Defense specialization and the seventh event.
The year is ending once more.
Apologies for the reduced posts in November and December.
I will strive with renewed effort next year. If you would, please watch over me with kindness.
Wishing you a good year ahead.
Several days had passed since Maple had explored the mansion filled with traps, yet she still had not obtained the 【Iron Body】 and 【Heavy Body】 she had intended to acquire.
Maple sat on a chair in the guild home, her feet swinging idly.
—Mmm… where could it be? I think it must be somewhere. Perhaps it is time-limited?
Maple pondered, head tilted. The thought was interrupted by a message alert.
—Hm. Ah, the next event. A dungeon-clearing type, I see.
Maple read through the information.
The event involved clearing a tower composed of ten stacked layers, with the number of medals awarded varying according to the selected difficulty.
No time acceleration was permitted. Players could transfer directly to any floor they had reached, encouraging completion over a longer duration.
"Is everyone really going for the hardest level? Hmm. Solo clearance grants better rewards, I see."
At the highest difficulty, clearing with multiple players yielded five medals per person. Solo clearance granted ten medals.
"Combat with other players is not allowed this time... yes, that's right. Good, good."
Maple nodded to herself, satisfied.
The event would run from early April.
Maple glanced at the display, then paused.
"One year has passed already... unusual for me to enjoy something this much? Next event, huh..."
Maple recalled all she had done, and only memories of enjoyment remained.
Memories that brought a smile to her face, and a few others—few enough to count—yet vivid in their struggle.
As Maple reflected on these, the will to explore slowly returned.
“Hmm... right! Let’s quickly gather skills before the next event!”
Maple sprang up from her chair and set out with renewed resolve toward the sixth layer of the Town.
She left the Guild Home, yet nothing had changed.
She still did not know where the skill she sought might be.
“What should I do...? Ah! I’ll look through the bulletin board—maybe I’ll find something new!”
Maple spoke as if she had just thought of something good, then walked toward the center of the Town.
Maple moved through the crowd, her eyes scanning the bulletin board. The two skill entries she had been searching for appeared instantly, so easily that her earlier hesitation felt foolish.
“Ah… ah… just found these, right? Let’s see…”
Maple studied the details.
As she finished reading, her expression darkened.
First, both 【Iron Body】 and 【Heavy Body】 required not only 【VIT】 but also 【MP】 and 【STR】.
【Iron Body】
Damage from fire and electricity doubled.
Reduces non-magical damage by thirty percent.
Consumes 50 MP.
Duration: two minutes.
Available again after five minutes.
Requires: 50 MP, 80 VIT at acquisition.
【Heavy Body】
Immune to knockback.
Cannot move if 【STR】 is less than or equal to 【VIT】.
Consumes 10 MP.
Duration: one minute.
Available again after three minutes.
The first is beyond Maple’s reach at present, and its effect is negligible to begin with.
To cut damage that she almost never receives is not something Maple would trade MP for.
The second was simply the problem of being unable to move for one minute.
“There is a place to obtain it… Got it, noted. Hmm, could probably learn the skill? But…”
If she were to acquire it, it would be 【Heavy Body】—yet that did not seem necessary for Maple.
Maple stepped away from the bulletin board and walked along the main road, considering how to proceed with her skill.
“There’s no harm in having it… Besides, I’ve gone through the trouble of finding it! I’ll secure 【Heavy Body】! Then…”
Maple sent several messages, then stepped out into the field to obtain 【Heavy Body】.
Maple had secured the information thoroughly. There was no way she would be felled by some monster nearby.
After a while, Maple obtained the skill safely.
She leveled up slightly. Broke her black gear. Time passed.
Today, as always, Maple logged in. Opened the guild home door.
She pushed open the fifth-floor guild home door with force.
Beyond it stood Sally.
Sally startled slightly at Maple’s sudden entrance. Then spoke.
“Ah, Maple. The event starts today. Solo? Or eight people?”
Sally assumed solo, seeing no one behind her.
“Neither solo nor eight people!”
“……?”
“This time, we’re going together. Just you and me!”
Maple’s message sent earlier.
It had said she would prefer to participate this time—just with Sally.
No one in the 【Maple Tree】 would object to exploration by just Sally and herself.
“Long time no see. Let’s play together, just the two of us?”
Sally blinked, surprised by Maple’s words, then quickly smiled.
“Sure! Then our goal is….”
“Of course, no damage!”
“I’ve practiced evasion even on the fifth floor. I’m not rusty.”
“I’m fully prepared to protect you, Sally!”
With that, the two immediately headed toward the tower set up for the event.
Their steps were lighter than ever.