Defense-oriented and underground investigation.
They descend step by step, alert, deeper into the dark.
The voice grows louder. At the bottom of the stairs, Maple steps forward, shielding the way. An old door comes into view.
Maple reaches for the handle.
…No lock. I’ll open it.
Alright. Let’s go!
Maple opens the door, raising her great shield. The voice becomes clearer.
Pain… pain… ahh… ahh…
Maple peers through the shield’s gap.
A candle half-melted lies on the floor.
It casts light upon a man tied to a chair, covered in blood.
No hostility… seems harmless. Not a player either.
Sally follows, peering cautiously from behind Maple’s shield. She frowns at the sight.
“What now?”
“Hmm… he’s saying it hurts… I want to heal him…”
“I have 【Heal】… should I try?”
“Yeah… please!”
The plan decided, Sally uses 【Heal】.
A gentle light wraps around the man. The wound closes slightly. Still far from whole.
“One more! 【Heal】!”
Sally repeats 【Heal】 again and again, checking the wound’s progress.
After using two MP potions, the man’s wounds finally vanish.
The two smile, satisfied.
“Th-thank you…”
The man smiles, then slowly fades into white light, growing fainter until he disappears entirely.
“He’s… passed on?”
“Probably. He wasn’t alive to begin with… huh?”
Sally finds something placed on the chair where the man had sat. In the dim room, it glimmers faintly under the candlelight.
Sally lifts it.
“This… a ring?”
“Ooh! Maybe a reward from that man?”
Sally examines the ability of the pitch-black ring.
【Ring of Life】
【HP +100】
“Hmm… higher-tier than Maple’s Tough Ring? The conditions were simple, so it’s unlikely it’s such a rare item…”
Sally hands the ring to Maple.
“I’m giving it to you. I don’t gain much from more HP.”
“Eh… but, are you sure? It might be event-exclusive…”
“If you truly can’t accept it for free, then consider it a loan. You’ll find other gear you don’t need during this event. If that suits you…”
Understood! I’ll give it to Sally then… Well then, I’ll accept this gratefully and equip it…
Maple’s HP is now two hundred—double the previous one.
A number that allows for considerable peace of mind.
At the same time, the decoration slot is now filled. From here on, increasing HP will become difficult.
Perhaps I should rest again.
Is this all this forest event has to offer?
Hmm… maybe there’s one more, but timing seems to affect it. This one only triggered when the clock struck twelve, so it’s likely time-based.
Other events—such as ghost appearances—probably depend on time as well. The conclusion is that exploring this forest thoroughly will require multiple days to determine the full scope.
Then, tomorrow we’ll head toward exiting the forest.
Yes, that’s best.
Sally, too, has no desire to linger in this forest for long.
They emerged from underground, restored the furniture, and decided to take turns sleeping as originally planned.
"Good night, Maple."
"Good night! I’ll keep watch, so rest easy!"
"heh… thank you."
Thus, the night passed with shifts in vigilance.
Second day.
"Alright, let’s push forward today!"
"Yessir!"
After a light breakfast, they left the abandoned house and pressed deeper into the forest.
To save time, Sally carried Maple as usual.
Every so often, Sally climbed a tree to check the direction of the mountainous region while running—this continued for an hour.
Finally, the edge of the forest came into view.
"Yesss! We’re through!"
"Ugh… it’s been so long since I’ve seen bright light… it stings…"
Maple adjusted her gear and stretched.
Before them lay a barren stretch, mostly devoid of grass. It stretched on toward the mountainous region.
This shift in environment couldn’t happen outside a game.
The unknown scenery ahead is thrilling.
They speak as they move through the wasteland. The terrain reveals approaching monsters instantly. Scouting is effortless.
They spot three distant figures, appearing to be players.
"Maple. Someone’s there."
"Gear status? Should we keep the [Bad Feast]?"
"Maybe use [Bad Feast]—if combat starts, [Cobr Move] might get us in faster… then… "
Sally whispers another strategy to Maple.
"Understood."
They tighten their vigilance. Maple placed third in the last event. Most players likely know her face.
Some might attack just to steal her medal.
They halted, noticing the two ahead. A low exchange began between them.
Without drawing weapons, the three approached the pair.
All three were male. A greatsword, a short sword, and a one-handed blade. A lopsided party.
When within earshot, they spoke in turn.
“Never thought I’d meet another person… and it’s the previous ranker…”
“Seriously scared me… we don’t want to fight, so please just let us pass…!”
“We’re heading up the mountain now… no need to waste skills.”
“Ah, yes. We’re going up too. I think something’s waiting up there…”
Maple’s words drew agreement. They asked to join the group.
“How about it, Sally?”
“………Fine.”
Five of them set out toward the mountain.
Then I’ll go first… Maple, stand in front of the three of them and guard.
Got it! I’ll protect you no matter what monster we face!
Maple grips her large shield tightly.
Reliable.
Truly.
Walking forward, she hears the three behind her murmuring quietly.
They encounter monsters several times, but Sally defeats them before Maple even needs to defend.
The destination draws near.
Alright, one more push!
Maple stretches her arms wide.
At that moment.
Charge! [Armor Break]!
[Defense Break]!
[Through Slash]!
The three behind Maple strike in unison.
A defense-piercing skill rushes toward Maple.
The coordination is seamless, as if they’ve been waiting for her opening all along.
An attack without equal in surprise.
[Cover Move]!
Yet the deadly blade does not reach Maple.
Sally’s second strategy was for Maple to deliberately expose a weakness when the three agreed to accompany her—revealing the true intent behind their presence.
Sally had anticipated that, if she were to offer her company, an attack would likely follow.
With Sally nearby, Maple had the fastest means of evasion.
It was not absolute safety, but Maple agreed to Sally’s plan.
And she had kept watch on the three.
The men did not notice that Maple and her companions were observing them.
So intent on hunting their prey, they failed to consider they themselves might be the target.
“Wha—!?”
The men stared in shock at the failed ambush, freezing in place.
They had been certain.
“[Poison Dragon (Hydra)]!”
The Poison Dragon, counterattacking, devoured the three without mercy, reducing their HP bars.
"Really… they were going to attack."
"Of course, Maple has reasons to be targeted… It was good we stayed alert, wasn’t it?"
"I managed to activate 【Cavalry Move】 right away! Without that, we might have been in danger…"
"Then… do we have the medals? Maybe they dropped."
Maple moved forward through the sea of poison, as Sally spoke. She searched the ground near where the three had fallen. No medals were there.
"Trying for a quick fortune isn’t how this works."
"True enough."
The first PvP event of this session ended in victory for Maple and her companions.
"Let’s shake it off… Time for the climb!"
"Yesss!"
The two resumed their journey, stepping forward toward the mountain once more.