✦ ✦ ✦
The view opened before them, and they found themselves on top of a hill. The sights of the tenth stratum surrounded them. Dead ahead were steep mountains, their peaks buried in clouds. The scenery around that…was awfully familiar.
“Are those the third stratum’s machines?”
“Those cherry blossoms are very fourth layer. I see some Japanese-style towers, too.”
“Is the fifth stratum up above? The clouds are clustered, so I can’t see… What do we think?”
Repeats of each map’s theme.
From the look of it, every stratum was represented somewhere. At the moment, they were in a bog-standard fantasy zone with lots of natural splendor.
Just like the first stratum.
“Really takes me back, Sally!”
“Yeah, it’s been a while. It’ll be fun to tackle this. Let’s find that boss!”
“Of course!”
As they spoke, a message arrived from the developers. It was a brief rundown of the tenth stratum’s main purpose.
“Uh, let’s see…”
Maple read through it.
The tenth stratum was menaced by a being known only as the demon lord. By visiting villages and completing quests, players could track down the demon lord’s location and ultimately defeat them.
“Uh-huh, simple enough.”
There was one big town in each themed area, and they could base their operations out of any. The questline branched a lot, so they could clear it in whatever order they liked.
“‘There are a lot more hidden items and skills than in previous layers, so seek them out’…ooh!”
“Still more?! Damn, if they’ve pointed it out, they must mean it.”
“They really went all out. I’m almost scared to wonder what the eleventh stratum will offer…”
Players were getting stronger, so it was safe to assume monsters would try to keep up. Best to find as many hidden upgrades as possible.
“How many will go entirely unnoticed?”
“But if there’s lots, then you’re almost guaranteed to find something!”
“I can’t wait!”
“Exploring, bosses…and secrets galore!”
“We’re in the first stratum, right? Should we hit up the Guild Home here?”
“Agreed! We need a break. That was a tough dungeon!”
“Exactly.”
They found the town on their maps and headed toward it.
✦ ✦ ✦
After a brief walk, they reached the closest town.
The look of the place was nothing out of the ordinary—a stone-paved road lined with NPC-run shops, and behind them, all the Guild Homes. The construction was classic European style—like in any typical fantasy game.
Neither the layout nor the NPCs were remarkable. It was exactly like the first stratum they had cleared. For the majority of the game’s players, this was where it all began.
✦ ✦ ✦
And now it marked a new beginning.
✦ ✦ ✦
“First stop: our Guild Home!” Maple cried. With one eye on her map, she led the way.
They might have seen a town like this before, but that just meant even the slightest variations caught their eyes. The tenth stratum’s shops sold very different things, and the NPCs were different, too. As were the quests they offered.
Elements of the previous environments might be available, but this was an all-new map.
Especially the hidden parts.
Staving off the urge to explore right then and there, they headed to the Guild Home as fast as their legs could carry them.
✦ ✦ ✦
Inside the Guild Home, they got right to planning.
“What next?”
“Explore out of this base…or do a circuit of the stratum, unlocking the other Guild Homes.”
The tenth stratum was huge. There was a town for each theme, and Guild Homes in each of them. There was a teleport circle in each, making it easy to bounce from town to town.
“Probably best to get those unlocked early. Sounds like you can progress the quests from any town.”
“So we should split up?”
“Yeah, to start.”
Best to lay the foundations for further exploration. Maple Tree set to unlocking Guild Homes as their first goal. And when they moved on to the second goal, Chrome spoke up.
“So I’ve got a proposition. Well, maybe that’s too grand a word for it, but…it’s a thought.”
““……?””
Maple and Sally had no clue what it could be, but everyone else seemed to be aware of it. The two of them waited for him to elaborate.
“You said you won’t be logging in much for a while after this stratum’s event, right? So we want to help you explore however you please.”
“Heh-heh, we want you to play to your heart’s content.”
Leveling, questing, dungeons—
Everyone’s priority was to help with that.
That was what Chrome suggested.
“You’ve both helped us a ton, not just in events, but in the regular grind.”
“Nothing as formal as paying back that debt…but we want to back you up.”
“We’ll handle tough monsters!”
“We’ll be useful!”
Fun was always the priority in a game. Until the time came to step away.
“Thank you! But…how is that different? Don’t you always help?”
“Ha-ha, that goes both ways. Take it as a statement of intent.”
“Got it. It is appreciated!”
Maple and Sally would take all the help they could get. They’d always planned to play the hell out of this stratum, and that would require every member’s involvement. The tenth stratum was just that big.
Still, that didn’t change their ultimate goal—beating the super-boss hidden somewhere on the map. They wanted to defeat that demon lord! Ordinarily, they’d have to race all over, clearing quests and hunting for information—that’s where the rest of the guild could step in.
“But…I bet Maple comes back with the biggest clue.”
“Mm-hmm, she does that.”
“Heh-heh, she’s got a proven track record.”
“Nothing will surprise me.”
““Maple’s amazing!””
“I-I’m not that confident…”
“……You’ll do fine.”
“You too, Sally?!”
“Ha-ha, sorry. What do you want to do, Maple?”
With her guildmates backing her up, she could go anywhere on the huge map. Take any quest or dungeon. She was free to play or explore anywhere and everywhere.
“……Then, Sally, since they’re offering, let’s you and me explore it together!”
“Ha-ha-ha. Sure, I’m glad you chose me. I’ll be your sword and shield, Maple. Wherever you go.”
“Ah, you’re my knight now? I accept this honor.”
“You’ve got it.”
She’d let Maple play her way. Relax and let the guild take care of the rest. With that, Sally and Maple’s tenth-stratum adventure began.