Pick Me Up!

The Master’s logins had become more frequent, catching everyone’s attention.

Almost every day, the sky would light up, signaling his connection to the world. That meant they were logging in three times a day in Earth time. Sometimes he would log out without doing anything, but other times, Han, Jenna, Aaron, and I, the members of the “Party 1,” would take charge on the lower levels. He even sent out sub-parties after finishing screening.

During the second round of ten free draws, we struck gold by acquiring a blacksmith and a Tanner, which kick-started the operation of the equipment forge.

And guess who was the lucky one to get chosen as the blacksmith? Yours truly, Han.

The reason was pretty straightforward. I had managed to create a C-rank weapon before using the most basic materials. I may not have had any blacksmithing skills to brag about, but the algorithm saw something in me and assigned me to the forge. After a series of epic failures where I blew up the materials about ten times, I was finally sent to my rightful place.

The production process was fully automated, leaving it entirely in the hands of skilled craftsmen. Luckily, our newly arrived blacksmith knew the ins and outs of weapon forging. Working in collaboration with the Tanner and the Carpenter, they embarked on crafting various equipment.

The main focus was on producing shoddy E-rank swords and wooden shields. These items were distributed to the fresh-faced heroes who had recently joined our ranks, significantly boosting their chances of survival.

As for the main party, they received the better gear.

Aaron and I were fitted with E-rank leather armor, while Jenna was equipped with a trusty short dagger as her secondary weapon. Admittedly, the quality wasn’t top-notch, but it beat walking around in our birthday suits, so we decided to make the best of it.

Ever since Anytng got the wrong idea about me, I had no intention of creating any more equipment. If I were to craft something, it would be after finding a way to deceive the Master’s watchful gaze.

Unfortunately, the three who hadn’t contributed much were eliminated through synthesis. They were the ones attempting to escape without ever revealing themselves in the training grounds. Among them was Dorph, who had deceived us all on his very first day here.

With the synthesis completed, the “Party 1” members each gained one level.

I reached level 8, Jenna reached level 6, and Aaron leveled up to 4.

[Han Iselle (★) Lv. 8 (Exp 24/60)]

[Class: Novice]

[Strength: 20/20]

[Intelligence: 12/12]

[Stamina: 20/20]

[Agility: 20/20]

[Skills: Novice Swordsmanship (Lv. 4), Pain Resistance (Lv. 1), Composure (Lv. 1)]

Although my intelligence took a hit, my strength, stamina, and agility saw significant improvement.

Thankfully, it seemed that the intelligence stat had no bearing on my actual smarts. I wasn’t eager to become a complete dullard, after all.

[Let’s form a party!]

[Time to drag and drop heroes!]

[‘Zeeth (★)’ joins ‘Party 1’!]

[‘Hanson (★)’ joins ‘Party 1’!]

Finally, two of the three ‘amigos’ joined the main party.

With their addition, “Party 1” reached its maximum capacity. Anytng wasted no time and promptly opened a portal, seemingly eager to put us to the test.

“We’re counting on you, big brothers!”

“Relax, take it easy.”

Aaron gave Zeeth and Hanson a friendly pat on the shoulders.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Look how far he had come.

“So, are we up for another round with those harpies?”

“You bet.”

“I’m starting to grow weary of this routine, though.”

Jenna couldn’t help but yawn, a hint of boredom evident on her face.

Once we conquered a floor, attempting it again meant facing the same mission. We had already clashed with harpies and goblins more than three times.

[Floor 4.]

[Mission Type – Subjugation]

[Objective – Wipe out the enemies!]

[Goblin Lv.4 X 3]

[Harpie Lv.6 X 2]

Same place.

Same foes.

The goblins and harpies spotted us, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Aaron stood a few paces behind me, while Jenna, her bow armed with arrows, positioned herself a bit further away.

Zeeth and Harson moved closer, flanking me on both sides.

Their weapons of choice were swords and shields.

“Don’t get flustered. Maintain formation,” I advised.

“Yes!”

Both of them responded with unwavering determination.

Good, none of them are afflicted by the Fear status effect. Before joining our ranks, they must have rolled through the lower floors, so they weren’t complete greenhorns when it came to real combat.

“You guys are the shield bearers. No need to forcefully engage in close combat. We have spears and bows covering our rear.”

“Got it!”

There’s a combat style for the weaker ones.

It’s called formation—a strategy that harnesses collective power rather than relying solely on individual prowess.

In the future, as we level up and earn stars, we may ascend to the realm of the extraordinary, but for now, that was not the case.

I refrained from entering the battle.

To be honest, I could clear this stage on my own. I had tested that out. However, if I took the lead, we wouldn’t have had a chance to practice our formations.

“Kiyaaa!”

Two harpies swooped in from opposite directions.

Jenna abstained from launching a preemptive strike. Instead, she stood watchfully, as if observing the unfolding events, ready to act when needed.

“Hiyaaat!”

Zeeth and Harson initiated a counterattack.

They swung their swords, skillfully shielding their vital points with their shields. Their strikes carried a considerable amount of force. Zeeth’s blade deeply cut through the harpy’s wing membrane.

In that fleeting moment, Aaron’s swift thrust found an opening.

The harpy let out a shriek as the spear pierced deep into its chest.

“Kek!”

Jenna’s arrow found its mark, hitting the goblin square in the forehead just as it was about to assault Harson.

Zeeth and Harson steadfastly maintained their defense, prioritizing guarding and retaliating. Aaron’s thrusts and Jenna’s arrows exploited the enemies’ vulnerabilities.

“We’re getting the hang of this.”

The core principles of formation were coming into play.

At this level, we demonstrated combat effectiveness beyond our individual capabilities. The three goblins and two harpies met their doom without mounting a proper counteroffensive.

[Stage Cleared!]

[‘Zeeth (★)’ and ‘Harson (★)’ level up!]

[Reward – 2,000G, Iron Ore (C) X 2, Leather (C) X 1]

[MVP – ‘Jenna (★)’]

Light enveloped the forest.

We returned through the rift.

“That was awesome!”

Zeeth and Harson exchanged bright smiles and clasped hands.

As we emerged, Dica, the final member of the trio was awaiting us. Restlessly pacing in the plaza, he rushed over as soon as the rift opened, as if it were his ticket to freedom.

“How did it go?”

“Well, to put it simply, it’s satisfying!”

Zeeth grinned, uttering his words with a playful tone.

The three of them greeted me with a respectful nod before entering our accommodation, walking side by side.

Anytng had formed a main party of five members.

This meant that our challenge of the 5th floor was fast approaching. I had anticipated the inclusion of a 3-star member, but it seemed he hadn’t considered it yet.

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