Defense specialization and large-scale combat 4.

The frontline to which Mii advances. At the place where monsters clash with humans, the monsters held a slight advantage.

"Damn it! There's no end to this!"

"Can't you do something about it!?"

"I'm doing my best over here!"

The difference in reach born from size disparity. The difference in whether one can afford to risk death in attack. These worked against the players, gradually worsening the situation.

"Keep going!"

Maple, the one who caused this, remained in the rear, supporting the writhing monsters.

No wonder. So many monsters, and their bodies so large, that the rays of the [Machine God] and the [Ancient Weapons] could not penetrate. No target worthy of being felled by [Greed] either. If [Predator] or Shiroppu were summoned, they would immediately be reborn. To turn the path ahead into a toxic marsh with [Poison Dragon] would be unthinkable.

There is nothing else to do but support and direct the swarm of creatures born from her, like a familiar.

Killed again and again, the monsters surge forward like waves, devouring the player in front first. Even as the plan proceeds as intended, Maple spots a phoenix flying through the sky, approaching from above.

"Miī! ……【Full Armament Deployment】! 【Attack Commenced】!"

The monsters cannot reach her in the air. But there, Maple’s line of fire is clear.

Accompanying Maple’s gunfire, spells fly from around her. Yet, guided precisely by Miī’s commands, Ignis weaves through the barrage, closing the distance to Maple and the others.

"【Ice Wall】!"

"【Puppet Fortress Wall】!"

"…There are two of them!?"

Ignis dodges with speed. Even so, just as he nearly closes the distance, a wall unfolds to shield him. No mistake. It is Hinata and Lily’s doing.

Mii advances through the barrage. Seconds remain until the flames descend. Abandoning attempts to strike, she raises a barrier for defense.

【Overfreeze】

"Hinata!"

Instead of fire, a white chill descends—like smoke, blanketing the air. Many players have raised barriers to counter Mii, delaying the motion needed to stop Hinata’s skill.

Maple raises her gun—but before she can fire, a stronger cold spreads from Hinata’s center.

【Niflheim】……!

"Wha!? W-what’s this!?"

A sharp, cracking sound. Immediately, Maple realizes her body will not move. She looks closer. Transparent ice covers the entire area. The summoned creature. The player within. All motion has ceased.

An ice field of such scale it rivals Velvet’s lightning strike. No damage is dealt. Yet the intense immobilization it grants halts movement entirely.

Hinata speaks from above Maple, where Ignis hovers.

“You should not be able to move. I apologize. You see… If you struggle too much, it becomes difficult.”

“Uuu… I never thought you could do something like this. Mm, Hinata’s amazing!”

“I think Maple-san is amazing too…”

Hinata bows slightly, looking at the creature frozen in ice. Ignis rises, retreating as if in farewell.

Ignis moves. Taking advantage of the moment, many players begin a full retreat. No one knows when the monster might be freed from ice.

"Miss Mii. Please retreat quickly. I made it look effortless... but my [Excessive Frostbite] is the same as Velvet's [Excessive Charging]. It can hold them, but damage cannot pass through the ice... it’s useless."

"Ah, everyone else is retreating too. I’ll follow suit."

"Being unable to deal damage is quite difficult. Still, it is ideal for holding them."

This grand technique. Naturally, it cannot be repeated, and like Velvet, it disables all cold-based abilities. For now, the two of [Thunder Storm] must rest to remove their debuffs.

"Thank you, Miss Lily. We must retreat far enough that we don’t freeze our allies."

"Because I rode well. I only made a small wall, that’s all."

"Move quickly. The ice will melt eventually, but the monsters won’t vanish. They’ll keep advancing. We must prepare to intercept."

Mii agrees, and the two others nod in accord. The three turn back toward the direction of the 【Night Castle】.

After a moment, Hinata’s ice shatters with a sharp crack. All are freed from the icy cage.

"Wait! For now, everyone—handle the monsters!"

The ice wall is gone. The enemy monsters, previously separated by it, now advance. Maple directs the others to deal with them. The others, of course, are the grotesque creatures emerging from beneath their feet.

Let the monsters fight the monsters. There are wild monsters on their side that fight on their own. For every monster they face, their own forces push forward without command.

Maple remained still, watching the player at the edge who brought forth weakened monsters and reborn them, unable to afford recklessly moving and sinking allies into the darkness below.

From within, the white serpent Hak, stretching its head without touching the dark, approached, bearing the faces of the maple tree upon its crown.

"Everyone! We're alright! We're alright!"

"Yup. It was close, but—"

"Thanks to Maple-chan's skill, they retreated for now."

The decision by Lily and her companions to halt combat and retreat, after witnessing the incomprehensible scale of the phenomenon known as Rebirth of the Dark, had been correct.

They had avoided a battle of life and death.

"Sally, you did well too!"

"Yeah. Thanks to Ark. We managed to avoid it."

Sally had used her 【Inversion of Reality】 to copy the 【Ark】, and like Maple, brought allies through to reduce casualties at the front line.

The operation succeeded due to Sally’s high 【AGI】 and her ability to move across the air.

“We’ll help the ones behind too. Those who were outside the 【Ark】’s range didn’t make it, but 【Gathering Holy Sword】 still has its main force. We’re ready to press the attack despite the risk.”

“Understood! Then we’ll wait here a bit longer!”

The enemy had retreated. There was no reason to halt here. An opponent who had fled after judging the situation unfavorable must be pursued to extend the advantage.

Sally called out, gathering stray monsters one by one, taming them, and casting them into Maple’s spreading shadow.

Thus, leading a vast army of monstrous forces, Maple advanced toward the enemy lines, her footsteps echoing the sound of ruin.