Pick Me Up!

The dense scent of blood drifted on the wind. For ordinary people, it was a smell that would instinctively make one pinch their nose. However, we let it pass without any concern. That time when we would get nauseous had long passed. “Hmm.” I looked down beneath the carriage. Beneath the shattered twin carriage, a thick blue liquid formed a pool. The blue liquid, mingling with the steamy blood of a soldier, turned a purplish hue as it sloshed about. Beside it, granulated glass shards sparkled in the sunlight. “It’s a magic potion. There must be hundreds of bottles.” Katiio, having dabbed some of the liquid on his finger, said. His gaze then shifted towards the battlefield where a fierce battle was ongoing. “It seems to have been in the process of being transported. Perhaps for the magicians to restore their mana?” “Now that you mention it…” Jenna looked to the right. I followed her gaze. The light of magic that had been painting the sky in various colors was fading. ‘It’s to cut off their supplies.’ It seemed like the magic-using side was the main army of the cult. Given the direction of movement was from left to right. ‘On the other side, the troops are less than half. The number of magicians is also few, and the formation has collapsed.’ I briefly assessed the situation on the battlefield. In a word. ‘There’s no hope.’ Even possession of the mana potions would soon cut off the magical bombardment, it didn’t seem like it would significantly affect the overall tide of the battle. The cult army still had an overwhelming advantage. When we were first summoned, it was already a losing battle. “Are we going to get involved in this war? It seems difficult. No matter how much we are worth, even if every single one of us is worth a hundred, against thousands, wouldn’t we be like ants before an elephant? You can’t cover the sky with your hand. Even after calling over other members, it would be similar.” “That’s possible.” Crunch. I stepped on a piece of glass beneath my feet. ‘More information is needed.’ I waited for the mission to clear. There was a need to refine the information after returning. Comparing it with the strategy data in my room… [Ding!] [The mission type has changed.] [Mission Type – Unknown] [Objective – Unknown.] A strange message popped up. A sudden change in the mission type. “This doesn’t seem like the end?” Jenna twisted her head in confusion. Katiio looked up with a puzzled face. “Unknown? What is this? It says ‘unknown’.” I got up from the carriage wheel. This isn’t the end. It’s not a search type. ‘Nothing particularly worth noting.’ A field mixed chaotically with rocks, meadows, highlands, and lowlands. Aside from the battlefield in the middle of the field, nothing stood out as being related to the mission or noteworthy objects. If there were, it would be the supply troops we just dealt with. “…” Everyone was looking at me. They were waiting for instructions. ‘This has become troublesome.’ Information is hidden. Unknown, huh. ‘The mission is telling us to find the objective ourselves.’ I narrowed my eyes. “Oppa, what should we do?” “We’ll have to look around a bit more. What else can we do?” I dusted off my sleeves and secured my sheath to my belt. “Get ready. We’re going to climb higher.” A gentle hill was visible in the distance. Higher and wider in the field of view than the hill we first climbed. It would allow us to grasp the situation on the battlefield at a glance. Regardless, it was clear that this mission deeply involved the battle over there. Armed and ready, we immediately ascended the second hill. Even as we climbed the hill, the battle was progressing moment by moment. The infantry’s formation collapsed, and high-ranking officers who seemed to be commanders were falling and dying in succession. The number of flags fluttering on the right rapidly decreased. At the top of the hill, the situation became even clearer. ‘The balance is severely off.’ The cult army was making proper use of their overwhelming number of troops. Pushing with the infantry in front while sending out the cavalry from behind to strike the flanks. A classic and golden tactic symbolizing encirclement. The hammer and anvil. ‘That commander on their side is quite capable.’ The state of training was also decent. Thousands of troops moved as if they were one body. However, conversely, it meant that the opposing forces were not up to par. Thud! A massive fireball swirling in the air hit the center of the troops directly. The soldiers in the center disappeared without a trace, and those nearby were even less fortunate. They were instantly swallowed by flames. Magical bombardment. This too was the work of the cult army. “We can’t go there, right? For sure?” “If you’re curious, try it.” Jenna immediately shot an arrow towards the battlefield. The rotating arrowhead shattered against an invisible wall. “You’re right. We can only watch.” Jenna slung her bow over her shoulder with a bitter expression. There’s nothing we can do. Only watch. Of course, in such a situation, observing was also the best option. Thus, we watched the battle for tens of minutes. ‘It feels unreal.’ It would seem so from a distance. It was like watching a CGI of a large-scale war in a fantasy movie. I didn’t feel particularly bored, and it even felt like being in a cinema. I even thought it would be nice to have popcorn or cola. The most entertaining thing is watching a fight, after all. “Huh?” While watching for a while, Jenna blinked her eyes. “What’s wrong?” “My hand seemed to fade for a moment. Look, like this!” Jenna extended her right hand. Her semi-transparent forearm was allowing sunlight to pass through. “This, it’s that, right! The signal that we’re returning to the waiting room. There was a time during a search mission when this happened!” “Right. There was such a time.” I vaguely remembered. Was it the 6th floor? When we were carrying out a search mission, there was a time before returning that our bodies became transparent. Jenna sighed in relief. “Phew, that’s a relief. I thought we were stuck without being able to move.” “Archer, what are you talking about?” “We’re going back. It seems like we’ll return to the waiting room once the fight over there ends?” Jenna pointed to the battlefield. A long time had passed, and the battle was nearing its end. The retreating troops, blocked by an incoming army from behind, were being slaughtered en masse without being able to escape. “Oh, so…” “Strong humans.” Kishasha bared her fangs. Her beastly eyes were directed towards the rear. I also concentrated my vision. It was immediately clear. The ones who ambushed the retreating troops were entities that stood out even on the vast battlefield. Riding black horses that were twice the size of ordinary horses, wearing full black plate armor, and wielding greatswords, they were like tanks one by one. ‘Those guys…’ I had seen them before. And fought against them. The escort mission on the 15th floor, in the latter part, blocking the entrance, the black knights.

I'm currently Translating the following novels: Pick Me Up! | A Frontline Soldier Awakened as a Gamer In The War! | The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player. If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!