Defense specialization and Tower Tenth Floor 4.
The boss has completed its form change. It assumes an offensive stance. Five swords float behind it, their tips aimed at the two, speeding toward them at high velocity.
Sally avoids them with ease. Maple is pulled away by a thread from Sally’s hand.
“Cobalt Move is no good. Double damage hurts right now!”
“Yeah, thanks!”
As they dodge the flaming swords, the blades hover in midair, then turn their tips toward them again.
The two notice five more swords floating behind the boss, standing at the center of the field. They widen their eyes.
“They’re multiplying!?”
“Maple! Short-term battle! Quick!”
“Y-yeah!”
The situation will only worsen if they do nothing. They close the distance to the boss.
“Provocation!... I’ll stop it somehow! Sally, attack!”
“Got it. I’m counting on you!”
Ten swords flying toward her, Maple is the target. Sally advances alone toward the boss.
"Shiroppu! — Wall!"
Several walls rise around Maple, cracking but managing to catch a few at last.
The shield holds, though the consumption of 【Evil Feast】 is unavoidable. Three of the strikes pierce Maple’s body. Shiroppu takes direct hit—HP drops to zero. Maple’s HP falls below half.
Uu… Keep going, Sally!
"Oboro! Wind Cutter!"
Draw the opponent’s guard with magic, then provoke a sweeping strike with a shadow clone.
If only the actions were known...
Sally, approaching with a decoy body felled by a single strike, is bisected by a flash sharper still.
Immediately after, the figure vanishes. A damage effect bursts from the boss.
From behind, where even mirages had been used to set double decoys, Sally strikes again.
There are no more decoys left. The boss swings a blade of fire toward Sally.
“—【Overdrive】! Just barely, dodged!”
Sally accelerates. She barely avoids the blade, rolls across the ground, and barely escapes.
“【Oozing Chaos】!”
To halt the pursuit, Maple casts a great technique. She resumes firing.
Several shots strike the boss. Its HP drops. Still, it does not fall.
As this unfolds, five more swords appear in the sky.
“Harder than expected!”
“Ugh… so close, but not quite!”
A little more—too far. Maple takes damage. The situation worsens.
“—This is…”
The flaming swords descend. The boss itself moves toward Sally. Sally remains calm. She assesses the situation.
No matter how she dodges, two swords will strike.
“Just… a little damage…”
Before Sally’s eyes, something cuts in from the side, just after the roar of explosion.
It is Maple, who bears the flames of several swords, her three large shields held firm as damage effects scatter. Still, she holds her ground.
“Sally! Heal yourself!”
“【Heal】!”
The flames, blocked by her three shields, sear Maple one after another. Yet, thanks to Sally’s healing, a sliver of HP remains.
“【Frozen Ground】!”
Just before the boss strikes Maple, its movement halts once more.
Maple checks the boss’s remaining HP. It has dropped to less than twenty percent. She activates her skill.
“【Break Core】!”
A red sphere bursts from Maple, crackling with sound.
A self-destruct attack. Five seconds until detonation.
Sally sees it. She places 【Ice Spikes】 and 【Sand Wall】 around the boss, sealing its escape.
A strike that would normally be avoidable is now unavoidable here.
This will… hit!
Maple’s skill activates before the boss can evade. A pillar of light, thunderous and reaching the ceiling, erupts.
Boss’s HP drops sharply. Maple’s HP remains at one, thanks to the effect of 【Unyielding Guardian】.
When the white light fades.
The boss stands, barely alive, with only a sliver of HP left.
!?
Maple stares in shock as a larger magic circle than before unfolds on the ground.
H-how… what—!?
Frozen in thought, Maple is yanked upward by Sally’s thread, which streaks through the air.
Sally swiftly lifts Maple into the air, then launches her higher still with a 【Shock Fist】.
Immediately after, hellfire erupts from beneath.
Sally creates a foothold midair and kicks it away, plunging into the inferno.
!?
【Empty Shell】 activates, nullifying incoming damage and accelerating Sally further.
Faster than the inferno reaches Maple, Sally pierces through the flames and slices open the boss’s neck with two daggers.
The fire ceases instantly. The boss collapses to the ground, only embers lingering.
"Thanks to you guarding me... I made it."
Sally sheathes the daggers smoothly and catches Maple as she falls.
"...phew."
"...hehe."
"Victory!!"
They sink to the ground, exhausted, glance at each other, and exchange a high five.