Trait Hoarder

Great Rift — Part 3

The monstrous head of the Corpse Dragon jerked back.

Psychic waves normally affected only the mind.

But the Star Spawn’s psychic blast carried a bizarre physical force as well.

“Guaaaah!”

The Corpse Dragon roared in fury.

Its immense presence was suffocating.

A figure descended from the top of the tower.

It bombarded the Corpse Dragon with relentless psychic attacks, hammering it mid-air as it fell.

The Corpse Dragon staggered under the repeated blows.

But it only truly wavered upon the first unexpected strike.

Regaining its composure, it swung its massive tail with all its might.

The falling entity twisted its body unnaturally, narrowly avoiding the attack.

Instead, the thick tail slammed into the Shell Tower.

The tower collapsed.

Eroded by dark mana and toxins, the structure had already rotted away.

A single hit from a creature weighing tens of tons was enough to bring it down.

Had I been hiding inside, things could have gotten messy.

Still concealed with [Stealth], I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

[You think you can stand against me, you pile of rotting flesh?!]

The Star Spawn swung its elongated fingers aggressively.

Each time it did, the Corpse Dragon’s body dented and caved in.

Chunks of undead flesh scattered in the air.

But no significant damage was done.

The Corpse Dragon roared again, unleashing dark mana in retaliation, launching an assault against the Star Spawn.

The two clashed.

A fierce battle unfolded.

A nearly even match.

Neither could land a decisive blow.

The Star Spawn was at a disadvantage due to its elemental weakness.

The Corpse Dragon simply couldn’t land a clean hit.

“Teacher? Are you okay?”

I regrouped with the three.

Their faces were ghostly pale.

Understandable—

Even if they had only been hit indirectly, they had still endured the effects of a Dragon’s Roar.

“I’m fine. What about you?”

“I’m okay.”

“Me too.”

“If you feel unwell, drink some holy water. We brought plenty, right?”

“Of course.”

“The Thor Cult and Gaia Cult gave us dozens of bottles.”

They had packed their expanded-space bags full of supplies.

I observed the ongoing battle, calculating the best moment to intervene.

The two combatants were locked in combat, but I could feel an occasional glance toward me.

From the Star Spawn, of course.

The Corpse Dragon wasn’t thinking at all.

But the Star Spawn was scheming something.

Baek Sorin chuckled.

“We could just sit back and watch. They’ll kill each other on their own!”

“That would be nice, but it won’t happen. The Star Spawn isn’t that stupid.”

“Huh? It’s not?”

As proof, my Star Spawn Protective Suit had gone completely still.

Even though a Star Spawn capable of telepathy was right in front of me.

‘Let’s stick to the plan.’

That way, I could take down both the Star Spawn and the Corpse Dragon.

I ran my hands over the weapons strapped to my belt and spoke to the three.

“Get as far away as you can. If I run, use the emergency escape magic chip immediately.”

“Teacher, you’ll win!”

“Yeah. I think so too. My chances are over 95%. But we still need a contingency plan. Once again, if anything feels off, drink holy water immediately. Got it?”

“Yes, yes. You’ve said it enough already.”

“Go now.”

They retreated to a safe distance.

With the gear upgrades they had obtained in the Grand Maze, they were well-equipped.

They each had mental defense artifacts—meaning they wouldn’t be easily taken out by the Star Spawn’s tricks.

Plus, they possessed Heavenly Killing Star, Innate Qi, and Blood of the Goddess.

Now, it was all on me.

Just me.

I sharpened my focus and locked onto the two combatants.

The battle intensified.

The Corpse Dragon launched parts of its own undead body like projectiles at the Star Spawn.

The Star Spawn angled its barriers like sloped armor, causing the projectiles to deflect.

Then, it retaliated with a barrage of bizarre magic.

Not runes.

Not glyphs.

Not symbols.

Just unnatural, shifting forms—twisting and distorting midair as they fired murky fog-like shells, corroding reality like grease.

“Guoooooooh!”

The Corpse Dragon countered with a blast of dark mana.

The sheer brute force of its magic overpowered the spell.

The Star Spawn twitched its face—or, more accurately, the tentacles on what passed for its face.

The tide of battle was slowly shifting in the Corpse Dragon’s favor.

This was the moment I had been waiting for.

“Hup—!”

I tightened my core.

Kicked off the ground.

Unleashed my mana.

Soared like a bird.

And descended upon the Star Spawn.

[You filthy savage!]

A furious psychic scream.

A razor-sharp psychic wave stabbed into my mind.

A normal human’s brain would have exploded on the spot.

But—

My Golden Dragon Inkstone flared with golden energy.

Mjolnir and Aegis gleamed.

The Star Spawn Protective Suit twitched and adjusted.

[Vajra Body] and [Indomitable] resonated together, nullifying the attack.

My damage taken: Zero.

The Star Spawn’s cosmic eyes trembled violently.

[You blocked it?! A mere primitive?!]

“Stop calling me a primitive, you extradimensional bastard.”

I hurled Mjolnir.

The Star Spawn twisted its body like a ghost, flowing away from the attack.

The Mjolnir’s Destruction Thunder detonated beside it, but it evaded.

But my attack wasn’t over.

I was already aiming my twin pistols at it.

“Die.”

Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!

[Invincible Gun] activated.

A continuous hail of bullets rained down, surpassing even the fire rate of a machine gun.

Each bullet carried Mana Infusion, Piercing, and Destruction attributes.

The plan was simple:

Break its barrier with Destruction, then let Mana Infusion and Piercing tear through its body.

Even a single hit would be fatal.

“Guoooooooh!”

The Corpse Dragon lunged forward at the same time.

Opening its massive maw, its trajectory completely independent of mine.

To an outsider, it would look like a perfectly synchronized pincer attack.

In reality, I had predicted the Corpse Dragon’s movements and guided the battle so that it would unleash its best attack at the perfect moment.

[Disgusting insects…]

A wave of contemptuous psychic energy.

The Star Spawn’s body shimmered into a pale, ghostly glow.

The Star Spawn split apart.

Its glowing form scattered in all directions before swiftly recombining.

Far from my bullets.

Far from the Corpse Dragon’s attack.

Then, it swept its gaze over both me and the Corpse Dragon.

[What a shame. Just a few more years, and the refinement would have been complete… No matter. I will offer you to the great Star Lord to compensate for my losses. Come forth!]

Fwaaaang!

A strange ripple spread across the gray space.

A sharp scream answered in response.

“Kyaaaaah!”

A piercing shriek, like a wailing ghost.

I instinctively turned my head.

In the direction of the scream.

And I saw something rapidly approaching.

A naked woman.

She was human, but her skin had grotesquely transformed.

Twisting, writhing tendrils coiled together like a vortex.

Her arms and legs had become octopus-like tentacles.

Her right arm, fused with a blade, dripped with blood.

“H-Grandmother…?”

Was I mistaken?

From a distance, Kali gasped in shock, her voice trembling.

[Kill the savage. My servant!]

“Kyaaaaah!”

Now all the main actors were in place.

I ignored the Tentacle Woman.

Instead, I charged straight toward the Star Spawn.

Switching traits mid-battle, I slashed down with Black Tiger Sword in one hand while firing my pistol with the other.

[I said, kill the savage!]

“Kyaaaaah!”

Shhhk!

I didn’t need to look.

I could sense it.

The power emerging from the shadows—

[Shadow Step].

The elegant, dance-like swordplay—

[Blood Dance].

The force slowing my body—

[Time Manipulation].

And lastly, the trait that made my life undying—

[Kalaratri].

I activated [Vajra Body] and [Indomitable].

The combination of Willpower, Self-Control, and Purification within them countered [Time Manipulation].

Then, I activated [Air Raid] and [Acceleration].

Using both mobility-enhancing traits, I spun my body midair.

The world twisted, and I found myself facing the Tentacle Woman directly.

Her horribly distorted face.

All of her hair had fallen out.

Where strands once were, clusters of slimy tendrils now dangled like seaweed.

Flash!

I drew the Black Tiger Sword.

Utilizing the [Quick Draw] trait.

At the same time, Mars Swordsmanship and [Master of the Blade] automatically activated.

An immense mana drain.

But the two traits amplified each other.

A whirlwind of sword slashes engulfed the Tentacle Woman.

“Kyaaaaah!”

[Blood Dance]?

It was a powerful trait.

A deadly and mesmerizing dance, hiding lethal fangs behind its elegance.

But could it compare to Mars Swordsmanship?

Even without unleashing Sword Qi, my sword, guided by [Master of the Blade], dominated the fight.

Clang! Clang! Claaang!

Her blade deflected wildly.

Her vital points were exposed—

Her heart.

Her head.

She tried desperately to block, causing her blade to split into dozens of whirling extensions.

I cut through them all.

Even when she transformed her weapon into a whip, it made no difference.

I was completely overwhelming her.

‘This is…’

That’s when I realized something.

‘She’s weaker than in the game.’

In Arcane Seoul, the Tentacle Woman was a Level 6 boss.

The proper strategy required leveling Kali up to Level 6 and bringing a full Level 6 party.

If players completed a special quest to weaken her, a Level 5 party could barely manage.

And now?

She was already in her weakened state.

Not Level 6.

But a Level 5 boss.

When the Star Spawn said the refinement wasn’t complete, this was what it meant.

“Guooooooh!”

The Star Spawn was relentlessly pressuring the Corpse Dragon.

It had decided to keep me occupied while eliminating the dragon first.

Ah, so that was your plan?

The dragon hunt was a feint.

Your real target was me.

Just as I had planned from the beginning.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The moment I realized it, I swapped to my rifle and shotgun, unleashing a barrage.

Each shot imbued with Stop and Mana Bullet.

Dual-wielding, I emptied both magazines.

I couldn’t activate [Invincible Gun], but I fired every bullet in my clips.

The Tentacle Woman tried to evade using [Shadow Step], but it was impossible.

I had already seen her destination with [Keen Eyes]—

And filled my own shadow with bullets.

“Kyaaaah! Kyaaah!”

She stiffened for a moment.

About two seconds.

That was all I needed.

I leaped—

And crashed down onto the Star Spawn.

[If only I had ten more years!]

The Star Spawn howled in frustration, unleashing another psychic blast.

But it didn’t give up.

It extended four tentacle-like arms and spread its psychic energy.

Its magic materialized into a chaotic mass, attempting to corrode both me and the Corpse Dragon.

A nauseating dizziness swept over me, and the Corpse Dragon’s eyes flickered with an ominous glow.

But it wouldn’t work.

BOOOOM!

Mjolnir smashed into the Star Spawn—

And the Corpse Dragon unleashed its breath attack.

[Khrrk!]

I barely dodged the breath attack as I fired my sniper rifle.

The Destruction attribute, combined with the Destruction trait, shattered its barriers.

And that wasn’t the end.

Black Flame.

Lightning Strike.

Earth.

Three High-Tier Traits simultaneously activated, devouring the Star Spawn.

[How dare these wretched creatures…!]

Yet even after all that, the Star Spawn still lived.

But I had anticipated this.

One more move.

The Tentacle Woman took action as well.

She must have received a new order because she emerged from the shadow directly beneath the Corpse Dragon’s jaw.

Then, she thrust her blade.

Her sword slipped between the dragon’s scales, piercing straight into its jaw.

“Guaaaagh!”

The Corpse Dragon shrieked and flung its head back.

Kali was the goddess of destruction and death.

Kalaratri was the sword art she bestowed.

It ignored defenses and amplified critical damage.

A massive chunk of the Corpse Dragon’s vitality was carved away.

[Now it’s your turn… huh?]

Everything had gone exactly as I had predicted.

I was already diving toward the Star Spawn.

Like a descending hawk.

And in my hands—

Black Tiger Sword.

Shrouded in a swirling storm of black-and-white Sword Qi.

No longer the blade of a seasoned warrior targeting weak points.

But a radiant sword strike born from divinity itself.

[Impossible… Impossible!]

The Star Spawn was too late.

It tried to conjure a defensive spell, but instead of a barrier that could block Sword Qi, it had prepared a magic shield meant to counter projectile slashes.

The black-and-white Sword Qi tore through the spell.

It deflected the incoming magical attacks, cutting straight into the Star Spawn.

Schlaaak!

Its bodily fluids erupted.

Spraying violently before evaporating into mist.

The cyan-colored liquid turned into vapor, engulfing me.

“We won!”

“As expected of our teacher!”

“You were the best this time too!”

The three of them cheered from a distance, their voices ringing out.

But I wasn’t ready to celebrate just yet.

I watched as my Star Spawn Protective Suit absorbed the cyan vapor.

I saw the tendrils wrapped in spiraling patterns begin to glisten.

“Heh.”

This was exactly what I wanted.

Even the Tentacle Woman was still flickering around, fighting the Corpse Dragon.

More accurately, she was drawing its attention away.

Making sure the Corpse Dragon wasn’t paying attention to me—or to the Star Spawn Protective Suit.

[Heh heh heh.]

It didn’t take long.

Three seconds? Maybe four?

A sinister whisper echoed through my skull.

[You were deceived, savage.]

“The only one deceived here is you.”

[What?]

I unleashed my power.

Everything was ready.

From my heart, I flooded my mana circuits with an overwhelming surge of energy.

[Black Flame]

[Celestial Flame]

These were the key elements.

I summoned Black Flame in my right hand.

I conjured Celestial Flame in my left.

Jet-black flames and pure white flames erupted at once, consuming my entire body.

Of course, I remained unharmed.

The damage—no, the attack—was focused solely on one target.

The Star Spawn Protective Suit.

The alien presence residing within it.

The Star Spawn itself.

[Guaaaargh! Gaaaah! What is this?!]

Black Flame was an oppressive force.

It burned and incinerated everything outside of itself, dominating all in its path.

Celestial Flame was divine and sacred.

It purified, erased, and exiled all evil.

Each one alone was devastating.

What would happen if both were used together?

If I deliberately made them clash?

[Reeeeaaagh!]

The Star Spawn tried to escape.

Not a chance.

Not a damn chance.

I had already chosen a special trait for this very moment.

[Dragon’s Roar]

“[Stop!]”

[Aaaaaaaagh!]

“[Stay still!]”

[Noooooo!]

“[Die inside there!]”

[Kuaaaaagh!]

I roared without pause.

Bowing my head slightly, directing my voice toward my own chest—toward the Star Spawn Protective Suit.

Even the Corpse Dragon flinched and turned its gaze toward me.

It was working.

The protective suit stretched, tendrils expanding as if trying to escape, forming tumor-like masses in a desperate attempt to break free.

But in the end, the Star Spawn couldn’t escape from the prison it had chosen for itself.

From the grave it had willingly entered.

[This… This can’t be happening. How could I fall to a mere savage…]

That was its mistake.

If it had followed proper protocol—if it had gathered more minions, wielded its psychic powers and magic in tandem—I would have struggled.

This battle wouldn’t have ended so easily.

But the Star Spawn had fallen for its own deception.

Just like the countless times I had watched it on streams.

Just like when I personally baited it into the trap route in other quests.

Fwoooosh.

A thick black smoke rose from the Star Spawn Protective Suit.

That was the end.

The Star Spawn was dead.

And the Tentacle Woman stopped moving.

“Grrr…?”

Now, the only thing left was the Corpse Dragon.

It had burned through a significant amount of its mana and was covered in wounds.

When it appeared as the final boss of Episode 2, it was a nightmare.

But now?

To me, it was nothing more than a valuable loot source.

I raised Black Tiger Sword and pointed it at the Corpse Dragon.

“Let’s finish this.”

–TL Notes–

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