Turning Back and Gaining Strength

 

The Japanese Doll drop was an obi for dolls and a magic stone.

 

She was expecting a katana, but it was probably either a rare drop or not a drop item in the first place.

 

The obi was doll-sized, so it was about 1 meter long in width.

 

But it was a pretty good drop, Meiko thought.

 

There were many things to reflect on in this battle, but there were also discoveries.

 

It turned out that the [100/100] jersey would be able to block slash attacks from the battered and weakened Doll.

 

This was very valuable information.

 

However, it might not result the same way with Meiko’s jersey, since Sasara’s skill [armor performance increase small] might be in effect.

 

That was why they decided to have the obi that Doll dropped serve to be a little protection for Sasara and Ruru’s vital points.

 

They cut it in half and wrapped it around their necks.

 

It was a bit gaudy, but it was impossible to ask beginners to create proper equipment on their own.

 

She didn’t know how effective this would be, but it would be better than receiving a slash directly to their skin in case of an emergency.

 

But understood that the Doll was too strong for them at the moment.

 

It avoided her Water Bullet, stayed alive even though it received many attacks, and even made a suicide attack at the end.

 

It was not an enemy that they could no defeat, but at the same time, it was an enemy that was hard for them to defeat. The balance was unstable at the moment.

 

While treating Sasara’s leg, the three of them decided to go back the way they came from.

 

There were many places they had not yet visited, so they decided to start their exploration there.

 

Looking at the map, they turned back and were relieved to see a Pestle Rabbit.

 

Meiko and the others had forgotten that even this enemy was actually a strong enemy.

 

Without a long-range attack, one would have need to have a deadly dance against it every time.

 

Meiko had the job Apprentice Grimoire and a Grimoire weapon, which made it easier for her team to defeat it.

 

First thing they did was to take a branch road not far from where they met the Doll in a direction they haven’t explored yet.

 

After a while, a Japanese house appeared hidden in the mountainside.

 

It looked idyllic, as if it could have been in a good old-fashioned village, but Meiko and the others kept their eyes peeled and continued their exploration.

 

When they reached the entrance to the hedge surrounding the house, they saw a sign.

 

The sign read [Safety Zone].

 

Meiko was surprised to see such a thing.

 

It had not been mentioned in her talks with the professor, and they were likely the first to discover one.

 

The sign also had an explanatory note.

 

It was very kindly designed.

 

It said.

 

—–

 

The safety zone is a place in the dungeon where demons are not allowed to enter.

 

It could  be a plain, a cave, or even an inn.

 

The time you could stay in each safety zone varies depending on your karma value.

 

The remaining time could be checked in the status of each zone.

 

When the time spent in a zone expires, you will be forcibly thrown out of the zone, but you are free to enter and leave as long as the time limit have not been fully consumed.

 

The time spent in the zone will be reset when you leave the dungeon.

 

—–

 

Another negative karma disadvantage system was introduced.

 

“Are you done reading?”

 

“Nyah, want to take a break?”

 

“Yes. It’s only 2pm, so let’s take a break for about …1 hour, and then we can search until about 6pm. If we don’t find a way out, we’ll stay here today.”

 

“That sounds like a good idea.”

 

“Nyah, Let’s do that!”

 

It was a pretty intense day, but they had only been exploring since early in the morning after meeting with Ruru and entering the dungeon, and now it was only around 2 pm.

 

Walking inside, they found a living room with a sunken hearth. It was quite spacious, as if it was designed to accommodate multiple parties.

 

There was no bedding, and it seemed to be a place where only peace of mind was provided. There was also a toilet. Peace of mind!

 

Checking their status, they found out on their status screen how long they could stay, and it was 12 hours for all of them. They would leave the verification to someone else exploring the dungeon.

 

Meiko and the others put down their backpacks and lay down with their heads on it.

 

“Sasara, are your legs okay?”

 

“They’re fine. It hurts a little when I bend it, like my fingers are chapped, but it doesn’t bother me at all.”

 

“I see. If it hurts when we are out exploring, please let me know.”

 

“I won’t push it too hard.”

 

Sasara smiled at Meiko, and Meiko decided to change the subject, thinking that worrying about it would be too much of a bother.

 

“You’re tired, aren’t you?”

 

“Yes, I am.”

 

“But it’s fun.”