Pick Me Up!

Velkist sheathed his sword and left the arena while Aaron stood in place, his head slightly tilted. 

Eolka couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“I thought Aaron would win. It’s strange.”

“Poor Aaron. He was doing so well. Just one mistake…”

“Yeah, just one mistake.”

I closed my eyes.

‘It’s hard to express in words.’

As the battle continued, Velkist figured out Aaron’s spear techniques. This was evident from the decrease in Velkist’s injuries from the middle of the fight and how he effortlessly dodged Aaron’s consecutive attacks at the end.

However, Velkist waited, even though he could have switched to the offensive earlier.

He knew that one attack was enough to secure victory.

To eliminate any potential variables and to time his counterattack perfectly, Velkist endured Aaron’s numerous attacks in silence.

And when it was time, he didn’t miss the opening.

It was an impossible approach without the ability to observe the opponent calmly, analyze the possibility of victory, and patiently wait for the right moment.

“No disagreements, it seems.”

I opened my eyes.

Everyone’s attention was on me.

After clearing my throat, I spoke.

“I’ll keep my promise. Velkist is in the 1st party, and Aaron is out.”

I stated it clearly.

Aaron fought while preparing for the outcome.

No matter what complaints there might be, we couldn’t violate the rules we had set.

“It wasn’t a satisfying duel. Aaron, you brought defeat upon yourself with your unreasonable actions. It’s hard for you to stay in our party. You know it yourself.”

“Oppa, Aaron did it to avoid hurting his comrade…”

“Don’t make excuses. We didn’t come here to build friendship. We came to defeat the enemy and survive. Don’t go easy in a duel. The soft ones die first. Remember that.”

I snapped my fingers.

A system message announcing the party change appeared.

[‘Han (★★)’ suggests a party reorganization!]

[‘1st Party’ Composition]

[‘Han (★★)’, ‘Jenna (★★)’, ‘Eolka (★★★)’, ‘Neryssa (★★)’, ‘Velkist (★★)’]

[If you agree, ‘Aaron (★★)’ will be automatically excluded from the party. Do you agree?]

[Yes (Selected) / No]

Anytng accepted the proposal.

With that, all the procedures for party member changes were completed.

[‘Aaron (★★)’ is excluded from ‘1st Party’!]

[‘Neryssa (★★)’ joins ‘1st Party’!]

[‘Velkist (★★)’ joins ‘1st Party’!]

A heavy silence hung in the training ground.

Jenna hesitated then grabbed my sleeve.

“Oppa, I…”

“Enough.”

I brushed Jenna’s hand away.

I knew what she wanted to say. Personally, I also wanted to make a different decision. But this was reality. We couldn’t succeed in our mission based solely on friendship.

The correct answer was to cast it aside.

Aaron into a slump from the 15th floor. Continuing to carry him posed a risk not only to Aaron but to the entire 1st party.

We had to get used to it.

Whether he dies or gets replaced.

Someone we were with will always disappear.

I said, “Today, everyone should go back. It’s getting late.”

No one left immediately, but a few minutes later, Edis and the 2nd party began to leave the training ground one by one.

Asher stared at Velkist with a hostile look in his eyes and then disappeared. Jenna and Eolka followed suit, leaving the training ground. As she walked away, Jenna glanced back at Aaron several times.

Most of the members had left.

What remained in the training ground were Velkist, Neryssa, who came back to her senses, and Aaron, standing alone on the dueling ground.

“So are we in?”

“Yes, you and Neryssa will be active in the 1st party from now on.”

“I see.”

Velkist leaned against the iron fence and spoke.

His expression was unemotional as if nothing had happened.

“I’m a bit disappointed. It could have been fun if he hadn’t gone easy on me at the beginning.”

“I agree.”

Aaron had given Velkist too much time.

For Aaron to win, he had to overwhelm Velkist at the early stage and finish him off before he adapted to his spear techniques. The longer it dragged on, the more disadvantageous it became for him. It was Aaron’s own mistake.

I turned my gaze.

Neryssa was brushing her hair in the corner of the training ground.

“I’m personally dissatisfied, but there’s nothing we can do.”

“What can’t be done?”

Velkist muttered.

“To me, he seemed unprepared. It was a wise judgment.”

Neryssa bowed deeply to me.

I nodded.

“Although you’ve joined the 1st party, you’re not at a satisfactory level yet. You must know that. Gather at the training ground tomorrow morning, and I’ll tell you what needs to be done.”

“Understood.”

“Please guide me.”

I chuckled lightly.

“But I don’t understand why you’re so eager to join the 1st party. Do you think you’ll have better luck here? It’s the opposite. Things here are much more dangerous than the 2nd party.”

“I came to get stronger.”

Velkist’s eyes sank deeply.

“Both of you must be tired today. Go back now.”

Velkist lightly saluted me and left the training ground.

Neryssa bowed once again.

“Please take care of me from now on. My name is Neryssa Iyorra.”

After finishing the greeting, Neryssa walked out of the training ground.

In any case, all the members of the training ground had left.

Only Aaron and I remained in the training ground. 

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