Trait Hoarder-Chapter 219 Above the Sky — Part 1

Above the Sky — Part 1

I push the speed further.

I press down hard on the accelerator.

And the most important thing—

Trait Swap.

The speed kicks in.

The fierce wind pummels against the Red Cougar.

The entire frame trembles violently, shaking with intensity.

Once again, I break past Mach 2.

Originally, the Red Cougar’s limit was 800 kilometers per hour.

But now, supported by my enhanced traits at Level 7, I was pushing its output to nearly three times that.

The fighter jets draw closer.

Planes that should have merely brushed past me in the distance—

Now they were as big as my forearm.

A warning transmission comes through immediately.

[Warning! We are transporting a VVIP. Do not approach! Any closer and you will be shot down!]

Ding-ding-ding!

A blaring alarm sounds.

The robotic head equipped with a magic spirit flashes a crimson light.

[The fighter jets are locking onto you.]

Idiots.

If I were them, I’d have fired first and asked questions later.

A flying car accelerating at Mach 2? If that’s not a hostile target, what is?

I push the speed even further.

I drive it to the absolute limit.

Unable to wait any longer, the flames erupt.

Puh-puh-puhng!

The lead fighter jet fires its machine guns.

But before the muzzle flash even flares—

I’m already reacting.

I saw the murderous intent gleaming through [Bright Eyes], and the Prophet’s Ring blared its warning.

The Red Cougar, driven by my mobility traits, tilts its entire frame nearly 90 degrees.

The shells rake through the space where I had been just moments before.

[This is your final warning! Get lost!]

Oh? I can’t hear you.

I roll down the driver’s side window.

And hurl Mjolnir.

Flash!

Thrown with precision at close range, Mjolnir tears through the air.

A streak of lightning instantly carves a path from the Red Cougar to the fighter jet.

The bolt pierces straight through the cockpit.

KWAANG!

An explosion rips through the jet, reducing it to shrapnel.

At that moment, the communication channel erupts in a frenzy.

[What the hell did you just do!?]

[How dare you!?!]

[Thor’s Cult! Is this the Thor’s Cult!?]

[What the hell are you doing all the way out here from Northern Europe!?]

[I’ll kill you!]

[Take this!]

Whoosh! Shoo-shooong!

Missiles streak through the sky.

Air-to-air missiles ignite their engines.

At the same time, the jets spread out, unloading their machine guns.

Meanwhile, the private jet—likely carrying the High Priest—accelerates to escape the combat zone.

My vision swirls.

Red trails crisscross in every direction.

Lines streaking straight toward me.

Lines twisting wildly, revealing their venomous fangs.

The moment they all intersect—

I activate two traits.

[Psychic Power] [Phasing]

Mana consumption lessens as I execute Phasing.

But because I’m not just phasing myself but the entire Red Cougar, the mana drain is immense.

Had I not used Psychic Power in tandem, even I would have struggled to maintain it.

Shushushung!

Bullets pass harmlessly through me.

They fail to damage the Red Cougar, merely phasing through.

The missiles are the same.

I watch in silence as their deadly warheads, elongated bodies, and blazing thrusters pierce right through both me and the Red Cougar.

Then, voices filled with shock burst through the comms.

[Be careful! This guy is a master of aerial combat!]

[No way… A Dragon Knight?]

[No! He’s a Dragoon!]

Dragon Knights ride great dragons or wyverns into battle.

Dragoons, on the other hand, specialize in mounted combat aboard advanced vehicles.

Both require a specialized trait known as Unified Spirit to function at their peak.

SWISH!

I close in on the fighter jet.

Of course, they won’t go down easily.

The jet accelerates rapidly, trying to widen the gap.

The Red Cougar’s current maximum speed is 2,500 kilometers per hour.

Meanwhile, the fighter jet I’m facing is akin to an F-15 from the old world, with a top speed of 3,000 kilometers per hour.

If this were a conventional battle, I’d be at a disadvantage.

[Got you!]

Puh-puh-puhng!

A fighter jet circles behind me.

Its machine guns fire in rhythmic bursts, forming a wall of bullets.

It’s anticipating my Phasing and ensuring I’ll get hit once the effect wears off.

“Heh.”

The moment we entered a dogfight, my victory was guaranteed.

[Psychic Power] [Blink]

I teleport hundreds of meters in an instant.

Was it because I used Blink on the Red Cougar itself rather than just my body?

Before, even moving 100 meters was difficult, but now, my range had expanded several times over.

[You crazy bastard! How much money did you dump into that flying car!?]

The pilot screams in frustration.

I retrieve Mjolnir, preparing to throw it once more.

Then—

The jet in front of me suddenly tilts.

Straight up.

At a 90-degree angle.

Like a palm flattening out to stand upright.

Its speed plummets instantly.

A jet that had been racing at Mach 2 was now slow enough for me to catch up.

In just a few seconds, I’d overtake it entirely.

A Cobra Maneuver!

Honestly? This was insane.

‘Are you out of your damn mind?’

Sure, it looks flashy.

But in real combat? It’s suicide.

A slowed fighter jet is nothing but a giant, beautiful target.

If I were in a jet, I’d tear it apart with machine guns.

If I were on a dragon, I’d obliterate it with dragon breath.

And right now?

I can just throw Mjolnir!

Flash!

But then—

Magic exists in this world.

The moment the Cobra Maneuver begins, a magic circle engraved on the underside of the fighter jet activates.

A blinding flash erupts.

Decoys scatter in all directions.

And then—

Teleportation magic.

If I hadn’t been instinctively using [Bright Eyes] and my combat intuition, I wouldn’t have noticed the jet reappearing far behind me.

Had I hesitated and thrown Mjolnir, the two jets flanking my rear would’ve gunned me down right then and there.

“Heh.”

I scoff lightly.

Through the magical light, I watch the decoys fall away.

Then, I calmly swap my traits.

[Thunderbolt]

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The one I had been saving until now.

I activate it, drawing upon every bit of my Psychic Power and Mana-based traits.

Preparing for the mana drain—

I unleash my trait.

The Red Cougar and I blaze red-hot before transforming into a brilliant yellow bolt of lightning.

Turning into a streak of pure thunder, I ignore the laws of physics and surge toward the fighter jet—not forward, but backward!

Fwoosh!

Like a lightning bird.

Or perhaps a thunderbird.

A pure storm phoenix, radiating electrical destruction.

Against [Thunderbolt], distance and space lose all meaning.

I slice through the sky in a straight line and crash into the fighter jet.

“Uwaaaah!”

The pilot, who had just teleported into position, has no time to react.

After all, right after a Blink, everyone is vulnerable.

Even I avoid using it recklessly in front of a boss.

And yet, he used it right in front of me?

That’s just asking to die.

KWAANG!

Meanwhile, the fighter jet that had been firing its machine guns reacts swiftly.

The pilot shoves the control stick forward, diving in a sharp descent.

Like a hawk snatching a fish, the fighter jet streaks away.

The edges of its wings glow faintly.

A magic barrier—it blocked my [Thunderbolt].

‘Impressive.’

But it’s time to end this.

I accelerate.

Chasing at full speed.

The distance between us grows slightly, but I have one more trick left.

[Divine Radiance] [Divine Artifact] [Thunderbolt]

[Mana Soul] [Empathic Vision] [Throw]

I enhance my attack with [Divine Radiance], then amplify its power further with [Divine Artifact].

Then, using [Thunderbolt] and [Mana Soul], I imbue Mjolnir with a destructive lightning strike.

With [Empathic Vision], I trace an invisible trajectory—

And with [Throw], I launch it.

No—

I fire it.

KWA-RUUUNG!

What happens when I hurl Mjolnir at supersonic speed while moving at Mach 2?

The answer: it breaks past Mach 3.

Easily overtaking the fleeing fighter jet.

The pilot panics.

He jerks the controls, trying to evade in a frantic series of maneuvers, but it’s useless.

Bound by [Empathic Vision], Mjolnir effortlessly catches up—

And pierces straight through.

I may not be able to wield it as freely as a flying sword, but this level of pursuit is more than possible.

A fighter jet worth over 100 billion Won turns into scrap metal, scattered across the sky.

[Warning. Warning.]

The magic spirit displays a schematic of the Red Cougar across the cracked windshield.

Originally shown in blue, the entire diagram is now stained red.

[Durability is at critical levels. The frame, components, and reinforcement magic circles are all reaching their limits.]

The Red Cougar is a sports car.

It’s not built for combat.

No matter how much money I poured into it, there was a limit to its durability.

At Level 6, it could barely handle breaking the sound barrier.

But at Level 7? It couldn’t keep up with me anymore.

“Just hold on a little longer. It’s almost over.”

To make matters worse, Seo Woojin’s voice comes through the comms.

[Teacher! The target will soon be out of radar range!]

Already?

The Red Cougar doesn’t have a radar system.

If the High Priest’s plane escapes the Sky Ship’s radar, the mission fails.

I slam my foot down on the accelerator.

“Got it. Keep tracking it until the end. Red, hold out a little longer. We’re almost there.”

[Yes, Master. However, I recommend a full overhaul of the Red Cougar. If you plan to use it for combat again, a major retrofit is necessary.]

“Noted.”

I need a great dragon.

Or at the very least, a supersonic fighter jet.

In this world, anyone with enough money can buy one—

That is, if they’re a high-level superhuman.

FWOOOSH!

The Red Cougar begins its final flight.

The target is the aircraft marked in augmented reality.

The distance has widened, but I can still catch up.

RUMBLE.

The frame shudders.

The hood rips off entirely.

The doors creak as if they’ll break off at any moment.

But fueled by surging mana and the roaring propulsion system, I keep going.

At last, I catch up to the fleeing aircraft.

HISSS. CHIIIIIK.

And with that, the Red Cougar reaches its limit.

One of its two thrusters sputters, belching black smoke before falling silent.

If this were a game, I could repair it with an immortality trait.

But this isn’t a game. It’s reality.

Unless I fix it myself, it’s dead.

“You did well. Switch to autopilot and return to the Sky Ship.”

[And you, Master?]

“I’ll handle it from here.”

Fortunately, the distance is close enough now.

Only a few hundred meters remain.

I can close that gap without the Red Cougar.

I kick the door open and leap out.

At the same time, I activate [Thunderbolt].

ZUAANG!

I streak across the sky, bridging the gap instantly.

But it’s not enough.

I use [Blink] for one final pursuit.

The aircraft’s tail fin looms just ahead.

The finishing move—

Triple [Aerial Leap].

THUD!

I land atop the aircraft’s fuselage.

“Hah!”

Even I can hardly believe what I just pulled off.

A Level 7 superhuman is no longer just human.

There’s a reason they’re called the pinnacle of transcendents.

But the fight isn’t over yet.

A sharp killing intent pierces the air.

Black circles form on the pristine white fuselage—

And then, figures emerge.

Superhumans.

The weakest among them is Level 6.

A mix of warriors and reinforced soldiers.

“You blasphemous bastard…”

A Level 7 warrior grinds his teeth.

“I don’t know how you managed to take down Captain Carlos’s squadron, but now that you’ve set foot here, your fate is sealed.”

Logically, he’s right.

An enemy who took down three fighter jets with a mere flying car?

Of course, they’d assume I’m a high-level Dragoon.

But if a Dragoon dismounts their ride?

That’s as good as suicide.

If—

I didn’t have Trait Swap.

“Confident?”

“Hmph.”

The Level 7 warrior smirks.

“Kneel him. We’ll offer him alive to the High Priest. The Black Jaguar will be pleased, and even the late Captain Carlos will rest easier.”

“Don’t expect a painless death.”

“We’ll carve your flesh and roast it piece by piece.”

As expected from the descendants of the Aztec Empire.

The warriors and reinforced soldiers approach menacingly.

They lick their lips, slicing their own tongues against their blades, letting blood drip freely as they grin grotesquely.

Of course, I wasn’t scared in the slightest.

My thoughts were elsewhere.

‘Should I skip this and head straight inside the plane?’

With [Phasing], that’d be easy.

Would it be better to thin their numbers outside first, or take them all out together inside?

‘I’ll take them down one by one.’

Honestly, this is the perfect opportunity.

Warriors and reinforced soldiers become exponentially stronger with the support of mages and priests.

Just look at this Level 7 warrior, barking about tearing me apart.

If I deal with him now, taking down the High Priest will be much easier.

They’re probably planning to use their deaths for some kind of ritual, but it’s so obvious I can’t even be bothered to sigh.

I draw my sword.

The approaching superhumans sneer.

“Heh, gonna resist?”

“Good choice. Resistance makes it more fun.”

“I’ll start with your fingers, then your wrists, then your forearms, and finally your shoulders!”

“He’s Level 7, so he should last at least five minutes.”

“I bet three.”

“I say two minutes and thirty seconds…”

I swap my traits.

Starting with [Kalaratri].

Now, while they’re relaxed and arrogantly staring me down, is my chance.

I fold space in an instant, ignoring the superhumans surrounding me and launching a decisive strike!

“What the—?”

The warrior, startled, hurriedly raises his sword.

The only reason he could react at all was that he had already drawn his blade.

If he had been any more careless, his head would’ve been gone.

But it doesn’t matter.

I have a sword art that forces open even the tiniest gaps.

KWA-RUUUNG!

A bolt of lightning crashes down as I swap traits.

Switching to the [Mars] build.

I activate [Trinity], real combat instincts, and [Sword’s Mastery].

As the warrior stiffens from the sudden lightning strike, my sword energy pierces through.

I knock aside his defending blade, exposing his chest—his heart—completely.

“Guhh…!”

The price of arrogance is steep.

This Level 7 warrior possessed a respectable high-tier trait.

In another cult, he would be considered a commander of the Gun Knights.

Among the warrior-class superhumans of the Black Jaguar Cult, he was ranked number one.

Not quite a boss, but at least a mid-boss.

And yet, now, with my Black Tiger Sword embedded in his chest, he vomits blood.

“C-Captain!”

“No way!”

“How…?”

Imagine thinking I was just a Dragoon, only for me to suddenly use elemental abilities and rush in.

That alone would be shocking enough.

But then I reveal myself as a Swordmaster, unleashing sword energy?

They never stood a chance.

Had they known in advance, maybe.

But these South American superhumans had no idea who I was.

And now, they were about to pay for it.

SLASH! SHWAAAK!

I swing my sword.

I don’t even need the [Nephilim Sword].

With just the [Mars Swordsmanship], I slice, cut, and pierce through them.

Heads fall like harvested crops.

“Guhh!”

“Ugh…!”

“H-High Priest! W-We need—grkk!”

Time taken to wipe out the superhumans?

Fifteen seconds.

They had enough power to raze a small city to the ground, yet before me, they were nothing more than a gathering of scarecrows.

Ssssshh.

I phase through the aircraft’s hull with [Phasing].

“You’ve arrived.”

A massive, brutish man with a face as red as a jujube fruit stares at me.

“You, who are destined to become the vessel.”

A strange sight enters my vision.

A magic circle.

A three-dimensional magic formation, filling every inch of the aircraft’s interior, utilizing the entire space to its fullest.

And blood.

Drops of blood fall from the ceiling, splattering onto the floor.

The blood flows through the magic formations, completing a complex ritual—a three-dimensional blood flow magic array.

A fusion of arcane science and the sacrificial rites of an evil god.

Well…

Just as I expected.