Player with Maxed-Out Talent

Chapter 25

# Player with Maxed-Out Talent, Episode 25

“A choice is presented to Player Kim Hyuk-jin.”

I already know what the first clearance reward for the Seoul Station dungeon is.

‘Option 1 is gold.’

Tangible wealth is offered. I even know the exact weight in grams. It was a recurring question on tests.

‘3.75kg.’

That’s a whopping 3750 grams of gold. I understand why that specific number. It’s a number necessary for story dungeons that have ongoing narratives, not just for one-time dungeons.

‘But it’s meaningless to me now.’

There’s no denying the excitement, though. Nearly 4kg of gold is worth close to 200 million won.

As expected of a number associated with the next scenario, Senia recited it for me.

“You can acquire a pouch containing 3.75kg of gold.”

A hologram appeared before my eyes. A hologram visible only to me provided choices. If I were an ordinary person, I might have chosen the gold without a second thought.

‘Two hundred million.’

An amount of money I had never touched, nor even seen. Everyone on TV and the internet seems to be billionaires or building owners, while I didn’t even have a few hundred thousand won to my name. Even a few 100-won coins felt precious to me.

‘But the source of this gold is uncertain.’

The ‘System’ has not yet fully established itself. In such a situation, the origin of this gold, seemingly picked up from nowhere, would be hard to validate.

‘It would be lucky if it wasn’t confiscated by the state.’

Once the Player Association is formed and corporations like Seongshin begin to dip their toes into the world of players, laws related to this will start to be enacted.

In the early days of playing. Illogically, many players had to donate their rewards to the country under the guise of taxes.

‘What was it they said? Confiscated for being potentially dangerous goods from an unknown world?’

They took away the rewards with such absurd rationalizations or under the pretext of ‘taxes’. It’s nonsensical by today’s standards, but that’s how it was at the onset of the Play era.

‘So, pass on the gold.’

Despite the tempting reward, I decided not to covet it.

“What’s the next option?”

“The next choice is a Potion of Recovery.”

The hologram appeared again.

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[Choice Rewards]

1) Pouch of Gold (Gold: 3.75kg)

2) Potion of Recovery@@@@

Type A -?

Type B -?

Type C -?

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Indeed, just as I knew it. The original first reward here went to Seo Joo-hwan. Now, Seo Joo-hwan is no longer here.

‘The future has changed.’

It has changed, but remains the same. The rewards were still the same. So my choice must be predetermined as well.

“I choose Type B Potion of Recovery.”

“Type B Potion of Recovery is unknown. Should you be unlucky, it could turn out to be utterly useless. It’s not particularly recommended.”

We don’t know what will be drawn. It includes all ‘curatives’ within the category of ‘recovery’, even things like athlete’s foot medication or cold remedies.

“I will...”

“Would you like to change your selection?”

But I already know what the ‘?’ marked Type B Potion of Recovery is.

“I will choose Type B.”

[‘The Anonymous Observer’ is curious about your choice.]

[‘The Lady with the Scales’ expresses doubt about your choice.]

[‘The Whispering Demon’ finds your choice amusing.]

Many must be curious. If they didn’t know what Seo Joo-hwan had done, if they didn’t know the future, they wouldn’t have chosen this over gold.

“Understood, Young Master. I will firmly warn him. It is truly regrettable that we have upset you, Young Master. We will be careful in the future.”

“Yeah. Manage things better.”

“I will remember and heed your words.”

While this exchange took place, I reviewed Song Jin-cheol’s information.

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[Unawakened]

Name: Song Jin-cheol

Age: 14

State: Complacent/Smug/Disdain

Disposition: Arrogant/Destructive/Selfish

Overview: Self-proclaimed elite

+ Unawakened.

+ Disposition and traits highlight a few notable characteristics that may change based on circumstances.

+ Due to low proficiency in Sense, detailed information access is not available.

──────────

His name is indeed Song Jin-cheol. His mood is composed, as he’s at his grandfather’s company. His disposition is arrogant and destructive, aptly summarized as a self-proclaimed elite.

‘He’s the same age as Sun-hwa.’

So, summarizing young 14-year-old Song Jin-cheol: he’s arrogant, destructive, selfish, and considers himself a chosen elite.

‘Let’s not concern ourselves with him.’

What I need to focus on is not this young Song Jin-cheol. If an opportunity arises, I might enjoy flattening that young snob’s nose, but more than that. Shouldn’t I be more concerned with condemning the second-generation chaebol who educated him to be this way?

What did he see and learn to become like this at such a young age? This isn’t just a child’s mistake, but an adult’s as well. That’s what I believe.

As Song Jin-cheol rode the elevator up and disappeared, the middle-aged man came up to me.

“What brings you here?”

“I can cure the Chairman’s illness.”

This is what Seo Joo-hwan had said. Upon hearing this, the man’s expression turned sour.

“You’re not the first to come here with such a claim. There have been over ten others.”

“But none of them succeeded.”

The Chairman’s illness is, in fact, alopecia. And what I had chosen, ‘Type B Potion of Recovery’, is called ‘Highly Effective Hair Growth Elixir’.

“The Chairman is a stern man. Can you be responsible for your words?”

He looks at me with the eyes of someone dealing with a con artist. He has no trust whatsoever. That’s the correct response since ten others have already attempted this ruse. Yet, he still guides me, which implies the Chairman is indeed quite desperate.

“I will show you the way. Please follow me.”

This older man leading me does not seem happy about bowing to young Song Jin-cheol so deeply.

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State: Suspicion/Humiliation/Endurance

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I catch a glimpse of the man’s wrinkled hand. A large wedding ring is visible on his left hand.

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Overview: A typical Korean father

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Would this man want to be groveling and insulted by Song Jin-cheol, a mere 14-year-old? In order to survive as a father in South Korea, he endures this humiliation. While I can’t say it’s right, that’s just how things are. And it’s filthy.

‘Hang in there.’

Together with the man, I stepped into the elevator. Whether due to the Chairman’s orders or not, I was promptly directed to the Chairman’s office.

Knock, knock. The man knocked on the office door.

“Chairman, I have brought the guest.”

I entered inside. Seongshin Group. The legendary entrepreneur who started with nothing and built the massive corporation, Korea’s number one company, Seongshin. The man who would play a leading role in creating the Player Association and become the first Chairman of the Player’s Association.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Song Gi-young.”

And there, I faced a slightly unexpected situation.

‘Oh? What’s this?’