Defense specialization, westward.

The four who headed west were Pain, Mizari, Iz, and Kanade. With these four, the means of travel naturally settled on riding on Ray and flying.

"Dread's group seems to have successfully cleared the dungeon."

"Remarkable. If they're moving at this speed, Mai and Yui must have managed well too."

The destination of the four was a floating island suspended in the sky. While most such islands hovered in places unreachable to all, one floated just barely within reach.

"Just one such island is peculiar. I believe something awaits there."

"Yes. Still... we've arrived."

The edge of the map, just barely within reach. A place where even the air teems with powerful monsters. As the four expected, demons with bat-like wings and two spiraled horns on their heads fly in succession from the front.

"Still on the ground too. Summons their kind. What now?"

"Distance to the floating island is short. If we find a gap, we slip through."

"Understood. Then that’s our plan. So, I’m going—【Sleeping Bubble】【Paralyze Shout】."

A shockwave-like effect bursts from the book. Rainbow-hued bubbles erupt outward. Kanade’s abilities are usable by So. Not all are affected, but the demons struck by paralysis or sleep fall heavily to the ground. The path to the floating island clears.

"Rei【Meteor】!"

Light envelops Rei’s body as the four ride upon it, accelerating sharply and shooting straight forward. The plan is to activate a charge-based skill, using it to repel approaching monsters while piercing through to the floating island at high speed.

It works far better than expected. The monsters surrounding them are left behind as they close in on the floating island in a single, swift motion.

“Leave the rear distraction to us!”

“Better to focus our skills on clearing the monsters ahead.”

Iz and Mizari handle driving back the pursuing monsters, while Pain and Kanade clear those that remain.

“Good… we can land now.”

Having safely reached the floating island, Pain first restores Rei to her original size, then surveys the surroundings. The four disembark at the edge of the island, where a clearing opens as if to invite landing. The island itself is not large—no more than a few minutes’ walk from one end to the other.

“Only way forward is through the forest ahead.”

“Indeed. Let’s remain alert.”

Leading the way, Pain walks into the forest with the others. The forest shows no signs of monsters, unlike other places.

“A manor house…?”

“Exactly. Shall we go in?”

“Nothing to lose by trying.”

The front door opens. The four step inside. An entrance hall spreads before them. At its center, a large magical circle glows—painted in what looks like dried blood.

“Right away, then. Clear and helpful.”

Damage immunity and identity checks are prepared, just in case it was a trap.

Support is in place. They came here to clear the dungeon. There is no reason not to proceed. The worry proves unnecessary. Four bodies are enveloped in familiar light and transferred. Waiting for the light to fade, they open their eyes. Before them stretches a man-made passage of stone brick. Behind is an immediate wall. A clear single path.

There is no choice but to move forward.

Yes, that is true. No monster presence is detectable.

Following Pain at the front, they advance down the corridor. They reach a large chamber with three doors. Each door bears a mark: sword, staff, spear. The meaning is unmistakable.

The monsters inside likely follow a pattern.

I believe so too. Then selecting the one most easily countered might be best.

The four conferred and decided to choose the sword door. Opening it revealed a duel arena devoid of obstacles. Opposite them stood a monster clad in armor, helm fastened, wielding a greatsword.

"Indeed, the expected monster appears. That seems certain."

"Yes. If only one enemy emerges, it would be simpler."

This was their strategy: place Pain as the main attacker, and the three skilled in buffs apply every possible enhancement. A single warrior, unyielding against status effects, revived from death, supported in every way.

"I cannot afford to fail after this much effort. I will fulfill my role."

Thus, Pain draws his sword and faces the monster. To test whether the strategy will succeed, the three of them apply buffs to Pain. No interference directed at the enemy. No rare skills used.

Once Pain confirms the buffs have taken hold, he advances before the enemy closes the distance.

"Ray—[Holy Dragon's Breath][Shatter-Saint's Sword]!"

Ray's radiant breath erupts, striking the monster and throwing it off balance. Pain lunges forward in an instant, swinging his blade in a deep cut across the torso. He sidesteps the returning overhead cleave of the greatsword, then slashes from shoulder to abdomen in one clean motion. The monster wields its massive blade with brute force, swinging it wildly, but every blow is blocked, avoided, and never lands. No wound is drawn on Pain.

Even with the buff active, the difference in caliber between this monster and Pain was unmistakable on the same battlefield.

“[Judgment Holy Sword]!”

Light erupted from the blade as Pain spoke. The descending sword cleaved the opponent cleanly in two, upper and lower halves separated. Thus, without danger, from start to finish dominating, Pain severed the swordswoman before her.

“More than expected….”

“Feels like the boss from the tenth floor of the tower. Pure strength.”

“With this, we might be able to manage with just the buff until facing multiple foes.”

Feeling the true weight of that strength anew, the four stepped through the door at the far end of the arena. Two doors now stood before them, one marked with a sword, the other with a bow.

“Which way?”

“Sword. A close-range fight is easier than one with reach.”

She chooses the sword and steps through the door. Another arena appears. A samurai stands there, in the stance of iaijutsu.

“Ah. I’ll strike while the buff remains. Can you cover me?”

“Of course.”

“Always ready.”

“Recovery is prepared.”

Pain advances toward the samurai, sword in one hand, shield in the other. Shield held firm, guarding the front. At the moment of close range, the blade strikes—too fast for the eye to follow. Damage effects scatter from the arm and shoulder, beyond guard. Knockback sends her flying. Mizari heals the damage instantly. No harm done. A standoff remains.

“Ah. Indeed. Different from the swordsman before.”

“Then proceed as planned.”

“Yes. Let’s do it. —[Stillness]!”

Pain uses a skill to nullify knockback, then charges forward without raising the shield.

"Sou—[Gravitational Cage]"

"Izu—[Entangling Grass]"

If the samurai remains motionless in the iai stance, a targeted spell strikes easily. Kanade sets a field that drastically reduces movement speed, and Izu grows plants that hinder movement when the monster steps into them. The two ensure the samurai cannot escape Pain under any circumstance.

Pain closes the distance to the samurai, who then draws a hidden iai strike. Pain, however, does not care. He raises his blade overhead in a high stance. The blade cuts deep into his body. Still, Pain attacks the monster without pause.

"Light of Healing!"

Pain has the advantage of numbers. There is no reason not to exploit it. Pain, unyielding to knockback, presses forward without pause. A samurai would normally outpace the monster in attack speed and overcome it through superior health. But with Mizari, that is impossible. Thanks to Mizari’s healing, Pain does not falter. He delivers heavy strikes without end.

A player so strong as to withstand attacks with HP alone cannot be beaten.

“[Breaking Wall Sacred Sword]!”

The sword, descending with light, pierces the samurai’s neck before he can guard. The samurai vanishes in light.

Four of them were made for this—each one a one-man army. It was natural that the monster side could not face one alone.

“Now, onward. Likely, the enemy numbers will increase.”

Thus the four moved forward, swiftly clearing any obstacles before them as they approached the next door.

In conclusion, as Pain and the others had anticipated, the enemy numbers increased. Two to three. Three to four. At times, they outnumbered the party.

Yet it made no difference. Adding more enemies did nothing to change the fact that the opponents were already weak enough that Pain could fight alone while the others focused on buffs and disruption. The three remaining behind simply began unleashing their own attacks.

Bombs rolling across the floor. Spellbooks drawn one after another. Everyone required both offense and defense. The area buffs grew stronger. The area healing became more vital. To reach the rear guard, who were wreaking havoc in chaotic fashion, it was necessary to break through even the strongest front line. The task was too great for mere monsters.

“Phew… finally the Boss Room. More rooms than expected.”

“Indeed. What kind of boss could it be?”

“Hard to imagine from the path. All enemies so far were humanoid. Maybe this one is too.”

“Will know once we enter. Hmm… would be nice if it were easy to defeat.”

The four summon their tame monsters and open the door to the Boss Room, stepping inside.

The room is rectangular, extending long from the entrance toward the far end. At the very back, a massive, intricately carved rectangular stone slab floats in midair. As the door behind them shuts, a health bar appears above it.

The four exchange expressions of surprise at the unexpected opponent. Around the stone slab, markings that had appeared on the path’s doors begin to rise into view.

And all of them were from routes that Pain’s group had not yet cleared. Scanning the markings, one sees archers, mages, and gunners—those who wielded long-range attacks.

As soon as the markings glowed, monsters surged forth in numbers.

…Indeed.

Long-range attackers are appearing in great numbers.

Then we must proceed with that plan.

I’ll buy time.

Kanade stepped forward and began pulling out spellbooks in sequence.

[Paralysis Powder] [High Wave] [Adhesive Round] [Mana Inhibition]

Calmly, she selected and activated the most effective spells without delay. Not the ones with diminishing effects, but her own stored spellbooks. She scattered paralysis, summoned a powerful wave with knockback, and anchored it to the ground. A few front-line foes advancing toward her were halted.

The rear-line mage disrupts with a skill that reduces magic power and range.

"Ah... that stone tablet, summoned periodically..."

It cannot be stopped. She increases her spellbook use, continuing to repel approach.

"【Massive Magical Barrier】Sō【Massive Magical Barrier】!"

While halting the front-line, a deluge of magic, arrows, and projectiles rains from the growing rear-line. Kanade’s dual deployment of barriers, synchronized with Sō, absorbs and neutralizes all.

Then, Pain’s skill—long delayed—finally activates.

"【Holy Dragon’s Light Sword】!"

The skill used during the ambush at Maple’s stronghold, deployed alongside Mii, was a simple one—wide-area, high-impact assault. Its strength lay in that simplicity. Originally, this one-on-one dominance had been the hidden trump card of the four. Now, facing a stone tablet that summoned vast numbers of monsters, it was the perfect application.

Light and shockwave swept outward. Monsters were erased. Without pause, the four leapt onto Rai’s back and closed the distance to the stone tablet in a single burst of 【Meteor】.

“Shouldn’t neglect the follow-up.”

The three in the rear retrieved the bombs pre-placed in their inventories and began winding them, not forgetting the task.

The stone tablet surged forward, striking Ray and dealing damage. Each of them launched attacks in turn. The tablet itself, specialized in swift summoning and calling forth the player’s evaded direction, carried only a modest amount of magic. Mizari’s healing magic failed to hold, and her HP diminished steadily.

A summon type that fell in a single strike could not win.

“[Judgment Holy Sword]!”

“[Holy Spear]!”

“Fay [Item Enhancement] [Recycle]!”

“[Tornado]!”

The stone tablet was engulfed in dazzling attack effects. Pain’s powerful area attack struck the tablet as well, cracks spreading from the edges, cracking apart with a sharp sound.

“Victory by strategy?”

“Could be said it was a good match-up. The room’s shape aligned perfectly with my skill.”

“Felt a moment’s unease when mage and archer stood so close, but we won with boldness.”

“Indeed. Their strength was undeniable.”

A notification chime sounded. Pain and the others secured their medals. Time remained, so the four set out to find the next dungeon. It was best to use powerful skills that reset daily before the day ended—better to exhaust them in exploration than let them pass unused.

Thus, the four returned once more to the original manor house.