Defense specialization and the fourth layer.

Apologies for the delay.

Revisions concerning the characters would likely affect the posting schedule significantly, so please allow me to proceed without them.

Instead, as a temporary measure, I have written as much character introduction as possible into the first chapter.

You should find it helpful in forming a clearer image... I hope.

One month and a few days after the event concluded, on a day in October.

Today was the day the fourth layer was added.

Though I was invited by Risa to come see it, I would have logged in eventually even without the invitation.

The world was enveloped in light. When it faded, the town of the third layer spread before me.

Looking around, Maple saw Sally waving from a distance and moved toward her.

"Here I am. What now? Shall we go straight away?"

"The third layer boss should be manageable by Maple alone... Shall we go? You're curious, aren't you?"

"Of course, of course!"

They had not synchronized their login timing. Only two were logged in at 【Maple Tree】 right now.

Even if they ascended to the upper layers now, they would still have to defeat the boss with all guild members again.

Yet their curiosity about the new layer overpowered that necessity.

Without checking what kind of boss awaited, Maple in 【Brutality】 state mounted Sally onto her back and raced across the field toward the dungeon.

Everyone already knew she was Maple, so no player on mechanical wings attacked her.

But being noticed remained unavoidable.

She charged through the dungeon, crushing monsters beneath her, until she reached the Boss Room. She opened the door and stepped inside.

“Sally? We’re here!”

“Alright! Let’s get this over with quick.”

At the far end of the room stood a steel golem nearly three times the height of the two of them.

If the golem had consciousness, its mind would have gone blank at the sight of a monster peering through the door.

“[Phantom World]!”

Sally alone would make four Maples.

Four Maples wrap around the steel golem and begin attacking.

The golem counters with attacks, but naturally, the damage does not land on Maple.

Sally sees this and relaxes. She sits down and begins stroking Hina’s head.

But Maple’s anxious voice pulls Sally back.

“Sally!? What do we do!?.”

“Huh!? What!?.”

“It’s not taking damage!?”

“Huh!?”

Sally looks at the golem. Its HP has not decreased at all.

The administrators consider it.

A way to naturally suppress the Maple in [Ruthless] state.

Instead of placing a boss with absurdly high attack power, they decided on a boss with high defense and HP.

Maple’s true adversary was not a high-damage boss, but one with the same nature.

Maple lacked a piercing attack skill.

If the golem could not deal damage, this battle would never end.

A method to suppress Maple in one-on-one combat.

“This is something I must handle myself.”

Sally assessed the situation, drew her dagger, and sprinted toward the golem.

Thirty minutes passed in combat.

Thanks to Sally’s maximum enhancement of [Dance of the Sword], the match concluded.

“Hah… I missed.”

“Yeah… it was tough.”

Though they had intended to swiftly pass through and proceed to the fourth layer, they were halted at this point. Still, they shifted their focus and moved toward the fourth layer.

What kind of place is it?

Well? Look, it’s coming into view.

Sally broke into a run. Maple followed.

The fourth layer was a town cloaked in eternal night.

Two full moons, red and blue, hung above a sky glittering with stars.

This town, the largest yet, was entirely made of wood and bore a distinctly traditional appearance.

Canals ran through the town. Lights glowed softly along the paths.

A single tall building stood at the center. What could it hold? The heart quickened.

Shall we explore? Shall we go?

Yes. But first, let’s head to the guild home.

Ugh, right.

They suppressed their eagerness and moved toward the guild home.