The weight of leadership (6):The chaos of the green gate

Stepping inside the gate, the first thing Theodore noticed was the overwhelming shift in the atmosphere. While the lush greenery and tall trees resembled the environment outside, the thick, buzzing mana in the air made it clear they had entered another dimension.

(So this is a gate… It feels alive.) His eyes scanned the landscape, noting creatures composed of green gelatinous ooze—slimes—engaging in combat with a nearby group of adventurers.

Theodore's eyes narrowed, watching intently.

(Slimes… So this is what they're really like. They're nothing like the cute blobs I read about in manga back in my old life.)

These slimes were monstrous, standing nearly three feet tall with pulsating, translucent bodies. They moved like predators, their slimy forms rippling as they advanced on their enemies.

Behind him, the rest of the class split off into their designated groups, eager to begin their hunt. His own group—Noah, Elisa, Vivian, and Jin—stood by, waiting for Theodore to take the lead.

"Hey, Prince, do you see that stone inside the slimes?" Noah asked, pointing.

Theodore squinted, focusing on the creatures. Sure enough, a glowing red core was visible within each slime's gelatinous body. It was their weak spot. "Yeah, I see it. It's their core."

Noah grinned, his competitive nature flaring. "Let's make it interesting. How about a bet? Whoever collects the most cores wins."

Theodore glanced at him, unimpressed. "Noah, why are you so desperate to challenge me all the time?"

For a moment, Noah's grin faltered. His fists clenched as if he were holding back something personal. Then, just as quickly, he smirked again.

"You wouldn't understand. Come on, my prince, are you scared you might lose? I've been training nonstop for this!"

Theodore sighed, already regretting agreeing to this nonsense. "Fine. But don't come crying when you lose."

Noah's aura flared to life, a blue glow radiating from his body as he prepared for battle. His blue hair gleamed under the mana-infused light, giving him the look of a warrior in his prime. Without another word, he bolted forward, his sword raised high as he leaped at a group of slimes.

"Watch me, Prince!" Noah yelled as he slashed at the nearest slime. His blade cut through its gelatinous form, but he missed the core. The slime quivered before regenerating, its form solidifying once again.

"Damn it, I forgot how annoying these things are!" Noah muttered as the slime retaliated, spitting a stream of acid in his direction. He dodged, but more slimes began to close in, their gelatinous bodies rippling with malicious intent. "I won't back down!" he yelled, leaping back into the fray.

Theodore, meanwhile, was calmly assessing the situation. He thrust his sword into a slime, his precision striking directly at its core. The creature dissolved into a puddle, leaving behind the glowing red stone. He quickly picked it up and pocketed it.

(Tsk. These things regenerate too quickly, and their acid is no joke. Thankfully, this sword can handle it.)

Theodore looked around, counting the thirteen cores he had already gathered. He glanced back at Noah, who was struggling to land a single clean hit.

The slimes, sensing Noah's frustration, began converging on him like predators surrounding weakened prey.

Noah growled in frustration, his movements becoming more erratic. "Damn it, these things are looking down on me!" He swung his sword wildly, but one of the slimes wrapped its body around the blade, swallowing it whole.

"Noah!" Elisa's voice rang out as she dashed toward him, her twin swords glowing with green aura. She sliced through the advancing slimes with swift, precise strikes, cutting them down before they could overwhelm him.

"Vivian, now!" Elisa called.

Vivian stepped forward, her hands glowing with icy mana. With a wave of her hand, shards of ice formed around her and shot toward the remaining slimes, freezing them solid. She turned to Noah with a sharp glare. "Idiot. Stop trying to prove yourself and work with the group!"

Noah fell to his knees, his face pale and drenched in sweat. He stared at the ground, defeated and humiliated.

In the distance, other students were facing similar struggles. Groups began to retreat, their confidence crumbling as the slimes grew more aggressive and coordinated.

"Something's wrong with the slimes," one student shouted as they ran past Theodore's group.

"They're smarter now!"

"Run! It's not worth it!"

Soon, the majority of the students had fled, leaving only Theodore's group behind. Even Caden and his team, who had briefly crossed paths with Theodore, decided to retreat.

Caden paused to glare at Theodore. "Don't die in here, big brother. It would tarnish our family's name."

Theodore didn't bother acknowledging him.

Jin, however, was trembling. "Prince… Shouldn't we leave too? Something's not right."

Theodore glanced at him, his eyes calm and resolute. "If you want to leave, go ahead. No one's stopping you. But I'm staying. I need to grow stronger."

Jin hesitated, looking at Vivian, Elisa, and even Noah, who had just picked himself up off the ground. None of them moved. Finally, Jin slapped himself on the cheeks and nodded.

"No… I'll stay. I don't want to be useless anymore!"

Theodore smirked. "Good."

Suddenly, the ground trembled. Theodore turned toward the gate and froze. The once-green portal was now glowing red, its energy pulsating ominously.

"What the hell is going on?!" Theodore yelled, the tremors growing stronger.

Lenny burst out of the forest, panting. "You kids have to get out of here! The gate—it's changed to red!"

Suddenly, the red gate vanished, collapsing in on itself before disappearing entirely.

The students panicked, huddling closer together as the situation escalated. Lenny approached them, his expression serious. "Stay close to me. We'll clear the gate together and find a way out."

Theodore, however, wasn't panicked. His sharp mind was already analyzing the situation.

(A gate doesn't just change colors like this. Something—or someone—is interfering. I'll find out what's really going on.)

As Lenny led the group forward, Theodore glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

(Something about you feels off, Lenny. I'll be keeping a close watch.)