Defense specialization and secret training.
Rank eight?! F-faah?!
T-thank you, everyone...
Wrapped in obsidian gear, Maple sat on the edge of a fountain, lost in thought.
Her level was not rising.
Maple’s current level was eighteen. The highest level reported was forty-eight. She had not cared for the game at first, so she joined late. The gap in levels would only widen.
The reason Maple could not raise her level was that her AGI was too low. She could not easily reach places where powerful enemies, strong enough to grant significant experience, roamed.
—Hmm...
She stared at the information bulletin, searching for useful skills.
The most serious thought she had ever given was because of the event notice delivered by the operators yesterday.
Yes. In one week, the event will begin. It is a point-based battle royale. All participants will compete by the number of players they have defeated and the number of times they have died.
Points also appear based on damage dealt and damage taken, it seems.
A commemorative gift is awarded to the top ten contestants only.
"Say it's limited, and I just can't help but want it...!"
Maple was the type of person who would buy an item she knew to be a landmine if it was marked as time-limited.
That is precisely why she is devising a strategy to overcome this disparity in level.
Uu... For now, let's go with this!
Maple ceased staring at the bulletin board and began walking north.
Yes, Maple did not know.
The extent of her defensive prowess.
"Tomorrow is a holiday... I'll stay overnight and uncover a skill!"
Maple’s inventory holds a sleeping bag. Purchased with coins painstakingly saved from selling materials.
The gear is fine, but money is short.
She arrives at the northern woods.
Among the creatures she plans to hunt overnight, one is a beetle known as a detonation ladybug—its attack involves self-explosion.
The other is a goblin, familiar from many games.
“Good… [Taunt]!”
Light radiates from Maple in a circle. Monsters draw near. She targets only one goblin. Five goblins. The others ignore attacks and remain untouched.
The goblins charge with crude swords. But even with [AGI 0], Maple does not fail to block the attack of an enemy that charges straight ahead—she raises her larger shield.
She grips the shield firmly—pushes back. Unremarkable, but she repeats it. Five goblins. Efficiency doubles.
『Skill [Great Shield Proficiency I] acquired』
As stated on the information board, this is a fundamental skill. Maple has studied it in advance.
Reduces damage from enemies by 1% while equipped with a great shield. She intends to build defense not by increasing VIT, but by acquiring damage reduction skills one by one.
『[Taunt]!』
She summons ten goblins instead of five. Efficiency improves further.
[Great Shield Proficiency I] grows to [Great Shield Proficiency IV] within hours. Reduces damage by 4%.
She also acquires [Body Maneuvering] and [Attack Deflection]. Both reduce damage taken by 1%.
‘This should be enough.’
She crushes the goblin still struggling with a Shield Attack.
'Skill [Cruel and Unjust] acquired.'
At this moment, Maple unexpectedly gains a skill she did not anticipate.
Her playstyle differs entirely from other players—enduring, waiting, using time. Thus, she acquires skills others rarely manifest.
[Cruel and Unjust]
Each time she deliberately takes an enemy's attack, VIT increases by 1.
The effect lasts only one day from activation.
Maximum VIT increase: +25.
Acquisition condition:
Endure attacks from an enemy she could defeat, for a duration exceeding a set threshold.
And: never have suffered a penalty before.
'Unexpected bonus!'
She suppresses the urge to jump, and moves deeper into the forest.
Yes—this time, for the first time since beginning the game, Maple...
She goes to seek out the undiscovered skill.
The explosive ladybug is, as its name suggests, a ladybug that explodes. Its size is perhaps twice that of an ordinary ladybug. It yields poor experience, is difficult to reach deep within the forest, and due to its size, is hard to dodge and deals significant damage upon impact. Thus, it is never hunted here, allowing Maple to claim this territory entirely to herself.
When Maple reaches the ladybug’s habitat, she uses 【Taunt】 to summon the insects. Since they are rarely hunted, a large number fly in. Maple draws the blade of her crescent moon sword just slightly from its sheath.
“【Paralyze Shout】”
The sound is quiet—too quiet to be called a shout—but clear and certain: a sharp, metallic *kin*.
The skill affixed to the crescent moon was originally that of a poison dragon. As such, most of its names are dragon-based.
Since the skill requires sound, Maple triggers it by the high-pitched *kin* of the blade sliding back into its sheath.
The reason is because it looks good.
Maple watches the ladybugs scatter across the ground, satisfied.
She crouches down. Closes her eyes.
Begins eating the ladybugs one by one.
“Ah… like those crackling candies. Close your eyes, and it’s nothing. Besides, I’ve already eaten a poison dragon. This is nothing now…”
Maple does not do this without thought.
Her reasoning is proven when she has eaten about fifty ladybugs.
‘Skill [Bad Eater] acquired.’
‘Skill [Bomb Eater] acquired.’
“Then… I don’t need to eat anymore.”
Maple checks her newly acquired skill.
[Bad Eater]
The power to consume all things and turn them into sustenance.
It consumes magic, converting it directly into its own MP. Excess magic capacity is stored within the body as magical crystals.
Requirement
Ingesting a lethal dose of poison by mouth.
[Bomb Eater]
Reduces explosive damage by fifty percent.
Requirement
Defeat the Bomb Ladybug by draining its HP.
Good skill, that was! Ahh... worth the effort of eating, it was.
Maple applies the [Ghastly Feast] to 'Shadow Night's Sketch'.
The ability "Malnourishment" activates constantly and is unaffected by usage limits. Furthermore, by consuming the weapon of an opponent who has directly blocked a magical attack, complete incapacitation is achieved.
And transform it into a magical crystal—fire a great spell with the New Moon. Hehe… impressive…
She draws the crescent blade with a sharp motion, thrusts it forward, and holds the pose. The imagery training is flawless—too flawless.
Actually came looking for explosive magic… but the result is satisfactory, isn’t it?
Only thing left is to raise her level until the very last moment.
What will Maple’s first event be like, then?