Pick Me Up!

The armor made a clinking sound every time she took a step. She didn’t show the slightest bit of interest in me.

[“Would you like to form a party with the summoned heroes? Drag and drop the heroes from the [Hero Box] to the party formation slots and create your own party, Master!”]

[‘Han(★)’ and ‘Shay(★★★★)’ have formed a party!]

My head spins.

It’s filled with incomprehensible events, but there are a few clear points.

This window that keeps popping up in front of me is the message output by Iselle, the fairy who guides the tutorial in Pick Me Up. Although it happened a long time ago, I remember that much. Also, the one controlling the current waiting room is not me. The hologram cursor moves on its own and selects the menus.

And just now, the battle I had with the goblin was the first battle that introduces the tutorial in Pick Me Up. Each floor of the tower is a random stage, but there is one fixed stage, the tutorial. The burning village and goblins always appear in the tutorial.

Then, this place is…

Damn it.

The worst possibility.

[“If you have formed a party, let’s go into battle!”]

[Second mission, start!]

Once again, my field of view abruptly changed.

When I opened my eyes, a familiar scene reflected on my retina.

Burning village. People fleeing. Hordes of goblins rushing from below the hill.

When I reached back with my hand, I touched an invisible barrier. I couldn’t get out either. It was the same as the first time.

The only difference is,

“You worms”

Shay drew her sword from her hip. The pointed end of the blade gleamed brightly.

There wasn’t just one goblin.

“Keuk, Kekerekerek!”

Below the hill, five goblins were approaching.

Their blood-red eyes focused on me and Shay alternately. In my hand was a blunt and worn-out iron sword. Furthermore, unlike Shay, who was dressed in a leather-reinforced plate mail, I was wearing a shabby shirt and pants.

Why does she have plate mail and a saber while I have this rusty old iron sword!

“You’re a beginner. Your stance is all wrong.”

“It’s my first time!”

There’s nothing I can do.

Shay stood differently from me, slightly turning her left hand behind her hip and aiming the sword she held in her right hand at the goblins. Her slightly bent lower body was filled with powerful elasticity. Even for a beginner like me, her posture looked clean.

The goblins spread out and approached in a scattered formation. As soon as they were within range, they swung their swords forcefully.

If there were just one, I might somehow manage with the previous method, but with five… What should I do? I couldn’t think of a suitable plan.

“Kyao!”

One of the leading goblins rushed forward. Though hunchbacked, its muscular arms twitched. The bloodied blade swung.

Shay swiftly leaped forward like lightning, evading the blade and thrusting her sword into the goblin’s neck. Immediately, blood gushed out from the gaping hole.

The smell of blood that reached my nose made me dizzy.

“Kyarrrk!”

“Weak!”

Shay dodged the goblin’s sword and pierced its neck with her sword, she took them one at a time. Limbs and torso were not even targeted. She precisely thrust her blade into a narrow gap less than 5cm in diameter.

Her skill was astonishingly fearsome.

Wait, is it okay to be so engrossed?

Suddenly, three goblins fell to the ground.

All I did here was watch.

Once this battle ends…

Damn it!

I rushed forward, wielding my sword. Shay, who had dispatched the fourth goblin, stepped back.

“I’ll leave one to you.”

Leave it to me, you say!

After this fight, the final stage of the tutorial awaits.

Do you know what’s in the final stage, it’s hero synthesis. It’s the process of consuming heroes to increase the experience of another hero.

And now, only Shay and I are in the waiting room.

Just thinking about it makes me feel suffocated.

The muscles all over my body seemed to scream. The results that would occur right after the battle was more terrifying than the goblin’s sword swinging toward my face right now.

Is this a dream?

Where is this realistic dream coming from?

As I bent over, a few severed strands of hair fluttered. I plunged into the goblin’s embrace and thrust my sword deeply. I could feel the dull sensation of penetrating flesh.

The stench stimulated my nose.

The heat around me made the spots under my skin boil.

The palpitation of organs throbbing beyond the tip of the sword, the faint realization of having taken a life, was dimly felt.

[Stage cleared!]

[‘Shay (★★★★)’ leveled up!]

[Rewards have been granted. Please check your mailbox.]

[MVP – ‘Shay (★★★★)’]

After that, we returned to the plaza.

“Master, your heroes did an excellent job in the battle. The final tutorial awaits. The method of strengthening heroes, Synthesis! The door will open!”

“Touch the ‘Synthesis’ tab in the menu.”

Creak.

The door to the synthesis chamber opened.

“It’s over.”

Let’s think calmly.

Except for the fact that the graphics are photorealistic, this place is the same as the early structure of the waiting room in Pick Me Up. Regardless of how it happened, I woke up in a place like this. The game was installed, and I started the tutorial.

“Hey, you!”

A voice that seemed to pierce my brain resounded.

I looked up. One girl, about the size of my forearm, was flying through the air. Behind the girl in a black dress, two pairs of wings fluttered like a butterfly.

“Hurry up and come in! Master is waiting!”

The girl gestured at me.

I had seen this appearance before. A girl with black hair parted on both sides. Round facial features and plump, unblemished cheeks. I had seen this look somewhere.

“…Iselle?”

“Yes, I’m Iselle… No, wait, how do you know my name?”

Of course.

Because I did this tutorial.

“Anyway, go to the synthesis chamber! There’s a limit to waiting.”

“What will happen if I go?”

“You’ll perform synthesis.”

Shay must have entered the synthesis chamber first since I couldn’t see her anywhere. I stood alone in the plaza.

So I shouted…

“I’m not going, damn it!”