Max Talent Player - Chapter 246

It wasn’t possible to locate the Black Pearl Centipede with regular methods, neither by Hyukjin’s own abilities nor by Choi Sung-gu’s. If they were to suffer a critical ambush now, they would both die.

‘Our only saving grace is that maintaining its stealth is keeping it from attacking freely.’

What did that mean?

‘It has top-tier stealth, as well as a powerful one-time attack in stow.’

But it would have weak defense.

‘If it were confident in its defense, it would have reappeared immediately and ripped us to shreds.’

But it wasn’t doing that. In other words, that meant the creature was wary of an attack from them.

‘So as long as we can land a good hit on it, we can kill it.’

However, it really had to be a good, clean blow. The most urgent task was to find where it was—that was step one.

Hyukjin took out an item.

[King’s Compass]

A compass with the special power to determine the location of a special being with the title ‘king’, ‘boss’, or ‘commander’, in particular situations during a scenario/quest.

It was the King’s Compass he’d stolen from Song Junghye and used to great effect in the Immortal Fleet Gate. Hyukjin glanced at the compass. The tip of the red needle pointing towards the N was slowly moving from left to right.

‘It must be over there.’

He still couldn’t feel its location.

Crack–

A crack split the glass of the compass.

‘It’ll break soon.’

It appeared the item’s durability was greatly compromised by its use last time. The needle of the compass began to move a little faster.

‘It’s passing by us on the right.’

The boss was vigilantly aiming for the right moment to strike Hyukjin and Choi Sung-gu. The moment it saw its chance to attack without being counterattacked, it would rush in with terrifying speed.

“Hyukjin. Can you feel where it is?”

“Yeah. On your right.”

Choi Sung-gu shivered from head to toe. He was wearing an expression of absolute terror, but he didn’t shout or freak out. The situation was too perilous for him to whine and moan like usual.

“Fuck. Should we attack?”

“The moment you try, it’ll go straight for your neck. If you can cast your spell in 0.0001 seconds, go ahead and try.”

Basically, don’t do it.

“Then what do we do?”

“In the very short moment when it attacks, I’ll counterattack at the right time.”

It was one thing if he had no clue where it was, but he judged that as long as he had a rough grasp of its location, it should be possible to counterattack.

Crack–

Another crack spread across the compass glass.

“If the compass breaks completely, we won’t be able to tell where it is at all.”

“Then don’t we have to call it out now, while we can?”

“We do.”

That was the goal, but the beast was careful and staying hidden. It could even be that it could instinctively feel the compass’ effect.

Swisshh–

A chilling rustle swept past them, half-sounding like the wind. It felt like something was slithering around them. Choi Sung-gu nearly squealed when he felt it, and goosebumps rose all over his arms.

Hyukjin waited a little longer.

‘If it continues to move like this, it’ll come to my left.’

The compass would hold out until then. The compass needle continued to move, passing behind Hyukjin and Sung-gu and coming around to Hyukjin’s left.

Crack–

The compass glass split a little more.

‘I need to make it attack me.’

It would be hard to initiate an attack on it. The compass only gave him the approximate location, not exactly where it or its vital spots were.

Thankfully, Hyukjin knew how to lure it out. He intentionally spoke aloud.

“I will use the temporary authority given to me by the Whispering Devil.”

He purposefully mentioned the Whispering Devil by name, something that was sure to delight the Guardian, considering his personality.

[Using the temporary authority ‘Speak of Peace, Prepare for War Strategy’.]

The name meant that war and peace were two sides of the same coin, and the strategy was to reassure the opponent by speaking of peace, but prepare for war on the sly and strike them unawares.

In his current situation, there could be no authority more useful.

‘Come.’

The Black Pearl Centipede circling the two humans in stealth mode found the chance it had been waiting for. It was the human that looked less appetizing of the two, but there was clearly an opening, almost as if the human were tempting it to come and eat him.

The Black Pearl Centipede instinctively made a judgment.

Of the two humans, that one was the more dangerous. As long as it could successfully hunt him, it could make quick work of the fat one standing nearby. But it was the dangerous one the centipede felt an enormous opening from. It felt like the human was capable of locating it. So the Black Pearl Centipede didn’t hesitate. It instinctively judged that another opportunity like this would not come again.

The countless stiff bristles on its legs ground against each other, producing an unpleasant screech.

The time was now.

It decided to hunt that man.

* * *

* * *

Hyukjin concluded that he had to deal the monster a fatal blow. So he took out Isabel, the most powerful weapon in his arsenal.

‘Isabel. You know how I created the Blackfire Bow, right?’ he asked her.

He didn’t get an answer. Isabel was deeply asleep.

‘I’m going to tap into my mana and forcibly shove Athenae’s flame into your body.’

This wasn’t a System-guided ability. It was Kim Hyukjin applying an ability he learned from the System in his own way, similar to when Hyukjin mimicked the abilities of other Players even without the Action Replication skill.

‘It won’t be as refined and efficient as a skill, but…’

It should still be possible.

‘Just like how I created the Blackfire Bow with my will.’

Without the System’s help.

‘Isabel. I’ll be loading a great deal of destructive force into your body.’

Isabel was still asleep. Hyukjin couldn’t afford to wait for her to wake up. As soon as he used the Speak of Peace, Prepare for War Strategy, he began to feel the Black Pearl Centipede’s presence. It was clearly growing excited.

‘Come bite me.’

A little longer. He would wait just a little longer. Sung-gu shivered.

“Somehow, I’m getting an even scarier feeling.”

“Shh.”

“…”

Sung-gu shut his mouth. Hyukjin could tell.

‘It’s going for me.’

The beast’s tail was aiming for his head, and its teeth for his stomach.

Looking at Hyukjin, Sung-gu realized his time to act had come. He was already done preparing to use his skill.

‘The skill cast time is short.’

What he would use wasn’t an attack skill, but a buff ability that would assist Hyukjin, just like before. He would wrap Hyukjin’s attack in his fire ki. That was the best course of action he could take right now.

Hyukjin drew forth his strength.

‘Now.’

He would only have one chance. The compass broke with a resounding crack and fell to the ground, and it was exactly then that Hyukjin swung Isabel.

He used the skill that would always seek and land a fatal blow on a foe’s weak spot no matter the situation, the ability he had awakened thanks to Isabel.

[Using the innate ability Sword of Insight.]

At the same time, he wrapped Isabel with the blackfire energy his body remembered. If he had the Tome of the Divine Sword Physique in him, he might have been able to manifest the ability perfectly, but he didn’t have it yet.

‘It needs to die in one hit.’

He saw its head, a huge head.

Splurt!

The tip plunged in.

Burning with black flames, Isabel’s blade slid into the centipede’s head.

Kieeeek–!

Kieeeeeeeek–!

The beast’s leg hairs ground against each other with the screech of nails on a blackboard. Choi Sung-gu canceled the magic he’d been readying, making an instinctive call. He knew exactly how much time he had.

‘It can’t use stealth again so fast.’

If so, Sung-gu could use a big spell instead. The boss was screeching in pain.

‘This is where I should use…’

A memory flashed through his mind. It was time for the big spell he’d used against the Predator Trees to make an appearance.

[Using the skill Fire Storm.]

The massive insect, the Black Pearl Centipede, was assaulted with the flames of Fire Storm. But only for a moment. Sung-gu’s eyes grew wide.

‘My magic… is being swallowed by those black flames.’

The red flames disappeared, swallowed whole.

‘And those flames have become even fiercer.’

After preying on the red flames, the black flames became stronger. They decreased in size, but Choi Sung-gu could feel that they were incredibly pure. It was like he was peering into the endless depths of darkness.

“Hyaa!”

Hyukjin’s eyes were bloodshot. He directed every ounce of his strength into the hand holding Isabel. A voice rang out in his head.

(Husband. What are you doing?!)

He couldn’t hear Isabel’s voice properly. He only had one chance, one chance to kill the Black Pearl Centipede. If he missed it, he would be the one getting hunted.

Hyukjin pulled out Isabel.

‘Before it goes back into stealth…’

[Using the special skill Flash Step.]

He clambered onto its head with Flash Step.

‘One more time.’

[Using the skill Sword of Insight.]

He plunged Isabel into the centipede’s head again.

Splurt!

Green blood spurted onto Hyukjin’s face and body along with the sound of tearing flesh.

Tzzzzzzz–!

Hyukjin’s skin burned. It was painful, but not unbearable.

Meanwhile, Sung-gu used Fire Arrow to strike various parts of the centipede’s body.

(You crazy husband! Answer me, what are you doing?!)

At the same time, the black flames on Isabel’s blade billowed even bigger. The flames Hyukjin had lit were pure ‘blackfire’. But Choi Sung-gu found those flames blinding now.

‘I can’t see.’

The fire magician closed his eyes. The flames were so bright he couldn’t even open his eyes and look at them. And he was someone who was imbued with the Tome of the Divine Fire Physique.

‘Just what the hell is happening right now?’

This wasn’t Hyukjin’s own strength. Even Sung-gu knew that much.

‘Isabel’s strength?’

Isabel was amplifying the fire ki with her own strength. To Sung-gu, the phenomenon felt similar to the manifestation of magic, like transcendent magic was being used.

The black flames swallowed the Black Pearl Centipede, head, legs, and all.

Thud! Thud!

Thuuuud!

It flailed in agony, writhing every which way in convulsions that shook the entire chamber. It was almost like there was an earthquake.

Its body shriveled up. As all of the poison and moisture in its body burned up, the giant centipede dried up like an octopus on the grill.

Hyukjin’s consciousness dimmed.

‘I’m dizzy.’

He managed something, that was for sure. Isabel had helped him a great deal. But he was too dizzy. His mind went fuzzy.

[The quest ‘Hunt the Black Pearl Centipede Boss Monster!’ has been cleared.]

Simultaneously, Isabel’s blade began to crack. It was different from the hairline cracks she had sustained thus far. The crack went straight through the blade, and it looked as if she would break at a light touch.

Hyukjin desperately held onto his dimming consciousness. And then, he knew.

‘If things go on…’

Isabel would shatter.