The dense forest still clung to the darkness of the night, but the sky above had begun to lighten, shifting from the inky black of midnight to a deep, muted blue. Dawn was approaching.

They all remembered too clearly how, just yesterday, they had entered this forest at the break of morning, battling slimes endlessly. Time, slipping away amidst the chaos, had now brought them full circle, back to the brink of another sunrise. But there was no time to dwell on it. The Slime King was close—too close—and this battle had to end.

[Sword Hero: We have one shot at this. One chance. We must coordinate perfectly.

I’ll draw its attention first. Once I’m in danger, Miruku, you’ll flank from the side and split its focus.

Layton, when it’s distracted, close in fast and use Taunt.

Ariana, the moment Taunt takes effect, strike with your magic and destroy the core. One hit. That’s all we need.]

They were already close enough to catch glimpses of the hulking black mass of the Slime King through the trees. Its shadow loomed ominously in the center of the clearing, waiting.

[Holy Hero: Understood!

Shield Hero: Ready!

Thorn Hero: I’ll do my best.]

Miruku’s heart raced, her doubt gnawing at her confidence. Anyi’s plan was flawless—on paper. But reality rarely followed the script. What if Anyi got ambushed before he could act? What if Taunt didn’t work? What if Ariana’s magic wasn’t enough? A flood of uncertainties swirled in her mind.

'Focus...'

She shook herself from her spiraling thoughts. She had to remain sharp. If things went wrong, she was the only one who could adapt quickly enough to change the tide of battle. Her speed would be their saving grace, but that also meant the weight of the plan rested heavily on her shoulders.

Layton, standing behind a tree, gripped his shield tightly. He knew its limits all too well. It could protect one person—no more. If something went wrong, he could only shield one of them, and the thought of leaving anyone else vulnerable filled him with dread. His timing would have to be perfect.

Ariana, on the other hand, was struggling with her own self-doubt. What if her magic wasn’t strong enough to destroy the core in one strike? What if the Slime King broke free from Layton’s Taunt too quickly? Her hands trembled as she envisioned failure, but she couldn’t afford to miss. This had to end in one hit.

Despite their anxiety, Anyi stood firm. He understood their unease. The confidence they’d carried into the forest that morning had been shattered by the relentless onslaught of slimes, and now, as they approached the Slime King’s true form, doubt had settled in. It was the natural course for any Hero facing their first real test.

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But the time for hesitation had passed.

"Prepare," Anyi’s calm voice cut through their thoughts.

The three of them nodded in unison, their resolve hardening. There was no turning back now.

"Attack!"

With that, Anyi sprinted forward, his speed unmatched, closing the distance between them and the Slime King. The air was thick with tension, each second dragging on like an eternity as the rest of the team followed behind.

Suddenly, the earth beneath Anyi split apart—a gaping maw of dirt and stone. The ground opened without warning, swallowing him whole.

Everything happened in an instant.

Miruku’s feet were still planted, her body frozen mid-movement. Layton hadn’t even raised his shield yet. Ariana’s spell had yet to leave her lips. They had been mere moments from springing into action, and now, in the blink of an eye, Anyi was gone.

The ground had closed around him, as if the forest itself had devoured him.

The three of them stood there, staring at the empty space where Anyi had been just moments before, their minds struggling to catch up to the horror of what had just happened.

Anyi, the Sword Hero, had disappeared from their sight—without a trace.

He... dead?

"You! Dare!! Shameless and despicable!!!"

Layton's voice thundered through the forest, his eyes bloodshot with rage as he surged forward, shield raised.

In a heartbeat, black tentacles erupted from the ground, writhing toward him.

'Shield Bash!'

"Boom!!"

The sheer force of his shield shattered the mass of tentacles with a single blow. Slime King's Durability might have been 10 points, but against Layton's overwhelming 28 Strength, it was as fragile as paper.

Layton charged forward like an iron-clad war chariot, his shield carving through the tentacles with brutal efficiency. Each strike sent quivering limbs splintering, his unstoppable momentum barreling toward the Slime King itself.

Sensing danger, the Slime King recoiled, attempting to leap away.

"Do not! Think! Run!! You shameless monster!!"

'Taunt!'

A pulse surged through the air. The Slime King's retreat halted mid-motion, its body stiffening unnaturally before swiveling its attention back to Layton. Taunt had taken hold.

From the depths of the forest behind him, a blinding light erupted. Branches, leaves, even the shadows seemed to bow in its wake as golden brilliance pierced through the foliage.

'Beam! Multiple release, use all mana!'

Ariana, her Holy Maiden's dress fluttering as if caught by an unseen wind, floated just above the ground. Her long golden hair shimmered like a cascade of light, her eyes aglow with divine power. The staff in her hand spun wildly, forming a radiant circle of gold.

In an instant, she thrust her hands forward, unleashing a pillar of light as wide as a man. It tore through the air, vaporizing tentacles as it blazed a path toward the Slime King.

Boom!

The forest shuddered as the beam collided with the Slime King. The ground trembled, the roar of impact like a thunderclap. Trees bent beneath the shockwave, the sheer force of the blast overwhelming. For a moment, it seemed like everything would end.

But...

The Slime King shifted, its gelatinous form morphing, cupping itself like a bowl to catch the beam.

The gelatinous mass rippled violently under the impact, waves of slime distorting its surface, but the core remained untouched. It was defending—no, it had another purpose.

Suddenly, the Slime King rebounded, launching the powerful beam straight back toward Ariana, who had spent the last of her mana.

"Not good!" Miruku's heart pounded as she darted forward, desperate to intercept.

In that moment, a glossy white figure streaked through the air faster than the eye could follow, placing itself between Ariana and the oncoming beam.

[Special ability activated.]

"Absolute defense!"

Boom!