I became the slime toy of the evil dragon girl?

Kiki reacted a little slowly and was almost injured by a tentacle.

At the critical moment, a device on the side of her backpack automatically popped out, unfolding a small diamond-shaped energy shield that blocked the blow.

But the shield's light flickered violently, clearly unable to withstand the next attack, and the person was also knocked several meters to the side.

"Corrupted creature? And it even has plant-like properties?!" Kiki exclaimed as she pulled out a bomb. The confined environment made her hesitate for a moment, but she eventually put the bomb away.

The rock monster growled and stood in front of Ian, using its rocky body to withstand the lashes of the tentacles and the cuts of the black leaves.

With a series of muffled thuds, rock fragments flew everywhere, and deep cracks and rapidly spreading black corrosion marks appeared on the rock monster's body. Its movements became noticeably slower.

Ian quickly assessed the situation. The monster was powerful, its attack methods were bizarre, and it seemed to be able to utilize the corrupting magic in the environment.

Lilith's speed and skill are limited by the magical miasma and the terrain, Kiki's bombs are not suitable for this narrow terrain, and the rock monster's high defense is countered.

We can't fight them head-on!

"Lilith, distract it! Kiki, distract it! Rock Monster, back off, protect Kiki!" Ian quickly gave the orders, then launched himself towards the spring.

His target wasn't the fight, but the tree and the pool of water beneath it.

[Analysis] Tell him that the core control of this monster is likely related to that strange tree and the pool.

Upon hearing this, Lilith used her eerie shadow magic to weave between her tentacles, occasionally shooting out shadow energy to strike the withered tree and draw its attention.

Kiki frantically rummaged through her bag and pulled out a horn-shaped device, then aimed it at the monster and activated it.

hum!

A burst of teeth-grinding high-frequency noise erupted, creating visible ripples in the air.

The monster's movements visibly faltered, its tentacles became erratic, and its black leaves lost their aim.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ian had already rolled to the edge of the spring.

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the white light emanating from the pool, though hazy, was inherently pure and gentle, completely out of place with the pervasive atmosphere of decay.

The thick layer of black ashes at the bottom of the pool, in the [analysis] field of vision, turned out to be dark, corrupting magical crystals. They polluted the spring water and were also the source of the decaying power of the half-dead tree!

If we could purify these corrupting magics, or at least sever their connection to the tree...

Ian leaned forward, trying to touch the water.

The pure life energy surged in, invigorating him.

But when he tried to stir the black embers at the bottom of the pool with his tentacles, a chilling, resentful, and desperate will suddenly surged back up his tentacles!

"Hiss..." Ian felt a sharp pain on a spiritual level.

The ashes were not inanimate objects; they contained the remnants of some intense emotion, feeling like a consciousness on the verge of collapse.

At the same time, seemingly sensing Ian's touch on the black embers, the half-dead tree let out a silent shriek, and all its attacks went berserk.

Ignoring Lilith and Kiki's interference, several tentacles suddenly changed direction and slammed into Ian by the pool!

"Ian!" Lilith cried out, but it was too late to come to her aid.

The rock monster roared and charged forward, using its body to block two tentacles, but the other two were already within reach!

At this critical moment, Ian made a bold decision.

He leaped directly into the spring filled with corrupting magic, plunging himself into the black ashes at the bottom of the pool, while simultaneously activating his [Devour] talent to its fullest extent!

He wanted to devour these crystals filled with corrupting magic.

And you must use yourself as a medium to forcibly connect with the broken will contained within it, and engage in dialogue with that endless sorrow and anger!

"Wake up!" Ian roared in his mind.

boom!

An indescribable torrent of information and emotions, accompanied by pure but polluted life force, rushed into Ian's body like a flood bursting its banks!

Intense pain, ancient sorrow, anger at betrayal, obsession with protecting something, and decay and madness eroded by the long passage of time... countless fragments exploded in his consciousness.

[Devour] Consume all the corrupting magic into your body!

[Analysis] Working overtime, trying to understand these fragments!

【Magic Body】Frantically draws magic power to repair the corrupted and eroded gelatinous body!

Ian felt as if his body was being torn apart...

But amidst this chaotic torrent, he also saw some glimmering fragments:

An aged druid, draped in a robe of green leaves, placed his hand on a young, vibrant tree and chanted softly...

Darkness descended, blasphemous magic corrupted the earth, and the elves fell in agony, turning into specks of light...

The old druid let out a desperate cry and lunged towards the polluted spring, his figure becoming one with the water and the trees...

A long period of guarding, a struggle against pollution; reason gradually blurred amidst loneliness and erosion, leaving only the instinct to protect...

This monster was an ancient druid who fought against the source of corruption with his own body, but was eventually twisted by the long passage of time and corrupting magic!

"Stop!" Ian used all his willpower to reverse his thoughts and flow back through the channel of [Devour].

"The pollution is being cleaned up! Attacking us is pointless!"

As if in response to his call, or perhaps as the shattered will that held the druid's last remaining obsession finally sensed the possibility of purification, the frenzied counterattack abruptly ceased.

The tentacles, which had already penetrated deep into the pool and were heading straight for Ian, froze less than a foot away from his gelatinous body.

On the half-dead tree, the waves of sorrow and anger that had been emanating continuously began to show signs of disorder and confusion.

"Now!"

Lilith seized this fleeting opportunity.

The figure merged with the shadow, transforming into an almost invisible black thread.

It rapidly ascended along a stiff tentacle.

It flashed past the most obvious crack where the tree trunk met with withered life!

The Shadow Sword contained all the shadow power she could muster at that moment!

It plunged deep into that crack!

"Ughhh!" The silent mental scream erupted again, but this time it was filled with pain and a struggle before some kind of release.

Boom!

The half-dead giant tree trembled violently, all its tentacles drooping and softening, turning back into ordinary rotting soil and roots.

The black leaves shot out and fell in a flurry, turning to ashes before even touching the ground.

As the monster's consciousness dissipated and it lost control, the corrupting torrent surging into Ian's body suddenly weakened. He increased the intensity of [Devour], and his gelatinous body unfolded, trying his best to pull all the black ashes from the bottom of the pool into his body.

"Yay!" Ian couldn't help but gag.

Previously, due to the emergency, he unleashed large amounts of corrupting magic, which not only smelled foul but also carried a hint of death.

Ian felt like he had a septic tank inside him, or a mass grave inside his body.