Defense specialization and unexpected.

I will stop here, though the text is too brief. As an exception, I will post the continuation tomorrow.

One o'clock at night.

Sally had not returned to base once, focused solely on夺取 the orbs.

She had gathered much.

Ten orbs filled Sally’s inventory.

That alone was remarkable. Yet Sally’s purpose was not merely to seize orbs. She could not return.

Yet her purpose was finally nearing completion.

“Fuu… time to go back now.”

Sally, exhausted, still kept moving.

Stopping meant pursuers would arrive. That had not changed for a long time.

“…Hm?”

Sally halted and concealed herself in the shadow of a rock.

She focused again. The presence of players was unmistakable.

Not ten. Not twenty.

Far more.

Yes. More than a hundred.

“Surrounded…!”

Her fatigue had lowered her detection ability below its usual level without her noticing.

It was clear she had been exposed. Players were scattered and hidden in the shadows across a wide area.

"...One of these orbs must have been linked to a large guild...!"

Sally reached that conclusion.

Yet she could not abandon the orbs without confirming which one, and so she could not simply flee.

"...You won't let me go, will you?"

Sally quickly manipulated the panel, checked the map, confirmed the positions of the 【Maple's Tree】 members, sent a single message, and withdrew five doping seeds.

"...I must get back, no matter what."

The area where Sally stood grew as bright as midday.

A spell had raised a small sun in the sky. The darkness could no longer hide her escape.

It was clear they had prepared to finish the player caught in the trap.

"...So the opponent just got lucky enough to catch a big one?"

Sally swallowed the doping seed and stepped out from behind the rock.

The players surrounding her stopped hiding one by one and closed in around her.

There were gaps between them, enough to allow attack, but not enough to escape.

"Good—cornered! Now!"

The players shouted and charged forward, but halted mid-step.

"Cornered? Who?"

It was because Sally’s presence had changed.

Not mere focus—nothing so simple.

From Sally came unmistakable killing intent.

One step forward, and death. Her eyes glowed sharp as steel. Her smile split wide, like a blade drawn. It was on her face.

Sally carried an presence so overwhelming it seemed they were at a disadvantage.

Sally felt as though her fatigue had been blown away.

The source of strength beyond the usual lay precisely at the point where limits had been exceeded.

Senses sharpen. Body lightens.

Then… survive.

Sally steadied her breath and raised the dagger.

Maple, idly bored from lack of threat, received a message.

From Sally? What now?

There was only one line there.

Perhaps I shall die. Forgive me.

Written only thus.