Defense Specialization and Dedicated Affection.

Five days had now passed since Maple asked Izu to make a full set of gear for her.

Just as Maple finished logging in and appeared in the guild home, Izu came walking out of her workshop.

Maple, your gearits ready.

Really!

Yes. Here, Ill show it you.

So saying, Izu pulled out a full set of white armor, a large shield, a short sword and a platinum tiara.

Each piece of gear was set with precious blue stones in different places.

Overall, it had the look of a holy knight, minus the tiara.

Have I become a knight now?

Maple put on all of the new gear and then checked her stats.

(Arcangel Tiara X)

HP + 250

(Archangel White Shield IX)

HP + 300

(Archangel Holy Sword VIII)

HP + 200

(Archangel Holy Armor IX)

HP + 350

What are these numbers like X and IX?

Maple asked.

Those are numbers you get from thereinforcement which can only be used with gear made with theforgingskill. Gear made withforgingcannot use skills like other gear used in other events, so its a merit that makes up for it.

Oh, I see

The success rate ofreinforcementchanges depending on theforgingskill It takes a lot of luck to reach the biggest number that is X.

Izu had somehow made a top-class set of armor without compromising.

After that, she spilled that it was two levels stronger than the set she had made for Chrome, but Maple was too busy checking her gear to notice her say this.

As Maple continued with her inspection, the rest of the remaining four guild members arrived at the guild home.

Hm? Oh! So thats the gear Izu has been making. It really suits you. It makes me want some new gear too

It makes me scared just thinking of what caused Maple to want new gear

Ah, thats it

Maple, you look really good in white!

Chrome, Sally, Kasumi, and Kaede all said.

So Do you all want to go and fight? Ill explain just why I had a new set of gear made on the way.

Everyone agreed, as long as they could see the reason behind all of this.

Even Izu said she would go, as she wanted to see the gear do it.

Is this a good spot?

Maple put everyone on board the Syrup and flew towards an area that was known to have monsters in large packs.

Wellhere I go! Dedicated Affection!

A red damage effect burst from Maples body.

As soon as it cleared, a circular area around Maple that was ten meters in diameter began to glow.

And that wasnt the only thing that happened.

Two wings that were pure white grew from Maples back and a white, glowing ring appeared above her head.

Her hair had turned into a brilliant gold, her eyes were now a deep blue.

WHA?

I was surprised too, at first.

Ahaha My appearance changes Ah, here come some monsters.

For a moment the other four were too stunned to move, but then they realized that anything could happen when it came to Maple, and so they changed their mode of thinking.

They had gotten quite used to her by now.

131 Name: Anonymous Magic User

Please

132 Name: Anonymous Great Shield User

Okay

First, about Sally

Sally is a PS non-human

From what I saw, she doesnt seem to be using any skills

She fought with quite a lot of monsters, but I didnt see her taking any damage

Also, there was some kind aura added

133 Name: Anonymous Bow User

I guess that thing for the event will be Sally after all

134 Name: Anonymous Great Sword User

Shes even evolved

An aura he says

135 Name: Anonymous Spear User

Hmph

Sally does seem like shed have some unknown skills

But not as much as Maple

136 Name: Anonymous Great Shield User

Next, about Maple

For the past few days, Maple has been off somewhere all alone

And when she got back

137 Name: Anonymous Great Sword User

Hurry up

138 Name: Anonymous Spear User

Hurry

139 Name: Anonymous Magic User

What happened?

140 Name: Anonymous Great Shield User

She was an angel

141 Name: Anonymous Bow User

We already know that Maple is an angel

142 Name: Anonymous Magic User

Youre late with that one

143 Name: Anonymous Great Sword User

Maple is always angelic, right?

144 Name: Anonymous Spear User

Of course, she is

145 Name: Anonymous Great Shield User

Ah, well, alright

I will rephrase that

Maple returned with a skill that gave her an angels halo, wings and blonde hair and blue eyes.

146 Name: Anonymous Spear User

Wha

147 Name: Anonymous Magic User

This is what happens when you leave her alone

148 Name: Anonymous Great Sword User

Why? Where did she get such a skill?

149 Name: Anonymous Great Shield User

I dont know

The skill name isDedicated Affection

It apparently has a skill that uses your HP to constantlycoveryour party members

When Maple uses this

All the party members within the circle will become invincible unless she is defeated

150 Name: Anonymous Great Sword User

So she finally got her second form

She should become the last boss, dont you think?

151 Name: Anonymous Spear User

A scene of hell will seem lukewarm

If you leave her alone

Eventually, it will happen

She will return with a third form

Definitely

152 Name: Anonymous Great Shield User

On top of that, I found out that Maple still has over 1,000 VIT when she removes all of her gear

153 Name: Anonymous Bow User

I dont even understand anymore

154 Name: Anonymous Spear User

1,000 without gear is crazy

Is her body made of steel?

Is she an orichalcum?

155 Name: Anonymous Great Sword User

But, it hasnt even been that long since Maple first started

We werent even at the second level when rumors about Maple started to surface

There must be something on the first level

156 Name: Anonymous Great Shield User

I thought so too

But if that were the case, then there would have been a second and third Maple by now

157 Name: Anonymous Magic User

Thats just it

I dont know why Maple is the only one who can do it

After that, everyone thought long and hard about it. But they could not discover the reason that Maple was able to gain those skills.

Everyone! You will be able to block any attack now!

Ill do it The others wont know how, yet

Izu said as she started to walk towards the monsters herself. A blow struck her body.

However, her HP did not move an inch.

Huh? What does this mean?

Its Maples skill Apparently, everyone who is in this circle will constantly havecoveractivated for them

Though it will cost you a little HP at first.

Izu had made the set of gear to offset the HP cost.

Just likeHidora, Dedicated Affectionwas a skill that came with several other skills. This meant that even now, there were other skills that Maple hadnt shown yet.

And she had to pay the cost of each of those with HP.

Maples previous set of gear did not have enough HP to offset the cost of all of them.

Furthermore, the new gear was completely forward compatible withPhilanthropy Knight.

The extra quests were not just for show.

So in other words, everyone had the same defensive capabilities as Maple Woah..

As long as they were in the area, no one could hurt the other members unless they defeated Maple first.

But it would be incredibly difficult to defeat Maple.

It wont even be a fair fight unless you could do piercing attacks repeatedly on everyone.

And you would have to actually be hitting all of your targets.

There was no way you could hit Sally, and Chrome would block the attack with his great shield, and Kasumi was great at evading.

Kaede was the only fighter who could possibly be hit.

But Maple, you changed your gear, right? Are you sure that you have enough defensive power to nullify attacks towards us?

Dont worry! Even if I wasnt wearing anything, my vitality is over 1,000!

Haha1,000?

Kasumi and Chrome thought that this was so crazy that they could only laugh.

The two of them decided that they would just stop trying to think about it.

As they rode Syrup on their way back, Chrome began to talk.

I, Ive been talking about Maple and Sally on the message boards, do you think that I should stop?

Hmmm I dont really mind. Everything that Ive told you can be told to anyone else.

I agree with Sally, after all

It wont change what we do just because someone knows about it.

Even if Chrome shared what he knew on the message boards, Sallys ability to evade wouldnt be affected, neither would Maples defenses.

Chrome didnt know how to acquire the skills, so he couldnt write anything too important.

It was not a big issue for either of them.

126 Name: Anonymous Shield User

Hey

127 Name: Anonymous Spear User

Yo

So you joined Maples guild

I hate you! Im so jealous!

128 Name: Anonymous Great Sword User

Thats so nice

I asked Sally to help me get close, but I dont think its going to happen

129 Name: Anonymous Bow User

Give us information

You must have something

But I wont ask for anything that you arent supposed to say

130 Name: Anonymous Spear User

Its probably harder to give information now that they work together

Just tell us what you can