Defense specialization and the second floor.

Having cleared the first floor, the two moved on to the second floor the following day.

Having already cleared the first floor, they could begin the second floor immediately.

Before the two, as they stepped into the second floor, stretched a corridor lined wall to wall with books.

Tall bookshelves reached up to the ceiling, and the corridor was of the same width as the first floor.

"A library, perhaps?"

"Feels like it. Hmm, magic attacks seem likely."

"Can't ride Shiroppu here—this width is too narrow."

As Maple said, riding Shiroppu indoors was often impossible.

Flying through the air would allow evasion in many cases, but not this time.

"Let's just walk through it properly?"

"Yes. That's right—might take a little longer."

The two began moving forward down the corridor at once.

After walking some distance down the corridor lined with books on both sides, they reached a crossroads. Each path ahead held the same scene.

"Maple, which way should we go?"

"...Left?"

"Then left it is."

The two turned left at the crossroads.

A book suddenly shot out from the shelf, flying straight toward them.

"…! Wait—!"

Sally reacted quickly, twisting her body aside to dodge the incoming book, then immediately drew her dagger and countered.

The book-shaped monster scattered red damage effects but did not lose momentum.

It snapped open sharply. From the edge of its pages, sharp fangs emerged—unnatural for a book.

The fangs sank directly into Maple’s face.

"Uwah!? N-no—Sally! Can’t see! Can’t see! P-pull it off!"

Maple shook her head violently, but the monster held fast, refusing to release its grip.

Wait a moment. Double Slash!

Sally lands rapid strikes on the monster’s exposed weak points.

Its HP is set quite low. The standard monster collapses, dissolving into light.

...That startled me. But monsters that appear here usually behave like that.

Indeed. But then we can’t predict where they’ll come from.

Sally does not falter. She scans the area, cautious.

Yet no presence emerges. As if monsters can only appear from specific points.

"Shall we use Love That Offers the Body?"

"Yes, please. Wind magic has wide area effects."

Maple activates Love That Offers the Body. She drinks a potion, restoring her HP fully.

The two advance again through the narrow aisle, packed tight with books.

The book we just read wasn’t very strong.

Maybe? Its attack power was high. Probably…

Even if Maple attacks with moderate strength, those watching cannot perceive the force behind it.

One or a thousand—before Maple, they are the same.

Seeing a strange book reminds me of Kanade.

…The boss might truly be like that. So many types of attacks, it seems.

I see. Is there any information written somewhere? With so many books here.

Maple reaches toward the bookshelf on the left and tries to pull out a volume. The book does not move. It is fixed in place.

No good. Too bad.

But there might be something like that somewhere. We reached the boss without fully exploring the first floor, so we didn’t pay attention. Then, let’s look for it as we go.

That’s right!

Maple replied with a bright voice when the book flew out once more.

It floated gently toward the ceiling, then immediately unleashed a bolt of lightning.

Lightning streaked across a wide area, illuminating the corridor with a blinding flash and a thunderous crack.

“What now, Sally? Shoot?”

“Yeah, it’s too bright.”

The two exchanged calm words.

Maple deployed her weapon, aiming the barrel.

A laser beam flared, neutralizing the descending lightning, and the following beam burned through the book.

The relentless attack felled the monster once more without delay.

“Hmph, no traps this time, so this is fine!”

“You’re reliable, aren’t you?—wait, next one’s three at once.”

A book wrapped in light drifted gently toward them from afar. Sally looked at Maple and said that, and Maple understood immediately what to do.

“Leave it to me!”

Weapons turned toward the passage ahead, same as before.

If the monster wished to defeat Maple, it had no choice but to enter the range of their fire.

To face Maple, who had not yet expended her strength, at the very start of the search, meant defeat for any common monster.