Defense specialization and skill selection.

No update tomorrow.

Brief.

The event concludes. Return to the original location.

The accelerated flow of time resumes its normal pace.

An announcement from the operators: exchange of skills and medals will occur thirty minutes from now. Those who have medals to transfer should do so.

Maple has already completed the transfer with Sally. No issue.

"What skills might be available?"

"Who knows? Can't say until we see..."

Thirty minutes later.

A second announcement from the operators. Each individual will be transferred to a dedicated room. No consultation is permitted. One must choose the skill one deems necessary, alone.

Those who hold ten or more medals vanish, enveloped in light.

Maple’s vision is filled entirely with the same blue as the status plate.

At the center of the room without an exit where Maple stands floats a single panel.

She approaches it and reads the list of skill names displayed.

Each skill leads to a detailed explanation page.

"Um... about a hundred, maybe?"

Combat skills, production skills, stat-up skills, and skills that do not belong to any category.

They are arranged in order.

"No time limit seems to be set... I must take my time deciding."

Maple may choose two skills. She skips obvious attack-based skills—unnecessary for her.

Skills like [Holy Swordsmanship] or [Dragon Lance], whose names alone make it clear they would be useless.

Production skills are also pointless—her DEX is too low.

Thus, the number of skills Maple can choose from becomes limited.

Maple was the player among medal holders with the fewest meaningful skills available to her.

That meant less time spent deciding.

【Resist All】… no, 【Fortress】 might be better… or perhaps 【Magic Boost】 after all…

Maple browsed through the available skills, weighing her choices.

Hmm?………hmm?

Maple’s eyes settled on a particular skill.

She stared at its description, studying it with unwavering focus.

This one! I’ll take this one!

A sudden clarity struck Maple.

She acted on it, selecting the skill without hesitation.

What should the second one be…?

Maple began scanning the list again. If she found a skill that sparked the same certainty, she would choose it immediately.

What should I do… hmm…?

Unable to find a skill that resonated, she settled on 【Fortress】.

【Fortress】 doubled her VIT.

No conditions to activate, no drawbacks—truly a skill worthy of a rare medal.

Maple possesses a comparable skill, though that is merely because Maple differs slightly, no—significantly, from the norm.

Regardless, having made her choice, Maple vanished once more, wrapped in light.