Linley, gripping his Fire Element longsword, was forced back by the overwhelming vines. He looked back and saw Desri holding his staff, casting a nearly collapsing Light Magic shield in front of Tulilei, Rutherford, and Fain, protecting them from the tidal wave of roots. The eerie blue light on the shield flickered, leaving him no free hand to use it.
" Desri is protecting everyone." Linley felt a heavy weight in his heart; this time, he was the only one left to charge into battle.
He turned around, wanting to carve a path through the vines to reach the Mother Queen's heart, but more roots from all directions rushed towards him, surrounding him completely. The Mother Queen knew exactly what he was going to do, so all the roots grew towards one person, as if to strangle that person to death in the jungle.
After Linley slashed several times, his Fire Element longsword, though very hot, couldn't withstand the sheer number of roots. He was gradually forced into a corner, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
The shadow moved so fast it was almost invisible, but it landed precisely on the deep crevice in the Mother Queen's body.
Bebe.
Linley was taken aback. " Bebe? Weren't you guarding with Desri..." Before he could finish speaking, Bebe's little head was already raised, and its round eyes revealed a composure that was completely different from usual, the composure of a king. It hadn't followed the others; it had quietly broken away from the group in the chaos of battle and hid in the shadow of the vines, following them all the way here.
"Boss," Bebe whispered, "I came along alone when Desri was watching them, so I can find that beast's weakness for you."
Linley felt a warmth in his heart. He had thought that Bebe would obediently stay by its companion's side, but unexpectedly, the little beast found its way over on its own, hiding in the vines and only appearing when it was most needed.
"Alright." Linley didn't ask any further questions. Holding the Fire Element longsword, he slashed with all his might towards the direction of the Mother Queen's heart.
The scorching lava sword wind burned the last few roots around the Mother Queen's Heart Aperture to ashes. The deep crack was instantly exposed. The green Heart Aperture, hidden deep underground, was now exposed to the eyes of humans and beasts.
"Now!" Linley shouted.
Bebe was ready. Suddenly, it opened its mouth and let out a piercing scream. The scream was like an invisible knife piercing the Mother Queen's heart. The Mother Queen's body trembled violently, and all the intertwined roots and vines froze at that moment, as if forcibly fixed in place by something.
The unique soul impact of the Rat King's bloodline directly struck the core of the Mother Queen's consciousness at its deepest level.
"Boss, hurry!" Bebe said in a hoarse voice.
Without the slightest hesitation, Linley held a Fire Element longsword in his hand, channeling all the sixty-fourfold Earth Pulsation within his body and all the surrounding Battle-qi qi into the blade. As if sensing his thoughts, the blood-red pattern on the sword suddenly lit up, and scorching lava power surged forth, forming a crimson flame.
"Smash it!"
Linley thrust out his sword, the Fire Element longsword piercing straight through the Mother Queen's exposed heart. The scorching power of lava exploded inside her heart, burning the dark green light deep within to ashes inch by inch.
"No--!"
The Mother Queen let out a hoarse, shrill cry. Her enormous body trembled violently, and a series of roots convulsed, withered, and fell off like a tidal wave, as if the entire forest had collapsed at that moment. All the plant life under her control lost its vitality after the Mother Queen died, turning into ashes and withered branches on the ground.
After the last glimmer of eerie green light was extinguished by Linley's sword, the seventh layer of the jungle returned to silence.
Linley knelt on one knee, gripping his longsword, still glowing with embers, panting heavily. This move had almost exhausted all his strength. But he didn't fall; he simply slowly raised his head, gazing at the withered forest, his eyes revealing the clarity of someone who had survived a catastrophe.
In the distance, Desri finally lowered his staff, and the shield dissipated. He led Tulilei, Rutherford, and the others, staggering out from the wreckage of vines. Though disheveled, they were all alive. He looked at Linley's battered state, then at Bebe, whose little head was held high and a trickle of green sap still clung to its mouth, and his voice carried a hint of unspoken emotion. " Linley... just now you were protecting everyone, and you couldn't even spare a hand to help you. This battle was entirely thanks to you and Bebe."
"It's alright." Linley stood up, leaning on his sword, patted Bebe's head, and said with a smile, " Desri, you look after everyone, Bebe will stay with me, each of us responsible for our own area. If it weren't for Bebe's soul-shaking attack that calmed the Mother Queen's mind, my sword strike might not have been accurate."
Bebe raised her head, a hint of smugness in her round eyes. "The boss's business is my business. If it wants to hide, I'll hide with it. If it tries to attack, I'll help it hold off that beast. We've always been together."
Linley felt a warm glow in his heart and didn't say anything, only patting the fluffy head again. He looked down at the Fire Element longsword in his hand, which was still warm, and then at the now quiet seventh layer of the jungle, letting out a long breath.
"We made it through this level together," Linley said softly. "There are many more perilous situations like this ahead. But as long as we're together, there's no obstacle we can't overcome."
Deep within the shadows of the seventh level of the jungle, a faint, eerie light slowly flowed, leading to the entrance to the eighth level. They supported each other as they ventured further in.