Defense specialization and skill scrolls.

Then, after a while. The players gradually advance into a deeper level, the reinforced diving suits allowing comfortable exploration, and all members of [Maple's Tree] now able to reach farther depths.

Sally is sent forward, so only her progress differs, but generally, they are moving in step.

The eighth layer was broad, but access to areas was strictly limited, making this the true beginning.

In the midst of this, Kanade does not leave the Town, but descends beneath the Guild Home.

No monsters present. She moves smoothly forward, arriving at the stone tablet where Sally had previously found a clue.

"Here?"

Sally has sent a photograph, but it is not a particularly difficult location. Now that the diving suit is enhanced, she has come to see it with her own eyes.

Kanade’s aim is not the map Sally had been studying, but the stone tablet inscribed with unfamiliar symbols. She lifts each one in turn, nodding as she examines them.

—Hmm, yes, looking closely, there’s no mistake. Quite solid clues, really…

To Sally, the symbols were meaningless. To Kanade, they were clearly written characters. As before, one of the hidden elements scattered across the game’s surface. Having spent countless hours in the library, memorizing every text she could find, Kanade knew that the same language—normally unreadable—had appeared in previous layers.

—Huh, I thought it was just a playful touch. Turns out it’s useful after all.

Yet this was the first time direct clues had been obtained. Previously, other players had only been present in the town, and even then, only within the library. Events requiring thought occurred more frequently here, far removed from field races or dungeon crawls.

"Box of Wisdom... At last? Heh. If it fails, I'll hand it to someone else."

She murmured the words aloud, verifying their meaning. Then, with a smooth motion, Kanade swam back to the surface. She seemed to have found her destination. The boat moved forward into the field.

Kanade drifted forward across the water. When she reached a deeper zone, she checked beneath the surface. Below, structures rose like stacked rooftops, forming towers that stood haphazardly, identical to those in the town. Windowless openings, glassless, revealed the shapes of monsters within. To explore every one would take effort.

“Hm… quite a few monsters here.”

Kanade recalled the magic tome she carried. If she used Sou’s book, its power would weaken, but her own would remain intact. For common monsters, she could act freely enough.

Yet, having secluded herself within the library allowed her to apply the current clue, though her level had not increased during that time. Compared to the standard of the eighth layer, her level remained low in truth. She would need to fight skillfully using the [Divine Archive] and [Arcane Repository].

If she could eliminate them instantly, it would be simple... No, better to keep it straightforward. If she failed to defeat them, trouble would follow.

Kanade settled on her strategy. She stowed her boat and plunged directly into the water.

"Sō — [Mimicry] — [Counter Magic]!"

Sō shifts into Kanade’s form, unfolding four magic circles around her. They move with Sō’s motion, launching light projectiles at monsters approaching swiftly through the water. This skill, potent and rapid in both power and firing speed, meets the threat head-on. It handles even the most direct charges with ease, countering numbers with numbers. Since it requires no control to operate, Sō’s use of it functions perfectly—another advantage.

“Inside seems cramped. Fewer monsters, perhaps?” — [Thunder Spear]!

Attacking from Sō’s center, monsters slipping past are countered by the day’s exclusive ability of the [Divine Archive]. Lightning forks through the water. A spear materializes at Kanade’s hand, thrown forward. It strikes its target directly, and the shockwave spreads, damaging not only the hit monster but those nearby as well.

“Good. I’ll leave the spellbook behind.”

Fewer openings, simple, and easy to use—keeping it stored carries no loss. Since acquiring 【Divine Library】, the spellbooks accumulated in this way now line the floating shelves in neat rows. Still, each is a one-time use. That is precisely why it matters that Sou has become an ally, and now fights alongside them, able to use these freely.

“When the time comes to use them, then.”

Kanade kicks aside the monster and reaches the window of the highest building. She checks the remaining time before entering the structure. Her time underwater is not particularly long. Drowning during the exploration of this tall building would be unacceptable.

“Looks like I’ll have to dive several times. My estimate is…”

If the target matches her expectations, Kanade believes she will need a certain amount of time secured.

Kanade moves downward through the building, aware she may need to stay here for some time depending on progress.

The structure is tall, but not complex. Each section resembles stacked blocks, connected by stairs or ladders leading down. Passing through them presents no difficulty.

She checks each room carefully, watching for anything missed, yet moves with restraint to conserve time. After advancing a distance, the atmosphere of the rooms shifts.

"Ah. This may be significant."

Certain sections of wall and floor bear the same characters as those inscribed on the stone slab that brought her here. Kanade approaches, confirms no traps, and begins to decipher the markings.

"Indeed... It is hidden after all. Just as before."

No one else has ever used a combat style based on grimoires, not even herself, because in this game, just like many other skills, they are difficult to find through ordinary exploration.

And Kanade’s purpose here was precisely tied to that grimoire.

As before, when she obtained the [Grimoire Vault], the clue this time tells Kanade that something exists to strengthen the [Divine Vault] in essence.

Kanade confirms once more that she has not misread the readable hints formed by the sequence of symbols, then moves on to the next chamber.

This room, too, is unremarkable—empty, submerged, with no furniture placed within. Yet Kanade moves without hesitation toward a single wall and activates her magic.

"Just right—[Thunder Spear]!"

The lightning spreads across the entire wall. Kanade watches. After a moment, the wall glows blue in a web-like pattern. Slowly, it splits open to the sides like a door.

Good. There is no doubt something lies beyond.

A hidden mechanism, subtle, easily missed if not looking. Kanade is certain it conceals something. She swims forward without pause.

Next—this way.

To Kanade, the hint is written plainly on the wall, large and obvious. Once the riddle is solved, the path is clear. She moves without hesitation along a hidden route, different from the usual, through walls, ceiling, and floor of the stone building.

Maple’s mind holds the route to this point with perfect clarity. Even if she cannot return with the reward this time, she will be able to come here without difficulty next time.

After walking for some time, the view from near the water’s surface and the distance traveled suggested they had reached the deepest part of the building. A door different in atmosphere from those before it appeared ahead.

Unlike structures submerged and worn by time, it remained untouched, pristine, its alien presence palpable.

S-so, I wonder. Not the boss, it seems.

Approaching the door with caution, it slowly opened of its own accord. Beyond the open door, light and rows of bookshelves came into view. Entering the room with care, the space felt severed from the water outside. At the threshold, the water ceased flowing and remained perfectly still.

So, then, worrying about it might not be necessary. Will this be enjoyable, too?

Kanade speaks, scanning the room for anything unusual. She moves to the pedestal placed at the center.

Scattered there are countless white puzzle pieces. Kanade picks one up, as expected.

If completed, something will be gained. For Kanade, the fact that this is not underwater is fortunate. She had anticipated needing to shuttle back and forth across the surface many times. That is no longer required. She can now focus solely on finishing it.

She exhales. Sits on the chair placed there. Studies the pieces with a serious gaze. Memorizes each shape. As she examines them one by one, the exact fit of each piece becomes clear—where it belongs, where it locks in place.

As Sally’s evasion could not be mimicked, even if one tried, Kanade advances through the puzzle in a manner that defies imitation.

— Could there be a hint here, perhaps?

The room they occupy is lined with bookshelves. The books are arranged with precise order. Kanade, intrigued, sets the puzzle aside and pulls a volume from the shelf, flipping through its pages.

— Hm… This details the story of the eight layers found beneath the Guild Home.

The text describes the setting of the eight layers, but contains no direct clues to the dungeon. No characters used are unreadable by Kanade. Information is arranged only to allow a slight anticipation of the monsters and dungeons yet to come.

Once read, the details are already lodged in her mind. Recalling them again is effortless for Kanade.

It was far more difficult to reach this point than to proceed further, so she decided to memorize the contents while she could, examining every book.

"Regrettable. Not so easily connected to the next..."

Within mere minutes, she had fully grasped the details. She returned to the half-finished puzzle. In the quiet room, only the soft sound of pieces sliding into place remained. The designated frame filled with white pieces.

"This one’s already memorized, isn’t it?"

With no image to form, no joy in completion, she placed the remaining pieces with a faint air of boredom.

It was not meant to progress so steadily toward completion. Yet Kanade was different.

She had truly learned the method. After concentrating for a time, she finished the blank puzzle as if by chance.

"Phew... how does it look?"

No misplacement of pieces. Before Kanade’s eyes, the puzzle began to glow faintly. Above it, a Rubik’s Cube appeared—similar to the one Kanade held.

“Hmm. As expected. Good.”

When Kanade took it, it merged with the 【Divine Archive】 as it had with the 【Magic Archive】. She immediately checked her staff to see what skill had been acquired.

【Skill Archive】

Skills that do not consume MP can be stored as 【Skill Books】 in a dedicated 【Shelf】.

Stored skills cannot be used until a 【Skill Book】 is activated.

In essence, this allowed her to store the skill set previously inaccessible to the 【Magic Archive】. Given time for preparation, it would grant strength unmatched by any other.

“Good news for everyone. I wonder what they’re doing now?”

Kanade turns from the room, thinking of the other guild members who are likely exploring elsewhere. Her interest now lies not in the items she could predict, but in the unpredictable members of the guild—those who often cause unexpected outcomes. She watches the shadows of the hall, waiting to see if the others have found something intriguing.