# Player with Maxed-Out Talent, Episode 48

A special skill that allows for swift movement in a flash—Kim Hyukjin executed the footwork technique that the swordmaster used in the past.

‘It’s hot.’

Hyukjin almost lost sight of Sunhwa in an instant. The fiery demon seemed to engulf his entire body. It felt as if he had entered a blazing furnace—if he remained still, intense fear gripped him, fear that his body might burn to ashes or melt away.

[You have been exposed to intense fire energy.]

[The durability of Dwarf’s Ring is rapidly decreasing.]

[Mandara’s Eumshimgap (Heart-covering Armor) has been destroyed.]

The Eumshimgap, armor resistant to fire attributes, was destroyed. Not just Hyukjin’s, but Sunhwa’s too. There was no possibility of it being restored.

[The intense fire energy is starting to affect the player’s body.]

Hyukjin took a deep breath.

[Dwarf’s Ring has been destroyed.]

A rare-grade item was destroyed. It happened in a very short moment, shattered to pieces. Still, somehow, they managed to survive.

“Are you… okay?”

Sunhwa nodded her head. Hyukjin set Sunhwa down on the ground. Both of them were in a bad state—the tips of their hair were singed, and their bodies were covered in soot. Luckily, the soot provided some cover for their bodies.

“Open the item shop and buy whatever clothes. Cheap ones are fine too.”

Sunhwa’s face turned visibly red, whether it was because of the heat from the Valley of Fire or embarrassment. In any case, Hyukjin felt somewhat awkward and averted his gaze.

“Sorry.”

It’s a sensitive age. It wasn’t intentional that all their clothes were burnt away. Hyukjin also bought a set of beginner’s leather clothes from the item shop. It was convenient to wear since with a single click from the inventory, the clothes equipped themselves, much like a game.

‘I’ve seen this situation often on YouTube.’

During raids, it’s common for the clothes rather than the body to end up in shambles. That’s why some rankers, regardless of defense, wear highly-durable clothes underneath just to prevent exposure. Tanks, especially, did this.

‘I’m okay though…’

Hyukjin didn’t see Sunhwa as a woman. In Hyukjin’s view, only psychopaths like Seo Juwan would see Sunhwa that way. Hyukjin himself wasn’t bothered by the unintentional exposure. However, it did bother him a little that he had caused that embarrassment for Sunhwa at such a sensitive age.

‘I’ll need to get used to situations like this.’

If Sunhwa continues down the path of a tank, this might happen more often. Sunhwa spoke.

“It’s not your fault. I would have burned to death back there if it weren’t for you, oppa.”

Though she felt shame, she didn’t show it. The relief of escaping the blaze was far greater than the embarrassment of exposing her naked body.

“Yeah.”

Hyukjin didn’t talk much. To be precise, he couldn’t talk much. Before they could even re-equip new items, another notification appeared.

‘Right.’

When he used that skill, exploding with momentary acceleration.

‘I heard the notification at that time.’

It was too urgent and hot to hear properly, but now that he thought back, he remembered what it was about.

[The intense fire energy is starting to affect the player’s body.]

It wasn’t just an effect.

[You have successfully passed through the ‘Valley of Fire.’]

[All who pass through the ‘Valley of Fire’ will be given a title.]

[You have been granted the title ‘Person of Fire.’]

‘Person of Fire?’

──────────

[Person of Fire]

This title significantly amplifies affinity and resistance to the fire attribute.

1) Fire affinity +5.

2) Fire resistance +5.

3) When inflicting fire damage, calculate an additional 10% damage.

4) When receiving fire damage, reduce damage by 10%.

──────────

Hyukjin understood what the title ‘Person of Fire’ entailed.

’10 years later. One of Yeomje Kang Sanggu’s titles was Immortal Flame Deity.’

This ‘Person of Fire’ title seemed like it would upgrade to ‘Immortal Flame Deity’ after several levels.

‘Kang Sanggu must have obtained his title here too.’

In reality, it was a title that only Kang Sanggu was meant to get. According to Giant of the Setting Sun’s plan, we should have already died in the flames of the valley.

“Oppa, I got a title too.”

“I know. Person of Fire, right?”

“Yes.”

Sunhwa seemed extremely pleased to have gained a title.

“Do you like it?”

Sunhwa nodded.

“I was really scared earlier.”

“What scared you?”

“I thought I was going to be consumed by the fire.”

“Your body is tougher than mine. If I was okay, you have nothing to worry about.”

That was certain. Hyukjin had had the help of the ‘Dwarf’s Ring.’ Sunhwa had passed through with nothing but her innate abilities and a single Mandara’s Eumshimgap.

“I know that in my head, but my heart isn’t quite convinced yet.”

Hyukjin smiled. It’s only natural. Although she has been synching her pace with him, she is still, undeniably, a novice player. It’s been barely two months since the Great Cataclysm.

‘I’ve done everything I could.’

Now all that remained was to wait. Wait until Kang Sanggu, under the protection of the Giant of the Setting Sun, cleared this place.

“We’ll just stay here quietly.”

“Here?”

Hyukjin whispered to Sunhwa, softly enough so that Senia couldn’t hear.

“Giant of the Setting Sun might find us and try to kill us again.”

This dungeon existed for Kang Sanggu to monopolize its rewards. Wasn’t it to prevent us from claiming the rewards that Senia was asked to stop the broadcast? Sunhwa nodded in understanding once more.

‘Kang Sanggu will definitely clear this place.’

It was only a matter of time. Regardless, it was possible. Deciding to take it easy, Hyukjin relaxed his mind.

* * *

They had crossed the Valley of Fire and gained the title ‘Person of Fire.’ Hyukjin did his best to keep a relaxed mindset. There was no point in getting worked up over nothing while they waited here; besides, it seemed like Sunhwa was pretty tense. To ease the tension and strike up a conversation, he asked.

“What do you want to do once we get out?”

“Hmm.”

Sunhwa’s expression eased a bit, as if letting go of the inherent tension one feels inside a dungeon.

“I want to eat.”

“Eat? What do you want to have?”

“Hmm.”

Sunhwa seriously considered for a while. What to eat? To this 14-year-old middle school girl, it seemed like a profoundly important question.

“Pork cutlet! I want to eat pork cutlet!”

“Ah, pork cutlet.”

Just thinking about pork cutlets seemed to brighten Sunhwa’s mood. She seemed a bit happier just from imagining it.

“Yeah, pork cutlets are good.”

Then she asked me.

“Can I go eat with oppa without getting in trouble?”

“Trouble? Why?”

I heard her story, and it really got to me. Sunhwa, too, received an allowance at the orphanage. It wasn’t much; only a small amount to teach money management in practice.

She saved up coins of 100, 200, and 300 won to visit a snack bar near her school.

“You’re so poor, where do you get off eating pork cutlet?”

An old man scolded her once, and it scared her greatly. A mere snack bar’s pork cutlet. It was only worth 6,000 won.

My heart went out to her. It reminded me of my past.

“Pork cutlet. Let’s go eat.”

Before returning to this place, having received the results indicating ‘No Talent,’ I laid down on the bed, realizing once again how harsh reality was, and muttered.

“What a shitty world.”

Then I fell asleep. To me, the world was shitty, and to Sunhwa, maybe the world was frightening. So I thought again. I never wanted to live like that again.

Some time had passed. A significant amount of time, it seemed—around six hours. I managed alright, but Sunhwa showed remarkable patience for a 14-year-old girl, and finally, the place was cleared.

[‘Short Table Dungeon’ cleared.]

[‘Short Table Dungeon’ clearing rewards will be ascertained.]

Naturally, the biggest reward would go to Kang Sanggu. Sunhwa and I would also get some rewards, but I didn’t have high expectations.

[You have acquired 150 COIN.]

[You have gained experience points.]

And my level went up.

[Your level has increased.]

[Current level: 27]

[You have acquired ‘1/3 Piece of the Map’.]

We exited the ‘Short Table Dungeon.’ It wasn’t guarded by police like Seoul Station’s dungeon.

A voice exclaimed.

“Damnit!”

There stood a naked man.

“He’s still alive!”

He suddenly embraced me. It happened so fast; I couldn’t dodge.

“Can you… put some clothes on?”

“You’re alive! I thought you were dead; it took so long!”

Tears glistened at the edge of Kang Sanggu’s eyes.

“You’ve done well. Really well. If you guys had died, I would have followed right after.”

The Awareness Eye read Kang Sanggu’s sincere emotions.

“Thank you for being alive!”

──────────

Status: Grateful/Relieved/Joyful

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He really had been worried about us. Even though Senia had turned off the broadcast, Kang Sanggu’s BJ, who could still see our current state, had not turned his broadcast off. Notifications came through to me.

[‘Giant of the Setting Sun’ is baffled.]

[‘Whispering Devil’ is amused.]

[‘Barrier of Azure Light’ begins to notice you.]

In the channel where Kang Sanggu’s BJ was broadcasting, another guardian who had revealed their name began to take notice of me. It was a name I didn’t remember; apparently not a very famous guardian. But it was good nonetheless. This is how names get spread.

‘By the time the map was torn into 1/3 pieces, they should’ve already known about our survival.’

But experiencing it firsthand must’ve been baffling.

‘Biased bastard.’

If the Valiant Lion King is a courage junkie, then the Giant of the Setting Sun could be dubbed a bias junkie. Then, Kang Sanggu handed me a ‘magic book.’

“Here. This.”

“For me?”

“When I obtained the Flame Essence. I told you then, the next item I got, it would be yours.”

Kang Sanggu declared with zest as if fulfilling his promise made him proud—as if it were the natural thing for a person to do.

In a split second, I was conflicted. Should I accept this?

‘If I take this…’

Then the Yeomje Kang Sanggu of this world will disappear. All the milestones Kang Sanggu had covered would be gone.

‘I’m not afraid of changing the future.’

Not that in itself. But right now, there’s a more pressing problem to consider.

[‘Giant of the Setting Sun’ is watching you.]

[‘Giant of the Setting Sun’ is monitoring you.]

The bias junkie is focusing on me. Not in a good way. This was the creature that wanted to prevent other players from claiming their rewards. And if I were to take this magic book here?

‘The Giant of the Setting Sun would barge into Senia’s channel just to kill me somehow.’

Simply put, I’d be marked by a guardian. A guardian capable of raising a figure like the Yeomje. That level of guardian—coming into conflict with them would make life tiresome.

‘Annoying guy.’

Courage junkie. And now a bias junkie. I’ll make sure to give them a good dose of payback later.

‘Rather than accepting that…’

I started to envision a much bigger future. Instead of short-term gain, I decided to pursue greater benefits down the line. Now that the ‘1/3 Piece of the Map’ is in my hands, I can start painting the picture, not the Giant of the Setting Sun.

“Kang Sanggu. I’d like to make you an offer.”

Let’s begin to draw that picture.