Chapter 296


    Defense Specialization and the Marsnds<hr>


    The desert was connected directly to a forest . And since there were no monsters around them, they decided that it was a good ce to split up .


    Sally checked her map again and told the others the direction they would take .


    “All of our party members will be disyed on the map . So we can separate here and then regroup shortly before the strong monsterse out . ”


    “Yeah, that sounds fine . We should go to the forest then . Maple’s team can go to the marsnds . ”


    “Okay! I’m going to find lots of medals!”


    “Oh! And I’m going to find promising monsters and hunt them!”


    While Maple waved her hand wildly, they separated from Chrome’s team and started ther search for medals .


    “Alright, since ‘Dedicated Affection’ is still activated, let’s go and explore . ”


    “Yes, let’s do that! Are you fine, Mai and Yui?”


    “I’m fine!”


    “I’m fine!”<hr>


    “Let’s go then!”


    Now that they had tamed monsters, Mai and Yui could move faster than when they rode on Syrup . Mai and Sally got onto Tsukimi’s back, while Yui and Maple rode on Yukimi . And like that, they dashed through the marsnd .


    “Still, this field really is big . Hmm . Where should we look…”


    “Hehehe . I thought this might happen… Look at this . ”


    Sally said as she sent the other three a message . It was a photo of Sally’s map during the preliminary .


    “Since it’s supposed to be the same map, I marked down some likely ces . I think it could be useful . Of course, I sent it to the other group as well . ”


    “You’re amazing, Sally! Uh, we’re currently right here, so…”


    The three of thempared the image with their current map and found a mark that was close by .


    “Ah! Maple, there is one in this marsnd too!”


    “Oh, there is!”


    “Yes . So why don’t we go there first? Mai, I’ll give you instructions . ”


    “Okay, got it . Tsukimi!”


    As they had decided their first destination, the four of them started to move towards it . There were almost no obstacles in their path . It was just water and short nts .


    “It’s in the center, right?”


    “Yes . Well, I doubt we will reach it so easily!”


    As the four of them walked on, they were suddenly surrounded by dolls made of water and mud that rose from the ground . The things dragged their feet while moving closer and closer to them .


    “Wh-what should we do!”


    “Leave it to me . Syrup! ‘Sinking Earth’!”


    Maple gave the order . And the ground around Syrup began to change in property . And the dolls that had appeared from it began to sink .


    “Our main objective is to survive…Mai, Yui, let’s get out while we can!”


    “Yes . They have no magic attacks and they move so slowly… I think they’re the type that are dangerous if they catch you! I’ll create a tform!”


    “Okay!”


    “Okay!”


    They activated Star Step in order to move faster, and then they used the tform that Sally made in order to jump over the dolls .


    “Let’s continue like this!”


    “Since we have to save Maple’s skills for more powerful monsters, we’ll be counting on you, Mai and Yui!”


    “Yes!”


    “Yes!”


    Like this, while Syrup slowed the enemy down, Sally made footholds in the air or created ces for Tsukimi and Yukimi to climb with ‘Ice Pir . ’ They avoidedbat until they arrived at the mark that Sally had put on the map .


    Here, there was an especiallyrgeke, with a single ind in the center .


    Small pink flowers bloomed on the ind, and the atmosphere was quite different from everywhere else .


    Of course, there were numerous water and mud dolls squirming around theke as well . They were currently scanning the area from afar through Maple’s binocrs .


    “What do you think, Sally? Is it different from before?”


    “There weren’t nearly as many monstersst time . But the terrain is the same . ”


    “Yes…it does look like there would be something here . ”


    “What should we do?”


    “Hmm . We won’t get any medals if we’re killed from the get go . ”


    Even normal monsters were strong on this field . Charging into their of a more powerful boss monster would only increase their chances of dying and losing out on the survival medals .


    “But! We decided to hunt and gather more medals!”


    Maple said . And the three nodded, as they felt the same .


    “I think that if we ride the bears, we’ll have to fight until we reach the ind . ”


    “That’s fine! It’s times like these that we should rely on Syrup!”


    There were other monsters you could ride in Maple Tree . But Syrup was the only one who could fly .


    “Syrup’s not actually supposed to be able to fly… Alright, let’s go from the air then . From what I saw, it seems like we won’t have to worry about being shot out of the air . ”


    Once that was settled, Maple called out Syrup and had it erge . Then they got on its back .


    And so they were able to skip the monsters that squirmed on the ground, and arrive on the ind with the flowers .


    “It looks like I can just lower Syrup like this . Let’s go . ”


    And so Maple had Syrupnd on the ind . In the same instant, the ind began to glow, and the four of them sensed that they were going to be teleported .


    “It’s fine! We have Dedicated Affection!”


    Maple said confidently . It didn’t matter what was on the other side . And like that, the four of them disappeared from the marsnds .