Defense specialization and squid extermination, part two.

"Enough of this! If it's come to this, I'll strengthen the poison in the water further!"

"Then... I'll apply [Bad Appetite] to the tentacles!"

"Go ahead!"

Maple's [Bad Appetite] devours the tentacles with loud, rapid crunches.

Each time, red crystals rise to the surface.

This is the final MP charge.

As for Sally, she has fully regained her composure, grown accustomed to handling the fish, and now regards the endless stream of experience points as nothing more than a minor nuisance.

Low experience gain, yes—but low HP also makes the fish easy to hunt for Sally.

It also reduces the number of fish bothering Maple.

"Leave it to Maple. I'll just handle things casually."

Sally moves about as usual, striking and retreating with quick, efficient hits.

She has completely handed the task over to Maple.

As for Maple...

"Well... I hope this works out..."

Maple approaches the wall of water.

The tentacles, having been dispelled moments ago, promise a brief calm.

The fish attack Maple without hesitation.

"Oh... up close, they're cute, aren't they?"

Maple reaches out. The fish slam into her hand again and again.

Her smile transforms the scene of a monster assault into a gentle moment of play.

"Maybe you should stay back a bit?"

Maple drives the crescent moon into the wall of water.

"【Poison Dragon (Hydra)】!"

The poison dragon, untargeted, plunges into the water.

Naturally, it dissolves into the liquid—unable to strike the squid directly.

"A beautiful sea... turned into a poisoned sea..."

The watery domain is vast. More strikes will be needed.

The water was turning purple steadily. Slightly darker than before.

Keep away from the wall—don’t let the tentacles catch you.

The water scattered by the fish, the poison produced by Maple herself—both were stepped over as she moved back toward the center.

A moment must pass before 【Poison Dragon】 can be used.

In that time, the tentacles will revive.

Sally has not attacked the squid at all since earlier—of course, Maple is now the target.

Enough… do as you like!

Maple lies down on the ground.

Resistance is pointless. She has no chance of escape. She will be caught, used as a toy.

Oh?

Lying on the ground, the tentacles strike from above—thump, thump, thump.

No longer bouncing her upward, as when she stood.

This is good! This is good!

Ugh… she’s doing something incredible again…

Sally was running a marathon, dragging the fish behind her—equally exhausted, equally strained.

"【Poison Dragon (Hydra)】!"

After a pause, she rose and plunged into the water. Then Maple lay down again.

Having realized she would not be lifted by the tentacles, she stretched her arm where she lay. The crescent reached the wall of water.

Maple had intended to wait for the next attack opportunity.

Then she noticed a change.

Sally seemed to notice it too.

"「Hmm?」"

The squid’s HP appeared to have decreased slightly.

The change was so minute it could have been a trick of the eye. Yet the fact that she had seen it at the precise moment the HP bar dropped was significant.

"Seems to have decreased a bit!"

"Yeah, looks like it. But…"

The interval between the first decrease and the next was long.

Five minutes. And only a millimeter of HP was lost.

Waiting for HP to dwindle away like this was, frankly, unbearable.

It meant the poison was still too weak.

Yet knowing it worked was a significant gain.

"Keep going!"

"Yeah! Keep going!"

After several more uses of [Poison Dragon], the rate of HP loss became visibly faster.

After about an hour, they succeeded in reducing HP by ten percent.

The squid’s HP bar now showed sixty percent remaining.

At this rate, it would take six hours.

[Poison Lance]!

[Poison Dragon] ran out of ammo. Maple cast another skill, hoping to contribute even slightly.

"Running for another six hours… that’s a bit much…"

"What should we do…?"

No solution presented itself, no matter how much they thought.

As they stood there, another hour passed. The squid’s HP dropped below fifty percent.

"Uwah!?"

Maple realized it immediately, lying near the wall of water.

The water domain was expanding.

The wall and ceiling drew closer.

When they stopped, the space where the two stood had shrunk to half its size.

Further, the squid began to expel ink.

Its form vanished behind the dark cloud.

A direct assault would have been troublesome.

Trapped in the confined water, with sight stripped away.

But the two were far from direct tactics.

“Maple! How many uses of 【Gourmet】 remain?”

“One left!”

“…Save it!”

“Got it!”

Maple did not understand Sally’s intent, but obeyed and continued the attack.

The water’s advance accelerated the flow of fish.

Sally’s escape grew harder.

“【Provocation】!”

If it had become harder to escape, it would have been more prudent for Maple to take the lead.

Dying for experience points would serve no purpose.

Thank you!

It’s fine, really!

The ink did not flow continuously, thinning out like Maple’s poison had done earlier.

The second burst of ink did not come. She returned to swimming gracefully.

There… can I reach it…? Yes! Maple!

Sally calls to Maple.

Maple rises without hesitation and moves closer.

What are you doing!?

Follow me! — Leap!

She leaps toward the nearby squid, but falls short by fifteen meters.

— Cover Move!

Maple follows as instructed.

Here we go! — Back Throw!

Sally grabs Maple and hurls her toward the water’s surface.

Wheeeeee!?

— Shock Fist!

A burst of air erupts from Sally’s fist, pushing Maple forward as it shatters the water’s surface.

Maple flies straight, cleaving through the great shield.

The HP bar dips sharply.

“This is the Maple Cannon!”

“W-wait, landing—!?”

“…Never thought of that.”

Maple’s fall comes slightly later.