The Water Elementals gathered behind them, forming a compact second line.
"Advance!" Jiang Chen ordered.
In the same instant, the evolved Slimes lunged forward.
One hurled itself at the Fire Shaman with a descending slash. The mantis-blade arm clashed against a shield of black flames.
CLANG FWOOSH!
A burst of burning sparks pushed it back, but the Slime rolled and attacked again from a side angle.
The second evolved Slime attacked the Poison Shaman. It tried to slice through his torso in a clean motion, but the Shaman traced a circle in the air with his hand.
A purple ring appeared, protecting his body like a liquid barrier.
ZSHHHH!
The mantis-blade managed to break through the barrier…
but the poison corroded part of its body, forcing the evolved Slime to recoil, trembling in pain.
The third and fourth evolved Slimes charged together at the Water Shaman.
He lifted both arms.
FWOOOM!
A high-pressure column of water burst from the ground, slamming into the two Slimes and launching them several meters into the air before dropping them violently.
But they didn't give up:
they reformed mid-air and fell with their blades aimed downward.
The Water Shaman twisted his palm.
The water rose in a spiral, trapping them.
ZUUUUUUUM!
A liquid vortex formed, trying to tear their bodies apart.
From behind, the Water Elementals aimed at the Shamans and fired high-pressure water attacks one after another, like a continuous barrage:
PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW!
The jets crashed against the fire shield, the poison barrier, and the water wall.
Each impact shook the earth, breaking the stones of the village floor.
One jet pierced through the Fire Shaman's defense and sliced part of his arm, drawing a howl of rage.
Another struck the Poison Shaman in the back, ripping a strangled groan from him.
The Shamans responded by raising their staffs.
KRAAAAH!
A coordinated, lethal strike shot toward the Elementals a fireball, a spear of poison, and a jet of water reached them in an instant.
The Elementals' defenses rippled, struggling to withstand it.
"Hold the shield!" Mira shouted.
The Elementals combined their energy.
A dense layer of water rose over them like a giant bubble.
The attacks hit
BOOOOOOM!
The shield cracked, vibrating like glass on the verge of shattering.
Behind them, the Goblins who had regrouped began advancing in mass.
Jiang Chen clenched his teeth.
They couldn't let them take control of the battle again.
"Normal Slimes, ATTACK WITHOUT RESTRAINT!" he roared.
Thousands of common Slimes surged forward like a living river toward the Goblins.
The battle became hell.
But then…
The Poison Shaman raised both arms.
A purple sphere formed above his head. It grew…
and grew…
until it was the size of a small house.
"Oh no…" Mira whispered.
KSKSKSKSKSK!
The Shaman's laughter sliced through the air like a knife.
BOOOOOOOOM!
The sphere exploded into a massive cloud.
A toxic, thick, corrosive mantle fell over the first line of normal Slimes.
SSSSSSSSSHHH!
Hundreds literally hundreds melted instantly.
Walls of gel dissolved like snow under fire.
The Elementals closed ranks to keep the poison from reaching Mira, Jiang Chen, and the Slime Shaman.
The Water Shaman took advantage of the chaos.
He created three spears of pure water that shot straight toward the Elementals.
FWISH! FWISH! FWISH!
The Elementals raised a thick shield of pressurized water.
CLAAAASH!
The spears collided, exploding into bursts of cutting droplets.
Some broke through, hitting two Elementals and causing them to collapse temporarily into living puddles struggling to reform.
The evolved Slimes charged again, ignoring the poison, ignoring their wounds, advancing on the Shamans with frozen fury.
They advanced, even as the poison ate away at their bodies.
Their mass trembled, but they still pressed forward with their mantis-blades extended, slicing the air with a deadly whistle.
SHIIING!
KLAANG! FWOOSH!
The Fire Shaman retreated, defending himself desperately with his flame shield as two evolved Slimes harassed him from opposite directions.
The Poison Shaman whipped a purple lash that exploded on contact, but the third evolved Slime slipped around like a living projectile, dodging and counterattacking with brutal slashes.
The Water Shaman spun nonstop, maintaining a defensive whirlpool around his body while fending off the fourth evolved Slime that tried to break through the layers of water with brute force.
PEW! PEW! PEW!
High-pressure water jets carved into the ground, shattered huts, and pushed the Shamans back, forcing them to divide their attention.
Behind them, the normal Slimes kept pouring in waves an endless sea pushing itself forward, climbing over one another, swallowing ankles, crawling over weapons and shields, drowning the lower Goblins trying to defend the fortress.
The Goblins fought back with spears, arrows, and shrill cries.
Slimes stuck to their bodies, crawled beneath their armor, and toppled them.
But even so…
The battle reached a stalemate.
The Shamans, though under heavy pressure, were still standing.
The Elementals were resisting with difficulty.
The normal Slimes were falling by the hundreds.
And the evolved Slimes could no longer keep up with the damage they were taking.
Mira clenched her teeth as a jet of poison struck near her Elementals, causing two of them to nearly collapse into shapeless liquid.
"It's not going to work…" she muttered. "If we keep this up, they'll gain the advantage."
Jian Cheng knew it.
The entire battle was collapsing around them.
"Mira," he said without taking his eyes off the battlefield, "if we don't step in ourselves…"
A spear of water whistled past and exploded a few meters away.
Another burst of fire lit up the sky.
"…we're going to lose."
Mira took a deep breath.
"I know."
"We have to join the battle.
We need to use the power of our inner worlds."
"All right."
Both stepped forward.
The ground cracked beneath their feet.
Energy surged through their veins like liquid fire.
Mira looked at him.
"We go in together."
Jian Cheng nodded.
It's time.
And just as the two of them were about to launch themselves into the battlefield, the three Shamans turned at the same time, as if they had sensed the danger that was about to fall upon them…
The three Shamans snapped their heads around, their pupils narrowing.
It wasn't a sound. It wasn't a vibration.
It was pure instinct.
"…Something's coming," murmured the Poison Shaman.
But it was already too late.
Mira and Jian Cheng hurled themselves into the battlefield.