D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad Chapter 2193 Poisonous List Part 1

Kat ---

The group disbanded after finalizing a portion of the arrangements. Steel, it turned out, still needed to discuss specific team assignments, complete with visual aids for each member to prevent any infiltrators using illusions. This way, Kat would be able to identify them if they attempted to deceive the group.

Hedera, Furen, and Tanisha had departed to deliberate on their individual plans. It seemed they had begun forming bonds, or perhaps Hedera and Tanisha were deepening their friendship, while Tanisha and Furen were already close. Kat could overhear their discussions about their intentions, the associated risks, and their feelings regarding the various choices presented.

Appoline and Kat found themselves outside once more, engrossed in potion-making. Or at least, Appoline would label it as such. Kat suspected Appoline was simply relishing the opportunity to experiment with demonic energy as a supplementary component for her concoctions. It was a novel and intriguing element for the alchemist, and Appoline was eager to capitalize on this discovery, though she still had valuable insights to share.

"Alright, while we're engaged in this," Appoline began, "I can review the insights I've gained from cataloging various Troll's Bane poisons. The primary one, naturally, is Troll's Bane itself, along with several related variants. All of them—"

"Wait a moment," Kat interrupted. "I understand this is important, but we have ample time, and I'm genuinely curious now... Why is it called Troll's Bane? I had assumed Troll's Bane was the general classification?"

"Ah, yes, indeed... While I haven't delved into the complete historical records myself, I can offer my most informed conjecture. You see, healing potions are simply designated as 'healing potions,' irrespective of their components, as long as they yield similar outcomes. Countless methods exist for their creation because regenerative properties and vitality are exceptionally common in flora, and these can be extracted without significant difficulty. Even common blades of grass can recover from conditions that would prove devastating to other species.

"Consequently, when discussing specific formulations, one typically references the key ingredient or the primary source region. The peculiar aspect of Troll's Bane, however, is its relative novelty compared to standard healing potions. Its popularity surged due to a cer—" Appoline paused. "—tain prominent figure, I believe, renowned for their remarkable regenerative capabilities. This led to widespread awareness of the potency of such remedies, prompting alchemists to develop countermeasures. Now, while it's unlikely they were intended to counter him directly, this inadvertently elevated the once-obscure 'Troll's Bane' potion into a distinct category, as people began to conflate it with the multitude of other concoctions designed to impede regenerative processes.

"We've now reached a point where one of these should ideally be renamed, but in most instances, the specifics aren't critically important, and individuals who would necessitate this distinction are aware of its existence and know to inquire about it..." Appoline paused for a few moments. "Allegedly."

"Right, allegedly," Kat concurred with a playful wink.

Appoline offered a mild glare before nodding. "Yes, entirely, purely speculative, based on my readings. Here. In this very city. Where I've resided my entire life." Just as Appoline was about to return to her potion-making, she gasped and recoiled. Kat glanced down, noticing a vine that had coiled itself around Appoline's ankle.

It snapped cleanly as she pulled away. Upon reaching down to remove it, Appoline discovered a few barbs on the vine. They were not sharp enough to pierce the skin, appearing almost deliberately blunted. Oh. "Perhaps we should return our focus to the potions themselves," Kat suggested.

Appoline cast a stern look at the grass, as if expecting a reply, before nodding. "Yes, that is certainly feasible. Anyway, regarding Troll's Bane. The original formulation and its subsequent iterations are centered around consuming flesh to propagate. Despite its widespread notoriety, the original is actually not particularly potent."

Kat raised a visibly questioning eyebrow. Without even looking, Appoline continued her explanation. "The mechanism involves subtly misleading the regenerative process, making it prioritize healing the external damage over addressing the internal issue. It tends to... infiltrate the muscles, spreading throughout them, subsequently consuming the surrounding tissue to replicate itself. It functions as two distinct poisons: one that devours flesh, and another that infiltrates muscle tissue. Once it can no longer spread, it induces rapid muscle necrosis. While this sounds terrifying in theory, it possesses numerous weaknesses. Regenerators capable of rational thought can prioritize healing their musculature first. Moreover, standard regeneration is often sufficient to recognize the inherent danger, and its effectiveness is primarily limited to trolls. Their perpetual regeneration renders their survival instincts misaligned with proactive self-preservation."

"Anyway, this substance is unlikely to cause you significant harm. While its name suggests similarity, I suspect it wasn't the actual agent used. Furthermore, it struggles to be effective against opponents beyond a certain Rank. There's a valid reason this poison never gained popularity, and why no one is actively seeking to change its classification. It truly is a Troll's Bane, and renaming the category now would only cause unnecessary confusion among people."

"Therefore, my advice regarding the so-called 'traditional poisons' is not to fret over them. If you do find one to be a genuine threat, concentrate your regenerative abilities on your muscles. However..." Appoline eyed Kat's skin. "I'm genuinely uncertain if it can even affect your skin, because whatever you possess isn't quite standard."

Kat slowly nodded. "Um... why doesn't that sort of poison work on ordinary individuals?"

"It creates a burn that penetrates the skin and depletes its energy too rapidly, failing to reach the muscle infiltration stage. Trolls possess such swift skin regeneration that it can consume the poison before it reaches the muscles. For regular people, it acts more like an acid, but they are quite costly, making their use in this manner a significant waste," Appoline clarified.

"The subsequent category consists of what I'll refer to as 'burners.' Despite the name, these are not necessarily the agents causing your current difficulties. It's challenging to ascertain given the Rank disparity... but let's discuss their effects. They represent a variation of Troll's Bane that primarily focuses on 'burning' the edges of a wound. They don't enlarge the injury but severely damage its borders, effectively halting the regeneration process."

"Most regenerators find it difficult to expel foreign objects..." Appoline looked at Kat. "I'm aware you possess this capability, but it's far from typical. In numerous regenerators, including trolls to some extent, this burning effect poses a significant challenge. The regeneration cannot heal 'through' the poison; instead, it must attempt to heal 'around' it. However, the poison remains active, allowing it to inflict further damage as the new skin grows over it..."

"This results in rather grotesque masses of flesh and artificially formed scar tissue. The only way to address it is by surgically removing the affected areas. Interestingly, trolls have a unique method of dealing with this. They simply grow skin over the affected part... and then reabsorb the necrotic tissue? Something along those lines? My understanding of troll biology isn't exhaustive, but they manage to address it after sealing the wound, rather than leaving it vulnerable to further harm, or closing it and risking complications later on."

Kat nodded, finding herself with no further inquiries regarding those specific poisons. "Is the next one the final category?"

"It is the last broad classification, yes," Appoline concurred. "It is also the costliest and most difficult to obtain and maintain. There are certain miscellaneous substances... but to proceed. I categorize these as 'Bomb Warnings.' The underlying principle is that the poison infiltrates the body... essentially issuing a threat. It conveys a message: 'If you attempt to expel me, the consequences will be far more severe.' The intention is for the poison to induce a negative effect, coupled with the promise of a much graver outcome should any attempt be made at healing."

"That... sounds exceedingly complex to manufacture and even more challenging to manage. How does it operate?" Kat inquired.