Pick Me Up!

I squinted my eyes open.

The quality of the hologram screen wasn’t great. The image stuttered continuously, and coarse noise occasionally swept across the middle of the video. However, I could still clearly make out the face of the man lying in the bed.

His bones were gaunt.

It looked as if his skin was barely hanging on.

He was lying flat on the bed with a respirator attached. The heart monitor beside the bed displayed an irregular graph. Even at a glance, he was clearly unconscious. There was no sign he would open his eyes.

The face was so different from the one I knew.

It was only after checking multiple times that I could finally accept it.

The young man in that bed was me.

<Currently, Master’s body is isolated in a general hospital. Vital signs are stable. However, you’ve been in a coma for nearly a year. Still, Master’s physical body isn’t dead.>

With a distant look, she stared at the man in the bed.

“Does that mean I can go back?”

<I have completed the coordinate measurements. The issue is whether your body can withstand the pressure. Dimensional interference will be immense. Most biological data would be completely shattered during the transmission. Speaking of which, Master…>

Yurnet furrowed her brow.

<You crossed over here with your body intact. That’s an impossibility.>

“It’s not entirely unprecedented. El Cid was similar.”

<Based on our investigation, El Cid was entirely different. As the prototype of the Seven Star Project, he lost most of his body and only a fragment of his consciousness crossed into Möbius. The difference with you, who preserved both body and mind perfectly, is vast.>

Yurnet took a short, deep breath and continued her explanation.

<After the failure of the Seven Star prototype, El Cid, the project moved in a different direction. Using heroes who reached the limits of Six Stars as the base, they synthesized only the Master’s interference power. That’s how the second, third, and fourth prototypes were created. However…>

“So I was originally supposed to be fused with Seris. But instead, my body crossed over on its own?”

And to a place completely unrelated to Niflheimr.

Yurnet rubbed her lips.

Then, in a low voice, she said:

<Master…>

“That’s not really important. We were talking about whether I can return to Earth.”

<You’re right. I deviated from the topic. I apologize.>

Yurnet gave a brief nod.

<In any case, to cross from Möbius back to Earth, you’ll need to withstand immense pressure. Therefore, you’ll need a body that can endure it. If this issue can be resolved, we’ll be able to open the gate with the interference power we’ve gathered.>

“Seven Star.”

I muttered softly.

If there’s anybody capable of withstanding dimensional pressure, that’s the only possibility.

If there were no method at all, they wouldn’t have brought this up with me.

<Yes. If Master becomes a Seven Star, it will be possible.>

“……”

<Of course, before that, you must absorb enough interference power from Townia.>

I grabbed the glass of water on the table and took a sip.

Absorb Townia’s interference power. That means clearing the mission up to the 90th floor.

Only after that can I become a Seven Star and even start talking about returning home.

Gulp.

Even after finishing the glass of water in one go, my thirst wasn’t quenched.

Rather, my insides felt like they were burning.

<You must feel regretful.>

Yurnet lowered her gaze.

<But Master, you must return. Don’t you have family waiting for you?>

“I don’t have anything like that.”

<I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…>

I chuckled as I watched Yurnet fluster.

“Why are you apologizing? I never told you about it.”

<……>

“Anyway, you’re saying there’s a way to return.”

<Yes. If the company intervenes, we will risk our lives to protect you.>

I let out a deep sigh.

Since arriving here, I had received so much help from them, but I’d never given anything back.

Am I just going to keep receiving until the end?

<Master, I’ve deposited money into your account. Use it as living expenses when you return.>

Yurnet twirled her left hand.

Another hologram window popped up. It was a mobile banking account screen.

The account holder’s name was Han Seojin—my real name on Earth.

‘Shin-X Bank, huh.’

Well, I don’t use that bank anymore after switching.

I glanced down.

[11X – 35X – 2268XX]

[Balance: ₩10,000,000,000]

10 billion won?

I thought I had misread it and checked again. But I hadn’t.

<In addition, I’ve prepared three high-rise officetels in Gangnam, Seoul, a Ferrari V8 Special Model, land slated for new city development, and 10,000 Batcoins. The procedures are complete, and everything is already in your name. You can use them as soon as you return. You won’t have to worry about living expenses.>n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“You gathered all this yourself?”

Yurnet gave a slight smile and nodded.

<Hacking, stocks, and speculation are my hobbies. There are so many fools called ‘ants’ on Earth. Thanks to them, I’ve had modest success.>

“……”

<I have no use for these things, so I’ll give them to you, Master.>

I let out a hollow laugh.

That’s far from ‘modest success.’

I had saved up a decent sum doing MyTube broadcasts, but Yurnet’s gift was on a completely different scale. With this, I could live extravagantly anywhere forever.

‘Forgetting everything about this place…’

<Master, none of this is your fault. This world is broken. There’s no need for you to blame yourself or feel guilty. You’ve done everything you could.>

Yurnet smiled gently.

<Möbius Headquarters has already lost much of its power. Soon, they’ll lose control over Earth as well. You don’t need to worry.>

“……”

<Forget everything here and live a happy life. That’s our wish for you.>

I closed my eyes.

If what Yurnet and the Prince said was true, then there’s no hope here.

No matter what is done, destruction cannot be reversed.

And soon, the server will collapse, and the entire universe will be engulfed in darkness.

‘If that happens…’

It’s not just Townia.

All the heroes of Niflheimr, every waiting room, countless assistant fairies, and monsters—they’ll all disappear.

Every being that lived and breathed in this game would vanish.

‘Forget all this and return to Earth?’

What happens if I don’t go back?

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!