Pick Me Up!

The demonic dragon’s eyes glistened.

From its gaping mouth, an intense wave of searing heat began to rise.

“Graaaah!”

A roar that shook the very atmosphere.

A crimson flame, reminiscent of molten lava, erupted from its mouth.

“Halkion!”

<I was waiting for this!>

I stepped forward and extended my left hand.

Rustle. Black scales pierced through my skin and emerged.

The radial flames scorched the goblins ahead, incinerating them completely as the fire spread down the road.

I bent my lower body and spread my palms.

Whoosh!

[This hero is immune to magic!]

[This hero is immune to physical attacks!]

[This hero is immune to magic…]

[This hero is immune to physical attacks…]

A shock wave, as if being hit by a multi-ton truck, swept over my body.

An elemental breath imbued with physical force—a troublesome characteristic of red dragons. While my black dragon scales could mitigate some damage, it wouldn’t suffice for long.

[‘Han (★★★★★★)’ has been afflicted with a burn! Fire resistance is decreasing.]

‘As expected.’

Boom!

I drove my feet into the ground.

The pushback stopped.

‘The more attacks you take, the lower your resistance.’

While I blocked the first attack unscathed, the next ones couldn’t be guaranteed.

“Velkist! Hold the front line. I’m going to handle the dragon’s head!”

“Understood!”

Thwack!

Velkist swung his sheathed sword upwards, sending a dozen goblins flying like pebbles.

Before I dashed forward, I glanced back at Jenna, who was nocking an arrow.

“Jenna.”

“You mean to snipe the ones on the verge of transforming, right?”

Twang!

Jenna smoothly drew her bowstring.

An arrow lodged into the forehead of a monster that was just about to finish shedding.

No further instructions seemed necessary.

If overpowering attacks were the strategy for countering immortal types, then targeting specific, evolving enemies was the way to tackle self-evolving types. �

Arrows from Jenna quickly sliced through the air.

Whish! Thunk!

Goblins squirming across the main street fell under the impact of her arrows.

They wouldn’t die, but their evolution would be halted.

“Grrrooooaaaar!”

The dragon began preparing its second breath.

I bent my knees, pushed off with force, and ran up the wall of a nearby building, swinging my sheathed sword as I went.

Crash! Goblin bodies burst apart, splattering around.

<Han, these things are changing!>

“Prioritize dealing with those mid-evolution! Leave the sniping to the archers.”

In addition to Jenna, there were several high-grade snipers among our raid team.

<What if they can’t tell which ones to hit?>

“Can’t tell?”

<There’s a fierce battle on the main street. Visibility isn’t great!>

Running up the wall, I glanced below.

Pak! Papapap!

Arrows flew at rapid speed and pinpoint accuracy, reminiscent of machine gun fire.

One by one, goblins fell, arrows embedded between their eyes.

‘Jenna has…’

A special skill that enhances her vision.

But what about the other archers?

At that moment, a holographic window appeared in my field of vision.

[The effects of ‘Tactical Station’ are now applied!]

[Facility Level: MAX!]

[Possessing a map of the stage.]Nôv(el)B\\jnn

[Displaying tactical screen.]

[Various tactical tools can be summoned.]

[Give tactical instructions to heroes with touch and drag.]

The tactical tab.

A tool for masters to command heroes during missions.

Anytng touched an icon placed to the right. Familiar hand movements followed as she navigated the menu.

[Modifying battle instructions.]

[Changing the default raid strategy from ‘Kill Priority’ to ‘Subdue Priority’.]

[Changing the default archer class strategy from ‘Unrestricted Fire’ to ‘Designated Fire’. Archers will now focus on selected targets.]

Anytng closed the menu and scanned the main road on the map.

She lightly tapped the evolving goblins.

[Setting targets for sniping!]

Ziiing.

Red crosses marked the goblins’ entire bodies.

The master’s target setting. I smirked.

‘Anytng caught on.’

She realized that subduing was more effective than outright killing.

Especially when dealing with critical targets among the monsters.

Anytng quickly grasped the situation and issued suitable commands to the entire raid team.

It was a solid decision.

In Pick Me Up, commands weren’t guaranteed to be followed 100%. Heroes acted on their own will. However, simply being aware of tactical instructions made a significant difference in efficiency.

“Can you see now?”

I placed a hand on my ear.

Anytng’s orders should have reached Roderick as well.

<…It’s possible.>

“Do it.”

<We’ll follow the master’s orders.>

Click.

I ended the transmission.

The dragon’s claw swung right in front of me.

Bang!

I pushed off the wall and landed on the ground.

The beast’s claw swiped past overhead.

‘This thing’s also immortal.’

Even if I sever its head or pierce its heart, it wouldn’t die.

In that case… I hurled Bifrost and clenched my fist.

Crackle! Dark red lightning coiled around my knuckles.

The flame-infused jaws lunged to bite me.

I easily evaded and thrust my right hand forward.

Thud!

A sound like drumming echoed.

My fist pierced through scales harder than steel and crushed the organs within.

“Gagh?!”

Once more.

I jabbed under its belly.

A punch as light as a jab but with devastating force.

Boom!

The red dragon coughed up blood and staggered.

My punch, compressed with the power of thousands of times gravity, packed an explosive force beyond dynamite.

“This should be… useful.”

I slid under the dragon’s belly and emerged on the other side.

Grasping its tail with a strength that left a handprint, I gritted my teeth.

Snap.

The veins in my arm stood out.

Then.

Whoosh!

The enormous 10-meter body swung in a wide arc.

Whack! Whack! Thunk!

Goblins caught by the dragon’s body were sent flying.

“Grah!”

Thud!

I lifted the dragon’s tail and slammed it into the stone pavement.

The ground cracked, and fragments flew.

That wouldn’t be enough.

I lifted the dragon again.

“Kiiaaak!”

Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!

Like a jackhammer, I slammed the creature’s body against the ground repeatedly.

[ViewerMest: Is he the Hulk or something?]

[BelieveOne: He’s strong, alright. Beating up a red dragon like it’s nothing.]

“K-kreek…”

The beast seemed subdued.

I held onto the limp dragon’s tail.

The weight felt just right.

“Chirrk! Chirrack!”

I swung the dragon, knocking down goblins screeching with fear.

The mass of monsters gathered on the main street was swept away at once.

“Unreal, it’s beyond comprehension.”

Jenna, aiming her bow from afar, murmured.

“Looks like this area’s more or less secured.”

Velkist lowered his sword.

Hundreds of goblins lay strewn across the main road.

Orcs, lizardmen, and harpies were among them, but they were equally smashed to bits.

They wouldn’t resurrect anytime soon.

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!