Pick Me Up!

[Stage Clear!]

[‘Velkist(★★★)’, ‘Katiio(★★★★)’ Level Up!]

[Reward – 320,000G]

[MVP – ‘Kishasha(★★★★)’]

The stage clear message appeared.

A light wrapped around me. I looked at my right shoulder.

A black arrow was embedded there. Bloodstains spread from the wound like a stain made by a flower. Each breath spread a dull pain.

‘……’

A confident smile blossomed under his mask. It seemed like he was saying, “Come whenever you want.”

‘Huff.’

Damn.

To put it simply.

I couldn’t break through the bridge. Whether the arrow disappeared, split into several, or bent strangely, he used all kinds of extraordinary shooting techniques. If it had been a wide place, I might have found an opening, but it was just a narrow bridge entrance. I barely avoided a fatal wound, but it took too much time.

‘Is the western scout a failure?’

Some strange guy interfered, and it all became absurdly tangled.

In the end, while this guy who was supposedly a demon marksman blocked me, the archery squad safely joined the battlefield, and what followed was predictable.

Looking to the side, I saw the full view of the troops.

Under the torn lion flag, countless bodies lay. Pria must be among them. The stage’s clear message meant that the mission’s ending conditions had been met. That meant Pria’s death.

‘This was the second chance.’

As my vision blurred, Jenna’s voice rang out.

“I know. How many minutes?”

About three hours.

Within that time, all the strongholds on the field must be taken, ultimately joining the battlefield.

It was tight. It would have been much easier without those weird guys around.

‘Let’s see next time.’

It doesn’t end here.

Stubbornly, I snapped the arrow shaft embedded in my shoulder.

[Ding!]

[Notification – You have 3 chances left!]

With a flimsy sound effect, we were moved through the gaps in space-time.

The central mirror emitted a faint light. Katiio frowned deeply and sighed heavily.

“This is… tough. Why is this mission so difficult?”

“Magician kid, you used to sing about wanting to do missions, and now you’re scared?”

“It’s too much. Herla, the place where I came from, was manageable as long as you keep your wits about you. But why is it so strange here? Floor 35 and now this. The missions I’ve seen through the regeneration stone were all crazy too.”

The arrow stuck in my shoulder disappeared.

I sheathed my sword and caught my breath.

“Though we cleared the stage… I’m not happy at all. At least, it wasn’t completely useless, so let’s gather and sort it out. Right, Oppa?”

Even if it’s an impossible mission, since it’s a game, there’s always a strategy.

But executing that strategy is a different matter.

“Oppa?”

“What?”

“Is something wrong? You look upset.”

“Just tired.”

It was just an annoying thought.

Except for the 25th floor when I wasn’t there, every segment of the missions was set to be incredibly difficult. As if asking me if I could still beat it.

‘Do we have to deal with this crap until the 100th floor?’

We had already experienced one failure on the 35th floor.

There wouldn’t be another one, but the results then were more fatal.

‘……’

I looked up.

The sky shone with a rainbow light. Anytng was watching us.

“What shall we do today, Han? Are we gathering again?”

“It’s late. How about we gather up again tomorrow?”

“That sounds good. Everyone, analyze today’s mission well. At least by the third round, we should have an estimation for clearing it.”

In this second round, we learned the mission time limit and the information about the field stretching from south to northeast. Also, we know that a quite annoying named character appears from the western cliff.

I felt a headache as I exited the rift of space and time.

Starting with Velkist, the members scattered noisily.

‘I have no thoughts of running away.’

The decision was already made.

After Eloka died, it became impossible to escape.

But thinking about the future was troublesome.

My room.

‘Let’s see.’

I updated the map of the plains.

To the west, there are supply depots and archery units, and handling this point delays the time of total annihilation of the lion troops. To the east, there are fortresses and statues of goddesses.

‘Three fortresses.’

According to Kishasha, there are three fortresses in the east.

At least three fortresses must be taken within three hours, while also avoiding the pursuit of the Black Knight. Of course, the western strongholds must also be dealt with. Scouting there hasn’t finished yet, and there will be other obstacles.

‘It’s infuriating.’

From the hero’s perspective, the things one can do are limited.

If I had been the master if only I could handle tactical tools… I could have properly planned the strategy.

[Loki?]

As I sat blankly in my room, a sparkle twinkled beside me.

It was Iselle.

[Any issues?]

It was that obvious.

I thought I had a poker face.

I spoke.

“Iselle.”

[Yes!]

“What do you think about the difficulty of these missions?”

[The mission difficulty? You mean Townia?]

“Yes.”

Iselle thought for a moment and then sighed deeply.

[If it wasn’t for Loki… it would have ended long ago.]

“Is the difficulty determined by luck?”

[Not really. I heard from the director that there’s a reason. I didn’t get the exact words.]

“Who created these missions? That director or whatever his name is?”

Iselle nodded.

So that’s it.

“……It’s annoying.”

[Hey, you’re not thinking of returning to Niflheimr, are you? Huh? If Loki leaves, it’s the end here! I’m done for too! Don’t go. I’ll do anything!]

“Don’t make a fuss. I’m not going.”

Well, enough of the complaints.

I smirked and turned the chair.

The updated map was on the desk. It was time to focus again.

As I picked up the pen to write down a detailed strategy.

[……]

Iselle hadn’t left yet.

Sweat trickled down her cheeks, which still had baby fat, a completely different look from usual.

“Hey, aren’t you leaving?”

[Um, um…]

Iselle swallowed her saliva.

[A message came from the director.]

“A message?”

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