Trait Hoarder

Transcend – Part 1

The main material: four Mana Cores.

Chiik!

Mana was extracted from the Mana Cylinder.

Next, the key sub-materials: four drops of blood.

Four drops of blood entered the massive transparent magic cauldron.

Just before the repulsion reaction could occur, I poured in the prepared nectar.

Not one or two bottles. Not even three or four.

A full hundred bottles.

The nectar evaporated, and the blood droplets vaporized, beginning to mix together.

That’s when the remaining materials were added.

Demon King’s blood, Angel’s tear, Ice Crystal Shards, Lava Stones from another realm… All of them rare, expensive ingredients, used without hesitation.

‘Just counting these, it must’ve cost several hundred billion won.’

If I hadn’t acquired some of them myself, I would’ve gone completely broke.

Swaaah…

The ingredients began to melt one by one in the transparent magic cauldron.

Around it, magic circles flashed and pulsed.

A variable, multi-dimensional magic circle.

Not only was it structured in 3D, but it was also one of the most cutting-edge and high-level magical techniques that allowed the applied circle to change every second.

[Humans have come quite far.]

The River Goddess—no, her avatar—spoke as she floated in midair.

[To think you actually managed to implement this magic circle.]

“This was a gift from the Goddess Gaia.”

[But the Heaviest Mother only gave you the blueprint. The one who brought it to life is this mana-devouring beast.]

The palm-sized goddess tapped on a pillar.

Well, not really a pillar. It was part of a computer.

A magical-scientific supercomputer that Seo Woojin had installed while modifying the Sky Ship.

The main body was in the bridge, but a portion was also connected to my personal chamber.

“Thanks to you, Goddess, things are going smoothly. If I were using the original magic spirit, this would’ve taken a lot more time.”

[Stating the obvious. If you’re grateful, hurry up and reach Level 8. You know, Sword Star, don’t you? With your current state, you can’t even attempt it.]

“I know.”

Simply put, I lacked experience points.

One had to be at least 99.99% to drink the Recomposition Elixir.

The elixir in front of me would be complete within a day, but I wasn’t ready yet.

Even with the blessings of Poca, the River Goddess, and the World Tree, it was the same.

‘Maybe I’m only halfway there?’

Pop!

So, I uncorked a bottle of nectar.

I poured it into the top-grade magical bathtub I’d installed in my private room.

Ten bottles, twenty bottles, a hundred bottles…

I even went beyond the usual units.

Not just a hundred, but a full one thousand bottles.

It wasn’t enough to fill the tub entirely, but more than enough as a dilution medium.

The observing goddess shook her head.

[Such outrageous extravagance. Even when I resided in Sekhet-Aaru, I never saw luxury like this.]

“I need it.”

[Be careful. Anything excessive becomes poison. Nectar doesn’t guarantee glory and splendor alone.]

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

I immersed myself.

In the diluted nectar, that golden liquid, a solution saturated with the Milky Way.

“Phew!”

Instantly, heat surged through my body.

Mana began to roil.

It felt like my spinal cord was being scorched by fire, and my mind turned stark white.

I focused my consciousness and turned inward.

[Vajra Body] [Indomitable] [Magic Brain]

[Meditation] [Rest] [Rehabilitation]

A pre-set collection of traits.

The perfect configuration to protect my mind.

Especially [Meditation], [Rest], and [Rehabilitation], which were effectively distributing the massive power of the nectar.

‘If I had something like Contemplation or Reflection, that would’ve been even better…’

But you can’t use what you don’t have.

I closed my eyes and sank into meditation.

Time passed as I observed the starlight-like energy swirling within.

A tidal wave of power rushed in from outside.

There was no need for me to do anything.

Naturally, my body, mind, and soul were being fortified together.

This euphoric rise.

This expansive sense of liberation.

I hadn’t even drunk the elixir yet, but it already felt as if I had.

The world expanded.

My once tiny mind, my consciousness the size of a grain, now surged like Mount Sumeru.

And so, and so, all my thoughts flowed into that—

‘No.’

It was a split-second decision.

I barely opened my eyes in time.

Just a moment ago, I had almost lost myself to the power of the nectar.

Had I succumbed, I would have fallen into the [Spirit Loss] debuff and become a vegetative state.

In the game, a few months of recuperation would fix that, but what about here?

The goddess fluttered anxiously before me.

[That was close. I’m glad you came to your senses. If I had used my power to wake you, you would’ve needed at least three months of recovery.]

“Whew, thank you. Still, it’s reassuring knowing you’re here, Goddess.”

[That aside, looks like it’s almost done, doesn’t it?]

“Yes. That’s what it feels like to me as well.”

I stepped out of the magical bathtub.

Clear water rippled.

The nectar dilution had lost its power and turned to water.

Most of it had vanished, and only a small fraction of its energy had been absorbed into me.

Efficiency was terrible.

Still, when it came to gaining EXP without debuffs, a nectar bath was unrivaled.

“Once the elixir’s done, that’s it.”

I said as I looked at the violently churning magical cauldron.

Inside it, a plasma-like substance—not quite gas, not quite liquid—was swirling.

Still not complete.

Mana extracted from the four Mana Cores continued to pour violently into the cauldron.

When it finished, would it transcend plasma and become pure power?

The River Goddess fluttered toward me again.

[Something’s still missing.]

“Huh? According to my calculations, it should be enough.”

[Not from what I see. You’ve got some peculiar abilities yourself. Why don’t you try using them to take a look?]

‘A nectar bath should be enough to hit 99.99% for Level 8, though. What’s going on?’

I gently switched out my traits.

Bright Eyes and Sixth Sense.

Just in case, I put on the Prophet’s Ring again, which I had taken off earlier, and equipped the Golden Dragon Belt and Phoenix Shoes to activate Bright Eyes.

Then, I asked myself a question.

If I drink the Recomposition Elixir, will I be able to reach Level 8?

Uh…

That’s odd?

Why does it feel like I won’t?

Why do I have such a strong feeling that I’ll fail?

“Why is this happening? This doesn’t make sense.”

[Because you, Sword Star, are not ready yet.]

“Not ready? I’m fully prepared.”

[Tsk tsk. You still don’t get it.]

The goddess, who had been floating midair, landed on the desk.

She picked up a glass and walked over to the water purifier, turning it on.

Chwaaaah!

Water poured out.

She filled the glass to the brim, then let it overflow completely.

Water drenched the floor beneath the purifier, but the goddess showed no sign of stopping it.

[Sword Star. It seems you think of levels as this glass of water. But you’re mistaken.]

The glass of water.

In other words, the experience bar.

[Think about it. Up to Level 7 is considered the realm of superhumans. They’ve transcended humanity, but still fall within the category of humans. That’s why we call Level 7 the Ultimate Realm, is it not?]

“Yes, I’m aware of that.”

[From Level 8 onward, you are half-stepping into divinity. That’s why it’s called the Transcendent Realm. It’s also why a Level 8 superhuman is called a Transcendent. Now, let me ask you something.]

The goddess tapped the glass of overflowing water.

[Is this a glass or not?]

“It’s a glass.”

[Exactly. It’s still a glass. No matter how much water overflows, a glass is still a glass. Then let me ask you one more thing.]

The goddess stared directly at me.

Though her avatar was merely shaped from water, and she had no eyes to speak of, it felt as if her gaze burned with cold light.

[If you overfill a human with nectar, does that make them not human anymore?]

My heart dropped.

Now that I think about it, it’s true.

Level 7 to Level 8 is fundamentally different from the previous stages.

It’s the point where you surpass humanity.

Transcend not just the superhuman, but become something divine.

That’s how that level-up should be defined.

If we use the glass metaphor again, it’s like the glass being reborn as a Transcendent Cup, forged from the very essence of water.

The goddess perched at the edge of the desk and whispered.

[Sword Star. If you want to reach Level 8, you need something more.]

That was never a thing in the game.

Just feed the character plenty of Nectar or Ambrosia, then give them the Recomposition Elixir. Done.

Debuffs?

Just toss the character into some recovery zone.

Some place with Mana Spring or Holy Ground buffs.

“What do I need to do?”

[There are several ways. But first, let me point out your issue. Sword Star. Your body is already ready. Thanks to the Recomposition Elixirs you’ve consumed, the trials you’ve endured, and the Nectar bath you just took, you’ve reached the peak of human strength. Even a lesser god wouldn’t be able to overpower your body easily. Not even that northern Hercules from ancient Olympus achieved this as a human.]

That sounds about right.

If I were to measure it in stats, I’d probably have 999 in everything.

Of course, in Arcane Seoul, 999 isn’t even the true stat cap.

[What about your soul? Sword Star, you are an Omnipotent One. Through infinite reincarnations, you’ve opened the path to godhood. If you wished, you could shatter the chains of reincarnation and ascend at any time. So, let me ask you this: If both your body and soul have surpassed humanity and point toward divinity, why are you still stuck at Level 7, unable to reach Level 8?]

What kind of nonsense is this?

I almost said I didn’t know—but then I paused to think.

I have my pride.

When it comes to Arcane Seoul, I wasn’t just a veteran—I was a fossilized relic.

I dug into every piece of lore, every single NPC dialogue. I’m not about to give up now.

After thinking for a while, a certain concept came to mind.

‘…A Fragment of Divinity?’

But that wasn’t it.

Fragments of Divinity are only needed for reaching Level 9.

Not Level 8.

Both Levels 8 and 9 are Transcendents, both share the trait of divine authority.

‘Wait. Divine authority?’

It was never that important in the game.

More like, it existed purely as lore flavor text.

[All characters can reach Level 9.]

Level 9.

In other words, a Constellation.

Alternatively, godhood. A deity. A god.

[What divine authority a character possesses is decided at Level 8.]

Once a character successfully obtains a Fragment of Divinity and reaches Level 9, they’re assigned a title.

Right on the character card.

Next to their name.

Things like [God of Swords], [God of Magic].

Even if the character was the same, their title could differ.

In my case, I’d made [God of Swords] Swordmaster Kim, [God of War] Berserker Kim, [God of Guardians] Tank Kim, and so on.

The determining factor was none other than Traits.

At the moment you reach Level 9, your set of Traits determines your title.

My eyes sharpened.

‘Traits are life.’

Take Baek Sorin, for example.

Sure, [Heavenly Killing Star] was a Unique Trait, but she gained [Indomitable] after surviving a zombie bite, unlocked [Rampaging Train] from her relentless fighting, and opened [Nine Lives] after barely clinging to life and returning.

In that way, a character’s Traits reflect their life.

Their direction.

Their convictions.

A character’s Trait set could very well be called their identity.

Then what about me?

My Trait Swapping?

What philosophy do I follow, and what kind of heart do I have?

I was beginning to understand.

“Divine authority?”

There are many ways to express it, but the word I chose was just one.

Divine Authority.

Should I call it the realm of godhood, or perhaps the throne of the divine?

All gods possess their own unique domain.

Thor rules over lightning. Gaia, over the earth. That sort of thing.

Let’s suppose, for argument’s sake—

That I leap beyond Level 8 and hit Level 9.

Then what kind of divinity would I become?

God of Swords? God of War?

It’s vague.

There’s no single word that clearly defines it.

Isn’t that precisely why I can’t reach Level 8?

[Exactly.]

The goddess nodded.

[That’s the issue. Sword Star, up until now, everything you’ve done has been for your own survival. You’ve never once stopped to consider your identity. Your soul is supreme, and your body might be stronger than the Giant King’s, but that’s all. Unless your sense of self becomes a firm center, unless your mind becomes the pillar, then the soul’s sublimity and the body’s strength are meaningless. Hollow.]

A solid center of the self. A pillar of the mind.

“How do I strengthen that?”

[Experience.]

The goddess answered bluntly.

[You must overcome countless crises, taste pain and despair, rise again, establish your identity, walk your own path, and only then, upon reaching the pinnacle of your life, will you possess a mind worthy of a Transcendent.]

“I’ve had a pretty rough life, too.”

[Yes. I can see it now. I didn’t notice when I first met you, but after seeing you again and again, I understand. I can’t yet see the life you lived before you achieved your supreme soul—but I can see three lives clearly.]

“Three lives?”

Not two—three?

The goddess didn’t answer.

She just kept talking, saying only what she wanted.

[I can tell that you’ve suffered and struggled. But what did you gain from it? Your unconscious is filled with countless things. If you can digest them, you’ll acquire the mind fit for a Transcendent. But experience that isn’t reflected upon and digested is nothing more than a tangle of seaweed sunk in the sea of your subconscious.]

Her words carried weight.

And the more I turned them over in my mind, the clearer it became.

She was saying that without doing anything else—just by looking back on myself—I’d fulfill the conditions for Level 8.

“I need to meditate, then.”

[That’s right. But will you be okay with that? From what I can see, you’ll need to meditate, reflect, and contemplate like an ascetic for several months.]

That’s a problem.

If I had the [Contemplation] or [Reflection] traits, maybe. But even if I started earning them now, it’d take ages.

At least a month.

And I definitely don’t have the time to sit around meditating.

“Goddess. Isn’t there a better way?”

Honestly, I didn’t expect much.

No matter how divine she was, she still existed within this world.

I figured she’d know less than I did—someone who had observed and entered this world through the game from outside.

But, to put it simply, I was wrong.

There’s knowledge you can only gain from outside the world, just as there’s knowledge that exists only within it.

The goddess stared at me.

No—not at me, but at a particular part of me with unwavering focus.

My lower abdomen.

In martial arts terms, where the danjeon would be.

Then, the mana that had been as solid as stone suddenly stirred.

The power passed down to me by the Eastern Army’s Legion Commander.

The [Hero] trait.

–TL Notes–

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