Trait Hoarder

God Poca — Part 3

The atmosphere shifted in an instant.

The warm, cordial mood flipped completely.

The paladins, who had been openly standing guard, stiffened.

The priests’ expressions hardened as well.

The Grand Patriarch’s face flushed red, then turned pale.

“You dare say that?!”

He was holding back because we were in front of Poca—otherwise, he would have unleashed a string of expletives.

“Divine blood of the Supreme God?! The blood of the Tailed Wind?! If it were anyone else, if not for who you are, I would have had them seized and burned at the stake this very instant!”

Neither did the glares from the paladins and priests.

I stood firm, looking directly at Poca.

If I had altered fate once—if I was going to have to do it again—then I was well within my rights to ask for this.

And as expected, Poca didn’t seem particularly offended.

“Do you have a reason? I’d like to know what you plan to use it for.”

“Burning Smoke, my lord!”

“Enough. Let me hear him out first.”

After a pause, once the heated atmosphere had settled slightly, I spoke.

“You must already know that I regularly drink Reconfiguration Elixirs.”

“Of course. I don’t know how you’re still alive after consuming such a lethal substance, but it’s certainly intriguing. Even among the gods, it’s a topic of discussion—especially among the reincarnation deities in our Cult.”

“Several months ago, I visited Olympus. There, the Heaviest Mother extended her favor and granted me the Level 7 Reconfiguration Elixir Blueprint—as well as the Level 8 version.”

“I heard about that. Both Thor and Gaia seem to have taken a keen interest in you.”

“Yes. And now, I need to create the Level 8 Reconfiguration Elixir. But there is a specific requirement—”

I proceeded to explain the blueprint in detail.

It required the blood of three different gods, each with distinct:

— Attributes

— Origins

— Continents

The divine blood I had already obtained, Radon’s, was:

— Metal Attribute

— Dragon Origin

— European Continent

Then, what about Ehecatl?

— Wind Attribute

— Human Origin

— American Continent

Meanwhile, the Matron of the Forest from the Monster Village had:

— Wood Attribute

— Tree Origin

— Asian Continent

And the divine blood I would eventually retrieve from Africa belonged to:

— River Attribute

— Spirit Origin

Ehecatl was perfect for what I needed.

Poca listened attentively before asking,

“Would my blood not work? Or is it ineffective because I haven’t awakened yet?”

“Burning Smoke, my lord!”

“No!”

“You would offer your own blood?!”

“How could you even consider it before your awakening?!”

That wouldn’t do.

I shook my head firmly.

“That is part of the reason. Until you fully awaken, your blood is no different from that of an ordinary human.”

In other words, it lacks the properties of divine blood.

And there was another reason I had specifically chosen Ehecatl.

“Star of Sovereignty and Ceaseless Rain could work as well, but if possible, Ehecatl—the Tailed Wind—is my ideal choice. It fills a void in my elixir’s composition, and soon, I will be visiting a water-attribute deity anyway.”

“A void… I see what you mean.”

The blueprint Gaia had given me hadn’t mentioned such a requirement.

But after obtaining Radon’s blood and planning to acquire the Matron of the Forest’s, I had come to a realization.

I needed to obtain divine blood of attributes I personally lacked.

And Poca?

He was fire-attribute.

Even under normal circumstances, it was better to avoid fire.

That was why Star of Sovereignty, Tepeu, was out.

Tepeu was a god of stars.

Attribute-wise, he was associated with light, which, in Arcane Seoul, was broadly classified under holy power.

Meanwhile, Ceaseless Rain, Chaac, was a water god.

And I had already planned to visit a water deity elsewhere.

Specifically, a goddess of rivers—one who had once reigned over Sudan and Egypt.

“Very well. I accept your request.”

“Burning Smoke, my lord!”

“Grand Patriarch, think about it rationally.”

Poca spoke in a calm, measured tone.

“I am still fated to die. Do you not understand?”

“That is…”

“A powerful instinct whispers to me… telling me to bet my fate on this man. If I wish to change my destiny, this is my best chance.”

Poca turned his gaze toward me.

“But in return, I would like you to promise me something as well.”

“Name it.”

“When I am in danger, you must come to my aid.”

Not if possible—not if I had time.

I had to come.

Fine.

If I was going to receive divine blood, this was a reasonable demand.

A promise to a god was absolute.

It had to be upheld.

If I failed, Poca’s dying curse would descend upon me.

“Agreed.”

My expression hardened.

“I swear it. As long as I am not bound against my will, and as long as I am not required to sacrifice myself in your place, I will drop everything and come to your aid.”

“Hmph.”

“Tsk…”

The Grand Patriarch, paladins, and priests frowned at the conditions.

What else were they expecting?

No matter how valuable divine blood was, my own life mattered more.

But Poca simply smiled.

“That is enough. I will hold you to it.”

Fwoosh!

Smoke rose from Poca’s hands.

Even though he hadn’t awakened yet, his power already surpassed that of a high-level superhuman.

A minor feat like this was effortless.

The air trembled as space distorted, revealing a brilliant white gemstone.

“My brother Ehecatl’s blood.”

“Tailed Wind, my lord…”

“Unbelievable…”

Poca had personally summoned and sealed a transparent divine gemstone.

I carefully took it and buried it deep inside my golf bag.

The Grand Patriarch and the members of the Foca Cult averted their eyes, as if they couldn’t bear to look at it.

“Thank you. I’ll make good use of it.”

“I should hope so. If you grow stronger, then perhaps I, too, can escape my fate. May the miracle that happened once… happen twice.”

Of course.

I despised freeloaders.

I had received plenty—so I had to return the favor accordingly.

Who knew?

Maybe someday, I’d need another favor from Poca.

I slowly got to my feet.

“Today has been incredibly productive. I’ve received so much, I almost don’t want to leave.”

“You say that, yet you look like you can’t wait to get going.”

“To be honest, I have somewhere to be.”

“Where?”

“I need to go to the Arctic.”

“The Arctic?”

Because the beast that swallowed the Manpasikjeok was there.

The great beast that would descend upon Seoul during Episode 7: Ice Age.

For now, it should still be slumbering within a restricted zone deep in the Arctic.

Finding that zone and organizing a large-scale hunt would require strong local reputation, which would take time to build.

If I didn’t start moving now, I would be too late.

Poca studied me for a long moment before tilting his head.

“Since you exist outside this world’s fate… I can’t see your future at all.”

“That just makes me more valuable, doesn’t it?”

“That’s true. Very well. It would be best for me to send you off quickly. You’ve done well. Once again, thank you. You saved not only São Paulo but me as well. I am truly grateful.”

“I didn’t do it for gratitude. Anyone in my position would have done the same.”

“Heh… Would they really?”

Poca chuckled meaningfully.

Then, suddenly, he stood and walked over.

He extended his hand.

We shook.

Zzt!

Despite being an unawakened god, an overwhelming surge of divine power flowed into me.

It felt similar to Gaia’s Blessing.

Of course, it didn’t instantly prepare me for Level 8, but it did strengthen both my body and soul.

Poca winked.

“Your journey has just been sped up.”

“Thank you. An unexpected gift.”

“When you meet other gods, seek their blessings and assistance. Otherwise… you won’t reach transcendence when you want to.”

“…I understand. Thank you for the advice.”

“Now, it’s time for a brief farewell. I hope that the next time we meet, you’ll be even stronger.”

Poca returned to his seat.

The Grand Patriarch personally pulled the veil back over him.

With that, the audience chamber fell silent.

The paladins and high priests who had been standing guard had vanished without a trace.

Only I and the Grand Patriarch remained.

The Grand Patriarch watched me with a stern, dissatisfied expression.

“I hope today’s events… will lead to good karma.”

In other words—he wanted to make sure his investment paid off.

I gave him a casual nod.

“It certainly will.”

There was nothing left for me at the Grand Cathedral.

They had suggested I rest for a few more days, but I declined politely.

With my golf bag slung over my shoulder, I stepped outside.

I had some shopping to do at the Exchange.

But the moment I appeared beyond the walls of the Grand Cathedral, a massive uproar erupted.

“Waaaah!”

“It’s the knight!”

“The Savior of São Paulo!”

“The Sword Star of East Asia!”

“Here! Over here!”

“Kyaaah! He looked at me!”

Thunderous cheers.

The crowd was far away—separated by both distance and the towering walls of the cathedral—yet their deafening voices rang through the air.

It was enough to make my ears ache.

The bishop escorting me chuckled in satisfaction.

“Look at them. The citizens are rejoicing in your presence.”

“I didn’t do that much… It’s a little overwhelming.”

“What nonsense! Every citizen of São Paulo knows the extent of your efforts. Are you doubting yourself just because you weren’t able to personally save every individual? If you had hesitated—even for a moment—if you had delayed in order to save one or two people, the number of casualties would have increased tenfold. No—a thousandfold! Ten thousandfold!

“And yet, even after all that devastation… the number of dead is less than a thousand. That, Sword Star, is a miracle.”

I knew that already.

I had only said it out of mild unease.

Looking at the crowd, I muttered, “This is a bit problematic. I was planning to visit the Exchange.”

“The Exchange? Do you need to purchase something?”

“Yes. I need some materials.”

“In that case, why not tell me what you need? I’ll have my attendants retrieve it for you.”

“I don’t want to trouble you.”

“Ahem. Actually… it would be more troublesome if you went outside.”

That made sense.

The citizens would likely react with extreme enthusiasm.

And it wasn’t just that.

The contrast would be too stark.

Despite being the God of the Foca Cult, Poca had been unable to act during the crisis.

Even if he was unawakened, the Foca Cult had done nothing.

They had allowed me to become the hero of São Paulo, but they wouldn’t want too much attention fixated on that fact.

“Then please pick up a few things for me. I’ll pay for them—including a service fee. But I need a lot. As much as you can get.”

I listed five items:

— Hell Moss and Lesser Demon Arteries from the Great Labyrinth.

— Warped Vines and Snail-Deer Scent Pouches from the Great Rift.

— Interdimensional Wasp Nerve Cords.

These were essential for establishing reputation with Arctic factions.

Additionally, I asked for a large quantity of beef.

It was before Episode 4: Evil Dragon, meaning it would be critical for the upcoming Arctic Beast subjugation.

“Hmm. Are you interested in autoimmune disease research?”

“Haha. Something similar. You must be well-versed in alchemy if you recognized the purpose of these materials right away.”

“Hmm. I don’t mean to brag, but among the bishops, I’m probably the most capable. I never went as far as joining a dedicated research lab, though.”

The bishop pressed on his forearm a few times—like tapping on a keyboard.

The Mama Quilla Cult had embraced firearms, so it was no surprise that many of their clergy had state-of-the-art magitech prosthetics.

Apparently, he was no exception.

“I’ve placed the order. If you board your plane now, we’ll have two truckloads of medicinal ingredients and five truckloads of beef loaded into your cargo bay.”

“Thank you. I’ll pay in dollars for both the purchase and the service fee—”

“Oh, come now. It’s not even that much. The five medicinal ingredients you requested are all cheap, aren’t they? Just forget about it.”

This bishop really knew how to navigate social situations.

I decided not to push it.

After all, the ingredients were inexpensive, and beef was cheap in Brazil.

The total cost probably wouldn’t even exceed a few hundred million won.

It was a strange feeling.

Years ago, I would have trembled over losing just a few tens of millions.

And now?

I had grown so much.

“Safe travels.”

“Thank you. Stay well, Bishop. I’m sure we’ll meet again.”

“When that time comes, please continue to take good care of Burning Smoke.”

“Of course.”

The bishop’s efficiency was flawless.

Not even a few minutes had passed since our conversation, and already, multiple container trucks were loading supplies onto my plane’s hangar.

It was the work of someone who understood the importance of speed.

After exchanging farewells, I settled into the cockpit.

They had offered to provide a pilot, but I had declined.

I could simply entrust the controls to a magic spirit.

[Greetings. I am the comprehensive control assistant spirit of the supersonic private jet, Sky Harpy.]

Sky Harpy?

Ah—probably named after the harpy eagle.

I should link it later with my mansion’s magic spirit and the Red Cougar’s system.

“Nice to meet you.”

[Sky Harpy is equipped with various magitech functions. One of the primary features is the Magic Runway. Would you like to activate it?]

“Magic Runway?”

[It enables takeoff and landing on terrain without an established airstrip. While more expensive to install than standard vertical takeoff and landing, it is far more stable and can operate in any weather conditions.]

Interesting.

Magitech had advanced so much—there were many devices here that didn’t even exist in my previous world.

“Then let’s use it. But we do have a runway here, so is it really necessary?”

[It still provides a smoother takeoff.]

“Alright. Activate it.”

Magic Runway, engaged.

The underside of the plane glowed, forming a radiant path ahead.

It extended seamlessly along the Grand Cathedral’s existing runway.

At a certain point, it gradually inclined upward—ever so slightly.

Rather than forcing a vertical climb, the system allowed a natural acceleration into flight.

And it had already analyzed wind direction, speed, humidity, and temperature to generate the optimal trajectory.

‘I was wondering where to land in the Arctic… This will make things much easier.’

The aircraft surged forward.

Activating its magitech engines at full power, it soared into the sky.

I gripped the controls lightly.

With most of the work handled by the magic spirit, piloting wasn’t difficult.

[Unity] [Aerial Assault] [Mana Burst]

[Acceleration] [Swift] [Dash]

Swapping traits, I pushed the jet further.

[Th-This is…?!]

How did it feel to taste the Unity trait?

The magic spirit struggled to adjust, barely maintaining control of the plane.

Due to its large frame, its acceleration boost wasn’t as high as the Red Cougar’s.

But still—

A twofold increase.

Mach 4.

Nearly 5,000 kilometers per hour.

From São Paulo to the Arctic, I crossed the distance in an instant.

–TL Notes–

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