Trait Hoarder – Chapter 175

Nephilim Sword – Part 3

I sent everyone away, leaving only Janet behind.

“Teacher? Should we spar?”

“That won’t work. Neither of us can maintain it for long.”

This wasn’t like training with Baek Sorin.

If Mars Swordsmanship was a combat-based sword style, then Nephilim Sword was purely about Qi Blade theory.

A sword art solely focused on the manifestation of Sword Qi.

That was what Nephilim Sword was.

It had no specific forms or movements.

Even in the game, it provided an enormous attack power boost but offered no bonuses to accuracy or defense.

“Show me a demonstration first.”

“Yes.”

“Go as slow as possible.”

“I’ll try.”

Janet drew her Black Blade.

The black energy sword fit perfectly in her grip.

She activated Nephilim Sword.

A chaotic light flared from parts of her mana circuit, concentrating onto the blade.

A swirling mix of black and white energy burst forth.

“Haa!”

But within mere seconds, it flickered out.

Janet, now pale, turned to me.

“Did you see it?”

“Yeah. I saw it, but…”

I couldn’t grasp it.

Even with Master of the Sword equipped, even with Bright Eyes, Sixth Sense, and all my sensory traits active, I couldn’t fully comprehend it.

Of course, if I could understand it just by watching once, I wouldn’t be Warrior Kim—I’d be Seo Woojin.

I had seen the flow of mana and felt its properties, but that was all.

‘I can’t just watch.’

That thought came to me strongly.

I rolled up the left sleeve of my Star Spawn armor and held out my arm to Janet.

“Try it on me.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Yeah.”

“No way! Teacher, your arm will get cut off!”

“I’ll just reattach it.”

“Are you insane?”

Janet stared at me in horror.

I simply shrugged.

“This is how superhumans do things. It’s fine. It’ll heal quickly.”

“You’re really… You treat your body way too carelessly! If you don’t want it, just give it to me instead!”

“Haha. Being reckless is how I got this strong. If I survive, I get stronger.”

“No matter how strong you get, there are limits!”

After several reassurances, Janet hesitantly brought the Black Blade to my left arm.

I had already removed my Iron Fist Gauntlet, exposing bare flesh.

She hesitated for a long moment before squeezing her eyes shut.

Mana surged as she released Sword Qi.

In an instant, my arm was severed.

And along with it, my mana circuits were torn apart.

Blood vessels, nerves, even my mental pathways—

‘Gghhh…!’

A tremendous wave of pain crashed into me.

It flooded my senses.

Stronger than any fever I had ever suffered.

Because this wasn’t just a normal cut.

It was Qi—a pure manifestation of mana—shredding my very existence.

I gritted my teeth and endured.

I thought I had built up a tolerance to pain, but I nearly blacked out.

Blood streamed down my chin as I clenched my jaw.

Barely managing to swap my traits, I pressed the severed—no, shattered—remnants of my arm back into place.

My flesh and blood boiled and bubbled, beginning to regenerate.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Now that I had felt it firsthand, I understood—

This method was wrong.

Both Sixth Sense and Prophet’s Loop whispered to me, warning me never to try that again.

So then, how was I supposed to inherit it?

‘In the game…’

I searched my memory.

I had never played the Nephilim Sword storyline myself.

But I had watched plenty of streamers do it.

From what I saw on those broadcasts, each of the Big Three Sword Arts had a different method of inheritance.

Mars Swordsmanship was passed down through dueling.

Kalaratri was learned through a combination of dance and pursuit.

And Nephilim Sword… was through debate.

‘Wait. Debate?’

Yes. Debate.

I remembered a scene where Janet solemnly spoke, and the player character countered her, engaging in a discussion about the principles of swordsmanship.

That worked because the player was at least a Swordmaster.

I stared blankly at Janet.

‘Can I even debate with her?’

She avoided my gaze.

She was still too young.

This was nearly ten years earlier than in the game’s timeline—right now, she was basically a middle schooler.

Despite my doubts, I decided to ask.

“Janet. What is Qi?”

“Huh?”

“The Innate Qi you use. The Qi you manifest through Nephilim Sword. The Sword Qi I wield as a Swordmaster. What exactly is it?”

I honestly wasn’t expecting much.

She was too young.

She had rushed to Level 5 and obtained Nephilim Sword too quickly.

Her theoretical foundation had to be weak.

Mine wasn’t much better.

If someone asked me the same question, I’d just parrot the game’s description and leave it at that.

“Um… Well…”

Janet hesitated.

But then, she sat up straight and began speaking.

“The way I see it, Qi—at least, as described by Nephilim Sword—is the light of the soul.”

“The light of the soul?”

“Yes. Unlike Sword Energy, it’s not just a condensed form of mana. It’s a fusion of mana as the body, and the soul as the mind—it’s a second self. A duplicate of oneself. A manifestation of the spirit.”

“A manifestation…”

“Yes. That’s why, even among high-level superhumans, only warriors can use Qi. Reinforced warriors gain strength from external augmentations, mages manipulate the laws of the world, and priests channel divine power. But warriors? Warriors delve into themselves, into their own unconscious, perhaps even reaching their soul’s essence to grow stronger.”

…Huh.

I had underestimated her.

Contrary to my assumption, Janet’s words contained a fragment of truth.

She must have noticed my gaze because she grinned sheepishly.

“That’s just my opinion. I can feel something when I use Nephilim Sword, but it’s too vague to explain clearly.”

Of course.

Nephilim Sword was Qi Blade theory.

Like the old saying, “The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao.”

It wasn’t a step-by-step methodology.

It was a realization.

“I see Qi as transcendence and constellations.”

“Transcendence? Constellations?”

“That’s right. There’s a reason the word Gang (罡) is used in names like Big Dipper Gang. If Qi was just Qi taking shape as a blade, we could just call it an Qi Blade and be done with it. But it’s more than that. It’s the path to transcendence, the gate to the stars—that’s what I believe Qi is.”

“That’s too complicated.”

“Did I make it too difficult? It’s similar to what you said. You described Qi as the light of the soul, right? Think of it this way—can you see the soul of an ordinary person?”

“No. Not unless a necromancer injects mana into it to extract it.”

“Exactly. A lingering spirit tainted by mana, a corrupted soul—those might become visible. But normally, you can’t see a soul. Yet, you can see Sword Qi. Not just see it, but fully materialize it. That’s an even greater transformation than gas turning into liquid or liquid into solid. What does that tell us?”

“Oh! I get it now! It means the soul itself has become stronger—no, it has ascended to a higher state!”

“Exactly.”

Something must have clicked for Janet.

She suddenly lifted her shield and began striking the air.

Thud! Thud!

Her shield shimmered, and from its center, a black-and-white flower of Qi bloomed.

‘She’s already adapting?’

So debate does work.

And it wasn’t just her.

I could feel something stirring inside me as well.

Just a little more.

A little more, and I felt like I could grasp something.

“Do you know why the Nephilim Sword was created?”

Janet suddenly asked.

“I do. It was made to achieve godhood.”

“I finally understand. If you keep refining Qi, refining it over and over again, you can eventually forge your soul into a true avatar. And once that avatar grows, you become a god.”

“That alone isn’t enough.”

“Huh?”

“Strengthening just the soul isn’t enough. Look at the gods. Even Old Father lost much of his power when he died and lost his body. You need both—a spiritual body and a physical body. The Nephilim Sword might allow someone to reach Level 9, but it won’t get them to Level 10.”

“Level 9… That sounds like a dream.”

“For now, just keep that in mind.”

Reaching Level 10, becoming a god, required something special.

A divine slaying or a great feat had to be accomplished.

Even I wasn’t thinking that far ahead.

In the game, Level 10 was only unlocked in Episode 9, when the Dimensional Rift and Divine Raid were introduced.

For now, Level 9 was more than enough.

Enough to conquer the world.

Enough to kill the Saintess and prevent the Ancient God’s resurrection.

“So, strengthening the soul is the key.”

“Exactly. And Nephilim understood that. That’s why Qi exists.”

“The Nephilim were angelic hybrids, so they could use Qi from birth.”

“Just like how dragons are born as a magic race. Even their hatchlings can use magic.”

“They say a true warrior should be able to wield Qi as naturally as breathing.”

“As naturally as breathing?”

“Yes. Effortlessly. Just like how people don’t consciously calculate every muscle movement when using their fingers. They just do it.”

They just do it.

That phrase resonated deep within me.

This is the key.

I reached out my hand.

I spread my fingers wide and tried to summon Sword Qi.

Of course, it didn’t work.

I was still a newly awakened Swordmaster.

I had to focus deeply, control my breathing, and tense my core just to activate Sword Qi.

Normally, it would take years of training before I could wield Qi as effortlessly as Janet described.

I frowned slightly.

Seeing this, Janet placed her hand over mine and spoke softly.

“Teacher, breathe. Just breathe like you normally do. You’re not using Sword Qi—you’re just breathing.”

It was difficult to accept.

Up until now, I had been activating Sword Qi like an active skill.

But now, I had to use it like a passive skill?

“…Ah.”

A sudden flash of insight struck me.

The difference between an active and passive skill.

In a game, the distinction was clear.

But in this world—

In this reality, which had become a fully realized world—

My chest tingled.

I was so close to grasping something.

Janet smiled faintly as she sensed my realization.

Then, as if playing a hand game, she began moving her hands in front of me—opening, pushing, grasping, and weaving through the air.

Pop! Pop-pop!

Black-and-white Qi burst forth like fireworks.

Several times, her Qi brushed against my hands, yet it did no harm.

At some point, she had achieved mastery over Nephilim Sword.

Not perfectly.

She wasn’t yet using its innate mana cultivation method.

But she had reached the point where she could fully control its destructive power.

I stared, mesmerized by the luminous display.

The starlight before me.

A stairway to the constellations.

Or perhaps, the light of the soul.

They swirled in a radiant dance, transmitting a powerful realization into me.

A truth beyond words.

A lesson that could not be taught with language or explained through writing.

A revelation.

A constellation formed in my mind.

And finally, a single radiant sword pierced through my thoughts.

“Huuuup!”

A surge of enlightenment erupted within me.

It felt as if my brain was evaporating from the intensity.

My blood boiled, pounding against my skull.

Heat. Euphoria. Exaltation.

My entire body was overwhelmed.

I spread my fingers wide.

White Sword Qi flared and split apart.

Trailing along my fingers—

Like a tiger’s claws, five distinct Qi blades extended outward.

Janet laughed brightly.

“You did it, Teacher!”

“This is only the beginning.”

I said as I gazed at the white Qi in my hand.

A moment of sudden realization.

It was undeniably a success.

I had achieved the control over Qi that a seasoned Swordmaster would have.

But had I inherited Nephilim Sword?

No.

The color of my Qi was white.

Not the black-and-white of Nephilim Sword—this was a pale, spectral white, born purely from my own soul.

But this was the final step.

I retrieved a Diamond from the safe.

There was nothing left to prepare.

I was about to use up everything I had earned from defeating the Massacre Empress.

Wuuuuuung.

The Diamond let out a deep hum.

Janet smiled as she watched the Nephilim Sword Gem form.

“It only took a day? Back when Sorin did it, didn’t it take much longer?”

“Yeah. Sorin and I both struggled a lot back then. But today, it ended quickly.”

“Hehe. Can I go back to Aachen now?”

“Of course. I’ll book you a first-class ticket.”

“Wow! Really?”

“Yeah. I have plenty of money.”

Janet’s face lit up with childlike excitement.

At moments like this, she really did seem like a middle schooler.

But after seeing her just now, I knew I couldn’t treat her like a child anymore.

It had only been a few months since she became my student, yet she had grown so much—physically and mentally.

Kwoooooom!

The Nephilim Sword was absorbed into me.

My mana circuits flared up, glowing red-hot.

It felt similar to when I had obtained Mars Swordsmanship.

A terrifying pain tore through my nervous system and circulatory system.

The agony was nothing like when I had inherited Sword and Spirit as One from Seo Woojin—it was dozens of times more intense.

“Huff… Haaah…!”

No—

This was still better than when I had acquired Mars Swordsmanship.

Back then, I had experienced the Heavenly Killing Star, heard bizarre hallucinations, and felt violent impulses.

This time, there was none of that.

My Master of the Sword trait trembled and shuddered, but the transfer itself was surprisingly stable.

I only coughed up some blood and clawed at the ground so hard that my fingernails fell off.

“Huuuu.”

I swung my hand.

A black-and-white Qi trailed behind my palm.

The mana consumption was still severe, but the manifestation was now stable.

Janet clapped her hands.

“That was perfect!”

“Thanks.”

“I should be the one thanking you. If it weren’t for you, I…”

She shuddered, recalling the time when we first met.

“I’ll rest for a bit and then head to Aachen.”

“Alright. Let Woojin know before you leave.”

“Got it!”

I swung my sword.

I channeled Nephilim Sword through the Black Tiger Sword.

It definitely consumed more mana than using Sword Qi alone.

But the attack power—

It was significantly stronger.

Sword Qi already multiplied attack power, but now it was like multiplying it again on top of that.

‘If I use Mars Swordsmanship to create an opening and then strike with Nephilim Sword…’

And if I finish with Kalaratri?

It would be an instant kill.

The concept of switching between the Big Three Sword Arts seamlessly was starting to take shape in my mind.

Training Time.

I locked myself in the training hall for days.

Janet had already left, and Seo Woojin sparred with me, helping me refine my techniques.

I had planned to dedicate at least two weeks to training.

But then—

Urgent news arrived via Choi Sunsoo.

“Black Tiger Swordmaster! We have a serious problem!”

“What happened?”

“Chairman Seong… Chairman Seong is critically ill!”

Seong Huiyeong?

That was odd.

How could a Level 7 superhuman be in critical condition?

“What? Was she attacked?”

“T-That’s the thing—she’s been poisoned!”

“She can just use an elixir. What’s the problem?”

This didn’t make sense.

Elixirs could bring people back from the dead.

And the Geumo Group should have plenty of them stocked.

Choi Sunsoo frantically shook his head.

“They already used one! But the poison only got worse! At first, she just lost consciousness, but now she’s on the verge of dying!”

“…What?”

An elixir failed to detoxify the poison and instead worsened the condition?

As far as I knew, there was only one type of poison—or rather, curse—that worked like that.

And in the game, this specific venom was only used once.

A few months before the zombie outbreak in Episode 2.

It was deployed to cripple one of the Five Great Conglomerates ahead of time—

Not against the Geumo Group.

But against the Shinhwa Group.

‘What the hell is going on?’

I didn’t know the full details.

But one thing was certain.

The zombie outbreak—

Episode 2 was approaching.

–TL Notes–
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