Defense specialization and initial damage.

Skill adjustment.

"Hah... Why did you just die on your own... I didn't even want to kill you..."

Maple lamented the death of the white hare. After a moment, she steadied herself and checked her level-up status.

"Ah! Five more points to allocate in stats!"

With these points, she could finally part with any stat that still read zero.

"Hmm... But upgrading anything other than defense now...?"

She hesitated. Once allocated, points could not be reclaimed. She considered carefully.

"Alright... decided! I'll put them all into VIT!"

Maple poured all five points into VIT, then pressed deeper into the forest in search of another monster.

"Eww... This is disgusting..."

At this moment, a large centipede coiled around Maple's ankle. Surely no one could find this feeling anything but unpleasant.

Maple drives the short blade from her hip, slashing into the body again and again. The centipede carries poison. It injects venom into any creature it bites. But Maple’s body remains unmarked, even when bitten. There is no place for the poison to enter.

Nor does she possess the innocence of a white hare.

It matters nothing to her, even if she falls.

It took dozens of stabs before she finally fell, her attack too weak to be otherwise.

The level does not rise...

Maple hesitated, unsure whether to turn back now.

Yet as she pressed deeper, she had wandered into a place where the strongest of monsters resided.

And the monster, unfortunately, appeared before Maple at this very moment.

A large bee, buzzing loudly as it flies.

It approaches Maple.

"Lies… worst…"

Maple recoils at the impossible size of the bee’s stinger and raises her great shield.

Yet Maple, with 【AGI 0】, cannot follow the giant bee’s swift motion.

In an instant, she is struck from behind—her neck pierced…

Gone.

The giant bee seems confused, repeatedly trying to stab her neck.

“Ahaha… ticklish, aren’t you?”

Maple regains composure, returning to her usual self.

The giant bee attempts to sting her several more times, then stops—realizing the futility. It sprays venom instead.

“Nn…!?”

Maple feels pain, not searing like burning skin, but real enough—like the ache after a sunburn, stepping into hot water.

Checking her status, HP drops by one. She has thirty-nine more venom strikes before death.

“……Strategic retreat!”

Maple turns her back on the giant bee and flees. Yet the merciless gap in AGI prevents it.

Giant bees expel venom one after another.

…kū………

When Maple’s HP fell below half.

Skill acquired: [Poison Resistance Minor]

After that voice, Maple sustained no further damage. Had it been her usual self, she would have rejoiced. But not this time. She was slightly angry. The giant wasp had been struck for the first time.

Not anymore...

Maple collapses to the ground, dragging herself slightly away from the spot as if pretending to flee.

Yes, it is acting.

Whether the effect took hold or not, the giant bee sprayed venom as if saying it would not stop just yet. As Maple gradually slowed its movements, the bee sprayed more venom, as if saying it must not cease.

『Skill [Poison Resistance: Low] has evolved to [Poison Resistance: Medium]』

Maple smiles faintly. Yes. This was the intent. The one remaining concern—her vulnerability to poison—was now fully resolved.

She goes completely still. Pretends to be dead. The giant bee leans in, seeking to lift her.

‘Fufu… got you, giant bee!’

She flips onto her back and stabs the short blade into the gaping mouth. The blade pierces through the unarmored jaw with a grating sound, splitting the head open.

Maple twists the blade left and right. The HP gauge above the bee’s head diminishes steadily.

The bee lashes out in rage, stabbing with its stinger. No damage is done.

At last, the giant bee trembles once, twice—then dissolves into light and vanishes.

A silver ring drops with a soft thud onto the ground.

“Fufufu… I’ve won, haven’t I?”

[Skill Acquired: 【Giant Killer】. Level increased to 8.]

Maple picks up the ring, then checks the newly acquired skill and the ring itself.

Forest Queen Bee’s Ring [Rare]

[VIT +6]

Auto-Recovery: Restores one-tenth of maximum HP every ten minutes.

“Ooooh… this is amazing. HP recovery! So this is a rare drop—was I lucky?”

For Maple, whose MP remains at its initial value and who has yet to acquire a single spell, HP recovery is invaluable. And the bonus VIT +6, though modest, is significant. To Maple, who already possesses 【Absolute Defense】, this is equivalent to VIT +12.

She removes the glove she wore from the start and puts on the ring. The glove is not an equipment item—merely a decorative accessory—and she slips it back over the ring.

Valuable items and skills are not spoken of or shown to others, written in a note, she recalls.

It was a note left by Risā for protection against PK—Player Kill. Though, few players capable of PKing the current Maple would appear so easily.

"Next, skill..."

[Poison Resistance: Medium]

Nullifies strong poison.

Acquisition condition:

Endure strong poison forty times.

"Didn't feel that strong, though... Maybe VIT reduces poison damage too?"

Indeed, it did. It lessened and suppressed the damage taken, as intended.

Yet, due to poison’s nature, even without resistance, one point of damage is unavoidable.

"Then next!"

[Consume Giant]

When four or more stats excluding HP and MP are lower than those of the opponent, all stats excluding HP and MP double.

Acquisition condition:

When four or more stats, excluding HP and MP, are less than half of the opponent's, the player may slay the monster alone.

"My stats are all zero... wait—so during combat, most of the time, all stats double? That means... VIT becomes four times over!"

As Maple said, her stats were all zero, so the effect would be VIT doubled.

She had gained another level, and with it, more stat points.

"Wait—only fifteen stat points? Is it only granted in multiples of two?"

Without hesitation, Maple poured all her points into VIT.

Considering the strength of 【Giant Killing】—this was the best course.

Maple's current VIT value stood at an astonishing 616.

"Hmm... I feel worn out. Let's call it a day. Surprised how much I got into it."

Maple exited the forest and returned to the Town, logging out to the real world.

Adjusted 【Poison Resistance High】 to 【Poison Resistance Medium】

Consequently, adjusted 【Poison Resistance Medium】 to 【Poison Resistance Low】

Revised description of the battle scene against the giant bee.

Adjusted the ring’s rarity to better match its effect.