Defense specialization and large-scale combat 3.

At the center of the overflowing aberrations. Standing alone within the spreading darkness like mud, Maple remained. Sally, clutching the shrieking Frederica, had already moved away from the spot.

“Sally! That really gave me a scare, you know?”

“Sorry, sorry. But we made it in time, didn’t we?”

The evasion of the catastrophic attack succeeded because the moment of teleportation by Ark coincided with Mii and Velvet’s assault.

Though the skill [Reality Inversion] stated that skills unable to inflict damage could now deal damage, it was fortunate that the other elements had been confirmed beforehand.

Ark possessed the ability to attack through water. When copying the power of the Machine God, it had manifested not only the laser but also the gun, as if ignoring all fine conditions—apparently, replication and activation occurred at the skill level itself.

Sally had taken on the front-line evacuation that Maple alone could not manage.

"Once we're out, Maple'll do that thing right away!"

"I'm surprised too. It feels like Pain's order. As I said before—any ally touched for a certain time is instantly out."

Maple's mud spread. The Skill, Rebirth's Shadow, granted by the forbidden book defeated during the final quest before the event, transformed any ally indiscriminately into a monster.

Monsters summoned by skill, tamed beasts, even players—none were exempt.

Something’s coming out all the time… isn’t anyone getting caught in it?

I… don’t know. There was someone who said they were remaking the weakened monsters we evacuated, or something like that.

Eh… what even is that?

The image of this operation, so deeply at odds with ethics, is repulsive. Yet its effect is powerful, reassuring. Leaving Maple behind, unable to approach, they rebuild the battlefield with a creature remade and restored to full strength.

At the edge of Maple’s shadow, a gathered number of players bring forward damaged monsters, tame them, and place them atop the darkness.

Soon, the ground sinks beneath them—slowly, deeply—replacing them with living forms that resemble monsters in every way.

Feels like we’re doing something terrible…

This… is the optimal use, you know.

She convinces herself that this is necessary to win the battle, while reshaping every monster into forms that resemble creatures of shadow. It feels like they are doing something terrible. This… is the optimal use, you know.

The camp contains many fire- and lightning-elemental monsters. A few survivors remain, barely. If one turns a blind eye to everything else, they are all just the perfect meal for Maple.

"Bring the next one! Next one!"

The evasion through the Ark worked well, but it fails to protect monsters not yet tamed—those outside the Ark's reach. Injuries are inevitable.

"Uo!? N-no, this is bad…!"

"Idiot—don’t touch! Get away!"

Occasionally, a player accidentally brushes against the shadow-like substance Maple spreads. It drags them in without hesitation.

If they pull back quickly, the clinging shadow gradually loosens. But the strain on the heart is unbearable.

"Only using you however I please!"

"Didn’t you see the one who first got swallowed?!"

"…Sorry, thanks for saving me…"

A few were consumed by the spreading mud-like shadow, broken apart and rebuilt as monsters, now advancing toward the players. Damage resistance means nothing. It acts only on allies—like a sudden death effect—inescapable except by withdrawal.

More dangerous than enemy attacks, in fact.

With support from behind, supplying monsters to the front, Maple continues forward without pause.

Unlike the monsters from the enemy camp, these are powerful, born from rare skills. Like Maple during the time of 【Ravage】, they scatter flames, tearing and devouring both players and monsters alike as they advance.

Watch your step as you advance—please!

Maple calls out to those around her. The horde of creatures she has summoned is strong, but as summoned beings, they cannot receive detailed commands. Still, unlike monsters that move on their own, these can be directed as needed.

With the creatures securing numbers on the front lines, the players ahead gain room to maneuver. The tide slowly turns in their favor.

The sudden appearance of the creature swarm is visible from deep within the enemy’s rear lines.

Something strange is coming out...!?

Hah—tough joke. What in the world is that?

From atop the Night Castle, Markus and Shin relay the current situation to Mii and Mizari. Markus adjusts the camera he built to face the correct direction, allowing Mii and Mizari to observe the battlefield through the monitor inside. This way, like Maple’s Love That Offers the Body, they can influence events centered on themselves, participating in the conflict safely from within the walls.

Even as they fall into Markus’s trap, the horde of monsters presses forward in a wave, overwhelming in number.

Two shadows detach ahead of the chaos, descending from the ice staircase stretching into the sky. They slow midair, defying gravity, and land beside Markus.

“Wah!?”

“Excuse me!”

“Mii-san…?”

“…Eh, u-un. She’s inside.”

“An emergency strategy meeting?”

“Yes.”

“Understood!”

Velvet and Hinata rush straight into the castle.

They find Mizari casting healing spells in rapid succession, and Mii attempting to step outside.

"Mii! Something’s wrong!"

"Ah, I know. Likely Maple’s doing."

They do not understand precisely how, but they grasp it is a skill that summons large numbers of powerful monsters.

As they speak, Lilie and Wilbert return, riding a flying machine.

"Velvet too. So, we thought the same."

"It seems we’ll need to consider how to deal with those summoned monsters."

Wilbert confirms, through his scouting ability, that the extermination operation led by Mii and Velvet has not yielded the expected results.

The enemy camp countered with a powerful technique of their own, though the cooldown remains unknown. We confirmed a brief disappearance and reappearance, that much.

Velvet has expended her charge... she cannot use lightning for a time.

Though the Thunder God’s Mallet boasts a wider range than Mii’s attack, it is not without cost. With Velvet’s lightning spent, her threat level drops sharply.

The creature’s appearance was unsightly. She seemed slightly panicked. Without time to calm, the odds tilt against her.

Even with Mizari’s healing, the value of a disposable monster differs greatly from that of a player whose life ends upon death.

The more they fight, the worse the situation grows.

We cannot repeat the Dawn ability consecutively. Of course, other strong skills exist, but the enemy will not stand idle.

That is true. Without enough strength to finish them, recovery only worsens the situation...

Players still holding reserves, led by the Gathering Holy Sword and the Maple Tree, are numerous.

If other guilds wish to align their movements, they must accept that we have prepared sufficiently to withstand our attacks—there is no choice but to retreat.

Velvet and Mizari’s strikes, when landed, could decide the outcome of this event. Now that they have been countered skillfully, the tide has turned. To fight the endless tide of abominations, numbers come first. If we cannot gather enough hands, we must delay the enemy and retreat.

“Markus. Prepare to fall back, centered on Mizari and Shin. Even in battle, it is better to retreat while fighting.”

“Understood.”

Not all allies are present on this battlefield. Retreating toward the palace while fighting gives Mii’s group an advantage if Maple’s forces cannot close the gap in time.

“Lily, Hinata. I need your strength.”

“Ah.”

“Understood.”

“Hinata, I’m counting on you!”

“Lily. Please look after me.”

Leaving Velvet, whose abilities are restricted, and Wilbert, specialized for one-on-one combat, the three depart from the 【One Night Castle】.

It is an optimal deployment. It also reduces risk if things go wrong. If all had gone together, one mistake could mean total annihilation—something eight here understand the enemy can deliver.

Considering the worst case, the three ride atop Ignis and view the battlefield from above. Creatures emerging like creeping shadows from a circular patch of blackened ground. Further back, monsters being thrown into that darkness one after another.

Seeing this, the three at last understood the mechanism of the summoning, its general structure.

"Ah, I see! Haha, that's how it works..."

"Y-yes... incredible..."

"Then stopping it will be difficult unless we defeat Maple."

The sight alone seemed to sap morale. Players' formation frays, retreating in disarray.

The three conclude it better to retreat than to waste effort trying to rally them.

"Hinata, can you manage?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Once we're close enough..."

"We'll handle the attacks. Don't worry."

Miyu gave orders to Ignis and immediately hastened toward the front line where the monsters were raging.