Ascension Through Skills
Chapter 387: The Sixth Return, Earth (4)

Kim Hwiyeon followed Hassan’s suggestion. Before long, six people gathered in a secluded area away from the others: Kang Taesan, Geum Junggeun, Lee Taeyeon, Kang Junhyeok, Kim Hwiyeon, and Hassan.

“Wait a moment, aren’t you the leader from India? I thought it was impossible to meet you. What brings you here?”

Geum Junggeun’s pupils widened when he saw Hassan. Considering his own efforts to connect with India, he quickly grasped the situation. Hassan gave a bitter smile.

“Hello.”

“You don’t seem hostile to us, so let me ask. Why does the Indian side reject us so strongly?”

Hassan did not answer Kim Hwiyeon’s question. Instead, he glanced at her, Taesan, and Lee Taeyeon, then seemed to make up his mind.

“Before I answer, I have one request.”

“A request?”

“May I duel with Mr. Taesan?”

“What?”

Kim Hwiyeon was flustered. Hassan fixed his unwavering gaze on Taesan.

Taesan nodded.

“Fine.”

“Thank you.”

Hassan drew his sword, his expression serious as he activated his power.

“Oh.”

“This is quite something…”

Lee Taeyeon and Kang Junhyeok admired Hassan’s strength. It wasn’t enough to reach them, but it couldn’t be ignored either. It was power that could only be obtained after reaching the 40th floor.

“Mr. Taesan could easily defeat someone like me, I’m sure. So, I ask you, please fight me with all your strength.”

“Alright.”

Taesan accepted.

The duel commenced, and Hassan prepared to move seriously.

“Ah.”

But he stopped completely.

Taesan hadn’t done anything, merely looked at him.

Even so, Hassan’s entire body began trembling like a leaf. Sweat drenched him from head to toe.

“Ah, ah, ah…”

Eventually, Hassan rolled his eyes and collapsed. Kim Hwiyeon, startled, caught him as he fell.

“Mr. Taesan, what did you do?”

“Just simple pressure.”

Taesan had shown Hassan what he was capable of through sheer will. That alone had overwhelmed Hassan’s mind, causing him to faint.

Lee Taeyeon clicked her tongue. A player from the 40th floor couldn’t resist and fainted just from the pressure.

They wouldn’t fare much better. Although they were in the same difficulty, Taesan’s power felt utterly unreachable.

Before long, Hassan regained consciousness.

He stared blankly at Taesan, then gave a bitter smile.

“Even with monsters like you, this is the state of things? It’s all so twisted.”

“…Are you trying to cooperate with us?”

“I am, but the others aren’t.”

Hassan exhaled deeply to calm himself.

“Though I am their leader, I hold no real power. I’m nothing but a decorative figurehead.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Where should I start?”

Hassan scratched his head, his expression complicated.

“I’ll start from the beginning. After the world fell apart and monsters appeared, we struggled desperately to survive. But people’s spirits gradually deteriorated. Even those who survived sometimes took their own lives.”

Kim Hwiyeon nodded. They had experienced the same. A peaceful world suddenly shattered, forcing them to fight for their lives. Many couldn’t accept it and broke down.

“We overcame crises and continued living. The monsters weren’t that strong.”

With most power concentrated in Korea, other countries, including India, had more breathing room. Indian players could survive with hope for the future.

“The problem started from there. The caste system began to revive.”

“The caste system? I heard it had mostly disappeared.”

“It had. But as the world collapsed and laws lost meaning, society regressed. People began to discriminate against and oppress each other again.”

“The caste system… Do you mean Brahmins and Kshatriyas?”

“Yes. The highest caste, the Brahmins. The caste below, the Kshatriyas. Then the Vaishyas, Sudras, and the untouchables known as Chandalas. The Brahmins and Kshatriyas began consolidating power.”

“That’s odd, isn’t it?”

Geum Junggeun, who had been listening quietly, spoke.

“I hate to say it, but the Labyrinth is extremely equal. Since real power is what matters, caste shouldn’t hold any significance. A caste system seems impossible to maintain.”

Korea had experienced something similar. During the first return, politicians and activists had tried to leverage their societal power, only to be killed by monsters. Earth’s social hierarchy held no meaning in the world’s current state.

But Hassan shook his head.

“It was like that initially. The caste system was shattered, and everyone was equal. However… the Brahmins and Kshatriyas in Hard Mode began to act.”

Hassan bit his lip.

“They recruited the Vaishyas and Sudras in Hard Mode to their side.”

“Ah.”

Geum Junggeun finally realized what had happened.

“Modern India’s caste system was breaking down. Many people were displeased by this. They saw the Labyrinth as an opportunity and began to draw people in.”

-Join us, and you too can hold power.

-Your descendants and children will live forever as nobles and royalty.

-We have the strength for this. We deserve it.

That was how they persuaded others.

“The world was broken. Those with power harbored a desire to impose hierarchy. With their cooperation, a perfect caste system was rapidly established. Since it occurred within Hard Mode, I couldn’t interfere.”

Thus, in India, the caste system was perfectly revived.

“It’s different from China’s situation.”

In China, the caste system had been established under the overwhelming strength of Zhenlong. No matter how high someone’s position, they ultimately stood beneath Zhenlong.

India, however, was different. In India, the caste system was revived through the cooperation of most Hard Mode players. Their rules were deeply entrenched and unlikely to be broken easily.

“We had the luxury to pursue something beyond mere survival. Hard Mode players could easily defeat monsters. That reality solidified India’s caste system.”

Hassan continued, his words spilling out as if in frustration.

“They began defining castes and manipulating religion to suit their purposes. While there were some dissenters, their numbers and strength were overwhelming, making it impossible to stop them.”

“Weren’t you approached by them as well, Hassan?”

“They did approach me. But I refused.”

Hassan spoke bitterly.

“I was from the lowest caste, the Chandalas. Accepting their offer would have made things easier for me, but my colleagues and friends would have suffered. More than anything, people should be equal. They should not be divided by caste.”

Hassan spoke firmly, as if declaring an unshakable truth.

Taesan looked at him.

There was no particular aura emanating from Hassan, and it didn’t seem like he had divine support, like Amelia.

He had reached the 40th floor purely by his own strength. In some ways, he was even more remarkable than Lee Taeyeon or Kang Junhyeok.

Yet Taesan hadn’t encountered Hassan in his previous life.

The answer was clear.

Hassan was a righteous man. And righteous people often sacrificed themselves for others.

He had probably lost his life on Earth in his past life, trying to help others.

“I opposed them. But I didn’t have the strength to defeat them all. If a full-scale conflict occurred, people would undoubtedly die. I didn’t want that, so I kept making compromises.”

As a result, Hassan lost his voice in decision-making.

“Because I’m the strongest player, they pretend to respect me, but they still scorn me as a lowly one. Players from other countries who joined us have been relegated to the Chandala caste. India’s Hard Mode players treat the entire situation as their playground.”

“…That sounds like a story Seo Jangsan would enjoy,”

Kim Hwiyeon said with a bitter smile.

The Korean Hard Mode player, Seo Jangsan, had attempted something similar. If Taesan hadn’t stopped him, he might have succeeded.

“Still, that was tolerable. At least many people were surviving.”

Hassan grimaced.

“But now, things have changed.”

Hassan turned his gaze to Taesan.

“You’re a monster. You’re undoubtedly stronger than anyone I’ve ever met. Yet even you haven’t been able to save the world.”

Given the level of the monsters invading India, it should have been possible for Taesan alone to handle them all.

The fact that he hadn’t meant only one thing.

“The monsters we’ve faced so far are mere fragments. The real monsters have been targeting you. That’s why we’ve had it relatively easy.”

“You know well. That’s correct.”

“…I see.”

Hassan lowered his head, dejected. His prediction was right, but it was the worst-case scenario, leaving no room for joy.

“If things continue like this, Indian players won’t survive.”

Without Taesan’s help, there was no chance of winning.

That was why Hassan had come here, avoiding the Brahmins’ watchful eyes.

“I’m trying to persuade them, but they refuse to listen. They’re unwilling to give up their power.”

“So, you came to us.”

“Yes. Please, I beg you. Help us prevent the loss of countless lives.”

Hassan pleaded earnestly.

As everyone silently contemplated, Taesan finally spoke.

“How exactly do you want me to help?”

“What?”

“I could crush the Hard Mode players with my strength and save them. But what would change?”

“That’s…”

Hassan couldn’t answer.

“If I suppress them and rule over them by force, will they follow my words? Ultimately, it would just replace the caste system with me as an absolute ruler. Nothing fundamental would change.”

“You couldn’t find a solution yourself, so you’re looking to us for answers? Go back. Come back once you’ve found your own answer.”

Hassan had no response to Taesan’s words.

After Hassan left dejectedly, Kim Hwiyeon cautiously asked,

“Mr. Taesan, is there really nothing we can do?”

Taesan, staring at the fissures in the sky, replied,

“What can I do?”

“With your power, maybe you could make them follow…”

“I told you, it wouldn’t solve the underlying problem. Sure, it might buy time, but nothing would really change.”

Taesan spoke.

“I will save people, but not everyone.”

Kim Hwiyeon couldn’t respond.

She, too, knew it was impossible to save everyone. It wasn’t something she could demand of Taesan.

“Don’t worry. It’s not like I plan to just leave things as they are.”

Taesan continued.

He wasn’t a saintly figure.

Even so, he intended to save as many people as he could. If Taesan had been someone solely focused on efficiency, the number of survivors would have been less than half of what it was now.

But if he was going to save them, it was better to do so in a way that benefited him as well.

Taesan gathered the faith directed toward him.

His essence continuously pushed beyond the boundary. It was happening much faster than he anticipated.

‘Is it because I’m a being of this world?’

Taesan was not born and raised in the world that had been pushed to the brink of destruction by the High Gods. Thus, the faith gathered there had been somewhat degraded.

But Earth was different. Taesan was born and raised here. He received the faith of Earth’s inhabitants, and the faith gathered was far more essential and profound.

‘At this rate…’

There was even a possibility that he could transcend the boundary in this return.

Taesan began planning his actions accordingly.

Time passed. Hassan desperately tried to persuade the Brahmins, but they mocked and ridiculed him.

Hassan was labeled a weak coward, a traitor attempting to ally with infidels. Critics claimed they would repel the Wave perfectly and expose Taesan’s weakness.

Despite Hassan’s persistence, nothing changed. The Brahmins, who had never faced true danger, had no intention of giving up their power.

Time passed without any significant results.

The people prepared formations to confront the Wave. The Brahmins at the front lines waited confidently.

Their only thoughts were of quickly defeating the monsters and returning to their powerful positions.

Then, the monsters appeared.

[Wave has begun.] [Roarrr!] [Monster 987 has appeared.] [Monster 378 has appeared.] [Monster 148 has appeared.]

India’s Easy and Normal Mode players waited anxiously for the Wave, their faces tense. Many prayed to their gods for salvation.

The Hard Mode players at the forefront, however, showed no signs of fear or unease. Their faces were filled with grins, as though they were playing a game.

“Who will defeat the most monsters this time?”

“Wanna bet? Whoever defeats the most gets 200 gold and a thousand Chandalas.”

“A thousand? That’s too few. At least ten thousand would be fitting. It’s a rare festival, after all. Shouldn’t we make it big?”

They casually bet human lives as if they were possessions, and no one found it odd.

They had gained absolute power. No one could stop or interfere with them.

The reason was simple: they had strength.

Since gaining their current level of power, they had faced almost no real danger on Earth.

Each of them could single-handedly eliminate dozens of monsters without sustaining any injuries.

With over a million Hard Mode players, they could literally sweep away the monsters.

To them, only they mattered.

Easy and Normal players were utterly useless.

That confidence further twisted their ideology.

“What about Hassan? It seems like he’s trying to cooperate with another group.”

“Leave him be. It’s not worth directly dealing with him. We can turn a blind eye to that much.”

Even though Hassan was alone, he remained one of the strongest players. The Brahmins didn’t want to suffer losses by confronting him directly. As long as Hassan kept yielding, they had no intention of acting against him.

One of them smirked.

“Besides, it won’t be long before that group becomes ours too.”

Their laughter echoed as others joined in.

“Worshipping a mere human? Those cowards are easy prey.”

“When they see us handling the monsters, they’ll beg to become our slaves.”

Having followed the Community, they were aware of the situations in Korea, China, and Japan. They ridiculed and sneered at the people there.

Relying on a single human to survive? How pathetic.

They assumed Taesan, while strong, was at best on par with Hassan.

At that level, they believed sheer numbers would be enough to crush him.

They planned to devour even Russia and Korea during this return.

While they dreamed of a rosy future, the Wave began.

“Let’s finish this quickly.”

As the space expanded, the monsters revealed themselves.

Most of them were at the same level as those they had faced before.

But among them were monsters they had never seen before.

[Roarrr!] [Monster 987 has appeared.] [Monster 378 has appeared.] [Monster 148 has appeared.]

“What…?”

“Three digits?”

The faces of India’s players momentarily filled with shock.

Until now, they had only seen monsters in the four-digit range.

Four-digit monsters were formidable but not life-threatening. With teamwork, they could be defeated without issue.

“…This is my first time seeing three digits.”

“It shouldn’t make much of a difference.”

They were slightly tense but didn’t feel fear.

Even three-digit monsters should be easy for them to handle.

The Hard Mode players charged at the monsters.

The monsters stared blankly at them.

“Die!”

The one who had proposed the bet drew his weapon.

The monster moved.

His head separated from his body.

“What?”

[Roar!]

With a deafening roar, an explosion erupted.

India’s Hard Mode players were flung in all directions like shrapnel from a grenade.