Pick Me Up!

[Unique skill, Beast Transformation activated!]

[‘Kishasha (★★★★)’ transforms!]

“Kraaang!”

With the roar of a beast, something burst out.

This time, I couldn’t even grasp its form. Instinctively, I positioned my greatsword in front. It felt like being hit by a truck. I was sent flying backward, rolling several times.

Immediately, I corrected my posture and backed away again.

The ground erupted, and pillars of dirt rose as if a bulldozer was digging through the earth.

I dusted the dirt off my head.

What stood before me was a girl in the form of a beast.

Her eyes were completely slit, fangs protruded from her lips, and her hair spiked out like a mane. A striped tail appeared behind her hips.

‘Is this her beast form?’

What I saw before was just a tiger.

It seems she can transform into two forms, human and beast.

“Krurr…”

Kishasha bared her teeth.

As if proving her hostility, her raised tail wagged.

This form seems to be stronger in pure combat power.

Come at me.

I tensed my eyes and pointed my sword forward, ready.

And then Kishasha disappeared.

‘……?!’

I hesitated for a moment.

Kishasha had scooped up the dirt under my feet.

Dust clouded my vision. I rolled on the spot right there.

Boom!

A huge mound of dirt erupted.

‘She’s just a monster.’

It’s okay to call her a living excavator.

I smirked and lowered my sword. Again, claws and blade clashed.

“Kraaa!”

Beyond the claws, there was no hint of rationality in the beast’s eyes.

She seemed to have completely lost her mind, attacking without hesitation even at vital points.

“It’s better this way.”

Clang! Clatter Clang!

I flicked away her claws, smirking.

“Better than being stuck in a hole.”

I leaped away as if flying.

Once more. I ran to the opposite side of the forest.

Kishasha chased after me, scattering debris and leaves from the trees.

From the shadows, the beast’s eyes dimly emerged.

Left foot back.

Right foot forward.

I firmly gripped my sword and flipped a switch in my mind.

[‘Han (★★★)’ has entered Ascend state!]

Crack.

The sound of bones misaligning came from within.

The pain of muscles and bones tearing apart without exception filled my body.

My vision blurred. I bit my tongue hard enough to bleed.

My vision cleared.

Kishasha, charging towards me, appeared in my sight.

Like lightning.

A burning, hot blood spread throughout my body.

Time slowed down.

In the slow-flowing seconds of time.

“Get your mind together.”

[Skill Awakening!]

[‘Han (★★★)’s ‘SpiritBlade Fusion’ has reached Lv.2!]

I lowered my greatsword.

And then,

Thump!

Space itself seemed to rip apart.

30 minutes later.

I was sitting on a shattered rock, gulping down a water bottle.

“It hurts like hell.”

I had minimized the output.

To the size of an ant’s nail. Even though the recovery power of the waiting room was in effect, the burning pain didn’t stop. It felt as if my muscles were completely torn apart.

“……Ugh.”

Kishasha, who had been lying face down in a large “X” shape, opened her eyes.

“Are you awake?”

“I, I am……”

“Get up already. Sleep later.”

I threw her a recovery potion.

Clink. Kishasha’s hand touched the air, and the glass bottle shattered, spilling the potion.

What a waste.

Well, she should be fine.

Kishasha blinked several times while lying down, covered in mud and blood, but had returned to her human-girl form. Her expression was strangely serene.

“I lost, didn’t I.”

“Yes, I won.”

I looked into the depths of the forest.

It could no longer be called a forest. The earth and grass were torn apart, and not a single intact tree could be found. In the middle of the forest, the ground was split in half as if by an earthquake.

“You really have become stronger.”

“Like I said, I’ve been through a lot.”

“But why… didn’t you kill me?”

“It seems that you haven’t had enough yet. Talking nonsense again.”

Cough.

Coughing brought up blood.

This power is overwhelming, but it’s too difficult to use.

I need to find a way to use it properly.

“Did it relieve some of your stress?”

“……”

“If you had someone to talk to, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

Taking a troublesome detour.

“……”

Kishasha blinked her eyes several times, looking up at the ceiling.

If it were someone else, they might offer some comforting words here, but that’s not really my style.

I just sat on the rock, continuing to drink my water.

“Heheh.”

Kishasha let out a faint laugh.

“My tribe…”

“They’re all dead. Not coming back.”

I decided not to mention that climbing to the top might bring them back to life again because it’s not 100% certain.

Even if they were to come back, they’d likely lose all their memories, making things different from before.

“I understand. I get it.”

Kishasha’s smile turned bitter.

“My tribe is dead because of you, Han.”

“Yeah, that was a misjudgment on my part.”

I should have placed Katiio instead of Eolka on the 35th floor.

There were other mistakes, but that was the crucial one.

“Make it right.”

“How?”

“That’s…”

I waited for an answer, but after a few minutes, there was none.

I turned my gaze away. Kishasha had fallen asleep in a sprawl, her small chest rising and falling with each breath.

She really can sleep through anything.

It seems I don’t need to worry anymore.

Igroaned as I stood up, feeling sore all over.

The surrounding forest was destroyed.

‘This place will soon…’

Be demolished.

There’s no reason to keep it.

After all, I destroyed it myself.

I looked up.

The sky was a mix of white and grey light.

It was morning.

‘This is bad.’

I had a tight schedule from the morning.

And I hadn’t slept at all. I patted my sore back and sheathed my sword.

I glanced at Kishasha, who was sleeping unaware of the world, and left the forest.

A few hours later.

I was in the office dealing with documents with Velkist.

“You smell of blood. Who did you fight with?”

Velkist turned to look at me.

Does this guy have a dog’s nose?

“Oh, yesterday. That monster brat. Did you win?”

“Would I lose?”

“Of course, I thought as much.”

I put the sorted documents in the drawer.

The rearrangement of the waiting room is almost complete today. Training resumes tomorrow, and if all goes well, we plan to continue our ascent of the tower in a week.

“So, what happened after you won? Did you personally take her head off?”

“Nonsense.”

Really.

He seems to say whatever comes to mind.

“How’s the training going? It’s been a while since we fought.”

“Not bad. It’s because you’ve been avoiding fights, senior. I’m ready anytime.”

“Once today’s work is done, prepare for the next selection battle.”

Velkist stopped moving.

“What are you talking about? The next selection battle?”

“One strong person will join us. But there are only five spots.”

“Me, Jenna, Katiio, you, Neryssa. Just these five.”

Excluding myself.

Jenna, the only long-range dealer in the party, cannot be left out.

Katiio, the mage, is the same. I wouldn’t leave him out even if I needed an airship mechanic. If an airship is necessary, I plan to use a mechanic.

“You once said it yourself, didn’t you? If you’re weak, you go down, and if you’re strong, you move up.”

“I did say something like that.”

“Put it into practice. There’s no such thing as comradeship anymore. It means no mercy.”

The roster for the second party is also full.

If you fall this time, there’s no coming back.

Unless a spot opens up or a new main party is formed, you’re out.

“What are you talking about…”

Bang!

The door to the office was flung open.

Velkist and I turned our gazes to the door at the same time.

“So this is your room?”

A girl, who could pass for mid-teens at best, dressed in leather clothes and barefooted, spoke up.

“…Hm?”

Velkist looked bewildered.

I expected this.

I finished putting the documents away.

“It smells weird. Is this what human houses are like?”

Kishasha sniffed around and walked up to the desk.

“Han.”

Kishasha’s gaze met mine.

“Put me in the first party.”

I'm currently Translating the following novels: Pick Me Up! | A Frontline Soldier Awakened as a Gamer In The War! | The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player. If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!