Defense specialization and jungle.
At the moment the queen bee descended to the space between the hive and Maple and the others, suddenly the hive directly above the queen bee began collapsing one after another, falling down.
The queen bee dodged it lightly. The remnants of the hive fell straight toward Maple and the others.
“【Cover Move】【Cover】!”
Maple used a movement etched into her body, shielding Pain.
The fallen hive collapsed with a squelch, spilling the honey stored within across the ground.
“Mmm...? Ugh... can't move.”
The sticky honey completely immobilized Maple. In truth, Maple could have escaped had she possessed a moderate amount of 【STR】, but with her base value at zero, even the 【Brutality】 state was insufficient to overcome the cost.
The queen bee clung to Maple and began struggling, biting and stabbing with its stinger.
HP remained full, so its actions were not complex—limited to using wind-elemental magic, nothing more.
Yet naturally, these attacks inflicted no damage on Maple. They were merely earnest, futile efforts.
"I'll handle this."
Pain stepped out from beneath Maple's massive frame and walked across the honey without difficulty.
He stepped back a short distance, then drew his sword.
"【Leap】!"
Pain leapt onto Maple's back and advanced directly behind the queen bee.
The queen bee, now too close, shifted its target to Pain and thrust its venomous stinger forward.
Pain easily deflected it with his shield and charged at the staggered queen bee.
"【Judgment Holy Sword】"
The glowing sword swung sideways, cleaving through the bee’s body and passing through.
Pain’s attack carried force equal to the one he had unleashed upon Maple during a past event.
The bee did not withstand it. Its body split cleanly in two, vanishing instantly into a shower of light.
At the same moment, the honey that had held Maple also dissolved into light.
After the queen bee disappeared, several jars filled with honey and two crowns remained on the ground.
Pain examined the two crowns and the jars’ effects.
“The honey jars… perhaps sell them to someone with cooking skill. The crowns increase maximum MP by a percentage.”
They divided the dropped items precisely, then began moving forward.
Maple knew she could not use the crown immediately, but the sight of it alone was enough to please her.
"Shall we go that way?"
She moved one of her limbs to point in the direction she wished to go.
"Aye, that’s true. This jungle is vast... something will surely be found."
"Then we shall go."
Maple advanced through the gaps between trees, her body carrying Pain.
Maple was there. Pain was there.
Not only the two of them, of course.
Specifically, Sally was also within the jungle. She was far from Maple, but Sally had no way of knowing that.
In a field with no landmarks to guide reunion, attempting to meet was impossible. It was better not to dwell on it.
Sally moved through the jungle with light steps.
"Anything out there?"
Sally moved lightly over fallen logs, hopping forward. A shape at the edge of her vision felt unfamiliar. She stopped.
“Hm? That… is…?”
She narrowed her eyes, staring into the distance.
A faint white presence beyond vivid green. Too far to see clearly. She could not tell what it was.
“Alright, let’s go.”
She drew her dagger. Pushed through the undergrowth, rustling branches. Made a path where none existed.
Closer now. The thing became clear.
“Ugh… spiderweb. I’m no good at fighting spiders that use silk.”
She grimaced. Still, she did not halt. Her need for skill was great.
“If it looks bad, I’ll run. But what’s the feel of it?”
She approached the web. Stood nearby. Observed.
Threads stretched between several trees. White threads continued across the ground, but no spider appeared anywhere.
Sally noticed clusters of white cocoons placed on the ground.
— Looks like a trap… but if I move quickly, I can check it.
Sally made her decision. She murmured, yes.
— [Hyper Acceleration]!
She leapt from the tree's shadow and touched the cocoon on the ground.
— Item… skill… no! Damn it…
As expected, it was a trap. Sally had considered that possibility.
What she had not anticipated was the web spreading from the ground, covering such a wide area that even under [Hyper Acceleration], she could not avoid it.
She was lifted upside down, her right foot entangled.
— Did I do something like this before…? That’s why I hate these things… damn it.
Sally’s inverted vision showed a large spider.