Trait Hoarder – Chapter 98

Janet — Part 4

“T-t-t-that’s…”

Looks like they didn’t see this coming.

Jang Pilsoo trembled violently.

“That’s too cruel! Diamonds? You might as well kill me!”

“Really? Do you really want me to kill you?”

I tilted the Black Tiger Sword slightly.

Its darkened blade gleamed with a sharp, deadly light, catching the sun’s rays that streamed into the room.

Gulp. His Adam’s apple bobbed nervously.

I looked directly at Jang Pilsoo and spoke in a low voice.

“I’m not asking you to completely destroy your mana circuits. Just shave a little off and make some Diamonds. That won’t even cause a level-down. You’ll maintain your current level, and you’ll recover fully in a few months if you rest properly.”

“B-but still…”

“If you don’t want to, get lost. I’ll just make a phone call and forget about the whole thing.”

Jang Pilsoo’s face twisted in conflicted agony.

Logically, handing over a few Diamonds and moving on was the safer option.

But it was still a painful choice. He’d worked hard to build up his mana reserves, and now I was demanding he give up a chunk of them.

A younger mage standing nearby suddenly burst out.

“This is unfair!”

“What is?”

“You can’t just demand Diamonds! If you want cash, magical artifacts, or rare materials, we’ll gladly pay! But destroying mana circuits? That’s too much!”

“And why exactly is it too much?”

“This is… this is tyranny! The punishment is disproportionate to our mistake!”

“Disproportionate, huh…”

I stared at the mages, unblinking.

These guys still didn’t get it.

“Then tell me, why did you do what you did to Janet? What mistake did she make that justified you trafficking her and planning to experiment on her?”

“It wasn’t trafficking! She was formally accepted as a disciple—”

“Enough. Let’s not lie to each other. You’re from the Ilyang Mage Tower, right? The one in Gwacheon? Everyone knows what’s on the 9th basement floor of your tower. It’s no secret anymore.”

Jang Pilsoo flinched, his entire body going stiff.

The other mages reacted similarly.

They must’ve thought their secrets were impenetrable until now.

I crossed my arms and glared at them.

“Experimenting on innocent people isn’t unfair, but being blackmailed for it is? That’s some convenient logic you’ve got there. Your options are simple. Either give me the Diamonds by carving some mana off your circuits, or walk out of here. But if you choose the latter, be prepared to deal with the fallout. So, what’s it going to be?”

“You bastard! You’re just as—”

“Shut it, Chulhyun!”

The young mage who tried to yell at me was immediately smacked on the back of the head by Jang Pilsoo.

Good.

I already knew what he wanted to say.

He was itching to claim that I was no different from them.

That if I were truly righteous, I’d kill them all and raid their tower to free their victims.

After all, that’s what the authority of a Level 3 superhuman was for, wasn’t it?

And he’s not wrong.

I’m not righteous, nor am I virtuous.

I’m doing this for Janet. And for the Diamonds I want.

But here’s the thing…

I’m not the one meant to judge or punish them.

That’s someone else’s role.

I unfolded my arms, clasped my hands together, and rested my chin on them.

“So, what’s your decision? Make it quick—I’m a busy man.”

“Ugh…”

Jang Pilsoo let out a long, heavy sigh.

“If we hand over the Diamonds, you’ll bury this matter, correct?”

“Master!”

“Master…”

I nodded slowly.

“That’s right. Let’s not make things more complicated than they need to be. And one more thing—don’t ever wear robes like that in front of another superhuman again. Korea’s a small place. Who knows when you’ll run into another superhuman with connections to the Sun Mage Tower? If that happens, you’re dead for real. I’m a rare, generous, and merciful exception. Got it?”

“Heh… heheheh…”

Jang Pilsoo let out a hollow laugh, as if he’d lost his mind.

“Thank you for the advice. Yes, I assure you, we’ll avoid involving ourselves with any superhuman from now on. Ugh… Why did I let greed take over today…”

Why? That much was obvious.

It was because of [Innate Qi].

A powerless Level 0 girl who hadn’t even awakened her mana was capable of releasing bursts of Qi. It was enough to turn anyone’s head.

Blinded by greed, he lost sight of everything else.

Jang Pilsoo raised his hands.

“Where’s the crystal?”

“Wait here. I’ll have it brought over.”

I made a call to the junk dealer at the Shinwon Market.

He groaned at my request for a crystal but ultimately delivered.

Considering how much profit he’d made thanks to me, he couldn’t exactly say no. Especially with the upcoming Colosseum Unlimited Tournament and the massive cut he’d earn from it.

“Ugh…”

Jang Pilsoo stared blankly at the multicolored crystal in front of him.

I tossed crystals to the other mages as well.

“What are you waiting for? Get to work.”

“Can’t I be the only one to create Diamonds?”

“Do you think that’s going to happen? All of you need to do it.”

“Damn it…”

“Son of a…”

The younger mages glared at me with rebellious eyes.

And? What were they going to do?

I casually swung the Black Tiger Sword in front of them.

They might’ve been clueless about its identity, but if they had any real knowledge, they’d realize just how dangerous this blade was.

But their ignorance was painfully clear.

One of them muttered under his breath.

“The Ilyang Mage Tower will remember this.”

“Sure, go ahead and remember it.”

What they really needed to remember, though, was this:

Janet hadn’t forgotten what they did to her parents.

She wasn’t just an SSR character.

She was one of the top three warrior-types, and a future guaranteed Level 8 superhuman.

If they weren’t scared now, they’d learn soon enough.

Had they known, they never would’ve dared experiment on her, kidnap her, or kill her parents in the first place.

They did all those horrible things simply because they thought Janet was weak.

Because they thought she was powerless.

Wooooong!

Jang Pilsoo began injecting his mana into the crystal.

I could feel his mana circuits fracturing and breaking.

Through my Insight and Sixth Sense, I could see it all unfold clearly.

The other mages, cursing under their breath, also started pouring their mana into their crystals.

The multicolored crystals slowly began to heat up, their rainbow hues growing more vivid and vibrant.

I watched the scene with satisfaction.

Six Diamonds in total.

Less than I had hoped for.

Maybe because they were just con artists pretending to be something greater?

Typically, a Level 3 mage could produce two or three Diamonds, while a Level 4 mage could produce three or four. These guys, however, only managed two Diamonds each for the Level 3s and three for Jang Pilsoo, the Level 4.

“Are… are we done now?”

Jang Pilsoo asked, blood dripping from his lips.

“Yeah, we’re done. Now get lost.”

“And… and you’ll keep your word?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my promise.”

“You’ve promised!”

It was an empty promise, of course.

Jang Pilsoo had begged for a magically binding agreement, or at the very least, a written contract, but I refused.

Why would I? Have I lost my mind?

When he hesitated, I let out a lion’s roar, telling him to leave if he didn’t trust me.

With tears in his eyes, Jang Pilsoo reluctantly accepted my word as the best he would get.

Bleeding and exhausted, Jang Pilsoo and the mages stumbled out of the restricted zone.

Baek Sorin glared at their retreating backs with a face full of displeasure.

“Teacher, are you really just going to let them go? You said they even have a secret lab on the 9th basement floor!”

“I could contact the Sun Mage Tower right now and put an end to them. But Sorin, is that what you want to do?”

“What? What do you mean?”

“If I contact the Sun Mage Tower and deal with them, what happens to Janet?”

“Huh? What does Janet have to do with this?”

I finally turned to look at Janet.

She was already looking at me.

Her clear, blue eyes were fixed on mine, completely unreadable, devoid of any emotion.

On the surface, she appeared innocent and fragile, like a harmless child.

But I knew better.

I’d seen how Janet acted during her personal quest, or when she raided the secret labs of other mage towers.

I knew the kind of lines she would say, the intensity of the emotions she would unleash, filling the screen like an explosion.

“I think this: killing those scumbags is Janet’s responsibility. Sure, I could deal with them at any time, but I shouldn’t be the one to do it. Janet, what do you think?”

I stared directly into her eyes as I asked the question.

Finally, there was a ripple in the lake-like stillness of her gaze.

“This is ridiculous!”

Baek Sorin wrapped Janet in a tight hug.

“She’s just a kid! Teacher, what are you even saying to her?”

“The choice is hers. Janet, if you want, I’ll call the Sun Mage Tower right now and have them wipe out that tower. That alone would count as a decent form of revenge. Their entire mage tower would end up rotting behind bars.”

“…Rotting behind bars?”

Janet, who had been silent until now, repeated my words.

I nodded slowly.

“Yes, behind bars. It’s unfortunate, but they wouldn’t be executed. Superhumans are part of a privileged class, and they’re given preferential treatment in many areas. Trials are no exception.”

“This is ridiculous…”

If they had experimented on a fellow superhuman, it might’ve been a different story.

But they hadn’t gone that far.

Janet wasn’t a superhuman.

She was just an innate psychic, someone with natural abilities unrelated to mana.

Janet clenched her fists tightly.

Blood dripped from her palms.

Her newly grown nails had dug into her flesh, piercing her skin.

“I don’t want you to report them.”

“Janet!”

“If I learn from you, can I get strong enough? Strong enough to kill those mages and their entire tower on my own?”

“Janet…”

Baek Sorin looked at her with worried eyes.

Janet’s face, however, was set with determination.

“Of course.”

I met her gaze, my voice steady.

“It’s absolutely possible. It’ll be hard, and it’ll take a long time, but I can promise you that much.”

“Then I’ll do it.”

Janet’s eyes darkened.

“I’ll get stronger, strong enough to kill those bastards, and all the evil mages like them.”

“Janet…”

“It’ll happen. I’m sure of it.”

Janet walked out, saying she wanted to get some extra training in.

Baek Sorin chased after her, leaving me alone in the lounge.

I looked down at the six Diamonds in my hand.

No need to pull out the ones stored in my safe.

I slid all six into my enchanted belt.

Hooom!

The belt glowed a deep crimson and released a transparent light that condensed like a single droplet of water.

[Mana Concentration]

The orb of mana floating in the air sank into me.

My mana circuits rippled, etching a new shape into their flow.

I closed my eyes quietly.

[Mana Core, Mana Recovery, Mana Absorption]

[Mana Stabilization, Mana Concentration, Mana Amplification]

The six traits overlapped and fused, merging into one.

The first sensation was heat—an immense, molten force that melted my mana circuits as if they were liquid metal.

Then came a cool, refreshing sensation—a clear and invigorating energy coursing through my body like a rushing river.

Fire and water.

Heat and cold.

The opposing forces struck me thousands of times, tempering me, until finally, the transformation was complete.

Acquired the trait: [Mana Soul].

“Hahhh…”

My entire body tingled.

Even though I wasn’t drenched in water, white steam poured from me like a locomotive.

I quietly counted on my fingers.

‘The traits I still need to transfer…’

Not many were left.

The Detection trait from my collapsible helmet.

The Swiftness trait imbued in my boots.

The Fury trait bound to my axe.

The Danger Sense trait from one of my two rings.

Just four more.

The rest had already been mastered over time or brought over using Diamonds.

Of course, there were exceptions: the Holy Sword, Magic Gun, Iron Fist, Dasan Rifle, and the Black Tiger Sword.

These were unique traits, inherently bound to their items, and couldn’t be transferred.

‘Time to upgrade all my gear.’

Level 5 wasn’t far away.

The magic weapons I used were more than sufficient for Level 3 or 4 superhumans, but they felt inadequate for someone about to break into the ranks of a proper high-tier superhuman, Level 5.

Once I reached Level 5, it would be time to start upgrading.

Of course, the Dasan Rifle, Iron Fist, and Black Tiger Sword would remain with me indefinitely.

“Hyaap! Hup!”

“Huff! Huff! Aagh!”

Baek Sorin and Janet were training hard, even on their own.

Baek Sorin wielded a real sword, slashing at Janet, who blocked her attacks with the heavy shield I had bought her.

One would expect Janet to cry and complain, but instead, she grit her teeth and threw herself completely into the training.

“Janet, it’s time for your endurance training.”

“Yes!”

“Teacher, what about me?”

“You and I will spar.”

“Yes, sir!”

I didn’t know the exact mechanics behind the transfer of traits.

I could only force them to practice over and over.

For Baek Sorin, I acted as a sparring partner and teacher, just like Seo Woojin had done for me.

For Janet, I made her eat until she couldn’t take another bite and train her stamina until she was ready to collapse, followed by intensive mana control lessons.

If any time was left over, I had them spar against each other.

Perhaps it was their desire to grow stronger, but the results came quicker than expected.

After just two weeks, Janet suddenly froze, her body trembling as if paralyzed.

“Huh? Janet?”

“Quiet. This is a critical moment.”

“Oh!”

Janet, clutching her shield, began to emit a white, radiant light. It spread out like fractured shards of glass refracting sunlight.

I silently observed Janet’s awakening.

I could see it clearly.

Her fragmented mana circuits piecing themselves together into a coherent shape.

And I knew exactly what that shape meant.

[Innate Qi] [Mana Soul] [Vajra Body] [Shield Technique]

The fully realized SSR version of Janet.

“Haaaa…”

Janet let out a long exhale.

Had her body been restructured in the process?

She seemed slightly taller now, her hair a bit longer. Even her previously childlike features had sharpened, her face becoming more distinct and refined.

Flash!

Janet flicked her wrist, and a burst of light shot out from her hand.

The beam streaked across the distance, cutting a cosmos flower cleanly in half.

Precise aim and perfect control of power.

“You did it! Janet!”

Baek Sorin jumped up and down in excitement before throwing her arms around Janet.

But Janet wasn’t the only one who had succeeded.

I grinned and looked at Baek Sorin.

[Heavenly Killing Star] [Indomitable] [Rampaging Train]

[Nine Lives] [Severing Slash] [Swordsmanship]

Baek Sorin had also received Swordsmanship from me as a transferred trait.

“Congratulations, both of you.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Teacher!”

“Thank you so much!”

As expected from SSR-tier characters.

Janet, in particular, had ascended to Level 3 the moment she awakened.

The combination of Innate Qi, Mana Soul, and Vajra Body was simply overpowered.

Baek Sorin, however, felt an odd surge of competitiveness.

“I’m not going to lose to my junior!”

She declared, storming out of the room to go hunting immediately.

“Wait, Unnie! I’m coming too!”

Janet hurried after her, following like a baby duckling chasing its mother.

I could’ve taken Janet hunting myself, but it was better for her to learn practical combat from Baek Sorin.

In real battles, few traits could rival the Heavenly Killing Star.

I stood up, stretching.

‘If I slack off, my students might catch up to me.’

Seo Woojin was able to surpass me, but that was inevitable—he was both a talent blessed from birth and a golden spoon.

But Baek Sorin and Janet? No way I was letting that happen.

I already had my next destination in mind.

I pulled out my smartphone and checked my plane ticket.

[Aachen]

A city once at the heart of the Divine Annihilation War.

Its aftermath had left behind a great labyrinth, now one of the rare expedition zones in Arcane Seoul.

It was also where the advanced version of the Einherjar Cultivation Technique was hidden.

Roar!

Early the next morning, my plane soared into the skies, heading straight for the labyrinth city.

–TL Notes–
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