Trait Hoarder-Chapter 202: Supreme Flame (2)
Supreme Flame — Part 2
In the game, this was a simple achievement.
All you had to do was keep chugging potions.
Just enough to not die.
Just enough to keep your HP above zero.
But reality was different.
I had to endure the flames of six attributes with my own body.
‘It’s fine.’
I repeated it to myself over and over.
‘This is better than Divine Fever.’
Back then, I really thought I was going to die.
If I had awakened my Mana Barrier any later, I would have succumbed to Old Father.
This wasn’t easy.
I had to withstand it without Magic Resistance, Vajra Body, or Indomitable.
So, I focused my mind on something else.
‘After Supreme Flame, I should make Shield Expert.’
All I needed was Shockwave.
‘After Shield Expert, should I go for Celestial Wall?’
Celestial Wall was the ultimate shield-type trait.
It could be created by combining Shield Expert, Mana Barrier, Mana Shield, Mana Armor, Domain Shield, and Fortification.
‘I also need to make Holy Knight… Should I go with Holy Sword, Radiance, or Sacred Crown?’
Honestly, I had already decided.
I just hadn’t acquired the final essential trait yet.
‘I also want to raise an Elder Dragon.’
I already had Dragon’s Word and Dragon’s Roar.
If I got the Dragon Knight trait and rode an Elder Dragon, few superhumans would be able to match me in aerial combat.
I let my thoughts wander like this.
Planning for the future, reminiscing about past failures, cursing the Saintess a little.
How much time had passed?
I felt the pain gradually subside.
The towering flames reaching the ceiling began to weaken.
The suffocating heat that had clogged my throat started to ease.
The firewood had burned away, and the flames were dying down.
“T-This is impossible!”
The cult leader, twitching atop the altar, gasped in shock.
“You survived? Survived within the belly of the mighty Supreme Flame? This is impossible! It can’t be!”
Then, he gritted his teeth.
“Damnable Old Father! That wretched being must have granted his Divine Champion power! Those mongrels! May they rot in the abyss!”
This guy was still completely mistaken.
I stretched my back slightly.
My entire body had shriveled up.
My muscles were stiff, making it difficult to even exert force.
But in my heart, I felt a powerful surge of mana.
I hadn’t offered a sacrifice.
I hadn’t used innocent lives as offerings.
And so, the trait that formed had generated an immense amount of mana instead.
[Sacrifice]
In the game, this trait converted HP into mana.
It was also a required trait for Radiant Knight.
Not that I had any intention of making one.
Radiant Knight was a build specialized in buffing allies.
I mostly fought solo, so I had no reason to choose that path.
Crrrk.
Slowly, I stood up.
I didn’t drink a healing potion or use holy water.
I only used Trait Swap.
[Undying] [Regeneration] [Resurrection]
[Wound Recovery] [Healing] [Vigor]
I activated every recovery-related trait I had.
A cool sensation spread through my body.
My charred skin began to heal.
My dulled senses returned.
My burnt-out eyes, ears, and nose regenerated.
“My god…”
“Does he have a troll ancestor…?”
“Even Im Kkeokjeong couldn’t have done this.”
I opened my eyes.
The blurred world quickly came into focus.
I heard it.
Boom. Boom.
The sound of metal striking metal.
It came from right behind the cult leader—from the towering statue of their god.
“The god is descending!”
The cult leader foamed at the mouth, screaming.
“Old Father’s Divine Champion! Go ahead, cry and beg your god for mercy! Unless your god descends, you stand no chance against the mighty Supreme Flame!”
A frog at the bottom of a well.
I silently prepared for battle.
If this were a fully ascended god, there was no way I could win.
But if it was just a fragment—an incomplete consciousness, unable to resurrect or even remember its own name—then I could defeat it.
Even if I couldn’t completely destroy it.
Rumble. Rumble.
The statue began to move.
Two demonic eyes ignited with crimson flames.
Three arms and three legs twisted unnaturally, its mouth opening wide.
Beneath its crocodile-like maw, three rows of jagged human teeth emerged.
[Where is my sacrifice?]
The grand ritual had commenced.
The sacrificial flames roared high.
But no body or soul had been offered.
Instead, only its own power had been drained.
And so, the god descended personally to seek its tribute.
“O mighty god! O great Supreme Flame!”
The cult leader trembled and shouted.
“That vile wretch, the Divine Champion of the Evil Gods, has stolen your offerings!”
[Stolen my sacrifice? A Divine Champion of an evil god?]
The statue creaked as it turned its gaze toward me.
Its sinister eyes pierced through me.
[Ah. Indeed. A champion of the wicked gods. The spawn of Lightning and Earth, those wretched beings, stand against me even now.]
“…Excuse me? Lightning and Earth?”
[How fortunate. A champion holding the power of two gods… A truly delectable prize. I shall chew you to bits and feast upon you. Then my name shall grow ever clearer.]
Boom. Boom.
The statue strode forward.
With each step, the stone floor beneath its feet crumbled.
Its breath was Calamity Flame.
Every exhale burned not only the air but the very fabric of space itself.
“O mighty Supreme Flame! Please, save m—Guhak!”
The cult leader reached out for help—only to be ignored.
The god didn’t even acknowledge him.
It simply stomped forward.
CRACK!
The cult leader’s body was crushed beneath its foot.
Lower half obliterated.
He tried to speak, but no voice came out.
Gasping for breath, he could only tremble before finally slumping over.
“Bit harsh on your own apostle, don’t you think?”
[What nonsense do you speak?]
The statue paused, standing over the corpse.
Did it finally realize what it had stepped on?
No.
Shhhhk.
The cult leader’s body was being absorbed into the statue.
Blood, flesh, bones—even his very soul.
The statue was transforming in real time.
What was once a lifeless metal effigy was now taking on the form of a living being.
After fully absorbing the cult leader, it had become entirely organic.
Its only flaw was its grotesque appearance.
“U-Uugh!”
“We’re all going to die!”
“Why?! Why did you summon the god?! Why?!”
The victims huddled in a corner, crying in despair.
But none of them even thought of running.
The Avatar of the Fire Calamity God had completely seized control of the temple.
I had dismissed it as just a high-level spirit, but a god was still a god.
You had to be at least Level 7 to move freely against it.
[That was a good meal. In life, he spread my faith far and wide. In death, he became my nourishment. A truly devout servant.]
“Then why not make a spot for him in your heaven?”
[Regaining my name takes priority over building a heaven.]
“Scammer bastard.”
[Now, come to me as well.]
The avatar reached out for me.
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My mind wavered.
But instead of walking toward it in a trance, I snapped myself out of it with Vajra Body, Indomitable, and Magic Resistance.
Then, I hurled Mjolnir.
[Lightning] [Divine Power] [Divine Artifact]
[Radiance] [Empathic Vision] [Throw]
KRA-KOOM!
Bolts of lightning carved across the air, relentlessly bombarding the avatar.
It scoffed, unimpressed.
Swinging its three arms, it summoned a flaming sword, a whip of fire, and a gun wreathed in flames.
[Such pathetic toys!]
I hadn’t expected much anyway.
Lightning and earth—powerful, formidable attributes.
But against the Fire Calamity God, they weren’t particularly effective.
Ironically, its greatest weakness was none other than fire itself.
More specifically, fire combined with divine attributes.
I dashed after Mjolnir.
The lightning storm had only been a distraction.
The avatar swatted away Mjolnir and turned toward me—too late.
I had already swapped my traits and drawn my twin pistols.
[Invincible Gun] [Gunplay] [Shooting]
[Rapid Fire] [Aim] [Celestial Flame]
Tatatatatata!
I emptied the magazines, then fired a fresh wave of mana bullets.
Even the mana I had built up through Sacrifice—all of it, poured into my guns.
A barrage surpassing a heavy machine gun ripped through the avatar.
[W-What is this?!]
Flames erupted.
Not ordinary fire, but sacred, brilliant, pure-white flames.
The avatar had braced itself for Lightning.
Instead, it was struck squarely by its own elemental weakness.
A field of pristine white petals bloomed and engulfed it in fire.
That wasn’t all.
I crossed my arms, swiftly swapping weapons.
The twin pistols slid back into their holsters as a rifle and shotgun snapped into my hands.
I pulled the trigger.
I emptied the combined magazines, then threw my body forward.
BOOM!
This time, I slammed my shield into it.
[Earth] [Divine Power] [Divine Artifact]
[Radiance] [Empathic Vision] [Shield Bash]
Aegis’s defensive power was converted into an attack.
With the added force of Earth, it transformed into a cubic battering ram.
Like an avalanche, the impact crushed through the avatar.
Despite its weight—easily several tons—it was sent flying.
[You damn…!]
Should I throw Mjolnir again?
Maybe imbue it with Celestial Flame?
I considered it for a moment—then abandoned the idea.
Instead, I tried something new.
[Kalaratri] [Master of the Sword] [Blink Slash]
[Celestial Flame] [Psychic Power] [Sixth Sense]
My Kalaratri was based on Blink Slash.
By default, it manifested as an electric attribute.
But… did it have to be?
Couldn’t I use Black Flame or Earth instead?
I had always known the answer.
FWOOSH!
Flames surged.
I flickered through space with Blink Slash.
The avatar stumbled behind me, caught off guard.
The fiery trail left in my wake burned along the jagged lightning path.
It became a tidal wave.
A wave of fire surged over the avatar.
[GRAAHH!]
It fell to its knees.
[You… mere human…!]
I felt the strain too.
Even as a Level 7, with vastly increased mana reserves, I had nearly drained myself in one go.
Of course.
Kalaratri and Master of the Sword alone consumed massive amounts of mana.
On top of that, I had used Celestial Flame with Sword Aura, enhanced it with Psychic Power, and controlled it with Sixth Sense.
‘Let’s finish this.’
I couldn’t let up now.
I had to press harder.
Harder.
More.
The avatar was a monster between Level 7 and Level 8.
It was leagues above a Nephilim or a Corpse Dragon.
If I gave it even a moment—especially if it reached the victims—it would devour them and recover its strength.
I had to strike now.
Even if I suffered internal injuries.
FWOOSH! FWOOSH!
I activated Kalaratri repeatedly.
My Celestial Flame Sword Aura tore through the avatar, burning it from the inside out.
The avatar lashed out with its fire sword and fire whip—pointless.
I deflected them with Mars Swordsmanship and drove Kalaratri into its body again.
Each strike, each blow, sent a storm of lightning and Celestial Flame surging through its form, ensuring relentless damage.
[DIE!]
BOOM! BOOM!
The avatar fired its flame gun at me.
At point-blank range.
I couldn’t dodge.
Blink Slash?
It granted temporary invincibility, but it wasn’t omnipotent.
Its invincibility stemmed from intangibility.
The avatar had accounted for that when it pulled the trigger.
I pretended not to notice and used Kalaratri again.
The avatar grinned, thinking it had won.
But that grin vanished the moment my gauntlet shimmered with golden light.
[What… what is that?!]
A god, yet so ignorant.
Did it not recognize Golden Fleece?
If not, it didn’t deserve to live.
BOOM!
Black Tiger Sword pierced through the avatar.
The reinforced alloy of its body was punctured, the blade bursting out from its back.
Celestial Flame and Lightning erupted inside it, tearing it apart from within.
The avatar vomited not blood, but fire.
[T-This… This is impossible. How could I… fall to a mere human…?]
It was because of Celestial Flame.
In the game, the standard strategy was to pull aggro with another character, focus on defense, and only attack using Celestial Flame.
It took a long time, but it was a safe way to win.
Of course, all the NPCs would end up dead.
But here, in this world, I had protected the victims as well.
That was how overwhelming the burst damage of Celestial Flame Kalaraatri was.
[I… I cannot die like this.]
If an avatar was slain, its divine rank would plummet.
It wouldn’t lose its sense of self, but it would come dangerously close.
And if the cult’s branches in Incheon and Gyeonggi were wiped out as well?
That would be a complete disaster.
[Come to me.]
A desperate, final struggle.
The avatar stretched out its hand.
The victims behind me grew dazed.
Some of them even began strangling each other.
Pathetic.
Did it think only it could use Word of Power?
I had one too.
[Snap out of it!]
I unleashed a Dragon’s Roar.
It didn’t have the same divine authority as a god’s voice.
But in terms of raw power, it was superior.
The victims jolted awake in shock.
“W-What…?”
“Urk! Uweeek!”
There were some minor side effects.
Several victims fainted or vomited on the spot.
Not my concern.
They weren’t the target here.
I tightened my grip on Black Tiger Sword.
With a swift spin, I carved a hole into the avatar’s body, as if boring through solid rock.
A round, glowing Mana Core rolled into my palm.
[You wretched… you accursed…!]
The avatar roared.
[I curse you! With my heart as the price, I lay a curse upon you!]
The Mana Core flared ominously.
Dark energy billowed out like thick, tar-like smoke.
It slithered toward me, trying to engulf me whole.
But I barely reacted.
[Indomitable][Curse Resistance] [Magic Resistance]
[Dark Resistance]
I blocked it with these four traits first.
[Earth] [Divine Relic]
Then I disrupted it with Aegis.
“Is that all?”
[Y-You arrogant wretch!]
“If you’re done, then get lost, you lowly ghost.”
I raised the Mana Core above Aegis and brought Mjolnir down on it.
BOOM!
A Mana Core was not something easily shattered.
But Celestial Flame had already weakened it.
The moment the hammer struck, it crumbled, scattering into stardust.
[Kuaaaaah!]
The avatar’s final scream.
That was the signal.
Flames erupted around me.
I immediately swapped traits.
Equipped all six materials needed for Supreme Flame.
My mana circuits ignited.
Like molten metal thrown into a furnace, they melted and fused together.
It was hot.
A searing heat burned through my body.
But I smiled.
My mana circuits intertwined, finally taking on a singular form.
[Acquired the trait: Supreme Flame]
Even compared to the Saintess’ Black Gold Baptismal Flame, this was superior.
In terms of sheer destructive power and range, Black Gold Baptismal Flame had the edge.
But if Supreme Flame and Black Gold Baptismal Flame clashed?
Supreme Flame would devour it whole.
This wasn’t just about my bet with Sun Mage Tower.
I needed this to counter both the Saintess and Old Father’s Cult.
“Hahaha! Hahahahahaha!”
The reckless baptism, the arrogant pasture—all of it would tighten around the Saintess’ neck.
Imagining her twisted expression, I laughed with absolute satisfaction.
–TL Notes–
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