The battle inside the Ore Tunnel had devolved into an agonizing stalemate, the air thick with a suffocating, acidic stench.
The Slime King's massive, constantly undulating gelatinous body served as its most troublesome defense.
A Mi swung the Stone Twin Blades forged from the Yellow Creation Artifact, and every full-force chop left a deep gash on the yellowish-green gelatinous torso, looking shocking.
However, these attacks were like stones tossed into mud—the ripples they caused quickly subsided as the surrounding gel flowed rapidly to fill the fissures, healing them as if new, minimizing any substantial damage, as if all his effort had struck empty air.
Conversely, every contact the Twin Blades made with the viscous body coated them with more acidic slime, making the blade surfaces, already covered in cracks from Corrosion, heavier and slower to swing. Every lift felt like fighting an invisible resistance.
The Corrosion status clinging to him brought not just a burning sting, but a persistent, bone-deep damage and mental torment, slowly eroding his Health and will.
More troublesome still, this Slime King, born in a natural environment, possessed an aggression and cunning far exceeding the programmed puppets in the Training Ground.
It no longer waited passively for attacks but, like a true predator, constantly wriggled and adjusted its enormous mass.
Its hollow "eyes" locked onto A Mi, seizing any moment of respite or post-attack stiffness, and it would suddenly contract its body, spraying a terrifyingly powerful Acidic Water Cannon like a high-pressure hose.
The yellowish-green viscous stream, whistling as it tore through the air and carrying a pungent, foul odor, rampaged through the narrow Ore Tunnel, forcing A Mi to dance on the edge of a blade. He had to maintain absolute focus to dodge and block, his mind highly strained, his stamina draining rapidly.
"Xiao Ye, stay hidden! Don't come out for anything!"
After another clumsy, near-fatal roll to avoid an acidic spray that whistled past his ear, A Mi shouted hoarsely toward the massive Rock where Xiao Ye was hiding, his voice broken by ragged breaths.
"But..."
"Don't come out, it's dangerous!" A Mi warned again, before having to immediately twist and evade once more.
However, prolonged defense inevitably leads to failure; the drain on his stamina and spirit caused his reaction to lag by just a fraction.
When attempting to close the distance for a fatal thrust with his Twin Blades, the Slime King's massive body suddenly recoiled in a way contrary to A Mi's prediction. An Acidic Water Cannon, thicker and faster than any before, roared toward him like a projectile fired from a barrel!
A Mi's pupils contracted sharply; at such close range and high speed, there was no time to fully evade!
"I have to take it head-on!"
He roared, crossing the cracked Stone Twin Blades tightly in front of him, pouring all his Strength into his arms to form a fragile line of Defense!
"BOOM—!"
The immense impact felt like being struck squarely by a heavy siege hammer, blasting him backward. His back slammed hard against the cold, solid cave wall with a dull thud, shaking his Qi and Blood violently, causing his vision to swim.
Fortunately, the Twin Blades absorbed most of the direct impact of the acid before shattering completely, but the splattering corrosive liquid mercilessly splashed onto his arms, shoulders, and abdomen, causing excruciating burning pain.
The Corrosion status instantly deepened; he felt his Spirit Body flicker uncertainly, as if it might dissipate at any moment.
The Stone Twin Blades finally let out a groan of unbearable strain under this heavy blow. With a "crack," they shattered completely, turning into a pile of dull stones on the ground.
It wasn't that the hardness was insufficient; it was just that he could no longer maintain their basic structure...
He was nearly collapsing from exhaustion.
"Cough... cough, cough..."
A Mi knelt on the ground, leaning on the remnants that were only hilts now, coughing violently, each cough pulling at the pain throughout his body.
He felt his body growing weak, his Strength rapidly receding like an ebbing tide, a profound sense of depletion sweeping over him. His vision blurred, and a ringing filled his ears.
He looked up. Through his hazy vision, the massive Slime King, exuding a nauseatingly corrosive aura, was still slowly undulating, as if the fierce battle had caused it no substantial harm whatsoever.
Indeed, practical combat was worlds apart from training.
The monsters in the Training Ground had fixed attack patterns, lacked true killing intent, and did not inflict continuous erosion, weakening effects that threatened existence, nor the immense psychological pressure present here.
But here, every misjudgment, every lack of Strength, could result in an irreversible price.
Despair, like icy Vines, began to coil around his heart.
Yet, precisely at the peak of extreme fatigue, pain, and life-threatening crisis, A Mi clearly felt a dormant, savage Strength deep within him being violently stirred!
It was like a ferocious beast chained in the Abyss, sensing external threat and its own peril, beginning to struggle and roar madly, battering its shackles, desperate to break free and unleash its world-destroying fury!
This power carried a primal, brutal, and unyielding essence, frantically conveying a single message to him—I can still fight! Far from the limit! Get up!
But... just a little more!
It seemed the final, most crucial, and sturdiest invisible shackle had not completely broken; some decisive condition remained unmet, preventing this power capable of turning the tide from fully erupting for his use!
What is it? What exactly is missing?!
Is it more severe injury? More complete despair? Or... something else?
A Mi stared intently at the Slime King, which was slowly adjusting its orientation, seemingly preparing for its next attack. His mind raced at an unprecedented speed. Sweat, slime, and faint points of Spiritual Light seeping from his damaged Spirit Body mixed together, sliding down his forehead.
He knew that if the answer wasn't found before the next attack arrived, then he, and Xiao Ye hiding nearby, trusting him, would likely...
Just then, the Slime King's massive body contracted violently again, the yellowish-green light at its Core blazing intensely—it was clearly gathering power for a finishing blow!
A Mi's internal alarm blared. He forced his nearly broken body to stand, searching for cover or preparing to evade.
However, when he struggled to move, he found his feet felt as if they had been cast in concrete, completely unable to budge!
He looked down—the viscous acidic liquid, either dripped from him or deliberately placed by the Slime King, had gathered and solidified beneath his feet without him noticing.
It had formed a small patch of extremely sticky gel, gluing his feet firmly in place, rendering him immobile!
"This is bad!"
A Mi's face changed drastically. He struggled desperately, but his weakened body and the strong adhesion of the slime rendered all his efforts futile.
And ahead, the Slime King's attack was ready. The thick Acidic Water Cannon, carrying an aura of destruction, was about to erupt!
The target: him, fixed in place and unable to dodge!
Just as the liquid stream, saturated with potent Corrosion, was about to engulf A Mi—
"Mr. A Mi!!!"
A scream laced with tears yet filled with absolute resolve tore through the oppressive silence of the Ore Tunnel!
A small, dark figure, like a moth flying into a flame, burst from behind the Rock at a speed surpassing her limits, throwing her arms wide without hesitation to shield A Mi!
It was Xiao Ye!
The moment she charged out, the Black Wings on her back, which had been drooping and bent due to injury, along with the Crow Feathers on her neck and arms, seemed to be forcibly stimulated by an invisible power, suddenly flaring and expanding.
The black feathers instantly became denser and harder, attempting to form a barrier of Wings!
She was desperately activating her incomplete Beast Transformation ability!
"Don't come here!!" A Mi's eyes split wide in fury as he screamed hoarsely.
"Splat—!"
The vast majority of the yellowish-green Acidic Water Cannon slammed squarely into the barrier of Wings Xiao Ye had forcefully manifested through her transformation!
A piercing sound of Corrosion mixed with the smell of burning feathers instantly permeated the air. Even more heartbreaking was Xiao Ye's uncontrollable, piercing scream!
"Ah—!"
That thin barrier of Wings rapidly dissolved and broke under the powerful acidic impact; it could not resist it completely.
Intense pain caused her small body to tremble violently, but she stood firm, buying A Mi that fatal instant with her body.
Finally, after destroying the Wing barrier, the Acidic Water Cannon's power was greatly reduced. Only a small residual spray grazed A Mi's cheek and neck, leaving behind several searing bloody streaks.
And Xiao Ye, after that scream, her Beast Transformation features rapidly receded, her Wings becoming even more tattered.
Her small body swayed. Using the last shred of her strength, she turned back to look at A Mi, forcing a broken smile onto her pale face, her voice barely a whisper:
"I'm sorry... Mr. A Mi... my transformation... couldn't fully..."
Before she could finish speaking, the light in her eyes completely dimmed. Her body went limp and fell forward, collapsing heavily onto the cold, damp ground, falling silent.
"Xiao Ye—!!!"
Witnessing Xiao Ye fall while protecting him, feeling her Life force instantly weaken, A Mi felt his brain buzz as if something had exploded inside his skull!
Extreme rage, overwhelming regret, heart-wrenching pain... all these violent emotions erupted like a volcano, instantly shattering all his rationality, resonating with the restless power deep within him like never before!
That final shackle—perhaps triggered by the sight of his charge shattering, or perhaps by the extreme pressure of both he and his companion being in mortal danger—shattered at that moment!
Trigger condition met...
Unyielding Blood passive, activate!
A scorching torrent, as if ready to ignite, violently burst forth from the deepest part of his heart—or rather, his Spirit Body Core—instantly sweeping through every limb and bone!
The previous weakness, intense pain, and Corrosion seemed to be forcibly suppressed and driven away. In their place was an explosive sense of Strength, almost enough to split his body apart!
The Spiritual Light surrounding him, previously dim, suddenly blazed brilliantly, even carrying a faint reddish hue!
Status Update: All attributes temporarily increased to the next level!
Strength: C -> B
Speed: C -> B
Endurance: B -> A
Luck: D -> C
Mana: E -> D
Duration: Until the end of combat or self-deactivation.
A Mi abruptly raised his head. His eyes, which had been somewhat unfocused due to fatigue, now burned with cold, violent fire, locked firmly onto the massive Slime King ahead.
An Aura far more potent and oppressive than before spread out from him like a storm!
"You will pay the price for what you have done, foolish Demonic Beast!"
He gathered his Twin Blades once more and slowly advanced.
"Today, you shall turn to dust here."