Defense specialization and the three-layer zone two.

After completing their basic flight exercises, the two stood apart. Sally watched Maple glide through the air, nodding slowly to herself. High-speed maneuvers in combat remained difficult, but she could now move with ease in fundamental ways.

"Hey, Sally! How’s it going?"

"Feels good. Huh, turns out you’re getting pretty quick at it."

"It’s because of your teaching, Sally."

"No, it’s because of Maple’s effort. Things that seem hard—just try them, and they’re not so bad."

"Ah… yeah, maybe you’re right!"

She had given up quickly in the past in the three-layer zone. This time, with Sally’s earnest guidance and a focused environment, she had persisted. That was why she had improved so rapidly.

"More precise movements will come with time. For now, watch me and take note."

"Got it!"

"Now then. What should we do next?"

Maple’s flight training ended sooner than expected. There was time to spare. Continuing the exploration would cause no harm.

“Since we have time, let’s go somewhere we can fly to.”

“Okay. Don’t get carried away and fall, now.”

“I’ll do my best!”

“Then let’s head to the next quest and test the results of our training.”

“Yes!”

Their destination was the place indicated by the next quest. They accepted the new quest, activated their reinforced flight machine, and rose into the sky.

“Hmm. Stable. I’ll keep flying like this!”

“Got it!”

Maple followed Sally slightly behind, keeping pace. No longer did she wobble or fall as she had before. She flew smoothly without needing to be pulled by the hand.

That should be enough for the quest site, Sally thought. She continued leading Maple forward.

The two arrived at a long fissure stretching vertically along a sheer cliff face with no footing. Inside, there was almost no stable ground. It was a place clearly designed for aerial machines, slightly too narrow for even a tamed monster to enter.

"Dark, isn't it?"

"Not like before—no signs of any maintenance."

This time, no lights were installed along the inner walls. As they moved deeper, shadow claimed everything. A difficult environment to navigate.

"Maple, can you light it up?"

"Of course!"

Maple immediately deployed Love That Offers the Body. The skill protected allies and also cast a radiance that illuminated the surrounding area.

Though normally a disadvantage—revealing one’s position—it now served as an unobstructed, wide-reaching light source in the darkness.

The headlight, Iz’s custom-made, was mounted to illuminate the path ahead, preparing them for the darkness.

“Move slowly. There might be walls blocking the way suddenly.”

Maple nodded once. The two activated their flying machines fully and advanced into the fissure.

“Need to be careful…”

“Yeah… Wait. Something’s coming.”

Sally strained her ears, sensing movement ahead.

From the dark, a swarm of bats approached, illuminated by the headlight.

At the same moment Sally raised her weapon, a crimson flash erupted from behind.

“Nice.”

Sally smiled, reacting quickly.

Maple’s machine unleashed a thick laser, swallowing the incoming bats, filling the fissure with red light.

When the light faded, silence returned—complete, unbroken, the same quiet darkness as before. Sally sheathed her weapon and exhaled, muscles slackening.

“Nice work, Maple. That should keep the monster from worrying.”

“What was it planning to do?”

“Who knows? Doesn’t seem like a threat we need to mind… Keep doing it like that.”

“Leave it to me!”

No need to fret over the enemy’s evasive tactics, which vanished before action could be taken.

They advanced deeper into the fissure, slicing through the occasional bat with laser fire.

“Getting used to this kind of cave exploration?”

“Hmm… Not sure. I’ve probably cleared quite a few caves by now.”

Caves where monsters swarm are a standard location. Looking back, Maple recalls many moments of advancing through them while defeating enemies. Even dungeon corridors with a single path evoke similar memories.

"Keeping watch ahead. See, we reacted quickly here."

"Hehe, really?"

"Exactly."

The accumulated experience in Maple's mind allowed her to predict enemy behavior—where they typically came from, what attacks they might use—more precisely.

Not perfectly. Only in simple situations. Yet even without Sally's guidance, Maple could now arrive at the correct answer.

"Feeling clear growth. Hehe, still need to get stronger. After all, the Demon King is quite formidable."

The final strong enemy, aren’t we? Not going down as easily as those bats we defeated earlier.

…Yes. I must cultivate the strength to overcome the final enemy before reaching the tenth layer.

Then I’ll need to train more with Sally.

Hmm… yes.

The meaning of the final enemy. The bosses along the way. The Demon King. Other guilds. Or perhaps—

I must grow stronger too.

Eh? I think Sally’s already more than strong enough.

You see, after coming this far, I don’t want to lose… not wanting to regret it later.

The pair of Maple and Sally have won victory after victory. To lose now, just as we’re stepping away from the game, would leave a bitter taste.

Maple interpreted Sally’s words exactly as they were meant.

Indeed. If we’re going to do this, we must win. Everyone’s helped us so much already.

That’s right.

Yet if they dwell only on what lies ahead, they will be overwhelmed by the monster before them. Both are players of exceptional strength, but their weaknesses remain unchanged.

Maple and the others tightened their resolve once more, continuing their movement toward completing the quest.

Within the fissure, the rock face illuminated by the Love That Offers the Body and the headlight gradually grew damp, beginning to reflect light. The occasional sound of water was likely drops falling.

Recognition of the clear environmental change, and of the glow not produced by their own sources of light, came swiftly.

A blue light in the darkness. It was the same as the light emitted by the ore acquired during the earlier completed collection quest.

"This way. We can go diagonally downward. I’ll lower our elevation slowly."

"Right!"

Maple and Sally descend toward the source of light, adjusting their output to avoid striking the wall.

They glide past a few obstructing rocks, slipping forward smoothly. The light grows stronger. Before them, a lake glows blue. The subterranean lake reveals itself.

A large lake, radiating blue light, floats within the dark fissure, its presence distinct.

They land beside it and stare at the surface.

"Lit up... could the stone from earlier be buried beneath?"

"No. The water itself seems to glow."

Sally scoops up a handful. It glows blue, just like the lake, beautiful in its light.

A mysterious lake, as if the earlier ore had turned into liquid and pooled here. This is the deepest point of the fissure. Their destination.

"According to the quest, this must be it."

"No need to rush. Someone’s coming from the other side."

"?"

Before Maple and Sally, the lifted water begins to shift and splash in their palms. Yet this is only a ripple. The core remains beneath the lake.

A loud splashing echoes. A column of water rises upward, defying gravity toward the ceiling.

The column detaches from the surface, forming a sphere that hovers above the lake, gently floating, glowing with a pale blue light.

"Coming. Ready."

"Uh-huh."

A health bar appears above the water sphere. The two have passed through the journey without difficulty, but now their expressions harden—this is no common enemy.

"【Path of Water】!"

Sally spreads water into the air, securing her footing as the sphere shifts into a long, serpentine shape. Its head-shaped end opens wide, the body stretching like a whip, lunging forward with force.

A forceful strike relying on mass. Though swift, Sally effortlessly avoids it, moving through the water path she has created to gain position above.

“Wind Cutter!”

First, observe the enemy. Sally’s wind blade slices through the serpent-like body of the water form.

“No damage… then! Maple, draw it in!”

“Provocation!”

Sally quickly coordinates with Maple behind her, gliding through the water path to pass the enemy on the lake’s surface.

Targeting the original form—the core water sphere.

“Double Slash!”

While Maple draws attention, Sally closes the distance, activating her flying machine to deliver precise, unbroken strikes that sever the core sphere.

A gelatinous feel. The dagger pierces the glowing sphere. The HP gauge dips slightly.

"Is physical damage no good?"

Sally attempts a magical follow-up, frustrated by the lower-than-expected damage. The second wind blade she releases finally reduces HP—more effectively than a single weapon strike.

Combat on the lake lacks stable footing, less stable than on land. While flight machinery can be used, if close-range strikes yield no damage, it becomes more logical to strike from a distance.

"Wait—surely you won’t let me just walk away?"

The damage inflicted triggers an additional surge of water from the sphere, rushing toward Sally.

She avoids the attack with fluid motion, as if forgetting she is airborne, and retreats toward Maple.

"【Barrel Extension】! Oh—!?"

Maple watches Sally’s movements and attempts to strike the inner water sphere. Maple, with greater range and long-range firepower than Sally, generates multiple barrels and aims their muzzles. Yet before she can fire, a vast quantity of water rushes toward her—overwhelming her vision, dismantling her weapons instantly.

Love That Offers the Body does not adapt to weapons. To Maple, protecting this weapon from enemies is far harder than protecting her allies.

Something yanks her sideways as she is swallowed by water. She cannot move.

"Sally!"

"Are you alright, Maple?"

"Thank you!"

Rescued by a thread, Maple is lifted into Sally’s arms. They dodge the oncoming water, formulating a plan.

"Trying to have Maple fire might be difficult."

"Yeah. It’ll break too quickly."

"Besides... um..."

The enemy’s position is mid-air above the lake. Maple’s skill excels at long-range combat, but without the Machine God functioning, her attacks risk sweeping too wide—potentially endangering Sally.

"Still… grinding them down slowly might take too long… perhaps I should let Maple handle it all."

"How?"

The Machine God is already malfunctioning. Relying on Maple seemed impractical.

"For instance…"

Hearing Sally’s plan, Maple nodded. She could manage that.

"Then let’s go."

"Yeah! I’m ready anytime!"

Sally’s thread wrapped around Maple’s form, clad in pure white armor. A safety line secured, Sally grasped Maple’s hand.

"【Back Throw】!"

"【Reverse Rebirth】!"

Sally hurls Maple toward the lake. No desire to engage in delicate maneuvers with the boss. Strike straight at the core, as fast and direct as possible.

【Quick Change】【Annihilation Field】!

The change of equipment restores Maple’s defense. Black, four-winged appendages sprout from her back.

A thunderous splash as she hits the water. Crimson sparks pour down, mingling with the blue lake’s glow, scattering light so intense it burns the eyes.

If the core remains still, drop Maple directly beneath. Almost the entire lake surface becomes consumed by Maple’s literal annihilation field. The boss’s HP diminishes rapidly, chipped away.

Unsatisfied, the water sphere reshapes itself. It launches attack after attack into the depths. Yet it fails to wound Maple.

Still, the boss is not easily defeated. As if reaching back from the lake's surface, it extends its body into the water. HP begins to recover.

Even with reduced recovery effect from the [Annihilation Field], HP gradually increases.

Maple, sensing the powerful healing from beneath the submerged water, thinks of something.

"……!"

The enemy is submerged to heal. It is in contact with water. Then Maple activates her skill. No aim is needed. It is certain to reach the boss.

[Toxic Fission Body][Poison Dragon]!

Toxic fluid overflows from Maple. In an instant, it consumes the blue glow and stains all the water, spreading to contaminate and invade the boss's body.

Sally watches from the water's edge, the unavoidable attack chipping away at the boss's HP alongside the [Annihilation Field].

"This should be a matter of time."

Sally managed only the thread connecting her to Maple underwater, ensuring it remained taut, and regulated the timer so breath would not fail.

Minutes passed, the boss tormented by overflowing poison and the [Annihilation Field].

HP reached zero. The boss collapsed, dissolving like mud back into the original lake. Sally pulled the thread.

Maple, wrapped at the tip with solid resistance, emerged from the water.

The [Annihilation Field] expired. The [Toxic Fission Body] ruptured in the water. Maple, now safe, was recovered unharmed.

"Good work. We won, just as planned."

"Yeah! It went well!"

"Last part, attack frequency increased. The position above water was unfavorable. It was also a test of handling aerial machinery in combat."

"Ah, I see."

If things proceed as expected, aerial machinery will be in the hands of every player. Then it would not be unreasonable to assume that bosses in the three-tier area would be designed with that in mind.

"This time Maple's output surpassed the others. But moving forward, we must also prepare for combat that demands precise aerial maneuvers."

"Then we'd better practice more!"

"That's right. It's unlikely Maple could avoid attacks like that again."

The boss remains clearly in the early stages of the quest. Given that attacks will grow harsher, training with aerial machinery will be necessary going forward.

Keeping future challenges in mind, the two return to their original purpose—gathering the required items.

The intensely bright blue liquid, dropped by the boss just defeated. This is the item needed this time.

"Alright, fully collected!"

Another enhancement. This time, flight duration increases. Practice should go smoothly.

That’s right.

As always, a return magic circle appears. Safe passage back to the surface is ensured.

Maple?

She can return at any time. But when Sally turns, Maple stands still, gazing at the lake where poison has faded, now bright and clear as before.

Sally and I first came here, to this underground lake.

Yes. It didn’t glow like this then. But it was here we obtained this gear.

Yes.

The stat increase is no longer impressive. But the Mirage still performs uniquely, contributing to Sally’s combat as ever.

A piece of equipment both valuable in memory and function.

We raised Swimming and Diving then. Took quite some time.

But it was vital in the eighth layer too!

"Aha, I never thought a layer so useful would come along."

Sally walks to beside Maple and gazes at the lake, just as she does.

"Beautiful."

"Uh-huh!"

"Maybe because it's the tenth layer?"

"……?"

"You know, the area itself is like that. The dungeon stirs up memories from before."

"Perhaps you're right."

She turns. A final reckoning. If the nature of the tenth layer is such, Sally's observation is not without merit.

"Let's look back at many things. As many as our memories."

"Let's do it!"

Delaying the return for now, the two spend quiet time by the subterranean lake, glowing with quiet mystery, undisturbed.