Trait Hoarder

Kim’s Party — Part 4

It was just as expected.

Three elderly men with wrinkled faces stood alongside King of Destruction.

An old man clad in several layers of steel armor, looking like a Warrior.

An old man in a protective suit with his hands stuffed into his pockets, just like me.

And an old man in a suit, surrounded by an intangible barrier.

At a glance, it was impossible to tell who among them was the Mage or the Priest.

“Uh… Excuse me, sirs?”

Kim Mabeob was visibly flustered at the sight of the elderly men.

Judging by appearances alone, they seemed older than the Sun Mage Tower Master.

Ah, they probably were in reality too.

If I recall correctly, their official ages in the setting were close to ninety.

“Hahaha.”

The old man in the protective suit let out a hearty laugh.

“Young man, despite how I look, I can handle one youngster just fine. Do your best. Pain is the great equalizer, whether you’re young or old.”

Before the match began, I gave my team a reminder as I looked at the opponents.

“Everyone remembers, right? Mana becomes stronger with age. Do not, under any circumstances, underestimate them just because they’re old.”

“Uh, hyung, is that old man in the protective suit really a Mage?”

“Yes, he’s a Black Mage, known as the Black Demon King.”

“He doesn’t look like a Mage at all…”

“Disguising appearances is a basic skill for Mage-type superhumans.”

Otherwise, they’d be targeted by concentrated fire.

Kim Mabeob and Kim Saje both stiffened as they looked at their opponents.

This was the Unlimited Battle.

A match with no set rules.

And no time to prepare beforehand.

That’s why all four of us had already consumed the potions we’d prepared before stepping into the arena.

[The heat is rising already! It’s the Warrior King Party versus the King of Destruction Party! Will King of Destruction claim victory in this rematch? Or will Warrior King snatch a win from these legends of the past? The match begins now! Everyone, shout out the countdown loud and clear! Ten!]

[Ten! Nine! Eight!]

Ding! Ding!

The numbers appeared.

Above the invisible barrier dividing us and King of Destruction’s party, the green number [10] appeared.

The number slowly grew larger.

At the same time, it shifted to red.

My heartbeat quickened.

The blood coursing through my veins roared like a waterfall.

The effects of the Mad Dog Potion, which all four of us had consumed, were in full force.

Finally, when the number hit [0], a red flare erupted into the air.

[Begin!]

Taah!

I kicked off the ground.

Moving at the pre-determined speed and angle, just as we had practiced countless times, I charged forward.

Tat-tat-tat!

The other three followed behind me.

The sound of bodies launching forward, the heavy panting as they sprinted, filled my ears.

The distance between us and King of Destruction’s party was exactly 50 meters.

A distance a normal human could cross in about eight seconds.

For superhumans?

Especially ones under the effects of a potion that drastically heightened both their reflexes and aggression?

It wouldn’t even take a few seconds.

In the blink of an eye, we were already upon King of Destruction’s party.

[Wha—?!]

The commentator gasped in shock.

“Uwooooah!”

“That’s it!”

“Close the gap!”

“Kill them!”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

“You bastard!”

King of Destruction reacted instantly, stepping in to block my path.

Not a chance. Not today.

You’re not my opponent.

I shifted directions.

Using [Leap], I ignored inertia, turning almost 90 degrees before leaping high into the air.

Evading King of Destruction, I charged toward the steel-armored old man—Sky Dragon King.

The perfect harmony of Leap and Aerial Strike.

“Hah!”

Sky Dragon King’s eyes widened.

“Do I look that easy to you?!”

Sky Dragon King leapt into the air.

Swoosh!

One of Sky Dragon King’s traits activated: Soar.

The moment he lifted off the ground, dragon wings sprouted from his back, and the gaps in his armor opened, releasing an intense surge of mana.

Level 6 was indeed on a different level.

He ascended faster than I could close the gap.

Straight up, toward the sky.

Clack! Clack!

At the same time, Sky Dragon King aimed his arms at me.

His armor shifted, revealing mounted machine guns.

Missile launchers emerged from his shoulders.

If I left him alone, his Full Volley trait would rain down firepower on me.

But I had already predicted this.

“Hap!”

The moment Sky Dragon King activated Soar, I swung my left arm.

A bolt of lightning shot from my fingertips.

Mjolnir, enhanced with Mana Resonance and further refined with the Throw trait.

It flew straight toward Sky Dragon King’s head.

The only difference between him and his in-game counterpart was the level gap—Level 6 versus Level 5. He moved exactly like the version of himself from the game, making him predictable to me.

“Gah!”

Sky Dragon King twisted his body in an attempt to dodge.

His wings created a vortex that disrupted Mjolnir’s trajectory.

Boom!

While it failed to crush his skull, the lightning erupted, forcing Mjolnir to return to me.

That was more than enough.

I leapt from the ground once, then again with Leap, and finally used Aerial Strike to pounce on Sky Dragon King.

“Damn it!”

Sky Dragon King cursed.

He spread his wings, gliding to avoid my attack.

Aerial combat was undoubtedly Sky Dragon King’s domain.

But I had my own methods.

Flash!

A single sharp strike.

A crescent moon glowing brightly.

A Sword Qi slash cut through the air.

It flew straight toward Sky Dragon King, slicing through space itself.

The final technique of the Tiger King Sword Technique: Tiger King’s Flight.

Sky Dragon King clenched his teeth and raised his fists.

His armor gleamed as multiple layers of barriers appeared.

The Sword Qi tore through all of the barriers but failed to pierce the armor itself.

Even as he coughed up blood, Sky Dragon King extended his arms toward me.

Tat-tat-tat-tat!

The machine guns roared with continuous fire.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Missiles launched from his shoulders.

I was still mid-air.

Not a Full Volley, but the firepower was immense.

To anyone watching, it looked like I was about to be overwhelmed and brought down.

But, as always, I had anticipated this.

[Gunplay] [Bright Eyes] [Sixth Sense]

[Mana Shield] [Mana Resonance] [Shield Block]

I planted the Black Tiger Sword into the ground at my side.

Instead, I drew a small-caliber pistol.

I activated the Aegis shield equipped on my left arm.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye—less than 0.1 seconds.

Tat-tat-tat!

Gunfire erupted.

I didn’t even need to aim, firing purely on instinct.

The muzzle flashed.

The destruction-infused bullets struck the incoming missiles.

All twelve of them.

The pistol’s magazine held twelve rounds, perfect for the task.

“What the—?”

Sky Dragon King’s eyes widened in shock.

As for the machine gun?

Naturally, it was blocked by the Aegis shield.

Despite its firepower—enough to shred through steel—it couldn’t penetrate the Aegis, which was reinforced with a mana shield.

“This… this bastard is…”

He was clearly stunned.

His reptilian eyes stretched wide, almost as if they’d tear apart.

Thud!

I landed on the ground.

Launching myself forward again, I rapidly closed the distance.

Sky Dragon King tried to escape with Soar once more.

You’re really going to try the same trick in front of me again?

Swoosh!

Tat-tat-tat!

As I hurled Mjolnir to disrupt his trajectory, I unleashed rapid fire from my dual pistols.

The bullets carried the Stasis effect.

Of course, not even the greatest weapon could completely incapacitate a level 6 superhuman.

But against someone like Sky Dragon King? It was enough to momentarily stall him.

And for me, that brief hesitation was more than sufficient.

“Ugh!”

In less than a second, dozens of bullets hit their mark.

Even then, all it did was make him falter.

I flicked my hand.

Mjolnir, linked through Mana Resonance, abruptly changed direction.

As if it had been lying in wait—like a deep-sea anglerfish with its mouth open, ready to swallow its prey.

BOOM!

Mjolnir exploded right in front of Sky Dragon King.

The resulting lightning storm engulfed him entirely.

Though his barriers flared up in a desperate attempt to deflect the attack, it was already too late.

While Mjolnir’s assault was interrupted, it didn’t stop me from grabbing him and slamming him to the ground.

Crash!

The earth trembled violently upon impact.

“Gah!”

Sky Dragon King coughed up blood once more.

By the time he came to, I had already drawn the Black Tiger Sword.

Sharp enough to slice a sheet of paper in half with a simple drop, its blade now rested menacingly against Sky Dragon King’s neck.

“Surrender.”

I had no intention of killing him.

But if he wasted any more time, I wouldn’t hesitate to act.

“Hah… Hahaha.”

Sky Dragon King chuckled bitterly as he looked up at me.

“This doesn’t make sense. Even for the Black Tiger Swordmaster… this much? Are you really just level 5? How could this happen? It felt like you saw through my every move, my every intention.”

Of course he would feel that way.

I had [Bright Eyes] and [Sixth Sense].

But more importantly…

I had already faced him countless times in the game.

‘Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will not fear a hundred battles.’

I had simulated and practiced every scenario down to 0.1-second intervals. Sky Dragon King never stood a chance against me.

The difference in stats?

I simply bridged the gap with overlapping high-tier multiplier traits.

Without saying a word, I lightly waved the Black Tiger Sword.

Sky Dragon King let out a resigned sigh before declaring quietly, “I surrender. You win.”

With that, the score was 4 to 3 in our favor.

I raised my head to assess the battlefield.

“Die, you bastard!”

“You! Fight like a proper Mage if you’re a Mage!”

“I’m not a Mage, though?”

Kim Mabeob and Black Demon King were engaged in a chaotic brawl, just as I had instructed.

Black Demon King tried everything to shake him off, but Kim Mabeob clung to him like a madman.

Even when magic flared, he simply countered by blasting fire to melt it away.

The Sun Mage Tower Master really did train him well.

“Uwooooh!”

Kim Saje was in a similar situation.

Desperation clung to him as he latched onto Angel King.

Angel King, horrified, unleashed bursts of holy power, but Kim Saje simply neutralized it with his own divine energy.

If Kim Mabeob and Black Demon King were having a wild brawl, Kim Saje was like a cicada, firmly attached and refusing to let go.

“D-Damn it! Sky Dragon!”

“Aw, where do you think you’re looking? You seem awfully relaxed for someone in a fight!”

Thwack!

To everyone’s surprise, Kim Chulkwon was holding his own.

Using his six enhanced arms, he swung steel whips with precision.

One of them struck King of Destruction squarely.

If King of Destruction hadn’t blocked it with his arm while gritting his teeth, the match might’ve ended right then and there.

“Get out of my way, you rodent-like bastard!”

“Heh heh heh, catch me if you can!”

Kim Chulkwon was toying with King of Destruction.

With his Six-Armed Asura and Infernal Mana, Kim Chulkwon easily utilized [Low-Altitude Flight] to his advantage.

On the other hand, King of Destruction lacked any mobility skills.

The classic “grounded” type.

If King of Destruction could close the gap, he’d have a chance—but after going through my hellish training, Kim Chulkwon wasn’t going to give him that opportunity.

‘Kim Chulkwon’s got this.’

I shifted my focus elsewhere.

Boom!

Kicking off the ground with immense force, I launched myself like a cannonball toward Black Demon King.

Black Demon King’s face turned pale as he saw me coming.

“What?! Already? How—?”

He wasn’t about to go down without a fight.

Ripping off part of his protective suit, he activated a one-time-use magic chip.

Flash!

A bright light signaled his teleportation.

“Huh?”

Kim Mabeob, mid-swing, stumbled forward as his target vanished.

Black Demon King reappeared right next to Angel King.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

Without hesitation, he kicked Kim Saje away and grabbed Angel King’s hand.

Then, they teleported again.

How many one-time-use magic chips did he have hidden?

The flash stretched upward as they teleported onto one of the four pillars installed in the arena—structures we had yet to utilize.

Standing atop the pillar, they looked down on us.

Angel King quickly erected a divine barrier around Black Demon King, providing him protection.

“This game is over.”

Black Demon King’s voice boomed with confidence.

“You’re truly impressive, Black Tiger Swordmaster, and you youngsters are equally commendable. But do you really think this is the first time we’ve faced a situation like this? Your youth, your boldness—they’re admirable. But you cannot overcome the years we’ve accumulated.”

“Uh… uh… uh…”

Kim Mabeob was visibly shaken.

He could feel it.

Black Demon King and Angel King were joining forces to cast an immensely powerful grand spell.

Mana surged violently.

Not just shaking the atmosphere—ripping it apart.

The space seemed like it would collapse under the sheer force of the spell.

‘Faster than I thought.’

Even though it was a grand spell, its casting speed was beyond expectations.

From my experience in the game, rushing in to interrupt it would only result in falling into a magical trap.

If that’s the case, the best course of action now is…

“Mabeob, summon the Phoenix.”

“Huh?!”

“Saje, create a domain and focus your blessings on me. Be ready with Full Recovery and Purification. You don’t need to use Wrath.”

“Yes, yes!”

I detached the Aegis shield from my arm.

Not to disarm it entirely, but to hold it in both hands.

Then, I swapped my traits.

[Diamond Body] [Mana Soul] [Combat Expertise]

[Mana Shield] [Mana Resonance] [Shield Block]

I entrusted the counterattack to Kim Mabeob.

I relied on Kim Saje for solid support.

And I focused solely on defense.

Defense and nothing else.

Fwoosh!

The grand spell took form.

It felt as if the atmosphere itself was boiling.

From Black Demon King, black orbs emerged like bubbles, rising endlessly into the air.

There were at least dozens—no, hundreds of magical constructs being born, swelling ominously.

This was their final move.

A desperate strike fueled by every last ounce of mana they had.

The proof? Black Demon King’s already wrinkled face was now marked with blotchy, dark spots that resembled poisonous mushrooms.

“Die!”

A rain of magic descended.

Countless black beams shot down like a storm.

Each one carried the full destructive power of a level 6 Black Mage.

Enough to obliterate a 10-story building in a single strike.

A level 5 defensive Warrior might survive one or two hits.

But dozens? Hundreds?

To the audience, I must have looked like a mere mantis challenging a massive wheel.

Shhhhk!

I deployed Aegis.

The milky-white barrier bloomed brightly.

When the golden blessings rained down upon it, it transformed into a radiant platinum hue, shining brilliantly.

Through clear eyes, I stared at the mass of light bearing down on me.

The moment the beams pierced toward me—

I struck them with the shield.

BOOM!

A violent shockwave.

It felt as if my arm was shattering, the force piercing through my spine.

But I endured it.

With the unyielding strength of the [Diamond Body], capable of withstanding physical, magical, and mental assaults, I held my ground.

BAM! BAM-BAM!

The beams pounded relentlessly against me.

The Aegis trembled under the pressure.

It felt as if I had become an anvil, hammered incessantly.

The agony wrapped around me like I was being tempered in a furnace.

My back bent.

My knees grew heavy.

It felt as though surrendering and collapsing to the ground would be the easiest thing in the world.

But, but…

I opened my eyes wide.

I hadn’t clawed my way through life, surviving hellish trials, just to fall to a mere level 6 NPC.

A grand spell?

A Black Magic spell so powerful that it consumed even the caster’s life force?

It didn’t matter.

To hell with all of it!

I was going to win.

I had to win and obtain the Mars Swordsmanship.

With it, I would defeat the Heavenly Demon, the Saintess, and even the Old Father!

“UAAAAAAHHH!”

I roared as I swung the Aegis wildly with both hands.

Even without [Bright Eyes] or [Sixth Sense],

I trusted my instincts.

I trusted the experience I’d built up in this insane world.

I trusted the battle-hardened version of myself.

Half unconsciously, yet with half my focus laser-sharp, I struck back with the Aegis.

At some point—

I felt the Aegis begin to draw mana from me.

I didn’t resist.

I let it take as much as it wanted.

And then, the Aegis began to glow, scattering an intangible force in every direction.

It was as if the shield was replicating itself, overlapping layer upon layer.

A vast area in all directions.

It looked like scales unfurling from a fish or layers of paper stacking over one another.

It was a wall.

A wall made of shields.

The moment I saw it, I understood.

I had acquired the trait: [Shield Wall].

A survival trait ranked as first-tier even in Arcane Seoul.

It replaced [Shield Block], taking its place in my arsenal.

No longer did I need to strain myself, swinging and striking with the Aegis.

Simply holding it up was enough to block the beam bombardment.

Black Demon King let out a desperate cry.

“This is impossible! How, how can this be?! How is my Dark Bombardment…?”

Black Demon King, who had aged another ten years in mere moments, now had no hair left on his head, his face entirely sickly and pale.

Kim Mabeob glanced at me and asked,

“Should I finish it?”@@novelbin@@

In his hands was the Phoenix he had summoned.

A miniature phoenix, meticulously crafted with the utmost mana by Kim Mabeob, whose mana reserves were among the highest.

Though it couldn’t match the Dark Bombardment, it was more than enough to shatter Angel King’s barrier.

“Let’s finish this.”

Kim Mabeob unleashed the phoenix.

And I charged in to end the match.

–TL Notes–

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