Defense specialization and rival.

The three who entered the Boss Room were met by a mummy nearly three times the height of Maple, wrapped entirely in thin purple bandages.

The red eyes peering through gaps in the bandages were large, proportionate to the massive frame, emitting an eerie glow visible even from afar.

"Alright, let's go!"

Maple dashed forward first, activating the 【Heavenly Throne】 in the center of the room so the mummy could see Velvet and the others, then seated herself upon the throne and looked toward the boss.

The boss let out a chilling groan. In response, mummies and golems emerged from the ground—just as during the journey. But these mummies now bore black auras, and some of the golems carried spears made of sandstone.

"Ugh... spears... Velvet, please take down the golems with spears first."

Velvet understood immediately why she avoided piercing attacks, and promised not to do so.

While seated on the throne, Maple’s main skills were restricted, altering her methods of attack.

“[Provocation]! Shiroppu [Red Garden] [White Garden] [Sinking Earth]!”

A glowing field spread outward from the throne, and fields of white and red blossoms bloomed across it. Monsters drawn toward Maple stepped into the flowerbeds, sinking into the ground as they received debuffs.

“[Poison Dragon]!”

The flowers created by the skill did not wilt from poison, still blooming brightly. The purple hue among them visibly drained the monsters’ HP. A place to avoid. A place to never tread. The monsters’ failure to understand this was their greatest weakness.

Maple ensnares the advancing monsters while Velvet and Hinata fire spells into the boss and the golem.

"Good! That’s working!"

Monsters follow predictable patterns. As long as none of these patterns can overcome Maple, the fight remains one-sided. The boss mummy casts a buff that increases attack power, but it has no effect. Debuff skills are being blocked by the throne.

"Then—【Tornado】!"

"Right! Let’s go!"

Hinata’s tornado sweeps up the weaker monsters and strikes the boss mummy. The gunfire from Maple’s weapon joins the assault. The boss’s HP drops below half.

The three brace themselves, waiting for something to happen. The boss groans deeply. The Boss Room shudders. A white wind, cold as ice, erupts from the boss and sweeps through the chamber. It wraps around the three in sequence, starting with Maple, stripping away all active skills and buffs.

“W-what!? No way!?”

Maple’s skills are all powerful, but their cooldowns are long. Re-deploying a strong field instantly is impossible. At the same moment, the mummies—once held down by the throne—overwhelm the three with a sudden wave of debuffs. The protection of Love That Offers the Body fails to hold. All three lose stamina sharply.

Maple feels little effect. The other two do not.

“[Provocation]! [Brutality]!”

Maple activates [Provocation] again, buying time until the debuff expires. She wraps herself in [Brutality], thrashing through the monsters. The debuff has nullified her [Brutality]’s offensive power entirely, yet she avoids instant death—exactly the trade-off that allows her to push forward.

She dodges the golem’s piercing lance as best she can, blocking the boss’s path to the other two by positioning herself. With the skill suppression from the throne lifted, the boss spreads a black mist, like swampy fog, when Maple nears—she cannot stop it. The others cannot either. They hold back the monsters, watching for openings to strike back.

“Ugh… what should I do… huh?”

The mist spread across the room in an instant. Maple felt the floor vanish beneath her feet. She was swallowed by the black mist. A moment later, her vision cleared. The boss, just moments before in front of her, was now far away. Ahead, two backs were visible.

“W-wait! We switched places!?”

Among the monsters: Velvet and Hinata. Maple in the rear. The boss had rearranged the formation— released skills, applied debuffs, shattered the line. This was the boss’s powerful maneuver.

“Calm Move… won’t reach…!”

The debuff slowed movement. No matter how fast she ran with [Ruthless], or how quickly she teleported after canceling the skill— it was too late.

Still running, Maple heads toward them, but the boss—its fist wrapped in a dense, pitch-black aura—descends like a final blow upon the two surrounded by monsters. The sudden shift in the environment leaves the two stunned, caught in an abrupt full-scale assault.

Amid this, Velvet reflexively steps forward, shielding Hinata, then discards her parasol and raises her fists.

“Hah, too slow! [Thunder God’s Return]!”

With a thunderclap, a thick, blinding blue-white lightning bolt erupts from Velvet, streaking across the ground, searing through monsters and boss alike, freezing their movements.

Crackling with electricity, Velvet glances at Hinata, her expression one of mild regret.

“Let’s get out of here for now.”

“…Yes.”

Velvet lands beside Maple, having leapt with lightning, lifting Hinata as she does so. Maple freezes, startled, her feet halting midstep.

“Eh? Eh!?“

“Hmm, details later.”

“Probably… they’ll say I’m too honest again. The guild, I mean…”

“I’ve seen so much from you, Maple. You’ve protected me. Now it’s our turn.”

“Um… I guess… good luck?”

Before Maple, still dazed, Velvet adjusts her gear. Her clothes remain unchanged. Only one thing has changed. Her weapon.

A massive gauntlet covers both hands. A steel fist, several times the size of bare hands, clenches tightly. Blue-white lightning crackles from it, as before. Velvet smirks, unyielding.

Hinata, I’m counting on you to give it your all.

Y-yes! S-softly... going in.

Hinata tightens her grip on the doll, drawing courage, and activates her skill toward the monsters rushing toward her.

[Star Chain] [Cocytus]

As Hinata activated her skill, the monster advancing toward her froze in place, as if stitched to the ground. White mist erupted from Hinata, cracking and snapping as it encased the creature in ice.

The monster cannot touch either of them, bound by a powerful movement impediment.

[Plague Spread][Gravitational Creak][Fragile Ice Statue]

Every time Hinata speaks, the debuff of increased damage taken accumulates upon all monsters rendered immobile. The effect itself inflicts no damage. Yet when the effect ends and the monsters attempt to move, another movement impediment and attack impediment strike. Hinata maintains the restraint upon all monsters.

Then, who delivers the damage? It is obvious.

“[Eye of the Storm][Rain of Lightning]!”

Velvet unleashes another bolt of lightning. It sears the ground into ruin. Simultaneously, a torrent of lightning descends from above, striking all monsters within range without distinction.

As long as Hinata maintains the restraint, no escape is possible—even if they know it. Whether monster or not, they cannot flee the area.

Reaching the sole surviving boss, Velvet swings her fist high into the air.

“Chain Lightning!”

From the fist driven into the boss’s still form, crackling electricity erupts with the sound of tearing air. The lightning grows stronger with each strike, searing the boss’s body, then shattering its HP gauge outright.

“O-oh! So awesome!!”

Watching the two dispatch the monster with dazzling precision, Maple’s monstrous eyes gleam as she wildly waves her four arms.

The three exit the dungeon and sit in a safe zone where monsters do not spawn. Conversation begins.

“Velvet-san, you’re not a mage after all!”

“Velvet’s fine. Or rather, I prefer it that way.”

Smiling brightly, Velvet seems far more animated than her initial impression suggested. It is as if this is her true self. Maple relaxes, resuming her usual manner, and listens to Velvet’s words.

I’m sorry I kept things hidden. The guild advised me to gather information on strong players.

Is it because we’re fighting each other as players?

That’s right! To gain an advantage… you’ve seen quite a lot today.

Ugh, yes… certainly…

Maple had revealed most of her skills, and during the boss fight, her weaknesses had become clear.

Of course, preparation is important. But I win through fair and open confrontation! I mean…

She hadn’t meant to show anything deliberately during the boss fight. But Velvet could have withdrawn without shame. So Maple understood that Velvet spoke from the heart. The sudden crisis had only been an excuse. She’d been thinking all along about when to give her full effort.

“Told me to hide it a little more from the guild… but…”

“It was amazing!”

Without any preparation, a fight would end before action began. Hinata would freeze movement. Velvet would strike with wide-range lightning and close-quarters combat at will.

Hiding skills makes battle advantageous—no doubt.

“If we’re going to fight, let’s do it fair. Of course, Maple too—my rival.”

Velvet said this, smiling confidently, challenging.

“But are you really sure? The guild said no…”

“If I’m not the only one showing my skill, then it’s fine!”

Hinata looked down, expression complicated, as if weighing words. Maple understood. This was always Velvet’s way.

But we still have a card we haven’t shown yet.

Yes, I have one too!

"Y-yes!? Still more!?"

Velvet was astonished by how powerful each skill was. Yet she smiled, thinking ahead to the day she might face them in battle.

I thought I’d like to meet somewhere, so I’m glad.

It was just a chance meeting, you know.

Now, thinking back, the lightning Maple saw was likely caused by Velvet. The storm had greater scale than the one seen in the dungeon, perhaps confirming the claim that a final gambit remained.

"Ah, so the reason the tone was different is so it wouldn’t be clear it was Velvet?"

The weapon was revealed to be a fist clad in a gauntlet, yet her attire remained unchanged even in battle. Like Maple, her primary equipment might be separate.

"This is my finest gear!"

This is something I acquired from the boss... I’m practicing to be more composed, just as Velvet has been taught to be.

I see...

No deeper strategic reason from the guild was apparent. This was solely about Velvet herself.

Hmm, it’s tricky. I’m often told I’m too energetic in my usual state.

She had altered her hairstyle to match her attire, but her combat style remained the opposite—expert in close combat and indiscriminate annihilation. Combined with her natural disposition, it showed through immediately. Yet she did not seem to mind. She sat cross-legged, grinning with amusement.

Well, that’s the situation. I don’t know when the next personal duel will be, but when it comes, I’ll give it my full strength.

Yeah! P-please go easy on me...

Ahaha, that’s not something I can promise.

Hmph. Then I’ll work hard with everyone from the Maple Tree!

Then I’ll work hard with everyone from the guild too!

Before that… I should probably mention that I showed off all those skills…

Yeah, that’s true.

R-really? Are you sure you’re alright?

I’m fine. I’m the guildmaster, after all. Everyone understands, even if they don’t say it outright.

Maple stares, eyes wide, at Velvet’s revelation. Velvet speaks her guild’s name. A large guild, 【thunder storm】. It rose rapidly just before the fourth event and broke into the top ten. The two of them had been its top two.

We’ll play together again. I still have more skills I want to show you then.

Velvet’s eyes light up as she says this. Hinata whispers to Maple, just barely.

In truth… she’s not just trying to play fair. She wants to show off skills that look impressive.

I think I understand a little.

Velvet’s core thought is simple and pure: to share what she finds enjoyable, what she deems good. Maple, perhaps feeling something similar, nods in quiet agreement to Hinata’s words.

Maple follows Velvet’s suggestion, the two registering as friends, and they ride back to Town together, just as they had before.

“A rival, huh…”

Maple thinks, as she had never encountered such a person before beginning this game. She wonders, though, if Sally has always been this way.