Max Talent Player

Schultz sensed the Turtle Ship before he heard the notification.

‘I have to be fully focused.’

The field around them had turned into the sea. Schultz and Hyukjin found themselves on the deck of a ship, a Turtle Ship floating some distance ahead.

‘If I can’t control it properly… I’ll explode.’

That was how it felt to Schultz. The Turtle Ship was not something he could handle at his current level. The moment he lost control, his body would explode into a million pieces.

“It’s okay,” said Kim Hyukjin.

“...”

Schultz snapped back to his senses.

‘I don’t know how, but he’s helping me.’

He did hear a notice about ability sharing earlier, but he wasn’t sure what it was. He just had a rough sense that some ability of Hyukjin’s was protecting his body. It even occurred to him that if Kim Hyukjin wasn’t helping him, his body might have exploded as soon as he summoned the Turtle Ship.

Schultz’s suspicion was close to the truth. Hyukjin was surprised, too.

‘So this is the Turtle Ship?’

Hyukjin felt a trace of Endless Sky mana from the Turtle Ship. It was efficiently utilizing and drawing out the special mana.

He heard a notice.

[The Sea King of Service awaits the command to fire.]

Schultz was looking at him, waiting for his liege’s command.

[Giving the command to fire.]

Giving the go-ahead was not difficult.

“You may fire.”

“Your wish is my command.”

The panokseons moved aside, and the Turtle Ship glided down the middle. Golden energy gathered in the wide-open maw at the head of the Turtle Ship.

TN: A panokseon is a board-roofed warship used during the Joseon era.

Schwaaaaa–!

There wasn’t actually a sound, but he thought he could hear the rush of mana as it violently gathered in the beam.

‘Far more destructive power than when I use the Blackfire Bow.’

A golden ray several magnitudes more powerful than the Divine Bow Physiqued Blackfire Bow shot out, cutting open the sea. Fog filled the air. Technically, it was steam.

A great deal of seawater had vaporized from the extreme heat. A notice rang out over the steamy battlefield.

[King Kraken has been killed.]

[EXP acquired.]

[330 Coins acquired.]

[King Kraken Ink acquired.]

[King Kraken has been killed.]

[EXP acquired.]

[330 Coins acquired.]

Two King Krakens were killed with a single attack. Hyukjin was participating in the fight as an Observer. The rewards he had forfeited when he hunted the boss King Kraken, he got here.

Also, he could feel that it wasn’t over yet.

Because it had been enhanced with the Endless Sky Crystal, the Endless Sky Crystal was lending its power. The Turtle Ship could fire another three shots of this level. As long as Schultz could handle it, of course.

“I think I can handle another three attacks,” stated Schultz. “An unknown energy seems to be assisting me.”

Schultz didn’t know what it was called, but he knew it was a special force of a completely different nature from the mana he knew. He also knew the person who was helping him harness that power was the man he had chosen to serve, Kim Hyukjin.

Hyukjin watched with interest.

‘Mm?’ The previous attack was a golden ray. ‘This time, it’s fire?’

The Turtle Ship spewed a stream of flames. Apparently, it could also unleash fire attacks. This was the sea, where fire was inevitably weaker.

[King Kraken has been killed.]

[King Kraken has been killed.]

Another two King Krakens perished. Hyukjin’s Eye of Perception captured the changes in the water.

‘They’re… running away.’

When met with a ‘sea creature’ stronger than themselves, King Krakens would flee. They didn’t stand their ground. In this case, they had collectively determined their opponent was at least one level stronger than themselves.

“I will hunt them down.”

Hyukjin nodded. The sharp spikes on the hard steel shell of the Turtle Ship shot into the air, each and every one of them a deadly weapon. They then hurtled into the water.

What Schultz had used was the special skill of the Turtle Ship, ‘Steel Rain’.

[King Kraken has been killed.]

[King Kraken has been killed.]

The Steel Rain immediately killed another two King Krakens. The sea turned red with blood.

Some time later—

[King Kraken has been killed.]

[King Kraken has been killed.]

They had likely bled to death while fleeing. The panokseons began to surge forward at a quick clip.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

They gave chase to the fleeing King Krakens, the drums beating an urgent march. Terrorstricken by the Turtle Ship’s might, the King Krakens simply fled with no thought of resistance. Under the simultaneous fire of the ships and the ‘faceless soldiers’, the King Krakens died.

[King Kraken has been killed.]

[King Kraken has been killed.]

Hyukjin no longer sensed any King Krakens in the vicinity.

[Congratulations!]

[Level increased.]

His level was now 45. To be honest, this exceeded Hyukjin’s expectations.

‘This thing’s even stronger than Seohye.’

The strongest card up Hyukjin’s sleeve was the Guardian Tower Ahn Seohye. But today, he had gained a card even stronger than her, at least when they were on the water.

“The spoils are about 4,000 Coins and 3 inks, as well as a rare fishing rod.”

That wasn’t all.

[All King Krakens have been hunted.]

[The quest King Kraken Hunt has been cleared.]

Schultz was given a map.

[Map of Uldolmok Strait received.]

Hyukjin waited a little. Judging from Senia’s glance, he was going to get something, too. The Guardians were staying quiet, so the rewards distribution wasn’t over yet. From their perspective, the scenario wasn’t completely done yet. Sure enough—

[Your first battle with the Sea King of Service has ended in victory.]

[The hidden keywords ‘Write a new page in the history of conquest’ have been flawlessly achieved.]

Hyukjin guessed those two, plus the King Kraken Hunt, were the conditions to unlock this reward.

[The special ability ‘Great General Summoning’ has been created.]

Hyukjin was given a new skill, Great General Summoning. It was an ability that allowed him to summon a combat Player related to the service classes.

With the addition of this skill, Hyukjin’s status window was updated.

[Status Window]

Name: Kim Hyukjin (Player)

Level: 45

Contracted Guardian: [Nameless Guardian]

Title: [Pioneer of Victory] [Excellent Player] [First Adversary] [Pure Person of Fire] [Phantom Thief Squirrel’s Master] [Starting Sovereign] [Starting Fighter] [Thousand Dog Master]

Dungeon title: [True Ruler of the Gran Seoul Dungeon] [True Ruler of the Predator Tree Colony]

Innate ability: [Eye of Perception] [Sword of Insight] [Fusion]

Special ability: [Absorption] [Mettle] [Eye for an Eye, Tooth for a Tooth] [Great General Summoning]

Trait: Divine Bow Physique, Divine Sword Physique, Endless Sky Physique

Strength: 24

Intelligence: 24

Agility: 30

Perception: 24

Constitution: 24

Willpower: 62 (+30)

Bonus stats: 12

Random stats: 6

Undistributed stats: 18

* * *

* * *

While Hyukjin was checking his status window, the Guardians rushed to send him messages.

[The ‘Conductor of Sound’ is awed by ‘your stratagem’.]

[The ‘Lady of the Scales’ applauds ‘your will to do good’.]

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ is delighted by ‘your slaughter’.]

[The ‘Nameless Observer’ is observing.]

[The ‘Herdsman of Las Vegas’ is filled with admiration while watching ‘your growth as a sovereign’.]

Hyukjin knew these five Guardians had just beat out countless others—possibly at a huge cost—to send him a message. Normally, it wasn’t common for five Guardians at a time to fill every slot.

[The ‘Conductor of Sound’ has sent you a 1,000 Coin sponsorship.]

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ has sent you a 1,100 Coin sponsorship.]

[The ‘Lady of the Scales’ has sent you a 1,200 Coin sponsorship.]

[The ‘Herdsman of Las Vegas’ has sent you a 1,300 Coin sponsorship.]

[The ‘Nameless Observer’ has sent you a 2,000 Coin sponsorship.]

A smile played at Hyukjin’s lips.

‘They’re competing amongst themselves.’

The closer he got to level 50, the more fierce their jostling would become. In order to get a contract with the producer of exciting content that could satisfy their desires, they would fawn over him. This was an example of that.

‘It’s not that common for the Guardians to all go for Coins.’

That meant there was currently a tacit agreement between the Guardians.Something like, ‘We’ll duke it out, but he’s only level 45 and it’s still early, so let’s all just keep it at Coins for now’ was highly likely.

For Hyukjin, it was a welcome sight.

‘It’s Coins right now and they’ll stick to a ‘fair’ fight for now, but…’

But this was a cutthroat world of competition, and it was the same for the Guardians. It might be like this at the start, but it wouldn’t persist. The important thing was that the Guardians had begun to compete.

Schultz was dazed.

“A whole five Guardians sent me messages.”

That was a common occurrence for Hyukjin, but not for Schultz.

“I was sponsored a total of 2,000 Coins. I do not deserve to receive such a big sponsorship. I will give half to my sovereign.”

“Will you?”

Hyukjin didn’t refuse. Why would he look a gift horse in the mouth?

Schultz was happy even while giving away the Coins.

‘What… a thrill.’

The electrifying ecstasy that had coursed through him while he was operating the Turtle Ship was almost like doing drugs. The thrill seemed to run from his brain down his spine into every little nerve of his body.

“So this is what the System meant when it said I can reach my greatest potential when I’m with you, no, with my sovereign.”

Schultz was sincerely grateful. He had just experienced a new world, and the gates had opened to him.

“I… will go to the South Sea. With the Map of the Strait.”

“Please do.”

Schultz’s hidden piece and class scenarios were hidden in the South Sea of Korea. There was no reason for Hyukjin to go there, so Schultz would have to grow stronger on his own.

“If I need you, I’ll call you via summoning.”

“It would be my honor. I would even jump straight out of bed to join you. Please call me at any time.”

He wanted to fight by Hyukjin’s side again. A battle with Hyukjin was a battle of a completely different world. It was pure ecstasy, a taste of heaven.

Only when he was next to his liege could he feel complete.

[The Yi Sun-sin Statue Gate has been cleared.]

Hyukjin and Schultz left the gate. Schultz bid a respectful farewell before heading straight to the South Sea.

One day passed. Someone came to Hyukjin’s house. There weren’t many people who would pay a visit to his house like this.

He opened the door.

“This joyful occasion calls for a passionate hug.”

A Translation Marble was already in use.

“Because that is how a manly man greets a friend.”

The Italian Master and craftsman of restoration, Pedro, had come to visit, and he was here for an interesting reason. Various links that seemed to have nothing to do with one another began to come together, joined by one common element, Kim Hyukjin.

“Have you done a strong and manly restoration recently?”