Pick Me Up – Chapter 245 – Stop Playing Around So Much (6)
Jinho-jjang complained for a moment about the lack of hero voice function with Anything before momentarily excusing himself.
I signaled with my eyes to the two in the center of the plaza. Kadia and Rion simultaneously stopped their movements.
“Damn… I won’t let it slide…”
Rion murmured while looking at me.
It seems he’s accumulated quite a bit of resentment towards me, but he’s still far from having the skill to face me.
I opened the door leading to the Training Field.
“I’ll help you up to the fifth floor. If you listen well to my instructions, it will be very helpful in the future.”
“Yes, master.”
Kadia bowed respectfully and ran toward the Training Field.
Master, huh.
A title that doesn’t sit well with me.
‘Well, there’s nothing more to do.’
If Ramoo’s trio is annihilated on the fifth floor, Jinho-jjang will probably quit the game.
Then, all this effort would have been in vain. I shook my head and entered the Training Field. Rion followed, with a murderous look in his eyes.
I blew a whistle that I got from Iselle while training the three until late at night.
Access to the fifth floor was near. Instead of difficult physical training or weapon techniques, we focused intensely on team practice. Rion rebelled several times during training, but I decided to tolerate it.
Kadia and Veda followed my instructions without complaint during the training that continued until dawn.
Especially Veda, the mage, who didn’t complain despite deliberately rolling to strengthen her endurance.
She was totally different from that girl who used fire magic.
Always complaining about everything.
‘……’
Is it complete?
I left a notebook full of notes on the desk.
In this notebook were organized the things they had to do after overcoming the fifth floor.
‘They’ll need to recruit more heroes.’
First, they’ll have to form a group of five people.
They’ll also need support role heroes to back up the fighters.
‘They’ll also have to correct their habit as a master.’
They can’t make every male hero dress as a woman every time.
If Jinho-jjang starts to take the game Pick Me Up seriously, he’ll probably improve on his own.
In the notebook, several tricks I learned while living as Loki in Niflheim and as Han in Taonier were also recorded. If they follow the written instructions, they won’t die uselessly.
The three were still rolling around the Training Field, though the morning was near.
I soon have to return to Taonier. Therefore, if Jinho-jjang doesn’t attempt the fifth-floor challenge today, I plan to use Kadia and Rion to make a deployment request.
A few hours later, Jinho-jjang logged in.
The first thing Jinho-jjang did after entering the game was…
[Gift Shop!]
[Bought Bunny Headband (x3) for 30,000 gold!]
[Gift Bunny Headband to Kadia (★★★★)!]
[Gift Bunny Headband to Veda (★★★)!]
[Gift Bunny Headband to Rion (★★★)...]
He does everything.
Even a free summon would be insufficient, and he’s wasting gold on unnecessary things.
Anyway, I have to please the master. The three decided to wear the bunny headbands while Jinho-jjang was connected.
“If I get out of here… I’ll kill you.”
Rion growled, looking up.
Kadia was petting the bunny ears Rion was wearing as she said:
“It suits you.”
“Wanna die, huh? As if making me wear a short skirt wasn’t enough, now I have to wear this crap?”
“How cute, uhuhu”
“I can’t believe I have to team up with these things…”
The three entered the Rift of Space-Time fighting.
Thus began Jinho-jjang’s challenge on the fifth floor.
Jinho-jjang was surprisingly paying attention to the game screen. Until now, he used to dive into missions and then disappear, but this time he seems interested in watching how the heroes fight.
“I’ll be back!”
Kadia waved at me before entering the Space-Time Rift.
Crash. The door closed, and the three disappeared.
About half a day had passed.
Ramoo’s Group 1 had passed the boss stage without any casualties.
Although they were few, all members had three stars or more, and the group combination was appropriate.
Unless they were extremely unlucky, they should be able to pass the fifth floor easily.
That’s normal.
From the first floor, thousands of Goblins used to appear in Taonier, which was unusually strange.
According to their experience, there was no crisis on the fifth floor, but it seems the three worked together to overcome it.
‘This is literally easy mode.’
Some struggled and fought to climb every fifth floor.
Well, since they passed it, it’s done.
With that, my task here is over.
Now I can take the Taonier airship that is scheduled to set sail at dawn and leave this place.
Fortunately, it seems Jinho-jjang plans to continue with the game.
According to Iselle’s report, that guy has subscribed to Anything’s MyTube channel after searching for completed mission videos. At least he has developed an interest in Pick Me Up. Whether this interest is temporary or will continue in the future, I’ll have to wait and see. I can’t judge it at this moment.
[Bought Kitty Pajamas for 10,000 gold!]
[Gift Kitty Pajamas to Kadia (★★★★)!]
It seems his playstyle has twisted, but it’s better than indifference.
I gave my email address to Iselle before starting to prepare to leave. If Jinho-jjang shows any suspicious movement, I’ll hear from it immediately. I’ll use Jinho-jjang’s blog address or the KakaoTalk chat group link at that time.
‘It’s a lifestyle that doesn’t suit me.’
It was too peaceful.
I don’t know how much time has passed since I spent time on such trivial thoughts.
In a way, this deployment to Ramoo could be considered a sort of vacation given to me, usually busy with missions and training.
‘When I return…’
It will be busy again.
The break is over.
I was expecting the promotion to 5 stars, the class change, and missions beyond the 50th floor.
I remembered Pria, who had cut an egg with a shiny sword.
Behind her, tens of thousands of mercenaries were shouting. A powerless boy had gathered great strength. All over the continent, princes and princesses would face a civil war.
My task there would be to help Pria bring the war to victory.
And expel the unknown enemies who had destroyed the ancient Taonier.
‘There are also things to do outside.’
Anything, who had just reached the 50th floor, was a tempting bite for PvP players.
In my experience, at this level, the pressure starts to affect higher-ranking masters. Probably, one of those targets would be me, given that Anything announced me as a great prospect. So far, they had approached Anything only through whispers, but now the situation was a bit different.
Just thinking about it gives me a headache.
I smiled wryly and buttoned up my coat.
I firmly tied the leather armor straps and the cloak and placed the scabbard and a small bag on the belt. Since I brought nothing but the armor, weapons, and the War Horse Statue, I was ready to go.
I got up from my seat and tucked the chair in.
As I left the room, a message appeared.
[Deployment End Notification]
[The deployment period of hero Han (★★★★), in the ‘Go with a friend’ event, has ended. Please cheer on the hero who has worked hard for the master!]
[※ Notification!]
[The Taonier airship ‘Lucette’ is requesting to dock. Since there is no Dimensional Breach in the master’s Lobby, the airship will dock outside. Accept?]
[Yes (Select) / No]
They’re letting me go easily.
If things had gone wrong, Jinho-jjang could have held me back, preventing me from returning and pressuring Anything. It was definitely the right decision to use those guys.
I went out to the plaza.
The three weren’t visible.
They’re probably enjoying dinner in the lodging’s dining room now.
Jinho-jjang must have bought a full menu in the gift shop. It would be the first proper meal after eating only potatoes three times a day. They must be busy eating until they burst.
‘I have moved toward the warehouse side.’
I swung the warehouse door wide open.
And, as expected, a blue glow flashed beyond the shelves.
I took a step forward.
“Wait! Where are you going?”
An anxious voice sounded in my ears.
Turning around, I saw Kadia, who had run towards me, catching her breath.
“I’ve been looking for you for a while. I left something for you.”
“My share, what? Eat it all.”
“But where are you going?”
“I already told you. I have to go back.”
“Oh, I thought that was a lie. Wasn’t it a test? If you pass, you have the right to fight with me… or something like that?”
Kadia smiled broadly.
I laughed reluctantly.
“You’re joking. Why would I play with you? I don’t lie. As I said, I come from another place and now I have to go back there.”
“It’s not a joke…”
“Yes. Here it ends between us.”
“Huh, forever? We won’t see each other ever again?”
“Never again.”
“That’s a bit problematic…”
Kadia scratched her cheek, seemingly in trouble.
What a funny girl. When she said she was going to ‘bury herself here.’
“There are some papers in the drawer of my desk. Use that to take care of yourself. If you follow the instructions, you won’t die absurdly.”
I turned around, leaving Kadia behind.
And walked towards the dimensional vortex.
“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to the other two?”
Why should I?
I’m not interested in sentimental farewells.
They’re probably happy that I’m leaving.
“Are we really not seeing each other ever again? Forever? Really? Really, really? Really, really, really…?”
…This girl.
I turned back.
Kadia, with a determined expression, had put on the bunny ear headband.
“Nico Nico Ni! In your heart…”
“I feel like vomiting, so don’t do it.”
“…Hiiing.”
I sighed.
Always so annoying. That’s why I was trying to leave secretly.
“Oh, by the way, you never said your name. That was really bad of you.”
“Han Israt from Taonier.”
“Is that your name?”
“What, does it bother you?”
“No, no, I’ll remember. So, can we see each other again?”
“Depends on you.”
If Jinho-jjang can reach Anything, that is.
“Then it’s fine!”
“Good.”
“See you, brother Han.”
I smiled bitterly and kept walking.
I entered the dimensional vortex and the light enveloped me.
Thus concluded my deployment.
…
In my room in the mansion of Group 1 on the fourth floor of Taonier’s Lobby.
I was in a dilemma.
“So, is the leader number 396?”
I placed statue number 396 at the front of the showcase.
The 396 had undergone six modifications and seemed suitable to be the leader of the War Horse Squadron…
“But something’s missing. Don’t you think?”
<They all look the same, what’s missing?>
Gugukon looked at me as if I were ridiculous.
I frowned.
‘Do they look the same?’
Unlike other War Horse Statues, the angle of the front right leg of the 396 was twisted about 17.3 degrees.
I had spent five hours trying to find the right angle.
How could he say they look the same after knowing that?
‘Hmm.’
Should I make the 396 the leader or not?
A choice as difficult as choosing between soy sauce noodles and spicy soup. There is no clear conclusion.
Like the conversation taking place upstairs.
wlsghWkd> Why aren’t there voices? Don’t you think it’s weird?
Anything> Why would it be weird?
wlsghWkd> If you can’t hear a voice, it doesn’t make sense.
Anything> ???
Jinho-jjang was saying nonsense.
After my return, the two often chatted this way.
Anything> But you don’t disconnect. It must be good enough.
wlsghWkd> I don’t know.
Anything> What don’t you know? You can tell just by looking. The more you play, the more endless it becomes, so keep trying. Don’t give up just because it’s hard. You can do it without spending money if you try hard.
wlsghWkd> But doesn’t that hero called Han have a skin?
Anything> What skin?
wlsghWkd> It seems if you put skin on, it can change gender.
It seems Rion has reached a level of cross-dressing that could confuse Jinho-jjang.
What game has skins? I shrugged and kept checking statue number 396.
In the end, it seems Jinho-jjang really started taking the Pick Me Up game seriously.
Looking at the screenshots that Jinho-jjang sent to Anything, it seems he has properly formed a group. It also seems he’s using male heroes. The surprising thing is that Rion is still dressed as a woman.
Also, Anything’s connection time was increasing day by day.
‘You should take care of reality too.’
You can’t be glued to the phone 24 hours a day.
You also have to earn money to spend on the game, so you should invest time in Pick Me Up without interfering with your daily life.
The game should be just moderate.
Maybe 16 hours a day would be enough?
‘I’ve decided for you.’
I took statue number 437.
The 396 simply lacks dignity.
The 437, with the left hind leg joint twisted 3.7 degrees, seems more suitable to be the leader.
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