Chapter 19: Defense Specialized and Under Preparation

It has been a week after she started gathering skills with Risa.

It means, at the time where there is only one week left before the event, Kaede logged in alone and was searching for skills.

「I noticed it first after being said, but… the skills that a person that uses a large shield in a party, I don’t have all of them」

Risa told her that the skill tree of the large shield that is for defense power and about defense is very abundant, and she was basically trying to acquire those skills when she logged in alone since they couldn’t log in at the same time.

By the way, she already gathered some skills that she wanted for mostly HP strengthening and MP strengthening together with Risa.

Kaede, while checking her status, searches for skills that she probably needs.

Maple

Lv24

HP 40/40〈＋60〉

MP 12/12 〈＋10〉

【STR 0】

【VIT 170〈＋66〉】

【AGI 0】

【DEX 0】

【INT 0】

Equipments

Head【ーーー】

Body【Armor of Black Roses】

Right hand【Shingetsu : Hydra(Poison Dragon)】

Left Hand【Mirror of the Dark Night : Bizarre Eater(Akujiki)】

Legs【Armor of Black Roses】

Shoes【Armor of Black Roses】

Accessories【Ring of the Forest Queen Bee】

【Toughness Ring】

Skill

【Absolute Defense】【Giant Killing (OomonoKurai)】【Hydra Eater (DokuruuKurai)】【Bomb Eater (BakudanKurai)】【Meditation】【Provoke】【Abominable (Gokuaku Hidō】【Knowledge of Large Shield IV】【Body Manipulation】【Attack Diversion】 【Shield Attack】

【HP Strengthening (Small)】【MP Strengthening (Small)】

She acquired the skill 【HP Strengthening (Small)】and【MP Strengthening (Small)】, increased her HP by 30 and MP by 10.

In addition, thanks to the Toughness Ring that Risa gave, her HP increased by 30 in addition.

It would seem like it was very little, but for the meantime, Kaede’s HP was raised to double with that.

Risa said that she was going to quickly acquire the ignore defense attack before the event.

The reason is, to measure roughly the damage to Kaede. Because they couldn’t afford on testing it without practice.

「I gained a lot, so, I need to have skills that would be useful…」

And just like that, Kaede puts an eye on one skill.

「【Cover Move I】and【Cover】… the large shield’s basic skill huh〜… although I didn’t have it」

The skill used to protect party members, an exclusive skill for the large shield. A skill that can be said, all players using the large shield and that is in a party have.

Kaede also, since she is in a party now, was now interested in the skills that she thought she wouldn’t need when she saw it before.

【Cover Move I】

Ignoring the AGI stat, will be able to move to the party member within the radius of 5 meters.

After use, damage received will be doubled for 30 seconds.

Can be used maximum 10 times.

The maximum times usable will recover every hour.

Skill Requirement

To be purchased from the Skill Shop.

【Cover】

Cover the party member besides the user from attacks.

When used, VIT would be increased by 10.

Skill Requirement.

To be purchased from the Skill Shop.

Skill Shop is, the NPC shop that is selling the basic skills for the different types of equipment.

Other than【Cover Move I】and【Cover】, 【Slash】and【Double Slash】can be bought there.

From the lots of gold that she was able to have from selling the white scales obtained from the underground lake, she could easily buy at least two.

「Let’s go buy it!」

Kaede walked towards the NPC shop.

With this, she thought that it was needed because she might be able to save Risa when she’s in a pinch.

Kaede left the store while holding a bag in one hand after buying the skill. Inside the bag, was two scrolls that have the skills in it.

After Kaede sat down on a bench, *GasaGasa* she took it out and spread it while making that sound.

And together with that, the letters that were written shines with light, and as if to match the dissipating light, the scroll crumbles down, becomes a light and disappears.

『Skill 【Cover Move I】 has been acquired』

「Ohh〜〜! So pretty!」

Kaede took out the 【Cover】scroll, and spread it out very quickly.

That released the same light, crumbles, and disappeared together with the light.

「Ahh〜… it has ended already. Do I still have some skills that I need……」

She had researched about the skills that she needed to get right now so there wouldn’t be something like that.

「Well, whatever…… I might need to increase it again someday… rather than that, maybe I should go and get better player skills as Sally said!」

After saying that, she went towards the second stage’s field very eagerly.

「Uu〜… it’s slow. It’s very slow. My walking speed, was it really this slow……」

Being told by Risa, the place where she came to was a desert. And after walking a while there, she stopped. Risa told Kaede that the place she is right now is the best place in the desert.

「n〜…… I can’t see any enemies though〜……… Uwaah!?」

From the impact from behind, Kaede almost fell forward.

Damage was of course zero, so there wasn’t any danger of dying.

「W-What is it!! Hey, is that it!」

Kaede saw the Pillbug type monster that seems to have tackled her from behind rolled around.

After rolling for a while, it returned from its round body, and crawls down beneath the desert sand.

「I see… practice defending with that huh〜」

Kaede changed her large shield to a pure white shield.

The pure white large shield that seemed like the fresh snow, was sprinkled by blue jewels in some parts.

The name of the large shield is 【Snow White】, and it was a large shield made by Izu.

【Snow White】

【VIT＋40】

Compared to the Mirror of the Dark Night, it was simple and didn’t even have a skill, but its VIT increase was higher than the Mirror of the Dark Night right now.

From this, you can really see how good Izu’s skills are. It is the best non-combat players that are supporting the top players in the front lines.

「Yosh… let’s do our best!」

After saying that, to the back of the head of Kaede who was making a stance with the large shield, the pill bug hits.

「Uwah! W-Wait a second, hey!」

It is not like the monsters would wait for her, and another one hits Kaede who was shouting.

「Ugh!…… I-I’m going to get angry!」

Stands up, made a stance with the large shield, and focused her ears.

Risa said, it is important to find the enemy from the sounds that come from the enemy’s movements.

「n〜…… here!」

Kaede adjusts the large shield to her right. And at the same time, *Gatsun* the pill bug that jumped out hits the large shield and was reflected.

「Yosh!…… Kyaa!」

From behind Kaede who was content being able to block it, another pill bug hits her.

「I-I see. It’s not only one. It’s very hard huh〜」

After that, for two hours fighting, the maximum that she was able to block was about 40%.

From what Risa had said, if she was able to block all of them, she would probably not receive the ignore defense attack for most of the time.

「40% huh〜…… well, I did my best with that huh〜, really, how can Risa dodge that much…」

While her friend that seemed like the enemy attacks were the one who dodged comes to her mind, she logged out for the day.

Back in the in a little time, the time when Risa logged in alone.

「Yosh, it’s about time I used my status points. I already decided my plan. n〜… it’s better having a lot of ways to attack… so 15 to STR and 20 to AGI, and the left to the INT… with this, I’ve used all of them!」

Sally

Lv18

HP 32/32

MP 25/25〈＋35〉

【STR 25〈＋20〉】

【VIT 0】

【AGI 75〈＋68〉】

【DEX 25〈＋20〉】

【INT 25〈＋20〉】

Equipments

Head【Muffler of the Surface Water (Minamo no Mafura) : Mirage(Shinkirō)】

Body【Coat of the Ocean (Taikai no Kōto) : Ocean(Taikai)】

Right Hand【Dagger of the Deep Sea (Shinkai no Dagā)】

Left Hand【Dagger of the Bottom of the Water (Minasoko no Dagā)】

Legs【Leggings of the Ocean】

Shoes【Black Boots】

Accessories【ーーー】

Skill

【Status Debuff Attack III】【Slash】【Double Slash】【Gale Slash (HayateGiri)】【Muscle Strengthening (Small)】

【Consecutive Attack Strengthening (Small)】【Double Attack】【Powered Attack】【Switch Attack】【Body Arts I】

【Knowledge of Short Swords II】【Jack of All Trades】【Divine Break】

【Fire Magic I】【Water Magic II】【Wind Magic II】

【Earth Magic I】【Dark Magic I】【Light Magic II】

【Fire Ball】【Water Ball】

【Water Wall】

【Wind Cutter】【Wind Wall】

【Thunder Cutter】

【Dark Ball】

【Refresh】【Heal】

【MP Strengthening (Small)】【MP Cut (Small)】

【MP Recovery Speed Strengthening (Small)】【Knowledge of Magic II】

【Fishing】【Swimming X】【Diving X】【Cooking I】

【Mining Speed Strengthening (Small)】【Sensory Blocking II】

【Sensory Awareness II】【Stealth Move I】【Leap I】

【Poison Resistance (Small)】

「After raising the Light Magic to II, I am now able to use【Heal】… and after raising the【Status Debuff Attack III】it’s now easier to place status debuff… I also got an ignore defense attack, it feels like good on attack and support」

After saying that, Risa closed her status and went towards the field. Her destination is far within the deep forest that is a little far.

「I’ll acquire a cool skill and keep it a secret to Maple, I will surprise her〜!」

Risa is trying to capture one of the events with the NPCs that is currently being generated at all times in the game.

There is a small house far within the forest, and succeeding an event there, she could obtain【Super Acceleration】.

「The requirement to breakthrough is【AGI 70】, so it’s good that I made it enough!」

Risa, in Risa’s way, was strengthening herself towards the first event with Kaede.