We returned to the Rift of Time and Space.
I flicked the blood off my sword with a sharp motion.
"Managed to finish it somehow."
"Uugh, keoook...!"
Aaron doubled over completely, vomiting stomach acid. His entire body was drenched in cold sweat. His hand gripping the spear trembled violently.
"Are you okay?"
"F-fine..."
Jena gently rubbed Aaron's back. After Aaron calmed down, we walked out into the plaza. As the Rift of Time and Space closed, Aaron stared at the shut door of the Synthesis Lab with trembling eyes.
"What will happen to me?"
"I don't know either."
Truthfully, Aaron didn't contribute much in the last battle. Though he acted as a link between me and Jena, he mostly just thrust or swung his spear occasionally between us, unable to commit fully.
Still, he was better than nothing.
[Add 'Aaron (★)' to Favorites.]
"You survived."
"R-really?"
"Can't you see? It's not opening."
"I survived! I... survived-surviiiiiiived!"
Aaron fell to his knees, throwing his hands up in the air.
['Well-Honed Iron Sword (-C)' is registered as 'Han (★)'s dedicated equipment.]
['Sturdy Iron Shield (C)' is registered as 'Han (★)'s dedicated equipment.]
['Balanced Shortbow (C)' is registered as 'Jena (★)'s dedicated equipment.]
['Sharp Longspear (C-)' is registered as 'Aaron (★)'s dedicated equipment.]
"The Armory isn't opening? Don't we need to return the weapons?" Jena asked.
I looked at the message indicating the registration of dedicated equipment. Dedicated equipment is a system that binds a specific item to that hero. Dedicated equipment cannot be used by anyone other than the designated hero. Therefore, there was no need to store it in the Armory.
"Looks like we're supposed to keep them."
"We don't have to return them? I wanted to practice with this bow instead of the wooden one!"
Jena's eyes sparkled. When I nodded, she cheered and hugged the bow.
Indeed, the wooden series kept in the training ground differs in weight and size from the actual weapons we use. To get used to the weapons used in actual combat, carrying them around would be much better.
"Then we can go back, right? Seems like it's over for today."
"Wait, not yet."
Though the Rift of Time and Space, the Synthesis Lab, and the Armory were closed, the light in the sky hadn't extinguished. I trudged over to a corner of the plaza and sat down.
"Niina, Oppa is coming! Wait for meeee!" (Note: Niina is presumably Aaron's sister's name)
"...Bring that guy over too."
Jena dragged Aaron, who was performing a strange ceremony on his knees, over towards me.
[Pop Up! Purchase the New Package for 65,000 Won?]
[Yes(Selected) / No]
A bundle filled with blue gems and gold coins appeared on the hologram screen.
[The one-time massive payment deal for new Masters, the New Package!]
[5,000 Gems, 300,000 Gold for just 65,000 Won!]
[This amount will be added to next month's phone bill. Really purchase?]
[Yes(Selected) / No]
[Enter payment password.]
[ ****** ]
[Now Loading....]
[Payment Complete!]
[Items sent via mail. Please check!]
"What is the Master planning? They don't seem to be making us fight, and nothing new is appearing."
"That guy needs money too, to do anything."
"Money?"
"Didn't I say yesterday? I'm tired of eating only baked potatoes."
To put it bluntly, Pick Me Up is a cash-grab game ('Changryeol' game).
Unlike other mobile games, it doesn't give gems for completing missions, and events that shower players with gems are almost non-existent. Even with all the fuss about the "Super Popular Event for New Masters," the reality is just giving 1,000 Gems over 10 days. Even 1,000 Gems get depleted after 2 paid summons or constructing 2 basic facilities. This means ways to acquire Gems, the premium currency, for free in Pick Me Up are limited.
'Knew they'd spend money.'
This was around the time it starts getting fun.
The diverse reactions of the heroes and the realistic combat. Amkena would surely feel like they brought real humans into the waiting room, not just data made of 0s and 1s. Because they are real humans.
Amkena's profile was starting to take shape.
First, their login times are fixed. High probability of having a job with set working hours. Unlike the beginning, when they knew nothing and just threw 1-stars in, they consistently upgraded facilities for a while. And today, they even used the dedicated equipment function, something you can't learn from in-game tips. High probability they looked up guides on Pick Me Up related sites.
'If they're a user who looks up guides, I can predict where they'll spend 5,000 Gems.'
[Constructing Facility. Please tap the desired facility type.]
[You have selected 'Dormitory Lv.1'. Upgrade this building?]
[Yes(Selected) / No]
[Dormitory reached Level 2. Hero capacity limit increases.]
[You have selected 'Dining Hall', an annex to 'Dormitory'. Construct?]
[Yes(Selected) / No]
The plaza rumbled violently.
Caught by the sudden vibration, Aaron and Jena started panicking. I watched the construction completion windows popping up one after another.
[You have selected 'Workshop', an annex to 'Armory'. Construct?]
[You have selected 'Processing Plant', an annex to 'Armory'....]
['Training Ground Lv.1'....]
[Dining Hall construction complete! Heroes will now be provided with quality meals.]
[Workshop construction complete! Bonus provided for equipment crafting.]
[Processing Plant construction complete! Bonus provided for equipment crafting.]
[The Armory's three annexes - Blacksmith, Workshop, Processing Plant - merge to form a new facility, the 'Equipment Forge'!]
[Training Ground reached Level 2! Hero training efficiency increases.]
[Great!]
[Due to the proliferation of facilities, the Plaza evolves to Lv.2!]
Various objects appeared in the plaza, which had previously been just wide open space.
Wooden benches, small flowerbeds with blooming flowers, and a fountain. A bit of life was injected into the previously bleak atmosphere.
Of course, since Jena and Aaron hadn't noticed any precursor, they were utterly astonished. To them, it must have seemed like objects materialized out of thin air.
I briefly summarized the current phenomenon.
Both of them already knew that this place was governed by a being called the Master.
"Does this mean the waiting room gets better as we climb the floors?"
"Is the Master a great magician? Good heavens, that something like this is possible..."
Great magician.
In a sense, that's correct.
"Can we finally escape baked potatoes?"
"If a dining hall was built, things should get slightly better."
It wouldn't change drastically, but it would be better than now.
"Yes!"
Jena jumped for joy. Aaron didn't look displeased either.
To those two, what just happened could be perceived as a reward for victory. As per the tip, their morale would surely rise.
"Does fighting harder mean we can eat expensive food too?"
"As long as the Master doesn't deem you useless."
"Top-grade lamb steak is practically guaranteed then!"
"Hyungnim, I'm satisfied with turkey!"
Both their faces were beaming.
In contrast, I remained coldly composed. Seeing my impassive face, the two started sneaking glances at me.
Aaron spoke.
"Is something wrong, perhaps?"
"Remember what I said about being discarded if useless?"
Both nodded.
"Don't forget it. That's all."
"I will keep it in mind, Hyungnim!"
"I'll work harder too!"
'Seems like 3-stars will be coming soon.'
Perhaps even 4-stars, or maybe, just maybe, even 5-stars.
Currently, we constitute this waiting room's main progression party, but that's only because the roster is empty. Depending on the circumstances, it could change at any time.
I looked at the Summoning Chamber door.
That door was ready to open at any moment.
Even now.
Sure enough.
[Master, starting 10x Summon. Excited to see which heroes will appear!]
Noticing the opened Summoning Chamber door, Jena raised her voice.
"Oppa, the Summoning Chamber opened?"
"Finished redecorating the house, time to welcome guests."
Not a paid summon yet.
It was a normal summon using Gold.
[Clack, Dururururu.]
[Tada-ran!]
[Common!]
[Master 'Amkena' has acquired....]
[Common!]
[Master 'Amkena' has acquired....]
After a short while, ten men and women walked out into the plaza.
Having seen this twice now, it wasn't even unfamiliar anymore.
After murmuring and looking around from a corner of the plaza for a while, they spotted us. A bald-headed man approached us.
"W-who are you people? Did you bring us here?"
An anxious expression. His voice trembled.
Why are their reactions so similar.
Jena spoke in a bitter tone.
"It wasn't us. Someone called the Master summoned you."
"Master? Who is that person? A magician?"
"Something like that."
"Who are you people! Why are we here? Send us back immediately..."
"Quiet down."
I pressed my temples.
Hearing the same thing repeatedly was giving me a headache.
"I have no intention of explaining to you right now. You wouldn't believe it anyway. Survive on your own first, and if any of you come to your senses, I'll tell you then."
"Wh-what are you talking about! You..."
"I said be quiet."
I slightly drew the blade from its sheath. Seeing that, the man's face hardened.
They were barehanded, while we were armed with sword and shield, bow, and spear respectively. The man couldn't say anything and retreated.
I'm not some philanthropist like Jesus or Buddha; I have no intention of wasting energy explaining things individually.
"Hyungnim..."
"What, you want to go convince them? Tell them they have to fight monsters to survive? Think they'll believe it?"
There's no way but to experience it directly.
Once they roll around in the thick of it, they'll realize it, even if they don't want to.
[Welcome to the tower, chickens!]
Isel appeared and puffed out her chest. Trying to look imposing, perhaps.
It looked ridiculous to me, but not to them.
"Y-you, who are you?"
"[Shut up and listen carefully. Don't wander off or chatter, or you'll regret it.]"
The group fell silent.
Isel nodded with a satisfied expression, then continued.
"[Any carpenters among you?]"
A young man with an ordinary appearance raised his hand.
"[You, step aside over there.]"
The young man moved to the left without a word.
"[Next, anyone who was a blacksmith or tanner?]"
This time, no one raised their hand.
Isel clicked her tongue lightly, then finally said.
"[Anyone who was a cook?]"
"I-I know how to cook!"
The middle-aged man who had spoken to us earlier raised his hand.
"[Then you step aside too.]"
The man's eyes darted around, then he walked over to where the carpenter stood.
"What are they doing?"
"Dividing roles. If there's a dining hall, you need a cook. If there's a forge, you need a blacksmith."
I recalled Lyle, the middle-aged man summoned in the first 10-pull. He said he was a carpentry shop owner. That man was unlucky. If he had been summoned this time, he could have been assigned to the Workshop.
The current situation is analogous to assigning military occupational specialties before enlistment.
Just as someone talented in cooking becomes a cook and someone talented in driving becomes a driver, now that facilities are available, Isel, under the Master's orders, is classifying jobs.
"Lucky bastard, getting the easy job." I muttered, looking at the young man who was silently looking around.
With the carpenter and cook removed, a total of eight remained.
[Forming Party.]
[Drag and drop heroes!]
['Zid (★)' joins 'Party 2'!]
['Hanson (★)' joins 'Party 2'....]
['John (★)' joins 'Party 2'....]
[Open, Rift of Time and Spaaaace!]
If you have no particular talent,
There's no choice but to roll with the punches.