Defense Specialization and the Demon King’s Army

On a different day, with all the “Demon King’s Power” gathered, Maple convened a strategy meeting with all the guild members to prepare for the final battle.

“Alright, we’ve collected all the ‘Demon King’s Power,’ but… what should we do now?” Maple began.

“Yeah. We still don’t have all the information we need. It won’t be as straightforward as the boss fight in the Fourth Layer. And this time, we’re facing the final boss of the Tenth Layer, a foe even stronger than that,” Chrome added.

“In that case… we’ll have to rely on some help,” Kanade suggested.

“I agree with my sister. What about those reinforcements Chrome mentioned?” Mai asked.

“They should come if we call them. But if we need them, we should reach out sooner rather than later. It’s not easy to coordinate a group of twenty-four players to meet on the same day and time, so we can’t wait until the last minute,” Chrome explained.

“That’s right. I’m also in favor of calling for reinforcements. It would be great if we could clear it with just the eight of us, but the risks are too high,” Iz concurred.

“I think so too. We’re likely to be outmatched in both adaptability and damage output,” Kanade added.

The guild members were in agreement. From the start, “Maple Tree’s” goal for the Tenth Layer was to ensure that Maple and Sally could fully enjoy the game before taking a break. Defeating the Demon King was the final and greatest challenge, a piece that could not be left unfinished if they wanted to say they had done it all.

It was only natural that the guild members chose to maximize their chances of victory.

“Maple, what do you think? Should we ask Chrome to call them?” Sally asked.

“Actually, I have something I’d like to try first, if that’s okay? Um, I’m not sure if it’ll work, but…” Maple hesitated.

The group turned to listen intently as Maple explained her idea. When she finished, everyone nodded in agreement, understanding her plan.

“That’s a good idea. Though we’ll have to wait for the results,” Chrome acknowledged.

“I’m in favor of it too. If it works, it’s the best option,” Kanade agreed.

“We think it’s a good idea too!” Mai and Yui chimed in.

“That’s very Maple-like. I hope it goes well,” Iz remarked with a smile.

“No objections here. Let’s be ready to move on to the next step depending on the outcome,” Sally concluded.

“Alright! I’ll give it a try then!” Maple declared, and with everyone’s support, she began the final preparations for the Demon King’s defeat.

—

A few days after the strategy meeting at the guild home, Kaede (Maple) and Risa (Sally) were chatting in their classroom after school.

“Spring break is coming up soon,” Risa mentioned.

“Yeah, it’ll start getting warmer soon,” Kaede replied.

“It’ll be hot before we know it.”

“Right. Spring is short, after all.”

With spring, their classes would change, and so would their environment, both in the real world and, this year, in the game as well.

“So, how’s that plan coming along?” Risa asked.

“It’s coming together nicely!”

“Really? Maybe it’s because you’ve done so well up until now,” Risa suggested.

“Do you think so?”

“Yeah. The results speak for themselves.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You should. But with that, we’re finally ready.”

Kaede and Risa had overcome every hurdle to get to this point. Reflecting on it, they realized how much they could talk about their journey.

“Thinking that it’s almost time is making me a little nervous,” Kaede admitted.

“We’ve done everything we could. But still, it’s an unknown and powerful enemy… and we only get one shot,” Risa said, understandingly.

“Risa, aren’t you nervous?”

“Me? Well, I’ve had more experience than you with one-shot matches in tournaments, so I guess I’ve learned how to stay calm.”

“How do you do it? I want to know!”

“It’s just one of my methods, but… enjoy it so much that you forget to be nervous!”

Risa’s expression was more excited than ever, eager to face the formidable foe ahead. For someone like Risa, who enjoyed the thrill of battle, there might not be room for nerves amid the heightened focus and intense exchanges.

“Haha, that’s so like you, Risa.”

“Do you think you can’t do it?”

“Hmm… It might be a bit hard for me.”

“Then, there’s another way that might work for you.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah.”

“Tell me, tell me!”

“During the battle… just trust me, right by your side.”

“…!”

“No matter what happens, I’ll make sure to help you and secure our victory.”

Risa’s eyes shone with confidence, born from her honed skills and extensive experience.

“I don’t feel nervous anymore!”

“Are you sure? I just said that…”

“Yeah! Make sure you protect me, okay?”

“Haha, you too.”

“Leave it to me! After all, I’m a shield user!”

“That’s the spirit. So, what are you going to do when you get home today?”

“I might do a little leveling up. And I’ll choose the last skill I can get with the medals.”

“That sounds good. It’ll be a clear upgrade. Have you decided which skill to pick?”

“I was thinking maybe an invincibility skill…”

“That’s a safe choice. But for you, it might not be as versatile as some others.”

“I’m not sure how strong it is, but… I’m interested in ‘Partner’s Assistance’!”

“Oh, that one. I was thinking of picking that too.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah. The cooldown is long, but being able to borrow a skill from a tamed monster is really great. Even if you’ve already used the skill, borrowing it resets the cooldown.”

In Risa’s case, borrowing “Spirited Away” from Oboro would allow her to dodge one more unavoidable attack, increasing her survivability—a significant advantage for her fighting style.

“Maybe I’ll pick that one too, especially if you’re getting it.”

“It’s definitely a strong skill. The ability to choose a skill to borrow based on the situation is really interesting.”

“I also like the idea of borrowing power from Syrup. It feels kind of nice.”

“That’s a good point. We’ve been fighting alongside Syrup and Oboro for a long time.”

Their bond with Syrup and Oboro went back to before the formation of “Maple Tree,” which naturally led to a deep attachment.

“So, let’s meet up in the game tonight.”

“Yeah! I’m going to level up so I won’t lose to the Demon King!”

Having set their plans for the night, the two continued chatting as they walked home together.

—

The day finally arrived. After each member finished their last preparations, including leveling up and gathering items, it was time for the Demon King battle. The eight members of the “Maple Tree” guild gathered at their guild home, waiting for the remaining players to arrive.

“Whew… We’ve prepared as much as we can, but I can’t help but feel a little anxious now that it’s time,” Chrome admitted.

“We just have to steel ourselves. If we can’t win this time, we’ll have no regrets,” Kanade said resolutely.

“Right. I think this is the best team we could have assembled, especially in terms of working with Maple,” Iz agreed.

“Let’s do our best, Sis,” Mai encouraged Yui.

“Yeah… I need to be careful not to accidentally get hit by an attack,” Yui replied nervously.

“Maple’s ‘Self-Offering Love’ might be difficult to keep up from start to finish. I’ll use items to create barriers too, so make good use of them,” Iz advised.

“Yes, we will!” Mai and Yui responded in unison.

“Is it about time?” Chrome asked.

“Yeah! Oh!”

As the appointed time approached, the guild home’s door opened.

“Mii! Thanks for coming!” Maple greeted.

“For you, Maple, of course, we would come,” Mii replied.

Entering the room were Mii, Misery, Marx, and Shin from the “Kingdom of the Flame Emperor,” a strong and reliable force called upon by Maple.

“The Demon King is a formidable foe. Even ‘Maple Tree’ will be wiped out in an instant if you let your guard down,” Marx warned.

“You should be careful… Though sometimes, even being careful isn’t enough,” Misery added.

“Did you guys already defeat it?” Maple asked.

“Yes, we managed to take it down once. But I’ve lost count of how many times we failed. The Demon King’s most troublesome trait is its varied attack patterns, with no fixed order. Even after clearing it, there’s not much useful information we can share,” Mii explained.

“During the first attempt, most of the attacks we faced were unknown. That should give you an idea of just how much of a different class the Demon King is,” Shin added.

The fact that the “Kingdom of the Flame Emperor” struggled so much was a clear indicator that just having this group wouldn’t guarantee victory. However, Maple hadn’t only called upon these four; more reinforcements were on their way.

As they spoke with Mii and her team, the door to the guild home opened again, and more of Maple’s reinforcements entered.

“We’re here! Ready to take down the Demon King!” Velvet declared enthusiastically.

“Thank you for having us, Maple. Velvet and I are here to give it our all,” Hinata said.

“We’re here for the same reason. It’s an honor to fight alongside such a prestigious group,” Wilbert added.

“Though our contribution may be small, Lily and I will do our best to assist,” Lily offered.

“Thanks so much!” Maple beamed.

“This is a rare opportunity to team up with such a powerful group. We wouldn’t want to miss it!” Velvet exclaimed.

“I agree. Just being able to fight alongside ‘Maple Tree’ is worth it,” Wilbert nodded.

“That’s part of it… right, Lily?” Lily smiled.

“Yes. I simply wanted to help. That’s all there is to it,” Lily confirmed.

“And you too, Velvet?” Maple asked.

“Of course! If Maple asked, how could I refuse?” Velvet responded.

Maple’s efforts to build relationships were paying off, as she had managed to gather such a formidable group of allies. It was one of the invaluable rewards she had earned by enjoying the game to the fullest.

“Hmm. From the looks of it, only those four are left to arrive,” Kanade noted.

“Yeah, I’m excited to see how they perform in battle. We’ve only ever fought against them in PvP,” Velvet said.

“Same here. And look, speak of the devil…” Hinata said.

The guild home’s door opened once more, and the central members of the “Congregation of the Holy Swords” entered: Payne, Dread, Drag, and Frederica.

“Hey, Maple. Looks like you’ve gathered all the ‘Demon King’s Power,’ huh?” Frederica greeted.

“Yep! But we only have one set,” Maple admitted.

“Then we can’t afford to lose this fight!” Drag said.

“Right. It would be a pain to gather them all again,” Dread grumbled.

“That’s why we’re here to help. As the guild master of the ‘Congregation of the Holy Swords,’ I’ll do my part to ensure victory,” Payne declared.

“Thank you! This should be everyone, then!” Maple said, looking around.

“Quite a group… Honestly, I’m impressed we managed to gather everyone,” Sally remarked, still in awe of the assembled team. Given Maple’s relationships and history, it made sense, but seeing so many top players from top guilds gathered together was still astounding.

That they all had a day they could meet was a testament to Maple’s good fortune.

“Thank you all for coming! With everyone here, we’re going to take down the Demon King! Let’s do this!” Maple declared.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a stronger party of heroes in the game,” Drag remarked.

“No kidding. When I first heard about this, I didn’t think we’d get such a powerful group together,” Shin agreed.

“Haha, but with Maple as the leader, it’s more like we’re the Demon King’s army than a party of heroes,” Frederica teased.

“Oh, that’s true,” Shin chuckled.

“Now that you mention it, it does feel that way,” Marx agreed.

“Wait, what?!” Maple exclaimed, surprised by the sudden shift in the conversation.

Frederica’s comment about “Atrocity” and other fearsome skills sparked immediate agreement from the others. The atmosphere remained light, but everyone recognized the truth in it. Maple’s abilities, such as “Atrocity,” “Predator,” and other terrifying skills, contributed to the image. The events during “Reverse Rebirth,” where Maple had devoured allies and gone on a rampage, only solidified that image further.

With such a history, Maple was far from a typical hero.

“Well then, Maple, shall we see which Demon King’s army is stronger?” Sally teased.

“Even you, Sally! But… yeah, let’s do it!” Maple responded, rallying everyone.

“Alright… let’s go show the Demon King our strength! As the human-side Demon King’s army!” Maple declared with a grin.

The unique title of “human-side Demon King’s army” brought laughter, but also a surge of morale.

—

It’s not just heroes who can defeat the Demon King.

With all preparations complete and trusted allies by her side, the player known as “Maple,” who had come to be called a Demon King herself, headed into battle.