Defense-oriented and armor.

"Ugh... how many more are there?"

Crom sat back against the rocky wall, weary. As he had expected, countless skeletons with weapons and ghosts of similar kind had emerged from this dungeon. Each was not strong, but the damage they inflicted was just enough to be felt—recovery kept pace.

"I considered asking Sally to help... but it was better not to call her. We've come far, I suppose..."

There were branching paths, and certainty of progress was uncertain. Still, no dead ends had been encountered, and the path continued. There was no reason to turn back.

"Ah—here you are. Can't rest now."

Crom rose, confirming the appearance of a ghost wielding a scythe and a skeleton with a spear.

"Here it is! [Activation]! [Shield Attack]!"

Crom cleaves through multiple skeletons, then slashes with the halberd. A ghost teleports behind him, swinging its scythe at his back. Crom does not falter. He continues the attack. The skill Crom acquired via medal is [Activation]. It clearly enhances self-recovery. It strengthens not only Crom’s automatic healing from [Battle Healing], but also recovery on defeat from [Soul Devourer], recovery on attack from [Life Devourer], and recovery on defense from [Soul Siphon].

As a result, even if a single ghost is left unattended, Crom remains unbroken so long as he keeps striking the monster before him. He has achieved overwhelming superiority over slow, grinding attacks that chip away at health—pursuing endurance in a direction distinct from Maple’s.

Crom turns, deflects the final ghost’s attack with his great shield, restores his HP to full, and shifts to offense.

"Good. This is the last one... huff."

Silence returns to the cavern. Crom sheathes his cleaver and moves deeper. After walking for a while, combat occurs several times, but only unremarkable monsters. Crom handles each with calm precision.

"Time-consuming... but the stability is solid. Was the skill choice wrong?"

Crom is, above all, a great shield user. His attack power is minimal by design. It is only Maple who deals damage that seems odd.

"...Ah. A wide space. That is...?"

An inlet, perhaps, once. At the far end, seawater pools. Before it, land. Floating above the water in the distance, a battered ship, its condition miraculous.

"Ahh. So that's how it is."

Crom nods once, and a burst of violet flame erupts on the ship’s deck, followed by a deep, guttural roar.

The wrecked vessel shifts. It turns sideways. Three bridges extend toward the land. A flood of skeletons pours forth.

"Privateer ship… or should I say ghost ship? Not exactly a foe one fights alone."

Still, Crom does not intend to fall easily. He applies every possible buff available through items—starting with Iz’s potion granting sustained recovery.

"Alright. Let’s see who lasts longer."

Crom draws his cleaver. He raises his great shield. A confident smirk touches his lips. The first cannon blast from the ghost ship echoes like thunder—the signal to begin combat.

“[Activation]! [Guard Aura]!”

Crom raises his defense and recovery, aligning his large shield precisely to intercept the incoming cannonball. The explosion spreads instantly, chipping away at Crom’s HP. Less than a direct hit, but still substantial damage.

“Damn, takes damage anyway!”

Yet, with skeletons approaching—thirty or more—[Battle Healing] activates. HP recovers rapidly, aided by Iz’s potion.

“[Soul Mire]!”

The declaration releases thick, black sludge from the halberd. A skill that applies HP loss on attack, meant to speed up the process.

Crom strikes down one monster after another. Too many, however. He cannot block all attacks from every direction. HP dwindles steadily.

“Damn, artillery’s a nuisance… gah!”

Crom raises his great shield to block the artillery strike. Behind him, a ghost swings wide. The blow lands. HP drops to zero.

Yet, 【Dead or Alive】 activates. A skull appears behind Crom. HP remains at one.

“Can’t die here—gotta survive this one time! Come on, give me HP!”

At the first death, either 【Dead or Alive】 or 【Unyielding Guardian】 activates. Survival is guaranteed.

Thus, Crom’s task becomes clear: press forward aggressively. Defeat enemies. Restore HP.

If 【Dead or Alive】 triggers, 【Unyielding Guardian】 remains intact. He can press the attack with confidence.

He endures. Skeletons and ghosts keep coming. The numbers do not decrease.

"Can't keep up! Who's the boss...!?"

Skeletons and ghosts vary in size and weapon, yet they all feel like mere crew—low-ranking, overwhelming by numbers.

Crom, at the moment the reinforcements disembark from the bridge, pulls out an item and breaks through the encirclement, forcing his way toward the bridge.

"Before the next wave arrives, I'm boarding the ship!"

He dodges the rain of cannonballs, maintains his HP, grips the ship's edge, and pulls himself onto the deck in one motion.

There, a skeleton clad in an ornate coat and armor, wearing a pirate hat, with a sharp-looking saber at its side. Its HP bar, clearly distinct from the others, bears no mark of allyship.

"Saved me. Now I can strike without hesitation. 【Flame Slash】!"

Crom charges forward, swinging his axe wrapped in flame. The boss responds with a saber wreathed in violet flame.

They clash weapons, but the damage race favors Crom. The large shield blocks attacks, and his HP regenerates. Crom can survive in a group, but his true strength lies in one-on-one combat.

As his HP diminishes, skeletons begin returning from the edges.

"Already prepared for that."

Crom knows he cannot lose in one-on-one. Preventing reinforcements was key.

Thus, he placed detonators along the bridge—obstacles to delay them.

Skeletons explode in a loud blast, unharmed by the cannon’s fire. Ghosts glide in, but Crom increases his assault.

“【Spirit Light】!”

Ignoring the ghosts approaching from behind, he uses a skill that nullifies damage and presses forward. The swung saber strikes the large shield and is deflected outward. The blade flashes—only the skeleton’s neck remains.

The skeleton crumbles to dust. The ghosts fade. The suspicious violet flame vanishes. Silence returns to the cove.

“Phew. Captain was nothing. Now… should we expect something valuable, at least?”

The ruined ship allows entry from deck to interior. Crom checks each room where doors have been torn loose. He finds a cargo hold.

Most things are ruined. Boxes lie open. One large box remains closed.

“…No trace of a monster.”

Crom approaches the box with caution, tapping it lightly with his axe. No sign of mimicry. He resolves to open it.

Inside, weapons and armor lie scattered, mixed with gold coins. Most appear to be salvageable. Crom collects them gratefully into his inventory.

"Wait—this…"

Crom lifts a ring half-buried in the coins. No mistake. It is the same ring he wore when he borrowed Shiroppu’s gear.

"Perhaps I should equip it…?"

He changes his gear, puzzled by the absence of monsters nearby. The room begins to rattle with metallic clattering.

"What—what is this? …Huh?"

Before Crom’s eyes, an impossible sight unfolded. As if a poltergeist had stirred, armor floated in midair. Limbs, head, sword, shield—each piece detached, hovering separately. They were unmistakably monstrous.

He taps it. No hostility. When Crom takes a step back, the pieces clatter after him.

“Is it… you, who answer to this ring?”

Crom checks his abilities. MP and HP are modest. Stats are unremarkable.

“Skills… return to the ring. Or… [Phantom Armor Equip (Armored)]?”

He commands the skill to activate. The floating armor and weapons settle onto him. Each piece integrates, reinforcing his current gear. The sword grows sharper, larger. The armor and shield grow heavier, sturdier.

Crom’s companion monster was a creature that fought while clad in its master’s gear.

“Ah… I see. Well, we’ll likely be fighting in this form often… Probably Sally will be fine.”

Crom, thinking of the name for his armor, turned and left the dungeon for the day.