As soon as Kael slammed his hand into the ground, a faint shimmer rippled out from where he hit. A glowing circle appeared, showing the radius of his skill.

The ground hummed under us, and the air felt lighter just as a notification popped up:

[You’ve entered the marked territory. Your action speed is boosted by 25% while you stay inside.]

The glow around the area was faint and easy to miss with everything going on, but the effect hit us instantly. I felt like my body was suddenly lighter, ready to launch at a moment’s notice.

“Grizmar! Move!” Kael shouted.

The boost was exactly what Grizmar needed. The massive wave of webbing was seconds from latching at him, but then he was off—moving faster than before, powered up by both Kael’s skill and my boots propel effect.

“Kael, how long does your skill last?” I asked, my voice tight.

“One minute,” he said quickly. “More than enough if he keeps moving.”

The spiders weren’t slowing down. While he managed to evade the webs thrown his way, the arachnids chasing him weren’t hindered by their own trap.

Their spindly legs slipped right through the mess, like it wasn’t even there.

"Why isn’t the brood mother’s web slowing them down? That’s so unfair!" Fennel shouted.

“They’re spiders, Fennel! Of course they can handle it!” Kael shot back.

Grizmar finally caught up to us, barreling past without so much as a pause. His heavy breaths were loud enough to hear, and the weariness in his steps was obvious, but he kept pushing forward, shield up and ready.

“Big guy made it back!” Fennel called out. “Took you long enough!”

“Good thing I did,” Grizmar grunted. “The boots effect just ran out.”

Kael, running close to Grizmar and glancing back to gauge the swarm’s proximity, yelled, “Let’s not waste any more time—move towards the exit!”

Without hesitation, we fell into stride, finally moving as a group.

As we ran, the slimes clinging to Grizmar suddenly peeled off, their bodies launching themselves toward me with precision. They hit me with soft, squishy bounces before sticking to my head and shoulders, like loyal pets eager to reunite with their owner.

"Glad to have you back safe and sound," I murmured, relief in my voice as I glanced at them. Despite my decision, it felt good knowing they’d made it through unscathed this time.

For once, I didn’t have to grieve over losing them because of some poorly planned goal.

Grizmar's shield slammed into a spider that leapt out of the shadows ahead, separate from the swarm closing in behind us. "Less talking, more running!" he shouted.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re running,” Fennel quipped, his usual cocky grin slipping back onto his face. Even with Tasha still cradled in his arms, he managed to keep his pace light and quick. “But let’s not pretend you’re not enjoying being the hero.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“I’ll enjoy it when we’re not being chased by a damn army!” Grizmar shot back.

“Fair enough!” Fennel laughed, ducking under a web that hung precariously low from the cavern ceiling.

As we ran, the boost that had been driving us forward just moments ago began to slip away.

A soft chime rang in my head, followed by a notification hovering in my vision:

[You have left the radius of 'Ground's Mark'. Action speed boost is no longer in effect.]

“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, my speed immediately feeling sluggish. The boost had been the only thing keeping me from being the slowest in the group. Now, I was back to relying on my own unremarkable stamina.

"Sorry guys,” Kael said from up ahead, his tone strained. “The skill’s area of effect doesn’t stretch far enough to keep up with us. It’s also on cooldown now.”

"Doesn’t matter. Just keep going, we’re almost there!" Grizmar shouted back.

“You say that,” Fennel huffed, his steps slowing slightly as he adjusted Tasha in his arms, “but this ‘almost’ better not turn into ‘miles.’ I’m getting tired here.”

Kael’s voice carried a hint of panic as he shouted, glancing over his shoulder. His wolf-like ears twitched, picking up the growing roar of the swarm closing in. “They’re catching up!"

As I ran, the crushing reality of our situation was evident. The spiders weren’t just closing in—they were going to catch up. Not to us, but to me.

Grizmar, Kael, Fennel—they were all faster than I was. With Kael’s Ground Mark still on cooldown and my boots currently strapped to Grizmar’s feet, I was the weak link, plain and simple. If they had to stop to bail me out, we’d all be done for.

I gritted my teeth, my mind scrambling for options. What could I do? What did I have? My slimes? No, they wouldn’t cut it. I needed something immediate—something to put some space between us and that swarm.

I mentally sifted through everything in my pouch: berries, herbs, dried meat. Nothing. Useless junk in this situation. Frustration boiled up as I scanned the dark tunnel for any kind of inspiration.

That’s when my eyes landed on Kael, running just ahead. His torch threw wild shadows against the walls, but it wasn’t the light that got my attention—it was the torch itself.

The process. The materials. The steps.

Oil!

The idea struck me immediately. Over the pounding of footsteps, I yelled, “Kael! Do you still have any of that oil you used for the torch?!”

Kael glanced back, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. But then his eyes widened in realization. Without saying a word, he reached into his pack while keeping up his pace. He pulled out a medium-sized vial filled with thick, black liquid and slowed down just enough to hand it to me.

“Here!” He said. His eyes, though, asked the question he didn’t have time to voice: What are you planning?

I snatched up the vial, holding it firmly in my hand. “I’ve got an idea,” I said, skipping the explanation. There wasn’t time to dive into details.

"Hand me the torch, too."

Kael gave a quick nod and passed it over without hesitation. With better night vision than me, he didn’t need it as much as me. Then, without missing a beat, he took off again, falling back in step with the others.

I stared down at the vial in my hand as my thoughts raced. A memory flashed through my mind—my slimes absorbing a healing potion, using its properties to heal me.

Back then, they’d gone beyond what I thought they were capable of, proving they were far more adaptable than their skill description let on.

If they could absorb and use the healing properties of the health potion, what else could they take in? Could they absorb something destructive? Could they use the oil and turn it into a weapon?

There was only one way to find out.

I unscrewed the vial and called my slimes over. They responded with little bounces, a subtle acknowledgment that they’d heard me. “Alright, guys,” I said, holding the vial steady. “Time to see what you’re made of.”

One by one, their gelatinous bodies stretched out, forming thin tendrils that dipped into the vial. The thick, black oil clung to their translucent forms, spreading through them like ink swirling in water.

Their bright green color shifted, darkening into a shadowy black-green mix.

I stood there, watching as the last of the oil disappeared into their bodies.

“What are you planning, Leon?” Lila’s tiny voice trembled from the pouch, but I didn’t respond right away.

The swarm behind us was closing in fast.

I adjusted the straps of my bag and exhaled slowly, focusing on the task ahead. “Alright,” I muttered under my breath, a flicker of hope cutting through the fear. “Let’s make this swarm regret chasing us."