Trait Hoarder – Chapter 280

Queen of the Night – Part 2

Everyone looked confused.

To them, it must’ve sounded like nonsense dropped in the middle of the night.

“I understand. Jewelers and artisans, you said… I’ll summon the ones affiliated with the Grand Temple.”

But the High Archbishop didn’t hesitate even a moment before agreeing.

He only cast a single glance at the vanished airport, the spot where the Queen of the Night had stood.

From his perspective, I was the only one he could trust.

Especially since Poca, who also served as the god of prophecy, had foretold this beforehand.

“Shall we return to the Grand Temple? If you would please wait a moment.”

“Let’s.”

The artisans arrived quickly.

There were quite a few of them.

And they had all sorts of traits.

From high-tier ones like Artisan, Blacksmith, Magitech Engineer—

To mid— and low-tier ones like Crafting, Modification, Quenching, and more.

I approached one of the artisans who had the Adornment trait.

FWOOSH!

No need for contact. No need for time. No need to spend diamonds.

The World Trait guaranteed easy implantation of traits.

A mana ripple only high-level superhumans could perceive twisted and surged, and the World Trait shifted to Adornment, embedding itself into my mana circuit.

One by one, I equipped the traits.

[Dance] [Song] [Performance]
[Acting] [Adornment] [Prayer]

Normally, to form the Wish trait, I’d need to fulfill an achievement here.

Despite being a high-tier trait, it was classified as a top-tier trait like Master of the Sword or Supreme Flame.

But my level 8 intuition whispered—there was no need.

Hoooo.

A deep breath.

I drew in mana.

Massive absorption of the ambient mana in the air.

I injected all of it into my mana circuits.

All of it—alongside the mana I possessed—this infinite power.

“Ghh… grghhh!”

“S-Sir Knight of Paul!?”

I had absorbed so much mana I was nearly glowing red-hot.

Zzzzt, zzzzzzt.

Moisture in the air around me evaporated and turned to pale mist.

The gathered artisans gasped and stumbled backward.

Even the High Archbishop and the other archbishops twitched their eyes in shock.

Sensing danger, the Holy Knights gripped the swords at their waists.

It took some time.

The mana drain was extreme.

But in exchange, I could skip the achievement requirement for acquiring a top-tier trait.

When I’d finally stabilized my mana and body and opened my eyes—

A new and intricate mana circuit had awakened around my spine.

[Wish]

In the game, it appeared as a multiple-choice selection.

Choose [I want to become stronger]—receive an ultra-powerful buff.
Choose [I want to become rich]—get showered with money.
Choose [I hope they get weaker]—apply a devastating debuff.
Choose [Give me a legendary weapon]—receive an SSR-grade weapon.

Depending on how it was used, it could even break the game’s balance.

In this world, it was even more dangerous.

Because it wasn’t multiple-choice—it was free-form.

“It’s done. Let’s go.”

“What… what did you just do?”

“A unique method of mine.”

What mattered was that I could now heal Poca.

Under heavy guard, I returned to the innermost sanctum of the Grand Temple.

Hundreds of priests were crowded inside.

Each of them was drenched in sweat, working to heal Poca.

At the same time, they were working to suppress the Heavenly Demon Cultivation Technique sealed in his right arm.

CRACK-BOOM!

But it still wasn’t enough.

A soft thunder rolled.

Each time it sounded, a jet-black light surged—and another chunk of Poca’s arm disappeared.

“High Archbishop! Sir Knight of Paul!”

The priests greeted me with visible relief.

They’d thought he could hold out for a day—but that hadn’t been the case.

Likely because the High Archbishop had left the room.

He now wore an urgent expression.

“Poca can no longer endure!”

“It’s alright. Everything is ready. And the one who inflicted it… is already dead.”

Maybe the Queen of the Night’s death had agitated it even more?

Sensing that the end had come.

That Heavenly Demon Cultivation Technique—

Even as a clump of mana, it seemed to possess a hint of spirit.

I sat down beside Poca.

The priests parted like the tide.

All eyes turned to me, full of hope, as the black energy writhed violently.

I placed my hand over it.

First, I used the World Trait to replicate the Heavenly Demon Cultivation Technique.

‘The order matters.’

World Trait has no inherent cooldown.

But if I replicate a trait with a cooldown—like Defy Heaven or Wish—the same cooldown applies.

I pulled the Heavenly Demon Cultivation Technique all the way out.

Up to Poca’s hand.

His skin and muscle were so damaged, only the skeletal bones remained.

His hand was coated in a black sheen like it had been soaked in Heavenly Demon Qi.

I focused my vision.

Within the poisonous energy that had overtaken his hand, I could see the faint roots extending to his heart and spine.

I struck it with the first trait.

[Defy Heaven].

THRRUUUM.

A deep, resonant tremor.

My mana circuit and Poca’s vibrated together.

My teeth ached, my jaw trembled.

Of course, this alone wasn’t enough.

The root of the curse still clung, alive.

‘So damn stubborn.’

Clicking my tongue, I prepared the second blow.

[Wish].

I gathered my focus.

Summoned every ounce of willpower.

Supplemented it with all my performance-related traits, bracing my core.

I chose my words carefully.

Poured strength into each syllable.

The final output was delivered through [Dragon’s Roar].

It was the best method I had to voice a wish.

“[Please, let the curse be lifted.]”

WUUUUUUNG…

The atmosphere trembled.

No—the world let out a strange cry.

As if answering me.

As if resonating with the mana circuit I had just cast into the world.

CRAAACK! KRAAAAAK!

Black light thrashed like a snake.

Slowly, it was vanishing.

The cursed energy in the hand, and the roots reaching the heart and spine as well.

The pace was slow.

It was still holding on, screeching and resisting.

So I struck it again.

“[Please, let the curse be lifted.]”

The second Wish-based strike using the World Trait.

This one—the curse couldn’t endure.

The black radiance froze for a moment in stunned silence.

Then, like a sandcastle meeting the tide, it crumbled and scattered into dust.

“The curse—!”

“It’s being lifted!”

“Poca!”

The priests watching sucked in a collective breath.

The High Archbishop stood watching it unfold.

He was so tense that sweat was dripping from his clenched fists.

After about ten seconds—

A black mist bloomed, then dispersed.

Poca, who had lain limp and unconscious, slowly rose into the air.

Radiating a sacred and noble light.

“O-Oh!”

“The Awakening Ritual has resumed!”

“The curse is gone!”

“High Archbishop! High Archbishop!”

The priests all cried out in unison.

The archbishops rushed forward to take their positions, while the Holy Knights quickly exited the room.

I gave a small nod.

“My part is done.”

“Thank you, Knight of Paul. I… I don’t even know how to begin repaying you…”

“How long will it take?”

“Not long. We were already at the final stage. If you could wait outside for just thirty minutes?”

That works for me.

The Poca Cult had once filled my Sky Jet and Mountain Wail with loot after I took down the Wraith King.

There’s hope again this time, right?

I didn’t just save his life—I restarted his Awakening Ritual too.

If that ritual had truly failed, the entire sect and even a Living God would’ve been lost.

‘The Castle of the Inexplicable, four dragons, the Demon Cult, and the Mama Quilla Cult all together…’

Even with all the angels and demons in the Divine Nation, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

I waited calmly outside the ritual chamber.

Didn’t take long.

After thirty minutes, the surging mana settled into calm.

Along with it came a gently spreading wave of divine power.

“Ooh!”

“Oooooh!”

“Poca! Congratulations!”

“Thank you! Thank you!”

The divine power entered the priests and Holy Knights alike.

A mana seal appeared on the back of their heads—at the medulla.

A ticket to the afterlife.

Those marked would, upon death, go straight to the heaven crafted by Mama Quilla.

And while living, that same divine power would drastically boost their strength.

That’s what everyone had been so desperate to receive.

CREAK…

A door bathed in divine radiance creaked open.

One person stepped out.

A person?

No—a god.

A majestic halo circled his head like a crown.

Mana mist flowed around his body, and magma-like brilliance blazed in his eyes.

‘This is a Living God…’

Just locking eyes with him stirred reverence.

I felt small in comparison.

His very existence overwhelmed all things.

If I weren’t level 8, I’d probably have dropped to my knees.

No trait could’ve helped like it did against a Legion Commander.

This wasn’t about skill—it was a matter of divinity itself.

A difference in fundamental nature.

But that didn’t mean I planned to submit.

I offered a respectful nod, and Poca responded with a gentle smile.

“Thank you, my friend. This is the second great debt I owe you.”

“I promised, didn’t I?”

“There are many in the world who treat promises like trash. Thank you. With this, I’ve barely escaped the fate of death.”

“Is it over, then?”

“Well…”

Poca turned his gaze.

His laser-like eyes swept both sky and air alike.

“Everything has fallen into darkness.”

“Darkness?”

“All the world’s destinies are plunging into chaos. Even I can no longer see what lies ahead. There are too many variables—too much confusion—for prediction or prophecy to work anymore.”

That’s a good thing.

Means nothing’s set in stone.

Depending on what I do, this could end in my victory—or in the Old Father’s.

As long as I do well. As long as I do well.

“Sword Star. Warrior Kim.”

Poca stared straight at me.

The divine light in his eyes flared. Intense, but I held his gaze.

No matter how exalted his existence. No matter how vast the stat gap.

We were the same level.

Which meant we stood in similar realms.

“The Moon Queen has just made her decision. The entire Mama Quilla Cult has declared war on the Old Father’s Cult and will be joining the war immediately.”

“Ah! Thank you.”

“We can’t spare our entire force—we still have to contain the Great Rift. But I, along with my personal Holy Knights, the Crusader Division, and the priesthood, will be moving.”

“Thank you. That’ll be a great help.”

“Think nothing of it. I can’t sit idle either. The Old Father’s Cult didn’t just conspire with the Dark Jaguar Cult to unleash the Wraith King—they also tried to kidnap me, and today, they even attempted assassination.”

Poca clenched his fist.

The clergy around him raised their voices in unison.

“May those who defied Poca be punished to the last!”

“Of course they will. I’ll throw them all into a lava pit. But before that—we have something to settle.”

Poca looked me up and down.

With eyes that could see through all things, he checked my armory—and the golf bag slung across my back.

“My… you’re carrying unbelievable treasures. Even if we opened our sacred vaults, we wouldn’t have anything to match.”

That’s true.

Should I ask for all four Mama Quilla Cult heavy weapons?

The mortar Falling Star, the heavy machine gun Steel Rain, the grenade launcher Sweeping Wind…

Though Mountain Wail and Hailstorm already cover plenty.

“Ah, let’s do this instead.”

Poca stretched out his hand.

His fingers pierced space and pulled something out.

An armory case.

A bracelet.

And a pair of earrings.

Three level 8 mana cores and a pile of miscellaneous materials.

Poca glanced at my armory case and the two rings I wore, then spoke.

“These items don’t suit someone of your caliber. I’ll enhance your armory case and your rings. In exchange, we’ll mobilize more troops as compensation.”

I’d already taken payment in advance last time—Ehecatl’s blood.

Factoring that in, the numbers worked out.

“Sounds good.”

I handed over the armory case and the rings.

Poca closed his eyes and began channeling power.

The armory was fused with another.

The Ring of Eclipse merged with a jeweled bracelet.

The Seer’s Loop was paired with a set of earrings.

When the three level 8 mana cores were melted down and poured in, the relics fused into single artifacts.

Then, came the enhancement.

Woom. Wooooom.

They were reborn as even greater treasures.

Practically divine-class.

It was like when the Heart of Abundance had become the Heart of the World Tree.

The original abilities remained—but were strengthened, and a few new, similar abilities were added.

“Here.”

With a tired expression, Poca handed me the three artifacts.

I ran a hand over the new armory case.

It had originally been a dazzling golden dragon design—

Now it had become a sleek black dragon motif.

But the internal mana circuits had grown far more complex, and the number of slots increased.

From five to seven.

‘Seven slots…’

One each for Mountain Wail and Hailstorm.

Add the Royal Jeongjo Gun.

Throw in Mjolnir, and I could turn the Ring of Grand Escape, an Elixir, and Ambrosia into magic chips to slot in.

It meant I could get away with only carrying the Black Tiger Sword and Aegis from now on.

‘Not bad at all.’

Then there were the upgraded Ring of Eclipse and Seer’s Loop.

[Ring of the Black Hole]
[Ring of the Prophet]

That’s what I’d call them.

The efficiency boost was absurd.

The Ring of the Black Hole now added mana consumption, mana absorption, mana storage, mana shielding, and mana condensation.

The Ring of the Prophet, which had already provided foresight, detection, and precognition, now included mind reading and hyper-awareness.

It was the ring enhancements that were the real reward this time.

A private jet?

A Sacred Knight’s insignia?

Those couldn’t compare.

Maybe a drop of god’s blood would come close.

“Thank you. Honestly, I was expecting something good—but this exceeded even that.”

“Did it?”

Poca smiled softly.

Then he turned his head.

Westward.

Toward the Pacific—most likely toward the Korean Peninsula.

“It seems the Old Father has gone all in this time. I can feel a powerful and dark shield.”

“A powerful and dark shield… Right. But we’ll resolve it soon. Divine Army Commander of the Heavenly Demon Cult has agreed to assist.”

Divine Army Commander, even if clumsy, was still a wielder of the Heavenly Demon Cultivation Technique.

Surely, he could dismantle a mere black dome.

At least, that was what I’d thought.

Unexpectedly, Poca shook his head.

“It’s not enough.”

“Pardon?”

“The Heavenly Demon Cultivation Technique isn’t just a martial art forged by man. No—it would be an insult to call it a martial art. It is the power of a god, a shard of a god, a throne of the divine. A human cannot contain it. Haven’t you already felt it? If one desires even a shred of Heavenly Demon Cultivation Technique, it must be directly granted by its current owner.”

“That’s…”

Even the World Trait, which could devour any trait—

Could only replicate Heavenly Demon Cultivation Technique, never truly own it.

Whether it was within the black dome, or before Divine Army Commander and the Queen of the Night.

Poca looked at me and said,

“If you want to remove the shield the Old Father placed, it’s best to seek another method.”

“May I ask for your guidance?”

“Just a moment.”

Poca fell silent.

As expected of the god of prophecy—he soon offered a clue.

“Seek the Heavenly Demon Godblade.”

Heavenly Demon Godblade.

In the game, it only existed as data—the strongest sword.

“Follow the bloodline left by the Heavenly Demon, and the fate of that blade will cross paths with your own.”

The Heavenly Demon’s bloodline.

Not the current one—but a descendant of the First Heavenly Demon.

I’d already met them.

I had helped them—and they had sworn to help me in return.

The Castle of the Inexplicable.

The elf siblings who served as guards there.

They were the descendants of the First Heavenly Demon and the North Sea Ice Palace.

–TL Notes–
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