Max Talent Player

“I have special eyes.”

That was normally Kim Hyukjin’s line, but Jackson was saying he had such eyes as well. Hyukjin remembered the covert energy Jackson had directed at him when they met before.

‘I thought it was something like the Eye of Truth…’

Additionally, a certain power was protecting him from Eye of Perception’s gaze.

“What kind of eyes?”

“I have an innate ability that can analyze anything, be it a person or a thing. It doesn’t matter what it is. I can analyze it if it’s within the bounds of my ability.”

“In that case, how much did you analyze about the Immortal Fleet Gate?”

It struck Hyukjin again that Jackson’s Korean was no worse than a native Korean’s. The explorer was so fluent that if you listened to him with your eyes closed, you wouldn’t be able to tell at all that he was a foreigner. But in the past, Jackson acted like he didn’t know a speck of Korean. He was indeed a suspicious individual.

“I analyzed that if the Immortal Fleet Gate was cleared, you would gain a special authority called [Immortal Fleet].”

“That’s spot on.”

“And that later, that authority would be very powerful in a naval battle somewhere.”

“Where is that somewhere?”

Bali.

“I’m planning on looking into that starting now.”

What did the Guardians really want to see? What other abilities did Jackson have? To Hyukjin, Jackson was a ‘big variable’, one he couldn’t read nor predict. Jackson’s current actions were also considerably different from the past.

‘With a variable like this… the Guardians will go crazy for it.’

What story was without its turns and twists? A work could only shine with the inclusion of a side character who added some degree of danger, created a crisis (or perhaps an opportunity), and thwarted the protagonist’s expectations.

Right now, Jackson was that kind of side character to Kim Hyukjin.

“By naval battle, you mean a battle in the ocean.”

“Yes. That is how I analyzed it.”

“Try going to Bali.”

Jackson looked blankly at Hyukjin. “Bali?”

Bali, an island of Indonesia.

“Alright. I’ll give exploring Bali a shot, as per your suggestion.”

“Is your class name still [Exploring Baptist]?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I just have a feeling that you have an evolving class.”

In the past, Jackson said his class was called ‘Exploring Pilgrim’. Hyukjin tried confirming it.

“Yes, it’s Exploring Baptist. But just like you say, I think it will evolve someday. Though, isn’t that a common occurrence? We also call that class advancement.”

Hyukjin nodded. “You’re right.”

Jackson lowered his voice. “Hyukjin. Don’t you remember what I said before?”

He remembered it word by word.

“Those who see the future must fear the future. There is nothing more foolish and reckless than divulging the future that is to come. That’s what you said.”

Speaking of the future came with big side effects. That was a known fact. Most Precognitive Dreamers died early or grew ill. Some people said divulging the secrets of the heavens incurred their wrath.

“But you foresaw Bali.” Jackson grabbed Hyukjin’s hands. “And you told me about it despite knowing the side effects. You’re as unrestrained as always.”

Hyukjin hadn’t expected Jackson’s response. This wasn’t what he had been going for.

“As I thought, my eyes weren’t wrong about you. Do you remember what I said when I first met you?”

Jackson had said this:

“That’s why I am so happy and glad to have met someone like you. It’s kind of like I’ve met a brother in arms with the same intent.”

Hyukjin was dumbfounded.

‘He was being sincere back then, and he’s being sincere now.’

And just like back then, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu. It was all too natural, but also… strange. If you were to ask Hyukjin what exactly was strange, he still wouldn’t have an answer. It was just strange.

“In some ways, the Immortal Fleet going into your hands… might actually be a good thing. Though it’s unfortunate for Miss Song.”

“How long do you plan on holding onto my hands?”

“Ah. I’m sorry.” Jackson let go and stepped back. “Have you, by any chance…”

He dropped a meaningful question.

“...ever thought about becoming a king?”

The question had become a little more specific than last time. Originally, Jackson said he was looking for the ‘Eastern Star’. Now, he was asking whether Hyukjin had ever thought about becoming a king.

“You seem to have found out a little more about the king.”

“Yes, I have. But I’ll refrain from saying anything on that front.”

Hyukjin grinned. The man was indeed a variable. He knew things even Hyukjin, a regressor, didn’t.

Hyukjin almost had to wonder if a living scenario would be something like this, a scenario where even the author or producer didn’t know what would happen next. Things would be rough if the future that was to come was pure adversity or hardship, but what if it was a scenario with just the right amount of suspense and hidden secrets?

‘I’ll be writing that narrative.’

Excellent. Crossing paths with Jackson was always interesting.

“If you find a clue of some kind in Bali, please give me a call,” said Hyukjin.

“Very well.”

He, Kim Hyukjin, would hold the bat on the mound where Song Junghye won her title of Blood and Iron Queen. He already knew the details of the Bali Naval Battle. Since he knew the strat, there was no reason not to get involved.

“Someday, when I have fully discerned your qualifications, I will anoint your head with oil.”

“Can I take that to mean that I am one of the ‘potential kings’ you speak of?”

“For now.” Jackson bowed. “Well then, we shall meet again in Bali.”

Jackson walked away.

* * *

* * *

Hyukjin acquired a special ability called [Immortal Fleet]. Since he was checking the new skill anyway, he decided to look over his full status window.

[Status Window]

Name: Kim Hyukjin (Player)

Level: 39

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]

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

Trait: Divine Bow Physique

Strength: 24

Intelligence: 24

Agility: 30

Perception: 24

Constitution: 24

Willpower: 17 (+30)

Bonus stats: 20

Random stats: 25

Undistributed stats: 45

He read the description of Immortal Fleet.

[Immortal Fleet]

Battles by summoning an undying fleet. Can only be summoned on the ‘ocean’. The summon duration and fleet’s fighting prowess will be determined by the summoner’s Willpower.

*Number of summonable vessels: 12

*Upon fulfilling a special incantation, the Willpower consumption markedly decreases.

Twelve vessels. In other words, a whole fleet. It looked like summoning and maintaining the fleet depended on the Willpower stat.

‘But man, my Status Window sure has a lot of stuff.’

It was good that all the info was automatically saved in his head by the System; trying to read through all of that would have made his eyes ache. He knew people in the expert period in his past life had a diverse range of titles and innate abilities like this. He also knew many weren’t able to get special abilities.

‘Actually, that might not be true.’

What Hyukjin was experiencing now was the world of the top Rankers. He was coming in contact with advanced info and scenarios the public could never come close to knowing.

‘It’s just that the public wasn’t told. Who knows? Players in the expert period might have had a ton of abilities.’

But even then, they were still in the beginner period right now. Kim Hyukjin was probably the only Player with this many abilities in the beginner period.

‘Irreplaceable content.’

That was the goal he had chased, and by his estimation, he was running along at quite the efficient clip. But running wasn’t enough. He had to fly. Not only did he have to protect Sunhwa from the devil casper possessing her body, but he himself wanted to become stronger.

He thought back to Jackson’s question earlier.

“Have you, by any chance, ever thought about becoming a king?”

He didn’t want to become a king. If he did, he would have walked in the spotlight from the start. Instead of using Taeguk Shield as a front, he would have done everything himself, all while playing the ‘Sovereign of Observation’ class he told Jackson he had.

‘But… I want to become strong enough that even a king cannot do as he pleases with me.’

That was Hyukjin’s desire, pure and simple. An extremely natural wish, just like wanting to earn money, live well, and be happy.

“Now, now, Boss Hyukjin. What’re you thinking about so hard?” bantered Shin Yeonseo. She had rented out an entire fried chicken restaurant in downtown Seoul. “Just have a glass of beer.”

Yeonseo tried to put her arm over his shoulder, but he slid away. She gulped down her beer without missing a beat.

“Kya! I’m getting drunk, seriously.”

Around thirty people died in the Gwanghwamun Plaza Raid today. The members of the Blood and Iron Lion took action, and in combination with Taeguk Shield and Wings, the raid was stopped. Nowadays, people dying or getting injured by monsters was a part of everyday life, just as normal as car accidents. People were used to monster attacks.

Thirty people had died right in the middle of Seoul, but there were no big memorials or anything. There was absolutely nothing weird about Giantgod Guild having a small party in a fried chicken restaurant, just like how people partied and drank when there were fatal car accidents in downtown Seoul.

Meanwhile, the transparent Senia found herself seriously wondering what she was doing.

‘Why… am I streaming such a trivial scene?’

There were definitely Guardians who liked slice-of-life content, but they were a tiny minority.

‘Why am I here?’

Many Guardians left her channel. Just then, Senia got a message.

[The ‘Arrow-Shooting Cupid’ offers the Intermediate Administrator Senia a proposal.]

[The ‘Arrow-Shooting Cupid’ offers a mission with a 100,000 Coin reward.]

Senia’s wings quivered.

‘100k Coins?’

It was a huge sum. Typically, getting into the 10k+ range put a sponsorship in the generous category. But 100k? This was a truly big mission.

Senia asked the Arrow-Shooting Cupid, “What kind of mission is it?”

[The mission ‘Show Yourself and Enjoy the Party with the Members of Giantgod Guild!’ has been generated.]

It was the Intermediate Administrator Senia who was given a mission, not the Player Kim Hyukjin. Senia’s wings trembled.

‘Party?’

That party. The party that she kept watching, for some strange reason.

“I am an Intermediate Administrator. I have little interest in a private party between Players.” Her face expressionless, she continued. “But since a prominent Guardian, the Arrow-Shooting Cupid, has given me a mission…”

It really couldn’t be helped. She really had no other choice but to show herself for the sake of the mission. How easy and convenient could a mission get?

She looked at Hyukjin.

“I will carry out the mission.”

Senia showed herself.

The owner who had rented out his restaurant for the night and was busily frying chicken froze, his eyes widening and his mouth parting in an unconscious gasp. In all his fifty years of life, he had never seen such a beautiful woman. It was his first time seeing a woman who could, with just a glance, make a man fall in love. No, one could hardly dare to dream of her love, fall in awe was more apt. He stared at Senia in dumb amazement.

Senia walked up to Kim Hyukjin.