Trait Hoarder-Chapter 264

Total Mobilization Order – Part 1

A black dome.

Centered around the Craftsmen Village, it spanned a massive radius of ten kilometers.

It barely missed Seongnam City and Everland in Yongin by a hair’s breadth.

Just looking at it made one nauseous. A sickeningly ominous black dome had completely sealed off Gwangju City.

‘Even in the game, there was nothing like that.’

‘Where the hell did they bring it from?’

Boom! Boom!

[Kyaaah!]

[R-Run!]

[The Cult, the Old Father’s Cult, is attacking us!]

[Don’t shoot! I’m a follower of the Old Father!]

The news streaming from the Dragon Monarch’s Crown was absolute chaos.

The screen lit up with flashes of explosions.

Just outside the black dome.

The stationed military had opened fire with anti-aircraft guns.

If not for the pilot’s expert maneuvering, they would’ve broadcast a live crash on air.

‘They’ve lost it.’

The Old Father’s Cult hadn’t stopped at sealing off Gwangju.

They had mobilized an army.

Deploying tanks, self-propelled artillery, anti-aircraft guns, combat robots, armored units—everything.

And it wasn’t just ground forces.

Sreeeeee!

Fighter jets roared across the skies above.

It was military power rivaling that of a nation.

Just like Episode 3 in the game.

They must’ve been hiding all this at the Shadow Temple.

I probably missed it while tearing the place apart because of some spatial magic tricks.

Clack, clatter.

I typed frantically while watching the news.

[Mage Brain] [Bright Eyes] [Sixth Sense]

[Intelligence] [Understanding] [Tactics]

I had work to do.

Namely, analyzing the items I’d stolen from the Shadow Temple.

Whirrr. Whiirrrr.

River Goddess’s supercomputer was operating at full throttle.

The Goddess was perched on my shoulder, humming a tune.

[Done.]

“Thank you, Goddess.”

I’d swiped three items.

A file folder, a magic chip, and a magic spirit case.

All three were encrypted.

I’d just cracked the encryption with the help of the supercomputer and the Goddess.

I checked them one by one.

Just reading the titles made my fist clench on its own.

[Great Resurrection Ritual Plan]

[New King Birth Proposal_Final_Final_Confirmed]

[Birth Ritual_Cooperation Request_4th]

What the hell.

These sound like corporate documents that got sent back a dozen times.

I opened them one by one.

The Great Resurrection Ritual was exactly what I expected.

The scenario that would’ve unfolded if I hadn’t stopped the Seoul terror plot.

Mass chaos across Korea and Seoul.

The four major forces getting bogged down.

A coup d’état to offer all of Seoul as a tribute, culminating in the resurrection of the Old Father.

‘Got it.’

There was no direct proof tying the Terror Alliance and the Dark Jaguars.

But this document alone made it clear that the Old Father’s Cult was the main orchestrator from beginning to end.

Honestly, the strongest evidence was still playing non-stop on TV broadcasts.

I moved on to the next file.

‘I already know this one.’

The New King.

In other words, a plan to descend the Old Father into a vessel—me—and create a divine being in human form.

My deduction had been spot on.

Then, the final file…

[To the Noble and Merciful Saintess.]

[We have received your request for an overseas dispatch.]

[However, we are currently executing the order you gave last time to detain the priest, and it’s difficult to make time.]

[The Elder Brother remains uncooperative, and the priest keeps attempting to escape the Repentance Chamber.]

[If you could allow us just a little more time, we will make every effort to respond to your dispatch request soon.]

[We have also enclosed the heart you previously requested with this letter.]

[May endless glory and power be upon the Old Father.]

[And may the Saintess’s secret wish be fulfilled—we pray for it from afar.]

[From the Queen of the Night.]

Queen of the Night!

Who the hell is that?

Judging by how the priests at the Shadow Temple whispered about her, she must be a famous character.

But there was no such nickname in the game.

And that “heart”…

Did she hunt down some high-level beast or something?

Overseas dispatch? Priest? Elder Brother?

My finger froze on the mouse click.

Because of a sudden guess that flashed across my mind like lightning.

‘No way.’

No, that can’t be right…

She couldn’t be the Queen of the Night, could she?

That’s impossible!

Why would the Heavenly Demon’s second disciple stoop so low as to join the Old Father’s Cult?

I stared wide-eyed at the laptop screen.

Priest detainment.

Uncooperative Elder Brother.

Repentance Chamber.

All phrases you’d only hear in a wuxia novel.

There were only a handful of Repentance Chambers in Arcane Seoul.

At most, Tianshan, Shaolin, or Wudang.

And then, a piece of information I once heard floated back into my memory.

The Blood King had a massive fight with the Divine Army, was subdued by the Demon Lord, and imprisoned in a Repentance Chamber.

“She’s the one!”

[Huh? What do you mean?]

I jumped to my feet and shouted.

The Goddess on my shoulder flailed in surprise.

I didn’t have the presence of mind to worry about her.

In the mirror in front of me.

My eyes were trembling violently.

‘Then what happens now?’

The Saintess recruited the Demon Lord? An 8th-level superhuman? An SSR character?

She must be filling the void left by Seo Woojin.

This means the Demon Lord could appear anywhere.

She could ambush me with the Saintess, or show up as a mid-boss ahead of her.

But what worried me the most was the dispatch request.

The Saintess.

And the Old Father’s Cult.

Just where had they dispatched the Demon Lord?

For what? Toward what goal?

Knock, knock, knock.

“Sword Star. It’s time for your meeting.”

“Yes. I’m on my way.”

Thoughts later.

For now, focus on the meeting.

It was the same meeting I’d attended in a side role back in December.

Its official title: the Supreme National Security Council.

An organization ranked higher than the global NSC.

As I’d seen before, the Eastern and Western Army Legion Commanders would sometimes attend.

But today’s lineup seemed even more intense.

The Tower Master of the Sun Mage Tower gave me a respectful nod.

“Sword Star. It’s been a while.”

“Yes, Tower Master. Long time no see.”

His gear had changed.

The suit was the same as before.

But now he was carrying a staff.

A magitech staff that transformed into a long rifle in emergencies.

The handle was stylishly carved with the head of a golden dragon.

“Heh heh heh.”

Sensing my gaze, the Sun Mage Tower Master spun the staff with a flourish.

“Thanks to you, Sword Star, I got myself a fine new toy.”

“Ha ha. Is that so?”

Looked like he made it with the golden dragon materials I gave him.

“You punk!”

A heavy presence walked over and wrapped his arm around my neck.

“You became a Transcendent, and you didn’t report in right away? Huh?!”

“My apologies. I’ve just been too busy. Have you been well?”

It was the Legion Commander.

Fortunately, he looked like his old self again.

A brawny man in his 40s.

But on closer inspection, you could tell—

He had lost some muscle mass compared to before.

And his trait set had changed, too.

[Black Tiger Invincible Sword Art] [Black Tiger Invincible Mind Technique] [Master of the Sword]

[Rampaging Train] [Chivalrous Merchant] [One-Man Army]

He used to have [Hero] instead of [One-Man Army].

[One-Man Army] had taken the place of the [Hero] trait.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that? You rascal, I may be older, but I’m not some withered old geezer yet!”

“Geezer? You’re full of life! Just keep living for another hundred years, nothing more, nothing less.”

“What? You brat! So I end up senile, smearing crap on the walls? I’ve got five years left in me, you hear? Hurry up and beat down the Heavenly Demon!”

“Hahaha. Yes, sir.”

We entered the conference room.

The same one used last time.

A few were already seated inside.

The ones I recognized were Seong Huiyeong, the Thor Cult, and the Archbishop of Gaia’s Cult.

They stood upon seeing me, and also at the sight of the Legion Commander and Tower Master.

“Well, well. You’re still kicking, old man?”

“My wife’s alive. How could I die before her? Heh, you saw the kid in person last time, didn’t you?”

The only one still seated was a woman.

Early twenties, maybe even looked like a teenager.

She smiled softly at me.

She was the Western Army Legion Commander.

Back during the Guro Fortress redevelopment, she’d disguised herself as a young major to come check me out.

I bowed first.

“Commander Chae. It’s good to see you again.”

“Yes. You’ve really grown up well. I thought you’d reach Level 8 sooner or later, but not this fast. No, wait. I can’t be using casual speech with a fellow Transcendent. Sword Star. Congratulations on reaching Level 8.”

“Not at all! Please speak comfortably. You’re practically my great-grandmother’s age.”

“Hoho, shall I?”

Attendees continued to arrive one after another.

Unlike the meeting during the Seoul terror incident, this one had a different lineup.

It looked like all four major factions were present.

The two major armies, the five conglomerates, the four mage towers, and the seven religious orders—all of them.

An elderly man who arrived fashionably late reached out to shake my hand.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Go Jeonggi.”

Chairman of the Shinwha Group.

An 8th-level Reinforced, though you wouldn’t know it by looking—his prosthetics weren’t visible.

Originally, he would’ve been assassinated shortly after the Seoul terror attack.

But in this world, he survived thanks to the Dark Jaguar Cult’s poison being redirected toward Seong Huiyeong.

“I’ve heard much about you. I’m Warrior Kim.”

“Hoho. I wouldn’t call it fame. I’m just an old relic waiting for his final days.”

Was it because he was a Reinforced?

He looked distinctly aged.

His breathing was rough, and his face was deeply wrinkled.

Even with all the resurrection and youth elixirs in the world, his body had reached its limit.

His eyes briefly flicked toward the Eastern and Western Army Legion Commanders with a hint of envy.

“I’ve heard your name plenty too, Sword Star. Hoho. If I had a suitable granddaughter, I’d try to arrange a match, but my unfilial sons only gave me grandsons by the dozen.”

“Ha ha, is that so?”

I broke into a cold sweat.

Same look I saw from the old general’s eldest son—like he was desperate to make me his son-in-law.

And it wasn’t just him. The other conglomerate reps were staring daggers at me.

Then Seong Huiyeong shot them a sharp glare, and they quickly looked away.

Now that I thought about it, I’ve never gotten a single marriage proposal.

Could it be that Seong Huiyeong was blocking them all?

“All gathered now—except the Old Father’s Cult.”

“How long has it been?”

“Since the war ended, this is the first time.”

“Heh heh…”

“Is the Supreme Archbishop of the Shiva Cult not attending?”

“No. Seems China’s in a bit of turmoil lately. I hear he’s shuttling between Hong Kong, Beijing, and Tibet.”

“Ever since the Divine Army fought the Blood King, right? They said Tianshan collapsed and several rivers flooded.”

“I heard the Blood King tried to bring in a new disciple, and that’s what sparked it…”

All the superhumans turned to look at me.

What? Why are you all staring?

Why are you blaming me for the Blood King’s drama?

I didn’t encourage him.

It was the Blood King who lost his mind over the Heavenly Demon Arts and caused a mess.

“The President is entering.”

At any rate, all four major factions were now gathered.

There were five 8th-level superhumans in attendance.

The two Legion Commanders, the Shinwha Group Chairman, the Sun Mage Tower Master, and myself.

The Supreme Archbishop of the Shiva Cult was absent due to duties in Hong Kong, and the Seoul branch’s Archbishop attended in his place.

Even with that, this was a massive gathering.

If this coalition were to mobilize, they could crush the Old Father’s Cult with ease.

‘No need to bring in other species or dragons.’

Better to keep them in reserve for when we enter the Divine Kingdom.

For the outer assault, just River Goddess and Warrior Security would do.

“Let us begin.”

The meeting commenced as the President took his seat.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs began the briefing personally.

“As you all know, exactly three hours ago, Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province was sealed off by an enormous barrier.”

Click. A photo appeared.

A black dome enclosing an entire city.

“We attempted communication for the sake of dialogue, but the Old Father’s Cult has refused all contact. They are currently attacking anyone who approaches—including civilians.”

Bang!

The Legion Commander slammed the table.

The magically reinforced table cracked apart.

The Western Army Legion Commander shot him a glare, but he ignored it.

The Legion Commander roared with a booming voice.

“I’ve never liked those bastards! Even during the independence movement, they only cared about expanding their influence! Now they’ve finally shown their true colors!”

“That may be so, but shouldn’t we first assess the situation? We need to understand what the Old Father’s Cult intends.”

“Intentions? What intentions! It’s obvious. They’re planning to use the citizens of Gwangju as sacrifices for some massive ritual!”

“Old man Gu. Hold on.”

The Western Army Legion Commander stepped in.

“No matter how extreme they are, would the Old Father’s Cult really go that far? They’re one of the Seven Great Orders. Sure, they go a bit overboard with human offerings, but they’ve never crossed the line since the Westphalian Covenant of Divine Annihilation. There must be some explanation. Right, Chairman Go? What’s your take?”

Chairman Go Jeonggi of Shinwha Group nodded.

“I think so too. The Saintess may be a fanatic, but she’s not irrational. Offering an entire city? That’s the kind of thing only evil god cults do. Like those Dark Jaguar bastards. There must be a reason behind it.”

Everyone nodded.

That was the prevailing belief.

That the Old Father’s Cult didn’t cross the line.

An image built up over centuries.

Seong Huiyeong frowned.

“I wonder. Is that really the case?”

“What do you mean, Chairwoman Seong?”

“Most of you may not know this, but I have evidence that the Old Father’s Cult has formed an alliance with the Dark Jaguar Cult.”

“What?”

“Pardon?”

“Chairwoman Seong. Are you saying that’s true? That they’ve allied with those heretical Dark Jaguar bastards?”

The Archbishop of the Mama Quilla Cult twitched in his seat.

His eyes blazed.

The Dark Jaguar and Mama Quilla cults had been mortal enemies for centuries.

Especially after the Wraith King descended on São Paulo—he’d been grinding his teeth ever since.

And now, a cult had made a secret pact with them?

That was beyond tolerance.

Seong Huiyeong glanced at me before continuing.

“Yes. Thanks to Sword Star’s help, we were able to secure the evidence. Proof of a secret alliance between the Dark Jaguar Cult and the Old Father’s Cult. Even during the ambush on me, the two cults coordinated closely, and the descent of the Wraith King in São Paulo was something both cults orchestrated together.”

“That can’t be!”

“Good heavens!”

Shock rippled through the room.

And this was just the beginning.

This secret alliance between cults was nothing compared to what I was about to reveal.

“May I request the floor?”

“Yes, Sword Star. Please go ahead.”

“I’d like you to review this document first.”

I lightly tapped the Dragon Monarch’s Crown.

The files were transmitted.

To cybernetics if they had them, to digital devices if not, and if they had neither, magical light printed it out like paper.

The Legion Commander examined the magical paper.

The President adjusted his glasses.

The Tower Master and Seong Huiyeong widened their eyes, staring into the air.

“This is…”

“Hohoho!” 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

“This is insane.”

“The Saintess has completely lost it!”

“This is the end of days, I tell you!”

Their reactions were more or less the same.

Only the Archbishop of the Osiris Cult looked somewhat indifferent—everyone else was visibly agitated.

That’s how shocking it was.

The Great Resurrection Ritual, the Seoul Offering Plan.

The revised New King Ritual, and now the Gwangju Offering Plan.

The mood had reached a climax.

Riding the momentum, I stared directly at the President.

“Mr. President. I propose a declaration of total mobilization.”