Defense Specialization and the Final Confrontation 2.

Closer up, it was an immense size—so vast that merely walking near it risked being swept off one’s feet and dragged into motion. Maple set Shiroppu slightly apart, then climbed onto the Haku summoned by Kasumi and approached.

"Then let’s try the plan as we discussed!"

"Right. I’ll pull back if it gets too dangerous."

"Then let’s do it."

"【Ruthless】!"

"“““【Phantom Realm】!””"

Maple’s body became that of a demon, and then Kasumi, Kanade, and Sou each split her into further forms. Where there had been seven of Maple during the fourth event, there were now ten, including the original, each dashing off in different directions.

They clawed at the boss’s feet, then twisted upward along its form.

"Maple! Be careful of the flames!"

"Right!"

Maple moves forward, avoiding the burning parts of her body, tearing her form apart alongside her clone, aiming for the head.

"Whoa! Dangerous! Dangerous!"

While the giant demon attacks the players at its feet, Maple scores wounds across her body. Yet, despite her size, the HP bar decreases only slightly.

The clone lasts only three minutes. She intends to reduce its health as much as possible here.

Then, her presence is detected. Her feet glow violet. Flames erupt.

"Ugh!? Damage still…?"

The clone is scorched by the responding flames. Yet, the [Ruthless] state remains unbroken.

"Cut deeper!"

Pain and the others are still weakening it. She must draw its attacks.

The massive demon’s foot had halted. Its great arm now targeted the other [Maple Trees].

"Everyone, hold on!"

Still pressing forward, Maple thought of the seven.

She allowed the chaos to continue. The others split into groups of three and four, launching their assault.

To prevent death by fall, Mai and Yui would attack the foot from the ground. Crom would guard them.

"Leave defense to me! The foot is still. We can do this!"

"Affirmative!"

They activated their doping seeds, mounted Tukimi and Yukimi, and charged forward—raising the great mallet high.

"Double Strike!"

The damage was far beyond Maple’s attack. A devastating impact effect exploded.

"Double Impact!"

The damage from a two-handed great mallet and top-tier attack power was staggering. Each blow delivered what would take multiple players, even survivors, to match. If focused solely on offense, it would be even stronger.

Yet it could not be allowed. A demon’s arm, large enough to cut down both of them in one swing, swung down without hesitation.

“[MULTI COVER][HEAVY BODY]!”

““Crom-sama!””

Crom, wary of being knocked back, activated his skill and braced firmly against the massive arm, deflecting it with his shield. The arm was wreathed in flame, searing the man who had blocked it—but Crom endured, his astonishing regenerative power allowing him to survive wave after wave of crushing blows.

“Haha, normally Maple handles this. Let me protect you once in a while!”

““Thank you!””

Again, the great mace swung with force, striking repeatedly. A louder crash echoed than before, and the demon’s leg—once whole—now bore deep wounds. The creature knelt, one knee collapsing.

“Hmph…! Well done. It’s working!”

Then the other leg. Crom mounted Tsukimi, and the three of them charged forward to break the remaining limb.

Separated from Crom’s group, Sally and the others rode atop Hak’s head, wrapping their bodies around him to form a stable platform, then cut with precision.

“[Warrior’s Arm]! [Fourth Cut: Whirlwind]!”

“[Quintuple Slash]!”

Kasumi and Sally attacked. Sou, taking Mai’s form, accelerated the damage.

Kanade and Izu countered, shielding all with magic against the erupting purple flames, and restoring health with items.

The backside is easier. We’ll fight where the arms cannot reach.

That’s true, but not exactly kind, is it!

Sally looks up. A familiar purple magic circle unfolds above. Immediately after, a torrent of flames descends upon Sally and the others.

【Flame Body】! 【Gleam of Protection】!

Kanade’s spell envelops everyone—including the summoned monster—in crimson flames before the firestorm strikes. The group gains strong resistance to fire, but Sally will not survive this. Sally casts a damage-nullification spell on herself alone, preserving the others.

Saved! Thank you, Kanade!

It’s fine. We can still handle it.

Leave healing to me. Focus on attacking!

The demon’s stance collapses as the assault continues. It is due to the attack from Mai and Yui, forcing one knee to the ground. Sally glances at her wounded foot and understands roughly how to deal with this monster.

“Kasumi! I’m going up! If we damage the wings, the flames should stop!”

“Ah, got it!”

Sally creates a foothold in the air and swims swiftly through the [Path of Water] toward the creature’s back. There, Maple stands, activating [Devouring Evil] against its back while firing bullets.

“Maple! You’re already back?”

“Ah, Sally! You came this way!”

Sally informs her of her intent to attack the wings. She decides to go with Maple.

[Love That Offers the Body]!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I said I’d protect you, didn’t I?”

Sally steps forward, resolve in her eyes, moving toward the wings with Maple at her side.

“I’ll make a footing! One, two—there! That’s it!”

Maple floats a shield into the air with her ability, positioning it around the wing. Sally will use it as a platform to fight effectively.

“Then I’m going!”

“Right!”

Sally slashes through the wing’s base, following the path of water created by Maple’s attack. Flame erupts behind her, but cannot keep pace. She swims through the pillars of water surrounding the wing, rotating her body, severing feather after feather in quick succession. The two attack the wings in tandem, determined to break them.

But then, a clear sign differs from before. A purple light begins to emanate from the monster’s entire body.

“Sally! Over here!”

Sally plunged through Maple’s shield in midair, and Maple immediately summoned Shiroppu, who hovered above. Almost instantly, the demon’s entire body ignited. The two barely escaped the flames.

But both knew this was where the true trial began. The flames would fall from the sky soon after.

The roar of the demon, cloaked in flame, arrives with an effect—waves of sound surge forward, delivering piercing damage. Maple takes the full brunt of Shiroppu’s, Hinata’s, and Sally’s damage in one instant. Maple had considered using Aegis again, but despite being equipped with the Archangel set, not the shield, her HP is drained to the point of activation. The proximity to the source of the attack leaves no room to evade. Her HP plummets into danger territory. Sally, usually composed, cannot hide her shock.

“Ugh…!”

“[Heal]! Maple, the potion—now!”

Sally frantically begins healing Maple as masses of flame descend from above.

Too large to dodge—Aegis is not here now. Sally considers how to protect Maple from falling. No method can be certain. The first attempt was nullified; power and range remain unknown.

“[Hyper Acceleration]!”

“Wah—!”

As Sally instinctively lifts Maple and sprints, she feels the heat of flames approaching from behind. She must not allow the damage field to strike Maple directly. Her plan is to draw it near, just before impact, then toss Maple clear of the flame zone on the ground. If she can shield Maple, she may survive the skill’s aftermath.

But just as she commits to this desperate gamble, twin wings—once dealing damage—are pierced through by a torrent of flame and blinding white light. The force shatters them. The fragments surge forward, seizing both of them at the last moment, lifting them into the air just in time.

“Pain-san!”

"Mi!?"

"Ah, just in time. But you've weakened them considerably. Not something eight would do."

"Perhaps we can push forward with a full assault now."

It was Pain riding on Ray, and Mi riding on Ignis, who had flown in.

They had left the destruction of the special monster to the guild members and flown here directly. The large monster periodically produced special monsters as its health decreased, and it had become clear that focusing solely on the special monsters would not suffice.

They avoided the extending arms with practiced ease, maintaining altitude and distance.

"The rain of fire must be stopped quickly. We're still at a disadvantage. As long as players remain, they'll likely keep using that attack as numbers dwindle."

"Once an opening appears, we'll target the head. Stay ready, both of you."

Aiming for the head would mean the thick arms still swinging and the flames unleashed from the magic array would strike all four of them. Yet without slipping through somewhere, no significant damage could be expected.

Maple adjusted her gear in preparation for attack, deploying her weapons. She instructed Shiroppu to ready the Spirit Cannon.

After continuing to evade for a time, HP dropped sharply. The demon, already dragging one leg, lost strength in the other and collapsed forward, supporting its body with the many arms it possessed.

Then, flames began to fill once more—but just before completion, the supply of fire from the special monster ceased. At the moment of the third downpour of flames, the special monster had been hunted to extinction by the scattered Dread forces.

They seize the chance without hesitation. The four close in at once. Dodging flames streaking through the air, avoiding the outstretched arms, each reaches the faceless head and unleashes their ultimate technique simultaneously.

“Spirit Cannon!”

“Furious Flame of Annihilation!”

Pain and Mii strike with devastating force, passing just beside the head. Just before, Sally leaps from Raito, kicking off midair with her skill, and approaches from the front. She ducks under the wide-open mouth, lines up her shot, and fires.

“Quintuple Slash!”

Sally’s flurry, wrapped in blue aura, splits the boss’s head deeply. From Ignis, Maple leaps down, transferring to Shiroppu, and points the weapon directly forward. At this moment, no one else is in range. All power can be directed.

“Attack Initiated. Poison Dragon. Seeping Chaos. Shiroppu. Spirit Cannon!”

Battered by Mii's assault and purified by Pain's strikes, Maple was further overwhelmed by Sally's relentless flurry of blows.

A torrent of bullets, poison, and laser fire rained down. Then, Maple raised her great shield and detonated the weapon on her back.

"Here we go...!"

She lunged forward, her shield wide as the demon's maw, gaping to devour her, opened wide in return.

Maple was struck by the demon's sharp fangs, swallowed whole, and pierced through the throat, rolling out from behind with a cascade of damage effects.

Sally, having finished her assault, caught Maple mid-fall, using threads and footholds to pull her away from the battlefield.

"W-what happened!?"

"Nice work, Maple. Look."

Maple looked toward the demon. Its HP bar had reached zero. The purple flame dimmed, slowly fading. The massive form dissolved into light and vanished.

At the same moment, the dim field regained its usual sky. The demon-like monsters that had spread across it disappeared entirely.

Unexpected was the reward: medals had been earned.

"Sally! Medals! Three of them!"

"Haha... well, three doesn't feel like much, but still, good job."

The six of 【Maple Tree】approached. All had survived, though exhausted. They exhaled, relieved as the threat passed.

"Hey, everyone! You're okay!"

As Maple rejoined the six, a buzzer sounded. The third day had ended.

Maple and the others had survived the three days. They returned to the original field.

After the event concluded, the staff reviewed the results.

"Wait... wait? That one was actually defeated?"

"Yes... ah, we misjudged the HP. Thought it was too high, but..."

The monster had shown considerable malice, capable of a powerful area-wide attack. It seemed unlikely one would attempt to strike from its massive frame. The plan had been to drive it into the rain of fire, forcing it to flee. Yet those with sufficient HP could still be killed.

If it charged with full force, its size would hinder precise strikes.

"Next time we release a large monster, we’ll reconsider..."

"Yeah... maybe lower the attack power a bit. And consider HP more carefully."

The staff’s trial and error continued even after the event had ended.