Defense specialization and Tower Level Nine.

"Still up here, huh?"

"Yeah, please."

Maple lowers Sally onto the platform, then ascends slowly, steadily.

After the roar ends, the boss extends its hooked claws. Maple sidesteps with ease, slicing its arm as they pass.

"More counters...!?"

Sally senses movement behind her and instantly surges forward.

Immediately after, a black spike tears through space from behind her.

"Only a little easier because it's visible... Well, this I can avoid!"

Sally advances toward the boss and begins attacking with her dagger.

In response, several large magic circles unfold around the boss. One lies directly beneath Sally.

"Too wide...!"

"It's okay! Keep attacking!"

A voice from above reaches Sally as she barely escapes the spell's activation.

Sally steps forward, preparing 【Pierce Guard】 at all times, and repositions herself within the range of 【Love That Offers the Body】.

"Nice! Then..."

From each magic circle, a black torrent surges upward into the sky. The attack is undeniably powerful. Yet, nothing can harm Maple, who has nullified piercing attacks with 【Pierce Guard】.

Sally leaps clear of the black torrent, letting her body twist as she draws her dagger.

"Good!"

She dodges the counter effortlessly, enhancing the buff of 【Sword Dance】 and accelerating damage output.

By pressing forward aggressively, repeating attacks, she forces the counter and turns every opportunity into her own strength.

For the two who handle it well, the rising torrent is a welcome action.

Seize the opening precisely, deliver a barrage, and retreat to solid ground before the effect of 【Star Power】 fades.

"Over here too... 【Attack Initiated】! Shiroppu, 【Spirit Cannon】!"

Maple fires another laser from above, and Shiroppu launches an attack to deal damage. The counter inevitably comes, but this time Maple shifts the large shield to protect the weapon, preventing its destruction.

It is far better for the attack to strike Maple directly.

"Good, keep going!"

Maple rises from the throne, lifting the skill seal that has been binding her.

【Oozing Chaos】! 【Poison Dragon (Hydra)】!

Her offensive power returns, though she forgoes damage reduction and healing. The poison mass and the monster’s maw lunge at the boss, reducing the HP gauge.

"Yeah, that’s working! Wait—what?!"

Maple’s heavy attack returns with equal force.

The fact that it does not cling to the body is something that does not come to mind instantly. She is blown upward by the black mass before she can use Heavy Body.

She has remained on Shiroppu’s platform for too long. No buffs from Starpower have taken effect.

“—!”

“Hey! That’s dangerous!”

“Sally!”

Sally sees the light of Love That Offers the Body recede and immediately uses Super Acceleration to reach Maple’s side, catching her mid-fall and setting her down firmly on a nearby platform.

“Thank you. I’m good.”

“For now, you must return to Shiroppu’s platform. I’ll draw it here—don’t use your weapon, just come back.”

“Got it!”

“Good. Hikari, Shadow Clone!”

As the word “draw” implies, Hikari’s power is used to intensify the attack further.

Sally’s form splits into five, each moving toward the boss.

She avoids swinging arms, black lasers flying toward her, sudden attacks from behind—each with precision.

When Sally secures another hit, and Maple’s attention shifts, Maple rises into the air using Star Power and returns to Shiroppu’s side.

“[Heavy Body], [Pierce Guard], [Crystallization]... hmm, I should ask Sally how to use these skills properly later... For now—[Full Armament Deployment], [Attack Initiated]!”

Still unfamiliar with the finer skills, Maple strikes the boss with a grand technique, choosing this method as the clearest way to understand it.