The Fastest Evolution of the Unrivaled Slime: My Rejected Skill was a Cheat for Super Efficient Leveling, So I Trained 100 Times Faster to Become the World’s Strongest

143. Operation Begins

We gathered in the northern grassland area to discuss our plan to rescue Laura. The team included myself, Raize, and the rest of the task force, excluding Laura, and Eleanor.

“I’ll warp into the dungeon and bring Laura back here. The rest is up to you, Arx.”

The companion with the skill spoke.

“Can you really warp into a dungeon?”

“In theory, yes. But dungeons change shape over time. We’re cutting it close, but if we act now, we should make it. Still…”

It wasn’t hard to guess what he meant. If too much time passed, Laura’s body would weaken, and she might fall to monsters.

“Are you ready, Arx…?”

Rurika asked me with a solemn expression.

Considering the level difference, I might be the only one who can withstand her attacks head-on. Whether this operation succeeds depends on me. If things go south, I may have to make the call to end Laura’s life. That’s what Rurika was asking.

I nodded deeply, showing my resolve to save Laura no matter what.

Rurika gave the signal, and the member with the Warp skill initiated Laura’s retrieval. A few others, including Rurika, disappeared with him.

We stood in silence for a while, waiting. It was impossible to remain calm thinking about what was coming next.

About ten minutes later, something finally happened.

“They’re here!”

A gate appeared in the middle of the grassland. We immediately turned our attention to it, bracing ourselves.

Laura was the first to emerge, seemingly thrown out of the gate. Landing on her rear, she quickly regained her footing like a wild animal.

“Arx! We brought her back!”

Rurika and the others followed her through the gate. It seemed like they managed to pull it off. I drew my sword and looked at Laura. It had only been about 20 minutes since we last saw each other, but she had changed.

The difference was in what she held. In her left hand, she gripped Gerda’s leg, and in her right, the sword she had thrown away earlier. She must have retrieved it after we vanished.

“Everyone, cover me! If you see an opening, try to reach Laura!”

Gripping my sword tightly, I rushed toward the frenzied Laura. As soon as she spotted me, she braced herself. Just as I was about to knock her sword away, Laura did something unexpected. She dropped Gerda’s leg from her left hand and hurled it at me.

“Damn!”

Gerda’s massive body slammed into me, disrupting my stance and slowing my movements for a split second. And that split second was all it took.

Laura leaped high into the air and swung her sword down at me. Her shadow loomed over my unguarded face.

“!!”

At that moment, Eleanor intervened, using her fist to block Laura’s sword. She absorbed the impact and was thrown backward, taking me and Gerda with her. The three of us tumbled across the grass. Thanks to Eleanor, I avoided taking Laura’s attack head-on and managed to put some distance between us.

“You saved me, Eleanor!”

“Glad to hear it! But to think this is only a quarter of her power… Arx, are you alright!?”

“I’m fine! Take Gerda and get her out of here!”

I stood back up and charged toward Laura again. From the looks of things, she had lost one of her weapons. The advantage was ours now!

“Laura! Wake up!”

Our swords clashed. It felt just like the first time I met her. Laura’s sword, empowered by Zane’s Crimson Eye, was as fast and heavy as ever, just like back then.

“Arx, get back!”

Hearing Raize’s voice, I quickly disengaged and retreated. A blue magic circle appeared beneath Laura’s feet.

“!!”

The spell activated, and an ice pillar about two meters wide grew rapidly from beneath her feet. In no time, it had exceeded her height, but the ice failed to trap her.

Sensing the danger, Laura had instinctively jumped back to avoid the ice. Her reflexes were unreal. No, perhaps I should call it animal intuition. Either way, the spell had missed.

“Then how about this?!”

I covered myself in lightning magic and dashed toward Laura as she floated in midair. The moment she landed, I stomped hard and unleashed lightning in her direction. There was no way she could dodge this. The only way to minimize the damage was to put distance between us, and I would close that gap in an instant!

But just as the lightning was about to strike Laura, she did the unthinkable. Instead of retreating, she charged toward me.

That choice would guarantee she took damage. Yet Laura prioritized attacking me over protecting herself. No human would ever make such a decision. I couldn’t help but be stunned by her abnormal strategy.

Even as she was struck by lightning, Laura tightened her grip on her sword. A white aura enveloped the blade, swelling rapidly.

“Everyone, get down!”

That stance—it’s ! The power behind it has increased, and I can’t predict how large the attack will be! The others could get caught in it! I prepared and braced myself for Laura’s attack. Her was growing larger by the second.

Our swords collided. In that instant, a fierce gust of wind ripped through the grassland.