Colosseum — Part 4
“The Iron Fist? What’s that supposed to mean?”
King of Destruction quickly tried to mask his reaction.
Too late.
I’d already seen the shock on his face.
“If you don’t have it, then you can just make the Diamonds.”
“If ten Diamonds aren’t enough, I’ll give you twenty!”
“No need. Ten Diamonds plus the Iron Fist. That’s my condition, or you can start creating Diamonds.”
I couldn’t afford to be swayed by the profit I’d get out of this.
What mattered was the damage this would cause to him, King of Destruction.
Unless he had a supply of nectar like I did, Diamonds alone wouldn’t be enough.
Even if Diamonds were known as “mini-nectar,” they couldn’t provide the same rebirth effect that nectar did.
Once he shaved off part of his mana circuit here, he’d need a long period of recovery.
Grit!
King of Destruction ground his teeth.
My firm stance left him with no room for negotiation.
“Are you sure… it really has to be that condition? No other offer?”
“No other offer.”
If he were a petty person, he’d probably tell me to go to hell and just break off his mana circuit.
But King of Destruction wasn’t that type of person.
He prioritized his own gains.
Still, his pride was high enough that he’d add one condition of his own.
“…Fine. But there’s one condition. If you don’t accept this, I’ll make the Diamonds myself, just as you want!”
“What’s the condition?”
“At a time of my choosing, I want us to fight an unlimited match in the deepest part of the Colosseum. With the Iron Fist on the line.”
Just as I’d expected.
He was behaving exactly like he did in the game.
“All right. But let’s agree to decide the schedule together. I’m a busy man too. But don’t worry, I won’t keep putting it off. I’ll promise that much.”
“I’ll hold you to it.”
King of Destruction staggered as he rose to his feet.
His figure was bitter as he retreated off the stage.
After spending a moment on the platform, I returned to the waiting room, where the Junk Dealer was practically vibrating with excitement.
“Superhuman! No, Warrior King! You were incredible! That flawless evasion, the electrifying back-and-forth! Rumors are already spreading like wildfire. They’re saying a new superstar, the Warrior King, has arrived!”
“That’s fine, but don’t call me by that nickname.”
“Huh? Why not? It sounds cool!”
“It’s not cool at all. It’s tacky. Never use that nickname in front of me.”
“But… it’s really cool…”
“If you call me that one more time, I’ll find another broker.”
“Gasp! I won’t, I swear. Never, ever again!”
No way he’d let me go after investing so many Diamonds in me.
At my quiet threat, the Junk Dealer quickly lowered his head.
Only for a moment, though. As soon as the door opened and a luxurious box was brought in, he accepted it and carried it over to me.
“It’s from King of Destruction. He said you received it through the special clause, right? Ten Diamonds and the Iron Fist… Whoa! The Iron Fist? Wow, Superhuman, you really scored big. This is a high-grade artifact!”
With a Colosseum employee overseeing, I opened the box.
After following the specific steps—dropping a blood sample, entering a password, plugging in a USB, and finally turning an analog key—the box opened.
Inside was a single, rugged steel gauntlet.
It was designed to protect from the hand all the way to the forearm.
Thin steel plates were layered like fish scales, closely packed together.
From the seams inside, a faint blue mana glow pulsed like a heartbeat.
Clink.
As I slipped it onto my hand, it automatically adjusted to fit perfectly.
Its main ability was [Iron Fist].
I activated it once to try it out.
Shwaaah!
The steel plates unfolded, and a mana glow enveloped my entire body.
It was like looking at a medieval knight clad in plate armor.
Thus, Iron Fist.
Under normal circumstances, it merely boosted my strength and stamina, but for exactly ten seconds, it drastically reduced all incoming damage.
Its drawback was that it required a full 24 hours to recharge, but considering it as an extra life, it was well worth it.
‘Finally, I can take off these Bloodsucking Gloves.’
I handed them over to the Junk Dealer on the spot.
“Thanks for your service.”
“Uh…”
The Junk Dealer looked at them with a nostalgic expression.
“I remember selling these to you. Shall I buy them back?”
“That would be nice.”
“Heh heh. Though it’d be even better if you just gave them to me.”
“Let’s settle this properly.”
“Oh, of course. Absolutely. It feels a bit strange to receive them back like this.”
“Do you remember how you went all out trying to sell them to me?”
“Of course. I was just trying to impress you, Superhuman.”
That’s why he’d put on that act, scratching his skin with the gloves to prove their bloodsucking effect.
It wasn’t just about making a sale—ultimately, he wanted to recruit me as a Colosseum fighter.
Looking back, he’d certainly succeeded.
“Superhuman. So, when will you be back?”
“Well… whenever I need more Diamonds.”
“I suppose. You earned 17 Diamonds just today… I’ll be in touch if I get more Diamonds in stock. I have my own uses for today’s earnings.”
The Junk Dealer glanced at a Colosseum employee.
The employee grinned, probably indicating some debt he owed to the Colosseum.
Too bad.
If he had only three more Diamonds, I could secure two full trait transfers.
“All right. Shall we head back, then?”
“Heh heh! Yes! Back to your place! I’ll drive you home!”
The sun was starting to rise.
It was still before rush hour.
We sped along the empty roads and returned to my home.
Once in my training room, I laid the Diamonds out on the table.
‘Let’s start with [Undying].’
If I’d earned 20 Diamonds, I might have made a different choice.
But with only 17 Diamonds, and after making such a flashy debut today, it’d be difficult to enter another match for a while.
I needed to maximize efficiency.
“Whew…”
My heart pounded.
The thrill of combining and assembling high-level traits one by one.
Feeling myself grow stronger in real-time sent a shiver down my spine.
I carefully reviewed each trait as I equipped them.
[Regeneration], always working to restore my body.
[Resilience], growing stronger the more my body is damaged.
[Wound Recovery], specialized in healing external injuries.
[Vigor], basic but reliable in restoring stamina.
[Vitality Surge], greatly boosting and quickly recovering my stamina.
[Healing], a trait close to magic, using mana to repair my body.
Crunch!
As I combined the traits, my entire body convulsed.
It was even worse than when I acquired Giant’s Strength.
Not only did my bones and muscles shatter and reform, but my internal organs twisted violently, and every blood vessel in my body felt like it was boiling.
“Urgh…”
I barely managed to suppress a groan.
Traits like [Endurance] couldn’t assist me here.
I had to endure the sensation of my body being crushed, torn, burned, frozen, drained, and then replenished—all while fully conscious.
The pain was nearly comparable to a high fever.
Only after a long while did the trait combination complete.
With an utterly clear mind, I looked at my reflection in the mirror, feeling a strange new sensation.
No visible changes on the outside.
But… how do I put it?
Even I could sense an unusual aura about myself.
My stance was solid as stone.
My gaze, profoundly calm.
When I deactivated [Undying], I returned to my natural state.
‘People will definitely notice.’
With my towering frame from Giant’s Strength, paired with this intense aura, I’d draw attention anywhere I went.
Once I completed the Vajra Body, forming the trinity build, it would be quite the spectacle.
“The last step…”
I glanced at my armored pants and foldable shield, deep in thought.
[Indomitable] and [Fortress]. (TL Note: Changed the Trait name to Indomitable)
[Indomitable], specialized in magic resistance, and [Fortress], which greatly boosted my defense and resistance for a limited time.
After careful consideration, I chose the shield.
‘I’ll transfer [Fortress] and just find a new shield.’
After all, I needed to use the armor for a long time.
Finding something of equal quality would be challenging.
The shield, though, was different. With my current funds, I could afford to find a suitable replacement.
Ideally, an SR-grade shield with a unique trait, like the Iron Fist.
I’d also like to replace my holy sword and magic gun eventually.
Shwaaaah.
The [Fortress] trait seeped into my body.
Just one more step to complete the Vajra Body.
One more step to finalize the Trinity Warrior build.
I basked in a moment of satisfaction, letting the sense of fulfillment wash over me.
The remaining Diamonds were kept in reserve.
My top priority was completing the Vajra Body, followed by acquiring [Grand Assault], and then [Mana Soul].
Aside from those, [Indomitable], [Gunplay], and [Swordsmanship Expert] were also queued up.
‘Should I make [Sixth Sense] while I’m at it?’
The ingredients for [Sixth Sense] were six traits: [Sensitivity], [Bright Eyes], [Keen Ears], [Keen Nose], [God’s Tongue], and [Sensitive Skin].
The hardest to acquire was [Keen Nose].
It required me to press my face up against a can of surströmming.
As for [God’s Tongue] and [Sensitive Skin], those were easier.
A bit of salty licorice candy would do for [God’s Tongue], and applying cosmetics tailored for dry, oily, combination, and sensitive skin would satisfy the conditions for [Sensitive Skin].
‘Ugh, I don’t feel like going out.’
No need to leave the house when I have a smartphone.
I ordered the licorice candy and the men’s skincare products in various types.
They’d probably arrive by tomorrow.
Between training sessions, I’d munch on the licorice candy and apply the skincare products.
“Nice, this is good.”
I sank into the mana-infused bathwater.
While relaxing, I started experimenting with optimal trait combinations.
[Mountain Breaking Sword Art], [Einherjar Cultivation Technique], [Mana Core]
[Giant’s Strength], [Undying], [Endurance]
This setup seemed suitable.
Now, what if I replaced [Endurance] with [Vajra Body], [Mana Core] with [Mana Soul], and upgraded the sword art and cultivation techniques?
That would be the ultimate build.
Of course, it’s not like I’d use this setup all the time.
‘Time for some sleep.’
At the end of Level 2, I remembered how pushing myself without rest had led to side effects.
I’d stayed up all night again today, so I’d better catch some sleep while I can.
I submerged myself in the enchanted bath and closed my eyes.
About four hours later, I woke up around noon.
Time to start training.
Swoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of the sword cutting through the air was crisp and vigorous.
As I practiced [One Point] and [Slash], I let my thoughts wander.
‘I should aim to get [Swordsmanship Expert] as well.’
I had the bare minimum required traits—namely, [Swordsmanship].
I owed a lot to Seo Woojin for that.
With [One Point] and [Slash] already in my arsenal, all I needed were [Drawing], [Parry], and [Deflection] traits to complete [Swordsmanship Expert].
If I added mastery traits for other weapons, I could combine them into the [Weapon Master] build…
‘But for me, Swordmaster is the better path.’
Swordmaster was more of a nickname.
The official name was Master of the Sword.
The [Weapon Master] trait was a combination of six different weapon masteries, and its stat bonuses were monstrous. In terms of raw stats, it ranked as a 0-tier trait in all of Arcane Seoul.
The problem was with its unique trait.
Everyone agreed that the top trait was the Heavenly Demon God Art.
Then came the Big Three Sword Arts.
Everything else fell below these three, whether it was spear arts or fist arts.
No matter how much [Weapon Master] boosted Warrior Kim’s stats, it wouldn’t be enough against the Heavenly Demon.
There was only one way to defeat the Heavenly Demon.
Master all three of the Big Three Sword Arts, and assemble a specialized trait set based on the Master of the Sword.
‘Let’s start by acquiring [Drawing].’
I adjusted my stance.
I shifted my body slightly, gripping the sword sheath with my left hand and pulling it back.
Then, I grasped the hilt of the holy sword with my right hand and infused it with mana.
As soon as I felt the mana accumulate inside the sheath, I unleashed it in an explosive [Drawing] slash!
Boom!
The mana erupted, reverberating like thunder.
A flash of vivid blue light shot out menacingly.
But it wasn’t sharp.
The sound was intense, but the energy scattered in all directions, only producing a light show.
“Damn it!”
On top of that, part of the mana had even struck my face.
Thanks to the [Undying] trait, I healed quickly, but the sting was still annoying.
‘This isn’t easy.’
The only reason I could attempt this was because of my Blank Body. For other characters, learning [Drawing] through self-training was nearly impossible.
It would either require real combat experience or finding an NPC master to teach it.
“Huff, huff…”
I kept practicing [Drawing] without rest.
Using [Drawing] in real combat would increase the acquisition rate by tenfold, but that also risked getting skewered mid-fight.
It was better to invest enough time and effort, even if it was tedious and time-consuming.
Especially for Warrior Kim.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
By my calculations, this should take about three days.
The real challenge wasn’t [Drawing]—it was [Parry] and [Deflection].
There was no way to acquire them through solo training.
I’d need a teacher or a sparring partner…
‘I don’t want to owe another favor.’
Seo Woojin’s help with swordsmanship was already within reasonable limits.
I’d done some favors for him, after all.
But asking him for guidance on [Parry] and [Deflection] as well?
For free?
That would clearly be crossing a line, putting me in his debt.
It’d be far better to hire a Superhuman mercenary for sparring sessions.
‘Let’s go with that plan.’
First, I’d focus on acquiring [Drawing].
“Hup, ha!”
I swung the sword again, splitting the air with a thunderous crack.
Two days later.
My silent smartphone suddenly chimed.
[Jung Jinyoung, Hunter]
The hunter who had bought the Mountain King’s corpse from me at a high price.
What could he want now?
[Hello. Do you remember me? We met in Cheorwon.]
“Yes, I remember. You purchased the Mountain King’s corpse, didn’t you?”
[Haha. I’m glad you remember. I wanted to ask if you’d be interested in becoming a full member of our association. Our President was quite impressed after seeing the Mountain King’s corpse.]
The Hunter Association?
Not bad.
As a full member, I wouldn’t need individual hunting permits from both armies. I could simply present my membership card, hunt, and report back afterward.
Access to countless creatures that could be used for trait potions.
Various missions offering magical items, potions, and rare materials as rewards.
There was no reason to refuse.
“Sure, I’d be happy to accept.”
[Great! Could you spare a moment to come by the association? The President would really like to meet you in person.]
“It’d be an honor. I’ll head over right away.”
I had a guess as to who it would be.
Round-faced, friendly, generous with rewards.
An old man commonly known as the “Easygoing President.”
But I was wrong.
Instead, a completely unexpected figure stood before me, eyes sharp with a piercing gaze.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Byungjin Yoon, President of the Hunter Association.”
You’re not the Hunter Association President.
In my memory, and on my screen, this man was recorded under a completely different title.
A [Member of Parliament] and a [Boss of an Assassination Organization].
–TL Notes–
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