Defense specialization and the haunted mansion IV.

“Hug… s-suck…”

Running, running, moving from room to room.

By the time she had done so, Sally had been caught by those cold arms several times.

She could not even flee properly, that was the reality.

Sally possessed the ability to dodge the reaching arms if the spirits appeared as oaks or goblins.

But without that ability, she was no more than a slightly quick player.

Sally’s 【AGI】 had already dropped to a quarter.

That unfamiliar sensation, already reducing her evasion, further diminished her ability.

Thus, the frequency of her capture steadily increased.

Eventually, broken in spirit, Sally shut herself inside the closet, eyes closed, trembling.

Maple sent a message, adding that reply was unnecessary, her mind no longer holding even the faintest trace of self-sustenance.

“Maple……s-s-stop…come…”

Sally’s quiet, sniffling mutter went unanswered.

At that moment, two things approached Sally slowly.

One was the spirit driving her into the closet. The other was Maple, finally reaching the floor where Sally was.

By chance, Maple was searching room by room.

“Don’t know where Sally is… looked through every room, but she’s not here… doesn’t seem hurt either.”

Maple struck each spirit she encountered, one by one, as if pasting exorcism talismans.

Before Maple, a bloodied child spirit appeared, advancing slowly.

“Ugh… please, be at peace! W-wait—!?”

As Maple reaches for an item, the screen fills with a red handprint.

“…jolted… item, item…”

Maple steadies herself, draws out an item, and presses it against the child spirit.

It flares, then fades quietly.

Maple begins to access her inventory to prepare the next item.

Then she realizes she can no longer log out.

“This is what Sally said… that means Sally is somewhere here!”

Maple finally arrives, gives a small fist pump.

“But… uh, is Sally alright?”

Seeing a spirit more terrifying than any she has encountered before, Maple grows anxious for Sally.

“Yeah. Definitely not alright! I have to find her!”

After a moment, Maple decides. She moves quickly down the corridor, her posture changed, shield raised, eyes scanning every shadow.

Sally… won’t answer. She’s definitely crying…

Maple listens carefully, her ears straining, scanning every corner of the room from wall to wall.

Ah, right! I should let her know I’m close!

Maple sends a message to Sally, then resumes the search.

The message reaches Sally.

Sally reads it. Her face brightens with sudden hope.

Ah, footsteps… Maple?

The footsteps stop before the door. The door creaks open.

To the right of the open door, the closet holds Sally.

Just a moment…

Sally peeks through the slightly open closet door, confirming the person inside.

Strangely, at that moment, Sally is nearly certain—without doubt—that it is Maple.

It was a mistake born of desperation, of wanting desperately to save someone.

Long, slender arms. Skin without color.

The face she had never seen before. The eyes, which should have been behind the long strands of hair, were gone. From the pitch-black holes, thick, cloudy blood oozed like tears.

Sally and the spirit locked eyes—just for an instant.

They had seen each other.

“H-huh…!”

Sally flinches, slamming the closet door shut—but the sound of footsteps pressing into the floor draws near.

“N-no, no, no!”

Her trembling hands press against the door, but it opens slowly.

And there, through the gap, the spirit’s dark, dark eye-sockets stare at Sally.

“A….”

All strength leaves Sally. She collapses onto the closet floor, motionless.

The door is fully open. The spirit reaches toward her, slowly.

Black shadows spilled from the spirit, thick blood oozing from its eye sockets.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

“! — [Heaven’s Throne]!”

When Sally had given up, her voice breaking, Maple flew through the open door.

The spreading field of light reached the spirit’s feet. The eerie black shadows vanished in an instant.

“Sally! Are you alright!?”

“Ugh… uuu… Maple….”

Sally crawled out of the closet, clinging to Maple, who could not move from the throne.

“Thank the stars… but what now?”

As Maple looked up, the spirit pressed closer, wrapping itself around Maple from above Sally.

“Looking at this is too much!”

Maple turned her face away, pressing her hands against the spirit’s face—but it slipped through like smoke.

“Egh… uuu… gagh…”

“Really… what do we do now?”

Maple remained seated, struck dumb with uncertainty.