Sorry I published 453 under a different novel.
Itai no wa Iya nanode Bōgyo-Ryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu 454
Defense Specialization and the Calm before the Storm (2)
Maple and Sally walked in the field at night. So far, there was no sign of an enemy player, but Sally kept a firm grip on a pair of daggers in her hands and was ready to pounce.
“Is no one there?”
“I wonder? I won’t know from here until we’re ready.”
The two walked on a wasteland with few obstacles. With few places to hide, there wouldn’t be a sudden wave of enemy players.
“It’s almost time, but…”
Sally checked the time again. They didn’t have much time left before the date changed. This time, it was a strategy that largely depended on the opponent’s response. If they failed to notice that Maple was out and about, the strategy would be for naught.
But just when they started to think of going back to the base, lightning crackled, tearing the darkness of night asunder.
“I didn’t expect you to come out!”
Velvet and Hinata appeared in front of them.
The lightning must’ve been the sign of their will to fight.
“That should be my line. Even though you scrambled to escape, you still have the power to fight?”
“I still have plenty of stamina!”
Even though she should be exhausted, Velvet still smiled bravely. Rather than being tired, she was looking forward to the upcoming battle.
Velvet kicked the ground and accelerated at once, closing in on the two.
“[Northern Light]!”
Velvet exuded fierce sparks of lightning.
Sally had missed her chance to dodge.
“[Dedicated Affection]!”
However, Maple was there. With [Dedicated Affection] that overlapped with Velvet’s skill range, Sally could survive even the [Northern Light].
With this, Sally could also attack. Maple understood her role.
But in the next moment, a red flash passed through next to Velvet. A high-speed arrow which borrowed the light of [Northern Light].
Apparently, [Northern Light] was just a distraction to allow Wilbert to shoot.
“Haa—!”
With a loud bang, Sally cut the arrow down.
Thanks to [Dedicated Affection], she was also able to attack. Still, their plan was to play it safe.
Even at the moment when the battle was about to begin, Sally’s attention was focused only on those who targeted Maple.
“Wow, you really knocked that arrow down! Amazing!”
“As I thought, it wasn’t a coincidence…”
Because it didn’t go as planned, the two temporarily distanced themselves.
Sally had guessed it from the moment Velvet appeared. After all, Velvet and Hinata wouldn’t have come here in the first place if there wasn’t someone who was on the lookout for them.
As such, there was a high chance that Wilbert was there.
“Maple, raise your shield!”
“Yes!”
Sally hid behind Maple and quickly readjusted her inventory to launch the flash bullet she took out.
It was the signal for decisive action.
The number of flash bullets would signal Wilbert’s direction.
Far behind them, Ray—who’d been buffed by Frederica, Kanade, and Iz—literally turned into a meteor that flew across the night sky.
Ray’s movement speed multiplied. Wilbert saw the existence that was approaching them all at once.
Gleaming in the sky was the light of a holy sword that was as blinding as Velvet’s skill.
The unleashed torrent of light made its way towards them.
The two immediately swapped equipment to intercept it.
“[Puppet Wall]!”
The soldiers summoned by Lily managed to protect the two, but then Payne, Kasumi, and Chrome landed on the ground.
“What a way to search for an enemy. If the entire area is blown away, we’ll have no choice but to respond. Did you figure out where I am by looking at my skill?”
Lily readied her weapon while replenishing her broken soldiers.
“You’re an obstacle.”
“Let’s fight!”
“You won’t get away!”
Even without Ray’s accelerated speed, it’d be difficult for the two people who didn’t have high mobility to escape. Even if that wasn’t the case, if the two withdrew here, Velvet and the others would be defeated. As such, they couldn’t do that.
“Okay, Will, let’s go with [Full Force].”
“Sure.”
Both of them also readied their weapons.
At the same time, more soldiers were summoned and the battle began in earnest.
A meteor passed overhead. Velvet and the others were also aware of the signs of battle behind them.
“It looks like it’s going to be difficult to support them.”
“I won’t let you.”
Sally poised her weapon. They didn’t need to worry about Wilbert anymore. Now she could go on the offensive.
“Ahaha! It’s actually very simple! We’ll defeat these two and rush to save the others!”
“Of course.”
Velvet and Hinata also made a decision.
The two didn’t withdraw.
“I won’t lose!”
“Me too!”
Maple and the others succeeded in luring the enemy into battle as expected. The rest of the people who sent Payne out were waiting in the back just in case.
“…This isn’t good.”
In order to assess the current situation, the members of the [Congregation of the Holy Swords] who’d spread out to check the enemy contacted Frederica, causing her to make a sour face.
“Haa… Mii and the others are joining the fight!”
Even though they only had eyes for [Thunderstorm] and [Rapid Fire], if the enemy decided to go all out, it only made sense for them to summon [Kingdom of the Flame Emperor].
“I see. So, they responded to the call…”
“Now that it has come to this…”
“Older sister…”
“We have to do it!”
“Everyone, let’s go! That’s what we’re set out to do.”
“Of course!”
Frederica, Kanade, and Iz amped the movement speed of everyone at once.
Frederica and the others had been waiting for that exact moment. In order to prevent further intervention from the [Kingdom of the Flame Emperor], they headed for the battlefield.
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