D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad Chapter 2199 Poisonous Assumptions

--- Kat ---

Rocky slumped onto the couch, prompting a grimace from Steel, who then decided against voicing his thoughts. Once Lan was outfitted, Steel applauded, the sound echoing through the residence. "Alright, everyone is geared up. You've been briefed, and nothing here should be new, but let me reiterate a few final points.

"This is Kat; she and her familiar, Lily, who is currently safeguarding the item, are your primary protectors. They possess the most experience in this sector, and their lead will be followed until you all commence setup. Appoline has joined to research the unique flora and prepare emergency potions," Steel stated. Kat briefly met Appoline's gaze, but the alchemist remained impassive, perhaps expecting the mention.

Steel continued, "The suits will shield you from the poison, and the facility is believed to maintain some level of filtration. However, I forbid anyone from testing these limits. The warding team is preparing a filtration ward to secure the area rapidly. Once it's active, you may remove your gear. These suits are not armor replacements, so combat is ill-advised."

"Should your suit be breached, proceed to the nearest safe zone, either deeper within or exiting the quarantine. If you move swiftly, you'll likely be safe. If not... you understand the dangers. We've implemented precautions, and while the suits aren't flimsy, they are vulnerable. Keep this in mind. Kat can freeze the immediate vicinity, so if both the exit and the filtration ward are distant, hope she is close by."

This revelation was news to Kat, yet accurate, so she nodded in agreement, conjuring a flicker of demonic fire for emphasis. "Your objective is straightforward: locate the core, establish the wards, and defend it until a permanent security detail arrives. This operation aims to secure the item from external threats. The artifact's ambient mana will simplify ward maintenance."

"Fighting for your survival is acceptable if necessary, provided you report your actions afterward. I advise retreating towards Kat if possible, as she is the strongest combatant, or towards a guard if she is unavailable. Lily will also be on watch, though you may not see her, so don't be overly concerned about that. Any questions?"

Brook raised her hand, and Steel acknowledged her. "Are we anticipating attacks?"

"Yes, to some extent," Steel conceded.

Lan raised an arm, and Steel nodded again. "You mentioned replacement guards arriving later. When can we expect them?"

"It depends on the time required for the ward setup. I recognize the timeline could fluctuate based on your approach, but likely a day or two after completion. I could expedite, but there's no urgent need."

One of the guards inquired, "What about provisions for food and water?"

"Food supplies have been prepared, and a flooded chamber contains potable water for refilling canteens should they run low. They shouldn't, but we reduced water rations to accommodate more food, knowing a source was available nearby," Steel explained.

After a thirty-second pause, Steel nodded. "Very well, it's time you departed. I will escort you to the quarantine zone and then withdraw. Good fortune to all of you."

The group began to move, following Steel out of the residence. Kat couldn't fathom the neighbors' reactions to a procession of suited figures trailing the guard captain. However, the pervasive poison likely provided sufficient context for their assumptions. The journey to the containment wall was brief. Before they could enter, Appoline uttered a concerning observation: "The poison is more potent."

Kat examined the mist. It appeared unchanged to her, perhaps slightly thicker, but not nearly as dense as it had been previously. Nevertheless, Appoline had made the statement. "The suits should suffice," Steel asserted. "Their effectiveness isn't generally compromised by potency unless it reaches extreme acidity."

Appoline simply shrugged. "Just informing you." As she spoke, Kat stepped forward and tentatively placed her arm into the mist. A faint tingling sensation occurred, which was not a positive sign. Upon retracting her arm, the feeling vanished instantly. Re-submerging her hand, she detected no drain on her demonic Qi; it wasn't severe enough to necessitate regeneration yet.

"It's certainly strong. I can feel it now. It still doesn't hurt, and my regeneration isn't activating... but Appoline is correct, it is more potent," Kat confirmed.

"That gives me a slight cause for concern," Steel murmured. "Would you mind stepping inside for just a moment? Wait, actually." Steel tapped his gauntlet, and a rope materialized in his hand. He passed one end to Kat. "Wrap this around yourself, and we can pull you out if you happen to collapse."

Kat merely shrugged and complied; it wasn't a difficult instruction to follow. As she stepped into the poisonous mist, a tingling sensation intensified for a few seconds, but then it surprisingly faded. Kat frowned, rubbing her arms in an attempt to change it, but the feeling simply... persisted. Shrugging again, she stepped back out. "It still feels peculiar being inside, but it doesn’t appear to be causing me any harm."

Steel nodded as Appoline examined Kat. "It seems the poison did not breach the barrier when Kat moved through it."

"That was a worry?" one of the guards inquired.

"Yes," stated Appoline and Steel in unison. Steel looked to Appoline, waiting to see if she would elaborate before continuing. "It doesn’t seem to be a significant issue right now, but it remains a concern we’ve been cautious about. Once more, the more potent effects should not pose a problem for you all. The suits are engineered to repel everything, but if things begin to worsen... just keep a close watch on them."

Kat nodded and proceeded to step inside, taking the lead now. The tingling returned, and she advanced a few more steps, awaiting the others to follow. The group naturally coalesced into a formation, with the standard guards positioned at the periphery and everyone else in the center, except for Kat, who remained at the forefront. Appoline seemed to be lagging slightly behind, occupying a position almost opposite Kat, though still positioned between the guards. Vanilla and Maryland were part of the pack for the time being.

Kat paused for a moment, ensuring the suits would hold before commencing her walk. As she moved, she began to circulate her demonic energy. The tingling sensation on her skin felt like it could become a problem. It still wasn’t, not truly—she wasn’t losing any demonic energy to it—but it felt like a precursor to potentially graver issues, so Kat started to try and ward it off. She enveloped herself in a barely-there layer of demonic energy, using the absolute minimum necessary.

Kat wasn't having much success. Encasing just one arm was manageable, but extending that coverage naturally consumed more demonic energy. Yet, refining it further tended to make it dissipate entirely. Kat was so engrossed that she almost missed the sound of nearby movement. Without even checking, she unleashed her demonic flames towards the source. Her inferno blazed a path to the figure, revealing a slime that was quickly encased in ice. Kat frowned. "I thought we had eliminated all of them..."

Kat continued to fix her gaze on the ice-covered slime as Appoline approached and retrieved a vial from... somewhere, to collect a sample. Kat observed her for a moment before the vial was stoppered, and Appoline rejoined the formation. "Alright, these slimes here have been encountered before... but their return is problematic. Either they have become more resilient, or someone reintroduced them. Appoline, can you offer any insights?"

"Not precisely. While they may be pink, they don’t appear to be closely related to my own creations. I suspect their appearance is merely intended to mimic my projects. In this instance, it’s simply a coloring agent rather than their natural hue," Appoline explained.

"Does that significantly alter the situation?" Kat inquired.

Appoline gave a slight shrug. "I cannot ascertain their intended color... and often, the color of a slime holds no real significance anyway. Without more time to examine it, I can’t provide further details. You did, after all, immediately flash-freeze the creature."

"I offer no apologies," Kat stated with conviction.