Defense specialization and toxicity.

Maple and Sally walk toward the field, having accepted the request.

Then, mid-way. A dragon clad in armor takes flight from within the Town, carrying a player.

"Tamable monster?"

"...Doesn't seem like it. Shall we take a look?"

"Yep!"

Before entering the field, the two head toward the spot where the dragon had taken off.

There, among others, are dragons similarly armored, horses that had once proven reliable, and several other animals and monsters.

"...Looks like a rental arrangement. Dragons are a bit expensive, though."

"Are there restrictions on riding...?"

"Regrettably, a few stats are required. Ten floors deep should make the numbers manageable..."

A demand impossible for Maple, who has pushed herself to this extent.

"Fu fu, but we can ride together."

"Ohh!"

"If you want to ride, I'll go in front. Stats aren't an issue—anyone can handle it."

"Shiroppu should rest, I think."

Shiroppu, floating through the air by telekinesis, moves at a notably slow pace. For exploring ten floors, this speed is insufficient.

"Still, it's meant only as support during non-combat movement. So Shiroppu, we'll count on you to push hard when fighting monsters."

"Understood! Then, since I've ridden the horse before, let's go with the dragon!"

"Okay! It can fly and should make exploration easier. Besides, this is what I've been wanting all along."

"Uh-huh!"

Though not cheap, the two have saved enough money by persisting in their exploration this far.

On the back of the small dragon, they both mount at Sally's signal and launch upward into the sky in one swift motion.

"Fast!"

"Perhaps the fastest yet! Don’t fall, okay? I’ll retrieve you, but—"

"Got it!"

Maple might fall without consequence, but if someone stood directly below, that would be another matter.

Sally guided the dragon toward their destination, holding Maple tightly, careful not to let her slip.

After flying for a time, they descended near their destination and landed slowly.

"Seems it’ll come when called, so long as we stay in a safe spot. That’ll be fine."

"Then I won’t worry if fighting comes."

The dragon was left behind. Sally and Maple moved toward the location specified in their quest.

The den of goblins, reached for the many time. Beyond the deepening dark, a monster waits. The goal is the destruction of a set number of monsters. A basic quest, to defeat the creatures believed to serve the Demon King, and secure safety.

"There's no choice but to enter."

"Then let me go first!"

To defeat the monsters, they must step into the enemy's stronghold. Maple raises her great shield, stepping forward to protect Sally, and begins to advance into the darkness.

Immediately, several goblins appear deeper within.

"Alright."

"……Maple!"

"Wha—!?"

Sally suddenly grabs Maple and pulls her back. A sharp spear thrusts from the wall just before them. It grazes Maple’s shoulder, sending a ripple of damage effect across her skin.

The goblin laughs, as if pleased with its success, and vanishes into the darkness beyond.

"Looks like a trap."

"Ow... thanks, Sally."

"Damage isn’t high, but penetration."

A trap with enough force to pierce Maple’s defense would be too dangerous for any player. It would end them in a single blow.

"If it hits, we’ll be fine as long as we recover in time. But we can’t predict how many times it will trigger in succession."

It’s not impossible that they’d be struck by arrows from all directions, defense-piercing, and fall before they could react.

Sally tells Maple to remain cautious, to check the floor and walls as they move forward. But Maple, deep in thought, replies with a different plan.

"Could we do something like this?"

"Hmm? Tell me what you mean."

Maple speaks her plan as it comes to her. Sally nods several times, considering the plan she has just heard.

"Not bad. No risk on our side. Let's try it!"

"Let's do it!"

"Then let's get ready right away."

"Yes!"

Maple stands before Sally, pointing the tip of her dagger into the dim darkness beyond the burrow, where the location of the trap remains unknown.

"【Poison Dragon】!"

A torrent of poison erupts. The purple liquid splatters with wet sounds, spreading across the cavern floor.

Maple nods slowly, as if satisfied. She arranges the detonators she has pulled from her inventory, placing them in a tight row.

Izu's custom timed bombs explode on their own when time runs out. They are first-rate, with ample power.

"Alright!"

"【Iron Cannon Water】!"

Sally summoned a torrent of water at Maple’s signal, pushing the hazardous materials and lethal poison deep into the nest’s inner recesses.

“【Poison Dragon】!”

“【Path of Water】!”

Maple prepared the poison. Sally drove it forward. The nest’s exit was identical to its entrance. Only this one point where the two had entered.

No scream rose. But the rushing sound of poisoned water and the tremor of explosions from within revealed the outcome.

“Ah! Quest completion rate’s rising!”

“Looks like it’s working.”

Somewhere, a goblin ceased breathing. Poisoned. Drowned. Or blown apart. The entire cavern space was saturated with lethal poison, diluted by water. The two stood still, yet controlled the nest completely.

Then, when the nest seemed to stretch like an eight-layered dungeon.

“Ah!”

“Oh—”

“Yay! Cleared!”

“Safe…? Yeah, safe. We won.”

The inner depths are perilous, but they do not need to be entered. The water and poison will vanish once their duration expires.

"Enjoyed that. Shall we move on to the next one? A suitable opponent for Maple, perhaps."

"Then it’s that one, right!"

"Exactly. That quest."

The quest remains. Clear it swiftly. Aim for the final boss, the demon lord, in the tenth layer. With no effort expended, the monsters slain, neither of them is weary. They will face the next battle in peak condition.

"Distance is still great. Let’s ride the dragon."

"Got it!"

Sally lifts Maple onto her back and ascends into the sky with the dragon.

"Another one like this, and it’d be perfect."

"Hmph. Leave it to me."

"I’m counting on you."

The open field will reach its destination after a short flight. Superior speed allows them to bypass most monsters, for they travel through the sky. A blessing from the dragon.

The next place the two alight is an area where all trees and flowers have withered, utterly ruined.

"Tou-chāku!"

"Well then, the quest title favors Maple, I think... "

The reason the two chose this quest. It was because the quest name was clearly stated: "Sever the Source of Poison!"

Poison. Maple. Maple. Poison. Though she now wields many weapons and has diverse combat methods, poison remains her constant companion. Just moments ago, she had perfectly eradicated a goblin nest with poison. Maple not only uses poison, but possesses resistance to it as well.

Poison is weak when countered. Here, the plan is to seal the threat with Maple’s 【Poison Nullification】 and 【Love That Offers the Body】 combo. From fissures spreading across the ground before them, purple mist erupts.

Poison-like, isn’t it.

Use 【Love That Offers the Body】 first, please?

Got it! 【Love That Offers the Body】!

Wings sprout from Maple’s back. A defensive field unfolds, absorbing every attack.

Even Sally, no matter her skill, cannot withstand an unbroken assault of toxic mist—she must use one of her few powerful abilities to counter it.

Moving under the assumption that one can avoid an attack whose range is unknown is dangerous. Sally might manage it, but not pushing herself at moments like this is undoubtedly one reason she has maintained a flawless record. Here, as planned, relying on Maple’s power without strain is best.

“Let’s check it early.”

“Right.”

Maple walks slowly toward the crack, waiting quietly for the purple mist to emerge. After a moment, she lets the mist rise and envelop her entire body, testing its effect. Then she turns sharply to face Sally, who watches from behind.

“Seems safe!”

“Hmm. Then we should watch out for the monster.”

“Leave it to me.”

The two step deeply into the mist, now confirmed safe.

The deeper they go, the more fissures appear. The mist fills the air, nearly gapless, obscuring even the horizon. Thanks to Maple, it is merely an inconvenience. A player poisoned would find it nearly impossible to walk properly.

"Wow... it's like walking through purple fog."

"This is unavoidable. It's good we brought it."

At last, the monster appears before the two, moving with deliberate slowness.

Four serpents approach, dragging their bodies, forming a circle around the pair. Their scales match the mist—deep purple. Not as massive as a Hak, but their bodies stretch several meters long, long enough to wrap around Maple and Sally with room to spare, thick as the torsos of the two women.

Escape is difficult once bound. The two move before words are exchanged. Backs align. Blind spots vanish.

A habit forged through countless battles. The violet great serpent lunges. The pair shift into stance.

Even if struck, Maple will shield. Sally sees the attack through.

“[Ice Pillar]!”

She will not let Maple bear the risk.

An ice pillar lifts one serpent. Sally shifts her weapon to a great maul. She catches another serpent’s head. Flings it back.

Behind Sally’s flawless handling of two serpents, Maple swings her great shield. The serpent before her vanishes in an instant.

Sally’s attack is different. A questionless strike, unchanging—by the [Evil Feast].

No intricate counter, no complex motion. Hit and end. How utterly simple.

Yet Maple cannot handle everything as smoothly as Sally. One serpent dies instantly. The remaining serpent lunges from the side, biting into Maple’s torso.

…Ei!

To bite is to close. [Evil Feast] still has rounds. Thus, attack equals death. The great shield presses down. The serpent is swallowed in seconds.

Fii—

No damage. If they fought at the same range, Maple would be far stronger.

I’ll take the rest. Save the boss for later.

Yes!

Two serpents—Sally can manage. Maple turns to focus on fire support from the machine god, untroubled.

Maple’s HP dropped sharply at that exact moment.

“Eh?”

“[Path of Water]!”

Sally sensed the change in HP more acutely than Maple and immediately wrapped her thread around Maple, pulling her upward into a swift ascent.

“[Leap]!”

Sally created a foothold in midair and launched herself upward from it, soaring higher still. Breaking through the purple mist, the serpents’ forms now distant, Sally tugged sharply on the thread connecting her to Maple, catching her mid-leap and holding her steady.

“[Heal]”

“Shiroppu [Awaken] [Gigantification] [Telekinesis]!”

Maple’s response was prompt. Understanding Sally’s intent, she summoned Shiroppu and instantly activated Gigantification, floating it into the air and landing it securely atop her shell.

Safety was secured. Yet Maple remained puzzled, unable to understand why her HP had dropped.

“W-why… damage…?”

Stay calm. I’ll handle the recovery. Check your status.

Sally pulls out a potion, asking Maple for a detailed report on her current state.

Hmm… wait? Poison…?

Maple realizes she is under a poison effect. It has been long since she last encountered this. The sudden reappearance of the status icon makes her blink.

Poison. Then status affliction.

Sally applies the potion to Maple. The poison dissipates without resistance.

Ah, this might be it! Reduced resistance!

A separate debuff, distinct from status afflictions. For the next few minutes, Maple’s Poison Immunity is weakened.

So. The serpent’s attack must have inflicted the reduced resistance effect. And now, the poison mist—direct contact means poison.

So we can’t get hit by it.

That’s right. Block it with a shield or dodge. The monster’s movements have become quite strong lately.

Even with resistance, we can’t be certain.

With items Izu crafts, resistance can be enhanced. And now, we have various skills available.

Like Maple, many players possess resistance. Recently, even items can provide some defense. So it’s not surprising that monsters specializing in status effects would have means to counter such measures.

Keep it in mind. That way, we won’t panic when the time comes.

That’s right!

And it’s not all bad, I think.

…?

If the enemy used it, there might be a way to lower resistance somewhere. If Maple acquires it…

The poison attacks once relied upon for their instant-death effect through【Venomous Curse】, and the paralysis strikes with strong restraint—both will regain their true strength.

"Oh!"

"Of course, the enemy might use them too. Stay alert."

"Uh-huh... hey, let's try catching that snake once!"

"...?"

"Come on, maybe we'll get a skill if we eat it!"

"Ah... well. A snake, huh. Okay, we'll catch one and leave the rest."

A creature barely alive enough to eat. Sally narrowed her eyes slightly, then nodded in agreement. She waited for Maple’s【Poison Immunity】to return to normal before turning toward capturing the snake.