Pick Me Up Infinite Gacha! - P.M.U Chapter 282: Mission Type, Conquest (8) (Part 1)

I frowned.

The prince’s pale face resembled that of a corpse. Dark veins ran down from his lips.

“Power comes with a price.”

The prince muttered as he wiped his mouth.

I immediately understood what he meant. It was similar to what happened with El Cid.

He, too, had overused power beyond his limits, and in the end, he self-destructed.

“How much time do you have left?”

The prince didn’t answer.

Was it far shorter than I had expected?

“Of course.”

The prince extended his right hand to the side.

His fingertips wavered faintly before returning to their original state.

“I broke through dozens of layers of dimensional barriers. My body couldn’t endure the backlash. But I have no regrets. Because I was able to show you the truth.”

“Pria said she wouldn’t stay here.”

The prince smiled.

“A younger sister never listens to her older brother, does she?”

I couldn’t understand.

The young man in front of me had fought for hundreds of years.

He had died and killed countless times in battlefields I couldn’t even imagine.

All to gain just a handspan of land.

And yet, he gave up his purpose just because his younger sister said “No”?

If it were me, I would have forced her, imprisoned her, or done whatever it took to achieve my goal.

“You’re foolish.”

The prince narrowed his eyes.

“That’s the difference between you and me.”

“The difference?”

“That child knew her fate, and she chose that fate with her own hands. Then I must bless that path. That is what family is.”

Fate.

I let out a hollow laugh.

If Phryos’s words were true, Pria would be thrown into a meaningless fight and die a meaningless death. The infinite fragments wriggling at the boundary… what we fought was not even one trillionth of them.

‘In the end…’

I recalled the crimson plains of Dorado.

El Cid had united all the forces of the Golden Incense but still failed to stop the invasion.

Townia… would meet the same end.

Neither missions, nor the goddess’s blessing, nor heroes, nor NPCs mattered.

Neither Dorado, Townia, nor any other dimension existing in Möbius could ever complete the scenario of world regeneration. That possibility was impossible from the beginning.

Tel was merely prolonging the end of the universe, by one year, one month, one minute, or one second more.

‘This is a fatal error.’

No, it was beyond an error.

‘What can we even do?’

If there’s no solution, it’s not an error.

What would change if I went to Server 1?

Even if I fully awakened the power of the Seven Stars and took Ikar’s place as they intended, it would only delay time slightly. The ending wouldn’t change.

‘I can’t… breathe.’

Click.

I gripped the scabbard tightly.

“Anyway.”

I shook off my thoughts.

For now, I had to focus on the situation in front of me.

Phryos had broken through Server 1’s wall during a live broadcast with hundreds of thousands of viewers watching and revealed critical secrets to me and Pria, key figures in the scenario. From the company’s perspective, this was unforgivable.

“Are you going back?”

“What’s the point of staying here?”

“If you go back, you’ll die.”

“If I stay here, it’s the same.”

I opened my mouth.

“I don’t know how much you’ve fought. But I think ending it like this is foolish.”

“This isn’t the end.”

Cough.

The prince coughed again.

Thick, tar-like blood splattered out.

When he wiped his mouth with his arm, his entire right sleeve turned black.

“If it cannot end here, then let it begin here.”

“…?”

“Han Israt.”

The prince looked at me with blurry eyes.

“We will meet again on the golden throne.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You are not ready yet.”

The prince smirked faintly and turned his head.

Following his gaze, I saw Pria walking out from the end of the wheat field.

“Where is the exit?”

Pria spoke in an emotionless voice.

The prince opened his mouth.

“You don’t need to search. You’ll be sent back soon.”

“…”

“Before that, let me ask one last time, Priasis. Do you truly wish to return? There is no hope or future there. You will be buried in endless battles and die in the ruins.”

Pria closed her eyes as if digesting the prince’s words.

After a while, she opened them again.

“I have sworn.”

“A vow.”

“To protect Townia until that child returns. There is no time to linger here. Please send me back to Townia, brother.”

“If that is your will, then I will open the path.”

Shing.

The prince raised his sword.

“Once you return, there will be no turning back. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

“Are you prepared?”

“I am.”

“You are truly stubborn.”

The prince looked at Pria with caring eyes.

And then, he smiled brightly.

“I have always loved you, Pria.”

The prince lowered his sword.

A radiant light burst from the blade, engulfing the wheat field.

Amidst the light, a trembling voice echoed.

“Brother, I…!”

“You don’t need to say it.”

“To remain… here…”

“I know what you carry. Because I once carried it, too.”

“…”

“Walk your path.”

Light engulfed everything.

[Master Anytng, welcome to Pick Me Up!]

A cheerful sound effect played as the login screen appeared.

[Loading complete.]

[T O U C H! (Select)]

Anytng re-entered the main screen after loading in an instant.

A holographic message appeared in her interface upon re-entry.

[Recovery complete!]

[Reconnecting to the server. We apologize for the inconvenience.]

Time, which had stopped, began to move again.

The fragments falling from the sky, the monsters clashing with heroes and weapons, the burning cities, and the crumbling buildings regained their colors.

“Oppa, what just happened…?”

“Look ahead. It’s not over.”

Jenna, with a puzzled expression, turned her head.

Not far away, the prince stood with his sword lowered, wearing a relaxed smile.

At the same time…

[The Goddess’s Punishment strikes ‘Phryos al Ragnar’!]

Crack!

Out of nowhere, five blades shot out from the void and pierced the prince.

Hyung_Otaku

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!

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