Pick Me Up, Infinite Gacha

[Aaron Side Story Episode 17]

3. The first dream (1)

* * *

Aaron closed the book.

The story of a man with no name was coming to an end as he acquired a name.

“How are you, Aaron? You’re not that bad, are you?”

“okay.”

“He looks cold on the outside, but Ridigion is a warm-hearted person. You will know when you get to know them.”

Aaron smiled bitterly.

The man was virtuous.

Even so, he had the talent and strength to persevere through his nobility.

“He is strong. body and mind.”

“Is it my mistake? It sounds like Aaron-nim doesn’t mean that.”

“I do not know. Me too… you don’t know me very well.”

Aaron knows.

The identity of the feeling boiling inside one’s heart.

A black and ugly emotion mixed in half with longing and half with jealousy.

Maybe it’s called inferiority complex.

As he mastered the power of karma, he thought he had graduated from that emotion.

But it wasn’t.

Aaron smiled and said.

“He is great. It wasn’t just about being talented. If the story in this book is true, doesn’t that mean that dozens of nobles were slaughtered without any training?”

“is it so. It’s not a genius level. Did you know? The moment Lidigion was summoned, the system determined his hero rating to be 2 stars.”

“Two stars? You mean two stars?”

Aaron couldn’t hide his surprise.

The domination of the game called Pick Me Up, which bound them, has long since ended, but the remnants of it still remain strong.

‘If it’s 2 stars…’

Right after 1 star.

Even if you are not an ordinary person who does not know anything, it is a grade that does not exceed the level of learning a little martial arts.

“Is that possible?”

“Whoops. According to my analysis, the fact that Ridigion was rated 2 stars must be a systemic error. Is it some kind of bug?”

Yurnet continued.

“Of course, there are grounds for a two-star rating. It’s his physical ability. At the time of summoning, he wasn’t much different from an ordinary person. He had never learned swordsmanship, so he was not given a high weapon skill.”

“Isn’t that strange? Their physical abilities aren’t exceptional, and their weapon skill levels aren’t high, so how can the Hundred Nobles…?”

Yunet’s explanation continued.

There is a special organ that has no form in the body of Lydigion.

Named by Yournet as the ‘Muyeom Organ’, it has the effect of allowing you to sensibly come into contact with the concept of martial arts.

He borrowed the power of such an institution to demonstrate his combat power.

However, the skill named Flameless Organ does not exist in Pick Me Up’s database.

There was not even a skill similar to him.

Therefore, Pick Me Up’s system judged him 2-star based on his mediocre physical abilities and low weapon skills.

“Isn’t that great? Pick Me Up’s database has all the different skills. There are many unique skills that only individuals possess. There are more than tens of thousands. However, it means that among them, Ridigion-sama’s talent was different.”

“okay.”

“You know? Me, Siris-sama, Nihaku-sama, and all the other heroes of Niflheim became stronger by borrowing the power of the system.”

That’s it.

The Pick Me Up system made the summoned heroes stronger.

The system made heroes into transcendent beings using the tools of synthesis, grade level, and skill.

“For example, Siris-sama and Nihaku-sama are like that. The phenomenal strength of the two is due to the Master’s dedication to making full use of the system’s abilities. It should be said that it is like a pottery made by a first-class craftsman.”

Siris is like that.

When she was summoned, she was nothing more than an insignificant 4-star hero.

Even though it was a 4 star, her basic abilities were below the average of a high level hero.

The situation changed when a player named ‘Loki’ clung to him.

He knew more about the Pick Me Up system and how it worked than anyone else on the planet.

Deleting skills that are lacking, attaching necessary skills, and continuously repeating the deletion and merger succession of skills.

In addition, a special effect called imprinting is applied to color it and a special concept is given to maximize combat power and personality.

In addition, a few hero synthesis, which can be said to be the end of the dragon, is added.

The masterpiece called ‘Siris Argentheim’ was created that way.

There are three keywords that symbolize her.

Ignition, explosion and regeneration.

The core of Siris did not change even after the system collapsed and she gained divine status and became a transcendent being.

In other words, the roots from when he was a hero are still maintained.

This result is part of my own efforts.

Excellent talent would have been added to the result.

However, the obvious cause was a master named Loki.

Without Loki, Siris wouldn’t be as strong.

It was the same with Nihaku.

Other than that, Niflheim’s other strong players who said I was long were similar.

With Loki’s help, their strength was able to bloom.

“But Ridigion-nim is different.”

Yunet said.

Even without Loki, if Ridigion had the will to become stronger, he wouldn’t have changed much.

“In Earth, these people are called ‘Injagang’. It’s an internet term, and it means that humans themselves are strong.”

Yurnet smiled.

“Is that so.”

“He had many opportunities to become strong. But they all gave in to us. And yet he was not lacking.”

indeed.

Aaron seemed to know.

Why do the warriors of Valhalla long for a man named Ridigion?

He made himself strong.

without borrowing anyone’s strength.

Even without the system, it would have been strong.

Such primordial strength

was what every human being could only hope for.

The existence of the Pick Me Up system made the heroes stronger.

However, it was the opposite for a man named Ridigion.

The system did not make the Lidigion strong.

The strength of the Lidigion was followed by the system.

“According to my own judgment. The appropriate summoning level for Lidigion is… 5 stars.”

“You mean five stars?”

“Yeah, that’s right. After taking out dozens of nobles single-handedly, he stormed into the castle, wiped out the garrison, and even killed the king. Is the strength of one warrior of the Hundred Nobles more than Aaron thought?”

“Is that so.”

“Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can easily deal with Lidigion.”

The 2-star hero named Ridigion was stronger than anyone could have imagined.

At the time, Loki didn’t know that.

That kind of strength wouldn’t have been revealed in the status.

He would have treated him like any other normal 2-star hero.

It must have been hard to notice even after going through a few real battles.

There is a possibility that he deceived the master’s gaze knowingly or unknowingly, just as he staged a fierce match in the arena.

If Loki didn’t run the waiting room properly.

The man’s strength would have been buried undisclosed until the end.

When the man found out that the ruler of the place called the waiting room was wrong, he would have chosen death instead of surviving miserably.

Just like in a previous life.

But on the contrary, he is the ruler of the waiting room.

If he soon judged that the master was worthy of a king… the man would have pulled out the hidden sword.

He must have finally raised the undrawn sword in his heart that he had drawn only once in his previous life and faced death.

“Isn’t it interesting?”

Yurnet chuckled.

“As the Master tests the hero, sometimes heroes test the Master. Whether you have the right to deal with yourself or not.”

It’s not just Niflheim.

Similar things have happened with numerous accounts.

And the masters who failed the test would have cursed at the hero for not seeing the hero’s true strength and potential.

without knowing what he did wrong.

Unsurprisingly, Loki passed the test brilliantly.

Lydigion swore allegiance to him and eventually became the king’s protective sword.

‘I see.’

Aaron thought.

People in the world are divided into those who choose and those who are chosen.

The man named Ridigion was on the side of choice.

Just like Israt, a man he calls his brother and follows.

But not Aaron.

He was the chosen one.

A sigh came out of my mouth.

“this.”

Yurnet covered her mouth, probably noticing Aaron’s sulk.

“sorry. It’s messy.”

“No, I really didn’t notice. Saying things that could hurt Aaron-nim at will…”

“It’s okay.”

Aaron smiled.

“I accepted the reality. I made up my mind in that reality. If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t be here. Please don’t mind.”

“Is that so…”

“I’m getting more curious since I’ve come this far. How can someone with no talent like me be treated like them? It’s hard for me to accept.”

It was Aaron’s sincerity.

He clearly has powers that only he possesses.

That is the ability called karma.

Aaron was able to use that power whenever he wanted and freely charge and release it.

It’s good to see that you’ve mastered that power.

The heroes of Valhalla both feared and respected Aaron’s power.

But Aaron didn’t feel it.

Was this power truly acquired through one’s determination?

Or is it just a clumsy imitation?

It felt like cheating.

Aaron couldn’t be more confident.

Others acknowledged him, but he could not admit himself.

That’s why I secretly widened the distance with my colleagues.

Because I thought I was not qualified to hang out with them.

“What is holding me back?”

Aaron asked Yurnet.

“I have been procrastinating. How did you get the power of karma? How did you make that power your own? What kind of pain and resolution was there in the process. Because I covered it up with the excuse that my memory was ambiguous… You will not be able to move forward.”

Aaron’s heart is the same.

In the distant past, when he was in the waiting room of Taoneer, not Niflheim.

I tried, but I couldn’t reverse the difference in talent.

So, he gave up his seat to a man named Belquist.

fear at that time.

despair at that time.

In the midst of frustration and tears at that time, he couldn’t move a single step.

Afterwards, Aaron half forced his brother to come to Niflheim, where he got a chance.

The memory after that was empty.

Of course, it was a long time that is hard to remember.

For eons of time Aaron wielded the spear again and again.

The memory was as distant as a distant mountain, but that fact remained clear.

Only the truth remains.

The determination and tears of that time had faded before I knew it.

‘Why?’

When he came to his senses, he had ‘graduated’.

I was able to use the power of karma.

No one mocked him for being weak.

He became the strongest line in Niflheim and reached the position of choosing rather than being chosen.

Although it took a long period of penance to use the power of karma, and the process was incomparably difficult, he was able to move forward without stopping because he was ‘determined’.

“You look stupid.”

Aaron was self-help.

Even now, when I came to Valhalla, the memories of that time are hazy.

I tried to recall it, but it didn’t come to mind.

No, it would be more accurate to say that I didn’t deliberately try to think of it.

Therefore, you cannot accept your false self.

His strength is fake.

It was all a trivial counterfeit.

strength without cost.

Commitment without process.

All of this made Aaron crumble.

he needed it

the hidden past.

complete karma.

“It was something I should have asked first.”

Aaron’s eyes changed.

Yurnet looked at her and said.

“You won’t change your mind, will you?”

“of course.”

“great. Because I have been preparing for a long time.”

Yurnet then smiled softly.

“All preparations are complete. A memory that Aaron needs to regain his true self. Are you ready to accept it?”

“Are you… ready?”

Aaron made up his mind.

If it was a trivial memory, there’s no way the lock would be tight.

Among them, the cruel truth is hidden.

‘are you okay.’

If you miss this opportunity, you will have to live with your false self forever.

it has to be accepted

whatever the truth.

“I will accept it.”

said Aaron.

Light gathered on the table with him and a book appeared.

Yurnet beckoned, and the Book of Light opened.

“Put your hand on the bookshelf. The memories hidden deep in Aaron’s heart will be engraved on the book.”

Aaron’s expression hardened.

Yurnet saw this and smiled lightly.

“Don’t worry about it. I also took several steps. It’s your own story, but you’ll feel like you’re reading someone else’s story. It will be much less burdensome.”

“…thank you.”

“Then shall we begin?”

Aaron nodded.

There was no hesitation.

The hand went up on the bookshelf.

Whoops!

A light began to shine on the white bookshelf.

Engraved with fantastic and magical letters.

The letters soon became memories, and the memories soon became the five senses and penetrated into Aaron’s head.

A distant and forgotten memory.

When Valhalla hadn’t appeared yet.

Back when gaming systems ruled a multiverse called Mobius.

When Aaron was just an insignificant hero in the game.

Memories of that time began to play.