Chapter 77

Defense Specialization and an Invitation
The six of them entered the third layer guild home and inspected the rooms and interiors.
After they had spent some time grasping the format of the place, they all gathered together in a large room.

Ah, Maple! There was something that I wanted to talk to you about.


What is it, Chrome?


It’s a message that just arrived from management. It says that there will be a combat event soon between guilds. So we need to prepare. And the thing is…


What is it?


There will be time acceleration. If you consider the possibility that some guild members may not be able to attend on the day of the event… I think it might be best to increase our members.

What Chrome was saying was right. Currently, ‘Maple Tree’ consisted of six members including Izu, who did not fight.
It would be very difficult to compete if one member couldn’t participate.

Hmm…that is true. Yes, I think that is a good idea.

Maple agreed with Chrome’s suggestion.
It was easy for Maple to understand the harmful effects of not having enough people.

I could call over some of my friends… But it’s better to leave it to the guild master.

Some of his friends included the people from the message boards who were following Maple from behind the scenes, but Chrome wasn’t a guild master and would not force any decisions.

Well, then why don’t you come with me tomorrow and we can go scouting?

Sally said as she lightly slapped Maple’s shoulder.

Mmm… Yes! Let’s go!

Maple and Sally decided to go out and look for new members on the following day.
The next day, the two were walking in the town in hopes of finding new personnel.

How should we search?


We should check the message board first. They had invitations to guilds or postings for parties and those sort of things.


Okay, let’s go there then.

Maple followed behind Sally as they made their way over to where the message board was.
Once they reached the place, Maple began to skim through the contents. As she looked through the latest items, she saw that there were lots of occurrences of the words, ‘Offense Specialization Wanted’ and ‘Poison Resistance Required.’

I guess offense specialization is really popular now. It’s so fun after all!


…Well, yeah.

Sally was looking through the message board as well, but they knew that the kind of person that they would immediately accept into their party wouldn’t be out here posting ads in the first place.

Mmmm…maybe this won’t work. There are only low-level players from the first layer on here.

Sally said as she finally looked away. Maple also stopped searching.

Then why don’t we try going to the first layer? What do you think…

Sally thought the likelihood of finding someone in the first layer was very low, but she knew that they had to do something in order to gain something.

Alright, let’s go. It’s better than staying here.

It hadn’t been long since they arrived on the third layer, but now the two of them were going back down to the first.
Maple and Sally were now in the town on the first layer, which they hadn’t been to in quite a while. Maple realized something as they walked.

I don’t know…but doesn’t it seem like a lot of people here are walking slowly?

Just like Maple said, there were players all over the place who seemed to be very slow on their feet.

That’s because of your impact. Now a lot of people are putting their points into one place.


What? Is that true?


And a lot of them ultimately give up on that save data.

Sally was fully aware of the current situation.
Of course, Maple was not, and so she was shocked at hearing this.

What!? But why?


They can’t even evade attacks, but their HP is low, there are other reasons as well… But the biggest reason is that people were reminded about how such players cannot do anything, and it’s become difficult for them to join guilds or parties. It’s also less fun.

The reality was that the Maple was the only powerful player who survived with all of her points in one place.
As it was impossible to replicate what Maple did, none of the increasing numbers of players who imitated her were ever able to catch up.

Oh, I feel a little bad for them now…


Don’t worry about it. Everyone looks up to someone who is strong. It just didn’t quite go as planned for them this time.


Yes… I guess it can’t be helped.


Ah… We should just leave a wanted ad on the message board, just in case.


Yes, let’s do that.

Sally was more fit to write such things, so it was her that went off to the message board.
Now that she was alone, Maple decided to sit on an empty bench and wait for Sally to return.

Ahh… So it was my influence…

Maple was a little troubled about this thing with the other players.
And so she had become sensitive to certain words that were related to that matter.

Uhh… I was rejected by another party… Maybe it really wasn’t a good idea to put all my points into one place…


Cheer up older sister! …It hasn’t been that long since you started. You can start over again?


But…

Maple turned in the direction of the voices.
She then stood up and approached the two girls who were still talking together.

Hello! Um…could I talk to you for a second?

Maple said and the two turned around at the same time.
The two girls were the exact same height with the same faces and the same weapons. Anyone who looked at them would think that they were twins.
The only difference was that the one who was encouraging had white hair and the one who was being encouraged had black hair.
The player with white hair answered Maple.

Uh…wha, what is it?


Um, ummm…

Maple stumbled over her words. She didn’t have the most solid reason for approaching them in the first place. She had just wanted to stop a player who was regretting their decision to dump all their points into a single skill.

We are in a hurry here…


Ah, uhhh… right, I know! My party, no, guild! Will you join my guild!?


…What? Oh, we’re very grateful…but aren’t you a high-level player? Judging by your equipment… Are you sure?

The girl had thought that since they were wearing beginner’s equipment, they would not work well together.

It’s fine, it’s fine! I am the guild master! And we have plenty of empty slots.

Maple was allowed to decide on new members by herself.
And there was no one in Maple Tree who would complain about bringing these two in.

I’m back, Maple… Who are these people?


Ah, hey, Sally! These are the people that I’ve scouted!


I see… If you’re okay with it, then so am I. Also, no decision that you’ve made on your own has ever had normal results.


Eh…really?


Yes. Well then, let’s go to the layer one guild home. We can talk there.


Okay. You two, will you come with us?


Uh, yes.


Uh, yes.

The two quickly followed after Maple and Sally who was already walking away.
It was like a saving hand had come down from heaven to help these two who were about to quit.
An encounter with the sole person who had been successful with putting all her points into one skill.
Author:
Well, yeah. Of course, people would copy her.