Max learned three important things as he approached the source of the explosion. First, magical combat made a very distinctive sound, like angry wind chimes having an argument. Second, demons apparently didn't like being hit with spell attacks any more than they liked glowing mushrooms. And third, even the most graceful fighter could be caught off guard by a strategically placed pile of unexpectedly slippery leaves.
He crouched behind a fallen log, watching the scene unfold through gaps in his newest collection of interesting fungi (gathered along the way, because old habits die hard). About fifty yards ahead, a silver-haired figure was locked in combat with what looked like a demon made of obsidian and bad intentions.
The fighter—definitely an elf, based on the pointed ears and the way she made deadly combat look like an elaborate dance—was holding her own, but Max could see she was tiring. Her spells left trails of silver light in the air, each one chipping away at the demon's crystalline form, but it kept reforming.
"Okay," Max whispered to himself, rifling through his endless bag. "What do we have that could help without getting me killed or embarrassed? Preferably both."
```
Quick Inventory Check:
- Slippery Leaves (tested on three different monsters, highly effective)
- Sticky Sap Bombs (accidental discovery, surprisingly explosive)
- Rock Collection Alpha through Epsilon (sorted by throwability)
- Mystery Pollen (makes him sneeze, probably does something to others)
- Premium Dirt Sample #34 (unusually bouncy for dirt)
```
The demon lunged, its claws leaving trails of darkness in the air. The elf dodged, but Max could see she was running out of room to maneuver. The clearing was too small, and the demon was herding her toward a cliff face.
"Right," Max decided, pulling out his sticky sap bombs—pine resin wrapped in large leaves, a discovery made when he'd accidentally dropped something similar into his campfire. "Time to test the old 'throw everything and see what works' strategy."
He waited until the demon had its back to him, then lobbed the first bomb. His aim, honed by days of throwing rocks at various forest creatures (purely for research purposes, of course), was true. The bomb struck the demon's shoulder and exploded in a shower of burning sap.
The creature screamed—a sound like breaking glass played backwards—and whirled around, giving the elf an opening. She took it, launching a spell that would have ended the fight if the demon hadn't partially dodged.
"Interesting," Max muttered, already preparing his next throw. "Definitely vulnerable to sticky burning things. Good to know."
The demon, now facing two attackers, seemed confused about which one to charge. Max solved its dilemma by throwing a handful of his mystery pollen into its face. The result was immediate and spectacular: the demon began sneezing violently, each explosive exhale sending cracks through its crystalline form.
The elf, to her credit, didn't waste time wondering why her fearsome opponent was now having what appeared to be an allergic reaction. She launched another spell, this one hitting the demon squarely in its chest. The creature staggered back, stepping directly onto Max's pre-prepared patch of slippery leaves.
What followed was perhaps the least dignified demon defeat in history. It slipped, sneezed, and slammed into a tree, its own momentum causing the cracks in its form to spread. Max, seizing the moment, threw his bouncy dirt sample at it—which turned out to be an accidentally brilliant move, as the dirt somehow ricocheted between the cracks, spreading them further.
With a final, thunderous sneeze, the demon shattered into thousands of obsidian shards.
Silence fell over the clearing. Max, still hidden behind his log, began mentally rehearsing how to explain himself. "Hi, I'm Max, and I just helped defeat a demon with dirt and pollen" seemed like a bad opening line.
Before he could decide on a better introduction, the elf's voice rang out: "You can stop hiding now. I promise not to blast you unless you're also a demon. You're not a demon, are you? They usually don't use... whatever that sneezing powder was."
Max stood slowly, trying to look as non-demonic as possible. "Not a demon," he confirmed. "Just someone with an infinite bag and a habit of collecting things that might be useful. Or useless. Mostly useless, if I'm being honest, but sometimes they work out. Like the sneezing pollen. That was actually an accident. I collected it because it looked shiny in the right light, and then I sneezed for three hours straight, and I thought 'hey, maybe this could be useful,' and—"
He realized he was rambling and forced himself to stop. The elf was staring at him with an expression somewhere between amusement and concern.
"I'm Max," he finished lamely, then, because he couldn't help himself, added, "Would you like to see my premium dirt collection? I have thirty-seven varieties now, including one that bounces."
To his surprise, she laughed—a sound like silver bells that made the forest itself seem brighter. "I'm Lyra," she said, sheathing her blade. "And I have so many questions about your combat technique, starting with: did you really just defeat a shadow demon with allergies?"
Max brightened. Finally, someone who appreciated the tactical applications of randomly collected items! He opened his mouth to explain his theories about combat applications of various dirt types, but before he could begin, a distant roar reminded them both that the forest was still very much dangerous.
Lyra's expression turned serious. "We should move. That sound usually means more demons are coming." She glanced at him appraisingly. "Want to combine our unique skill sets? I could use someone with... unconventional tactics."
Max nodded eagerly, already scanning the ground for new specimens to collect. "I do have more sneezing pollen," he offered. "And some mushrooms that make things glow. And this really interesting rock that looks exactly like a smaller rock if you squint—"
"Just grab what you need," Lyra interrupted, but she was smiling. "We can discuss your collection methods while we walk."
As they left the clearing, Max couldn't help but feel optimistic. Sure, the world was apparently being invaded by demons, and he was still lost in an unknown forest, but he had his endless bag, a new friend who didn't immediately dismiss his collecting habits as crazy, and plenty of opportunities to gather more specimens.
Plus, he was pretty sure he'd just invented demon-fighting allergies, which had to count for something.
Now he just had to figure out how to casually mention his other ability, the one that let him skip conversations. Though given how interested Lyra seemed in his dirt collection, maybe he wouldn't need it after all.