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

Chapter 523: Defense Focus and the Burning Town 2

Chapter 523: Defense Focus and the Burning Town 2

After defeating the mid-boss, the onslaught of samurai attacks, archer sniping, and the rain of flaming arrows resumed with increased intensity. The arrows now fired in pairs, the number of samurai increased, and their STR and AGI stats were boosted. The damage from the flaming arrows was also higher.

However, Maple and her team were undeterred. They had anticipated these challenges and were prepared to face them head-on. With Mai and Yui’s overwhelming offensive power and Maple’s impenetrable defense, they crushed the enemies with sheer force, navigating the treacherous fourth layer boss dungeon with determination.

Eventually, they arrived at a wide, gravel-covered area before a towering, flaming structure. This was unmistakably the boss arena. At the top of the tower stood a tall man, cloaked in flames. He leapt down and landed before the eight adventurers.

The man, moving with surprising agility despite his armor and helmet, conjured red and blue flames from his hands, forming blazing swords.

“My flames have longed for this day… If you interfere, you will die,” he declared, stepping forward as the tower behind him collapsed, sending a mix of flames and dust into the air.

This signaled the start of the battle.

The man dashed forward with incredible speed, but this time Chrome was not the one to intercept.

“【Dragon Flame Spear】!”

Sally, wielding two flame-spewing spears instead of her usual daggers, met the man’s charge. Their weapons clashed, creating fiery explosions amidst the swirling dust. Sally expertly parried the man’s rapid strikes, though he deftly blocked her counters. As expected, the boss’s attacks were all piercing.

While Chrome’s slower, shield-based defense would be ineffective, Sally’s quick, precise maneuvers kept the boss at bay.

“……….”

Despite the boss’s speed and strength, Sally remained focused, perfectly executing her defensive and offensive moves. She waited for the boss to use his powerful but slow, wide-range attack, which created a fiery zone on the ground, as this was her opportunity to strike.

“Mai!” Sally shouted.

Maple and the others used their flying machines to swiftly reposition themselves, dodging the boss’s flames with perfect timing.

With the distance closed, Sally diverted the boss’s attention, sliding under his sweeping blade and positioning him with his back to Mai. The boss’s momentary distraction allowed Mai to launch a powerful attack, coordinated with a debuff from Iz to avoid over-damaging the boss.

“Take this!”

Although Mai and Yui’s synchronized attacks were challenging due to the boss’s smaller size, Mai’s single, powerful strike significantly reduced the boss’s HP. This temporary attention shift to Mai was immediately countered by Chrome and Kasumi stepping in to block the boss’s next move.

“I’ve got this!”

“Leave it to us!”

Sally re-engaged the boss from behind, allowing Mai to retreat safely. The rest of the team, protected by Maple’s shields, maintained control of the battle, waiting for the right moment to strike.

“Keep coming. Focus on me,” Sally taunted, using her accumulated【Sword Dance】stacks to deal significant damage to the boss.

As the boss prepared another wide-range attack, Chrome, Kanade, Iz, and Maple coordinated their defenses and healing to mitigate the damage.

“Incoming, Chrome!”

“【Multi-Cover】!”

“【Large-Scale Magic Barrier】!”

“フェイ【Item Enhancement】!”

Chrome took the brunt of the attack, his multiple defensive layers and skill buffs absorbing the damage, while the team quickly recovered and prepared for the next phase.

Sally delivered a series of powerful strikes, her【Water Cloak】【Triple Slash】combo causing the boss to stagger. She then retreated as the boss switched to a new attack pattern, signaling a shift in strategy.

The boss, now floating and enveloped in flames, summoned massive red and blue swords that began to create fiery zones on the ground.

“Get on board!”

“Yes!”

Iz’s upgraded flying machine, now carrying Mai, Yui, and their tamed creatures Tsukimi and Yukimi, took to the air. Their goal was to maintain an optimal distance for their attacks while avoiding the boss’s fiery blades.

“Time to show my flying skills!” Iz maneuvered expertly, evading the flames and keeping the boss within striking distance for Mai and Yui.

“【Blood Blade】!”

“【Ancient Weapon】!”

“【Hydro Laser】!”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Their combined ground attacks forced the boss to parry, opening him up for a direct hit from Mai and Yui’s【Power Share】enhanced strikes, knocking him to the ground.

As the boss tried to recover, Kasumi and Sally took advantage, dealing rapid, precise blows that further depleted his HP.

“Nice job, everyone!”

“We’ve got this!”

Maple, using her【Self-Sacrificing Love】skill, prepared for the boss’s final, desperate attacks.

With the boss’s HP critically low, he switched to a single, massive sword, readying a devastating final strike. The team coordinated their defense and offense, with Kanade and Sally leading a powerful water-based attack to neutralize the boss’s fiery barrier.

“Now, Maple!”

“【Barrel Expansion】【Commence Attack】!”

Maple launched herself directly at the boss, using her shield to absorb and deflect his final blow. The impact, combined with her remaining【Voracity】skill, delivered the finishing blow, depleting the boss’s HP and ending the battle.

Returning to the fourth layer town, they completed the quest and successfully obtained ‘Demonic Power III.’

“Whew, we did it. Good job, everyone.”

“The fourth layer boss was tough,” Kasumi remarked.

“Very much so. Our preparations were crucial,” added another.

With the entire team performing their roles flawlessly, they overcame the formidable challenges and secured victory.

“This marks the start of the final stretch,” one noted.

“Let’s continue our efforts in the sixth and eighth layers when we can,” suggested another.

“Maple, ready for the next challenge?” Sally asked.

“Of course! Let’s finish this together.”

With renewed determination, Maple and her team prepared to face the remaining challenges, knowing they were closer than ever to their ultimate goal.