlessly.
Fighting through the disorientation, Vishnu struggled to compose herself, her flames flickering erratically. With a grim expression, she activated her King’s Domain once more, attempting to regain control.
In her own domain, she was absolute, capable of overwhelming any intruder instantly. It should have been a given that Taesan would be crushed under her power.
*Boom!*
But his domain clashed with hers, and instead of being consumed, it stood firm, the two forces locked in an intense stalemate.
‘How is this possible?!’
Vishnu couldn’t comprehend it.
World-altering powers were not meant for mere mortals. Only an ancient spirit king, with unparalleled control over nature, could wield such a force. Even among the elite guides who had reached the deepest layers, this power was hers alone.
Yet here was Taesan, a mortal, creating a world that collided with her own, causing an even match between their domains.
And that wasn’t all.
Vishnu released a fierce blaze, the flames roaring to burn everything in their path. Yet the deranged spirit clinging to her remained unharmed.
Flames crept up her body. For the Fire Spirit King, fire was supposed to be a comforting force, her natural element. But now, it was an enemy, damaging her with every flicker.
“Am I really being bound by this lowly spirit?”
No matter how much it despised her, or how intensely it desired revenge, there was still a gulf between their strength. The spirit alone shouldn’t have been able to affect her to this degree.
But then Vishnu sensed the presence within the spirit.
Her eyes widened.
It carried the essence of the Spirit God—a power that could kill her.
The Spirit God had gifted the deranged spirit with this strength to seek vengeance on her.
‘The Spirit God?’
Vishnu couldn’t comprehend it. The Spirit God’s intervention, however, was a boon Taesan had received after rescuing Arullia, something Vishnu was entirely unaware of.
Meanwhile, Taesan closed the distance again, his sword sweeping toward her.
Reacting with haste, Vishnu summoned flames into a distinct form.
“Burn, flame bird.”
[Vishnu activates the Familiar of Flame.]
[Caw!]
A phoenix of fire launched itself at Taesan. He did not evade.
[You activate Ember of Calamity.]
A firestorm erupted around him, clashing with the phoenix.
[Caw!]
The phoenix struggled, its power overwhelming the Ember of Calamity and steadily pushing it back.
But Taesan poured more of his energy into the fire, fanning its strength.
[Screech!]
The Calamity flames surged, consuming the phoenix entirely.
With the phoenix out of the way, Taesan drove his sword into Vishnu.
“Urgh!”
A fiery explosion erupted from her body, but Taesan summoned a magical barrier, forcing his way through the flames. Vishnu was steadily losing ground.
A thin red line appeared across her skin, and blood trickled down.
“Even a Spirit King bleeds red.”
Taesan murmured as he continued his assault.
Vishnu gritted her teeth.
She didn’t want to admit it, but the situation was growing dire. Her domain was divided, limiting her control, and the deranged spirit’s interference slowed her movements.
It was time to make a decision. Her gaze darkened as she came to a conclusion.
Stomping her foot, she unleashed another wave of flames, filling the space. Taesan chose to dodge rather than counter, allowing her a momentary reprieve.
Using this opening, Vishnu gathered her inner power, focusing it entirely.
[Ahhhh!]
Feeling the surge of power directed toward him, the deranged spirit laughed maniacally.
[You wish to kill me, don’t you? My king! You want to erase me, a lowly abandoned creature! I understand!]
The deranged spirit did not resist. Instead, it pressed its emotions onto Vishnu with even greater intensity.
[Take it all, then! Every bit of me!]
The spirit howled.
[Human!]
Taesan immediately activated a skill.
[You activate the Abandoned Blade.]
It was one of the two skills he had gained from the spirit’s lingering emotions.
The emotions within the deranged spirit erupted, their intensity magnified as they surged into Vishnu.
Gritting her teeth, Vishnu poured more power into herself, locking her strength in a volatile standoff with Taesan’s oncoming strike.
Taesan lifted his sword.
[You activate Naberious’s Golden Sword.]
[You activate Addition.]
[You activate Blade of Willpower.]
[You activate Absolute Judgment.]
*Thud.*
He lunged forward. As her condensed power exploded, Taesan’s sword struck, piercing straight through Vishnu.
[Vishnu activates the Twisted Brand of Recovery.]
[Vishnu takes 71,040 damage.]
[Vishnu recovers 35,520 health.]
[Your third Absolute Nullification of an attack activates.]
*Rumble...*
Though the nullification negated the attack, a series of explosions followed, knocking Taesan backward.
Her domain trembled violently under the pressure of the assault. As the explosions subsided, Vishnu reappeared.
Half of her body was left in tatters.
A ring slipped from her finger, shattering to the ground.
“Deep-realm equipment really is a nuisance.”
A single strike dealing over seventy thousand damage should have been enough to end Vishnu. However, her deep-realm gear had kept her alive. Taesan smirked.
“Killing the spirit that was calling out to you... That’s cold.”
“...You...” Vishnu’s enraged eyes locked onto him.
*Clang!*
The space around them fractured.
Unable to withstand the energy expenditure, Vishnu’s *King’s Domain* shattered.
Taesan’s *Partial World Alteration* also dissipated, constrained by its limited duration and his need to use catalysts.
‘I’m running low on mana.’
His mana reserves were nearly empty. Though he wanted to use a potion, Vishnu wasn’t going to give him the chance.
*Hum.*
Taesan activated his divine aura. Golden light spread around him, restoring his mana and energy to near-full levels.
Vishnu let out a hollow laugh.
“I underestimated you.”
She had thought Taesan was merely a mortal bound by the labyrinth’s system.
But he wasn’t. He manipulated the system, surpassing his limits.
Taesan was a monster.
Vishnu’s gaze sharpened. Taesan’s calm expression mirrored her resolve.
By using *Partial World Alteration*, he had stripped her of her advantage. With the deranged spirit’s aid, he had inflicted severe wounds. And with the Necklace of
Abhorrence, the quest reward from the Fallen God, he had weakened her stats.
Yet, despite it all, the Spirit King remained undefeated.
Such was the strength of one who had touched the deep realms.
Drawing in her flames, Vishnu’s fire now burned with a diminished vigor.
With a wry smile, she whispered, “It’s been a long time.”
She extended her hand, gathering all her remaining flames into a concentrated form.
[Vishnu activates Agni’s Flame Sword.]
A massive sword of pure fire materialized in her grasp.
Its intensity parched her lips, heating the air until it practically shimmered.
“I acknowledge your strength. You’re stronger than me.”
The proud, formidable Spirit King finally acknowledged him.
“As a challenger, I will face you.”
“Have it your way.”
Taesan charged forward, and Vishnu met him head-on, her flame sword clashing with his blade.
---
Flames erupted from the blade, igniting everything in their path.
Taesan stepped forward, twisting his body as he swung his sword.
*Clang!*
Their weapons clashed, and Taesan activated *Deflection*. Vishnu’s sword wavered, creating an opening.
Just as Taesan moved to strike, Vishnu vanished.
[Vishnu activates Boots of Spatial Shift.]
“Such a nuisance.”
Taesan chased her down, driving her back with relentless strikes.
“Ugh!”
As a Spirit King, Vishnu lacked skill in swordplay and close-quarters combat. She was clearly on the defensive, struggling to match him.
Still, she persisted, relying on her equipment, especially the Boots of Spatial Shift, which allowed her to teleport freely, frustrating his efforts.
But Taesan pressed on, studying her movements, memorizing her teleportation timing, and analyzing where she landed each time.
*Clang!*
He struck again, forcing her back. As his sword pierced forward, she instinctively activated her teleportation.
[Vishnu activates Boots of Spatial Shift.]
But Taesan was ready.
[You activate Forced Descent.]
“Hngh.”
All of Vishnu’s stats plummeted. Disoriented by the sudden change, she faltered.
[You activate Perfect Fairy Wings.]
[You activate Acceleration.]
[You activate Skill Acceleration.]
Taesan left a trail of afterimages as he closed in. Before Vishnu could react, Taesan was upon her, his sword driving into her chest as her eyes widened in shock.
