"What do I do now? Should I tell them or keep quiet?" Miruku’s mind raced in a whirl of confusion. Should she reveal her findings or hold her tongue?

Anyi was exhausted, and Ariana needed to recover her mana. Layton, though insisting “It’s okay, it’s okay,” had taken more than half damage to his health. Meanwhile, Miruku hadn’t sustained any injuries and had managed to conserve her mana, even focusing on regaining her stamina.

Among the four, she felt the most useless—a self-proclaimed burden. All she had done was run back and forth, only to return here at the last moment. If she didn’t share her discovery now, they might just leave the forest, thinking their work was done.

And if they did that? The threat would still linger. She couldn’t shake the thought that she would be the one responsible for whatever harm befell the villagers. In her mind, the scenario played out like a nightmare.

She envisioned herself strung up on a cross, surrounded by wooden materials, with a sign around her neck reading “Sinner.” People shouted and hurled rotten food at her, their faces twisted in rage.

"The murderer!!"

"If you kill the people of the whole village, you are the monster!!"

"Set fire! Set fire! Set fire!!"

From her vantage point on the cross, she looked into the eyes of her teammates, only to see disdain reflected back at her.

Anyi: “The murderer, go die.”

Ariana: “I can’t believe Miruku would be like this!”

Layton: “A real man! We cannot tolerate evil existence! Death penalty!”

Then came the final, fateful moment—a loud crack as wood ignited, flames engulfing her, swirling black smoke filling the air.

...

“No! No—ahh!!”

Miruku clutched her head and threw her gaze to the sky, her anguished cry startling her companions.

Anyi raised an eyebrow, confusion etched on his face.

“Miruku? Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Ariana’s voice was laced with worry.

“I’m... I’m fine! No need to burn me! I’ll tell you everything!” Tears streamed down her cheeks as panic surged within her.

“Burn you? Who wants to burn you?” Layton scratched his head, perplexed.

“No! This is definitely not the Slime King’s true body!” She pointed at the motionless meatball.

“It’s a disguise created by the slime! If we destroy the core, it will dissolve just like those tentacles!”

Miruku's voice rang out with newfound confidence, and it was the first time Anyi had heard her speak so boldly.

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“Oh, no wonder,” he replied, feigning surprise.

“The true body hasn’t been destroyed yet?!” Layton exclaimed, the realization dawning upon him.

What now?

Layton found himself torn between options. If the meatball was indeed the Slime King’s true body, they could simply leave the jungle. But if the real body lay elsewhere, they had to press on despite their fatigue.

They had come to resolve this threat. If they left now, the Slime King might recover and attack the village in their absence. Just moments before, the tentacles had targeted them, but what if they were unleashed upon the villagers instead?

There would be no way to warn the villagers or protect them if the danger extended beyond the jungle.

“Destroying it is absolutely necessary, right?” Ariana’s expression turned grave.

“Let’s rest a moment first,” Anyi suggested, feigning exhaustion.

“The Slime King isn’t attacking now, and this creature seems to be playing dead. We should take advantage of this time to recover and then delve deeper into the jungle to find its true body.”

“Agreed. Let’s rest for a bit,” Ariana nodded.

“I’ll go around and keep watch!” Miruku said, lifting Anyi’s shoulders as she stood.

“Okay, I’ll help look after Anyi,” Ariana said, stepping in to assist her.

Finally free, Miruku stood shakily, her legs trembling as she tried to shake off the numbness.

“I’ll patrol nearby, too!” Layton declared, shield in hand as he began to circle their area.

From the beginning, he had kept a watchful eye on their surroundings, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far, ensuring their safety while the other two tended to Anyi.

In that moment, both Miruku and Layton grappled with the same troubling thought: 'What now?'

With their current abilities, what could they possibly do?

Each hero held a trump card, a last resort they couldn’t disclose to others, and both Miruku and Layton were no exception. Though reluctant to play their cards too early, the unpredictability of the situation forced them to consider how to utilize these hidden strengths. They couldn't compel Anyi to reveal his trump card, and he was undoubtedly their most formidable asset. His unique abilities were best preserved for dire circumstances.

If the enemy proved too strong to defeat head-on, they would need to act first, taking initiative before Anyi was called to action. After all, they had been overly cautious with their own skills throughout their journey. They needed to do something—anything!

Meanwhile, Anyi was still leisurely munching on dry food from Ariana, reclining against her thigh, which served as an unexpected pillow of comfort.

'This is the life,' he thought. 'A thigh pillow is undeniably great. Good, good, good.'

“The withdrawal discussion was interrupted earlier,” Anyi remarked, recalling their previous conversation about the Slime King’s attack.

“We can’t retreat now,” Ariana replied with a forced smile, her tone betraying her inner turmoil. “I was just thinking… If we face a very strong monster, it could become a real struggle. Right now, we’re just dragging you down.”

Her words carried an air of apology, tinged with guilt. Before entering the jungle, she had assured the group they would be capable of handling even high-level monsters. But with everything that had transpired, she felt increasingly culpable for leading them into danger. If she had recognized the risks earlier, they might have avoided this predicament altogether.

Despite Anyi's command during the day, it was Ariana who truly led their group. Had she called for a retreat sooner, perhaps they wouldn’t be in such dire straits now.

“I don’t see it that way. Dragging is not a word that applies here,” Anyi replied coolly.

“But—” Ariana began, her resolve wavering.

“No need for any but,” he interrupted. “Do you really believe that with three of you, I can’t handle jungle slimes? Even three dogs wouldn’t pose a problem.”

“You’ve all done remarkably well,” he added, offering an encouraging nod.

After a moment, Ariana’s composure shattered. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her voice trembling as she called out, “Anyi… Anyi…”

'What kindness!' Her admiration for him shone through, making her feel foolish and grateful at once.

Anyi blinked, a mix of confusion and exasperation flashing across his face. 'Can you not cry while calling out my name? I’m not dead yet!'

Suddenly, Miruku, squatting low to the ground, noticed traces of movement in the soil. She stood, gazing intently into the distance, a spark of realization igniting within her.

'Tentacles are controlled from afar. Does that mean…?'