Tsutomu was a little anxious after the holiday, but he went to the guild. He walks in front of the usual giant monitor while brushing off a lucky boy with a curly tongue from the back dining room.

　Five minutes before the meeting time. Seeing Garum in his armor sitting on the usual benches on time, Tsutomu calls out to Garum with a smile that seems to open a flower.


''Good morning, Garum. How are you feeling?''
Mm, good morning. I'm feeling pretty good.
'I see. Then may I ask for more tanks in the future...?


　From the swamp, the tank had been hit by quite a lot of bullets, and Tsutomu wondered if that was why Garum had grown weary of the tank. It's unlikely that Tsutomu would be able to take a monster's attack with his body, yet. So, I'm sorry to say this, but Tsutomu really wanted Garum to continue to serve as a tank.


''Hm?　Do we just do the same thing we did the last time?　There's nothing wrong with that.
'Really?　It's a huge help!
"Mm-hmm. ...and then Tsutomu. We have some time before Amy gets here anyway. In the meantime, I need to talk to you about one thing, if that's okay with you?
Yes. What is it?


　While relieved that Garum seemed to be OK, Tsutomu bowed his head and then sat down next to him. Then he listened to Garum's story.


'I want Amy to experience the tank once, is it possible?　Does it still have to have a high VIT (sturdiness)?
'.........Amy-san is a tank? I can take on a tank without a VIT, but it's a bit high. The beach is a bit tougher........ Ah, but from the way Garum-san said it, you want Amy-san to understand the role of the tank, right?
Hmm. Yeah.


　Tsutomu ponders Garum's proposal while looking up at the giant monitor. When the idea was somewhat settled while looking at the beach on the monitor, Tsutomu spoke up.


'Yeah, then I wanted to try out my new support skills myself, so it's just right for practice. As for the location.....................It seems like a good place to try it out in the swamp. In terms of levels, Amy-san can force herself to tank there, and it's easy to understand the role of the tank.
Okay. Thank you. I think he's mistaken, and I want him to experience it for himself.
Oh, really?


　Tsutomu returns an affectionate smile to Garum, who is waving his black bushy tail and looking like a child playing a prank.

　After that, Tsutomu was given back the highest quality medium magic stone that he gave Garum last time. No, no, no, I gave it to him once, so as he was repeating the push and shove that he originally got what he was going to get, a pleasant, high-pitched voice came from behind them.

　Amy, who ran from the entrance of the guild, stopped snappily in front of Tsutomu while shaking the sheath of the twin swords attached to her waist, and raised her hands with a bishouche, looking as cheerful as usual.


''Here you are!　Ah, Tsutomu!　Thanks for the magic rock the other day.　I went to the Fisherman's Diner with my friends again!　I knew that place was going to be good!
'I see. That's good to hear. 'Oh, Amy?　Have you heard from Mr. Garum?
Hmm?
It's about the tank.
'Uh....'


　When Garum pulled back his earlier expression and said bluntly, Amy twisted her head and froze, meditating on her eyes. Then her eyes fluttered open as she remembered.


'You're talking about me doing the 'tank' thing?　But my VIT, C, okay?　And Hate, right?　I don't have those skills!　A tank can't do without it, can it?
'In the meantime, you can do the tank without a VIT, but it's a bit special, so it's a bit of a threshold. However, this time we're going to head to the swamp, so Amy will be fine, too.
It's true.
Ew. I'm not very good at sitting still, you know.
No, Amy, it's safe to say that you can keep moving and attacking as you go.
What?


　When Tsutomu said that while standing up with Garum and standing in line at the crowded reception desk, she rolled her eyes in surprise.


'Amy-san doesn't have the skill to earn enemy hate, so I'm going to have her earn hate purely by attacking. She's a different type of tank than Garum-san, but I think she'll have a better understanding of tanks.
'Oh, really?　Could we do that then?
The only thing is, if you don't have the skills to earn hate, the healer is more likely to be targeted, so Garum-san, please be modest in destroying the enemies and escort me. If it's a swamp monster, Amy's VIT can withstand it to some extent, and if Garum-san is also an attacker, the enemies will be gone soon.
Um, okay.


　Amy has a look on her face as a question mark appears on her head as Garum nods in satisfaction.


'Shall we do the same in detail as before, testing it out in a real battle?
'Yes!　I get it!
You don't even know what you don't know, and you think you do, and you're going to...
'Huh!　I know that!


　When they started arguing, Tsutomu bashfully took them to the empty reception desk.


　--Oooh--


　The sky was covered in dark gray clouds that made it impossible to see the sun. The three of them landed on the slightly muddy ground. The trees with drooping branches stood pockmarked with tall, overgrown vegetation around them.

　The three of them arrived at the twenty-level swamp, and as usual, Amy scouted around them. In the meantime, Tsutomu began pouring potions into a long, thin container made of impact-resistant materials, while Garum did the preparatory exercises Tsutomu had taught him to do.

　Basically, you don't get attacked by a monster right after you leave the Black Gate. They were usually about fifty meters away at the closest. In the case of the swamp, there is an unlucky transition where the destination you land on is a swamp and you get wet with mud all over the opening day, but there has been no confirmed transition where you will fight or die from the moment you leave.

　So right after leaving the guild's magic circle or the dungeon's black gate, I'm taking it easy and making preparations. As Tsutomu was handing the potions in a container to Garum, Amy came back.


'The north is a swampy area with several bottomless swamps. The east and west look no different than here. The south is a swampy area with big water plants. It was pale in color, and probably not a bottomless swamp.
Yes, sir. Let's go north then. And mud slime, floggers, and Bloody Bee will be good practice.


　As Tsutomu, who had switched from leather shoes to thigh-high boots, handed the potion to Amy, she walked behind Garum, sticking her tongue out at him with a gape.


''Oh, Amy, since you're a tank this time, I'll need you up front, please.
Yes, sir.


　The three of us, led by Amy, headed north. The brownish soil became darker and darker as they went on, and the foothold became more muddy. Then Amy and Garum left their shoes with Tsutomu and went barefoot.

　Tsutomu had bought two pairs of boots, but they were more accustomed to barefoot and easier to move around in, and those boots are now the fodder for his magic bag. It feels good - Amy bounces barefoot in the cool mud and gets mud on Tsutomu's white clothes.

　Amy is warned by Garum, and Tsutomu is pacified by the fact that he's going to get dirty anyway. Then, a little further on, a mud slime hides in the mud. A group of floggers lying under a tree is ahead of them.


'Okay then, Amy.
Okay.


　As Tsutomu applies Protection, which increases Vit (sturdiness) and Haste, a newly acquired support skill that increases AGI (agility), Amy runs out as if she is going to play in the mud barefoot.

　She pulls out the twin swords in their sheaths at her waist and pokes the slime hiding in the swamp. The dusky slime tries to take the stabbed sword from above it, but the sword has already been pulled out. The mud slime slithered after Amy as she headed underneath the flogger.

　The flogger, which looks like a frog grown to the size of a large dog, has a dull greenish skin with warts popping up everywhere. Depending on the individual, the flogger, which can spew venom from its warts, noticed Amy and kicked the mud with its strong hind legs and flew away.

　Amy blocked the flogger's assault with her left sword and kicked up the mud as if to provoke it. Flogger's black eyes fluttered, and he leapt after Amy with a gobbling sound.

　Retreating to a slightly less muddy spot than where the monster had been, Amy turned her attention to Tsutomu behind her.


''Amy-san, please counterattack while avoiding the enemy's attacks to gain hate. Oh, please don't use your skills as much as possible.''
What?　Against this many?
It's not much of a practice because it's all over too soon. I'm sure it's quite difficult, but you'll be fine, Amy. Pro-Tech. Haste.


　Tsutomu swings his white cane and flies back with a small clump of protection and haste. Amy giggles and moves the edge of her mouth, but still confronts the six floggers.

　Amy avoided the waved floggers' front legs behind her while checking the position of the potion inserted in the holder around her waist.


'Wow.'


　Amy, whose legs have become lighter due to the Haste, a support skill that increases agility, avoids flogger assaults, back leg kicks and outstretched tongues one after the other while getting used to the feeling.

　After thirty seconds of repeating that, the effect of the hasten wears off. While Amy was confirming that her legs were now heavy, a blue mist flew from her back and she was light on her feet again.


'Excuse me!　I'm a little late!


　Tsutomu shouted from behind and apologized, but continued to wave his wand and sent his protection flying at Amy. Then two of the floggers changed their sights on Tsutomu and came at him.


'Amy!　Attack the lead flogger!　Mr. Garum will deal with the one that follows!


　At Tsutomu's command, Amy plunged her sword right into the cheek of Flogger, who changed direction from her. Flogger, who is out of stance and bleeding, glares at Amy.

　Flogger flew at Tsutomu from behind, and Garum took it with his medium shield. Garum, who took the flogger, which was as big as a large dog, lightly, pushed the flogger towards Amy.


'Amy. Put a blow in each of the three dogs in the back. And four Sula approaching from behind the floggers. Bee confirmed to the west. About ten of them.
I'm not going to take that shit from you!


　While desperately trying to return Tsutomu's words, Amy kicked the ground and avoided the flogger that hit her body, while swinging her twin swords in her dodging to inflict wounds. Tsutomu looks around to check the battle situation while trying not to cut off his protection and haste.

　All the floggers that are charging at Tsutomu, changing targets, are blocked by Garum and pushed away towards Amy. Tsutomu mumbles to himself that Garum-san is a demon, but he applies protection and haste with a lower effect time to Amy so that he doesn't gain hate all at once.

　Amy felt the limit as she followed the slime also approaching with her eyes and activated the skill, holding the twin swords in front of her.


''Soha Zan!


　Amy swung her twin swords while shouting the name of the skill, and the flogger that received it was transformed into a magical stone as its body was split in half. And the mud slime that was approaching from behind it was also split vertically.

　Amy used her twin-wave slash, the only long-range skill of the twin swordsmen who wielded their twin swords and sent the slash flying as they danced on the spot. The flogger turns into a magical stone, leaving two of them behind, and the four slimes turn into shreds.

　In the meantime, the two floggers jump on Amy at the same time. One of them flying like a bullet was dealt with by the twin swords, but Amy took the other one's body hit in the arm.

　The flogger's assault, which would have broken bones if Tsutomu had received it, was only bruised due to Amy's VIT and protection combined. Feeling the pain that spread softly, Amy stabbed the head of the flogger with her twin swords as it assembled on her arm.


'Amy-san. Mr. Garm from the west has brought the enemy with him.''
Huh!
'I'm sorry, Mr. Garum, but you'll have to work hard until you're satisfied.


　Amy glares at Garm, who has run from the west while being healed from bruising by a heel that flew into her arm. A dozen or so Bloody Bees, venomous bees as big as a human face. A few floggers followed from behind. Amy looked up at the heavens.