The weight of leadership(8) :Raise against the slime queen

Mr. Lenny passed out recovery potions to the exhausted group, sharing the limited three bottles he had in his bag. Vivian quickly took one, gulping it down to recover from her injuries, while Elisa and Jin shared another. The last potion went to Noah and Lenny.

"Are you sure you don't need one, my prince?" Lenny asked, smiling as he offered the bottle to Theodore.

Theodore shook his head. "I'm fine. I don't need it. Save it for someone else."

Lenny nodded, a glint of curiosity in his eyes, as the group resumed their journey deeper into the forest. They moved cautiously, dodging slimes and sticking to the shadows of trees and bushes.

"How strange," Jin muttered, his voice trembling. "There haven't been any slimes for a while, and the forest is… quiet."

"You're just imagining things," Noah said, but his unease was evident as he scanned the area.

Theodore, however, agreed with Jin. The eerie silence was unsettling. No slimes, no movement—just an oppressive stillness that made his sharp instincts flare. (Something's wrong. Are the slimes setting a trap?)

A chill ran down Theodore's spine. He glanced toward the canopy of tall trees and spotted Lenny's eagle perched high above, its sharp eyes trained on him.

"You sure know how to lead, my prince," Lenny said, walking up beside Theodore as the others searched the forest ahead.

"I've read a lot of books," Theodore replied nonchalantly. "I guess I picked it up from there."

Lenny smiled, but there was something unsettling about it. "It's hard to believe you're the same boy who couldn't even stand up to your little brother. You were bullied, powerless, with not even a spark of mana in your veins. If I recall correctly, you were… weak."

Theodore didn't flinch. The insult didn't faze him. After all, the pain Lenny was trying to dig up didn't belong to him but to the original Theodore.

"Well, I guess I'm a late bloomer," Theodore said coolly, his crimson eyes locking onto Lenny's.

Lenny's smile deepened. "Don't you feel hatred for what they did to you?"

Theodore's voice grew firm. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel anything. But it wasn't their fault—it was mine. I let them trample on me. That's why I'll rise above them all. I'll stand at the top of the mountain and rule over everyone who dared look down on me. That's the life I've chosen."

Lenny's eyes widened. "You mean as king, right?"

Theodore smirked. "King? That's just the beginning. Maybe something greater—a god, even."

Lenny's expression froze for a moment before he forced a laugh. "You certainly have an imagination, your highness. Kids your age dream big, don't they?"

Theodore's smile faded, his voice dropping to a chilling tone. "Call it imagination if you want, but it's my right to pursue my dream. I'll sacrifice anything—my humanity, my love, even the gods themselves—if they stand in my way."

Lenny's smile faltered as Theodore's crimson eyes glowed faintly, radiating a bloodthirsty intensity that sent chills down his spine. For the first time, Lenny felt as if he were standing before something far more dangerous than a child.

He forced a nervous laugh. "I… see."

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble, pulling everyone's attention. The earth shook violently as something massive approached, each step reverberating like thunder.

"Look!" Vivian gasped, pointing with trembling hands.

Emerging from the shadows of the trees was a towering monster—a 12-meter-tall slime shaped like a humanoid figure. Its gelatinous body shimmered with a sickly green hue, and a crown-like structure sat atop its head. Its glowing red eyes locked onto the group.

Noah cursed under his breath. "Damn it! That's why the slimes were quiet—they fused into that thing!"

"That's the Slime Queen," Lenny muttered. "We have to be careful."

Vivian's legs gave out beneath her, tears streaming down her face. "We're… we're going to die, aren't we?"

Jin dropped to his knees beside her, trembling uncontrollably. "There's no way we can win. This is it… we're done."

"Shut up!" Theodore barked, his voice cutting through their panic. "Stop whining! If you want to stay here and rot, then go ahead. I'm going to kill that thing!"

"You're insane!" Elisa yelled, grabbing his arm. "You'll die!"

"Prince Theodore, please don't do it!" Noah pleaded. "There's no way you can defeat that monster!"

Theodore wrenched his arm free, his glare piercing through them. "What's your plan, then? Sit here and wait for it to kill us? I refuse to die without a fight. If you're too scared to move, then stay out of my way!"

Without another word, Theodore marched toward the forest, his mind set on facing the Slime Queen.

"My prince, wait!" Lenny called out, running after him.

Theodore paused, glancing back. (Of course, he'd follow me. Let's see what he's really after.)

"I can't let you sacrifice yourself," Lenny said, catching up. "We'll fight it together."

"Sacrifice?" Theodore scoffed. "You're mistaken. I'm not sacrificing anything. Just don't slow me down."

Lenny smiled, his eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "Don't worry. We're both six-star users, aren't we? With your magic and my strength, we'll be fine."

Theodore didn't reply. Instead, he leaped into the trees, jumping from branch to branch as he closed in on the Slime Queen. Lenny followed closely, his eagle circling above.

The Slime Queen roared, her massive hands uprooting trees and destroying the forest as she searched for her prey.

"Any plan, your highness?" Lenny asked, his tone almost teasing.

Theodore smirked. "Yeah—don't die."

Channeling his mana, Theodore ignited his sword with an ancient flame, its fiery glow casting long shadows over the forest.

"Are those… ancient flames?" Lenny asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Without answering, Theodore launched himself toward the Slime Queen, his speed leaving a trail of fire in his wake. He aimed for her glowing red eye, stabbing his sword deep into it. The flame erupted inside her gelatinous head, causing her to scream in agony.

The impact sent shockwaves through the air, forcing Lenny to shield himself as Theodore pulled his sword free and fell from the queen's towering height.

Lenny caught him mid-fall, grinning. "You really trust me to catch you, huh?"

"We're working together, aren't we?" Theodore replied curtly as they both landed on the ground.

The Slime Queen roared in fury, her massive body quivering as she prepared to attack.

Theodore and Lenny stood side by side, their weapons at the ready.

"Let's end this," Theodore said, his voice steady.

Lenny smirked, his eyes glinting with excitement. "Agreed, your highness. Let's see what you're truly capable of."