Pick Me Up Infinite Gacha! Novel - Chapter 220
C220
The young man called King of the Mercenaries and a fierce-looking man.
The two of them advanced deeper into the forest, arguing and fighting with each other.
I followed them too, staying low.
«It would be better to stop here. If we go any further and attract those guys’ attention, what will we do? Some won’t be a problem, but if all the forest monsters come, it’ll be a headache.»
«I just want to see that egg that supposedly brings peace and get out of here. It’s nowhere to be seen.»
«Ah, whether it’s the egg or whatever, I don’t get why it matters so much.»
«Would you mind going back first?»
«How am I supposed to leave my brother behind? Do you want my sister-in-law to scold me?»
«Then just follow me quietly.»
The two made their way through the dense branches and bushes of the forest.
As the young man said, in this place, the egg that rises in the middle of the forest isn’t visible. Large trees block the canopy. But after walking for about five minutes, you can see a clear opening. There, they will see the true form of the egg.
‘This object is supposed to bring peace to the continent.’
The empire and the order announced it as such.
Well, if peace means everything disappearing, then they’re right.
«There are many traces, but the monsters aren’t attacking us.»
The young man said with a puzzled expression.
«Are you scared, brother?»
«Not scared. And I told you not to call me brother. I said call me chief.»
«That strange way of addressing you just doesn’t feel natural.»
«How long are we going to be stuck with outdated titles? We need changes here too.»
«Understood, chief.»
Chief, huh.
I laughed to myself.
He doesn’t seem like an ordinary mercenary.
‘Brother Yoshu.’
The man called him that.
It sounded familiar.
I followed the two for a few minutes, gradually recalling forgotten memories.
The conclusion came soon.
«……»
Yoshu.
The kid from whom I bought information in the city of the first exploration dungeon I visited.
He begged for gold talking about an incredible business idea.
I gave him a coin to get rid of him because he was annoying.
‘How absurd.’
Not even half a year has passed in the Lobby, but inside Tarnier, things seem different.
The kid who barely reached my waist has grown beyond recognition.
But there’s something more surprising.
‘The kid I casually helped on the street has become a great character?’
And he appears just when we need him, as if to prove it.
A probability less than one in a million.
It couldn’t have happened without a series of coincidences.
‘Just a coincidence…’
It can’t be.
I sighed.
No matter how close it seems to reality, this world is, in the end, a game.
‘The system’s correction intervened.’
The support that should have been there has disappeared.
So they filled the spot with a group of NPCs to assist in the hero’s mission.
And made them appear in the reconnaissance mission before the boss stage.
‘There’s no escape.’
No matter how much the prince and his followers strive to subvert it, the rules don’t change.
There’s no mission that can’t be conquered. There’s a strategy for every difficult mission.
They just complicated things temporarily, the world remains the same.
«There it is… the egg.»
In a clearing on the outskirts of the forest.
The young man murmured as he saw the egg elevated in the distance.
The monsters scattered around didn’t attack the young man or the man.
Probably because they can’t attack.
«What a horrible appearance.»
The man said as if he were vomiting.
Several tens of meters in size, the transparent shell of the egg showed gray flesh moving inside.
And in the middle of the shell, a red eye with veins extending in all directions quivered.
The young man frowned as he observed the egg.
«We need to take a closer look.»
«And what are you going to do after looking?»
«The empire and the order are hiding too many things. They even issued a sudden capture order for the princess, and this is also suspicious. They don’t tell us anything, the common people.»
«And if the authorities are lying?»
«Then…»
The young man hesitated before closing his mouth.
Then he shook his head.
«Let’s go back.»
The young man turned around.
His figure gradually receded.
After the two became dots and disappeared, I stood up from the bushes.
The mission completion window still hasn’t appeared.
I think I’ve done enough reconnaissance.
‘No.’
With the completion window not appearing, there must be tasks left.
After shaking the leaves that had settled on my shoulder, I headed to the team’s meeting place.
«In this situation, it seems the only option is a frontal attack.»
«Frontal attack?»
«Form the air fleet in a spear formation and break through the army of monsters. A direct confrontation isn’t viable. We have to reach the core as quickly as possible and finish the mission.»
«That sounds… like there will be sacrifices.»
«We could lose more than half of our forces. But there’s no other option.»
Jenna and Katio were having a heated discussion about how to tackle the mission.
Ignoring the monsters and breaking through to the egg was one of the strategies I had been planning.
I passed silently by Benik, who was sharpening his dagger, and Kishasha, who was yawning.
«……»
Priacis was sitting at the foot of a large tree.
His silver eyebrows were furrowed, showing a clearly somber expression.
«Ah, you’ve come…»
Priacis smiled at me when he saw me.
Then he forced a more cheerful tone in his voice.
«What do you need from me? Anyway, I have nothing to offer you.»
«It’s not that you have nothing to offer.»
«I have no skills to fight. I’ve practiced my swordsmanship consistently, but compared to you, I’m like a firefly to the moon.»
That’s obvious.
The growth pace of the heroes, with skill reinforcement and engravings, can’t be compared to NPCs.
Priacis had practiced the art of the sword for years, but at most, he could handle one or two monsters.
«Do you want to borrow my poor sword? Or maybe… does your shoulder hurt? Do you want me to give you a massage?»
Priacis smiled playfully, but with a touch of bitterness.
«I need…»
I was about to say that I didn’t need anything, remembering once being scolded by Yurnet for not understanding others’ feelings.
«Come here.»
Priacis tapped the ground beside her with her hand.
I sat silently, and Priacis began to pat my shoulder.
«The future of Taonier rests on these shoulders. If you don’t relax them properly, it’ll be a serious problem.»
I didn’t feel much.
It felt like a feather had landed on me.
«I remember the old times.»
Priacis murmured softly.
«I used to pat His Highness the Prince’s shoulders this way. He said my massage was the most pleasant. I wonder what he’s doing now.»
«He’s probably alive.»
«That’s a relief. It’s been almost ten years since I entered the royal palace. I wish I had seen his face at least once.»
You’ll see the prince’s face soon.
But probably not in the way you expect.
«Listen, Priacis. There’s something you need to do.»
«Haha, I’m sure of my massages. Should I give it to all five?»
Priacis was tapping around my shoulder blades.
«Have you heard of the King of Mercenaries?»
«Um, the King of Mercenaries. It sounds familiar. Oh! I heard about him from a troubadour in a tavern. With his comrades, he conquered dungeons across the continent. But what about it?»
«You must leave immediately and recruit that guy, the King of Mercenaries.»
Priacis stopped her hand.
I continued speaking.
«It seems he has significant influence in the world of mercenaries. If we can persuade him to join us, we could have a supporting force in the upcoming battle. As you can see, we can’t leave here. We’re tied to this mission. You’re the only one who can do it.»
«……»
«Can’t you do it?»
I turned to look at Priacis as I sat.
Priacis blinked incessantly.
«Are you telling me to bring that man?»
«Yes.»
«I heard that many magnates tried to strike a deal with him, but no one succeeded. Why would someone so influential talk to someone as insignificant as me, a former princess with no money or honor? I’m just, a… oh!»
Priacis bit her lip.
«I’m sorry. I was trying to escape again.»
«If it’s too difficult, you don’t have to do it. We’ll find another way.»
«No, I’ll go see him.»
«He’ll be nearby.»
«I’ll look for him right now!»
Priacis stood up from her seat.
And she began to walk toward the path leading outside.
She seemed determined to find the King of Mercenaries immediately.
‘It’s too reckless.’
I said aloud, «Priacis.»
«……?»
«Tell that guy that Han Israt came to collect a debt of a gold coin.»
«A gold coin?»
«He’ll understand when you say it. The rest is up to you. I’ll be waiting.»
Priacis shuddered for a moment and then nodded slowly before proceeding.
At the same time, light enveloped my body.
[Stage completed!]
[Jenna (★★★★), Kishasha (★★★★), have leveled up.]
[Rewards: 300,000G, Forest Essence (Intermediate) x 3, Cardboard (A) x 13]
[MVP: Han (★★★★)]
The stage completion message appeared.
Looking back, the members were returning one by one to the Lobby.
‘It will be soon.’
There wasn’t much left for floor 50.
There was no time to rest. Once in the Lobby, I would organize what needed to be done.
Particles of light enveloped my body.
[Loading……]
‘……?’
As I prepared to return, an unknown message suddenly appeared.
[Recovering……]
[An error in the server has disconnected your session. Please wait a moment.]
Chis.
The trembling leaf in the wind stopped in its place.
The forest landscape turned into a cold gray ash.
It wasn’t the first time I found myself in this situation.
It had happened before, on floor 10, when Tel directly intervened in the mission.
‘Someone is here.’
I tried to turn around.
«Stay still.»
An unfamiliar voice.
Without a specific gender or tone.
«It’s been a long time since I received a massage from that girl.»
«…What?»
«Just a brief greeting before our paths cross on the chessboard.»
A greeting, huh?
«What a tragic fate we share.»
A red bandage passed fleetingly in front of my eyes.
«Han Israt, we want to test your worth. If you truly wish to conquer the tower, if you wish to uncover Mobius’s hidden truth, overcome the impending injustice.»
«……»
«If you fail… I will destroy this broken world myself.»
Chis.
The landscape regained its original colors.
[Recovery completed.]
[Reconnecting to the server. We apologize for the inconvenience.]
Immediately, I turned to look back.
There were only fallen leaves there.
‘Did he come to declare war?’
It seems the assertion that the prince can wield interference power is correct.
Though brief, it mimicked Tel’s actions.
Destroy it.
Is that what Persephone had called liberation?
It seems she exaggerated a bit, but that doesn’t matter.
‘The prince will appear on floor 50.’
Although there’s a level difference, the prince won’t directly participate in the fight, but he’ll surely be a nuisance from a distance.
If I were him, I would never have given such a hint.
Light enveloped my body, and as I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the space between dimensions.
I looked around.
The mirror in the center of the room flickered faintly.
[Climb the tower, save the world.]
[Main dungeon: current floor – 47]
Climb the tower, save the world.
A motto I had seen thousands of times, both in my days as a Master and now, as a hero.
To the point of being completely fed up with it.
«What are you doing, brother?»
«Nothing.»
Jenna looked at me oddly from outside.
I shook my head and followed her to the square.
There’s a lot to do.
Floor 50 is just around the corner.