Pick me Up – Chapter 276 – Mission Type – Conquest (2)
The infernal dragon's eyes shot open.
From its wide-open mouth, flames of extremely high temperature spewed forth.
"Graaaaargh!"
A roar so powerful it made the atmosphere tremble.
A torrent of scarlet flames, resembling lava, erupted from its mouth.
"Halgion!"
<I've been waiting for this!>
I took a step forward and extended my left hand.
Swish! Black scales pierced and protruded from my skin.
"Kyeeeek!"
The flames spread radially, completely incinerating the Goblins in front, and advanced down the avenue.
I crouched and extended the palm of my hand.
Whoosh!
[This hero is immune to magic!]
[This hero is immune to physical attacks!]
[This hero is immune to magic…]
[This hero is immune to physical attacks…]
A force like that of a multi-ton truck swept over my body.
An elemental breath combined with physical force. One of the annoying characteristics of the Red Dragon. Up to this point, I could withstand it with the Black Dragon's scales, but…
[Han (★★★★★★) has been burned and his fire resistance has decreased.]
'I knew it.'
Boom!
I dug my feet into the ground.
My body, which was being pushed back, came to a halt.
'As I take hits, my resistance decreases.'
I blocked the first attack without damage, but I can't guarantee the same for the second.
"Belkist! You handle the front line. I'll take care of the dragon's head."
"Understood!"
Wham!
Belkist swung his sword still in its sheath, sending ten Goblins flying like ragdolls.
Before rushing off, I turned to Jenna, who was drawing her bow.
"Jenna."
"Got it, I need to shoot the ones about to transform!"
Twang!
Jenna released the bowstring with a swift motion.
The arrow embedded itself in the forehead of a monster that was on the verge of evolving.
It seems I don't need to give any more orders.
If the strategy for dealing with immortal creatures is to disarm them, for those that self-evolve, you need to focus on eliminating the key individuals.
Shortly after, arrows fired by Jenna cut through the air.
Shing! Thud!
The Goblins writhing on the avenue fell to the ground with arrows embedded in them.
They won't die, but their evolution will be halted.
"Grrrroar!"
The infernal dragon was preparing its second breath.
I crouched, gathered momentum, and shot off. I ran up the side of the building next to me, brandishing my sword.
Crack! Goblins, turned into chunks of meat, flew apart.
<Han, it seems these guys are evolving.>
"Eliminate the ones evolving first! Archers can handle shooting them."
Besides Jenna, there were several high-ranking snipers in the Raid Team.
<What if we can't identify them?>
"You can't identify them?"
<The battle is on the main avenue. Visibility isn't good.>
I ran up the wall while looking down.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Arrows were fired with the speed and precision of a machine gun and a sniper rifle.
One after another, arrows embedded themselves in the foreheads of Goblins, who fell everywhere.
'Jenna…'
She has a special ability that enhances her sight.
But… what about the other archers?
"……"
At that moment, a holographic window appeared in my field of vision.
[The effect of the Tactical Station has been activated!]
[Installation Lv. MAX!]
[The scenario map is available.]
[Displaying tactical screen.]
[You can summon various tactical tools.]
[You can give tactical orders to heroes by tapping and dragging.]
The tactical tab.
A tool the master used to give orders to heroes during a mission.
Anything tapped the icon on the right. Then, he manipulated the menu with expert movements.
[Changing tactical orders.]
[Changing the basic tactic of the Raid Team from 'prioritize extermination' to 'prioritize suppression.']
[Changing the basic tactic of the archers from 'indiscriminate shooting' to 'designated shooting.' From now on, archers will strive to target specific objectives.]
Anything closed the menu and then observed the avenue on the map.
He lightly tapped the Goblins that were about to evolve.
[Setting shooting targets.]
Bzzz.
Red crosses appeared over the Goblins.
The master had designated targets. I smiled slightly.
'Anything also realized.'
That immobilizing was more efficient than killing.
Especially, that it was necessary to focus on key individuals among the monsters.
Anything quickly assessed the situation and gave appropriate orders to the entire Raid Team.
It wasn't a bad decision.
In 'Pick Me Up,' orders were not followed 100%. Heroes acted according to their will. But, being aware of the tactical directives or not, made a big difference in efficiency.
"Can you see now?"
I placed my hand to my ear.
Roderick should have also received Anything's orders.
<……Yes, it's possible.>
"Please take care of it."
<I'll follow the master's orders.>
Click.
I cut off the communication.
Right in front of me, the claws of the infernal dragon came crashing down.
Boom!
I jumped from the wall to the ground.
The claws grazed above my head.
'This guy is also immortal.'
Even if I cut off his neck and pierce his heart, he'll stay alive.
Then, I launched Bifrost and clenched my fist.
Zzzap! A reddish lightning swirled around my fist.
The dragon's flaming jaws lunged at me.
I easily dodged and delivered a punch with my right hand.
Thud!
It sounded like hitting a drum.
My fist pierced scales harder than steel and destroyed its insides.
"Is that it?!"
Once more.
I delivered a quick punch to its belly.
It was a light jab, but its power was anything but light.
Boom!
The infernal dragon spat out saliva and staggered.
A fist compressed with gravity thousands of times greater had an explosive force surpassing that of a dynamite stick.
"This should be enough."
I slid my body under its belly and emerged from the other side.
I gripped its tail with enough force to leave a mark.
'Hup!'
Crack.
The tendons in my arm bulged.
And then.
Whoosh!
The giant 10-meter body swung in a semicircle.
Wham! Wham!
The Goblins struck by the dragon's body were sent flying.
"Graack!"
Boom!
I lifted the infernal dragon's tail and slammed it into the ground.
The ground cracked deeply, and fragments of stone flew.
This isn't enough.
I lifted the dragon once more.
"Kyaaak!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
I pounded its body against the ground repeatedly as if digging.
[Mest: What kind of Hulk is this?]
[Believeone: He's really strong. Crushing the Red Dragon like a mouse.]
"Kii, kiiik…"
It seems to have calmed down.
I squeezed the tail of the inert dragon.
Appropriate size and weight.
"Kraaa! Kararak!"
I swung at the Goblins screaming with the dragon's tail.
The monsters filling the avenue were swept away in one blow.
"This is out of the ordinary."
Jenna, aiming her bow from afar, murmured.
"I think we're done here."
Belkist dropped his sword.
Hundreds of Goblins lay on the avenue's ground.
There were Orcs, Lizardmen, and Harpies, but all were in pieces.
They won't rise again for a while.
"So, how long are we going to keep this up?"
Belkist looked up.
I followed his gaze.
In the sky, there was a black hole. Fragments continued to fall from it.
[Corrupt Goblin Lv.53] X 3076
Belkist kicked the head of a Goblin.
"Anyway, they'll rise again. We need to find a way to eliminate them permanently, don't you think?"
He's right.
Although we've managed to stop the invasion at the east gate, battles continue elsewhere.
Moreover, the number of invaders keeps increasing.
[Mackory (★★★★★) has returned to the embrace of the goddess. His fighting spirit will be remembered forever.]
[Brenial (★★★★★★) has returned to the embrace of the goddess. His fighting spirit will be remembered forever.]
[Luden (★★★★) has returned…]
Casualties continue.
We can't hold out indefinitely.
I opened my mouth to speak.
"If we wait, the leader of these monsters will appear."
"The leader?"
"Yes. We just have to deal with him."
We call that the 'Core.'
It's a high-level entity leading thousands of these fragments.
[※Warning!]
[The 'Core of Chaos' is descending!]
Right on time.
Uooooooo. Something roared inside the black hole.
Shortly after, a huge, viscous hand emerged from the hole.
[Core of Chaos Lv.322]
'It's an opportunity and a challenge.'
Although the Core is a level 300 monster, if we manage to eliminate it, we can stop the fragments here. I retrieved Bifrost and placed my hand to my ear.
"Pria, can you hear me?"
<Han?>
The magical communication seems connected.
"Look at the sky. See that repulsive thing trying to come out. Do you see it?"
<Yes, I see it.>
The head and shoulders of the Core began to emerge.
It had the shape of a giant human.
Its surface was covered by millions of insect-like creatures.
"We need to deal with that. But we can't kill it. We have to send it back where it belongs."
<With the dimensional sword…?>
"Exactly. Can you do it? We'll meet at the palace gate."
Click.
I ended the communication.
"Jenna, Belkist. I'll handle that monster. Hold the position here."
"You're going alone?"
"For now. Someone has to stay here."
I looked around.
The infernal dragon, which had been inert, began to move again.
This guy isn't dead.
'How long can we hold out?'
The death notifications keep appearing.
At least 20 people have died according to the messages I've seen.
If the defense collapses, hundreds of Goblins will evolve simultaneously.
Then, the higher-level monsters will wipe out the heroes.
"I'll stay ready."
Jenna had a determined expression.
"Good."
I patted Jenna and Belkist on the shoulders before heading towards the palace.
I sprinted down the avenue.
Uooooooo.
The Core was halfway out of the hole.
Viscous fragments fell from the gaps between its body and the hole.
[Corrupt Goblin Lv.53] X 4005
The number of monsters in the field exceeded 4000.
It was inevitable. Their number kept growing.
Beyond the walls, invaders crawled through every corner.
'If we collapse, it's over.'
The heroes were fiercely battling on the avenue.
It seemed they were holding out well, but if the balance breaks, there will be no turning back.
I put more strength into my legs as I ran.
"Han! Are you okay?"
In front of the palace, Pria was waiting for me.
"As you can see."
My clothes were dirty with blood and dust, but I had no injuries.
"Are you ready?"
"More or less."
A faint golden light enveloped her right hand.
"Then let's go. How do you plan to get there? The enemy is in the sky."
I put strength into my back.
An intense pain coursed through my body, tearing my skin and bones.
"……"
Pria's face tensed.
It wasn't a pleasant sight, certainly.
Dragon wings grew from my back.
"Incredible."
"Thank you."
I moved the muscles in my back, causing the wings to spread.
My body began to rise slowly.
I held Pria in my arms.
"Hold on tight."
"Understood."
Whoosh!
I accelerated quickly.
In an instant, we were dozens of meters above the ground.
Our target was the Core of Chaos, which was emerging from the hole.
"We won't have many chances. We can't fail."
"I know."
She responded firmly.
I smiled and flapped my wings.
The altitude increased rapidly.
"……"
Pria watched the capital from above.
The avenue was filled with monsters and heroes in a fierce battle.
Blood and steel, spears and arrows, magic and cannons filled the battlefield.
"We won't lose."
Pria murmured as if making a promise to herself.
Her hand glowed with an increasingly intense golden light.
"Give me… the strength to fight against adversity."
Uoooooo.
The giant's torso emerged from the hole.
Soon its entire body would pass through and fall to the ground.
We must finish this before that happens.
[Fragment of Chaos Lv.113] X 831
Fragments fell like rain around us.
"Once again."
Pria whispered.
[The dimensional sword Lusrada has awakened.]
A dazzling sword of light extended from Pria's right hand.
"I'll cut this in one strike. Han, get me close to that thing."
I increased the speed.
Pria raised the sword of light.
Ready to cut in one strike.
'If we keep this up…'
We can do it.
The crack in the sky was getting closer.
「Ahahaha! An insect is struggling!」
A sticky voice, though with a childish tone, echoed in my head.
I looked down. The palace throne, where Pryos was, had a girl standing next to it. Her body was changing rapidly. Her white robe tore apart and her body swelled enormously.
「The world of Taonier is already doomed! Stop struggling and die together, insects!」
Crash!
The sound of shattering glass filled the air as the girl flew towards us.
Then.
Crack.
Crack, crack.
[Danger!]
[Ancient Species – Blue Winged King]
[Sternberg Kimmacher Elstadt Lv.???]
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