"Um, it was a deal with our leader who provided swimsuit materials and recipes for cheap. In exchange, I had to gamble with cards to get a randomly assigned swimsuit for the summer event. By the way, if you intentionally break the agreement, you're banned from the workshop we usually borrow..."
"That sounds like a strange gamble… wasn't Phoebe uncomfortable with it?"
Rhea replied, incredulous—though honestly, why did she even ask that?
"I don't mind... It's the swimsuit Lena made for me... and you told me you liked it when you saw me in it..."
"...So you have that taste, huh? Lena, or rather, before I could ask the third question I was planning, I've already figured it out."
Rhea looked at me with an expression that suggested she'd stumbled upon something she didn't want to know.
"Rhea, I had to make a swimsuit in Phoebe's size by hand. The reason I said I liked it is because I was enchanted by it."
"Oh, well, Lena loves fairies. If she could dye it in her own colors, that would definitely captivate her..."
I whispered this to Rhea, but… Oh no, it feels like my message isn't getting through. Maybe I should have described it as a status ailment…
As we continued our conversation, I delivered Wendy's potion to complete the quest. The NPC who requested it thanked me through tears, and I received my reward in event points.
"Looks like the points add up quickly. Does that mean the exchange items are expensive?"
"Yeah, they're pretty high. That's why you have to wear the swimsuit to make it worthwhile."
We headed to the prize shop where we could exchange our event points and started looking at the items available. I tried to narrow down what I wanted, but there were so many options it was tough to choose…
- Large Fire Crystal
- Large Lightning Crystal
- Large Water Crystal
- Skill Book for Fire Resistance
- Skill Book for Heat Resistance
**Skill Books for Recovery**
**Skill Books for Attack Magic of Each Attribute**
**High-Rarity Ingots**
...There's a lot here, and all of them require a high number of points... it's nearly impossible to obtain everything.
What I want most are the Fire Crystals (Large) and the high-rarity ingots, as they are necessary materials to repair the broken fairy gate key I acquired from the second quest.
Next on my list is the Heat Resistance skill book. Reading it will grant me the skill, which not only reduces penalties while acting in hot areas but also lessens HP loss during crafting. With this, I should be able to endure forging much better.
"Rhea, is there anything you want?"
"Hmm, I already have most of what I want... I'll probably end up exchanging for consumables toward the end."
I can't tell what level Rhea is, but she's definitely higher than mine and probably possesses almost everything she desires.
Now, I'm eager for more event points, but what should I do...? As I pondered this, a system screen suddenly appeared before me.
'You have received a raid assistance request from Ashton!'
A request from a friend?!
Ashton is someone I became friends with while tackling the dungeon essential for transitioning from Street Two to Street Three.
He looks like a large, axe-wielding man, but that appearance is just a random generation; the actual person is a woman with a notably relaxed and elongated voice.
I've received a lot of help along the way, and I want to return the favor, but I need to let Rhea know first…
"Rhea, actually, I've got a raid rescue request from a friend. They've helped me a lot, so would it be okay if I go?"
"Huh? Are you planning to go with just Phoebe? I'll join too! I want to show everyone the true value of being an idol!"
Rhea enthusiastically wants to come along.
"Wait, can you even go?"
"Of course! As long as I'm in the party!"
I thought only those who received the rescue request could join… But then I remembered I moved with Phoebe during the last raid battle, so it makes sense.
"Alright, let's go! Phoebe, are you ready?"
"Absolutely! I'm ready anytime!"
Hearing Phoebe's response from my pocket, I pressed the button to accept the rescue request. Suddenly, the world around me went white, and when I could see again, I was standing in a different place.
It was a beach, with flat rocks jutting out toward the sea—definitely a sign that a raid boss might emerge.
"Oh, there's Lena! She's gotten stronger since I last saw her!"
"Can you really tell at a glance?"
"Yeah, I can kind of tell she's done a class change."
Ashton was nearby, along with other players. It looked like about fifty people were gathered, with a good mix of men and women, and almost everyone was wearing swimsuits, creating a sense of unity.
"I never expected Ashton to send a rescue request," I said.
"Yeah, it feels like pressing a button to send help to a friend. By the way, do you have any information about this event's raid boss?" Ashton asked.
"No, I don't."
Ashton gave a brief explanation since the raid was about to start. "This time, the raid boss is a Siren. She's a tricky boss who enchants women with her song, leading them to fight each other. Plus, it looks like she'll summon fishmen as minions, so be careful."
Just as Ashton finished, a system screen appeared announcing, "The participant limit has been reached. Raid Battle: Siren Battle begins now!"
In the distance, I saw a creature with wings on its back, a fish lower body, and a shell bikini covering its upper body except for a male face. The Siren had perched herself on the flat rocks by the sea, opening her mouth to begin singing.
"Whoa, what is that? It's disgusting... That's not just a Siren; it's a chimera... But is she not even singing?"
"Lena, jump to the right!"
At Phoebe's command, I instinctively leaped right, barely avoiding a spear that zoomed past where I had just stood. The spear's owner was a woman, and her eyes revealed a complete lack of sanity.
"Has she already been enchanted...?"
I didn't feel like attacking; I knew all too well the horrors of enchantment. The spear-wielding woman was likely panicking by now, her body uncontrollably targeting other players.
Is Phoebe safe because she's a fairy and not just a human? Or is it merely luck?
"Ashton, are you alright!?"
"Somehow... her voice is amazing..."
Oh no, I'm feeling overwhelmed... But it seems that once the charm is broken, there's a resistance effect, so if I can just endure the early stage, I should be okay...
At that moment…
"Everyone! I'm starting a surprise live performance!"
Rhea's voice rang out. When I looked in her direction, I saw her standing on a small stage, somehow conjured up, though I couldn't figure out how.
"Whoa!? Rhea's surprise battle live!? It really exists!? Yay, Goobura!?"
A male priest-knight player shouted. Oh no... while he was captivated by Rhea's beauty, he got blown away by a charmed female fighter player...
I hope he's okay, especially since he's probably a fan. Wait, isn't he the one who cast support magic on Wendy after he got defeated? What a small world! Don't die, okay!?
And what's with the disguise being dropped for a guerrilla live performance?!
"Alright, here comes the first song!"
As Rhea began to sing, a fast-paced, passionate song I had heard before played from the live show, and a music note icon appeared beneath the HP bar... what kind of effect is that?
Some players were getting hyped up… they must be fans.
"Oh, the Siren's song is being disrupted! I can move now!" Ashton swung his axe, scattering the fish-like minions summoned by the Siren. I couldn't hear the sounds, but it seemed he was counteracting her enchanting melody!
Other female players broke free from the charm and began launching ranged attacks against the Siren and the fish minions. Determined not to be outdone, I started attacking the nearby fish creatures as well! Thanks to Rhea's live performance, I felt our firepower increasing.
"Power up! Speed up!" With Phoebe's supportive magic enhancing us, we took down the fish minions in a single blow—what a thrill! But I couldn't shake the feeling that the fishmen were specifically targeting Rhea.
Just then, I heard a different, unpleasant voice cutting through Rhea's song—an irritating sound that filled me with discomfort. To make matters worse, the fishmen, which we had previously dispatched in one hit, were being re-summoned, now armed with spears and wearing armor, surrounded by a strange aura. Clearly, Archie's strike no longer dealt with them.
"Could it be that the Siren switched from an enchanting song to one that strengthens the fishmen...?" I muttered to myself. It made sense; once a charm status is removed, it grants resistance. If she only relied on charm, she'd become weak after the initial stages.
"Alright, here comes the second song!"
"Whoa! I can't die until I've heard everything!"
As Rhea finished her first song and began the second, the note icons under the HP bar increased. Meanwhile, the male priest-knight, who had been sent flying by the female fighter earlier, was desperately trying to protect Rhea from a group of fishmen. He was strong but clearly at a disadvantage—I had to help him!
"Your speed spell back then? I'm returning the favor now!"
I fired at the fishman attacking the priest-knight with Archie, and I could see the surprise on his face.
"Wha—? You… it seems you made it in time for the quest! Great! Let's fight together, small farmer!"
I stood alongside the nameless priest-knight, weapons at the ready. Granted, I was wielding a shovel, but I wasn't a farmer.
Many players were focused on attacking the sirens, but only a handful were dedicated to protecting Rhea. That made sense; if we didn't defeat the sirens, the battle would drag on indefinitely. Still, the consequences of Rhea's performance being disrupted would be significant; the buffs affecting everyone would disappear, and that would hurt.
"Be careful! Rhea's battle live is powered by the strength she gained from her main quest. The buffs are powerful, but if they're disrupted in the early stages or destroyed midway, it could lead to a collapse of our battle situation! Once the live is destroyed, it can't be reestablished! We must protect her with everything we've got—Protection!"
"Thanks for the quick explanation!"
The male knight priest deflects the trident with a magical barrier, shielding Rhea, while he slams Archie into the heads of three fishmen, taking them down.
The number of fishmen is overwhelming; if everyone in the raid focuses solely on the sirens, we could easily be overwhelmed by sheer numbers...
"Aqua Shield! Regenerate!"
Phoebe's water shield completely absorbs the trident that flies towards her, or at least mitigates its power significantly. The slight drop in her HP is immediately restored by Regenerate.
Thanks to Phoebe and the knight priest, I feel like I can hold out. I can't see the siren's HP, but I wonder how much longer it will last... Different players are unleashing a barrage of spells, so I hope the siren's health won't last much longer.
Looking at the siren, I see players darting across the water, evading its long-range attacks while engaging in close combat, some firing lightning-infused arrows and spells, and Ashton, seizing the fishmen's tridents to throw at the siren.
Despite being assaulted by over twenty attackers, the siren continues to sing. What a beast of stamina... It truly is a monster.
"———!!!"
The siren's shriek-like song echoes through the air; the tone has changed...
"What's coming next?"
With a sweeping motion, I take down two fishmen, while the knight priest next to me crushes one with his mace and responds.
"It's the madness phase! The enemies are becoming more ferocious, but it signals the final moments of the boss fight! Let's protect Rhea together and hold on tight!"