Defense specialization and item collection.

The group split into several teams to gather materials. The three who headed toward the ninth layer were Sally, Kasumi, and Maple.

With Maple unable to use Love That Offers the Body, she cannot match her usual strength even when paired with Mai and Yui. And since a damage source is required, there is no alternative but to rely on Sally and Kasumi.

She can fight alone. When facing a powerful attack, she can dash behind Maple using her high AGI—perfectly suited. She also has full mobility, compensating for multiple of Maple’s lost advantages.

The three traveled across the field riding Hak, who had transformed into a colossal serpent through Hyper Enlargement.

“Maple, as long as she maintains the proper distance as planned, it will be fine.”

If need be, I’ll rely on you.

Yeah!

Without the ability to provoke or draw enemy attention, using the sole offensive technique, [Malicious Feast], is impractical.

Maple’s role this time was simply to move—like an unmovable boulder in the field—acting as a barrier.

If she targets the two behind us, [Malicious Feast] could be used effectively.

The three move forward for a time. They reach a large cave carved into the mountainside. Not hidden, but old and proper—classic dungeon appearance.

“Sally. Is this place alright?”

“It’s fine.”

“Understood. Hak.”

Kasumi lowers the two to the ground and restores Hak to his original size. That size would not fit inside the cave, after all.

“Looks like Hak can’t fight anywhere but the Boss Room.”

Hak’s abilities are designed for his 【Overgrowth】 form. He cannot exert his full power in the small form of a white serpent. This makes combat in confined spaces like this unsuitable.

“Fighting elsewhere shouldn’t be too difficult. If he can only grow large in the Boss Room, that might be acceptable.”

“True. That makes sense.”

“Are there any unusual monsters here?”

“Nothing I’ve never seen before. More like a goblin stronghold. Goblins… you understand them, right?”

“Yeah! …Enhanced?”

“Right. The monsters within the dungeon have buffs increasing their attack power and movement speed.”

“Huh. So they can appear anywhere?”

“Mm. The buffs are strong enough that the monsters themselves are kept to a minimum.”

Attack power has increased, but defense remains unchanged. The goblins themselves are not particularly durable, so a quick confrontation is expected.

"Reserve the [Malicious Feast] for the boss. Until then, leave it to me."

They had come specifically for this purpose. Maple removed her great shield and stowed it in her inventory, switching to the white great shield as Kasumi instructed. This way, she would not accidentally use it.

"Then let's go in!"

"What formation?"

"Keep Maple at the front, if possible. The enemy is said to have strong attack power."

"Leave it to me!"

Even without using any skills, positioning Maple at the front avoids the risk of taking damage in an unfavorable opening clash.

Moreover, since Maple could not keep pace with the two moving at a normal speed, they chose to slow their movement to match Maple’s. Thus, with Maple at the front, the three entered the dungeon. From deep within, a faint sound reached them.

…Drum?

That seems to be it.

Music that grants buffs to monsters. The effect grows stronger the closer one approaches the Boss Room.

Ah. The difficulty increases accordingly.

The deepest Boss Room is designed to be the strongest. Progressing through the dungeon allows one to grow accustomed to increasing strength, making retreat decisions easier. This makes the dungeon relatively simple.

Compared to the hidden dungeons that appear occasionally, this one is much easier. No sudden trapping, they say.

Yeah! It’s terrible when the way back vanishes all at once!

Maple knows the difficulty of these dungeons all too well—she has been dragged into them countless times, or thrown herself in, never to return.

“It’s not a memory I’d wish to keep…”

As they speak, they move deeper. A slightly open space comes into view. Beyond it, several large goblins hold blood-stained swords. A smaller goblin with a bow stands nearby. Further back, one goblin wears a small crown and gives orders.

They appear to be reinforcing the dungeon walls—adjusting wooden barriers assembled under command.

The corridor lies beyond the detection range. No enemies leap out. Yet the path leads only to the far end of the room. To proceed, they must step inside.

“Sally, what do you say?”

There is nothing particularly dangerous about it, as far as we know. The bow fires arrows continuously without reloading, as if raining down—be cautious, especially Maple. The sword has high damage and sweeping attacks, just as it appears. The one acting as leader gives commands, increasing movement speed and attack power. Also, spears emerge from the walls when approaching too closely—be alert.

Oh—!

I see. If we know this much, we can advance with advantage.

There is, of course, the option to retreat into the dungeon during events. You see, with Maple, we can hide anywhere. And the monsters will protect us from intruders.

Then we’ll be careful not to get near the walls.

So. Also, just hearing about it doesn’t convey the actual speed. Be aware they might be faster than expected.

Ah, understood.

Knowing your opponent is a great advantage. If there are no surprises, defeat becomes far less likely.

【Warrior’s Arm】!

As Kasumi activated her skill and refined her resolve, she finally stepped into the three rooms. The goblins, noticing Maple and her group, instantly assumed combat stances.

Here we go!

Ah!

Sally, moving first, dashed toward the goblin holding a bow, while Kasumi charged the one bearing a greatsword. As soon as the goblins saw this, Sally was immediately struck by a barrage of arrows from the bow’s superior range.

Two arrows launched simultaneously from each goblin, rushing toward Sally with terrifying speed.

“Yah!”

She twisted her body, reading the trajectory, and knocked the incoming arrows from their course with the two daggers held in her hands.

Sally lunged forward, aiming to cut down one of the goblins, when a voice rang out from the rear—the leader. A crimson light enveloped the goblins.

Accelerated instantly by the glow, the goblins closed the distance, forcing Sally to backstep.

“[Leap]!”

Seeing this, Sally activated her skill to close the gap again, but the short sword’s reach fell short.

Yet, as the one dagger swung wide, it flared with light. A violent damage effect burst from the goblin’s throat.

The short sword had transformed into a long blade. It suddenly bridged the final, unreachable distance—too great for the short sword to cover, no matter how desperately it was wielded.

Nothing prevents combining two unique series. Carrying a second dagger to enable dual-wielding is, in fact, natural. With the Disguise, appearance becomes entirely free—no one save the wearer can tell that the current gear is selected from two different unique series. Indeed, aside from the short sword that suddenly became a long blade, everything else still looks exactly as usual: the familiar blue armor.

Closing on the goblin that staggered and faltered from damage, the blade retracted instantly to short sword form. A flurry of strikes followed, delivered in rapid succession.

Yet the goblin did not fall. As it raised its weapon for another blow, the remaining goblins would not allow it—lifting their bows skyward.

The arrow fired immediately split, raining down in a sudden deluge toward Sally. The goblin before her raised her broken body, nocking the bow and firing in return.

With neither Cover nor Love That Offers the Body available, Maple could do nothing. Sally was pierced by the storm of arrows.

"Sally!"

"I'm fine!"

Pierced, Sally dissolved into mist as if into thin air. In her place, the real Sally appeared behind a goblin.

She struck through its back, stepped back, and returned to Maple’s side.

"Ugh! That skill really startled me!"

"Haha, sorry, sorry."

The headgear was indeed a scarf, tricking the monster through Mirage. Now, everything Sally used was indistinguishable from the real thing. To avoid being deceived, one would have to surpass Sally’s own perception.

Must test it. To make sense to the player.

But these cannot be used carelessly. Only when refined with authenticity do they truly manifest power. Deception demands proper technique.

Fight while allocating more mental resources than ever to actions beyond evasion. If one faces a monster, one must do this much—Sally dashed forward again.

Meanwhile, Kasumi deflected the incoming greatsword with a colossal blade materialized through her 【Warrior’s Arm】, maneuvering with agility to twist the massive frame.

Though not to Sally’s extent, Kasumi also possessed high 【AGI】, and her HP was firmly secured. She fought with steady precision. Even if struck, she could recover and reposition—this was the key difference from Sally.

【Blood Blade!】

The blade, thick and molten, curved like a whip and swept through the goblin’s strike range, severing its torso from outside the attack arc. Toughness spoke for itself. The leader’s buff pushed forward relentlessly, but Kasumi knew how to evade.

Moreover, Kasumi now possessed a powerful skill to back up her movements.

“【Mind’s Eye】!”

The skill made incoming attacks visible in red, allowing Kasumi, at this moment, to dodge with precision down to the millimeter—just as Sally could.

She sidestepped the descending greatsword as if slipping through a gap, then struck with 【Warrior’s Arm】, adding further damage.

“【Five-Step Slash: Shatter Heart】!”

Immediately following, she unleashed a skill with stun effect, halting the goblin’s motion for a single instant—then pressed the attack.

Even with the leader’s support and the dungeon’s buff enhancing speed, the greatsword goblin, built for raw strength, fails to catch Kasumi.

“Slice them down!”

She dodges one descending greatsword, counters with a slash, and turns to face the next goblin. The greatsword descends ahead of her, but she has already perceived it through 【Heart’s Eye】.

“【First Cut: Mirage】!”

She closes the distance with a teleport, slips inside the goblin’s guard, evades the blade, and strikes.

Kasumi possesses more short-range mobility and instant teleportation skills than Sally. While barely avoiding attacks through player reflexes alone is difficult, she can dodge most strikes by adjusting distance with skill-based dashes.

Without precise timing, a strike cannot land unless it encompasses both points simultaneously.

"【Four-Edge Sword: Whirlwind】!"

The skill-based attack strikes with high force, eliminating each monster one by one.

"Wow! You two—go, go! Keep it up!"

Encouraged by their leader’s voice, the two pressed on, dismantling the goblin.

"Done! That’s it!"

With all the goblins slain, and the last leader felled, Sally and Kasumi paused to confirm no reinforcements would come.

"Indeed. Faster than I expected."

"Yes. And the dungeon’s buff hasn’t even peaked yet. We must stay sharp."

"Good work—sorry I couldn’t help at all."

"There’s nothing to be done if all skills are sealed."

"Relax—boss isn't even worth rushing. I'll deliver you there clean and steady."

With all 【Bad Eaters】 left untouched, the boss battle can be decided early. Thus, the real challenge lies ahead—during the journey.

"Kasumi, are your skills stable?"

"First time facing this. I used 【Mind's Eye】 just in case. I’ve gauged the motion, the speed. Even without 【Mind's Eye】, no issue."

The acceleration ahead is certain. But now, seeing the base speed with my own eyes, response will be easier from here. Information is vital, but physical sensation—crucial in combat.

"Then, Maple. Let’s get to the boss battle quick."

"Right! Thanks! Items aren’t banned, so I’ll use ones that boost attack power!"

"That’s a relief. Please do."

Explosives cannot be used—too great a risk of harming allies. But buffs for allies and debuffs for enemies carry no such danger.

Maple’s party clears the first battle without incident. They press forward through the dungeon, driven by momentum.

Though Maple remains nearly inert, the two others still slay the goblins with ease—because they are precisely skilled players.

The Maple Tree is known for Maple’s striking skills, but the other members also possess exceptional strength.

Even with minor buffs, monsters whose attack patterns are not formidable cannot be overcome.

In the end, they deflect every wave of goblins head-on. The growing buffs mean nothing. The three reach the boss unharmed.

The drumbeat had grown louder than at first, a presence affecting the entire dungeon, hinting at what lay within.

“Maple, the [Gourmet]?”

“Fine! Of course, everything’s still here!”

“The room is said to be overflowing with goblins, but that’s as expected. No issue?”

“Yeah. Worst case, I’ll manage. And if Kasumi says it’s fine…”

“No issue. Besides, I think this is the simplest way.”

Maple remains on standby, not switching from her great shield, until she can approach the boss.

To use it carelessly on the goblin hordes would nullify the purpose of saving it this long.

“Shall I open it?”

“Fine.”

“Nothing to worry about.”

The three enter the chamber after preparing. At the far end of the long, wide room stands a massive creature resembling a boss, drumming a great drum. Before it, blocking the path, stands a type wielding a bow and a greatsword, as seen earlier. Others surround it—goblins riding lizards, wielding spears; others with shields, forming a defensive front. All face the intruders with hostility.

Red auras rise with each beat of the drum. Their gazes are sharp. They will attack at any moment.

The enemy has numerical superiority. Roles are clearly assigned. Formation is flawless. Buffs are at maximum strength.

Tension hangs in the air before battle. Both sides move at once.

"Haku—[Gigantification]! [Hardening]!"

Haku, at Kasumi’s feet, swelled instantly to hundreds of times its former size. It repelled the charging goblin with hardened scales. After blocking the first wave, Kasumi extended Haku’s body, carrying the two atop it, and surged through the Boss Room in a straight line.

This was never about dealing with underlings. The target was the boss alone.

"I know. Defeat it, and the other goblins vanish."

Sally did not indulge in showcasing her strengths. If victory was certain, she chose the easier path.

"Maple, we’re here!"

"Yeah!"

At Kasumi’s word, Maple drew forth the obsidian shield. It consumed all it touched. It was the only offensive means available to her, and the most deadly.

[Field of Demons]!

[Water Wrapping]! Oblong [Fire Child]!

Kasumi and Sally activated their skills, moving in an instant to press their shoulders against the boss.

Haku bit into the shoulder joint. The path to the boss was complete. No goblin could stop this swift motion.

【Quintuple Slash】!

【First Cut — Mirage】【Third Cut — Lone Moon】【First Cut — Mirage】【Third Cut — Lone Moon】!

Sally struck with repeated blows of fire and water. Kasumi used 【Warfield’s Oni】 to drastically reduce cooldown, enabling forced movement through aerial skills, dancing around the boss’s body, inflicting devastating damage, including to 【Warrior’s Arm】.

Eeey!

In that instant, as the boss’s attention turned to the two, a small shadow leapt from Haku’s head, aiming directly for the boss’s neck.

Not a leap, but a posture resembling a body press.

With the large shield beneath her, Maple fell in accordance with gravity.

She generated an overwhelming amount of damage effect from neck to chest, abdomen, and waist, piercing through all as she descended, splitting the boss’s body cleanly in two.

All in an instant.

By the time she realized it, she had already launched herself. By the time she realized it, her body was split in two.

That was all.

As the giant form dissolved into light, every remaining goblin vanished like spiderlings scattered by a storm, having lost their boss.

"Good work. Easy, wasn’t it?"

"...Could’ve been called forcing it to be easy."

"Great job!"

"Yeah. Better than expected. Though… if we’d used [Carnivore] ten times, would it have turned out like this?"

It was not something ordinarily done so casually. But this time, since clearing it once was sufficient, there was no need to hold back.

—Wait, Maple. Ah, that’s it. The drum you were after.”

“Oh, right!”

The drum, once dropped and reduced to human size, its surface intricately patterned with vines and gemstones, was what they had sought.

The drum named “Frenzy” could raise the [STR] and [AGI] of all party members, just as the dungeon’s buff did. Yet, as an item, it bore a drawback—[VIT], [INT], and [DEX] were lowered in exchange.

“Not terrible. Not here, at least.”

“If Maple is at full strength, the drop in [VIT] is negligible. We might use it when we need to push forward aggressively.”

“This one is for Maple’s quest. I’ll come back for another when the time is right.”

This drum is the item required for Maple’s quest. If treated the same way as Iz’s equipment was, it too will be consumed and vanish.

“I’ll be there when the time comes!”

“Yeah. If we do it the same way, it’ll be instant.”

“That’s right. You can call me anytime.”

“Without Kasumi, this plan won’t work. I’ll be counting on you then.”

With that, the three departed the goblin lair safely.

The remaining five turned toward another direction. Crom and the others had also arrived at the location directly beneath the destination, searching for the item Maple needed.

The five looked up together, uncertain.

“…Is this it?”

“Here… is good, right?”

“Reports say so, but we won’t know for sure until we go and check.”

Before them rises a sheer cliff face. So vertical it might be called a pillar—whether it qualifies as a mountain is debatable. Five people have business with the tallest of the thick stone columns piercing the clouds.

“Up there, a bird’s nest? We’re supposed to gather something from it?”

“‘Demon Crystals’… they glow. Probably collected because of that?”

It is known they can be obtained. The exact chance of success through gathering, however, remains unknown.

The information comes from NPC rumors. Whether any player has actually acquired one is uncertain.

“Best to wait for Izu… otherwise there’s no point in talking.”

The item is definitely rare. Best to bring Izu, whose presence grants a bonus to gathering. The problem is how to ascend.

“This… wall thing… do you think it’s a foothold?”

It feels like there’s no way in at all, if we go all the way around… that must be it, don’t you think?

She said it was like a pillar, sheer and smooth, but there’s no grip here. Rather, with every step upward, the rock juts out slightly, forming footholds.

I can’t climb, not really.

Neither can I.

Mai and Yui could carry us up, but… there’s something else.

Birds circle around, shrieking with unnerving voices. They won’t let us climb without interference.

If Mai and Yui fall, we’ll all plummet headfirst to the ground. Surviving a fall from this height would be possible only for Maple.

No other idea seems better, at least as far as I’ve heard… I’ll manage it.

Can you?

Starting today.

Kanade looks up, then calls everyone close, activating the skill she has just acquired through the Celestial Archive.

“Flight.”

Under the effect of Kanade’s skill, all bodies float upward, light and unsteady.

“Oooh!”

“Amazing!”

“This means…”

“Sorry to disappoint, but this only lets you float straight up.”

“Huh!? Seriously? Can’t move at all!”

“The effect will fade in a moment.”

“Eh!? Really!?!”

Before they can react, the effect ends. A soft sensation of being thrown upward precedes their descent.

“Wood Wall!... Well, that’s why we need to make a platform to stop us from falling, right?”

Kanade extends a makeshift floor from thick wooden branches sprouting from the stone wall, preventing their fall.

“Y-you nearly gave me a heart attack…”

“I knew something was up. Ugh, startled me half to death.”

I calculated the next solid footing just in time—move, move quickly. You’ll truly fall this time.

The four hurry to the footing they already have, then check the next.

“Each time 【Flight】 becomes usable, we’ll use it to leap forward. We can’t move otherwise, but skills can be used. We’ll rely on it to handle that flying bird.”

“Leave it to me!”

“This is our duty!”

“Then I’ll stand on the outer edge, just in case. I should be able to block anything that comes.”

“Then let’s keep going like this!”

Five bodies float gently, gliding along the column, rising slowly, higher and higher.

“They’re about to look this way… there they are!”

The largest bird in the sky, nearest of all, shifts its course unmistakably toward the five. Crom braces as if for a charge, yet unleashes instead a sweeping attack—wings flared wide, releasing a storm of wind blades.

“Hey, seriously? [MULTICOVER]!”

Shield raised, Mai shelters behind it, waiting for the gale to cease. All the wind blades strike Crom alone. The fragile four remain untouched.

After enduring for a moment, the wind halts—just for an instant. A brief respite, advantageous for the monster. Then, a dull gray object pierces its torso, tearing through, and vanishes into the sky.

““Ready—!””

Naturally, it is Mai and Yui who have thrown the iron spheres. The iron spheres, hurled with brute force, carry a power equivalent to Kanade’s most potent spell.

The projectiles, endlessly conjured by Iz, would not cease. They did not merely defend. Behind Crom, the two waited, watching for an opening.

The next strike pierced feathers, shattered the beak, and tore another hole through the body. The monster exploded midair.

“Ooh, nice control!”

“Amazing. I don’t think I could hit anything like that if I threw it myself.”

“It’s a rare long-range attack!”

“Yes, I’ve practiced.”

This attack proved especially effective against large monsters. A glancing blow from either of the two could be fatal. It did not matter where it struck. The larger the target, the better.

“Go ahead and attack first! If you hit it before it reaches you, there’s no problem!”

“If anything happens, I can nullify the damage with my spellbook. So go ahead and aim freely.”

“Yes!”

A monster flinches under heavy damage. With two of us throwing iron spheres, the moment it hesitates, the other is already ready. No opening is given.

“Skills are working again, so I can float now.”

She floats, settles onto stable ground, and strikes down the nearby monster one by one. Repeating this, she ascends faster than the monsters can respawn. No interference. Climbing, climbing, breaking through the clouds. When the ground below disappears from view, the summit finally comes into sight.

“Finally?”

“Looks like it.”

No monsters near the summit. The five of them reach the peak at last.

Half-believing, half-doubting, there it was—a large bird’s nest, exactly as described, holding a single egg. It seemed larger than the monster bird that had circled the area, though the nest’s owner was absent.

Approaching cautiously, Crom leading, step by step, wary of possible combat. Nothing happens. The collection icon appears.

“Good. Iz. Time to show your skill.”

“Yes. Leave it to me.”

Iz swaps her accessories, increasing the chance of rare drops. She crushes several crystals—unknown to the others—along with pills and supplements of various colors, beginning to glow with a spectrum of auras.

“Huh. This isn’t just collection…”

“For me, it’s like battle. Fei, [Fairy Luck].”

Finally, with a skill boost increasing the chance of rare drops, Izzy reaches into the burrow. There is a limit to how many times one may gather. If this fails, there is no choice but to return.

“H-How is it?”

“Izzy-san, how is it?”

“My heart is pounding…”

“There’s nothing to do but watch.”

“Haha, it’s fine! I had confidence in my gathering!”

Izzy pulls from her inventory a black, shimmering octahedral substance. An unknown material, it pulses faintly at times. Unnerving, yet unmistakably named “Soul Crystal”—this is what they sought.

“Oh! Really obtained it!”

“Now I can give Maple-chan a good report.”

“Truly impressive, Izzy-san!”

“Actually got it on the first try…”

“Spent generously on items—failure was not an option.”

That potion-like thing we used so casually—apparently all of them are quite good items…

Yes. Raising the chance of rare drops isn’t something easily done…

I’ll help with gathering materials next time.

That’ll be helpful. Still, it’s just like an investment, really.

The fear is not knowing what the outcome will be…

Personally, I think there’s reason to hope.

The more difficult the path to a skill, the greater the reward when it is finally obtained—something all five of us know well. Each time a troublesome material is collected, the anticipation rises inevitably.

There’s nothing more to do here. Let’s descend.

Yes. Let’s descend safely.

Maple, you take the lead—jump down and land with zero damage, okay?

Regrettably, I don’t have the courage to go that far.

Yes. I know we’ll manage somehow.

That is true, as well.

Kanade closed the summoned grimoire and called forth Sō, showing two grimoires.

We’ll make a slide from water and ice. We’ll slide down it.

He had been waiting for a calm descent.

"Such things can be done, then!"

She resembles Sally.

She has no equal in the number of skills she possesses.

She was about to descend immediately, having reached the edge and begun preparations, when a great shadow passed across the mountain peak.

Before astonishment could settle at the shadow’s size—so vast it might be mistaken for a dragon—a cry shakes the air.

Damn, that’s the parent bird.

Hah... hurry along, then. You look angry.

"Kanade-san...!"

She is descending!

I’ll take my leave. You don’t seem inclined to listen.

Before being attacked, they froze the flowing water, and five of them spiraled around the pillar like a staircase, sliding down to the ground and returning.