Breakthrough? Protect?

In the depths of the jungle, the battle raged on. With Miruku's diversion drawing the attention of the tentacles, the pressure on Anyi and Layton had lessened considerably.

Anyi moved with precision, cutting down each tentacle with the grace of a seasoned warrior. His strikes were swift and clean, leaving no room for the enemy to get close. Layton, on the other hand, fought with brute force. His shield bashed away incoming attacks, though his form was rough—constantly protecting his front but occasionally leaving his back exposed. Yet, he fought valiantly, doing his utmost to hold the line.

And then there was Ariana.

Ariana was still eating. In the midst of the fierce battle, there she was—shoving mouthfuls of dry food into her mouth with frantic determination. 

Her cheeks were puffed with food, her hands moving as fast as she could shovel it in, not even pausing for water. Her eyes welled with tears, not from choking, but from frustration.

'Why is my mana recovering so slowly?!' she lamented inwardly.

Despite her desperate efforts, her mana bar had only crept up by 300 points. At this rate, it could be hours before she was back to full power. The dry rations they had weren't enough to give her the boost she needed. Back in the village, carefully prepared meals took hours to restore her fully, and while she could scarf down the food faster, it wouldn't change the fact that it would still take time—time they didn't have.

[Holy Hero: Mana restores slowly! How now?!]

Her mouth was still crammed with food as she sent the message.

"No problem! I can still hold out!" Layton shouted, his voice filled with reckless enthusiasm, just as a tentacle smacked into his back.

[HP -2]

Layton's body wobbled but stood firm, calling on his skills to keep up his defense. His Taunt ability drew most of the attention from the tentacles, and he activated a short-term defense boost to mitigate the blows. Part of him wanted to be like Ariana, devouring food to keep going, but he chose instead to inspire confidence, even if his own strength was wavering.

[Sword Hero: This situation won't hold. We have two options: break through or hold steady.]

[Sword Hero: If we break through, we'll need Holy Maiden to cover Mr. Layton's movement with her remaining mana, and she'll need enough left to deal with the tentacles near the enemy's body. If we hold steady, we'll consume more resources, and we'll still need her mana for the final strike. The decision is yours.]

Ariana's response was immediate.

[Holy Hero: Breakthrough!]

There was no time to hesitate. Her mana was trickling in too slowly, and waiting any longer felt like a losing battle. She had to trust that with what she had left, she could make a difference when they reached the enemy's core.

[Thorn Hero: I agree. The tentacles regenerate, and I noticed that when severed, they reveal a slime-like texture that reforms into skin. These tentacles are camouflaged slimes. If we can find and destroy the core, we can end this.]

Ariana froze mid-bite, her eyes widening. 'Slime?!' Her mind reeled.

'So that's why the tentacles don't feel pain when burned…' she thought, her mind piecing it together. 'They regenerate! It's because the main body is a slime!'

[Sword Hero: Very good, this is crucial intelligence. Thank you.]

[Thorn Hero: Sorry!]

Anyi: "?"

He blinked in confusion. 'Sorry? For what?'

Miruku, meanwhile, was silently berating herself. She had wanted to keep the slime's secret, intending to destroy the core herself and bask in the admiration of her teammates. She had envisioned the moment—their awe-struck faces as they realized she had solved the mystery before anyone else. 

But reality had been far less glamorous. Now wasn't the time for secrets or grand gestures of personal glory. If she kept quiet, it would only endanger everyone. 

'How could I have been so selfish?!' She felt the guilt well up inside her. 'I deserve to be scolded. Later, I'll make it up to them somehow. I'll let them do whatever they want to me—kneel, beg—anything! I'll accept it!' Her thoughts spiraled as she fought to stay focused.

"Breakthrough or defense! Either way, I'm at your service!" Layton's voice rang out, filled with bravado. "Men must be able to move forward and retreat! No matter the path we choose, I will stand firm! Because! I am the Shield Hero!!!"

"Good. Prepare for the breakthrough!" Anyi's tone was sharp as steel, his mind already set.

Without another word, Anyi plunged his sword into the ground. He gathered his strength, his muscles taut, before yanking it upward in one fierce motion. The blade tore through the earth with a thunderous roar.

"Breaking Waves!"

A massive shockwave exploded from the ground. The force of the strike sent tremors through the forest, shattering trees and turning every tentacle in front of them to dust. A cloud of pulverized debris hung in the air as the ground itself buckled under the impact. The tentacle attacks ceased momentarily, stunned by the sheer force of the strike.

"Run!"

Anyi's roar snapped everyone back to their senses. 

Layton scrambled to grab his pack, hoisting it onto his back, while Anyi wasted no time scooping Ariana into his arms. With Ariana secured, they bolted through the newly created opening, sprinting as fast as they could before the enemy could recover.

A dark shadow flickered in the distance—Miruku. She appeared just as more tentacles reached out to attack Layton from behind, drawing their attention with lightning reflexes. 

She popped a handful of dry food into her mouth as she sprinted. 'I have to keep them off Layton and Anyi!' Miruku thought fiercely. Her primary task was to divert the attacks and conserve Ariana's mana for the final confrontation. If Ariana burned through her power now, they wouldn't stand a chance against the true enemy.

The tentacles were relentless, but Miruku kept weaving and darting, staying just out of their reach, even as they lashed out at her.

Miruku, glancing back, realized something. If Anyi faltered, everything would fall on Ariana. But without sufficient mana, she wouldn't be able to summon her attack—Heavenly Sphere. It was their last hope for destroying the core.

[Sword Hero: How far are we?]

[Thorn Hero: Seven hundred meters!]

They were getting close.