Defense specialization and boss defeat.

Maple and the others enter a guild home, sit facing one another, and begin speaking.

Before arriving at the guild home, Sally had immediately gone to erase the bulletin board post, so no new recruitment would take place.

This kind of discussion falls to Sally, not Maple. Sally asks questions, and slowly gathers basic information.

The silver-haired player’s name is Yui. The black-haired player’s name is Mai.

Both are level four. Neither possesses a single skill.

Their weapons are great hammers—twice the height of the two, who are short in stature.

“Um… you both are STR-focused, right?”

Maple confirms with the two.

“Yes, both my sister and I are STR-focused.”

The reason both chose STR focus was that, in reality, they lacked physical strength and endurance. In the game, they wished to move with all their might.

Hmm… something about Maple feels familiar?

Heh… yeah, you’re right.

Maple, like the two of them, did not obsess over in-game advantages or disadvantages.

She had not been known to others, nor had she been inspired by Maple to pursue a strength-focused build.

“Are you… also a strength-focused player, Maple?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Maxed 【VIT】!”

The two stared, surprised.

They had never seen a player succeed with a strength-focused build before.

“Well… Maple’s a bit… hard to use as a reference…”

Maple did not argue. She had her own thoughts.

“How about you, Sally? You okay with it?”

“Yeah… I think it’s fine… With Maple in, the drawbacks of a strength-focused build vanish almost entirely. If we level up within a month, we’ll manage.”

Sally gave her approval. The decision was made. Yui and Mai would join.

Maple registered the two, and they were formally welcomed into the ranks of [Maple Tree].

That being the case, the immediate goal was to expand their range of movement to include the third floor—the current operational base of [Maple Tree].

"Are you both alright after this?"

"Eh, ah, yes. I'm fine. Sister, you're fine too, right?"

"Yes, I'm fine as well."

"Then, let’s go straight to the third floor with me and Maple."

"“Eh, really!?”"

Maple and Sally led the two, stunned, toward the outskirts of the Town.

Once outside the Town, Sally turned to Maple and said,

"Maple. As usual."

Following Sally’s instruction, Maple called forth Shiroppu. The two, still astonished, mounted Shiroppu’s back, and the three rose into the sky.

"Don’t fall."

Maple warned them, but the two remained in a daze, stunned beyond reaction.

"This is just the beginning… They’ll need time to adjust."

Adapting to Maple. This was the first task any new recruit of the 【Maple Tree】 must complete.

The four moved swiftly toward the Boss Room on the second floor, opened the door, and entered.

"Uuu… I'm sorry if I die."

Mai murmured. The intent to avoid burdening others was clear.

"No… that won't happen."

"Love That Offers the Body!"

As Maple spoke, her hair changed color and angelic wings sprouted from her back.

Both minds froze instantly.

The situation made no sense at all.

"This time, I'll handle it. Sit and wait."

"Roger! Good luck."

Maple led the two to the edge of the room.

"……! A-are you sure you're alright!? Sally-san, alone!? I-It's the boss, you know!?"

Yui approached Maple, pleading.

"Fine, fine. I've never seen Sally take damage before."

"………?"

"Here we go."

Maple pointed in the direction where Sally had summoned Oblong, now dashing toward the deer.

Sally twisted her body, bending low—no attack of that kind would land—she evaded, closing in on the deer.

“Oblong! —Shadow Clone!—”

Sally spoke. Her form split into five, each diverging toward the deer.

Maple blinked, startled.

“Oblong… can do that now…”

“S-Sally-san is incredible! H-How did she do that? And she split into five!?”

Yui spoke, breathless with excitement, turning to Maple.

“…I don’t know… not really…”

As she spoke, the aura of enhanced attack power surrounding Sally grew stronger.

Magic, dagger, and Oblong’s flames combined—just enough. The deer fell.

The three approached Sally, having ended the battle.

"Maple's grown too, huh."

"True enough. Let's take down the second-floor boss quickly."

The four entered the second floor without delay and moved straight toward the dungeon.

"I won't be fighting this time."

"Uh, okay."

Maple would defeat the second-floor boss alone.

Yui and Mai looked uneasy at Sally's words.

It was understandable. Maple wore a great shield and had confirmed from her own mouth that she had maxed out 【VIT】.

Yui and Mai understood the defensive strength granted by 【Love That Offers the Body】, yet they had seen Maple never once participate in combat during the journey.

Unmoved by their hesitation, Maple opened the door and walked toward the boss.

"Maybe Sally should help out..."

"I... I agree."

"Hmm. Fresh reaction, that's new."

Sally had never seen someone worry over Maple before.

Maple was known widely—mostly as a threat.

"Do you think my combat is impressive?"

"…Y-yes."

Her evasive maneuvers, unnatural. Her skills, potent.

The fight against the deer had been one that a hundred people out of a hundred would call extraordinary.

"Now the two of you will witness something beyond this world's logic."

Sally urged them to focus. She watched Maple walk.

They did not understand. In seconds, they would.

"I was told to show everything to Sally! Shiroppu!"

Maple summoned Shiroppu, enlarged it, and levitated it into the air.

The boss’s attack struck it directly. No damage resulted.

"【Poison Dragon (Hydra)】【Oozing Chaos】Shiroppu【Spirit Cannon】!"

The boss is struck by the three-headed poison dragon, the monster’s maw, and a beam that gleams with light.

While the boss flinches, Maple approaches and swings her great shield, nullifying damage.

【Greed】carves into the trunk. The boss’s HP diminishes rapidly under a barrage of great techniques.

Yet Maple’s attack does not cease.

【Predator】! 【Love That Offers the Body】!

Monsters emerge from both sides of Maple and lunge at the boss.

Wings of an angel sprout from Maple, shielding the monsters.

The boss screams, attacking Maple and the monsters with branches and magic—each strike ends in futility.

【Atrocity】!

A black light rises from Maple, taking form as a massive monster.

It breathes fire, bites, tears—finally reducing the boss to shreds.

One-sided annihilation. The boss is no longer distinguishable.

“Phew… done, done.”

“Maple. For now, return to your original form.”

“Ah, sorry, sorry.”

Maple tumbles from the monster’s abdomen. The monster vanishes.

“Then, let’s head to the third layer.”

“Right.”

Sally answers. Maple steps forward immediately.

Sally turns to Yui and Mai.

“Our strongest. Right? Don’t I look ordinary?”

“…………”

The two, overwhelmed, stand motionless, faces blank.

“But Maple and I share something. Maybe… you two could become like that too.”

Sally murmurs. She takes Yui and Mai’s hands. They walk toward the third layer.

Please understand that Yui and Mai are twins in reality, which is why their names are easily confused. Yes.