Meanwhile, Maple continued to progress through quests with Mi.

  As Mi happened to have some time to kill, she had suggested that she could help Maple finish off the quests quickly. Maple accepted this offer gratefully, and this team of overwhelming firepower and overwhelming defense ability traveled around and turned monsters into ash.

  With Ignis’s great mobility, and a high attack ability that would not have been possible if Maple was alone, it became possible for them to finish the remaining quests with ease.

  When all of the quests were complete, the two returned to the town in order to make a report.

  “That was such an easy trip back!”


  “Compared to Syrup, yes. And I think it’s faster than Savagery?”


  “I think it is!”


  While Savagery was a lot faster than normal Maple, the status boost from that outer skin did not grow, and so it could not compare to the AGI of a bird like Ignis.

  Mi had Ignis land right by the entrance, and then dismissed him back into her ring, and the two entered the town.

  “Have you seen most of the town already?”


  “No, not at all! It’s so big, and there are two of them.”


  “There are big cannons on the walls that surround the town. And there were places aside from the royal castle where soldiers work.”


  “I wonder if the cannons will be used?”


  “During the event? I do wonder. There were cannon balls, so maybe you can use them if you carry them to the cannons?”


  If there was anti-aerial equipment lying around that anyone could use, then flying would not guarantee your safety. You’d have to consider whether or not your tamed monster with flying ability had high enough mobility, or whether you were even accustomed to flying in the air.

  “Kanade is the one looking into this town, so I guess I’ll ask him about it later?”


  “That’s a good idea. And you can go and see whatever interests you.”


  “Yes! I’ll do that!”


  The two chatted as they walked until they reached the counter. Once they finished reporting the completion of all the quests they had accepted, quests with the next difficulty level were newly added. Not only could they expect the monsters to be stronger, but compared to the initial quests, that mainly took place in forest and flatlands, the terrain would now be in mountains, valleys and deep caves, where you wouldn’t have much freedom.

  “It’s going to get a little harder now.”


  “Yes, that’s true.”


  “Oh, right. Uh, what are you going to do now, Mi?”


  As there were more players around them now, Mi was back to being the ‘flame emperor,’ as Maple asked her what her plans were.

  “I’m sorry to disappoint you. But this is as far as my help extends. I look forward to some cooperation again in the future.”


  “Yes! Me too!”


  Mi grinned back at the smiling Maple, and then the two separated for the day. While it had been a party that was formed unexpectedly, they were both well aware of the other’s ability, and so they had worked well together.

  Mi accepted some new quests for when she had time again, and then left the building to go to her next destination.

  “What should I do…”


  She could continue some new quests, or go around and look at the town, just as they had been discussing.

  As Maple wondered about this, and based on the fact she had completed one group of quests, she decided to change her exploration destination greatly.

  “Yes. Besides, I want to see both sides!”


  This time, she wouldn’t just go around and see the town, but start a more thorough exploration of the country of fire and wastelands.

  Currently, Maple Tree was still spending most of its time exploring the country of water and nature. So if Maple started doing quests over there, then she would be the first.

  “I’m going to play a little more today then!”


  And like that, Maple canceled her plans to accept quests here, and left the country once again.

  Once she was out of the country, Maple rode on Syrup and traveled leisurely through the sky.

  After leaving the town, the flatlands continued for quite some time. There were no monsters in the sky and things were going smoothly.

  “When I look at it like this…you really can see so far ahead.”


  Part of it was because she was flying in the air, but more than anything, it was because of how far the flatlands extended.

  This kind of terrain would be difficult to attack and also to defend. Strategies that involved surprise attacks and ambushes as a way of starting the battle with an advantage would not work in a place like this.

  There was no doubt that in front of the towns, it would be a battle of numbers. Then how would it be elsewhere? Maple wondered as she turned to the left and then to the right.

  Once she moved away from the front of the town, the terrain spread out with more variety. From the frozen forest that Maple had gone to, to the area that Sally investigated, where you were hit by debuffs from just walking in. There were areas with their own quirks.

  “If Sally were to plan…I think she would go in that direction instead of the flatlands?”


  Maple tried to predict how they would invade, based on their tendencies during previous events. Maple was the only one in Maple Tree who could move freely in the sky. And so there were surely things that only she would be able to see.

  “I can’t fly over there, as there are monsters… But flying should be easy over there!”


  Had there been anything else she had to be wary of when flying? Maple thought back on all of the times she had flown.

  “…That’s right, wind!”


  That bitter experience was the time when she was hit by a gust of wind from the side while in the third layer, and she had been forcefully blown off of Syrup.

  Not every threat was visible to the eye. And strong winds were a prominent example.

  “Hmm… I guess just seeing is not enough. All right!”


  She decided that she would actively move while riding Syrup, and fly to the next town. When it came to the sky, Maple intended to help Sally by investigating it on her own.

  Even though she would be moving through the unknown, as long as she had Indomitable Guardian and Savagery left, she would not be defeated, unless something extreme happened.

  And while her low mobility was an issue, it could be said that her other abilities were useful for reducing risks during investigating, and were perfect for first time exploration.

  Once she had added sky exploration to her future plans, Maple had Syrup fly off towards the town.

  After entering the town, Maple immediately went to accept some quests, but then stopped.

  “I wonder if this town also has those cannons that Mi was talking about?”


  She doubted that there would be differences with such things, but since she had just decided that she would confirm everything with her eyes, Maple started to walk along the wall that surrounded the town.

  According to Mi, there should be a staircase somewhere that would allow you to climb up.

  “It seems so hot… Or maybe not?”


  She walked for some time and stared at the lava that flowed through the town. And then she finally discovered a staircase that jutted out from the side of the wall.

  “There it is!”


  Maple climbed the long flight of steps until she reached the top of the wall. There was a passage on top, with the lower part of the crenellations reaching Maple’s chest. And here, she saw that there were a row of cannons, just like Mi had said.

  “Since there is a hole…I guess you can make the tip point out and shoot?”


  With both countries, there was nothing but flatlands in front, so there would be nowhere to hide. And while she didn’t know how much damage these cannons could deal, being in this position was clearly an advantage. Every player had their own long-range attack, and so if you made use of the crenelations and attacked with magic and bows, you could defeat enemies before they even got close to the town.

  Even Maple could just continue to unleash her weapons and poison from this position, and with the added instant death effect of Venom Incantation, she would be able to cause a great deal of damage.

  In the first place, due to Maple’s characteristics, she was strong against any player who charged at her head on.

  “Ah! There are cannon balls! …But can we use them?”


  After reaching the cannon balls, Maple realized that it was possible to gather them. Obviously, these were to be used with the cannons, and you could carry up to three of them at once.

  And so while you couldn’t fill your inventory with them and spam them like potions, if a team of people worked together to carry them, it would be possible to continue firing.

  “I’ll try shooting one!”


  Maple stood in front of the cannon and used the cannon ball. And then it went in automatically and after a thunderous boom, it was fired into the field.

  “Woah… But will I be able to aim with this…?”


  It would be a PvP battle, so the targets were players. Compared to the weapons of Machine God, which she normally used, it would be more difficult to aim with precision. And so Maple doubted that she had the skill to hit her targets.

  “I’ll just keep in mind that they are here. Perhaps Izu or Sally can make use of them.”


  While there were several other cannons, there was nothing to indicate that there was a difference in power of effect.

  They might be a threat if they all fired them together. But the only way of knowing for sure was to test it when the time came.

  And so Maple decided to leave and return in the direction she had come. However, she then bumped into a player who was coming up the stairs.

  “Ah! Frederica!”


  “Hmm? Ah, hello, Maple. Are you alone today?”


  “Everyone is out on the field somewhere… I’m exploring alone right now!”


  “I see. It’s unusual to bump into you like this. Because your equipment and skills draw so much attention… What area do you usually explore?”


  “Hmm… Same as everyone else. I just walk around the field like normal?”


  “But I can’t trust what Maple Tree considers to be ‘normal.’”


  “What! That’s not true!”


  “Hehehe. I do wonder.”


  Just thinking about the numerous and strange skills that Maple Tree had between them made her want to doubt those words.

  “That’s right. I’m in charge of gathering information and logistics support.”


  Frederica said as she took in the view from the top of the wall.

  “Buffs…will only reach there… We have a lot of members, but staying together might result in being hit by area attacks…”


  During the battle with the raid boss, Frederica’s unlimited MP and wide area buff skills were a powerful weapon.

  However, she had lower tolerance than heavily armored players in the advance guard, and so if possible, she would want to support the others from a safe area, like the top of this wall.

  That being said, range was also an issue. And since formation would also come into play, she would have to seriously consider the merits and demerits of each location. She wasn’t like Maple, who could be suddenly thrown into the center of a battlefield and still survive.

  “So you’re on this side, Frederica?”


  “Hmm? Oh, just for now. I haven’t made my decision yet. But what about you, Maple? Are you all here now?”


  “I think that I’m the only one here? Everyone split up and went exploring their own way!”


  “Well, you don’t have many members in Maple Tree…”


  The Congregation of Holy Swords had many players belonging to their guild, so even if they were exploring in the same way, they would have much more information at this point.

  Even Sally, who was good with gathering information, could not do the work of ten people at the same time.

  The discrepancy of numbers could not be filled so easily.

  “I don’t know what we’ll decide on in the end… But Payne wants us all to be on the same side.”


  “I see.”


  “It would be easier to win that way, right? Well, I’ll obey whatever the guild master says.”


  Apparently, Frederica did not care which side she was on. In that case, she might as well stay with Payne, Drag, and Dred, as it would be a lot easier.

  “I guess I want to stay with the winning horse.”


  “Congregation of Holy Swords really are strong…”


  “Thank you… But even if you have fewer members, they are the rare elite. And so I have a question for the guild master of Maple Tree, who always does so well during events.”


  “Huh? What’s this all of a sudden?”


  “Why don’t you come over to our guild home so we can talk?”


  “Huh?”


  Maple was puzzled by this unexpected invitation, but she had no real reason to refuse. And so she accepted Frederica’s suggestion and followed after her.