Defense-oriented and large-scale combat.

Behind the nation of the Flame Emperor, a black lightning strike swallowing the faces of Rapidfire split the formation in two, repelling the player it struck.

"Wil!"

"I'm unharmed! But... no one's here."

"Wha... isn't it visible to Wil's sight?"

The phenomenon, so vast, occurring beyond the range of magic, should not elude Wil's detection. Something is wrong.

"Wil, use my eyes to search."

"Understood."

[Sleep]

A blue light burst from Lily, and for a moment, the sky above, veiled by clouds, flashed with the same hue, illuminating the entire field.

[Awaken]! How is it?"

"...Above, Maple."

Wilbert's words, delivered with a frown, prompted Lily to act swiftly.

"Got it. Let's move toward her!"

There is only one task. Instruct the player riding a flying tame monster to strike down Maple high above as swiftly as possible.

She sensed the approaching players even as they neared.

"Whoa!? Already caught!?"

Far sooner than expected, players arrived on dragons and monstrous birds from below. Maple, merely perched on a shield, could not overcome their mobility no matter how she struggled.

"【Barrel Deployment】【Attack Initiated】!"

Then she began firing. The area around Maple was already under the effect of a 【Massacre Zone】. Like 【Love That Offers the Body】, it spread in a cylindrical reach. If she could just buy time, it would incinerate all who flew toward her and bring them crashing down.

She dodged the shots, closing in with haste. It was difficult. Players who had taken heavy damage were forced to retreat, one by one.

"Damn it—think you can do as you please?!"

"Drag them down!"

"Wha—!? Not before it gets dangerous!"

Maple leapt to the ground just as the player approached, before being struck.

Even with high mobility, she could not keep up with free fall. With interference, it was even worse.

"【Attack Initiated】!"

Maple fired one final bullet upward, piercing the summoned monster, then sent every approaching player tumbling after her with the same free fall.

Many soared into the air. But the sky was inherently dangerous. The sudden loss of flight ability had to be accounted for.

"Oh—?!"

"Should’ve—!"

"See you later!"

If she continued like this, she would drag allies into the fall. Maple released the [Annihilation Field], redirecting her descent toward her own side through self-destruction. For Maple, landing was unnecessary.

As Maple plummeted through the sky above her own forces, one player leapt from the group and extended a thread to catch her midair.

"Ah, Sally!"

"Nice going, Maple. That was a good surprise attack."

"Then it's my turn!"

"Right. Be careful!"

"[Throne of the Heavenly King] [Residual Light of Salvation]!"

Maple now spread defensive buffs around her, the opposite of just moments before.

Yet the throne and the angel's wings stood out clearly. She would be targeted without fail if left exposed.

"[Ice Pillar]!"

A ring of ice pillars formed around the throne, physically isolating Maple and all other entities from the outside.

The ice pillars cannot be broken by attack until time has passed and they vanish. With this absolute barrier, Maple is powerless—but the enemy cannot reach even the strongest of beings who generate such a potent buff.

"Nothing will get through for now."

"Thank you!"

"I’m the one who’s grateful. Just having all of you here is enough."

As the defense solidified, massive iron spheres, dwarfing the firepower of the cannons fired from the rear watchtower, came flying in one after another. Formation is set. We will meet the enemy’s full force with our maximum output.

Flash. Inferno. Countless spells rage like a storm. A standout force shifts the balance of the front line.

"Velvet!"

"Yes! When do we go in?"

"Help me match Mi’s timing. Flip the field in one move. In that time… Wil, we’re going too."

Lily conjures the aerial machine she used in her fight against Pain. A flat plate hovers in midair, its rear trailing blue flames. It hovers motionless. This model accommodates only two, but compensates with increased speed. It cannot be mass-produced, as the equipment remains unchanged. Still, it carries Wilbert and Lily with no issue.

"Hinata, we’re moving forward!"

"Yes...!"

Velvet advances, dragging Hinata with her. They will not be caught defenseless. Lily and Wilbert mount the swift aerial machine and launch forward, literally flying ahead.

[Thunder God's Return]! [Eye of the Storm]!

Thunder crashes at the point where monster and player collide.

Lightning descends, reducing every hostile presence nearby to ash. Even the monster wrapped in lightning—supposedly resistant to damage—is crushed without question.

No wonder. A white mist spreads across the area. The intense cold nullifies its defense, its resistance, everything.

“Hinata, keep going!”

“…Sorry, but I can’t let you go any further.”

“Hah, let’s fight again!”

Before them stood Dread and Drag. Velvet, resembling a storm itself. If she were to fly straight into their base now, the damage would be catastrophic. They must stop her here. Retreat is not an option. The enemy will feel the same.

“We won’t lose!”

“Let’s go…!”

“Hmph, what a lousy role this is.”

“The stronger the opponent, the more they burn.”

“…Well, I suppose that’s true enough.”

Dread raises his weapon, despite muttering. Drag swings his axe, fully committed.

Above, several players streak past at high speed. Like Maple, the enemy targets the backline—strong in area damage, a major threat.

“No time for looking around…! 【Electromagnetic Leap】!”

Velvet charges forward, dragging Hinata, who floats sideways through gravity control, trailing cold that weakens defense.

“Earth, 【Lightning Rod】! 【Heavy Charge】!”

“【Ice Wall】!”

Velvet intercepts Drag’s axe with an ice wall, then strikes back. But the reach is too great. Her fist does not land.

“【Aurora】!”

“【Stone Skin】【Ground Armor】!”

“Keep going…!”

A pillar of lightning erupting around Velvet. Drag, having expected it to retreat, forced his way through using a skill that bolstered his endurance.

【Burning Axe】!

【PARRY】! 【Double Strike】!

Gah!?

Velvet deflected the swung axe from the side, then swiftly delivered two consecutive strikes, sending Drag flying.

That hurt! The power’s impressive, I’ll admit!

You’re enduring it, then? Hinata’s skill should be active too.

This endurance is special.

The glowing ground rapidly restored Drag’s dwindling HP. Velvet understood, from the damage taken, that a significant damage reduction was in effect.

I’ll increase it further! 【Thunderfield】! 【Lightning Rain】!

Drag, rely on the wall!

Got it!

【Top Speed】!

Drag could not force his way through this storm of lightning with the durability of Dread. Instead, he uses his speed, relying on the stone wall erected above to block the lightning, closing the distance in an instant.

【Gravity Cage】

……Tch.

At the moment of stepping forward, he feels a sudden drop in speed. Dread retreats along the path he came, while the crumbling stone wall still stands.

Hinata waits, motionless, just on the edge of whether she can be broken or not. Her defense is troublesome.

Velvet’s destructive power is beyond measure. Her focus on defense leaves no room for even the smallest opening.

I’m saved!

Please wait for Mii-san properly…?

Y-Yeah, I know!

As he speaks, the sound of the tower behind him collapsing reaches his ears. The enemy’s attack has intensified.

Pain—do it before 【Dawn】 arrives…!

There is no room to aid others while facing these two. Dread readies his dagger again, praying that Pain—positioned beside Maple, the core of their strategy—is holding firm.

Crom intercepts the falling, dismantled siege tower with his shield, protecting Mai, Yui, and Izu from the impact. He shifts the shield quickly, turning to face forward.

"Haha! You could’ve just stayed back and let me handle it!"

Above him, hovering in midair, is a flat mechanical plate. Lily sits upon it. Before her, Wilbert stands, arrows nocked, aimed at the four.

"Doing nothing like that leaves the outcome uncertain."

"Sorry. I’ll take that neck."

"“Crom-sama…!”"

"Relax. I’ll manage."

That said, the situation is dire. Even accounting for speed and distance, they will not reach the royal castle in time. The barricades Iz set up and Crom’s great shield will be the barrier that stops those arrows.

“[Rain of Arrows]”

“[Multi-Cover]! [Spirit Light]!”

Crom shields all of them from the downpour of arrows, then cancels the damage with a following skill, enduring the onslaught.

“Mai, Yui. Listen. Only your attacks offer us a chance to win. I’ll create an opening with Iz. Then strike.”

Crom speaks quietly. The two nod slightly. They raise their eight great hammers.

“Necro! [Weight of Death]! [Burst Flame]!”

The flying machine piloted by Lily dodges Crom’s flames with precision, sliding sideways while firing arrows. Using Necro’s power for long-range attacks, but it is not her strength.

"Leave this to me!"

Iz pulls a steel barrier from her inventory and sets it before her, barely deflecting the assault.

"Iz, please! We can't afford a prolonged fight!"

With one stray arrow capable of felling Mai and Yui, an early resolution is necessary—otherwise, disaster will strike.

Though the wall will shatter in one blow, Iz now knows it can withstand Wilbert's arrows. Only by trusting her defense can Crom advance.

"Fei! [Item Enhancement]! Crom!"

"Got it!"

Having weathered the first strike, Crom holds firm despite the arrow piercing him. He meets Iz's gaze.

Iz plants her foot hard into the ground. Instantly, thick columns of water erupt around them.

"Is your preparation complete...?"

"Not yet!"

As Iz crushes the crystal clenched in her hand, a massive vine resembling the wilds of Shiroppu snakes through the water columns, constricting their movement.

"Please!"

"Go on!"

"“Weapon Throw!”"

Two iron balls—avoidable. What of a sixteen-pound maul? A decisive iron mass, surpassing even Wilbert’s arrows in destructive force, flies straight toward them.

"“Quick Change!”"

Lily swiftly swaps equipment with Wilbert. She feels the imminent certainty of death approaching, yet executes the same sequence repeatedly, activating the skill with precision.

"“Army Without Life,” “Reproduction,” “Puppet Wall!”"

Soldiers appear one after another before her, entwining into a massive wall. The maul smashes through it. On the other side, Lily and Wilbert regain their balance midair, descending.

The aim had been perfect. She did not waste the fleeting moment created by striking the wall.

“Phew… If it had grazed, we’d have been finished. The attack power to defeat a raid boss is sharpened. From here on, I’ll be your opponent. Even my firepower, you should be able to wear down.”

Mai and Yui reloaded the great maul into their inventories, then re-equipped it. Iz also expanded the barricade further.

“Would you mind switching with Wilbert? He’s easier to handle.”

“Understood. Then, let’s begin.”

Rilii, relying on numbers, felt sweat trickle down her brow as she stared at the wave of soldiers materializing before her—each armed with guns. This time, she would not be able to hold them back.

The 【Unyielding Guardian】 still remained. She would do what she could. Just as she braced herself with the great shield, a massive shadow charged in from the side.

"Haku!"

"Sō!"

"「「【Hardening】!」」"

Two massive white serpents cut through the field, their bodies writhing like blades splitting the earth.

"Made it in time?"

"Looks like it."

Kanade and Kasumi arrived. They had downed the Guild members attempting to follow Lily and Wilbert's 【Rapid Fire】, blocked enemy reinforcements as best they could, and barely managed to reach the rescue in time.

"Coming this way, I see."

"Yes. Convenient, wouldn't you say?"

"If we can handle it properly."

Lily sat upon the 【Irago's Chair】, swung her banner once, and summoned a vast number of soldiers before her. In mere moments, the numbers had turned decisively in their favor.

"Let’s continue. The more they draw, the easier it becomes for us."

Mai and Yui must not resume their devastating assault. Though not an easy fight, Lilie and Wilbert cannot retreat either.