# The Player with Maxed-Out Talent – Episode 38

Gate Map. As a ‘yellow signal’ flickered into existence, Kim Hyukjin moved towards it. However, when the signal turned ‘red,’ Kim Hyukjin was able to make a discovery.

‘That thing.’

Currently, the long, protruding snout obscured the view. Neither the monster’s name nor its description could be seen. Accurate information couldn’t be obtained through Sensory Vision either. But that long, protruding snout. Sharp teeth. The way it dragged its prey into the marshlands. Kim Hyukjin knew this hunting style too well.

‘Marshland Crocodile.’

A monster whose name clearly described it. The Marshland Crocodile was a monster around Level 17. The monster’s inherent abilities weren’t that strong. However, the problem was that this was a ‘marshland.’

‘In the swamp, a crocodile exerts strength at least of Level 25…’

No, perhaps even more. Hunting it was extremely difficult. To catch one inside the swamp, one had to penetrate the swamp and attack. Normally, a player with a ‘spear,’ a bow, or a ‘firearm’ is typically required to deal with it, and even then, only if their level was high enough.

‘And even then, their level would need to be significantly high.’

The swamp defended the creature within. Not only was it invisible inside the swamp, but ordinary piercing power was insufficient to hit it. It was the opposite trait of a Rycanthrope. Weak on land, but when it entered water or a swamp, it became incredibly powerful and difficult to handle.

Kim Hyukjin spoke.

“Sunhwa. Follow slowly.”

At the sight of the snout. At the sight of the blood-drenched swamp. Kim Hyukjin instinctively knew what he had to do. He lacked significant experience and hadn’t faced many physical confrontations. All he knew were the multitude of knowledge and strategies from the future. But he moved as smoothly as if that knowledge had been etched into his body.

[Special Skill. Shift Change (移形換位) is activated.]

Shift Change. The peerless movement technique once used by ‘Sword Master.’ Kim Hyukjin vanished in an instant. Where he reappeared was right next to the blood-drenched swamp. Between Sin Yeonseo and Ma Sanghyun, that’s where Kim Hyukjin swung his sword.

Swish—

Something was cut away.

At the same moment, Sin Yeonseo screamed.

“Kyaaak!”

* * *

Sin Yeonseo didn’t realize Kim Hyukjin was approaching. She didn’t have any clue from where or when he appeared. His special skill, ‘Shift Change,’ allowed him to move freely within a certain radius, without leaving any trace.

‘What, what is that?’

When Kim Hyukjin appeared and swung his sword, Sin Yeonseo was able to see it. The severed wrist that had lost its master and was gripping her ankle.

‘I-I-It’s been cut.’

Blood spurted from the cut wrist like a red fountain. It covered Sin Yeonseo, and the hand that was gripping her ankle forcefully fell to the ground and, after twitching, stopped moving. The scream of ‘Kraaak!’ that had just been audible felt like an auditory hallucination now.

Blood had splattered all over Kim Hyukjin as well. He was able to grasp the situation.

‘Could it have been possible to grip Yeonseo’s ankle with such strength with just one hand?’

Impossible.

‘Guardian’s mischief.’

Perhaps some guardian granted a special perk to witness an amusing spectacle. Kim Hyukjin bit his lip. Even for him, it wasn’t easy on his conscience. After all, he had just severed the wrist of a living human being. The decision was quick, but the process was not easy.

The guardians sent messages according to their nature.

[‘The Anonymous Observer’ continues to watch.]

[‘The Whispering Demon’ takes pleasure.]

[‘The Pearl of Cheonma Mountain’] claps.]

[‘The Old Lady of Scales’] remains silent.]

However, he decided not to show any reaction here. He spoke to Sin Yeonseo.

“Are you not in your right mind? Why scream? What were you planning to do if a monster sensitive to sound was around?”

“B-But still…”

“If you had been dragged in, you would have died too.”

The future Sword Master. Sin Yeonseo had yet to shed the shell of an ordinary person. He understood that this was not easy for her, but it had been too dangerous.

Sin Yeonseo bit her lip.

‘I…’

Her mind had gone blank. She hadn’t been able to think of anything. During that lapse, Kim Hyukjin appeared, cut off the wrist of the Japanese player, and as a result, she survived. She saw the swamp turned into a sea of blood before her eyes. Even without seeing, she knew. The Japanese player from earlier had died.

‘I’m scared.’

For a moment, she felt true fear. She bit her lip again.

‘No, I’m not scared.’

To be precise, it wasn’t fear but a feeling of unfamiliarity. Blood. Corpses. Monsters. Death. It was all still foreign to her.

“……”

Sin Yeonseo couldn’t find words to say for a while, but finally, she spoke.

“…I’m sorry.”

She, too, was born with innate talent and potential. She just hadn’t bloomed yet. She had no intention of giving up the game. No, on the contrary, she wanted to play. Despite the danger, she was finding interest in the ‘game’ itself.

“I was so startled, I couldn’t think of anything.”

Kim Hyukjin firmly said.

“Don’t apologize to me. Just remember, if you were unlucky, that would have been it.”

His words were true. No matter how skilled the Sword Master, a pierced heart or a severed neck means death. If she had been dragged into the swamp as had just happened, she would be dead. If unlucky, Sin Yeonseo wouldn’t be here right now.

Sin Yeonseo nodded. She also knew what Kim Hyukjin meant. She knew that she survived thanks to Kim Hyukjin’s actions. She may not be able to call what Kim Hyukjin did ‘right,’ but she knew she was alive because of him.

‘Hyukjin is correct.’

She learned something by watching Kim Hyukjin. It was difficult to articulate, but she felt as though she had broken through a barrier. She learned with her body. This was how to play the game. She felt like she had learned so much.

“…Thank you. For saving me.”

* * *

The swamp that had swallowed the Japanese player had already consumed even the blood it had drawn. It was as if nothing had happened, returning to an ordinary swamp. Ma Sanghyun asked.

“Brother. Why are we still waiting here?”

“We need to catch it.”

“That… the crocodile-looking one?”

I nodded. We can’t enter the swamp ourselves. Unless we were exceptionally talented elemental mages or sorcerers, it was not possible.

“How do we catch it?”

“Once it’s finished eating… It’ll feel sleepy.”

The heart was heavy with this idea. ‘Finished eating’ implied that the player had been devoured. Nevertheless, once satisfied with a full belly, the creature would come out. That was the habit of a creature preferring to nap on land.

Sunhwa asked me.

“Is the monster going to take a nap or something?”

“Maybe it will?”

It wasn’t a maybe; it would. It was about to surface.

“It would be nice if it did. I feel like I’ve seen this scene in a dream. Let’s just wait and see.”

The kids looked at me uncertainly, wondering if the creature would actually come out, but I gave no clear explanation. There was no way to explain, after all. Unaffiliated BJ Celine kept her distance to observe, while Senia also waited in silence.

‘They’ll think I’m a prognostic dreamer.’

I can’t just play this game alone. I have to use the circumstances given to me to the best of my ability. I have to justify my actions.

“My prophetic dreams aren’t perfect. I can’t see everything. But I know enough about their habits.”

It meant I hadn’t predicted the Japanese player’s death.

‘The Old Lady of Scales should be satisfied with this much.’

It’s fine as long as she is not disappointed and only remains silent. She knows. She knows my actions were the best option. It’s better for one to die than for two.

“Ah! Brother! Bubbles are surfacing.”

“Step back a few paces.”

The creature with the blood-stained snout emerged. Its name was indeed ‘Marshland Crocodile.’

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Marshland Crocodile LV 18

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Level 18. The creature on land was nothing more than prey at Level 18. It didn’t seem to care about our presence as it took a few more steps onto land and then curled up and fell into a light sleep.

Ma Sanghyun raised his fist.

“I’ll knock it out.”

A soft blue light glowed from his fist. Only a player in the early to mid-20s levels could wield such power in their fist.

‘The Boxer King really is the Boxer King. Players ordinarily have to get through the beginner’s phase for that.’

It was then that Sin Yeonseo spoke.

“No. Let me kill it.”

Within my Sensory Vision, Sin Yeonseo’s status was captured.

──────────

Status: Anger/Calm/Reason

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She was clearly angry, yet her status read as calm. It meant a cold anger. The intensity of the intent to kill was apparent in her eyes.

‘She’s grown another step in the meantime.’

An intense killing intent was emanating from her. Once she passes this phase, she’ll know how to contain this killing instinct, but not yet. At least she seems to have shed much of her skin as an ordinary person just now. That incident stimulated Sin Yeonseo’s growth.

“Yeonseo. You do it. The heads of beast-like monsters are often weak points.”

Often the ‘forehead’ is one of the vulnerable weak points.

“I understand.”

Sin Yeonseo drew her sword, her aura alone was like a finely honed blade. I knew this state. The phenomenon known as ‘Sword Body As One’ – she had already reached that stage.

‘Isn’t this a basic attribute mentioned for sword-carrying rankers?’

Maybe she’s grown faster than in the past. Sin Yeonseo calmed her breath. In just one motion. Quickly. Her movement was streamlined and fast. She aimed precisely at the space between the eyes. That single point. She thrust powerfully and swiftly.

[You have hunted a Marshland Crocodile.]

Experience and coins aside, another item dropped. Sin Yeonseo picked it up and showed it to me.

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[Marshland Crocodile’s Claw – Quest Item]

It is a claw of a Marshland Crocodile. Presenting it to a middle manager will allow you to acquire a quest.

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Sin Yeonseo then suggested to me.

“That. Maybe you should give it to Lady Senia.”

“…….”

I didn’t outright refuse. Normally, Sin Yeonseo, who acquired the item, should receive the quest directly. It’s a given fact that the person who gets the quest usually receives the most benefit from it. Sin Yeonseo would know that too. Both of us. We both knew that fact well. Nonetheless, Sin Yeonseo transferred it to me, and I accepted it. I wasn’t performing charity here.

“Senia. Here. A quest item.”

Senia handed down a quest to me.

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[A quest ‘Acquisition of Marshland Crocodile’s Claw’ has been given.]

──────────

The content wasn’t overly complicated. It was a quest to acquire 5 ‘Marshland Crocodile’s Claws.’ The current progress was [1/5].

‘One is already acquired.’

I just needed four more to complete the quest. Sunhwa asked.

“Oppa. But can we even collect 5? I can’t figure out a way to hunt them.”

Realistically, if the Marshland Crocodile didn’t come out of the swamp, there was no way for us to hunt it. Essentially, we had to draw the crocodile onto land. Sin Yeonseo also looked worried.

“If we have no bait… we can’t lure it out.”

It’s because the creature needed to fill its belly before coming onto the land or water to nap.

“Can we… complete this quest?”

We had two quests.

1. [Quest. ‘Turtle Nest’]

2. [Quest. ‘Acquisition of the Marshland Crocodile’s Claw’]

Completing 2 would almost automatically clear 1, due to the reverse structure. I declared.

“Of course, we can.”

“How?”

In my Sensory Vision, I felt Sin Yeonseo’s emotion. ‘Fear.’ It was fear directed towards me. She feared that I might sacrifice others to capture the crocodile.

I couldn’t help but give a dry laugh. What did they see me as, a monster?

“Just like this.”

[‘The Anonymous Observer’ along with 4 other guardians await your response.]

I decided to show them the method.