Pick Me Up!

With an indifferent expression, I spoke to Eolka, who was staring at the ground.

“Hey.”

“Are you talking to me?”

“Who else is here besides you?”

“Well, I’m here too.”

I tapped Jenna’s forehead hard and continued.

“What kind of magic can you use?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Why do you think I’m asking? Don’t you want to fight?”

“I… I…”

Eolka’s voice faltered as she spoke.

“Why am I here…?”

“Aren’t you here to fight?”

“It’s unpleasant! Being forced to fight for unknown reasons in an unfamiliar place!”

“You have to fight. Otherwise, you’ll end up like those you just devoured.”

“…”

Though her memories seemed muddled, Eolka didn’t appear entirely clueless. She slumped down on the bench beside me.

“Let me ask again. What kind of magic can you use?”

“Fire magic. I can use fire magic up to the 3rd tier.”

From her status window, it was evident that she used fire magic.

“I already knew that. What about other magic? Can you use additional magic like teleportation?”

“Those types of magic are classified as 3rd tier or higher.”

“So, you can’t use them.”

“Do you have any complaints? If I were to demonstrate my magic, you’d be astounded.”

“It’s a bit disappointing.”

Supplementary magic offered more versatility than offensive magic. I inquired because there was a possibility of her having hidden abilities, even if they weren’t listed in her skill window. However, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Nonetheless, she was still a magician.

“From now on, you’ll have to fight alongside us. Do you understand that?”

“I understand. Though it doesn’t feel good.”

“Do you have experience battling monsters?”

“Of course! My nickname used to be the ‘Witch of Rebellion!'”

Regardless, Eolka had mastered fire magic and had experience fighting monsters.

She appeared to feel more discomfort than fear in this situation. That was a positive sign. It seemed she would be able to unleash her full potential as a 3-star immediately.

There was still some time before Party 2 returned.

During that interval, I inquired about Eolka’s knowledge of Pick Me Up. She hesitated before responding.

The basics were similar to Edis. She had a grasp of summoning and synthesis. However, she wasn’t familiar with specific concepts such as levels and grades.

“Why are you asking about my magic usage? Do you have any knowledge about magic?”

“Not really. I don’t know much about it.”

It wasn’t an inaccurate statement. Magic, being a fantastical element, didn’t exist on Earth.

While it was possible to categorize and classify physical class heroes in Pick Me Up, magicians were different. Each individual possessed such unique characteristics that it was impossible to assign them to specific types. Without firsthand experience, it was difficult to determine how to utilize their abilities. Handling magicians posed one of the most challenging problems for beginners.

Of course, having witnessed and analyzed hundreds of different types of magic, I had managed to grasp some understanding of it.

After a while, Party 2 returned to the plaza, unharmed. They must have conducted a cautious exploration of the lower levels as part of the test.

Edis seemed satisfied with the outcome. Roderick’s strength exceeded expectations.

Now, it was Party 1’s turn.

Following Iselle’s summons, we entered the rift, venturing into the unknown.

Aaron, absentmindedly twirling his spear, voiced his thoughts.

“Seeing a magician for the first time, huh? I always thought they were creatures of imagination.”

“Are magicians really that rare?” I asked.

“Don’t you know, Hyung? Despite my travels, I’ve never encountered a magician before,” Aaron replied.

“I’m in the same boat,” chimed in Jenna. “Being confined to the forest, I’ve missed out on such encounters.”

As we proceeded, my attention shifted to Eolka, who was calmly observing our surroundings. Although she didn’t appear particularly amazed, I couldn’t help but notice her distinctive clothing.

The true test results would soon become apparent.

Directing my gaze to the mirror on the left, I read the inscription:

“Climb the tower, save the world!”

[Main Dungeon: Current Climbing Floor – 7]

“I guess we’ll head to the 4th floor,” I mused aloud.

The floors above were inaccessible, requiring further progress to unlock.

If we were to evaluate her magic, the 4th floor, where harpies and goblins coexisted, would provide an adequate challenge.

But first, I needed to determine the nature of her magical abilities.

While fire magic typically leaned towards offensive capabilities, the manner of its implementation varied based on an individual’s characteristics. This meant we had to adapt our party’s formation accordingly, deviating from the traditional concepts of melee classes.

Turning to Aaron and Jenna, I initiated the conversation.

“When the battle begins, we’ll take a step back.”

“Why?”

“We need to see what kind of magic she uses.”

“What does that mean?” Eloka overheard us.

After all, the three of us can handle the 4th floor on our own.

Eolka may only be level 2, but she’s still a 3-star. That should be enough.

“Don’t you have confidence? You said they would be amazed when you show them your magic.”

“Well, yes! I’m special, you know.”

“Special?”

“Well, um… you’ll be pleasantly surprised, I promise.”

I chuckled.

Since coming here, I’ve witnessed countless incredible scenes. Seeing a woman summon fire from her hands won’t surprise me anymore.

[Alright then, let’s go! Han, fighting!]

Iselle’s figure slowly faded away.

A beam of light emerged from the left mirror.

[The current challenge floor is the 8th floor of the main dungeon.]

[The door will open in 10 seconds. Get ready!]

To my surprise, I still composed my expression and spoke up loudly.

“It’s the 8th floor! Everyone, draw your weapons!”

“But you just said we should step back…”

“Enough with the noise!”

‘This guy…’

Testing on the 4th floor seems too trivial.

I hadn’t expected back-to-back climbing.

I unsheathed my sword and secured my shield with my left hand. As the light enveloped us, we were transported to an unfamiliar location.

Before us stretched a vast grassland, and in the distance, we could see the city walls we had observed on the 6th floor.

Jenna raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm, that looks familiar… but where have I seen it before?”

Thump, thump.

We heard the sound of footsteps shaking the ground.

From behind.

“Everyone, watch out!”

Jenna quickly leaped to the side, followed by Aaron.

Eolka stood there, seemingly lost in thought, gazing ahead.

“Don’t freeze!”

I embraced Eolka and rolled to the side.

For a brief moment, her dress obstructed our view, and within that obscured vision, a blade swung. Using my right arm to shield Eolka, I deflected the attack with my shield.

[Floor 8.]

[Mission Type – Subjugation.]

[Objective – Annihilate the enemy!]

[Goblin Rider Lv.9 X 27]