“Ge, geba……”

The Manticore takes a step back.
However, I know from Tatarc that it’s a deadend behind the Manticore.
If it wants to escape, it’ll have to get past through me.

“T-The Dragon God?! But, that’s… that’s impossible! Why?! Why is the Dragon God here?!”

I took a quick look behind me and saw Yarg pointing a spear at me while shivering.
He’s using Tatarc’s spear.
Since he’s trembling at my presence and his voice is also stuttering, I think he’ll be too scared to attack me out of the blue, so he’s nothing to worry about.

“Gra~a~a~a……”

When Partner growled menacingly at Yarg, he drops his spear and fell on his butt.

“A, aah…… I don’t get, what’s going on… anymore……”

…… Come on, you don’t have to be that scared.
Instead of sitting down shaking, why don’t you just run away? That’d really help since you’re just in the way right now.

Tatarc, just like Yarg, looks at me speechless.

Oops, let’s ignore the two terrified men behind me and focus on the front.

I face towards the Manticore.
It’s been stomping on the ground ever since.

“Geba~a!”

A miniature sandstorm overwhelms the cave.
It was already dark inside, the sandstorm is making it more hard to see. I can barely see Tatarc’s glowing stone.
Not only that, but the howling winds also make it hard to hear clearly.

This is most likely the Manticore’s〖Sandstorm〗skill.
It’s far stronger than the sandstorm I experienced in the desert.
I think I remember it was a Lv6 skill, and using it in this cramped space makes it even more powerful.

I still sense the Manticore nearby. It’s probably thinking if it should escape, or defeat me right here.
I heighten my〖Presence Sense〗and try to find the Manticore’s exact location.
I sense it moving left and right in front of me, then it stopped moving.

Shame on you, Manticore.
If only you had a skill like my〖Status Inspection〗, you wouldn’t be cornered like this by now.

The Manticore then jumped diagonally to my left.
But, because Partner injured its legs, its jumping strength has weakened.
Since we have you locked on by our〖Presence Sense〗, a surprise attack like that won’t work with your weakened speed.

I turn my body around and swing my tail at the Manticore who’s in mid-air.

“Geba~aa?!”

The Manticore gets slammed to the ground by my tail, then Partner bites the Manticore, lifts it up, and flings it to the wall.
I continued the attack by charging straight towards the Manticore with a headbutt.

“Ge~oo?!”

The Manticore falls flat to the ground and my headbutt made it roll into the back of the cave.

I rush towards the Manticore again, but it switched its attention to behind me.
Behind me are Yarg and Tatarc.
Feeling disturbed with the sudden shift in attention, I stopped in my tracks.

“Gebagebageba~aa!”

The Manticore stands up with a battle stance and swings its tail forward.
The tip of its tail contains spiky needles.

Is it going to use its〖One-Thousand Needles〗skill?
Knowing the Manticore’s sick personality, it’ll definitely target the two men behind me.
The fact that it raised its tail when we’re at a distance at each other means that it’s a long-range skill.
In that case, then〖One-Thousand Needles〗is a skill that can shoot at a distance.

I open my wings wide.
The Manticore shoots out its needles.
I flap my wings forward and add magic power into it.
With my〖Wind Slash〗, I can at least deviate the needles’ trajectory.
All the needles the Manticore shot fell one by one by my gust of wind.

“Ge…… ge, geba……”

Trying to distract me by aiming at the humans…… too bad I saw through your scheme.

The Manticore should be feeling helpless by now.
I mean, just by our status alone, it’s clear I’m more superior.
And, its speed is no longer a problem now that we injured its legs.
Since I have〖Status Inspection〗, all its skills are as plain to me as my eye can see.
It shouldn’t have any more hidden tricks up its sleeve.

The Manticore gives a heavy exhale and stares at us in frustration.
It then turned its gaze to the whole cave.
I bet you’re trying to find something you can put to good use.

“Geba………… geba…………”

I’m so glad we managed to corner it in a deadend cave.

But then, the Manticore began to tackle against the walls.
The entire cave shook from the impact.
Don’t tell me it’s trying to escape by digging a hole through the walls?
There’s no way that’s gonna work.

I continue my frontal assault at the Manticore and raise my claw.
I’ll end your misery right now!

“Ge, gege……”

The moment when my claw was about to rip the Manticore’s head off of its body, the Manticore shrunk.
It turned into a chocolate-haired woman in mere moments.
That instant made me miss my mark on the Manticore’s head. I struck the ground instead.
T-This trickster… it used〖Human Transformation〗at the last second.

I hurriedly raised my other claw, but I stopped midway.

【“Hey, what're ya waitin' for?!”】

Partner’s words woke me up and I regained my senses.
It was when I was still gathering power on my claw.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry……”

The Manticore covered her face with her arms and repeatedly spouted an apology.
She looks so weak now.

No, don’t get fooled. This is the same man-eating monster that made the Lithuvar Tribe suffer for years.
Counting those who were also directly involved, this monster is the cause of the discord between the Lithuvar Tribes and the center of why they split into two, and it’s even been greedily forcing sacrifices out of their homes, it’s done nothing but torment lives.
Even Alo… by this beast…

And yet, you’re apologizing…… that’s so unfair.
Even though I know your apologies aren’t sincere at all… I just… can’t move my claw.

The Manticore’s human form is that of a tall, slender woman with a delicate stature.
Even if it’s shown to be weakened right now, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a man-eating monster.

I can’t get loose. My front leg feels so heavy, it’s like it turned into metal.

【“Hey, get a grip!”】

Then, I unintentionally dropped my other leg as well.
As if waiting for that exact moment to happen, the Manticore finally reveals its face.

Although having been humanized, it’s showing a horrendously inhumane expression.
A wicked smile, whose cheeks stretched straight to the ear.
Eyes portraying extreme bloodlust.
And, a large protruding mouth clearly reveals traits of the Manticore, especially that ripped maw.
A long drooling tongue stretched out of the mouth.

Its teeth turn into fangs.
The Manticore takes a step forward as if the injury from its front leg is gone, and jumps up, aiming for our throat.
It’s fast.
This attack is probably packed with its last remaining strength.

“Gebagebagebagebageba~aa!”

I’ve been had.
When I noticed that inevitability, the Manticore already locked its fangs in my throat.
In the area just below my jaw, it’s sinking its fangs deep in.

“Gu~u……”

My mind is going numb.
Oh yeah…… it did have a〖Paralyzing Fang〗skill too…
Damn it! Even though I know it’s good at trickery and lies, what good will knowing its status do if I just end up falling for them!

The Manticore slowly reverted back from human to monster…… and, when it fully reverted to monster, it backed away from me.
Partner managed to bite the Manticore in its throat before it backed away.
I guess the paralysis bitten on me didn’t reach all the way to Partner, then.

Blood gets sprayed from the Manticore’s throat.
The Manticore then rolls on the ground with its belly facing up.

Meanwhile, Partner spits out blood.

【“Honestly, ur always too soft for ur own good”】

…… I know, I am.
And, I’m really glad you’re here with me.

I put pressure in the muscle area where the Manticore bit me to prevent further blood loss and activate〖Self-Regeneration〗 to close the wound.
The wound gets healed and the numbness also fades away.

【Resistance Skill〖Paralysis Resistance〗has risen from Lv5→6.】

I turn towards the Manticore.
The Manticore grits its teeth while rolling on the ground, then after wriggling for a while with blood spraying out of its throat, it stopped moving completely.

【Obtained 2044 Experience Points.】
【〖The Walking Egg〗skill gives you additional 2044 Experience Points.】
【The Lv. of〖Ouroboros Dragon〗went up from Lv. 61→65.】

It’s been a while since I last gained this much exp points.

【Title Skill〖Hero〗has risen from Lv2→4.】

Ohhh, this leveled up too?
Manticore, although your status and rank were lower than mine, your speed makes you on par with the Giant Centipede.

【Regular Skill〖Falling Star: Lv2〗and〖Nutcracker: Lv3〗evolve into〖Skyfall: Lv3〗.】
【Obtained Regular Skill〖Ground Upheaval: Lv1〗.】

Eh?
Aren’t these the previous skills that hero scum has?
Is this good? I suddenly got them without warning.
Will I be alright? I won’t become corrupted of heart or anything now, will I?

Urgh, the bad memories of fighting against that hero is coming back to me.
If I remember right, in my second battle with the hero, when he summoned that swarm of insects, I think he said something like…

【“Heh, he he, hehehe…… You’ve really angered me this time. Fine then. I will kill all the curse of this country. No one shall be saved other than me who has been bequested as〖Holy〗. You, Adofu, that foolish priest, and that beastwoman too… all of you should just die! Especially you, who keeps on chasing and chasing me around. Regret your folly in the afterlife.”】

…… From the way he phrased it, is〖Holy〗some kind of skill that breaks curses, I wonder.
So, if I continue to gain the hero’s skills from my title skill〖Hero〗, then maybe I can obtain a skill that’ll help me get rid of my awful〖Dragon Moth Scales〗, but… I don’t want to get my hopes up only for it to be crushed.