I thrust my spear forward, aiming straight for the wriggling body of the Mother Slime.
[-50]
The tip sank deep into its gelatinous form—but when I tried to pull it back, it wouldn't budge. The slime's body squelched and wobbled around my spear, gripping it like a vise.
The Mother Slime shivered, then reared back, preparing a stream of acid to spit at me.
Plop!
A thick, corrosive glob shot straight toward me.
[-35]
It hit my chest with a sizzling hiss. The burning acid ate through my clothes, and I stumbled backward, clutching my body as pain flared. Smoke curled into the air from the melting fabric.
"Ughh… gross!" I groaned, wiping the burning residue from my arm.
I glanced at my companions. Claude already had the advantage, his long weapon glowing faintly with icy magic as he prepared to strike with precision.
Dahlia, however, was struggling just like me. Her movements were hesitant, and she flinched each time the Mother Slime spat another glob of acid.
"I can't deal with this without using my skills," I muttered, gritting my teeth.
Another round of acid globbed toward me, faster this time. My mind raced. Then, with a surge of determination, I yelled:
"Phoenix Flare!"
Fire erupted from my spear, blazing in brilliant arcs. Each acid glob that flew at me vaporized into steam before it could reach me. I slashed my spear in wide, fiery sweeps, the heat cutting through the Mother Slime's attacks and keeping me completely safe from the smaller spits.
The Mother Slime recoiled, its body wobbling and quivering as the flames danced along its surface.
I charged forward again, determined to strike at the Mother Slime—but suddenly, an invisible gravitational force slammed into me from my left side.
Before I could react, it began to pull me in, unrelenting pressure trying to swallow me whole. I planted my spear firmly into the ground, hoping it would anchor me, but the force was too strong. My feet lifted off the ground, and despite my struggles to resist, the mysterious energy dragged me forward.
Swish!
Just as panic began to rise, Claude shot out his whip, wrapping it around my spear in a desperate attempt to hold me back. But the Mother Slime struck him, and the force of the hit caused his grip to falter, letting my spear slip free. The absorbing force continued to drag me in.
"Malachi!" both Claude and Dahlia shouted, their voices thick with panic.
Fear spiked in my chest as I was pulled deeper and deeper.
And then—suddenly—I was lifted into the air and gently set back on the ground. Strong, steady hands held me, stopping the pull just in time.
"I just got here in time," a calm female voice said, cutting through the chaos.
We landed on the ground, my heart still racing. I blinked, momentarily relieved—but we weren't completely safe. The strange force pulsed again, and before we could move, a long, glowing, green tail of a lizard shot out from the other side of the battlefield. It wrapped around our bodies, yanking us in a different direction.
I turned my gaze and saw a guy standing where Claude and Dahlia were battling their opponents. His hood was shaped like a chameleon's head, and a sleek chameleon-design staff glinted as the tail coiled back around it with smooth precision.
"Tchh," the guy said, his voice sharp and teasing. "You better thank me for saving you both."
I looked back at the lady who had saved me first. My face burned as I stammered, "T-thank… you."
She gave a small nod, her expression calm and unreadable, as if nothing could shake her.
They were about the same age as me. I couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and embarrassment. These strangers had arrived at the perfect moment, rescuing me when I was on the brink of disaster.
We all turned our attention to where the mysterious absorbing force had come from.
[!] Monster Classification [!]
Monster: Slime Queen
Rank: Boss
A towering creature, twice the size of a Mother Slime, the Slime Queen. Streams of acid drip from her form, hissing as they hit the ground. Unlike ordinary slimes, she can launch corrosive streams of acid and envelop anything that comes too close. Her massive body can swallow up to four humans at once and even produce Mother Slimes from within herself, spreading her influence across the battlefield.
Special Trait: [Swallow] – The Slime Queen generates an invisible gravitational force around her, pulling in anything nearby. Objects and opponents caught by this force are swallowed into her body, immobilized, and take continuous acid damage until consumed.
A massive slime emerged before us, its body shimmering with rainbow colors that shifted and swirled with every movement. It was twice the size of a Mother Slime, and the ground trembled beneath our feet with every squirm and ripple of its gelatinous body.
Claude and Dahlia quickly regrouped at my side, weapons at the ready. I glanced at the Monster Classification display hovering near me, trying to process the terrifying information.
With each move, the massive creature shook the earth. The display above it read:
‹ Slime Queen [Boss] ›
HP: 500/500
"It's a monster boss!" Claude shouted, eyes wide in shock.
"We are so… unlucky," I muttered under my breath.
"Don't worry. We're going to help you slay it," said the hooded guy confidently, stepping forward.
I turned to see their Player Status displays materialize above them. The one who had saved me was named Freya, and the chameleon-master with the long, coiling tail was Efren.
Good thing they had arrived.
Suddenly, the Slime Queen spat a thick, pink blob of goo. The mass split and wriggled, forming two Mother Slimes instantly.
"Great… more slimes," Claude groaned. "We haven't even finished off the first batch of Mother Slimes, and now there are five of them, plus the boss!"
Freya remained calm, her voice steady and composed. "You three focus on your Mother Slimes. Efren and I will take care of the others."
"We… do?" Efren blinked in surprise. Then he grinned. "Okay, yes! We'll take those two down. Since we followed your que… I mean, we have the same quest."
"Cirrus!" Freya shouted, stepping forward with determination.
She was calling out her beast. Immediately, something extraordinary began to happen. From her lower back, a magnificent plume of peacock tail feathers sprouted, spreading outward like a fan in full display. The feathers shimmered with iridescent blues and greens, creating a dazzling spectacle, as if a living peacock tail had taken shape behind her.
The feathers shifted and transformed in an instant, forming dozens of glowing swords along her back. They spun and floated, creating a mesmerizing pattern of light, before snapping shut all at once. With a instant flash, the many swords merged into one, its surface gleaming with the same iridescent colors as the feathers.
The sword floated gracefully into Freya's hand, settling perfectly as she adjusted her stance. Her eyes were sharp and focused, ready for whatever came next.
We all stared for a moment, unable to tear our gaze away from the spectacle. The combination of beauty and power was almost hypnotic, yet deadly.
"Get ready," she said calmly, her voice carrying a quiet confidence.
With a sudden burst of speed, Freya charged forward, her peacock sword glinting.