I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-226

**226. Heavenly Demon**

—

Swoooosh—!

Swooooosh—!!

The sound of waves crashing against the ground.

The moment I crossed the gate, I was standing before an ocean—an immense sea.

*“An island?”*

A massive island and a vast sea stretching to where the horizon disappeared.

I stood alone on the sand, right in the middle of the beach.

*Where am I?*

Was this really the Abyss?

I tilted my head and pulled out the *Teleport Book* from my coat.

> 《Warp cannot be used in this area.》

…As expected.

Warp was disabled.

Which meant this island and ocean were somewhere inside the Abyss.

But the Abyss shouldn’t have a place like this.

If someone had constructed it, it wouldn’t look so… natural.

Even the chirping of birds and the crying of insects could be heard vividly.

*Is this an area of the Abyss that hasn’t been corroded yet?*

No matter how I reasoned, that was the only conclusion I could think of.

But is that even possible?

Aren’t all areas that fell already swallowed by the Abyss?

At that moment—

> 【All participants have arrived on “God’s Island.”】

> 【“Star Hunt” begins.】

> 【Participants must collect 13 “Starlights” hidden throughout the island and then embark on the “Expedition of Stars.”】

> 【Each “Starlight” has distinct effects and composition.】

> 【Combine them appropriately to form a “Starlight Expedition Party” and challenge the expedition.】

> 【You may attempt the expedition multiple times. However, failure will result in losing “what you hold most dear.”】

> 【All participants will receive a “Map of Starlight.”】

> 【Those who succeed in every “Expedition of Stars” will become the owner of “God’s Island” and possess the “Holy Star.”】

Letters floated above a sheet of paper.

A description that looked like something straight out of a game.

*So it’s a Starlight Expedition.*

The rules were simple:

Gather thirteen starlights and then embark on the expedition. That was it.

But if you formed your expedition incorrectly and failed, you would lose your most precious thing.

If you succeeded, you would obtain the island and the star.

*If I can gather the starlights, there’s no need to confront the others.*

There were eight participants besides myself.

Each of them had power worthy of being described as world-shattering.

Just hearing their names sent chills down the spine.

If we fought, survival would be questionable.

But if we followed the rules, there was no need to confront them.

All that mattered was obtaining the starlights.

*So this must be the map.*

Another sheet floated in the air. Flipping it over revealed a map on the back.

The sparkling points indicated locations of starlights.

*…There are so many.*

Just around me—within visible distance—there were about 150.

If similar amounts were spread throughout the island, that meant there were several thousand starlights total.

And we only needed thirteen.

Meaning I could collect everything without ever leaving this area.

*Each region likely has different kinds of starlights. The objective must be to assemble the best combination.*

But it couldn’t be that simple.

There had to be traps.

And it was questionable whether the other eight absolute beings would even abide by the rules.

*The Heart of the Eternal Monarch isn’t activating.*

The trait that removed one rule did not respond.

Not just that—none of my hidden traits seemed to activate.

I soon learned why.

One nearby starlight was buried in the sand, glowing faintly. When I picked it up—

> 【You have found the Starlight of the Iron-Blood Monarch.】

> 【ATK 3, HP 5】

…A very familiar name.

This was a hidden trait.

Before it evolved, *The Heart of the Eternal Monarch* used to be called *The Heart of the Iron-Blood Monarch.*

*So every hidden trait has been turned into starlight?*

I stroked my chin.

The thirteen hidden traits I originally had at the start—

Checking around, I saw other starlights also inherited the names of hidden traits.

Which raised a question:

*Originally, there are 13 hidden traits. But mine evolved and gained extras.*

I currently had 15 traits.

The “Randolph (Eternal)” and ” God of Blood Demons” were added later.

Would those also exist here as starlights somewhere on the island?

But I wasn’t necessarily the only one with evolved or additional traits.

All eight others gathered here were beyond imagination.

It was highly likely they too possessed multiple hidden traits.

*If all hidden traits became starlights, then the key to winning should be to gather the evolved and added ones—not the ordinary ones.*

But where were they?

They definitely wouldn’t be lying around easily.

As I was deep in thought—

BOOOOOOOOM—!!

A deafening roar hammered my ears.

I turned toward the ocean.

*You’ve got to be kidding.*

I saw it.

A whale so enormous its size defied comprehension.

I recognized it instantly.

The whale that broke the Axis of the World—*the Setus of Heaven.*

And the moment it appeared, it lifted its colossal tail and swung it toward the island.

The feeling was like a meteor rushing toward us.

The heavenly whale struck with strength that could shake the axis of the world.

ROOOOAAAAAAR—!!!

KA—BOOOOOOM!!!

I covered my ears.

The sound was insane.

But the island wasn’t destroyed.

A blue protective barrier enveloped the entire island and blocked the attack.

*The Heavenly Whale has no intention of following the rules.*

I realized immediately.

A being that shattered the world’s axis.

Rules meant nothing to it.

Then—

> 【“The Unborn Being” has collected 13 starlights and is beginning the Expedition of Stars.】

…What?

Already?

I doubted my own eyes.

How long had we even been here? And someone already collected thirteen starlights?

There was no way that would succeed.

They clearly didn’t care about risk.

> 【“Multiplier of the Storm” has erased 120 starlights.】

> 【“Multiplier of the Storm” has erased 200 starlights.】

> 【“Multiplier of the Storm” has…】

…I knew.

Now I was certain.

*These lunatics have no intention of playing fair.*

They were just doing whatever they pleased.

*…Interesting.*

I let out a small laugh, unable to believe this situation.

To think there were this many people like me.

So how do you win among maniacs like these?

*You act even crazier than them.*

Become so insane that even these psychopaths think you’ve lost it.

And there was only one way to do that—

*Play by the rules.*

The craziest thing to do among madmen—

is to play the game properly.

—

—

 

> 【You have found “Starlight of Void.”】
> 【ATK 4, HP 4】
> 【You may add/remove this starlight.】
>

> 【You have found “Starlight of Dexterity.”】
> 【ATK 2, HP 8】
> 【You may add/remove this starlight.】

Silently erasing my presence, I continued exploring the island.

There were plenty of starlights, but none of the *special* ones.

*There must be a condition.*

Some requirement to find—or create—the special starlights.

It was strange not a single one appeared after collecting so many.

What could the condition be?

All these starlights had similar values.

If synergy between them mattered, I needed to figure out how to hold them.

*Or is it about the ATK and HP ratio?*

…No.

Maybe there was no need to combine or match them at all.

Perhaps this was a simple game where you just needed the correct total ATK and HP.

The different values had to serve a purpose.

I experimented with multiple methods.

Collecting duplicates, gathering one of each type…

Nothing changed.

“Ah.”

A sudden thought.

Maybe it was the *order.*

The order of the thirteen hidden traits I possessed when I first arrived in Pangaenia.

How were they arranged?

When I first fell into the Kaltzman Desert, hands bound, facing the Hydragon—

*I remember.*

I arranged the starlights in the same sequence that came to mind:

【Void】
【Dexterity】
【All-Master】
【Weapon-Master】
【Giant’s Anti-Magic】
【Druid’s Nature Affinity】
【Iron-Blood Monarch’s Heart】
【Beast Lord】
【Golden Grace】
【Celestial】
【Mutant】
【Glutton】
【Great Sage】

And the moment I completed the lineup—

> 【“Memory of Stars” has been completed.】
> 【All starlights gain +1 ATK and +1 HP.】
> 【You now possess a total of 60 ATK and 60 HP.】
> 【Hidden starlights are beginning to appear on the map.】

…Bingo.

I immediately checked the map.

Orange-colored glowing dots.

Those were the hidden starlights.

The game was indeed about collecting starlights in the correct *order* to reach the necessary stats.

BOOOOM!!

Suddenly, an explosion sounded nearby.

Shaa—!!!

Clearly, someone was fighting.

To progress safely, the logical thing to do was to avoid it.

“A whelp dares bark at me—!”

“What a curious art you use. Is that sorcery like Qimen Dunjia?”

But curiosity won.

I wanted to see for myself the level of strength possessed by the rulers of the Abyss and the ancient existences.

Suppressing my aura completely, I moved toward the source.

“I’ll sink you!”

There I saw an old man, beaten to a pulp, facing a man in black martial robes.

The man was especially memorable.

Jet-black hair and eyes.

A sword—no, a *dao*—swung with an almost lazy composure.

It looked careless, yet the old man was utterly helpless.

And the path traced by his lazy swings was breathtakingly beautiful.

“Click. Like fighting a brute.”

He clicked his tongue in boredom and stomped his foot.

BOOM—!

The old man slid across the ground like a ragdoll and crashed into the dirt.

Every gesture—every kick—was ordinary yet overwhelming.

He looked like the embodiment of *effortless supremacy.*

Then he saw me.

“….”

I stepped out from the shadows.

Hiding any further had no meaning.

Seeing me, he nodded.

“So, the kid has some awareness.”

As if saying *If you stayed hidden, I would have killed you.*

I shrugged.

“How could I just watch you bully an old man?”

“Bully him?”

“Teach me a move.”

“Learn? From *me*?”

He smiled, amused.

…He was undoubtedly strong.

Too strong to win in a direct fight.

Which meant—

*This was a chance.*

A once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Immediately, I summoned my thirteen starlights into the air.

Then—

> 【“Heavenly Demon” and “Randolph” will engage in a Star Expedition Duel.】

> 【“Heavenly Demon” — ATK 0, HP 0.】

> 【“Heavenly Demon” has been defeated.】

> 【You have succeeded in the expedition!】

> 【“Randolph” seizes what is most precious to “Heavenly Demon.”】

“Hm…?!”

The Heavenly Demon’s eyes quivered.

…As expected, these lunatics had no intention of actually playing the game.

To think he didn’t hold a single starlight.

*Succeed in all expeditions and you become the master of the island.*

As I thought: it meant defeating challengers and taking their most precious things.

You had to take them from all eight.

“You bastard—!”

And the Heavenly Demon’s most precious thing—

The dao in his hand was now in mine.

Seeing that, he raged, but it was too late.

> 【Those defeated in an expedition will be confined to the “Prison of Stars” for one day.】

Swoooosh!

The Heavenly Demon’s body vanished like a gust of wind.

—

 

 

 

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