I hate being in pain, so I think I'll make a full defense build

Itai no wa Iya nanode Bōgyo-Ryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu 488

Defense Specialization and to the Tenth Floor (4)

Inside the boss room, the path branched into two in the middle. Not physically, but conceptually.

On the left side was a flowing stream and lush greenery. There were several ice walls lined up as obstacles. On the right side was a barren land and gushing magma. Several floating yellow crystals could be seen, on which electric shocks would periodically run through.

At the innermost part of that room, there were two figures standing back to back. A man wearing an ornate white robe was one of them. A long staff embedded with several blue gems could be seen within his hands.

The other was a giant man over two meters tall with a dragon’s head, scaled limbs, and large wings. He wore armor and was wielding a greatsword. The weapon, which was as tall as its owner, would crackle with electricity.

When Maple and the others took another step inside, the two men looked at them, brandishing their weapons.

Water and magma burst from the ground. The situation in front of them changed drastically.

A collapsing battlefield. The water and magma, which cascaded like a waterfall into the distance, revealed a battlefield made up of numerous stone pillars similar to the previous one.

Some of the platforms were covered in ice, water, magma, and lightning, making it impossible to use without sustaining damage.

The wizard pointed his staff at [Maple Tree], who were unsure what strategy to use.

Five blue magic circles unfolded. Knowing what was going to happen, Sally turned to look at Maple.

“[Throne of the Heavenly King]!”

A pure white throne materialized on spot.

From the blue magic circles, five maelstroms unfolded. If they got swept away by it, they’d be plunged into the abyss.

Sally and Kasumi quickly evaded it, while Chrome blocked it with a shield and nullified the damage. However, not everyone could avoid it.

“…! I’m okay!”

Amidst the roaring waves, Maple screamed. Due to the constant knockback, she could barely move. By using [Throne of the Heavenly King] as a wall, she managed not to get blown away.

However, if she tried to stand up, she’d most likely slide off the stone pillar and wouldn’t be able to come back.

“If I can’t move… [Ancient Weapon]!”

With a clank, the cube expanded, deformed, and coalesced to form a gigantic cylinder.

All the damage that everyone suffered was absorbed by Maple, giving her enormous energy to deploy [Ancient Weapon]. Maple, who couldn’t leave her throne, could only turn into a fixed artillery turret.

Maple fired off blue rays as if to counter the maelstroms. The target was the source of that torrent. However, just before the rays could find their target, a giant white magic circle spread out in front of the wizard. The equally gigantic ice wall proceeded to block the rays.

“Just keep shooting, Maple! I’m sure he won’t be able to deflect all attacks!”

“Okay!”

Sally thought to herself. Since Maple couldn’t deliver a decisive blow, the rest of them would have to secure the victory. However, the terrain and raging waves made it difficult for them to do so. [Dedicated Affection] covered a wide area, yet it still couldn’t reach the wizard.

Therefore, Mai and Yui couldn’t charge towards the enemy.

What to do…? As she wondered, the enemy made a move.

Next, the dragon warrior jumped into the sky, aiming towards them. He was close-ranged. There was a difference in the amount of free space available. They were also unlikely to be able to get the upper hand, but it’d certainly be much better if the enemy could come closer.

“It’s coming towards here!”

“Okay!”

“I’ll prepare the footing!”

Iz took out an iron plate and knocked it down, connecting the stone pillars.

Soon, a breath of flames flew upon them. However, Iz was a member of [Maple Tree], while the iron plate was made of high quality material, and thus was resilient. As such, they could get by without any problems.

“Chrome and I will slow it down!”

“Sally and I will restrict his movements!”

“Got it!”

“Then first, let’s draw him to us! [Provoke]!”

Chrome aggravated the dragon warrior, who was about to rush towards Mai and Yui. The dragon warrior swung his great sword at Chrome, who received the blow.

“Gah…!”

A powerful blow that almost made him hobble to his feet. The special great sword couldn’t be deflected using a shield alone, and the electric shock burst, stunning Maple.

In turn, [Ancient Weapon] stopped firing.

A magic circle consisted of two colors—red and white, spread across the ceiling. Just as they thought something bad was going to happen, an endless surge of icicles and magma poured down on them.

“I’ll tank it. Boss, please! [Stout Guardian] [Spirit of Light]!”

There were two tower shield users. By stacking it on top of Maple’s [Loving Sacrifice], Chrome could focus the damage towards himself, and overcome a wide range of attacks without taking damage.

After some time, Maple recovered from the stun and fought the wizard again, while Iz worked with Kanade to maintain the foothold.

Meanwhile, Sally and Kasumi jumped out.

“I’ll attack from the right.”

“Then I’ll charge from the left.”

Kasumi was the first to jump. Leaping off the safe platform, she came face-to-face against the dragon warrior. Since she’d entered his range, he charged towards her.

When the dragon warrior was distracted by Kasumi, Sally fastened her thread on the ice pillar she’d generated and flew behind him.

“[Flash Flood]!”

Destroying formations, creating footholds, and sometimes escaping. Sally’s trademark skill created water flow that swept away the dragon warrior.

Even so, when he was free, he tried to leap away again. Purple mist soon overflowed.

“Necro [Weight of Death].”

“[Slow Field]!”

“Now!”

Chrome, Kanade, Iz. The debuffs by the three reduced the dragon warrior’s movement speed.

It bought enough time for Mai and Yui, who’d positioned themselves beforehand, to charge towards him.

““[Decisive Battle] [Double Strike]!””

Compared to the twins’ brutal onslaught, the dragon warrior’s greatsword looked like a toy. As if being swept away by the [Flash Flood] wasn’t enough, he was soon propelled in the opposite direction.

With a bang, the dragon warrior was slammed into the wall right behind the wizard. When they saw that his HP was shaved off, they were convinced they had won.

However, in the next moment, a white magic circle appeared on said wall. Light enveloped the dragon warrior, restoring half of his HP.

““Eh!?””

“Does the wizard have resurrection skill… No—”

“Maybe we have to defeat them at the same time.”

“Maybe, but…”

As long as they were together, there was a way to win. However, with their current formation, it’d be impossible to defeat the two at the same time.

First, the wizard was too far away. Moreover, Mai and Yui couldn’t adjust firepower at will. As long as they participate in battle, they’d get hit. In order to defeat both opponents at the same time, the two would have to be separated.

In that case, the range of Maple’s [Loving Sacrifice] would become an issue. They wouldn’t be able to execute the operation without taking risks.

“I guess some of us will have to go to the back?”

“That’s the only way, but who?”

Either Mai, Yui, and Chrome would have to be separated.

They also had to think about the personnel for generation and setup of scaffolding. If both sides were to have one, it’d leave them with little to no freedom of organization.

Furthermore, the sense of stability would also be significantly reduced. If they didn’t succeed the first time, they’d have to continue fighting separately since regrouping would be difficult.

—If they had no choice but to take a risk, they should choose the one with a higher chance of winning.

“Sally! What should we do!?”

“Does Maple have any idea?”

“Eh, me—!?”

Maple widened her eyes. She never expected that Sally would ask her instead. Sally had a point, though. As Sally was building a strategy centered around [Dedicated Affection], it was important for her to know about Maple’s intention.

“If there’s nothing, I guess we’ll all just have to avoid it and wait for the right timing.”

The stream of water was the source of knockback. If everyone could somehow avoid a direct hit, Maple could also make a move.

However, it’d take a concentrated amount of effort and time.

“…Maybe there’s something we can do!”

Maple seemed to have come up with something.

“I see… In that case, I’ll draw him here! You guys can go have a nice strategy meeting!”

While Chrome aggroed the dragon warrior, the others quickly figured out Maple’s plan. After considering the risks and returns, they decided that it was worth trying.

After making a decision, they began the necessary arrangements. Kasumi summarized the strategy to Chrome. Upon hearing what it entailed, he smiled wryly.

Mai and Yui needed to be separated in order to defeat both opponents in one blow.

Maple couldn’t protect both—so that was where Chrome came into play.

“[Crystalize]!”

Maple, who’d increased her body mass using [Hair Growth], soon crystalized.

“Uh-huh, the timing seems fine.”

“Okay, I’ll bring him to you soon!”

The time of execution approached. Maple, whose volume had increased, was somehow stuck on the throne.

“It’s about time! Mai!”

“…Got it!”

“Okay!”

“Fei [Item Enhancement]!”

“[Large-Scale Magic Barrier]!”

Sally saw the opportunity and Mai swung her sledgehammer. At the same time, Iz enhanced the effect of the item and set up a barricade on the surrounding scaffolding, while Kanade deployed a barrier. It stopped the crashing wave for just a moment and spared Maple from being knocked back.

A crystallized Maple Ball rolled down from the throne, straight towards Mai’s sledgehammer. Mai swung her sledgehammer, sending the crystal ball flying.

A forced and sudden approach. However, as it was, Maple’d only get bounced back by the water current.

Thus, Maple used the only countermeasure that could be used in this situation.

“[Heavy Body]!”

—Nullify the knockback. With Maple’s current status, that skill would render her immobile, but as long as she was flying towards the enemy, there was no problem.

The bomb will most assuredly land.

An ice wall appeared to hinder Maple. Maple Ball wasn’t the same as iron ball. Even if Mai sent her flying, she wouldn’t cause any damage.

However, just before she hit the wall, she dispelled the crystallization.

“—As expected of Sally!”

Precise timing. The red light grew larger inside the mass of hair. There were no more crystals to get in the way.

Immediately after, there was a roar. Maple Ball was filled with explosives, causing a huge explosion that engulfed both Maple Ball and the ice wall.

“[Provoke]!”

Taking that as a signal, Maple and Chrome aggravated their respective enemies. The dragon warrior charged at Chrome, but a pillar of ice soon materialized behind him.

Mai outsmarted the boss.

“Please take care of the rest!”

Maple stumbled onto a nearby scaffold. Maple’s role was to tear down the ice wall. Although she could deal damage, she was nowhere near as good as Mai. As a matter of course, Maple couldn’t take down both enemies at the same time.

Explosives weren’t the only thing inside the Maple Ball. There was an attacker who was better than Mai and could carry out extreme strategies.

Said attacker had bypassed the ice wall, and slipped next to the wizard.

It was none other than Yui, wielding her sledgehammer.

““[Double Strike]!””

Even though they were far apart, the twins spontaneously swung their sledgehammers, sending the two bosses flying into the wall.

Smoke billowed. Bursting flames and water. Seeing that the two bosses had disappeared with a high-pitched noise, everyone smiled at the success of their operation.

As soon as the bosses were defeated, the field, which had become too unstable, reverted to its normal state. Sally and the rest joined Maple and Yui, who’d flown away.

“Nice. It went well.”

“Yeah! That’s great!”

“As expected, the offensive power of these two is amazing. Moreover, there’s no damage cap or barrier this time around, unlike when we were fighting the previous boss.”

“The previous boss must’ve been quite special. I still think you need to be careful, though.”

This time, they decided that they could give it a go because the dragon warrior had suffered some damage beforehand. If the wizard had the ability to not receive a set amount of damage at once, their strategy would’ve been foiled.

Although they were able to win this time, they had to ensure the safety of both Mai and Yui.

“Then, let’s go to the 10^th Floor, which I’ve been looking forward to. There’s a road in the back.”

“I wonder what it’s like. It seems quite spacious, though.”

“I’m looking forward to it!”

“Okay, everyone, let’s go!”

With Maple in the lead, the eight of them ascended the stairs leading to the 10^th Floor. After climbing for a while, they saw a bright light pouring from outside.

At last, they’d reached the 10^th Floor.

Maple and the others took a step towards the 10^th Floor, their hearts filled with anticipation.