I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-100

Ch-100

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It would be far better to muster their strength and repel the threat when the designated cities were attacked, thereby stopping the Four Calamities with minimal damage.

However, most of the city rulers remained skeptical of this suggestion.

“There’s no guarantee that the Four Calamity will become a ‘being of the Abyss itself.’”

“Hm. Other Abyssal Lords might keep them in check.”

“They might not invade at all.”

“Exactly. Zeraph, aren’t you assuming only the worst-case scenario?”

Brrrrrr!

Zeraph’s entire body trembled.

*‘These sons of bitches!’*

He couldn’t get through to them.

They’d convened this meeting simply to reject his proposal.

Disconnecting already-linked city warps required a certain degree of mutual consent.

“…Even if you sever the warps, it’s not like there’s no way to cause harm to your cities.”

One of the previously silent rulers of the neutral cities finally spoke.

A bald monk dressed in orange monastic robes.

He continued in a mild tone.

“If we connect to warp zones of ownerless regions—those that need no permission—that’s enough. Even if the Four Calamity haven’t yet become a ‘being of the Abyss itself,’ wouldn’t we be giving them a foothold to expand infinitely?”

“…Are you suggesting we all die?”

“If we do something like that, your city won’t stay safe!”

The monk gave a faint, mocking laugh.

“Either way, whether we die here or die there, we are dead men walking, no? If you insist on being selfish, then I can only respond in kind.”

In other words, if they were going to cut ties unilaterally, he’d drag them all into the water with him.

If they truly wished for safety, they could sever every warp and sink into the Abyss itself.

And then, instead of the Four Calamity, another Abyssal Lord would welcome them.

“Hoo.”

“Well, this is…”

In the end, the meeting returned to square one.

The debate continued relentlessly, with no end in sight and no compromise imaginable.

*

*

“…Have you prepared your excuse, Blackflame?”

The Master, who had personally stormed Blackflame’s hideout, frowned.

After all, she had swallowed fifty million gold and then completely shut her mouth.

“Well… I didn’t know the ‘Four CalMe Calamity’ would suddenly show up…”

Caught while attempting to disappear, Blackflame twisted her whole body anxiously.

“So—no information on the Phantom, and you also failed to kidnap the White King’s daughter?”

“Ahahaha…”

“I’m not joking, Blackflame.”

The atmosphere instantly sank like lead.

Murderous intent flickered in the Master’s eyes.

Blackflame swallowed a mouthful of dry saliva.

“It’s not like I came back empty-handed, okay? Information about the Black King and the Four Calamity… won’t that sell for a good price?”

“Speak.”

“Raktusha, the Black King’s direct subordinate, fought the Four Calamity head-on.”

“Raktusha… You mean Swordmaster Raktusha? That orc great warrior?”

“Yeah! And you know what’s even crazier? That orc suddenly turned into a giant. Based on all the intel I’ve gathered, it seems the Black King can give his direct subordinates ‘Hidden Traits.’”

The Master stroked his chin.

The trait of giants—likely referring to the “Giant’s Magic Resistance.”

If the Black King possessed the ability to grant Hidden Traits…

Was that why he dared to target the White King with such confidence?

*‘Seven Hidden Traits discovered so far… He might know even more.’*

Just uncovering Hidden Traits made contact with the Black King worthwhile.

If one could identify all existing Hidden Traits and the talents they synergized with, it’d be worth tens of millions.

The Master had spent years identifying a mere seven:

—Void

—Dexterity

—Weapon Master

—Beast Lord

—Giant’s Magic Resistance

—Golden Grace

—Glutton

There was a high likelihood that others existed.

But no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t uncover more.

If the Black King possessed such knowledge, then meeting him was worth risking everything.

“The problem is—Raktusha still lost to the Four Calamity. Even though Raktusha is level 13.”

“You’re saying the Four Calamities are above that?”

“Yes. A being level 14 or higher. How do you stop a monster on the same level as the White King or the Black King? Unless the ‘Holy Grail Knights’ of the Goddess Church personally intervene.”

Now *this* was valuable information.

If the Four Calamity were level 14 or above, it was something he could profit from immediately—by selling it to the cities linked to the Mountain of the Trainee.

But still—not worth fifty million gold.

Sensing the tension, Blackflame hurriedly continued.

“And the Phantom probably wasn’t at the Mountain of the Trainee.”

“And why do you think so?”

“If he had been, I would’ve already noticed—or he would’ve died, right?”

She had eyes planted throughout the foothills, a legion of monsters in the mid-zone, and Raktusha and the Four Calamity at the summit.

If Phantom had been there, he would have been detected one way or another.

But was that really the case?

*‘There’s a limit to how high skill proficiency levels can go…’*

Sword Saint Gracia was ranked #1 at level 24.

He himself was level 22 and #3.

Raising it beyond that on the mountain was extremely difficult.

Better to increase it moderately and prepare for the next quest.

“Besides—the Mountain of the Trainee sank, right? Wouldn’t there be too little time left to raise proficiency any higher?”

This too was reasonable.

Time invested correlated directly with proficiency levels.

No matter how monstrous the talent, with the mountain gone, there was simply not enough time.

*‘So he really settled for just level 15, leaving the Hall without greed?’*

Randolph—who had been dominating 1st place up to Main Quest 6.

That Randolph suddenly settled at rank 7?

It was puzzling, but logically plausible.

If Randolph hadn’t participated in the Abyss Labyrinth, he would’ve trained for at most a month.

Reaching level 24 in that time was impossible—no matter how gifted.

*‘Yeah. That makes sense…’*

A strange relief washed over him.

Blackflame’s confidence in her conclusion made the Master even more at ease.

Yes.

Even the great Phantom had limits.

No matter how absurdly he abused bugs or unconventional mechanics, he couldn’t have everything.

Phantom was still human.

Some might deify him, but Phantom was not a god.

*‘Phantom is human.’*

If human, he could be competed with.

If human, he could be defeated.

He had simply been blinded for a moment by Phantom’s overwhelming scores and devastation.

Finally—

At last—

The moment the man who scarcely seemed human was proven to be human.

His empire could not be toppled by a mere man.

Just knowing that was worth fifty million gold.

Yes—he had planned to kill her after she took the money and ran, but he would graciously spare her now.

*‘Ah! I’m saved!’*

Seeing the Master’s eyes soften, Blackflame exhaled in deep relief.

It seemed the information she provided was quite useful.

The Master smiled faintly.

Blackflame also smiled—

《The Hall of Fame rankings have changed.》

“…”

“…?”

《Main Quest #7 ranking: 3rd → 4th》

“…”

“…??”

《1st – Randolph (600)》
《2nd – Gracia (420)》
《3rd – MintChocoIsDelicious (410)》
《4th – Master (400)》

“…”

“…???“

Blackflame froze.

Chaotic thoughts, trembling eyes.

*‘Ah… wait.’*

The Master—like a demon emerging from the bottom of the Abyss—watched her silently.

…It seemed she was completely, utterly screwed.

*

*

《Calculating results.》

《Your level far exceeds the predetermined limit.》

《Sword Proficiency Level 30 — you have achieved the ‘Celestial Realm.’》

《Total score: 600 points!》

《You have gained: The Largest Fragment of the Golden Ratio (300h).》

《You have gained 100 Authority Points.》

《Authority Points may be used to enhance your Rights.》

《All Constellations who watched you are forcibly conscripted to raise your reward tier.》

《You possess a Lucky Die.》

《Reward tiers are raised by a combined 101 stages.》

《You may now choose one of the five swords listed below.》

《Great Rend》, 《Dragon-Slayer Sword》, 《Skull-Crusher》, 《Lu—》, 《Transcendent Blade》

Because this result was achieved through sword proficiency, every reward offered was a sword.

And each of the five blades was of an eye-rolling, jaw-dropping caliber.

*‘…Weapons capable of raising the max level of sword proficiency.’*

Occasionally, certain classes, star-ratings, and extremely rarely, weapons, could raise the maximum proficiency cap.

Weapons outside the Unique tier that granted such an increase were even rarer.

Yet all five swords here possessed that very property.

*‘They’re all highly specialized. I need to choose carefully.’*

Each was a specialized weapon—powerful even normally, but overwhelmingly potent under the right conditions.

I stroked my chin.

Yet I couldn’t help smiling.

*‘I can push further.’*

Because this wasn’t all.

《You reject the reward of Hidden Quest (6).》

《You challenge an even higher proficiency level!》

《Achievement Unlocked: “Challenger Who Writes the Myth of Proficiency Levels.”》
《Honor +300》

It was the hidden quest given by the Mountain’s Master.

Despite achieving level 30 in sword proficiency and receiving six tiers of upgraded rewards, if I could raise the cap further, everything would change.

Since an achievement popped, it meant reaching beyond this point would let me create a *myth* of my own.

*‘Now the real game begins.’*

I could not even imagine what awaited beyond level 31.

Just as I obtained out-of-standard powers by surpassing the trials within the Mythic Coffin, completing a myth I forged myself would surely grant a reward at least Unique-tier.

The letter from the Empire…

The survival reward for clearing the Abyss Labyrinth…

Summoning the soul of Sword Saint Riley with the Throne of Radiant Light, spending over a thousand hours of Golden Ratio, and sending seventeen Constellations into ascension…

Even more than when I chose the Baal Helm and the Mark of Ouroboros—

Right now, I was truly tense.

*‘《Great Rend》—just as the name suggests, it specializes in rending slashes.’*

In Pangaenia, the difference between a strike and a rend was “depth.”

Strikes were shallow hits and blows, whereas rends inflicted *deep* wounds—critical, devastating damage.

《Great Rend》 granted a 5% penetration effect to sword-based strikes.

And any attack that penetrated also inflicted irrecoverable damage afterward.

A penetration option was something one *always* took when available.

*‘《Dragon-Slayer Sword》—extremely powerful penetration against dragonkin.’*

It had a stunning 10% penetration when facing dragon-type enemies.

Twice that of Great Rend.

Considering how powerful dragonkin were, this would be invaluable.

Several inevitable encounters awaited—such as the “Mad Dragon Einhasar,” encountered during Main Quest #10.

《Skull-Crusher》—a greatsword of the blunt-weapon variety. It grants additional effects to sword aura.

The name was outrageous, but it was a weapon wielded by the greatest warrior of the giant race.

A greatsword larger than my own body, yet it could still be used like a blunt weapon for striking.

Only those who could handle sword aura were able to wield it lightly, and because of that, it carried additional effects that increased the damage of sword aura.

*‘《Lu-》, the composite holy sword. If completed, it would be useful.’*

Lu-, as its name implied, was an incomplete holy sword.

And being a holy sword, it naturally had a connection to divine power.

When used by a Paladin-related class, it possessed insane performance—boosting all “divine effects” by a full 50%.

When combined with another sword, it produced additional effects, but the problem was that I had absolutely nothing to do with paladin classes or divine power.

Still, depending on the sword that combined with Lu-, I *could* use it.

However, in order to complete Lu-, I needed a sword whose name began with a hyphen.

Like “-Ra,” or “-Aie.”

Even if not immediately, if I selected it now, it was certain that the moment it was completed it would display unquestionable performance.

*‘Lastly—《Transcendent Blade》, a growth-type sword.’*

A growth-type sword.

Once it grew and reached certain thresholds, it would automatically undergo enhancement, gaining the effects of “Extreme, True, Annihilation, Severance.”

And when all four enhancements were achieved, it would acquire a fifth transcendence effect and become “complete.”

*‘…One among these.’*

Each sword had a distinctly defined identity.

Yet I could choose only one.

I needed to consider the road ahead and select the sword that would be most effective.

And the place I would head to next had already been decided.

*‘The Empire.’*

Going to the Empire to retrieve the Baal Armor might very well involve battle.

The likelihood of having to face Imperial soldiers and knights was extremely high.

Even if I acquired the Baal Armor, I also had to assume the possibility of fighting the Four Calamity—or beasts on a similar level.

A sword that would perform with absolute certainty across all possible variables.

*‘That means growth-type and composite swords should be excluded.’*

I needed to become stronger *immediately.*

This foundational principle was one I had never broken.

If I could choose two, I might plan for the future with one of them, but since I could select only a single sword, I needed something that would grant instant power.

Lu- and the Transcendent Blade failed to meet that requirement.

A bit disappointing, but there would surely be opportunities to encounter them again one day.

*‘Great Rend, which is solid all-around; Dragon-Slayer Sword, which has overwhelming effects specifically against dragons; and the giants’ weapon, Skull-Crusher.’*

These three were the remaining candidates.

Choosing wasn’t easy.

After a long stretch of deliberation, I made my decision.

《You have selected ‘Skull-Crusher’!》

*

*

The Player Forum was once again flooded with posts about Phantom.

—600 points…?

—A 180-point gap from second place, are you kidding me?

—What did I just witness?

Every player who had progressed through Main Quest 7 witnessed the moment the rankings shifted.

The Hall of Fame, gathering the achievement scores of players participating in the Main Quest—

That was where the first-place ranking had changed.

 

 

 

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