Ascension Through Skills

Chapter 297: The Green Witch (2)

[What kind of secret domain is this?]

The ghost’s voice was incredulous.

[No way. A place that can only be understood with a certain speech? Isn't this telling other adventurers not to find out?]

“It’s quite special.”

In fact, other adventurers wouldn’t be able to claim the secret reward from here at all. Even Taesan, who had acquired ranks through Soul Ascension, almost had to leave without obtaining it.

“What on earth is here?”

Taesan murmured as he checked the reward.

[You have used ???.]

[You have obtained the Liquid of the Cursed Swamp.]

[A liquid from the swamp in the deep forest, where all life forms sink. It contains poison and resentment that can destroy the world.]

Item material.

And Taesan had a piece of equipment that consumed such items.

The whip wrapped around Taesan’s arm rose and absorbed the liquid.

The color of the vine began to turn dark.

[Bracelet of Malice.]

[A bracelet that tries to kill everything except its owner. Created by the witch's caprice. It still has hidden potentials. It has absorbed red rose thorns, green vine roots, cursed leaves, black earth soil, and the liquid of the cursed swamp.]

[Attack Power +325]

[Defense Power +200]

Attack power and defense power increased by 100 each. It was gradually becoming superior to a mere bracelet, almost weapon-like.

Taesan gazed at the bracelet absentmindedly.

This bracelet was made by the witch.

The condition to clear the 65th floor was to break through the witch’s domain.

And this place was the domain of the Green Witch.

It meant the owner of the bracelet was here.

“Unsettling.”

Taesan murmured as he walked through the forest.

What did the shop owner say about the creator of the bracelet?

Taesan tried to recall.

‘She wasn’t eccentric but had a very strong sense of self. Some people liked that, but not me. But why do you ask?’

‘I wondered if she had entered here too.’

‘There’s a possibility… yeah. There’s a possibility. She said she wouldn’t come, but she was very capricious.’

A resident of the same world as the shop owner. Capricious and strong-willed, the shop owner didn’t like her.

Such a person had now created her domain in the labyrinth.

Rumble…

Roots shook in front of Taesan as he advanced. A giant tree rose and glared at him.

In the face of unwavering hostility, Taesan drew his sword.

Rumble!

The roots plowed the ground and advanced. Taesan stomped his foot.

[You have activated Earthquake.]

The ground collapsed.

The advancing roots were crushed and trampled by the collapsing ground. Taesan rushed toward the tree, which was swinging its branches wildly.

Crack!

He pushed forward, cutting down the branches swung at him.

The heavy weight was felt through the handle.

Thud, thud, thud!

Avoiding and countering the storm of attacks, Taesan cut down the tree. The wounded tree began to rampage.

He avoided all the attacks and slowly inflicted damage, delivering the final blow.

Rumble…

[Your Soul Ascension has been activated. Your health has permanently increased by 1,430.]

‘Strong.’

Taesan shook the handle.

The debris left by the god of trials. The ants in that place. This was stronger. It wasn’t an opponent expected on the 65th floor.

Taesan looked up at the sky.

Through the dense vegetation, a green sky was visible.

[You have activated Essence Detection.]

[Domain of the Green Witch.]

All of this was created by the witch.

Taesan ventured deeper.

As he knocked down the advancing vegetation and grass, Taesan discovered a huge lake.

As he approached the lake, it began to ripple violently.

Rumble…

The lake rose, forming a giant shape.

The giant, comparable to a mountain, glared at Taesan with eyes full of hostility.

[The Giant of the Lake has appeared.]

[...Intruder.]

“It speaks?”

Taesan murmured. The giant growled like a beast.

[How dare you dirty your feet in the domain of my master. Die.]

The lake exploded.

The giant’s body collapsed, and the water surged.

Taesan swung his sword.

[You have activated Strong Blow.]

Boom!

The water exploded, and Taesan was pushed back. Despite using Apostle Transformation, he was overpowered.

“Tsk.”

Taesan clicked his tongue and raised his hand.

[You have activated Frozen World.]

Crackle!

The lake began to freeze, but with a rough roar, the coldness quickly dissipated.

[Using another god’s power in my master’s domain! Unforgivable!]

“You intended to kill me anyway.”

Taesan murmured. With a voice filled with rage, the lake surged as a tidal wave towards him. Taesan spun his sword.

[You have activated Storm Rush.]

[You have activated Flow.]

Slash!

Rushing like a storm, he swung his sword. The tidal wave split, creating a path. Beyond the wave was a small water sphere.

[You!]

The giant was flustered by Taesan approaching him.

That was the core. Taesan, quickly realizing this, swung his sword. The sphere hastily gathered water and exploded.

Rumble!

The explosion engulfed the entire forest. Taesan quickly grasped the type of power.

An instantaneously exploding type of power. The duration is very short.

Taesan made a swift decision.

[You have activated Random Blink.]

[You have activated Aegis' Shield. You are immune to all damage for 1 second.]

He widened the distance and took out the shield. The waves harshly hit his entire body.

[Hoo, hoohoo... this should have killed him. Death to the intruder who dared to step into the master's domain.]

The giant breathed heavily. The waves subsided, and Taesan appeared unscathed.

[...How?]

“Strong.”

Taesan put away the shield. This was not just a casual remark; the strength of the giant was indeed comparable to that of a high-ranking Guide.

[You...!]

The giant growled and began to gather power again. The lake started to rage and rise. Taesan took his stance and held his sword.

At the moment the giant was about to unleash its power again, a small voice echoed.

“What is going on here?”

A very soft voice. A relaxed and gentle voice pierced their ears.

Although it was a powerless voice, the giant was startled. The rising power halted.

“Just when I felt the power surging… it was you, kid?”

[No, no. Master. This is...!]

“No?”

The owner of the voice appeared, parting the foliage.

She had lush green hair that reached down to her ankles. Her face, devoid of a single wrinkle, was smiling, but her green eyes were calm.

On her head was a witch’s hat. She wore a witch’s robe. In one hand, she held a broom-shaped staff.

She appeared just like a traditional witch.

[The Green Witch has appeared.]

“Now, kid.”

The witch lifted her staff.

“Can you tell me what happened that caused you to destroy my forest? I’d like to hear the reason.”

Taesan looked around.

The forest was devastated by the power unleashed by the giant. If it were to naturally recover, it would take at least a hundred years.

The giant started to shrink back.

[The enemy appeared... so I tried to defeat it...]

“Didn’t I tell you five hundred years ago to welcome any visitors?”

[No? You said to kill all intruders...]

“That was a thousand years ago.”

[...]

The giant fell silent. The witch sighed.

“It’s understandable to be confused since there haven’t been any visitors in a thousand years, but this is too much, don’t you think?”

[I'm, I'm sorry.]

“Then you must be punished.”

The witch waved her staff.

A gentle swing. The power that flowed out was just a fragment compared to the power the owner of the staff possessed.

But at the same time, the lake was buried deep into the ground with a loud noise.

[Kk, kkuooook!]

“I’ll take you out later, so reflect on your actions.”

The witch tapped the ground with her staff. The forest, damaged by the power, started to regrow and within a few seconds, it regained its previous appearance.

Each movement of power was something Taesan could not reach. It was a ripple that touched the world itself.

A being beyond mortal.

The witch looked at Taesan.

“Sorry for such poor hospitality. I will give you a generous reward.”

“…No, it’s fine. There seems to have been a misunderstanding.”

“You are a polite child.”

The witch smiled with her eyes.

“There’s no need to refuse. I have something I want from you as well.”

She waved her staff again. The trees twisted and began to form the shape of a house. Soon, a hut was created.

“Come in.”

The witch entered the hut. As she disappeared, the ghost groaned.

[Why is such a being on the 65th floor and not in the deeper layers?]

Taesan followed her into the hut.

Without her hat, she was pouring tea from a small kettle.

“Take it.”

She placed a teacup on the table as she sat down.

Taesan sat opposite her and sipped the tea.

Unexpectedly, it was just plain tea. It didn’t raise his stats or elevate his spirit. The witch noticed Taesan’s expression and blew on her tea.

“I’m tired of unique things. Sometimes, it’s good to go back to what was always ordinary.”

“I see.”

The witch looked at the ghost behind Taesan. She smiled softly.

“You are the noisy one these days, aren’t you?”

[...Are you talking to me?]

The ghost, not expecting that she would address him instead of Taesan, asked cautiously. The witch nodded.

“Yes. I’m curious what choice you will make.”

The ghost’s choice.

There were a few beings who spoke of it. All of them were transcendents.

Taesan opened his mouth.

“May I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Are you an immortal?”

The witch’s hand, holding the teacup, paused.

She looked at Taesan for a moment and then smiled with her eyes.

“Bold. I like it.”

The witch put down her teacup.

At that moment, a massive ripple of power was felt.

Everything outside the hut was distorting. The earth was shaking, and the world itself began to turn upside down.

Taesan realized something while breaking through the forest.

This forest was as vast as a decent-sized planet.

And the witch in front of him was lightly adjusting the entire forest from her seat.

The world itself was in her hands.

“As you guessed.”

Twisting the world, the witch spoke.

“I am one who has transcended mortals but has not reached transcendence. But I have grasped immortality. The witch of the cursed forest, the one who reaches for what she cannot touch. The Green Witch.”

An immortal.

A being that had not become a transcendent.

Therefore, they hated and tried to kill mortals with potential.

Taesan had already encountered such a being once. Even though he knew it was useless, his body instinctively took a defensive stance.

But Taesan slowly calmed his tension.

The witch was sitting quietly as she did before revealing her identity.

Seeing Taesan’s reaction, the witch looked intrigued.

“Impressive. No mortal has been so calm in front of me.”

“I have quite a bit of experience.”

And he knew. Unlike the immortal he had seen, the witch did not seem to intend to kill him.

She had said so when they met. He was a guest. She had something she wanted from him.

The witch began to sip her tea again.