The large door opened fully, revealing a vast chamber filled with swirling pink mist.

In the center floated a massive, pulsating Pink Slime. It had a powerful, oppressive aura, much stronger than the previous slimes. Its translucent pink body glowed with dark mana, and multiple smaller cores could be seen floating inside it.

[Slime Queen].

Sarah’s face immediately soured. "No... I’m already sick of slimes..."

Lisa placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to encourage her. "Hang in there, Sarah."

The Pink Slime suddenly surged forward with intimidating speed. It launched a stream of corrosive pink acid toward the team.

Hope reacted instantly. She stepped forward and swung her greatsword, creating a golden barrier of energy that blocked the acid attack.

"I’ve got this!" she said confidently.

Andrey quickly assessed the situation. "Same formation! Stay sharp. This one looks different."

The team moved into position. Sein charged forward with flames blazing, Sarah prepared her pink energy attacks from the air, Lisa reinforced the barrier, and Hope stayed ready to defend.

However, the Pink Slime revealed its true danger. It suddenly split into multiple smaller slimes, each one capable of exploding. Some also transformed parts of their bodies into liquid to move faster across the floor, launching surprise attacks from below.

Andrey’s expression turned serious. "It can multiply and explode... Be careful not to get surrounded!"

Sein smashed through several smaller slimes with Crimson Impact, but more kept splitting off. Sarah’s Pink Rain slowed some of them, but the liquid forms allowed others to slip through and explode near the team.

Hope swung her greatsword in wide arcs, destroying several at once, while Lisa worked desperately to keep the barrier intact.

Andrey used his staff to strike from a distance, destroying cores before they could detonate, but the Pink Slime’s ability to multiply made it difficult to keep the numbers down.

"This one is really annoying," Sein growled, burning another group.

The monster continued to split and multiply at an alarming rate. Smaller pink slimes swarmed the team from all directions, some exploding into corrosive acid while others formed long, slimy tentacles to restrain and attack.

Hope tried to push forward to support the frontline.

"I’ll hold them back!" she shouted, swinging her greatsword in wide arcs. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

But the slimes quickly adapted. Several of them merged together and lashed out with multiple tentacles, wrapping around Hope’s arms, legs, and waist, pulling her down.

"Ugh—! Get off me!" Hope struggled, but the tentacles tightened, dragging her toward the main body.

Andrey reacted instantly. He used Phantom Step to appear beside her and smashed through the tentacles with his staff, freeing her.

"Hope, fall back!" he ordered.

Meanwhile, Sein was left to protect Lisa and Sarah almost single-handedly. She burned through wave after wave of slimes with Crimson Cataclysm, but more kept appearing, forcing her into a difficult defensive position.

"These damn things just won’t stop!" Sein growled, her flames flickering as she tried to keep the slimes away from the two support members.

Lisa maintained her Aegis of Dawn with visible strain, while Sarah fired Pink Rain to slow them down. But the pressure was mounting rapidly.

Andrey returned to the center, breathing heavily. "We need to find and destroy the main core! Taking out the small ones isn’t enough!"

Thick, slimy pink tentacles shot out from the main body of the Pink Slime, wrapping tightly around Lisa and Sarah, lifting them into the air and using them as living shields.

"Kyaa!! Let me go—!!" Lisa cried out in panic, struggling helplessly.

Sarah kicked and twisted. "Get your disgusting tentacles off me—!!"

Sein froze mid-attack, unable to unleash her flames without risking hitting her own teammates. "Tch! I can’t attack like this!"

Hope tried to rush in to help. "I’ll cut them free!"

But more tentacles surged forward, wrapping around her arms and waist, pulling her back. Even with her strength, she struggled to break free.

Andrey used Phantom Step to try and rescue them, but a thick tentacle suddenly shot from behind and wrapped around his waist and one leg, yanking him off balance.

"Guh—!" he grunted, trying to cut it with his staff, but the tentacle was incredibly strong and flexible, tightening its grip.

The Pink Slime pulsed with satisfaction, its multiple cores glowing brighter. It held Lisa, Sarah, and Hope hostage, using them as shields while more tentacles attacked Sein and kept Andrey restrained.

Sein burned through several tentacles, but new ones kept regenerating. "This is really bad... I can’t get close!"

Lisa and Sarah were both struggling, but the tentacles were too strong. Hope was also pinned down, unable to swing her greatsword effectively.

Andrey gritted his teeth, trying to break free from the tentacle around his body. His Damage Absorb was storing the damage, but he couldn’t move freely.

Sein burned through another wave of tentacles, her flames roaring as she shouted toward Andrey.

"Andrey! Use Synchronization Mode! We need the power boost now!"

Andrey, still restrained by the thick tentacles, considered it for a split second. But then he remembered the new skill he had just obtained.

He clenched his jaw and activated the skill.

"Overdrive!"

A violent surge of energy exploded from Andrey’s body. His hair turned pure white, glowing with intense power. A powerful blue-gold aura erupted around him, crackling with raw strength. The sudden burst of energy shattered the tentacles holding him, sending pieces of pink slime flying in all directions.

The Pink Slime recoiled, letting out a high-pitched screech as its tentacles were forcefully repelled.

Andrey landed on the ground, his white hair flowing behind him as the overwhelming aura continued to radiate from his body. His eyes glowed with intense energy as he gripped his staff tightly.

Sein grinned widely. "Now that’s what I’m talking about!"

Sarah, still held by tentacles, shouted, "What the hell is that?! His hair turned white!"

Lisa stared in awe. "Andrey... that power..."

Andrey’s voice was calm but filled with power as he looked at the Pink Slime.

"...Now it’s my turn."

He dashed forward with explosive speed, his staff extended as he prepared to strike the main body of the slime.