Pick Me Up Infinite Gacha! Novel - Chapter 288
Pick me Up – Chapter 288 – Another Ending (3)
90th Floor
Taonier’s Last Mission
The task was clear: enter the black hole with the aircraft known as ‘The Sword of Taonier’. Hopefully, we could find an opportunity to overcome the numerical inferiority.
‘If we are very lucky, of course.’
But it wasn’t just a matter of luck.
Thousands, millions of odds against us. Even multiplying that by millions, victory couldn’t be guaranteed. This fell into the realm of miracles.
And,
I didn’t believe in miracles.
From the day I was born until now.
The missions on the 88th and 89th floors had been extremely simple.
As always, it was enough to repel the fragments invading the orbit. Moreover, being fewer in number than on the 86th floor, they could be handled without much help from the mercenaries.
Although the refugees fell one by one from cold and hunger, and the mercenaries died from wounds and diseases, the construction of the aircraft called ‘The Sword of Taonier’ continued relentlessly.
Resilient armor and efficient weapons couldn’t be considered.
After the defense of the 86th floor, the waiting room and the imperial army’s air forces had suffered almost total destruction. There was no other option but to build using parts from old wrecked aircraft.
[90th Floor]
[Mission Type – Unknown]
[Objective – Unknown]
I looked at the mission window flashing on the right side of my vision.
According to Alpha Zero’s explanation, this was the last stage of Taonier.
The type of mission and the objective couldn’t be known. There was no additional explanation, just a small holographic window.
Anything seemed a bit disoriented upon entering the mission, but soon composed himself and continued with the operation.
Before departure, the characteristic of this mission, according to the notice, was that a reinforcement group could be sent at any time. Therefore, only three elites from Group 1 set off for the 90th floor.
‘Well, they can’t even be called reinforcements.’
Many heroes had lost their lives in consecutive missions.
Even selecting the best from those remaining for the heights, they didn’t reach a hundred.
“The Sword of Taonier…”
Jenna murmured.
There was a complex emotion in her voice.
Sure, the name sounded grand, but in reality, it wasn’t impressive at all. In front of the command camp, there was just a small half-destroyed aircraft.
“With this, are we going to enter the hole and capture the boss of those fragments or whatever?”
“That’s the basic plan. If we apply the power of the dimensional sword, we should be able to maintain our form in the tunnel. The rest depends on us.”
“But do the fragments have a boss? Even if they do, would the invasion end if we eliminate it?”
Pria remained silent.
Belkist gave an ironic smile.
“It doesn’t seem like it.”
“We won’t know until we try.”
“So, our strategy is a suicide charge?”
Belkist glanced behind.
There the mercenaries waiting to board the aircraft stood.
But their armor was dented and dirty with blood and dust. The spears and swords were rusty, and their eyes had lost their shine. There were fewer than a hundred. The continuous invasions had caused more casualties.
“Maybe it would be better to move our base. There’s nothing left here. It would be better than a useless charge.”
“Belkist.”
I said softly.
Belkist looked at me and smiled bitterly.
“Well, at this point, where else could we go with the princess here? I apologize for my comment. You’re right, there’s no other choice.”
“Thanks for understanding.”
“But if we go into the hole, what will happen to the people here…?”
“Don’t ask unnecessary questions.”
I said dryly, heading towards the stairs connected to the aircraft.
“The gate is opening. It might end before we even start.”
Chiiiis.
Beyond the gray clouds, an enormous crack was spreading in the sky.
It was the signal that the hole was opening. By the size of the crack, the scale of this invasion was massive. If we missed the moment to enter, we would surely fail. If we delayed, we might be annihilated without even entering.
“It seems we don’t have… time.”
Pria sighed.
Finally, with a determined expression, she began to climb the stairs.
I looked at the two remaining.
“Let’s go too.”
Belkist jumped several meters and landed on the deck.
Jenna was looking at the ground, clenching her fists.
“Don’t hold on. This is the last mission.”
I whispered in Jenna’s ear.
“I’ve heard the missions go up to the 100th floor…”
“No, this is the end. Just think about surviving. Just because this ends doesn’t mean we’re going to die. Move with the mindset of returning alive to the Lobby.”
“But…”
Jenna looked at me.
Her eyes were moist at the edges.
“This is the place where my father and I were born and raised.”
“Any ending is better than dying. Remember that.”
Jenna covered her forehead with her hand, then began to climb the stairs slowly.
Afterwards, the mercenaries started boarding. All with dull expressions and movements. They were already demoralized before the battle. Yoshu, as the leader, should have encouraged them, but there was no one left with that talent here.
“Han.”
Pria called from the deck.
I was the last one left.
Chiiis. Chiiis.
The crack in the sky was becoming more evident. There was no time to hesitate.
I jumped onto the deck. The mechanical stairs folded, and the aircraft began to float.
“Princess!”
As the aircraft slightly lifted off the ground, a clamor similar to a chorus echoed.
Turning my gaze, I saw the refugees grouped near the dock.
“Please, please… bring us victory!”
“We believe in you, Your Highness!”
“Bring light to Taonier!”
They shouted with hoarse voices.
Pria nodded softly with a smile.
“We will do our best to meet your expectations.”
The Sword of Taonier began to rise.
3m, 5m, 10m…
Pria put her hand on the hilt of her sword and spoke.
“Don’t be too sad. Everything that begins has an end. You have fought well. I consider it an honor to have fought alongside you.”
“Princess…”
[※Warning!]
[‘Chaos’, ‘Despair’, and ‘Resentment’ are beginning to descend.]
Crash!
A crack of dozens of meters burst open.
What appeared was a hole like the mouth of a demon.
Inside, countless fragments were writhing.
As if thousands or millions of cockroaches emerged at once from a drain.
I thought, seeing the dark army covering the sky.
[Fragment of Chaos Lv.113] X 3153
[Fragment of Despair Lv.108] X 2913
[Fragment of Resentment Lv.121] X 3689
Did I miscalculate?
There were many more than expected.
Although a random characteristic hadn’t manifested, the quantity was overwhelming.
“There seem to be more than ten thousand.”
“Don’t worry. Their target isn’t us.”
The fragments forming clouds advanced towards the orbit.
A mercenary shouted desperately.
“Princess!”
“Spread the goddess’s breath.”
A bright blue dust began to disperse from the rear of the ship.
We couldn’t stop the fall of the orbit. So, at least we should make their death less painful. The dust spread throughout the orbit with the wind.
“Brother!”
“What?”
“Look…!”
[Fragment of Chaos Lv.113] X 13942
[Fragment of Despair Lv.108] X 11964
[Fragment of Resentment Lv.121] X 15531
The hole was completely filled.
Belkist laughed incredulously.
“How many are there?”
Clang!
The fragments were moving and spreading everywhere.
They were going to devour the remaining land in Taonier.
‘Is this the end?’
I bit my lip.
I always knew this moment would come.
A predestined end. But at least now, in this moment…
“Until the last moment.”
Clang!
Pria raised her sword.
“We will resist!”
The Sword of Taonier began to accelerate sharply.
It didn’t have durability or armament, but it hadn’t lost speed.
[The special NPC Priacis al Ragnar has awakened the ‘Golden Bloodline’.]
Pria’s eyes glowed intensely.
Her silver hair down to her waist fluttered and turned golden.
[The multi-dimensional sword Lusrada has awakened.]
Wuuuuuuung!
Pria’s sword emitted a blinding glow.
“Advance!”
Hundreds of fragments approaching the aircraft were erased by the light.
Like a wave of light, it swept the fragments away.
[Fragment of Chaos Lv.322] X 531
[Fragment of Despair Lv.315] X 287
[Fragment of Resentment Lv.311] X 377
Roar!
Crystals also appeared.
They were watching us from within the hole.
Jenna ran to Pria.
“Princess, there are too many! Let’s retreat and come back! That ability isn’t invincible!”
Clang!
The light emanating from the dimensional sword eliminated hundreds of fragments at once.
From within, the Sword of Taonier advanced spinning.
“Save your strength. Inside the tunnel… my ability will weaken.”
“The… blood…”
Gulp!
Blood dripped from Pria’s lips.
I clicked my tongue.
“Pria is right. If not now, it will be never.”
“……”
“The number will increase. Let’s go to the hole. We can only do this.”
“…Understood.”
Wuuuuuuung!
Surrounded by golden light, the Sword of Taonier advanced through the fragments towards the hole.
‘If this is the path you have chosen…’
There’s no choice but to follow it.
“Kyaa! Kyaaah!”
[Corrupt Lizardman Lv.74] X 15
[Corrupt Goblin Lv.59] X 19
[…]
Suddenly, monsters appeared on the deck.
Probably transformed fragments. I didn’t need to think about their objective.
Pria was wielding her dimensional sword, repelling the fragments.
“Prepare for battle.”
I drew Bifrost.
At the same time, Jenna, Belkist, and the mercenaries drew their weapons.
I spoke loudly so everyone could hear.
“There’s no need to tell you how to fight. Protect Pria first. Then the ship. Ignore the others. Focus on those in the way.”
‘At this point, we need reinforcements…’
The more troops, the better.
I looked at the Master’s control window. It seemed Anything was thinking the same and had opened the deployment window. After forming an attack team, he pressed the deployment button…
[Restoring…]
[A server error has occurred. Please wait a moment.]
Suddenly, noise appeared on Anything’s screen.
‘…Again.’
It crashed.
And right on the 90th floor, when we were about to enter the hole.
‘No.’
Was it on purpose?
I smiled.
They couldn’t show the inside of the hole to a stranger like Anything.
Well, it doesn’t matter.
This is the last mission.
A contract is a contract.
As long as the mission allows it, I will fight until the end.
[The aircraft The Sword of Taonier has entered ‘???’]
Finally, the aircraft we were on ventured into the hole.