Pick Me Up – Chapter 261 – How to Kill an Insect (1)
I took a step out of the dimensional rift.
There were already hundreds of heroes in the first floor's waiting room alone.
The plaza was crowded with numerous passersby.
“Phew, repeating the same mission is getting quite tedious.”
Next to me, Jenna was stretching.
Belkist silently manipulated his sheath.
[Master, there is a hero waiting to ascend.]
[Heroes eligible for ascension – Han (★★★★★), Jenna (★★★★★), Belkist (★★★★★)]
A green hologram flickered before my eyes.
With the recently completed mission, the three of us had reached the ascension level.
The level needed for a six-star ascension is 70.
On the lower floors, the experience table allows you to level up 10 levels every 10 floors, but the story changes from the 50th floor onwards. Otherwise, you wouldn’t reach the six-star level before surpassing the 100th floor. On the 60th floor of Taonier, if you work a bit, it’s easy to reach level 70.
The three of us were the result of this.
After surpassing the 60th floor, Anything repeatedly assigned missions on the 59th floor to me, Jenna, and Belkist, and it wasn’t long before we reached level 70.
“The level has increased quite a bit, but I’m not sure if we’ve gotten much stronger. It used to be more noticeable. I guess it is what it is.”
We got on the elevator to the upper floors.
Now, even in Taonier, elevators and other high-end facilities had appeared.
“Now the skills don’t seem to matter much.”
“Seems like it.”
I nodded.
Strength, intelligence, endurance, agility. In Pick Me Up, there are these four categories of stats, and you can increase them as you level up, but from high levels, the efficiency of the stats decreases dramatically. This is known as the capacity limit.
“The basic is 100 points.”
If strength exceeds 100, increasing the stats further doesn’t make much difference.
At most, skills and engravings, and some variable factors can slightly change things.
There is undoubtedly a difference, and it still matters, but it no longer guarantees an absolute advantage like before.
Therefore, battles between high-level heroes are decided by a complex mix of skills, engravings, compatibility, and battle circumstances.
“However, having five stars from birth is definitely an advantage.”
The starting point is different.
Ding. I stepped out through the open door.
The plaza of Taonier’s fifth floor welcomed me.
I parted from the other two and headed towards the left area of the fifth floor.
There, Anything had prepared a house just for me.
There was even a maid in charge of household chores and a personal secretary prepared.
“It’s elegantly built.”
It seems they paid attention to details from before constructing it.
The fifth floor of Taonier was designed to be easy to defend in case other heroes attacked. There were watchtowers, barriers, gates, and magic traps everywhere.
Lately, many had been harassing me.
I entered the room and closed the door, then opened a small book.
[Ding!]
A light sound and a pop-up window appeared.
This book was an internet connection device prepared by Iselle. I only had to open it to access the internet at any time and it was also rechargeable. Only I could see it. I moved the cursor and entered the MyTube homepage.
[MyTube™]
[Anything’s Channel, Pick Me Up Master]
[Subscribers 31,253]
Subscribers had almost tripled.
The most recent video was about the 60th floor.
I quickly glanced at the comments.
‘The reactions are positive.’
There were hardly any derogatory comments.
While I fought with the saint in a fantasy world, Anything skillfully directed the external battle.
It seemed he had also gained some ‘fans.’
Occasionally, there were comments asking to sell heroes or apologize to the Silver Star Guild, but they quickly received a barrage of disapproval and were hidden.
The reaction on the Official Forum was similar.
Anything had quickly gained fame as the fastest user to conquer the 60th floor in Pick Me Up history.
[Isn't this a new record? He broke the 60th floor in less than half a year. It's almost a speed run.]
└<Reply – Chaotically>
[Isn't it all thanks to the heroes? That hero is incredibly strong. He carries everything by himself.]
└<Reply – Right>
[That's only on the lower floors. If you watch the 60th floor video, it's not really like that. He has decent skills too.]
[But when will they fix the server lag? It keeps crashing and I'm about to go crazy.]
└<Reply – Snowstorm King>
[Most of it is bugs.]
The content remained similar.
The infamy of being a malicious user who massacred the Silver Star Guild had also decreased.
Anything was emerging as a high-level master in Pick Me Up. He received several offers to join guilds and friendship requests every day. Requests to sell heroes were equally frequent. Of course, Anything rejected all of them.
‘Things are going well.’
Too well.
There were no problems. Anything’s skills had improved, and the heroes’ strength was on the rise.
The difficulty of missions after the 50th floor had decreased, and besides, several favorable developments had smiled upon Anything.
[Help]
[About external ascension stations]
[If a hero’s ascension is difficult within the Lobby, you can use an external ascension station located outside the Lobby.]
Anything was researching about the six-star ascension.
That makes sense. In Anything’s ascension station, six-star ascensions cannot be performed. At a Niflheim level, everything could be done internally, but Taonier still needed external help.
‘Undoubtedly, that’s what he’ll do.’
Dimensional City Beta.
A help center installed a few months ago with a convenience update.
The purpose was to help the growth of low-level masters and reduce the gap with high-ranking ones.
There were also facilities prepared for six-star ascension. Located in the sector of the 60th floor, so it wasn’t too far. We would reach it in three days if we took an airship.
Knock knock.
There was a knock on the door.
I turned my head.
“Sir, the mansion cleaning is finished. What should we do next?”
Sir?
I frowned and responded randomly.
“If you’re done, go back to your room.”
“But it’s still work time…”
“You said you finished cleaning. There’s nothing more to do.”
“…Thank you.”
The footsteps receded.
It had become very annoying. After expanding the waiting room to the fifth floor, Anything had put these people in my house.
Assistants in charge of food, cleaning, clothes. Unmovable, even if the master said they weren’t necessary. In the end, I ended up living in the same house with them.
‘How annoying.’
I have many things to hide.
There’s no choice but to keep some distance.
Then followed the Lobby tasks.
Nerissa soon arrived with some documents, and I reviewed the Lobby operations from my room and prepared a report to send to the master. After sending it, once Anything verified it, the job was done.
[Master, do you want to disconnect?]
[Yes (Select) / No]
[Goodbye!]
Disconnecting from Anything.
The bright sky darkened.
Now it was free time for the heroes. Normally it would be time to start training and warming up, but I had stopped my schedule these last days.
“Yurnet, can you hear me? If you hear me, respond.”
I sat at the desk chair and murmured.
I turned the ring on my left hand once again.
“Yurnet. Yurnet.”
There was no response.
I sighed.
Though I knew the reason, I still felt uncomfortable.
Things had come to this after Yurnet sent a failure report in her investigation. Yurnet had informed me with a serious expression, but I could tell she had felt great humiliation.
‘She’s probably investigating El Cid’s case on her own.’
It seemed she wouldn’t return until she got solid information.
That was problematic by itself. I had already reached a conclusion.
But since this creature wasn’t responding, there was nothing I could do.
‘I hope nothing happened to her.’
What could happen to a six-star sorceress?
I had finished my basic training in the mansion’s gym and was preparing to sleep.
“……”
I turned off the light and lay on the bed.
I quickly reviewed recent events in my mind.
I had discovered the hidden truth in Pick Me Up, and Anything had grown even more.
The same for the heroes. We would soon evolve to the final six-star rank. I could barely remember when I was desperately fighting a goblin at level 1.
‘Things are going pretty well.’
Except Yurnet had disappeared.
Well, time will solve everything.
I closed my eyes.
‘……?’
A strange sense of discord.
I woke up.
Maybe I was just tossing and turning.
‘What time is it…?’
It must be late at night.
I felt for the place of my knife next to the bed.
I didn’t feel it in my hand.
I opened my eyes.
And then.
In the darkness, a sword blade silently stabbed.
“……!”
I kicked the bed and jumped up.
Touching my neck, blood started to flow from a superficial wound.
If it had penetrated a bit deeper…
<You’re strong. Normally, you would’ve been decapitated. Do you have steel skin or something?>
In the dark room.
A blurry, grayish figure stood.
‘This bastard…’
I quickly extended my hand.
A dark hole opened, and the Bifrost blade was drawn.
<Han Israt.>
The shadow clearly mentioned my name and then said.
<Where is the Book of the Inverted Sky?>
“……”
<Don’t try to hide it. I also know you have secret connections with Niflheim. Did you think we wouldn’t catch you if you moved secretly? Don’t underestimate us. We live for this.>
‘How did he get in?’
The Dimensional Rift had a defense team, including Wiryung, on standby 24/7.
Moreover, at the outer entrance of the Lobby, there were various magic traps and surveillance systems installed.
How did he manage to get in and reach my room on the fifth floor?
‘It’s simple.’
This guy’s stealth ability far exceeded Taonier’s security levels.
‘At least a master level.’
He had even pierced through the Black Dragon Scale.
If it weren’t for the Black Dragon Scale, as he said, I probably would’ve been decapitated.
<Don’t be too scared. I just came to say hello.>
“……Who are you?”
<You’ll know if you think a bit. Who are we?>
I observed the shadow in front of me.
Even standing right in front of me, I couldn’t see his face.
‘A recognition disruption ability?’
A master-class assassin.
His body moved like mist, and his voice sounded distorted.
I couldn’t distinguish his face, size, or voice.
I quickly turned my head.
Who was this assassin in front of me?
This guy knew about the Book of the Inverted Sky.
He also knew I was connected to Niflheim.
The conclusion was quick.
‘The guys following El Cid.’
I had sent a squad to expel them.
So they hadn’t been detected after all?
‘If so…’
An assassin that even Niflheim’s elites couldn’t find.
Not just a master.
‘Ranker class.’
There was only one conclusion.
‘Ranking 21.’
Master name: K.O. Strike.
An elite PvP user specializing only in assassins within the server.
These guys had witnessed the scene where Yurnet and I met after the battle against the number one.
At that time, Yurnet’s massive surveillance spell surrounded the area, but somehow they had evaded it. Then they followed me to Taonier.
<Did you realize now? It’s late.>
The guy moved his index finger.
And with a strange laugh, he extended an object to me.
<We’ll keep this troublesome ring well. We can’t have interference.>
The guy turned the black-glowing ring in his hand and then stored it.
It was the Darkness Ring I wore on my left hand. The only way Niflheim and I could communicate. It seemed he had taken it during the first attack.
‘……Haah.’
I knew something like this would eventually happen.
I took a deep breath and gathered strength throughout my body.
‘I have a chance.’
Assassins are weak in direct combat.
If they didn’t kill me during the first attack, I could hold on while calling Group 1 members to fight.
<Han Israt. If you want to live, prepare the Book of the Inverted Sky for your next visit. Because it’s not something suitable for you. This is a warning.>
“A warning? I don’t understand what you mean.”
I turned my sword.
<Heh heh, you’re not scared. I like that.>
The assassin laughed loudly.
And then, with a click. He disappeared without any prior sign.
I couldn’t detect his presence, neither when he appeared nor when he disappeared.
‘Is this the end?’
I put my hand to my neck.
Red blood stained my fingers.
Damn.
This had gotten complicated.
I didn’t relax my tension and opened the room’s door.
The mansion’s great hall.
Seven figures were hanging from the ceiling.
All had their eyes wide open and bit their tongues.
‘Haah…’
The household assistants Anything had gifted me.
They had been hanged in the air.
‘The bodies… are mutilated.’
They had died in extreme pain.
Drip.
Blood drops from the bodies fell on a large display cabinet below.
<Explosion…>
Suddenly, the hanging bodies began to inflate like balls.
<Art…>
‘Damn it.’
I kicked the railing and jumped.
Breaking the window with my body, I ran out of the house.
Then.
Boom!
A huge explosion engulfed the mansion.
[※Warning!]
[The hero ‘???’ of the master ‘???’ has invaded the Lobby.]
[※Due to the effect of a special ability, it’s impossible to detect the intruder.]
Things had gotten horribly complicated.
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