Max Talent Player

Notices came in.

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ extends a hand to you.]

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ wishes to offer you a special proposal.]

The True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain, the Sword Empress Shin Yeonseo’s reliable Guardian. This Guardian went so far as to use the adjective ‘special’ to offer me a proposal.

‘What could it be?’

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ offers you the ‘Heavenly Demon’ title.]

[If you accept the title, your advancement will automatically occur.]

I could only doubt my ears.

‘Advancement due to a title?’

Advancement through a contract with a Guardian typically happened at level 30. I wasn’t level 30 yet, but the True Master wanted to make me ‘advance’ using a ‘title effect’ as a bypass?

‘And it’s a title with a Guardian’s name in it.’

That implied a lot.

‘A Guardian who thinks he’s the best in the world and is very weak to praise and flattery.’

That was the evaluation the world had of the ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’, though of course no one dared to say that outright.

‘But seeing as a Guardian like that wants to bestow a title with his name in it using an expedient, it must be an incredible title.’

It could even be…

‘A title that the former Sword Empress got.’

Since it was a title given in the beginner period, it was definitely capable of growth. The higher one’s attainment, the stronger the title’s effects would become.

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ says frankly that Heavenly Demons have a ‘I am my own Lord throughout heaven and earth’ temperament.]

Simply put, he was bragging that the ‘Heavenly Demon’ title was a really amazing title.

‘I think this is probably a special title granted to only one person…’

Then what would happen to the Sword Empress?

‘Do I take it, or not?’

It might be an unfortunate development for Yeonseo, but it could also be a truly huge opportunity for me. The True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain was trying to persuade me to advance, shouting ‘I am my own Lord throughout heaven and earth’ and offering me a title bearing his name. Of course it was a good thing for me.

‘Since he even ignored the level 30 advancement rule and went this far, he’s certainly a powerful Guardian.’

There was no doubt about that. It was such a big opportunity for me that I had to seriously contemplate whether I should accept it or not.

‘No.’

I couldn’t accept it.

‘The Sword Empress Shin Yeonseo.’

The Sword Empress I knew was truly strong. She was said to be the strongest in 1 vs. 1 PVP. But even so, her limitations were clear.

‘Only by gathering all 8 Heroes of Korea were they able to confront the Demon King and his army.’

If the ‘Demon King’ was the object of comparison, then the class the Sword Empress had possessed definitely had its limitations.

‘Since I’ve somehow returned to the past…’

I had to become someone greater than the Sword Empress. I was given this chance, so I decided to do my utmost. I didn’t want to limit myself to being a ‘Sword Emperor’ or ‘the strongest in 1 vs. 1 PVP’.

I made my decision.

‘The True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain…’

Wasn’t that petty of a Guardian. Meaning, even if I rejected his active offer of sponsorship, he wouldn’t harangue me afterwards.

‘I refuse.’

Notices came in instantly.

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ is greatly disappointed.]

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ feels great regret.]

Thankfully, his reaction stopped at disappointment. Petty Guardians sometimes went and declared a Player as their ‘enemy’. When they did so, there was probably an accompanying notice saying that the Guardian was ‘greatly enraged’.

“Yeonseo, didn’t you also get a notice?” I said intentionally.

“Yeah, I did. You got one too?”

She was really naive. A seasoned Player would have hidden such an occurrence from me. What kind of contract a Guardian had offered her, what kind of title or abilities they were Playing with, all of that was a kind of strategic asset.

‘She’s so naive.’

The Sword Empress in her beginner days was extremely naive. Even without psychological warfare or trades, she blathered a stream of information on her own initiative.

“It said he responds to my burning desire.”

“Burning desire?”

“Yeah. I…” After a moment of silence, she continued. “…want to get stronger.”

So she was saying she had a burning desire to get stronger. I understood that desire, because even I wanted to get stronger, right this moment. Later on, people judged ‘burning desire to become stronger’ in itself as a part of one’s talent.

‘Of course the future Sword Empress would want to become stronger.’

The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ had reacted to that desire.

“The True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain offered me an advancement.”

“I thought he would.”

“Eh? Really? You predicted this? How did you know? Did you also get a notice?”

Of course I hadn’t predicted it—this girl was just coming to her own conclusions. Everything she said were things that others wouldn’t have ever known if she hadn’t said them herself.

‘So she definitely got an advancement notice.’

The Heavenly Demon had offered advancement to two people simultaneously, and before level 30. He certainly seemed powerful.

‘He offered me the Heavenly Demon title, but…’

There was a high chance that it was a unique title, which meant that it was highly likely the True Master offered Yeonseo a title of a lower grade.

‘That won’t do.’

Yeonseo was a teammate I would be working with hand in hand. She might be inexperienced and unreliable right now, but there was a big chance she would become one of the heroes representing Korea.

‘How can I manipulate the True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain?’

I couldn’t lie. Spouting obvious lies to Guardians was a suicidal act.

‘I have to make him give her the Heavenly Demon title.’

After thinking, I said, “He gave me very good advancement conditions, too. But I rejected it.”

“Eh? Why? Why? Is this actually not a good thing? Should I not agree to this?”

Thankfully, it didn’t look like she chose ‘YES’ yet.

“I thought it was really good. It’s not? Tell me.”

Mmhm. I didn’t know what exactly she was offered, but it couldn’t be as good as Heavenly Demon.

“Of course it’s really good.”

“Then why didn’t you accept?”

“Because I’ve got a relatively clear idea of what my playstyle is.”

My playstyle was currently something close to an all-rounder Player. I could go into most classes. But out of all those classes, the one that could fully bring out all of my strength right now was a class similar to a ‘sovereign’.

“Using my knowledge and intuition to make party Playing go smoothly.”

“…Really?”

Yeonseo’s expression was one of slight doubt. It was understandable, since I had gone for the Orc Archer with more efficient movements than her.

* * *

“Just now, without you, Sunhwa, or Yoohyun, I wouldn’t have been able to clear this place.”

It wasn’t a lie. The True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain was probably listening seriously to my words as well.

“In other words, I have an aptitude for determining the traits and uses of each Player and putting each Player in the right place.”

“So you’re saying you’re more suited to be a leader, yeah?” Yeonseo nodded in understanding. “Yeah, I did think that while seeing you Play. You move like someone who knows all the strats.”

“There’s no way that could be true, right?”

Except there was. I knew all the strategies. But even if I didn’t, it almost felt like I knew them instinctively. Somehow, it felt like I had that kind of talent. Doing this here, and that there, that intuition came to me automatically, though I didn’t know if it was because of my talent or because of Eye of Perception.

‘Since Eye of Perception is an innate ability, can you call it talent?’

Well, whatever.

“You can just think of it as a special talent of mine. The ability to determine a person’s abilities and direct them appropriately.”

“I think I get what you’re saying. I definitely feel like the path is clear when I move according to your words.”

“I probably have a better understanding of you than you yourself.”

It wasn’t a lie. After all, this girl had no idea that she had the qualities to become the future Sword Empress.

“You do?”

“At least in swordsmanship, your dormant potential is way higher than mine.”

“Really? You think so?”

I didn’t know whether that was true or not, but it was hardly a blatant lie. It also sounded quite truthful.

“I trust my eyes.”

“Hm. I see.”

You listening, True Master? This conversation is actually not between me and Yeonseo, but me and you. Are you really going to leave such a big treasure?

“Yeah. It’s hard to describe it in detail. It’s something that only the special eyes I have can pick up on. If I hadn’t been observing you right here in person, I wouldn’t have been able to see your dormant potential.”

Basically, I was saying, ‘You Guardians watching from above probably can’t see this girl’s true value’.

“You were observing me that closely?”

Why was her face getting all red for no good reason?

“Yeah. Because your dormant potential is huge.”

“I didn’t know you thought so highly of me.”

State: Embarrassed / Shy / Expectant

Wait a sec, what was she expecting here? Why was ‘expectant’ in her state? I really couldn’t figure out what Yeonseo was thinking. Was I unable to understand the 20-year-old Yeonseo because I was a 30-year-old bachelor on the inside?

“You really mean it?”

“Yeah. I think that the things I can do well and the things you can do well are different.”

“Hm, hm.”

Yeonseo seemed a little happier than before. The carrot had to taste all the better after getting the stick.

“That’s why I thought that the honorable title the True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain was offering me would suit you better.”

An honorable title. Hey, Heavenly Demon. I really want that title too, dearest True Master. But sigh, there’s no helping it. It’ll suit this girl better, you know? You’ll want to give it to her, you know? She’ll be better than me, you know? She’s a real genius.

“That’s why I refused. Because I judged that you could make that honorable title shine more than me.”

As I expected, the True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain was paying close attention to my words.

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ is pleased by your words.]

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ praises your insight.]

[The ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ praises you.]

I decided to give a little more lip service.

“If you were to become the exclusive holder of the title that I almost got, I’m sure you could make that title shine brighter than anyone. It’s my belief that you could even become the most famous Player in the world.”

Yeonseo’s eyes grew wide. “Really?”

“Of course. Because a great Guardian like the True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain offered an advancement through a title in person.”

True Master, you’re listening, right? And all the other Guardians, you’re listening, yeah? Can’t you see that the ‘True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain’ just used a trick to try and recruit us? You guys should step it up.

‘The other Guardians will definitely take action now.’

That was why I intentionally uttered ‘advancement through a title’.

‘With this, he’ll have no choice but to give Yeonseo the Heavenly Demon title.’

Since it was already exposed that he had played a cowardly(?) trick, if he didn’t settle this properly, Guardians like the ‘Lady of the Scales’, who valued justice and impartiality, would strongly complain.

‘I saved his face, justified my reason for refusing, told him she has a huge amount of dormant potential, and plus, his back is to the wall.’

In the end, the True Master of the Heavenly Demonic Mountain would grant Yeonseo the ‘Heavenly Demon’ title. Sure enough—

“Hyukjin. I’ve advanced.”

Just in case this silly girl blathered more personal information, I blocked her mouth with my hand.

“There’s no need to give every little detail about your personal information. Even to me or your party members.”

“…”

“Got it? If you understand, I’m taking my hand off, alright?”

Yeonseo nodded, and her state was updated.

State: Shy / Expectant / Aflutter

It became even more incomprehensible. Where in the world was she getting this ‘aflutter’ feeling from?

[The valid time of the 1st Gateway has run out.]

[You will be automatically sent to the 2nd Gateway.]

When we were sent to the 2nd Gateway, I found myself in a completely different ‘2nd Gateway’ than the one I remembered.

‘Goddammit…’

I had a feeling I knew what this was.

‘Why is this happening now?’