Defense specialization and readiness for deployment.

By midday on the second day of the event.

In the depths of the 【Maple Tree】, Sally slowly rises.

...Is Maple managing well?

Sally opens the map. Maple’s position appears—just turning back toward the 【Maple Tree】.

Soon, it’s time to go.

Not fully recovered, but remaining idle is not an option.

Sally stands. She moves toward the room housing the orb.

Upon returning to defense, the familiar allied orb remains in place.

Sally exhales, stretching slightly as she approaches the guild members.

Ah, you’re awake. What now? Go out again?

Crom’s question. Sally replies she does not intend to.

Unease lingers. She cannot be certain she can avoid every attack while still unwell.

By the second day, it was expected that some guilds would have improved their response to ambushes.

Failure in an ambush meant only death. Sally had decided, if she must go out, it would be at night.

She turned to something she had been considering.

“Kasumi….”

“Ah… ever since the new blade was made, she’s been like this.”

They both looked toward Kasumi.

Her expression was softer than ever, repeating the motion of staring at the scabbard, then the blade.

“Haaah… good…”

Kasumi would not return to this world for some time.

“She seems to have defeated the Crack Sword… how many top-tier will fall in the final phase…”

“The last day will be chaotic… she will likely survive.”

Dread and Shin had both fallen after clashing with stronger opponents.

Without encountering stronger opponents, they would survive naturally.

As they spoke, Maple returned.

"Back! Got nine orbs!"

"Ugh... still as reckless as ever..."

Sally thought again, watching Maple return with nearly the same number of orbs as her own, unharmed.

"Thanks to your map, though. Without it, I couldn't find the guilds at all..."

"Ah, glad it helped."

Maple set down the orbs and stayed where she was.

The number of skill uses was dwindling. Still, even if the odds were low, it would be dangerous if all guilds came to reclaim their orbs.

No player would willingly walk into a death trap, but caution never hurt.

It would seem, from above, that battles are occurring in many places. Some have been struck repeatedly, it appears.

It is becoming unstable. Perhaps large guilds have given up reclaiming their orbs, and now turn their attention elsewhere.

Similar to Crom’s view. The numbers are thinning, perhaps.

The momentum of fierce combat, created by players like Sally on the first day, has not ceased.

If anything, it has intensified.

Defense is strong with Yui and Mai. The terrain favors us greatly.

Currently, Yui and Mai are tossing an iron ball back and forth.

They are players who, no matter what, cannot leave their position to act elsewhere. They have always been on defense. But now, with no immediate threat, they are idle.

After this defense ends… I would like Yui and Mai to take their turn in action.

“Hn? But, Sally. Aren’t the two of them already active?”

“Ah, well… out there, they are.”

But before Crom could speak, Sally turned to Maple, her words quick.

“Maple, another attack would be tough, right?”

Sally asked about the strain on skill reserves.

She knew Maple’s current state, even without speaking—long enough together, even after waking from sleep, to sense it.

“Hmm… yeah… oh, right!”

“Yeah, taking the two along would ease Maple’s load… feels like we won’t need to spread our defense so thin anymore.”

Maple could return quickly, at speed.

Maple was the pillar of defense, the pivot of offense.

“So for now, hold the line, take the two, and strike again.”

“Physically… are you sure? Long-duration action…?”

She had thought it best not to push herself too hard in that area, because she could no longer move.

“Because I’ve trained during the second event! With the rabbit, with meditation! And I don’t walk.”

There was no need to run, as Sally did, so Maple moved through the air at ease. Her fatigue built slowly.

“Then, please.”

“Yeah!”

Three hours later, Maple returned to the battlefield, bearing two of the strongest lances.

Maple’s weakness was covered by Yui and Mai. Yui and Mai’s weakness was covered by Maple.

The three, with their skewed stats, fit together as naturally as if they were meant to be, growing more dangerous when united.