Defense specialization and the decisive moment three.

Through the change of formation, Lily and the others had greatly increased the distance and continued moving toward the royal castle.

At the rear, Velvet occasionally glanced back, keeping watch with the lightning she summoned to deter pursuit.

Carrying Lily, who was nearly incapacitated.

"Is… is this really okay!? You'll get better, right!? Right!?"

"Ah…."

Even for a moment, the release of restrictions to use the ability [Power: Transcendence] had overwhelmed Lily’s processing capacity with an even greater influx of data.

"Indeed, it was not meant for me."

Had it been somewhere nearly empty of people, the situation might have changed. But beyond this point, such a chance would not come.

"Will they come after us?"

"Wil is gone. The pressure from our initial attack has greatly diminished. They’ll likely come. Are you ready?"

"I was planning to do it from the start!"

"Then it's as if you had no intention of winning from the beginning."

"N-no, that's not true at all!"

"Please. I can only buy time."

Like Pain had blown away the summoned soldiers, Lilie struggled to gain the upper hand against players who crossed a certain threshold.

Still, the pressure was real. She could hold the line alone.

That was why Wilbert had chosen to take the blow himself. The moment had passed when Wilbert could shift the tide by killing one or two opponents.

"Mei?"

"Ready!"

"Velvet, are you set?"

"Of course I am!"

"Alright... Let's make it the final fight."

By the time Lily’s condition had finally improved. Behind, the ground trembled as sand rose in clouds. Before, the white, high outer wall guarding the Town stood firm.

Centered on the Gathering Holy Sword, several major guild masters coordinated closely. Movement advanced smoothly. At the outer wall of the enemy stronghold, Lily’s skill finally revealed the retreating enemy force to their eyes. Some players remained within the Town, having not yet launched their assault.

Before joining the others, they would charge forward. The decision was shared by all guild masters.

“Attack! Follow me!”

Pain swiftly communicated with the guild masters and issued the command.

In response to the enraged allies, the front-line players surged forward with shouts.

“[Tornado]!”

“[Tidal Wave]!”

Among the basic spells, powerful ones are unleashed in rapid succession to repel the approaching threat.

The vanguard’s advance does not halt. They block with shields, absorb barriers, and close the distance steadily.

“Everyone, push forward!”

Maple urges the players at the center of the group. She does not merely shout encouragement. The glowing ground confirms the presence of protection from the Residual Light of Salvation. A strong damage reduction and healing effect propel the advance.

“[Rain of Lightning]!”

Lightning strikes, connecting earth and sky in a torrent, descending in rapid succession. Healing magic flies in response to the frequent thunderbolts.

As long as the healer’s MP holds, a single blow is not fatal.

“Can’t possibly reach all the way to the back, though!”

Magic flies in rapid succession, but loses force before Crom can deflect it.

Crom, positioned behind to protect Yui, Iz, and Kanade, confirms his current position lies beyond the range of all incoming attacks. He prepares for the unforeseen.

During the earlier combat—

Crom feels a sudden disquiet.

"Mi... where did she go?"

No flame from Mi accompanies the magic flying before him. Crom immediately considers the possibility of a surprise assault. He scans the area.

The figure he seeks is found.

Sky. A distant shape streaks through the air, trailing a crimson flame. It is unmistakably Ignis.

"Pain!"

"Truly going through with it, are you...!"

At the same instant Crom speaks, Pain receives the message. Mi, having departed the battlefield first, now advances toward the royal castle with the guild members—passing by in the opposite direction.

“Do not falter! Charge!”

“Do not panic!”

Each guild master calms their guild members.

Mizari’s actions. They were merely one possibility among many that each guild master had considered, given her status as a losing side.

Taking the base required a suitable level of destructive force.

Players who saw Mizari’s absence as fortunate, citing their own vastly greater forces deployed against the castle, decided they would reach the throne first and continued the assault.

Within this, Lily, barely squeezing through the gate, called out to Velvet’s back.

“Count on me!”

“You too. Leave it to me!”

Preparations complete. Now the situation can be reversed. A single move to turn things around is possible.

Sparks race across the ground around Velvet.

The power displayed so far—whether Aurora or Thunder God’s Mallet—creates a pressure too great to approach recklessly. The front line halts, feet frozen for an instant.

“Aha! Let’s settle this! —Thunder’s Path!”

A succession of thunderclaps. Lightning strikes follow one after another, passing beyond the spot where Maple and the others stand, streaking far, far across the field.

A swift movement, pulling allies to a designated point marked in advance. The same skill once used to flee the Town is now activated for assault.

Velvet, just before, abandoned the base’s defense and moved toward Mii’s position.

The gap in strength only widens with delay. Breaking through here was never easy. So they advance, betting everything on this moment—when Maple’s defensive forces are thinnest.

“[Full Deployment]!”

Lily activates her skill from atop the flying machine on the outer wall.

She accepted defeat in the earlier battle from the start. By saving her skill for base defense instead of mass combat, soldiers surge forth from within the Town, one after another, toward the outer wall.

Wilbert risked his life to protect her—because Lily was essential to this plan.

“Buying time is my specialty. I’d appreciate it if you’d take your time.”

For Maple’s group, their own base is too far away. There is no choice but to wait and see who strikes first. They are playing into the enemy’s scheme.

If the strategy fails, there will be no next time. Players mounted on tame monsters surge forth from the Town, one after another, soaring through the air, prepared to collide head-on with the fragile players.

To succeed in this plan, to end it with their own victory, Maple and the others begin their final battle.