Thor Cultivation Technique — Part 3
An unexpected windfall.
In most situations, Black Flame is actually better.
Black Flame stacks divinity, darkness, and fire attributes.
Unlike Lightning, which stacks divinity and electricity.
However, that doesn’t mean Black Flame is strictly superior to Lightning.
Because of Mjolnir.
‘There’s a difference between sustained damage and burst damage.’
I absentmindedly stroked Mjolnir.
Rumble.
The moment my lightning-infused hand touched it, Mjolnir let out a low, thunderous hum.
As if competing, Aegis on my left forearm flickered lightly.
Would Gaia grant me an Earth attribute if I met her?
Infuse Lightning to throw Mjolnir, then imbue Earth to deploy Aegis—sounds like a solid strategy.
A dual-attribute Paladin.
A build I’ve never even seen in the game.
“Watch closely.”
The Pontiff extended his hand.
Whoosh—Mjolnir flew in from somewhere.
An exact replica of the one I held.
The Pontiff of the Thor Cult was originally a Paladin, wasn’t he?
Though he now belonged to the Priest class, he was once both a warrior and a priest.
Crackle, crackle.
He conjured lightning and infused it into Mjolnir.
A storm of electricity began to rage.
Only around Mjolnir.
It didn’t affect anything else, solely concentrating on the hammer.
“Whoa…”
I couldn’t help but be impressed.
The sheer precision of mana control sent shivers down my spine.
The condensed mana and divine power were downright terrifying.
It looked powerful enough to bring down a skyscraper with ease.
‘Accumulation, then explosion.’
But the Pontiff exceeded even my expectations.
With a light flick of his wrist, he threw Mjolnir.
Swish!
Mjolnir soared through the air.
Then it split.
In an instant, ten, then twenty copies formed, multiplying into hundreds, flooding the office.
The most astonishing thing was that, despite this, not a single gust of wind was generated.
The hanging curtains didn’t even flutter.
Even my sense of touch detected nothing.
Only one perception remained active.
Mana sense!
The lightning masses had transcended light itself, making them invisible.
Yet, the mana continued to multiply dozens of times over—this was absolute insanity.
A bombardment of lightning—silent, formless, without wind or sound.
Only superhumans—high-level ones, at least level 5 or above—could perceive it.
A carpet-bombing that could easily wipe out an entire small city.
Gulp.
I swallowed dryly.
The Pontiff flashed a bright smile before clapping his hands playfully.
“Boom!”
“Hngh!”
“Haha, just a joke. I wouldn’t destroy the Grand Temple.”
Mjolnir returned obediently.
The blazing power that had roared like the primordial thunder was now completely gone.
Watching that, I cemented a new concept in my mind.
‘Accumulation, explosion… and transcendence.’
Defying all laws of physics.
No wonder level 8 is called the Transcendent Realm.
I defeated the level 4 Cleaner Association Chairman at level 2.
I defeated the level 7 Old Man at level 5.
That had planted the seeds of arrogance in me, but today, my eyes were truly opened.
Of course, comparing that pitiful Old Man to the Pontiff of the Thor Cult was absurd.
In the game, he was merely background lore—he wasn’t even an extra.
But seeing him in reality? Calling him SSR-grade wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
“Do you understand now?”
“A little. I’ve learned a lot.”
“Oh? You’ve learned a lot?”
“Yes. I can’t do it yet, but I’ll use this as a milestone for my growth.”
“Why don’t you give it a try? I’ll watch.”
I gripped Mjolnir and lifted it.
A moment of hesitation.
[Vajra Body] [Indomitable] [Undying]
[Mana Soul] [Mana Armor] [Sigurd Cultivation Technique]
Before meeting Thor, before facing the Pontiff, these were my traits.
I had already used up all my debuff resistances.
They had changed again.
[Vajra Body] [Indomitable] [Undying]
[Mana Soul] [Thor Cultivation Technique] [Lightning]
This setup was fine.
Mana Soul, Thor Cultivation Technique, and Lightning were enough.
But this wasn’t my full power.
That was my dilemma.
Should I use Trait Swap to reveal my full strength, or should I just use what I currently had?
‘Thor already knows.’
Not just about Trait Swap.
He knows I’m an Otherworlder.
‘Revealing it outright could be a strategy in itself.’
This was a turning point.
Even if the Pontiff learned about my Trait Swap, the chances of him harming me were low.
The god he serves had marked me as a Warlord, the leader of the Einherjar.
What could he possibly do?
He might even have to face me after death.
Silently, I swapped my traits.
[Divine Power] [Radiance] [Sacred Artifact]
[Thor Cultivation Technique] [Mana Soul] [Lightning]
The Pontiff’s eyes widened.
He slowly clenched his fist.
Power surged within me.
I ignited all the mana in my body.
The fierce, intense mana unique to the Thor Cultivation Technique surged majestically through my mana circuits.
I ignited Lightning.
Radiated Divine Power and Radiance.
Then poured everything into Mjolnir.
Kwarrrrng!
Lightning erupted.
The blinding flash felt like it could scorch my retinas.
I looked down at Mjolnir, unfazed.
I could feel it.
The various metals composing Mjolnir.
Celestial Gold, True Silver, World Iron, Dwarven Steel, Elven Bronze, and more.
Celestial Gold formed the core.
World Iron and True Silver acted like muscles.
Dwarven Steel was both the bones and the outer shell, while Elven Bronze was the binding agent.
Especially Celestial Gold.
It shimmered, completely saturated with lightning.
This was a mana circuit.
The bloodstream and nervous system of a weapon.
I focused.
I infused my mana.
Revved up my Divine Power.
Guaaahhhng!
Mjolnir roared like an engine.
I could see it.
The power was completely under control.
No longer spilling outward.
Contained entirely within the hammer—no, refined into pure lightning within.
Even its form was beginning to fade.
A pure mass of lightning roared wildly in my grasp.
This was like…
‘Astrapē.’
Zeus’ lightning spear.
A weapon that wasn’t even shaped like a spear, but pure lightning given form.
The power was immense.
The Mjolnir I had been throwing up until now, the lightning storms it had unleashed, were nothing more than child’s play in comparison.
Even Black Flame couldn’t stand against it.
At the very least, I’d need to summon Supreme Flame to match this.
‘This is my limit.’
Unfortunately, I couldn’t go beyond this point.
Transcendence.
I wasn’t yet capable of holding that concept in my hands.
Not even with the amplification of Radiance and Sacred Artifact.
Maybe if I acquired a higher-tier trait or raised my level, I could push further, but for now, this was the best I could do.
“Hahaha.”
But the Pontiff simply laughed in disbelief.
“To think you could manifest Annihilation Thunder on your first attempt… Hahaha, what was the point of all my years of struggle…?”
Annihilation Thunder?
This was Annihilation Thunder?
That’s the highest-tier trait of the Lightning attribute.
Like Ultimate Flame or Supreme Flame.
So, as long as I have Mjolnir, I can manifest Annihilation Thunder.
Through a special technique and traits.
‘But am I not getting the trait?’
Hearing the name Annihilation Thunder, I started testing Mjolnir.
I threw it, swung it, and even released a small amount of power.
Kwaaang!
Lightning coiled and twisted like a dragon.
The Pontiff panicked and hurriedly deployed a barrier to keep the office from being obliterated.
Unfortunately, I didn’t acquire the trait.
It seemed to be an ability that required Mjolnir to use, rather than a trait I could keep.
I smirked at the Pontiff, who was now looking at me in exasperation.
“Thank you for teaching me. I’ll make good use of it.”
“Ugh. I feel like I’ve been stripped bare. What do you think? Why not take this opportunity to receive the sigil? I won’t just make you a high-ranking Knight Commander—I’ll appoint you as the Supreme Commander of the Crusaders. While the Grand Knight Commander must be at least level 7, the Supreme Commander position is open to level 6 as well.”
“I still want to live my own life. Thor also told me there’s no need to rush a decision.”
“Tsk! I shouldn’t have shown you this. If I had known you were an Omnipotent, I would have never demonstrated it. This technique is only taught to the Holy Order’s Paladins, and yet you managed to copy it after seeing it once.”
“Omnipotent?”
That was a term I had never heard before.
The Pontiff blinked before giving me a warm smile.
“You don’t know?”
“This is the first time I’m hearing it.”
“I suppose so. It’s knowledge passed down among high-ranking mages and priests. Warriors typically aren’t aware of it. You’re the second Omnipotent I’ve encountered.”
“What exactly is an Omnipotent? I’ve heard of something called the ‘Cheongeopjigoseong’—a blessing of infinite talent and ten thousand supernatural abilities.”
That was what I had been told.
By the Spirit of Magic.
And by the Sun Mage Tower Master.
“Cheongeopjigoseong? Hmm, so that’s what they call it in Asia? A name full of romanticism—an infinitely long tribulation and a supremely noble star… We simply call it Omnipotent. It refers to a being with the potential for lower-tier divinity, a great soul that has reached the pinnacle through countless reincarnations and cycles of rebirth. In this world, it manifests as the ability to evolve one’s mana circuits in real-time.”
The Pontiff looked at me.
His piercing gaze seemed to see right through me.
I clenched my fist instinctively.
Real-time evolution of mana circuits.
If that wasn’t Trait Swap, what was?
“An Omnipotent can evolve their mana circuits at any time. But only for the circuits they have learned and mastered. No matter how gifted, even an Omnipotent cannot create a mana circuit they do not understand.”
A great soul.
Now I understood why the Saintess called me that.
The heads of religious orders must all be aware of this.
“Who was the other Omnipotent you encountered, Your Holiness?”
“The Heavenly Demon.”
The Heavenly Demon!
It clicked instantly.
A long time ago, the President of the Protector Alliance, the Blood King, told me something.
That I reminded him of his master.
Not in appearance, but in aura.
Back then, I had no idea what he meant.
But now, it was clear.
The Heavenly Demon must have been an Omnipotent—a Cheongeopjigoseong.
“I thought a Cheongeopjigoseong could use every supernatural ability in existence. There are some abilities I can’t learn.”
“Haha. Even an Omnipotent has limits. Isn’t that obvious? Without divine lineage, one cannot awaken divine blood. Without a dragon’s lineage, one cannot create a Dragon Pearl. It’s the same principle. If the conditions aren’t met, even an Omnipotent cannot awaken a supernatural ability or inscribe a new mana circuit. If they could, they wouldn’t be human—they’d be gods.”
That made sense.
So, I couldn’t acquire unique traits or bloodline traits.
Tok, tok, todok.
The Pontiff tapped his desk.
A rhythmic vibration carried a specific mana wavelength.
A priest entered, carrying a magical box.
The Pontiff opened the box and showed me its contents.
One golden-glowing crystal vial.
Two iridescent crystal vials.
Five crimson-liquid-filled crystal vials.
Five starlit crystal vials.
I swallowed instinctively.
Because I recognized them the moment I saw them.
“A bribe for you.”
“You’re giving all of this to me?”
“The Greatest Lightning has given me a revelation. You may become a Warlord in the future, perhaps even my superior. It’s best to stay in your good graces ahead of time, don’t you think? I’d love to offer you Megingjord and Járngreipr as well, but those are reserved exclusively for the Holy Order’s Paladins, and I can’t distribute them at will.”
That’s fine.
This is more than enough.
These four types of potions alone are already overwhelming.
Elixirs. Nectars.
On top of that, top-tier healing potions and top-tier holy water.
At this level, they couldn’t even be bought with money.
They were, quite literally, extra lives.
Even though it’s not on the level of an Elixir, a single vial of this potion could save someone on the brink of death.
Even someone just moments away from mutating.
Considering that I could use these to save Elixirs for more dire situations, these were truly essential for me.
“Thank you. You’ve been incredibly generous. I will make sure to repay this kindness.”
“Haha. It’s a bribe, a bribe.”
What if I just took everything and never looked back?
Well, he’s the Pontiff of an entire religious order. He must have plenty of these.
From his perspective, it’s not a bad investment if he sees it as securing an insurance policy.
‘I should visit the Gaia Cult as well.’
The Gaia Cult was located on Greece’s Mount Olympus, wasn’t it?
Would they be just as generous with their handouts?
I hadn’t planned on going since I had no particular connection to them, unlike with the Thor Cultivation Technique…
No, wait.
I have Mars Swordsmanship.
Mars is the Roman equivalent of Ares.
Ares is Gaia’s great-grandson.
Mars may be alive but forgotten, tucked away in some corner of Italy, but if I play that connection well, I should be able to squeeze something out of them.
“Thank you again for everything today.”
“Haha. No, it is I who must thank you in advance. Don’t pretend not to know me later.”
“Of course.”
With that, we exchanged farewells.
Had I stayed in private conversation with the Pontiff for too long?
The way the priests looked at me was unusual.
“Greetings. A fine afternoon to you.”
“Hello.”
“Are you leaving now?”
“Please visit us again.”
“Brother, may you have a blessed day.”
It wasn’t just the priests.
Archbishops, Knight Commanders, Ministers, Grand Stewards, and even members of the Holy Assembly approached to exchange words with me.
I responded appropriately—polite but not overly engaging—before making my way out of the Grand Temple.
“Whew!”
I felt a slight headache, but the gains were more than worth it.
My initial goal was acquiring the Thor Cultivation Technique.
On top of that, I obtained Control, Unity, Roar, Acceleration, and Lightning traits.
Oh, and I can’t forget Mistilteinn’s God-Slaying ability and the four types of potions.
This was easily a 300% success rate compared to my original plan.
“Let’s go home.”
[Yes, Master. Shall I prepare the Sky Ship?]
“It’s too big and too slow.”
[I will transport you comfortably.]
Riding the Red Cougar made my back ache.
But even that was better than traveling at a sluggish 60 kilometers per hour.
I set it to autopilot and reclined the seat as much as possible.
I couldn’t lie flat because of the sports car’s design, but it was still better than sitting at a stiff 90-degree angle.
Swish!
The Red Cougar soared through the frozen skies of Northern Europe.
I felt great—at least until I entered South Korean airspace.
And even after arriving in Seoul, I was in a good mood.
Right up until the moment I heard that my building—
The 120-billion-won Gangnam skyscraper I took from the Old Man—
Had been attacked.
–TL Notes–
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