Chapter 461

Defense Specialization and the Decisive War

While everyone was preparing, time flew, and the surviving players began to assemble around the outer wall.

Of course, the six members of [Maple Tree] were also there, waiting to be dispatched.

“Maple, please get on.”

“Thank you, Yui.”

The heavenly weapon that Maple deployed last time was nowhere to be seen. After all, a mere glimpse of it might result in a heightened vigilance on the enemy side, especially Wilbert. Afterwards, there was no saying he wouldn’t prepare some kind of counter attack.

There were few places to escape in the sky, and in worst-case scenario, help was unlikely to reach her in time. Thus, she decided that it wasn’t worth the risk.

She’d make up for the lack of movement by riding Yukimi.

“Now then… Even if I [Ark], I still don’t want to get shot…”

“Without Marx, there won’t be any [Night Castle], so that’s one less problem to think about.”

“I’m ready, too. I’ll do my best to help.”

Their defense was definitely lacking. Nevertheless, Mii couldn’t easily enter the chanting mode for [Daybreak] if left unguarded. The roles of the few elite guilds led by [Maple Tree] were to score the battlefield and pinpoint threats. Velvet and Mii were the top priorities.

Number against number. The fate of the main battle lied on the large-scale guild centered on [Congregations of the Holy Swords]. Basically, the right person for the right job.

In the meantime, the appearance of the monsters on the field changed as they headed for the enemy camp.

“Let’s go, Maple.”

“Yes!”

As the players marched on, the [Maple Tree] followed suit.

Each guild’s scouts constantly scanned the surroundings as they advanced, confirming that there were no surprise attacks on the main unit.

The reconnaissance unit, which went to the battlefield ahead of them, informed that there were no traps.

Everyone readied their weapons as the premonition of the battle seized the atmosphere.

A battlefield where only the stampede of monsters could be heard. This time, it was the enemy camp that took the initiative.

“[Flames of Slaughter]!”

“[Roaring Thunder]!”

“Maintain position!”

Payne shouted to the guild members. The reconnaissance team confirmed that there was no sign of [Daybreak] being used. Without hesitation, a multitude of barriers were deployed, intercepting the lightning and fire damage.

Using the attack of the two as a signal, magic flew one after another from both camps.

The two armies clashed as barriers expanded to protect the charging vanguard.

“Frederica!”

“I know!”

“Ray [Full Magic Release] [Torrent of Light]!”

“[Multi-Total Teleport]!”

Thinning the numbers and wrecking the enemy’s formation was the surefire way. Sally jumped in next to Payne, who brandished his gleaming holy sword.

“I’ll borrow it.”

“…!”

Sensing Sally’s intention, Payne swung the sword with enhanced attack.

“[Holy Dragon’s Sword of Light]!”

A torrent of light emitted by Payne swallowed the enemy camp, and the damage was enough to warrant an instant death. Thus, the enemy responded with their respective skill.

No Damage—a simple yet powerful defense. That was why their side feared [Daybreak].

However, even if they nullified it, the skill itself has a loophole which Sally was aware of.

“[Holy Dragon’s Sword of Light]!”

Sally’s weapon emanated radiance—just like Payne’s. After a short delay, another wave of light rushed into the enemy’s camp.

At the same time, because of how powerful [No Damage] was, the effect duration was also brief.

“[Reversal of Lies]”

The second attack that silently crept up on the players who nullified Payne’s skill bore the same effect. At a glance, it looked like an extension of Payne’s light, but dealt damage as a separate attack.

Sally could only copy Payne’s skill, and not the buffs that were attached to it. Still, many players vanished without being able to comprehend why.

When there was a gaping hole in the enemy’s formation, allied players charged at once.

Once they judged that they couldn’t withstand a skill, the enemy would use a skill that’d nullify the damage. They probably wouldn’t think of creating a barrier or casting defense buff.

Sally was aiming for that one exact moment.

“Sally, those four—”

“—They’re all here.”

“I’m going to charge.”

With one blow, Payne’s important duty was fulfilled.

After that, if they could take out a certain player who could defeat Maple, they could charge using [Darkness of Rebirth].

“What about Maple?’

“She’s receiving buffs in Iz’s special box.”

“…? I see. As long as she’s doing fine.”

Payne summoned Ray, before turning him gigantic. Sally quickly leaped on his back, and the two soared into the sky.

Lily filled in the players who were decimated by Payne and Sally’s coordinated attacks using summoned soldiers. Meanwhile, Sally and Payne tried to grasp Lily and Wilbert’s whereabouts. The effect of successive skill casting and the easy-to-understand equipment of the two stood out even in the group.

“Ray [Breath of the Holy Dragon]!”

A breath of light flew towards the group. Perhaps not wanting to involve everyone, the two retreated and separated themselves from the group.

The battle was well visible from above.

Although the attacks of Mii and Velvet certainly caused damage, Sally and Payne had widened their difference in number, boosting the morale of the allied players.

“…”

As long as the two maintained a safe distance, the enemy’s rear guard shouldn’t be able to sandwich them.

Even so, when it was time to charge in, Payne found himself hesitating a little. After all, that was how Kasumi got done in.

“Let’s go. We can do two-on-two if we could separate them from the group.”

“Understood, I mustn’t second guess myself. Ray [Shooting Star]!”

Ray swept down with light. Naturally, the target was the enemy’s backline—where Lily and Wilbert were.

Lily and Wilbert knew that Sally and Payne were after them.

Furthermore, Lily, who sent summoned soldiers to maintain the front line, also understood that the situation on the battlefield was worsening.

While Ray was closing in on them, the two could be seen having a quick discussion, perhaps to sort out the situation.

“Will, it’s worse than expected. Look at what Sally did.”

“I know.”

“Please relay the information to the others.”

“…Understood.”

They thought they had figured out how to handle Payne’s opening attack. However, in reality, it didn’t go so well. But of course, they didn’t intend to continue being pushed back and lose.

“[Reproduction] [Puppet Wall]!”

Ray rammed into the wall created by reorganizing Lily’s summoned soldiers, destroying it, before descending.

“I won’t miss this time.”

“I’ll avenge Kasumi.”

“Brace yourself, Will. If we defeat them, our morale will rise.”

“I know, let’s win, Lily.”

Lily raised her flag, summoning a bunch of soldiers in front of her.

Seeing that, Sally and Payne charged at the same time.

Lily wasn’t that steadfast. In an instant, the distance between her and Sally, who leaped forward without hesitation, vanished.

“[Double Slash]!”

Sally’s dagger glowed red as it unleashed a flurry of attacks on Lily. Lily deflected them with her flag, but instead of counterattacking, she calmly analyzed Sally’s movements.

“[Cancel]!”

Mid-thrust, Sally stopped her movement, only for Lily to sidestep and rally her soldiers to attack Sally.

“You’re as amazing as they said.”

“Well, yeah.”

After retreating that night, Velvet most likely informed everyone about Sally.

“Then how about this—[Auto Cancel]!”

As her dagger gleamed red, Sally ran alongside Payne.

“[Holy Sword of Brilliance]!”

“[Use yourself as a shield]”

Payne, who still had the [Multi-Total Teleport], slayed the soldiers that protected Lily in one fell swoop, while Sally slipped past the gap.

“[Triple Slash]!”

As Lily tried to keep up with Sally’s barrage, the dagger on her left hand deviated from trajectory and lunged straight at Lily.

“…!”

Lily narrowly avoided it, but Sally quickly followed it up with a skillful flick of her right hand.

The dagger on her left hand, which had strayed from its path, reverted back and resumed its course towards Lily.

Lily truly didn’t see that coming. Next, it was the right dagger’s turn to change trajectory, landing a hit on Lily’s flank.

“Wha—!?”

“[Followers’ Dedication]!”

She used Wilbert’s HP as a cost to recover her own and marginally increase her defense. At the same time, Lily arranged her minions into a meat wall, creating a distance between them.

“Haha, I see. Even if you’re careful, you still react at the mention of [Triple Slash].”

Although Lily had memorized the basic skill moves, facing Sally, that knowledge only backfired. After all, if she weren’t careful, she’d fall for Sally’s trick.

“How does that skill work?”

“There are neither tricks nor gimmicks.”

“Haha, I see.”

There was literally none. But Sally didn’t think Lily was convinced by that.

“Payne, it’s my turn.”

“Got it. I’ll follow suit.”

Lily’s summoned soldiers and made a defensive move. Sally told Payne that she’d end the fight once and for all.

“[Super Acceleration]!”

“[Toy Soldiers] [Reproduction]!”

In order to stop the accelerated Sally and Payne, Lily summoned more soldiers. However, the two of them already saw that coming.

“[Holy Sword of Destruction]!”

“I feel like crying!”

The newly-emerged soldiers were extinguished by Payne’s powerful holy sword.

Lily’s skill had a much shorter cooldown. By trading skills repeatedly, she’d eventually gain an advantage.

However, Sally didn’t miss that chance and leaped in.

In response, Lily fixed her gaze at Sally’s weapon, concentrating there.

“[Double Slash]!”

As Sally swung her dagger, Lily concentrated on the movement of the dagger.

“[Fireball]!”

But suddenly—

—the moment the incantation reverberated in her mind, the dagger transformed into a long sword and pierced Lily.

“I see…!”

Velvet told her about that skill. [Transformation]. In other words, Lily knew it was just an illusion.

Sally, who easily dodged Lily’s flag, thrusted her dagger as a counterattack.

“[Wind Cutter]!”

This time, a gale blade appeared behind Sally. Frowning, Lily tried to avoid the flying blade, but her abdomen was slashed before impact.

“Haha, how troublesome!”

Apparently, the wind blade was an illusion. Sally’s real weapon, which had been enlarged to the size of a great sword, inflicted a massive injury on Lily when she got distracted.

“Tch, I don’t even have time to think about it!”

Both the misleading skill incantation and effect delayed her thoughts and reactions.

The essence of Sally’s skill was to catch her off-guard.

Even if Lily had heard about it, experiencing it firsthand was another story. She couldn’t force herself to instantly guess which was which.

“[Water Ball]!”

If Lily was given a chance to think about what the skill actually was, that’d be enough.

Furthermore, in the current situation where she hadn’t fully grasped Sally’s skill, she suffered from a delay in reaction.

The [Water Ball], which was actually [Flash Flood], sprang beneath her feet, making her jump.

“This is just too much… It can’t be helped.”

“Ray!”

Payne, who was riding Ray, suddenly rushed towards Lily.

“Sorry, Will! I’m giving it to you!”

“[Holy Sword of Condemnation!]”

‘Give to Wilbert’. After declaring that, Payne’s sword swung towards Lily.

“[Use myself as a shield]!”

Then, they heard Wilbert’s voice.

The damage that should’ve hit Lily directly blew away Wilbert’s HP instead.

“I was saved!”

“Alright, then…”

Lily thanked Wilbert briefly as she headed for the flying machine that descended towards the group, about to make her escape.

“Good job, Will…!”

Lily frowned at the sight that greeted her.

With the heavenly eyes placed under Lily’s jurisdiction alone, her field of vision expanded at once. Unlike Wilbert, Lily couldn’t handle the amount of information for too long.

Inevitably, the ability would be narrowed down to one person, and [Authority] couldn’t be used, but even so, Lily tried to grasp the situation on the battlefield using the vastly improved perspective.

“As expected…”

The situation wasn’t good. Nevertheless, the number of players hadn’t decreased to the point where the battle was lost.

“Alright, let’s begin.”

Lily looked at the enemy camp, thinking she had to succeed after Wilbert’s sacrifice.