Defense specialization and exorcism.
Maple logged out after purchasing additional items that day.
Several days later, Maple arrived at a mountain shrouded in mist.
"Alright, let's do this!"
Maple descended into the mountain and began searching for a red spirit.
"There, there it is."
Maple approached the spirit. Once the spirit noticed her, she produced her throne and sat upon it, sealing the spirit’s abilities.
"This time, it’s a proper talisman—stick it on!"
As Maple pressed the talisman to the spirit, red characters etched upon it began to glow. A white light traveled across the spirit’s surface.
As the light enveloped the spirit’s form, its HP diminished slowly. The spirit emitted a mournful cry.
"Ooh, it’s working! It’s working! Then how about this salt?"
Maple sprinkled salt over the spirit. Its HP dropped sharply.
When HP reached zero, the spirit vanished without emitting a damage effect, wrapped in white light and ascending into the sky.
"Good—exorcism successful! Materials… huh, few? Oh no, no experience points seem to be gained…"
Exorcism using paper talismans and salt yields little in terms of experience or material gain, but offers speed and ease of defeat.
Maple hesitated between options, but could not resist the ease she had experienced with talismans and salt.
"More enemies defeated, that’s all. Items seem to drop, at least."
Maple scattered salt toward approaching spirits, dealing damage one after another.
"Keep it up like this!"
Maple sent each approaching spirit ascending into the heavens.
Low per-spirit consumption meant ample reserves remained from her purchases.
After working at exorcism for about two hours, Maple descended from the mountain.
Sally goes to slay monsters again and again to gather items... this is difficult.
This time, for Sally’s sake, Maple decided to push on once more.
Each day, she continued exorcising, as if she might cleanse every spirit from the mountain, when suddenly, a shoe fell at Maple’s feet.
Oh! Here it comes!
Maple lifts the boot from the ground.
Stains of deep red marred its surface at irregular intervals. It felt, strangely, slightly cool to the touch.
Yet it resembled Sally’s boots quite closely.
"Name is... 'Foot of the Dead'? Feels cursed, but... will it be alright? It says 'Rare'—must be something good, surely."
Maple examined the boots thoroughly. No blood dripped. No dead man’s foot remained inside.
Yes. This might be suitable for Sally. I’ll check the skill—just to be sure…
【A Step Toward the Underworld】
When used, reduces each stat by five and creates a platform in midair.
Duration: twenty minutes. Effect ends then.
Platform vanishes ten seconds after creation.
No… something’s off. What now… perhaps I should show this to Sally first.
Maple placed the boots back in her inventory. She turned to face the last ghost approaching. She would defeat it and return home.
Good. Salt and talisman… wait?
The spirit that approached reacted differently than before.
It began to emit blue light instead of red. It turned its back to Maple and retreated.
Maple narrowed her eyes. A blue light paused at a distance.
The flickering glow seemed to beckon.
Perhaps I should go see. Stow the throne. Yes—done.
Maple raised her shield and stepped forward, cautious, toward the blue light.
When Maple reached close, the spirit moved ahead, guiding her.
"Ascending the mountain... I'll go see."
Maple followed the spirit up the mountain and finally reached the summit.
The summit was wrapped in thicker fog, visibility reduced to less than a meter.
"Where should I go? Ah, this..."
A broken wooden cross, embedded in the ground, tapped lightly against Maple’s foot.
Nearby lay the remains of a withered bouquet.
"O-oh! I kicked it! Sorry!"
Maple closed her eyes and clasped her hands.
A white hand suddenly sprouted from the ground and seized her ankle.
"Wha—!? H-hey! Let go!"
Maple felt her foot pulled downward, the ground beneath her vanishing as if she were floating.
The sensation of falling endlessly made her instinctively squeeze her eyes shut.