I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-333

Ch-333. **Either Gain Everything, or Lose Everything**

—

As is the case with most games,

Pangaenia, too, had combination-type items and evolution-type items.

However, items of such forms were extremely rare in Pangaenia, and even if one were discovered, completing it was extraordinarily difficult.

Among them, **‘Lu–’** and the **‘Transcendent Earth Sword’** were infamous for being the most *difficult* swords to complete.

To begin with, **‘Lu–’** was a combination-type *Holy Sword*. It could only be completed by combining it with another Holy Sword of the same Mythic grade—one whose name continued with a suffix, such as **‘–Maria’**.

Even acquiring a single Holy Sword was already difficult, yet this one required not only the same grade but also matching compatibility before it could be completed.

That alone pushed the difficulty to the extreme.

Fortunately, I was able to obtain all of them from the **Golden Scale Shop**, but the real problem lay with the **Transcendent Earth Sword**.

*A growth-type sword. In truth, the hardest one to complete.*

The Transcendent Earth Sword itself wasn’t completely impossible to acquire.

If you rummaged through a dragon’s treasure vault, it could appear with a very low probability.

A sword that had been altered after absorbing the mana of mythic species like dragons over countless ages—

That was what the Transcendent Earth Sword was.

But the difficulty of *completing* it far exceeded even that of **‘Lu–’**.

First of all, the fact that it grew through four stages—**Extreme, True, Annihilation, and Severance**—was already absurd.

It only grew by drinking blood, and with each higher stage, additional conditions were imposed.

*To grow into Extreme required the blood of around fifty people.
To grow into True required the blood of around a hundred.*

To grow the sword, one inevitably had to become **Chaos**.

Your evil karma would rise, and the brand of a **‘Sinner’** would be stamped upon you naturally.

A person who had killed a hundred people couldn’t even enter an average city without hiding their identity.

Major cities were completely off-limits.

At the entrances of large cities—or in front of warp gates—there was usually a priest stationed to read one’s *evil karma*.

*Annihilation required the blood of a transcendent mythic species.
The final Severance required the blood of a Named Guardian Species.*

Those last two stages were truly outrageous.

Not only were transcendent mythic species difficult to even find, but to be recognized, you had to hunt one **alone**.

A Named Guardian Species?

It literally referred to a Star Guardian with a *name*.

The **Giant of Ruin** fulfilled both of those conditions.

And in the end, after breaking through everything, it was able to complete its growth.

Then, the completed sword once again became a **combination-type** item, granting yet another opportunity for ascension.

*To think I’d complete this again.*

I had done it once in the past.

When I fought a Named Guardian Species in pursuit of the **‘Sacred Star,’** I barely managed to win and completed it then.

But at that time, I had deeply regretted it.

*…I tried a completely mismatched combination and failed spectacularly.*

Two swords were consumed in the combination.

I had attempted to combine swords with incompatible natures, and the result was something neither here nor there.

The completed name was even **‘Sword of Great Chaos.’**

True to its name, it had the ability to induce confusion in opponents—but as a sword, its efficiency was worse than before the combination.

In the end, three precious swords had simply disintegrated into nothing.

Still, I had gained something from that failure.

That I must never make the same mistake again.

That when completing the Transcendent Earth Sword, the **‘alignment’** of the swords used in the combination was crucial.

*The Path of Light, Lu–Maria. Both are Holy Swords. And both have reached the extreme.*

Both were Unique-grade, and even their alignments matched.

That was why I used them as combination materials without hesitation.

I had a certain degree of confidence.

*The Transcendent Earth Sword has the potential to be completed as Unique-grade or higher.*

A sword born after absorbing the mana of mythic species over countless ages.

In other words—

*The Transcendent Earth Sword has the potential to possess an ego.*

There existed the possibility that it would be completed as a sword with a will of its own.

Like **‘Winter,’** for example.

That was why—

Why I had not used **‘Winter.’**

There was the risk that using Winter would expose my identity, but more than that,

It was because I wanted to succeed in this gamble of completing the Transcendent Earth Sword.

With trembling eyes,

…I looked at the completed **sword** embedded in the Giant of Ruin.

—

—

 

**【Endurance (Supreme Unique Grade)】**

* A sword of **Endurance**, bearing a nature opposite to the primordial sin, **‘Wrath.’**

* Only the **‘Sacred Blood Bearer of Endurance’** may wield it, but due to **Winter** *(anything bearing the name ‘Supreme’ can be used)*, it has become equipable.

* Natural regeneration is **doubled**.

* All senses are **doubled**.

* All resistances +20%

* Vitality +20

* Damage +20%

* Additional damage to **Boss Monsters** +20%

* Experience gain rate +200%

* Proficiency efficiency +200%

* All proficiency level caps are increased by 5 levels. *(Current max: 50 Lv)*

《‘Supreme’ grade items possess irreplaceable, unique names.》

《You currently possess two ‘Supreme’ grade items.》

《A collection has been added.》

**<Activated Collections>**

《‘Throne of Light’ + ★‘Winter (Final Twilight)’ = ‘Brilliantly Freezing Seat’ (Total Penetration +2%)》

《‘Bearer of the First Flame’ + ★‘Winter (Final Twilight)’ = ‘The First and the Last’ (All Stats +2)》

《‘Path of Light’ + ‘Sacred Path’ = ‘One Who Walks Upon Light’ (Curse Reflection +10%)》

《‘Throne of Light’ + ‘Path of Light’ = ‘Radiant Throne’ (Light Attribute Affinity +100%)》

《★‘Winter (Final Twilight)’ + ★‘Endurance’ = ‘Endless Time of Forbearance’ (Void Acquisition)》

—

—

Endless messages appeared.

But among them, the one that caught my eye the most was the very next line.

《Hidden Trait ‘Void’ evolves into ‘Voidness.’》

Evolution of a hidden trait!

**Void**, which had never once caused any anomaly, evolved into **Voidness** the moment I acquired two **Supreme**-grade swords.

A fine shiver ran through me.

The options of Endurance, the evolution of the hidden trait—there wasn’t a single thing I could discard!

“……Why—why won’t it come out…?!”

**KWA—!**

The Giant of Ruin frowned deeply and tried to pull **Endurance** out with all its might.

But the sword embedded in its chest wouldn’t budge, even against its monstrous strength.

Instead, the more it struggled, the more the blade chewed into its flesh, draining its vitality.

“Grrrk!”

Its entire body turned red as it exerted every ounce of strength to pull the sword free.

Still, it wouldn’t come out.

**THUD!**

In the end, the Giant of Ruin collapsed onto the ground.

It had lost its balance from using too much force.

**Tap—!**

I didn’t miss the opening and immediately leapt onto the Giant of Ruin.

Standing on its chest, I grabbed the hilt of **Endurance**.

At that moment—

*As expected, it has an ego.*

**Zzzrrr—!**

Endurance trembled.

It didn’t speak like Winter did, but I could feel its will.

The sword vibrated in a way only I could perceive, almost as if—

*Like a puppy wagging its tail.*

…It truly felt like a dog happily wagging its tail.

Then—

“Druid of the Golden Scale! Are you all right?!”

“…Oh?”

Just in time, Albino and Raiga appeared from afar.

“D–Did you defeat the Giant of Ruin?!”

“Gasp…!”

From there, all the other knights appeared as well.

There was a slight misunderstanding, but—

I was merely standing atop the Giant of Ruin after it collapsed on its own, yet it must have looked as if I had defeated it.

However, the problem was that it wasn’t only our knight order witnessing this scene.

“Th–The Giant of Ruin…!”

“W–What in the world happened in that time?!”

The other Star Guardians were present as well.

All of them were currently being held **hostage**.

Some Star Guardians looked combat-incapable, and others seemed to have voluntarily abandoned the fight to ensure the survival of their fellow Star Guardians.

“…I’m sorry, Giant of Ruin. There were too many hostages taken by those two, so we couldn’t continue the fight. …But you don’t look any better yourself.”

One of them—

A Star Guardian in the form of a massive wolf—apologized to the Giant of Ruin.

And *‘those two’* referred to Albino and Raiga.

The strongest combination.

Just as expected, Albino and Raiga—judging that they had no rivals—had produced overwhelming results while I stalled for time.

Perhaps because I had told them *not to kill the Star Guardians*—

I hadn’t expected them to force everyone to surrender by taking hostages.

*Fortunately, there are no casualties.*

There were injured, but no dead.

I turned my gaze to the Giant of Ruin sprawled beneath my feet.

“Will you continue?”

“…….”

“Doesn’t seem like a very good option.”

“…….”

The Giant of Ruin remained silent for a long time.

If it chose to fight, it could still fight.

Its stamina was barely depleted.

It was confident it could endure even against all of them.

It could also force a draw by running out the time limit.

But—

The Giant of Ruin looked at the surviving Star Guardians.

It could have killed them all, yet it had spared them all.

Even in a confrontation meant to pit them against each other.

Because the **Druid of the Golden Scale** wished it so.

And because it trusted its knight order’s operations more than its own.

The Giant of Ruin closed its eyes.

And then—

“…We acknowledge our defeat.”

…For the first time in its life, it acknowledged its own defeat.

At that moment—

【The battle has concluded within the time limit.】

【‘Golden Scale Knight Order’ is victorious!】

【10 ‘Mysterious Achievements’ present in the ‘Land of Stars’ have been completed.】

【Mysterious Achievement ‘All Members Survive’ achieved.】

【Mysterious Achievement ‘Honorable Duel’ achieved.】

【Mysterious Achievement ‘Perfect Clear of the 2nd Layer Boss Room’ achieved.】

【Mysterious Achievement ‘You and I at Eye Level’ achieved.】

【1 ‘Forgotten Knight’s Soul’ is taken from the ‘Star Guardian Knight Order.’】

【A total of 15 ‘Forgotten Knight’s Souls’ acquired.】

【‘Golden Scale Knight Order’ has completed 19 Mysterious Achievements.】

【Dungeon Mysterious Achievement Progress: 38/370】

……

……

*

*

【You have arrived at the 3rd Layer.】

【Three paths leading toward the ‘Roots of the World Tree’ are presented.】
【You may choose one of the three paths.】

【1. Normal Room】
【2. Question Mark (???) Room】
【3. Boss Room (Selectable if possessing 5 or more Forgotten Knight’s Souls)】

Upon crossing the door, the same choices appeared again.

There was nothing more to consider.

【You have selected ‘3. Boss Room.’】
【‘Golden Scale Knight Order’ has entered the Boss Room.】

【‘White King’s Knight Order’ has entered the Boss Room.】

【Both knight orders are given a ‘Monster Soul (Grade 0)’ capable of summoning monsters.】

【Within the time limit, raise the grade of the ‘Soul’ as high as possible.】

【To raise the grade of the ‘Monster Soul,’ tame the summoned monster and evolve it through hunting.】

【The grade of the ‘Monster Soul’ may be raised through various other factors as well.】

【If the summoned ‘Monster Soul’ dies, it resets to Grade 0.】

【Time limit: 72 hours.】

【When the time limit expires, the summoned ‘Monster Souls’ of both knight orders will battle each other.】

【The defeated knight order will lose 3 ‘Forgotten Knight’s Souls.’】

【Additionally, all Mysterious Achievements achieved on the 3rd Layer will be stolen by the victorious knight order.】

【The ‘Forgotten God’ joins the battle.】

I could roughly grasp what defined a Boss Room.

Either gain everything, or lose everything.

And this time, the **Forgotten God** joined from the very start.

Of course—if anything, that was better.

*This is a stage made for me.*

Taming monsters and evolving them.

In that field, I was a specialist.