Defense-focused, with offensive support.
"Yo... hey!"
Iz dodges the lizard's charge with ease, swings the pickaxe down, and reestablishes distance.
Only Maple completely abandons evasion. Even so, Iz, though a craftsman, possesses considerable [AGI].
Dodging the lizard's slow charge was simple.
When Iz turns toward the lizard, she notices its HP has dropped.
"Same as the intel... will my pickaxe hold?"
Iz's pickaxe is the finest masterpiece forged by luck and time.
She calculates that destroying all crystals is not impossible.
But the lizard's speed increases the more crystals are chipped away.
Whether she can keep up with that remains to be seen.
"It'd be easier if I could dodge like Sally-chan..."
Dodge the charging lizard. Collect the crystal. Repeat without pause.
As she does so, the lizard’s movements shift. It runs along the wall. Clings to the ceiling. Falls, striking with crystals on its back.
"Ah… it’ll pierce the ground? Then I won’t hold back…"
The sharp crystal, falling from the ceiling, embeds deeply into the floor. The lizard takes time to recover.
In that moment, she swings her pickaxe. Throws a bomb at the exposed belly.
The bomb lands. Fails to damage.
"Ah… even when thrown at soft spots, it still does nothing."
The data said attacks would not land. But how thoroughly that had been tested, she cannot say. Ending the fight quickly would have been a gain. But the matter does not unfold so easily.
Iz swings the pickaxe with force.
The pickaxe, of poor quality, should have broken by now—but Iz’s still has three-quarters of its durability left.
Iz waits for the precise moment the lizard’s back strikes the ground, then steps back and flees.
This is standard evasion.
To dodge by a hair’s breadth, as Sally does, and strike back immediately—this is clearly abnormal.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if Maple-chan had gear that restored HP automatically… heh!”
A sharp crack—another crystal shatters, and Iz claims it.
By the time she finishes, the lizard’s speed has increased. Iz cannot avoid it and is flung backward.
“Damn… I can’t take two hits like that.”
Iz’s accessory slots are all filled—entirely occupied by the 【Item Pouch】.
The 【Item Pouch】 allows certain items, such as potions, to be stored for over two hours. Iz is stuffing potions into it.
Though called a pouch, it holds only five items at most.
Still, the advantage of increasing recovery speed was significant.
“Fuu… once, no—twice, 【Simple Repair】 will be necessary.”
Iz confirms the pickaxe’s durability and the lizard’s HP, then draws that conclusion.
【Simple Repair】 is a skill that restores a small amount of durability.
Even a small amount, when applied to Iz’s exceptionally durable pickaxe, becomes equivalent to a full restoration for an ordinary pickaxe.
“Repair at the moment of impact.”
She will use her finest potions to endure each hit.
Whenever she gets the chance to use the pickaxe, she will strike.
After a moment, the lizard struck the ground as intended.
【Simple Repair】
Restore the pickaxe’s durability, then attack the lizard.
Repeat the cycle once more, then focus solely on strikes with the pickaxe, wearing down the lizard’s HP.
Iz’s calculations had been correct.
Comparing the lizard’s HP to the pickaxe’s durability made it clear—the lizard’s HP would deplete first.
A few more strikes…! No mistakes now.”
As promised, Iz fought with precise, unyielding movements.
She used potions without hesitation, cutting through flesh, breaking bone.
At last, the lizard fell to the earth.
Ha… ha…! This is the first time I’ve done it alone… I’m no good at fighting… I was right to choose a production role… even that…
Saying that, Izu checks her inventory. Thanks to her prized pickaxe, a considerable quantity of crystals had been gathered.
The pickaxe itself was at the edge of durability, but within expected limits—no issue.
“Phew… With our guild’s resources, this should suffice. Let’s head back… Wait?”
She turns to step onto the magic circle. There, a single treasure chest stands.
Izu approaches cautiously, crouches, and taps the surface with a fingertip.
“This wasn’t in the records… Still, let’s open it.”
She lifts the chest lid gently. Inside lie a faded, scorched brown long coat, a large pair of goggles, and charred brown boots.
Izu stows them in her inventory, then examines their details.
“I see… That’s why those three never came to repair it.”
『Alchemist’s Goggles』
[DEX +30]
[Willful Alchemy]
[Unbreakable]
[Alchemist’s Longcoat]
[DEX +20]
[AGI +20]
[Alchemy Workshop]
[Unbreakable]
[Alchemist’s Boots]
[DEX +10]
[AGI +15]
[New Frontier]
[Unbreakable]
[Willful Alchemy]
Gold may be converted into certain materials.
[Alchemy Workshop]
The workshop may be used in any location.
[New Frontier]
Production of new items becomes possible.
Izu equips them immediately. This time, she steps onto the magic circle.
She may now produce gunpowder and herbs from the endless stock of gold.
High-difficulty crafting is now possible.
She can produce bombs in rapid succession, hurling them with [Throw]. A contribution unlike that of a craftsman, indeed.
I wrote the setting—unique to the series, one dungeon only, one time of appearance—into the first encounter.