Player with Maxed-Ou Chapter 45

# Maxed-Out Talent Player Episode 45

23. Crossing the Valley of Fire

The world I had studied closely resembled a ‘typical world’ consisting of general world history and the broad sweep of Korean history. Identifying the key elents of several significant events—universal elents most players should be aware of.

‘Rankers must have their world,’ I thought.

Even now, in the beginner-rank sections, it seems to apply.

The creature had the massive form of a horse, its mane and tail made of fire—the Fla Horse, a monster that would ignite flas wherever it tread, inflicting fire damage.

‘Level approximately 32. Its na is Fla Horse.’

Fla Horse (火炎馬).

An animal-type monster with a basic level of around 32. Like the Yookmiho, it also belongs to the category of mystic creatures.

‘Kang Sang-goo never ntioned the presence of a Fla Horse here before.’

The world of top-rankers unbeknownst to .

‘Why then did Kang Sang-goo hide the fact that he encountered a Fla Horse here?’

It was unclear. Was it simply unnecessary to ntion? Or was there a reason that he couldn’t say anything about it?

Kang Sang-goo shook his head ruefully.

“Phew. It’s a good thing it’s weaker than ; otherwise, I’d be ashes by now.”

So if I were to summarize Kang Sang-goo’s strategy:

“Soone else take its hits, and I’ll strike it from behind when the ti cos. Hehehe.”

Although the Fla Horse has strong offensive capabilities, it’s weak in defense. Being an animal-type, it also has a weak point: its head. You take the hits. I’ll strike. That’s the gist of it.

“So you’ve estimated your chances of winning,” I said.

“Yes. I can reduce it to half its HP on my own.”

So that’s why he managed to survive. If its HP fell below 20 percent, he wouldn’t even be able to run away.

‘I’d never expected a Fla Horse would appear in a beginner-level dungeon.’

Now I understood why.

‘So it’s a dungeon with free access.’

Since the difficulty is so high, they allow you to escape. The Fla Horse doesn’t typically chase after weak opponents who show their backs. This monster displayed the leisure of a strong creature.

“I take it you didn’t make it to the next gate then?”

“Right. Could there possibly be soone tougher than that at the next gate?”

Oh. There probably is. So preparations are in order.

“Excuse

for a mont. I need to take care of sothing.”

“Eh? All of a sudden?”

We hadn’t exactly settled on a raid ti. It was only a preliminary eting with Kang Sang-goo. He seed to think we were about to start the clear.

“What’s so urgent?”

“I gotta take a dump.”

Kang Sang-goo nodded in understanding.

“Fair enough.”

He sent

a supportive look mixed with a tinge of envy. I couldn’t read the accurate information due to the intervention of the ‘Titan of the Setting Sun’, but I could feel a strong emotion.

‘Are you truly envious?’

He addressed :

“Keep it up. Fighting. I’m rooting for you. I’m envious.”

I recalled a single line from an article that said Kang Sang-goo suffered from severe constipation.

* * *

I t Kang Sang-goo again.

“Schwam. That burning donkey-like thing. It’s too strong.”

Yeah. The Fla Horse is too powerful to capture now. Its level is over 30, after all. The dungeon was, as usual, shaped like an underground cave.

“Pass through here and you’ll find the first gate. We’ve killed goblin soldiers and a few others like black yaks.”

‘Black yaks’ must refer to a type of monster.

‘As expected, monster regeneration doesn’t happen in a one-ti dungeon.’

The monsters we had already killed didn’t seem to regenerate. Or perhaps the regeneration ti is just incredibly long.

We ca upon a fork in the road.

“This path is dead-end, and this way leads to that creature.”

“The terrain changes, right?”

“Yes. It turns into sothing like a grassland.”

The terrain changes to suit the Fla Horse’s frenzied behavior. A vast grassland. The ‘Fire Wall’ the creature creates would be most effective in this terrain.

“Watch out for the fire it spits from its mouth. No coming back from that hit.”

I glanced at Seonhwa.

“Ah, having such a young friend take on the role of a tanker is a bit…”

He murmured to himself, then added,

“Well, it’s not

taking the hits, so it should be fine…”

Indicating that while it wasn’t his problem, he did look a bit worried.

Kang Sang-goo repeated his caution.

“If you’re in danger, say you’re bailing and do so. I’ll follow. Got it?”

“Got it.”

Seonhwa now seed sowhat annoyed with Kang Sang-goo. Just then, the field changed.

[You have entered the ‘Fla Horse’s Grassland’ within the Short Table Dungeon.]

A blue grassland unfolded before us. The sky was high. A blue and lofty sky. A hot sun hung in the sky, much like in the Mongolian grasslands.

“Damn it. What a surprise.”

And about 3 ters ahead, the Fla Horse appeared. I observed the Fla Horse. Though I already knew of the monster, this was my first ti seeing it with my own eyes.

──────────

Fla Horse LV 35

──────────

‘Higher level than the average Fla Horse?’

It’s usually around level 32, but this one is three levels higher. And while it’s at a much higher level than , I can still see its level.

‘This is not typical.’

There’s surely sothing hidden in this dungeon, from the freedom to enter and exit to the ‘Titan of the Setting Sun’s strange behavior.

Kang Sang-goo seed a bit tense.

“When do we attack?”

The Fla Horse looked our way as if he were an emperor. Looking down from on high, as a strong being would look down upon a weaker one.

[The proficiency of the Sensing Eye (感覺眼) is too low to activate detailed descriptions.]

If my Sensing Eye skill was higher, I could learn more details about the Fla Horse. But what I had studied matched what I was seeing.

‘It’s a non-aggressive monster.’

I took a step forward. The Fla Horse fixed its gaze on .

“I’ll be tanking along with Seonhwa.”

Kang Sang-goo should handle it until its HP is halved. With his experience, it’s entirely feasible. Seonhwa followed my lead with one step.

“Seonhwa, you must block the fireballs the creature spits with your shield. Avoid direct contact. Got it?”

“Got it.”

The rest of the attacks should be blocked by Seonhwa’s physical defenses.

“Kang Sang-goo, you prepar too.”

Kang Sang-goo clenched his fist, the fire flaring in preparation for combat. He seed to have awakened ‘attribute powers’ already.

‘Sure enough. Fire capabilities.’

It appeared he had already mastered powers of the fire elent. Maybe he had even job-changed.

‘If he halved the beast’s HP with the sa attribute,’ I thought, ‘he fought well.’

I spoke up.

“For now, the monster’s main focus is on . I’ll approach it head-on.”

I had bought a shield from the item store. It was my first-ti tanking. I couldn’t deny the nervousness as I saw the creature’s eyes.

“Seonhwa, move behind. Watch out for its back kick.”

“Alright.”

Seonhwa moved as I had instructed. The Fla Horse remained in its proud stance, observing us closely.

“Sang-goo will tackle its flank. Aim for 40 percent H/P,” I continued, then said,

“And if you have any buffs that increase critical shot chances, be sure to use them.”

“Hmm? A buff for critical shots?”

Kang Sang-goo scratched his neck a bit.

“How did you know? I have such a skill.”

“Animal-type monsters are particularly vulnerable to critical shots.”

I did not give a precise answer. I approached the Fla Horse. Now facing the beast, I could tell it was a level 35. A direct hit from it, especially the fireballs it spewed from its mouth, could render

incapacitated.

Shield in one hand, I drew a dagger with the other.

‘Aim for the mid-brow.’

Not targeting a fatal blow with the throw, but hoping for the best either way.

Swoosh!

I threw the dagger. I didn’t know any dagger techniques, but I relied on my previous experience with throwing a dagger.

The Fla Horse scread as its forehoof shot up nearly 4 ters high.

The blade hit the mid-brow precisely, but luck was not entirely on my side as it wasn’t a critical shot. It managed just to reduce its H/P a bit—as expected.

‘The real battle starts now.’

Sothing is hidden here. The first battle in this place has begun.

* * *

Kang Sang-goo grew more confident.

‘Wow. They’re both doing pretty well.’

Aggro hadn’t shifted to him even once. The Fla Horse struggled and resisted, but directed its attacks only at Kim Hyuk-jin and Kim Seonhwa.

‘Fireball!’

Suddenly, the Fla Horse turned its head quickly and fired a fireball. Kim Seonhwa, as if predicting the move, deftly shifted aside and used the shield to deflect the flas.

‘Deflected the path of the flas.’

He deflected it efficiently to reduce strain on his body.

‘Those siblings are pure gems.’

[Skill. ‘Lethal Fla’ is activated.]

Flas flickered around Kang Sang-goo’s fist. During the brief mont when the Fla Horse was distracted by Kim Hyuk-jin and Kim Seonhwa, Kang Sang-goo landed a solid punch on the creature’s flank.

[‘Lethal Fla’ is taking effect.]

[Critical shot chance

3%]

The cumulative critical shot chance had reached an impressive

33%. They had already shaved off more than 30 percent of the H/P.

‘Much smoother than expected.’

Despite the Fla Horse’s nimble and threatening movents, they were contained by the appropriate switching and defense by Kim Hyuk-jin and Kim Seonhwa.

[‘Lethal Fla’ is taking effect.]

[Critical shot chance

3%]

[Cumulative critical shot chance

36%]

Personal notifications audible only to Kang Sang-goo. Kim Hyuk-jin didn’t hear the notification, but he had a rough idea.

‘He has surrounded it with “Lethal Flas”.’

Considering Kang Sang-goo’s current level and skills,

‘He’s likely benefitting from a cumulative critical shot chance of around 35% at the mont.’

Although not inford by notifications, the estimate was nearly accurate. He deduced as much without being taught.

‘An additional 35% critical shot chance.’

And against an animal-type monster—a fatal weakness.

‘The mid-brow, heart, throat, spine…prominent weak points.’

A dagger was already lodged in its mid-brow. At this state, the likelihood of landing a critical shot on the Fla Horse increases even further.

‘Now’s the ti.’

Kim Hyuk-jin shouted.

“Seonhwa! Close in on it! Aim for the flank.”

She understood imdiately. Approaching in a straight line risked taking a kick in return.

“Got it!”

Swiftly, Seonhwa moved to the side. The Fla Horse responded to her motion. Quick as Seonhwa was, the Fla Horse was equally swift to pivot and defend against her attack, widening their distance a bit.

Kim Hyuk-jin eagerly anticipated this, having learned the Fla Horse’s habits from earlier combat. He calculated the distance and was ready.

‘Now.’

Putting away the shield, he drew his sword. In that brief mont when the Fla Horse’s attention wavered.

[Special skill. Shifting Position (移形換位) is activated.]

His position was atop the creature’s body. Climbing atop the Fla Horse, its mane of flas caused intense heat.

[Mandra’s Iron Will resists against the fire attribute.]

The Mandra’s Iron Will, which possessed fire resistance of

3, gave

the strength to endure.

‘If the master of the Fla Horse appears, it will be an overwhelmingly tireso battle.’

Tireso was an understatent; likely, we would be at the disadvantageous end. The Fla Horse’s nape ca into view.

[Special skill. ‘Precise Strike’ is activated.]

With a thrust!

I employed a special skill, not a regular attack, a perk of my title, and drove my sword into the back of the Fla Horse’s neck. The sword point pierced through its neck.

‘It’s not over yet.’

No critical shot erged. Had luck been with , a critical shot might have ended it, but I hadn’t banked on it anyway.

The Fla Horse’s H/P started to plumt rapidly.

A mystic creature. The Fla Horse began to burn even wilder, signaling that it was performing a ritual to summon its master.

‘Now.’

Kim Hyuk-jin reached into his inventory for sothing else. Kang Sang-goo’s eyes widened at the sight.

‘What? Is that for real?’