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

Chapter 519: Defense Specialization and Reentry 2

Once again, the two of them stepped into the labyrinth of clouds, pushing through the mist as they advanced.

“I can’t even swing my weapon here. Maple, watch your step.”

Said Sally.

“Ugh, feels like being inside a wig when you use [Wooly].”

Maple remarked.

As they reached a solid white wall, Sally pulled it apart, creating a fissure through which they slipped. Naturally, as soon as they let go, the wall returned to its original state, pressing in on them.

As Sally pointed out, in this state, they couldn’t swing their weapons properly, and there was barely enough space to react if something suddenly lunged out from the clouds.

Given the monsters here had previously demonstrated high-powered piercing attacks, while Sally didn’t want to use it proactively, she had already activated [Self-Offering Love].

In addition, she triggered [Afterglow of Salvation] to mitigate damage, completing Maple’s transformation into the six-winged guardian angel that had become familiar to them.

The need to use both abilities underscored the fact that they were facing increasingly formidable foes, a reality that became all too clear to the two of them once more.

“There’s nothing so far, but… huh?”

Sally interrupted herself as a distant rumbling sound echoed through the air. It seemed oddly familiar to Maple. Before she could ponder further, the once-snowy clouds in the distance began to darken as if soaked in ink.

Before they could fully comprehend what was happening, a deafening roar erupted, and lightning struck down upon Maple and her companions.

“Whoa.”

Maple exclaimed.

“Seems like thunder’s been quite frequent lately.”

Sally remarked.

“Yeah.”

Maple agreed.

Their conversation felt oddly detached from the fact that they were being bombarded by lightning within a thundercloud. It was akin to lounging inside on a stormy day, gazing out the window, for the two of them.

For Maple, who had resistance to paralysis and stun and could nullify damage, thunder was a welcome adversary.

Thunder attacks often prioritize speed, range, and accompanying status effects over defense penetration, so there’s usually no need to worry too much about them. If anything, their only downside is that they can be a bit noisy.

“Feels like we’re being pushed by something from the walls.”

“Yeah, or maybe we’re being enveloped by something!”

“Ah…”

As Maple, who was walking ahead, became covered by the thundercloud, Sally squinted at the spark’s light and noticed several small round eyes among the clouds clinging to Maple. It was safe to assume they were monsters from multiple thunderclouds.

“We don’t have [Devour] anymore.”

“Yeah, but don’t worry about it!”

“Let’s keep moving while peeling them off.”

“Thanks for your help.”

Sally swiftly used her dagger to peel off the clouds attacking Maple. Peeling them off meant their demise, but they had to keep moving forward.

“Maybe it was good timing that Stun doesn’t work anymore. We should thank Kasumi again. That fight with the snake lasted forever.”

“Yeah. But thanks to that, it seems like she’ll be useful in various situations!”

“Thunder attacks are easy to imagine in the fifth floor area, so there might still be opportunities for them to be effective.”

“I have a feeling about that!”

These monsters were overwhelmingly favorable for Maple. With the confidence gained from not taking damage, they carefully confirmed that their HP wouldn’t decrease before safely navigating through this thundercloud zone.

“Heh!”

“Heh… Mmm! Finally, we’re out in the open!”

Maple popped out of the thundercloud and rolled down the slope, coming to a stop at the end of the hill.

“Phew, it’s tough navigating through those difficult spots.”

“Yeah. Hehe, I think Maple finds it easier to walk than others, but…”

Sally slid down the slope too, surveying their surroundings. The place they were in formed a circular hall, with three paths extending from it. However, this time, each path had distinct features, and it wasn’t entirely based on luck what awaited them. There was room for choice to pick the best option.

“This one has a strong wind, huh?”

“This one looks like it’s hailing.”

“And the last one’s heavy rain. So, which one should we choose?”

Just by looking deeper into each passage, the clear differences were apparent. Presumably, the monsters they would encounter would also differ.

“Hmm, I’m not too keen on ice.”

“Yeah, I can imagine piercing attacks. Like shooting icicles or something.”

“Exactly!”

“So, between the gusty wind and heavy rain, which one do you prefer?”

“…Let’s go with the rain! If it’s rain, there won’t be that knockback feeling.”

“We just saw a knockback from wind attacks. Alright, let’s go with that!”

The path they chose was the one with heavy rain. The pathway made of rain clouds was dimly lit, and the waterfall-like rain obscured their vision.

“Since we’re here, let’s use umbrellas!”

“The ones we bought in the fifth area, right?”

“Do you still have them?”

“Of course.”

“Yay!”

Maple opened up a fluffy umbrella made entirely of clouds, while Sally took out a blue umbrella similar to her equipment. Side by side, they proceeded down the passage.

“It’s raining harder than during the rainy season.”

“More like a typhoon level. At least there’s no wind.”

Due to the excessive rain and everything being made of gray clouds from the ceiling to the walls and floor, it was difficult to gauge how far the path extended ahead.

“It seems like the rain won’t affect us much, but it’s likely to be the most conducive condition for attacks due to the limited visibility.”

Maple reached out beyond the umbrella to feel the rain hitting her, but there was no effect on her stats or any damage, of course. Assuming enemies might utilize this rain effectively in battle, the path stretched straight ahead, and with Maple firmly holding her shield, frontal attacks could be almost entirely guarded against.

As expected, a splash echoed as a water mass collided and burst against Maple’s shield as they advanced.

“Oh?”

“There seems to be something. Maple, try shooting at it for now.”

“[Deploy Armaments]… [Commence Attack]!”

Blocking the pouring rain, Maple’s crimson laser shot forth towards the end of the passage.

“…Didn’t hit?”

“No response?”

“Yeah.”

“Maple’s weapon has quite the range… Hmm, if that’s the case, they’re either evading with a significant long range or through teleportation.”

“Well, as long as we keep our shields up, we should be fine!”

“Yeah, that’s true. No need to overthink it.”

For Maple and Sally, who have defeated numerous formidable enemies, being attacked by water projectiles easily blocked by their shields seems rather trivial.

They decide that if anything shows up, they’ll simply defeat it and continue walking.

The occasional water blobs flying towards them are effortlessly deflected by Maple. Despite progressing smoothly through this cloud labyrinth, they gradually begin to feel a sense of unease.

“Sally, something feels off… Hmm.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. It’s hard to describe, but I sense something’s up.”

It’s merely a feeling of unease. Perhaps it’s the continuous rain and inability to see ahead, but they both start feeling like they’re not moving forward.

“It’s odd that we’ve been walking straight for so long. Let’s take a careful look around.”

“Good idea! The most suspicious thing might be when those water blobs come at us, right?”

“I think you’re onto something. If there’s something here, it might give us a clue.”

Starting with the most suspicious spot, they rush through the rain and stop where Maple was hit by another water blob.

“Anything around here?”

“Let’s search!”

To their surprise, they quickly find a small crack hidden by the heavy rain. Maple pulls it open, revealing another path drenched in rainfall, just like the one they’ve been walking on.

“We’ve probably been going around in circles.”

“We didn’t notice because of the rain…”

“Now that we know what to look for, let’s be thorough and check the walls and floor as we go. We got a hint from the water this time, but we can’t count on that next time.”

“Yeah! Let’s make sure not to miss anything!”

“The umbrella was definitely the right call. It makes it easier to see by blocking the rain.”

“Umbrellas are essential on rainy days, after all!”

“Heh, I guess so.”

Having solved one mystery, the two moved on to explore the new path amidst the rain. Not only did their umbrellas help them see better by shielding them from the rain, but they also used Maple’s shield equipped with [Invitation to the Ocean Floor] to clear the rain, making it easier to spot hidden paths. From then on, their progress was smooth sailing after their initial confusion.

Taking a break in a sheltered alcove seemingly designed for resting, they relaxed without any monsters in sight.

“There might be more water projectiles flying at us, but even if they increase…”

“We’ll be totally fine!”

While this space might have been intended for shelter from the rain, the downpour showed no signs of stopping.

As they relaxed and exchanged trivial conversations, Sally eventually asked Maple about the tenth floor.

“How do you feel about the tenth floor? Nothing particularly new, but…”

“It feels nostalgic… like, I remember this place…”

As Maple reminisced, she suddenly chuckled as if she had realized something.

“It’s kind of refreshing.”

“…Even though it’s nostalgic?”

“Yeah. It’s like a refreshing feeling of nostalgia. I’ve made so many memories in this game.”

For Maple, who had been away from the game before, being able to cherish the happy memories was a refreshing experience in itself.

“Yeah, it is.”

“Yeah, it’s really great.”

“I’d love to hear them. Every memory of Maple’s, as many as possible. I want to share in those ‘fun times’ too.”

“Oh, really? Hmm… Hehe, Sally, you probably already know everything, though?”

Even now, most of their time together is spent in each other’s company. Sally likely plays a role in many of Maple’s memories.

“Even so. I want to hear them from your own lips.”

“Sure thing! Well, let’s see…”

Maple enthusiastically recounted her memories, often jumping from one topic to another without a clear conclusion. Yet, Sally would occasionally interject with questions about specific details, keeping the conversation lively as they delved into each memory together.