Trait Hoarder

Dokkaebi Kingdom — Part 1

The moon shone brightly in the night sky.

I sat atop Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju, gazing at the moon.

Since the last intrusion, security had increased, and more monks were on night duty, but it didn’t matter.

Now that I was Level 7, I could easily avoid them even without using [Stealth].

‘Time to head in.’

I retrieved three treasures from my golf bag.

A Golden Ruler’s Staff, a ceremonial bead, and lastly, a jade flute.

In other words, the Manpasikjeok.

But that wasn’t necessary now.

With these three ancient treasures, I could enter the Dokkaebi Kingdom directly.

It was actually better this way.

The Dasan Gun set randomly created an entrance at one of five locations, but with these treasures, I could open the gateway wherever I wanted.

Pillilili. Pillililili.

I blew into the Manpasikjeok, channeling mana into it and aiming straight ahead.

A peculiar sound wave resonated, layered upon itself, and tore a hole in the air.

Almost simultaneously, the sharp sound of a whistle pierced through the night.

Bweeeeeet!

“Intruder!”

“Where?! Where?!”

“On top of the Main Hall!”

“Catch him!”

The guards were definitely more responsive this time.

The moment I played the flute, they reacted instantly and rushed toward me.

But by then, I had already thrown myself through the portal.

The guards ended up with nothing but empty air, while my world flipped completely.

A realm where ink-wash mountains writhed like living creatures.

Sheep-shaped clouds bleated as they floated past, and the ground was covered in fur.

Once again, the fairy winds blew, brushing against my cheek like a playful kiss.

It had been months since I was last here.

As I stood there, taking in my surroundings, a Dokkaebi suddenly appeared with a pop.

“Yo! Kim West!”

A particularly short Dokkaebi.

But his shoulders were broad, and his waist was thick like a mortar.

At a glance, he looked incredibly strong.

It was none other than Dangoma, the champion wrestler of the Dokkaebi Kingdom, with whom I had once wrestled.

“It’s been a while.”

“Yeah! It’s been ages! Wifey! Come here! The matchmaker Kim West is back!”

“Kim West is here?”

A female Dokkaebi, the complete opposite of Dangoma—tall, slender, and graceful—descended elegantly from the sky.

She was still wearing a wedding dress and a bridal coronet.

Holding the hem of her dress with both hands, she bowed gracefully.

“It has been a while, Kim West.”

“It really has. Have you both been well?”

They both looked healthy.

Especially Dangoma.

Last time, he was ragged and unkempt, but now his robe was pristine white.

It looked as though it had been pressed with an iron.

Dangoma was about to say something with a grin—

But then, suddenly, his face stiffened.

His eyes locked onto my right hand as if possessed.

The female Dokkaebi beside him did the same.

The two of them stood frozen like stone statues, staring only at my hand.

I chuckled.

It was only natural.

After all, I was holding the Manpasikjeok in my right hand.

“Ki… Kim West. That…”

Dangoma stammered, trembling.

“That, that… That’s it, right? It really is, isn’t it?”

The situation was so absurd, I could only laugh.

Was bringing the Manpasikjeok really that shocking?

Even the bride Dokkaebi was shaking.

“Kim West? That… isn’t that the Jade Flute? One of our race’s three great treasures…”

Then, their eyes blazed with fire.

Like tigers encountering prey in the dead of night.

Like locomotives charging with high beams on.

Their madness was palpable. If I stalled for even a moment, they might devour me.

I nodded boldly.

“Yes, it’s the Manpasikjeok. I found it inside the belly of a beast in the Arctic.”

“Manpasikjeok!”

“The Jade Flute!”

“My god!”

“It’s real!”

“Hooray!”

“Hooray! Hooray!”

Both Dokkaebi threw their arms high into the air.

Then, Dangoma pulled out a pistol from his waist, while the female Dokkaebi drew a shotgun from her thigh holster, and they both fired into the sky.

Bang! Bang bang bang!

Fireworks exploded in a spectacular display.

Seven-colored fireworks of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Five-colored fireworks of blue, red, yellow, white, and black.

They burst in circles, then in spheres, then in sharp triangles and jagged squares, continuously changing shape.

“What’s going on?”

“What’s happening?”

“Who the hell is making such a racket at this hour?”

“It’s Kim West!”

“Huh? Kim West?”

“The legendary Kim West is back!”

“The one who arranged our marriages last time?!”

“Whoa! Kim West is here?!”

At that, the Dokkaebi leisurely strolled out one by one.

Dangoma hopped around excitedly, shouting.

“Ah, you lazy bastards! Get out here, you punks! Look at what our Kim West brought!”

“What did he bring?”

“Did he bring some amazing buckwheat jelly from Seoul?”

“We could just smack our clubs down and make some buckwheat jelly ourselves…”

“You dumb pigs! Do you think I’d fire club-fireworks for something like that? He brought the Jade Flute! The Jade Flute!”

“What?!”

“No way!”

At that, the Dokkaebi came pouring out.

Like a streak of lightning.

All two hundred or so Dokkaebi living in the Dokkaebi Kingdom rushed out and gathered before me.

They all fixated on the Manpasikjeok in my hand.

“It’s real!”

“The Jade Flute!”

“Mother of god!”

“Father above!”

“The Manpasikjeok, the Dragon God’s flute, the treasure of the Heavenly Gods, has returned to us!”

“Hooray!”

“It’s a festival!”

“Woohoo! Let’s drink!”

“Let’s dance!”

“Let’s wrestle!”

The Dokkaebi erupted into dance.

A wild breakdance.

They spun their heads, windmilled, twisted their limbs, flipped their bodies upside down, and slammed back down in a frenzy.

Bang! Bang bang bang!

The Dokkaebi continued firing their guns into the sky.

Every time a shot was fired, fireworks shot up high, illuminating the sky.

The sheep-shaped clouds bleated in panic and fled.

Though it was the dead of night, the sky lit up as if it were noon.

Then, familiar Dokkaebi rushed toward me and grabbed me excitedly.

“Yo! Kim West! Let’s have a match for old times’ sake!”

“How about a battle? A battle?”

“No, I’ll just play along with the mood.”

I chose the Manpasikjeok.

Pillilili. Pillili.

I played a random tune.

It wasn’t anything spectacular, but the Manpasikjeok itself was a powerful artifact.

As the Law of Peace enveloped the Dokkaebi Kingdom, the flute’s bright and cheerful melody enchanted the Dokkaebi.

“Eolsu!”

“Jihwaja!”

“Julsigu!”

“Nice!”

Their exclamations were folksy, yet their dancing was purely Western.

The contrast made me chuckle.

After dancing until they were drenched in sweat, the Dokkaebi gathered around me.

“Eat, eat!”

“Kim West, you’ve been through a lot!”

“He even went all the way to the Arctic!”

“What? The Arctic? Is that some kind of buckwheat jelly?”

“Aigo, you idiot.”

“He means the Arctic! The northernmost land!”

“Oh, where the North Sea Ice Palace was?”

“That place has been gone for ages… Aigo, old man, get a grip.”

Was it because we hadn’t seen each other in so long?

The Dokkaebi seemed even livelier than before.

Or maybe it was because they were married now.

A perfect match, huh…

Honestly, I was a little jealous.

I had failed.

Failed in finding my own other half.

“This is delicious.”

The Dokkaebi had offered me a piece of boiled pork with a bite of perfectly aged kimchi.

No words were needed.

The meat was tender, and the kimchi was spicy yet pleasantly tangy, sharpening my appetite.

It was on a whole different level compared to the boiled pork I had been served before.

Dangoma wiped under his nose proudly.

“My wife made it herself! No club magic involved! How is it? Good, right?”

“It’s the best. Much better than the last time.”

“That’s… urgh! I admit it! Us men, we’re honestly not great at cooking.”

“Who needs cooking when you have a club?”

“Who needs cleaning when you have a club?”

“One swing, and it’s all done!”

Half of them had collapsed from exhaustion, but the other half were still dancing.

I continued playing the flute even as I ate.

With all my strength.

Pouring in every bit of joy.

Even swapping out my traits.

[Dragon’s Speech] [Song] [Mana Soul]

[Deep Breath] [Mana Explosion] [Training]

None of these directly helped with playing the flute.

But they did help me acquire new traits.

I took a deep breath and blew into the flute.

Mana surged, and a thunderous roar erupted.

♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ There were three bears living in one house…! ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬

I channeled Dragon’s Speech Song into the Manpasikjeok.

At that moment, a shockwave burst forth, ripping through the air.

The Dokkaebi who had been dancing all collapsed at once.

“Ugh!”

“Guhhh!”

“Ki-Kim West! Are you trying to kill us?!”

“You won’t die. This is the Manpasikjeok, remember?”

The Manpasikjeok created a forced peace zone.

Within it, neither attacks nor injuries were possible.

Of course, it wouldn’t work against high-level bosses.

As proof, the Dokkaebi were staggering but getting back on their feet just fine.

“Here comes another one!”

“Oh no!”

“Please, no more!”

“Hmph. Weaklings. Kim West! Play with all you’ve got! I’ll dance my heart out!”

“Sounds good.”

Once again, Dragon’s Speech Song.

Or rather, the flute.

Another thunderous boom echoed.

The Dokkaebi clutched their ears in agony—except for one.

What was his name again?

The first Dokkaebi I wrestled with…

Right, it was Tteongchi.

He might have been terrible at wrestling, but he was apparently a great dancer.

He moved in sync with my fierce flute-playing, his dance brimming with power.

“Mr. West! I’m joining in too!”

As the bride Dokkaebi began dancing alongside him, the atmosphere heated up.

“Screw it, let’s go!”

“It’s not like we can actually get hurt anyway!”

“Manpasikjeok! We trust you! Don’t let us down, brother!”

“Let’s do this!”

A massive group dance erupted.

Each note carried a song, so their movements weren’t completely synchronized, but gradually, they began aligning.

It was a fascinating experience.

Watching their dance slowly match the rhythm of my playing.

Was this the power of the Manpasikjeok?

The sacred treasure of Silla, said to bring peace and prosperity.

Even someone like me, who had no real knowledge of music, was transforming Dragon’s Speech Song into a performance on another level.

Or…

Maybe it wasn’t such a mismatch after all?

The Manpasikjeok was said to be a gift from King Munmu, who became a dragon.

Of course, it would pair well with Dragon’s Speech Song.

Piririri, Piriri!

I continued playing, without pause.

The tune began to shift into something strange.

Even though I was playing just a single note, the entire song was resonating.

Echoing.

Layer upon layer.

One song, two songs, three songs overlapping, as if forming a choir.

My fingers danced effortlessly over the flute’s holes.

My breath, heavy yet grand.

And yet, the melody was bright and lively.

[Acquired the trait: Performance.]

I clenched my fist internally.

‘Nice!’

Dance, song, music, acting, decoration, prayer.

[Performance] was one of the ingredients for the [Wish] trait.

That’s right.

The Wish trait.

It wouldn’t solve everything, but in Arcane Seoul, it was one of the most powerful traits to have.

Was it because I used the Manpasikjeok?

Or was it due to the special benefits of the Dokkaebi Kingdom?

Either way, I had acquired it quickly.

Now that I had the trait, there was no need to keep playing.

I put away the Manpasikjeok, and the Dokkaebi collapsed on the spot.

“Hah… hah… that was exhausting.”

“I burned myself out completely…”

“Ugh, look at my calves.”

“My shins are totally wrecked.”

“Let’s drink!”

“Booze!”

“Makgeolli!”

A feast of food and drink broke out.

“Drink up, drink up!”

The Dokkaebi poured makgeolli generously.

A whole bucketful.

Dokkaebi-sized bellies and alcohol tolerance—both were massive.

Now that I thought about it, last time I came here, I hadn’t drunk much because I was headed to the Gunslinger Ruins afterward.

“Kkuooeok.”

I downed an entire bucket of makgeolli and let out a long burp.

The Dokkaebi clapped in delight.

“As expected of our Kim West!”

“Kim West is the best!”

“Will we ever meet another Kim West like this?”

“Not a chance.”

“Kim West, you have to live a long, long life, okay?”

What was this, Unbelievable Stories?

I just chuckled and let it slide.

After accepting and drinking a few more buckets of makgeolli, I stood up.

Alongside the Manpasikjeok in my hand, I took out the Golden Ruler’s Staff and the Flame Bead.

At that, the Dokkaebi’ eyes sparkled.

“It’s time to head out into the world.”

“Finally!”

“At last!”

“Hooray! We’re going to Seoul! Seoul!”

“They say horses go to Jeju, but Dokkaebi go to Seoul!”

But before we started, I had to confirm one thing.

“So… where exactly is this going to connect to? If we land in the wrong place, it’ll be a mess.”

It was the same in the game.

The Dokkaebi had appeared by crashing into an apartment complex on the outskirts of Seoul.

Luckily, no one was hurt, but the entire complex had been destroyed. Imagine the chaos that followed.

One of the entry quests for Dokkaebi Kingdom involved resolving the conflict with the displaced apartment residents.

It wasn’t particularly difficult.

A bit of negotiation, completing a few minor quests, and paying a small amount from my inventory—it was over just like that.

“No idea.”

“Don’t know.”

“We’ll probably land somewhere in the peninsula.”

“At least it won’t be north of Baekdusan.”

“And we won’t end up across the sea.”

So, in short, it was random.

“Got it.”

No matter where we landed, I could handle it.

I’d just compensate accordingly.

If I offered ten times the standard compensation, who would refuse?

At the end of the day, all unresolved negotiations boil down to a lack of money.

A sufficient amount of money is indistinguishable from a divine miracle in a negotiation.

I stacked the three Dokkaebi Kingdom treasures together.

“Let’s begin.”

“Here we go, here we go, here we go!”

“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”

The Dokkaebi surrounded me.

I poured mana into the artifacts.

The Manpasikjeok emitted a green light.

The Golden Ruler’s Staff radiated golden brilliance.

The Flame Bead glowed a deep crimson.

The lights intertwined.

A rainbow of colors unfolded.

The shimmering, seven-colored brilliance enveloped me, the Dokkaebi, and all of Dokkaebi Kingdom.

The world slowly faded.

The sheep-clouds melted away, the furry ground evaporated.

Even the fairy winds disappeared, leaving only their laughter behind.

And then, a new world emerged.

Though it was the dead of night, the land below shone as if the stars had descended from the sky.

A forest of glittering skyscrapers stretched endlessly into the horizon.

Seoul.

“Wait…?”

In that moment, I realized I had screwed up.

The descending world—

The dimensional pocket of Dokkaebi Kingdom—

Was plummeting directly toward the city.

Toward Seoul.

Not the outskirts.

Straight into Gangnam.

And not just any part of Gangnam—

We were headed directly for Samseong-dong, where countless corporate headquarters were clustered together.

And more specifically, right onto a particular skyscraper, hundreds of meters tall.

BOOOOOM!

A thunderous crash, like a temple bell ringing.

Space itself warped.

The building twisted and shattered in all directions.

Thankfully, the bizarre rules of this phenomenon ensured that all people landed safely on the ground.

But the building—this multi-trillion won skyscraper—

Was utterly destroyed.

No, calling it “destroyed” wasn’t enough.

It had been completely reduced to rubble.

Not in a day, not even in an hour—

It had been turned to ruins in a single second.

Crushed beneath the weight of an entire otherworldly realm.

“What the hell…?”

And at the very center of the disaster stood a woman.

Even in the dead of night, she was impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, wearing rimless gold glasses, immersed in her work.

Seong Huiyeong.

–TL Notes–

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