Defense specialization and Tower Seventh Floor 2.

The rope connecting the two was unfastened. They advanced along the remaining path, now reduced to a narrow route.

Having bypassed the place where something might have occurred, they reached the cliffside simply by shifting their footing.

Before them, ice thorns taller than their own height spread out like a forest.

"...Over there? That seems passable."

With the blizzard weakening and visibility improving, Sally pointed to a narrow path winding between the thorns.

"From the side, we won't be impaled. Good."

They slipped through the gap between the ice thorns. Moving forward, the scene abruptly opened into a circular plaza covered in snow.

"Boss?"

"Not here for now... but did they come?"

The ice thorns snap with a sharp crack. From ahead, a massive, spiky sphere rolls toward them.

It bursts open before them.

Revealed is a boss with blue-white ice spines along its back and a body of snow, shaped like a hedgehog.

"Adorable! But... adorable, but!"

"Troublesome when it comes rolling like that..."

They see only the hard, unyielding spines on its back and the speed with which it rolls—unexpected for such a form.

To be struck by something that clearly pierces defenses is unacceptable.

As they watch, the snow body curls inward, becoming a single snowball, its surface now armored with ice spines. It charges toward Maple and Sally.

"Maple, brace yourself!"

"Got it!"

Maple steps in front of Sally, raising her shield to deflect the massive form—but is knocked backward by sheer force of impact.

“Uuu… that hurts…”

A crimson damage effect flickered across Maple’s shoulder as she pushed snow from her frame and rose.

Sally immediately healed Maple, then turned to plan the next move.

“[Heal]!”

“W-what should we do?”

…“Hm? Sally, look—!”

Where Sally pointed, two of the ice spines sprouting from the boss’s back had snapped off at the base.

If those could be removed, the piercing attacks threatening Maple might cease.

“Let’s try it. Attack, and if we block it precisely, the spines will break. Then we can surely overcome it.”

“Yeah, I’ll do my best! [Full Armament Deployment]!”

Maple activated her gear and charged toward the boss, now rolling again.

The shots struck the boss’s body, but inflicted no damage. Yet the ice spines bent slightly.

“Here it comes!”

“[Cover Move]!”

Maple continued firing until the very last moment, closing the distance to Sally, who had jumped back, and evading with precision.

"Ehehe, haven’t dodged like that in a while."

"Remember, if you get hit now, damage doubles. Be careful."

"Ah! Right, I can’t get hit…"

"...Seems like attacking while it’s rolling does nothing."

"True! It’s not broken yet."

"Let’s keep going until we can deal damage. There’s some change, seems like."

"Yep! If we can dodge, there’s nothing to fear!"

"It’s stable. I’ll leave the attacks to you."

"Alright! You handle the attacks—just leave dodging to me!"

Maple attacked, and Sally retreated in sync, evading from a charge. They repeated this motion until all the spines on its back were shattered.

And in front of the two, who had prepared for the next charge, the boss’s hedgehog slipped on snow and tumbled onto its back.

She flailed wildly.

"Chance!"

"Ugh... but a bit too far!"

"Sally! Grab on!"

"Wha—? Oh, right!"

Maple angled her weapon downward and detonated it, launching herself straight toward the boss.

She landed with a thud on the boss’s exposed abdomen, then smiled as if everything had gone as planned.

"【Fireball】【Triple Slash】! Good—damage taken!"

"Um... usable attack skill... ah, 【Hundred Demons at Night】!"

Two great demons materialized on either side of the flailing hedgehog, swinging their iron clubs with heavy blows, inflicting damage.

"Wait... the scene... it's..."

"Doesn't seem to be doing much... ugh!?!"

"Maybe it has resistance. Backing off for now!"

Sally caught Maple as she was thrown from the boss’s body, regaining her footing, then stepped back.

Damage was reduced against attacks not of fire element, so the impact was not severe.

"Yeah... wait! You two, stop attacking now!"

The giant followed the boss as it sank into the snow, but no damage was inflicted. After a moment, the boss reappeared, encased in ice thorns, and was struck repeatedly with a golden club.

Yet the thorns did not break. The giant absorbed the full charge and vanished.

"Ahh!"

"Power might have increased! Maple, stay sharp—avoid it completely!"

"Y-yes! I don’t want to get hit at all..."

Time remained. Whether focus could be sustained would decide victory.