Chapter 73

Defense Specialization and Big Derailment
The time period for the third event was one week.
By the fifth day, Maple had acquired the skill she was wanted.

Alright!! I got ‘Counter’!

Many people were probably afraid that Maple would acquire this skill.
However, they couldn’t do anything to stop it from happening.
Maple was slowly but surely getting rid of her weaknesses.
However, the poison which was the best means of offense due to all the counterplans was also starting to lose its effect.
In the case of Maple, this ‘Counter’ ability is quite the enhancement.
And so, with this Maple had achieved her goals.
Now that she wasn’t going to gain much even if she aimed even higher, she stopped going all out when searching for cows.
Another reason was that she didn’t quite feel like doing it either.
Maple was almost done searching for cows.
This would lead to Maple taking course of her own action.
Players who would come to know of this will probably realize that going all out to search for cows is actually good.
They might try to surround Maple.
However, at present, there were no players around Maple.

Syrup? Where shall we go now?

She asked, even though there would be no response.
She didn’t have a particular objective now.
She didn’t completely stop searching as there would also be guild rewards but it felt like it would suffice alone from Sally, Kasumi and Chrome’s earnings.

I wonder if there’s something… something like a really big cow…

Beneath her, the forest spread wide.
She stopped searching from the sky and jumped down.

This is… the part of the forest where I acquired the fragment of the archangel… or is it? I don’t remember that clearly.

Sally could quite easily memorize the map.
She was also probably somewhat used to it.
Although Maple joined a group of strong players, her hours played itself was that of a beginner.
As this was also not a good place to search for cows, it was quiet here.
The stuff Maple was doing were also quite dull, like defeating cows when they occasionally appear.
And while she was wandering around doing that, she reached a place where she recognized a building.

It’s that church.

Maple entered the church which she didn’t explore that much the last time.
As she had immediately left after acquiring the fragment of the archangel before, she decided to search every nook and cranny of the place this time.

Everything looks so worn-out… I wonder if they have any books lying around.

Maple searched for a book which might provide some hints like it did on the second event.
She searched everywhere around the place but couldn’t produce much of a result.

All that’s left is… that place.

The place Maple headed towards was the point where the fragment was lying.
There, in place of the small bottle, something was written on the floor with small red letters.
She couldn’t read what it said while standing so she sprawled and read while following it with her finger.

Ummm… ‘Summon’?

The moment Maple muttered the word.
The church’s floor started glowing red.
The radiance just got stronger and stronger, dyeing everything in red.

Eh…Wha?!

Maple reflexively attempted to run away from the place but before she could, her vision was also covered in red.
After a while, the light died down and Maple opened her eyes.

……Eh-ehh?

In front of her eyes was a place just like the church but everything was gray.
It was a weird place.

Where…… is this place?

She had to consider going back if this event were to last long.
She could just logout in that case but she didn’t know if she could come back here if she did.
She had to proceed carefully.
Maple went outside the church for the time being.

Uwaa… everything’s in ruin…

The grey world was also the same outside.
The fresh and green forest had disappeared and a vast, gray land had taken its place.
Debris was floating here and there, as if time itself had stopped.

Sally will surely not like this place…

Maple walked around the wasteland.
It wasn’t as if she had a destination.
Maple had found one thing which was not grey in this grey world.
Maple headed towards it.
Maple had reached the place where the not-grey object was.
It was a pitch black sphere.
As if reacting to Maple getting close to it, the black sphere started bulging.
And before long, the sphere burst open and something dropped outside along with charcoal.
A tail protruded from beneath the battered robe.
There was a rounded horn on its head like a sheep.
And it started talking while looking down.

Food has come, eh?

Alarmed by that statement, Maple brought out her big shield.
It looked up towards Maple and realized something.

Ah? You are from that time? The one mixed with angel’s strength… this one is lucky…!
My status as a demon will rise after I eat you. I was done in at the sanctuary but I can go all out here!

Saying that, the demon roared.
No doubt that there’s no path of reconciling here.
She had to fight.
Before even getting scared or starting to fight, Maple recalled something the demon had said.

Eat? …Shall I do that too?

Maple entered battle stance after spouting something disturbing.
After being derailed from the third event, further abnormalities lied ahead.