65 The First Event: The Impenetrable Fortress's Invincibility
Inside a ruined ancient city, a lone girl with black hair and grayish blue eyes could be seen doing some sort of 'sand art' on her surroundings. Nearby her was a Colosseum looking structure that looks very life-like but, it seems like this girl isn't interested in checking it out at the very least.
"Hmm~… Hmm♪ Hmm~♪" she's even humming a small tune, far removed from the chaos that is happening all over the map.
This girl is precisely Honjou Kaede, aka Maple. She didn't come across any enemy for about ten minutes now so she decided to just sit back, relax, and put her drawing skills to the test by using the surroundings as her canvas of sorts.
Whilst Pochi and Tama are having a field day, literally slaughtering every other player that they come across without even breaking a sweat, Maple is having the time of her life testing out the skill that she gained from their previous quest. She literally drew an entire one shot manga over the course of ten minutes.
To those who are curious, it's about a horned rabbit's adventures to becoming the Rabbit God after 10 gazillion years of cultivation. Sounds too farfetched? That's just your imagination.
In fantasy, even in the Eastern variety, it's not impossible for even a piece of stick lying on the side of the road to become a strong monster or something after learning how to cultivate. That's how the world works.
"…Aaaand there we go!" Maple exclaimed as she bounced up from her crouching position, all while holding the tree branch that she used to draw all the 'artworks' surrounding her.
She looked at her 'Magnum Opus' in satisfaction after looking left and right a few times.
"Un! I should probably just change the storyline and change it into a hero story before showing it to Pochi-chan! She'll surely like it!" Maple nodded to herself, thinking of the clumsy dog-girl of their group. Well, it's not like she's one to talk though.
Like every other peaceful life in some cliché novels even back on Shun's old world, peaceful times doesn't last long. Something scary and ominous is bound to happen whenever there are peaceful times.
Sure enough, while Maple is admiring her work, a group of five individuals are preparing an ambush from the shadows. Once they were all at the ready, they all jumped out simultaneously and showered Maple with attack skills one after another.
"Destructive Smash—!" One of the assailants yelled out rather dramatically.
However, unlike that rather dramatic yell, the resulting damage and effect was lackluster. Or rather, he didn't even deal any damage whatsoever.
Along with a rather comical bonking sound, the man's sword bounced off of Maple's head as if it was a plastic toy — and that's an understatement. Heck, even plastic toys could deal some damage if you swing it hard enough.
Similar to how the man's earlier attacks just bounced off of Maple's body and armor without dealing any damage, his companions weren't dealing any damage to Maple either. It's as if Maple's skin have this unknown protective layer that prevents her from receiving any damage at all. That's what they're all thinking as of the moment at least.
"W-What the—"
"Gotcha!"
Before the man could scream like akin to a man seeing a horrendous sight right in front of him, half of his upper body was swallowed whole by Maple's shield, leaving the rest of him to turn into digital particles and vanish.
As for his companions? Well, two of them shortly joined after him in the spectator's seat while the remaining members fled with their tails between their legs.
Even after trying so hard, they never even damaged Maple. At least dealing 1 damage would've been enough to regain some of their lost self-confidence.
Unfortunately for this group of cowards who chose to team up and beat up every solo player that they come across, reality is cruel. They didn't deal a single damage to Maple.
What's even more demoralizing is the fact that Maple just giggled at their attempts while saying that it tickles. At that point, they were so stunned and dazed that they didn't even notice Maple eliminating three of their other comrades.
They can't be blamed though. Encountering an iron fortress while thinking that you have some sort of shot at getting into the leaderboards after killing her is enough to make people reconsider their life choices.
Maple just watched as the two remaining players run off without doing anything.
They have speed and she doesn't. How can she give chase?
With four newly made red crystals decorating the front of her shield, Maple puffed up her chest slightly in pride.
"Hehe, I guess my abs were strong enough to block any damage from hurting me!"
However, even though she managed to increase her kill count, she's now facing another predicament.
"What to do now?" Looking around, there's really no one around her that she could pick a fight with.
"Maa… I should just continue drawing then!" She picked up her stick again, for a second time leaving herself completely open to attack.
Maple was having so much fun drawing, she genuinely appeared to be full of openings. She wasn't trying to set a trap or anything, but this time she managed to hook a party of three.
Similar to the earlier encounter, a man with a sword charged right at Maple. Just a beeline dash, no feints or tricks. But compared to Maple's AGI: 0, he was very fast indeed.
"But you're not as fast as [Admin] Shun-san or even Tama-chan…" Maple whispered while directing her shield to face the right.
As if she predicted that the man will attack there, Maple managed to block the attack from hitting her. Then, after which, he was swallowed by Maple's shield.
As another red crystal formed on her shield, Maple took out New Moon from its scabbard and made it sing.
"Paralyze Shout!"
There was a shrill scrape, and all two remaining players fell flat on their faces.
The newly formed red crystal on the shield shattered with a crack. Maple stood up, hoisting her great shield.
"Fu-fu… I win!"
After striking a slight victory pose, she quickly dispatched the other two.
Each turned into a new red jewel, gleaming on the front of her shield.
"Great shields are really strong!" she said, nodding happily. Things were definitely going her way.
'What about my friends, I wonder?' Maple thought.
She took a seat again, never once suspecting that she was the only great shielder who could do anything this ridiculous.
Well, you couldn't blame her.
After going through Shun's 'teachings', Maple managed to 'broaden' her horizons. And by that, it meant that her common sense was completely shattered.
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While Maple is busy in creating another one shot manga, the spectators are busy talking about her, Pochi, and Tama.
✽✽[First Event Spectators]✽✽
Anonymous Spectator: So far, that's three pretty and cute girls in a row that the devs are showing on the big screen…
Anonymous Spectator: I see that they're a man of culture as well.
Anonymous Spectator: Still, I'm wondering if they have a thing for lolis or something. They've only been showing lolis until now for three times in a row. Should we hit up the FBI to monitor these pedo uncles?
Anonymous Spectator: Give them a break. They're just being their cultured self.
Anonymous Spectator: LOLI, MUST, PROTECC!
Anonymous Spectator: She PROTECC…
She ATTACC…
But most importantly…
She's not a waifu we need to PROTECC…
Anonymous Spectator: That sounds really lame but also accurate for some odd reason.
Anonymous Spectator: Jokes aside, isn't her defense kinda unfair to everyone? How can even magic damage not leave even a scratch on her?
Anonymous Spectator: Like Tama-chan and Pochi-chan, it looks like she gained some rather unique equips?
Anonymous Spectator: Speaking of which, do you think this Maple is in a group with Pochi and Tama?
Anonymous Spectator: Oi oi, don't say something so terrifying, okay? We're all just chillin' and vibin' here. No need to make some Halloween-esque joke that's gonna make everyone shiver in fear…
Anonymous Spectator: It's summer and people are already telling some terrifying horror stories to everyone…
Anonymous Spectator: Shh, guys. Enough with the jokes and ominous forebodings. Let's talk about Maple's skills.
Anonymous Spectator: Her outrageous shield aside, don't you think it's unfair that she could also one-shot an enemy who gets close to her?
Anonymous Spectator: Don't forget that she doesn't seem to be running out of mana even though she's been spamming her CC with AoE effect skill on everyone…
Anonymous Spectator: The only problem is, she's too slow. I've never seen her get hit by an attack head on. Do you think, like Pochi and Tama, she dumped all of her points to one stat?
Anonymous Spectator: I can already tell that she did and that she dumped it all on her VIT.
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As if to prove that what the last anonymous spectator said is true, the live video feed of what Maple is currently on about showed a footage of her receiving an attack head on that hit her shoulders. To everyone and the assailant's horror, she didn't even flinch nor received any damage whatsoever.
✽✽[First Event Spectators]✽✽
Anonymous Spectator: Haa…
Anonymous Spectator: I feel like I'm becoming desensitized from what I've been witnessing since earlier this day…
Anonymous Spectator: I agree +1
Anonymous Spectator: I agree +2
Anonymous Spectator: I agree +3
…
Anonymous Spectator: At this point, I don't think anyone other than the higher leveled players could kill Maple. Or maybe Pochi or Tama have a shot at doing so?
Anonymous Spectator: She's like an invincible fortress.
Anonymous Spectator: Maple, the Invincible Fortress sounds good to me.
Anonymous Spectator: I feel like Invincible Maple is enough to describe her, though…
Somehow, I got this gut feeling that this isn't even her final form.
Anonymous Spectator: Why? Hey, aren't you that guy who's saying ominous words earlier!
Anonymous Spectator: Don't you feel like she, Pochi, and Tama is giving off this LAST BOSS vibe more than any boss in this game?
Anonymous Spectator: You do have a point there bud…
Anonymous Spectator: Then, if they are a group, wouldn't there be a stronger final boss in this game?
Anonymous Spectator: Oi you dumb f***! Stop raising flags left and right! If you are that tired of living, don't drag us into this!
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※~To be continued~※
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Author's Remarks:
※ That's all for Maple for now. Now, let's move to Mutsuko, Rikka, and Satania's adventures. As for Risa? We'll leave her be for now since I want to showcase the girls of the group chat first. I also want to see some battle between Tama/Pochi VS that ninja looking guy from the original novel who ranked 2nd or something, I don't remember.
