Max Talent Player

Hunting the King Kraken was pretty great content on its own. But right now, that feat was merely a part of the process.

‘My deal with the Herdsman of Las Vegas needs to end for this scenario to end.’

The counter proposal Hyukjin had made was to solo the boss. ‘Sovereign soloing, don’t you want to see it?’ he had asked, and the Herdsman of Las Vegas had accepted his counter proposal without a second thought. Hyukjin had just completed his end of the deal perfectly.

“Is it my win?”

A Pause took effect, and Senia showed herself. In this black and white world, it was just the two of them.

“Player Hyukjin has accomplished an absolutely peerless solo kill.”

“I was lucky.”

“The Herdsman of Las Vegas is very pleased as well.”

If that was all, the Guardian would have dumped a generous sponsorship by now.

“But he’s probably curious as to how I achieved such a feat.”

“Yes. Your Playing is far too different from that of regular Players. Did you know the interior structure of the King Kraken’s body beforehand?”

This was basically a continuation of the regression-related questioning from last time. Hyukjin shook his head.

“As if. How would I know that?”

“Then how did you know?”

He gave an answer tailored to the Herdsman of Las Vegas’ personality.

“Of course I didn’t know.”

Senia returned his serve adroitly.

“Was it a gamble?”

“Exactly. Not knowing the cards in the opponent’s hand, not knowing how things will turn out, that’s what makes a gamble fun.”

For now, he stuck adamantly to his excuse that he didn’t know. The Herdsman of Las Vegas would accept and be amused by this alone, but knowing there were countless other Guardians watching, Hyukjin wanted to stack the cards with even greater certainty in his favor.

“I traveled to the Endless Sky in a whalekin’s belly. You remember that, right?”

“I do.”

“Back then, it occurred to me that it would be easier to take down a creature far bigger than me from inside its stomach. The skin of the whalekin is incredibly sturdy, but their insides looked relatively fragile.”

“Ah.”

Senia seemed to be recalling that time. Lately, working with Shobidobi had enlightened her on the ways of editing.

‘This would be a good place to put a related video link.’

They could put a link to the Endless Sky scenario video here, providing easy access to the Guardians who hadn’t seen it yet.

“Then how did it occur to you to look for the King Kraken’s anus?”

“Like I said, it was a gamble.” Hyukjin grinned. “There was no way for me to hunt it from the outside anyway. That only left going into its body and hunting it from the inside, but it was spewing too strong an acid from its snout. The only place I could think of was its anus.”

“But there are many monsters that don’t have an anus, aren’t there?”

“That’s why it was a gamble.”

Hyukjin heard a notice.

[The ‘Herdsman of Las Vegas’ praises your intellect.]

This was how you gambled. It wasn’t possible to control every variable. Granted, Hyukjin could minimize them with his knowledge of the future, but the Herdsman of Las Vegas didn’t know that. In the Guardian’s eyes, Hyukjin was a great gambler. And the Herdsman of Las Vegas didn’t skimp on sponsoring great gamblers.

[The ‘Herdsman of Las Vegas’ seriously contemplates a reward.]

Hyukjin silently waited for the notice.

‘A bet, plus a counter proposal.’

With the counter proposal, he was bound to get an even greater reward. What would this generous Guardian give?

[The ‘Herdsman of Las Vegas’ gifts a Special Ability Enhancement Crystal.]

Hyukjin doubted his ears.

‘A Special Ability Enhancement Crystal?’

They had just entered the intermediate period. Special Ability Enhancement Crystals showed up in the master period and were a necessary material in enhancing the special abilities of Players.

He checked it immediately. The description was brief.

[Special Ability Enhancement Crystal]

Enhances a Player’s ‘special ability’.

It was the same Special Ability Enhancement Crystal he knew. Currently, he had a total of four special abilities.

Special abilities:

[Absorption] [Mettle] [Eye for an Eye, Tooth for a Tooth] [Immortal Fleet]

However, Hyukjin’s eyes captured a faint yellow light coming from the crystal. The Pause was still in effect. He spoke aloud, wanting to prolong the Pause a little longer.

“There’s something hidden in this Special Ability Enhancement Crystal.”

The yellow light was very faint, almost imperceptible. That meant there was something more to it. If his Eye of Perception proficiency was higher, he would have been able to decipher it, but deciphering it fully was impossible.

“I’m going to figure out what it is. Right now.”

Strike when the iron is hot. Life was all about timing, and so was producing content. Everything had a “right time”, a most effective moment. Hyukjin believed that moment was now.

He took out an item.

[Stardust]

A Guardian exclusive given by the Milky Way Neutron Star to those they have expectations for. Stardust can be used on ‘robbed’ or ‘stolen’ items, enabling one to see all hidden attributes of the item.

Remaining uses: 1

“If the Milky Way Neutron Star allows it, I would like to use this Stardust on the Special Ability Enhancement Crystal.”

This was the climax of the scenario. Many Guardians were watching. All the Guardians who were hungry for good content would pressure the Milky Way Neutron Star. Other Guardians were the best means for manipulating a Guardian.

‘It’ll work on the Milky Way Neutron Star.’

The problem was whether the Milky Way Neutron Star was in Senia’s channel or not.

‘Are they not here?’

He didn’t get any messages from the Milky Way Neutron Star, but he did get one from another Guardian.

[The ‘Fairy of the Bellows Fire’ feels great interest in your proposal.]

It was the debut of the Fairy of the Bellows Fire. A bellows was the device used to feed a fire with air, and ‘bellows fire’ referred to the produced flame.

This was the Guardian all production class Players dreamed of. Typically, they frequented the Italy, Germany, or UK servers. As one would expect, the very famous craftsman of Italy, Pedro, would sign a contract with the Fairy of the Bellows Fire at level 50.

A Guardian with a focus on production and enhancement… was currently interested. If this went well, Hyukjin would be able to alter Stardust’s usage conditions. The Pause still going on was proof of that. Many Guardians were watching with great interest right now.

Like most production-focused Guardians, the Fairy of the Bellows Fire was known to be at odds with the Milky Way Neutron Star. It was different from the relationship between the White Hunter and the Conductor of Sound. If those two were undeniable rivals, then the Milky Way Neutron Star and the Fairy of the Bellows Fire were more akin to enemies. Production Players disliked thief Players, and it was no secret that was because their ‘contracted Guardian’ disliked thief class Guardians.

‘That’s why she’ll want to get more actively involved.’

Things proceeded as Hyukjin expected.

[The ‘Fairy of the Bellows Fire’ engages in the alteration of Stardust’s settings.]

No matter how fervently you wanted content or how much you wanted to see a certain scene, there was always a fundamental rule. If you wanted to change a pre-existing setting, you needed to pay the appropriate price.

Hyukjin was well aware of that.

[The ‘Fairy of the Bellows Fire’ asks for the Fire Giant’s Necklace.]

The wheels were already set in motion. If he wanted to change the setting of a gift given by a Guardian, it was only right that he should relinquish an item of at least this grade. And Hyukjin believed that if the Guardian doing the alteration was the Fairy of the Bellows Fire, this was the right decision.

He had obtained this necklace along with Fire Giant’s Breath, and since he hadn’t had any use for it, it had been sitting around in his Inventory. He decided to use it now.

[The ‘Fairy of the Bellows Fire’ is modifying the settings of Stardust.]

[The settings of Stardust have been altered.]

[Stardust]

A Guardian exclusive given by the Milky Way Neutron Star to those they have expectations for. The settings have been partially altered due to the involvement of the Fairy of the Bellows Fire. Stardust can be used on ‘robbed’ or ‘stolen’ items, as well as ‘enhancement’ or ‘material’ items, enabling one to see all hidden attributes of the item.

Remaining uses: 1

It could now be used on ‘enhancement’ or ‘material’ items as well. Hyukjin didn’t hesitate. He immediately used his last Stardust on the Special Ability Enhancement Crystal.

* * *

* * *

After watching gold dust fall onto the crystal, Hyukjin examined the Special Ability Enhancement Crystal. Just like with the Daedongyeojido, the Special Ability Enhancement Crystal was hiding a secret unknown to mankind.

[Special Ability Enhancement Crystal]

Enhances a Player’s ‘special ability’.

• The special ability enhancement result is influenced by the Player’s enhancement talent.

• The Special Ability Enhancement Crystal can actively assess whether items and various factors required for special ability enhancement are present. Performing special ability enhancement with the requisite material items and enhancement factors will yield an excellent result.

• This Special Ability Enhancement Crystal is most compatible with summoning special abilities.

At least as far as Hyukjin knew, the Players in the expert period didn’t pay much attention to particulars before using Special Ability Enhancement Crystals. But as it turned out, special ability enhancement was just like regular enhancement in that a mix of material items and various factors could bring about a better result.

‘And it can actively assess those.’

It was also interesting that each crystal had a type of special ability it was most compatible with. Hyukjin’s mind flashed to his summoning special ability, Immortal Fleet.

Talking to Senia to provide information to the Guardians, Hyukjin said, “This enhancement crystal is most compatible with Immortal Fleet.”

“Yes, I’ve confirmed that as well.”

In that case, did he need to enhance the Immortal Fleet here? That would be the most effective move, and likely the move a lot of Guardians were itching to see.

“The problem is that the Immortal Fleet has been totally wrecked, and I don’t know when it’ll be restored.”

It would recover at some point, but he didn’t know when that would be. Restoring it might even require a certain item or condition.

“The Immortal Fleet is in an unusable state,” said Senia.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“In that case, it will be difficult to proceed with enhancement.”

Senia felt regret. They were on a roll, and it was important that they maintained this trajectory. Only going directly into enhancement would put a satisfying end to this scenario. If they ended halfway like this, it would feel very… anticlimactic. Like a story with an introduction, development, climax, and no end.

But just as she was thinking that, Kim Hyukjin smiled.

“It’ll be very difficult, yes… but it’s not hopeless.”

This scenario wasn’t over yet.