Trait Hoarder Novel Chapter 21: Seo Woojin (3)

Seo Woojin — Part 3

“What did you say?!”

The President roared in fury, almost as if flas were spewing from his mouth.

“Did you just say that?!”

I couldn’t understand why he was getting so worked up.

I wasn’t asking for so secret martial technique passed down only to the heads of the family or the direct descendants. I wasn’t even asking for an elder-level skill, one that’s open to the branch families.

The Mountain Breaking Sword Art was rely a mid-level sword technique.

Anyone ranked at a departnt head level within Jaegumun, which had since transford into a private military company, could learn it.

I thought it was a reasonable negotiation.

Without flinching, I spoke calmly.

“I’m not asking for it as an upfront fee. I said it would be a success fee. Is this really sothing to get so angry about?”

“This guy…”

“It’s not like we’re living in the Joseon Dynasty anymore. The Mountain Breaking Sword Art is sothing you can learn at any university or superhuman academy these days. I’m offering to accomplish sothing that has repeatedly failed in the past. I think this much is fair to ask.”

“Hmmph!”

The President’s face twisted in discomfort.

anwhile, the Vice President, who had been listening carefully, stared intently at .

“So, what you’re saying is… You can definitely cure our Jinwoo?”

“I guarantee it.”

“If you fail, my husband and I will be furious. Are you still okay with that?”

The Vice President subtly exuded an intense energy.

The magical wave of a level-6 superhuman, infused with killing intent, sent a chilling force that pricked my skin.

Every hair on my body stood on end, and my neck stiffened.

My mouth went dry, but I forced a confident smile.

“Of course. Do you think I’d bring up the Mountain Breaking Sword Art if I wasn’t serious?”

Internally, though, I was grumbling.

Seriously, why are they acting like we’re still in the dieval age? We live in the information era.

Though it was considered a mid-level technique, the Mountain Breaking Sword Art could easily help soone advance to level 4 or 5 if mastered.

To learn it, you’d need connections to get into the right university or an enormous amount of money to pay for it at a private academy.

Given my status as a broke level-1 superhuman, the Mountain Breaking Sword Art was the most appropriate choice for .

‘Later, I’ll get my hands on the Three Great Sword Arts.’

The World Saving Sword Art? The Unified Spirit Sword?

Even if soone offered them to , I wouldn’t want them.

The President, still looking unsatisfied, spoke reluctantly.

“Fine. We’ll add the Mountain Breaking Sword Art to the reward, along with the Nectar. If you want, I’ll personally teach it to you.”

“I don’t need personal instruction. Just give

the mory chip.”

“Understood. But you’ll need to use the mory chip in front of .”

“That’s only natural.”

“Whew…”

Manager Choi, who had been holding his breath this whole ti, let out a sigh of relief.

He had probably been worrying that I might be overreaching, but seeing the couple accept my terms seed to put him at ease.

“Do you need anything else?”

“I’ll need a Mana Concentration Array and 200 bottles of mid-grade mana potions.”

“That many?”

“They aren’t for . They’re supplies for the process. If any are left, I’ll return them.”

“Are you planning to force a mana overload to induce an awakening? That’s not acceptable. Don’t you know what happens to superhumans who awaken forcibly?”

“I’m the one who will drink them, not Woojin.”

“Hmm…”

Both the President and the Vice President eyed

suspiciously.

I’ll say it again: I’m only level 1.

Naturally, my mana capacity is extrely low. Even if I drink a low-grade mana potion, it fills

up halfway. With a mid-grade mana potion, just one sip is enough to max out my capacity.

“And the Mana Concentration Array needs to be installed in a private training room. No surveillance like CCTV or mana detectors, please. I want it to be just Woojin and

in there.”

“That’s fine… You’re absolutely sure you can succeed?”

“I value my life, you know. If I were just planning to con you and run, I wouldn’t ask for a sealed room, would I?”

“Well, that’s true. Alright. Anything else?”

“One last thing. I’d like to speak to Woojin directly.”

“To ?”

Seo Woojin, who had been sitting absent-mindedly, snapped to attention, startled.

He seed a bit clueless.

Is this really the guy wielding the Sword of the Evil God?

“Let

make it clear, this won’t be easy. I’ll do my best to minimize your suffering, but in the end, you’ll have to take off the gloves.”

Take off the gloves…

Hearing that made Seo Woojin’s eyes waver.

Naturally.

The Divine Fever causes excruciating pain, possibly the most intense agony a human can experience.

No one would want to endure it, not even for a single second.

Seo Woojin clenched his eyes shut.

“I-I’ll do it.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’d rather be in pain for a bit than live like this forever. I can’t train in martial arts, I can’t even leave the house properly… Just please make sure that it works.”

“I promise. You’ll be reborn today, Woojin.”

Seo Woojin glanced at the black flas surrounding , biting his lower lip before nodding resolutely.

The atmosphere was heating up.

Strike while the iron’s hot.

I stood up imdiately.

“Let’s begin right now.”

“R-right now?”

“Huh?”

“It’s better for both Woojin and

to start right away. President, do you have a private training room with a Mana Concentration Array? Just prepare the mana potions, and we’ll start imdiately.”

A martial arts school with as much history and tradition as this one wouldn’t lack a secret training facility or mana potions.

The President gave

a look that was a mix of amazent and disbelief.

“Of course we have one. Are you sure you’re ready to start right now?”

“If Woojin takes too long to prepare himself ntally, it’ll only cause more stress.”

“Uh, but, teacher…”

Seo Woojin had suddenly started addressing

as “teacher.”

The Vice President saw that and stood up as well, looking impressed.

“I like your decisiveness, Superhuman. Indeed, it’s best to swing the sword when montum is on your side. We have the Mana Concentration Array and mana potions, so let’s start right away.”

“Mother!”

“I trust you, son. Woojin? This is your chance to get it all out of your system. How long are you going to live like this? You’ve got to train in martial arts, attend company etings, and even date! You don’t have ti to waste.”

It was clear from his expression that Seo Woojin wanted to delay this, even by a few days.

But he couldn’t win against his mother.

Nearly dragged along, we descended into the underground secret training room beneath their house.

The space was quite large.

Magical lights glittered from the ceiling, and the walls, floor, and ceiling were inscribed with magic circles.

That familiar pattern.

I couldn’t help but be impressed.

It was a 3D Mana Concentration Array. A 2D one would have sufficed, but this three-dinsional version cost several tis more while offering only a marginal increase in efficiency.

Thump! Thump!

The President personally brought in a plastic crate and set it on the floor.

It looked like one of those crates used to hold soju bottles, but inside were glass bottles filled with a blue liquid, packed to the brim.

“These are mid-grade mana potions. Is this enough?”

“It’s more than enough.”

“I’m counting on you.”

With those words, the President left the room.

The Vice President grabbed my hand and spoke earnestly.

“Superhuman. Our Woojin is truly a pitiful child. He was forcefully baptized by the Saintess more than a decade ago. He couldn’t attend school, let alone make friends. It breaks my heart to see him locked up in his room playing gas all day. You’re the only one we can rely on now. Please, just make him healthy again, and I’ll give you whatever you want—whether it’s the Nectar or the Mountain Breaking Sword Art.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure this succeeds.”

“I trust you. Woojin? Listen to the Superhuman, and even if it gets tough, endure it, okay?”

“Okay…”

After gently comforting Seo Woojin, the Vice President left the training room.

I heard the sound of a door lock clicking into place, followed by the activation of a magical seal and the distinct clank of a chanical lock.

That’s when Seo Woojin really began to tremble.

The calm facade he’d been maintaining shattered.

His eyes were now filled with deep fear.

“U-uh, teacher…”

“Yes?”

“I’m not really supposed to drink those, right?”

His gaze was fixed on the mana potions.

I understood his concern.

I nodded firmly.

“Like I said earlier, I’ll be the one drinking the potions.”

“T-the previous teachers didn’t do that…”

“I think I know what you’re referring to. They tied you up and hooked you up to an IV, didn’t they?”

Mana potions and life potions are far more effective when injected directly into the bloodstream rather than being consud orally.

“Y-yeah. They said I needed to awaken my mana…”

“That thod won’t work.”

There’s a proper way to do this.

For soone like Woojin, who hasn’t even reached level 1 yet, the Divine Fever only intensifies up to a certain point. If you supply mana indefinitely, there cos a mont when the mana entering the body outweighs the fever’s burning.

At that point, the superhuman learns to harness the mana through the fever, using pre-learned mana control techniques to start resisting the fever. Once that happens, half the job is done.

Afterward, once the Nectar is consud, the body evolves to match that of a superhuman, naturally overcoming the Divine Fever.

The issue here is that we’re dealing with Seo Woojin, not so random guy off the streets.

He’s the kind of guy who probably received the Saintess’s Baptism shortly after birth and began Genius Education while learning to walk. Even though he hasn’t fully awakened his mana yet, his foundations are solid, with imnse amounts of dormant mana already within him.

Naturally, the Divine Fever he’s experiencing is on a completely different level of intensity.

“So, what other thods have you tried?”

“They tied

up, stuck electrodes to my nerves, and gave

mana stimulation. They also had a mage put

to sleep and tried to forcibly awaken my body.”

“Good grief, how primitive.”

No wonder those thods failed.

Given the limited options within the ga, they probably thought this was the best they could do.

“Alright, let’s begin. Woojin, just follow my instructions.”

“W-what do I need to do?”

“I’ve got most of the work covered, so for now, just sit back and watch. Take a nap if you feel like it. Oh, but there’s one thing you must rember.”

“What’s that?”

“Whatever you see here, you can’t tell anyone. Not even your parents. Understood?”

“I an… I can keep a secret, but why?”

“Because it’s my secret. It’s a man-to-man promise. Can you keep it?”

I locked eyes with Seo Woojin, giving him a serious look.

According to his in-ga character description, Seo Woojin is soone who never breaks his word, even if a blade is at his throat. Given that, I could trust him.

His eyes wavered for a mont as he stared back at , but eventually, he nodded.

“You’re the one treating , so I’ll trust you. I don’t know why, but… you feel reliable.”

Well, that’s because I know this will work.

I’m not like those other guys who tried and failed, only to move on when things didn’t pan out. I’m doing this because I know it’s a 100% success.

I casually grabbed the crate of mana potions and placed them beside .

“Alright, let’s start.”

I took a deep breath.

Then, I switched my traits.

[Mana Shield], [Vigor], [Deep Breathing]

[Mana Recovery], [Mana Absorption], [Mana Core]

With Holy Resistance removed, I activated only traits related to mana recovery.

Whirrrrrr!

The Mana Concentration Array in the training room ca to life, flooding

with mana.

Thanks to the synergy with my traits, the amount of mana I was recovering was enough to scare even .

On the downside, the absence of Holy Resistance caused the Divine Fever to flare up like wildfire.

But of course, it couldn’t break through the shield.

My mana was first routed into maintaining the Mana Shield, leaving the Divine Fever burning outside of it.

“Hoo…”

But that wasn’t enough.

I focused more deeply on the Mana Shield.

It grew larger, expanding. Stretching outward.

It originally only covered my body, but now it started to double in size. In volu, it grew to nearly eight tis its original capacity.

Crackle! Crack!

Naturally, as the shield grew, its density and strength diminished.

The black flas of the Divine Fever pounced on it, gnawing at the shield like a ravenous beast. Before long, holes appeared, and the flas began searing into my flesh.

“Ugh!”

The pain was unbearable.

Though it wasn’t as severe as when I had no shield, it still hurt like I was being repeatedly jabbed with a burning-hot poker.

Groans escaped my lips, and my body twitched involuntarily.

Seo Woojin’s eyes widened in shock.

“T-teacher?”

I ignored him.

Instead, I focused on expanding the shield even more.

I pushed the Mana Shield to its limit.

The pain grew stronger, and an overwhelming sense of exhaustion washed over . My mana, which had been flowing steadily, began to falter. Realizing this, I quickly opened one of the mana potions.

Pop!

I gulped it down in one go.

The mana replenished instantly. My body filled with energy, and the shield beca clearer once more. However, it was only a brief reprieve, and soon I found myself downing another mana potion.

Bottle after bottle went down like delicious alcohol.

Each ti, the Mana Shield grew stronger, then weakened, and the black flas attacked my nervous system, tearing

apart from the inside.

“S-superhuman, you…”

I know.

I know better than anyone that consuming this many mana potions in such a short ti isn’t ideal.

But this is exactly what I’m aiming for.

After downing who knows how many bottles, the mana potions started to taste sweet, and a refreshing sensation spread throughout my body like I’d just gulped down an ice-cold soda.

I glanced at my hands to find blue veins popping out all over.

[Potion Dependency]

A trait that slightly increases the damage you receive and the amount of mana you expend, in exchange for enhancing the effects of potions.

But this wasn’t the trait I was aiming for.

It was just sothing I picked up along the way.

I replaced Vigor with Potion Dependency. With the increased mana flow, I focused on maintaining the expansion of the Mana Shield.

And after I had used up nearly 100 bottles of mana potion…

At the point when Potion Dependency evolved into Potion Addiction, I noticed the surface of the Mana Shield beginning to shimr with a rainbow-like sheen.

I opened my eyes wide.

‘Now!’

I’ve said it before.

For a defensive warrior, mastering the Mana Shield is a necessity.

This was the answer.

The rainbow-like glow coating the Mana Shield.

I focused my willpower on it, and internally shouted.

‘Expand!’

The Mana Shield evolves into one of three forms.

Armor, shield, or domain.

I had chosen domain.

The Mana Shield, infused with my intent, rapidly expanded.

It had initially only covered a one-ter radius around , but now it swelled to more than double its size.

In monts, it had grown to about five ters in diater, shimring like a massive soap bubble.

[Domain Shield]

A shield far sturdier than the original Mana Shield.

The black flas that had been tornting

vanished in an instant.

No, they were completely erased.

The Divine Fever hadn’t disappeared entirely, though. It was still lingering within my body, dormant.

But with this shield, consuming the Nectar would cause the fever to dissipate completely.

“Wow…”

Seo Woojin stared at

with awe-filled eyes.

He was clearly impressed after witnessing the Divine Fever being neutralized right before his eyes.

“Is it… over?”

No, it wasn’t.

This was only the beginning.

Both of us were in for a hell of a ti from here on out.

–TL Notes–

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support

or give

feedback, you can do it at /InsanityTheGa

Join my Discord! .gg/BWaP3AHHpt