Chapter 4: Saved by a Tip
The moment Han spoke those words, the fairy's entire body went stiff.
"Y-You what…" Iselle stammered, her crimson eyes wide with disbelief.
Then, she snapped. "What kind of lie is tha—"
Before she could finish, Han cut her off.
"Account number 46631913." His voice was calm, cold, and piercing. "Due to security measures against hacking, a Pick Me Up account number is only known to the account holder and the server managers."
Iselle visibly flinched.
"Check it yourself." Han continued, his unwavering gaze locked onto hers. "If you don't believe me, should I tell you my Google account too?"
"You... You?!" Iselle's face contorted with uncertainty, her disbelief almost palpable. Yet, despite her initial reaction, she quickly summoned a holographic digital monitor with a wave of her hand, connecting directly to the main server to verify his claim.
A few tense seconds passed as she navigated through the system. Then—
Her eyes widened in pure shock.
"No way! Really, really?! For real…"
For a brief moment, she simply stood there, speechless. Then—
"EEEEEEEEEK!" She let out an ear-piercing squeal and, in a flash, pulled out a paper sheet and pen seemingly from thin air, shoving them into Han's hands.
"Do it! Please give me your autograph!"
"...What?" Han blinked, dumbfounded.
"With this, I'll be a top member of the—" she was about to explain excitedly, but Han immediately pushed the sheet of paper away with a sigh, cutting her off.
"Don't you remember what situation I'm in?" His voice turned sharp again, his cold demeanor returning. "I'm about to die, and you're asking me for an autograph?"
Iselle froze, finally processing the reality of the situation again.
"Ah."
A heavy silence hung between them.
Then—
"Ahhhhhh! Crap, crap, crap!" Iselle flailed in mid-air, her wings fluttering frantically. "What do we do now?!"
Han exhaled sharply, crossing his arms. His gaze remained cold and unshaken.
"Write a tip for Anytng."
"A tip?" Iselle blinked, tilting her head. "What could that help us—"
Before she could finish, Han cut her off again.
"Just do as I said, Iselle."
Something in his tone made Iselle straighten up immediately. She nodded, summoning her digital monitor once more. Her fingers hovered over the holographic keyboard, waiting for his instruction.
"What should I write for the master?"
Han didn't hesitate. "Using synthesis on a hero that hasn't fought much can be detrimental. It's better to check just how determined and talented the hero is before synthesizing him."
The moment the words left his mouth, Iselle's eyes widened in realization.
"This is genius!" she exclaimed, her fingers rapidly moving across the keyboard. "In this way, Master won't synthesize for now! As expected from Loki!"
A soft ding rang in Han's ears as a system message appeared before him:
[Using synthesis on a hero that hasn't fought much can be detrimental. It's better to check just how determined and talented the hero is before synthesizing him.]
Han's sharp gaze flickered slightly.
'It went through.'
The message had successfully reached Anytng. Now, all he could do was wait and hope that the master would cancel the synthesis.
[Synthesis has been canceled!]
A subtle smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. So, our master is a rather smart guy—or girl.
Most new Pick Me Up players made the rookie mistake of immediately feeding every low-level hero into their highest-star unit, assuming raw power was all that mattered. But any experienced player knew better.
From the 5th Floor onward, a full party was essential. No matter how strong a single hero became, they couldn't clear later stages alone. If the rest of the team fell behind, they would become dead weight. The fact that Anytng reconsidered meant they weren't just blindly following instinct—they had the potential to think strategically.
The glowing blue light inside the chamber flickered and dimmed, signaling the end of the process. A moment later, Shay stepped out, her armored boots clicking against the floor. Her expression was as composed as ever, her knightly poise unshaken.
"What happened, Khan?" she asked, her eyes calm but inquisitive. "Weren't you supposed to undergo synthesis with me? Why was it suddenly canceled?"
Han let out a quiet sigh. "Because the master rethought their decision and realized it was a waste to discard me without even seeing my worth." His voice remained steady, unfazed.
Then, his eyes twitched slightly as he added in a sharper tone, "And my name is Han, not Khan."
For a brief moment, Shay simply looked at him—then, to his surprise, she chuckled.
A low, amused sound, barely audible, but unmistakable.
Han blinked, caught off guard.
"Yeah, i'll try to keep it in mind," Shay said, a faint smirk playing at her lips. "But I still think that Khan suits you more."
Iselle let out a dramatic gasp. "Wait, wait, wait! That means… we did it! Loki lives to see another day!" She pumped her tiny fists in the air, spinning midair like an excited sprite.
"Iselle, don't be so happy yet. Master still has plans left."
Iselle froze mid-spin. "Huh?" She tilted her head, blinking in confusion. "What do you mean, 'don't be so happy yet'?"
Han's cold gaze didn't waver. "Master still has plans left."
"Other plans?" Iselle repeated, her excitement fading into uncertainty.
"Yes." Han turned toward Shay, his expression unreadable. "Get ready. Master is going to test my worth."
...
[Stage 1]
Ten goblins surrounded them.
Han's eyes scanned the area, instantly recognizing the situation. It was exactly like the tutorial stage he had gone through with Shay—but this time, there was a crucial difference.
[LVL 3 Goblin]
[LVL 3 Goblin]
[LVL 3 Goblin]
Every single one of them was level 3.
Stronger. Faster. More dangerous than before.
His heartbeat pounded in his chest, but not out of fear—out of sheer determination.
This is it.
If I fail here, if I don't prove my worth, I'll be synthesized the moment this stage ends. If I make it out alive, that's it.
That was the reality of Pick Me Up. Weak heroes were discarded. Only the strong survived.
His grip tightened around the sword in his hand.
Failure wasn't an option.
Shay stood beside him, her blade gleaming in the dim light. She remained composed, her stance steady as she assessed their opponents.
"Looks familiar, doesn't it?" she mused, casting him a sidelong glance.
Han exhaled slowly, his eyes locked onto the goblins. "Yeah." His voice was steady, but there was an undeniable edge to it. "But this time, there's no room for mistakes."
The goblins snarled, their yellowed fangs bared as they inched closer, weapons raised.
Han's fingers twitched.
Time to prove my worth.
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Liked this chapter? Like I said, there are gonna be a lot of differences from now on, Shay won't be wasted away like in the original.