Defense-oriented, with an ancient heart.

The second event draws near to its conclusion.

Thus, with the conclusion of the second event as a turning point, I intend to shift this work from daily updates to updates every other day.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

The other novel remained unable to update, so updates were alternated between that one and this work.

A bi-daily update, for that purpose.

I would be grateful if you could understand.

Maple called Sally immediately through the message function.

Sally arrives at the grand fountain before a minute has passed.

— Oh… it’s glowing.

Yes, I think something is there.

Sally activates [Great Sea] within the dish.

The light has grown stronger... but it seems useless.

The vast sea is swallowed whole.

Sally lowered her shoulders, frustrated by the lack of progress. Maple, lost in thought, suddenly spoke as if an idea had struck.

“Simultaneously…? You see! There were four fountains drawn in the picture!”

“True… but even with 【Hyper Acceleration】, we can’t generate water fast enough.”

“If we keep going like this, it’s impossible… How about trying it once?”

“Huh? What?”

“Sally isn’t the only one who can create 【Liquid】.”

Maple spoke, revealing her idea to Sally.

“Eh… really? Yeah… I guess we should just try it.”

Sally activated 【Great Sea】 once more, over the basin.

A moment before, Maple shouted.

“【Poison Dragon (Hydra)】!”

Yes. Venom was also a liquid.

And this Poison Dragon had three heads.

Each one turned toward a separate small fountain, submerging the basin completely.

Neither knew if it had to be water specifically, nor were they certain about simultaneity.

But they had to try, regardless.

The reason likely had to do with time, as this event required it to occur.

The hour neared midnight.

The light show may end at any moment. If they miss it, the next chance will come on the sixth night.

She could not wait that long.

Maple’s plan was crude, yet the gods seemed to favor the two of them.

“Uwah!?”

"Blinding...!"

Three fountains stretch radiant light toward the central fountain.

The light from the great fountain grows ever stronger. Red crystal fragments rise into the air.

The crystal gathered moonlight, brightened, then scattered red light as it shattered.

“Hmm…?”

“What… happened?”

Behind the two, trembling as they glanced cautiously around, a sudden roar echoed.

The sound echoed through the silent ruin. Both turned sharply, startled.

“What… what!?”

“Ah…!”

The main street once extended from the plaza with the great fountain.

It reached to the cliff’s overhang.

There stood a pedestal and a standing stone.

Yet now, far in the distance, a white light glowed.

The earlier roar had included the sound of the pedestal and stone collapsing.

As the two approached to confirm the white glow, they recognized the familiar sigil seen many times during this event.

Avoiding the sigil, they examined the location of the standing stone and noticed something.

“Uwah…”

“C-creepy…”

The earlier roar had indeed included the sound of stone breaking.

But that was only part of it.

The true source of the roar.

The sound of the sea splitting open, revealing a bottomless, dark chasm on the surface.

“There’s something down there…”

Maybe it’s there. Maple, want to jump in?

N-no way! It’s scary!

It is midnight.

Even the eerie sea at night—no courage remained in Maple to plunge into this more eerie place, even if she could withstand the damage.

Then… let’s try the magic circle. I think it leads beneath that hole.

Could connect to somewhere unexplored?

Yes.

They synchronized their timing—ready, now—and both stepped onto the magic circle.

As before, their forms dissolved into particles of light.

Where is this?

Sally? I can’t see anything. Dark.

Wait a moment.

Sally pulled a lantern from her inventory and shone it around.

The sea, perhaps?

...Ah! Look up!

Following Maple’s voice, Sally looked up. A small starfield appeared above.

Definitely beneath that hole.

“The path continues.”

A semicircular passage, cleanly hollowed out, stretches ahead.

The walls are all seawater.

Some force has torn through the sea to carve this way.

“Let’s hurry through? Once we return, it’ll be over.”

“Yeah! That’s right.”

They quicken their pace through the pitch-black underwater tunnel.

It might be a beautiful sight if it were daytime, but this event happens only at night—there is no help for that.

Unconsciously, the darkness, lit only by their lanterns, makes them clutch each other’s hands.

“Ah! I see light!”

“T-That’s real!”

They hasten further toward the source. The light grows larger. By the time they reach it, it towers above their heads.

The light comes from the sea.

There, the water glows as if time has stopped—bright daylight sea.

Fish swim with delight, bubbles popping softly.

The sea spreads like a barrier against the dark depths, shifting the mood of the two who had felt unease in the darkness.

And stretching through the sea, a staircase of coral runs straight ahead.

At its end, a large door, colored with coral. No mistake—the door of the Boss Room, seen many times before.

“[Purify the Demon]… Are we ready for combat?”

“Yeah! Any time!”

Maple raises her great shield, signaling she is prepared.

Sally takes a deep breath, then opens the door.

She glances inside first.

Once inside, there will be no way out until the battle ends.

Knowing the layout ahead will give them an edge in combat.

For Sally, who relies on evasion, the room’s state is crucial.

"Maple, the inside is a half-circular dome, bright. It's like the place we're in now."

"Hmm, hmm."

"Otherwise... spacious. Diameter... maybe fifty meters. The ceiling is high too."

"Then... the boss must be large?"

If the room is large, it is reasonable to assume the boss is large as well.

"The floor is dry stone so far... no traps, seems."

"Alright... then, let's go."

"Entering!"

"Right!"

The two leap into the room.

Maple does not raise her great shield, careful not to waste her 【Gourmet】.

As Sally said, no traps. No scattered attacks requiring consumption of 【Gourmet】.

"……! It's coming!"

"Got it!"

With a heavy splash, several tentacles extend from the ceiling.

To the two, they look like octopus tentacles.

No, they actually were.

The giant squid, swimming in the watery ceiling, attacked by extending only its tentacles.

"That dungeon's...!?"

"But it's not even in the water!?"

Unmoved by the two's shock, the giant squid launched its assault.

A tentacle as tall as the two of them swung toward Maple.

"Can't... stop it!"

The large shield swallowed the squid's tentacle with a heavy thud, yet the HP bar of the distant squid showed no reduction.

It is not merely strong.

It is entirely unaffected.

"Maybe we have to attack the main body!"

"Wha—!?"

"This... is tough..."

Sally glanced up at the squid swimming above them, murmuring quietly.

The squid paid no mind to such thoughts, aiming to strike the two from its safe distance.