# Player with Maxed-Out Talent, Episode 42

I know too. There’s nothing on the second floor. It’s right that there is nothing there.

‘But the fact that the second floor has opened means…’

Someone has opened the second floor. I know who first opened it. The Demon King. The enigmatic player that Seo Ju-hwan, whom I met before, served. The one who led the ‘Demon King’s Army’, which would later be known as ‘Nightmare’, a decade later. It’s unclear whether this player is Korean since they started playing in Korea and later took the lead of the ‘Demon King’s Army’.

‘Not much is known about the Demon King.’

However, it is known that the Demon King alone has the capacity to take on eight heroes, and has always had a hand in major incidents such as wars, gate collapses, and large-scale massacres.

‘What little is known is… that the Demon King was the first to open the second floor of the Beginner’s Tower.’

And it is known that there are privileges associated with that place.

‘The first three players to enter are given additional special privileges.’

It’s possible that the Demon King is on the second floor right now. My heart pounded at the thought. What does the Demon King look like now? I thought that people like Ma Sang-hyun and Shin Yeon-seo were geniuses, but the leader of the Demon King’s Army far surpasses them. Could he really be on the second floor now?

‘Could I be stronger than the current Demon King?’

Suddenly, I grasped something with my unique sense. A different sensation than usual. It felt like something heavy pressing down on my eyelids.

[You sense a powerful aura.]

[Your Sensory Eye has temporarily become paralyzed.]

‘My eyes… hurt.’

I closed my eyes. More like they shut on their own.

‘I feel like I’ve just seen someone.’

All that remained was a black afterimage, as if black mist had appeared and vanished before my eyes. If it hadn’t been for the ‘paralysis’ of my Sensory Eye, I would have thought I’d seen it wrong. I had a hunch.

‘I just encountered someone.’

It’s purely an intuition, but I think that ‘someone’ could have been the Demon King. The Demon King. Unknown to me. Yet, certainly existing in this world, at this time. If the overwhelming feeling I just experienced really did come from the Demon King?

‘What will happen between the Demon King and me?’

I’m not sure yet. The abnormal status has been lifted.

[The paralysis of your Sensory Eye has been lifted.]

‘Will I end up confronting the Demon King?’

It’s not necessary. I can live well enough without doing it.

‘I’ll think about it later.’

For now, I decided to focus on what I could do.

──────────────

[Escalator to the second floor]

──────────────

I moved to the second floor via the escalator.

* * *

[You have entered the second floor of the Beginner’s Tower.]

D-Tower’s second floor. Now known as the Beginner’s Tower, this place, where I once hunted magic trolls, has become an empty space. Just a dark open area. It’s not a basement, but a damp, musty aura pervaded the place. It felt like an empty underground parking lot.

‘Item shop.’

──────────────

[Item Shop – Beginner Rank – Potions & Homecoming Scrolls]

1. Basic Health Potion 300COIN

2. Basic Mana Potion 300COIN

3. Basic Healing Potion 400COIN

4. Basic Safe Zone Homecoming Scroll 3000COIN

5. Basic Treatment Potion 400COIN

──────────────

Currently, it’s the ‘Potions & Homecoming Scrolls’ tab. This isn’t important. What’s important is that I’m now on the second floor of the Beginner’s Tower.

I said,

“I’m going to open the hidden item shop.”

“……”

BJ Senia stared at me blankly.

“The hidden… item shop?”

She’s looking at me expressionlessly, but her wings are faintly trembling. She looks nonchalant on the outside, but she seems to be panicking right now. I can’t yet grasp Senia’s condition with my Sensory Eye, but still, I could sense it.

“She seems quite flustered.”

She must be that flustered if my less developed Sensory Eye could read her emotions to such an extent that she’s manifesting them.

“Take a good look at the manual.”

Sometimes this happens. Players share tips and strategies among themselves, but the middle managers might not know about them. I decided to understand. Senia is a newbie. It’s good for me that she’s a newbie as she’s easy to steer. And of course, there are downsides to her being easy to manage.

“……”

Some Guardians seemed bored with the wait.

[The ‘Nameless Observer’ is watching.]

[The ‘Lady of the Scales’ is waiting.]

[The ‘Brave Lion King’ is frustrated.]

When is this brave fool ever going to leave this channel? After about five minutes, Senia finally spoke.

“The hidden item shop does exist.”

Right. It could only be opened here. And it requires 50,000 coins to open. Impossible for real beginners. There is simply no way beginners could have 50,000 coins.

“You need 50,000 coins…”

“50,000 coins. I’m going to use them.”

[I have requested to view the hidden item shop.]

[You need 50,000 coins to view the hidden item shop.]

[Would you like to view the hidden item shop?]

[Viewing time for the hidden item shop is 60 seconds.]

[Items in the hidden item shop are limited to a stock of 1.]

5만 코인이 필요하다. 60초간만 상점을 열람하는 게 아니라 아이템 구매에 필요한 금액이다. 5만 코인은 생각보다 큰 금액이다. itemName을 얻기 위해서는 그만큼의 가치가 있어야 한다.

You need 50,000 coins. It’s not just for a 60-second glimpse of the shop, but the amount needed to purchase an item. 50,000 coins is a larger sum than it may seem. To obtain an item, it must have that much worth.

[I will view the hidden item shop.]

[The hidden item shop has opened.]

An additional privilege for the first three to open it was granted.

[You have successfully been the second to open the hidden item shop.]

[An opening privilege is granted.]

[Opening privilege – ‘Bargain Sale’ is applied.]

The bargain sale is in effect. The price of items has been halved.

──────────────

[Hidden Item Shop – Beginner Rank – Guidance Scrolls]

1. Lower Grade Job Change Guidance Scroll 14,000COIN → 7,000COIN

2. Intermediate Job Change Guidance Scroll 26,000COIN → 13,000COIN

3. Advanced Job Change Guidance Scroll 40,000COIN → 20,000COIN

──────────────

Beginner rank. The sub-category is guidance scrolls. There are only 3 items to purchase. It’s something I’ve considered for a long time.

“Advanced Job Change Guidance Scroll.”

[Would you like to purchase the Advanced Job Change Guidance Scroll?]

[20,000COIN will be used.]

Originally, my goal was 70,000 coins. I had reaped an unexpected bounty from the ‘Turtle Nest’, and even after purchasing the ‘Advanced Job Change Guidance Scroll’, I still had a remaining 13,000 coins.

‘I have a lot left over.’

How can I put it? I feel like I’ve gained a lot. I expected zero remaining coins, but 13,000 coins feel substantial.

There was no time to browse other tabs. The 60 seconds passed more quickly than I thought.

──────────────

[Advanced Job Change Guidance Scroll]

A scroll imbued with magic to aid in job change. Increases the chance of obtaining a higher-ranked ‘job’ upon job change.

Uses: 0/1

* The Advanced Job Change Guidance Scroll is an item purchased from the hidden item shop.

* It cannot be traded or transferred.

──────────────

Then, I shared all the information with Senia, the middle manager. I have now purchased ‘Advanced Job Change Guidance Scroll’. In other words, I am considering a ‘job change’.

“My current level is 26. As you know, it’s about time I started considering a job change.”

I mentioned this before. I will do the job change at level 30.

‘I’m trying to play in a way that benefits me more.’

Of course, something’s up.

When I reach level 30, the time will come for me to choose a Guardian to contract with. Through a ‘contract’ with a Guardian, I will form a close relationship and receive substantial support from that Guardian.

“I’ve heard that before… But what’s the basis for waiting? A player’s job change typically occurs when they are around level 25. What makes you so confident to do otherwise?”

I smiled knowingly. After all, many Guardians must be watching my moves right now.

“A hunch? Or maybe a dream?”

When you job change through Guardians, you are guaranteed at least a rare job rank.

‘To Guardians, plausibility isn’t really a big deal.’

To the guardians, plausibility is not much of an issue. How did I come to know these things? Is it really intuition? A dream? Such a question isn’t exactly relevant. Rather, how much fun and exciting gameplay I show is what matters.

‘So.’

My actions now will certainly appeal to the Guardians. But then, a notification arrived.

[A ‘Middle Manager’ Neptune’s ‘Bug Assessment Request’ has been received.]

In the dark space where only Senia and I existed, someone revealed themselves.

‘Middle Manager. Neptune.’

A dwarf with skin color somewhere between green and emerald, and only one eye. BJ Neptune, Ma Sang-hyun’s middle manager.

“It’s just too strange. The Guardians think so too, right? This player here. Something’s just too off about him. Even for someone with the precognitive dream awakening, it’s excessive. There’s a high probability of a system bug or error. So, I requested an assessment. Hey. Are you Kim Hyuk-jin?”

Neptune continued with an authoritative tone.

“Come closer.”

The feeling was similar to that at the escalator earlier.

[Your Sensory Eye has temporarily become paralyzed.]

[The coercive power of ‘Middle Manager’ Neptune is activated.]

[The authority ‘Forced Subjugation’ of ‘Middle Manager’ Neptune applies.]

Without my own will, I walked towards Neptune.

Thud.

And there, I knelt down. Forced Subjugation, as the name suggests, seems to be a humiliating power.

‘Senia, you fool. Say something.’

Senia was unable to speak to Neptune. Just like a newbie BJ should. Unable to respond to Neptune’s sudden actions.

‘So you’ll be weeded out later.’

Neptune must have intimidated her with his demeanor. He probably holds a much higher position in the BJ world.

‘You can’t survive like that, you know.’

I decided to speak up for her.

“Do your scan as you like.”

I have not committed any act forbidden by the system. A mere mid-level 20’s player could not possibly use things that would only appear five years later. Neptune likely knows this too. This is what is commonly referred to as ‘stirring the water’ or ‘drawing aggro’.

‘You must be looking to promote your own channel.’

Since you can’t broadcast my play alone, you’re causing a disturbance targeting me, who now has the attention of the Guardians. It’s a kind of noise marketing, similar in concept.

‘At this point, I would be an easy target.’

I am much weaker than him. That’s undeniable.

“But.”

If you’re noise marketing and using me for your own benefit, should you not have researched your subject a bit more carefully?

“What’s your reasoning for accusing me of being a bug? What will be the consequences for treating an innocent player like a criminal and persecuting them?”

Even though I’m on my knees due to the power, I have more confidence than anyone else in overcoming this situation. There’s no reason to be afraid. I know about Neptune and why he’s doing this.

Plus, I know Neptune’s weakness. I added one more thing.

“Speak up. Dwarf.”