Defense specialization and Trial 5.

"Good, we did it!"

"Yeah, it went well."

"Definitely different with two people! Back then, on the fourth floor, it was much, much harder."

They had exhausted every skill, barely defeating the enemy through a self-destruct using Core Break. Compared to that, this time they still had Guardian of Unyielding Defense, as well as Brutality and Gluttony. Of course, the location is different, and the boss is not exactly the same, but this is clearly only possible because they are two.

"Then I'm glad you said so. Maple, as always, your Love That Offers the Body was helpful."

"Hehe, you're welcome."

"There shouldn't be many enemies stronger than that..."

"What do you think will come out next?"

Waiting for the next opponent, after a moment, a large angel with six wings emerges from the central passage, while two smaller angels with two wings each appear from the side passages, each holding a bow.

"Maple, you know her?"

"Similar to the one who gave us the throne... but not quite."

As she speaks, the angels draw their arrows without hesitation. The space around the central boss glows. A torrent of luminous arrows rains down. A standard opening assault, heavy with lethal intent. Sally, struck by arrows, still watches Maple.

"Ooh... how you doing, Maple?"

"Not a problem at all!"

"Good. Then let's take them down one by one."

"Right! Don't break the weapons—Sally, please!"

"Yes, yes. [Ice Pillar]!"

Sally raises an ice pillar near a small angel, then swiftly moves across the space using a thread, launching herself at the angel in midair. The dagger, swung in a full rotation, strikes clean. The angel vanishes instantly, shattered by a single blow.

"Interesting. More fragile than expected."

She sets another ice pillar and leaps to it, repeating the motion. The angel falls in one strike, obliterated by a massive blow. Since entering this place, the battle has not ceased. The attack power boost from Sword Dance remains constant.

The effect is difficult to maximize, but while it persists, considerable damage is expected. The angels might have endured the first clash. Sally had brought down one after another. Then, she saw the first angel revive. She abandoned the effort.

The arrows are only slightly enhanced for now. She thought to destroy them before they could cause harm. But wasting time would serve no purpose.

"Maple, are the small angels' arrows safe?"

"Yep! No strange debuffs on them!"

Even a normal player would struggle under this rain of arrows. The angels are treated as if they do nothing at all, thanks to Maple's defense and Love That Offers the Body.

"Then we'll just leave them for now. Once the boss is defeated, it won't matter."

Sally walks with Maple to beneath the boss, a great angel, ensuring they stay within the range of Love That Offers the Body. As they approach, a column of light descends from above—like judgment from heaven—enveloping both. Nothing else happens.

"Seems like we’re a good match this time."

"Then let’s do it!"

Fighting together, Maple and Sally’s synergy is clear. Against any foe, if it wishes to stand before them, it must first be able to withstand piercing attacks—standard equipment.

"Quintapulse Slash!"

Sally strikes with rapid blows, unburdened. The dance of fire and water cuts deep. The boss’s HP drops steadily. Then, suddenly, a calm, resonant harp note fills the air. The HP, slowly reduced, begins to recover.

"Uwah!?"

"Ah, Sally! The other angels are holding instruments!"

"That’s why. What should we do...?"

It is not impossible to overwhelm the damage and finish it this way, but the healing rate speaks plainly—it is not the direct approach.

"If the weapon isn't shattered by light arrows, we’ll have Maple shoot it down..."

Looking up, the relentless storm of arrows continues without end. The absence of ammunition depletion is clear.

"Hmm..."

"Ah! Then, Sally, what about this?"

"Go on."

Sally listens to the suggestion and nods. Indeed, it could work. With Sally’s approval, Maple immediately begins preparations.

"Shiroppu! [Awakening] [Gigantification]! [Telekinesis]!"

Maple levitates Shiroppu above her, bringing it directly overhead. The beam strikes Shiroppu precisely. The weapon’s destruction is prevented. The attack lands on Love That Offers the Body instead. It affects only Maple’s core, not the weapon. This allows them to shield each other.

“Keep this one down. You too, Sally—do your best!”

“Understood. Leave it to me.”

“Alright—[Attack Initiated]!”

“[Sextapulse Slash]!”

Shiroppu is vulnerable to piercing attacks. The strategy of enduring through recovery fails when that recovery is stripped away. With the attack nullified and the endurance method removed, the boss’s strength is gone.

A boss who should be healing her HP while raining arrows to injure multiple targets at once—was nothing more than an inconvenient foe, utterly incompatible with Maple.

“Quadruple Slash! Triple Slash!”

Sally pressed her skill attacks without hesitation, pouring every ounce of damage she could. Even if Maple alone had struggled to balance healing and dealing damage, having a capable attacker made the task manageable.

Attack should have been left to someone else, as was proper. It was unnatural that the angels had been completely eliminated by ranged attacks in the first place.

With every offensive option on the angel side rejected, nothing remained but one-sided devastation.

Watching the boss dissolve into light with a soft ping, Sally murmured alone.

"Still, if you want to beat Maple, you can't do it without penetration."

Fufu fu, this time a victory without a single wound.

Without a skilled defense-piercing ability, one would not even merit a challenge. In that sense, the angels were always in a fight they could not win.