Trait Hoarder – Chapter 127

Divine Fate — Part 2

Despite the torrent of objections, the Tower Master remained unyielding.

“Should I just lock this away in the Tower’s vault, then?”

The Tower Master swept his gaze over the elders with cold eyes.

“As soon as I return, I’ll convene a Four Towers Council meeting. There, I’ll officially declare the Solar Eclipse Sect as an enemy of the Tower.”

“An enemy of the Tower?”

“That… That’s…”

“Surely that’s unnecessary, Tower Master.”

The elders expressed their unease.

But the Tower Master had clearly made up his mind.

“Elder Jo committed treason. And what does it say that not a single Solar Eclipse Sect mage showed up to stop her, even as things escalated to this point? It’s obvious—they were all sacrificed to her.”

“Hmm!”

“That’s true.”

“Sacrificing their own members… That’s pure madness.”

“There’s no way we can recognize such a vile group as an official sect. I plan to publicly sever all ties with the Solar Eclipse Sect and erase them entirely from history. They will never rise again. Now, think about this—if we, the Tower, seize all of the Solar Eclipse Sect’s assets and treasures, how will it look to outsiders?”

I understood what he was implying.

It would seem like nothing more than a power struggle.

Not that it really mattered, but the Tower Master clearly had a deeper agenda.

His goal wasn’t just to strip the Solar Eclipse Sect of their power—it was to destroy them so thoroughly that they could never recover.

There’s a stark difference between being the victim of political infighting and being a sect so evil that they sacrificed an entire island like Ulleungdo in the name of black magic.

‘This is what mages’ battles look like.’

As for me, I just planned to reap the rewards and move on.

After all, I’d gone through hell to get here—earning an Eight Great Treasure-level item wasn’t too much to ask.

Just like I’d received the Black Tiger Sword from the Eastern Army Commander and the Geumo Set from the Geumo Group.

The elders, however, weren’t ready to give up just yet.

“Why not give him something else?”

“Black Tiger Swordmaster has done well, but the Eclipse Ring is simply too much.”

“Then what should I give him? If not for the Black Tiger Swordmaster, we would’ve been utterly humiliated. Did you not see what happened outside? If the ritual had succeeded, Elder Jo would’ve become an 8th-Level Colossus. Not a mage—a colossus. She would’ve unleashed mutations across the entire island, weaponizing Ulleungdo against our Tower. Can you even begin to calculate the damage that would’ve caused?”

“Even if Elder Jo had become a colossus, we would’ve defeated her.”

“Sure, we would’ve won. But there would’ve been casualties. I can’t guarantee that I would’ve come out unscathed against an 8th-Level Elder Jo. Some of you here would likely have died—perhaps half of you. So tell me, what weighs more? Your lives or the Eclipse Ring?”

Faced with this argument, the elders could no longer object.

They lowered their heads in reluctant agreement.

“Understood. We won’t oppose this any further.”

“It’s not like he’s an ordinary warrior—he’s the Black Tiger Swordmaster. For the sake of the future, it’s probably the best choice.”

“And it also allows us to publicly mark our complete severance from the Solar Eclipse Sect.”

And so, the [SSR Eclipse] became mine.

The Tower Master gave me a playful wink.

“Try it on.”

For the first time in months, I removed the mana storage ring I’d been wearing.

I slid the Eclipse Ring onto my finger in its place.

Ssshhhh.

A faint whisper echoed in my ears, almost imperceptible.

But only for a moment.

Then, a wave of power—hot and cold, dark yet seductive—surged through me, brimming just beneath the surface.

The trait embedded in the ring was [Eclipse].

It was a composite trait of [Mana Devouring], [Mana Absorption], and [Mana Storage].

While it had the drawback of gradually corrupting its user due to its origins in black magic, that didn’t concern me.

After all, the Crow Helm, the Geumo Helm, protected my mind with its intangible power at all times.

The Tower Master must have known that as well, which is why he felt confident giving me the Eclipse Ring.

“Wow…”

Kim Mabeob looked at me with envious eyes.

“Black Tiger Swordmaster, you’re so lucky. An Eight Great Treasure… How is it we’re both Level 5, but there’s such a massive gap between us?”

“If you work hard to build up your mana, you’ll grow much stronger too.”

“Still, I’ll never catch up to you, will I?”

“I won’t deny it.”

There’s no way to surpass my Trait Swap ability.

Even being a golden spoon can only take you so far.

“Well, let’s wrap this up. Have the disciples clean up the area and prepare a simple funeral for Elder Jo.”

“Yes, Tower Master.”

By the Tower Master’s order, I stayed at the Sun Mage Tower for a few days.

During that time, I heard the full story behind the aftermath, and it was truly astonishing.

“Haha, to think they embezzled this much.”

Even the Tower Master sighed in disbelief after reviewing the reports.

The Solar Eclipse Sect had been siphoning resources from the Sun Mage Tower for decades—no, centuries.

The Tower had been aware they were skimming to some extent, but it had been tolerated for the sake of maintaining unity. However, the scale of their theft was unimaginable.

And all of it had been poured into their ultimate goal:

The birth of a 9th-Level Grand Mage.

Kim Mabeob tilted his head in confusion.

“Level 9? Do you think they could’ve really achieved that?”

“Based on the reports, it was possible. It would’ve required an absurd amount of resources, human sacrifices, body modifications, rare elixirs, and the essence of a phoenix fused with a Black Crow magic chip, but the potential was there.”

In the Tower Master’s office, he paused mid-sip of his coffee and tapped his fingers on the desk.

“With proper research, and if we substituted their crude designs with a Golden Crow Magic Chip, the heart of a divine phoenix, and the Sun Mage Tower’s Solar Heart Furnace, it might’ve been possible to create a stable Level 9 Grand Mage…”

Typical mage behavior—always pushing boundaries, even when discussing forbidden topics.

It sounded like a haphazard build thrown together in a raid boss fight.

Something you’d only see in-game as an exclusive mechanic for a boss monster.

“The side effects must’ve been unimaginable.”

I casually threw out the remark without hesitation.

The Tower Master, who had been lost in thought, suddenly let out a dry laugh.

“True. Warriors really are intuitive. The side effects are enormous. Even in the best-case scenario, it would strip away one’s humanity.”

“Strip away humanity? Grandfather, what does that mean?”

“What do you think it means, kid? It means turning into a psychopath.”

“Wha-?! That’s unacceptable!”

“Of course it is. A Level 9 Grand Mage without emotions… That’s not just a disaster. It’s an apocalypse.”

Even in the best-case scenario, the result was psychopathy.

What about the worst-case scenario?

The answer was simple: a raid boss.

A monstrous mutant, a colossus driven purely by the instinct to slaughter, devoid of reason or intelligence.

The Tower Master tilted his head slightly.

“Though the chances were slim, Elder Jo might’ve actually reached Level 9. If that had happened, our Tower would’ve suffered catastrophic losses. Just giving you the Eclipse Ring doesn’t feel sufficient.”

“There’s no need for anything more. The Eclipse Ring alone is already more than I deserve. I’m deeply grateful.”

“Hmm… Let’s see. I’d like to give you something worthwhile, but nothing else seems suitable. There are a few things I can think of, but they don’t match your caliber.”

The Tower Master’s gaze scanned me slowly, evaluating me from head to toe.

As weapons, I had the Black Tiger Sword, Mjolnir, and Aegis.

For armor, I had the Protective Suit and the Geumo Set.

For accessories, I had the Heart of Abundance, the Eclipse Ring, and the Danger Detection Ring.

Maybe another ring would’ve been a good addition, but there weren’t many rings that could replace the functionality of Danger Detection.

“Grandfather!”

Kim Mabeob, who had been quietly standing by, suddenly lit up and interjected.

“How about giving him the Red Cougar?”

“Hmm? The Red Cougar?”

“Yes! Black Tiger Swordmaster drives that old junker of his. The Red Cougar would be a perfect gift! If you’re going to give him something, it should at least be on the same level as the Eclipse Ring! Our Eight Great Treasures—or rather, Seven now—are all geared toward mages, so he can’t use them anyway!”

“Well, that’s true, but the Red Cougar is…”

“Then what about the White Bull? Warriors love SUVs, don’t they? Even Black Tiger Swordmaster’s current car is an SUV!”

“That… That’s not the point.”

For once, the Tower Master seemed flustered.

The Red Cougar?

I couldn’t help but recall the time I drove it while searching for the Phoenix Valley.

The car had felt like an extension of my body—responsive and smooth, practically gliding under my control.

The White Bull was tempting too, but it wasn’t quite on the same level as the Red Cougar.

Besides, I’d always preferred sports cars over SUVs.

The only reason I drove an SUV now was because it had been free. If I had to spend my own money, I wouldn’t have bought one in the first place.

“Th-The Red Cougar is a bit much. Maybe another flying car instead…”

“Wow, Grandfather!”

Kim Mabeob glared at him, his eyes wide with indignation.

“You’re being so stingy to Black Tiger Swordmaster! He’s not just any warrior—he’s the Black Tiger Swordmaster! The Eastern Army Commander personally acknowledged him, the Geumo Group’s chairman practically proposed to him, and he’s an Honorary Paladin of both the Thor and Gaia Orders, not to mention the savior of the Old Father’s Cult! And you’re offering him some random flying car? Not the Red Cougar, not the White Bull, not even the Black Charger? Just some flying car? That’s so unfair! He even helped you with the Black Flame research and found the Phoenix Valley twice!”

“But still, the Red Cougar…”

“Grandfather, I didn’t know you were such a cheapskate!”

Only a grandson could say something so boldly.

The Tower Master, visibly flustered, finally snapped.

“Fine! Fine! He can have the Red Cougar! Are you happy now? Ugh, raise a grandson and this is the thanks you get—no respect for his old man!”

“Hehe! Grandfather, you’re the best!”

“Tch. If you were a granddaughter, I’d marry you off to him. But no, you had to be born a useless boy!”

“Hey! I think I turned out great! Look at the Solar Eclipse Sect. That Hyungju guy ruined the whole sect because of his nonsense!”

“That idiot got manipulated by Elder Jo, but… Forget it. Think whatever you want.”

The Tower Master shook his head as if he didn’t even want to say Elder Hyungju’s name aloud.

He opened a desk drawer and pulled out a small magical chip.

It was the key to the Red Cougar.

He stared at it wistfully, as if reluctant to part with it, before handing it to me.

“Here. Take it.”

“Thank you. I’ve received so much already…”

“Well, you’ve done just as much for us. Oh, and one more thing—if that brat asks to borrow it, don’t let him. He’s totaled over ten flying cars already.”

Totaled ten flying cars?

But don’t flying cars have all sorts of safety features?

Kim Mabeob furiously shook his head in denial.

Then he gave me a pleading look—his eyes practically begging me to let him borrow it someday.

Given how he had stood up for me earlier, I felt like I should lend it to him at least once.

“Fine. But I’ll activate all safety settings and restrict the control permissions to the lowest level. If you drive recklessly like last time, I’m never lending it to you again.”

Kim Mabeob’s jaw dropped open in mock offense.

“Haha! Of course! I’d never abuse someone else’s car. My Grandfather’s car and someone else’s car—those are two completely different things! Trust me!”

“Tch, tch.”

The Tower Master clicked his tongue from the side.

“That Red Cougar’s as good as totaled. Black Tiger Swordmaster, care to bet? I say the Red Cougar will be wrecked and scrapped within a day of lending it to him.”

“Surely not. The Red Cougar’s spirit seemed quite intelligent when I tested it out.”

“Considering how many brain cells I lost designing that car’s spirit… Ugh. Do as you wish. You’ll only understand once you experience it yourself. That brat is a menace. I’m telling you, ten flying cars!”

Kim Mabeob grinned from ear to ear.

It seemed he was genuinely obsessed with flying cars—there was an unsettling glint in his eyes.

Normally, he came across as a goofy, harmless guy.

And honestly, he was pretty much a goofball.

But right now, he had the focused intensity of a man possessed.

People like him were the scariest.

I might need to rethink lending him the car after all.

After taking enough time to rest, I returned to the city.

The SUV would be delivered later by the Sun Mage Tower’s transportation service.

Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy a refreshing drive in the Red Cougar.

[It is an honor to serve you, Black Tiger Swordmaster.]

“Oh, I’m glad to meet you too.”

This car would pair nicely with the magic spirit of my estate.

I soared through the skies.

Before I even realized it, the towering skyline of Seoul—the City of Skyscrapers—was drawing closer.

---

In the spot where Warrior Kim had departed, the Tower Master gazed at the distant flying car with a profound expression.

“No matter how much I think about it, something doesn’t add up.”

“What doesn’t?”

“It’s about the Black Tiger Swordmaster. If he were just a regular person, this wouldn’t be possible.”

“Oh, come on. Wasn’t it you who said, ‘The world is vast, and there are all kinds of people out there’?”

“Listen here, kid. Does this make sense to you? Didn’t the Black Tiger Swordmaster use a quad-layered mana shield in the Dimensional Labyrinth?”

“Well, then that explains how he blocked the Solar Flame before.”

“Tsk, tsk. I should stop talking. You’re such a blockhead sometimes. I really wonder who you take after to be this dense.”

“Obviously, I take after you, Grandfather!”

“If you took after me, you’d have been a Level 5 mage, not just a Pyromancer.”

“Pfft.”

Sure, it’s possible for one’s abilities to change during the process of leveling up.

A warrior specialized in grand magic combat transitioning into a practical combatant? That’s plausible.

The Tower Master himself had seen such things several times over his life.

But a practical combatant using a quad-layered mana shield?

And not possessing a single artifact related to shields?

“Could he really be a Cheongeopjigoseong?”

The words escaped the Tower Master’s lips like a muttered thought.

He dismissed the idea almost immediately, but his mind kept circling back to it.

“Is it similar to Cheonmujiche? Or perhaps Heavenly Killing Star?”

“Not even close. It’s said to be a divine blessing that allows someone to use every ability in existence.”

“Come on, that’s absurd. Where would something like that even exist?”

“Well, who knows? You never can be certain. In fact, there was a rumor among mages a few decades ago about the appearance of a Cheongeopjigoseong.”

“What? Seriously?”

“Not many believed it. The rumor came from the Heavenly Mountains, after all.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, at the time, the Heavenly Demon was so terrifying that anything seemed possible. The man reached Level 9 in his 20s—can you even imagine how incredible that is? It spawned countless ridiculous rumors, to the point where it became impossible to separate truth from fiction.”

“You met the Heavenly Demon, didn’t you, Grandfather?”

“Yes, I did.”

It was decades ago, back when the Tower Master himself was young and brimming with vitality.

The image of the Heavenly Demon standing above a field of kneeling high-level superhumans, gazing up at the sky, was still seared into his memory like a brand.

“Hmm… Come to think of it, it’s not entirely impossible.”

“How so?”

“If he inherited mixed lineage, it could be feasible.”

“Mixed lineage? You mean like giants or spirit races?”

“Exactly. Off the top of my head, I can think of elves, dragons, and fallen angels. During the War of Divine Annihilation, most mixed races were either wiped out or returned to their own worlds, but it’s still possible through distant genetic inheritance.”

“Didn’t you say the chances of that were astronomically low?”

“They are. But it’s not unheard of. I occasionally receive reports about mixed-lineage individuals in my office. That’s very different from something as uncertain as the Cheongeopjigoseong.”

Even now, the Tower Master had a secret laboratory conducting experiments on mixed-lineage specimens.

A surge of curiosity washed over him.

What kind of lineage did Warrior Kim have?

What method could allow someone to change their abilities so drastically?

Part of him wanted to capture Warrior Kim and study him—but that wasn’t an option.

Unlike in the past, Warrior Kim was now a prominent figure.

It seemed Warrior Kim himself wasn’t fully aware of how significant he had become.

No matter.

If the traditional approach wasn’t viable, a more subtle method would suffice.

The Tower Master turned to look at Kim Mabeob, studying him intently.

Kim Mabeob reflexively shrank back.

“W-What is it? I don’t have to study math anymore, right?”

Kim Mabeob recognized the expression.

It was the look the Tower Master always wore when he was about to assign him a task.

“Mabeob.”

“Y-Yes?”

“How long do you plan to hang around the Tower like this?”

“Whaaat? I’m working hard! I just downed a ton of elixirs today!”

“Do you think raising your mana level is all it takes? What about your training?”

“I’ve been training! I spend four hours a day sweating it out in the training hall!”

“Training halls can’t compare to actual combat.”

“Huh? Actual combat?”

It wasn’t the word Kim Mabeob had been expecting.

His eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“Are you assigning me a mission?”

“That’s right. You’re an adult now, and a Level 5 Pyromancer at that. It’s time you earned your keep.”

“Awesome! What do I need to do? Bounty hunting? Dungeon exploration? Rift-breaking? You’re not going to make me collect materials, are you?”

His eyes were full of excitement.

The Tower Master feigned a stern expression.

“This is an important mission. Don’t take it lightly.”

“Of course! I’ll give it my all—even if it costs me my life!”

“That’s the spirit. That’s my grandson.”

The Tower Master’s eyes gleamed mischievously.

“Register for the Colosseum.”

“…Huh?”

“There’s an underground fighting arena in Bucheon—the largest in the country. Register there. Fight your way up the rankings. At the very least, you need to become the top-ranked mage in the Level 5 category.”

“Why?”

“I’ll explain later.”

A plan was already forming in the Tower Master’s mind, piece by piece.

Since reaching Level 5, Warrior Kim hadn’t visited the Colosseum.

But judging by his track record, it was only a matter of time before he went there to earn diamonds.

In solo matches, his growth would eventually hit a ceiling, which would lead him to participate in team matches—particularly the Unrestricted Battles.

That’s when he’d insert Kim Mabeob into Warrior Kim’s party.

Close enough to observe everything firsthand.

‘I’ll also need to recruit a Reinforced and a Priest.’

The Tower Master’s eyes gleamed with a sinister light as he pondered how to embed his agents into Warrior Kim’s party without raising suspicion.

–TL Notes–
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