Max Talent Player - Chapter 283

[Using ‘Stardust’ on ‘Daedongyeojido’.]

Golden dust fell on the map item, the Daedongyeojido.

[Stardust has successfully taken effect.]

[The authority imbued in Stardust unlocks the Daedongyeojido’s hidden piece.]

[Daedongyeojido]

A map bearing general dungeon and monster information within certain time slots and certain fields in the Korean server. Only an explorer class Player can read this map and use it to discover hidden pieces of dungeons and gates.

• A hidden piece has been unlocked by Stardust.
• When the power within this map is used, the hidden class ‘Explorer of Service’ can be acquired.

‘Explorer of Service?’

He had never heard of the class before.

‘For now, let’s keep it.’

He used Stardust again on Duke Lefry’s Crossdressing Set.

[Duke Lefry’s Crossdressing Set]

The legend of the Western Continent, Duke Lefry, had a covert hobby. In order to prevent his hobby from getting discovered, he had an annex built within his castle and made a secret room for his exclusive use within it. No one other than Duke Lefry could enter his ‘secret room’. There, Duke Lefry enjoyed his covert hobby, crossdressing. Covertly. And more beautifully. Duke Lefry’s Crossdressing Set will make you dazzling.

Grade: Legendary

• A hidden piece has been unlocked by Stardust.
• When a male Player wearing Duke Lefry’s Crossdressing Set uses the power within, the field ‘Annex of Lefry Castle’ will be opened.

Two hidden pieces were unlocked: one called ‘Explorer of Service’, and another called ‘Annex of Lefry Castle’. Not long afterwards, Kang Somyi rushed into the room.

“So this is where everyone was.”

“What happened?”

“I’m really, really sorry, but it’s really an emergency.”

Kang Somyi had agreed to aid Giantgod and help them clear the Oriental Mandarin Hotel Gate. But while she was investigating, something happened.

Hyukjin could tell.

‘She’s in Blood and Iron Lion and is working for Jackson, yes… but seeing as she freely dropped everything to come here, she’s not being forced or subjected to any absolute settings.’

In some respects, it was a good thing. That meant there was more opportunity to exploit her.

“An emergency? What kind of emergency?”

“I’ve lost a class item that’s extremely important to me.”

“Oh no.” Hyukjin shook his head. “Singapore is the server of commerce, as well as a hub for thieves.”

“I know. But I didn’t think I’d get screwed over so badly! It’s really super important to me, but now it’s gone.”

Even before Somyi’s haphazard entrance, Hyukjin had already figured out how Lasbon managed to get his hands on an item named after a historic Korean relic, the Daedongyeojido. Lasbon had been watching Giantgod ever since the Tutorial Building, and it was there that he swiped the Daedongyeojido from Somyi. He was more skilled than expected.

“If I help you find it, will you help us wholeheartedly?”

“Of course.”

“Very well.”

Hyukjin took out an item. It was the Stardusted Daedongyeojido. Kang Somyi’s eyes widened.

“H-H-How do you have that?!”

“I ended up getting it somehow.”

“Do you expect me to believe that?” Kang Somyi chewed her lip. Why did Kim Hyukjin have that item? “Did you steal it?”

“Me?”

“That seems to be the only way to interpret this situation.”

“If that was the case, I wouldn’t have brought it out right now.”

“I’m sorry, but I need to hear an explanation for why you have it.”

Hyukjin shrugged and turned his gaze to Sunghyun, who took out his phone.

“I recorded it.”

The ever-prepared Jo Sunghyun had everything on camera. Somyi watched the video.

‘What in the world…’ She was stunned to her core. ‘Kim Hyukjin anticipated everything and put up an act?’

He had played the situation completely to his advantage, taking everything there was to get. Almost like he was watching from up high, like a playwright controlling the stage. He achieved everything he wanted.

‘My god.’

She had already thought he was amazing, but she didn’t know he was this next level. Even in a place he had never been in his life, even in Singapore, he could be this overwhelming. Just how nuts was he in Korea, his home base?

‘No wonder he’s caught Teacher’s attention.’

Somyi immediately apologized.

“I’m sorry. It was just so important to me that I was blinded and misunderstood.”

“I understand that feeling.”

“R-Right?”

“I understand, but I fail to understand your response.”

“Th-That’s fair.”

“If it were me, I would have said thanks first and moved on from there. Not jump straight to being suspicious.”

“I was wrong.”

“Or I would have asked to hear the whole story.”

* * *

* * *

Somyi’s face went as red as a beet. Now that she thought about it, she was indeed in the wrong. If there hadn’t been video evidence, she might have still thought to herself that Kim Hyukjin had stolen her item.

“I’ll apologize for real. I’m really sorry. What can I do to make you less mad?”

“I’m not really mad.”

“Then could you give that back?”

“Give it back? This is a trophy I won fair and square in a fight with Lasbon.”

Somyi rushed to say, “I know you didn’t show me that you had it just to mess with me.”

He wasn’t trying to tease her. There was something Kim Hyukjin wanted right now. She racked her brain, thinking hard.

“What do you want?”

Hyukjin nodded. “In my opinion, when you want something, negotiation and trade is the answer, not begging.”

“You’re right.”

Somyi was embarrassed. She thought herself a fairly accomplished explorer, so why did she feel like a newborn babe—not even a rookie!—in front of Kim Hyukjin?

Hyukjin heard a notice.

[The ‘Merchant of Venice’ nods.]

[The ‘Merchant of Venice’ sends a written proposal regarding the 2nd advancement.]

Even the person directing this situation, Hyukjin, was shocked by the notice that had just come in.

‘A written proposal regarding the 2nd advancement?’

He wasn’t giving a 2nd advancement quest, but a writtenproposal. Almost like he was seeking a superior’s approval on a business proposal.

‘And that’s still 6 levels away.’

Hyukjin might have broken through the Hell Phase, but he had only just entered the intermediate period. The 2nd advancement came at level 50.

‘He probably sent a written proposal instead of stating it directly because of the other Guardians, right?’

It was possible this proposal was sent in secret.

‘It probably is.’

Hyukjin’s level was still too low to start discussing his 2nd advancement. If Hyukjin was right, the Merchant of Venice was sneakily trying to get his foot in the back door without the other Guardians knowing. If he handled this wrong, Hyukjin might find himself dancing to the Guardian’s tune.

“Even the great Guardian of merchants has deeply acknowledged my opinion.”

Being careful to not step on the Guardians’ toes, Hyukjin lowered himself as much as possible while relaying information to the other Guardians.

“I have no intention of taking pity on you. What I want is a fair trade.”

“That’s fine with me; I’d feel better about that. Please tell me what you want.”

“This trade with you involves a proposal regarding my 2nd advancement.”

“Y-Your 2nd advancement?” Somyi’s eyes grew wide. “But I thought that happens when you reach level 50.”

Hyukjin’s eyes narrowed.

‘She knows that?’

He was a regressor, so he knew when the 2nd advancement occurred. Level 50 wasn’t a fixed point, but most Players did their 2nd advancement then. That was also when they made a contract with another Guardian.

‘Like I thought, there’s definitely something I don’t know about explorers.’

It was fun. The more he learned, the more fun it became.

On the other hand, Senia’s wings fluttered as she looked at Hyukjin’s smile. Right now, there was a bit of a quarrel going on between the Guardians.

‘Player Kim Hyukjin predicted this and mentioned the 2nd advancement proposal on purpose.’

He presented it as rationale to Kang Somyi while simultaneously leaking information to the Guardians, since he had no intention of advancing into a merchant class anyway.

‘This will kick off a scramble for Hyukjin’s 2nd advancement.’

Senia nearly let an unconscious smile escape.

‘Get ahold of yourself, Senia.’

She was horrified that she nearly smiled during a stream—how very shameful of her. Senia managed to catch her smile at the last moment, schooling her features into expressionlessness.

‘Countless Guardians are watching Player Kim Hyukjin.’

So many, in fact, that she could almost hear his value going up by the second.

“In any case, I’ve even used a mighty power on this thing.”

“A mighty power?”

“Yes. One that only has three uses.”

Somyi’s face hardened like a rock. A power with three uses? Just what was Kim Hyukjin about to demand from her?

“What… kind of power?”

“I’ve unlocked the item’s hidden piece.”

“Wh-What did you say?!” Kang Somyi’s mouth dropped open as wide as her eyes, shock written clearly all over her face. “Did you just say you unlocked the hidden piece?”

“Yes. Using this power.”

“No way…”

Surely not. There was no way. He hadn’t unlocked the ‘Explorer of Service’ condition, had he? Controlling her trembling heart, Somyi calmly asked, “Would it be possible… for me to check that hidden piece?”

“Go ahead.”

Hyukjin pulled up a trade window and showed her the item.

“How in the world?” Somyi didn’t bother to hide her shock. She was even shaking from head to toe. “Do you know how hard I’ve been trying to activate this…?”

It was out of her hands for just a moment, and now the hidden piece was activated.

“Looks like you knew it had a hidden piece.”

“Yes. I also knew it was ‘Explorer of Service’. But I didn’t know how to activate it. To think that you activated it, just like that… Just how in the world…?!”

“Do you want it?”

“Yes, of course.”

“What can you give me?”

“Anything you want.”

Summary: Player Blinded by ‘Explorer of Service’

Hyukjin grinned. If it were him, he wouldn’t have gone into the trade like that, no matter how desperate he was. With this, the Merchant of Venice would completely lose interest in Kang Somyi. On the other hand, the Guardian would view the person behind this trade, Hyukjin, all the more favorably.

‘Even though I exposed his 2nd advancement proposal.’

A Play like this—the kind of Play the Merchant of Venice loved—would negate some of the Guardian’s displeasure.

Hyukjin asked, “What is the Explorer of Service, exactly, to make you so excited about it?”

“It’s the class I want, as well as the best class I can get with my talent plates.”

He could sympathize. She, too, was someone who enjoyed Playing. Playing was more addictive than drugs. People who experienced addictiveness like this from Playing, people who found Playing fun, were Ranker material.

“I absolutely want to become an Explorer of Service.”

“Hm.”

Kang Somyi quickly added, “If I become an Explorer of Service, I can select one person as my liege. Literally a person to serve.”

“What’s good about that?”

If that was true, then it was strange that Kang Somyi wanted to become an Explorer of Service. What was good about having someone to serve? You would no longer be your own person.

“In exchange for serving one person, the Explorer of Service becomes far more powerful than other explorer classes during exploration that involves that person.”

Hyukjin’s Eye of Perception read Kang Somyi’s desperation. Desperation her words could not express was rippling from her in waves.

‘She really wants this.’

Hyukjin nodded.

“Fine. Then this is what we’ll do.”

He would create the scenario he wanted, while actively drawing in the Merchant of Venice he had possibly somewhat offended.

He would deliver a show that would delight the Merchant of Venice.