Itai no wa Iya nanode Bōgyo-Ryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu 242
Defense Specialization and the 9th Tower
"Maple, call out Syrup!"
"Okay, got it!"
But when Maple tried to call Syrup, the skill would not activate. Similarly, Sally was not able to activate 'Web User.'"I-I can't do anything!"
"So, we have to fall…?"
And so the two braced themselves for a rough landing. However, they started to slow down after a while, until they stopped completely in the air.
"We're floating?"
"It looks like it."
Once they were calm, they looked at their surroundings. There were several star-shaped platforms in the air that shone brightly.
Their own bodies were shining as well, and it seemed to be the reason that they could float in the air."Look, Maple. I have a buff. It's called 'Power of the Star.' It looks like it only lasts for 2 minutes, though… We have to step on one of those star-shaped platforms in order to be able to float for an additional 20 seconds."
"So, we have to take breaks in order to not fall down!"
"It seems like we can use our skills again now. So that means we've entered the battlefield as well."
"That's a relief. I'm counting on you again, Syrup."
Maple made Syrup enlarge, giving them the advantage of free movement.
Sally would also be able to shoot her webs at Syrup for an emergency escape.
And then, as if it was waiting for the two to finish preparing, the sky started to change.
"Something is coming."
"Yes, it's fine."
As the stars glimmered in the night sky, a black pillar that was so wide that both of them wouldn't have been able to wrap their arms around it began to descend. And then two arms that were at least 10 meters long and had claws, sprouted from the pillar. Then the top part disconnected from the sky, and two lights appeared like eyes where the face should be. A hole opened below the eyes and roared loudly.
This was clearly no throwaway monster. Maple and Sally immediately felt nervous.
"…Is that a boss?"
"Probably! Maybe everything after the 8th floor is a boss fight."
But unlike the boss on the 8th floor, this one didn't seem to have any special gimmick. And the HP bar was displayed above its head. And so the two of them held their weapons ready for what seemed like a traditional fight.
"We should act first!"
"Let's go straight to the boss!"
Unlike the 8th floor, there was nothing to block their vision. Maple blasted off as if to say that she didn't require the 'Power of the Star.' And she carried Sally until they were right in front of the boss.
However, the boss had its eyes on them as well. And it swung its great arm towards Maple.
"Oomph!"
Maple twisted away and then used her great shield, which had 'Bizzare Eater' in order to block the arm and deal damage. However, she was thrown into the air.
"There's Knock-back too!"
"It doesn't pierce through my defenses, so it's fine!"
While they hadn't gotten that close, they were relieved to see that they had taken no damage. And so they recovered their position.
"Alright, 'Deploy all Weapons'! 'Commence Attack'!"
"Hey, wait!"
"Huh?"
Just as Maple started firing her guns, the light that enveloped them disappeared, and they started to fall towards the ground.
"Leave it to me!"
Sally pulled the web that was attached to Maple. Then she sacrificed her status in order to make a transparent foothold beneath her. She hopped around on them until she reached the closest star-shaped platform.
"Phew… I think even you would have died instantly, Maple. Be careful."
"Uh, yeah. I forgot that it was for 2 minutes."
"It's coming again!"
"Uh! Uh! Ah! 'Heavy Body'!"
As her STR was lower than her VIT, she would not be able to move. But in exchange, she would be immune to Knock-back for 1 minute.
With this, she wouldn't be forcefully blown away, and Dedicated Affection would protect them.
"Nice!"
"Ehehe. Mi told me about it! So I might as well make the most of it!"
"It won't be any good if we just attack it randomly and it does something unpredictable. We should watch it for a while. Bring Syrup a little closer."
"Got it."
"Maple. If you're fine on your own, then I think I'll attack it from a different direction. I know that I can dodge it and it might be better to have it target me."
As they had continued from the 8th floor, Maple had already used her weapons multiple times, so there was not much left. Because of this, it was decided that she keep them just in case they fell again. And so Sally would focus on attacking with webs and air walking.
"Be careful!"
"Yeah. And don't you fall down, okay?"
"I-I'll do my best!"
Sally disconnected the web and then rose into the air to get her bearings.
She was slower when moving in the air, and it was necessary to read the enemy's attacks with precision.
"If I distract it, Maple should be able to get to it with Hydra… Oboro! 'Awaken.'"
Sally had Oboro sit on her shoulder and then she moved towards the boss.
"With a target this big… 'Wind Cutter'!"
First, she unleashed some magic in order to direct its attention away from Maple. It hit the boss and carved away a little bit of its HP.
At the same time, the boss moved its body. And with that, black blades flew towards Sally.
"Uhh… It uses the same type to counter, huh."
Of course, such an attack had no chance of hitting Sally, and she dodged it easily. Sally unleashed magic a few more times until she was sure that this was its way of countering.
At the same time, she saw that it was no longer attacking Maple.
"The enemy copies your attacks! And there may be Knock-back, so think about your timing when you hit it!"
"Okay!"
As for Sally's Sword Dance, she hadn't had to dodge much on the 8th floor, so its effects were still weak.
The boss also had a lot of HP left, which suggested that it had very strong defenses.
Maple would understand more than anyone that she had to get in some attacks as well.
"It's hard with nowhere to stand… Hmm, I know!"
Maple was wondering if she couldn't think of a good idea before the next attack, when she suddenly clapped her hands as if to suggest such an idea had just come to her.
