Defense specialization and mana collection 2.

All monsters blocking the path were crushed by Mai and Yui’s extradimensional attacks, and the destination was reached. A gentle wind blew across the endless grassland before them.

No monsters were present. No notable structures stood nearby. No cave, no cracks in the ground like those seen when the toxic mass was destroyed.

Looking up, only endless blue sky stretched ahead.

“Here?”

“According to the map, it should be.”

“But…”

“There’s nothing here.”

Yet there was no doubt—the destination was this place. As if to confirm it, the four immediately noticed a massive tremor that erupted moments later.

A spreading blackness poured forth from before their eyes. The phenomenon resembled Maple’s 【Rebirth of Darkness】 effect. The four stepped back quickly, watching it closely.

Something emerging. Or a preemptive strike. Whatever it is, it relates to the quest. Caution remains essential.

……Nothing is happening.

The blackness has ceased moving.

What shines at the center… a magic circle?

The spreading darkness halts. Only the edges flicker now. At the center, a circle-like shape pulses with dark light. It beckons suspiciously toward Maple and the others.

Maple, please use Love That Offers the Body now.

Okay!

Victory will not come easily from here on. More than that, Mai, Yui, and Sally cannot withstand even a single blow.

Love That Offers the Body is essential in combat.

Just to be certain, I’ll confirm the item’s effect again.

The item received upon accepting the request was a disposable one, capable of nullifying the effect of the boss’s skill.

A powerful item, and three of them. The nature of the opponent ahead was unmistakable.

Two items are given to Sally, one to Maple. Sally, whose judgment is keen, will generally use the items. To distribute risk, the final one is entrusted to Maple, the least likely to fall.

The four tighten their resolve as they sense the presence of a formidable foe. The enemy may be strong, but so are they. No need for excessive fear. Stepping onto the black-glowing magical array, they are protected by Maple’s Love That Offers the Body.

Transferred within the embrace of black radiance, the four confirm their surroundings as the light recedes.

The surroundings are the same open grassland as before. The difference lies in two things: the sky, once clear, now shrouded in heavy, lowering clouds, and the wind, stronger now, carrying a foreboding sense.

"Here it comes."

As before, darkness spreads across the ground. This time, however, no further transfer occurs. From that darkness emerges a single monster—the final quest the four have received, the boss they must defeat.

Thin, black limbs like withered branches crack and creak as they move. A tattered cloak, stained crimson and black with dried blood, drapes over its form. A skull, covering the entire face like a mask, sits upon its head. In its hand, a bone staff glows with an eerie blue flame from both ends, identical to the eyes. The flame trembles, casting a heavy pressure upon the four.

The boss extends an arm, swinging the staff. In response, a swirling darkness moves—spreading swiftly across the area.

Concentrate, now.

Yes!

"Yes!"

The darkness recedes. Even without Maple’s Love That Offers the Body, this causes no damage. It was something known from the information gathered beforehand.

The grassland that once spread around them had vanished. Maple and the others stood deep within a forest of tall trees. The boss was gone. From all around, the rustling of multiple enemies approached.

"Forest or fortune—lucky you. Let's pass on this one."

Alright!

A gimmick where the boss’s skill selects from multiple patterns, switching the area periodically.

The item handed over is meant to skip areas with poor compatibility and redraw the selection.

Maple’s presence widens the four’s range. Where others would falter, Maple treats it as nothing. Drawing the forest—free from troublesome terrain effects—first among the selected areas is fortunate indeed for the four.

Black humanoid monsters emerge one after another, surrounding the group. Their bodies are the color of voided darkness, eyes flickering with the same blue flame as the boss, long arms and claws, limbs thin and wiry, evoking speed-type monsters.

As expected, dozens of monsters move swiftly, darting past with blinding speed, launching attacks in rapid succession.

Surrounded—meaning attacks from blind spots are inevitable. Only Sally reacts. The other three stand helpless, struck one after another by claws.

“Daijōbu!”

"Thank you so much, Maple-san!"

Without the penetration defense, there would be no need to rush into a quick battle, no need to frantically use multiple skills. Fast, as it appears, but lacking power—no knockback either.

A relentless barrage relying on numbers. But to Maple, it is as if nothing at all. With safety confirmed, Maple and the others search for the vanished boss.

"Where could it be?"

"Since there’s no limit to the spawns other than the boss, we must search."

"We’ll take care of the ones we find."

"Making it easier to locate..."

It would be convenient if the enemy came to them. The twelve large hammers, spinning in place, shattered everything that approached—Mai and Yui had begun the rotation.

Since this is how they normally level up on the basic field, Mai and Yui were well accustomed to the motion. Even without auto-operation, they managed to attack while searching for the boss.

"There it is!"

As she cleaved through the surrounding monsters, Sally spotted the boss between the trees.

"Big sister!"

"Yeah...!"

Having found it, they moved. The two, protected by Maple’s defense, halted their spinning mallets and fixed their gaze on the boss.

They ignored the monsters lunging at them. Both released a shockwave toward the boss.

"“Sonic Impact!”"

The monster before them shattered like glass. The trees exploded from their trunks, collapsing downward. The boss was crushed, flattened, caught in the wreckage. A perfect execution. The boss still had more than half its HP remaining.

"Didn’t have this in the data… but this one’s not a one-hit kill, looks like."

Even as more players grew capable, only Mai and Yui could casually deliver a one-hit kill on a boss without preparation. That this information was absent was, in a way, expected.

The black torrent of darkness swallowed the four of them, not as intended.

"Damage isn't registering!"

"Which means..."

The world clears. They stand in a white square room. The boss is visible. Mai and Yui ready their weapons.

"Be careful—this wasn't in the data...!?"

The boss swings their staff. The four are lifted into the air. No—'falling to the ground'. Inverted gravity forces the ceiling to become the floor, dragging Maple and the others upward.

"Wha—what?!"

"Only good that Love That Offers the Body doesn't work here...!"

If Maple had borne the shift in gravity for all four, Mai and Yui would have been left behind.

But there is no time to calm—dozens of black gleams shaped like skull fragments fall upon the four.

Unlike the previous area, the effect of this attack remains unknown. Sally judged it too risky to endure without preparation.

“Maple, let me show you something fun! — [Water Leviathan]!”

A thick, swirling current of water erupts from Sally’s blue magic array. At its tip, a dragon’s head formed of water, the entire flow coiling like a living beast.

It swallows the incoming attack, neutralizing it, then advances toward the boss. The boss immediately teleports away, but in that moment, the four land, regaining their footing.

“Hmph. Not bad, Maple—my [Poison Dragon] can match you.”

“Sally, you’re amazing! [Water Manipulation]?”

“Indeed.”

The longer it was used, the higher the level, the more skills it had gained. Thanks to Sally, they had at least regained composure. There was no time to linger in a place like this—four of them floated apart, eyes fixed once more on the boss emanating black light from the staff.

Counterattack, they thought. But reality did not cooperate.

The shift in gravity came too quickly. The three experts in extreme balance could not keep up.

"W-w-wait—!"

"Maple-san!"

"We can't stop—!"

"The boss is teleporting... every time it lands, the gravity shifts immediately..."

They were trapped inside a rolling die—unable to fight, unable to steady themselves.

Sally manages to adapt somewhat, but the boss evades her magic with instantaneous teleportation. While Sally deflects the boss’s attacks, she does not lose—yet by the time victory comes, Maple and the others will be too exhausted to continue the fight.

“Maple, Mai, Yui! Just skip this room for now!”

“Y-yeah, got it!”

““We’re saved…””

When Sally uses the item she received upon accepting the quest, the blank white rectangular room around them collapses, shifting to another area.

They arrive in an area of numerous large boulders, with many blind spots. Sally recognizes it. She knows it is conceptually close to a forest. She nods, satisfied, as if she has drawn a lucky card.

Meanwhile, Maple—

“Sallyeee!”

She was in the midst of being lifted and gnawed by a massive worm erupting from the ground. Trapped and unable to move, unable to attack—yet for Maple, this was no serious issue.

"Sorry, Maple, just stay like that for now! Mai, Yui, clear the area ahead!"

While Maple was the target, the other players moved more freely. Love That Offers the Body did not displace the monster itself—only took the attack on her behalf.

"Maple-san!"

"Just wait a moment, please!"

For the sake of the monster being held by Maple, the two acted swiftly.

The finishing blow, spinning into motion as always. But this time, the target was not the worm. It was the large rocks surrounding them.

Each blow from the maul shattered the rock as easily as foam polystyrene. Only the echoing thunder and swirling dust confirmed that what lay before them was truly stone.

Within minutes, the line of boulders had all crumbled to pebbles. The rocky jungle, once impenetrable, now lay flat as a meadow.

““It’s done!””

“Nice! Keep going—help Maple too.”

Without special defenses, the monster cannot withstand Mai and Yui’s attacks. When the maul, swung for leveling the terrain, turned toward the beast, death was the only outcome.

Mai and Yui catch Maple as she is freed. They pause, rechecking their surroundings.

The dust raised by the shattered boulders settles. The battlefield lies open. The boss appears in full view.

Before them, the writhing worms—normally impossible to close the distance on, in such a formation.

"Maple-san, Sally-san!"

"Follow me...!"

"Got it! Defense's on me!"

"The last move is mine."

That, however, is only true for an ordinary player. Each time the oncoming worms collide with Mai and Yui, they are shattered to dust—without even a single attack motion allowed.

A complete slaughter. The kill count grows with every step. The rotating great maul, both offense and defense, rises anew from the ground, cutting down the worms’ lives instantly. With the environment covering their weakness, Mai and Yui are unmatched.

The boss’s attacks are neutralized—Sally with magic, Maple with gunfire. Nothing now stops the two.

"Oboro [Binding Barrier]!"

Sally halts the boss’s movement for a single instant. That is all that is needed. Once the two are within range and ready to attack, it will end in the blink of an eye.

““[Aerial Strike]!””

A second direct hit. The boss’s HP drops below half. Judging by the remaining health, two more strikes will finish it. Even if it is not designed to die in one blow, the fact that four shots guarantee a kill is beyond reason.

“Good! Keep it up, you two!”

““Yes!””

First, secure a favorable area change. That would make things far easier. Even if it does not happen—

“……Good.”

Sally mentally organizes the remaining skills and the strategies they can form.

The closer victory seems, the more carefully one must guard against missteps.

Especially in this party, the burden of hazard detection rests heavily on Sally.

Sally’s role is to remain calm and respond precisely, avoiding defeat through trivial mistakes. Amid the pressing urgency of the three, Sally tightened her focus.

The world before them was swallowed by black light, collapsing once more, then swiftly rebuilt.

A blinding red filled the air. The four were entirely enclosed by roaring flames. Moments later, they perceived the damage effect erupting from Maple.

“Residual Light of Salvation!”

Maple taking damage meant fixed damage. The amount was substantial—absorbed all at once by multiple targets—leaving her HP critically diminished, beyond recovery even with automatic healing from skills.

A transfer via item use was the most stable choice. None wished to fight within flames that dealt fixed damage, regardless of who stood there. All thought the same.

“Maple!”

“Yeah!”

Indeed, information is the greatest weapon. Sally fixes her gaze on the black gleam beyond the flames.

On a background of crimson, the boss’s dark aura stands out clearly.

Information about this area was available. The most critical detail was that the boss moved only at regular intervals.

“[Path of Water]!”

“[Full Armament Deployment]!”

Sally swings the water, suspended in midair by threads, carrying Mai and Yui. Maple flies beneath it, propelled by explosive gusts.

Maple’s duty is to keep the three within the range of [Love That Offers the Body]. Sally’s duty is to deliver Mai and Yui to the boss, suspended in the air.

Amid the urge to redraw the lottery, the four remain still and launch their ultra-short battle.

“If you won’t move, it’s simple!”

“Yui!”

Sally’s thread pulls her upward, making movement difficult. The two rearrange the twelve floating mallets—three vertical, four horizontal—into a rectangle. They cannot aim precisely.

““Ready—!””

No space remains. Mai and Yui swing in unison. The mallets strike as one massive hammer. Impact. The boss is driven into the ground with a thunderclap.

“Good! Nice work, you two!”

Sally lands smoothly. She unties the thread binding Mai and Yui.

“It worked!”

“Thank goodness…”

“Thanks! That was hard—perfect hit!”

Failure would have forced Maple to endure too long—immediate re-transposition. But here, Mai and Yui’s precise coordination shone.

“Two items left. Stay calm. Finish this.”

“Yeah!”

““Yes!””

The boss’s HP was down to one hit with Mai and Yui. The flames vanished. Darkness spread across the land. Without notice, the surroundings had transformed into the same open grassland as before they arrived.

From the ground directly ahead, the boss emerged as if crawling forth. Seeing it, Mai and Yui struck the great mace instantly. The thunderous clang echoed. The boss disappeared beneath the mace—but slipped through it, stepping forward one pace, then summoning a magic circle before them, attacking with a black beam of light.

“It’s not working…!”

“B-but it should’ve hit!”

“It’s fine! We’re not affected either!”

““Maple-san!””

Maple calmed the two, flustered. As she did, enemies identical to the boss began emerging one after another from around them.

It will be fine—Maple is here, and her affinity should suit this situation. Stay calm and find the core.

“Yes!”

Surrounded by enemies that cannot be defeated, fierce magical attacks rain down from all directions.

It would seem hopeless—yet the presence of Maple alone makes all of it cease to matter.

Now, the task remains: locate the boss within this chaos. The attacks pass through, rendering them unkillable—troublesome, yes, but not entirely without merit.

“Just like always, sister!”

“Understood.”

“Leave this side to me! —Attack Initiated!—”

“—Iron Cannon Water!—”

They turn their backs to face outward, launching attacks in each direction. Mai and Yui strike with great hammers. Maple fires projectiles. Sally attacks the enemy phantoms—near-identical to the boss—by mixing summoned water with items.

This time, range matters more than power. Maple scatters bullets across angles, spraying them widely. One of them lands a clear hit.

"Maybe hit it!"

The attack reaches the core. The prediction holds.

"【Super Acceleration】!"

"Both of you, get on!"

Before Sally vanishes from sight, they accelerate sharply. Maple, having deployed her weapon and placed Mai and Yui upon it, closes the gap with 【Cavalry Move】, matching Sally’s speed and closing the distance.

"Mai, Yui—this area! Swing them!"

"【Final Battle Configuration】!"

Sally’s words reach them. The two swing their great hammers. Through countless phantoms, they strike true. The spinning iron, embodiment of death, shatters the boss with a sharp crack—reducing it to fragments.

Hit!

The sound marks victory for all four. Mai and Yui smile, and Maple and Sally return the smile. They watch as the darkness recedes, and the landscape returns to its former state.

Returning to the original field after the boss’s defeat, Maple and the others first notice the black mass slowly descending through the air.

It halts midair, just before them, hovering gently.

Pick it up?

Yeah.

Maple reaches toward the mass, as Sally suggests. The moment her hand touches it, the black mass bursts open. At once, a quest completion notification appears.

Maple and Sally check. In their inventory, one item reads: 'Demon Lord's Power • I'. The item description states that using it after collecting all pieces will open the path to the Demon Lord.

"Doesn't need to be held by everyone. It's more like the player who uses it will lead their party."

"Then if we all gather them, we might finish it quickly!"

"Going in once is fastest if we cooperate through the Guild. But if we're hunting drops at our own pace, we'd need to clear everything first."

The goal this time is to defeat the Demon Lord before things grow too busy. As Sally said, Maple isn't focused on drop farming. It's helpful that we can advance together.

"Does this mean we've wrapped up the Town's current quests?"

That’s about right. I mentioned before—hidden areas, events… searching for them could go on forever. We’ll set them aside for now.

It’s difficult to seek something whose existence is uncertain. Even more so, Maple doesn’t have much time. Relying on her natural luck to stumble upon what’s needed is wiser than chasing every possibility. Better to focus on exploring the areas essential for the Demon Lord’s challenge.

“Mai, Yui, you’re incredible! Thank you so much today!”

“I’m glad I could help!”

“If the timing aligns, I’ll assist anytime…!”

Mai and Yui’s support is especially potent when combined with Maple’s own abilities. If possible, I’d like to have them by my side during boss battles.

“Maple, where should we go next?”

“I wonder… what about the third-layer area, like you said? You know, the ones with flying boots?”

““They exist!””

That might make me happy. These boots alone have their limits when it comes to flying.

Sally’s abilities—Water Manipulation, Ice Spikes, Thread Weaving, and Step to the Underworld—create platforms in midair, enabling aerial maneuvers normally impossible for players. Yet cooldowns and stat reductions during Step to the Underworld limit her. The machinery she used back in the third layer had none of those restrictions. If combat freedom changes so greatly, tackling the earlier layers first would be better.

“We’re currently clearing the third-layer area—Sally and Izumi, Kanade.”

“Maybe I could tell you something if you listened.”

“Yeah! I’m counting on you.”

“Hai!”

With their next destination decided, Maple and Sally bowed once more to Mai and Yui, then parted ways.