Genshin Impacti: This Priest is Cringe, But She's Also Unbeatable — Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Slime Invasion

The rock-grinding voice of the lead Earth Spirit still echoed throughout the cavernous stone hall.

Suddenly, a strange sound began to seep out from a narrow, overlooked fissure behind the group.

It was a viscous, slick noise—the wet gurgle of mud being churned, mixed with the faint hiss of some corrosive liquid dripping onto stone. The sound grew rapidly, sloshing closer and closer from the darkness.

“It’s happening again!” the Caveman leader, Biezhao, shrieked in terror, his pale face twisting into a knot of pure dread.

He led the other cavemen as they scurried behind the towering Earth Spirits like frightened rabbits, trembling from head to toe.

The stone faces of the lead Earth Spirit and the few craftsmen beside him tightened instantly. They set down their tools and, in a single, unified motion, grabbed the giant stone shields and menacing stone hammers that leaned against the wall. Their movements still possessed the steady composure of rock, yet they were startlingly fast, carrying the unstoppable momentum of a landslide as they formed an impenetrable defensive line before the fissure.

“It’s those sticky things from the ‘Erosion Cave’!” an Earth Spirit craftsman growled, his voice rumbling with suppressed fury. “And the number this time… it seems even higher!”

Celeste and Selene’s eyes sharpened as they snapped into combat stances. Selene raised her shield, holy light shimmering across its surface, and moved to the flank of the Earth Spirit phalanx, mirroring their defensive posture. Celeste lowered her pink staff slightly, aiming the heart-shaped gem at its tip toward the deep, dark fissure, her gaze piercing the gloom.

The next second, as if some foul faucet had been cranked open, a colorful tide erupted from the fissure.

It was a flood of countless jelly-like creatures, each the size of a washbasin. They were translucent, with cores of different colors suspended within their gelatinous bodies. They writhed and bounced across the stone floor, making a teeth-grinding squelch with every movement.

The scanning function on Celeste’s bracelet activated instantly.

[Ordinary Slime Lv. 10 – 15]

[Points: 15 / each]

[Characteristics: Physical damage effectiveness halved. Low probability of self-destruction upon death, causing a small-area elemental splash.]

[Note: Mobile EXP packs for novice adventurers. But even ants can kill an elephant if there are enough of them.]

These were just the vanguard.

The fissure stretched wider, and several behemoths the size of young calves squeezed their way out.

[Large Pyro Slime Lv. 20]

[Points: 40 / each]

[Characteristics: Contains unstable Pyro element. Shoots small fireballs. Will explode upon death, causing AoE Pyro damage.]

[Large Cryo Slime Lv. 20]

[Points: 40 / each]

[Characteristics: Shoots ice shards, inflicting a slow effect. Explodes upon death, causing AoE Cryo damage and the Frozen status.]

[Large Electro Slime Lv. 20]

[Points: 40 / each]

[Characteristics: Releases chain lightning. Explodes upon death, causing AoE Electro damage and a paralysis effect.]

The vibrant slime army instantly filled a corner of the massive stone hall. They jiggled and bounced, exuding waves of elemental energy and the distinct, cloying stench of slime. The scene was both disgusting and possessed a strange sort of “cuteness”—if one could ignore their lethal potential.

“Form up! Protect the shamans!”

At the lead Earth Spirit’s command, the defenders’ giant stone shields slammed into the ground in unison, producing a thunderous THUD. An earthy-yellow halo spread from beneath their feet, connecting the shields in a network of light. The aura of the defensive line grew heavier, more solid. Their innate stone skin and high constitution made them the perfect living wall.

In the rear, several caveman shamans, draped in crude feathers and bone ornaments and holding gnarled wooden staves, stepped forward. They chanted in trembling, shrill voices as a faint elemental light began to glow at the tips of their staves.

Stone spikes erupted from the ground, shooting toward the slime horde. At the same time, gentle streams of ley line energy surged into the Earth Spirits at the front, mending the cracks and chips on their bodies.

Earth Spirits tanking in the front, caveman shamans supporting from the back. It was a tactic that had clearly been drilled countless times, and it barely held off the first wave of the gelatinous assault.

But the problem was simple—the number of slimes was just too damn high.

The ranged attacks and death-throes explosions of the large elemental slimes were especially devastating to the slow-moving Earth Spirits.

BOOM!

A large Pyro Slime was crushed by a stone hammer, and it detonated the very instant it died. Scorching goo and flames splashed everywhere. The shockwave sent two Earth Spirits stumbling backward, leaving charred marks across their rock-like bodies. Their movements became visibly sluggish.

“Heal! Heal them quickly!” Biezhao shrieked from the back line.

The caveman shamans were in a panic, their healing light flickering intermittently, unable to keep up with the rate of damage.

On the other flank, ice shards spat by the large Cryo Slimes coated the Earth Spirits in frost, making their movements increasingly sluggish. The chain lightning released by the large Electro Slimes arced through the air, paralyzing several caveman shamans on the spot. Their chanting was cut short by pained groans.

The battle line was being crushed, step by agonizing step. The defensive circle of Earth Spirits and cavemen was already beginning to buckle.

The lead Earth Spirit smashed a small slime that tried to slip past the line, getting splattered with goo for his trouble. He turned his head sharply, his gaze falling on Celeste and Selene, who had been observing from the side. For the first time, a look of urgency appeared on his rocky face.

“Stranger warriors! Please, lend us a hand!” His voice was resonant and powerful, carrying the grinding texture of metal on stone. “These twisted elemental creations are corroding the foundations of the ‘foundation Hall.’ If they break through, the consequences will be unimaginable!”

His gaze swept over the somewhat ordinary-looking equipment the sisters wore, and he made a solemn promise. “We Earth Spirits have been smiths for generations. As long as we can survive this catastrophe, we are willing to use our finest ores and craftsmanship to forge custom weapons and armor for you both!”

[Ding! Emergency support mission “Surging Viscous Tide” triggered!]

[Mission Requirements: Assist the Earth Spirits and cavemen in holding the defensive line and repelling the strengthened slime tide.]

[Mission Rewards: Friendship of the Earth Spirits and cavemen, qualification for custom equipment, Elation Coins +200!]

[Host, the real test has arrived!]

“Sister!” Selene looked at Celeste, her expression grave, but her eyes blazed with rising fighting spirit.

Celeste took a deep breath. The viscous, seemingly endless tide of slimes before her was enough to make even her feel the pressure.

‘But… custom equipment?’she thought.’That’s a jackpot I didn’t see coming.’

She raised her staff, the pink heart-shaped gem at its tip shimmering with a light that felt entirely out of place on the grim battlefield.

“We accept this mission.”

“Charge!” Selene let out a sharp cry. Holy light erupted around her as she activated [Devotion Aura], pushing forward with her shield held high into the most heavily pressured section of the line. A [Sacred Shield Impact] sent several small slimes flying, buying a moment of breathing room for a teetering Earth Spirit.

But her [Holy Strike] and [Hammer of Justice] landed on the slimes with less-than-satisfactory results. The holy energy only served to knock them back and apply a weak purification effect; her killing efficiency was pitifully low.

Celeste, on the other hand, moved like a roaming assassin, weaving through the gaps in the battle line with her pink staff. Thanks to the anti-slime properties of the Black Tassel Spear, every one of her stabs, thrusts, and sweeps dealt effective damage. The wet pop of bursting slime cores was incessant.

Her figure was nimble, a blur of motion darting between globs of slime and elemental attacks. Her staff became a sniper’s tool, precisely picking off the large slimes that were about to self-destruct or interrupting their ranged attacks. Her presence immediately alleviated some of the pressure, especially when it came to clearing out the smaller mobs, where her efficiency far exceeded everyone else’s.

However, the number of slimes was simply overwhelming. No sooner had she cleared a small patch than more surged up from the fissure to take their place. Two particularly tough Rock-Shell Slimes were advancing slowly but unstoppably; Celeste’s staff only chipped off a few stone fragments when she struck them.

The sisters’ intervention had only managed to stabilize the collapsing battle line at a precarious equilibrium. The Earth Spirits were still struggling, the caveman shamans’ mana was bottoming out, Selene’s holy light had limited lethality, and while Celeste was a master of single-target elimination, she lacked a decisive AoE clearing method for a tide like this.

“This isn’t working! We can’t outlast them!” Selene grunted, parrying a scorching fireball. A wave of heat washed over her shield. “My holy light is only moderately effective against them! I’m clearing them too slowly!”

Celeste thrust her staff through a Pyro Slime and danced backward just before it exploded. Her gaze swept over the dense, writhing, advancing army of goo, her brow furrowed. Her own mana and stamina were being consumed at an alarming rate. Against this many enemies, her single-target attacks were a drop in the bucket.

A thought surfaced uncontrollably in her mind—use the Venti trial card.

The Anemo Archon’s power was undoubtedly the perfect counter for such a dense swarm of lightweight enemies. A single Skyward Sonnet could clear a huge area, and Grand Ode of the Wind was practically a god-tier skill for large-scale crowd control and damage.

As for the cost…

A shameful image flashed through her mind: herself, stuffed into those tight green poet’s clothes, chirping “Ehe~” in a young boy’s voice, forced to perform those completely uncontrollable words and actions…

On a life-or-death battlefield like this? With everyone watching?

Her cheeks burned, and her toes curled instinctively inside her boots.

Just then, an alarm cry came from the left flank.

A Rock-Shell Slime, under the cover of several Electro Slimes’ chain lightning, suddenly surged forward. It slammed into an exhausted Earth Spirit, sending both the defender and his shield sliding backward.

A dangerous gap instantly appeared in the defensive line. Several large Pyro Slimes seized the opportunity, pouring through the opening and rushing toward the vulnerable caveman shamans behind them.

“Oh no!”

Acting on pure instinct, Selene completely disregarded the enemies in front of her. Holy light burst from her feet.

[Justice Leap]!

She forcibly twisted her body in mid-air, her silver-armored figure carving a blinding trajectory as she slammed ferociously into that precarious gap. She had chosen the most direct and dangerous solution—using her own body to plug the death zone.

“Selene!” Celeste’s heart stopped.

Her sister was trading her life for time.

She raised her hand almost reflexively.

[Power Word: Shield]!

Her heart hammered against her ribs, her focus exceptionally concentrated. Mana flowed out smoothly, ready to instantly shroud her sister in that familiar white-gold light of protection.

‘There’s no time to care about that crap!’she thought frantically.’If it’s social death, then so be it! Solving the problem right now is more important!’

Celeste had already made up her mind: the second the shield was on her sister, she would immediately activate the Venti trial card.

However, the moment that familiar light shield formed around Selene—

Hum—!

[Overtones triggered!]

A wave of melody, indescribable and utterly alien to the holy light she had just cast, suddenly spread out from Celeste, rippling through the entire cavern without any warning.

Celeste: “!!!”

‘It’s over!’

Her mind went completely blank.

The social death experience, though late, had finally arrived.

And at such a critical moment, in such a completely unexpected way.

‘Please… please don’t let it be something even more embarrassing than the Venti outfit…’