Max Talent Player - Chapter 215

Hyukjin remembered exactly how they cleared the Hill of Blowing Wind in the past. He didn’t try to memorize it; it just happened.

In the past, when the Offering Box appeared—

‘It asserted its influence and calmed the wind.’

[The ‘Offering Box’ holy relic is beginning to assert its influence.]

[The ‘Offering Box’ holy relic calms the wind blowing in the ‘Wind Temple’.]

It was exactly the same now. The schema was the same.

‘Hyun Junghwa wasn’t at the Hill of Blowing Wind then.’

She hadn’t been one of the Players present there. Which meant, Hyun Junghwa couldn’t have cleared the Wind Temple on her own.

‘So that has to mean the angel statues we broke are the deciding factors after all.’

The content of the field had changed a great deal because of the Dewinged Angel Statues. One thing was for sure—the itinerary might be the same, but the difficulty had been cranked way up.

‘Which means the rewards will also be boosted.’

Hyukjin took the Offering Box Sunghyun brought.

[Offering Box of the Wind Temple]

A small box for collecting offerings. Those who come to the Temple of Wind must show their sincerity to this Offering Box. When the Offering Box is full, the Blessing of the Wind Temple will be granted.

Back then, the quest they received was ‘Donate 100k Coins!’ With the increased difficulty, what kind of quest would this Offering Box give this time?

[You have received the quest ‘Offer a Living Sacrifice!’]

[Quest reward: Wind Temple clear, Complete Sylphid’s Wings]

Hyukjin read what was left unsaid in the notice.

‘The grade of the rewards has been boosted, I’m sure of it.’

But the reward was still the ‘Complete Sylphid’s Wings’. And the clear was a given.

‘Even though a Hundred-Year Imoogi boss monster that can’t be caught without the strat appeared.’

But the reward amounted to just this? It actually made Hyukjin a little happier.

‘That has to mean the Angel Statue’s Wings item I got is that important.’

That was the only way he could interpret this result. He didn’t know how and where it would be useful, but it would definitely come into play.

‘And I also got the Tome of the Divine Bow Physique.’

The rewards were by no means bad. He had gained a ton from this clear.

Hyun Junghwa waited quietly for Hyukjin to speak. Normally, she was more of the type to take action rather than sit around, but she had no choice but to stay put right now. She couldn’t interrupt Hyukjin, who was thinking hard about something.

That was because she also saw the Offering Box and the quest it gave.

[You have received the quest ‘Offer a Living Sacrifice!’]

Junghwa wasn’t stupid.

‘If we had killed the Hundred-Year Imoogi…’

Then in order to clear this place, they would have had to sacrifice someone. Only by throwing someone into that Offering Box’s clutches would they be able to clear and leave this field. Did this really boil down to simply ‘good luck’?

‘It wasn’t just good luck.’

No, it was made to be good luck. By the person in front of her.

Sunghwa beamed. “Oppa, I’ll pick that Imoogi as the sacrifice then.”

“Yeah.”

Sunhwa put her hand on the Offering Box. It flashed, and everyone heard notices.

[The living sacrifice will be decided by a majority vote.]

[Please designate the living sacrifice.]

You could just look at your choice with your eyes. Every Player here—Kim Hyukjin, Kim Sunhwa, Jo Sunghyun, and Hyun Junghwa—designated the Hundred-Year Imoogi as the target.

[4 votes for the designated target. 1 vote against.]

The vote against was, of course, from the Hundred-Year Imoogi.

[The vote has exceeded the majority.]

[The target has been decided.]

The Hundred-Year Imoogi began to get sucked into the Offering Box. Almost like a black hole, the enormous serpent was sucked little by little into the Offering Box’s depths.

Sunhwa stared in fascination.

“Wow…”

How was such a big snake going into such a small box?

“Amazing.”

She wasn’t that scared, just fascinated. Hyukjin thought that was a good thing. It would definitely be problematic if a tofu brain like Sunhwa got squeamish about each and every little Play. It was way better for her to just move on with nonchalant fascination.

[The Offering Box has received its living sacrifice.]

[The Blessing of the Wind Temple will be granted to the Players who have come here.]

A warm, blue breeze blew in, nestling around the Players. After snaking a few times around their bodies, the wind faded.

[The right to possess the ‘Angel Statue’s Wings’ has been granted.]

That instant, everyone realized that if they had gone out without the Blessing of the Wind Temple, this item would have been destroyed.

Hyukjin’s mood lifted even more.

‘The fact that it’s regulated so thoroughly means it’s just that important.’

It was very good. It seemed he really had to contact Pietro after leaving the dungeon. They had shared contact details.

[Your wind affinity has increased.]

In the end, the Wind Temple was cleared. Hyukjin’s party left the field and returned to Marvin Cemetery.

[Entering Marvin Cemetery.]

Then, they were able to find the Clear Crystal without difficulty, clear the Marvin Cemetery, and leave the Gran Seoul Dungeon.

* * *

* * *

After leaving the dungeon, Hyun Junghwa got into Hyukjin’s car with him.

“Where would you like to go?” asked the chauffeur.

“To the office, please.”

The two of them went to Giantgod’s office for one reason, and that was to discuss the issue of how to distribute the Complete Sylphid’s Wings Hyukjin had acquired.

Inside the elevator, Hyukjin thought to himself.

‘Sylphid’s Wings… is the bow Hyun Junghwa herself acknowledged as the item that made her who she is.’

That was how important it was to her. Even the current Junghwa was well aware of this item’s value.

‘I’m sure she also knows the MVP in the Wind Temple clear is me.’

It was natural. Even the System had acknowledged that—the Complete Sylphid’s Wings was put in Hyukjin’s inventory as an ‘individual reward’.

They entered the office and took seats on the sofa. Hyukjin spoke first.

“I’ll get straight to the point.”

“Yes.”

Junghwa also preferred skipping the formalities and going straight to the matter at hand. She was also feeling quite the urgency.

“The Complete Sylphid’s Wings was acknowledged by the System as my property.”

“I know.”

Junghwa wasn’t so brazen as to throw a tantrum demanding him to give it to her. But she also wasn’t so clueless that she couldn’t read Hyukjin’s inner thoughts.

“But the fact that you brought me here means you are inclined to concede that item to me.”

“That’s right. I fully acknowledge your contribution in the raid, and believe the Complete Sylphid’s Wings will shine more radiantly in your hands than mine.”

“…”

If she was being honest, Junghwa wanted to refute that statement. Even with his sloppy form and breathing, Kim Hyukjin was an archer of the same or greater skill than her.

His talent was in a class of its own. Junghwa fully accepted that.

‘You’re wrong. I think it’ll shine more in your hands.’

But she didn’t say that. She also wanted the Complete Sylphid’s Wings.

“For the Complete Sylphid’s Wings, two Sylphid’s Wing bows are necessary.”

“…”

“So I would have no choice but to give you my Sylphid’s Wing.”

“I will compensate you in full.”

“This item was gifted to me with heartfelt feelings by my close friend in Italy, Pedro.”

They weren’t actually friends, but he decided that they were bosom buddies right now.

“…Is he a very close friend?”

“Yes. Enough that I put my life on the line to clear with him.”

It wasn’t a lie. He really thought he would die in front of the Sacred Flame, Athenae. One misstep, and he would have burned into a crisp.

“Despite that, as you said before, I intend on conceding this bow to you because I think it would suit you very well.”

“…Thank you for saying that.”

Hyukjin continued.

“For now, it’s my opinion that each Sylphid’s Wing has a value of about $500k.”

“…”

The Italian Ranker Salvatore had gone dizzy at half that amount. That was because this was still the beginner period. $500k was far from a small sum. Even Hyun Junghwa thought it was excessive.

‘But—’

Junghwa thought she didn’t have the right to say that right now. Hyukjin was making such a big concession, so she had to respond in kind. That was what trading was. It couldn’t just be one side reaping profit and the other side losing out, so she decided to accept the hefty price tag.

“And the value of the Complete Sylphid’s Wings… can’t actually be measured at this point in time. In terms of money.”

“…”

Then just what did this man want? Junghwa looked into Hyukjin’s eyes in silence.

‘I can’t read his thoughts at all.’

She couldn’t at all distinguish what was going through his mind, what his end-game was. She knew he was 20, but it was like he had a 100-year-old sage inside him.

‘Just what kind of environment do you have to grow up in to become like that?’

Hyukjin’s next words completely shattered her composure.

“I’ll give it to you. For free.”

“…What?”

“Since its value cannot be measured in money.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly how it sounds. I’ll just give it to you.”

Junghwa shook her head.

“That will not do.”

Words spilled out of her. “Your contribution in the Wind Temple clear was monumental. Both the System and I acknowledge that. How could I take an item you earned fairly without giving anything in return?”

Junghwa’s expression was incredibly serious. “I am deeply thankful for your offer and goodwill…”

“…”

“But saying those words is treating me as less than an equal, a fellow Player.”

Hyukjin made a small smile. Junghwa didn’t know at all, but this was what Hyukjin had been aiming for.

‘I knew she’d say that.’

He knew she would say something along the lines of ‘You’re insulting me right now’. But with the situation the way it was, Junghwa had very much dulled the edge in her words.

Hyukjin waited for a moment. It was about time for Hyun Junghwa to say the magic words.

“Please make it so I can pay an appropriate price.”

Bingo. How much you could sell the same object for was up to the seller’s skill. Even better for the seller if they could manipulate the buyer into thinking they were getting a good deal.

Senia, who was watching in transparent mode, thought to herself, ‘You weren’t thinking about giving it away for free anyway.’

Her wings were trembling without her knowing. Strangely, very strangely, she was cheering Kim Hyukjin on, a fact that shocked her when she realized it.

‘Why am I… getting happy about such a scammy trade?’

What was this?

‘Why am I thinking of something good happening to Player Kim Hyukjin as something good happening to me?’

She thought about it and came to a conclusion.

‘It’s because Player Kim Hyukjin needs to Play well for things to work out for me. That’s what it is.’

Hyukjin nodded.

“I see, my goodwill can be construed as an insult to you, Miss Junghwa. I apologize.”

“No, it wasn’t that severe. Thank you for understanding.”

Understanding? He did all this while rolling her in the palm of his hand. Hyukjin gave another easy smile.

“Then allow me to make a proposal first.”

This was what he had been aiming for in the first place.

[The ‘Merchant of Venice’ is very happy.]

[The ‘Merchant of Venice’ has begun to watch you more closely.]

“There are two things I would like to ask from you. You can listen first and then decide whether you will proceed or not.”

He revealed the two conditions.

“First, I would like a total of $1 million.”

“I accept.”

The answer came immediately. Hyun Junghwa was clearly driven by the determination to ‘pay an appropriate price, no matter what’. Earlier, she was feeling iffy about $500k, but now, even $1 million was chump change. With just a few words, her mentality had taken a complete 180.

“Second, I would like to buy your skill.”

“What does that mean?”

He had run all this way for this moment. This was the real thing he wanted.

“I intend on clearing two dungeons in the near future. One is in the Singapore server, and the other is in the Korean server. I would like your help with them. However, I want all items and byproducts gained from those dungeons to belong to me.”

Hyun Junghwa took the bait very nicely.

“I accept.”

She, too, was pleased by the prospect. There was much she could gain and learn by Playing with Kim Hyukjin.

“Would it be alright… if I asked what the dungeons are called?”