Defense Specialization and the Hour of Decisive Battle 2.
This is the second confrontation.
Lily faces Wilbert and Pain, Crom, and Kasumi in the wasteland.
Having deflected Pain’s assault driven by Rei’s charge, Lily immediately summons a large force, reversing the numerical disadvantage.
【Blood Blade】!
【Radiant Holy Sword】!
Kasumi liquefies her blade. Pain releases a torrent of light from his sword. Together, they dismantle Lily’s advancing soldiers with ease.
【Reproduction】.
【Talent of the Sovereign】【Tactical Guidance】【Force Beyond Reason】!
Yet, even as they are destroyed, new soldiers appear instantly, bolstered by buffs, blocking the path to Lily and Wilbert. This time, they are overwhelmed by sheer numbers in a barrage of gunfire.
【Activation】【Multicover】!
Crom, wrapped in Necro, takes the gunfire. Damage lands, but not enough to fell Crom, whose self-recovery is strong.
“Once they’re reduced, we’ll be fine!”
The soldiers produced are not a serious threat, but their numbers are overwhelming. The three, lacking strong area attacks and unwilling to use skills, cannot clear them all at once.
“Pain, I’ll handle this. We’re not getting anywhere by just waiting.”
“Yeah. Leave it to you.”
【Awakening】
Kasumi summons Hakku and immediately activates 【Supreme Gigantism】, driving him into the soldiers. His massive form crushes them, wave after wave.
“Haha… it’s sad they fall so easily. They should be strong, shouldn’t they?”
“Won’t you just create more?”
“Of course.”
Lily produces soldiers in turn, forcing a response, but cannot gain full advantage due to Hak’s interference.
At the moment the wall of soldiers collapses, Pain lunges forward in a single motion.
“[Shattering Holy Sword]!”
“Hah…!”
Lily catches Pain’s swung holy sword with the flag she holds in hand.
“After all, I do practice with spears.”
She deflects the blade, then immediately thrusts the flag forward with swift precision.
Summoning is her strength, but she is not incapable of close combat with weapons.
“[Sands of the Horde]!”
“Not bad, clever as always.”
“Good.”
Lily sends forth her summoned soldiers, always surrounding Pain from multiple sides.
One soldier alone would put Pain at an advantage, but the constant stream of reinforcements prevents Lily from landing a single decisive blow.
While Kasumi continues to match the soldiers’ movements alongside Hak, the numerical disadvantage has improved somewhat.
“Cover! Necro—Weight of Death!”
“Judgment Holy Sword!”
Stepping forward in coordination with Crom and Pain, she slows Lily’s movement while absorbing the surrounding soldiers’ attacks.
At the moment the pressure on Pain lessens, Lily lunges forward with a sudden flurry of strikes.
“Shield with your body!”
She summons a soldier and forces it to intercept Necro’s attack, then sweeps forward with her flag and steps back to create distance.
“Are you alright, Lily?”
“Yes. But… this is still difficult against these three.”
Seeing that Pain and the others focus solely on buffing Wilbert, Lily confirms their tactics are not simply a straightforward synergy.
Wilbert attacking would be more effective than buffing in this situation.
Not doing so implies either inability, or that doing so would carry a significant cost.
"Kasumi, let's press forward."
"Understood. I'll follow."
"Leave defense to me."
If Wilbert is pulled back, and Kasumi is struck immediately, that would be the worst case.
Haku's HP is being worn down steadily by the soldiers. Better to strike quickly than prolong the fight.
The three share their plan in brief. They synchronize their timing and strike at once.
"【Sword Mountain】!"
"【Cataclysmic Holy Sword】!"
With Haku's charge, the two skills clear the soldiers. The three leap into the open space.
"Wilbert. Let's go."
"……!"
Wilbert nodded slightly in response to Lilie's call.
【Sleep】
The declaration was familiar to the three, which made the dissonance all the sharper.
A summoning should have been 【Awakening】, not this.
【Divine Power — Judgment】
【Mind's Eye】!
Kasumi, recognizing Wilbert's skill as not a buff, activated 【Mind's Eye】 without delay.
Red pillars descended across the area—indicating where attacks would land. As soon as Kasumi saw them, she swiftly returned Haku to the ring and shouted.
"Crom!"
【Guardian】【Guard Aura】!
The pillars of light inflicted damage along their path. The three retreated beyond the range, avoiding further strikes. They looked upward, acknowledging the presence above them.
Clouds drifted. Above the cleared night sky, a vast eye emerged, its cracks spreading like branches.
The three looked up, sensing the presence above. They understood the source of Wilbert’s reconnaissance ability.
“…Damn. You really tamed something immense.”
“Our version is special. Two of us control it.”
“This is where it begins.”
“I see. Even more reason not to let it pass.”
Sharing the power of a single bonded creature, Lily and Wilbert draw strength from the celestial eye through two rings.
The [Rest] mechanic is unique. When one activates [Rest], not only does the shared ability flow entirely to one side, but the skill is unlocked.
“Then, from here on, we attack together.”
“Seeing too much is a burden, after all… I’d prefer an early resolution as well.”
Wilbert grimaced slightly, the sudden influx of information overwhelming as his sight extended farther. He unfolded a magic array behind him.
“[Power: Cataclysmic Flame]!”
“[Toy Soldiers][Rapid Factory]”
“Damn it! They’re really pushing hard!”
From the magic array Wilbert activated, attacks of various attributes—labeled as powers—flooded outward.
Beyond his previous role as a buffer, the force now rivaled that of a true mage. Wilbert’s threat level surged sharply. Exploiting the momentary respite granted by Crom’s guard, Pain and Kasumi cut through the scattering flames and dashed forward.
“[Area Expansion][Guardian’s Sacred Blade]!”
Pain’s area attack cleaved through the encroaching soldiers, dismantling the wall shielding Lilie.
“[First Strike: Mirage][Warrior’s Arm]!”
A moment’s opening—she could strike. Kasumi teleports swiftly to Lilie’s front and slashes with three blades.
“Fast!”
Lilie blocks Kasumi’s cursed blade with her banner, but the blade from 【Warrior’s Arm】, swung from behind, severs her body.
“[Ability: Regeneration]”
“Skilled…! [Third Cut: Lone Moon]!”
Kasumi attacks again as Lilie is restored by Wilbert. Compared to Lilie’s summon-based combat style, Kasumi outmatches her in mobility and one-on-one strength.
“[Reproduction]”
“Rei, [Sacred Dragon’s Breath]!”
The glowing breath sweeps away the summoned soldiers. Then Pain charges forward.
“Hah!”
The clash of weapons echoes—twice, three times. Pain holds the advantage. He deflects the blow, the upward slash carving deep into Lilie’s shoulder.
“[Puppet Wall]!”
Lilie creates a wall and tries to regain distance, but Pain and Kasumi do not allow it.
They break through the wall, surpassing Wilbert’s flames and water, and step forward another pace.
“[Fourth Sword: Whirlwind]!”
Kasumi’s fierce barrage strikes Lilie’s guard, breaking her stance.
One more move. But the voice comes from behind.
“Being lured in!”
“……!”
It is the difference in speed dictated by role. The battle moves too fast to breathe. Lilie’s retreat creates a gap—Kasumi and Pain step forward, leaving Crom behind.
“Wil!“
“[Power: Pressurization]!”
“Gh…!”
Crom is halted. This is outside the range of [Cavalry Move].
A moment’s hesitation. In that gap, Lily steps slightly back. Kasumi immediately locks eyes with Pain. This is not the place to retreat.
““Quick Change!””
At the same instant, Lily’s and Wilbert’s gear shifts. A change in combat style. Range alters drastically. One fatal arrow finds its mark.
Do not let him retreat. Do not let him close.
“Starting…!”
The fastest shot. Faster than any quick draw, the single arrow fired just before Kasumi’s transference pierces the center of her body.
“Gh…!”
It worked. A faint relief flows between Lily and Wilbert. At the edge of death, Kasumi does not miss the opening.
“…Soul-Eater Blade.”
“What?”
“This is…!”
The ground splits open with blood-slicked blades, dozens of them, summoned by Kasumi’s final declared skill. A pale violet mist wraps the air.
A debuff, unremovable, long-lasting—paid for with a portion of Kasumi’s status.
The timing of this skill, demanding irreversible resources heavier than a daily limit, could not be more precise. To die for free was not in her intent. If victory could be bought with a small cost to status, that was no price too steep.
“Leave the rest to you.”
Pain nods once in reply to Kasumi’s fading words, then readjusts his grip on the sword.
“Thought I’d done well, didn’t you?”
Under this debuff, facing Pain and Crom was impossible.
This was the final measure, the only way to guarantee success. Velvet and Hinata would not be sent to aid.
The two came to understand that remaining here would yield no result. They made their decision swiftly.
“[Sleep]”
“[Awaken]!”
“Ray [Full Mana Release] [Flow of Light]!”
As Pain raised her glowing holy sword, Wilbert transferred all the power of the Heavenly Eye to Lilie.
“[Power: Transcendence] [Formation Change]!”
“[Area Expansion] [Holy Dragon’s Light Sword]!”
Their forms vanished. A wave of light consumed the space. The momentum did not cease. It swept through the dark field, cutting a path.
“Did it reach…?”
The distance of the [Formation Change] seen in the Town should have been sufficient. There was no way to confirm.
“Sorry. I was late.”
“No. It was our fault. We pushed too far. The distance made it impossible to switch to Wilbert in time.”
If Lily changed her equipment, her defense would drop sharply. The plan was to break through the thinning front at that moment and secure victory. But Lily and Wilbert’s practiced coordination in switching equipment had surpassed their vigilance.
"Sorry, Kasumi. We must win, no matter what."
"Lily and Wilbert cannot fight. Reverse course."
Though Kasumi had fallen, the operation succeeded in removing the two from the battlefield.
A draw. To tilt this in their favor, Crom and Pain moved toward Maple and Sally as reinforcements.