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

Itai no wa Iya nanode Bōgyo-Ryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu 135

Defense Specialization and a New Opening

After acquiring her new sword, Kasumi returned her focus to raising the rank of her entrance permit.

Another week after that, Maple was in the guild with her face on her desk.

“Sally…my permit rank won’t go up…”

Maple said to Sally who was sitting on the other side.

“Well, it will probably take you a long time.”

This was because, in order for you to increase your rank, you had to run around both inside and outside of the town and complete different errands.

And these errands ranged from gathering materials to hunting monsters.

Kasumi’s speed was completely abnormal, and it typically took players a long time to do it.

As Maple had sacrificed all kinds of things in exchange for defensive ability, she was much slower than most people.

Sally’s permit now read ‘seven,’ while Maple’s was still the same as when she had received it.

“I want to go to the center already…”

Maple mumbled. Just then, there was a rumbling that could be heard throughout the entire 4th layer.

“Wh-what?”

“I don’t know…huh?”

Both of them received a notice from management at the same time.

They opened the message to see what it was.

(As a player has gone through the ninth gate for the first time, the town has regained its original form. Because of this, quests and items have been added.)

“Sally! Let’s go and see!”

“Yeah, we might as well.”

When the two of them left the guild, there was one thing they saw that was noticeably different.

“Ohh…? What is…”

“Hmm…it looks like…an Oni.”

There were NPCs who were not people. Aside from the recognizable Oni, there were all kinds of Yokai and creatures walking in the streets.

The 4th layer had been a town of Yokai and curses.

“Sally? Are you okay with this kind of thing?”

Maple pointed at the floating fireball. It was clearly the kind of thing that Sally hated.

“It’s not coming towards me or trying to scare me…I’m sure it’ll be fine if I leave it alone.”

Still, her expression was hardly cheerful now.

Sally looked cautiously at the balls of fire as she talked with Maple.

“Do you think it was Kasumi who reached it?”

“She seems to have made so much progress.”

They were thinking about Kasumi, who was not here with them.

And their guesses were correct.

Kasumi was sitting down just inside the gate with the ‘nine’ painted on it.

The Yokai had appeared the moment she had gone through, and she had been so shocked that she could do nothing but sit and watch.

Kasumi did not realize what had happened until she read the notice from management.

“I see…oh…hmm…”

Kasumi stood up and looked at the area she was in.

“The next gate is quite close.”

There was only one path stretching out from the gate she was at.

It was a wide street where Yokai walked, and shops lined both sides. When she made her way to the far end, there was a very tall building in front of her.

The final gate was set just in front of the building’s entrance.

And next to the gate, was a sign.

‘The person who owns the Red Oni’s horn, the Dragon’s scale, and the Dewdrop of Heaven will become the next lord.’

“I’ve never seen those items for sale… But there are apparently more items out there now, so I should start looking again.”

Kasumi was excited to go and check all the stores again, and also gather information on these three items.

And it was much the same for other players as well. The once quiet town was now bustling with exploring players and Yokai NPCs.

Maple and Sally also decided to check out the new items, and so they entered a nearby store.

The once human owner was now a woman with fox ears and a tail.

“So she was disguised?”

“Looks like it.”

The two of them looked at the new products.

There were some items that were useful and some that were not. And there were many that they had never seen before.

“Hey, Maple. Look at this.”

Sally said as showed her a pair of three charms that were tied with a string.

She had a white one in her left hand and a black one in her right hand.

“Do they have different effects?”

“Yes. The black one will randomly choose a skill and make it unusable for 3 minutes. The white one allows you to choose a skill in advance, and it sacrifices itself if that skill is sealed.”

Sally added that they could be used three times.

“Hoho…I see.”

“But you can only buy them as a set.”

“…Well, I think we might as well?”

“I think so too. We might have a chance to use them later.”

It was an item that they had nothing to lose from buying it, and so both of them bought a set.

“Sally! Sally! Look at this!”

What Maple was looking at were wearable horns and ears.

“Why don’t you try it on?”

Sally suggested when she saw the sign that said you could try them on.

“Hmm…ah! This one then!”

Maple put on some curly horns.

“Hmm…”

“I thought it would look good for when I turn into a sheep!”

“Hm! Ahh, a sheep…right, right. Yeah, I think it looks good on you.”

“Sally, you can wear this one!”

“What? I don’t want…”

Maple handed her a set of white fox ears and a tail.

“Now you can match Oboro!”

“I guess so… Maybe I can put it on when no one is around? …It’s a little embarrassing to put on a tail.”

Sally thought that she wouldn’t mind if it became common among other players as well. Then she and Maple paid at the counter and left the store.

“I have things to do after this, so I’m logging out for the day…”

“Okay! Bye bye, Sally!”

“Yes, bye bye Maple.”

Sally turned into light and disappeared.

Maple was now left alone and was wondering what to do, when a familiar person appeared in the corner of her vision.

“Ah, it’s Mi. Over there…what was over there again?”

Mi had looked around her before entering a narrow road. And since Maple could not remember what was down there, she decided to follow her.

But she also thought it would be nice to talk to Mi, as they had become friends after the last event.

As she continued down the path with many turns, she heard Mi’s voice.

While there was no need to stop, Maple paused and quietly peeked out from the corner.

“Alright…Time to heal up so I can go kill some monsters.”

So saying, Mi brought out the blue panel and started to change her equipment.

Not only that, but she started using an item to change her appearance as well.

Her red hair turned white and long. Her clothes were now blue and white. At a glance, you would probably not even recognize her like this.

It was because her usual red appearance was so striking.

“Alright!”

Mi opened the door and walked inside.

“…I was probably not supposed to see that? Ohhhh, what should I do!?”

Ultimately, Maple had stalked and spied on her.

She decided that she would keep quiet about what she had seen, and only tell Mi about it.

“But for now…the store she entered…”

She looked at the small sign that read, ‘Fluffy Fluffy Playtime Room.’

“…Okay. Hah…”

Maple opened the door and went inside. There she paid the fee at the counter and went into the back.

The room that she entered was full of fluffy, floating cats.

And Mi was sitting in the back with the most relaxed expression on her face.

When Mi noticed Maple, she tried to hide behind the cat she was carrying.

It was clear that her disguise would not be enough to hide from someone she was now quite familiar with.

Her face was the same, after all.

Maple approached Mi then, and told her everything, and apologized as she had not meant to spy on her.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. And…maybe I did want someone to know. It’s so hard having to act all of the time… Ahaha…”

“I really am sorry. If there is anything I can do to make it up to you…just tell me!”

“…Well, you could help me kill some monsters after this…”

Maple readily accepted this request, and then the two of them enjoyed the fluffiness for some time.