Dawn broke through the dense canopy, casting a pale light over the forest. The four Heroes had unwittingly wandered straight into the heart of the enemy’s trap. Yet, curiously, the Slime King remained motionless, lurking in the shadows, watching them closely. It did not strike, even though the opportunity presented itself again and again.

The Slime King’s mind operated on instinct, governed by two simple rules: attack when the Hero discovers its lair, or when they stop to rest within its territory. In this world, when a group of Heroes halted for a break, surrounded by slimes, it was the perfect moment for the Boss to unleash its assault.

But this time, something was wrong.

The humans weren’t following the expected pattern. They hadn’t stopped. Despite hours of marching, despite the endless waves of slimes that should have worn them down, they pressed onward. The King had deliberately pulled back the slimes, giving them room to breathe, expecting them to relax and seek a safe place to rest. Yet, to its growing frustration, the humans did not stop.

In the simplicity of its mind, the Slime King could not comprehend this defiance of natural order. It had set the trap, withdrawn its forces to lure them into a false sense of security, but still, they moved forward. Why didn’t they follow the script?

Then, suddenly, it felt a shift.

The humans had stopped.

Finally, they had halted their relentless march. Slime King’s anticipation surged. Now was the moment—this was when they would rest, when they would become vulnerable. But why had they paused? Was it fatigue? Or had they sensed something? Either way, it was time for the waiting to end.

...

"It's okay, can we change shifts?" Ariana stirred from her brief rest, her voice soft yet alert. She stretched her arms, feeling her energy fully restored.

"No problem! I can keep going!" Layton flexed his muscles with exaggerated enthusiasm, his shield already raised to crush another slime.

Miruku, quiet as ever, kept methodically dispatching the slimes swarming around them, her movements precise and unrelenting.

"I'm ready now, you all should rest too," Ariana smiled as she stepped forward, her staff glowing faintly.

"Rest? I’m a man with 4 points in Endurance! I can keep fighting for a while longer," Layton boasted, easily dispatching a slime as it lunged at him. After today's battles, he had allocated his newly earned attribute points to Agility and Endurance. His stamina far outstripped Ariana’s, who only had 2 Endurance, making him confident he could last longer than the others.

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Miruku, on the other hand, had taken Anyi’s advice and funneled all her points into Endurance. Yet despite having 5 points now, her incredible speed meant she tired quicker than Layton.

Ariana glanced at Miruku. "You should rest now too, okay? I can take over."

Miruku paused for a moment, then shook her head. "I can manage a bit longer."

"Alright," Ariana shrugged. "But don’t push yourself too hard."

Anyi, who had been silent, spoke up. "Are you coming down now?" he asked Ariana, glancing at her perched on his back.

Ariana stuck out her tongue teasingly. "You’re the one who didn’t put me down!"

"Then I’ll throw you down."

"Wait! I’ll get down!" Ariana quickly slid off, not doubting that Anyi would follow through on his threat.

As her feet touched the ground, Anyi looked around and said, "We’ve been walking for hours. Let's stop for a bit and rest."

Layton blinked in surprise. "Rest? But the slimes will keep coming!"

If it had been one of the girls asking to stop, Layton might’ve understood, but coming from Anyi, the decision seemed uncharacteristic—almost reckless.

"The Holy Maiden’s recovered enough to handle this," Anyi explained. "She can use her magic to clear out the slimes for a while. You’ll rest quicker if we stop rather than keep walking, trust me."

Layton scratched his head, slowly nodding. "That… makes sense."

Ariana grinned. "Leave the slime cleanup to me and Anyi!"

With that, she began casting light arrows, each bolt cutting through the slimes with ease. Her range was massive, and her 30 Prana points allowed her to do it without exhausting herself. It was efficient, requiring little effort to wipe out dozens at a time.

While Ariana handled the slimes, Anyi and Layton gathered fallen branches and created barriers, fencing off a safe clearing. By the time they returned, they found Miruku had collapsed onto the grass, fast asleep.

Though she hadn't complained throughout the day, and her quiet demeanor made her seem impervious to fatigue, she was clearly drained. Layton, familiar with exhaustion from his days as a porter, could see that even the toughest training couldn't compare to the stamina he had built over the years. One day of relentless fighting had worn Miruku out completely.

Ariana, standing in the center of the clearing, sent waves of golden arrows into the surrounding slimes, effortlessly reducing their numbers. Anyi, meanwhile, moved deftly through the field, ensuring none slipped through. Layton leaned against his pack, watching the scene unfold as the rhythmic glow of Ariana’s magic lulled him into sleep.

Despite their strength as Heroes, fatigue was inevitable. They had been walking and fighting for over ten hours straight, and even the most resilient among them had their limits. Ariana herself had spent nearly two hours recovering on Anyi's back before returning to the fray.

But Anyi was different. His endurance, forged through trials far worse than this, allowed him to push through without rest. He remained vigilant while the others succumbed to exhaustion, preparing for what he knew was coming.

Ariana noticed the dwindling number of slimes. "Anyi, do you think we’re running out of them? There are fewer than before."

"Maybe we’ve cleared this area," Anyi replied quietly. "But others could come from elsewhere. Hard to say."

Ariana smiled. "You should rest too, once we're done here."

"Maybe," Anyi murmured, his gaze sharp, scanning the darkened woods.

As the others rested peacefully, none of them sensed the danger drawing near. None but Anyi, who silently prepared himself.

He knew what was coming.

In the game, this was a pivotal moment. The Slime King always attacked when the players stopped to rest. It was a predictable pattern—one Anyi had counted on. His plan had been to level them up to 5 before suggesting they rest, ensuring they were strong enough for what came next.

Now, it was time.

The Slime King would soon appear.