Trait Hoarder – Chapter 272

Heavenly Demon Cult – Part 3

The cultists were completely fired up.

It took quite a while to calm them down.

The Great Elder wore a very displeased expression as he asked,

“You’re really, truly not the Heavenly Demon?”

“I told you I’m not.”

“But just now, that was clearly…”

“That was just an imitation.”

In the Cult, which worships strength and power above all, mastering the Heavenly Demon Arts is enough to be recognized as the Heavenly Demon, regardless of origin.

The problem was—I hadn’t mastered the Heavenly Demon Arts.

I just temporarily copied them using the World Trait.

Not gonna lie, I did consider pretending to be the Third Heavenly Demon.

But the moment I ran into the Divine Commander, I’d be exposed.

Better to be honest from the start than deal with an enraged Cult screaming about betrayal.

“Huh…”

The Great Elder shook his head as if he couldn’t make sense of it.

“The Heavenly Demon Arts are not something so trivial they can be mimicked.”

“I know. They’re the greatest martial arts in both ancient and modern history, right? Just call it my special ability. I can copy any martial art I see on the spot.”

“…What?”

“W-what did you say?”

The Great Elder and the nearby cultist both looked stunned.

The cultist respectfully bowed his head to the Great Elder, then swung his palm through the air.

Boooom!

A blood-red aura tore through the air.

[Blood Killing Palm]

Not a bad technique.

I instantly used the World Trait to acquire Blood Killing Palm.

Whatever they felt in that moment, I could see the Great Elder and the cultist’s jaws drop wide open.

Under their watchful gazes, I unfolded Blood Killing Palm myself.

Boooom!

Maybe because I’m Level 8?

The power exploded out even more forcefully than when the Level 7 cultist used it.

“Wooooah!”

“Waaaah!”

“Sir? What was that?! You couldn’t do this before, right?”

“Holy crap. An instant martial arts copying ability… that’s actually possible?”

“Yep. Apparently. Though, I can’t copy every martial art.”

If there are special conditions attached, I’m out.

Still, a solid success.

Among the World Trait’s three abilities, Trait Predation had now fully bloomed.

If I had awakened it earlier when I first dropped into this world, it would’ve been even better.

Too bad I’d already acquired most of the traits that were useful to me.

“Hoo… I understand.”

The Great Elder let out a light sigh.

“Though you are not the successor to the Heavenly Demon Arts, that copying ability alone makes you worthy of being treated as an honored guest of our Cult. From now on, you shall be hosted as such.”

“Thank you.”

“You truly are not the Heavenly Demon? Though you are undeniably the Heavenly Demon’s Vessel, surely you’re not hiding the fact that you’ve already mastered the Heavenly Demon Arts?”

“I told you, I haven’t.”

I want to learn the Heavenly Demon Arts.

Seriously.

If I had that and could copy it using the World Trait, then stack it…

Even if Saintess went full Phase 3 or the Old Father descended to the mortal plane, I’d still solo them with ease.

The Great Elder stood up.

“Let us go. I will guide you.”

“Great Elder! Allow me! How could someone as busy as you—”

“I’m less busy than you, what are you saying? Besides, we’re talking about someone who could very well become the Third Heavenly Demon. I must personally lead the way. Guiding the future Heavenly Demon is an honor of a lifetime. You’re not trying to steal my glory, are you?”

“N-no, of course not.”

The Three Gates of the Heavenly Demon were located at the outer edge of the Cult’s territory.

From there, it was quite a long walk before we arrived at the Cult proper—nestled deep between high, craggy valleys.

After a considerable hike, we passed through a magical barrier.

The moment I stepped past the main gates, a strange pressure pressed down on my shoulders.

“Ugh…”

Baek Sorin glanced around warily.

Then her gaze locked on a tall peak in the distance.

“Wh-what is that? That mana ripple…?”

“That’s the Heavenly Demon.”

The Great Elder spoke proudly.

“He has remained in seclusion for a long time, but even in meditation, he continues to watch over us.”

“Ha…”

Seo Woojin was already dazed out of his mind.

Is this what it feels like when a Legion Commander drops their spiritual presence across an entire city?

The aura wasn’t hostile.

But it was heavy and suffocating, reigning over this land at all times.

If the Heavenly Demon ever felt murderous intent, the entire Cult would probably drop dead from cardiac arrest.

‘That’s insane.’

But it made sense.

Level 9 was god-tier, celestial-class.

Other than a few Greater Gods like Thor or Gaia, most were considered Level 9.

Even the Old Father, whose physical body had been lost, was no exception.

Janet spoke with awe in her voice.

“The Heavenly Demon really is a god. Now I get why Level 9s are such a big deal.”

“This… feels just like when we met Kala during the Great Rift…”

“Ahem! But of course. The Heavenly Demon is the god of all martial arts, of strength, and of battle itself!”

The Great Elder’s nose practically pointed to the heavens.

As we chatted, we reached a well-maintained boulevard.

Traditional ancient Chinese-style buildings lined both sides of the street.

At the same time, trees, street lamps, and flashing holographic signboards made for a dazzling contrast.

A city blending modern and traditional aesthetics.

And among it all, two statues stood out.

Both nearly the size of the Statue of Liberty.

They stood at the center of the city—or close to it.

They were so massive you could see them even from the outskirts.

And there were two of them.

One, a muscular man wearing a Black Dragon martial robe.

The other, a more slender man holding a long sword at his side.

The Black Dragon guy was slightly smaller. The sword guy, a bit taller.

I knew what they were.

I’d seen them plenty of times in the game.

“What are those?”

Kali pointed at the statues.

The Great Elder and the other cultists turned beet red the moment she did.

“Th-those, those—!”

“How dare you!”

“Huh? What? What’s the problem?”

Before the cultists could explode, I gently grabbed Kali’s hand and lowered it.

“They’re the Heavenly Demons.”

“Huh? The Heavenly Demons?”

“Yeah. The one in front is the Second Heavenly Demon—the current one. And the one holding the sword behind him is the First. The one who defeated the Evil God and founded the Heavenly Demon Cult. Am I right?”

“Ahem!”

The Great Elder begrudgingly nodded.

“That is correct. Just as you said. In the past, when we said ‘Heavenly Demon,’ we meant only the First. But ever since the current one ascended, we’ve come to distinguish them as the First Heavenly Demon and the Current Heavenly Demon. Nowadays, the title usually refers to the latter.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Ahem! Please be more careful in the future.”

I couldn’t help but keep glancing at the statues.

Maybe they were infused with some kind of power?

Baek Sorin quietly stepped closer and whispered.

“Teacher. Did the First Heavenly Demon use a sword?”

“Yeah. The current one fights with fists.”

More accurately, he uses palm techniques.

“Why? If the First used a sword, shouldn’t the current one follow suit?”

“The Heavenly Demon Arts aren’t bound to any weapon. If you use a sword, it becomes sword arts. Use a spear, it becomes spear arts. Use a gun, and—well, gun arts.”

“You can use it with a gun?!”

“In theory.”

That’s why the Heavenly Demon Arts in the Three Gates and the ones in Arcane Seoul are composed differently.

Heavenly Iron Wall, Heavenly Demon Arts, and Dominion Step are the same, but the attack techniques diverge—Heavenly Demon Shattering Sword versus Heavenly Demon Shattering Palm.

I glanced up at the sword held by the First Heavenly Demon’s statue.

‘I wonder if the Heavenly Demon Sword exists in this world?’

In the game, it was just data—a legendary weapon.

Despite being man-made, it was stronger than any authentic divine relic.

Stronger than True Mjolnir, stronger than True Aegis.

Its attack power far surpassed the Black Tiger Sword, and its additional abilities were better than Mjolnir and Aegis combined.

If I could get my hands on that weapon, I wouldn’t wish for anything else.

The Black Tiger Sword’s still good… but I’ve used it for too long. It’s getting stale.

“Who’s that?”

“No idea.”

“Must be an outsider.”

People whispered as we walked through the city.

As expected from Arcane Seoul’s strongest faction.

Not a single person was below Superhuman.

Even the kid on the street was Level 1.

The shop owner? Level 2.

The patrolling guard? Level 4.

As we passed from the outer district into the inner sanctum of the Cult, the level inflation got ridiculous.

Even the guy slacking off on watch duty was Level 5.

Someone who looked a bit higher in rank? Level 6.

Level 7s weren’t even rare.

According to the game, the Cult had well over a hundred Level 7s.

Just in the Warrior class alone.

“Did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“That outsider cleared the Three Heavenly Demon Gates.”

“What? Nonsense. Even the Divine Commander only cleared up to the second gate and gave up on the third. You’re telling me someone cleared all three? That’s insane.”

“The guy on duty at the gates is my friend. He posted it on SNS. Look.”

“Photoshopped. You actually believe that?”

“I mean, probably?”

“Not one of the Cult’s Eight Main Sects, and an outsider at that? Cleared the Three Gates? Come on. At least lie more convincingly.”

They couldn’t believe it.

That’s typical for cultists.

Their pride in the Heavenly Demon Cult pierces the sky.

No matter how amazing an outsider’s feat is, they won’t acknowledge it until they see it with their own eyes.

Thud! Kuuung!

And just as expected—the event triggered.

A guaranteed event if you enter as an outsider with high fame and a Warrior-type class.

A hulking man in full steel armor blocked my path.

Every step he took, he slammed down a mace as long as a staff. With each impact, the pavement shattered beneath him.

“I am Jang Wonjun, Commander of the Iron Horse Division!”

He bellowed with a thunderous voice.

“Word is spreading that our guest has cleared the Three Heavenly Demon Gates. Let’s see what you’re made of!”

He raised his mace.

Gray aura flared from it, spiking out like thorns.

His entire mana circuit lit up with bright flashes.

[Master of the Blunt Weapon]

A top-tier trait on par with [Master of the Blade].

Gamers never liked it much.

There weren’t many good blunt weapon skills.

But if you had Mjolnir, it was a whole different story.

“You wretch, Jang Wonjun!”

The Great Elder glared at him.

“How dare you act so rudely to our honored guest! Do you not understand what clearing the Three Gates means?!”

“Forgive me, Great Elder. But did he really clear the Three Gates? I mean, a complete nobody just pops up and supposedly clears them, and I’m supposed to kneel and accept that? What sense does that make?”

“You insolent—!”

“It’s fine.”

I waved my hand and stepped forward.

Then I drew Mjolnir from my waist—ever since I crafted the Ambrosia Magic Chip, I always kept it with me—and stared down the behemoth.

“I’m well aware of the Cult’s customs. If anyone wants to challenge me, go right ahead. Just be ready to get wrecked.”

“Heh heh heh. So confident, are we?”

“Obviously.”

[World][Sacred Knight][Thunderbolt]
[Giant’s Strength][Mana Soul][Combat Veteran]

I stared at the giant.

Locked onto the mace wreathed in gray aura.

Through the World Trait, I could see it.

No, feel it.

The mana circuits, woven like a tangled loom.

Its structure and nature laid bare.

Whooosh…

“W-what?!”

Wind stirred.

Mana surged into me. The World Trait stirred.

Maybe he sensed something—he flinched and stepped back in alarm.

Too late.

His trait had already been copied into me.

[Master of the Blunt Weapon]

The World Trait shifted to adopt [Master of the Blunt Weapon].

And with that, pure white aura erupted from Mjolnir like spines.

The only difference in color was due to our mana types—the structure was identical.

The behemoth’s eyes bulged wide.

“No way?”

Using [Thunderbolt] and [Sacred Knight], I added Annihilation Lightning on top.

Crackling and flaring, the lightning imbued in the aura danced wildly.

A storm of lightning surged from Mjolnir.

A storm compressed to ultra-high density.

If I unleashed it at full power, it could level a small city without breaking a sweat.

Just like the Pontiff of the Thor Cult had once shown me.

“Still want to go through with this?”

“Ghh…”

The giant clenched his teeth and glared at me.

Then, with a roar, he charged.

“The Heavenly Demon is with me!”

BOOM!

Of course, the giant didn’t last a single strike.

Mjolnir and the mace clashed with a thunderous impact.

The mace’s aura instantly evaporated.

The giant was hurled back dozens of meters, coughing blood.

“Commander Jang!”

“Oh my god, he went down in one hit!”

“Get the battle healer! Hurry!”

I turned to the Great Elder and said,

“He shouldn’t be dead. But he’ll need a few days of rest.”

“Thank you for showing mercy in your strike.”

“Not at all. No need to kill someone who isn’t my enemy.”

Honestly, it was because of [Master of the Blunt Weapon].

That Cult giant had skipped right past all the lower traits and gifted me the top-tier one.

It warmed my heart. Made me forget about showing off entirely.

“Eastern Blade of Black Tiger! I request a spar!”

“Teach me a technique!”

“Let us see what the East is made of!”

“The Black Tiger Sword? I remember someone who used to flash that around. Let’s see how strong his disciple has become.”

The cultists lined up, one after another, asking for duels.

The Great Elder tried to stop them, but I waved him off.

I stepped forward myself, raising my sword, and entered an endless series of sparring matches.

Why?

I had plenty of reasons.

[Super Strength][Iron Body][Observation]
[Lower Core][Ambush][Darkness]

All these small traits.

[Spiritual Merchants][Protective Aura][Shapeshift Disguise]

Upper-tier traits for Warrior classes, especially martial artists.

[Sky-Demon Sword Technique][Blood Dragon Spearmanship][Silent Hand Demonic Arts]
[Dark Soul Archery][Ghost Step]

And tons of martial arts techniques on top.

Not that I’ll actually use most of them.

What I’ve been using already is way better—in both efficiency and firepower.

‘Still, gotta archive them.’

You never know when something might come in handy.

Maybe I should contact Choi Sunsoo and have him stockpile magic gear and chips?

If I collect every shared trait and Warrior-type trait in Arcane Seoul, it’ll pay off big someday.

“I yield.”

The last cultist dropped to his knees.

He held a massive shield.

From the start, he’d focused on defense, holding the shield up, but it didn’t matter.

[Master of the Shield][Heavenly Wall][Sacred Knight]
[Earth][Giant’s Strength][Mana Soul]

With that combo, I blasted him in one shot.

He was the only one who didn’t pass out entirely.

The first and last to stay conscious.

No doubt about it—[Master of the Shield] was great.

[Heavenly Wall] might win in pure defense, but the master trait was much more versatile.

“Huh…”

The Great Elder looked at me with admiration.

“Today will go down in our Cult’s history. To defeat a hundred Level 7 commanders in seconds! Not even I, nor the Divine Commander, have done that. Only the Heavenly Demon Himself ever managed such a feat!”

“You flatter me.”

Recorded in history?

I don’t care about that.

All I care about is collecting traits.

Which is why I was in a damn good mood.

I picked up two usable traits right away.

[Master of the Blunt Weapon][Master of the Shield]

There were also cultists with [Master of the Spear] and [Master of the Bow].

Even one with [Master of the Fist].

I grabbed every one of them the moment I saw them.

Except for traits with restrictions, I drained everything down to the bottom.

‘All that’s left is Wish and Evolution.’

There’s a limit to how strong you can get by collecting traits alone.

Sure, I can probably combine a few to make high-tier traits, but the output will be about the same.

Six trait slots.

No matter how I combine them, the results won’t vary too wildly.

Still, collecting traits is almost instinct for me.

With each new one stacked, I felt a deeper sense of satisfaction in my chest.

‘If only I could copy the Heavenly Demon Arts… it’d be broken.’

Unfortunately, that seems out of reach.

The Heavenly Demon Arts are too vast, too transcendent for the World Trait to fully consume.

Maybe once the World Trait fully matures…

‘Come to think of it, it’s a little strange.’

I can’t consume the Heavenly Demon Arts.

But I could copy and use them so easily.

The Mage Tower Master couldn’t touch them, and even the two Legion Commanders struggled to control it.

Is it really just because I’m the Heavenly Demon’s Vessel? Or because I’m a True Omnipotent?

Or…

“We’re here.”

No time to think about it now.

Before I knew it, the words [Hall of Repentance] stood before me.

Not a creepy cave like you’d expect, but a grand and luxurious estate.

This was where the Blood King was being held—

One of the only three people who could open the Heavenly Demon’s Chamber.

And the one who could link us to the Divine Commander.

–TL Notes–
Tired of seeing Ads? Then please support me on Patreon! Any tier of subscription will make it so you won’t get any ads!

If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/InsanityTheGame

Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt