Kim Hyukjin

**Kim Hyukjin**  is the main protagonist of the webnovel "Max Talent Player". He is a regressor who has regressed 10 years back to the past. He went back in time without prior plans, as it just happened to him out of the blue.

## Information

Before the regression he used to be a normal Korean citizen, who undergone a talent check and came back with the result of "NO TALENT". However, that was just a facade by a third-generational chaebol, Song Jinchul who was envious of his 67 Talent Plates, as he only had 44.

There used to be only one thing he had enjoyed, and that was sitting in front of the 10-year-old computer in his room and watching Youtube videos of famous Players playing, or guides about then-past experiences.

If only he hadn't been born in Korea, he might have become one of the best Players in the entire globe if not the best thanks to his genius talent.

Even after realizing he most have some talents - like the notice about the 3rd Safe Zone, or having more stats than normal - he constantly berates himself as talentless.

## Story

### Tutorial

When he wake up on April 27, 2028, he thought it was just a normal day. While he was sitting on the bus, he had a slight discomfort, and something felt amiss, like the band Pink Velvet came back together but looked the same as 10 years ago.

He had his notes with him for his study session, which have spoken about the start of the Tutorial and the Cataclysm. While he was checking the notes, a thick, dense fog, called the 'Primordial Fog' started to spread around Jongno (one of the districts of Seoul).

After he connected the dots, he noticed that even his smartphone changed back to one he used to have in 2018. After he came to, he had a short panic-attack as he knew about the 'Open Beta' beforehand - where the survival rate was around 3%.

While he was concentrating on surviving he got his first notice from a Guardian, the Nameless Observer. The Observer was quite interested in him, as he could keep his head cool despite the sudden change in his surroundings, which made him bestow on him an 'Open Beta Bonus', a skill, called 'Calm Observer's Eye'.

After the Tutorial started and Senia appeared, the Goblin Legion started to march towards the bus Hyukjin was on, after they detected the voice of other frightened passengers.

After he opened his Status Window, he realized he started out with more stat points then he expected for someone who was deemed talentless. While he was assessing his situation some passengers on the bus were slayed by the Goblin Legion. Even though he had +30 Willpower than normal thanks to the Guardian's skill, he still felt the dread of the situation. The Goblins decided to check him out as he still didn't make any sound even after everybody was killed.

During this time an other Guardian, the Courageous Lion King came to be interested in Hyukjin, and decided to spice up the scenario. He asked Senia to close the Conditional Safe Zone just so he could see Hyukjin fighting against the Goblins. At that moment, Hyukjin brought up the Commandments, which could abide his time until the 1st wave of monsters, the Goblins were over.

After the Goblins started to disappear, he hopped off the bus and started running towards a convenience store he knew would become a Safe Zone thanks to his prior timeline knowledge. While running he accidentally bumped into a teen, who was attacked by a baby Goblin.

After he realized the girl must have an immense talent for being a tank, he killed the baby Goblin with a single thrust, which made everyone surprised, even the one who delivered the blow. After he helped her, he asked Sunhwa to follow him. The girl did as told.

They made their way to the convenience store, where Hyukjin heard more information about Safe Zones than Sunhwa even though he was supposed to hear less as he thought he does not have any talent. They barricaded the store which solidified the Safe Zone, which can not be opened from outside. As a result of the barricade, the people outside of the store were run over and massacred by the second wave of Goblins.

While they were inside the store they actually warmed up to each other, even though at first Hyukjin flatly said he would use her as a bait if necessary. After waiting for half a day, they stocked up on supplies and left the now abolished Safe Zone.

Their aim was Gwanghwamun D-Tower, where the boss monster of the Tutorial Field could be found. While on the way they encountered Slimes and City Foxes which were easily killed by Hyukjin after Sunhwa used an AOE aggro skill, Taunt. During this time Hyukjin reached level 8 which shocked Senia, and the Guardians as well.

When they reached the D-Tower, they entered into the Tutorial Dungeon. While there, Hyukjin dissolved the party so he didn't get more then necessary EXP, and let Sunhwa destroy the Goblins in order to lure out the mini boss monster, the Goblin Soldier.

Senia used a Pause, to ask him why would he try that at his current level, as she thought that would be a suicide. Hyukjin told her to watch his Playing, and make a deal after killing the miniboss.

For the miniboss raid: Raid Strategy.

When Hyukjin successfully killed the Goblin Soldier, he received a new sword called 'Iron Sword' after his former starting weapon 'Rusted Iron Sword' broke during the raid. He reached level 10 which was supposed to be the level cap for the Tutorial Field, but thanks to the System recognizing the Raid as a Solo Clear, he could overcome the level cap as its Hidden Piece. Due to the Raid's amazing end, a new Guardian started to watch Hyukjin, Lady of the Scales.

Their next aim was City Wolves which could provide a bigger EXP income. When Hyukjin hit level 11 which was only reachable thanks to the prior Raid, he gained a title called First Pioneer, which nobody knew even existed. After hunting there for a while, they met with the 'Fist King', So Yoohyun. He asked whether they want to join him or not, but Hyukjin refused.

When the party killed the 500th City Wolf, a new Hidden Piece showed itself. For this event to happen one had to have the Hidden Piece condition - Gobin Soldier Solo Clear -, had to reach level 11 and gain the aforementioned Title, and kill 500 City Wolves.

The Hidden Piece that appeared was the King of Wolves, a Lycanthrope, a bipedal humanoid wolf, which was about the same as the Tutorial Boss on the 2nd floor of the Tutorial Dungeon strength-wise.

Hyukjin quickly realized that even Sunhwa's tanking ability wouldn't be effective against it, so he hid her behind a car and lured the Lycanthrope to the river. When the monster jumped, Hyukjin quickly applied to the ground the Lubricant he got from Senia, as a compensation for the Lion King's meddling.

When the wolf landed, Hyukjin slammed into it with impeccable timing, which made the wolf fly right into the river. From his knowledge about monsters he knew Lycanthropes couldn't swim which would make that terrifying miniboss useless and would drown.

With this strategy the Lycanthrope was raided, and Hyukjin gained an immense amount of EXP, leveling him up thrice, and he gained an other previously unknown Title, Excellent Hunter.

After checking out Item Shop and the title, he concluded that he might be able to face the Boss Monster.

While heading towards the D-Tower the Tutorial Quest was altered to: [Please clear the Tutorial Dungeon.]

[If Players fail to clear the Tutorial Dungeon, all people within the Tutorial Field will die.]

That was the final push that gave him courage against the Boss. When he and Sunhwa reached the second floor they met with Sung Minchul who was still conscious despite everybody else laying around the field.

Hyukjin decided to go forward and face the boss monster, the Magic Troll. During their battle, he was using a cheat called 'potion abuse', as otherwise he couldn't have withstood the boss' onslaught for more then an hour. After an hour the Troll's regenerative power run out which meant he had a chance of finishing the raid in a little while.

His raid was interrupted by the Courageous Lion King and Jang Hyunsoo. With their interference the Boss went berserk and massacred everybody on the second floor except Yoohyun. While Hyukjin and Sunhwa were running for their life to reach the never before heard Safe Zone in the 2nd underground floor's parking lot, the Boss caught up to them, triggering Hyukjin's dormant Talent, Sixth Sense.

But even with the awakening of his talent, he couldn't dodge the incoming blow. At that very moment, Sunhwa used her newly acquired skill, 'Platinum Shield' which can distribute the strength of the blow to other body parts. Thanks to this skill, they survived and reached the Safe Zone, but Sunhwa has fallen unconscious. The only way to save her was to open the Item Shop not with Tutorial items but Beginner items.

At that moment Hyukjin brought up the topic of the deal they discussed with Senia before the Goblin Soldier Raid. Hyukjin offered her an exclusive Streamer contract which means for 1 year nobody else could stream him but Senia, but she has to open the Beginner Item Shop.

It was opened, Hyukjin bought the necessary items to wake up Sunhwa, which was successful. After the deed, he reminded Senia, that verbal agreements are not binding. Which greatly flustered her. While Senia was sulking she told him his individual rewards that contained 3 levels and and upgrade for his title, called Excellent Player. After that, Hyukjin went over the notices he got when Sixth Sense was awakened. He noticed that it could be fused with his open beta bonus skill, 'Calm Observer's Eye'. He accepted the fusion which made him squeal in agony. It was successful though, awakening a new talent, Eye of Perception.

### Seoul Station Dungeon

After a month of resting after a tutorial, a new Dungeon, called Seoul Station Dungeon was opened. He decided to conquer it with only Sunhwa. Senia appeared again saying it is impossible, but Hyukjin told her he would break her expectations.

While inside he demonstrated his fighting prowess to Sunhwa who said he is moving too natural, and she didn't see anybody with that much skill even in the tutorial.

They went through 6 paths where they picked up the 'key items' and before they went inside the 7th, they got caught up by Seo Joohwan and his party.

There they formed a party of 7, and started to look for the last key item. While hunting, he deliberately didn't use his full strength. When the last key item was found, he traded it with Joohwan. When they reached the Statue of Mandra and said the name 'Rancher' in English Hyukjin got Mandra's Gloves which boosted his poison resistance. After that a Quest was issued. Later on they were almost backstabbed by Joowan and his team, who were later easily defeated by and poured over with honey-water by Hyukjin. He sprayed all 4 of them including Go Janghan who was the most tricky opponent thanks to his long-range attacks. They were later on killed by a swarm of Buzzing Bees.

When the System detected a PK (Player Kill) Hyukjin's third innate ability was forcibly waken up. Eye for an Eye, Tooth for a Tooth which wasn't that rare of an Innate Ability. There were speculations about Shin Yeonseo's Innate Ability to be a direct upgrade from this. However, one of the Guardians, Lady of the Scales was not happy about the death of Players. Hyukjin lied about getting a quest for self-defense which was approved by the Lady.

After receiving the 'go' from the righteous Guardian, they went deeper inside the path to acquire the Seoul Station Crystal. But that very Crystal started to fume out poisonous gas, however Hyukjin was prepared, and dealt with it via the Gloves from Mandra, and the Buzzing Bee's Stinger which could neutralize the poison he was hit with. On the second path they had to the same, however Hyukjin grew immensely and now wasn't even poisoned a little bit.

When he acquired both Crystal, the Dungeon was declared cleared. Everybody received rewards. Hyukjin chose a Mystery Recovery Elixir, which could heal the president of the Sungshin Group.

## Notes

* Before the regression he failed the civil servant exam 3 times.
* Although he only ever experienced dungeons in VR, he had read Tutorial strategy guides a thousand times over, and watched Youtube videos on the subject ten thousand times over.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 1
2. ↑ Chapter 26
3. ↑ Chapter 3|Open Beta Bonus
4. ↑ Chapter 9| Reward for killing the Goblin Soldier
5. ↑ Chapter 10| Reward for killing City Wolves
6. ↑ Chapter 1
7. ↑ Chapter 6
8. ↑ Chapter 4
9. ↑ Chapter 2