Pick Me Up!

The first day of the festival had ended.

The results were as I had anticipated. All the members who participated in the three events passed.

It would have been problematic if they had been eliminated from the preliminaries already.

“Niflheimr’s team seems a bit strong, but it still looks manageable!” Jenna rolled up her sleeves and raised her arm.

After finishing the day’s schedule, we were in our room holding a performance review and strategy meeting.

“If we don’t make any mistakes, I think we can win. Don’t you think so, sisters?”

“I was nervous because they were heroes from other waiting rooms, but it wasn’t as difficult as I expected. Maybe we were just lucky.”

“Don’t let your guard down. If we fail even once, we will be eliminated.”

I looked at the paper on the table in the middle.

‘126 points.’

While the heroes were competing in the preliminaries, mini-games for the masters were being held in the dimensional city.

126 points were the result of Anytng’s participation in about ten events.

‘He’s really bad at this.’

Winning the airship race earned us 65 points.

In other games, we continuously ranked last. A total of 126 points put us in the lower ranks. Although it’s a small score compared to the three major events, not stacking up points in the mini-games would be a significant loss.

Anyway.

Given Amkena’s poor gaming skills, we had to win all three major events to earn the ticket.

“Bring out the tournament bracket.”

Jenna and Velkist took out a blue paper.

The paper contained the main tournament bracket. Tomorrow would determine the top 16 in the first main round, and the day after tomorrow would be the top 16 and the finals. The list of teams participating in the first main round was densely packed on the paper.

We already had a good grasp of the high-level master teams including Niflheimr.

I quickly scanned the individual and team tournament brackets and thought hard.

There are many participants in the first main round, so there is some leeway, but the second main round involves continuous fighting, leaving almost no time to rest. Unlike the waiting rooms, there is no automatic healing, and Mobius headquarters doesn’t provide medical staff, so a serious injury means immediate disqualification.

‘Jenna’s group chances don’t look good.’

Jenna was assigned to Group B, which was filled with high-level users.

Moreover, according to the tournament bracket, she would have to play three consecutive matches with minimal rest time. The likelihood of injury was high. At best, all we could do was provide her group with the emergency healing potions that we brought with us.

Next, I scanned Velkist’s tournament bracket.

Fortunately, he wouldn’t meet that swordsman or Aaron until the finals. It seems he has good luck with the draw. On the contrary…

‘Aaron will clash with that guy in the semi-finals.’

I ended the meeting quickly.

Velkist and Jenna’s team was going to train in the hotel’s underground personal training area, which spans several tens of floors, to prepare for the main round. Left alone again, I was lost in thought in the living room.

‘…Not yet.’

Myuden had only been able to take his place in the first party of Niflheimr from the higher floors of the tower.

Aaron returned too soon.

Why did he come back?

I wanted to ask Yurnet right away.

But I barely managed to suppress my curiosity. That guy wouldn’t do something pointless.

There must be another meaning. I couldn’t know what it was right now. For now, I need to focus on my own event. I can’t afford to be eliminated and lose face in front of the other members.

As I was strategizing for the main round, there was a knock at the door.

“…”

This hotel doesn’t have room service.

I opened the front door.

A familiar face. It was Aaron.

“Did I disturb you?”

“No, come in. I’m the only one here.”

Aaron hesitated at the entrance but then stepped into the living room.

I offered him water.

“Thank you.”

“…”

I drank my water silently.

Aaron sat down in the chair and bowed his head.

I had seen this look before. It was the same expression he had after losing to Velkist when he first joined.

Aaron seemed like he had something to say but didn’t start talking right away.

“How was it there?”

I decided to break the ice.

“It was a strange place.”

After a moment of silence, Aaron answered.

“I learned that a year spent there could be just a day outside.”

“…”

“I can’t remember my sister’s face.”

Aaron’s eyes became blurry.

“I had to write down memories of the past in a notebook every day, or I would forget everything. Eventually, I could barely remember my own name.”

I suppose so.

No one else but Myuden could have endured it.

Niflheimr had many people like Aaron. Heroes who tried to overcome their lack of talent through effort. But the results were invariably miserable.

“You were also watching the tournament, weren’t you? How did you see me?”

“You were decent. It seemed like you had mastered intermediate spearmanship.”

I answered honestly.

Aaron had grown beyond recognition.

He could be considered at a usable hero level.

“I see.”

Aaron forced a smile at my response.

“That took me 57 years.”

“…”

“How many years would it take for me to look like you?”

Aaron brought the empty water cup to his lips.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to complain.”

“No, it’s me who sent you there. I should at least listen.”

“Thank you…”

“But why did you come out so soon? Shouldn’t you have rolled around there a bit longer?”

Aaron shook his head.

“The master told me I was lacking something.”

“It can’t be talent…”

Not talent.

That’s a foolish answer.

I laughed.

“Did you come out to find what you’re lacking?”

“More accurately, I was kicked out.”

Aaron briefly shared his experiences.

Deemed inadequate to follow in his footsteps, Aaron was criticized by Myuden and transferred to the training center in Niflheimr. That was two weeks ago. And now, he was participating in the current event as a trainee.

‘…’

Aaron spoke calmly, but I could roughly guess his feelings.

Did they call him the second coming or something? Anyway, he was a genius who had surpassed decades of training in the special dimension time in just a few days.

“That guy is amazing. I couldn’t understand the complicated principles even after hearing them hundreds of times, but he realized them in a day and applied them the next. When I watched him train, I couldn’t help but exclaim. It seemed like he was truly chosen by the gods. Just like you.”

Aaron scratched his nose and smiled.

“If I bring up how I compare to him here, the mood will turn gloomy. I won’t say that.”

“Are you confident you can win?”

“I’m planning to do my best. For now.”

I sighed.

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