Pick me Up – Chapter 324 – The King of the Limit (1)
I opened my eyes.
‘…….’
I had been dreaming for a long time.
In the dream, I fought against endless enemies, over and over again, without stopping.
No matter how many enemies I killed, no matter how many times I collapsed from exhaustion, the dream did not end. A dream that seemed eternal. And when the landscape of that dream became blurry, I saw a spark in the distance.
A sharp pain.
Ting!
I threw away the dagger that was lodged in my chest.
The hole where black blood flowed quickly closed.
“……I am.”
The broken memories began to reassemble.
“Han Seo-jin.”
My name on Earth.
Here I am Han Israt, the prince of Taonier, and also…
‘Loki.’
I lifted my head.
I saw someone lying on the ground, dying.
Dirty blonde hair. A pristine uniform stained with blood.
Siris.
My fragmented memories began to fit together little by little.
That woman was Siris Agentheim. The leader of the second server I trusted most in Niflheim and also the sub-master. According to my memories… I should have left her in the Lobby.
The gap in my memories was severe.
It seems many things happened while I lost control of myself.
I decided to assess the situation. Where I was. Why I woke up here. What I was doing before. Why this woman was dying here.
One.
Two.
Three.
‘Understood.’
I narrowed my eyes.
‘So you followed me.’
I told you many times not to come, but you still did.
With the existence of the barrier, it wasn’t possible for Siris to have arrived here alone. It was likely that other heroes of Niflheim or those from Taonier were involved.
Fwoosh!
I shook my cloak.
The magic floating at the limit showed me the landscape of the past. What had happened here played out before my eyes, like a panorama. It matched my expectations perfectly. They did it by force.
“What are you doing?”
I looked at Siris.
She seemed unable to respond. I let out a bitter laugh.
Even the fact that I regained my sanity temporarily was her doing.
[Loki.]
“A fairy?”
[Yes, this is our first meeting. My name is Nisel.]
Above Siris, a red-haired fairy fluttered her wings.
Probably the fairy in charge of Niflheim.
[The reason we’re here is…]
“You want to fight alongside me.”
No need to explain every detail.
Outside, other members of the 13th floor will be waiting.
Siris, who can withstand the border contamination, must have infiltrated here alone.
To persuade me.
Vroom!
With a gesture of my hand, Bifröst, hanging from Siris's waist, rose.
I grabbed the scabbard of Bifröst. I read the data stored inside. Finally, I could understand the truth. With what intention they came here and what they expected from me.
“Idiots.”
I gave them the chance to live peacefully, and now they are doing something absurd.
[Loki.]
“…….”
[If this continues, you will lose your sanity again.]
“I don’t care.”
I made my decision.
It’s my responsibility to bear the consequences.
‘Even though I tried to push them away…’
If they had tried to persuade me with words, I would have pushed them away immediately.
But resorting to force and coercion…
‘This girl is about to die.’
Her heart was pierced by a dragon’s sword.
The flame of her life was fading rapidly. Even if I closed the wound on her heart, she had overused her power too much. She was about to disappear completely.
Of course, I knew a way to save Siris.
Connecting her with the infinite cup I possess. Siris would lose her firepower forever, but at least she would survive.
‘Is this your way of convincing me?’
If I don’t accept, Siris will die.
This is not persuasion. It is coercion and extortion.
A forced contract so I won’t kill her.
‘Sigh.’
I covered my forehead with my hand.
I thought she was a cold person, but she turned out to be a fool.
I shouldn’t have trusted her with the position of sub-master.
[Loki, we’re not forcing you. Even if Siris dies, and everyone outside gets lost, we will happily accept the decision you make.]
Nisel looked at me.
[You should know one thing. You may think you left those children behind for their sake, but the reality is very different.]
Stardust sparkled from Nisel’s wings.
Then, the small fairy fell to the ground as if she fainted.
As soon as I saw her, I knew who she was.
‘Frey.’
I knelt down.
A girl so small she fit in my hands.
She slept soundly, unaware of the world.
[She is the companion you left in Eden. You might not have wanted to drag her into the battle, but look at what state she is in.]
It was evident at a glance.
The contamination had progressed severely.
‘Didn’t she leave?’
I bit my lip.
Suddenly, Frey’s eyelids trembled.
Her big eyes reflected me.
[Lo… ki…?]
She blinked, incredulous.
The girl jumped up and clung to my arm.
[Loki! Loki! You were here!]
“…….”
[Don’t go! I’m sorry, I’ll behave. Please don’t leave me. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Loki… I made a mistake. So please…]
She murmured several times before falling asleep again.
A tear ran down Frey’s chubby cheek as she slept. Nisel, who was looking alternately at Frey and me, spoke.
[You may think this place is hell and that’s why you left Frey behind…]
Nisel put a hand on her chest.
[But for her, a place without you is the real hell. I know. Because I grew up, was born, and stayed with you in the same place. The same goes for Siris, for me, and for the other heroes. That’s why… we risked everything to come see you.]
I placed Frey gently on the ground.
“Then, do you want to rot here with me?”
[Yes.]
“Do you know who we are fighting against?”
[With the chaos of the universe itself. We are prepared.]
“How long will that determination last? 10 years? 100 years? 1000 years? And do you think they will be useful in this war?”
[I am sure we will be useful. If you share your power with us. More than companions, allies. More than allies, friends. You always emphasized to us the importance of unity.]
Nisel continued.
[You know better than anyone that Niflheim has enough potential. If given the opportunity, each one will do their part. In a long fight, those heroes will be your shield, your sword, and your spear.]
“…….”
[Stop fighting alone. You don’t have to try so hard. When you’re tired, you can lean on us.]
Nisel looked at me with narrowed eyes.
I let out a bitter laugh. Just superficial words.
‘They wanted to expel me to Earth. And… now they say they will fight by my side?’
A total contradiction.
[Hmm… Loki…]
I looked at Frey.
I admit it. It was my mistake.
If I wanted to separate her, I should have tried harder.
I didn’t expect her to destroy herself this way.
‘Unity.’
I clutched my chest.
Inside here was infinite power. An immense and pure energy that I had accumulated over countless eras. If I released this power at once, I would even lose my body. Even though it was a body that surpassed the limits of a god, it couldn’t withstand that level of energy.
‘Sharing this power…?’
Can they withstand it?
It’s a 7-star level power. Maybe they will lose control of themselves, as it happened to me.
[It’s an unnecessary worry.]
As if reading my mind, Nisel smiled.
‘If I accept Niflheim…’
I might become weaker than before.
I would take on an unnecessary burden.
Because I would have something to protect.
I looked up.
There was a vast darkness.
Beyond, infinite enemies lurked.
“What do you think?”
I felt a solid sensation in my left hand.
A statue of a warhorse, worn and half-broken.
‘You were watching.’
I felt it from the beginning.
The familiar gaze of someone watching me from above.
Chis.
Anything’s screen was filled with static.
Poor image quality. The screen froze every few seconds due to buffering.
Despite that, Anything did not disconnect.
‘Does he know?’
The truth of the game world.
Probably not. He can only guess where we are and why I fight, but he will never know. We live in too different worlds. Maybe it feels like watching a movie whose plot he can’t understand.
“He’s not going to respond.”
I smiled ironically.
Of course not.
[Battle Shop Opening.]
[You have selected a glow stick (Single use, 50 Gems). Would you like to purchase it?]
[Yes (Select) / No]
Hmm?
I blinked.
A light was flashing.
‘A glow stick?’
Why suddenly?
[Purchase completed.]
[Swipe your finger across the screen!]
[Show your support for the hero!]
Zaz!
A purple light illuminated the air.
What is he doing?
Anything waved the glow stick up and down.
The faint light drew a trajectory in the air.
Moving slowly.
Carefully.
As if writing letters in the air.
[Han.]
In the darkness.
The purple light formed a word.
[Be happy.]
Then, the letters faded into an illusion.
[F I G H T I N G!]
After the glow stick disappeared.
I remained silent.
Nisel watched me from behind.
“Be happy?”
I smiled incredulously.
‘Happiness?’
I don’t know what that means.
Since I fell here, everything has been fighting and conflict.
I didn’t know if I was going to live or die, I was just struggling to survive. Happiness? No way!
“You have no right to say that.”
I clicked my tongue.
If you had played better, things might have turned out better.
Happiness. That word sounded foreign to me.
Even if I accept Nisel’s proposal or not, I’m not sure there’s happiness in either option.
‘But…’
Maybe it’s more fun to fight with someone by your side than to fight alone.
Swoosh!
Bifröst’s scabbard fell to the ground.
The magical runes engraved on the black blade glowed golden.
My white cloak fluttered violently in the wind.
“How many did they say would come?”
I asked, unsheathing my sword.
[About 15,000.]
“There are too many idiots with suicidal wishes.”
[Don’t worry. With your power, they won’t die even if they die.]
“If they’re useless, I’ll throw them out.”
[Understood!]
Nisel wiped her tears.
I laughed and lowered Bifröst.
I swung the sword once before stabbing it into the ground.
The black blade sank deep into the sinister ground of the limit.
‘Open.’
I murmured.
Wham! At that moment, a golden magical power erupted from the impaled blade.
The glow illuminated the dark limit, burning away the clouds of contamination. A bright light spread endlessly. Inside it, I recited the following words.
“Dimensional Rift.”
Zing!
A golden line drew a dimensional gate in the air.
Then, familiar shadows appeared on the other side of the gate.
“Lidygion, here.”
A man with a stern expression knelt before me.
Lidygion. His body was drenched in blood, as always, the blood of his enemies.
“Master! I found him!”
Crack!
Nihaku jumped with lightning.
He landed nimbly and smiled at me.
“……Master.”
A woman with white hair emerged from the mist.
Yurnet Sid. Upon meeting my gaze, she lowered her head.
Finally.
“Aaron?”
“Yes.”
A man with a spear scratched his head.
“You didn’t go home?”
“I won’t leave until your fight is over, brother.”
“Idiot.”
“It’s my best quality, isn’t it?”
Aaron smiled shyly.
The spear he held was one of the five divine weapons, Ruin.
I sensed that Muden had withdrawn.
“Master, I’m glad… you’re okay.”
Yurnet’s usually impassive face crumbled.
She approached me with tears in her eyes.
“I want… to ask for your forgiveness…”
“No need. You have helped me a lot.”
Ting!
I kicked the dagger at my feet.
Another work of Yurnet.
“Siris!”
Nihaku ran to Siris.
There, Siris lay, dying.
First, I have to fix this.
“Master, save Siris!”
“Stop crying. Just watch.”
I passed by Nihaku and knelt beside Siris.
Blood flowed from the hole in her chest. I clenched my right fist. Dense energy gathered in my palm.
‘Contract.’
Connecting my heart with hers.
Could it be called a blessing? Rather, it’s a curse.
‘Even so…’
I cannot abandon a hero I have raised.
I placed my hand on Siris’s chest.
She could stop breathing at any moment. If it weren’t for the power of fire, she would already be dead.
Here.
I clenched my fist.
Thump.
The light connected the torn heart.