Defense specialization and convergence complete.
Amidst scattered skirmishes across the field, Maple and Mai sat peacefully on Shiroppu’s back, sipping tea.
“Wah, another medal, Mai!”
“Indeed… are everyone else clearing stages alone…?”
“Hmm, really no one’s coming at all. I’d think we’d be quite visible right now…”
Maple had changed into green attire to avoid wasteful use of weapons, and now remained fixed in place, channeling a thick laser beam into the sky through the 【Poltergeist】.
A column of light pierced the dark sky, swaying back and forth—visible from afar.
“Ah, another monster’s flying over!”
Of course, this was originally a laser, so swinging it turns it into a beam saber. The demon flying in strikes the air, its speed dropping as its wings burn, yet it still flies forward. That is Mai’s moment.
Mai pulls a metal sphere from under the table placed on Shiroppu’s back, then flicks her wrist and throws it.
It strikes the demon’s head, illuminated by the laser beam, exploding like a balloon.
"Nice pitching!"
"Ah, thank you."
"Hmm, I thought everyone would arrive soon, so I brought the table too... but maybe it flew farther than I expected."
"But everyone still seems unharmed. And they’re strong, so they’ll come if we wait."
"We don’t know where we are... Ah, tea refill?"
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
Thus, the two enjoy their tea party as if the hell on the ground were another world.
The sky where Maple and the others were was comparatively safe. On the ground, it was harder to find a place free of monsters. In some cases, the inside of a dungeon might be safer. Amid this, Kanade and Yui had managed to meet up with one another, their group of 【Maple Trees】 now united. They had fled from monsters, using their small stature to hide within the hollow of a great tree. Kanade alone could not protect Yui completely. And now, monsters were drawing closer, approaching the hollow.
“Phew. I might not have survived otherwise.”
“Don’t talk so lightly. We were just as strained.”
Drag stood before the hollow. He was built to operate with Frederica, their tactics relying on mutual support. Without a support role, he could not fully demonstrate his capabilities.
“Give and take. We’ll part ways after this. That’s fine.”
"Still, Frederica’s coming this way too. Odd, but Sally’s here as well."
"Can you reach her?"
"Yeah,勉强."
"If we hold on a little longer, we’ll make it. With Sally here, we might just reach Maple’s position."
Only a short distance remains to the point where the laser is swinging. If they survive this wave, it will be over.
【Holy Armor】 【Holy Enchantment】
Kanade first wraps light around Drag’s armor and weapon. This will reduce damage taken and increase damage dealt, even if struck.
"Sō will handle the damage reduction skill, so fight without worry."
Kanade calls Sō from within and transforms into her form.
"Y-yeah, that’s a relief. Earthquake!"
The golem beside Drag strikes the ground with both arms. A violent tremor spreads outward from the point of impact. Devils flying through the air are unaffected. But zombie-like creatures crawling on the ground halt in their movements.
“[Earth Wave]!”
Drag activates the skill. The ground undulates, rising in waves, pushing back the monsters.
Every attack Drag lands carries a knockback effect. The monsters are sent flying farther than before.
Beyond using knockback to disrupt enemy stances, Drag possesses numerous abilities that continuously repel opponents, preventing approach.
As long as Drag's attacks land, knockback occurs without fail. Closing the distance becomes difficult.
“Amazing… If I could do something like that, I’d be able to fight more effectively…”
There are things one excels at and things one does not. It is enough to wait for the right moment to act.
Yes!
Wait—【Protective Barrier】!
Nice guard! Not letting Frederica beat me!
...You say that, and I won’t help you anymore, you know?
Just as Drag spoke, Frederica emerged from the thicket.
Oh!? Already here? Thank goodness! You’re quicker than I thought.
Just said I wouldn’t help you...—Wait, 【Multiple Barriers】!
Seeing Frederica support Drag, Sally moved back to Kanade and Yui.
You two here. Well, glad you’re safe.
Met a monster just before reaching Maple.
I was fighting alongside Drag-san at first, but I was too unreliable… ah, right! Sally-san, could you help Drag-san?
Though Frederica has arrived, the odds remain two against many. Yui glances toward Drag, her expression anxious. Especially now, after having barely managed to protect him, she looks contrite.
“I’m not alone. I came with Frederica.”
“Huh?”
“[Area Expansion][Judgment Holy Sword]!”
“[Whirlwind Slash]!”
A voice comes from behind the earth wall Drag created. Light floods the field. The sound of multiple impacts overlaps—crack, crack, crack—and the monster vanishes. The three understand.
“Stronger than before… That wasn’t even a summoned monster this time. Good thing this main event has no PVP elements.”
“Expected of them. Pain and Dread.”
Pain and Dread had erased the monster. They sheathed their weapons and spoke with Drag and Frederica.
“Seems useless. No response from the other party members… We were set up as shieldbearer and buff/debuff specialist… Maybe the transfer point was wrong.”
“Hm. What about our base?”
Frederica shook her head at Pain’s words. The location where Pain’s party had established their base this time had been at the edge of the map, rendering it a Monster Nest.
“Restarting the search… bothersome…”
“Yeah, no choice. Spending the night in the field is dangerous.”
Hearing the conversation, Sally walked toward Pain’s group after a brief pause.
“Um… I’d like to discuss something with you. Is that alright?”
She then made a proposal to Pain.
“How’s this? Bought it from a shop in the Seventh Layer.”
“Delicious! I’ll show Yui later…”
“Hmph—there’s more. Wait! Something’s coming!”
Maple sees something flying from the darkness ahead. She raises her weapon, ready to burn it with a laser at a moment’s notice. Mai also draws her iron ball, facing the same direction as Maple.
“What… is that…”
Maple squints. It is not a monster. It is Ignis and Ray. On their backs, faces of the Flame Emperor’s Kingdom and the Gathering Holy Sword are visible. Members of the Maple Tree, still not fully joined, ride behind them.
“Earlier than expected. We meet again, Maple.”
“Mii and everyone too! And you—Pain-san? Huh? What happened?”
“Didn’t expect the timing to match, but Sally and I seem to have thought the same.”
“Looks like it.”
The proposal each of them made to their respective guilds was the provision of a base. The 【Maplewood】 base lay near the center of the map, and monsters did not overflow there.
In exchange for providing the base, they would receive defensive forces.
“Ah! Good! With everyone here, it’ll be lively, and we’ll beat monsters easily!”
Maple smiled and replied. She then lifted the 【Maplewood】 members onto Shiroppu and flew toward the base, guiding them steadily.
“Hmm… Sally, was it around here?”
“Yes, the mountain’s position hasn’t changed. The foothills here should be fine.”
Maple lowered Shiroppu’s altitude slowly and landed. After searching the area for a while, she found a sign marking the base. The familiar cave came into view.
“Phew. Good. Let’s head back to the base first. Then, if we can, we’ll start exploring.”
It takes time to regroup. Depending on setup, reinforcement time might start soon.
Then we should hurry to establish the base first, everyone agreed, stepping into the cave. Setting up traps would take time, so they placed them as they moved deeper.
Ugh... This trap’s only thought is killing.
Markus, you could set one somewhere too, couldn’t you?
Yeah, I’ll try. It’d be better to have one route that only triggers when we leave—stepping on it by mistake would be disastrous.
Maple constantly maintains Love That Offers the Body, so the members of the Maple Tree are unaffected by poison swamps. Others are not so lucky.
Markus joined the setup, progressing to the deepest part. With eight more people added, the space had to be used differently now.
I’ll make it quickly! Everyone, help me, please? Of course, everyone.
Iz sets the instructions. The living quarters are reconfigured. The traps are already in place. With more people arriving, the setup concludes far sooner than the first time.