The Royal Slime was only seven hundred meters away, barely any distance at all.
However, in her inexperience, Miruku had failed to notice a critical detail.
The Royal Slime's Encyclopedia Entry had not yet unlocked.
Ordinarily, you didn't need to defeat a demon to unlock its entry. Simply laying eyes on it was enough to trigger the system and reveal basic information.
If what she had seen was truly the Royal Slime's main body, the system would have unlocked the entry immediately, just as it had when she first encountered a common Slime.
[Dungeon Phase 2:
Shatter the Royal Slime's camouflage under the pressure of its intensified assault.]
Anyi continued to tear through the obstructions, carving a path forward like a force of nature. In truth, he knew exactly what was waiting for them up ahead.
The "main body" Miruku had spotted was a fake.
The Royal Slime combat consists of three phases. Phase One is defined as surviving the assault and locating the main body.
Entering Phase Two requires shattering the Slime's camouflage, yet the "intensified assault" will not cease. This is because the condition for Phase One, actually finding the main body, has not been truly met; therefore, Phase Two's mechanics overlap.
If Miruku had actually discovered the real body, the Royal Slime would have halted all other attacks immediately to prioritize its defense. After all, the core is its most vulnerable point; if truly cornered, it would panic.
However, if one only manages to strip away its camouflage, it means the Boss's primary defensive shroud has been broken. At that point, it will also stop its attacks, not to defend itself, but to trigger its "escape mechanism."
That's right; just like Goblins, the Royal Slime is prone to fleeing. Once its disguise is ruined, it enters a state of "If I can't win, I'm out," causing the "fake body" to play dead and ceasing control over all tentacles.
To the uninitiated, it looks like the Boss has been defeated, and they won't think to hunt for the actual core hidden elsewhere. Since this world doesn't display health bars and provides no notifications before a Boss is successfully raided for the first time, this is a very common pitfall.
Most Heroes, during their first encounter with a Royal Slime, successfully clear Phase Two but fail to actually kill the true body. In this scenario, Heroes without tracking skills could search the entire forest and still come up empty-handed.
In fact, without tracking abilities, they wouldn't even realize a second body existed.
Of course, this situation isn't unsolvable. Eventually, once Heroes accumulate enough experience, they notice that after killing the "fake body," the system grants no rewards and the Encyclopedia Entry remains locked. Only then do they begin to suspect the enemy hasn't actually been slain.
That was how Heroes in his past life eventually learned to hunt for the Royal Slime's true core.
However, at this stage, very few Heroes can sense the deception, and Miruku is still far too green.
Green in every sense of the word. Something she should have noticed, she missed entirely.
One can't really blame her, though; it's a common symptom of not being used to the System yet, a trap every rookie Hero falls into at least once.
[Thorn Hero: It's right ahead!]
Cutting their way through the final stretch, they suddenly burst into a massive, wide-open clearing.
The group burst out of the forest, and without even having to search, a colossal monster loomed before them.
It was... a mass.
A giant, fleshy orb covered in pulsating veins, anchored to the ground. It was roughly ten meters in diameter, throbbing like a massive, beating heart.
"It's over."
At that moment, Anyi did something that caught the other three completely by surprise.
He set Ariana down on the ground and shot forward like a loose arrow, blurring toward the fleshy mass.
Simultaneously, dozens, no, hundreds of tentacles lashed out from all directions!
"Watch out!" Layton roared in a panic.
Miruku instantly activated Shadow Meld, intending to dive in and save Anyi.
[Wind Element Sword. Skill: Wind Slash.
Multi-target release.]
Anyi twisted his body as a gale began to howl around him, the blade erupting with a brilliant green light.
"Windmill."
BOOM!
Anyi performed a circular slash, releasing a localized cyclone that exploded outward. The razor-sharp wind blades shredded every nearby tentacle into confetti, while the outer ones were blown back by the gale, unable to get close!
[Skill: Cleave.
Multi-target release.]
Leveraging the wind, Anyi leapt onto the fleshy mass, jumping high above it and raising his sword.
"Earth-splitter."
Another thunderous BOOM echoed, the sound of the air itself vibrating. The moment the blade struck the orb, a violent shockwave hammered down. The surface of the giant fleshy mass fractured and disintegrated instantly!
A gruesome gash tore straight down the path of the slash, ultimately splitting the thing in two. Cracks radiated outward at high speed, and the entire orb burst open into two halves!
It... it split!
The other three stood frozen in their tracks, unable to fathom what kind of strength could demolish such a colossal object in a single strike.
The next moment, all the tentacles seemed to lose their vitality, falling limp to the ground and rapidly liquefying.
Anyi, appearing drained of strength, fell from atop the orb.
Miruku sprang into action instantly, lunging forward to catch Anyi just before he hit the dirt, rolling away with him.
In truth, at this height, Anyi wouldn't have been hurt even if he'd landed head-first. He had invested 10 points into Durability, after all; if a ten-meter fall could kill him, there'd be no point in fighting demons—a demon could just pick him up and slam him down to end the fight.
Resting in Miruku's arms, Anyi said flatly, "Thanks."
"Mmph..." Miruku managed a stiff smile.
He's... so heavy!
But Miruku wouldn't dream of asking him to move; she was even too timid to say "excuse me." Besides, Anyi had just taken down a powerful demon for them, making her feel even more self-conscious.
"Are you okay?!" Layton came running over.
Ariana, seeing Anyi collapsed like that, instantly understood why: "Anyi, eat something, quick!"
She grabbed a few pieces of rations from the pack on Layton's back and knelt on the ground to feed them to Anyi.
"Thanks," Anyi said, helplessly opening his mouth.
He was merely pretending to be out of stamina. In reality, that last strike had only cost him 10% of his Mana. As for why he didn't pretend to be out of Mana, it was because, from the others' perspective, he had visible HP and Mana bars; one look would reveal he still had juice left.
He personally preferred to keep all interface displays turned off, as he didn't want those things distracting him.
Back to the point: the difference between combat skills and magic was that combat skills drained stamina. Stamina wasn't displayed like HP or Mana bars, you couldn't see how much was left, so it was easy to fake exhaustion.
As for why he was putting on an act, it was quite simple.
If Ariana had unleashed a Mana-draining [Skyfall], the group would have inevitably chosen to retreat, as their rations wouldn't be enough to refill her Mana.
But! Since they were already here, they were going to raid the Boss in one go!
Retreating to grind other monsters was a decent strategy on paper. But "retreat" wasn't a word in his dictionary! Even in the face of the Demon King, he hadn't taken a single step back. What was a pathetic Royal Slime compared to that?!
"Hmm?"
Lying against Miruku's flat chest while being fed by Ariana, Anyi suddenly let out a puzzled sound.
"What is it?" Ariana asked.
"Why... is there no XP?" Anyi asked expressionlessly, feigning ignorance.
"No XP?" Ariana hadn't caught on yet.
Miruku froze, staring blankly at the space above Anyi's head. Then, very quickly, her expression turned to one of pure horror.
「Does that mean... the core of this Slime hasn't been destroyed yet?!」
She suddenly realized something.
But all the tentacles around them had already vanished!!
Why?!
「What... what should I do?! Should I tell them?!」
Miruku was torn. To speak or not to speak?
Right now, Anyi was out of stamina, Ariana needed to refill her Mana, and Layton kept saying he was "fine, totally fine" when his HP had actually dropped by more than half.
Miruku was the only one uninjured. She hadn't spent much Mana and had been diligently topping off her stamina. Out of the four, she had the most left in the tank.
And therefore... she felt like the most useless in her own mind.
The only thing she'd done was run back and forth, and then run some more. If she didn't share her discovery now, the group would likely leave the forest and announce to the world that it was all over.
And if the disaster continued after they left... she'd be the one responsible! In the worst-case scenario, their failure to properly end the threat would trigger a retaliatory strike from the demons lurking in the woods, leading to the massacre of the villagers.
If that happened, Miruku wouldn't be a hero; she'd be a criminal for the ages!
In her mind, she saw herself tied to a wooden cross, a pile of faggots at her feet, and a sign around her neck reading "CRIMINAL." A mob of angry citizens surrounded the square, screaming and pelting her with rotten food and eggs.
"Murderer!!"
"You killed the whole village! You're the real demon!!"
"Burn her! Burn her! Burn her!!"
On the cross, she looked desperately toward her three teammates. But all she saw were gazes of pure contempt.
Anyi: "You're a murderer. Die."
Ariana: "I can't believe Miruku was that kind of person!"
Layton: "A real man cannot tolerate evil! Execute her!"
Finally, with a whoosh, the kindling caught fire. Flames began to consume Miruku as thick black smoke billowed into the sky...
"..."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO—!!!"
Miruku grabbed her head and let out a wail toward the sky, startling the others.
Anyi: "?"
Is her mind a barber shop? Because she's doing a lot of cutting and styling up there.
Ariana asked with concern, "Miruku? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"Don't... don't burn me! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!!" Miruku cried out, on the verge of tears.
"Burn you? Who's burning you?" Layton scratched his head.
"This... this isn't the real body!" Miruku shouted, pointing at the split, motionless fleshy mass beside them.
"It's a Slime's fake! If the core were actually destroyed, this thing should have turned to liquid just like the tentacles! Plus, Anyi said there's no XP, which means the main body is probably still intact!"
This was the first time since they'd met Miruku that she had ever spoken so loudly or with such urgency.
"Ah, that explains it," Anyi said, feigning a sudden realization.
"The main body is still alive?!" Layton shouted.
Now what?
Layton was suddenly caught in a dilemma. If this fleshy mass had been the true body, they could have just left the forest. But if the real thing was still out there somewhere, it meant they had to push through their current exhaustion and keep moving.
They came here to end the disaster. If they left before it was truly finished, the Boss might recover by tomorrow and retaliate against the village.
Just now, with the tentacles concentrated on the four of them, they had the strength to resist. But what if it attacked the village? What if it struck before they even got back?
If the attack range expanded, the four of them couldn't possibly protect all the villagers. They might not even make it back in time to warn them to evacuate!
"We have to wipe it out completely, right?" Ariana said, her face solemn. She already knew the answer.
"Let's rest for a moment first," Anyi said, continuing his act of exhaustion.
"The Slimes have stopped swarming, and this monster isn't moving. It looks like it's playing dead for now; it won't make a major move in the short term. Let's take this time to recover, then head deeper into the forest to find the real core."
"Yeah, I agree. Let's take a breather," Ariana nodded.
"Then I... I'll keep watch!" Miruku said, supporting Anyi by the shoulders as she moved to step aside.
"Okay. I'll look after Anyi."
Ariana stepped behind Miruku, helping her lift Anyi slightly. Miruku finally managed to pull away, and Ariana let the "exhausted" Anyi rest his head on her lap.
Miruku stood up shakily, rubbing her thighs. My legs are totally numb!
"I'll patrol the perimeter then!" Layton said, raising his shield and starting his watch.
In truth, he had been scanning the surroundings from the start, staying at a distance that was neither too close nor too far from the other three. Since they were tending to Anyi, the responsibility of defense fell solely on him.
At this moment, both Miruku and Layton had the same question running through their minds.
「What do I do?」
With their current abilities, what could they actually contribute?
Every Hero held a trump card, a secret they couldn't share, a final resort. Miruku and Layton were no different. While they were reluctant to play such a precious card, wanting to save it for an even more dire situation, they had to consider if now was the time.
Because they couldn't force Anyi to play his trump card!
In their eyes, Anyi was the strongest overall member of the squad. His special abilities had to be saved for a truly critical moment.
If the enemy was too strong to kill, they had to step up and resolve the issue before Anyi was forced to act. They felt like "dead weight" who had already been carried far too much along the way!
They had to do something!
On the other side, Anyi was still being fed rations by Ariana.
A lap pillow. Life was good.
[Apathy Towards Lust] didn't mean one was numb to the finer things in life. A lap pillow was good, good meant a lap pillow, and good, good, good, it was great.
"About the retreat, we haven't finished that conversation," Anyi said, bringing back the topic that had been cut short by the Royal Slime's ambush.
"We can't really retreat now, can we?" Ariana said with a strained laugh. "I was actually thinking... if we run into a really strong demon, we might have a hard time. Like right now, we're totally dragging you down."
He could hear the guilt in her voice.
Before entering the forest, she had claimed the squad could stand their ground even against a high-level demon. But now, she was drowning in regret for being wrong. If she'd realized her mistake sooner, maybe they wouldn't have pushed into this dangerous place. Maybe they wouldn't be in this state now.
While Anyi was the strategist in battle, his role was mostly giving tactical advice. The true Leader who had assembled the four was Ariana. If she had called for a retreat earlier, they wouldn't be trapped in this mess, right?
"I don't see it that way. 'Dragging me down' is a poor choice of words," Anyi said flatly.
"But..." Ariana tried to argue.
"No 'buts'," Anyi said.
Honestly, do you really think I can't solo the Slime Forest with three people in tow? I could clear this place with three dogs.
"You've all done enough," he added.
Ariana froze. Her nose crinkled, and little pearls of tears began to spill uncontrollably from her eyes.
"Waaaaah! Anyi... Anyi..."
Anyi... Anyi is just too good!!
Anyi: "..."
Please stop crying while wailing my name. I'm not dead yet.
At the same time, Miruku, out on patrol, suddenly spotted something.
She crouched on the ground, examining the earth where it had been churned up by the moving tentacles. Then she stood up, looking toward the distance.
She suddenly realized something!
「The tentacles are being controlled from far away. Does that mean... if I follow the tracks of the tentacles, I can find the real main body?!」
Miruku was just about to head back, but as she turned around, she saw Ariana crying while clutching Anyi's head.
"Hmm..."
Maybe it's better not to go back right now?
[Thorn Hero: The ground bulges where the tentacles move. I was thinking... is it possible to find the main body by following those tracks?]
Messaging was better. Pretend she saw nothing!
[Sword Hero: Very likely. While I'm recovering, could you scout ahead and track those marks?]
Anyi calmly replied to the message, ignoring the tears dripping onto his face.
[Thorn Hero: Got it, I'll go check it out.]
[Sword Hero: Stay safe.]
[Shield Hero: Leave the defense to me!]
[Holy Hero: Anyi... Anyi is just too good!]
Anyi: "..."
If you've got nothing relevant to say, don't say anything!
After reading Miruku's message, Anyi nodded inwardly. Even though the girl was quiet, she was quickly becoming his professional proxy for ideas. He didn't even have to hint, or maybe just a tiny nudge, and her sharp mind would immediately pick up the trail.
They say people who don't talk much have busy minds; in Miruku's case, that was definitely true.
[Dungeon Phase 3:
Pursue the Royal Slime.]
No fluff, just four simple words.
For the Heroes of this world, a giant monster that can burrow underground is an absolute nightmare. Even if a party manages to grit their teeth and push through the first two phases, this final stage often leaves rookie Heroes completely helpless.
Usually, by the time they finish the second phase, Heroes are almost completely out of ammo and supplies. Especially for those raiding a Royal Slime for the first time, after spending every ounce of effort to beat Phase Two, realizing the damn thing has a True Body hidden away?
Most people's reaction would be: We are so screwed!
They wouldn't know the True Body's actual strength or what tricks it has up its sleeve. Because of this, most Heroes end up giving up their first time when raiding the Royal Slime.
Their first time using their unique ultimate skill. And even then, a kill isn't guaranteed.
The reason for their struggle was quite simple, as mentioned before:
The Royal Slime can burrow.
「Almost forgot, I need to give her a heads-up.」
...
Miruku followed the crisscrossing ridges of upturned earth, and soon, she made a discovery.
In some directions, the soil wasn't just bulging; it had been violently burst open from beneath.
Ah...
It was likely that the tentacles burrowed deep into the ground and then erupted back out, creating the illusion of an assault coming from all directions.
「Why didn't it just attack from directly underneath our feet?」
Miruku couldn't quite recall the reason.
Perhaps that was also part of the enemy's deception?
Stopping her overthinking, Miruku turned to follow the direction where the earth was continuously bulging.
Along the way, she felt a twinge of paranoia, worried that these tracks might be a lure intentionally left to trap her. But then she realized that a creature going through this much trouble just to ambush her specifically seemed a bit unnecessary.
At that moment, a message appeared before her eyes.
[Sword Hero: Lady Miruku, if you find the enemy, please notify us immediately.]
There was no lengthy explanation, just a brief, matter-of-fact warning.
[Thorn Hero: Understood.]
After ten more minutes of following the trail—completely unhindered and without a single enemy intercepting her—everything seemed to be going smoothly. Until the very end.
She suddenly stopped and ducked into the shadows, staring blankly at the wide-open clearing ahead.
She saw it...
[Unlock Encyclopedia Entry: Royal Slime
Strength: 30
Agility: 10
Endurance: ∞
Durability: 10
Mana: 3
Intelligence: 2
Technique: 0]
[Creature: Royal Slime
Whoa! Lord Hero has spotted a Royal Slime! Impressive!
The Royal Slime is a Class 3 monster—the "Big Mama" responsible for the endless stream of ordinary Slimes in the forest! (Or maybe Papa? Or both?)
If a Lv1 Hero encounters it, please flee from the Royal Slime's attack range immediately!
Unlike ordinary Slimes, the Royal Slime is highly aggressive and massive, actively devouring everything in its vicinity.
Recommended Solo Level: Lv10
Recommended Average Party Level: Lv5
If you are under-leveled, Lord Hero, seriously—just run!!]
She saw it.
She had found the True Body!
Miruku crouched on a tree branch, her throat tightening as she swallowed hard.
A moment later, black mist swirled around her hands before dissipating, leaving two daggers gripped firmly in her palms.
Just dozens of meters away, a semi-transparent, pitch-black creature lay silently in the center of the clearing. It was also about ten meters wide, and... Miruku could clearly see the core pulsating deep inside its body!
If... if she could just destroy that core! Everything would be over!!
「Kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it.」
Kill it, kill it, kill it, kill it.
She had the power to kill it. She could end this. She didn't want to be a burden to anyone ever again. She was the useless dead weight of the team, and if she could just do this...
This time, she wanted to be useful.
Kill it!
[Sword Hero: Very good. It seems Lady Miruku has found the main body.]
[Holy Hero: We've seen the Lord God's notification!]
[Shield Hero: Where is it?! We're coming right now!]
The moment Miruku was about to strike, three messages flashed before her eyes.
She froze instantly.
As she unlocked the Encyclopedia Entry, the rest of the team simultaneously received the information about the Royal Slime. They knew immediately that she had found it.
Then, Anyi's earlier warning echoed in her mind:
[Lady Miruku, if you find the enemy, please notify us immediately.]
"Ugh..."
The daggers in Miruku's hands vanished. She buried her face in her hands and let out a soft, choked sob.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
He had specifically told her to report in first, yet she had almost tried to take the matter into her own hands without a word. She hadn't been responsible for her promise, nor had she been responsible for her own life.
What if the enemy had shown itself on purpose, just waiting for her to take the bait? If she had died here, what would her three unsuspecting teammates have done?
[Thorn Hero: Wait for me... I'm coming back right now.]
After sending the message, Miruku abandoned her position and sped away.
In the center of the clearing, the Royal Slime—which had actually sensed Miruku's presence long ago—remained still. It had been waiting for her to attack so it could swallow her whole in one gulp.
Her departure left it feeling quite disappointed.