# Player with Maxed-Out Talent, Episode 15

Kang Sunhwa could feel it clearly.

*If I take that hit for him, I’ll die.*

There was a high chance of death. She didn’t possess the ‘Hyper Sense’ that Kim Hyukjin had, but she herself had a talent worthy of being called a ‘genius.’ At least she could feel, with certainty, that she might die from taking on that attack.

*I have to block it.*

Kang Sunhwa didn’t take long to think. Thoughts of death. What would happen if she didn’t block it? What could she gain by blocking it? None of that mattered—it needed to be blocked. If not, Kim Hyukjin’s head would be crushed.

*I’m going to block it!*

No calculations came into play. No calculations were needed. She would block.

*Me!*

In this moment, the only thought filling Sunhwa’s head was that she had to protect Kim Hyukjin, even if it put her in danger. And so, she reached out her hand.

[Skill. Platinum Shield activated.]

Clang!

The sound was as loud as hollow aluminum bats colliding. It was the sound of the troll’s massive fist hitting Kang Sunhwa’s slender arm.

[‘Platinum Shield’ has detected ‘excessive physical force’.]

[Skill. Platinum Shield evenly disperses the impact.]

Kang Sunhwa had blocked the magic troll’s punch with her frail arm. More precisely, she had slightly twisted the trajectory of the punch.

Without even the time to scream, Kang Sunhwa lost consciousness. Kim Hyukjin didn’t look back. There was no time to do so. He clenched his teeth and ran.

*Sunhwa has used a new ability.*

What it was, he didn’t know. It seemed to be a tutorial privilege, or perhaps a skill that hadn’t been used until now.

[With ‘Hyper Sense’ activated, you have escaped the ‘threat of death’.]

[‘Hyper Sense’ has overcome the ‘death sentence’.]

[The fusion condition for ‘Hyper Sense’ has been met.]

Even while fleeing, urgent judgment was made.

*’One of the beginner skills given by the Lady of the Balance.’*

The Lady of the Balance, Senia, happens to be in the channel at this moment, watching this scene. It would be possible to identify what ability was used to block the attack of the magic troll.

*Platinum Shield.*

Using the Platinum Shield, Kang Sunhwa had protected herself.

*If it had been an ordinary player, even with the Platinum Shield… they would have been killed on impact.*

Sunhwa survived because she was Sunhwa. As a tanker, her talent exceeded even that of a genius. Despite her young age, she blocked the attack of the magic troll. It could only be seen as a miracle dependent on Sunhwa’s talent.

*We’re almost at the safe zone!*

They had gained time through an accidental last-hit steal by an archer player, and the Platinum Shield bought them even more time. All of this was a miracle to Kim Hyukjin – a miracle that broke through the machinations of the Lion King.

Dragging Sunhwa along, he exerted superhuman strength.

*Just past that glass door.*

Once past that glass door, it’s the ‘parking lot’ field. A safe zone that was still valid. A safe zone that only Kim Hyukjin could enter, carrying Kang Sunhwa.

Crash!

The glass shattered. Kim Hyukjin, holding Kang Sunhwa, rolled across the ground.

[You have entered the extracurricular safe zone, ‘D Tower Parking Lot Floor 2’.]

Roar!

The troll couldn’t enter this space as if there was an invisible wall blocking it. Despite swinging its fists in rage, it wasn’t a ruthless monster of a grade that could break through a safe zone.

“Hey, Sunhwa! Wake up. Kang Sunhwa!”

Her arm was tattered. She had endured the insane destructive power of the troll with that delicate arm. The shock seemed to have traveled up her shoulder and spread to her brain.

“Hey!”

He tried pouring a potion into her mouth but it was no use. She was barely breathing.

Roar!

The magic troll continued to swing its club wildly. Its eyes burned like raging flames.

*It’ll die in a couple of minutes.*

He bit his lip. The troll’s H/P was about a third remaining. The berserk state magic troll exerts tremendous power, but it can’t last long and dies. The more violently it moved, the faster its H/P dropped.

“Damn it.”

Sunhwa still hadn’t regained consciousness. Hyper Sense had drawn precise trajectories in his head. He understood that with his mind, but his body couldn’t respond. Sunhwa wasn’t supposed to be in that trajectory. It was Sunhwa who forced her way in. She had forced her way in, slightly shifted the direction of the punch, and because of her, Kim Hyukjin survived while Kang Sunhwa was on the brink of death, having reached out her arm for his sake.

He glared at the berserker state magic troll.

*’This trash.’*

The magic troll’s H/P was nearly depleted. It burned its own flame to the very end.

Uoooh!

It screamed wildly.

From beyond the safety zone, unable to breach, it wreaked havoc towards the unreachable safety zone. Then, heroically combusted.

[The berserker state magic troll has died.]

[Recognized as a hunt by the player closest to the magic troll within the same field and under level 20.]

Players under level 20. They couldn’t possibly defeat a berserk state magic troll. If they just survive by luck, then it’s recognized as their hunt. In the past, it was probably Ma Sanghyeon.

Senia appeared.

“Player Kim Hyukjin. You are recognized as the hunter of the magic troll.”

“…”

I didn’t feel happy. Unconsciously, I glared at Senia once. BJ Senia. And the guardians creating and watching this world as a form of amusement. All of them, on the same side.

At the same time, an announcement for the entire field was heard.

[Following the death of a tutorial field boss monster, the tutorial field will be cleared.]

[The tutorial quest has been cleared.]

[The difficulty for future events will be determined by the number of survivors in the tutorial field.]

[The number of survivors in the tutorial field will be confirmed.]

The number of survivors in the tutorial field. I wasn’t sure if that number was important, but it was always the first question on public exams. I remember that number exactly.

*’5,087 persons.’*

[The number of survivors is 5,087.]

[The difficulty is set to ‘low’.]

While holding the unconscious Sunhwa, I heard the number.

*It’s the same.*

The same as in the past. I survived, and although she lost consciousness, Sunhwa survived, too. It means at least there are two more survivors. But the number of survivors was exactly the same as in the past.

[The assessment for the tutorial reward starts now.]

[In addition to overall system rewards, personal rewards through the intermediary managers will be given.]

First, I fed her a low-grade healing potion. Only to cling onto any spark of life for even a few seconds.

*I can save her.*

I can save her. No. I had to save her.

[All survivors are being awarded ‘Player Eligibility’ as a universal reward.]

[You have been awarded +1,000 COIN.]

[You have been awarded ‘Beginner’s Armor Set’.]

[Level restrictions have been lifted.]

While the universal rewards were being given, Kim Hyukjin didn’t pay much attention to the alert. Right now, he had to focus more on the fallen Kang Sunhwa. He pictured in his mind what would come next: the clear way to save Kang Sunhwa.

[With the tutorial field cleared, the title ‘Tutorial Conqueror’ is awarded.]

[The title ‘Tutorial Conqueror’ is awarded to those who stayed and survived on the main tutorial field, ‘D Tower Floor 2’.]

[The title ‘Tutorial Conqueror’ is being awarded to player ‘Ma Sanghyeon’.]

[Player ‘Ma Sanghyeon’ is being registered in the ‘Hall of Honor’.]

I already knew. Kim Hyukjin knew how to obtain the title of Tutorial Conqueror. Without turning it berserk. It was his original plan to slowly drain it, but plans changed a bit. He didn’t care for the title.

*’D Tower Floor 2’… Were there no other survivors besides Ma Sanghyeon?*

It seems like everyone else has died. Even the man who yelled at me to run.

*Just like the past.*

It was alright.

“Senia. We agreed to a deal.”

We had not yet made our deal. I had put the deal on hold after defeating the miniboss monster, the goblin soldier. That deal, I plan to make it now. I continued speaking.

* * *

I was the one who said,

“Your channel must have many notable guardians tuned in by now. They’re watching me who caught the mutative player, and you’re attracting attention as well.”

Let’s assume the Nameless Observer is an unknown factor.

“Lady of the Balance. Valiant Lion King. Just these two have enough financial resources as guardians.”

Moreover,

“The Nameless Observer has donated more coins to me directly than Lady of the Balance.”

Senia should be well aware of that fact.

“…”

“From the beginning until now, I have been proving my worth.”

Senia said not a word. She had to accept it. Not even Ma Sanghyeon, who had earned the title of Tutorial Conqueror, had showcased gameplay on my level.

“Even an intermediary manager with no talent like you could survive. As long as you have quality content.”

“…..I don’t agree that I am without talent. But I do agree that in order to survive, you need to have quality content.”

Senia looked at me with the same expressionless face.

“The tutorial field is over. The opening has ended, and now the real tutorial mode begins. Am I right?”

“That’s correct.”

Senia didn’t waver. Even though it was information that regular players couldn’t possibly know, she showed no significant reaction to my behavior, which was like reading a strategy guide.

“I want my item shop’s grade elevated right now. The tutorial is over. It’s not an unreasonable trade condition.”

Senia fell silent for a moment, then said to me,

“It doesn’t seem like a reasonable approach. You have proven your value. You can ask me for more. And as for the item shop…”

“The restrictions will naturally lift with time?”

“Yes. It’s a matter of time.”

Right now it’s ‘tutorial grade’ limited. But as time passes, naturally, the item shop’s grade will rise. My eyes caught Kang Sunhwa, barely clinging to life.

“I’d like to buy that time.”

The tutorial field has been lifted. So, it shouldn’t be too difficult for an intermediary manager to change the item store’s grade from ‘tutorial’ to at least ‘beginner level’ at their discretion.

*Saving Sunhwa…*

Was it because she was a tanker with talent beyond what I could see? A promising talent with immense potential? It wasn’t for such grand reasons. Right now, it was simply because *I wanted to save her*. Sunhwa would have done the same for me, without any cost-benefit calculation.

Senia asked me,

“I’ll make an exclusive contract with you. For one year. Without any other intermediary manager able to observe me. All guardians must go through you to watch me.”

Senia’s eyes widened. Understandably, as I had already played the ‘exclusive contract between player and intermediary manager’ card.

“Player Kim Hyukjin. Exactly how much do you know?”

“That’s not important. What’s important is this.”

Senia’s wings fluttered slightly.

“Many guardians have noticed me. The fact that I’m already one of the few players with a lot of coins. The fact that I’m a ranked player who lifted the level restriction in the tutorial field long ago. Even the intermediary managers will be talking about me.”

“…”

“Remember this.”

“…”

“My value. Right now, it’s at its cheapest.”

I decisively laid down the final word.

“If not now, there won’t be a next time.”

I was confident. Senia would finally accept my proposal. And sure enough, an alert came.