Defense specialization and new access.

The final post of this year.

We will continue posting next year as well.

Since acquiring her blade, Kasumi has once again dedicated herself to raising her通行許可証 rank.

Meanwhile, after another week had passed, Maple lay face-down on the guild's desk.

"Sa-ri-ii… the通行許可証 rank won’t go up…"

Maple spoke to Sally, who sat in the chair across from her.

"Ah, Maple might take some time."

That was because to upgrade the通行許可証 rank, one must run ceaselessly throughout the Town, completing errand events from both inside and outside.

The events range from gathering to extermination.

Kasumi’s speed is exceptional, but even so, it normally requires considerable time.

Maple, having sacrificed much in exchange for defense, moves even slower than usual.

Sally’s通行許可証 characters were in lacquer. Maple’s remained as they were when she received it.

“Wish I could go deeper soon…”

At those words, a tremor ran through the entire fourth layer.

“W-what…?”

“Can’t… tell…?”

Both Maple and Sally received a notice from operations simultaneously.

They each opened their messages and read.

【The Town has regained its true form after a player first breached the Gate of Nine. Items and quests have been added as a result.】

“Sally! Let’s go out and check it!”

“Yeah, let’s see.”

When they stepped out from the guild, one thing was immediately clear.

“Oh…? Is that…?”

“Hmm… Looks like a yōkai to me.”

There, among the streets, walked beings not of human form—yōkai, monsters, and other spirits, unmistakable even at a glance.

The fourth layer was a town of yōkai and sorcery.

“Sally? You’re sure this is alright?”

Maple points at a floating spirit, weightless and drifting. Clearly not the kind Sally favors.

“Won’t come at us. Won’t startle. Just leave it be.”

Her expression does not brighten. She does not like it.

Sally speaks to Maple, eyes on the passing spirits.

“Is it Kasumi who’s arrived?”

“Seems she’s come far.”

They think of Kasumi, absent now from this place.

Their guess is correct.

Beyond the torii marked with the character for “nine,” Kasumi sits cross-legged.

She froze upon seeing yōkai spill forth the moment she passed under the gate.

A message from the organizers reached her. She understood the situation.

“Ah… right… phew.”

Kasumi rises and surveys the new district once more.

“The next torii is near.”

Only one path extends from the torii she has just passed.

Following the main street where yōkai walk, flanked by shops on either side, she reaches the far end and arrives before a building of exceptional height.

A final torii stands before the entrance to that building.

Beside it, a sign is posted.

[The next master shall be entrusted to the one who holds the red oni’s horn, the dragon’s reverse scale, and the dew of heaven.]

“This is new… nothing like the items we’ve acquired before… items have increased, so a second search, perhaps?”

Kasumi’s heart quickens as she begins to circulate through the shops, gathering information on the three new items.

And so it is with every player. The town, once quiet, now throngs with players and yōkai NPCs, all beginning their exploration at once.

Maple entered the nearby shop with Sally, both now examining new items.

The human shopkeeper had changed into a woman with fox ears and a fox tail.

"Is that what it means to be transformed?"

"Maybe."

The two moved through the new goods.

Practical items, and others that were not. Even in this single shop, there were many they had never seen before.

"Look, Maple, this."

Sally held up three talismans tied together with string.

In her left hand, a white talisman. In her right, a black one.

"Two different effects?"

"Yeah. The black one disables one random skill of the target for three minutes.

The white one acts as a substitute when a chosen skill is sealed."

Sally added that each could be used three times, as there were three talismans.

"Hmm... I see."

"You can only carry one set of white and black."

…Well, I suppose I’ll pick these up for now?

That seems wise. There might be a use for them somewhere down the line.

The item was harmless to carry, so the two of them decided to buy both the white and black talismans.

“Sally! Sally! Look what’s here!”

Maple pointed to the horn and ear attachments.

“Why don’t you try one on?”

Sally, seeing the “try on” sign, suggested it to Maple.

“Hmm… Ah! Then this one!”

Maple fastened a curled horn.

“Hmm…”

“It’d suit you if you turned into a sheep!”

“Hmm… Ah, yes, sheep… Right, right. Yeah, it does look good.”

“Then how about you, Sally? Try this!”

“Eh? I don’t really need—”

Maple handed her a set of pure white fox ears and tail.

“Matching with Oboro!”

“Yeah… I suppose I could wear them somewhere private… But the tail? That’s a little embarrassing.”

Sally considered that if these were to spread among players, it might be acceptable to wear them somewhere private… but the tail? That was a little embarrassing. She finished the payment with Maple and left the shop.

"I have a matter to attend to later, so I must log out now…"

"Okay! Bye-bye, Sally!"

"Uh-huh. Bye-bye, Maple."

Sally vanished into light.

Left alone, Maple pondered what to do next. A familiar figure caught her eye at the edge of sight.

"Oh, it’s Mii. That way… what happened there, again?"

Mii glanced around, then slipped into a narrow alley. Maple could not recall what had occurred, so she followed the same path.

She thought it might be good to call out to Mii, whom she had met during the last event and grown fairly close to.

As she walked through the winding streets, Mii’s voice reached her ears.

Maple stops, though there is no need to. She glances sideways, toward where Mii must be.

"Alright... once healed, let's go defeat the monster."

She speaks, then pulls out a blue panel and begins changing her gear.

Not only that, she starts using items to alter her appearance.

Her red hair turns white, long and flowing. Her clothes shift to blue and white. At a glance, one would not recognize her as Mii.

Her usual red form is too distinct.

"Alright!"

Mii opens the door and steps inside.

...I shouldn't be looking. What—what should I do!?

Maple ends up following, peeking after all.

She decides not to tell anyone. Still, she feels she must tell Mii she has seen.

"Anyway... the shop we entered..."

A small sign read 【fluffy cuddle room】.

……good. fuh—.

Maple opens the door and enters. She pays the receptionist and moves deeper inside.

The room holds several fluffy, floating cats.

And there, in the back, sits Mii, expression slack, face hidden in a cat she holds.

Mii notices Maple and buries her face further into the cat’s fur.

Even with disguise, it is clear to one she has grown close to.

Her features remain unchanged.

Maple approaches. She apologizes for having seen—unintentionally, yet seen.

“It’s fine. I… maybe I wanted someone to know. Pretending is hard. Hehe…”

“I really am sorry. If there’s anything I can do… please say so.”

"...then, after this, will you help me defeat a few monsters...?"

Maple readily agreed, and together with Mii, she indulged in a brief moment of fondling.