Novel Full Chapter 144: God-Rank Assessment? The Labyrinth of Souls
Chapter 144: Chapter 144: God-Rank Assessment? The Labyrinth of Souls
[God-Rank]
The words floated in the air with an authority that was impossible to ignore.
The instant they formed completely, a violent explosion burst outward from the [Divine Stele], shaking the entire area.
The force behind it was far greater than anything Leon had seen before, even surpassing the overwhelming presence of the rare [S-Rank] assessment.
The shockwave rippled through the temple, causing the ground to tremble and the air itself to distort.
Leon narrowed his eyes. Titan froze where he stood.
All the other players, no matter their level or background, could only stare at the glowing panel in stunned silence.
Even the players from [Fated Star] looked completely lost.
Their confidence wavered for the first time since entering this place.
They had records of hidden classes, secret realms, ancient legacies, and divine trials.
Yet none of them had ever heard of something called “God-Rank.”
It simply did not exist in the knowledge they had gathered.
Or perhaps it had always existed… but was hidden so deeply that no one had ever triggered it before.
Titan’s expression slowly shifted from confusion to disbelief.
His eyes widened, and his lips parted slightly as if he had just pieced together something impossible.
“No way,” he muttered, his voice trembling despite himself. “This is…”
Before he could finish his sentence, another thunderous explosion interrupted him.
BOOM!
A massive pillar of light shot out from the [Divine Stele] without warning.
It descended like divine judgment and struck Leon directly in the center of his chest.
The impact did not injure him, but the power behind it was suffocating, forcing everyone nearby to retreat several steps.
A new panel appeared before Leon’s eyes.
[Celestial will now go through the God-Rank assessment.]
Since there was no gate for a God-Rank assessment, it seemed like Leon was transported directly from here.
The light simply swallowed Leon whole.
The other players could do nothing but watch as his figure dissolved into the beam and vanished from sight.
Silence fell over the temple. Titan clenched his fists.
The players of [Fated Star] exchanged uneasy glances. None of them knew what this meant.
Leon, however, forced himself to take a slow breath as the light enveloped him completely.
“So there was something above [S-Rank],” he thought calmly. “Or maybe it only exists here, inside this divine temple.”
He did not allow panic to take over. Instead, he focused on the opportunity in front of him.
If the S-Rank rewards were already considered heaven-defying, then something above that could only be absurd.
The light around him intensified, and for a brief moment, Leon felt weightless.
Then gravity returned abruptly.
His feet slammed against solid ground, and the beam of light disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared.
Leon looked up. He was no longer inside the temple.
Instead, he stood on a small stone platform suspended in an endless void.
There was no sky, no horizon, no visible ceiling or floor. Just darkness stretching infinitely in every direction.
A new panel appeared.
[Welcome to the God-Rank assessment, Celestial.]
[An assessment so rare that only beings akin to gods may attempt it.]
Leon blinked slowly.
“Beings akin to gods?” he murmured under his breath.
While the system continued displaying its explanation, he scanned his surroundings carefully.
The platform beneath him was barely large enough to hold a small house.
At its center stood a single gate radiating an overwhelming aura.
Above the gate, carved into nothingness itself, was a single word: God.
Leon stared at it for a few seconds before letting out a faint breath of amusement.
“So it was hidden from everyone else,” he muttered. “That explains it.”
Another notification chimed.
[Goal: Slay all ten “Souls” and do not allow them to kill you.]
[Failure will result in a massive permanent debuff and the loss of eligibility for the God-Rank assessment forever.]
Leon’s eyes sharpened at that. A permanent debuff was no small matter.
In a world like [Eternal Ascension], long-term penalties could cripple a player’s growth entirely.
The system was making it very clear that this was not a simple challenge.
At least it provided some information. The enemies were called “Souls.”
Ten of them. And they were capable of killing him.
Leon exhaled slowly. He did not sense immediate danger yet.
The trial would not begin until he passed through the gate.
For a brief moment, he considered waiting.
But there was nothing here. Just the void and the gate.
“If I’m here, I might as well move forward,” he thought.
Without hesitation, Leon stepped toward the gate.
The aura pressing against his skin intensified with each step. When he finally reached it, he did not pause.
He walked straight through. The world shifted instantly.
Fwoosh!
The darkness shattered like glass, replaced by a new environment.
The air became heavier, colder, and filled with a faint blue glow.
Ding!
[You have arrived at the God-Rank Assessment Ground: Labyrinth of Souls.]
[The “Souls” of great warriors have awakened for this moment, seeking your death.]
[May the will of the Heavenly One be with you.]
Leon closed the panels and examined his surroundings.
He stood in a circular clearing paved with ancient stone.
Surrounding him were multiple narrow paths branching outward in different directions.
Each path was enclosed by tall stone walls cracked with glowing blue energy.
“I really am in a maze,” he muttered.
At the very center of the clearing stood a stone altar radiating a deep blue light. Its presence was overwhelming, almost sacred.
Ding!
[The “Altar of Life” can revive one soul.]
[If one of the ten souls kills you, the Heavenly One will revive it and grant it immense power.]
Leon’s expression darkened slightly.
“So they’re competing too,” he realized.
The mention of the [Heavenly One] made his thoughts drift briefly to the conversation he had experienced with him before.
Was this connected to that? Was this a test designed specifically for him?
Whatever the reason, the rules were simple.
Either he survived, or one of them did. And he had no intention of losing.
Most players in his position would immediately start exploring the maze, trying to find and eliminate the enemies before they gathered strength.
Leon did not move. Instead, he looked at the [Altar of Life] thoughtfully.
“If they want to be revived, they’ll come here eventually,” he reasoned. “So the smartest move is to let them come to me.”
Fwoosh!
Leon raised his staff and cast [Intermediate Necromancy].
The ground beneath him trembled as ten skeletons clawed their way out from the stone floor.
Each one held roughly 100,000 [Combat Power], which would make them formidable opponents in normal circumstances.
Here, they were likely just fodder in this place.
“All of you,” Leon ordered calmly, “take a different path. If you find anything, attack immediately.”
The skeletons nodded silently and rushed down separate corridors, disappearing into the maze.
Leon remained near the altar, activating [Vision Enhancement] to widen his perception.
He expected it to take several minutes before anything happened.
But instead, within thirty seconds, notifications rang in rapid succession.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
[Five of your “Undead Skeleton” has been killed.]
Leon’s eyes narrowed.
“Five already?”
That meant at least one, possibly multiple, enemies were very close to the center.
He rose to his feet.
Through the enhanced vision provided by his skill, he focused on the direction where one of his skeletons had fallen.
A faint figure began to appear at the edge of his perception, slowly walking into the clearing.
The figure stepped fully into view.
It was a massive man standing approximately 2.5 meters tall.
His body was semi-transparent, glowing faintly blue like the cracks in the maze walls.
In his hands, he carried an enormous battle axe that seemed forged from spiritual energy.
His eyes locked onto the [Altar of Life].
“The Altar of Life…” the figure whispered in awe as he dropped to one knee. “So it truly exists…”
Leon watched him carefully.
There was reverence in the soul’s voice, but also desperation.
Without wasting time, Leon activated [Appraisal].
—
[Dead Soul, Ming Yolen]
[Level: ???]
[Exclusive Talent: Wandering Soul (S-Level)]
[Combat Power: Around 600,000]
[Details: The soul of a great warrior slain by “???”. He wanders this place awaiting a chance to return.]
—
Leon’s expression tightened slightly when he saw the combat power.
“Six hundred thousand,” he thought calmly. “This won’t be easy.”
For comparison, that number far exceeded the strength of pretty much any player in the current stage of the game.
And this was only one of ten.
Ming Yolen slowly stood back up, gripping his axe as his gaze shifted toward Leon.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Then the soul smiled faintly.
“So you’re the one standing in my way,” he said, his voice echoing strangely in the air. “If I kill you, I can return.”
Leon lifted his staff casually.
“You can try,” he replied simply.
The blue glow around the maze intensified, and the air grew heavy with killing intent.