Max Talent Player - Chapter 227

Sunhwa was very happy.

“It’s fun to go shopping with you!”

“Is it?”

“Didn’t you also ask me to come with you because it’s fun to go shopping with me?”

Hyukjin just chuckled.

‘I brought you because you’re strong and have good stamina.’

He kept those words to himself. It was true he was bringing Sunhwa along because of her strength and stamina, but he didn’t want to shatter her fantasy. Being 14 must be a happy time. It had been too long since he was 14, so he didn’t remember how it was.

“Take this for now.”

“What is this?”

“Infinite Pouch.”

“Ah! That thing you stole from that baddie named Xu Xin?”

It wasn’t just the Infinite Pouch.

The Bucket Scrap.

The Old Book – ‘Elegy’.

The Stuttgar Bottle.

And more.

He had fished a total of nine items from Xu Xin’s Inventory, each and every one worth several hundred thousand dollars. The cheapest of them, the Bucket Scrap, was worth about $300k (by future standards, of course).

The most important thing was the Fountain Pen of Freedom, the item where only the destroyer of the Gray-Ringed Clear Crystal could activate the description. But it didn’t seem like that was the only required condition.

[The 1st condition has been fulfilled.]

[Another condition must be fulfilled.]

[The other condition can be gained through the quest ‘War Between Sky and Ground’.]

The item was wrapped in several layers of security. The amusing thing was that Hyukjin already knew about the ‘War Between Sky and Ground’.

Pietro had once said this:

–The ‘War Between Sky and Ground’ is a quest closely linked to the ‘Dewinged Angel Statue’. In the War Between Sky and Ground, we—the ‘Kin of the Ground’—expected to be victorious. Up until ‘that’ betrayed us at the very last moment.

That was the tragedy where half of the Ranker-level archers were wiped out. Even though it had happened overseas, Hyukjin knew of it in relative detail.

‘The War Between Sky and Ground scenario will soon begin.’

And it would happen in Italy. Hyukjin passed the Infinite Pouch to Sunhwa.

“We’re going to buy a lot of stuff and put it in here. Take it.”

“It’s kinda heavy.”

“Yeah.”

They would fill it to the brim with provisions and blunt weapons, to the point that it would be very uncomfortable to lug around if you didn’t have Sunhwa’s level of physical prowess and stamina.

“Since it’s an Infinite Pouch, can you put infinite stuff in there?”

“It should fit a ton of stuff.”

Sunhwa caught on. “Are you bringing me along to be your packhorse?”

Despite being the same age as Song Jinchul, she was very perceptive. Sunhwa pouted her lips a little.

“Tch. Here I was, being happy for nothing.”

“Well sorta. It’s not the only reason. We’ll also go around the mall a bit.”

He wanted to do some preparation for clearing the Dewinged Angel Statue Gate. Sunhwa’s mouth opened wide.

“Whoa. We’re going to the mall?” Sunhwa got worked up at the mention of the mall. “I thought the mall is somewhere only the super duper rich people go to!”

Of course that wasn’t true, but apparently, the mall was that kind of place for Sunhwa, who had once been so poor she couldn’t even eat a single tonkatsu.

“I’m rich.”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t really feel real.”

He grinned. When it came down to it, Sunhwa also had the ability to easily become very rich. But it seemed Sunhwa wasn’t cognizant of that, nor did she seek wealth.

‘I will… be careful with the casper,’ Hyukjin thought while looking at his innocent sister.

He would bide his time, growing a little stronger. He wouldn’t let the happiness he had gained from returning to the past slip through his fingers. It might sound a little high-flown to say this, but he wanted to protect her the way she was now. Because she was family to him now.

‘In order to protect my joys, I need power.’

Hyukjin moved forward.

“Let’s go.”

But Sunhwa halted behind him.

“Oppa. Something’s in the Infinite Pouch! No wonder it was so heavy!”

“What’s in there?”

A smile exploded onto Sunhwa’s face. “It’s money! Wow! There’s so much money!”

Her smile grew bigger, stretching from ear to ear.

“I’m rich now!” She giggled uncontrollably. “How much is all this?!”

That day, Sunhwa became a very happy millionaire.

“I’m RICH~!”

* * *

* * *

One week passed after that.

The archers Pietro had recruited were waiting in the square in front of a famous tourist attraction of Italy, the Castel Sant’Angelo.

“The gate is opening here, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Who’s gonna be the party leader?”

“Pietro, but only temporarily. Once the clear really gets going, we’ll pick a new one by voting.”

“That’s unusual.”

“It is, yeah.”

Normally, the party leader was chosen before going in. A commander and leader was necessary for clear efficiency. In that respect, Pietro’s decision was a little illogical.

“There must be some sort of reason behind it.”

“Oh. Look over there.”

Someone pointed into the sky.

“Is it a monster?”

“Everyone prepare for battle!”

Something appeared in the sky—a large monster with the body of a lion and the face of an eagle. At the same time, the sculptures on the stone bridge connected to the Castel Sant’Angelo began to move, grating along the stone.

[The main quest of the ‘Ash-Covered Castle of Angels’, the ‘War Between Sky and Ground’, has begun.]

Like the Tutorial Field, the area was isolated from its surroundings. Hyukjin looked up into the sky.

‘It’s the same as the past.’

The same scenario had come up in the past, but this time, there was the variable called ‘Kim Hyukjin’. Pietro also looked skyward.

‘Kim Hyukjin was right.’

It would be more precise to say that Ham Sohyun, Korea’s Precognitive Dreamer, was right.

‘Ham Sohyun’s precognitive ability, and Kim Hyukjin’s situational judgment…’

How bright would they really shine?

‘And…’

Would it really go as Kim Hyukjin intended? Pietro decided to see for himself. If things went as Kim Hyukjin said they would, he could become a leader no one here would oppose.

Just yesterday, Kim Hyukjin had told him, “I will be the party leader.”

“There may be intense pushback.”

“I know. I’m too unknown.” Kim Hyukjin said firmly, “If things go as I say once the War Between Sky and Ground begins, I will become the party leader.”

“Why do you want to be the party leader?”

Didn’t Kim Hyukjin normally dislike exposing himself?

“Hard to say.”

He responded like this:

“I suppose I just don’t want to see people die in the same party as me.”

And thus, came this moment. For now, Kim Hyukjin was ‘half’ right. Ham Sohyun’s precognitive ability was precise. Pietro shivered.

‘That Precognitive Dreamer… is terrifying.’

Pietro was shocked that there was someone in Taeguk Shield capable of such a precise precognitive dream. He was once again reminded of the might of Korea’s representative guild, Taeguk Shield.

[The main quest of the ‘Ash-Covered Castle of Angels’, the ‘War Between Sky and Ground’, has begun.]

Pietro didn’t get a precognitive note or anything. He was only told what Ham Sohyun said via Kim Hyukjin. Pietro stared at the Korean man.

‘Even before this quest was triggered, he knew the location, as well as the name and the approximate details.’

Almost all of them had been correct. Just what kind of person was this Ham Sohyun? Just what kind of monsters were swarming in Korea?

‘I need… to study Korea more.’

An Irregular of unimaginable proportions called Kim Hyukjin was in Korea, something Michelle acknowledged as well. She took Kim Hyukjin’s side, going as far as to scam other Rankers to do so. Kim Hyukjin was already overwhelming, yet there was even a monster like Ham Sohyun. It was enough to make Pietro reassess Korea altogether.

‘I heard the average level of Players there isn’t all that outstanding, but…’

That was just the average level. It was a whole nother story when it came to the top Players. The top Players would end up leading the world anyway. In that regard, Korea had terrifyingly high potential.

‘Looks like… I’ll need to visit Korea in person.’

* * *

One day before.

After arriving in Italy, Hyukjin called Song Kiyeol.

–May I sell Miss Ham Sohyun’s name a little?

–Miss Ham Sohyun?

–I know the rough details about the Dewinged Angel Statue Gate. Thanks to my special eyes.

To be honest, it was because he was a regressor.

–But I don’t have a convincing justification for my knowledge.

–Understood.

Song Kiyeol gave his permission. In fact, there was nothing to deliberate. This was an opportunity for Ham Sohyun. The archers Pietro had gathered from all over the world were cream of the crop in the archer class. They were all people with significant influence in one part of society, whether big or small. Spreading Ham Sohyun’s name among them was a good opportunity.

Song Kiyeol made a proposal.

–For it to make most sense, I think it would be best to say you are a guild member of Taeguk Shield.

Hyukjin grinned. Apparently, Song Kiyeol wanted to use this chance to publicly state that an archer named ‘Kim Hyukjin’ was a part of Taeguk Shield.

–That’s a good idea.

Hyukjin didn’t have much to lose from the proposal. Thus, the deal between the two was established. Ham Sohyun, of course, gave her enthusiastic consent.

And one day later, at the point during which Kim Hyukjin was participating in the ‘War Between Sky and Ground’, Ham Sohyun sought out her guildmaster.

“Guildmaster Song.”

“Yes?”

“Would it be at all possible for me to meet that person?”

“You mean Kim Hyukjin?”

“Yes.”

“How come?”

After a moment of thought, Ham Sohyun said, “I have a lot of precognitive dreams. But the scenes are only clear when I have dreams related to him, and I can also write an extremely concrete precognitive note.”

“…”

“That’s why I’m curious. Just who is he, to make me have such a powerful precognitive dream?”

“Is there some reason why you have powerful precognitive dreams about him?”

Playing could not be explained by science. Oftentimes, some things could only be explained by the Player’s sense of how it was, just like now. Ham Sohyun explained the reason she had come up with.

“The future is continually changed by many factors. Almost like a living creature.”

“Right.”

Even the tiniest variable could greatly change the future. Song Kiyeol was well aware of that, too.

“If a precognitive dream has a clear future…”

“Then it must mean there aren’t many variables,” Song Kiyeol finished.

“Yes,” said Ham Sohyun. “A future with markedly fewer variables. A future that seldom changes. That is what I see.”

“You’re saying that’s how it is when you have a dream related to Kim Hyukjin, correct?”

“Yes. I think we can interpret this as Guildmaster Kim Hyukjin being a factor of such powerful immutability that he isn’t shaken by minor variables.” Ham Sohyun’s expression became a little more serious. “And the really important thing is…”

Ham Sohyun was lying in the VIP hospital room that had been set up in the Taeguk Shield HQ, paralyzed and almost completely incapable of moving her body. She briefly closed her eyes.

“As you know, Guildmaster Song, Precognitive Dream is a terribly ambiguous ability, so it’s often not possible to know who you’re dreaming about.”

Even for strong precognitive dreams that resulted in a precognitive note, the notes were often discarded because the dreamer didn’t know whose future it was.

Song Kiyeol understood what Ham Sohyun was saying.

“Do you mean that if it’s a dream related to Guildmaster Kim, you can clearly discern that it’s about him?”

Ham Sohyun gave a nod. That was the limit of her mobility. The movement was small, but that was the greatest agreement she could physically express.

“That person… is special. Truly.”

She wanted to meet him at least once. Maybe if she met him, she would be able to see something else.

“Please let me meet him.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Kim Hyukjin began participating in the War Between Sky and Ground.

‘Let’s get started, shall we?’

His goal wasn’t just to kill the enemies.

‘I will lead these guys.’

An opportunity to command world-level Rankers like this was rare. It was a fairly good situation for an Observer like himself. Hyukjin ran through the plan in his head.

‘Okay.’

Just as he had always done.

‘I will set the stage.’

He looked up at the monsters in the sky. The supporting actors were descending.