Pick Me Up!

Chapter 190: Advent Dungeon (2) (1)

[Do-doong!]

[The Advent Dungeon is opening!]

[Warning! Warning! Warning!]

Whoosh.

Black flames engulfed the entire sky.

Boom. Boom boom. Boom boom boom.

The ground shook violently, and the walls of the arena crumbled.

Flames surged through the gaps in the collapsed walls.

A rift in the sky.

‘Bingo.’

I remembered what Neryssa had told me.

The blood of the heads of the four great families of the last generation was so diluted, that they couldn’t harness the powers they were supposed to have.

What I was trying to summon was one of the four ancient species that made a contract with the Emperor when the Empire was created. It was said to split the earth with a gesture and set mountains ablaze with a glance.

[※Caution!]

[Current power level insufficient to clear this difficulty.]

[Retreat is recommended.]

Numerous warning messages filled my vision.

I waved the holograms away and exhaled.

The hot air filled my lungs. Just by its presence, the temperature had risen by several dozen degrees.

‘This is more like it.’

I smiled, looking up at the dragon.

Its burning eyes were staring at me.

“Give it to me.”

“Your power.”

The dragon’s pupils narrowed vertically.

Whooosh!

The wall of flames surged intensely.

[Danger!]

[Primordial Black Dragon]

[Halkion Syraos Lv.???]

A man surrounded by black flames slowly descended to the ground.

Three pairs of wings fluttered behind him.

Holding a black spear and clad in jet-black armor, the man spoke.

He continued.

“We won’t know until we try.”

The man smirked.

Simultaneously.

“…!”

I fell to my knees on the spot.

An unbearable pressure, as if my body would be crushed. It felt like the blood in my veins was boiling backward.

Barely supporting my collapsing body, I glanced to the side.

Crack. The ground, unable to withstand the pressure, was cracking like a spider web.

This was not psychological intimidation.

Gravity… perhaps.

“…Is that so.”

If Yurnet says he’s strong, then he really is.

I grinned.

“Then I can’t let this slip away.”

“Give me a hand. I don’t want to stay crouched.”

I heard Yurnet sigh.

“I’ll take that as a compliment. This won’t take long.”

Bwoong.

A dimensional gate opened above, and a double-edged sword covered in scales impaled the ground.

I grabbed the sword while still kneeling.

The dragon-slaying sword Ascalon.

A magical sword capable of dealing fixed damage to dragons.

If the user had the dragon-slaying skill, the efficiency would be multiplied several times over.

[Ascalon’s effect activated!]

A white steel gauntlet fell from the dimensional gate.

The gauntlet wriggled as if alive and attached itself to my right hand.

Clang.

[Draupnir’s effect activated!]

Next was a small wooden box.

Opening the lid revealed a crimson apple.

I took a big bite out of the apple.

[Idun’s Apple effect activated!]

Numerous weapons began to fall from the dimensional gate.

[Argos’ Eye effect activated!]

[Fragarach’s effect…]

[Meginjord’s effect…]

This was my last chance.

I had been saving them for this moment.

‘Ascend.’

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

Hundreds of kilograms of pressure were pressing down on me from all sides.

I gritted my teeth. Clutching Ascalon, I firmly planted my feet on the ground and stood up.

Oh, my foot!

I turned the blade and charged at the creature watching me.

[Skill, ‘Soulblade Fusion’ activated!]

Boom!

The first strike.

The full-powered Soulblade Fusion exploded against the black dragon.

Amidst the flames, thick dust billowed.

Just as my body was about to scream from the recoil damage, a cold sensation from my abdomen spread throughout my body. It was the effect of Idun’s Apple, which temporarily amplified healing ability by hundreds of times.

[Skill, ‘Soulblade Fusion’ activated!]

[Skill, ‘Soulblade Fusion’ activated!]

[Skill, ‘Soulblade Fusion’ activated!]

With strength unimaginable for my current self, I relentlessly unleashed Soulblade Fusion.

Each swing of Ascalon released red lightning with dragon-slaying properties, and the damage from Ascend and Soulblade was continuously healed by Idun’s Apple.

Though my body was healing, the pain did not disappear.

I gritted my teeth to the point of breaking and swung the sword.

There was no time to rest. Between the dust, flames, and flying rocks, I could clearly see the creature standing there.

‘It’s too much.’

Even after using the weapons of Niflheimr, there was no guarantee of victory.

Such a risky gamble. The old me would never have attempted this. I could have obtained a high-grade engraving later, after growing sufficiently.

But…

‘That’s not enough.’

Even now, when I close my eyes, it comes to mind.

If I had been stronger back then, I wouldn’t have had to witness such a sight.

I refuse to go through that again.

“If you understand, why don’t you die already? This is exhausting.”

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!