Trait Hoarder – Chapter 174

Nephilim Sword – Part 2

I couldn’t combine it right away.

Just like how Gunslinger’s top-tier traits required specific conditions, Master of the Sword also had prerequisites.

High-difficulty quests, completing specific labyrinths, earning achievements, and so on.

Of course, if you used a paid item, none of that mattered.

“Let’s head down.”

The Sky Ship began to shrink.

From the size of an aircraft carrier, it gradually reduced to that of a destroyer.

The only thing that remained unchanged was the bridge.

I stepped out of the bridge and found myself inside my mansion.

While an aircraft carrier was too large to dock, a destroyer could manage.

Once Red Cougar disembarked, the ship shrank down to the size of a toy raft and settled into the safe haven of my pocket.

Waiting for me outside were Choi Sunsoo and Kim Chulkwon, likely having heard the news.

“Black Tiger Swordmaster! You’ve returned!”

“You’ve worked hard.”

“No need to say that. Everything went well while I was away?”

I had been gone for nearly two weeks.

Thankfully, both of them looked fine.

“Things are going smoothly. The redevelopment of Guro-dong is on track, and we’ve also started work on Daerim-dong.”

“I take it the government was cooperative?”

“The redevelopment of Daerim-dong was something both the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the national government desperately wanted.”

“What about the gangs?”

“Chulkwon did most of the work.”

“After the Terror Alliance was discovered, the Eastern Army sent reinforcements. The soldiers made things much easier. Haha!”

That made sense.

Before, people might have turned a blind eye, but after the Terror Alliance was exposed, gangs became irrelevant.

Even the locals must have been more cooperative.

I nodded in satisfaction.

“You both did well. I should give you a bonus soon.”

“No need! My life belongs to you, Black Tiger Swordmaster! You’ve saved me twice now—how could I ask for a bonus? I already received more than enough in advance.”

“The same goes for me. If not for you, I would’ve died months ago. And I even reached Level 5 thanks to you. I can’t ask for more.”

“Alright, understood.”

I said that, but I still planned to reward them.

Both were highly capable.

Choi Sunsoo handled public matters, while Kim Chulkwon took care of the underworld.

Thanks to them, I could disappear for weeks at a time to focus solely on training.

If I gained something, I should give something in return.

For Choi Sunsoo, money.

For Kim Chulkwon, a new build.

“Manager Choi, I have a job for you. Good timing. Go buy some swords.”

“Swords?”

Choi Sunsoo glanced at my waist in confusion.

The Black Tiger Sword was securely sheathed there.

Naturally, I wasn’t asking him to buy swords for myself.

“All types. Western longswords, greatswords, katanas, traditional Korean hwandos, Chinese dao, shamshirs, scimitars, kukris—you name it. Every single one has to be a different type. They don’t need to be magic swords, but they should be handcrafted by master blacksmiths. If they’re factory-made, they need to be top-tier luxury items.”

“Ah, so they’re not for personal use.”

“Right. I don’t need any more swords. These are disposable. Charge the cost as an expense.”

“How many do you need?”

“One thousand. No more, no less.”

Choi Sunsoo’s mouth slightly opened in surprise.

It was more than he expected.

Of course, it was.

There were exactly one thousand types of swords in Arcane Seoul.

And this world wasn’t too different.

“Whether it’s kitchen knives or anything else, if it’s a blade, bring it. It won’t be easy, but you can handle it, Manager Choi.”

“Ugh… How soon do you need them?”

“As soon as possible. No need to deliver them all at once—just send them as you gather them.”

“Understood. I’ll start immediately.”

“Sunsoo, I’ll help you.”

“Ah, that’d be a great help.”

Choi Sunsoo and Kim Chulkwon quickly got into a car and drove off.

Seo Woojin looked at me and asked,

“Teacher, why swords?”

“I need them to become a Swordmaster.”

“What? A Swordmaster?”

Seo Woojin and Janet’s eyes widened.

Janet, in particular, looked completely dumbfounded.

“But Teacher, aren’t you Level 6? Don’t you need to be at least Level 7 to become a Swordmaster?”

Seo Woojin shook his head.

“No, it’s rare, but there have been cases of people becoming Swordmasters at Level 6. Even in the Goryeo era, Cheok Jun-gyeong became a Swordmaster at Level 6. Oh… Are you planning to do it like Yeon Gaesomun?”

“Yeon Gaesomun?”

“You know, the famous story about how he became a Swordmaster by breaking swords. He destroyed a thousand swords, and when only five remained, he finally completed Sword Qi.”

That actually happened?

I hadn’t heard of it, but I got the gist.

It was the same reason I needed a thousand swords.

In the game, once you gathered six required traits, a temporary button appeared.

[Generate Sword Qi]

Pressing it would cause all equipped swords to glow and then shatter.

There were no exceptions.

Unless a weapon had an indestructible property like the Black Tiger Sword, everything would be destroyed.

A warning message popped up, but players who ignored it ended up breaking expensive weapons and had to beg customer support for item recovery.

Destroying one thousand different types of swords granted an achievement.

[Shattering a Thousand Blades]

That achievement was one of the conditions for obtaining Master of the Sword.

It was much easier than completing quests or labyrinths.

All it required was money.

It took quite a bit of time, but that wasn’t a problem.

“Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

“That won’t be easy. Some of my ancestors attempted it but failed. They said there must be special conditions or a unique martial art required.”

“I know. That’s why I’m making sure everything is in place.”

“Are you serious?”

Seo Woojin swallowed nervously.

Becoming a Swordmaster must have sparked his ambition.

“You just keep doing what you’re doing. At this rate, you’ll become a Swordmaster at Level 7 without any problems.”

“I could teach you my method, but if I do, the First Sword you worked so hard to master will be erased from your mana circuit. Mana collision will occur.”

“R-Really?”

“Stick to the standard path. Everyone has a method that suits them. You don’t need to obsess over becoming a Swordmaster at Level 6. It’s better for you to reach Level 7 first.”

“You’re probably right, Teacher. I’ll do that.”

Seo Woojin bit his lower lip as he glanced between me and Janet.

From the looks of it, he felt a competitive spark now that Janet had become a Swordmaster at Level 5.

Or maybe—just maybe—it was inferiority creeping in.

I let out a short laugh.

This was Seo Woojin, a rich kid who reached Level 5 the moment he awakened and was now at Level 6.

And yet, he was jealous of both Baek Sorin and Janet?

I found it ridiculous.

I raised my hand and patted his shoulder firmly.

“Don’t compare yourself to Janet. She’s a natural-born Qi wielder. From a warrior’s perspective, she was a Swordmaster from the moment she was Level 0.”

“T-That’s…”

“What matters isn’t Sword Qi. Just because you can wield Qi Blade, does that automatically make you a Swordmaster? No. Your mind, energy, and body must be in harmony. From what I can tell, your body and energy are excellent, but your mind is weak.”

“I’ve noticed that too.”

Was it because he suffered from fevers as a child?

His body was strong, and his mana was exceptional, but his mental fortitude lagged behind.

After a long time, I finally had a proper rest in my bed.

I cooked a decent meal myself, then headed down to the training hall.

Piles of swords were stacked in one corner.

These were the weapons Choi Sunsoo had sent.

I picked up a straight sword, one similar to my Black Tiger Sword.

“Hooo…”

I took a deep breath.

[Master of the Blade] [Flash] [Severing Moon]
[Sword and Spirit as One] [Sword Qi] [Sword Barrier]

My traits remained the same.

In the game, this would have been simple. But in reality, I wasn’t sure how to proceed.

I started by channeling my mana.

Holding my breath, I pushed it into the sword.

Carefully, stacking it like building blocks—or sculpting a sandcastle.

‘Ah.’

I understood.

My mana circuits.

Upon closer inspection, the six overlapping circuits resonated and intertwined like branches of a tree.

Or like layers of a spider web merging into a greater whole.

The peculiar energy that formed in between—

It burned like wildfire. It flashed like lightning.

I poured it all into the sword.

The blade gleamed.

With a flash, white crystalline formations sprouted.

“Gasp!”

“W-Wait, is it actually working?”

Seo Woojin and Janet, who had been sparring nearby, reacted in shock.

But of course, it didn’t work on the first try.

Crack!

Before the white crystal could fully form—

A sharp, chilling rupture echoed.

The straight sword shattered into dozens of fragments.

The metal itself had burned away entirely.

“…That’s a shame.”

“I really thought it would work.”

“If it worked on the first try, I wouldn’t have told Manager Choi to buy all these swords.”

I still had a long way to go.

This time, I picked up a katana.

Again, I infused mana.

Another failure.

Again, I infused mana.

Another sword shattered.

It wasn’t easy.

Blindly injecting mana wasn’t the answer.

Each time I channeled mana, my six-layered mana circuit resonated, generating unique energy.

I needed to go beyond simply understanding it—I had to completely internalize it.

‘I could fail at this.’

I needed to stay focused.

I had gone all the way to Germany to obtain the Nephilim Sword—if I failed to inherit it, what was the point?

It would be like cooking porridge just to feed it to a stray dog.

Sure, reaching Level 7 and becoming a Swordmaster before obtaining the Nephilim Sword wouldn’t be the worst outcome.

But it wouldn’t be the same as achieving it at Level 6.

According to my plan, I intended to obtain Kalaratri just before hitting Level 7.

At Level 6, I would fully master the Big Three Sword Arts and Thor Cultivation Technique.

Then, I would consume a Reconstruction Elixir infused with all these traits.

If I succeeded, I would become immensely powerful.

If I failed, I would be significantly weaker by the time I reached Level 7.

‘I will make this happen.’

I was already strong.

But when I thought about the Saintess waiting at the end of Episode 3—

When I thought about the Ancient God preparing to descend—

I knew I couldn’t stop here.

I had to become stronger.

Stronger. Stronger. Stronger.

Whether I wanted to return to my original world or conquer this one and rule it, the outcome was the same.

“Hooo…”

I lifted another sword.

Raising it as if to pierce the heavens.

Then, I infused my mana.

Crack!

The sword shattered.

I repeated the process.

Picking up a sword, breaking it. Picking up another, breaking it again.

I entered a trance.

Seo Woojin and Janet said something beside me, but I didn’t hear them.

I didn’t try to.

Even without a Meditation trait, I delved deep into my own consciousness.

I focused entirely on observing my mana circuits, immersing myself in the Qi they created.

I threw my conscious thoughts into my subconscious.

And then—

A form began to take shape.

A mental image.

It was rough and unrefined.

A single blade.

It had entered my mind.

“Hngh…”

A groan escaped me.

My hands moved faster.

My mana erupted as if it had been waiting for this moment.

Using both hands now—

Right hand shattering. Left hand breaking.

My eyes followed each sword as it broke.

But my focus remained locked onto one thing.

The white sword in my mind.

How much time had passed?

I thought I caught a glimpse of Choi Sunsoo.

I vaguely saw Kim Chulkwon bowing deeply.

I even sensed Kim Mabeob and Kim Saje passing by.

But I didn’t register them.

The only thing I held onto was one thing—

The sword.

“Ah.”

And then—

Like a bolt of lightning, understanding struck me.

A tremendous impact shook my entire being.

My six mana circuits collapsed—

Then reassembled in a dance-like motion.

They, too, formed the shape of a sword.

Even the mana circuits imprinted on my body took the form of a blade.

And the realization that pierced my mind—

Was also shaped like a sword.

I had become a sword.

With my body, my mind, and even my soul, I was forging myself into a blade.

Chaaang!

I drew my sword.

The final sword.

Black Tiger Sword.

At some point, I had already used up all one thousand swords that Choi Sunsoo had gathered.

I extended the blade forward.

Its jet-black edge gleamed like a tiger’s fang, reflecting the mana lights around me.

I engraved that radiance into my heart.

And from it, I pulled forth the sword of my mind.

A transparent, white blade sprouted.

It resembled the energy swords often seen in sci-fi movies, yet its texture was like crystal-clear glass, filled with starlight and white flames compressed within.

Neither too fast nor too slow, the Qi coated my sword.

As if a new blade had formed atop my existing one.

Everyone around me stared at the Black Tiger Sword and the white Qi as if mesmerized.

“Sword Qi…”

The mark of a high-level superhuman.

A technique that only a Level 7 Grandmaster could truly wield.

“Kuhk!”

I coughed up blood.

One second.

That was all it took.

Just one second of using Sword Qi, and I had suffered internal injuries.

“Teacher!”

“Black Tiger Swordmaster!”

“Are you alright?”

Everyone rushed toward me.

Even Choi Sunsoo hurriedly unlocked a safe and pulled out a top-tier healing potion.

No. That wasn’t necessary.

I could fix this just by swapping traits.

I equipped [Undying], [Resurrection], and [Regeneration], then waved them off.

“I’m fine. Leave it.”

“But you suffered internal injuries! You need to heal right away!”

“I just need a short rest. Put that potion away. Using it now would be a waste.”

Choi Sunsoo hesitated, but eventually placed the potion back into the safe.

I really would be fine.

My reflection in his eyes—

The pale complexion I had moments ago had already returned to normal.

‘The mana consumption is insane.’

That was because I had used Sword Qi with only Master of the Sword equipped.

If I had set up my usual combat traits—

[Master of the Sword] [Giant’s Strength] [Mana Soul]
[Black Tiger Invincible Sword Art] [Thor Cultivation Technique] [Grand Assault]

I could’ve lasted three seconds.

‘Still, only three seconds, huh?’

If I also used lower-tier traits like [Mana Recovery], [Mana Absorption], and [Deep Breath]?

The duration might increase a little, but exceeding five seconds would be difficult.

That was how Sword Qi, or rather Qi Blade, worked.

It devoured mana at an absurd rate.

‘It’s best used as a trump card.’

Fighting while constantly wielding Sword Qi was something only Level 7 and beyond could handle.

But I didn’t need to rely on it all the time.

Even if I just used Sword Energy, the difference between an ordinary Master of the Blade and a Master of the Sword was massive.

“Teacher! Congratulations!”

“A Swordmaster at Level 6? That’s insane!”

“The reporters would go crazy if they found out!”

“I’m not planning to announce it yet. Keep it a secret for now.”

“Haha! Of course! I won’t say a word!”

I brushed off the flood of congratulations.

For some, becoming a Swordmaster was a lifelong dream—the ultimate goal.

But for me, it was just a stepping stone.

The second step after Mars Swordsmanship.

And now—

It was time to step onto the next path.

The path of a sword technique so powerful that even calling it the Ultimate Sword Qi wouldn’t be enough.

A technique that boasted the strongest offensive power in all of Arcane Seoul.

–TL Notes–
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