Defense specialization and two enemies.
This event portrays three guilds throughout, so the perspective shifts frequently and may be difficult to follow.
I will avoid going back in time as much as possible and strive to make the text easy to read. Please understand.
While Kasumi and her team swiftly eliminate the scouting unit, far away at the 【Gathering Holy Sword】, Frederica and Drag are assigned defense.
"I want to attack too! I want to attack too!"
"There's nothing we can do. We're slow on our feet."
As Drag said, the two of them have little investment in 【AGI】.
Therefore, they were not assigned to the 【AGI】-specialized scouting and assault unit.
Frederica sat on a large stone, idly swinging her feet.
The 【Gathering Holy Sword】 is a large guild, and its orb is located in terrain unsuitable for defense.
The location is a rocky outcrop surrounded by flat ground. Approaching the outcrop blocks visibility, and there are multiple potential entry points.
The area containing the orb has no ceiling. Surprise attacks from leaping down from the rocks are possible.
Several caves lie nearby. The orb cannot be hidden, but the caves provide shelter.
The two, idle and restless, received word of an enemy assault from a guild member.
Their demeanor shifted instantly. A sharp, electric tension spread through the air.
“How many?”
“Approximately forty. A number matching our defensive forces.”
“Then we should go. Pain gave me a hard time about minimizing casualties.”
“Yeah… let’s finish this quickly.”
“Let’s go. Ah, right… everyone back. We’ll handle this.”
“…Just the two of you?”
“Yeah. No problem.”
The one who reported it thought it might be arrogance born of strength, but yielded without protest to the two’s presence.
As the pair moved toward the front line, the report proved accurate—about forty players marched straight across the flat ground.
"Ours are good at watching."
"Indeed."
Drag, shouldering his great axe, waited until the forty entered his range, then swung the axe down.
Yet Drag’s range differed greatly from that of an ordinary axe wielder.
“[Land Split]!”
His range extended twenty meters ahead.
Countless fissures, fifty centimeters deep, split the ground—stopping movement.
A player advancing straight would stumble into a crack, lose balance, and fall.
This support reached its peak when Drag fought alongside Frederica.
“[Multi-Fireball]!”
Flames burst from the magic circle spread around Frederica.
They pierce player after player, one by one.
Frederica’s special ability is [Multi-Singing].
A forbidden skill that unleashes far more spells than the MP required for three spells—high-level defense as well, as shown when she fought Sally, using [Multi-Barrier].
“[Heavy Charge]!”
Drag charges through the air as Frederica casts her spell.
The vicious axe, swung in a wide arc, cleaves through a player emerging from a fissure and slams them into the ground.
“Hah! [Burn Axe]!”
Drag swings the blazing axe, abandoning defense, open to attack, yet devastating in power.
The closer an enemy comes, the fewer attacks they receive.
Attack is the best defense.
Yet this opponent numbers forty.
Surrounded, struck from all sides.
Still, Drag does not turn his focus to defense.
Then, inevitably, attacks—skill-enhanced—come flying in.
“[Multiple Barrier]! [Multiple Water Wall]!”
But each is negated by Frederica’s successive defensive walls, their force dissipated, Drag’s HP untouched.
Drag knows Frederica guards him. He does not need to defend.
“[Grand Lance]!”
Drag strikes the ground. Six stone spears erupt from beneath him.
Players pierced from below thrash, then fall one after another, crushed by Frederica’s magic damage.
“Is that all!? Ha!”
“[Cover]!”
The shieldbearer intercepts Drag’s axe, but the momentum carries it through, sending their ally flying backward and crashing to the ground.
This is another aspect of Drag.
It applies knockback.
Defend against Drag’s attack, and you are thrown back. Take it directly, and suffer heavy damage.
“[Heavy Charge]!”
The follow-up axe strike relentlessly chips away at HP.
Once fallen, to face Drag’s next assault is to be unable to rise again under the impact.
Power in attack is always justice.
Yet without the environment to wield it, it means nothing.
In this regard, Frederica, who continues both support and offense, is an elite rear guard.
“[Multi-Laser Barrage]”
Four magic circles appear around Frederica. Seconds later, lasers erupt from them, enveloping the players.
They counter with skills, but cannot land effective strikes while approaching Frederica.
They cannot turn their backs on Drag to face Frederica.
That would mean death.
One reason, perhaps, that even one person cannot ignore Drag is his renown.
In most cases, the power one can unleash against an opponent clearly above oneself never reaches one hundred percent.
“““【Water Wall】!”””
Having retreated in panic, they lost more members. When only about ten remained, they finally found an opening and fled at full speed.
Drag attempted to pursue, but understood he was slower and returned to Frederica’s side.
“Phew… fought hard, fought hard.”
“Still so harsh with people, aren’t you? Harsh, aren’t you!? Always rushing ahead like that!”
“Sorry, sorry. But I was useful, wasn’t I?”
Mm-hmm. Drag’s movements are easy to read, so it’s simple to support him.
There was certainly arrogance in their claim to have driven back the enemy together—arrogance born of strength.
But true strength is on another level.
They surpassed that.
“Frederica, you’re the same. How come your MP never runs out? Huh? How?”
“Fufu~! Secret~!”
Frederica walked toward the orb, smiling.
Drag followed behind.
“Those people are reckless too. They should’ve stayed outside our purpose.”
“We were in the cave a little while ago. That’s why we couldn’t be seen.”
“Ahh… right. Those people just had bad luck.”
“Yeah.”
The two, having perfectly defended their position, earned respect—and a hint of envy—from the guild members before beginning to speak again around the orb.