Defense specialization and treasure hunting.

After a time, the eight of them from 【Maple's Tree】 finally gained access to every location on the eighth layer. There was only one thing left to do.

"Sally! We can finally go anywhere!"

"Yeah, we can finally check if there's really something there."

The two are searching for a place where those two items can be used.

Of course, they searched thoroughly during the part collection, but found nothing. Of course, it's possible the location was hidden carefully and not found, but first, they must head to the unexplored area.

That is far more certain to hold something unknown.

"Whenever you're ready!"

"If Maple's okay, let's go now. Did you bring Iz's item?"

"Yeah! There are plenty of items that make breathing easier."

Then let’s depart. In the end, we’ll have to examine each place one by one. More time is better.

Sally steps out of the guild home. As usual, she prepares a jet ski outside the Town and has Maple climb on behind her.

Got a good grip!

Okay!

Sally accelerates the jet ski sharply and surges forward across the water.

Where to first?

The largest area newly accessible. Outlying sections are hard to explore continuously, so we’ll skip those for now.

I see.

Also, the place we’re heading to is quite high up. It’s the strongest contender, the top choice.

Oh! So we might find it right away?

If our guesses are correct.

Sally drives the jet ski for a while, then checks the map and slows to a stop.

Is it beneath us?

No, just a bit further ahead. You’ll see when we get there.

Maple tilts her head, puzzled. She is fitted with a diving suit. The two plunge into the water. Before them stretches the endless expanse of water, and above, a high mountain range stretching far below. Around it, churning currents swirl like a storm.

The current is marked with visual effects. Not to guide passage through, but to mark safe zones—so they do not get swept away and die.

“If it’s Maple, she might survive… but if she gets stuck, I can’t help her out. Be careful.”

“Y-yes. I’ll be careful.”

Having suffered pain from the currents before, Maple decides to avoid them.

“So we can’t go that way?”

“But we’re going that way.”

“Huh!?”

The danger had just been explained. Maple now understood clearly—this was a place she must not approach.

"There is a way. We’ll proceed carefully, checking the current as we go."

"Uh-huh. Sally, you know this route?"

"Details inside are still unknown, but I know where the entrance lies."

"Wow! Impressive, Sally!"

They descended to the seabed at a distance, then moved steadily toward the base of the mountain range. At the elevation once known as land, the violent current was absent. They approached without issue.

"The mountain is this large. There may be several entrances... but at least we know this one."

Before them lay a cave leading into the mountain’s heart. The internal oxygen levels were unclear, but from outside, the entire interior appeared completely submerged.

We’ll escape first. Be careful not to drown.

Yeah! I hope it’s not too long…

The two move forward in step, entering the underwater cave. The interior is lit with adjusted brightness. It is not particularly dark. No issue with visibility.

They proceed deeper without activating the item, 【Love That Offers the Body】, for now. The dungeon and monsters remain unknown.

Is something there?

Yes. Hard to see, but present.

Three slimes made entirely of water drift through the water. Without their slightly darker hue than the surrounding liquid, they would have been nearly invisible.

Then, first strike is best.

Maple deploys her weapon and unleashes a barrage of bullets at the monsters.

The barrage would have easily scattered foes of lesser rank. This time, it did not.

The slime, entering combat as Maple’s bullets approached, flattened its body and caught every round.

The bullets stretched the slime’s form without piercing through, then snapped back to their original state and rebounded.

“C—Cover!”

Maple concealed her large shield behind her back and stepped quickly before Sally, taking the rebounding bullets with her body.

Maple could withstand her own attack. But if Sally were struck, even once, it would be fatal.

“Looks like magic’s required.”

“Um… if that’s the case…”

“Please hold back the poison.”

“Yeah, that’s fair.”

Maple’s attack methods are [Machine God], [Seeping Chaos], and [Poison Dragon]. Only [Poison Dragon] qualifies as magic. Using poison underwater has already proven to result in indiscriminate devastation.

[Devouring] would consume it without question. But using it to defeat low-tier monsters would be endless.

"I can attach it to a weapon via item, but it won’t affect Machine God... Sally!"

"Yeah, leave it to me."

There is no need to force a solution from within. That is why Sally exists—broadly skilled, prepared for any situation.

"I’ll stay beside you! Can’t attack from behind like usual."

"Yeah, just like always."

Sally accelerates sharply, closing the distance to the slime. Maple follows, using Cover Move. Prepared for any eventuality.

"Cyclone Cutter!"

A swirling blade of wind erupts from Sally’s hand, expanding outward to envelop the three slimes. This time, the attack does not rebound. It slices cleanly through the soft, blue bodies, inflicting significant damage.

"More fragile than expected…? Not much resistance beyond rebounding, is there?"

She notices that, without any enhancement, the magic—already weakening at the eighth layer—strips away health rapidly. The ability to perfectly reflect attacks comes at the cost of lower overall values.

Still, the slimes are not without other means. They combine forces, forming a large blue magic circle. From it, a massive water mass is hurled forth.

"Cover!"

Maple stepped forward, anticipating the attack was not a piercing strike, and absorbed it. The mass of water shattered upon impact, releasing a shockwave.

To Maple, the shock was negligible. She preserved her 【Malnourished】 state and waited for Sally’s next move.

“What about this?”

While Maple absorbed the attack, Sally swiftly retrieved an item from her inventory. She shattered the crystal in her hand, charging her weapon with lightning, and activated 【Waterwrap】, enabling a water-elemental follow-up attack. She stepped forward again.

【Triple Slash!】

The weapon strike, unlike magic, built power steadily. Lightning scorched the slime’s body. The subsequent water surge erased its remaining HP.

“Good. Finished!”

“Surprisingly easy to defeat. I worried what would happen when we were repelled…”

"Be careful if other monsters come out together. If we use items, even weapons can deal proper damage. Even alone, it should be fine."

"Then let's go even further!"

"True. There's no harm in hurrying."

"But slimes are in the water too. Feels like they might dissolve."

"Indeed. Hmm, it's a bit unusual to see them in water?"

Their body moves awkwardly on land, but not suited for swimming. In truth, this one was drifting with the current when encountered.

"Maybe they used water magic to accelerate and move. I think such creatures existed before…"

"I'm like the machine god flying, right?"

"Perhaps… maybe not far off."

The visual of movement and the extent of surrounding damage seemed to differ greatly, yet Sally chose not to dwell on it.