“Hey—Miss Miruku!” Ariana called, squatting next to a large backpack that Layton had set down.

Layton looked at her, puzzled. “How is she in there?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe she found a dark place to hide,” Anyi replied casually, adjusting the straps of his own gear.

After Miruku had pointed out the direction of the Slime King and described its monstrous form, she had slipped inside the large backpack, which was now empty after the group had finished the dry rations. It was big enough to accommodate her entire body.

“Let’s move out,” Anyi urged, determination in his tone. “We’ve wasted too much time. Miruku took longer to scout, and we can’t afford any further delays.”

Layton lifted the backpack, cradling it carefully as Anyi led the way, with Ariana trailing behind.

“Anyi, the Slime King’s Endurance has a strange symbol. What does that mean?” Ariana asked, curiosity piqued.

Anyi glanced back at her. “That symbol signifies infinite Endurance."

It represents the Slime King’s ability to draw energy from the forest itself, unless the entire forest is burned, it can continuously harvest energy through the ecosystem. And burning the forest would be pointless. I’ve tried using fire, but the Slime King will protect its territory and extinguish any flames before they can spread.”

“Infinite Endurance?! How do we defeat it then?” Layton exclaimed, realizing the magnitude of the challenge.

“We need to hurry!” Ariana interjected, her voice rising with urgency. Though she lacked direct offensive abilities, she could channel Mana to cast multiple spells to support the team.

Anyi nodded thoughtfully. “The Slime King’s infinite Endurance means its attacks won’t exhaust it, allowing it to strike continuously. But its Durability is only 10, which means both my strength and yours, Mr. Layton, are sufficient to deal damage. Plus, Holy Maiden’s Prana exceeds 10.”

“That’s true,” Layton said, catching on. “But what about its 10 points in Agility? Isn’t it quite nimble?”

Ariana frowned, recalling that Anyi’s Agility also stood at 10. “Compared to us, it should have the edge in speed.”

“True, but as long as Layton can land a Taunt, we’ll be fine,” Anyi assured, glancing at the forest floor. “With just a moment’s distraction, we can turn the tide.”

“Taunt?! Leave that to me!” Layton beamed, his confidence renewed. He had endured so much and was eager to make a significant impact this time.

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“Considering the Slime King’s tendency to attack with tentacles, we can expect it to employ the same tactic. Miss Miruku and I will protect the Holy Maiden, while she finds the right moment to strike with you, Layton. If we execute this correctly, we can defeat the Slime King in one blow,” Anyi laid out the strategy.

“Understood!” Ariana affirmed, her resolve solid.

From within the backpack, Miruku remained silent but sent a quick acknowledgment.

[Thorn Hero: Got it.]

“Anyi, why are you so formal with us?” Layton couldn't hold back his curiosity.

“Yeah! I’ve been wondering why you call me Holy Maiden while you’re on a first-name basis with Layton,” Ariana chimed in.

Anyi raised an eyebrow, glancing at Layton. “You call him Mr. Layton, too, don’t you? You’ve been using first names with me.”

“Because… because Mr. Layton is a well-respected figure and much older than me!” Ariana stammered, a hint of embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

Anyi gave a knowing nod towards Layton. “Just like you.”

“What do you mean by that?!” Ariana huffed, irritation creeping into her voice.

“Ha ha ha!” Layton burst into laughter, his eyes twinkling with mirth. He enjoyed this dynamic, seeing the three young heroes as his younger siblings.

“But seriously, Anyi, why do you keep calling me Holy Maiden?” Ariana pressed, determined to understand.

“Because… I have a lot of respect for you,” Anyi replied, his tone steady.

The truth was, he felt they hadn’t grown close enough yet to use each other’s names so freely.

“Ah…” Ariana stammered, momentarily at a loss for words.

Respect? For me?

Her mind raced with disbelief, caught off guard by Anyi's words. The thought of him respecting her was bewildering—wasn’t he just being polite?

Before she could gather her thoughts, Miruku emerged from the depths of the backpack, rejoining the group. She walked silently behind them, her expression unreadable.

Concerned, Ariana approached her. “What happened? Are you alright?”

Miruku hesitated, avoiding eye contact. She wouldn’t share her inner turmoil; the idea of taking on the Slime King alone still lingered in her thoughts. What if she succeeded? The others might resent her for stealing the glory after all their hard work.

Just as her mind began to spiral into self-doubt, Anyi diverted the conversation. “Can you tell us how you found the Slime King?”

“This… It wasn’t hard to find,” Miruku replied, her voice steadying as she recounted her process. She described the initial discovery of the tracks and the methodical tracking that had led her to the Slime King, emphasizing the importance of interpreting the signs to determine its true location.

“Wow! Miruku, that’s amazing! You really thought this through!” Ariana’s eyes sparkled with genuine admiration.

“Exactly! No wonder you’re the Thorn Hero!” Layton added, grinning and giving her a thumbs-up.

“Yes, very smart judgment,” Anyi affirmed with a slight nod, his approval evident.

Miruku lifted her gaze, her heart swelling with warmth at their praise, only to shyly lower her eyes again. She scratched her head, an embarrassed smile breaking across her face. “No, no, you’re all exaggerating… Hehe… Ha ha ha…”

In Anyi’s mind, a sense of relief washed over him. 'Good, that should make her happy for a few days. At fifty, she’ll probably still be recalling this moment with a smile.'

Meanwhile, in the shadows, the Slime King sensed the approach of the four heroes. If it had a mouth, it would grin with glee.

With each step they took, its anticipation grew. If it could consume them, it would gain immeasurable strength!

All it had to do was cling to the trees, patiently waiting for the unsuspecting prey to wander into its trap.