The Slime Queen was far bigger than the Mother Slimes we had fought before. Her massive body was stunning—shifting colors like a living rainbow. I could see her slimy form bubbling as she prepared to attack.
She let out a loud plop. A moment later, her body swelled, and I realized what was coming.
I tightened my grip on my spear and leapt high into the air. I landed in a safer spot, my heart racing.
"Malachi!" Dahlia's voice rang out from behind me.
I turned and saw her rushing to my side. When she arrived, she raised one hand forward with confidence.
"Amplifying Pearl!" Dahlia called out her skill.
A clam appeared in her palm. It slowly opened, revealing a beautiful, shining pearl inside. The pearl floated gently above her hand, glowing with soft light.
"You'll need this if you want to defeat the boss!" Dahlia said firmly.
"I remember this!" I said quickly.
Without hesitation, I grabbed the pearl. "Thanks, Dahlia. You're always reliable!"
She smiled and nodded.
I swallowed the pearl in one gulp. The moment it slid down my throat, I felt power rushing through my body. My muscles tensed, and even my heart pounded.
[Stats increased!]
Strength ↑
Speed ↑
Agility ↑
Flexibility ↑
Plop!
The Slime Queen lurched forward and released another spray of acid—but this time, it was even more dangerous. The attack was larger, faster, and far more overwhelming than before. Streams of sizzling liquid shot toward us, threatening to melt everything around us.
I pointed my spear at the rushing acid, ready to fight back.
"Wind Fla—" I shouted, but before I could finish, Dahlia's hand grabbed my arm. She lowered my spear with a sharp shake of her head.
"No! That won't stop it!" she said as she lifted her trident high.
"Clam Barrier!"
Instantly, the ground trembled beneath our feet, rumbling as though something massive was awakening below. Cracks split the earth, and from the depths, a giant watery clam rose up with a burst of mist.
The enormous shell closed, engulfing us inside. Its curved walls stretched around us like a fortress, closing gently to form a shimmering dome of protection.
I gasped. "It's this barrier again…"
The acid rained down, hissing and burning against the shell, but the clam held strong.
Dahlia lowered her trident, breathing heavily. "This barrier has a long cooldown," she warned. "Once it's down, we won't be able to use it again for ten minutes."
Out of nowhere, I heard the sound of footsteps rushing closer. Before I could even turn, a figure leapt into the air—it was Freya.
"Plumage Blade!" she shouted, her voice sharp and fierce.
Her sword glowed a brilliant green as she slashed at the Slime Queen. Three times she struck in rapid succession, each movement faster than my eyes could follow. But that wasn't all.
In the same instant, spectral images of her blade appeared afterward, glowing copies that mirrored her every strike. They slashed in perfect sync, hitting the Slime Queen three more times.
Six strikes in total—each one clean, sharp, and devastating.
The Slime Queen shrieked, slime bubbling angrily as its massive body shuddered from the blow.
The monster swelled, her body pulsing with power as she spat furious acid straight at Freya.
Freya's eyes narrowed.
"Plume Mirage!"
Her body twisted mid-air, spinning with incredible grace. She dodged the acid spray, tumbling through the air before landing lightly on the ground. Without missing a beat, she hopped backward, putting distance between herself and the boss.
I clenched my teeth. "We need to help her!" I said, gripping my spear tighter.
Behind us, I noticed the protective clam barrier Dahlia had summoned was starting to fade, the shimmering walls growing thinner, weaker.
The Slime Queen let out another deafening plop as her slimy body began to swell once more. I recognized the movement instantly—she was preparing her terrifying skill, the one that created a crushing gravitational pull to drag everything into her.
"Aghhh!" Dahlia yelled beside me, throwing her trident with all her strength to interrupt the Slime Queen's skill.
The weapon spun through the air and struck the monster's slimy body with a loud smack.
[-45]
The Slime Queen wobbled, the glow in her body flickering as her skill suddenly broke off. I exhaled in relief.
Dahlia managed to stop it in time.
Quickly, I checked the Slime Queen's health bar hovering above her massive form:
‹ Slime Queen [Boss] ›
HP: 65/500
I froze for a moment, stunned. Most of that damage… it wasn't from me. It was from Freya.
Her slashes earlier had dealt massive damage, each one hitting for 50. That meant her single skill, Plumage Blade, had taken away 300 HP from the boss. She had slashed three times, but the spectral skill imitated her movements and doubled the damage.
Incredible.
But as I glanced back at her, I saw the strain in her body. Her breathing was heavy, her hands trembling. She had spent too much mana. I could tell—she wouldn't be able to use her skills again. She only had 100 mana left. Her skill, Plumage Blade, had drained a huge amount of her energy, and her earlier fight with the Mother Slimes hadn't helped either.
Freya Ironhart [Lvl. 11]
HP: 400/500
Mana: 100/500
EXP: 60/100
"Woof," I muttered under my breath. "She was serious."
The Slime Queen was weakened now—I could tell.
"I'll finish this with one skill," I muttered.
"Phoenix Flare!" I shouted, stepping forward to unleash my skill.
My spear blazed with flames, surging toward the Slime Queen.
But what happened next caught me completely off guard.
Efren suddenly appeared in front of me.
"Leafstream!" Efren called out his skill, and a torrent of green energy shot forward, leaves spinning in a continuous, razor-sharp line, crashing violently against my power.
[!] Quest Updated [!]
» Slay 5 Mother Slimes
Progress: 5/5
[Quest Completed!]
A glowing notification screen popped up before me, but I ignored it, keeping my focus on what was happening.
Efren unleashed his own skill against my Phoenix Flare—a torrent of green, leafy energy erupted from his staff, colliding with my flames. The two forces clashed violently, locked in a fierce struggle for dominance.
"What is the meaning of this?" I demanded.
He didn't answer—he only gave me a smirk.
Our skills battled fiercely, sparks and embers clashing against green light.
On the far corner of the battlefield, Freya broke into a sprint. Her feet pounded the ground as she charged forward, determination blazing in her eyes. With a powerful leap, she soared through the air and brought her sword down.
Her strike landed cleanly—the final hit on the Slime Queen.
The boss let out a wet, bubbling shriek before collapsing into a puddle of slime, its enormous body quivering before dissolving into the ground.
But even as the monster fell, I was still locked in a fierce clash with Efren. My Phoenix Flare burned brightly, colliding against his glowing leaf beam. The two forces pushed against each other, neither giving way.
Then Claude appeared, stepping onto the scene. His usual playful grin was gone. In its place was a hardened, serious expression.
"What is going on, Efren?" Claude's voice was sharp, his tone leaving no room for jokes.
A few tense seconds passed.
Swish!
Claude's whip cracked through the air, aiming straight at Efren with deadly speed.
But before it could reach him, Freya darted in front of Efren. With precise timing, she swung her sword, knocking the whip aside and forcing it harmlessly into the ground.
Claude snarled and lashed out again, his whip whistling as it cut through the air toward her.
Freya didn't flinch. Her eyes narrowed, calm and steady, her body ready to move.
"Plume Mirage: Plumage Blade!" she shouted.
She could combo her skill?
In the blink of an eye, Freya dashed forward. Her feet barely seemed to touch the ground as she twisted her body gracefully, slipping through the lash of the whip that swished toward her. She was so fast that afterimages of her seemed to flicker across the battlefield. The tip of the whip whistled past, missing her by inches.
Without missing a beat, Freya surged toward Claude's side. Her sword gleamed a sharp green, moving so fast it was almost a blur. With a swift, powerful slash, she aimed directly at Claude, ready to strike.
But Dahlia was ready. She lifted her leg just in time, sending a sharp kick against Freya. The force knocked Freya off balance, and her sword cut through empty air. Despite the blow, Freya landed on her feet, her knees bending slightly to absorb the impact. She stumbled for a moment but quickly pushed herself up.