Max Talent Player

letely from the strat.

‘I still gotta do what I gotta do.’

In the special hidden field ‘Forest of Unknowns’, I obtained an item whose value could not even be measured right now.
A ‘mana crystal’, the treasure the Thin Hobgoblin tried to protect with its life.
An item that I barely managed to find with Darongi’s ability in not just a regular hidden field, but a special hidden field.

 

[Offer Mana Crystal?]

 

The mana crystal was put in the trade window.

“This is the most valuable thing I own.
Though I don’t know if it will be to your liking, sir…”

No matter how precious a mana crystal might be, it couldn’t beat a ‘transcendent item’.
Mana crystals would be sold for $10 million in three years, but transcendent items were so rare their existence alone was shrouded in mystery.

‘But Noah goes wild for mana crystals.’

That was something Lily, a weirdo among weirdos, a person so eccentric even her nickname was ‘Weirdo’, confirmed multiple times.
If a mana crystal was offered, the ‘trade’ would be accepted ten times out of ten… or so it was said, but this was a method only a billionaire could use.
It was known that the Weirdo Lily actually carried out this method multiple times.

Noah gave me a smile of satisfaction.
“Oh.
It seems you truly have been diligent with your adventuring and exploration.
To think that you have something so precious.”

“I am relieved to hear it is to your liking.”

“When the trade is complete, I’ll send you out of here.
Using my special authority.”

“Thank you very much.”

* * *

Notices came in.

 

[The trade will be completed when you press the Trade button.]

[When the trade is completed, the U-Plex Dungeon will be cleared.]

The item he was offering was still ‘Isabel’.

‘So now…’

If things went as they normally did, Noah would now pull a fast one over me.

‘Stay calm.’

I couldn’t show him that I was too worked up.
I had to stay calm.
If I messed up, we would all die.

‘Even if it’s a little risky…’

A transcendent item was worth such a risk three, four, five times over.

 

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[Use the ‘Forced Exchange Scroll’?]

 

That was the item the Merchant of Venice had gifted me.

 

[You have used the ‘Forced Exchange Scroll’.]

[The ‘Forced Exchange Scroll’ is an object imbued with the authority of the ‘Merchant of Venice’.]

[The authority is taking effect.]

[The trade has been completed.]

I heard a hearty laugh from Noah.
“Hoho.
Well then, have a good trip out.”

 

[The U-Plex Dungeon has been cleared.]

[5 seconds remaining until you leave the U-Plex Dungeon.]

 

Five seconds.
I was given five seconds.
The next moment, Noah’s face contorted in rage.

“YOUUU!!!”

The entire field trembled.
Power billowed from Noah’s body.

“YOU DARE—!”

Noah’s wooden club moved.
A magic circle was drawn in the air, shining with the color of aluminum.
It almost looked like it was made of steel.

“YOU DARE TO TRICK ME!!!”

A dragon made of steel rushed out of the magic circle and opened its mouth wide.

ROAAAAAR–!

It felt like the entire place was turned into a vacuum.

Countless swords were formed at the dragon’s mouth.
It was a famous spell, a physical damage attack cast by magicians.
It was magic that summoned the swords, but the damage done by those swords registered as physical damage.
The spell’s name was ‘Sword Breath’.

One second left until we were ported out.

 

[1 second]

But that ‘Sword Breath’ reached me faster than one second.

‘Gugh!’

My chest felt like it was on fire, and I felt my consciousness dimming.
But I was ready for it.

‘Now!’

The blazing agony felt as if it would melt my heart, but I pulled it off.
At the precise time, within the half second window, I used my recently acquired special ability.

‘Right now!’

 

[Absorption]

Absorbs all physical damage for 0.5 seconds.
The absorbed damage is converted to HP.

Cooldown: 24 hours

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Half a second.
It was only a fleeting moment.

‘Did I… do it?’

In the end, I saw a light.

 

[Distributing the U-Plex Dungeon clear rewards.]

 

My heart still throbbed in pain, but I survived.

 

[‘Noah’s Helm’ acquired.]

 

Noah’s Helm, an item that was absolutely necessary to level up as fast as possible to level 40.
I finally acquired it.

‘I thought I was really gonna die.’

In any case, we found ourselves outside the U-Plex, where a swarm of reporters was waiting and the police had put up a no-entry line.
Thankfully, the two civilians we met on the 1st floor seemed to have survived.

‘There were Taeguk Shield personnel here too, so…’

I could just push most of the credit to Taeguk Shield and the Tutorial Ender, So Yoohyun, and just secure the actual profits in the back.

But just then, I heard a voice.

(Darn it.
What the heck? You tricked me.)

I looked around.

‘No.
This isn’t a physical voice.’

They were speaking, but it was definitely not a ‘person’.
That didn’t mean it was Senia or an Intermediate Administrator, either.

(You know what I want?)

Somehow, I could feel an emotion.
I could feel someone trembling.

(I wanted a strong male who could be my match.)

I couldn’t tell where the sound was coming from.

(I thought I was picking up a touch of that from you, but you tricked me!)

I quickly realized where this voice was coming from.

(There was just a tiny hint of the smell of a strong male on you, but I know now.
Tell me honestly.
You’ve recently held something incredible, haven’t you?)

This voice was coming from none other than my Inventory.

(Over there.
That sword that woman over there is holding! I’m talking about that! I woke up because I smelled that strong male fragrance, so how’d I end up in the hands of a weak-ass male? This is a scam! A clear and simple scam marriage.)

The voice was coming from the transcendent item Isabel. 

 

[Isabel’s seal has been partially lifted.]

 

The item window popped up in front of me automatically.

 

____