Pick Me Up!

I pulled out the second dagger and hurled it at the girl’s forehead.

The dagger pierced through her skull, deeply embedded in its hilt.

“This is my answer.”

“Hehehe…”

The dagger slid out smoothly from her forehead as if time were reversing, and the wound healed.

“Yeah, if you don’t have this level of determination, you can’t climb the tower. I forgive your rudeness, I forgive you!”

A marble door appeared from the darkness.

The door opened.

Beyond the door, a swirling iridescent light filled the space.

I walked slowly towards that door.

“I’ll show you, the true prologue prepared just for you, who is starting the climb. The real beginning of Pick Me Up!”

The girl’s body scattered into shadows.

Kururur.

A small vibration spread throughout the entire field.

With the narration, a message appeared.

[The land where humans and other races coexist, Townia.]

The location changed.

A setting sun. An ankh harvesting in the golden wheat field.

It changed again.

A village. Children running around with bright laughter.

The scenery shifted like a continuous panorama.

Scenes of peaceful human worlds.

Among them was the city of Nelsar, which I had seen during my mission.

I kept walking through the ever-changing landscapes.

[An unknown enemy invades the continent of peace and prosperity!]

The location reversed.

A burning castle and the field in front of it.

Soldiers clashed with monsters.

But the outcome was clear.

The humans were being slaughtered in a one-sided massacre, to the extent that it was difficult to call it a battle.

Battles and fights in castles, villages, fields, forests, and deserts all ended in defeat.

I walked through the battlefield filled with blood and screams.

[In the end, the continent was torn apart by the power of darkness.]

Somewhere, a grassy field with countless flowers floated in the field.

From within it, a loud voice echoed.

“Do you know why Pick Me Up’s difficulty so hard?”

“Because we have to overturn battles that ended in defeat!”

“Reverse fate, Loki!”

[Hope still remains.]

In an unknown forest, a girl with red hair and scorched skin was holding a bow.

I knew who she was. Her name was Jenna Shirai.

The scene changed.

An unfamiliar city. Aaron, carrying a burden on his back, was haggling with a middle-aged man. Beside him, a young girl held Aaron’s hand.

It changed again.

In a training ground, Shay, holding a sword, training with her fellow knights.

[Master! If you want to save the world, climb the tower!]

After that.

The daily lives of heroes who had already been summoned and those who would be summoned in the future unfolded.

In the faded landscapes, their bodies were shining.

[Countless heroes will be with you.]

Lastly, beyond the screen, I was seen using a cellphone.

“Such a pain…”

[Master, believe in the bond with the heroes. The future of the world lies in your hands!]

[“It does! The future of the world depends on you and the Master!”]

[Countless enemies will stand in your way!]

The scenery suddenly changed.

Various monsters, hundreds of them, were staring at me from behind a transparent barrier.

I took a deep breath and continued walking.

[Powerful enemies hidden in various landscapes!]

In the depths of the deep sea.

Beyond the sea of clouds.

Across vast deserts.

Huge and terrifying demons were gathered.

Shrouded in mist, their exact appearance was not clear, but I could tell they were incredibly sinister.

[“Can you climb to the top of this tower, where no one has ever made it before?”]

“Kraaaaaaah!”

The monsters roared all at once.

The ground itself trembled under the immense sound waves.

I glanced back briefly before moving towards the door.

The ever-changing scenery unfolded like a comic lens being lifted.

Suddenly, I found myself back in the rift that had served as the entrance to this place.

Right in front of me was the door leading outside.

I stepped my left foot into it.

When I turned around, the shadow inside the room’s mirror was wriggling.

[“Climb the tower, Loki. I, No. ‘We’ will.”]

A pair of red eyes flashed within the shadow.

[“…Be waiting for you.”]

Just before entering the door, I responded.

“F*uck you.”

*Crash!*

[Congratulations, Master!]

[The forgotten memories of the hero were awakened.]

[‘Han (★★)’, promotion complete! He became a 2-star hero.]

[Illustrations are updated.]

[Level and skill limits have increased.]

Blinding light enveloped me.

When I opened my eyes, I was standing on the crimson magic circle.

“It’s over.”

I looked up at the sky.

A dazzling light was flowing.

From outside the screen, Anytng was looking down at me.

As I left the synthesis room, the door closed one after another.

Just as I was heading back to the dormitory from the training grounds, I spotted Aaron.

When our eyes met, he approached with a delighted expression.

“Ah, hyung-nim. Have you returned?”

“Is everything alright?”

“As usual. Still the same.”

I couldn’t find any trace of the melancholy from the previous dawn on his face.

‘He must have been thinking about the reason to fight.’

The reason you fight.

The reason you were brought here, risking your life to battle enemies.

“By the way, what did you go in there for alone?”

“I had a promotion. You’ll be having it soon too.”

As Aaron and I exchanged some conversation, we headed back to the dormitory.

‘Nina, was that her name?’

She’s Aaron’s younger sister.

In the illusion I saw, they were holding hands.

He said he wants to come back for her.

There’s no need to mention it.

I decided to bury it in my heart for a while.

‘The goal hasn’t changed.’

Climbing the tower.

Returning to Earth.

If there’s one thing that has changed, it’s that I feel much shitty than I did back then.

‘I won’t forget.’

Whoever you are, whatever your name is.

I will definitely repay this debt.

When I tried to close the door to the dormitory.

Unexpectedly, a message appeared.

[Welcome to the world of Pick Me Up!]