Pick Me Up!

It wasn’t a very familiar window. But I know what it was. This font. These tips. These numbers. It was the screen that appears when you first install Pick Me Up.

Is this waking up from a dream after the download is complete?

I feel disgusting. It was a dream I never wanted to dream again.

End quickly. I don’t want to be here for another moment.

[Downloading… 537/537: Complete!]

A window appeared in the center of the room, and a video started playing.

“A land where humans and different species coexist, Townia.”

“An unknown enemy invades the continent, where peace and prosperity prevailed!”

Crude 2D graphics.

A burning castle.

Soldiers resembling paper dolls and monsters collide.

“In the end, the continent is torn apart by the power of darkness.”

“But hope still remained.”

“You, the Master! If you want to save the world, climb the tower!”

“Numerous heroes will accompany you.”

The video closed.

I was staring with my mouth open.

“I am Iselle, the fairy who will assist the Master for a while. Master, please tell me your name first!”

[2 to 6 characters, no spaces or special characters.]

“Pick Me Up.”

[The name already exists.]

It’s not what I wrote.

The keyboard entered characters on its own, and the letters were engraved.

“I’mTheBest.”

[The name already exists.]

“ABCDEF.”

[The name already exists.]

“Anytng.”

(T/N: I think Rndm would be more appropriate since it’s shorten for “Random,” but I don’t want to throw the Manhwa readers off with changing the name so I copied the Asurascans’ translator’s name for the master.)

[The name is available. Would you like to use it?]

[Yes (Selected) / No]

[Welcome, Amkena, to the world of Pick Me Up!]

[Would you like to proceed with the tutorial? Completion will reward you with a certain reward.]

[Yes (Selected) / No]

It made the selection on its own as well.

When the white cursor pressed ‘Yes,’ my vision suddenly changed.

Light wrapped around everything in front of me.

There was no time to think.

When I opened my eyes again, it was a burning village.

[It was the year 351 of the Imperial era when the forces of demons invaded the continent.]

[In a small village in the Heim region, there was a boy named ‘Han Israt.’]

The acrid smoke irritated my nose.

“Cough, cough!”

I coughed while bending over.

My throat felt burning as if it was on fire.

“Where is this place again…?”

Flames were rising from all directions.

The burning buildings were houses. Tightly constructed houses, fences, storage sheds, and trees burned fiercely together.

People were escaping from there like rats fleeing a sinking ship.

“G-Goblins!”

“Run away, don’t come!”

“This way! We have to hurry!”

Looking at his scene, I let out a bitter laugh.

In my right hand, I held an old and worn-out iron sword.

[Tutorial Quest 1: Defeat the goblins invading the village!]

[The battle will proceed automatically. Enjoy high-level combat implemented by the hero’s internal AI!]

“Kek, keruk!”

Far away, monsters with green skin were rushing from below the hill.

About 150 cm tall. Wearing helmets, they held crooked swords. Their backs were hunched, and their green skin looked hideous.

[Goblin Lv.1]

“What are those monsters?”

The goblins were slaughtering the people below the hill. They killed men and women indiscriminately with their swords, and with torches in their left hands, they set fire to the houses.

It was hell.

[‘Han(★)’ feels fear! All attributes decrease by 30%.]

[Tips/Heroes sometimes experience fear.]

Hero Han?

What a ridiculous thing to see!

I don’t know where it is, but I have to run away. I climbed up the hill. If I go in the direction people are fleeing, something will work out.

Thunk.

After taking a few steps, my body stopped as if it had hit a wall.

“Why can’t I go out?”

The people around me were passing by just fine.

I reached out my hand into thin air. Strong resistance stuck to my fingertips.

“You damned thing!”

I tried to shoulder bash with all my strength. A sharp pain ran through my shoulder, and I tumbled to the ground.

I quickly got up.

“Then I’ll go sideways!”

Thunk.

There was an invisible wall next to me.

I pushed with all my might, but it didn’t move an inch.

In the end, I couldn’t move at all.

“What the hell are you guys?”

I shouted to the refugees passing by.

“Where is this? Can you hear me? Answer me!”

The people ran away as if they couldn’t hear me or didn’t hear me.

I tried to grab the shoulder of a man jumping over the fence, but the invisible wall blocked my hand again.

The goblins were approaching from below the hill.

[‘Han(★)’ is in panic! All attributes decrease by 50%.]

[Master, please use the fear prevention potion on the hero in crisis! The fear prevention potion can be purchased for 50 gems from the stop, but the first time is provided for free.]

[Would you like to use it?]

[Yes (Selected) / No]

Suddenly, a purple bottle appeared in front of me.

The bottle cap popped open and stuck to my face.

“Ah-choo!”

I sat down, putting my hand on the ground.

A bitter and pungent liquid flowed into my throat.

“Cough, cough!”

It felt like I had inhaled chili powder through my nose.

If you’re going to make me drink it, at least make it taste good!

At the same time, a cold feeling spread through my back. The trembling vision became clear. It felt like cold water had been poured on my overheated head.

The first thing that came out of my mouth was,

“Sh*t…”

It was a curse.